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The Spring 2023 release of Old Fitzgerald brings us a return to a relatively low age statement after coming off a 17 year and 19 year release. This wheated bourbon that features the same mash bill as the Larceny line has captured the eye of many whiskey enthusiasts due to its extravagant decanter. One other thing this release routinely carries is a cork with an exceptional interference fit. Pulling the cork out of this one risks life and limb if you were to let the glass topper go flying. Once you do get into the bottle though - what does it taste like? Let's find out. Company on Label: Heaven Hill Whiskey Type: Wheated Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley Proof: 100° Age: 10 years Further identification: This is the Spring 2023 Release of Old Fitzgerald which comes in a fanciful decanter style bottle bearing a green label Nose: Immediately the nose offers up dark, nutty tones of walnut, almond and macadamia nut. Cherry skins are a highlighted note that mainly hangs around in the background while the nutty tones proliferate alongside the smell of an earthy first floor of a rick house. Hints of smoke pop up alongside a basket of plums and a distinct metallic scent. Letting this rest for a while improves the intensity some, but I'm still left with relatively little to work with. After a sip, not much changes outside of a slightly more oily nose-feel. Fried dough, french fries and barley can be dug up from the depths on long inhales. The empty glass smells of Hershey's chocolate powder and milk duds. Palate: My first sip is classic Kentucky "spicy-sweet" with cinnamon and cherry skins leading the way. Another sip layers in simple snippets of flavor, like a passing billboard on the highway. One breezes by, announcing farmstand raspberries, quarter mile on the right. The metallic din of crashing silverware at the local diner blows by at what feels like light speed. The linger is incredibly short here with little in the way of a mouth coating either. What I get from this is a fragmented memory of a long night drive spent trying to see a non-backlit GameBoy screen as each passing street light offered a momentary glimpse of information. What the unreachable depths of my memory have conjured are means to say that I am finding this a little too soft-spoken in the flavor department. Sipping further I find thin cherry juice, plum and a touch of pie crust. Hints (and I'm really talking hints here) of graham cracker, molasses and leather can be recognized in the thin, oaky remnants of a larger sip and swish. Late into the glass the nuttiness continues to play a dominant role. My last sip is consistent with the rest of the glass - unremarkable yet passable whiskey. TL;DR: Sweet, spice, but not everything nice; this is just okay bourbon in a fancy bottle Rating: 3/5 (Decent. I can go either way on it.) This is unfortunately quite thin and disappointing for me with only a few notes really coming through in a meaningful way. It certainly drinks fine, but more like a shelfer that definitely doesn't deserve to be in a fanciful decanter such as this.

I am bringing back the Starlight Sunday trend! I've given this one a few tastes prior to tonight and I think I'm ready to give it a rating. I am a bit shorter for time than usual tonight so this won't be as deep of a dive as I normally do. With prior experiences I remember the sherry quality being high on this one, which is no surprise as the Huber's know their wine very well. Let's see how this gift shop release tastes! Company on Label: Starlight Distillery Whiskey Type: Finished Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: The 'Carl T.' blend of Starlight's 3 & 4 grain mash (51% Corn, 20% Rye, 9% Wheat, 20% Malted Barley) and (60% Corn, 20% rye, 20% Malted Barley) Proof: 114° Age: 5 years Further identification: Barrel 21-2192 was selected by master distiller B. Huber and was a gift shop release I picked up in May 2022 Nose: Wow, big brown sugar on the front of this glass. It gives off a sweet barbecue aroma that is a nice surprise. Chocolate. Light smoke. Punchy sweet tarts and raspberry jam. The nose-feel highlights the experience of smelling a fresh jar of ground coffee. I know I said this one would be shorter, but my nose feels like it just opened a portal to a different glass. Graham cracker, hints of Amburana spice, proofy cointreau, and soft brandy tones are suddenly the profile? This has way more layers than I was expecting. Okay - we are back to the brown sugar note which feels more in line with expectations. The baseline oak here is really solid and soft with slight hints of non-descript nuttiness. I feel like I'm most surprised by the char level - it feels lovingly close to a full charcoal level. The empty glass smells of smoked honey and cherry skins. Palate: Mmm. A perfect dessert selection (which is what I chose it for) presents itself right away. The sweet red fruit you'd expect dance lightly on the tongue. A funky yet sweet earthiness persists. This perhaps leans a bit towards a Calvados profile for me tonight. The mouth feel is creamy and dreamy as oily, viscous caramel washes over me. The finish is mellow here which I always enjoy - let the base whiskey shine. There's a perfect level of spice to this that is balanced well by light fig and raisin. Mmm. Towards the end of the glass the raspberry flavors really begin to build and mix well with black forest cake that carries through to the long linger of blackberry and toffee. I am really enjoying this is as a soon-after-dinner pour (we had creamy lemon dill salmon in the Amongst household for perspective). My last sip is nuanced with blackberry, raspberry and vanilla bread pudding. The linger and finish is just the right level of sweetness as the sherry influence finally makes itself known. Rating: 5/5 (Just wow. One of my favorites.) Alright, this was harder to rate than I thought. I admittedly had to go for a pour of a great reference point that I know is already a 5/5 for me (on 3 different occasions confirming that rating) in Redbreast PX Edition to get a better perspective on how to rate this. Admittedly the Midleton Irish + PX Sherry combination just has a touch more of that magic cooperation, but it accomplished the mission in telling me that this finished bourbon comes damn close to that high bar. I think what pushed me into the 5/5 score, which is an incredibly rare score for me, was the quality of the finish. It's long, pervasive and beautiful through and through. For a gage on how rare 5's are for me... as of time of writing there are 20 pages of 4/5 reviews and only 6 pages of 5/5 reviews. I believe that exceptional whiskeys deserve to stand out. Excellent work on this one in particular - hats off to the Huber family for this one!

