2020 Whiskey Holiday Gift Sets

The Jack Daniel's Tasting Calendar listed below was sent to me by Jack Daniels to help with this post with no strings attached. I thank them for their generosity.

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It should come as no surprise that I am a frugal fella. After all, I’ve been married to an accountant for over 25 years. I doubt we would have made it this long if I didn’t tend to pinch pennies. It’s in light of this innate penny pinching that I tend to wander through the Holiday Gift Set aisles of my closest Total Wine.

I mean, I like free stuff. Especially free stuff that comes along with things I might have purchased anyway. And, of course, I did pick up one or two of those gift sets.

But it made me think, “my readers are pretty frugal folks too; I bet they also like free stuff.” And so this post was born. I reached out to my PR contacts to ask one question: “What free things are you giving away with your whiskey this year?” Between the responses to those emails and my own “research” in local liquor stores, I’ve compiled a list of Holiday Gift Sets to keep an eye out for. This is by no means a complete list as some of the companies dind’t respond.

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Maker’s Mark

Let’s start with the one that inspired the question. I didn’t get a response to my question from Maker’s, but I found this lovely gift set at Total Wine for $21.99. It includes a 750 mL bottle of Maker’s Mark and two glasses with the Maker’s logo and a “Christmas Sweater” pattern etched into the glass.

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Maker’s 46

Maker’s 46 is including a 750 mL bottle of Maker’s 46 and a “Limited Edition” bottle stopper featuring the Maker’s “S IV Star” logo. I’m not sure how useful this item will be, but it is pretty. And might be a fun conversation starter on your home bar. Total Wine is currently selling this for $25.99 in my area.

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Four Roses Small Batch

Four Roses is packaging two rose-shaped ice molds along with their Small Batch Bourbon this Holiday season. It is only available in select states but should cost you about the same as a bottle of Small Batch without the gifts (roughly $29.99-$34.99). I kinda wish this was in my area. I can see myself playing with these a time or two before trying to adapt them to a directional freezing set-up...because I’m both a Four Roses fanboy and a tinkerer.

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Ezra Brooks

Ezra Brooks is giving you the complete “on the rocks” experience by including an ice mold and a rocks glass along with a 750 mL bottle of their 90 proof Ezra Brooks. I haven’t seen this one locally, but they say it should cost you the same amount as Ezra Brooks would ordinarily. I like that glass (can you tell I have a thing for glasses? You can blame my wife for that.)

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Crown Royal Whisky Tasting Calendar

While this isn’t a bottle with free goodies, it is a fun experience for those who like Crown and flavored Crown. This would be perfect for someone like my brother who isn’t a spirits drinker, but likes to take a bottle of Crown Apple out to the ice-fishing shack with him. This would give him four whiskeys that he would probably already like and might entice him to try the other two, that he probably wouldn’t buy on his own. This one is available nationally and MSRP is $44.99.

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Crown Royal

This one wasn’t confirmed by the PR people, but I did see it on the shelf this year. It is a 750 mL bottle of Crown Royal and two rocks glasses with the Crown Royal logo on them. My Total Wine has this for $21.99.

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Jack Daniel’s Holiday Countdown Calendar

Another one that is less about the "goodies” and more about the experience. Jack Daniel’s was generous enough to send this one over so that I could photograph it myself…and yeah, drink it too. According to the press release:

“The limited-edition calendar features 24 windows designed to reveal a special Jack Daniel’s item on each day leading up the December holidays, making it a perfect gift for whiskey lovers or the centerpiece of a new seasonal tradition. “Surprise” products featured in this year’s calendar include four 50ml bottles each of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, three bottles each of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple, and two bottles each of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Rye, Gentleman Jack and Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select. The calendar will also contain premium items, including four shot glasses with various logos from the Jack Daniel’s family of brands.“

This one isn’t available near me but where it is, its suggested retail price will be $79.99.

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Jack Daniel’s

Once again, this one was not confirmed by the PR people, but it has a 2020 copyright on it, so I think it is current. If you like yourself a highball made using Jack Daniel’s (whether that is a Jack and Coke or a Jack and something else) then you’ll want to be on the lookout for this one. My Total Wine is selling it for $18.99.

