Bourbon Companies Help Yellowstone Recover

I’d like to thank Wyoming Whiskey for providing the review sample of National Parks No. 2 for this story. It was provided at no charge with no strings attached.

As I’m sure you have probably heard, Yellowstone National Park and the communities that surround it are in the process of recovering from devastating floods. And bourbon makers with ties to the park are not standing still in helping out.

Limestone Branch Distillery Donates $50,000 to Help With Flood Recovery

Limestone Branch Distillery, makers of Yellowstone Bourbon, and long-time supporters of Yellowstone National Park have stepped up to help the park and the surrounding communities recover from this month’s devastating floods. Quoting from the press release that landed in my email this morning:

In response to the devastating floods impacting Yellowstone National Park and surrounding areas, Lebanon, Kentucky-based Limestone Branch Distillery – makers of Yellowstone Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – has donated $25,000 each to the National Park Service (NPS) and to the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) for long-term support of flood-relief efforts.

Additionally, Limestone Branch distillery has agreed to match up to $50,000 in donations made in conjunction with a fundraising event benefiting the Southwest Montana Flood Relief Fund – a joint effort between the Park County Community Foundation (PCCF) and Greater Gallatin United Way – and the Red Lodge Area Community Foundation. The event, hosted by National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), will be held June 28 at the Rialto in Bozeman, Montana.

 “We were saddened to learn of the devastation caused by flooding at and around Yellowstone National Park. Our Yellowstone Bourbon brand shares a long, storied history with the park, and our master distiller Stephen Beam has been an avid supporter of – and visitor to – our country’s national parks for many years,” said Limestone Branch Distillery Brand Manager Caitlin Palmieri Jackson.

Yellowstone Bourbon also has set up a website (www.limestonebranch.com/about/yellowstone-gives-back) to provide additional information about fundraising efforts as well as links to vetted support organizations, where consumers can learn more about donating and other ways to help. For more information regarding the fundraiser in Bozeman, Montana, visit https://e.givesmart.com/events/rJK/.

On a personal note, a good percentage of my own annual charitable donations go to the National Parks Conservation Association. I’m glad to see them putting my money to good use.

Wyoming Whiskey Releases National Parks No. 2 to Support Yellowstone Forever

Now, this particular bourbon was announced prior to the Yellowstone Floods. The bottle was released to celebrate the 150th birthday of Yellowstone National Park. But as the organization that the bottle supports, Yellowstone Forever, is in the thick of things in the recovery efforts I thought it would be good to include it here. Quoting from the press release:

Wyoming Whiskey announces the release of its limited edition National Parks No. 2 straight bourbon whiskey in tandem with the brand's continuing partnership with Yellowstone Forever, the official nonprofit partner of Yellowstone National Park. The collaboration was born in celebration of Yellowstone National Park's 150th anniversary. The Wyoming Whiskey National Parks No. 2 bottle is the second collectible Limited Edition release in an annual National Park series which debuted in April 2021. It is now available in Yellowstone National Park and throughout Wyoming. It is also available in select U.S. markets and online from ReserveBar, Flaviar and Caskers.

The inaugural release of Wyoming Whiskey's National Parks series contributed over $120,000 to the National Park Foundation in 2021. Wyoming Whiskey continues on a steadfast mission to support our nation's sacred outdoor spaces with this year's initiative and has committed to donating $150,000 to Yellowstone Forever in the park's historic 150th year.

Let’s see how it tastes.

Wyoming Whiskey National Parks No. 2

Purchase Info: This sample was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $69.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.67

Details: 52.5% ABV. 5 years old. Mash bill: 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley. Made from non-GMO Wyoming-grown grains and water.

Nose: Strong oak notes followed by caramel, vanilla, and baking spice.

Mouth: Nicely spicy. Cinnamon, dark chocolate, and ginger.

Finish: Medium to long and spicy. follows the month with notes of dark chocolate, cinnamon, ginger, and almond.

Thoughts: This is absolutely delicious. I really like it. If you have the opportunity. pick this one up. It's delicious and helps a good cause.

