Tag Archives: Tasting Notes

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

Round of 64, Part Five may have delivered the most explosive top seed performance yet. A dominant #2 reminded everyone why it earned its place, while two mid-seeds fought tooth and nail in tightly contested battles. At this stage, thin mouthfeel is a death sentence—and balance is beginning to separate contenders from pretenders. Continue reading

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

Round of 64, Part Four brought power, precision, and the tightest decision yet. One high seed flexed, one mid-seed edged forward on texture alone, and a razor-thin matchup came down to the final sip. Sixteen battles in, the bracket is beginning to separate depth from decency. Continue reading

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

Round of 64, Part Three delivered another mix of dominance and narrow escapes. One heavy hitter flexed hard, a couple mid-seeds quietly advanced, and texture once again proved to be a deciding factor. Twelve matchups in, the bracket is beginning to reveal who truly belongs. Continue reading

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March Bourbon Madness: Best-of-the-Shelf Challenge—First Round Matchups 5-8

The second wave of the Round of 64 delivered proof-heavy bruisers, subtle upsets, and a few bottles that teased greatness but couldn’t quite carry it through. Eight more contenders went head-to-head in blind format, and four earned their place in the next round. The bracket is tightening—and texture is starting to matter. Continue reading

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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 25: Rebel Single Barrel (Kyle Busch Edition)

I didn’t expect to love a bourbon tied to a driver I never rooted for—but Rebel’s Kyle Busch Single Barrel proved that a little rowdy can still come with a whole lot of sweet. Continue reading

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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 22: The Best of $40 and Under (New Year’s Edition)

Great bourbon doesn’t have to be expensive. These are the bottles that proved it in 2025—my Top 10 bourbons under $40, plus the best values under $30, $25, and even $20. No hype, no gimmicks—just bottles that consistently punched above their price and earned permanent shelf space. Continue reading

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Tasting Tuesday Wednesday: A Christmas “Best Of” Bourbon Showdown

Twelve bottles. Four tasting flights. One unexpected sleeper and one very familiar champion. A Christmas trip to the mountains turned into a “best of my shelf” bourbon showdown—proof that great whiskey doesn’t care about price, hype, or even what day of the week it is. Continue reading

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Tasting Tuesday: The 95-and-under Elite Eight—Proof, Patience and Unexpected Performances

The field has been cut in half twice already, and every bottle left has survived at least one blind skirmish to get here. At this stage, there are no flukes, no charity invites, and definitely no freebies. Only eight pours … Continue reading

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Tasting Tuesday: The Rye Showdown — Final Four and Championship

After weeks of blind pours and unexpected twists, the Rye Challenge has come down to the Final Four. What started as a broad field of contenders has been whittled down to just four glasses — three of them from Jack … Continue reading

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Tasting Tuesday: The Rye Showdown — Round Two

Round one was full of surprises — and not always the pleasant kind. A couple of bottles showed some rough edges, and one rye in particular left me wondering if something had gone sideways in the glass. But that’s the … Continue reading

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