13th Annual BourbonGuy.com Brackets: The “inflation is Weird” edition.

You know what time it is! The NCAA basketball and hockey tournaments are getting started here soon, which means everyone is in bracket mode. It really is a wonderful time of year. Up here in the northernmost state in the contiguous U.S., the snow is still trying to fall—we got over a foot at my house this weekend. Though, thankfully, the end is in sight. Gardeners have started their seeds, there are days when the windows can be opened, and, of course, there are brackets to be filled out—and busted.

No, not those silly basketball or hockey brackets. We’re talking bourbon brackets. And let me tell you, this really is my favorite time of year. In fact, I enjoy it so much that next year, when I may decide to hang up the ol’ keyboard, I already know what my last series of posts will be: brackets. But don’t worry—that’ll be 2027 at the earliest, since I want to make it to 15 years of publishing before I make a decision.

I’m calling this round the “The Inflation Is Weird” edition. Mostly because I had to raise the price requirements yet again. As I mentioned last year, it was getting really hard to find enough entrants that haven’t been here over and over for under $25. Well, this year, I decided to take actual inflation numbers into account.

As an aside, inflation is super weird to me. Based on things that I don’t even want to try to understand, things just cost more than they used to. And if it’s a little bit, that’s somehow a good thing, but if it’s a lot (or, oddly, if it goes down), then that’s really bad. And it doesn’t hit everything the same, which my pattern-seeking mind finds overwhelming. And then the president always gets blamed for it, which is also weird since the last president to try directly setting price controls was Nixon. And while it had a bit of short-term success, Smart People™ seem to agree that it was a seriously bad idea. Probably why no one has tried it since. It’s just all-around weird, and I am glad that (under normal circumstances) people much smarter than I am are in charge of handling it.

So, like I said before I got sidetracked, I started this site in 2012. So I went to my favorite inflation calculator—the Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI Inflation Calculator—to look at what the original bracket upper limit of $20 would be in 2026 money. I was a bit shocked to find out that it was almost $29. So I rounded up and made the upper limit $30 just to keep things nice and easy.

One thing I noticed while doing the research is that while it feels like the bourbon market has gotten more expensive, and in many ways it has, the reality is a bit more nuanced. I went back through every whiskey featured in this series over the last 13 years, and most of the true bottom-shelf brands have disappeared from shelves, at least near me. And the ones that remain haven’t increased in price as quickly as inflation. In terms of purchasing power, many have effectively gotten cheaper. That’s how bottles like Maker’s 46, Four Roses Small Batch, and Woodford Reserve ended up in this year’s competition when they were far out of range for those original Bottom-Shelf Brackets. Of course with newer, higher-priced labels hitting the shelves, the category as a whole feels more expensive when you’re standing in the bourbon aisle, even though individual bourbons are effectively cheaper now. Like I said— inflation is weird.

Let’s get into the actual contest, though.

The Selection Rules

This year’s selection process was simple:

• It had to be bourbon.

• The bottle size had to be at least 750 mL.

• It had to cost under $30.

That’s it!

For seeding, I usually start by sorting by proof first, followed by stated age (if applicable), and then use price as the final tiebreaker. But this year, every entrant had a different proof, so we just went down the line, with the highest proof being the number one seed and the lowest proof being the lowest seed. The idea being that, often with inexpensive bourbons, proof will beat age in a head-to-head competition—or so it has played out over the previous 12 editions. To avoid stacking the deck against the second division, I alternated which division received the higher seed. So Division 1 got the overall number one, but Division 2 got the higher-proof of the number two seeds. Here’s what that got us:

Division 1

• Seed 1: Early Times Bottled-in-Bond

  • The only 100 proof bottle in this competition. It is also the least expensive per 50 mL pour. The brand is currently owned by Sazerac, though the distillery of distillation on the label is still the old Brown-Forman DSP-KY-354. Barton 1792 (DSP-KY-12) is also listed as a production site, likely for bottling.

  • Purchased at Viking Liquor Barrel (Prior Lake, MN) for $23.99 for a one-liter bottle.

  • Nonsense name: Velvet Turnip

• Seed 2: 1792

  • Flagship product of Sazerac’s Barton 1792 distillery in Bardstown, KY, bottled at 93.7 proof.