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Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel

I really have no idea if this is from this year. I suspect it may be overstock from last holiday season since it was on an endcap in the Rum section of my local Total Wine. (I took all these photos at Total Wine because they are busy enough that they don’t look sideways at a guy taking images of their stock without buying it.) This one comes with a large “Snifter” sized Glencairn glass with which to enjoy your single barrel of Jack Daniel’s. I’m not personally a fan of Glencairn glasses for drinking whiskey as I prefer the feel of a rocks glass or this one would have come home with me too.

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Woodford Reserve

I suspect that this one is also overstock. I didn’t get a response from the Woodford Reserve folks about what they were doing this year, but I know this is the same as last year. I know that because last year, I bought two of them. I bought two because this box only comes with a single glass. But it is a very nice glass and I wanted more than one. It’s one I’ve reached for many times for my evening nightcap. It feels fancy.

So there you have it. These are the ones that you might find on your local shelves this year. I love these things. Mostly because I love whiskey memorabilia almost as much I like whiskey. I sometimes even buy the memorabilia without buying the whiskey. But usually only in a gift shop or an antique store.

Oh, and I did get responses from the folks who handle Jim Beam Small Batch Collection, Old Forester, and Barton/Buffalo Trace that they would not be doing any holiday gift sets this year. Just so that you are aware. Anything else that I missed, is either because it isn’t for sale near me or the PR folks never responded or both. But, that’s ok. This was long enough anyway. I hope you all had a safe and Happy Thanksgiving and that you aren’t getting too many Black Friday emails.

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Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series 2020: Stave Profile SE4 x PR5

I’d like to thank the PR folks at Maker’s Mark for providing a review sample to me with no strings attached. Please note that the proof of the provided sample is slightly less than the finished product will be (110.0° proof vs 110.8° proof).

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Sooo…I was really dumb. I’m cold smoking some cheese using the A-Maze-N pellet smoker tray inside my new smoker, right? It smolders at a much cooler temp than the lowest temp I can set the smoker itself for. Well, I wasn’t wearing gloves. And when I went to pick up the tray, I used one hand to grab the cold side and then the other to steady the hot side.

Yeah. I have a nice dimple pattern melted into the tips of the thumb and forefinger of one of my left hand. It’ll be a nice reminder to WEAR FUCKING GLOVES from now on. And since it happened just before I set out to write this, I am going to type as little as possible during the review of the new Maker’s Mark Limited Release tonight. Here are a few pertinent quotes from the Press Release.

“Since the introduction of Maker’s Mark 46, wood staves have become our tool of choice for unlocking and amplifying natural flavors already present in our classic Maker’s Mark – always purposefully and with a specific taste vision in mind,” says Jane Bowie, Director of Innovation at Maker’s Mark. “Where Maker’s Mark 46 was about creating a ‘bolder’ Maker’s, and the 2019 release was all about boosting the notes of baking spice and fruit, our 2020 Limited Release has been a quest to amp up those rich vanilla and buttery-caramel flavors that typically stem from our unique approach to seasoning our barrel wood outside for a full year.” 

This year’s limited offering differs from its 2019 predecessor by utilizing two stave styles – one drawing on vanilla, the other on caramel – that when married together yield a rich Maker’s Mark reminiscent of butter pecan. The multi-stave approach was the result of more than twelve months of experimentation with Maker’s Mark barrel producer Independent Stave Company. The first stave in the 2020 Limited Release, SE4, is made from Virgin French Oak, convection cooked at medium heat with a short toast period and responsible for much of the caramel flavor. The second stave, PR5, is made from Virgin American Oak and convection cooked at low heat very slowly over time to bring out vanilla.

Bottled at 110.8 proof, each 750mL bottle of the Maker’s Mark 2020 Limited Release will retail for a suggested $59.99 and will be available nationwide beginning in September, while supplies last.

Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series 2020: Stave Profile SE4 x PR5

Purchase Price: This was graciously provided by Maker’s Mark for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $59.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.00

Details: 55% ABV (final release proof will be 55.4% ABV). Uses two new staves made from Virgin Toasted American and French Oak (SE4 and PR5, not sure which is which).

