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With the 9 year Gold Spot edition first releasing in 2022 and being fairly well received across the board, there was a good bit of excitement in the whiskey community for a 13 year age statement bearing the same paint swath. The Spot Whiskey website describes this release, saying: The latest addition to the Gold Spot’s series is a thirteen-year aged whiskey, once again championing the use of wine casks in whiskey, transcending tradition, and demonstrating the harmonization of heritage and innovation. The extraordinary expression marries Gold Spot’s established use of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, with a unique maturation in Valpolicella Riciotto Italian wine casks for 16 months. This final maturation elevates Gold Spot’s subtle spice notes, with the red wine adding layers of dark fruits, berry compote and creating a softly textured sweetness, finishing with a touch of oak and sweet wine. This special whiskey, the perfect balance between Irish whiskey and Italian wine, celebrates the exceptional story of seven generations of the Mitchell family, guardians of Spot Whiskey and one of Ireland’s premier wine families. The charcuterie board shines in this pairing First released on March 11, 2024, in Europe via the Midleton website at €150, this left US-based Irish whiskey fans in the lurch for some time. Months later it finally began showing up on shelves here in the States, but pricing seemed to be all over the map, as if Pernod Ricard couldn't figure out what to price it at through different distributors. I saw discounted pre-sales as low as $180, and the OHLQ website currently has it listed for $300 . Pricing seems to have settled somewhere around $215 , though it remains sitting in stock, whereas the 9 year was commonly held for year-end raffles in 2022. Perhaps the price has something to do with that. We'll taste through to see if there's value to be had here nonetheless! Company on Label:  Midleton Distillery Whiskey Type:  Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages:  100% malted and unmalted barley Proof:  92° Age:  13 years Further identification:  This is the 2024 Generations Edition of Gold Spot, hitting retail shelves across the globe in a 700mL bottle format at an MSRP of about $285 Buy Gold Spot 13 Year Irish Whiskey Nose:  The nose leads with what some might call a more Scottish-style malt; light florality and apple aromas present quite delicately up front. Warming my glencairn in my hands unlocks Madagascar vanilla beans, fresh dryer sheets, and a hint of the wine cask influence to come. Deep inhales are a bit metallic, bland, and dry. I'm waiting for a bloom to occur, but all I get is the stark blank slate of a cold winter wind. The wine cask finishes are notably tamped down, buried, and muted here. Little changes after a sip of this utterly boring whiskey. The empty glass smells of wet granite, wool, and slivered almonds. Palate:  My first sip is a nice departure from the muted nose of the early glass. Light biscuit is fluffy and clean in the mouth as a pad of melted butter begins to seep through the nooks and crannies. The mouthfeel is great: oily, generally sweet, but quite devoid of any distinct flavor character. Another sip matches that, but with an incremental addition of subtle, dried jackfruit. Sipping late in the glass is the most enjoyable, as little flashes of cheesecake and your traditional Irish whiskey sugar cookie note can be found. My last sip finishes with little fanfare and no forlorn face for its departure. TL;DR: Flat, bland, and boring—this release is a slap in the face to Irish whiskey fans Rating:  2/5 ( Poor showing. Doesn't please my palate. ) 9 Year Gold Spot vs 13 Year Gold Spot Final thoughts: I don't normally talk about value here, but this is a pretty egregious mismatch between price and quality. In a neat demonstration that older is not always better, this is a very clear step down from the 9 year Gold Spot release, and at nearly double the cost, it has me baffled who this could possibly be marketed towards. I bought this bottle with my own hard-earned dollar and feel completely duped for that decision. If you're hunting for something better for cheaper, I'd recommend Redbreast 12 year , Green Spot , or peruse all of the top Irish whiskeys worth drinking for something that calls to you. WRITTEN BY: NICK ANDERSON With nearly a decade of sipping experience, Nick Anderson brings a well-calibrated palate to his profound passion for the whiskey industry. Beginning in Irish whiskey before expanding into bourbon, rye, and beyond, he has long been taking the ephemeral observation of unspoken enjoyment and translating it into meaningful words. He is the owner and primary long-winded whiskey writer for AmongstTheWhiskey.com , and he hopes you find resonance in the patient conveyance of an honest whiskey review.

Michter's is a brand ripe with a rich and storied history, one that I've covered many times on this website . Getting to explore the nuances from year to year and barrel to barrel for a bottling as coveted as Michter's 10 year bourbon is truly a blessing. It should be noted that this bottle was intentionally bought for the sake of this review, but it was purchased by my dear friend Jon Gjebrea , co-owner of Noble Cigars , to whom I am grateful for giving me the chance to review this particular barrel from Michter's. Despite people typically talking about this release by way of vintage, a term that typically denotes the bottling year, as is more traditional in wine, Michter's 10 year whiskeys are single barrel products, which inherently have variation between them. To address this, Michter's offers bottling months in the letter that follows the two-digit year statement on their neck label. A represents January, and F, as we have here today, represents a June bottling date. The rest of the numbers are a unique identifier for that exact barrel. We therefore should be considerate as we discuss our experiences with single barrels, something I've long mentally fought with as a whiskey reviewer. With all those caveats out of the way, let's talk some whiskey! Company on Label:  Bottled by Michter's Distillery LLC, Louisville, Kentucky 40216 Whiskey Type:  Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey Mash Bill Percentages:  Undisclosed Proof:  94.4° Age:  10 years MSRP:  $185 Further Identification:  This is a single barrel release product, so your mileage may vary; the bottle under review came from barrel 24F2384 Nose:  Immediately upon lifting the glass, I find a wave of vinegar-forward barrel funk emanating upwards. Another long inhale is surprisingly muted, leaving me feeling a bit perplexed about this pour, as I'm normally used to an immediate and distinct character from Michter's 10 year bourbon releases. This offers none of the quaint, comfortable Kentucky bourbon character I've come to expect out of an expensive bottle like this. Vague flashes of bleached linen, tannic grape skins, and earthy compost aromas are off-putting and befuddling. Deep inhales fail to register much else at all in a lingering moment of deep dismay. After a few sips, little development occurs in the glass to improve upon the fairly disappointing structure of aroma here. Touches of vanilla and toasted oak can be made out to the generously patient observer. The empty glass smells of caramelized Vidalia onions and tonka beans. Palate:  On first sip, the sad story of the nose is momentarily displaced as I find soft red berries and watered down Riesling ice wine washes across the tongue. Little evidence of proof registers with the sensory system, and the flavors are rather odd here. Vidal Blanc grape and this tart orange jam combine in an incredibly nuanced, differentiated way—in stark contrast to anything I'm used to sipping on right now. Caraway seeds and a slightly overbaked crostata tart crust come together on the short, bodiless linger. Further sips are disjointed, like the mouth has wandered off to a different part of the museum while your mind was lost in space. A moment of panic sets in that something is being missed. For this bourbon, what was