  • Purchased at Total Wine (Burnsville, MN) for $25.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

  • Nonsense name: Marble Iguana

• Seed 3: Yellowstone Select

  • The base entry for the historic Yellowstone bourbon brand, bottled at 93 proof.

  • Purchased at Total Wine (Burnsville, MN) for $29.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

  • Nonsense name: Feral Teacup

• Seed 4: Redemption Bourbon

  • Sourced MGP bourbon bottled at 88 proof and age-stated at 2 years old. This was the lowest proof and, as such, the lowest seed in the contest.

  • Purchased at Total Wine (Burnsville, MN) for $21.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

  • Nonsense name: Gilded Thunder

Division 2

• Seed 1: Benchmark Single Barrel

  • A product of the Buffalo Trace Distillery, bottled at 95 proof.

  • Purchased at Viking Liquor Barrel (Prior Lake, MN) for $23.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

  • Nonsense name: Wobbly Parachute

• Seed 2: Maker’s Mark 46

  • The only wheated bourbon, bottled at 94 proof.

  • Purchased at Viking Liquor Barrel (Prior Lake, MN) for $29.97 for a 750 mL bottle.

  • Nonsense name: Crooked Meteor

• Seed 3: Woodford Reserve

  • A product of Brown-Forman, bottled at 90.4 proof.

  • Purchased at Total Wine (Burnsville, MN) for $29.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

  • Nonsense name: Jittery Compass

• Seed 4: Four Roses Small Batch

  • One of four core products in the Four Roses lineup. It was long my favorite of the bunch before its lower proof made their single barrel offering my go-to from them. It is bottled at 90 proof.

  • Purchased at Total Wine (Burnsville, MN) for $26.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

  • Nonsense name: Drowsy Lantern

Keeping It Blind: The Setup

Of course, that list doesn’t eliminate inherent bias, does it? So, as usual, we took a few extra steps to keep the tasting blind—while still keeping track of what advanced.

Here’s how we set it up (it’s an oh-so-simple process):

1. I seeded the whiskey in the bracket as listed above.

2. I poured 200 mL bottles of each bourbon and labeled them with their nonsense names.

3. I made a separate bracket using only the nonsense names and handed it, along with the bottles, to my wife.

From there, she takes over.

• She doesn’t know what’s in each bottle (thanks to the nonsense names).

• She pours and keeps track of the winners.

• All I have to do is taste, write, and pick my favorite. It’s a pretty slick system.

The empty bracket is below, and as usual, there were plenty of surprises along the way. But that’s for the future. In the meantime, who you got? Let us know down in the comments!

Fun fact, using that same BLS Inflation Calculator, I checked on the state of the Federal Excise Tax on distilled spirits. If you want to make a bourbon producer mad, mention that if the excise tax, which was last adjusted in 1991 to $13.50 per proof gallon, had kept up with inflation, it would currently be at $32.78. In fact the opposite happened and we are currently in a tiered system where the first so many proof gallons are severely discounted. This was what funded much of the Federal Government prior to the income tax so it is fun to look at. Though I am seriously not advocating for higher bourbon prices…

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Columbia Creek Tennessee Whiskey

I’d like to thank Columbia Creek and their PR partners for providing this sample with no strings attached.

The sun is coming out here in Minnesota. The snow is melted, or at least it was. We are in that time of year where you don't know if you need to shovel the driveway or if you can sit on the deck in shorts. And no, I don't mean you folks from more southern climates. In Minnesota, it isn't unusual for folks to be in shorts as soon as the temp hits the 50s in the spring. And by "folks" I mean me. Of course, I tend to wear shorts all year long. I'm not going to let a little thing like the outside weather keep me from being comfortable in my house. That's what blankets are for. I'm stubborn like that.

