Sam Houston | Rating 91

Coincidence brought me face to face with this very small batch bourbon. Soon after moving to Houston, I stumbled upon a bottle of bourbon named after the the city's namesake. The distiller also bottles Jefferson's Reserve and carries a handwritten label. Good start, and an even better finish. Although 90 proof, the initial nose is not overpowering. A dash of water brings out an excellent palate - sweet, but not sugary or fruity - the sweetness only found when aged by an expert. The finish only accents those flavors and leaves you wanting more. Being hand crafted, I highly doubt you will come across a bottle belonging to the same batch. However, I would bet the attention each bottle receives will reward you as well as it did me. I intend to find out soon for myself. Treat yourself and I'm sure you'll agree, Sam Houston should always be stocked in your private collection.

Price: $25

Rating: 91

--Marc

Bernheim Original Kentucky Stright Wheat Whiskey

Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey is not the typical whiskey made of corn, barley or rye. This whiskey is the newest venture in whiskey making since prior to the days of prohibition and it has turned out great. The whiskey is composed with a minimum of 51% wheat and adds a great flavor. The flavor is slightly sweat and incredibly smooth, yet maintaining a full body at the same time. No water is needed, but I do prefer it on the rocks. It is a great whiskey for summer...morning, evening or night. This innovation is far from the norm, but well worth trying. It is produced in traditional open rick warehouses in small batches and aged approximately five years.Bernheim is a 90 proof whiskey, but you would never know it. I would recommend this as a celabratory whiskey after a good hunt or an early morning on the lake. It is not a whiskey for saying farewell to a past lover or friend. Please don't take my word for it. Try Bernheim Original for yourself. It is truely an American classic in the works. Thank you Pulpan for a great present! (if you didn't get the first part of this let me know) You guys have truly done something worthwhile with your drinking of horrible and fine whiskeys alike, which is more than most of us can say.

---Guest Reviewer: Gavin McQueen

Old Whiskey River | Rating 77

Old Whiskey River presents a lot of expectation. When someone names a
bourbon after the song Willie Nelson has played twice every day for 50
years, you can't help but root for the damn drink to blow your doors
off. Upping the ante is the fact that this bourbon has been distilled in
Nelson County for eight generations. And it comes with a guitar pick
(don't try to actually use it) with Willie's signature on it. What is
not to like, right? Well, as much as this pains me, I cannot put this at
the top of my favorites. I'll tell you why, friends: 1) first smell -
heavy oak, which is a good sign; 2) first sip - excellent flavor with a
hint of vanilla, not sweet; 3) aftertaste - surprisingly bitter, and not
in a good way. Everything about this bourbon is great going down, but
the moment when you should be enjoying your recent purchase, you get a
shocker. After several tasting sessions, I must settle at a solid rating
of 82, mainly for presentation and reverence to the master musician. I
may purchase another bottle to try and redeem my hero, but not in the
near future. If you find the correct ratio of water (or other mixer) to
whiskey, please reply (but remember, the perfect bourbon stands by
itself). I leave you with a taster's quote: "A little citrus. Maybe some
strawberry. Mmm. Passion fruit, mmm, and, oh, there's just like the
faintest soupçon of like, uh, asparagus, and, there's a, just a flutter
of, like a, like a nutty Edam cheese." (Sideways, 2004). Keep Tasting.

--Marc

Old Montanta | Rating 40

You have to ask yourself a question when you prepare to drink Old Montana. What comes to mind when I think of Montana? Images of the wild west filled with tough mountain men clad in leather and fur and miners with copper flakes under their fingernails. Bar fights and dusty saloons where most men would just as soon punch you as shake your hand. Well, bottle up those ideas in liquid form and you have Old Montana bourbon whiskey. A recent trip to the third largest state in the union inspired me to buy this bottle and give it a try--hey, when in Rome. I must elaborate a bit on the bottle. First of all, this bourbon is distilled in Kentucky (obviously) but bottled in San Jose, CA for Montana Distillers in Helena, MT. Yep, I was confused too. Also, the bottle proudly contains accurate one-liners including, “Spirit of the Wild,” and “Traditional Western American Whiskey.” I splashed the 80 proof amber liquid on top of some ice (which is readily available in the treasure state). Dust and oak might be the main ingredients in this one were my initial thoughts. No need to cut with water though, as 80 proof is manageable. I didn’t mix it with coke, but I think that might have helped. However, I got about half a bottle down while playing poker with new found Montana friends. In other words, you can enjoy it while not completely focusing on the fluid you are imbibing. 