missed was the mark. A nonexistent mouthfeel leaves me yearning for so much more, as gossamer-thin spindles of weak and marginalized flavors struggle to tell a cohesive story. Sipping late in the glass offers some redeeming qualities, but I'd still much prefer to move on to a better whiskey at this point. Yeugh . I really am actually struggling to enjoy this pour, unfortunately, as some of the apple cider vinegar tones begin to take hold in my mind. To me, this particular barrel seems to taste rather over-oaked, with a panic-sell decision point being made on what was clearly not going to go the distance to 20 or 25 years without puckering even the most experienced palates. My last sip offers comfort in knowing this drinking experience is over as dry raspberry sweet tart flavors entertain just the outskirts of enjoyment. The finish is short, drying, and tannic, as malbec grape and 90% cacao dark chocolate leave me shuddering. TL;DR: A drastically different spectrum of flavor on this year's 10 year bourbon leaves me nonplussed Rating:  2.5/5 ( Okay whiskey. Nothing special about this pour. ) I know Michter's knows good whiskey , but this particular bottling is just not that. I've seen others waxing poetic about the 24A and 24B barrels from this year's run of single barrel releases. With another data point coming from my experience favoring the 23A barrels of 10 year bourbon , is it safe to start assuming the earlier bottlings from each year tend to be better than the later months? There's that theory, or perhaps this is just sourced from a different distillery than last year. My taste buds were screaming Heaven Hill on the 23A, but this 24F tastes quite a bit like Old Forester distillate, which to me tends to exude a younger character. Both are interesting theories, but the bottling month variation is an interesting one to experiment with further given the nuance in how barrels continue to mature throughout the year. Let me know down in the comments: Are earlier letters, which represent the bottling month of the barrel, inherently better than later expressions from each year? My taste buds certainly think so, but I'd love to have a taste of 24A or 24B to know for sure. Want to taste for yoursel? Buy Michter's 10 year rye here. WRITTEN BY: NICK ANDERSON With nearly a decade of sipping experience, Nick Anderson brings a well-calibrated palate to his profound passion for the whiskey industry. Beginning in Irish whiskey before expanding into bourbon, rye, and beyond, he has long been taking the ephemeral observation of unspoken enjoyment and translating it into meaningful words. He is the owner and primary long-winded whiskey writer for AmongstTheWhiskey.com , and he hopes you find resonance in the patient conveyance of an honest whiskey review.

“Are you sure that we are awake? It seems to me that yet we sleep, we dream.” -William Shakespeare High West Distillery continues to roll out their once-per-year port-finished Rendezvous Rye series, A Midwinter Night's Dram . The name, a play on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream , was likely born out of a stroke of genius, mid-marketing meeting, by a team searching for a name not fraught with copyright infringement. What better place to look than 16th-century England? This release has been long-lauded by whiskey enthusiasts who have cherished the blend of MGP and High West rye. Some have speculated the ratios are tipping more towards High West distillate these days, something I'd probably agree with as the flavor profile has definitely changed over time. Another feasible possibility is that access to similar stocks that were used in previous years has been cut off, which is supported by what David Thomas Tao reported on with Kentucky whiskey being a component of some former acts . As production numbers have soared into the ~190,000 bottle range annually, I've tried to warn folks that this isn't the small production, limited release bottle it once was . But old traditions die hard, and no other bottle is more synonymous with the cold winter season than A Midwinter Night's Dram. We've still got plenty of cold weather to power through here in New England, so I found myself reaching for a pour of something cozy this evening. It just so happened to be a bottle I haven't written about yet, so I sat down in order to deliver you a long-overdue review. This is a bottle I've shared around quite a bit since scooping it up at the end of 2024, crowdsourcing opinions that have ranged wildly from reserved delight all the way to pure terror. After tasting it many times, I find myself settling somewhere in the middle with this act. A well-formulated opinion surely beats a rushed one, so I'm proud to be finally ready to share my thoughts on this one. Let's dive in. Company on Label:  High West Distillery Whiskey Type: A blend of straight rye whiskeys Mash Bill Percentages:  Undisclosed proportions of the Rendezvous rye mash bill comprised of 95% rye, 5% malted barley distilled by MGP and 80% rye, 20% malted rye distilled by High West Proof:  98.6° Age:  NAS MSRP:  $149.99 Further identification:  This is the 2024 release, the 12th act, bottled on the 4th day of the run according to the scene on the front label , which was first made available in October of 2024 Link: Buy A Midwinter Night Dram Straight Rye Whiskey Nose:  Lifting the glass to my nose, I find sticky red raisin, pear, plum, and fig—immediately suggesting a heavy port influence. Another long inhale produces an array of typical holiday spices: think allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, and clove. Vinegar and raspberry jam follow in a halfway decent evolution. Overall, it's a little dry in the nose, but I am happy to find more rye character than was present on Act 11 , something I had a really strong opposition to in that review . Deep inhales begin to get thin as the enjoyable fruit and spice give way to a can of dried-up paint. After a sip, the nose thins to a simple medley of fig and allspice. Lemon frosting and cranberry ginger ale swing in late in the glass. My empty glencairn smells of synthetic leather, a kiss of smoke, and plain yogurt. Palate:  On first taste, I find a robust rye first and foremost. Cardamom, dill, mint, allspice, and cumin lead the way on a messy conglomeration of flavor. I'm simultaneously glad to find a rye at the heart of this release but also a bit disappointed in its quality. It's a funky sip, perhaps attributable to the malted rye component in the mash bill, which is always an interesting distillation choice to see. The linger carries dominant flavors of moist raisin and raspberry jam. Another sip is once again spice-forward rye character that hugs you at every step of the way. Boozy Italian cherries and a kiss of aperol can be found on the midpalate before the more drying flavors of graham cracker and ginger root powder swing through to sweep away the enjoyment. My last taste is a soft splash of grenadine, clashed by dry clove, and finished with a light dusting of cacao powder. TL;DR: While a clear step up from Act 11, this still isn't anything all that special Rating:  3/5 Middle of the road whiskey. An average showing. I postulated against calling this a comeback in my title, but really—don't call this a comeback. It's a passable whiskey at best, but for most whiskey enthusiasts and cost-conscious drinkers, this is likely to be a pass this year. If you don't know any better about what great rye whiskey tastes like, you just might enjoy this, but for those of us cursed with the awareness of the full range of the quality scale, this surely doesn't hang in the broader whiskey landscape. WRITTEN BY: NICK ANDERSON With nearly a decade of sipping experience, Nick Anderson brings a well-calibrated palate to his profound passion for the whiskey industry. Beginning in Irish whiskey before expanding into bourbon, rye, and beyond, he has long been taking the ephemeral observation of unspoken enjoyment and translating it into meaningful words. He is the owner and primary long-winded whiskey writer for AmongstTheWhiskey.com , and he hopes you find resonance in the patient conveyance of an honest whiskey review.

