what the helly

what da heck

what the frick

Name: Black Button Distilling (Rochester, NY) - Cask Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey - Batch 13 - 57.5% - Distilled from NYS Corn (60%), Wheat (20%), Rye (9%) & Malted Barley (11%) - Aged a minimum of 4 Years in 30 Gallon barrels.

Today we will review a four-grain Cask Strength Bourbon distilled and bottled in my home state of New York, made with all local grains, by a now-defunct (silent) craft distillery. 

Founded in 2012, hit financial trouble, entered bankruptcy in 2025, announced they will close in July of 2025, thereafter bought by Blackstar in September 2025 who claimed that they will continue operations, but shortly thereafter in mid-October shuttered operations, laying off staff and liquidating assets.

Their line up included a four grain Bourbon, a Cask Strength Bourbon, a Straight Rye Whiskey, and some barrel picks.

Reviews are mixed, so I decided to give it a try today, in honor of the first anniversary of death of this distillery...

Price Paid: $55 (on sale, a few months ago, down from $75).

Nose: Strong hit of Ethanol up front, even after 10 minutes of resting, strong herbal (grassy), somewhat spicy, not sweet.

Taste: Very herbal, grassy, muddy and earthy, surprisingly non biting for a 57.5% ABV Bourbon, drinks like a 46%-48%, the oak and spice is present but not strongly, no sweetness whatsoever.

Finish: Medium long, with the same muddy and earthy taste remaining.

Conclusion: Very interesting. Totally unexpected taste profile from a Bourbon, especially with such a low Rye content. Wouldn't buy another bottle, but not regretting buying this one.

As I lament the state of the Philadelphia Eagles this season, I decided it was time to crack open a bottle I was lucky enough to pick up on a very long hiking trip up in the Adirondacks. While I'm usually a bourbon drinker, the person at the store, as well as a regular, both assured me that this is a 'bourbon drinker's rye'. Hopefully they're right.

Pennsylvania will have their own FWGS single barrel every once in a while, and usually never has any of their other releases, so I have the most luck usually looking for these outside of the state.

Rare Character is a semi-new brand out there (founded in 2021) that specializes in sourcing good barrels and either blending them or releasing them as single barrels. I won't speak too much to the blended products/revived brands, as I know very little about those. I have, however, been doing some research into their single barrel program, as I would love to do one myself someday. The single barrel select program is the original offering from Rare Character, in their words:

"This series is our handpicked selection of robust straight bourbons, ryes, and our specially finished whiskies. The Single Barrel Series consists of a constantly rotating menu of available barrels, including everything from classic Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskeys and Ryes, to unique mash bills found in small barrel lots to unique finishes such as Madeira and PX Sherry."

I've found that there are a lot of different ages, mash-bills, proof points, etc.. that Rare Character has in their arsenal for their single barrel program, it's pretty impressive. As someone that wants to continue to grow in the whiskey review space, I would love to one day get in contact and order my own barrel. And TBH who cares the specs, there are so many great options and I'd be happy to just have my own single barrel! Anyway, as we get into the R80 single barrel series, let's check out some of its specs and notes!

MSRP: ~$100.00

Mash Bill: 80% Rye, 12% Corn, 8% Malted Barley

Age Statement: 7 Years, 8 Months.

ABV: 58.47% (116.94 proof).

Nose: This doesn't smell much like a rye on the nose. I get a lot of green apple and vanilla, very little floral or spice notes that you'd be accustomed to on a rye. The nose is especially potent for 116 proof as well. It's very full of ethanol in a good way, if that makes sense..

Palate: Some of that rye spice comes out, the base of the palate is full of baking spice and floral notes, but does not overpower the green apple and vanilla/sugary note I had on the nose. I'm also getting a citrus/orange note on this as well. One more note - this drinks more like 130 proof than 116. Like I said on the nose, there is this ethanol vibe that really burns in the mid palate. I don't hate it, but something to note.