Nose: Spearmint, lots of toffee, some oak, and herbal cherry notes.

Mouth: Toffee, herbal cherry, cinnamon, oak, and nutmeg.

Finish: Medium to long and spicy. Strong notes of cinnamon along with herbal cherry and nutmeg.

Thoughts: This is really good. At first, there is just a ton of toffee. The herbal cherry notes threw me at first, but after a couple of sips, those spicy, herbal notes drew me in. Water amps up the sweetness and tames some of the herbal notes, bringing out even more toffee. I really like this one.

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Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

Maker's Mark "Generations of Proof" Gift Set

A few months ago, just before COVID shut us all down, I was out furniture shopping. While I was out, I decided to stop by a liquor store that I usually don’t frequent. Just to see what they had. You never know when you are going to stumble onto something that might make a good blog post.

As I walked in, I saw that they had a complete set of the Rhetoric Bourbon Collection sitting right where their tasting bar used to be. Not being in the mood to drop $2600 on bourbon, I kept walking. But I was interested enough that I decided to see what else might be lurking on the bourbon shelves. Obviously I was looking for something that was a bit closer to a freelance designer’s price range. I wasn’t disappointed when I got to the bourbon section. Right there on the top shelf, sitting sideways so as not to take up too many facings was a Maker’s Mark collection from last year (the copyright is 2019, that’s the extent of my knowledge about this).

Now, I’m a fan of Maker’s Mark from way back. The delightful redhead was one of my first bourbon loves and really is still one of the only wheated bourbons that I like as much as bourbons that use rye. So when I saw this collection that has cask-strength versions of Maker’s, Maker’s 46, and a Maker’s Private Select, I thought that was pretty neat and decided to bring it home with me. I then stuck it into the closet and forgot about it.

I remembered it the other day when I read that this year’s limited edition bourbon was going to be Maker’s 46 Cask Strength. Now I’ve had Maker’s 46 Cask Strength before. But I’ve always had to go to Kentucky to get it. I picked up two bottles back in 2015 when they first started selling it at the distillery. I’ve also picked up a couple of Maker’s Private Select from the gift shop that only used the Maker’s 46 staves. So…essentially Maker’s 46 Cask Strength. And I like it enough that if I see that limited edition out there somewhere (I never did see last year’s) that I will probably pick that up as well.

So since it is somewhat topical, I decided to pull this collection back out of the closet and give it a look. One thing I didn’t notice when I bought it was that they have Cask Strength versions of the core product that each of the Samuels’ family developed during their time in charge. Maker’s Mark from Bill Sr. Maker’s 46 from Bill Jr. And Private Select from Rob. This particular one using a finishing stave combination that has his name on it. Like I said previously, pretty neat.

Because I’ve previously reviewed both Maker’s Cask Strength and Maker’s 46 Cask Strength, I’m only going to go over the tasting notes for the Rob Samuel’s Private Select. This is getting long enough as it is.

Maker's Mark Private Select: Rob Samuels (from Maker's Mark "Generations of Proof" Gift Set)

Purchase Info: $84.99 for the gift set (three 375ml bottle) from Lakeville Liquors, Lakeville, MN

Price per Drink (50 mL): $3.78

Details: 55.1% ABV. Staves used: Two Seared French Cuvee, four Roasted French Mocha, four Toasted French Spice.

Nose: Strong butterscotch notes followed by cinnamon and nutmeg with fleeting hints of mint.

Mouth: Warm and sweet. More butterscotch, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Oak, ginger, and almond follow.

Finish: Warm and medium length. Lingering notes of Toffee, cocoa powder, oak, almond

Thoughts: This is terrific. I really like it. I may need to keep an eye out and see if there any more of these sitting on the shelf in the area.

So how does Rob's selection compare to those of his father and Grandfather?

Comparison with Maker's 46 cask Strength: Rob Samuel's is much sweeter on the nose. It's also much sweeter on the mouth. the Maker's 46 has a nicer mouthfeel and features the oak and spice more prominently.