I would usually end my review with that, but I must make a follow up with my second sampling of Old Montana. A weekend in a mountain town in the middle of Colorado seemed like a good place to finish my bottle of Old Montana. Again, I found myself sitting with friends around a poker table. I drank a few glasses cut with water over ice. It also got “accidentally” mixed with some Limoncello and I agreed to drink it just so the whiskey didn’t go to waste--bad decision. The Old Montana kept me going well into the night, but when I laid down, my head wouldn’t stop spinning. I am not going to blame it all on the Old Montana, but I don’t think I’ll be enjoying another bottle for awhile. Contradictory to many of the things I’ve recently met in Montana, this bourbon is not one for your liquor cabinet.



Price

: $13/750mL


Rating

: 40
--Eric

Old Grand-dad (First Review) | Rating 75

Old Grand-dad bourbon is one that will make your eyes bulge out and you’ll exclaim “POHHEE!! “ My first taste, as in all my reviews, was made with a healthy portion of Old Grand-dad straight over ice.  Now I love bourbon, you can’t stop me loving bourbon, but this one made me pucker up like I just swallowed a lime.  It is not sour like a lime, but it provides a shock to the system.  At 114 proof, its no wonder it packs quite the punch.  There should be a warning label on the front that says, “Old Grand-dad should not be enjoyed near any open flames.”  But let’s move past the fact that this jet fuel of a bourbon is hard to drink straight up on the rocks.  After a few sips straight up, I cut the distilled pleasure with a splash of water.  Wow, what a difference!  Old Grand-dad comes alive with full flavors of smoke and caramel.  Caramel, yep, that’s what I said.  I sat and enjoyed a few glasses of the water cut bourbon while in the biggest little town in the Texas panhandle with two other bourbon connoisseurs.  With friends or sitting in a blizzard by yourself, this is a good bourbon--just drink cautiously.



Price

: $23/750mL


Rating:

75
--Eric

Dickle | Rating 85

At first you may just giggle at the name. After pouring a glass you may change your tune. This 90 proof Tennessee medal winner with the funny name has a serious taste. A connoisseur will appreciate the initial heavy oak and earthy flavors. I found something missing, however, and tried the next glass as a Manhattan. As all bourbon lovers should know, some whiskeys are better enjoyed with a little help. Some just need a splash of water, others play better with stronger pairings. Two parts Dickel, one part sweet vermouth, and a splash of bitters. The marriage was one I recommend for those bourbons that need a little help. But you'll find the cocktail better when using a quality base like Dickel.

Price

: $20

Rating

: 85

--Marc

Blanton's | Rating 99

The name is Blanton's but it should be called The Best, that is self explanatory. This perfectly selected single barrel bourbon has the perfect amount of wood, the perfect kick, with a perfect combination of bite and hint of vanilla at the finish. That might be alot of perfects, but that is just this bourbon. On top of brown goodness inside, this is bourbon is bottled, bagged and labeled by hand in a style fit for a king or kingpin. At 93 proof, I prefer mine with a little ice and a splash of water, but its never too much to keep in your flask.  If you like bourbon, this pony will make a lover out of you. Go baby go Blanton's. 

Age

: single barrel none needed  


Pro

of: 93


Pric

e: around $60


Ratin

g: Best there is
--Doc Jason

Basil Hayden's | Rating 90

T

his spicy bourbon with a hint of honey flavor iand the right amount of oak is my new favorite 80 proof of all. BH is perfectly distilled and aged to drink with a little ice, no water needed. The first glass finishes as smooth as the tenth glass with little to no bite and a smooth after taste. The bottle will look as nice as any other bourbon on your shelf, if you need the look to go with your taste. This bourbon doesn't get the bar calls it deserves. From now on when Maker's, Knob, and BH are on the shelf, Basil Haydens is my choice everytime. 

Ag

e: 8 years
 

Proo

f: 80
 

Pric

e: gift, ? 

Rati

ng: Excellent (i.e. 90)

--Doc Jason

Phillips Union | Rating 40

It states on the bottle that its a blend of Canadian whiskey and Kentucky bourbon.  That's the biggest load of fickle matter I've ever heard.  They should have labeled it a woman's whiskey that captures the perfect blend of Malibu rum and (insert a flavored vodka here).  It was like I was drinking a white Russian all night long.  Needless to say I was very disappointed in it.  It does however go very well with coke as it has a very vanilla/hazelnut taste to it.  It goes down very smooth.  A good selection if you are wanting to break-in the old lady on the art of whiskey drinking, but never would I be caught dead with a bottle of this in my hands around  the boys.  Not a huge dent in the pocket book as it only cost $18.  Like I  said its a woman's whiskey.  I like women and whiskey all the same but never  at the same time, only one after the other.  Preferably the whiskey then the  woman because then you would be getting lucky at the end of the night, but  I'm sure we've all been there where a fifth of whiskey was needed to remove any memory of the woman that came before the bottle or had a figure that looked like the bottle. 