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Sample Roulette: Let's Start Summer With Some Fun

Every so often, I feel the need to dig into my box of goodies and pull out some old samples that I put away back in my whiskey hoarding days. Those of you who were part of the whiskey scene in the early 2010s probably remember the days of the falling age-statements and rising prices. You could get a 10 year old bourbon for $25. And it was good bourbon too. But as supplies of aged whiskey started to run low, prices went up and age-statements went away. And so, because I never knew if the last pour in a bottle was going to be the last pour of something that I’d ever have, I started pouring the first couple of pours from a bottle into a small sample bottle and putting it away so that I could go back to it anytime I wanted.

I did that for 6 years. For every bottle I bought. Eventually I ran out of room. I decided which bottles I really wanted to keep and drank or dumped the rest. Then, I did that again a couple years later. In September of 2020 I put painters tape over the original labels so that I could taste them blind. And shortly after that, I decided that writing about it every once in a while would be fun. And here we are.

These samples were all laid down between 2011 and 2017. The labels were covered up in September of 2020. And they have lived in a box untouched since, except for the occasional adventuresome sip now and then.

Blind Whiskey Sample # 1:

Nose: Caramel, dried grain, black tea, cedar, and dusty oak.

Mouth: Spicier than I'd have expected from the nose. Notes of black tea, cinnamon, butterscotch and oak.

Finish: Warm and on the longer end of medium length. Notes of black tea and cinnamon.

Thoughts: I like this one. Lots of caramel/ butterscotch and tannic black tea notes. If I had to guess, I'd guess this is Canadian.

Reveal: Border Bourbon from 45th Parallel Distillery in New Richmond, WI.

Post-Reveal Thoughts: Welp. I got that one wrong. I haven't had this since shortly after it was released but it is better than I remember. Might have to grab a recent bottling to see how it is today.

Blind Whiskey Sample # 2:

Nose: Strawberry jam and dried fruits.

Mouth: Caramel, strawberry jam, and baking spice.

Finish: Medium in length and warmth. Follows the mouth (caramel, strawberry jam, baking spice) and adds some mint.

Thoughts: After I got over the initial shock on the fruitiness of this one, I like this one too. But wow! was that a shock. I'm going to guess this is a brandy of some sort.

Reveal: Collingwood 21 year old Canadian Rye.

Post-Reveal Thoughts: Wow! Whiffed again. My guesses are so far off as to be laughable. I remember this one being floral, but not nearly this fruity. This is a walk down memory lane for sure.

Blind Whiskey Sample # 3:

Nose: Delicate on the nose. Brown sugar and floral cereal grains.

Mouth: Grain-forward. Notes of cereal grains, Cola, red fruit, and cinnamon.

Finish: Gentle and medium length. Notes of almond, cooked cereal, red fruit and caramel.

Thoughts: I have no idea what this is. It's good but I don't think it is a bourbon...pretty sure it is a whiskey though. With my track record on guesses today, I'm nervous to throw one out, but I'm going to say this is a Willett bourbon along the lines of Noah's Mill.

Reveal: Redbreast 12 year old.

Post-Reveal Thoughts: OK. I give up. This is just not my day for guesses. Noah's Mill is the only grain-forward bourbon that I remember liking so I guessed that but after reveal it is so obviously Redbreast 12. The sherry notes are right there for me to see, I just didn’t connect them with sherry.

But that is part of the fun of doing this blind. Sometimes you guess things correctly and other times you have no idea what you are drinking. Today was the latter. I’m just glad they were all good. Sometimes we get bottom-shelf stuff in these and those are much less fun than tasty Craft, Irish, and Canadian whiskeys.

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Cream of Kentucky Bottled-in-Bond Rye

So I went in for a six pack of beer. I was making pizza that night and I really prefer to have beer with my pizza. And beer was all I was going to buy. Honest.

