March Bourbon Madness: Best-of-the-Shelf Challenge—First Round Matchups 17-20

Posted on March 17, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Opening Pour

We’re now deep enough into the Round of 64 that patterns are impossible to ignore. Texture matters. Finish matters. And when a top seed shows up fully integrated at high proof, it can be devastating. This group featured one absolute hammer, a minor upset, and two matchups that were far closer than the seeding might suggest.

As always, everything below was tasted blind and scored before the reveal.

🥃 Matchup 17 — Blind

AA vs. RR

Blind Tasting Notes

AA

  • Color: Light mahogany
  • Nose: Rich, creamy chocolate-covered caramels with light oak and nutmeg
  • Palate: Definite proof, but behind it is rich chocolate, caramel, cinnamon, light oak — dessert in a glass
  • Mouthfeel: Viscous
  • Finish: Warm, satisfying, all flavors linger beautifully
  • Score: 92.77

RR

  • Color: Mid-copper
  • Nose: Oak forward, with caramel, apples, vanilla, nutmeg
  • Palate: Proof present; graham cracker, tart oak, baking spice, vanilla
  • Mouthfeel: Silky
  • Finish: Decent; buttery notes emerge late
  • Score: 80.94

Reveal & Result

  • AA: Old Forester Single Barrel (#2)
  • RR: Maker’s Mark 46 (#63)

✅ Winner: Old Forester Single Barrel (#2)
➡️ Advances to Round 2

Post-Matchup Thoughts
AA wasn’t just good—it was complete. Rich, layered, and unapologetically bold without losing balance. RR is a respectable pour, but this was a mismatch in depth and concentration.

What decided it:

Elite richness and a dominant finish.

🥃 Matchup 18 — Blind

V vs. ZZ

Blind Tasting Notes

V

  • Color: Rich copper
  • Nose: Proof and tree fruit balanced by vanilla and caramel
  • Palate: Apricots lead; rich brown sugar and caramel follow
  • Mouthfeel: Borderline creamy
  • Finish: Fruit and sugar linger nicely
  • Score: 82.57

ZZ

  • Color: Light copper
  • Nose: Oak and dusty peanuts with caramel underneath
  • Palate: Dusty peanuts, sour cherries, brown sugar; later sips show richer brown sugar, nutmeg, buttery caramel
  • Mouthfeel: Creamy
  • Finish: Tart cherries lead caramel and spice; solid length
  • Score: 84.09

Reveal & Result

  • V: Roaming Man Rye Cask Strength (#31)
  • ZZ: Penelope Marshmallow Toasted (#34)

✅ Winner: Penelope Marshmallow Toasted (#34)
➡️ Advances to Round 2

Post-Matchup Thoughts
This one tightened as it went. Early dustiness faded, and ZZ grew into itself with better creaminess and depth. V was strong, but ZZ showed more development across multiple sips.

What decided it:

Better mid-palate evolution and creamier texture.

🥃 Matchup 19 — Blind

N vs. G

Blind Tasting Notes

N

  • Color: Solid copper
  • Nose: Mild caramel, vanilla, slight peanuts
  • Palate: Buttery caramel, nutmeg, vanilla, citrus brightness
  • Mouthfeel: Solid
  • Finish: Citrus, vanilla, spice linger decently
  • Score: 84.03

G

  • Color: Mid-copper
  • Nose: Sweet vanilla, caramel, mild oak
  • Palate: Heavy spice; orange zest, brown sugar, caramel behind
  • Mouthfeel: Creamy
  • Finish: Caramel, vanilla and spice carry well
  • Score: 83.33

Reveal & Result

  • N: Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend (#15)
  • G: Kentucky Rambler Cask Strength (#50)

✅ Winner: Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend (#15)
➡️ Advances to Round 2

Post-Matchup Thoughts
This was tighter than expected. G brought serious spice and structure, but N’s balance of brightness and buttery sweetness gave it just enough edge.

What decided it:

More layered sweetness and better integration.