The 2021 release of the PX edition from Redbreast was my top Irish whiskey I tried this past St. Patrick's Day & it also earned my top review score - (Just wow. One of my favorites.)! I'd like to thank local whiskey guru Alan Starr for giving me a sample of this for review. I was excited to see the bottle being re-distributed this year as I was only able to secure one bottle of it last year. It seems to be coming out in higher volumes around me at time of writing, so I thought I'd give it a try and possibly taste it against my 2021 release I happen to still have handy. So without further ado - let's get into it! Company on Label: Pernod Ricard (Distilled at Midleton Distillery) Whiskey Type: Finished Irish Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 100% Malted and Unmalted Barley Proof: 92° Age: NAS Further identification: This is a 2022 re-release of the Iberian Series collaboration from Redbreast that first released in late 2021; it is initially matured in both bourbon and oloroso sherry casks before spending another 12-22 months in Pedro Ximénez hogsheads seasoned at the Páez Lobato cooperage in Jerez. Nose: Pleasant confectioners sugar immediately hits my nose from the very beginning - something the first release did quite well was really deliver on that sweet dessert characteristic so this is promising. It has the traditional Midleton oily, viscous, creamy nose feel for certain. Plum, fig and a mixed berry parfait characteristic jump out at me. After a sip the oak characteristics begin to show up more pronounced, and with that brings more rich caramel. Wow, as the glass gets closer to empty the vanilla notes begin to really shine. Lovely aromas all throughout on this one. I get some delicious honey sweetness on the back end of long inhales. The empty glass smells of nutmeg, creamy caramel, damp dirt and light, floral honey. Palate: My first sip is cherry upfront which then fades into a tart orange peel and lovely vanilla frosting. Another sip shows off decadent crème brûlée and sweet toffee. Traditional Irish shortbread cookie comes across moist, rich and coating. There's a lovely, lovely mouth coating and a decent linger for the lower proof here. A larger sip and swish shows off the earthy tones I was missing here that I remembered the earlier release having. My last sip is all creamy caramel. The linger is on the shorter side with a yummy creamy vanilla and coffee bean sitting in the back of my mouth. Rating: 5/5 (Just wow. One of my favorites.) Further thoughts compared to the 2021 release: The nose is very much on par between the two with the 2022 release perhaps leaning a touch even sweeter than the 2021, which is an incredible feat in it's own right. The 2021 does feel like it has a bit more nuanced complexity going on though. On the palate I find the 2021 to be more verdant, earthy and coating than the 2022. The 2021 has the longer linger of that two, but it is very, very close and I'm being quite picky here trying to find differences. I do think these releases are about even - they just don't seem to be aligning to the same evolution timeline in the glass. I do think the 2021 release is better overall - but hopefully that is just because that bottle is 2/3rds gone and the 2022 release is something close to a fresh crack. Thank you for the chance to try this before I go grab a bottle or two for myself Alan!

We are officially starting Irish week as we prepare our livers and our souls for St. Patrick's day coming up on March 17th. All this week I will be running a giveaway on my Instagram where you will have the chance to win a bottle of Green Spot Irish whiskey or 4x 2oz samples of 4 bottles of your choosing that I drink this week! There will be 5 days of nothing but Irish whiskey reviews from me starting tonight! If you want a boatload of bonus entries make sure to drop a comment on this webpage with your Instagram handle and your favorite Irish whiskey you want to see reviewed! As a special thank you to my website subscribers, each of these comments are worth 10x more than an Instagram tag! Also feel free to drop a comment on all of my previous Irish reviews below: Bushmills Black Bush High N' Wicked - The Wild Rover Redbreast Lustau Edition Red Spot and Redbreast Lustau Head to Head On the 17th @amongstthefernsco and I will be tasting through just about everything we have, so stay tuned for a big finale. Now, let's see how this glass is doing tonight! Company on Label: Pernod Ricard (Distilled at Midleton Distillery) Whiskey Type: Finished Irish Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 100% Malted and Unmalted Barley Proof: 92° Age: NAS Further identification: This is an Iberian Series release from Redbreast that first released in late 2021; it is initially matured in both bourbon and oloroso sherry casks before spending another 12-22 months in Pedro Ximénez hogsheads seasoned at the Páez Lobato cooperage in Jerez Nose: An intense sweetness I can smell from several feet away is emanating off this glass. It smells lovely, but I fear I'm in for something a bit overly sweet with all the finishing that is going on here. Wow, nope - I'm pleasantly surprised to find a fairly traditional vanilla sugar cookie aroma as soon as I lift the glass to my nose. There's a dusty oak here that I definitely associate with a bourbon smell. Verdant earth & a lovely creamy coffee bean aroma can be found on the left nostril while spice cake and