Rating

: I give Phillips Union whiskey a 40 on a scale of  100.  Its in that  category of "Only drink it if its free or if it will get 
you laid, anytime else is just not worth it."
--Matt

Corner Creek Reserve | Rating 74.5

After I dusted the bottle, twisted the cork and splashed, nice and neat, my first glass of this never seen before brown beauty into my glass, I gave her a sniff and then thought " I just wasted approximately 250 pesos. My first taste matched my first sniff. I stepped back and thought, this cannot be right. So I considered the fact that I had been on call for a week, which means no drinking, and took a look at the back of the bottle. The words "lightly filtered" for a "complex flavor" appear on their wine bottle Esq label. So I do, what so many consider sacrilegious, and give her a splash of bottled Texas spring water. There ya have it, the flavor goes from chewing on a Oak tree root to a very "complex" bourbon. Shortly there after I find myself 4 glasses in and smiling, thanks to this strong tasting oak juice with an almost spicy/cinnamon after taste. A little more edge to the flavor than my palate prefers, but for $24.97 a steal every time. If you can't get enough oak aging, this is for you. Dedicated to "Marvin and Sydney", I would have to say I would be dedicated to kicking Marvin's ass and giving Sydney (no matter what she looks like) the ol' Whiskey D after half a bottle of unique brown stuff. Give it a try.

  



Pric

e: Tag: 32.99, Paid: 24.97 (must of been on sale) for 750ml
  


Alcohol Content

: 88 proof
  


Ratin

g: 74.

5 
--Doc Jason

Knob Creek | Rating 90

Knob Creek- one good whiskey.  I had it with water and I must say that it is better served straight on the rocks.  The water masked the full flavor of  the whiskey and it tasted flat.  Knob is a smooth enough whiskey not to have  to mix it with anything to take off the edge.

This brings me to a important factor in drinking whiskey- the mix.  It is 
crucial that you have to have an experienced and knowledgeable bartender to  mix a fine whiskey with anything.  If the mixture is correct the full flavor  will brought out in the drink.  If you have a bartender that commonly mixes  other drinks in that the sole purpose is to see how much liquor can be added  to a mixture, the whiskey will turn out all wrong and the experience of a  good high end whiskey is ruined due to the inexperience of the bartender.  I believe that was a major part of the problem with my Knob and water  yesterday evening.

Even with the wrong mixtures, Knob is still a very fine whiskey and I would  recommend it to anyone looking to expand there whiskey experiences beyond  the Jim, Jack and SoCo standards at any bar you go to.  It is a step up in  quality so be prepared to take a step up in price both in the bar and at the  store.  The extra is well worth it in my opinion.

On this particular evening I was enjoying my Knob and water when the 
atmosphere was suddenly picked up when a couple of older gentlemen came  driving up to the bar- one in a completely refurbished 1962 Corvette and the  other in a refurbished 1957  Studebaker Golden Hawk with a rebuilt engine that would make the old Chevy 454 cry like a baby.  If the Knob and water  wasn't enough, the addition of two classic automobiles to the scene at the  bar was enough to make the evening a success in my book.  Its not everyday  that you get to enjoy a fine whiskey while checking out two classic cars.  
Turns out the two older gentlemen were also quite the comedians and kept the  bar going for quite some time with their material.  I feel obligated to  share one of the jokes with you at this time- Have you ever heard of a  carnival woman?  No, what is that.  (As he wipes off his face) the kind of  woman who sits on your face so you can guess her weight.

While the Knob and water was not the best I had ever had the rest of the 
evening made up for it and all is well that goes down as smooth as a good 
whiskey.  I give Knob Creek a 90 on a 100 point scale.  It is a must have in  my regular rotation.

100 Proof



--Matt

1792 Ridgewood Reserve | Rating 80

Brought to you by the Barton distilling company in Kentucky, 1792 Ridgewood Reserve is one whiskey that state should be proud of.  There are two reasons people drink whiskey: 1) They love the taste and enjoy the explosion of flavor on their tongue with every sip.  2) They just want to get drunk so they think they are a whole lot cooler than they are when they are sober.  