The layout of my local store means that you can easily just not buy bourbon. When you walk in and see the counter. Can’t miss it, it’s an island in the middle of the room. Turn to the right and you’ll see liqueurs and beyond those will be whiskey. Go past the counter and the store is all wine. Turn right and there will be the beer coolers. And I had planned to turn right. The problem with that plan is facing the door as you walk in is the locked “fancy booze” case. Right near the counter and the first thing you see as you walk in.

In that case, was a bottle that caught my eye as I walked past. It was Cream of Kentucky Rye. It was $129.97. Three cents under my “personal price ceiling.” Beyond $130, I’d have to be on vacation and getting a “souvenir” or at the very least check in with my wife, the accountant, to see how things look before buying the bottle. The personal price ceiling was implemented to be an easy way to not be tempted into over-priced whiskey. And yes, I’m aware that it is quite a bit too high to avoid over-priced whiskey. The level is a holdover from when it was set to match the annual cost of the Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch back when people had a shot at being able to buy it.

So what is Cream of Kentucky and why did it make my beer run so expensive? Well, the answer to the first question is that it is an old brand that was revived by Jim Rutledge, the former Master Distiller at Four Roses. That is also the main answer to the second question too come to think of it. I’m a big believer in Jim Rutledge’s ability to make whiskey. So much so that I was one of the backers on the short-lived Kickstarter to help fund his distillery. So as this Rye was the first time I’d seen one of his new brands on a shelf, I knew it needed to come home with me. It was only after I got it home that I noticed that in my excitement I’d overlooked the fact that it was made by Kentucky Artisan Distillery, a distillery that is very hit or miss for me as I don’t really care for their house flavor profile.

So let’s dig in and see how this tastes.

Cream of Kentucky Bottled-in-Bond Rye

Purchase Info: $129.97 for a 750 mL bottle at Viking Liquor Barrel, Prior Lake, MN

Price per Drink (50 mL): $8.67

Details: 50% ABV. No age statement so over 4 years old. Made from 100% Rymin Rye Grain.

Nose: Brown sugar, nutmeg, orange zest, and hints of cedar and dried grain.

Mouth: Very spicy. Notes of dried grains, cedar, caramel, and chocolate.

Finish: Warm and of medium length. Cedar notes that fade to reveal caramel and chocolate.

Thoughts: This is an ok craft whiskey. I've had better, but I've certainly also had much worse. If I were handed this blind, I would have probably guessed it was bourbon and not rye because it is pretty sweet, but that happens at times with ryes out of Kentucky. It does follow that Kentucky Artisan Distillery (KAD) flavor profile pretty closely, which for my tastes is unfortunate. Not sure if it is the yeast they use or what causes that, but it isn’t for me.

So onto the issue of the price. When I saw Jim Rutledge's name on a $130 whiskey, I had very high expectations. Not just because of the name on the bottle, but because I have a certain baseline expectation for a bottle that costs that much. To say this is a disappointment is an understatement. At half the cost, I'd have been very happy with the experience. I'd have probably still given it a "meh" rating due to it following the KAD flavor profile (remember meh means “not bad whiskey, just not for me”) but I’m more forgiving of whiskeys that cost less. I hold expensive whiskies to higher standards. So, yeah, based on cost and flavor, this gets a “meh” rating.

At the end of the day, if you like other brands made by Kentucky Artisan Distillers (Jefferson's, Whiskey Row, or Corner Creek), you'll probably like this. If you'd normally give those a pass, do the same here.

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Yellowstone Family Recipe

I’d like to thank ByrnePR and Limestone Branch Distillery for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

I am a huge supporter of the National Parks. About half of my annual charitable giving goes to organizations that support the National Parks and the Park Service. And Yellowstone is one of my favorites. I have a goal to visit every National Park and in light of that, I don’t do a lot of return trips. Yellowstone is one that I’ve returned to multiple times.

So, when I found out that the good people at Limestone Branch were honoring the 150th Anniversary of Yellowstone National Park with a new addition to their Yellowstone Bourbon lineup. I knew I needed to showcase it. And it was an easy decision as I’ve liked almost everything that has come out under the Yellowstone name since the brand moved production to Limestone Branch and their Master Distiller Stephen Beam.