strawberry cereal rocket to the top of my sinus on the right nostril. An elegant, sweet red raspberry dessert aroma really classes this pour up. A bit of funky chocolate darts in and out, but would definitely do well to stay at the forefront as it smells lovely. On the nose this feels like one of the more complex Irish whiskeys that I have in recent memory. From the perspective of someone who is coming back from a long bourbon and rye kick, it's quite impressive that this is this fragrant at 92 proof. I say it's time for a sip! After having a few sips and returning to the nose, I get much more oak, paper, and the aroma of a citronella candle burning. Wow. A deep inhale shows off a delectable butterscotch. Later in the glass the nose almost starts turning hot as some zesty orange peel and spiced bitters begin to creep in. I really get a ton of the bourbon barrel influence here with caramel and vanilla really sitting pretty on top of the glass. There's a really faint green pepper on the top of really strong pulls that doesn't feel out of place despite how it sounds. The main aroma that keeps coming back around is a lovely soft marshmallowy vanilla that refuses to give up no matter how long I pull air off this glass. The empty glass smells of floral honey, hibiscus, faint hickory smoke, and crushed red grape skins. Palate: There's a lovely lemon frosting that leads the way on the palate that immediately melts into a red berry delight. This is truly a pure dessert pour; I would reach for this before ice cream any day of the week. The mouth coating is incredibly silky and noticeably less oily and viscous than some other Irish whiskey releases. It carries strawberry, red raspberry that transferred well from the nose, and a sweet red peach. There's a very slight effervescence if you pay close attention to the center of your tongue as well. This is seriously so delightful (and perhaps the timing is right that I am sitting quite satisfied post-dinner). I'm not usually a big sweet tooth but this one is doing everything just right for me. Another sip builds more fruit notes like apricot and a vanilla pear jam. Later in the glass I get some soft tiki cocktail notes like pineapple, orange and a coconut cream. A larger sip and swish reveals a ton of creamy characteristics that I felt were missing earlier in the glass. I continue to get some of the pineapple juice sweetness while caramel builds well into an incredibly well-rounded whiskey. My last sip is another delicious treat that leads a bit pepper forward but instantly settles into a bouquet of sugary plum, strawberry, almonds and vanilla. Rating: 5/5 (Just wow. One of my favorites.) This is an incredibly rich, flavorful dessert whiskey. This might be one of the most complex Irish whiskey experiences I've had to date. This is so nice that I'm definitely going in for another. Cheers folks!

Pappy. The ultimate "I want it, but I just can't get it" bottle. Nothing gets an Instagram or Youtube comment section more riled up than this. Is it worth drinking? Are some folks justified in shelling out several thousand dollars to get it? I hope I can help answer these questions, and a few that you didn't even know you had in today's write up. I won't rehash the entirety of the history of Pappy here. You've possible already read about it in a book - Pappyland - or more likely, you've seen the movie "Heist". I'll let those works inform your understanding of the brand and hopefully I can add a bit more color to the liquid inside the bottle as it stands today. Buffalo Trace offers the following recounting: What lengths people will go to in order to get this bourbon... It's insanity. I've seen people step two steps into a liquor store, demand or ask about Pappy, and then whip 180 degrees right back out the door with expletives when they get told there is nothing there for them. The ultimate goal of acquiring the thing that nobody else has is an unfortunate reality in today's whiskey world. I'll be damned if I didn't get superbly lucky back in the Winter of 2021 when I was chosen first in the yearly raffle that Craft Beer Cellar in Westford, MA holds. Of course I went with the whiskey that I'd never had the opportunity to even touch prior to this. Half-knowing it wasn't going to live up to the hundreds of other whiskeys available to me that year, I drove to pick it up in an excited fervor that can only be matched by the opportunity to meet your favorite celebrity. Then I waited. This one has to be special, right? I waited... and I waited. What the heck was the right occasion for this - the top of the whiskey food chain, I thought? It turns out, you don't need an occasion. You just need a good friend by your side. I opened this recently with a dear friend of mine who shall remain nameless to prevent unintentional bribes for information about where I keep my Pappy. But was it any good? I won't spoil you with any further of my pre-read of this bottle, but let my standardized process of offering my honest opinion on evaluating whiskey fairly do its job. They say "never meet your heroes", but I walk out to greet them. Let's see if 15 years in oak from Buffalo Trace distillery has made this into a pinnacle whiskey or not. Company on Label: Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery (Buffalo Trace) Whiskey Type: Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed combination of Corn, Wheat and Malted Barley Proof: 107° Age: 15 years