Four remain.

At this stage, nothing survives by accident. These are layered, viscous, dessert-forward powerhouses. Now it’s about separation — subtle edges in complexity, finish length, and structure.

Let’s set the championship.

🥃 Final Four — Matchup 1

D vs. B

Blind Tasting Notes

D

• Color: Rich mahogany
• Nose: Leather, brown sugar, oak, caramel and savory spice
• Palate: Licorice, butterscotch, cinnamon and vanilla in complex interplay
• Mouthfeel: Nicely creamy
• Finish: Won’t quit — bittersweet chocolate, baking spice and toffee
• Score: 92.23

B

• Color: Solid mahogany
• Nose: Caramel, toasted oak and light vanilla
• Palate: Toasted oak, leather, buttery toffee and cardamom
• Mouthfeel: Lightly oily
• Finish: Oak and toffee linger nicely
• Score: 89.19

Result

✅ Winner: D
➡️ Advances to the Championship

Post-Matchup Thoughts

B was excellent — structured and steady — but D simply had more layers and more finish persistence. The licorice note added intrigue that separated it from a very strong field.

What decided it:
Complexity and finish dominance.

🥃 Final Four — Matchup 2

A vs. C

Blind Tasting Notes

A

• Color: Light mahogany
• Nose: Banana, milk chocolate, toffee and light oak
• Palate: Chocolate-covered bananas, cinnamon, butterscotch and oak
• Mouthfeel: Creamy
• Finish: Sweet and lingering — brown sugar, banana, toffee and cinnamon
• Score: 90.38

C

• Color: Solid mahogany
• Nose: Banana, butterscotch and milk chocolate — dessert-forward
• Palate: Butterscotch and chocolate dominate, accented by oak and nutmeg
• Mouthfeel: Good, but not exceptional
• Finish: Toffee, oak and baking spice lead
• Score: 89.30

Result

✅ Winner: A
➡️ Advances to the Championship

Post-Matchup Thoughts

This was a dessert duel. Both leaned sweet, but A had a slight edge in mouthfeel and overall balance. The banana-chocolate combination felt more cohesive.

What decided it:
Creamier texture and sweeter integration.

🏆 Championship Round

Head-to-Head Category Battle

For the title, the blind tasting moved category by category. The bottle winning the most categories takes the crown.

D vs. A

Color
Both are stunning, but D carries a red-wine glow in the Glencairn that sets it apart.
Advantage: D

Nose
A delivers classic banana richness. D layers butterscotch over chocolate with greater depth.
Advantage: D

Palate
A’s cinnamon-led experience is deeply pleasing — chocolate, caramel and banana in harmony. D counters with licorice, dark chocolate and spice. Both exceptional. A is slightly more enjoyable sip-to-sip.
Advantage: A

Complexity
A is pleasing. D is layered and investigative.
Advantage: D

Mouthfeel
Both strong. A is slightly creamier.
Advantage: A

Finish
Both linger beautifully. D’s flavors endure just a hair longer.
Advantage: D

Final Tally

D — 4
A — 2

🥇 Champion: D

D wins the challenge.

Final Standings

🥇 1st — Far Better Cask Strength Bourbon (#17)
🥈 2nd — Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series Toasted Pecan (#7)
🥉 3rd — Woodford Reserve Double Oaked (#54)
🏅 4th — Nashtucky 7-Year (#5)

Closing Reflections

Proof alone didn’t win this bracket. Texture didn’t either. Dessert profiles dominated, but integration decided the champion.

Far Better didn’t overpower the field — it outlasted it. Layered, complex, persistent. In a bracket full of heavy hitters, it proved just a little more complete.

The 64-bottle challenge has a champion.