So what makes this one so special? Here is what the distillery has to say about that:

Inspired by a recipe found in notes from Beam’s grandfather, Guy Beam, and containing cloned yeast using DNA from a yeast jug belonging to Beam’s great-grandfather, Minor Case Beam, Yellowstone Family Recipe reflects the original Yellowstone Bourbon mash bill and carries its original namesake’s six-year age statement. It is this recipe that Stephen Beam has been distilling at Limestone Branch Distillery since 2015 and is now ready to share with the world.

This will retail for about $70 and will roll out in three allocations throughout 2022. The first will be in Wyoming and Montana to celebrate their namesake Park’s momentous anniversary. Shortly after it will also release in Kentucky, both at the distillery and at retail. The second release will be nationwide in August 2022. The final will be sometime in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Going back to the press release for a quote from Stephen Beam:

“Even before opening the doors at Limestone Branch Distillery, I dreamed about producing a bourbon that was faithful to old family recipes and maintained my family’s heritage and tradition of distilling,” said Beam. “Yellowstone Family Recipe Bourbon is the culmination of decades of dreaming and more than 10 years of effort at the distillery. I believe bourbon lovers will enjoy drinking Yellowstone Family Recipe as much as I enjoyed recreating it!” 

So let’s see how it tastes.

Yellowstone Family Recipe

Purchase Info: This sample was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is: $69.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.67

Details: 50% ABV. 6 years old.

Nose: Clean Hay, tobacco, caramel, and apricot jelly.

Mouth: Apricot jelly, green apple, cinnamon, nutmeg, oak, tobacco, and mint.

Finish: Medium to long and warm. Notes of apricot jelly, tobacco, cinnamon, and menthol.

Thoughts: I like this, but it is certainly a "change-of-pace" bourbon for me. As it doesn't follow the stereotypical bourbon flavor profile (the apricot and tobacco combination is right up front and runs throughout), I wouldn't want it everyday. But I would happily grab this when I'm tired of the same ol' thing.

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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.

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George Dickel x Leopold Bros Collaboration Blend Rye

I spent the entire day today getting a new batch of items ready for the online store. Looks like I should have them up sometime tomorrow if you are in the market for relatively inexpensive bourbon-themed tchotchkes. In addition to the posters and tasting journals, I’ve been getting sticker packs, lapel pins, and keychains photographed and ready to be posted for sale. Now all I need to do is get them listed.

I’ve been sitting on most of these items for over a year now, running three businesses keeps a guy busy, but I finally found a couple of days in a row where my other businesses were slow enough to allow me to get off my ass and do it. It’s a nice problem to have, I guess.

What I love about the various things I put up on the merch site is that it gives me an opportunity to flex my creative muscles a little bit. One of my day jobs is creating items, mostly junk mail, for plumbers and electricians. It pays the bills but isn’t very creatively fulfilling. With these items though, even though I hope others will like it, I’m mostly just doing things that I want to have and then ordering enough to help recoup the cost. Any extra goes to help keep BourbonGuy.com up and running.

Whoa. I just wanted to talk about creativity and it turned into an ad (BourbonGuyGifts.com if the ad worked…). Ah well. In any case, it was serendipitous that I was working on creative items today as tonight’s whiskey is a creative collaboration between two well-respected distillers. Nicole Austin of George Dickel has done an absolutely bang-up job over the last few years, introducing products such as Dickel Bourbon and the delicious George Dickel Bottled-in-Bond whiskeys. Todd Leopold is, to quote the bottle, “one of the most respected and acclaimed pioneers of American Whiskey” and a 2020 James Beard Award Nominee. I know him as the guy who’s been making the absinthe that I use in my Sazeracs since I first fell in love with Sazeracs many years ago.

Here is what the Dickel website has to say about it:

George Dickel has teamed up with the Leopold Bros to produce an innovative rye whisky offering.The release blends George Dickel’s column still rye produced at Cascade Hallow Distillery with Leopold Bros’ Three Chamber Rye to recreate a historic style. This union between column distilled rye and Three Chamber distilled rye turns back the hands of time, returning to an era that saw heavy-bodied rye whisky served at bars and saloons throughout America. The Cascade Hollow component of this blend is a never-before released traditional column still rye.