"invent yourself and then reinvent yourself, don't swim in the same slough. invent yourself and then reinvent yourself, and stay out of the clutches of mediocrity." — Charles Bukowski Marketed by Buffalo Trace as "the world's best single barrel bourbon" and "the original single barrel bourbon," it's obvious this grenade-shaped bottle and distinctive cork topper with a horse and jockey in various racing positions is out to impress. Ask any whiskey enthusiast or appreciator of the spirit, and I bet, hands down, a bottle of Blanton's was heavily sought after at one point or another. Perhaps you are currently seeking one as you read this. I was certainly guilty of such tendencies when I first started diving into this hobby, and I have several bottles on my shelf as a testament to that once-upon-time first chapter of my whiskey journey. I was recently gifted this bottle of Blanton's Gold from a person with a true heart of gold, my Dad. At a slightly higher proof than the original Blanton's and with a higher rye mash bill, Blanton's Gold is marketed as the "spunkier" version of the whiskey expressions coming out of the metal-cladded Warehouse H on Buffalo Trace's famed campus. The limited release first premiered in the summer of 2020 by the Sazerac Company and is released annually. I am actually quite curious if the slight variations listed between the original Blanton's and Gold Edition turn out to be noteworthy or not, which is why this bottle opened, and the liquid was poured into my glencairn. Company on Label:  Blanton Distilling Company Whiskey Type:  Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #2 (Higher Rye 12-15%) Proof:  103 ° Age:  6-8years MSRP: $129.99 (2025) Further Identification:  Dumped 9-10-24 from Warehouse H, Rick 51, Barrel 62 Link: Buy Blanton's Gold Bourbon Nose:  Upon first lifting the glass to my nose, after an unintentional long rest, I find a good amount of oak filling my senses. The volume is substantial, with that classic Buffalo Trace fruit sweetness. A chalky candy, like crushed-up Smarties, comes next, followed by gooey caramel chews and vanilla cream. It's familiar and cozy, like wrapping up in an oversized plush blanket. Hints of cinnamon and fading oak have me covering a yawn as I snuggle in and prepare to take a sip. Returning to the nose after a few sips has me frowning in confusion. The nose and palate are so wildly different. There's so much more on the nose: sugar and cinnamon rolls warm from the oven, strawberry shortcake, black tea, vanilla biscotti, and a hint of frother cappuccino foam. The empty glass smells like stale Dr. Pepper and Hot Tamales candy. Palate:  An abundance of sweetness and spice, notably cinnamon, flashes across my tongue with the first sip, but all too quickly, a surprising heat takes hold and burns away any remaining flavors. With a feeling reminiscent of whiplash, but for my tongue, I take a second sip in hopes that this dram was simply the overeager horse settling into the endurance portion of a long-form race. Another flash of promising flavors fades again like the lightbulb of an old-fashioned camera. I find myself frustrated with the tease of flavors and the potential for what could be if only the heat and spice didn't overwhelm the palate so quickly. Creamy vanilla and silky caramel melt into nothing but a watery mess, and there's little left to locate other than oak spice and cinnamon to keep my attention. I'm stuck in a wish to taste more of what was initially on my tongue. The finish is a spooked cat running off into a darkened alleyway as the linger reminds me of licking the tail end of a strawberry popsicle in order to read the joke on the stick better. Because, at this point, I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry. TL;DR: a promising nose fades quickly into disappointment on the palate Rating:  3/5 Middle of the road whiskey. An average showing. While the nose held much potential, enough that I would have raised my bet If I were a gambling woman, this pour could not surpass my experience of the original Blanton's okayness. I will, however, continue to revisit this bottle, out of sheer stubbornness, to see what time and air do to the palate because that nose did prove to be worth future efforts.   WRITTEN BY: JES SMYTH W ith what started as a genuine curiosity for the “water of life,” fiction writer and published author Jes Smyth has nurtured her enthusiasm for whiskey ever since. From learning the vast history of whiskey making to celebrating the passion of the industry, she tastes each sip with intention and purpose while expressing the intricacies of whiskey in a relatable and heartfelt way. She is thrilled to be a contributing writer for AmongstTheWhiskey.com  and hopes her words will resonate with those ready to explore the beautiful world of whiskey.

"So the middle ground answer reminds us that reflection is continuous with practice, and our practice can go worse or better according to the value of our reflections." —Simon Blackburn Redwood Empire seems to have hit a stride, and the Amongst The Whiskey writers have been doing their best to keep up with the steady stream of recent releases . I, for one, will never complain about a craft distillery consistently pushing out innovative expressions. This particular release, however, was done rather quietly, and for the briefest of moments, I had concluded the release was simply a label update. After debunking that assumption, I moved quickly into curiosity. What was this middle child of Pipe Dream, one of Redwood Empire's core offerings, all about, and how would it stand out amongst its already well-favored siblings, flagship, and cask strength ? Contrary to perhaps another well-warranted assumption, this offering is not just a slightly higher (or lower, depending on your point of reference) proofed Pipe Dream. There are slight but notable differences that may help you justify the slight but noticeable price difference. As described on Redwood Empire's website : Maintaining a four-grain mashbill, this reserve expression showcases older whiskey stocks, more of our own grain-to-glass distillate, and is cut at a higher proof. The result is a craft whiskey with elevated aromas, rich textures, and bold flavors. Currently, Pipe Dream seems to be the only offering available in the 101 reserve expression. Still, I think it's safe to assume Redwood's bourye, Lost Monarch, and rye, Emerald Giant, will eventually follow suit. Although, if there's one thing you and I can learn from this review, other than how this whiskey is going to rate, is that when we assume, we only make an ass out of u and me . So, it is with this mindset that I will move forward with this tasting with no assumptions or expectations! Company on Label:  Redwood Empire Whiskey Whiskey Type:  Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 73% corn, 19% rye, 5% malted barley, 3% wheat Proof:  101 ° Age:  5 years (a blend of 5-15 year old bourbons from California, Indiana, and Kentucky) MSRP: $55.99 (2025) Further Identification:  This is batch one of Redwood Empire's 101 reserve expression with a release date of November 2024 Nose:  This is undeniably bourbon. Caramel, vanilla, and oak dominate the nose. It's a predictable combination, like unwrapping a stick of butter from its wax paper. While the aromas are enjoyable, they seem to be a bit muted. With a bit of warmth and swirls, a few additional notes release from my glass: a long spiraling peel from a red delicious apple, a crack of black pepper, and the inside of a Tupperware container filled with a kiddo's backyard treasures of grass, dirt, and ladybugs. It's an odd mix of aromas if I'm being honest. Perhaps a taste will coalesce these disjointed smells. After a few sips, I find less cohesion and more confusion: floral tones leaning towards lavender and rose and, as the liquid grows lower, the scent of old books in a small and stuffy used bookstore. Perplexed, I am, but not offended. The core of this expression is absolutely bourbon. The empty glass smells of tootsie roll wrappers, dried flowers, and a restaurant candy dish filled with chalky stale after-dinner mints. Palate:  Vanilla and caramel glide across my tongue as cinnamon and clove shimmer through the familiar duo. The tastes are creamy at first, but all too quickly the flavors fall flat. A tartness, like sipping a stale can of bubbly lemon water dominates midpalate. The finish is hotter than I anticipated, too, given the proof point. As I sip along, I encounter much of the same experience: a pop and quick deflation in flavors, reminding me of an empty bowl of what was once vanilla ice cream with melted whipped cream pooling at the edges. Late in the glass, a fruit characteristic shows up: blackberry, which offers a bit of excitement until the oak spice washes away the delicate flavor. The final sip is void of any further evolution and is primarily dominated by a mixture of grassy spice. TL;DR: classic tastes of bourbon that wish to be more but can't figure out how Rating:  3/5 Middle of the road whiskey. An average showing. Fans of a solid daily sipper will likely be inspired to reach for this slightly kicked-up version instead of the flagship Pipe Dream. Personally, I could go either way. The 101 offers more of Redwood Empire's distillate, but I think the blending process needs a bit of fine-tuning. I'll be curious to taste future releases to see how this expression evolves, assuming more releases are forthcoming in the vast landscape of middle ground .   Buy Redwood Empire Pipe Dream Bourbon WRITTEN BY: JES SMYTH W ith what started as a genuine curiosity for the “water of life,” fiction writer and published author Jes Smyth has nurtured her enthusiasm for whiskey ever since. From learning the vast history of whiskey making to celebrating the passion of the industry, she tastes each sip with intention and purpose while expressing the intricacies of whiskey in a relatable and heartfelt way. She is thrilled to be a contributing writer for AmongstTheWhiskey.com  and hopes her words will resonate with those ready to explore the beautiful world of whiskey.