🥃 Matchup 20 — Blind

TT vs. X

Blind Tasting Notes

TT

  • Color: Deep amber
  • Nose: Oak forward; savory baking spice
  • Palate: Brown sugar and toffee appear but muted; oak and spice dominate
  • Mouthfeel: Silky
  • Finish: Surprisingly strong; toffee and brown sugar shine late
  • Score: 81.48

X

  • Color: Mid-copper
  • Nose: Slight funk; proof and tree fruit lead; muted caramel
  • Palate: Surprisingly creamy; brown sugar, caramel, cinnamon, vanilla
  • Mouthfeel: Creamy
  • Finish: Spicy and long-lasting; caramel and apples linger impressively
  • Score: 85.17

Reveal & Result

  • TT: Four Roses OBSK Cask Strength (#18)
  • X: Still Austin Single Barrel Cask Strength (#47)

✅ Winner: Still Austin Single Barrel Cask Strength (#47)
➡️ Advances to Round 2

Post-Matchup Thoughts
This was arguably the most surprising result of the group. TT brought pedigree and oak authority, but X delivered creaminess and a finish that simply wouldn’t let go.

What decided it:

Superior mouthfeel and a longer, more expressive finish.

🔀 Second-Round Matchups Created

  • Old Forester Single Barrel (#2)
    vs.
    Penelope Marshmallow Toasted (#34)
  • Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend (#15)
    vs.
    Still Austin Single Barrel Cask Strength (#47)

Closing Reflections

One thing is becoming clear: pedigree alone doesn’t win blind brackets. Texture, integration, and finish length continue to define advancement. We’ve seen dominant performances, subtle upsets, and near coin-flips—and Round 2 is shaping up to be ruthless.

Come back on Thursday to see who advances from the next four matchups.

Note: This challenge recap is taking the place of the regularly scheduled Tasting Tuesday column. That will return on Tuesday, April 7.

Copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.

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Why I’d Take the Car Every Time

Posted on March 17, 2026 by Douglas Blaine
Daily writing prompt
You’re going on a cross-country trip. Airplane, train, bus, car, or bike?
View all responses

The answer to today’s question feels obvious: car 🚗

Not because flying doesn’t have advantages. It absolutely does. If the goal is to maximize time at the destination, planes win every time. You leave in the morning and, if all goes well, you’re eating lunch somewhere far from home before your suitcase has fully cooled down.

But a cross-country trip feels different. If the journey matters at all, the car wins because the trip itself becomes part of the experience.

A train sounds romantic until reality shows up. Years ago, my stepdad generously offered to pay for my former wife and me to take the train from Atlanta to West Palm Beach for his mother’s funeral. It sounded thoughtful and elegant until we looked at the schedule. The train would have gotten us there roughly half an hour after the funeral ended. Then we’d have practically turned around, boarded again, and spent days reversing the process back to Atlanta — all while paying an amount of money that made no earthly sense. So much for the charm of rail travel.

A bus is technically more practical, but only in the same way a waiting room is technically a vacation destination. It’s cheaper, yes, but you’re in a confined space for hours with people who are every bit as tired, cramped, and unhappy as you are. Nobody boards a long-distance bus looking like they’re headed toward joy.

And then there’s bike. We should probably clarify terms here. If we mean motorcycle, I’m out. I’ve never had much desire to trust my life to two wheels and traffic moving seventy miles an hour. If we mean bicycle, that sounds wonderfully noble until you remember that just riding from Jacksonville to Tallahassee takes around eighteen hours before you even stop for food, water, or the kind of regret that would set in around hour six.

So yes, planes are excellent if the destination is the priority.

But if the trip itself matters, give me a car.

A car lets you stop when something catches your eye. A roadside diner. A weird little antique store. A scenic overlook. A town you’ve never heard of with one excellent restaurant and a gas station that still looks like 1974.

Some of my favorite trips in life weren’t defined by where I ended up, but by what happened along the way — the conversations, the detours, the little discoveries you never would have planned.

A plane gets you there.

A car lets you find things between here and there.

And sometimes, those are the parts you remember most.

Copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.

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Quick Thought – Tuesday, March 17, 2026 (St. Patrick’s Day): Repaying Evil With Good

Posted on March 17, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Read

Luke 6:27-36

“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you…”
Luke 6:27

Reflect

Life had been tough for Maewyn. Well, not at first. He had a loving family, and his dad was a deacon in the church. But Maewyn hadn’t bought into all of that God stuff and instead spent his time daydreaming and staring out at the sea.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t a good place for him to be. One day a marauding band of pirates saw Maewyn walking along the beach and decided that he’d make a good cabin boy. So they kidnapped him and took him to their camp, forcing him to do all of the dirty work they didn’t enjoy, like washing the dishes, peeling the potatoes and cleaning the fish. (He might have done some of these things, but we do know he spent much of his time herding sheep—which is a nasty enough job on its own.)