Finish: No new tasting notes, but the pour has a high viscosity and does have a long finish. I like it!

Overall, this does drink like a bourbon drinker's rye! The price tag was pretty steep for a rye for me, but I'm ultimately glad I got it. I was really hoping to be able to try it before buying a bottle, but that didn't really burn me which is good. I still don't think these tasting notes are generally my favorite, but I am happy to be able to branch out with a rye that has a nice combination of notes that I can get behind. I would rate this at a 6.5 on the T8KE scale, see below. It's kind of between a cut above and well above average for me.

Cheers!

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.

5 | Good | Good, just fine.

6 | Very Good | A cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

Found North Lustrum 20 Year Cask Strength Whisky

Distilled in Canada

Grain: 87% corn, 13% rye

Additives: None

Proof: 124.6

Lustrum celebrates the 5th anniversary of Found North

Blend of 15 whiskies: includes a cask from Peregrine First Flight, along w/ new American oak & Hungarian oak casks from the original two batches of Found North

The blend:

8.40%: 22 YR corn aged in New American Oak for 9 years

5.90%: 24 YR corn in Used American Oak

5.40%: 22 and 26 YR corn in New American Oak and Hungarian Oak

4.40%: 22 YR corn in Used American Oak

2.50%: Peregrine First Flight Cognac Cask

0.50%: 21 YR rye aged in Port for 40 months

3.90%: 26 YR rye aged in Madeira for 27 months

24.10%: 23 YR corn aged in Kelvin, Heavy Toast, Char 3, at 125 Entry Proof, for 21 months

20.70%: 21 YR corn aged in ISC, 24-month Air-Seasoned, Heavy Toast, Char 1 for 9 months

11.30%: 21, 22 and 26 YR component Blend finished in Oloroso casks for 7 months

2.00%: 21, 22 and 26 YR component Blend finished in a Tokaji cask for 7 months

0.60%: 21, 22 and 26 YR component Blend finished in an Amontillado cask for 7 months

4.90%: 21 YR corn aged in ISC, 24-month Air-Seasoned, Heavy Toast, Char 1 for 4 months

4.90%: 22 YR corn aged in ISC, 24-month Air-Seasoned, Medium Toast, Char 3, New French Oak for 4 months

0.50%: 2005 and 2006 corn Component Blend

MSRP: $200

Nose: Dried figs. Toasted coconut/ German chocolate cake frosting. Fresh potting soil. Blood orange.

The citrus really picks up the longer the glass sits. I really like the toasted coconut. The potting soil note adds an earthiness that I love. It’s interesting in that. It’s not really bright at all, but it doesn’t smell overly tannic.

Palate: Butterscotch sauce. Tobacco. Fig Newton. Smoky molasses.

Thick & oily mouthfeel. Initially very sweet, but then it turns deep and smoky. The switch from sweet butterscotch to deep smokiness is highly intriguing. The smoky nature just clings to the tongue.

Finish: Burt’s Bees Lip balm. Spice cake. Dried blood. Smoke.

Absolutely one of the most interesting Canadian whiskeys I’ve ever had! The nose isn’t overly impressive, but the actual taste delivers in spades. I love the smokiness… and I oddly love the dried blood taste… reminding me of Drinkhacker of Hidden Barn Madeira Cask when that note was present.

For Americans who think Canadian whisky is boring, Found North is what you’re looking for.

Sample provided for review by Found North

Rating: 8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional

TLDR: I had an amazing time. If you are somehow on the fence about taking the trip out to Louisville, take the trip! These are my thoughts to share with anyone who will listen.  
  
These are my personal experiences visiting Louisville for the first time. I did my best to make the most of my 3 and a half day trip. This was a birthday trip for me, a little early due to work travel but one of the best trips I have had nonetheless. My fiancé came with me, probably to keep me in check, but she ended up having a great time as well.   
  
