As we reach into the third round – the Sweet (and often very sweet) 16 in my initial collection. As I type this, my dram is Benmark Full Proof – absolutely one of the best values in the bourbon world, especially if you’re just starting out on a collection. On to the third round winners (and, as before, here is the PDF of the bracket if you’d like to look at the overall scores without the commentary.)
Third Round
Old Forester Single Barrel 79, 1792 Single Barrel 63. This is consistent with the previous round. Old Forester’s single barrel store pick (which you’ll find in a lot of liquor stores and at BJs) is really hard to surpass in these blinds. The richness makes the flavors linger, and those flavors are what come to most minds when people think about bourbon. The 1792 is pleasant, but it’s out of its depth in this round.
Old Forester 1920 74, Baker’s 7 Single Barrel 69. The Baker’s 7 has grown on me a bit, but copy everything I said about the Old Forester Single Barrel into this space. The 1920 is one of the best things you’ll find on most liquor store shelves. This sets up an almost impossible choice in the quarterfinals.
John J. Bowman Single Barrel 73, Jack Daniels Single Barrel 71. I am such a fan of most things in the Jack Daniels universe, but Bowman’s Virginia-bred single-barrel classic is simply a half-step past Tennessee’s finest.
High West Chardonnay Cask 67, Henry McKenna Bottled-in-Bond 66. For some reason, the High West bourbon slipped in my tasting in this round while the McKenna stepped up. Even so, the Chardonnay finish on the High West still carried that crème brulee profile and edged out one of the most highly sought-after bourbons on the market.
Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 72, Kentucky Owl Single Barrel 68. The Owl was a little “proofy” in this tasting, while the Heaven Hill was close to breathtaking. At about $40, you won’t find many (if any) bourbons better than this one.
Wild Turkey Rare Breed 71, Heaven’s Door Homesick Blues 69. The Homesick Blues is a sentimental favorite because it comes from Minnesota and was the drink of choice at my Dad’s funeral. But Wild Turkey’s Rare Breed is a go-to for many who were introduced to great bourbon through it. The rich cinnamon, caramel and vanilla notes are undeniably delicious and make a winner here.
Stagg Jr. 72, Penelope Marshmallow Toast 71. Maybe it comes from too many tastings, but the more I drink the Penelope, the sweeter it gets, and in this round, it was just too sweet. The Stagg Jr. carries some serious heat, but the flavor and finish are close to unbeatable.
Old Forester Baby Birthday 102 72, Bank Street Straight 71. The big surprise here was that Bank Street came this close to unseating one of my favorites. The Baby Birthday 102 is delicious enough to have as a meal, but the Bank Street also tasted in that same mindset. Like I’ve said before, at $40, even though it’s a Spirits Direct, get yourself a bottle of this stuff.
End of the third round. Quarterfinal results and commentary will follow.
Copyright © 2025 Doug DeBolt