During those six years, however, a funny thing started happening to Maewyn. He started remembering all of the stories about God that his father had told him. And he found himself developing a faith in that God and in those stories. He eventually escaped from the pirates and found his way home where he decided to study more about Christ.

After a number of years, Maewyn decided that God wanted him to carry his faith to people who didn’t know him – especially the people in the land of the pirates who had abducted him. He did just that and brought the Christian faith not just to one village, but to an entire country.

You might have guessed that Maewyn is actually the Patrick that we honor on St. Patrick’s Day. (His actual name was Maewyn Succat, and he later took the name Padraig, or Patrick.) Yes, he was kidnapped by pirates. He did find faith in Christ while he was enslaved. And after studying Christianity and becoming a Catholic priest, he returned to Ireland from his home in Britain. Whether or not he drove the snakes from Ireland is a matter of legend and debate, but it’s quite certain that he Christianized Ireland and is today regarded as that country’s greatest saint.

It would have been very easy for Patrick to have written off the people of Ireland after some of them had imprisoned him in slavery. But instead, he allowed the Holy Spirit to lead him back to the land of his captors in the hopes that they would embrace the same Lord who had saved him. And because of his faithful efforts, the Christian faith flourished throughout Ireland.

Today, make sure to wear some green. You might even eat some corned beef and cabbage. But give thanks for the life of St. Patrick, and learn something from his godly example. When people treat you badly, don’t repay their ungodliness with some of your own. Instead, show them the love of Christ and give them something and someone worth believing in.

Reflection copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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Three Faces of Confidence

Posted on March 16, 2026 by Douglas Blaine
Daily writing prompt
Who is the most confident person you know?
View all responses

That’s harder to answer than it sounds, mostly because most people I know—including me—carry insecurities that eventually show themselves if you spend enough time around them. I don’t mean that critically. It’s just true. Confidence usually has cracks if you look closely enough.

My own father had confidence, but it often came wrapped in bluster. He could fill a room when he wanted to, but underneath it I think he still carried something of the classic middle child—always a little unsure of how much he was valued, always pushing a little to make sure he was seen.

My mother had a different kind of confidence. She wasn’t bold in every setting, but put her on a church platform and everything changed. She didn’t need theatrics. She simply sat at the piano, opened her mouth, and the room belonged to her. Her voice was flawless, her playing steady, and there was a kind of quiet magnetism about her. She wasn’t flashy, but people watched.

Then there was my stepfather. He was almost the opposite of both of them—an introvert by nature, never wasting words. But when he did speak, people listened. In a board room, in a pulpit, or across a desk, he had a presence that said he understood the room and expected the room to understand him. He was large and in charge without ever needing to announce it.

The truth is, I’m not sure I know anyone like that now.

Maybe that’s one reason I miss them more than I realize. Confidence like that doesn’t just impress you—it steadies you. It lends strength to the people standing nearby. Their certainty had a way of making uncertain moments feel manageable.

I’ve tried to borrow from each of them over the years, though I’m not sure I carry it as naturally. Maybe they had insecurities too and simply learned how to master them so well that the rest of us never saw the seams.

If so, they taught me something important: confidence doesn’t always mean fearlessness. Sometimes it just means learning how to stand there as if you belong until eventually you do.

Copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.

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Quick Thought – Monday, March 16, 2026: He Deserves Our Praise

Posted on March 16, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Read

Psalm 96

For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
    he is to be feared above all gods.
Psalm 96:4

Reflect

Search the Internet for news headlines with the word “praise,” and you’ll find things like:

  • Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Family Praise Civil Rights Leader At Funeral Service (The deceased civil rights leader was heralded at his memorial service.)
  • Gerrit Cole Offers High Praise of Hard-Throwing Youngster Carlos Lagrange (A veteran Yankees’ pitcher is seeing a lot of promise in one of the team’s young prospects.)
  • Olive Branch Officials Praise Women Employees (A local government lauded the efforts of women who work within their system.)
  • In Praise of Buses, Trains and Fewer Automobiles (The writer is extolling the virtues of driving less and taking more public transit.)

The world has no problem praising things that are remarkable. But there’s something—or more accurately, someone—who doesn’t rate nearly the level of praise that He’s due. Most often, God gets our leftovers, especially when times are “good.” When things are great, too many people tend to remember God, not at all, and when they do, it’s rarely to simply give Him “His props.”

How many of these things have you done lately?