Which leads me nicely to tonight's whiskey. Columbia Creek Tennessee Whiskey is a sourced whiskey out of Columbia, Tennessee, which the press release says is "where mules outnumber stoplights and pride runs as deep as the creeks." They also use the mule as a mascot on the bottle. The company that has released this particular Tennessee Whiskey is SNL Alcohol Beverage Group who, according to their website (SNLCapitol.com), specializes in buying ingredients, making new make whiskey, aging it, and then selling it to other producers at a profit. Not a bad idea as long as you can keep finding buyers. Here is what the press release has to say about the whiskey:

“Inspired by the legendary mule — Columbia’s enduring symbol of strength and persistence — Columbia Creek moves to its own tempo. Made with a classic Tennessee mash bill of 80% corn, 10% rye, and 10% malted barley, then distilled in a traditional column‑and‑doubler system, every drop balances purity with bold, full-bodied flavor.

Before barreling, the whiskey undergoes the slow, time-honored Lincoln County charcoal mellowing process, giving it a smooth, refined edge that separates Tennessee whiskey from bourbon pretenders. The spirit then rests — not rushed, not disturbed — in heavy-charred new American oak, soaking up six long Tennessee years of heat, cold, and honest change.”

Let’s see how they did, shall we?

Columbia Creek Tennessee Whiskey

Purchase Info: This bottle was provided by the producer at no cost for review purposes. It is available on the ColumbiaCreekWhiskey.com website for $49.95 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $3.33

Details: 47.8% ABV. 6 years old. Mash bill: 80% corn, 10% rye, 10% malted barley.

Nose: Delicate on the nose with notes of dried grains, apple, caramel, baking spice, and oak.

Mouth: Spicy with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, bubblegum, vanilla, fruit, oak, and a mineral note.

Finish: Medium in both length and warmth. Lingering notes of minerals, bubblegum, and cinnamon.

Thoughts: I wasn't expecting that kind of spice on the palate after such a delicate nose. Quite tasty, though. Good flavor on the mouth and finish. I can honestly say that I would have walked past this on the shelf, being a sourced Tennessee whiskey, but I like it. I will happily finish the bottle. If you see it and have an extra $50 in your pocket, it is worth trying.

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My Wandering Eye: Tamworth Garden V.S.O.P. Apple Brandy, 7-year-old

I’d like to thank Tamworth Distilling and their PR team for providing this sample with no strings attached.

It has been quite a while since we last did a My Wandering Eye post so I thought that I might start with a reminder of what we are doing in this series. My Wandering Eye is an ongoing series reacting to the continually rising prices in the bourbon world. We’ve reached a place where even average products have hit the range where they compete price-wise with other types of aged spirits. If I’m going to be asked to drop $40 to $75 on a mid-range bourbon, I might as well see what else I can get for that money. I hope to see if another spirits category offers something downright tasty in that price range. The goal isn’t to find cheap spirits but to maximize the quality I’m getting at a particular price point. The reviews in this series will all be written through a bourbon drinker’s lens.

I used to make hard cider every year. I've been traveling during apple season for the past few years, but it really is a fun project to do at home with friends or family. I got really into it too. I'd travel to rural Wisconsin and pick up apples straight from the orchards (the more rural you get, the less expensive the apples get). I had my own blend of apples that I liked to use. I'd calculated over the years which apples yielded the most juice per bushel, how each affected the flavor I wanted, all of that. Like I said, I was into it.

Because of my interest in both distilling and cider making, it wasn't surprising when I discovered that I really enjoyed apple brandy. It's just hard cider all grown up. And so when the PR folks for Tamworth Distilling reached out to see if I was interested in taking a look at their apple brandy, my answer was something along the lines of "yes please!" And when the bottle showed up, I was ecstatic to see that the variety of apple used to create it was one of the cornerstones of my own cider experiments: the Cortland apple. This was one of my family favorites growing up. I'd travel with my grandparents to the orchard (coincidentally in the same area I went to as an adult) and we'd pick apples. I don't remember all of the varieties, but I remember Grandma getting McIntosh and Cortland for sure. Cortland would last in the cellar for a decent amount of time, so we'd get to have one every now and then when going down for something else.

So that made me just a little predisposed to be happy to taste the product. Of course, the other thing is who made it. I'll quote the PR email for this bit:

Tamworth Distilling founder, booze baron Steven Grasse (AKA the father of craft gin), is known for creating brands including Hendrick’s Gin, Sailor Jerry Rum, Narragansett and more – but he is also a historian and author whose passion for American history underscores the craft-forward approach of his distillery and his spirited books, including Colonial Spirits: A Toast to Our Drunken History.

