Eight blinds down, and the field is finally set. What began as a crowded lineup of affordable contenders has been whittled down, pour by pour, to a handful of bottles that refused to go quietly. Some surprises have already fallen; others have scratched and clawed their way forward on the strength of a well-timed note of oak, vanilla, or spice.

This week closes out the first round — the last chance for a few under-$95 bottles to prove they belong in the Sweet Sixteen. The matchups bring together some unlikely pairs: a small-batch heavyweight from Wild Turkey going toe-to-toe with an upstart craft whiskey, Jack Daniel’s flexing both its classic and experimental sides, and Buffalo Trace, once again, reminding everyone why its name carries weight in every bracket.

The tastings themselves didn’t deliver any instant legends, but the results were clear. Consistency and balance carried the day, while a few wildcards reminded me that “different” doesn’t always mean “better.” With this round in the books, it’s time to raise a glass to the sixteen bottles that survived the gauntlet. Next week, things start to get serious — and delicious — as we begin the march to the Elite Eight.

Blind #7

The contenders:
Barmen 1873 (3) vs. Jack Daniels No. 7 McLXJD 2025 (30)
Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series #011 Finished in Añejo Tequila Barrels (14) vs. Buffalo Trace Barrel Select (19)

Glencairn A:
The color is deep honey golden. The nose is a bit nondescript, led by vanilla and oak, masked by a bit of ethanol. I’m struck immediately by a nice mouthfeel, which I didn’t expect after such a light nose. I’m getting some banana notes, along with butterscotch and baking spice. The finish doesn’t linger, but there’s something interesting here I can’t identify. There’s a bit of sourness here, but it’s not unpleasant. Score: 70.5.

Glencairn B:
The color is light honey golden. The nose carries some nice fruit, maybe apples, plus some sweet vanilla and a bit of oak. The mouthfeel jumps out again, with solid notes of vanilla, caramel, and oak — plus a touch of fruit from the nose. It’s not amazing, but it’s very pleasant. The finish drifts off fairly quickly, with the oak and vanilla leading the way. Score: 69.6.

Glencairn C:
The color is light amber. Another light nose, led by caramel, brown sugar, and ethanol. At the end, I’m picking up some nice buttery notes. There’s a bit of a bite on the palate, which is more savory than sweet. It’s on the creamy side, and there’s toffee, caramel, and a balance of oak. The finish makes me wonder if this is the Jack tequila, because there’s an odd note that I don’t expect from a bourbon or Tennessee whiskey. It’s not lengthy, but it’s pronounced while it’s there. Score: 70.9.

Glencairn D:
The color is nicely amber. The nose carries some lovely aromas — toffee, apples, vanilla, and oak. Some oak leads on the palate, but the apples and vanilla are very pronounced and quickly take over, along with a touch of cinnamon. The mouthfeel is on the silky side, and the finish is mild and warm, with the vanilla and baking spice leading. Score: 71.3.

Thoughts about the blind:
None of these are wowing me, but D jumped out in the first run-through. I decided to taste them again to rank them, and they finished in the same order. Two of these will move on, but I don’t expect any of them to survive beyond that.

The Reveal:
Glencairn A: Jack Daniels No. 7 McLXJD 2025
Glencairn B: Barmen 1873
Glencairn C: Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series #011 Finished in Añejo Tequila Barrels
Glencairn D: Buffalo Trace Barrel Select

The Results:
Jack Daniels No. 7 McLXJD 2025 — 70.5
Barmen 1873 — 69.6
Buffalo Trace Barrel Select — 71.3
Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series #011 Finished in Añejo Tequila Barrels — 70.9

Advancing:
Jack Daniels No. 7 McLXJD 2025 and Buffalo Trace Barrel Select advance to the Sweet Sixteen.