  • Made a world.
  • Created an animal.
  • Produced water from thin air.
  • Fed 5,000 people with a few loaves of bread and a few fish.
  • Raised someone from the dead.
  • Raised yourself from the dead.
  • Etc., etc., etc.

God has done all of those things (including all of the miracles performed through Jesus), and yet we tend to only remember Him when we need something. Most of the time, we should really just thank Him for being who He is, and for being awesome and incredible.

This week, start each day with a time of praise for the Lord. God wants you to pray to Him and He definitely hears your requests, but He’s deserving of our worship, praise and adoration just because He’s God.

Reflection copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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March Bourbon Madness: Best-of-the-Shelf Challenge—First Round Matchups 13-16

Posted on March 15, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Opening Pour

The fourth segment of the Round of 64 continued the trend: high proof doesn’t guarantee advancement—but it certainly helps when balanced. A couple of strong performances emerged, one razor-thin decision surprised me, and a few mid-seeds quietly made their move. As always, everything below was scored blind before the reveal.

Let’s see who moves on.

🥃 Matchup 13 — Blind

S vs. U

Blind Tasting Notes

S

  • Color: Light mahogany
  • Nose: Serious proof with buttery brown sugar, chocolate, savory baking spice
  • Palate: Heat controlled; buttery brown sugar carries through with gentle spice
  • Mouthfeel: Lush
  • Finish: All flavors remain; deeply satisfying
  • Score: 90.49

U

  • Color: Light copper
  • Nose: Savory baking spice, tree fruit, vanilla, sugar
  • Palate: Peaches, cinnamon, caramel
  • Mouthfeel: Modest
  • Finish: Fruit and spice linger nicely
  • Score: 80.72

Reveal & Result

  • S: Nashtucky 7-Year (#5)
  • U: Old Grand-Dad 7-Year Bottled-in-Bond (#60)

✅ Winner: Nashtucky 7-Year (#5)
➡️ Advances to Round 2

Post-Matchup Thoughts
This one wasn’t particularly close. S delivered richness, control, and depth. U was solid and enjoyable, but it simply couldn’t match the texture and staying power.

What decided it:

Lush mouthfeel and superior balance under proof.

🥃 Matchup 14 — Blind

O vs. KK

Blind Tasting Notes

O

  • Color: Light copper
  • Nose: Savory baking spice and oak ahead of vanilla and caramel
  • Palate: Similar profile; sweetness edges forward slightly
  • Mouthfeel: Borderline creamy
  • Finish: Ends earlier than expected
  • Score: 79.31

KK

  • Color: Light copper
  • Nose: Slightly dusty oak, vanilla, tree fruit
  • Palate: Creamy caramel and baking spice join oak and fruit
  • Mouthfeel: Creamy
  • Finish: Caramel and spice linger
  • Score: 81.81

Reveal & Result

  • O: Pikesville Rye (#28)
  • KK: Noah’s Mill (#37)

✅ Winner: Noah’s Mill (#37)
➡️ Advances to Round 2

Post-Matchup Thoughts
A tight one, but KK’s extra creaminess and slightly stronger finish made the difference. O was steady but never fully asserted itself.

What decided it:

Better texture and a more persistent finish.

🥃 Matchup 15 — Blind

W vs. LL

Blind Tasting Notes

W

  • Color: Light copper
  • Nose: Brown sugar, tree fruit, caramel
  • Palate: Brown sugar, apples, nutmeg, caramel
  • Mouthfeel: Modest
  • Finish: Spice and fruit carry the exit
  • Score: 80.18

LL

  • Color: Modest amber
  • Nose: Pleasant balance of caramel, brown sugar, apples
  • Palate: Brown sugar apples with light oak, cinnamon, caramel
  • Mouthfeel: Silky
  • Finish: Brown sugar and cinnamon linger
  • Score: 79.96

Reveal & Result

  • W: Company Seismic Rye (#12)
  • LL: Penelope Four-Grain (#53)

✅ Winner: Company Seismic Rye (#12)
➡️ Advances to Round 2

Post-Matchup Thoughts
This one came down to very small margins. Both were enjoyable and well-constructed. W edged ahead by the slimmest of differences, mostly on flavor clarity.

What decided it:

Slightly sharper fruit-and-spice expression.

