Tag Archives: tasting

Tasting Tuesday: The 95-and-Under Whiskey Challenge Begins

Posted on September 23, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

Welcome to the opening round of my 95-and-Under Whiskey Challenge. Over the next two months, 32 whiskeys — all scoring under 95 proof — will face off in a March Madness–style bracket to see which one rises to the top. … Continue reading →

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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 7: Barmen 1873—Coors Steps Into Bourbon, and It’s a Winner

Posted on September 18, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

On the way home from North Carolina, I made a stop at Sandy Cross Liquor and Tobacco in Royston, Georgia. The manager took some time to walk me through a few bargains, and one of the bottles that caught my … Continue reading →

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Tasting Tuesday: Jack Daniel’s Showdown

Posted on September 16, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

This week, I lined up three Jack Daniel’s stalwarts from my shelf to see which one really wears the crown: Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series Finished with Toasted Pecan Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof Tennessee Whiskey Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel … Continue reading →

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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 6: Battle of the Budget Bottled-in-Bond, Heaven Hill Edition

Posted on September 11, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

Sometimes you don’t have to spend $50+ to find a solid pour. Heaven Hill has long offered a lineup of bottled-in-bond bourbons under $20, all sharing the same mash bill (78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley). On paper, they … Continue reading →

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Tuesday Tasting: Is Heritage Barrel Worth the Hype? A Jack Daniel’s Blind Tasting

Posted on September 9, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

Every once in a while, a bottle jumps off the shelf and says take me home. That’s what happened when I stumbled onto a Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Heritage Barrel Toasted at Shores Liquors. Folks have been clamoring for this … Continue reading →

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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 5: Legent’s Global Blend of Value and Class

Posted on September 4, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

  What Is Legent? Legent (pronounced “LEE-jent”) is a unique bourbon born from a rare East-meets-West collaboration between two titans of whiskey: Fred Noe, seventh-generation master distiller at Jim Beam, and Shinji Fukuyo, chief blender at Japan’s Suntory. Both companies … Continue reading →

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🥃 The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 2: Rittenhouse Rye

Posted on August 14, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

The Rye That Drinks Like a Bourbon (and Costs Like a Steal) Sometimes the best finds happen when you’re not looking for them. During a family reunion week near Cashiers, North Carolina, I was at dinner with Daryl’s family. The … Continue reading →

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🥃 The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 1: $40 Well Spent

Posted on August 7, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

“Bank Street Vault Edition: $40 Well Spent” Welcome to The Bourbon Cheapskate—a blog series for anyone who loves great whiskey but doesn’t have the bankroll to chase unicorns or drop $80+ every weekend. I can’t be the only one with … Continue reading →

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The Kentucky Pilgrimage: Kicking Off the Trail with Friends and Forester

Posted on July 29, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

The anticipation for this trip has been building for months, but for my best friend Scott, it’s been pure, kid-on-Christmas-Eve excitement. Tonight, after my flight lands in Nashville, he’ll scoop me up, and we’ll point the car north to Kentucky. … Continue reading →

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Southern Heat and Whiskey: Why the Jax Bourbon Social Left Me Wanting More

Posted on July 27, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

Last Saturday night (July 19), Jacksonville’s bourbon community came together not just for the whiskey but for a cause that mattered. The Jax Bourbon Social hosted its Bourbon and Whiskey Tasting Event at the Ramallah American Club, raising funds for … Continue reading →

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