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From the last wk or so.

No picture, just an empty bottle of KCSB L&K Pick. It was very tasty.

Very nice interpretation of a Lemon Summer Shandy. Perfect for a Hot Independence Day Eve. What I like about this beer, is that the lemon notes are very lemon-ey, and just not citrus bitterness. I’ll enjoy this over the next 3 days, for sure.

Drowned Lands in NY makes impressive beers. Double bock 8% ABV. More octane than I typically like in my beers. Not your typical summer choice but enjoyable nonetheless.

Two more for the bin. The KC PS is a staple of course. I think I have another bottle from this same barrel, but for the sake of variety my next KC SiB to open will be a different pick. The Holladay BiB wheater won't be replaced. Four or five times I came close to making it a drain pour, but ultimately I soldiered on with it. That's because it doesn't taste *bad* per se, ... just a one-note boring cinnamon flavor. Henceforth, this is the bottle I will picture whenever I hear scotch drinkers complain that bourbon is just boring, one dimensional and too sweet. Glad it's gone. I'm holding my breath that the other Holladay bottle in my bunker (the rickhouse proof rye recipe bourbon) will be much better.

Shhhhhhhh!!!! Don't let the word out!

Enjoying this one…✌

I'm cleaning out all my low fill bottles, trying to make more room. These were the "wood finishing series" from 2022. I preferred the 02 over the 01, but both were very good. At $60 back then they were a good 15 bucks cheaper than the MM CS store picks at the time, so they were always an auto buy for me. I have other Wood Finishing series left in the bunker but I don't think I have anymore of these BRTs.

My first glass of Bomberger's Declaration 2025. My first glass of any Bomberger's in some years tbh. Just opened a short while ago, so it may need some air. It is very good no doubt, but I am wondering if it is actually meeting the buzz it seems to be getting. Any thoughts on this? My impression is that it is somewhere between a Russel's Reserve Single Barrel, and Bookers. It has a touch of that medicinal cherry note that I like in Russel's, but also a bit of the peanut notes I get from Bookers. Definitely highlights charred oak, with some vanilla, and a great deal of spice.

Settling in for the Independence Day weekend, with…a CAO Brazilia…

Happy 4th. Doing it early with a La Gloria Cubana series R

Love the barrel proof picks, but never had a bad one off the shelf either. People who think they don't like JD, have never had the barrel proof single barrels. As much as I enjoy the older expressions of Jack Daniels 10 and 12 YO, I would love to get my hands on one of the JD 14 BPs. I bet they are phenomenal. That being said, I think the JD SiB BP are a good value, even if they are relatively young. Cheers!

Yessir, that VWFRR is fabulous whiskey. I look forward to eventually trying the OF 7. Some good reports on it, here. Good to hear more positive i press from you, as well. Again, welcome aboard!

Haven't had that but if it is anything like the Old Heaven Hill Ultra Premium 21 year from the 90s, it is won't disappoint. That was one of the best bourbons I've ever tasted.

I have a 24 year pre-fire...but my cheap-ass is scared to open it!

I traded 4 OWA & 1 WSR for it, so about 400 FMV & 225 cost to me. I'd happily make that trade again. At least for me it beat the heck out of standing in line 1,500 miles away and paying $300 MSRP. Yesterday's got better after 30 minutes. Less ethanol, more flavor. The carmel & the oak played quite well together. There are more hints in there I cannot quite name.

Excellent choice, Jazz June! And, excellent analysis of the whiskey. And, FWIW, I totally support this BOTM, as I agree; it's one of the best "new" products, to my taste buddies anyway, over the last several years. The several bottles I've had since it was introduced have all been very good-to-great, and good value for the cheddar asked. Good Job!

What did that set you back? Never have seen before.

Woodford Dbl Oak, WT101 8 Year, so good but has dried up here after being told it was sustainable. Sad. Nashville Barrel.

The Pennsy state stores must have made a deal with Barton. This month's "Chairman's Selection" consists of the entire Thomas H. Moore line of "extended cask finished" bourbons, priced at 45 buckos each, a $25 price cut. These are stone cold bargains at that price, and the one I picked up yesterday - finished in Merlot casks- is delicious. I've never seen bourbon cask finishing done like this before. It's six-year Barton's which is then further aged in a wine or fortified spirit cask for up to 4 years (between 1 and 4, they say, depending on the cask) Not for just 3 or 6 months like everybody else does. In the case of the merlot cask version, I think the integration is so complete it isn't "finished" anymore. It's simply a unique bourbon, with the merlot influence palpable but ultimately muted in favor of the classic Barton flavors.

Here's the Independence Day cocktail I made for my friends last night. Most of them are lighter drinkers, so I did a sort of deconstructed strawberry pina colada with pureed strawberries, coconut cream & pineapple juice, and rum & blue curacao. The pineapple juice tended to give a yellow tint to the white layer so I milk-clarified the juice. Presented them in Mason jars, then had everyone put their lids on and shake vigorously. They were a hit.

I gotta try this. I recently watched a video on the 10 most popular modern cocktails (or some such) and only one of them had even been invented when I was a bartender in the 80s. Just found out there is a nice little crafty bar near me so the countdown begins.

Jack Daniels has really upped its game the last few years with its age stated expressions and its annual limited edition single barrel releases. But for more readily available expressions of Jack, it is tough to beat the single barrel, barrel proof Tennessee whiskey. The regular single barrel really elevates Jack Daniels Tennessee whiskey above the black label Old No. 7 (for my palate anyway), but the barrel proof takes it to another level. And in the current market, it is pretty well priced for a barrel proof bourbon (yes, Jack is a bourbon), if you like what Jack has to offer. The Basics Distillery: Jack Daniels Brand Owner: Brown-Forman Mash Bill: 80% corn, 12% rye, and 8% malted barley (Jack Daniels Tennessee whiskey mash bill) Proof: Barrel proof Age: NAS (at least 4 years old, picks seem to be around 6 years old and I would assume the shelf version is similar) MSRP: $70 Expression introduced: 2015 Last time as BotM: September, 2022 Distillery Tasting Notes See: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO8IwQvIsfs for a breakdown by Chris Fletcher, Jack Daniels master distiller (and a really nice guy in my experience). My Thoughts Jack Daniels single barrel, barrel proof is a powerful whiskey, frequently coming in at more than 130 proof. But the good examples are not overly hot, merely preserving the richness and viscosity of uncut, barrel proof whiskey. The Jack Daniels yeast does its thing in most barrels and imparts that banana flavor it is known for. In the barrels I like best, it comes off as a banana cream pie mingled with a reasonable dose of oak (this certainly isn’t an extra aged tannic whiskey, but there’s enough oak to let you know these barrels are reasonably mature). The relatively low rye content also imparts some subtle spice to add some complexity to the more dominant sweet notes from the yeast and the significant amount of corn in the mash bill. The warmth of the finish definitely reminds you of the proof point (is this a Tennessee hug?). As with any single barrel product, there is variation, but these are available as private selections, so look for one from your trusted stores and/or groups. My group picked one of these earlier this year and it is pretty great. And the pick experience at Jack Daniels is incredible; a wonderful mix of history, hospitality, and good whiskey. Plus who doesn’t love a whiskey slushy when it’s hot out! So, Straight Bourbon, what do you have to say about Jack Daniels single barrel, barrel proof?

Wait 'til you try this one!