Tag Archives: whiskey review

Tasting Tuesday: Knob Creek, Three Ways

Posted on May 12, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Knob Creek’s Blender’s Edition No. 1 promises a sweeter side of the classic Beam profile. I put it in a blind tasting against Knob Creek 9-Year and a 125-proof cask strength single barrel store pick to see where it landed. Continue reading →

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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 36: The Triple Oak Mason Jar Project

Posted on May 7, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Can a $19 bourbon get even better with a week in a mason jar and a couple of oak sticks? I put Member’s Mark Single Barrel through a homemade “triple oak” experiment and tasted it against the original. Continue reading →

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Tasting Tuesday: Hard Truth Sweet Mash Wheated vs. Four Grain

Posted on May 5, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Hard Truth brings some serious sweet mash credibility from Brown County, Indiana. But between the Wheated Bottled in Bond and the Four Grain Bottled in Bond, one bottle gives me more flavor — and more bang for the buck. Continue reading →

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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 35: The Single Barrel Bargain Brawl

Posted on April 30, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Four value-friendly single barrels go head to head: Evan Williams 86.6, Benchmark Single Barrel, Member’s Mark Single Barrel and Evan Williams America 250. Some are decent. One is an outrageous bargain. And one makes me wonder why Heaven Hill hasn’t already given us a higher-proof Evan Williams Single Barrel as a regular release. Continue reading →

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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 34: Bonded on a Budget—Old Bardstown Faces Two Familiar Rivals

Posted on April 23, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Three low-cost bottled-in-bond bourbons. No stars. No hype. Just a blind test to see where Old Bardstown belongs — and in the end, one bottle quietly separated itself. Continue reading →

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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 33: Is New Riff Bottled in Bond Really the Best Bourbon in the World?

Posted on April 16, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

The 2026 World Whiskies Awards crowned New Riff Bottled in Bond the world’s best bourbon. At $40, it qualifies for Bourbon Cheapskate — but how does it hold up against New Riff’s own 6-year single barrel? Continue reading →

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March Bourbon Madness: Best-of-the-Shelf Challenge—Elite 8

Posted on April 4, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

The Elite Eight delivered razor-thin margins and decisive finishes. Far Better edges Sweet Mash on texture, Nashtucky outlasts a barrel-proof favorite, Toasted Pecan flexes its banana-toffee edge, and Woodford Double Oaked leans fully into dessert mode. The Final Four is set—and every remaining pour is built on depth and finish. Continue reading →

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March Bourbon Madness: Best-of-the-Shelf Challenge—Very Sweet 16 Matchups 5-8

Posted on April 2, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

The Sweet 16 wraps with decisive finishes and a few statement wins. Old Forester Single Barrel edges a classic, Toasted Pecan keeps rolling, 13th Colony flexes its depth, and Woodford Double Oaked advances on sweet persistence. The Elite Eight is officially set—and every remaining pour is a threat. Continue reading →

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March Bourbon Madness: Best-of-the-Shelf Challenge—Very Sweet 16 Matchups 1-4

Posted on March 31, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

The Sweet 16 opens with four heavyweights advancing on depth, viscosity, and finish length. Far Better flexes, Sweet Mash survives a near coin-flip, a barrel-proof Jack storms through, and Nashtucky proves its layered complexity. Half the Elite Eight is set—the rest will be decided next. Continue reading →

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March Bourbon Madness: Best-of-the-Shelf Challenge—Second Round Matchups 1-4

Posted on March 24, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Round 2 raises the stakes as four more blind matchups narrow the field. A rye flexes its balance, a cask-strength heavyweight proves its depth, Sweet Mash humbles a favorite, and a blend edges out a veteran in a razor-close finish. Texture and finish continue to separate contenders from pretenders. Continue reading →

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