Buffalo Trace's 2nd bourbon mash bill features releases such as Ancient Age, Rock Hill Farms, Blanton's, Hancock's Reserve, and this bottle - Elmer T. Lee. The legendary master distiller who revived a slowly fading industry passed away at the ripe old age of 93. The distillery continues to honor Elmer T. Lee by producing his namesake single barrel sour mash bourbon. Often the biggest complaint I hear about this bottle is its availability. It is absolutely factual that the demand for this brand far outpaces its supply. I've been drinking and searching for this bottle and its counterparts for a handful of years, only to turn up this singular bottle in the last 5. It was fortunately won in a raffle from a store who charges right at MSRP, so I am able to enjoy this ~$30 bourbon without reluctantly shelling out for costs at or approaching secondary (which are exorbitant). If you've had this bourbon before - what's the most you'd pay for a bottle? Drop me a comment at the bottom of this page. I'm curious! Now that I've explored this bottle a few times before, I'm ready to give it a fair shake here. Let's get into this review. Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Distillery Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #2 (Higher Rye ~10-12%) Proof: 90° Age: NAS (though the age of Elmer T. Lee is rumored to be around 9-14 years) Further identification: This is a 2020 release as known from time of purchase as well as the laser code (L20...) Link: Buy Elmer T. Lee Bourbon Nose: Right away prevalent fruit sweetness wafts from the glass. Cherry, candied apple and strawberry are notable in the medley. Deep inhales produce a slightly synthetic vanilla. My nose perceives zero evidence of the presence of alcohol in this glass. Light biscoff cookie and bright black pepper sit in the nostrils. The nose-feel overall is slightly drying and thin. The notable absence of the fruit from the start removes most of the excitement from the glass. Nearly imperceptible wafts of caramel seem to hang up somewhere in the glass. Let's have a sip. Coming back from a sip I find much more oak that was hidden behind the sweeter smells. Black pepper continues to be prominent. Overall there doesn't seem to be anything remarkable or unique about this particular barrel except for its incredible approachability. I think even a first time drinker could find something to like here. Late in the glass some subtle floral tones produce white flowering scents. The empty glass smells of soft caramel bread and warm air tinged with the metallic skeleton of a big city. Palate: Yum - buttercream frosting and sugar cookie flavors jump onto the tongue. These tastes sit there in an oily pool with visions of bakery treats sitting atop parchment paper. The mouth feel is thin but creamy similar to how light proof Irish whiskeys usually feel. Another sip builds up bigger cherry skin, vanilla and ladyfinger notes. A larger sip and swish produces some decent heft for 90 proof giving off vanilla bean ice cream and sweet tart vibes. There's just a hint of some raspberry and tannic fermented fruit in the linger. Everything in the glass continues to be creamy and soft. The most delicious flavors start to appear near the bottom of the glass when strawberries and cream begins to produce softly with a sweet cereal backbone. This flavor proves to be fleeting in my final sip which shows up again with simple cherry skins. The finish adds sweet raspberry and slightly smoky vanilla. Rating: 3/5 ( Decent. I can go either way on it. ) Holistically unremarkable - this pour did have a few bright spots when sweet fruits delivered clear as day. I could certainly see this release getting lauded by those who value an easy sipper. I ultimately don't find it to be worth chasing personally, though I would definitely grab it at MSRP again if I had the chance. Cheers!

I filled this glass just a bit more than I usually like to; I usually try to review a pour that starts right at the transition of the bulb on a proper glencairn glass. Sometimes less is more, and things can be either overpowering or muted at too full of a glass. But it's been a long day, and I'm ready for one good pour before probably an early to bed night tonight! Cheers. Company on Label: The Old Grand-Dad Distillery Company Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 63% Corn, 27% Rye, 10% Barley Proof: 114 ° Age: NAS Further identification: This is distilled at Jim Beam & lists "Lot No. 1" on the back of the label Link: Buy Old Grand-Dad 114 Bourbon Nose: Dusty nut shells at the start. Light leather and pepper spice. Powerful dustiness that overwhelms the nose. Faint berries hang around a caramel base. A musty paper note only sticks around for a brief moment before settling into more oakiness than anything else. After a little while in the glass, things are smoothing out well and vanilla is starting to dominate more. A bit of meaty allspice can be dug up on deep inhales. Time for a sip. After a sip, the vanilla characteristics are much more pronounced and the glass noses more smoothly. More pepper is there now, but again lighter. This opens up very well after some time in the glass. It was darker and musty at the start, but now it's just a solid, standard bourbon bouquet of aromas. Much less of the Beam nuttiness than I was expecting. The palate and finish are really the highlight of this pour, which will certainly help its score. The empty glass smells like chocolate, plum, and raisin. Palate: Wow, much sweeter than the nose let on. Things start out with a very tart cherry that brings with it a good bit of spice and a strong Kentucky hug. The linger carries a lot of the cinnamon hots you usually get out of higher proof 'spicier' cherry profiles. There are some rye spice funky bits very well hidden in the cracks of the syrupy cherry flavor wheel. Another sip reveals lovely vanilla, rye spice, and caramel. Molasses is a bit metallic, but it's instantly more overwhelmed with the thick cherry mouth coating. This is a powerful pour at 114 proof. There is a solid mouth coating, and the flavors that come with it are quite tasty. It's not bursting with impossible layers of complexity, but it is also certainly not bland in any way. The profile sticks to its guns all the way through. Powerful cherry, caramel, cinnamon hots, and some pepper spice are the highlights of the experience. There was also a brief, wild rising linger of nutmeg that took me by surprise on an exhale. If you wanted to check if your taste buds are working effectively, give this a try. It's powerful in a great way. Rating: 3/5 If you're still paying attention down here, you might be saying: "Nick, a 3/5 AND an Amongst the Whiskey stamp of approval?" Yes. This is the perfect representation of a whiskey that doesn't really overly impress me per se, but I would love to keep around for what it delivers for me. It's got some great flavors that I think deserve to be experienced, but don't go in asking for the moon from this one. I also really wanted to try this in a review to sort of qualify myself for an upcoming private barrel group experiment that utilized an Old Grand-Dad 114 base. Keep your eyes peeled for that review soon!

