Tag Archives: Old Forester

The Bottled-in-Bond Showdown: The Elite Eight

Posted on July 20, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

The field has been narrowed, and the stakes are higher. After a competitive play-in round saw Jack Daniel’s Bonded and the formidable George Dickel 13-year advance, our Elite Eight is officially set. Today, the intensity ramps up as we cut … Continue reading →

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Capnpen’s Ultimate Sip Challenge 2025: Rounds 5 and 6 – The Final Four and Championship

Posted on July 13, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

So, this is it. What started with 64 whiskeys more than a month ago is finally down to four final contenders. These aren’t necessarily the four best whiskeys in the field, but each one represents excellence within its field (or … Continue reading →

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Capnpen’s Ultimate Sip Challenge 2025: Round 4 – The Elite Eight (Drams)

Posted on July 10, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

This is almost the end, and I’m kind of happy about that, but also a little unhappy. I’ve enjoyed sampling most of the bottles on my shelf, and I’ve also enjoyed developing my nose and palate for the best type … Continue reading →

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Why I Got Into Bourbon—And Why It Matters To Me

Posted on July 9, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

You may have noticed some new flavors showing up here on the blog lately. I’ve been writing more about bourbon, and it occurred to me: I’ve never really explained why. It’s not a journey I ever expected to take. And … Continue reading →

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Capnpen’s Ultimate Sip Challenge 2025: Round 3 – The Very Sweet Sixteen, Part 2

Posted on July 8, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

We’re getting very close to the end of our inaugural Ultimate Sip Challenge, and you’re probably picking up a clear theme in my preferred flavor profile. Three of the first four quarterfinalists are named “Old Forester,” and the other one … Continue reading →

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Capnpen’s Ultimate Sip Challenge 2025: Round 3 – The Very Sweet Sixteen, Part 1

Posted on July 6, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

Two rounds are down, and we’ve left 48 bourbons – ranging from decent to amazing – sitting on the shelf. Still in play are 16 excellent bourbons (well, 13 bourbons and three Tennessee Whiskeys) that are vying for the inaugural … Continue reading →

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Capnpen’s Ultimate Sip Challenge 2025: Round 2, Part 3

Posted on July 1, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

We’re halfway through the second round. The tasting has been challenging and delicious, and the decisions have been difficult and sometimes disappointing. I can’t fault any of the winners in the Entry-Level/Value Buys Region, but we lost some bourbons there … Continue reading →

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Capnpen’s Ultimate Sip Challenge 2025: Round 2, Part 2

Posted on June 29, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

After completing one section of the second round, it’s clear that this is going to be a lot more difficult than the first round. Every bourbon in this round has already won one head-to-head blind and is good enough to … Continue reading →

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Capnpen’s Ultimate Sip Challenge 2025: Round 2, Part 1

Posted on June 26, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

The first round is complete and we’ve cut our field in half from 64 to 32. Some excellent bourbons have been relegated to the sidelines, and I have to say that I’m surprised and disappointed to see some of them … Continue reading →

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Capnpen’s Ultimate Sip Challenge 2025: Round 1, Part 7

Posted on June 22, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

As we approach the last phase of the first round of our inaugural Ultimate Sip Challenge, we reach the end of our third region, which presents some of our tastiest drams to date. Our subsitute bourbon in the Enthusiast Level … Continue reading →

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