MB Roland Kentucky Straight Malt Whiskey

Paul and Merry Beth of MB Roland are my friends. Because I might be biased, I have decided to disclose that bias so that you can decide how much to trust the review.

My whiskey origin story.

Being originally from Wisconsin, my first alcoholic love was beer. When I was about 30, I moved to Minnesota. At the time, Minnesota was suffering under an antiquated “Blue Law” prohibiting the sale of wine, beer, or spirits on Sundays. Liquor stores were closed. You could buy lower alcohol 3.2% beer in grocery stores, but you were basically limited to versions of Bud, Miller or Coors products as they were the only ones with the production capability to make that small of a batch profitably.

After discovering this, I tried my best to always do my beer shopping on Saturday. But It didn’t always work out since all my grocery shopping was typically done on Sundays. So, of course, one hot summer Sunday afternoon I went to the fridge to grab a beer and I discovered that I was out.

Inspired by the cocktail culture that was starting to blossom in the country at that particular moment in history, I decided to turn my attention to my long-neglected liquor cabinet. I had the thought I might make myself a highball, though I didn’t know it was called that at the time. Most of the spirits in that cabinet had been there forever. I think there was a bottle of rum, a vodka, and a few super sugary, and partially crystallized liqueurs. But, out of those meager beginnings, a love of cocktails was born. And learning about cocktails meant learning about spirits. And the best way to learn about spirits is to try them.

Starting with what was in the cabinet, and quickly expanding beyond, I experimented with cocktail making and recipe creation. One of the hobbies I developed was creating infused spirits to make my own liqueurs. I worked my way through a variety of clear spirits until, while on a road trip, I happened upon a newly opened craft distiller in southern Kentucky named MB Roland.

It was that day at MB Roland where my love of whiskey first bloomed. When we walked into the gift shop, Merry Beth Tomaszewski was working. She was so warm and friendly that our visit started on a high note. I’d emailed ahead of time to get a tour so Paul Tomaszewski gave me my first distillery tour. It was a very small tour, because they were a very small distillery. But the things I learned that day sparked a yearning to learn more. You could say that, as this site is an outgrowth of my desire of learning all that I can about whiskey, that the seeds of BourbonGuy.com started that day too. I also made a couple of really good friends.

It was in the MB Roland Gift Shop, that I first tasted whiskey. I was intrigued enough to grab a few bottles to bring home. I picked up their white dog and black dog unaged products. I think I grabbed a flavored moonshine or two. And I picked up a bottle of aged whiskey. In this case, a little 375 mL bottle of the malt whiskey they were experimenting with. I really liked that bottle of malt whiskey. It was my official introduction to American whiskey and was the first thing I ever consumed neat. Needless to say, it was not the last.

Immediately upon returning home from that trip, I started learning everything I could about whiskey. One of the first things I realized was that while I had consumed whiskey before visiting MB Roland, I’d never tasted it before. Like most dumb, college-aged men I’d done way too many shots of Jack, which I really didn’t like. So much so that as I matured, I basically gave up spirits until that fateful Sunday mentioned above. But tasting is so much more than consuming. Tasting is more thoughtful than drinking, sometimes even analytical.

And that was a big realization for me. It led me to want to learn other things about whiskey. I tore through every book I could find on the subject. I visited every distillery I happened across. Hell, I planned routes on my vacations to include stops at distilleries. I read blogs and forums, anything and everything to learn more. And I didn’t just want the fantasies and marketing speak, I wanted the science and the history. I’m a history buff who reads history texts for fun and started college with the goal of becoming a scientist, so digging beyond the surface came naturally to me. As I learned more and more, I realized that I could start sharing some of this knowledge with others. And so, I started BourbonGuy.com.

That is my whiskey origin story. It all started with a bottle of Malt Whiskey and a couple of friends I met at a small craft distillery in Kentucky. And since they started making that Malt Whiskey again a few years ago, I couldn’t help but grab a bottle when I saw it on the shelf during my early December trip to Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.