Further identification: This is the 2021 release of Pappy 15, which is only released once per year each Fall; it carries an MSRP of $120 (good luck) Nose: It is immediately apparent that this has spent a long while in an oak barrel; musty yet sweet barrel funk emanates from the glass. Deep, dark oak tones continue to prevail with molasses and damp soil aromas dominating the senses. Rich leather and hints of brown sugar open the sinuses on deep inhales. Everything I am finding on the nose just tells the story of a classic, oaky bourbon. Subtle layers of decomposing flowers, cinnamon stick and mulled wine add to the overall funkiness. As I'm not finding anything else of note, I'll move into a sip from here. Returning my nose to the glass after a few sips doesn't show off any further developments. The glass is quite enjoyable to explore with the nose, but is holistically pretty unremarkable. I can't find anything I dislike, but ultimately I think it lacks any meaningful depth and seems to have been blended for the unfortunate goal of 'smoothness' - eugh. Overall this is a great example of a whiskey that can demonstrate what a teenage bourbon will smell like, but it falls right in line with many other examples that can be found and bought on the shelf today. Late in the glass the vanilla tones flourish, almost escalating into one of my favorite territories, marshmallow, but not quite getting there. The empty glass smells of caramel, raisin and the warm Summer air that carries a hint of sunscreen. Palate: My first sip shows off subtle cherry skins, cinnamon and a smorgasbord of oak that reminds me of being in a dining room filled with wood. Another sip is much the same with vague cherry sweetness dominating the palate. Cherry is a well-known note that a lot of Buffalo Trace distillate will show off; this example tastes much like an Eagle Rare 10 year pick. A subtle layer of vanilla makes this slightly creamy and ultimately softens any of the spice from the cinnamon or wood tones. Much like the nose, the palate experiences very little evolution. The mouthfeel is sticky and sweet with the cherry notes coming across as more of a maraschino profile than anything else. A longer sip and swish in the mouth amplifies the cinnamon tones, reminding me starkly of the profile of Weller Antique, though I am absolutely certain that I've had some Antique picks that have surpassed this in quality. Sipping late into the glass produces the same, simple flavors of cherry and oak. Some may say this is elegant in its simplicity. I say smoothness be damned, this is boring whiskey. My last sip is no bittersweet farewell to a whiskey I may never taste again, but a sad violinist waxing on over one admittedly enjoyable cherry note. The one trick pony stands alone on stage, repeating the same show that is clearly not worth watching twice. The finish is short and sweet with no remarkable character to show for it. TL;DR: Very average, very classic Buffalo Trace bourbon with simple oak and cherry notes Rating: 3/5 (Decent. I can go either way on it.) I hate to break it to ya, folks. This isn't some miracle liquid that nobody else can make, it's just classic Kentucky bourbon. Buffalo Trace cranks out millions of bottles of whiskey that is right in line with this in quality. The fact that they continue to ride on the coattails of those who silently built the brand they represent today is incredibly sad. The Stitzel-Weller examples of Pappy were what garnered all the perfect scores and hype around this brand. Today's Pappy is not that same liquid. It's Weller bourbon in a fancy wine bottle, perhaps occasionally hand selected for the higher purpose of this label. It's not the same rich history that was built from exceptional stocks by palates like the Julian Van Winkle legacy (Sr, Jr & III) and Marci Palatella. It's sad to see a legacy such as theirs squandered on sad, modern, beige bourbon, but alas, people are still going to chase it for some time. At least until enough of us get to taste it and be honest about how it stacks up against other brands in this wide whiskey world. Does it deserve to be released and enjoyed? Absolutely. 15 year bourbon is an awesome thing to have on the shelf, but I'll let you be the judge if this is worth chasing, or worth whatever the heck it goes for on secondary. If you'd like to help me recover from the $120 MSRP I had to purchase this one at, feel free to buy me a coffee. This site still operates on my own dime, with no monetary kickbacks or ads at all. You might be wondering how some of the other releases from 2021 panned out. I've also reviewed Lot "B" and Old Rip Van Winkle from the same year. If you made me rank them, I'd order them thus: Old Rip Van Winkle - Aged 10 Years (Scored 4.5) Van Winkle Special Reserve Lot "B" - Aged 12 Years (Scored 4) Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve - Aged 15 Years (Scored 3) This Old Rip Van Winkle release carries the depth and richness that I crave in whiskey. I recently did a blind tasting of the Pappy 15, Old Rip Van Winkle and George T Stagg. Whoever is in charge of the latter two is doing a much better job than those on this 15 year release, at least for the 2021 edition. George T Stagg had the best palate, followed closely by the Old Rip, with Pappy 15 clearly lagging far behind. I'll firmly stand by a viewpoint that I've expressed openly in my friend circles: Modern Pappy is crappy. Cheers, friends.