What bottle got you into bourbon? I love asking this question as it tends to splinter into lovely micro-tangents and descriptive memories. More often than not, I've found that a bottle from the Weller lineup is the most popular answer, and for good reason—the brand has been around for a long time. Personally, I tried Weller Antique 107 early on in my whiskey exploration and remember thinking,  had it not been for Four Roses Small Batch Select , this would have been the bottle that got me hooked. I suppose Weller Antique 107 has honorary runner-up status. Yet, I often don't think of writing a proper review on it, which is often the case with sips I am comfortable with. This bottle has staying power, though, and one that makes me anxious when the fill level grows low with no backup on hand. That alone makes this a bottle deserving of all the attention, as much as any other new release . So, as a warm-up to the palate, here is a quick rundown of what makes the Weller lineup as traceable as the other Buffalos in the rick house. Feel free to groan or giggle; I did both while typing that sentence. The Weller brand was formed in 1849 by William Larue Weller, who is believed to be responsible for pioneering the use of wheat instead of rye in his mash bills. It's very likely that the wheated bourbon style (a staple in the Weller line) would later influence many other brands. William Larue Weller did more than play around with the grains in his mash bills, though. He also played a significant role in the early development of the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, which makes sense since he was amongst the first to bottle bourbon. Yes, there was a pre-bottling era that we modern folk do not have to worry about, and we have WLW to thank, in part, for the ease in sipping standards of this day and age. Over the years, the Weller brand has undergone various ownership and production transformations, which is to be expected given its legacy. Still, the wheated mash bill remained central to the lineup. Weller joined forces with the prestigious Buffalo Trace distillery when the Sazerac Company acquired it in the 1990s (Sazerac also owns Buffalo Trace, in case that wasn't clear), and the rest is more pages in American Whiskey history. With hot debates about modern-day expressions and their quality at an all-time high, it is more important than ever to give gratitude to the lush history of bourbon and provide honest reviews of the whiskey we sip today. So, let's dive into a modern-day review of an old-school whiskey that continues to buzz like a bee in an endless garden of  weller- flowers. Company on Label:  Buffalo Trace Whiskey Type:  Wheated Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Buffalo Trace "Wheated Mash Bill" Proof:  107 ° Age:   NAS (~6-8 years) Further identification:  This highly sought-after bottle in the Weller lineup was purchased in 2023 and has a suggested retail price of $52.99 Nose:  Sweet dark fruit leads the way, warm and inviting like jam spread over a toasted slice of wheat bread. A dish of unwrapped Werther's hard caramels sits near a flickering cinnamon candle as a kiss of baked apple wafts through the air. I am not-so-curiously craving a mug of hot apple cider while sitting out in the fading light of an early autumn evening. This is rich and classic, but as I sit longer with my glass, the flavors continue to develop in complexity—oodles of baking spice, gooey cherries bubbling in a pie dish, and a kiss of black pepper. I'm ready to taste this loveliness. After a few sips, the nose leads with stronger fruit tones, stewed and ready for all the Thanksgiving pies one could imagine. There's a hint of Madagascar vanilla and a to-go cup of Starbucks hot chocolate (IYKYK). The robust start to this nose does fall off a bit late in the glass, but complexity still abounds with store-bought cinnamon buns and cherry hard candy. It's classic, it's lovely, and it continues to evolve the longer I sip patiently through this tasting. It's remarkable, considering the number of times I've enjoyed this bottle. The empty glass smells like the bottom of a glass candy dish found in my grandparents' parlor room. Palate: Oh yes, this is velvet on my tongue. Luscious chunks of dark chocolate spread throughout as pops of cinnamon flit around like a butterfly floating effortlessly with the soft flap of thin wings. There's stone fruit, notably cherry, and a kiss of sauteed sliced plum bubbling in rich caramel sauce. I'm in a leather armchair, book in hand, as the light filtering through my window is fading, relaxed and engaged with all that surrounds me. The flavors are cherry sweet and cinnamon oak spicy, with a gentle and long-lasting finish. It's perfectly balanced from start to finish, incredibly approachable, and dangerously crushable. Late in the glass, sips continue their journey of sweetness and spice, but in a way that feels like the first time, even after a lengthy duration in the glencairn. The final sip is a testament to those pours that transcend the test of time. TL;DR: an approachable and high-caliber sip every time Rating:  4/5 ( Really good. I want one of these on my shelf. ) With classic bourbon notes and subtle complexity, it's hard to imagine this sip not being transformative for both seasoned whiskey enthusiasts and those just beginning their exploration. Weller Antique is like opening a familiar door to a slightly different decor every time; you know what to expect—great bourbon—but with fantastic tchotchkes waiting to be found. I happily share this bottle like I do a favorite book and get just as excited when my dear friends reveal what they like most. If you're on the hunt for a bottle, you can buy Weller Antique 107 here . WRITTEN BY: JES SMYTH W ith what started as a genuine curiosity for the “water of life,” fiction writer and published author Jes Smyth has nurtured her enthusiasm for whiskey ever since. From learning the vast history of whiskey making to celebrating the passion of the industry, she tastes each sip with intention and purpose while expressing the intricacies of whiskey in a relatable and heartfelt way. She is thrilled to be a contributing writer for AmongstTheWhiskey.com  and hopes her words will resonate with those ready to explore the beautiful world of whiskey.