So now that we know the pedigree and why I was excited to give this a taste, let's get on with the tasting, shall we?

Tamworth Garden V.S.O.P. Apple Brandy, 7-year-old

Purchase Info: This item was sent at no charge for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $75 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $5.00

Details: 50% ABV. 7 years old.

Nose: Cinnamon, oak, apple, brown sugar, and vanilla.

Mouth: Juicy apple, almond, cinnamon, and vanilla.

Finish: Warm and of medium length. Lingering notes of juicy apple and vanilla.

Thoughts: Yum, yum, yum. Yumyum. Yum, yum, yum.

As you can see, I really like this. Unlike many apple brandies I've had, this tastes less of dried fruit and more like a juicy apple — which, I'll be honest, I really enjoy. There is a whiskey-like amount of heat and spice. This is a warm one, but not overly so. Fruity, baking spice, vanilla. It's delicious! It also makes a wonderfully apple-forward Sidecar with Grand Marnier and lemon juice. Big fan. So big, in fact, that before I even finished the tasting, I was on the company website ordering the XO 10-year-old version and a few other goodies that may or may not make it into future posts. I adore this brandy.

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If you want to support our work at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.

Yellowstone Recollection Bourbon

I’d like to thank Yellowstone Bourbon and their PR partners for providing this sample with no strings attached.

Yellowstone bourbon is one of those brands that is near and dear to my heart. First off, Stephen Beam is a great guy. I’ve had the opportunity to hang out with him and a few other distillers for an “off-the-record” talk and enjoyed every minute of it (though with the amount of alcohol we had that night, I’m not quite sure I remember any of it…). I love the family connection that Stephen Beam has with the brand through multiple family lines. I love that he, along with his partners at Luxco, brought the brand back from where it had been languishing on the bottom shelf for many years. I love that they love the history of the brand and maintain a connection to the national park that originally inspired the name by supporting various organizations that protect the park and its ecosystem.

And when I was offered a sample of what used to be a Limestone Branch Distillery-exclusive bottle, I jumped at the chance. Especially when I knew that I wouldn’t be getting to Lebanon, Kentucky any time soon. So what is this newly more broadly available product, and why should you care about it?

Well first off, just look at it. I don’t usually spend a lot of time talking about the bottle a bourbon comes in, but as both a history nerd and a guy with a degree in graphic design, I really like this one. The bottle was inspired by the bar-back bottles the brand would have used in the late 1800s. And with the painted and embossed front, it succeeds in evoking exactly that. But if you’re more interested in what’s inside the bottle, you’ll have reason for excitement there as well. Eight years old and 110 proof? Yes, please. And at a suggested retail price of just under $70, it comes in at a fairly reasonable price. Before we see how it tastes, let’s let the producer speak for themselves:

Non-chill filtered and bottled at 110 proof, Yellowstone Recollection Bourbon is crafted by seventh-generation Master Distiller Stephen Beam and aged eight years to deliver a bold yet balanced liquid. Drawing from the brand’s earliest visual identity, the bourbon is presented in an ornate decanter that pays homage to Yellowstone’s once hand-painted bottles. Featuring the iconic Yellowstone Lower Falls and classic embossing, the design reflects the brand’s roots as the “Greatest American Whiskey” named for the national park, while celebrating the dedication to craftsmanship that has sustained the distillery for centuries.

“When I brought Yellowstone to Limestone Branch in 2015, it wasn’t just about reviving a name, it was about honoring the people who gave this bourbon its meaning, ” said Stephen Beam, Master Distiller at Limestone Branch Distillery. “Our bottles have always drawn inspiration from the spirit and natural beauty of Yellowstone National Park, and when you hold this bottle, I hope it captures the sense of history, craftsmanship, and awe that makes both the park and this bourbon so special. ”

Ok, now for the fun part. Let’s dig in.

Yellowstone Recollection Bourbon

Purchase Info: This sample was provided by the producer at no cost for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $69.99 for a 700 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $5.00

Details: 8 years old. 55% ABV.

Nose: Leather, oak, vanilla, allspice, mint, and caramel.