The 2022 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection is all here. Most folks might only ever get to see one of these releases in a given year, but I got superbly lucky in the 2022 allocation season and managed to score one of each of them. As I worked through each bottle I found that almost all of them now have NFC tags under their caps. I confirmed my bottles of Thomas H. Handy, Sazerac 18, Eagle Rare 17 and William Larue Weller all had the tags. Interestingly George T. Stagg did not, perhaps due to the fact that it is distributed in the highest numbers. For Thomas H. Handy to have it and George to not... it seems odd. Regardless, it's great to see the anti-counterfeit measures in play and my inner nerd is always excited to explore a new feature like this. I downloaded the "NFC tools" on the Apple app store in order to read them. After following the link that comes up when scanned, it confirms the bottle type and it also confirmed that I did in fact open the bottle which is really cool. There are also some history blurbs alongside tasting notes. I believe a unique link is generated every time it is scanned, so I won't be able to share the output screen with you here. Buffalo Trace announced this years lineup, saying: The five ensemble members of the Antique Collection are George T. Stagg Bourbon, William Larue Weller Bourbon, Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye Whiskey, Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old Bourbon and Sazerac Rye 18-Year-Old Whiskey. These whiskies utilize three distinct mash bills, or recipes, from Buffalo Trace Distillery: rye mash bill #1, wheat mash bill and straight rye mash bill. Aged and proofed at the pinnacle of their taste profile set by the distilling and lab team experts at Buffalo Trace, this collection is sold separately and only available once a year. Typically only the most well connected whiskey enthusiasts (or those with the deepest pockets) will be able to find and taste these. It's a wonderful exercise in rarity, marketing and just plain-old good whiskey. Let's get into it. The notes presented below were from the conglomerate tasting, but feel free to click through the batch link to view a deeper review of each if you're interested. This flight is going to be epic! Release stats: Ranking: #1 - George T. Stagg Bourbon Flash Review: Here comes the train. Are you going to get out of the way? No? Well alright then, good luck... Boom. George T. Stagg hits you like the guy you never saw coming when you went up to try to catch that long toss of the football. My goodness, the flavors you'll find - the memories you'll rekindle... This is good whiskey through and through. After a 1 year hiatus of not being released, George comes back with an unmatched vengeance. This is an absolute powerhouse of bourbon flavor: red berry compote, cranberry juice, fig syrup, nutmeg, glazed doughnut, and effervescent strawberry? You name it. I could go on. The full write up chronicles the whole story. You better get after this one. #2 - Eagle Rare 17 Year Bourbon Flash Review: This has a lot to offer in the way of complexity, but you have to be patient with it. At face value this seems very much like your classic bourbon profile - one you might be able to easily get out of a 10 year Eagle Rare single barrel pick. If you take your time with this one it will prove that it has plenty to go around in the flavor department. I'm pretty sure I've tasted just about every fruit there is on this one in my last 3 tastings. Cherry, orange peel, cinnamon and leather are the highlights of this delicious dram. Comparing this to the George T. Stagg isn't even fair due to the proof and depth difference, but it does highlight a bit of a coffee note that the other releases do not. The exquisite palate of the Eagle Rare 17 Year puts it just ahead of William Larue, though I think I'd give Monsieur Larue the nod for the better nose. #3 - William Larue Weller Wheated Bourbon Flash Review: This complex Weller-on-steroids is what I wish modern Pappy would be. Grow up and give me some big, bold, sweet flavors already. Oh yeah, William Larue Weller does just that. Gobs of cherry (this is a common theme amongst Buffalo Trace distillate), raspberry and blackberry produce a wonderful array of flavors I'll be keeping Amongst the Whiskey. Nosing the empty glass here could keep me entertained for hours. #4 - Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey Flash Review: This younger rye manages to sing a good tune in this lineup with bodacious flavor jumping out of the glass. I find lemon zest, expressed orange peel and grapefruit on a crazy citrus-ladened sip. It's a punchy powerhouse that definitely scratches my rye itch. This is my sharing bottle. I couldn't tell you how many people I've enjoyed this with, but if you can't tell by the fill level in the cover image of my deeper review, it's been a lot. That's what whiskey is all about for me, and hopefully you share that sentiment. #5 - Sazerac 18 Year Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Flash Review: Unfortunately this year just doesn't manage to make too big of a splash for me. I am no proof snob where I require a certain threshold to be entertained - I've had plenty of good whiskeys down in the 90 proof range. This unfortunately just isn't one of them that delivers a whole lot of flavor, which is something that I value when drinking whiskey. The notes I do find are light buttered rolls, butterscotch, clay, and cardamom. It's got good mild spice, but I'm perpetually looking for more here. I certainly wouldn't turn my nose from trying it again & will hopefully include it in some blind flights coming up here soon. Ranking Summary: GTS (5/5) > ER17 (4.5/5) > WLW (4.5/5) > THH (3.5/5) > Saz18 (3/5) That's a wrap! The 2022 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection delivered some serious hits. I thoroughly enjoyed exploring these whiskeys. Here's to hoping 2023 can soar to even further heights.

