Opening Pour
Round 1 thinned the field. Round 2 raises the stakes.
The margins are tighter now. The noses are richer. The flaws stand out faster. And texture continues to separate contenders from pretenders. A couple heavy hitters flexed. One underdog made a real push. And at least one bottle reminded me why blind tasting keeps the ego in check.
Let’s get into it.
🥃 Matchup 1 — Blind
T vs. W
Blind Tasting Notes
T
Color: Light mahogany
Nose: Brown sugar, chocolate, cherries, caramel
Palate: Brown sugar up front, followed by cherries, cinnamon, and toffee
Mouthfeel: Nicely creamy
Finish: Cherries, cinnamon, and toffee linger confidently
Score: 89.84
W
Color: Mid-copper
Nose: Leather, caramel, savory spice
Palate: Creamy caramel, savory oak, cinnamon, tart cherries
Mouthfeel: Deep and rich
Finish: Caramel and spice linger steadily
Score: 83.76
R
eveal & Result
T: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof Rye (#1)
W: Seelbach’s 8-Year Cask Strength Bourbon (#33)
✅ Winner: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof Rye
➡️ Advances to Round 3
Post-Matchup Thoughts
This wasn’t particularly close on the score sheet, but W put up a respectable fight. The rye’s balance of sweetness, spice, and texture simply operated at a higher level.
What decided it:
Sweet-spice balance and a more complete finish.
🥃 Matchup 2 — Blind
BB vs. J
Blind Tasting Notes
BB
Color: Light mahogany
Nose: Rich chocolate, toffee, mild baking spice
Palate: Slight tartness early, then dark chocolate, toffee, cherries, oak
Mouthfeel: Borderline creamy
Finish: Oak, chocolate, and spice linger nicely
Score: 87.23
J
Color: Rich mahogany
Nose: Buttery caramel, dark chocolate, savory spice
Palate: Buttery richness, dry oak, savory spice, hint of citrus
Mouthfeel: Warm and thick
Finish: Oak, spice, and toffee drift away slowly
Score: 90.38
Reveal & Result
BB: Jack Daniel’s Heritage Barrel Toasted Barrel (#16)
J: Far Better Cask Strength Bourbon (#17)
✅ Winner: Far Better Cask Strength Bourbon
➡️ Advances to Round 3
Post-Matchup Thoughts
This was a heavyweight fight. BB was excellent. J was just deeper, thicker, and more layered. The finish alone might have tipped it.
What decided it:
Thickness, depth, and superior finish length.
🥃 Matchup 3 — Blind
A vs. P
Blind Tasting Notes
A
Color: Mid-copper
Nose: Oak-forward with savory baking spice, light vanilla, cherries
Palate: Golden apples, honey, cinnamon, creamy vanilla
Mouthfeel: Rich and developing
Finish: Oak returns with honey and vanilla leading
Score: 81.38
P
Color: Solid mahogany
Nose: Chocolate, caramel, nutmeg, light oak
Palate: Spice first, then chocolate, buttery caramel, cinnamon, hint of banana
Mouthfeel: Creamy, dessert-like
Finish: Chocolate, banana, and spice linger beautifully
Score: 89.30
Reveal & Result
A: Stagg Jr. #24C (#8)
P: Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series Sweet Mash (#40)
✅ Winner: Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series Sweet Mash
➡️ Advances to Round 3
Post-Matchup Thoughts
Blind tasting is humbling. Stagg Jr. is a powerhouse, but this particular pour couldn’t match the richness and cohesion of P. Sweet Mash tasted like exactly what you called it: dessert in a glass.
What decided it:
Creaminess and layered dessert flavors.
🥃 Matchup 4 — Blind
F vs. B
Blind Tasting Notes
F
Color: Light mahogany
Nose: Brown sugar, apples, caramel, light oak
Palate: Oak leads, brown sugar sweetness, baking spice, toffee
Mouthfeel: Just short of creamy
Finish: Decent length; oak and toffee most prominent
Score: 83.11
B
Color: Mid-copper
Nose: Caramel-covered cinnamon apples
Palate: Dry oak early, followed by brown sugar, cinnamon, creamy caramel, apples
Mouthfeel: Creamy
Finish: Spiced apples linger nicely
Score: 83.87
Reveal & Result
F: Old Forester 1924 10-Year (#9)
B: Brothers of the Leaf Blended Whiskey (#24)
✅ Winner: Brothers of the Leaf Blended Whiskey
➡️ Advances to Round 3
Post-Matchup Thoughts
This one was tight. Really tight. F brought oak and maturity, but B’s sweetness and texture gave it just enough edge.
What decided it:
Creamier mouthfeel and better sweetness-to-oak balance.
🔀 Round 3 Matchups Created
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof Rye (#1)
vs.
Far Better Cask Strength Bourbon (#17)
Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series Sweet Mash (#40)
vs.
Brothers of the Leaf Blended Whiskey (#24)
Closing Reflections
Round 2 confirmed a pattern:
Texture matters.
Finish length matters.
Balance matters more than proof alone.
Two Jack Daniel’s bottles move forward. A blend survives. And one cask-strength newcomer continues to look dangerous.
We’re officially into the deep water now.
Note: This challenge recap is taking the place of the regularly scheduled Tasting Tuesday column. That will return on Tuesday, April 7.