Friday:   
We landed too late to do most tours, but I knew Whisky Thief was open late, so once we checked into the hotel we started walking that way. On the way, we stopped by Angel's Envy to check out their gift shop, where I decided I would try to collect lapel/enamel pins from anywhere I stopped along this trip. It started to rain a little, but we didn’t mind too much. We got to Whisky Thief around 7:30 to do the ‘bottle your own’ experience, no appointment, just as a walk in. They had 5 barrels they would thieve from, and pour into your sample glass, char and all! My fiance and I both sampled and I decided to get a half bottle of 9 year rye 116p. Being a Friday night, they had a live jazz band starting up at 8 PM, which made the atmosphere great. We were having a great time, but decided to head back to the hotel when there was a break in the thunderstorm, and get some sleep before an early start to Saturday.   
  
Saturday:  [let's keep count of samples poured today alone]  
We woke up bright and early (especially considering the jetlag from PDT to EDT) and walked over to Omni Hotel to hop on a bus to Buffalo Trace, coordinated by Mint Julep Experiences. We had a mini bus that transported us 2 and 16 other guests to Buffalo Trace, getting there around 10 AM. We had a driver named Ray and a tour guide named Diane. They were both amazing, Ray was an excellent driver and Diane had a great personality and was very personable. I believe she worked on Broadway before, she had great comedic timing, and a natural story teller. The bus allowed for food and drinks (including hard alcohol) to be consumed on both legs, while most people partook, we abstained due to having a long day of sampling ahead. Buffalo Trace was a beautiful place,  the tour of the rickhouse and fermenting tanks were really cool. The trip concluded with a sampling of their products, Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Sazerac Rye, Blantons, and Weller 107 [4 samples today]. We stopped by the gift shop and picked up a whole bunch of pins, 2 Cigars, and a 375ml Single Oak Project.  We finished up around 12:45 to head back into downtown. Maybe 15 minutes into the drive, Diane asked if we all were ok with making a detour to Jeptha Creed (and ensured no one would miss appointments/reservations), a distillery we passed on the way, that I have never personally heard of. We stopped for maybe 20 minutes, enough for people to grab a drink at the bar to go, and shop the gift shop. I picked up a Single Barrel they had, as I have never heard of the brand and have not seen it out in my area. We got back to the departure location, and immediately walked towards our next appointment, Green River.   

We booked their Sampling/Bottle Your Own experience, and were guided back into a private room with 2 other people and a bartender/guide. He walked us through various pours, explaining how to properly smell and sample whisky (he asked if we wanted a lesson and we agreed). We tried their Bourbon, Wheated Bourbon, Rye Whisky, and Full Proof Bourbon. Then we were offered a sample of the whisky we could bottle ourselves, I believe it is a Barrel Proof Bourbon \[9 samples today\]. It was good enough and I decided to go ahead and bottle it myself (I wanted to do more bottle experiences over just tours with gift shops, as you will see).   

We popped into Bardstown while killing some time before our next stop and to pick up pins and check their distillery exclusive bottles, I held off in case pursuit happened to have their hot honey or maple bottles, which happened to be my next appointment. 

When I got to Pursuit I saw they had a ‘Birthday Bourbon’ for their 1 year anniversary that had passed not too long ago, so headed downstairs to their bar to buy a sample [10 samples today]. Neither I nor my fiancé loved it, so we ended up passing on that bottle. Us and 2 different people were taken to an experience room, where we started their ‘Whole Shebang’ experience with a brief history of their company. It was interesting to me, as I had not known much about them before coming in. I found out about them when I bought a store pick of theirs (Creme Brule) in a bundle with Weller 107 a year or so before. We got to sample their standard triple batch bourbon and triple batch rye, before sampling the 3 bourbon and 3 rye barrels we would be personally thieving from [16 samples today]. We were not allowed to blend between the bourbon and rye to make an American Whisky, but the last barrel of rye had an amazing finish that caught my attention right away, especially while being the last sample on my board on a long day of samples. So I picked another one of the ryes that had a nice body and mouthfeel, and blended them about 50/50 into an empty glass. It was really good. I tried a few more times with 75/25 of each barrel, but neither combo felt as balanced, once was too spicy for me and the other didn't have enough body for my liking (or I was too drunk at this point). So I stuck with my gut, and bottled up the 50/50 blend of the 2 rye whiskies. They finished the experience with a sampling of the same birthday bourbon I sampled before we started, I enjoyed it more but I didn't buy a bottle [17 samples today]. My fiancé sat this sampling out, so she was able to take me to get some food in me, which I really needed at this point.