George T. Stagg is a brand that harkens back to a dominant distillery of the 19th century. The man, born in 1835, was known as "The Ultimate Salesman" and his legacy has clearly had a lasting impact on the bourbon industry. If you're interested in the history of George T. Stagg, feel free to read more about it on the Whiskey University website. Today this name comes as a yearly barrel proof bottle release from Buffalo Trace under the very sought after Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, often called BTAC (bee-tack) for short. Between the intense scarcity of this release and the consistent quality across the lineup, the once-yearly release around Thanksgiving often gives whiskey enthusiasts, store owners and distributors all sorts of heart palpitations. After a year where George T. Stagg was not included in the BTAC lineup, this year featured undoubtedly extra demand. I had the good fortune of trying the 2020 release as well, and the 2023 release is right around the corner now with some of media samples hitting circulation at the time of writing. Comparing across years has always been a fun way of keeping the brand honest. I hope to be able to write about the 2023 release soon! Your luckiest bet to finding a release of the antique collection is actually this release and the Thomas H. Handy Sazerac rye which are distributed in the highest numbers. The honest truth is only the most well-connected, deep-pocketed or luckiest whiskey enthusiasts will try this. Is it worth your time or hard earned money to chase? I hope this review contributes to the mental calculus required to arrive at a conclusion to that question. Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Whiskey Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1 (Low Rye < 10%) Proof: 138.7° Age: 15 years Further identification: The 2022 release of George T. Stagg comes after a year hiatus; the nitty gritty detail is all laid out in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection release letter below: Nose: Lifting the glass to my nose I find big baking spices jumping out first. Light cinnamon, allspice and a touch of brown sugar is a surprisingly underwhelming start. Traces of cherry begin to bubble up from the depths as I inhale deeply. Deep inhales produce vanilla wafer, light oak and raisin. Lacking the patience for this glass to unpack itself (it's been resting 15 minutes already), I will venture into an early sip. Coming back to the nose I find lovely yankee candle level aroma volume that carries apricot, cinnamon pear liqueur and campfire smores. Nosing late in the glass I find caramel bundt cake, brown sugar, glazed doughnut, and beautifully balanced oak. The empty glass smells of leather, dulce de leche and pecan pie. Palate: At first sip I find a classic powerhouse ultra-aged bourbon. Leather, rich cherry and cinnamon infused oak attack the taste buds without sending them into shock. The mouthfeel is a touch drying with fig syrup and nutmeg at odds. Venturing in for another sip reveals bright linen, sweet cranberry juice and creamy apple cider doughnut notes. Chewing further I find plenty of red berry compote, spice and heft. Cinnamon swings back in balanced alongside thick, jammy blackberry tones. As I dig near the bottom of the glass I find lovely, sweet effervescence has proliferated; strawberry, buttercream frosting and thick raspberry sauce all sit atop a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. Time and patience has done this glass wonders. Yum. Gingersnaps and dark ice cream cone notes dance on the long finish. My last sip is bittersweet as the glass turned most delicious on my final sips, suggesting this one benefits from building a few sips in rather than swapping between things as one might do in a flight. Potent maraschino cherry and plum round out a nice dram that manages to not overdo it at this proof point. The finish lasts longer than anything I have had in recent memory. TL;DR: Holy moly, that is good whiskey - an absolute powerhouse of flavor that you can taste for days Rating: 5/5 (Just wow. One of my favorites.) Well, this one rocks. This manages to deliver all the punches without getting tired out. I would definitely put this in the same weight class at the 2020 release, and I commend the decision to hold back the 2021 offering if it means consistently delivering to this standard. I have so many great whiskey memories built at this point, and this brings them all pouring back into being lived again. This is pinnacle whiskey to me.

One of best examples of scarcity and ultra-aged whiskey on the market today is Eagle Rare 17 year. This once-a-year release under the antique collection from Buffalo Trace gives the most motivated whiskey enthusiasts something to really hunt (or beg) for. Given most people won't even get to see a bottle of this on the shelf, I'll keep the introduction brief. Is this highly allocated bottle worth chasing? Let's dive into the stats & tasting notes to find out. Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Distillery Whiskey Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1 (Low Rye < 10%) Proof: 101° Age: 17 years Further identification: The 2022 release of Eagle Rare 17 Year brings along the following stats: Nose: Oh wow. Classic bourbon notes of cherry and oak are on full display here; from the moment the whiskey hit the glass this could be smelled from a ways away. Lifting the glass to my nose shows off a touch of earthy clay I traditionally will get on vintage/dusty whiskeys. Raisin, cherry sweet tart and dried red raspberries can all be made out on the impeccably sweet aroma medley. Browned butter and dark faire pretzels can be made out in the well-rested glass. More hints of classic bourbon come about later with brown sugar and just a trace of caramel. Time for a sip. Coming back to the nose I find a trove of leather, black pepper and smoked salt caramel. Deep inhales produce an elegant, level oak and leather aroma that equally can't be understated or overstated. More fruit aromas like orange peel can be found late into my exploration. Vintage whiskey tones continue to have me feeling nostalgic as I work through this. Vanilla bean, crushed walnut shells, burlap, and leather sit in the empty glass. Palate: On first sip I find candied cherry, red raspberry and strawberry notes. The mouthfeel is distinctly sweet to the point of almost feeling sugary. Jumping back in elicits more balanced spice and bountiful wood tones. Overall it is warming in the mouth with cranberry sauce, cinnamon and pie crust notes carrying through on the linger. It's relatively nice, but also a little too classic for me to treat it as exceptional. Sipping later in the glass continues the same storyline with some of that earthy clay note from the nose translating onto the tongue now as well. Caramel and candied cherry continue to dominate as the glass gets lower. Marshmallow and vanilla tones manage to perpetually highlight the parallels to some dusty whiskies I've experienced. My last sip is creamy and fruity with raspberry, orange peel and Werther's caramel chews tingling on a medium long finish. TL;DR: Deep, fruity bourbon balanced by good spice that has done well to not get overoaked Rating: 4/5 (Really good; I want one of these on my shelf.) This 2022 release of the Eagle Rare 17 year bourbon manages to drink better than the others I have sampled from prior years. This release benefited greatly when the proof got bumped up to 101 in 2018. Fans of Elijah Craig 18 year, especially the pre-fire releases, will find this to be right up their alley.