🥃 Matchup 16 — Blind

GGG vs. OO

Blind Tasting Notes

GGG

  • Color: Light copper
  • Nose: Strong proof, but mint, caramel, cinnamon show clearly
  • Palate: Creamy caramel, mint, oak, baking spice
  • Mouthfeel: Creamy
  • Finish: Brown sugar, oak, spice linger
  • Score: 84.09

OO

  • Color: Deep amber
  • Nose: Caramel, oak, touch of vanilla
  • Palate: Banana cream pie up front; caramel and light oak behind
  • Mouthfeel: Lightly viscous
  • Finish: Nicely sweet and lasting
  • Score: 84.20

Reveal & Result

  • GGG: Copper & Cask Small Batch (#21)
  • OO: Rebel Single Barrel Kyle Busch Edition (#44)

✅ Winner: Rebel Single Barrel Kyle Busch Edition (#44)
➡️ Advances to Round 2

Post-Matchup Thoughts
This was razor thin—the closest yet. Both delivered proof, structure, and flavor. OO’s sweetness and slightly more complete finish nudged it ahead by a hair.

What decided it:

A touch more viscosity and a sweeter, longer finish.

🔀 Second-Round Matchups Created

  • Nashtucky 7-Year (#5)
    vs.
    Noah’s Mill (#37)
  • Company Seismic Rye (#12)
    vs.
    Rebel Single Barrel Kyle Busch Edition (#44)

Closing Reflections

We’re now a quarter of the way through the bracket, and a clear pattern is emerging: mouthfeel and finish continue to separate contenders from mid-pack bottles. Several mid-seeds are advancing confidently, and a couple of tight decisions suggest Round 2 will only get more intense.

The margin for error is shrinking. I’ll see you on Tuesday with the next four matchups in the first round.

Copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.

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Some Feelings Knock Louder Than Others

Posted on March 15, 2026 by Douglas Blaine
Daily writing prompt
What strategies do you use to cope with negative feelings?
View all responses

Negative feelings are a little like unexpected houseguests. Some show up quietly, sit in the corner, and leave before dinner. Others bang on the front door, drag luggage inside, and act like they’ve signed a lease.

I’ve learned over the years that pretending they aren’t there rarely works. Irritation ignored usually becomes sharper irritation. Worry ignored becomes imagination with bad intentions. And frustration, if left alone too long, starts writing speeches I have no business delivering out loud.

So one strategy I use is simple: delay reaction. If something annoys me, I’ve learned that the immediate response I’m most tempted to give is often the one that deserves the most editing. Time has rescued me from many unnecessary words.

Prayer helps too. Not because every prayer instantly fixes a mood, but because it reminds me that not every feeling deserves authority. Sometimes the act of handing something over to God shrinks it enough that I can see it more clearly.

Writing helps for much the same reason. Thoughts can feel enormous in your head until you put them on paper, where suddenly they look a little less intimidating—sometimes even slightly ridiculous.

Humor matters too. A lot of things lose power once you can laugh at them, especially if you realize that what upset you today may barely deserve a sentence by next week.

And yes, sometimes sitting down at the end of the day with a good glass of bourbon can help a person relax. But there’s a difference between relaxing and recruiting. One glass may soften the edges; too much can hand negative feelings a microphone and let them give a full speech. That rarely ends well.

Mostly, experience helps. I’ve lived long enough to know that many things that feel enormous in the moment turn out to be temporary visitors.

Some feelings knock loudly.

I just try not to hand them a key.

Copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.

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Quick Thought – Sunday, March 15, 2026: The Path to Success (Fourth Sunday in Lent)

Posted on March 15, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Read

Matthew 25:14-30

His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.”
Matthew 25:23

Reflect

Not everyone starts out at the top. Some people work for years before they’re finally “discovered.” Consider the story of Sam.

Many years before the Civil War, Sam was a student at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He was an average student who could ride a horse well, and he did pretty well for a while. After 10 years, he resigned his commission in the Army and entered private life, working in his father’s leather business.

When the Civil War started, Sam wanted to get back into the action, and after a lot of effort, he received a commission in the Union Army as a colonel. In the peacetime Army, Sam had been a slightly above average officer. But in wartime, Sam proved himself to be exceptional. Within two months, he was a brigadier general.

Victory after victory elevated his stature, and in less than two years, he was a major general. Six months later, he became only the third lieutenant general in the nation’s history (the other two being George Washington and Winfield Scott). In less than a month, President Lincoln chose Sam to command all of the armies of the United States.