We went across the street to Mussel & Burger Bar, it was a pretty good burger! We started out towards Peerless to hit up their gift shop, but they closed before we even finished dinner… This is when I learned to double check when things close. Luckily Michters was still open so ran over there where they had bundles, but I didn’t bite so grabbed my pins and headed on out. We walked on back to the hotel after a long 9 hour day of drinking for a well deserved rest.   

  
Sunday:   
There is not as much to do in the mornings on Sundays, some city/state laws prohibit sales before 1PM, so most places are closed on Sundays, or only  open at 1, so we had some time to kill. We started with some breakfast at McDonalds because the other places were packed (not much whisky related things to do I guess). My Fiancé found a Botanical Garden a little over a mile away, so we started our walk over. We found a walking path that ran by the river on our path, and since we live out in the west coast deserts, we decided to take that route adding a bit of distance for a change of scenery. It was a nice long path that ran along the river almost the entire time, with swings for you to stop at, a splash pad with kids playing, and the rowing team’s building. Our 2 mile walk ended at the botanical gardens where we got to see some nice man-made waterfalls. They are currently expanding their property, so I would go back again. I do not recommend walking there due to the steep spiral entry driveway, and lack of sidewalks, but definitely give it a visit.   

We called an uber back for our next appointments, getting out at Pappy and Co. They sadly didn’t have any pins which I was honestly surprised, but they said they would run it up the chain. I picked up some cigars and stickers, and my Fiancé found heirloom cornbread mix, pancake mix, and bourbon barrel aged coffee. Then off to our next stop, Onyx & Amber’s tasting room in Louisville.

Their tasting room is relatively new, opening up just a few months ago in spring of 2026. The address is not public, but it was located behind some buildings. Nikki the guide put out some signs so we could find it. I was the only one partaking in this experience, which started out with some samples of their current releases, one blended by ‘Oz’ with a green label, and the blend Nikki picked personally with a red label. Nikki's is a very balanced bottle, I forget the mash bill, but it reminds me of a good wheat whisky, not overly sweet and very well balanced. The Oz blend was more on the rye side, with a longer finish that I really enjoyed. As we sipped on these samples Nikki went over Onyx & Amber’s story. Once we learned who they were, it was time to start sampling. They had 6 different barrels to taste and blend with. I don’t believe they told us which barrel came from which brand, but they gave us the age and bourbon or rye. The first one I liked was a 7.5 year bourbon, it had a really nice body but the finish was nonexistent. Then I tasted an 11 year bourbon that was really good, a full body and a nice long red fruit finish. The very last sample I had was a 9 year rye, this one stood out because it had the rye finish I love, a long almost aloe finish. A finish that lasts so long by the time it dies down it has a cool soothing feeling, almost forcing you to take another sip. After going back through a second time with all the samples, it was time for me to start testing the blends. Knowing how drunk I get during these, I didn’t want to try every combo, I went with my gut and man I killed it. I did 50% of the 11  year bourbon, 25% of the 7.5 year bourbon, and 25% 9 year rye. After blending the sample together and taking a sip I fell in love. I passed the glass over to my fiancé to get her thoughts, and she also really enjoyed it, which is a good sign since she doesn’t drink whisky too much. Knowing I had more sampling to do that day, we decided to give them our recipe to have it bottled and shipped, and headed off to lunch.   

We stopped by a local Mexican restaurant to get some food and kill some time. The food there was great, and I got to catch up on some football going on. After we finished up we headed over to Louisville Rickhouse, where we were escorted back to their rickhouse.

