Tag Archives: whiskey review

The Bourbon Rye Cheapskate, Vol. 53: 3 Affordable Rye Whiskeys Compared

Posted on September 10, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Which affordable rye gives you the most for your money? Benchmark, Jack Daniel’s and Middle West face off on flavor, price and Cheapskate value. Continue reading →

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Tasting Tuesday: The Redemption Bourbon Veronica Mars Made Me Buy

Posted on September 8, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

A television bourbon sighting sent me hunting for Redemption 10-Year. I couldn’t find it, but Redemption 9-Year Barrel Proof turned out to be a complex, mature pour worth slowing down for. Continue reading →

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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 52: Seven Homemade Whiskeys Go Blind

Posted on September 3, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Five barrel-aged experiments. Two homemade blends. Seven numbered samples. I tasted them all blind to find out which homemade whiskey really deserved the top spot. Continue reading →

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Tasting Tuesday: High Proof, Higher Stakes

Posted on August 25, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Five high-proof whiskeys go head-to-head in a blind tasting, including Booker’s, Stagg, Company, Old Glory and Chestnut Farms Single Barrel. The most expensive bottle has something to prove. Continue reading →

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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 50: Forty Creek Copper Pot Reserve Review—A Blind-Tasting Surprise

Posted on August 20, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

I remembered enjoying Forty Creek Copper Pot Reserve, but memory and labels can lie. So I put the inexpensive Canadian whisky into an eight-bottle blind tasting against several familiar American whiskies and let my palate decide. Continue reading →

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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 47: A Tale of Two Rittenhouse Ryes

Posted on July 23, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Standard Rittenhouse Bottled-in-Bond Rye is one of the best values on the whiskey shelf. But can the limited 10-year 250th Anniversary release justify costing four times as much? I tasted them side by side, and this one wasn’t close. Continue reading →

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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 46: Bourbon Cheapskate: Which Jack Daniel’s Bonded Whiskey Is Best?

Posted on July 16, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Three Jack Daniel’s Bonded bottles. Three nearly identical price tags. One blind tasting to determine whether Tennessee Whiskey, Rye or Triple Mash offers the best pour for the money. Continue reading →

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Tasting Tuesday: Jack Daniel’s Rye Blind Tasting—Six Bottles, Two Hazmats and One Clear Winner

Posted on July 14, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Jack Daniel’s may be famous for Tennessee Whiskey, but its rye lineup deserves more respect. I blindly tasted six Jack Daniel’s ryes — including the Straight Rye, Bonded Rye, Single Barrel Rye, Barrel Proof Rye and two Hazmat-level 2026 Special Releases — to see which bottle came out on top. Continue reading →

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Tasting Tuesday: The Real Winner Was the Bag

Posted on July 7, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

I packed five bourbons in a four-compartment bag and turned vacation into a blind tasting. Old Glory won the overall title, Evan Williams won the blind, and I learned I know my palate pretty well. Continue reading →

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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 44: Five Evan Williams America 250 Barrels, One Bourbon

Posted on July 2, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Five bottles. One bourbon. Identical proof, nearly identical age and the same mash bill. So why did one barrel clearly outperform the others? A blind tasting of five Evan Williams America 250 releases reveals just how much difference a single barrel can make. Continue reading →

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