The first half of the Round of 16 gave us one upset, two razor-thin decisions and four quarterfinalists.
Now the other half of the bracket gets its turn.
Eight more whiskeys. Four more head-to-head matchups. Four more bottles headed home.
As before, I tasted all eight blind before revealing the identities. The glasses were labeled Q through X, and I scored each one on its own merits before sorting them back into their seeded matchups.
This half of the bracket included some of the strongest bottles in the tournament, and one matchup proved just how unforgiving a head-to-head format can be.
Glass Q
Solid copper color.
The nose finally gives me something I’ve been hoping for: sweet oak, delicious buttery toffee, nutmeg and the potential of dessert in a glass.
The palate does not disappoint, although there are a few notes I’m still trying to figure out. There’s a little smoke, followed by cardamom, brown sugar, caramel, toffee, tart oak and cherries.
The mouthfeel is lightly viscous, and the finish lasts nicely, with honey, savory spice and red fruit.
Before I even look at the score, I’m thinking this could be the winner of the round.
Score: 85.01
Glass R
Solid copper color.
The nose is inviting: brown sugar, nutmeg, buttered toffee, caramel and vanilla.
The palate is equally sweet, with brown-sugar cinnamon, cherries, nutmeg, caramel and vanilla.
The mouthfeel is substantial, and the finish lasts nicely, bringing cherry SweeTarts, buttery caramel and cinnamon.
This is another pour that checks a lot of the boxes I’m looking for in a double-oaked whiskey.
Score: 85.72
Glass S
Borderline mahogany color.
The nose delivers plenty of sweetness, with butter, toffee, nutmeg and a touch of ripe red fruit.
The palate continues in the same direction: brown-sugar cinnamon, buttery toffee, tart cherries, toasted oak and creamy vanilla.
The mouthfeel is decently oily, and the finish is respectable, if not spectacular, with sweet spice, toasted nuts and tart fruit.
This is a very good sipper.
Score: 84.30
Glass T
Solid copper color.
The nose leads with savory baking spice and toasted oak, followed by some nice buttery toffee.
The palate brings a little smoke, but tart cherries immediately jump in front. The baking spice leans toward cardamom, while cherries and oak dominate the sip.
The mouthfeel drifts into the thin range, and that may prove costly. The flavor is good, but the finish is too quick and light, with cherries and spice hanging on briefly before fading.
Not bad, but likely vulnerable in this field.
Score: 81.48
Glass U
Great color.
The nose is also a winner. I usually don’t gravitate toward savory notes, and this one is loaded with them, but somehow the combination works.
I can’t completely describe what I’m smelling, other than that it makes me want the first sip.
Once I get there, the anticipation pays off.
There’s really nice oak, sweet cherries, brown sugar and barbecue notes. This whiskey is complicated, and I’m digging that.
The mouthfeel is modestly viscous, and the finish is solid, with tart cherries, cinnamon and caramel.
Another very good sipper.
Score: 83.92
Glass V
Light mahogany color.
The nose leads with milk chocolate, followed by savory oak, caramel and nutmeg.
The palate is rich and sweet, with toffee, chocolate, buttered caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg and light oak.
The mouthfeel is nicely thick and rich, and the finish is long-ish, with tart cherries, chocolate and cinnamon carrying the experience.
This is an easy whiskey to like.
Score: 84.03
Glass W
Light copper color.
The nose is considerably more inviting than the appearance suggests: buttery toffee, cardamom, toasted oak and tart cherries.
The cherries move to the front on the palate, with toffee, cinnamon and oak following.
The mouthfeel is lightly oily, and the finish is tasty and lengthy, with tart fruit, baking spice, caramel and oak.
This is a promising sipper and one of the stronger pours in the group.
Score: 84.68
Glass X
Solid copper color.
The nose is inviting, with brown sugar, nutmeg, buttered toffee, caramel and vanilla.
The palate is sweet, with brown-sugar cinnamon, cherries, nutmeg, caramel and vanilla.
The mouthfeel is substantial, and the finish lasts nicely, with cherry SweeTarts, buttery caramel and cinnamon.