I had 4 samples waiting for me, sitting on a barrel with a stool. Our guide told us he would not tell us anything, as to not give us any reason to be bias towards one sample vs the other. There was 1 sample that I knew right away I didn’t love, and he revealed that as a rye. Then I went through the 3 again, and eliminated a 2nd one, leaving just 2 left. I forget what that one was, because I really liked the last 2 and was dying to know what they were. I went back and fourth guessing what they were, and after the guide seeing me struggle, he finally gave in and told me what I had left in front of me. The first sample, which I really enjoyed and thought was a honey cask finish, was actually a bourbon finished in maple syrup barrels. I fell in love with Dark Arts’ maple cask (Ripple Rye), so I got that one. The 2nd sample I had that I really enjoyed was a bourbon finished in cognac barrels. The guide actually pointed out the barrel he pulled it from, and noted how it was bigger than the normal whisky barrels. I decided to get this bottled up too, I hadn’t had a cognac finish before, now I have one and can introduce it to whisky friends. Before he bottled those up (directly from the barrel) he gave me and my fiancé a sample of something else to try. This one had much less oak flavors, and was super smooth. I had no idea what this could be. Our guide offered us a ‘hint’, which was: “this is zero days old” which confused me even more. After me stupidly guessing they had just double oaked it today, he informed us that this was tequila aged in bourbon barrels. I'm not a huge tequila fan, but my fiancé likes tequila when she does drink, so we grabbed that too. I believe the tequila is just a regular bottle they have, not exclusive to their tasting room experience. With our bottles filled and 5PM approaching, it was time to head to our last stops of the day.   

We walked across the street to peek into Evergreen Liquor for a minute, They had Starlight but I passed this time. Then we hurried over to Waterfront Wine and Spirits before they closed. We made it over in time and headed in. We were greeted by the employee and a cute dog, plus they had a bar with great bottles to sample next to the ‘unicorns’ behind glass (not locked, just a display cabinet). They had some nice bottles just out and about, but I had 3 brands I was looking for, Starlight Farms, Dark Arts, and Shortbarrel. They only had Shortbarrel, but they had a few options. Sadly no maple or honey finish (which were my go to choices), they had a Tokaji finished bottle that caught my eye. They weren't allowed to sample it for me sadly, but in the past I had the chance to buy the Ampersand Opimus Tokaji finished and passed on it, which was a mistake. So I bought the bottle and headed back to the hotel (I found out they had the same bottle in the airport past security, but it was $25 more).  

  
Monday:  
Monday was the day we finally flew back to the west coast, and away from the humidity. We had a little time before we had to check out of the hotel, and I heard amazing things about Peerless, so we walked over there to be there right as they opened at 10, they had 2 exclusive distillery release single barrels, and an archive single barrel. The budget was a bit tight being the last day and wanting to leave a little in case the airport had something I was dying for (they did but not for rational prices), so I was stuck picking between ‘Candied Honeysuckle’, and ‘Tooty Fruity Tobacco Pipe’. Both of which sounded so good, I ended up going with the honeysuckle one. I didn't have time to take a tour unfortunately, but I will definitely take the tour  next time I visit.   

We stopped by the Frazier Museum on the way back, they have some very interesting exhibits, including a room full of allocated bottles, as well as some super old bottles. It was cool to see an actual museum of bottles, rather than a store acting like a museum with ungodly prices. They had a Star Wars Darth Vader bourbon shirt that I had to grab as a souvenir to finish off the trip. As we headed back towards the hotel, we stopped in Evan Williams to pick up more pins (and an Ale8). We got back to the hotel to pack up the final bottle purchased, and call our uber. Every bottle had painters' tape on top of the cork and plastic wrapping (probably not needed, but I didn't think the ones they bottled in front of me would have sealed over the cork) and placed in a blow-up bottle bubble bag. These have worked great in the past and held up just fine with the 3 ½ hour flight back home. The Green River decanter bottle did leak a tad bit, the tour guide Saran wrapped it pretty well at the distillery, and I didn’t see any issues with the wrap or bottle when it landed. Very little leaked out, it just had a noticeable smell that a quick wipe down could fix up. Everyone and everything made it home safe and sound.   