So on top of it being an interesting blend, this also contains our first taste of Dickel-distilled rye. The rye they sell now is sourced from MGP. So let’s see how it tastes.

George Dickel x Leopold Bros Collaboration Blend Rye

Purchase Info: $139.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Total Wine, Chanhassen, MN.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $9.33

Details: 50% ABV.

Nose: Cedar, mint, floral cherry, and baking spices.

Mouth: Floral and herbal with notes of mint, cedar, cinnamon, and caramel.

Finish: Nice and warm. Medium to long. Notes of cherry, cedar, cinnamon, and spearmint.

Thoughts: I was unsupervised at the liquor store for this one. After reading about it last week, I was so excited that I ignored the price when I saw it on the shelf. Luckily, this is so good that my wife/accountant has forgiven me for the splurge. It is one of those whiskies where you could just nose it all night long. And, bonus, you also get to drink it too! This is complex in all three phases, nose, mouth, and finish. And delicious to boot. I do not regret this purchase at all.

It will, however, be placed on the special shelf so it has a better chance of lasting a while.

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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.

LAWS Whiskey House 4-Pack Virtual Tasting Experience

Seven months ago, I reviewed two bottles of Bourbon created by LAWS Whiskey House out of Denver, CO. One was a store pick of their bourbon and the other was a two-year-old version of their standard release bourbon that was included in the LAWS 4-Pack Virtual Tasting Experience. I said in that post “I’m going to just focus on the two Bourbons tonight and leave the rest for another day.” Well after seven months, that day has come. And while I encourage you to go back and read that post, I’m just going to post the tasting notes of the Bourbon below so that they are all in the same place.

LAWS Whiskey House uses local ingredients in its whiskeys. This package looks to have been created to show off that fact. It contains a Straight Malt Whiskey, a Straight Rye, and a Straight Wheat Whiskey along with a Bourbon that uses all three. According to the side of the box, the distillery is in Denver and all of their grains and water come from within four hours drive of the distillery. The corn is Homestead Corn sourced from Whiskey Sisters Supply near Burlington, CO. The other grains (San Luis Valley™ Rye, Centennial™ Wheat, and Henry Road™ Barley Malt) are sourced from Cody Family Farms near Alamosa, CO. How’s that for transparency?

One thing to keep in mind is that this tasting set has all the whiskeys age stated as “aged at least 2 years.” It looks as if the current releases of these products are currently three years old so there will probably be differences in tasting notes between the two releases. With that said, let’s jump right in.

LAWS Whiskey House 4-Pack Virtual Tasting Experience

Purchase Info: $34.98 for a multi-pack of four 100mL bottles of their core whiskey line at Hazel’s Beverage World, Boulder, CO.

Price per Drink (50mL): $4.37

Details: 47.5% ABV. "Aged At Least 2 Years."

LAWS Whiskey House Four Grain Straight Bourbon (Originally published 7/13/21)

Nose: Dried Grain and maple.

Mouth: Cinnamon spice, dried grain, mint, applesauce, and black tea.

Finish: Warm and on the longer side of medium. Notes of dried grain and wintergreen.

Thoughts: This doesn't really do it for me. I'm getting better with well-constructed grain-forward bourbons, but this takes grain-forward to an extreme. I've eaten dried cereal grains before, and while it isn't an unpleasant experience, it isn't something I am looking to do for fun. This tastes like that did. Nice, clean grain flavors, but not something I am looking to have more of. Now, from what I understand, they are trying to showcase their locally sourced heirloom grains with this product. They did that very well, it just isn’t for me. But it might be something to check out if that idea appeals to you.

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LAWS Whiskey House Centennial Straight Wheat Whiskey

Nose: Spearmint, cinnamon candies, a hint of dried grain.

Mouth: Nice spicy cinnamon notes along with almond and honey.

Finish: Medium length and warmth. Notes of dried grain, cinnamon, and candied fruit.