Mouth: Spicy and hot. Notes of cinnamon red hots, cocoa, mint, caramel, vanilla, leather, and oak.

Finish: Long and warm with notes of oak, mint, chocolate, and cinnamon.

Thoughts: This one is really delicious. It really showcases the age, with lots of oak derived notes throughout. Leather, cocoa, and oak. There is a nice warm spiciness in the mouth and finish. Water tames the heat some, but still leaves it vibrant. What’s inside the bottle really is just as fun as the outside. I like it a lot.

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If you want to support our work at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.

Stoll & Wolfe Pure Rye Single Barrel Cask Strength

I’d like to thank Stoll & Wolfe and their PR partners for providing this sample bottle with no strings attached.

Hello my friends. Tonight we have a real treat for you. Stoll & Wolfe Pure Rye Single Barrel Cask Strength is described by the distillery as an interpretation on the historic Monongahela-style of Rye Whiskey that was once much more common than it is today. It was a rye whiskey developed along the Monongahela River, which flows through West Virginia and Western Pennsylvania before joining the Allegheny at Pittsburgh to form the Ohio River.

Now, being in Lititz, PA, Stoll & Wolfe aren’t necessarily very close to that Monongahela River Valley (being about as close to it as I am to the U.P. of Michigan from here in the Twin Cities of Minnesota), but that doesn’t mean they can’t have a lot of state pride in their regional whiskey style. I know I would.

But, to me as a history nut, the most intriguing thing about this whiskey is the guy who helped start the company—and has his name on the bottle. Dick Stoll was the last distiller at a (now) pretty famous Pennsylvania distillery. It went by many names over the years, but the two that are most well known these days are Bomberger’s Distillery and Michter’s Distillery (this was back before the current owners of the Michter’s name acquired the lapsed trademark and started making their own pretty darn tasty whiskeys under the name). Here is the brief synopsis quoted from the Stoll & Wolfe website:

Dick Stoll’s roots stretch back to his tenure at the historic Pennsylvania Michter’s Distillery. There, under the mentorship of Master distiller C. Everett Beam, Stoll honed his skills and mastered the particular style of Pennsylvania whiskey distillation.

Despite Pennsylvania Michter’s closure in the 1980s, Stoll’s passion for both whiskey and the region has endured. As a capstone to his career, he partnered with Avianna and Erik Wolfe to revive the historic legacy right here in Lititz, Pennsylvania.

I’ve been reading a lot about Mr. Stoll over the course of the last couple of days in preparation for this review. I’d do a hell of a lot worse than these legendary Whiskey writers so I’m just going to point you to them instead. Here is Lew Bryson’s remembrance of Dick Stoll upon the occasion of his death in 2020. And of course, the book that brought my attention to the history of the Pennsylvania Michter’s Distillery and those that worked there Chuck Cowdery’s The Best Bourbon You’ll Never Taste (I also reviewed said book shortly after it was released, in case you wonder what I thought of it back in 2012).

Now, before you go read all those links, let’s get into the reason we are all here. The actual whiskey. Stoll & Wolfe Pure Rye Single Barrel Cask Strength was made from a mash bill of 80% Rosen Rye and 20% malted rye. This rye strain was almost lost to history until local farmers worked with the distillery to recover it. The rye is made using a sweet mash process that doesn’t use any “setback” from previous runs to help maintain pH levels. It’s a trickier process, as without the proper pH levels the mash could get infected by undesirable non-yeast organisms. It’s a much older mashing process, but it was the one most often used in Monongahela-style rye. The whiskey is bottled at 107 proof and is available from the distillery website for $78.15 per 750 mL bottle. Now let’s see how it tastes.

Stoll & Wolfe Pure Rye Single Barrel Cask Strength

Purchase Info: This sample was provided to me at no cost for review purposes. This item is available for nationwide shipping on the distillery website for $78.15 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $5.21

Details: Barrel 1225. Aged 34 months. 53.5% ABV. Mashbill: 80% Rosen Rye, 20% malted Rye.

Nose: Butterscotch, cedar, almond, and a faint note of wintergreen.

Mouth: Spicy & hot in the mouth with notes of allspice, cedar, wintergreen, peppermint, and almond.