This highly anticipated yearly release from the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection has arrived for your evaluation. This is typically one of the fan-favorites as the king of the Weller lineup. If Weller Full Proof is the pinnacle of barrel selection, this is the brand's magnus opus. I've done quite a few Weller picks with local retailers now, and if they'd let me, I'd absolutely want to bottle them at barrel proof like this release is. If you're not familiar, barrel proof means that no water is added to the whiskey prior to bottling. You get the closest experience to thieving straight from the barrel which is an awesome thing to do if you get the chance. Now - is this the true crown of the Weller line? Are you ready to go out hunting for it? Read on to see if this release seems like it would be up your alley. Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Whiskey Type: Wheated Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Buffalo Trace "Wheated Mash Bill" (likely ~15% wheat; no rye) Proof: 124.7° Age: 12 years Further identification: This 2022 release came with an NFC tag under the foil that encapsulates the cork and cap; more information can be found in the document below: Nose: Deep barrel funk is most dominant here as I raise the glass to my nose. On any level of inhale brown sugar, black pepper, leather, tobacco, salinity and earthiness completely take over the senses. Funky herbal tones swirl in the background. The funk cannot be understated. After quite a few pass throughs vanilla begins to be discernible from the rest of the dark, rich profile. Chocolate and graham cracker tones soothe the fiery glass. Time for a sip. Coming back to the nose I find that rick house funk aroma to be everywhere. This is a great example of what you can give to someone if they tell you they have never been in a barrel warehouse. There's a slight air of vinegar in here that is odd, but not a deal breaker to the rest of the glass. I found this vinegar note on several tastings, so I've confirmed it is not an anomaly. It harkens back a bit to the salinity I was finding earlier in the glass. Deep inhales show off classic caramel, molasses and level oak. The breadiness of the palate comes through in spades near the bottom of the glass. Once empty, I smell decadent brown sugar, pancake batter, magnificent oak and maple syrup. Whew. Palate: My first sip is coating and pervasive, filled with maraschino cherry, nutmeg and juicy plum. Another sip is red grape forward with deep layers of raspberry tart, blackberry peach cobbler and dark graham cracker. The balance between fruit and bread tones is lovely here along with the thick, oily consistency of the mouthfeel. A longer sip and swish reveals the true power of the dark, rich fruitiness in this glass. Delicious and potent, I find cherry, raspberry and blackberry to be the dominant notes of the glass with other subtleties struggling to keep up with those powerhouse flavors. As I sip near the bottom of the glass I find the cherry notes continue to proliferate. This is blended for perfect balance of flavor volume and approachability for the experienced whiskey enthusiast. It doesn't quite knock my socks off, but I'm sure glad to be drinking it today. Much like the 2021 edition of this label, I think this stands head and shoulders above the normal Weller lineup, but may pale in comparison to a really good Weller Full Proof single barrel pick (which is unfortunately few and far between). My last sip is zesty with orange peel introducing dark chocolate bits and a huge wave of cherry and plum that crashes over the palate like a tumultuous wave. The finish is strong and long with cinnamon hots sizzling on the tongue before a long Kentucky hug is followed by a satisfying caramel chew. Coconut shavings and grilled pineapple are intriguing notes in the linger. My mouth is left salivating trying to catch up to the intense viscosity that this delivers with. Solid pour all the way through! TL;DR: A funktastic nose introduces a powerhouse of maraschino cherry, raspberry and blackberry Rating: 4/5 (Really good; I want one of these on my shelf.) This is quite delicious whiskey with all the red fruits you could ask for. Most Weller picks can do something pretty close to this, but this is definitely a touch more refined than most and it carries far more depth. I'm glad to have a bottle of this to explore and share!

The oddball of the Antique Collection that doesn't sport a hefty age statement is the Thomas H. Handy Sazerac rye. At just 6 years old - compared to the 12-18 year ages of the other releases - this doesn't scream "top of the line" to me. According to Buffalo Trace this release was launched in request to consumer request for more well-aged and barrel strength whiskey. The age statement tied to it seems to be a little at odds with that ethos, but I'll let it slide for now. My previous experience with Thomas H. Handy only goes as far as the 2019 release, which I thought didn't really land. I ended up making a lot of good old fashioneds with that bottle though which was definitely fun (and infuriating to some). Let's see if the 2022 release can improve against the 3/5 benchmark I gave that. Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Distillery Whiskey Type: Straight Rye Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: Buffalo Trace Rye Mash Bill (Assumed/Estimated at 51% rye) Proof: 130.9° Age: 6 years, 4 months Further identification: The 2022 release of Thomas H. Handy shows off the following stats: Nose: The deep, rich aroma of entering a Kentucky rickhouse emanates from this glass from afar. Dipping my nose in reveals cherry skins, raisin and rich caramel tones. One could easily mistake this for a bourbon at first glance. Dipping my nose back in I find exuberantly sweet perfume notes alongside pear and apricot. Blood orange and fizzy Fresca emanate from late in the glass. Deep inhales don't offer many new complexities. The empty glass smells of honeysuckle, wood chips and dried cherries. Palate: My first sip is bodacious, showing off rich bubblegum, lemon zest and orange creamsicle flavors that burst in juicy flashes on the tongue. Another sip adds dynamic grapefruit and peach marmalade. This is a classic, bright, citrusy rye for those who enjoy a bit of zest in their whiskey. Lemon peel continues to dominate in the shimmering linger alongside some hints of creamy tea. Sipping down near the bottom of the glass I find flashes of macerated raspberry and blackberry which is a nice surprise. My last sip is punchy with more tea, peach and pear that comes before a long sunset of lemon tones. TL;DR: A classic, zesty rye with plenty of lemon and tropical fruit to go around Rating: 3/5 (Decent. I can go either way on it.) This is a classic, sweet, effervescent rye that feels a little out of place in the Antique Collection lineup for me. I would love to blind this against a good 6-8 year 95/5 rye from MGP or Bardstown Bourbon Co. It might also drink pretty close to a younger Willett rye too. It's approachable & just fine for what it is. The keep Amongst the Whiskey designation means it clearly serves a purpose here, and it is justified at the 3.5/5 score given my bonus bump for enjoying it as much as I do amongst friends.