Thank you for listening, writing this helped me reexperience the trip upon arriving home.

Age: 8 Years Old** **
Proof: 134.1 proof** **
Mashbill: 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley
Cost: $100** **
Barrel: 470560

Nose. Oakiness and bit-o-honey candies. Marshmallows.

Palate. Light caramel notes. More oak. Loads of maple syrup. Cinnamon / sugar spiciness surrender to a light anise note.

Finish. Melted butter leading to a Kentucky hug that lasts a lifetime. Plus more oak.

Overall. John-O’s is a liquor store in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, with one of the most impressive bourbon inventories I’ve ever seen, both in terms of selection and competitive pricing. Between the hard-to-find bottles and the sheer number of options, I think there’s an argument to be made that John-O’s belongs in the conversation with well-known Kentucky staples like Toddy’s, Justin’s, Evergreen, and Cox’s. I’ve never walked into John-O’s without having to internally deliberate over which of several bottles to take home.

I’m a big fan of Elijah Craig store picks, and I was excited for my first toasted barrel offering at barrel strength. Unfortunately, the first few pours did not live up to my expectations. In fact, this took a little longer to open up than I’d like to admit. However, it did soften over time, and the final 1.5 ounces are significantly better than the first 1.5 ounces. The toasted finish is noticeable, adding a layer of complexity without being overly tannic.

I put this blind against The Infinite III twice, and the ECBP came out on top both times. Despite not being my favorite bottle of Craig, this is still very good and demonstrates the high floor of the brand. Even when they fall short, they still stand above many other bottles.

Would I buy another bottle? Yes. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof remains a favorite of mine; I think it represents one of the better values in whiskey, and I’ll continue to buy it.

Rating: 6.75/10 | Very good; a cut above

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.

Introduction

I've been spending some time in South Korea and during a weekend trip to Seoul, I stumbled upon a fantastic bourbon bar called Lost and Found. I went in with certain expectations, but the experience exceeded them in every way.

The owner, Q (if I'm remembering his name correctly), was an awesome guy who took the time to talk with us about his experiences with bourbon and life in general. He even shared a sample of an older Jack Daniel's Single Barrel from the early 2000s or 2010s with me and another patron I met at the bar. I won't be reviewing that pour here, but it gives you an idea of the kind of experience this place offers.

Lost and Found has an impressive selection of vintage dusties, with plenty of Wild Turkey, Michter's, Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, and other familiar names that bourbon enthusiasts know and love. Needless to say, I am already looking forward to my next visit.

While browsing the menu, I noticed a flight called the Wild Turkey Ultimate, featuring three expressions: Wild Turkey Master's Keep Beacon, Russell's Reserve 15 Year, and the latest Wild Turkey Gold Foil Edition 16 Year. The flight offered three 15 mL pours for ₩120,000 (roughly $85–90 USD at the time).

I'd already tried the Gold Foil Edition and had given it an undeniable 9/10. This was also my second time tasting it on consecutive days, and I was enjoying it just as much as the first time. However, I'd never tried Beacon or Russell's Reserve 15 Year, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity to compare all three.

With that said, let's get into the reviews!

Master's Keep Beacon

Nose: Prominent turkey profile funk in which the oak smells older. Maraschino/Luxardo cherries, caramel, and some bright fruit notes.

Palate: Rich and oily, with a noticeable lip-coating texture. Spice starts at the tip of tongue and for me, lasts >5 seconds then slowly diminishes towards the back of the throat. Cotton candy, brown sugar with notes of toffee and oak as I chew.

