Tag Archives: Bourbon

The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 43: The DeBolt Dramworks Finished Bourbon Blind

Posted on June 25, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Five affordable bourbons went through finishing experiments — four in a small barrel and one in mason jars with oak staves. In this blind tasting, I find out whether finishing can truly improve cheap-but-good bourbon, or whether the original whiskey always shows through. Continue reading →

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Tasting Tuesday: Jefferson’s Reserve Limited Edition Cask Strength

Posted on June 23, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Jefferson’s Ocean has always felt to me like standard bourbon with a cruise ticket attached to the price. But Jefferson’s Reserve Limited Edition Cask Strength changed the conversation completely — rich, syrupy, cinnamon-laced and loaded with red fruit, caramel and oak. Continue reading →

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The Sunday Pour: Father’s Day and The Bottle Passed Down

Posted on June 21, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Some bottles are saved because they are special. But sometimes the best bottle is not the one left unopened on the shelf. It is the one poured with the right people while there is still time to make the memory. Continue reading →

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Best of the Bourbon Trail Trip, Part Three: The Eight Bottles That Made It Home

Posted on June 17, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Eight whiskeys came home from the trip. Two blind flights later, there were no bad choices — but one Tennessee single barrel rose above the rest. 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 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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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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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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A Pour for Rowdy: Remembering Kyle Busch

Posted on May 22, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

A Rebel single barrel once felt like a good bourbon with a NASCAR name on the label. Tonight, after Kyle Busch’s death at 41, the Rowdy bottle feels different — a reminder of talent, fire, flaws, family, memory and a life that ended far too soon. Continue reading →

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