It was Sam who led the Union to their ultimate victory over the Confederacy, and Sam who accepted the Confederate surrender from Robert E. Lee. Sam later became the first General of the Army of the United States. And he was eventually elected President of the United States … twice.

You don’t remember anyone named Sam doing any of those things? That’s because you know Sam better by his official name – Ulysses S. Grant. Sam was just the nickname he picked up while a student at West Point.

The real point here is that Sam didn’t just climb the ranks because he knew someone. He was promoted because at every step, he excelled and succeeded. And that’s the point of today’s scripture.

The master gives each servant an amount of money, and he expects the servants to grow it. Two of them do, and they’re granted more responsibility. One simply buries it in the backyard. Merely watching the money wasn’t good enough for the master. He wanted the servant to do something positive with it.

That’s how God is with each of us. He gives us talents and responsibilities in life, and He expects us to do something with them – not merely act as caretakers. If you are good at music, He wants you to get better. If you’re a good writer, He wants you to keep writing and use your gift as much as possible. If you’re a good athlete, He wants you to get better and stronger and to be a winner if possible.

Why? One of the best witnesses we have as Christians is excellence. When we succeed, we bring credit to the One who made us, and whose name we proclaim. Merely being average does nothing for the Christian or for the Kingdom of God. The world only notes those who are exceptional, and so the Lord desires that we be exceptional for Him.

This week, make a list of the talents that God has given you, no matter how small. Start to plan how you will grow those talents for His kingdom, and pray that He will give you wisdom on how to accomplish that plan.

Reflection copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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March Bourbon Madness: Best-of-the-Shelf Challenge—First Round Matchups 9-12

Posted on March 14, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Opening Pour

The third set of Round of 64 matchups brought a mix of heavy hitters and quiet contenders. A couple of dominant performances showed up. A couple of bottles fought hard but lacked depth. As always, everything below was tasted blind and scored before the reveal.

Let’s see who moves on.

🥃 Matchup 9 — Blind

LLL vs. FFF

Blind Tasting Notes

LLL

  • Color: Solid mahogany
  • Nose: Dessert-in-a-glass — bananas, chocolate, caramel, nutmeg
  • Palate: Everything from the nose amplified; nutmeg turns to cinnamon, caramel becomes creamy
  • Mouthfeel: Luscious
  • Finish: Chocolate-covered caramel hangs on beautifully
  • Score: 91.47

FFF

  • Color: Dark amber
  • Nose: Savory spice, mint, light vanilla
  • Palate: Mint and stone fruit with brown sugar and vanilla
  • Mouthfeel: Soft
  • Finish: Light; fruit and mint lead
  • Score: 77.79

Reveal & Result

  • LLL: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof Tennessee Whiskey (#4)
  • FFF: Bulleit Bottled-in-Bond (#61)

✅ Winner: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof Tennessee Whiskey (#4)
➡️ Advances to Round 2

Post-Matchup Thoughts
LLL wasn’t just better — it was operating in a different tier. The richness, texture, and length overwhelmed FFF, which felt lighter and more restrained by comparison.

What decided it:

Superior depth and a finish that simply refused to quit.

🥃 Matchup 10 — Blind

Q vs. DD

Blind Tasting Notes

Q

  • Color: Mid-copper
  • Nose: Brown sugar, butterscotch, tree fruit
  • Palate: Brown sugar apples up front; some ethanol and oak behind
  • Mouthfeel: Just shy of creamy
  • Finish: Butterscotch and brown sugar reemerge
  • Score: 80.62

DD

  • Color: Deep amber
  • Nose: Oak dominant, with vanilla and spice trailing
  • Palate: Tree fruit (peaches), caramel, cinnamon
  • Mouthfeel: Rich
  • Finish: Cinnamon and light oak dominate
  • Score: 78.66

Reveal & Result

  • Q: Kentucky Owl Single Barrel (#29)
  • DD: 13th Colony Bourbon Finished with Maple Spirals (#36)

✅ Winner: Kentucky Owl Single Barrel (#29)
➡️ Advances to Round 2

Post-Matchup Thoughts
This was closer in profile than in score. DD had richness, but Q carried slightly better integration and sweetness balance, even with a touch of ethanol showing up.

What decided it:

Better sweetness integration and a steadier finish.