Thoughts: I like this one. Probably not enough to buy a full bottle, but I certainly don't regret letting it into my house. It tastes more mature than the bourbons did. As such I like it better than I did the bourbon. The dried grain notes are clean and not overpowering when they are present. Yep. Pretty darn tasty.

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LAWS Whiskey House San Luis Valley Straight Rye whiskey

Nose: Cedar, cinnamon, ginger, sandlewood.

Mouth: Follows the nose. Spicy with ginger, cinnamon, mint and cedar.

Finish: Medium length. Notes of brown sugar, cinnamon, and dried grain.

Thoughts: This is really good. Kinda wish I'd have bought a full bottle of this when I had the opportunity. I might have to remedy that if next time I travel through a state that distributes it. The only hint that this whiskey is only two years old is on the finish. It shows some dried grain notes at that point, but not before. Overall it's a good, if young, rye whiskey.

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LAWS Whiskey House Henry Road Straight Malt Whiskey

Nose: Cooked cereal grains.

Mouth: Dried hay, butterscotch, and cinnamon.

Finish: Medium length. Strong notes of butterscotch and cinnamon.

Thoughts: This one is quite a bit too grain-forward for me. I don't like it at all, but I also have a known bias against malt whiskeys so take that how you will. On top of that, I’m not a huge butterscotch fan. So I guess it just hit all the wrong notes for me. Overall, I am just not a fan of this. Doesn’t mean you won’t be though if those are notes that appeal to you.

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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, posters, and more.

Douglas & Todd Small Batch Bourbon

When I first started learning about whiskey, I got it into my head that I wanted to start a craft distillery. I tried to learn everything I could about whiskey. That learning eventually led to the creation of this site…because what else was I going to do with all that learnin’ after the impulse to start my own distillery had passed? But there was one experiment that I had envisioned way back then that has stuck with me.

I wanted to take barrels of the same distillate and age it in different regions of the country for the same length of time and then sell it as a set. Just to let consumers see the effect of the local climates on the aging of bourbon. I thought it would be a neat idea, mostly because it was a product that I would have wanted to buy.

I envisioned five areas you could have barrels aging. Of course Kentucky as a control. From there I thought somewhere near the Southeast US coastline for a hot and humid climate, maybe even with an ocean breeze since we are dreaming right now. The tour I took at the Stranahan’s distillery mentioned that because their climate is cool year-round, the pressure differentials affected the aging whiskey more than the temperature swings did. So the Rocky Mountains would be a fun addition to our set of mythical bourbons. I also think that the cool and humid climate of the Pacific Northwest would be an interesting counterpoint to the hot humid Southeast. To round out the package, and as I live here, I figured that I’d find someplace in Northern Minnesota for the cold, Canada-like climate. Each of these would bring a different set of conditions, and hopefully flavors, to the distillate.

Of course, as I didn’t have a distillery, nor did I have the capital or relationships to purchase a batch of bourbon big enough for this experiment to work, the idea has stayed an idle musing. I still think it would be interesting though. If you have the resources to try it out, send me a bottle of each when you get it finished.

The reason I bring all this up is that I happened to stumble across a bourbon that was aged four years in the Canada-like climate of Northern Minnesota. In fact, last week I talked about being open to trying the one bourbon claimed on the Phillips Distilling website. This is that bourbon.

At launch in 2018, Douglass & Todd was a collaboration between Panther Distillery and Phillips Distilling Company. Though I’m not too sure how official that collaboration is anymore. The Phillips website has the following to say about the bourbon:

Douglas & Todd is a small batch, handcrafted, straight bourbon born and raised on the unforgiving plains of Minnesota. Our bourbon is aged a minimum of four hard years in handmade oak barrels that provide D&T its distinctive character. Distilled and rested in two historic counties at the first craft distillery in Minnesota, Douglas & Todd was built to be a bourbon drinker's bourbon.

