September is National Bourbon Month and we are celebrating with tons of reviews, cocktails and history lessons!

The name started in 1940 when a distillery executive took a sample on a wild turkey hunting trip and it stuck. The next year, his buddies asked for some of that wild turkey whisky and a brand was born (the distillery had existed prior to Prohibition and started upon again as soon as Prohibition ended). Wild Turkey’s other … Read more

Angel’s Envy is a new entrant in the bourbon market launched in 2010 by Lincoln Henderson, a master distiller with over 40 years in the business. Angel’s Envy has many unique qualities from its distiller to its finish in port barrels to its bottle inspired by early 20th century whiskey bottles. Each bottle is stamped with a set of angel’s wings, which are more commonly seen on the backs of strippers these days than bottles … Read more

With the Kentucky Derby coming up, thoughts are turning to the mint julep. This cocktail has been the signature drink of Churchill Downs since 1938, when they started serving the mint julep in souvenir glasses for 75 cents each.

If you don’t think the word “julep” sounds particularly Southern, you’re right. The cocktail, known as “julab,” originated in Arabia centuries ago. Eventually, it made its way to the US — with little changes along the … Read more

Black Maple Hill is a damn fine, 95-proof bourbon at a damn fine price. My friends and I call it “the one that smells like bananas,” but there’s more to it than its tropical nose.

It starts out mellow on the tongue with a bit of a sweet, fruity taste and quickly brings on a little heat to let you know that, yes, this is Kentucky bourbon you’re drinking. The result is a solid, complex … Read more

Red Stag is a black cherry bourbon by Jim Beam that just hit the market this month.

I’ll admit that I was hesitant about the idea of a flavored bourbon, as I am quite protective of the spirit and didn’t want it to get the cough-syrup treatment.

However, this bourbon was a pleasant surprise.

It smells like real cherries with a backdrop of oak. It does have a sweet flavor, but that is balanced by … Read more

Booker’s Bourbon is serious bourbon for serious bourbon lovers.

It is “uncut, unfiltered, straight-from-the-barrel” bourbon — over 120 proof. So you don’t just pour it into a glass and gulp it down.

It is a rewarding experience, but there are a few things you have to do before you can enjoy the intense charred oak and honey flavor.

If you’ve ever wondered if decanting — pouring the liquor into an open glass container to sit … Read more

One of my favorite things about bourbon: It is possible to find great bourbon at nearly every price point. And while there definitely are $400 bottles of bourbon out there that will knock your socks off, it’s possible to find something impressive that fits a normal person’s budget. Here are picks in a few price ranges:

Under $25

Old Grand-Dad Bourbon, 100 proof

Wine Enthusiast praised this bourbon’s “buttery feel on the palate” and “tangy … Read more

Brown Forman released Woodford Reserve 1838 Sweet Mash Whiskey.

The significance of this is that the process used to make this new bourbon hasn’t been used commercially since before Prohibition. The bourbon we all know and love is “sour mash.”

In very basic terms, “mash” is the mixture of fermented grain and water used in making bourbon.

The sour-mash method involves holding back mash from one fermentation to use it in the next batch to … Read more

Beam just introduced (ri)¹ in the midst of rye whiskey’s comeback from more than 70 years in the shadows.

In the 19th and early 20th century, rye was the go-to liquor. Many traditional cocktails–like the Manhattan and the Old Fashioned–originated as rye cocktails.

But after Prohibition ended in 1933, American distillers turned all their attention to bourbon.

No one knows for sure why, but it could be because corn was cheaper than rye. It … Read more

“Think when you drink”! Truth be told! And when first I saw the bottle holding this amber nectar, that’s precisely what I did.

The presentation made for interesting expectations when I first opened this delicious looking bottle. My first impression, as the scent of 80 Strong hit me, was of something both sweet and exotic. Inviting. Like a deep leather couch and a warm fire.

Its fully-matured flavor is one of the most special I … Read more