A single barrel of whiskey, aged to perfection (ideally) and bottled to be sold and appreciated by the whiskey world at large. This all sounds pretty common for a distillery, right? But not every barrel bottled is directly from a single barrel, and more often than not, there's a master blender hard at work alchemizing the perfect blend from various barrels of whiskey. With the rising popularity of blending amongst brands known exclusively for their blending skills and the subsequent success of those efforts, it makes sense to wonder: has the gleam of a single barrel lost some of its shine as a result? Single barrels are much more than meets the eye. Once the barrel is filled, the magic begins as it ages, and the home of said barrel matters significantly. While craft distilleries are less likely to offer single barrel offerings as they make a name for themselves in this hugely competitive market, the likes of Wild Turkey, Four Roses, and Old Forester offer single barrel programs as a way of life, it seems. With so many options available, how does one pick and choose? As the old saying goes, the devil is in the details, and she sure loves her whiskey. She also recommends (the devil, that is, not me—I cringe like I just sipped High West Campfire whenever I refer to myself in the third person) focusing on the warehouse, the floor, and where you are purchasing your single barrel. The location of where the barrel rests affects the taste, especially if the warehouse is heat cycled, as some are on the Old Forester campus. Additionally, what floor the barrel hangs out in the warehouse can affect the depth of interaction between whiskey and wood. Lastly, if you're unable to try before you buy, following and supporting a store and/or reviewer you trust is a must. Paying attention to all three will likely result in less regret and get you excited for upcoming releases from the bigger guys, like the distillery featured today. Affectionately named " Strawberry Krunch, " this particular Old Forester single barrel gained quick popularity a few years back and has developed a bit of a cult following ever since. When Nick offered to send a sample my way for an honest review, I agreed without hesitation, which is no surprise. So we decided to up the ante and offer our readers an Amongst The Whiskey first—a live review with both of us on YouTube . We talk about the variability in single barrels, the overproof experience of drinking these at barrel strength, and the rare magic when a warehouse K single barrel comes together in sweet perfection. While yours truly (me, Jes, on right in the video above) prefers the written word, I thoroughly enjoyed chatting with Nick about this barrel pick. I hope the additional content compliments your reading experience of my notes below! Company on Label:  Old Forester Whiskey Type:  Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages:   70% corn, 18% rye, 10% barley Proof:   129.7° Age:  NAS                                                                          Further identification:   Warehouse K, Floor 6, Barrel 6618; this is a collaboration pick that Mass Bourbon Alliance  was invited to taste alongside the Liquor Junction team Nose: Not at all what I was expecting, and in a very good way. There's great volume, the proof is obviously high, but it's confidently gentle, like someone explaining a passion of theirs when asked. The nose is remarkably creamy, supporting vanilla and caramel through a soft, milky undertone. The fruit is evident, with strawberries ripe for the picking in a field partially shadowed by a line of towering oak trees. I could sit here nosing for much longer than most other Old Forester single barrels I've tried, but my tastebuds are begging for a sip! Returning to the nose after a taste or two takes me back to my childhood home, where I sat at the kitchen table with my mom, slicing strawberries on top of her cornflake cereal before splashing milk into her bowl. Late in the glass, more wood spice and cinnamon emerge, but the sweet fruit is still there. The empty glass walks me through a mudroom and outside to a campfire with glowing embers and roasted s'mores. Palate:  Oh, the symmetry from nose to palate is just lovely. Creamy vanilla and fruit, with a warming cinnamon and pepper spice. It's effervescent and poppy, with a wonderful back-of-throat heat. A second sip reminds me of strawberries dipped in melted chocolate drying on a sheet of wax paper. There's an all over tongue tingles with toffee sweetness that has me eager to sip some more. Late sips reveal more heat on the tongue and a smidge of oak drying. The fruit is a bit buried now by spice, but in a way that feels inevitable for an almost empty glass. The last sip is like a big hug goodbye and a genuine thank you for stopping by . TL;DR: expect fruit-forward flavors without a blown-out palate Rating:  4/5 ( Really good. I want one of these on my shelf. ) Holy smokes, I am shocked by this Old Forester single barrel. Historically, these pours come across as very hot for me, but this palate was well-balanced and incredibly approachable. My disbelief of the proof drinking much lower than stated and the flavors swirling about my mouth bumped this usually "let down" whiskey into a wish to have it on my shelf. Unfortunately, that's unlikely to happen, but I'm grateful to have a sense of hope now—perhaps Old Forester single barrels are not all fire water after all! If this review has you on the hunt, you can buy Old Forester barrel strength bourbon here . WRITTEN BY: JES SMYTH W ith what started as a genuine curiosity for the “water of life,” fiction writer and published author Jes Smyth has nurtured her enthusiasm for whiskey ever since. From learning the vast history of whiskey making to celebrating the passion of the industry, she tastes each sip with intention and purpose while expressing the intricacies of whiskey in a relatable and heartfelt way. She is thrilled to be a contributing writer for AmongstTheWhiskey.com  and hopes her words will resonate with those ready to explore the beautiful world of whiskey.

Often regarded as one of the best whiskey releases every year by whiskey enthusiasts near and far, George T. Stagg is a hyper-aged bourbon out of Buffalo Trace. Part of the annual release of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC for short), this is always a focal point of the 5 bottle spread. The other highly allocated bottles that are part of the antique collection include William Larue Weller, Eagle Rare 17 year, Sazerac 18 year, and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac rye. People go crazy for this stuff - mostly because it's limited, but also because these bottles do usually contain some of the finest stocks from the Buffalo Trace distillery. Last year, I was fortunate enough to score all 5 of these releases which I individually reviewed and also ranked based on preference . George T. Stagg took the clear win from 2022, but unfortunately I'm not in the same position to look at the entirety of the 2023 lineup this year. While I can't host an extravagant 2023 BTAC tasting this year, I do have a full bottle of this years George T. Stagg, but it's been disappearing fast since just before Christmas when I opened it with my dad and my cousin. I opened it to raise as a toast after I tagged into a really nice 8 point, 180 pound buck in Massachusetts' primitive firearms season. After field dressing and getting the deer out of the woods for processing into this years food, we clinked glencairn glasses to celebrate another one of life's beautiful little moments - something we should all spend more time doing. Like a shared passion for music, or the comradery that forms around spending countless hours on countless days in the woods, whiskey is a community vessel that has the power to transform experiences. The right pour with the right people can be a magical performance. It's a low level form of alchemy for those who understand it. Put a good whiskey in the wrong company however, and you get the unfortunate transmogrification of gold turning to lead. Many glasses have been shared in my life thus far, and the heart always knows which direction the reaction is going in. A toast to an amazing day in the woods When I'm not sharing, hunting or hiking, I do still write at length about whiskey for this website, believe it or not. I've written about Stagg (junior and prior vintages) quite a bit before, sometimes covering the history of the brand and where the name came from. If you're not familiar, I expect you'll find a lot of answers in the search results linked above. Ready to get into this year's George T. Stagg with me? Let's go! Company on Label:  Buffalo Trace Whiskey Type:  Kentucky Straight Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1 (Low Rye < 10%) Proof:  135° Age:  15 years (& 3 months) Further identification:  The 2023 release of George T. Stagg finally comes with an NFC tag under the foil lid at an MSRP of $125, with further specs being laid out in the annual release letter: Nose:  Bold oak is the first thing that can be discovered when raising the glass to the nose. Brown sugar, buttermilk biscuits, and deep-stinging allspice all follow in a warm, aromatic, proofy wave. Hints of tropical beaches enter the mind as coconut husks and funky, overripe pineapple scents ride the undercurrent. A swirl of the glass unleashes more potent oak, toeing the line