Category Archives: Bourbon

The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 57: A Return Visit With Old Grand-Dad

Posted on October 8, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Ten months and countless bourbon tastings later, I’m revisiting two of my Bourbon Cheapskate favorites: Old Grand-Dad 114 and Old Grand-Dad 7-Year Bottled-in-Bond. Have my tastes changed? Were my original scores too generous? Or do these affordable bourbons still deserve their places on my shelf? It’s time for a rematch. Continue reading →

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Tasting Tuesday: Three Penelope Bourbons Go Head-to-Head

Posted on October 6, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Three Penelope bourbons. One blind tasting. Bartender’s Reserve, Barrel Strength Four-Grain and Marshmallow Toast went head-to-head — and the bottle that sounded most like my palate didn’t win. Continue reading →

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The Sunday Pour: My Palate Has a Type

Posted on October 4, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

My bourbon palate has a definite type: dessert in a glass, with chocolate, caramel, cherries, vanilla and a thick, viscous mouthfeel. But the more interesting question is what our preferences reveal about us. Continue reading →

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Southern Sports Stillhouse: Crimson Tide, Gator Bites and Bourbon Nights

Posted on October 2, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Doug and Scott are back with another round of college football predictions, including Alabama at Mississippi State, Florida at Missouri, Miami at Clemson and more — plus four bourbon pours to get through the slate. Continue reading →

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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 56: Can Five Cheap Bourbons Make One Good One?

Posted on October 1, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Five bourbon minis costing less than $2 each face a blind tasting before being combined into a homemade infinity blend. The winner was surprising—and the blend may have found a way to rescue the worst bourbon of the night. Continue reading →

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Tasting Tuesday: Double-Oaked Challenge — Final Four and Championship

Posted on September 29, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Four whiskeys remain in the Double-Oaked Challenge. Two Bondstones reach the championship, and the winner is decided by a narrow 4-3 head-to-head battle. Continue reading →

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The Sunday Pour: The Bottle I Keep Reaching Past

Posted on September 27, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Some bourbon bottles get forgotten because they’re buried on the shelf. Others are passed over on purpose. A rediscovered bottle of Uncharted and a Dancing Panda saved for Sully’s birthday raise a bigger question: What deserves to be rediscovered, and what is worth waiting for? Continue reading →

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Southern Sports Stillhouse, Week 5: Ten Games, Two Bourbons, One Loaded Saturday

Posted on September 25, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Week 4 brings a loaded college football slate, from Ole Miss-Florida and Texas-Tennessee to Oregon-USC. Doug and Scott preview all 10 games, make their picks and pour a few bourbons along the way. Continue reading →

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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 55: Double-Oaked Challenge Quarterfinals

Posted on September 24, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

The Double-Oaked Challenge reaches the Elite Eight. Eight blind pours become four semifinalists, and the top three seeds are all eliminated. Continue reading →

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Tasting Tuesday: Double-Oaked Challenge — Round of 16, Part Two

Posted on September 22, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Eight more whiskeys enter the Sweet 16 blind. Four advance, one upset shakes the bracket, and the Elite Eight is set. Continue reading →

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