🥃 Matchup 11 — Blind

D vs. NN

Blind Tasting Notes

D

  • Color: Deep copper
  • Nose: Butterscotch, caramel, light cinnamon, mild peanuts
  • Palate: Creamy cinnamon and buttery caramel; light oak and vanilla behind
  • Mouthfeel: Creamy
  • Finish: Buttery peanut butter and cinnamon linger
  • Score: 85.61

NN

  • Color: Light copper
  • Nose: Brown sugar apples, mild vanilla, oak
  • Palate: Warm caramel, brown sugar, oak; fruit and cinnamon follow
  • Mouthfeel: Silky
  • Finish: Solid; spice, apples, sugar remain
  • Score: 81.05

Reveal & Result

  • D: Seelbach’s 10-Year Cask Strength (#13)
  • NN: George Dickel Bottled-in-Bond (#52)

✅ Winner: Seelbach’s 10-Year Cask Strength (#13)
➡️ Advances to Round 2

Post-Matchup Thoughts
Both were solid pours, but D had more weight and creaminess, which consistently separates contenders from mid-pack bottles in this format.

What decided it:

Creamier texture and stronger flavor concentration.

🥃 Matchup 12 — Blind

WW vs. Y

Blind Tasting Notes

WW

  • Color: Light copper
  • Nose: Brown sugar, cherries, savory baking spice
  • Palate: Tart fruit, cardamom, light brown sugar
  • Mouthfeel: Modest
  • Finish: Modest; tartness and spice dominate
  • Score: 78.23

Y

  • Color: Light copper
  • Nose: Buttery caramel, light oak, tree fruit, nutmeg
  • Palate: Oak up front, followed by cinnamon, caramel, mild vanilla
  • Mouthfeel: Borderline creamy
  • Finish: Longer than expected; vanilla and spice linger
  • Score: 80.18

Reveal & Result

  • WW: John J. Bowman Single Barrel (#20)
  • Y: Wolcott Rickhouse Reserve (#45)

✅ Winner: Wolcott Rickhouse Reserve (#45)
➡️ Advances to Round 2

Post-Matchup Thoughts
Neither bottle dominated, but Y showed better structure and slightly more staying power. In this bracket, “just a little better” is enough.

What decided it:

Slightly stronger finish and more balanced oak integration.

🔀 Second-Round Matchups Created

  • Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof Tennessee Whiskey (#4)
    vs.
    Kentucky Owl Single Barrel (#29)
  • Seelbach’s 10-Year Cask Strength (#13)
    vs.
    Wolcott Rickhouse Reserve (#45)

Closing Reflections

A theme is emerging: creaminess and finish length consistently separate the advancing bottles from those heading back to the shelf. The high seeds are largely holding serve so far, but a few mid-seeds are quietly earning respect.

Round 2 is starting to take shape — and the margin for error is shrinking. We’ll see you on Sunday for the next four blinds in Round 1.

Copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.

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Some People Dabble. I Apparently Settle In.

Posted on March 14, 2026 by Douglas Blaine
Daily writing prompt
What activities do you lose yourself in?
View all responses

My wife says I have a habit of immersing myself completely in anything that captures my interest.

She’s probably right.

I’ve never been very good at casually liking something. If a subject grabs hold of me, I tend to follow it wherever it leads, usually farther than I intended when I first started.

Sports may have been the earliest example of that.

When I was younger, I didn’t just watch games—I studied them, remembered them, imagined being part of that world. For a while, I thought I might become the next Bob Costas. I loved the writing, the storytelling, the way a game could become something bigger than a box score. Even after I realized television was not my future, and even after newspaper life carried me in another direction, that part of me never really disappeared. I still follow my teams closely, still remember certain games as if they happened yesterday, and still find myself drawn to write about bowl season every winter.

The same pattern has shown up in plenty of other places.

At one point I started collecting shot glasses. It seemed simple enough at first—just a few from places we had been. Before long, I had filled two large display cases, with enough extras waiting around that I probably need a third.

When I began officiating football, I didn’t just try it once or twice. I bought the equipment, learned the mechanics, and worked as many games as the local association would let me handle.

When bourbon became an interest, it followed the same familiar road: one bottle became several, then shelves, then comparisons, tastings, notes, and more conversations than any reasonable person probably needs to have about proof points and mash bills.

And writing may be the clearest example of all.

Because here I am at one in the morning, making sure tomorrow’s blog question is written before I finally call it a night.

I suppose that’s how I lose myself in things—not because I mean to, but because something meaningful catches my attention, and once it does, I want to understand it fully.

Some people dabble.

I apparently settle in.

Copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.

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