Comparison with Maker's Mark Cask Strength: The nose on these are similar. Rob Samuel's shows more prominent "Christmas notes" of cinnamon and nutmeg. Maker's Cask Strength is the more assertive of the two even at a lower proof. It isn't nearly as sweet as the other two but is much spicier.

If we were forced to choose our favorite, I'd say the Maker's Cask Strength is mine while my wife chooses Maker's 46 cask strength. All three are very good though and I am going to enjoy every drop in all three of these bottles.

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Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

The BourbonGuy.com "Stuck at Home" Bourbon Brackets: The Championship!

I am so excited for tonight! For two reasons honestly. One is that there are actual sports stuff happening tonight! Like sports stuff that is live and not a replay of an old game that basically only serves to remind us how poorly sports graphics age. And sure, I couldn’t give two shits about the NFL. But I love college football and so the NFL Draft is always a fun way to see kids that I’ve followed for years finally see their dreams come true. I watch it every year. And for the most part it is the last time that I will pay attention to most of these kids. It’s kind of a good bye in that respect. Plus on the years that my Gophers have players that will be drafted, I like to see where they go.

But the other reason is the more pertinent to tonight’s post. I finally get to spill the beans on who wins! This was such a fun contest and I wish that every one of you had been able to play along with me. So let’s get down to it.

And as always, the following Bourbons were tasted blind at the same time. There may be odd or inconsistent tasting notes between these contests and other reviews because of how they pair/interact with one another.

Four Roses Single Barrel vs. Maker’s Mark 101 proof

Nose: Both of these have a really nice nose. They are pretty similar. Notes of toffee, caramel, brown sugar, oak and hints of fruit.

Mouth: Both of these show a lot of similarities. Lots of "bourbon" notes of toffee, caramel, brown sugar, baking spices. Whiskey 2 has a strong note of red fruit, whereas Whiskey 1 is more floral.

Pre-Reveal Thoughts: These are both delicious. As you might guess since we are reaching the last few matchups, the competition has gotten tighter. So much so that my wife and I have picked different winners. She picked Whiskey 2 as her winner and I picked Whiskey 1. Believe it or not, this is our first split decision. Things could get could get interesting later on.

Reveal: Whiskey 1 was Four Roses Single Barrel and will be moving on tot he Championship in my bracket. Whiskey 2 was Maker’s Mark 101 proof and will be moving on in my wife’s bracket.

Four Roses Small Batch Select vs. Henry McKenna Bottled in Bond

Nose: Whiskey 1 is showing more oak, cherries and vanilla. Whiskey 2 is basically a sugar cookie with floral notes.

Mouth: The mouths follow the noses fairly well in both of these. Whiskey 1 features cherries and baking Spice. Whiskey 2 features sweet caramel, vanilla and floral notes.

Pre-Reveal Thoughts: Once again, these are both very good, and I wouldn't turn down a glass of either. But in this case whiskey 2 rolls to an easy win with both of us.

Reveal: Whiskey 1 was Henry McKenna Bottled in Bond. But our winner was Whiskey 2, Four Roses Small Batch Select.

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So here is where my bracket stands right now (for my wife’s swap Makers and Four Roses Single Barrel). I have a matchup of Four Roses heavy-weights on my hand. Will the new kid on the block knock off the old favorite? And remember, when you read these, I didn’t know yet what I was tasting. All of these were done blind after the first post of the series.

Four Roses Single Barrel vs. Four Roses Small Batch Select

Nose: These are very similar. Both of them have a lot of brown sugar and vanilla.

Mouth: Whiskey 2 shows sweet honey and baking spice. Whiskey 1 is more brown sugar and baking spice.

Pre-Reveal Thoughts: The difference here is slight. Basically the difference between honey and brown sugar. And for me, I prefer honey. Whiskey 2 wins my bracket.

Reveal: To say I was shocked at this outcome is an understatement. I could have guessed that, just based on my preferences, that Four Roses would be a favorite to make the finals. But I would have never guessed that both of them would. And I tell you, as a guy who makes grand pronouncements about what I like and don’t like, I was relieved to find out that Whiskey 2, Four Roses Single Barrel was the one I preferred. Just like I said back in my Small Batch Select review.