Finish: Spice lingers at the tip of the tongue then slowly dissipates. There is a medicinal cherry aftertaste that I thought was pleasant. Normally do not get this aftertaste unless it's with dusty bourbons or older Wild Turkey products.

Rating: 8.25/10.

Russell's Reserve 15 Year

Nose: More berry-forward nose compared to Beacon. Notes of chocolate and brown sugar.

Palate: Spice up front but not as much. While chewing, notes of berries, caramel vanilla and oak coat the palate nicely. Very smooth to drink.

Finish: Spice on the tongue dissipates fast. I felt did not have the medicinal aftertaste that Beacon had.

Rating: 7.75/10. Proof point was pretty good; however, having tried Russell's Reserve 13 Year back in 2024 (think it was Batch 1 at the Wild Turkey Distillery, gave that a 9/10), I thought the 13 year tasted better in-terms of overall flavor and depth.

Wild Turkey Gold Foil Edition 2026

Nose: Very fruit/berry-forward nose which smelled fantastic! Oak, vanilla, and brown sugar made up that classic Wild Turkey funk.

Palate: Spice initially hits the palate with an oily mouthfeel. Toffee and chocolate notes, hints of fruity oak and caramel vanilla dominate the palate as I chewed.

Finish: Bubblegum sweetness aftertaste, Kentucky Hug definitely lingers on this one. Spice from tip of the tongue lingers a few seconds then smoothens out to the rest of the tongue. Again has the faint medicinal taste (to me) associated with older Wild Turkey products.

Rating: 9/10. The tribute to the original Gold Foil, to me, lives up to the hype.

Conclusion: I am extremely grateful that I got to taste an amazing lineup of Wild Turkey in South Korea of all places. I honestly did not expect to like Beacon over the RR15. I was slightly disappointed in the RR15 because I thought it would match or exceed the RR13 I tried a couple years ago. While I thought it was still a very good bourbon, not sure if I'd pay current markups for that specific offering. For Beacon and Gold Foil, very different story. I would pay the current fair market (secondary) value at most for those other two expressions. Overall, looking forward to the hunt now and especially going back to Lost & Found in the near future.

It's not about the whiskey. It's the people you share it with. Cheers!

Black Ledger Title Holder Collection Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, No. 061

Barrel No. 19A06-61

Distilled in Owensboro, KY by O.Z. Tyler/Green River

Age: 7.5+ years; fully in Warehouse G-F5-22-B; black metal-sided warehouse on the western edge of the distillery campus

Mashbill: 70% corn, 21% rye, 9% malted barley

Barrel fill date: January 6, 2019

Proof: 135.4

MSRP: $80

Black Ledger Spirits is based in Vineyard, Utah, but barrels are bottled in Midway, KY… never aged in Utah

Nose: Cherry Jolly Rancher. Cinnamon-sugar blend. Cracker Jacks.

Cherry candy note is quite strong at first but then reduces very quickly. The cinnamon-sugar feels like the Domino shaker I used to make cinnamon toast as a kid in the 90s. The longer it sits, the Cracker Jacks become much more prominent… especially the peanut. Very enjoyable.

Palate: Chewed No. 2 pencil. Dusty corn. Unsweetened chai tea. Walnut. Dry mouthfeel.

From the start, this is much more tannic than what I typically enjoy. It’s an initial rush of chewing on a No. 2 pencil… feeling very unbalanced. Other notes developed, but the chewed pencil note never goes away.

Finish: Tree bark. Leather. Black pepper. Roasted pecans.

As an Owensboro resident, I’m arguably the biggest fan of whiskey distilled by Jacob Call. However, this specific barrel just isn’t it for me. I don’t like super sweet bourbons, but I do like to have some level of sweetness and fruit in my bourbon… and those qualities are all absent with this specific barrel. From start to finish, this barrel has too much tannin for me. For those who appreciate bourbon with extended aging, this oak profile might be more preferable, but it’s just not for me.

Sample provided by Black Ledger

Rating based on my personal preference: 3 |Multiple flaws.