This one lands squarely in the dessert-forward profile that has repeatedly done well in this tournament.
Score: 85.61
The Reveal
Once the scores were locked, the identities came back into play.
Q — Buzzard’s Roost Single Barrel Double Oak Cigar Bourbon
R — Old Forester 1910
S — Bondstone Double Oak Cask Strength
T — Kentucky Credential Double Oak
U — Project 109
V — Pursuit United Double Oaked Bourbon
W — Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Father’s Day Selection B
X — Lucky 7 The Frenchman
Now we drop them back into their matchups.
#2 Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Father’s Day Selection B vs. #15 Kentucky Credential Double Oak
Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Father’s Day Selection B — Glass W — 84.68
Kentucky Credential Double Oak — Glass T — 81.48
Kentucky Credential had good flavor, especially the cherries and baking spice, but the thinner mouthfeel and shorter finish hurt it again.
The Woodford Father’s Day selection was more complete, with buttery toffee, cherries, toasted oak and a much stronger finish.
The two seed moves on.
Winner: #2 Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Father’s Day Selection B
#3 Lucky 7 The Frenchman vs. #19 Project 109
Lucky 7 The Frenchman — Glass X — 85.61
Project 109 — Glass U — 83.92
Project 109 had already survived the play-in round and once again brought one of the more unusual flavor profiles in the field, with oak, cherries, brown sugar and barbecue notes.
But this time it ran into something better.
Frenchman was sweeter, richer and more complete, with brown sugar, buttered toffee, cherries, caramel and a substantial mouthfeel.
Project 109’s run ends here.
Winner: #3 Lucky 7 The Frenchman
#6 Old Forester 1910 vs. #11 Buzzard’s Roost Single Barrel Double Oak Cigar Bourbon
This was the toughest draw of the round.
Old Forester 1910 — Glass R — 85.72
Buzzard’s Roost Single Barrel Double Oak Cigar Bourbon — Glass Q — 85.01
An 85.01 is normally the kind of score that sends a whiskey comfortably into the next round.
Not this time.
Buzzard’s Roost gave me sweet oak, buttery toffee, smoke, cardamom, brown sugar, caramel and cherries. It was layered, flavorful and satisfying.
Old Forester 1910 simply did a little more.
Brown sugar, nutmeg, buttered toffee, caramel, vanilla and cherries came together with a substantial mouthfeel and a finish that kept delivering.
Buzzard’s Roost drew the wrong opponent.
Winner: #6 Old Forester 1910
#7 Pursuit United Double Oaked Bourbon vs. #10 Bondstone Double Oak Cask Strength
Finally, we get an upset.
Pursuit United Double Oaked Bourbon — Glass V — 84.03
Bondstone Double Oak Cask Strength — Glass S — 84.30
Pursuit brought milk chocolate, caramel, buttered toffee, cinnamon, nutmeg and a rich mouthfeel.
Bondstone answered with butter, toffee, ripe red fruit, brown-sugar cinnamon, tart cherries, toasted oak and creamy vanilla.
The margin was small, but it was enough.
The ten seed knocks out the seven.
Winner: #10 Bondstone Double Oak Cask Strength
The Elite Eight Is Set
The Round of 16 is complete.
Advancing from this half of the bracket:
#2 Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Father’s Day Selection B
#3 Lucky 7 The Frenchman
#6 Old Forester 1910
#10 Bondstone Double Oak Cask Strength
They join:
#1 Old Forester 117 Series 1910 Extra Extra Old
#4 Woodford Reserve Double Oaked
#5 Bondstone Heritage Reserve Quad Oak
#9 Bondstone Limited Release Triple Oak
That gives us the quarterfinal matchups:
#1 Old Forester 117 Series 1910 Extra Extra Old vs. #9 Bondstone Limited Release Triple Oak
#4 Woodford Reserve Double Oaked vs. #5 Bondstone Heritage Reserve Quad Oak
#2 Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Father’s Day Selection B vs. #10 Bondstone Double Oak Cask Strength
#3 Lucky 7 The Frenchman vs. #6 Old Forester 1910
Eight remain.
Four more will be gone after the next round.
And at this point, there are no easy matchups left.
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Copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.
