Category Archives: Bourbon

Best of the Bourbon Trail Trip, Part One: Rickhouses, Barrel Picks and One Very Questionable Motel 6

Posted on June 15, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

The first half of our Bourbon Trail trip brought the Stateline Whiskey Tour, barrel picks, rickhouse pours, Old Grand-Dad 114 Single Barrel, Green River, Beam, Wild Turkey, Heaven Hill — and one Motel 6 that may still owe us an apology. Continue reading →

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The Sunday Pour: The Tasting Note You Missed

Posted on June 14, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

The whiskey did not necessarily change. My attention did. Sometimes the same is true in life. God’s mercy may be present long before I slow down enough to notice it. Continue reading →

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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 41: Barrel-Finished Early Times Bottled-in-Bond Takes Flight

Posted on June 11, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

My fourth barrel fill, Early Times Bottled-in-Bond, became “Free Bird” after three months in the finishing barrel. The result? More color, richer fruit, better mouthfeel and a budget bourbon that earned a special place on the shelf. Continue reading →

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Tasting Tuesday: When Stagg Crashed the Tasting

Posted on June 9, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

What started as a simple 107-proof comparison in Tennessee turned into something bigger when Old Glory stole the show — until Stagg Batch 25D and George T. Stagg walked into the room. Continue reading →

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The Sunday Pour: The Uneven Fill

Posted on June 7, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Comparison has a way of ruining both glasses. If mine is fuller, I can become proud or careless. If mine is lower, I can become bitter and suspicious. Either way, I stop receiving and start measuring. Continue reading →

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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 40: A Rye Blind Across the Phone Line

Posted on June 4, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Scott and I tried an over-the-phone blind tasting of affordable rye whiskeys. The lineups were not identical, but the conclusion was surprisingly clear: Old Forester 100 Rye stood above the budget rye crowd. Continue reading →

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Tasting Tuesday: A Bourbon Death Roll for the Gator Faithful

Posted on June 2, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Florida Victorious gave Gator fans two bourbons worth chasing: Death Roll and 4th Char. One brings the bigger bite, the other works as an everyday pour, and both belong at an orange-and-blue tailgate. Continue reading →

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The Sunday Pour: The Borrowed Glass

Posted on May 31, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Sometimes grace does not arrive as something grand or dramatic. Sometimes it looks like a bartender handing you a small glass when you forgot your own — and suddenly, you have what you need to receive what someone else was willing to share. Continue reading →

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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 39: When a $69 Bottle Sneaks Into the Cheapskate Lane

Posted on May 28, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Baker’s 7 usually sits above the Bourbon Cheapskate price range, but a $39 sale put it right in the lane. So I poured two different bottles blind — one aged seven years and three months, the other eight years and six months — to see whether the extra time made a difference. Continue reading →

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Tasting Tuesday: The Bourbon Hunt Shouldn’t Feel Like a Shakedown

Posted on May 26, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Bourbon hunting should feel like discovery, not a shakedown. Some liquor stores build loyalty with fair prices, good picks and real customer relationships. Others treat bourbon drinkers like walking wallets — and those stores may find out the hard way that we remember. Continue reading →

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