If you don't like the taste of whiskey and you just want to get bombed, buy a bottle of whiskey that comes in a plastic bottle with a screw top lid (See my fellow bourbon boy, Marc's, reviews).  However, if you do enjoy the taste of a good whiskey, try 1792 out.  As I am more of a purist when it comes to whiskey, I always give the distilled liquid a chance by itself on the rocks.  I was not disappointed as I poured a healthy portion of this whiskey on top of 3 chunks of ice and started sipping.  This Kentucky whiskey is so velvety if it were socially acceptable I would drape myself in it.  A seriously smooth flavor, you'll be surprised as you are starting to pour your third glass and tell yourself, "Self, watch it or you are going to finish off the liter tonight."





I did try a splash of water with a glass, but I would not recommend it.  Sometimes a splash of water can bring out flavor, but I felt like it just diluted the taste of this one.  If anything, just letting your ice melt a bit should soften it up enough for you.  It comes in a pretty basic bottle with a neat tag on the back that tells you how long it was aged (this whiskey is aged 8 years) and who inspected it before it was put in the bottle.  Not that it really matter if someone actually inspected it, but its nice to think there is a little bit of a personal touch that goes into each bottle.  I guess that "personal touch" as well as the wonderful flavor make this whiskey a little pricey.  It runs about $60 per liter.



I would normally encourage people to indulge in as much good whiskey as they want, such as polishing off a bottle in an evening.  However, we are the boys of bourbon not the men of fancy whiskey who wipe their butts with Benjamin Franklins.  Therefore, at $60 a bottle, I recommend sipping on a few glasses nice and slow and enjoy the flavor.  After a few glasses, you can switch over to the "rotgut" brands and you probably won't be able to tell the difference.  By that time you'll be telling girls that you are a producer and if they let you touch them on the thigh, you'll make them a star.  Point is, enjoy 1792 down to the last drop

.

  

On a scale from one to ten, I will give it an 8.  It gets points for its smoothness and general good taste, but it damn sure better be good for that much money.  Bottoms

up.



Proof:

93.7

--Eric

Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey | Rating 44

Since I had never heard of it and the bottle looks like something right out of the 19th century, I had to try it. Apparently invented by Augustus Bulleit, so it's got that going for it, which is nice. However, it seems this particular brand has been around only since 1987. And I think the proof is in the taste. I know I don't have to qualify this every time, but it doesn't taste "bad." It just has a distinct hint of dust or something...perhaps what frontier bourbon might have actually tasted like. At $20 I have to give this one a thumbs down for taste, but a thumbs up for authenticity. Of course, that is only one man's opinion. This whiskey won the gold medal at the 2004 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, so it obviously tickles the palate for some people (i.e. gays). Maybe worth a shot for you, pun intended. Thank you thank you I will be here all week. I will still savor every last drop until the next bottle finds its way into my liquor cabinet.

FYI

: 90 Proof. Just like on the frontier.
--Marc

Jack Daniel's No. 7 | Rating 82

I'll admit up front that I am partial to the Jack Daniel's line of whiskeys, especially the black label. It was the whiskey that I cut my whiskey drinking teeth on. I love the fact that it is somewhere in the middle of the road as far as not being too sweet and not being too dry for my taste. It can be mixed with jut about anything and it still tastes good. Plus it drinks really well by itself. Its my utility infield if you will. It can adapt to just about any situation--on the rocks, or with water in a formal setting, or mixed with coke or sweet and sour mix at a backyard BBQ. not many other whiskeys can do that.

The Taste

: As mentioned earlier its a middle of the spectrum taste wit ha slight lean towards the dry side. It doesn't have the sting that other whiskeys have which I like.

The Bottle

: What can you say, it might be the most recognizable liquor bottle ever. The No. 7 label is like none other. Or should I say the others are nothing like the old No. 7. Its an American icon. Enough said.

The Price

: Its in a good price range. $30-$40 at the store and a reasonable price at the bar. Not too cheap that its a regular on the 25 cent night circuit and not too expensive that it blows the budget with a couple of rounds.

The Hangover

: Its a high enough end whiskey that the hangovers are usually mild. When dealing with a dark liquor its key in the hangover department to find something that's not going to beat you to death the next morning. I've drank the better part of a 750 ml in a relatively short time period and woke up the next morning feeling like one million dollars.