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So there we go, right? No, not really. Much like college football of old, we have dual champions as each awarding agency has chosen their own.

Maker’s Mark 101 proof vs. Four Roses Small Batch Select

Pre-Reveal Thoughts: My wife says that whiskey 2 shows more of the classic “Bourbon” notes that she loves in bourbon. Vanilla, caramel, spice. And that the heat of whiskey 2 is nicer as well. So for her champion she chooses Whiskey 2.

Reveal: Whiskey 2 for this matchup was Four Roses Small Batch Select.

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So what did we learn from this experience? Well, I learned that even against top competition, Four Roses is a favorite in this house. I mean, as I said above. I was shocked to learn that both of the Four Roses bourbons made it to my finals.

I also learned that while my wife and I have a very similar palate, they aren’t the same. Which is nice since that means that sometimes we each get a bottle to ourselves as we choose to “leave it” for the other to drink since they enjoy it that much more. Most of the time it is me leaving wheated bourbons for her as she really likes them. I get about one glass of any Weller that comes into the house. She just likes it that much more than I do so I let her have it. So it wasn’t too surprising to see that the only wheated bourbon in the competition made it to the Championship in her bracket.

I hope you guys had as much fun reading along with this as I did doing it. And once again, I’d like to give a shout out to reader David Brown for the financial donation that made me get off my butt and get the ball rolling on this and covered a majority of the cost of the bottles that I didn’t already have in my closet. Thanks David!

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Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

The BourbonGuy.com "Stuck at Home" Bourbon Brackets: Maker's Mark 101 Proof vs. Very Old Barton 100 Proof & Heaven Hill 6 year Bonded vs. Four Roses Single Barrel

Just a couple of observations before we get into the competition tonight. First, I have been having a lot more food from restaurants during our shared time apart than I ever did previously. I almost never went out to eat, I seldom had delivery and never did take-out. And this isn’t for a reason that was immediately apparent to me. I mean, yes I do want to support local businesses. And that is how it started. But I think the reason is mostly that I used to run to the grocery store if I decided at the last minute that I no longer wanted what I had planned to have for supper. Now, I really don’t want to do that so I have food brought to me. Which is kind of a win-win. The restaurants get an increase in business during a trying time and I don’t expose myself needlessly.

My second observation really is a product of the first. It is really important for me to put on jeans now and then. Not because I particularly like jeans, but because they provide a better barometer of whether or not I’ve been having too much take out. I mean the pajama pants I’ve been wearing around the house for the last month are super comfortable. However they really kinda expand with you as the number of orders of fried chicken, pizza, etc begin to replace the grilled chicken, fish or rice that would normally be on the menu.

But, let’s stop talking about the food that is making my jeans tight and start talking about the booze that is making my jeans tight. Specifically tonight’s contestants.

And as always, the following Bourbons were tasted blind at the same time. There may be odd or inconsistent tasting notes between these contests and other reviews because of how they pair/interact with one another.

Maker’s Mark 101 proof vs. Very Old Barton 100 proof

Whiskey 1 (Maker’s Mark 101)

Nose: Sweet toffee, vanilla, fruit, delicate floral notes, and dusty oak.

Mouth: Starts sweet with caramel. Moves to spicy ginger, mint and cedar as it stays in the mouth.

Finish: Medium to long with a nice spice. Ripe fruit, cedar, and baking spice.

Whiskey 2 (Very Old Barton 100)

Nose: Old dusty lumber, sugar cookies, almond.

Mouth: Hot and spicy (capsaicin spice not baking). Dry with almond and baking spice.

Finish: Medium and warm with lingering notes of dusty wood, buttercream frosting and baking spice.

Pre-Reveal Thoughts:

These are both good. But #1 has a nicer nose. Both are tasty in the mouth, but #1 has a really nice finish.

Reveal: It should be no surprise that Maker’s 101, one of the most expensive bourbons in the competition, beats Very Old Barton 100, the least expensive. But even so, I will still probably be bringing more Very Old Barton 100 than Maker’s 101 home with me from my next Kentucky trip. Maker’s Mark 101 proof advances and moves into the Finals.

