Ask any whiskey aficionado which annual release they most look forward to, and it's likely to be one of the five bottles in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC). Frankfort, KY-based Buffalo Trace Distillery first released the limited edition in 2000 as a trio of bourbons that included Eagle Rare 17-year-old and William Larue Weller … Read more
Does a whiskey have to be made in Kentucky to be called bourbon? Is a Tennessee whiskey technically bourbon? Can God make a rock so big that he cannot lift it? I've run into questions like this before at some point in a busy evening, but when I'm drinking Bib & Tucker Double Char Bourbon, … Read more
Russell's backup is firing on all cylinders. Earlier this summer, I wrote about the limited edition 15-year-old bourbon and I wasn't kidding when I said it was one of the best whiskeys I tasted all year. As we approach the end of 2024, I still stand by this statement. But now the same venerable Kentucky … Read more
Blue Label is the pinnacle of Johnnie Walker’s line of Scotch. Only one per 10,000 Scotch barrels produced by spirits company Diageo makes the cut for this blend—and the group makes 11 million casks per year. After carefully tasting Blue Label over a few weeks and talking to the world’s top whisky experts, including Johnnie Walker’s master blender, … Read more
In early June, bourbon aficionado Fred Minnick posted an interesting rave on Instagram: he raved about Smokeye Hill Barrel Proof, an exciting whiskey from a new distillery. My wife and I met Minnick on a recent trip to Kentucky and were impressed with his expertise. But as someone whose collection exceeds 150 bottles and includes … Read more
Scotch gets complicated quickly. Its home, Scotland, comprises over 140 whisky distilleries, all of which use just three ingredients—malted barley, water, and yeast—to make thousands of versions of one product that can cost anywhere from $20 to $2.7 million for a single bottle. Even more bewildering, those distilleries release hundreds of new bottlings every year. Some remain part … Read more
The signature spirit of Jalisco, Mexico, tequila is on the tip of everyone's tongue – literally. According to the 2023 Growth Brands Awards, it is expected to be the top beverage category in the US before the end of the year. “Tequila is one of the fastest-growing spirits worldwide, and experts expect that growth to … Read more