of being too pungent and devolving into a cleaning agent smell. It's leathery at times and loaded with creamy marshmallow and vanilla at others, suggesting good complexity abounds. As I sip off the air that hangs above the liquid with my nostrils, I find the aromas to be slightly fleeting and thinning as more volume is exchanged between my lungs and my glencairn. Hints of saltwater taffy and soft peppermint puffs feel slightly out of place on this blend. Let's try a sip. Coming back to the nose makes maple syrup and molasses tones pop. Soft and sweet bread tones hang in the glass as it gets low, reminiscent of a simple breakfast served on a big mahogany table. The way a distinct marshmallow note ebbs and flows in and out of perception is one of my favorite parts of this glass. Overall, it's quite delicate for the proof, though I can appreciate both the highs and the lows of the nose. Deep inhales late in the glass give off a bit of a vintage whiskey vibe, perhaps due to this kind of age statement not being so commonplace today. The empty glass smells of old cork and delicious, sweet candied cherry. Palate:  My first taste illuminates the mouth with glowing embers, all 135 proof on full display. Classic cherry and red hots hit first on the tongue before the taste buds are soothed by a wooden spoonful of sugar. Touring another sip around my mouth unfortunately makes me find that cleaning agent note the nose foreshadowed; it's vaguely citrusy with unmitigated ethanol. The linger is long, with more approachable notes of nutmeg and cardamom. Sipping late into the glass shows redeeming layers of strawberry, cherry, and blackberry parfait. Patience is a virtue with this glass, as is tradition with ultra-aged whiskeys. The finish carries through blackcurrant, salty sunflower seeds, and plenty of oak that tingles the jaw slightly. At last taste, I find underripe cherry, black pepper, and a grainy bite of milk chocolate. These notes follow through to an unremarkable finish of light linen being held up by wooden clothespins on the Summer's clothes line—a dreamlike state of attention. TL;DR: Not BT's finest work, but still a special bottle for raising a toast or talking over Rating:  4/5 ( Really good; I want one of these on my shelf. ) I find that this drinks much more like a Stagg Junior batch of old... not something to be revered by whiskey enthusiasts like the 2020 release was . It's still quite good but clearly has some interesting faults throughout. As you may be able to tell by the fill level, I've sipped and shared a fair bit of this bottle already. In general, I have been finding it quite crushable—likely a positive to most—but it's not proving to be all that savor-worthy, something I personally value in my whiskey. The nose is exquisite to explore, but I don't find a lot of excitement when I sip this generally. To answer the question from the title "Is GTS still the king of the Antique Collection?"... not this year. Buy 2023 George T Stagg Bourbon Comparisons to Prior George T. Stagg Releases I set out to review the 2023 release of George T. Stagg and ended up going down a rabbit hole of comparisons to the 2022 release . I initially loved the 2022 release, rating it with my highest honor and distinction: the coveted 5/5 score AND a 'Keep Amongst the Whiskey' distinction, but as my bottle (and the bottle I sampled from a dear friend) both got lower - an odd note cropped up... apple cider vinegar . Great for your health - not most people's idea of quality on an expensive bottle of whiskey. So what happened? How could two people's bottles both start so strong and finish so wrong? The world may never know. The note has since disappeared again for me when exploring 2022, but just wanted to put that out into the universe in case anyone else is struggling with that. Comparing the nose between the 2022 and 2023 releases instantly shows that the 2022 is deeper with more rich baking spices like black pepper and more caramel tones. The 2022 however, produces that weird apple cider vinegar note I wrote about in the introduction... I can't un-smell it now that I have found it, and that makes me wonder if it had been hiding there this whole time. I guess you've been warned now, for better or for worse. Despite that note, I actually believe the 2022 is still better on the nose with all it's hookah funk. Head to head on the palate demonstrates the 2022 once again coming across bolder, perhaps warranted by the higher proof, but in a much closer race than the nose. While the 2023 pour is delicately fruity and spiced, 2022 swings in with the viscous mouthfeel of sucking on a Werther's caramel chew. It sticks to the tongue with balanced potency and excites me like an unexpected compliment. As the finish rolls through on the 2022 release, I realize just how outclassed the 2023 release is. Gingersnaps, potent maraschino cherry, and sweet caramel cookie just rolls on and on forever. If you haven't read the full review of the 2022 release, you better head there now . As for the 2020 release , that bottle is just in a different league than 2023 as well. Another top-tier pour for me. Layer in 2019 and we have a ranking shakeout thus: Ranking:   2020 > 2022 > 2019 > 2023 There was no George T. Stagg release in 2021, in case you forgot.

It's time to talk about the whiskey that everybody has been going on about since it was first released. There seem to be two camps in the wide whiskey world. Those who love the whiskey for what it is and those who despise it for being priced the way it is. Almost nobody I have spoken to has disliked the whiskey inside. Most haven't tried it and just like to repeat what "they heard from a friend.". The ugly truth is that quite a few whiskey enthusiasts have admitted that it was just disappointing for all the hype the brand has carried and built over the years. Some have even postured that it's a cash grab for the distillery. The wheated mash bill from Willett is some of their rarest stock. Having gone to the distillery to pick a single barrel twice now, there was no time in which a wheated bourbon was available for us to sample. In discussions with some of Willett's incredibly small team, I've gathered that a majority of the good barrels that the distillery is producing today are going into their shelf offerings. I can wholeheartedly commit to my own opinion that Noah's Mill is one of the best products on just about any shelf today. So what the heck are we here for? Oh, right—to see if the whiskey is any good, because that's how I approach all my reviews. I don't consider value or adjust my score according to how I acquired a bottle. It's all about what's inside. Everyone's budget is different, so take the evaluation of the whiskey and apply your own 'value' lens. If a good whiskey is out of your price range, there are plenty of other 5/5 ratings for you to read through. As usual, this writeup is an amalgamation of several individual tastings that allow me to triangulate on the truth. Now let's get on with the show! Company on Label: Willett Distillery Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed proportions of corn, wheat and malted barley Proof: 108° Age: 8 years Further identification: This black bottle with the purple foil was first released in the Summer of 2022 Nose: Corn fritters jump out of the well-rested glass upon first lifting it to my nose. Nosing deeper, I find darker tones of raspberry skins, raisin, and dry oak. A swirl of the glass unlocks black pepper, caramel nut brittle, and leather. Hints of cinnamon and nutmeg sizzle in the corners of the glass. Overall, the nosefeel is quite dry, with little complexity and a distinct lack of typical Willett character. Let's move onto a sip. Coming back to the nose shows off subtle barrel funk and more caramel tones. Nosing through late in the glass just shows off a prime example of classic Kentucky bourbon. Great barrel funk proliferates late in the glass. Floral perfume notes suddenly show up in the final throes of whiskey volatilization. The empty glass smells of chocolate, coffee, and caramel drizzle. Palate: At first sip, I find classic bourbon notes in light cherry skins, raisin, and caramel. Another sip layers in funfetti frosting, plum, and many little hints of nondescript bready notes. An extended sip and swish shows off classic Willett bourbon with cinnamon and cherry dominating the array of flavors, but it's as though someone turned the volume knob down to about 3. This drinks well below 108 proof in an unfortunately lackluster delivery. Carefully picking through the notes closer to the bottom of the glass reveals hints of milk chocolate, vanilla wafers, and thick raspberry compote. My last sip is satisfyingly simple, with cherry, raspberry, and creamy caramel. TL;DR: Classic bourbon that's had most of its complexity blended out Rating: 3/5 ( Decent. I can go either way on it. ) Everything about this bourbon is enjoyable but unremarkable. If the Barrell Craft Spirits motto rings "blended to never blend in," one might describe this release as the polar opposite of that sentiment. While I love and respect the whole crew at Willett , I feel like the team bit off a bit more than they could chew with this blend. Ultimately, it feels like too many things have been mixed without consideration for making a functionally complete end product, but they have succeeded in making a mainstream, approachable blend at the very least.