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Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond (6 Year) vs. Four Roses Single Barrel

Whiskey 1 (Heaven Hill Bonded)

Nose: Toffee, dried grain, mint, caramel

Mouth: Sweet and spicy. Caramel, mint, dried grain, baking spice

Finish: Medium length and warm. Black tea, cinnamon, nutmeg

Whiskey 2 (Four Roses Singel Barrel)

Nose: Black tea, cinnamon red hots, nutmeg

Mouth: Black tea, caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg, citrus

Finish: Medium length and warm. Black tea (with lemon), caramel, baking spice.

Pre-Reveal Thoughts:

These are both delicious. It was hard to choose between them. Ultimately it just came down to preference and, boy, that tannic black tea note was too good to pass up.

Reveal: It is not a surprise that Four Roses took this round. As commenter ZX said in the last post: “I have a deep and abiding love for HH OSB BiB, but it's a standard bourbon made from not overly selective batching. And when FR SB is on, it's ON.” That sums it up on this one. Both were good, but Four Roses Single Barrel was just better. And it advances to the Finals because of it.

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Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

The BourbonGuy.com "Stuck at Home" Bourbon Brackets

Wow. It seems like it has been just a moment since we last had a bracket around here. I mean time really flies, doesn't i...

What's that? Uh-huh. Yeah. Yeah. Huh. Ok, well.

I've just been informed that it actually was only about a minute since I last had a bracket competition around here. Well, what am I still doing here then?

Oh, that's right. I can't leave at the moment. I, like many of you, are currently living under a Stay-at-Home order due to the pandemic. And though, the liquor stores are deemed an essential business in Minnesota, I'd rather not expose myself any more than I have too. Besides, when it comes to stocking up on liquor, I've been preparing for an extended stay at home for years now. 

To that end, I'm going to take the opportunity to address something that it seemed people were really looking for in the Bottom-Shelf Brackets. Parity. Specifically proof parity (I already had price parity). I had comments on more than one post that stated that certain bourbons were at a competitive disadvantage due to the wide range of proof levels amongst the competition. And while that would usually cause me to explain that the Bottom Shelf Brackets are a "what's best for the price" competition and not a "what's best" competition, this time, I had the thought of: "Well, I'm stuck here anyway." Especially when I realized that if proof was the deciding factor, then I could not only reuse a few of the bottles from the Bottom-Shelf Bracket but that I also had a lot of potential competitors in my bourbon closet.

And so I am pleased to announce the BourbonGuy.com "Stuck at Home" Bourbon Brackets. The qualification rules are simple: Be 100 or 101 proof. Of course, nothing is as easy as it seems. I had 10 qualifying bourbons in the house. I had the tough choice to make between eliminating a couple or adding a couple. When a reader donated $25 to the cause, I knew it had to be to add a couple. I called up my local liquor store and placed a delivery order for a bottle of bourbon. I also decided to let Four Roses Small Batch Select join the competition since it was only a few proof points higher. And once again, to keep it simple, seeding was done on price. The highest price equals the highest seed. After a few swaps to get rid of repeat matchups from last week, we are left with the following. I bracketed these via NFL playoff rules, meaning the top four seeds get a first-round bye. 

• Proving that price was no object in this competition, the number one seed overall is Four Roses Small Batch Select. I got this at Total Wine on my last Kentucky trip for $49.99. 

• Across the bracket from that is Division 2 number one seed Maker's Mark 101 proof. I got this at the Maker's Mark gift shop for $49.99. 

• Division one number two seed is a store pick of 1792 Bottled in Bond. I got this at South Lyndale Liquors in Minneapolis for $44.99. 

• The next one might be a bit controversial since it has been discontinued. I seeded it based on its replacement's current price instead of the price that I paid for it. Division two number two seed is Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond 6 year. I didn't have any of the 7-year around, and honestly, when I reviewed it, I didn't find much difference between the two. You can get the 7-year, when available, for around $40

• The first seed in our "Wildcard round" is division one, 3 seed Henry McKenna Bottled in Bond. I bought this at my closest Total Wine for $33.99. This was also one of the swaps that were made to reduce repetition from last week. They are going up against division one, number six seed JW Dant Bottled in Bond, which I bought at South Lyndale for $16.99. A battle of Heaven Hill Bonded Bourbons.