Released at a ready-to-vote age statement, this Sazerac rye delivers the peak age of the 2022 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. An assumed-to-be barely legal rye mash bill, this ultra-aged whiskey boasts a similar scarcity to the Eagle Rare 17 year. With very few bottles ever going into circulation, most people won't ever get to try this bottle. After reading my review below, are you going to be chasing this one? Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Distillery Whiskey Type: Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: Buffalo Trace Low Rye Mash Bill (Assumed/Estimated at 51% rye) Proof: 90° Age: 18 years Further identification: The 2022 release of Sazerac 18 touts the following stats: Nose: Sweet buttercream frosting and lemon pudding jump out of the glass first. The creamy tones continue through subsequent inhales as cardamom, leather and toasted bread add nuance to an exceptionally delicate aroma. Touches of clay tell me this is indeed an ultra-aged whiskey. Verbena flowers, bergamot and lemongrass continue to build the sweet citrus backbone of this impossibly light nose-feel. Deep inhales from any depth refuse to cough up any proof, leaving just baked cornmeal and sweet florals. Let's have a sip to unlock some more volume. Returning my nose to the glass reveals a deeper sweetness that now includes hints of cherry wood. Verdant forests come to mind as I continue to nose through this. Deep inhales late in the glass begin to produce some smoky tones. The empty glass smells of Hershey's chocolate milk powder, copper and honeysuckle. Palate: My first sip brings forth a lemon lollipop before earthy clay and oodles of almond toffee stick to the tongue. The mouthfeel is creamy and easy, as if I were drinking a room temperature tea. Another sip brings forth butterscotch, lemon peel, caraway, and old, spent oak. A longer sip and swish amplifies hints of bubblegum. This pour unfortunately struggles to really deliver much volume, but it is unbelievably easy to drink. Late in the whisper of a linger, one can imagine having ate something minty long ago. Sipping near the bottom of the glass finally delivers something for me to chew on. Potent bubblegum, mint chocolate chip ice cream and a touch of rum sweetness come together solidly. My last sip is sweet as can be with nutmeg, cardamom, lemon frosting and vanilla cake. The finish is short & delicate highlighting simple scones and lemon bars covered in confectioners sugar. TL;DR: Soft sipping, creamy rye that has some vintage characteristics that fail to impress Rating: 3/5 (Decent. I can go either way on it.) This year's release struggles to put forth as much depth and character as previous years. 2020 and some tanked 2010 both come to mind as significantly more memorable pours. Lovers of easy sipping whiskey and perhaps single malt Scotch whisky fans may find this one interesting for the subtle parallels.

I am really stoked to get into this one tonight. I've been sitting on this sample for far too long and was looking to try something really new to me. I have very limited experience with Old Fitz in general and thought I'd start my way at the top! Company on Label: Heaven Hill Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley Proof: 100° Age: 16 years Further identification: I received a 2oz sample of this in a swap from @barrelproofnerd; this is the distillery-only release you have to get at the Heaven Hill gift shop Nose: Heaven Hill paper and vanilla forward. Candy strawberry. Sweet caramel. Definitely an older oak influence but it remains bright and exciting at this proof. I can tell there is a whirlwind of fruit aromas mixing and blending below, but my light nosing isn't intense enough to draw them out just yet. Very light and airy at the start of the glass. I haven't rested this long. Cardamom is a very clear layer to this. It begins to evolve towards a mellow citrus orange peel the feels like a cocktail rimmed glass kind of experience. Now settling into a lovely caramel base. Time for a sip. Nose opened up drastically towards some bready notes. Something bready like pizza dough but more sweet like a crépe. More of that milk chocolate drizzle. The oak feels like an old home amongst the trees. It reminds me of Carver, MA. There's also some sugar cookie that got a touch too much vanilla extract added and the sweetness went off the charts! Near the bottom of the glass there is a strange rubber aroma I found very briefly. Bottom of the glass demonstrates some of the darker herbs now that I've drank away a lot of the sweetness. Empty glass is caramel and a touch of smoke. Palate: Wow, that is some intense flavor. Such rich, decadent cherry layered with milk chocolate, pepper, creamy caramel, graham crackers and vanilla. Unbelievable first sip to this. It has that high flying sweetness that also carries bigger notes of spice. The mouth coating is rich but not overly intense, and it lingers long. Some of that cardamom transfers to the palate now with a nice citrus sweetness. Allspice accompanies it to give it a little kick. The caramel and butterscotch mixture that this has is fantastic. A larger sip and a chew reveals this to certainly be a Heaven Hill product with a beautiful unique vanilla and crisp, white, glossy paper. On the last sip I am bombarded with red fruit. I can feel syrupy sweet flavors passing through my airways. This has that long fuzzy, buzzy linger that I adore out of 15+ year old bourbons. This is definitely one of those examples of why some things have sweet spot ages. Wheated bourbons can certainly stand up to 16 years well with this as a great example. Rating: 4/5 I am definitely camping out for one of these whenever I make it down to KY. Yum! This does what Elijah Craig Barrel Proofs do, but at 30 less proof points, which is intense and impressive.