Stagg Junior, the younger, bolder, less refined version of George T. Stagg, is back once again in the limelight. As a dedicated self-proclaimed Stagg man, I've got my work cut out for me keeping the Stagg Hub updated, but the winter 2024 releases have since been documented. The batch under review today is coming in under the "24B" naming convention, something that has continued since Buffalo Trace Distillery decided to do their own batch numbering rather than leaving it up to whiskey enthusiasts to do the proof and laser code deciphering. Buffalo Trace has also recently moved to a three-times-per-year bottling cadence for this label, something I think has unfortunately hurt their ability to put out consistently great batches. Perhaps this decision is to compete with the likes of Booker's (4x a year) or Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (3x a year). Due to the logistical nightmare that is procuring these bottles around Christmas time, I ended up reviewing the 24C batch before I got my own bottle of 24B. I'll let that review of 24C speak for itself. Since we likely have a good while until the 2025 bottlings start hitting shelves, we've got plenty of time to slow sip our way through the latest batches and find out if they're going to end up being either a stud or a dud . If recent batches are any indication of a trend, I'd say we're in for a bit of trouble, but I'm also hopeful, as I know the team at Buffalo Trace is capable of greatness. Just look at the rating I gave this year's George T. Stagg . I even warned folks that their bourbon might just steal your girl . What do you think? Will 24B be a return to form for Stagg Jr? Take a moment, think back to your last Stagg experience, then read through the notes ahead to find out for sure! As always , I've tasted this a minimum of three times before offering my full review. Company on Label:  Buffalo Trace Distillery Whiskey Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages:  Undisclosed Buffalo Trace mash bill #1 (high corn, low rye, malted barley) Proof:  127.8° Age:  NAS (rumored to be around ~8 years old) MSRP:  $70 Further identification:  The second release of Stagg Jr for the 2024 calendar year is batch 24B, released seemingly concurrent with batch 24C Nose:  Upon first lifting the glass to my nose, I find deep barrel funk, newspaper, and hard cherry cough drops. It's quite dry in the nose as I cough up some proof aversion. A warming swirl of the glass opens up to a more refreshing candor: strawberry rhubarb pie, black pepper, allspice, and a wave of brown sugar. This feels like a fairly traditional batch of Stagg Jr, with notes that are something between batch 14 and batch 15, but with a lesser inherent quality than either of them. Cherry, strawberry, cinnamon, and dry barrel funk are the most dominant aromas. After a sip, the nose presents even more funky, like a bag of cool ranch Doritos. The sour buttermilk quality quickly passes, leaving just the cornchip behind. A quick devolution results in a flat candied vanilla note remaining in the glass. Late in the experience, I begin to kick up some of those sugary-sweet tones that Buffalo Trace is known for—think Fun Dip sugar, but backdropped by something oddly savory, like barbecue sauce-coated chicken wings. If you're here for perfection, this isn't it, but I also wouldn't call this really flawed in any way. It's just well-made whiskey producing average notes. The empty glass smells of deviled eggs, nutmeg, and damp oak bark near a muddy ground. Palate:  My first taste is surprisingly flavorful given how dry the nose was presenting. Cherry cordial, cinnamon hots, and graham cracker lead the way before a warm Kentucky hug sweeps through the chest. Another sip leans in on the strawberry tones, like a glass of strawberry milk made with a little too much of the Hershey's strawberry syrup. A long sip and swish reveals raspberry tones in spades, candied sweet, as is tradition with Buffalo Trace distillate. While nothing really stands out as exceptional to my palate, there is a nuance of complexity to this pour, something that certainly puts it above some of the more one-noted, hot-mess batches of old. Sipping late in the glass is an enjoyable and comfortable ride, something I might find myself nodding off to personally. My last sip offers more strawberry sweetness and a light ganache undertone. The finish is medium to short at times, carrying raspberry and apple tart odds and ends. TL;DR: A return to traditional Stagg Jr notes, delivered at a fairly average quality level Rating:  3/5 ( Middle of the road whiskey. An average showing. ) This is a Stagg Jr batch for folks who aren't picky about their Stagg Jr batches. Middle of the road quality may be fine for most home sippers, but I'd be remiss if I would pretend to tout it as their best work. Given my affinity for finding true quality and an unwavering dedication to honesty, I'll have to stick with the principles set out in my editorial policy and fairly rate this one right in the middle of my quality scale. 3/5 whiskeys are certainly passable and usually quite drinkable to most enthusiasts, but I'd prefer to see Stagg Jr in a much grander return to form than this. For 2024, I ultimately have to give the nod to the 24A release , despite only scoring marginally higher than this bottle. 24B will slide into my 11th place spot on the Stagg Hub at the time of writing, and I'll keep sharing this decent value, barrel proof bourbon with folks who will likely enjoy it more than me. Buy Stagg Bourbon Batch 24B WRITTEN BY: NICK ANDERSON With nearly a decade of sipping experience, Nick Anderson brings a well-calibrated palate to his profound passion for the whiskey industry. Beginning in Irish whiskey before expanding into bourbon, rye, and beyond, he has long been taking the ephemeral observation of unspoken enjoyment and translating it into meaningful words. He is the owner and primary long-winded whiskey writer for AmongstTheWhiskey.com , and he hopes you find resonance in the patient conveyance of an honest whiskey review.