• Over in division two, we have number three seed Four Roses Single Barrel ($42.99 at Viking Liquor Barrel, Prior Lake) going up against Bottom-Shelf Bracket Champion Wild Turkey 101 proof ($18.49 at Total Wine, Burnsville). Let's see how Wild Turkey does against competition where it isn't overwhelming its opponent with proof.

• The final competition in division one is number four seed Johnny Drum Private Select ($33.97 at Viking Liquor Barrel, Prior Lake) versus Knob Creek Bourbon ($24.98 at Ace Spirits, Hopkins). 

• And finally, we have division 2 number four seed Old Forester 100 proof ($24.99 at Total Wine, Burnsville) versus Very Old Barton 100 proof (purchased for $12.99 at a Total Wine in Kentucky).

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I think this is going to be a fun competition. Once again, I'd like to thank reader David Brown for helping with the cost. It would have been a much smaller competition without his help as I would have probably made the decision to go down to eight contestants instead of going up to twelve without that support.

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Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

Bottom-Shelf Brackets 2020: The Championship Rounds

Well, here we are folks. We’ve come to the end of the Bottom-Shelf Bourbon Brackets for 2020. We’ve had a lot of good competition to this point and a lot of good discussion in the comments. It has been a fun year…if only we weren’t all stuck at home under Stay-at-Home orders.

I want to thank you for checking in this year. I know that there is a lot going on in the world outside our homes. It is a little scary. The cabin fever sets in easy. I’m pretty sure that my dogs are still not sure why my wife has been staying home. One has taken to following her around and making sure that she is always in sight. I think she is worried. And to be honest I’m guessing that we all are, at least a little bit. So it’s nice to have a bit of diversion.

So let’s get down to business. I hope you’ve been playing along. If not, there is nothing stopping you from going back and seeing if you get the same results. I did my best to try to get bottles that have a good chance of being in most well-stocked bourbon collections.

Round 2a: Wild Turkey 101 vs. Maker’s Mark

Nose: Whiskey Two has a much sweeter nose, almost a caramel bomb, compared to Whiskey One, which is more nuanced.

Mouth: Whiskey One shows more oak on the mouth, whereas Whiskey Two tends toward grain by comparison. Whiskey Two is sweet and minty, while Whiskey One is sweet and spicy.

Pre-Reveal Thoughts: This is a hard match-up, and honestly, I keep going back and forth as to which I like better. When I taste Whiskey One first, I get a sharpness that I find just a tad unpleasant. Then when I move to Whiskey Two, I find it's sweetness to be a nice relief. If I taste Whiskey Two first, it feels a tiny bit unimpressive. But when I then move to Whiskey One, the sharpness is gone and I am impressed with the baking spice on display. These two whiskeys complement each other very well. Gah! It's so hard! But I think I'm going to have to go with the spice on Whiskey One.

Reveal: Whiskey One is Wild Turkey. Whiskey Two is Maker's Mark.

Post-Reveal Thoughts: There is a good explanation as to why this was so hard. I'm a Wild Turkey fanboy but also a Maker's Mark Ambassador. I love both of them. In the end, it was the oak and spice that nudged Wild Turkey 101 into advancing to the Championship. The rye bourbon beat the wheated one. I should have seen that coming.

Round 2b: Knob Creek Bourbon vs. Old Forester 100 proof

Nose: Whiskey One is like walking past a Cinnabon, where Whiskey Two is more floral but with a hint of dental antiseptic.

Mouth: Whiskey One is all orange peel and baking spice with some peanut thrown in on the finish. Whiskey Two has an excellent mouthfeel and is full of mint and caramel. Both of these have a nice finish.

Pre-Reveal Thoughts: These two are very different experiences. On Whiskey Two, the finish is an extension of the mouth. Rich and minty and lasts a good bit of time after you swallow. With Whiskey One, once you swallow your mouth notes go away to be replaced by the finish notes. And those sets of notes only have a little overlap. It's like "spicy orange peel, swallow, spicy peanut." Whiskey Two wins this one easily.