Blind #8

The contenders:
Russell’s Reserve 10-Year (6) vs. Bangtail Hoss Whiskey (27)
Angel’s Envy Port Finished Bourbon (11) vs. Maker’s Mark (22)

Glencairn A:
The color is light amber. The nose is decent but uncomplicated, with caramel and brown sugar up front, but some strong notes of oak and ethanol close behind. The oak and some allspice lead a savory palate, with vanilla and caramel trailing. The mouthfeel is on the silky side, but the finish lingers longer than expected with the oak giving way to the vanilla and spice toward the end. Score: 71.0.

Glencairn B:
The color is deep amber. Cardamom shows up quickly on the nose, along with oak and ethanol, and maybe a touch of vanilla. A little smoky with oak, backed by caramel. Ethanol is the first thing I get on the palate, which is unexpected because I know the proof is low. After it fades, there’s a ton of vanilla there, along with some nice caramel. The sweetness is muted. The mouthfeel is between silky and creamy, leading to a modest finish where the primary flavors exit with a hint of baking spice. Score: 71.5.

Glencairn C:
The color is solid amber. The nose is so similar to the previous glass that I’m wondering if it’s the same bourbon (though I know that’s impossible). It’s actually just a touch lighter with the same aromas. There’s substantially more spice on the palate here, and the mouthfeel is a good bit creamier. There’s also more sweetness — a nice balance between sweet and savory. I think I’m picking up cardamom and allspice, plus notes of vanilla and oak. This is probably my favorite of the blind. The finish is modest — warm baking spice and vanilla. Score: 72.9.

Glencairn D:
The color on this one is more like chardonnay than whiskey. There’s an herbal, almost menthol quality to the nose, so much so that it’s all I’m getting. After a second try, I’m picking up smoke and barbecue spice. It’s pretty thin, and there’s an odd funk, but it’s not bad — just different. Some of that barbecue is there, along with some sugar and vanilla. It’s interesting, and I might spend some time with friends breaking this down, but it’s not a winner overall. The finish is very mild, and the spice lingers for a beat or two before the dram is over. Score: 63.9.

Thoughts about the blind:
There’s a clear winner in this group for me, and a clear loser. The other two are just hanging around, so instead of opining more, I’m going to figure out which ones are which.

The Reveal:
Glencairn A: Russell’s Reserve 10-Year
Glencairn B: Maker’s Mark
Glencairn C: Angel’s Envy Port Finished Bourbon
Glencairn D: Bangtail Hoss Whiskey

The Results:
Russell’s Reserve 10-Year — 71.0
Bangtail Hoss Whiskey — 63.9
Angel’s Envy Port Finished Bourbon — 72.9
Maker’s Mark — 71.5

Advancing:
Russell’s Reserve 10-Year and Angel’s Envy Port Finished Bourbon advance to the Sweet Sixteen.

The Official Sweet Sixteen

1. Old Forester 117 Series 1910 Extra Extra Old Bourbon
2. Elijah Craig 2025 PGA Championship Edition
3. St. Augustine Florida Straight Bourbon
4. Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch
5. Blanton’s Single Barrel
6. Eagle Rare 10-Year
7. Jim Beam Black 7-Year
8. Sleight of Hand
9. Old Forester 1910 Old Fine Bourbon
10. Evan Williams Single Barrel 2015
11. Square 6 Kentucky Straight Bourbon High Rye
12. Weller Special Reserve
13. Jack Daniels No. 7 McLXJD 2025
14. Buffalo Trace Barrel Select
15. Russell’s Reserve 10-Year
16. Angel’s Envy Port Finished Bourbon

Coming Next Tuesday

The Sweet Sixteen is set, and now we’ll see who breaks through to the Elite Eight. Old Forester has the two top contenders, Jim Beam brings a pair of tough competitors, Evan Williams is rolling deep with three entries, and Sazerac fields four of the biggest names in the game. A few dark horses — including St. Augustine and Sleight of Hand — are still alive and kicking. From here on out, every sip counts. This is where it starts to get fun — and delicious.

Copyright © 2025 Doug DeBolt.