Overall

: I give Jack Daniel's Black Label two thumbs up. The taste is good, it has a coolness factor like no other whiskey and its a quality affordable selection that doesn't stay with you the next morning. Its one of my favorites.
--Matt

Evan Williams Single Barrel 1994/Green Label | Rating: 35/71

To steal a line from Doug Moreland, when trying to answer the question "What did you think of the 'only vintage bourbon' being made?" I have to say "well let me see, let me think..." Here's the thing: this is not a bad bourbon. In fact it is pretty good. But for all of the fuss they make about it being a vintage bourbon, you would think it would sing a song and dance with you.

Packaging

: This is part of the problem. Don't create a bunch of fancy packaging unless you are going to blow my doors off. For example, Louis XIII comes in a crystal bottle, and a fancy box. Why? Because it is will pin your fucking ears back with a serious alcohol experience. Evan Williams Single Barrel comes in a special box, is marketed by the year it was made like it was a special bottle of Opus One, and at the end of the day it it pretty good but not any better than Evan Williams' $8 green label. That is not really a complaint about the Single Barrel as much as it is a compliment to the quality and value of the Green Label.

Taste

: Since both bottles taste the same I have combined the reviews into one. These are both on the sweet side. Not nearly the quality of a quality small batch bourbon. You can taste the tannins so to speak. Neither one of these is going to inspire a note to the master distiller telling him how impressive he was. But at the end of the day, this is a good quality sipping whiskey. Faint hints of oak. To me this is every bit as good as the Jack Daniel's it is trying so hard to emulate. Jack makes much better small batch bourbons than Evan Williams, but the Evan Williams is hands down better for the value than the No. 7 sour mash.
One note to add, make sure you mix this thing with plenty of water or coke or whatever you prefer. The day I was moving out of my house, after watching a Spurs playoff game, a buddy and I arrived back at my empty place. Poured giant glasses of this stuff, took about 3 sips, and promptly passed out. However, when I woke up, I distinctly recall thinking "man I should have put more water in that thing." Luckily I had not spilled the drink during my sleep and was able to have it for breakfast.

Final Rating

: Since I have to take price in to consideration the Evan Williams Green Label get a 7 since it only cost about $8 and the Single Barrel which cost about $25 gets a 3.5.
--Nic

Baker's | Rating 90

lcohol Content:

107

Price:

about $40

Review:

From the Jim Beam family, their number 2 in the line, 2nd to

Booker's

. Great flavor, the oak aging is very noticeable when it hits your lips. The alcohol content is obvious when taken straight up. With a splash of water the flavors are easier to distinguish. If you are a straight up flask drinker used to a typical 80 proof don't waster your money, but if you want to try something between Maker's/Knob and

Booker's

, don't hesitate to give it a try.
Recommended with some bottled water. My only negative is when I went to pull out my cork, it broke and I was not able to drive 60 miles back to the store where I bought it. Luckily the bottle was not compromised, as the bottom half of the cork maintained a good seal.
--Dr. JS

Booker's Rating: 99

"I'm not going to lie that smells like pure gasoline." Those are the words that go through your head when you pull the wax  off the top of a bottle of Booker's. I guess I should have known to expect a stout bourbon when the guy working the cash register at the bottle store said I better buy some bottled water to go with it. 
Some background info is in order. I bought the Booker's because I am from a town called Booker. Hopefully they are marketing this stuff to more than just people from my hometown who think the novelty is just too good to pass up, even at $55 a bottle. 
Packaging: As you can see in the picture, it is rather plain looking. Apparently they used some sophisticated computers to make the label look hand written as though you might believe that these bottles are in such limited supply that someone hand wrote everything out. I might have been fooled, but I don't think anyone could write on the curve of a bottle that good. I must admit, I like the wood box it comes in. Some how it seems like if you spend over $50 on a bottle of bourbon they should include a box. Since I was giving this to my buddy as a graduation present, it made it easier to wrap. 


Taste

: The taste is very bold. So much so it almost burns your lips. I can't imagine trying to drink this without water. I have never spoken to anyone who has either. Or at least that enjoyed it that way. Its over 120 proof, and you feel every bit of it. Apparently this is "uncut" and not in a Jewish way, but rather they stuck a spout in the barrel, poured it in to the bottle, and stuck a wax top on it. 
I love this. Hands down my favorite bourbon. Several of us here at the the Review, consider Booker's to be the measure for all other bourbons. Since it is such a pure form of bourbon it makes for a good measuring stick. Most of the taste is at a particular extreme. Still, someone with the right amount of water it manages to be both oaky and sweet at the same time. In my mind, this is the perfect bourbon.

--Nic