Panther Distillery says that they were Minnesota’s first craft distillery. And there is a cheeky statement on their products page stating “We have another product available but due to trademark laws we are unable to have the product displayed here. Be on the lookout at your local liquor store for our mystery product!” So there’s that. But of course, what anyone says about a product isn’t nearly as important as how that product tastes. So, let's dig in.

Douglas & Todd Small Batch Bourbon

Purchase Info: $29.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Village Liquor, Prior Lake, MN

Price per Drink (50mL): $2.00

Details: 4 years old. 46.5% ABV.

Nose: Grain forward on the nose with notes of candied fruit and faint hints of mint and caramel.

Mouth: Thin in the mouth with notes of grain, mint, and baking spice.

Finish: Medium length and warm. Notes of dried grain, candied fruit, and cinnamon.

Thoughts: This is a meh bourbon that has the bones to have been really good. It still tastes really young. The Northern Minnesota climate is much closer to that of Winnipeg—where they age the whisky for decades—than that of Louisville where four-year-old whiskey is mature and perfectly drinkable. Though I think it could have spent many more years in the barrel, it isn't terrible. This bottle will get consumed. Might be in a cocktail or a home blend, but it isn't one that I'll be dumping out. Unlike its cousin Cooper’s Mark which has already been introduced to my kitchen sink.

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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, posters, and more.

Peerless Straight Rye Whiskey (24 months old)

Sometimes things just cost too dang much for me. Not for everyone. I understand that there are people out there who will drop $100 on a bottle of whiskey with little to no hesitation. Being a freelance designer and a dog sitter, I am not one of those people. However, I will splurge if the whiskey is worth it.

When Peerless first came to Minnesota, I received a note from a reader letting me know that they’d be trying it out and would be reporting back to me. They then reported back that they were very disappointed with the purchase and expected more from a whiskey that cost as much as this one did. For that reason, I never took a look at the brand.

Now when I travel, I tend to purchase a bottle for the hotel, apartment, campsite, etc. Usually I’m there long enough that I’ll grab a full sized one (or two…). However, if I run out, I might take a look at the 200 and 375 ml bottles. And it just so happened that this fall I was doing that while staying in Kentucky. While I was looking I noticed the bottle of Peerless Rye you see above. I wasn’t going to spend over $100 for a full bottle, but I could probably swing the $29 that Liquor Barn was asking in order to see if we should be giving this juice another look.

Kentucky Peerless Distilling Company is a small distillery in Downtown Louisville (120 N. 10th Street Louisville, KY). It’s across the freeway ramps from the Frazier History Museum and the Louisville Slugger Museum. The distillery is run by father and son team Corky and Carson Taylor, descendants of the original makers of Peerless Whiskey. The distillery was built in 2014 (even regaining the family’s original DSP number) and started distilling the following year. Their first whiskey release was a two year old rye that was released in 2017. Since then they have released older ryes (current photos on their website do not have an age statement) and bourbons in both single barrel and small batch forms. Many of which have garnered awards.

The bottle I happened to pick up is still the 2-year old one. Guessing that people aren’t really looking to spend $30 on a 200 mL bottle too often. But let’s see how it tastes anyway.

Peerless Straight Rye Whiskey

Purchase Info: $28.99 for a 200 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $7.25

Details: Aged 2 years. 54.05% ABV.

Nose: Store-brand cola, wintergreen, cinnamon and brown sugar.

Mouth: Spicy cinnamon and cool wintergreen lead off to be followed by notes of store-brand cola and brown sugar.

Finish: Medium to long and warm on the finish. Store-brand cola is the predominant note with the familiar wintergreen supporting it.

Thoughts: I like this, but it is hard to disassociate the juice from the price on this one. Quality-wise, I'd rank this to whiskeys that can be had for $50 to $75. So yeah, it's quite tasty. Unfortunately this sells at my local Total Wine for about $125. Or by my estimation $50 to $75 too high, even including the “craft tax.” I bought this small bottle solely for review purposes. I doubt that I'll be convinced to pay what is being asked for a full bottle. Especially if it is the two-year-old whiskey, like this recently purchased bottle was. I will however, be happy to try out a non-age stated 200 mL when/if that is what my local stores carry.

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