Finish: Medium in warmth and length. Notes of butterscotch, cherry, mint, and baking spice.

Thoughts: I'm really digging this one. The nose is super sweet, sweeter than most ryes. The mouth and finish bring more traditional rye notes to the party. Mouth is spicy and hot but the mint on the finish is almost cooling. It' is less than three years old, too young to be called whiskey in many countries, but is still a fully mature product. Young? Yes. Brash? At times. Delicious? Absolutely. I like this one a lot.

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If you want to support our work at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.

New Riff Distilling 8 Year Old Rye Whiskey

Hey folks, I was about to write a really sad intro to this review, but felt that it wasn’t fair to New Riff to make what should be a really nice review of a product I really like into a sad piece. I’ve put that intro into its own post. But the cliff’s notes are that we are currently mourning the passing of our pup Whiskey who was euthanized yesterday.

But like I said, this is a review of a very tasty rye whiskey. Yeah, not going to hide it this time around. We’re just going to jump right into how much I like it. But before we do, let’s let the producer speak for just a moment to allow

From our founding in 2014, New Riff Distilling has carefully set back whiskey for long-term aging. This addition to our core lineup of products is the first older expression of our award-winning flagship rye whiskey. It is bottled without chill filtration at 100 proof.

Drawing on our own experience as well as the sour mash traditions of the Kentucky whiskey-making regimen, this rye whiskey is full of character and delivers rich, spicy flavors. The freshness evident here is exceptional, suggesting a barrel of New Riff Rye at eight years old has a long life of aging ahead of it.

Sounds good, right? And it is. So let’s dig in.

New Riff 8 year old Rye Whiskey

Purchase Info: $67.99 for a 750 mL bottle at the New Riff Distilling gift shop, Newport, KY.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.53

Details: 50% ABV. 8 years old. Mash bill: 95% rye, 5% malted rye

Nose: Cola, citrus zest, brown sugar, nutmeg, cedar, and oak.

Mouth: Cedar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cola, and oak.

Finish: Medium length and warm. Lingering notes of Cola, cedar, and nutmeg.

Thoughts: This has a great mouthfeel. It's thick and viscous. The cola notes were a nice surprise as the cola supports the other flavors and ties them together, giving the whiskey a nice balance. The oak is nice. The spice is warm, but not too warm. Overall, I'm really liking this one.

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If you want to support our work at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.

Remembering Whiskey (2012-2026). Rest in Peace.

Hello friends! I hope that everyone is doing well. I’m back, but with a heavy heart. Yesterday I had to euthanize one of my pups. And since I first wrote about her here: Finding and Bringing Home Whiskey, I thought I’d give an update just in case there are any of the old timers still kicking around.

Thirteen years ago, I walked into the Animal Humane Society in Golden Valley, Minnesota and walked out with a new best friend. Amaretto, as they were calling her was listed as a Husky mix. I remember that she had the sweetest, liquid eyes. I walked in, knowing that there were a few dogs that I was interested in. I looked at Amaretto, she seemed sweet, but I needed to look at a couple of others before I let myself fall in love. My wife was having a very different experience. Where I walked past after taking a quick look, my wife engaged. Amaretto was up near the gate with her, but when someone else would come to look at the kennel door, she’d go to the back of the kennel to hide. Once they were gone, she came back to the gate, reached through, and grabbed my wife’s arm. She knew then that the search was over. So she called me back and we went into an isolation room to really get to know this sweet girl with the liquid eyes.

There is no way to express just how hard we both fell for her. On the way home though, my wife realized that Amaretto is an unwieldy name. So she tried a few different names before stating, “if you’re going to be named for liquor, it might as well be one that we drink. What do you think about Whiskey?” At that moment, the dog formerly known as Amaretto jumped up and kissed her cheek. It seemed that she approved and she has been Whiskey ever since.

My girl was extremely ill-used in her first year of life before ending up at that shelter in Golden Valley. She was rescued by our shelter from a kill shelter in Hillsdale, Indiana because Animal Humane Society places dogs so fast that they can take up the slack from around the country (yet another win for Minnesota). Anyway, we know she was ill-used because our current vet, found BBs in her back flank muscles during the X-Ray that led to the cancer diagnosis in December. But even though this little girl had been literally shot before she got to us, she was the sweetest pup that I had ever seen. Broken? Yes, who wouldn’t be? So much so that she didn’t know how to play when we met her. When she saw other people or dogs at the park, she shied away from them all. But so full of love for her humans.