Reveal: Whiskey One is Knob Creek, Whiskey Two is Old Forester

Post-Reveal Thoughts: I was not shocked by the reveal. The antiseptic note on the nose of Two and the peanut note on the finish of One was pretty much a dead giveaway that Two was Old Forester 100 and that One was Knob Creek. What I didn't expect was how much more I was enjoying the Old Forester than I was the Knob Creek. In my internal ranking of bourbons, I’d always thought of Knob Creek as “Higher End” than Old Forester. But that’s why I do these blind. Old Forester 100 advances to the Championship.

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Championship Round: Wild Turkey 101 proof vs. Old Forester 100 proof

Nose: The noses on these are very similar. Whiskey One is drier, and Whiskey Two is a little richer and is sweeter.

Mouth: Whiskey One shows more oak and has a warmer finish. Whiskey Two has a lot of baking spice and honey. The spice follows along to the finish.

Pre-Reveal Thoughts: Whiskey Two has a wonderful mouthfeel when compared to Whiskey One. The fact that I am enjoying the flavor more is just icing on the cake. Whiskey Two wins this one easily.

Reveal: Whiskey One is Old Forester 100, Whiskey Two is Wild Turkey 101.

Post-Reveal Thoughts: I'm not going to lie, I was kinda rooting for Old Forester on this one. If only so that we'd get some new blood in the winner's circle. But here we are again, even when we increase the selling price of the competition Wild Turkey 101 is still king of the inexpensive bourbon scene.

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I think it might be time to retire the old bird from competition. But before we do, let's really throw some competition at it. Since I'm stuck in my house until at least Easter, let's raid my closet for as many 100-105 proof bourbons as I can and see how the bird holds up when it can 't overpower the competition with higher proof. Check back next week to see who the competitors are!

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Bottom-Shelf Brackets 2020: Round 1: Elijah Craig vs. Maker's Mark

I’ve had suggestions that the first two rounds may have been unfair contests due to the difference in the proof of the contestants. Well, those concerns should be put to rest tonight as we feature a pair of contestants that are only 2% ABV different from one another. Round 1 of the 2020 BourbonGuy.com Bottom Shelf Brackets continues with Division 1 Number 2 seed Elijah Craig versus Number 3 seed Maker’s Mark.  

First up, the formerly twelve-year-old release from Heaven Hill. Now non-age stated but claimed to be around eight years old. Named for the man that Heaven Hill’s marketing department claims is “the Father of Bourbon,” please welcome to the stage: Elijah Craig!!!

And their opponent, the bourbon that once advertised itself as “it tastes expensive because it is” but is now available in the sub $25 range. Please welcome one of my favorite bourbons: Maker’s Mark!!!

We strive to have a clean competition so these were tasted blind in the following order. Tasting notes are from before the reveal and may be a little unusual since they were being tasted at the same time and may influence one another.

Whiskey 1 (Maker’s Mark)

Purchase Info: $19.99 for a 750 mL bottle, Blue Max, Burnsville, MN

Details: 45% ABV.

Nose: Spearmint, nutmeg, vanilla, caramel.

Mouth: Follows the nose with mint, nutmeg, vanilla, caramel.

Finish: Longer side of medium. Spearmint, caramel, nutmeg.

Whiskey 2 (Elijah Craig)

Purchase Info: $21.98 for a 750 mL bottle, Ace Spirits, Hopkins, MN

Details: 47% ABV.

Nose: Oak, cinnamon, strawberry candy.

Mouth: Cinnamon, oak, butterscotch.

Finish: Medium length. Cinnamon, old-fashioned strawberry candy.

Pre-reveal Thoughts: I really like both of these. A lot. I am going to have to be super nit-picky in order to come up with a winner. There is a very slight sharp "punky" oak note to number two that number one does not have. Even this isn't so much of a flaw as a preference. And I prefer number one by a very slight margin.

Post-Reveal Thoughts: Close one tonight. Had to really nit-pick to choose a winner. And picking that nit lead to an upset. Number three seed Maker’s Mark advances over Number two seed Elijah Craig.

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Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.