Working from home and then starting a dog sitting business were truly the best things I could have ever done for her. She blossomed having all of these other dogs come to visit her. She became more playful and more assertive. When a pup was breaking her rules, she’d bark at them. Something she never would have done before we started. She was my helper in a job that I love so much. Quiet most of the time, but always watching. And if she was needed? Well, let’s just say that she broke up more than one scuffle between guests.

So raise a glass in memory of Whiskey tonight and know that our family is a little dimmer now that the light has faded from those sweet, liquid eyes.

Rest in peace, Whiskey (2012-2026). We love you.

High West Cask Strength Bourbon

I’d like to thank High West and their team of PR Professionals for providing this sample with no strings attached.

Hello friends! It’s been quite the month here in the BourbonGuy household, but we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, so let’s dig right in on the latest thing that the Whiskey Fairy has brought me.

Tonight’s whiskey is a new release from High West Distillery. A blend of straight bourbon whiskeys bottled at cask strength, this release was cleverly named Cask Strength. It looks to have been officially released on January 12th. It is listed as “Bottled by High West Distillery,” but as usual with whiskey that High West has sourced, they are as transparent as can be about what is actually in the bottle. Here is the breakdown of the mash bills:

• 60% Corn, 40% Malted Barley, sourced from a Kentucky distillery

• 60% Corn, 40% Rye, sourced from a Kentucky distillery

• 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley, sourced from a Indiana distillery

• 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Malted Barley, sourced from a Kentucky distillery

• 84% Corn, 8% Rye, 8% Malted Barley, sourced from a Tennessee distillery

The product was bottled at 117 proof and will be available as a limited release nationwide at a suggested retail price of $69.99. Here is what Distilling Director Isaac Winter has to say about the release:

"This was a really fun blend to put together. Building on our high-rye blending philosophy, this Cask Strength expression uses our Bourye blending approach to precisely balance rye-driven spice with malted barley richness, resulting in layered complexity and a bold, lasting presence that keeps you coming back.”

Let’s dig in, shall we?

High West Cask Strength Bourbon

Purchase Info: This product was provided at no charge for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $69.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.67

Details: Batch 25K14. A blend of seven straight bourbons from Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee. 58.5% ABV. Non-age stated.

Nose: Cinnamon, clove, caramel, almond, and oak.

Mouth: Drying in the mouth. Black tea, cinnamon and clove, stone fruits, almond, and oak.

Finish: Long and very warm. Notes of oak, almond, chocolate, and cinnamon.

Thoughts: I’m not the biggest fan of this one neat. It’s drier than I’d prefer, very hot, and the alcohol notes are a bit too prominent for me. However, add just the tiniest splash of water or ice and it goes from hot and dry to velvety. It becomes sweeter as the caramel and stone fruit notes start to show. The baking spice notes become more generic, but the oak steps forward a bit. All in all, this is a pour that benefits from a little water—which is how I usually enjoy my bourbon anyway. It’s also delicious in both a sour-style cocktail (I did a Gold Rush) and a spirits-forward cocktail (I did a Boulevardier). I really like it.

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Before we finish, I want to apologize for ghosting everyone last week. Between both of my dogs being on hospice care, the assault on my adopted home state of Minnesota by the federal government (it’s been worse than what even the local news has reported), and a long-overdue discussion that led to a Festivus-style airing of grievances—one that nearly had me cutting ties with both of my parents over the holidays—I’m in the middle of quite the mental breakdown. Possibly my biggest in about 15 years.

I’m OK. I’m not a danger to myself or anything like that. But it was all a bit too much for me to try to be witty and creative for most of the month of January. I’m getting the help I need, but if you or someone you love is experiencing a mental health crisis, help is available.

U.S.: Call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — free, confidential support available 24/7. You can also visit 988lifeline.org for chat support and additional resources.

Outside the U.S.: Visit findahelpline.com to find local crisis hotlines by country.