Like the distillery, the whiskey has grown up in the decade or so since I last had it. It’s the same mashbill but is now straight. They’ve upgraded their equipment, so this version is distilled on the grain like a traditional American whiskey instead of needing to have the grain strained out first. They’ve also started aging in larger barrels.

MB Roland Kentucky Straight Malt Whiskey

Purchase Info: $48.99 for a 750 mL bottle at the Party Source, Bellevue, KY

Price per Drink (50 mL): $3.27

Details: At least 2 years old. 55.5% ABV. Mash bill: 63% Malted Barley. 21% White Corn. 15% Rye. Batch 5, Bottle 22 of 185.

Nose: Nutty, cocoa powder, hints of dried grain underneath.

Mouth: Dark chocolate along with nutty and grassy notes.

Finish: Warm, sweet, and medium length. Lingering "candy bar" notes of nuts and cocoa.

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Thoughts: I really like this. My wife, not as much. She isn't a "malted barley fan" though. (She'd be happier with a glass of hops than with a malt-forward beer). Ah well, more for me! I think this is a candy bar in a glass. Thick, rich, and full of nutty chocolate. Yum!


Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

The Whiskeys of Luca Mariano

I’d like to thank the folks at Luca Mariano Distillery for providing these review samples with no strings attached.

Last month, the folks at the Luca Mariano Distillery reached out to me to see if I would be interested in taking a look at their products. Of course, I said yes. And once it arrived, I was surprised to find five different whiskeys in the box. So since we have a lot to get through tonight, let’s cut straight to the chase.

First, though, I was looking at their website and couldn’t find the answer so I reached out to them and asked for clarification as to whether they were distilling their own juice yet. Here is what they had to say:

Our distillery is currently under construction, so Wilderness Trail Distillery is currently distilling our mashbills for us.

I absolutely love the transparency. And heck Wilderness Trail is a good choice for a production partner as well. So without further adieu, let’s see what we are looking at tonight.

Old Americana Small Batch Bourbon

Purchase Info: This sample was graciously provided by the distillery for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $44.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $3.00

Details: 41.5% ABV. 4.5 years old. Currently available in Michigan, Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina and online through Woods Wholesale Wine

Nose: Vanilla, mint, cinnamon, and toffee.

Mouth: Thin on the month with notes of cinnamon, toffee, and a hint of bitter oak.

Finish: Gentle and on the shorter end of medium. Lingering notes of cinnamon and bitter oak.

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Thoughts: This is a bit meh for me. Especially for the price. As I grade on a curve, if this were a $20 whiskey it might grade higher. That said, there is absolutely nothing wrong with this, it just doesn't align with my preferences. It's thinner on the mouthfeel than I'd like and the bitter note of the oak makes it taste a bit over-diluted. Especially for a $45 bottle. What flavors are there make me interested to try the higher proof offering though based on what is shown in this one.

Luca Mariano Single Barrel Bourbon

Thoughts: Let me start out by saying that I am not giving this one tasting notes or a rating. When this arrived the cover was loosened (though the seal was unbroken) and leaking and after tasting it, I'm guessing it was contaminated by contact with the wet packing materials. I tried to take notes around the off, almost "meaty, moldy" taste but can't guarantee I did right by the product. The suggested pricing is $59.99. Let's move on to the next one.

Luca Mariano Signature Single Barrel Bourbon

Purchase Info: This sample was graciously provided by the distillery for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $64.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.33

Details: 53.5% ABV. 5.5 years old. Currently available in Michigan, Kentucky, and online through Woods Wholesale Wine

Nose: Brown Sugar, mint, almond.

Mouth: The hard Bazooka Joe Bubblegum from my childhood, mint, and cinnamon.

Finish: Warm and medium length. Sweet with almond and cinnamon.

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Thoughts: This one is very good. Took me right back to my childhood and stuffing my little month with two or three pieces of Bazooka Joe bubble gum. Only now it's alcoholic! Seriously though, I really like this. Drinkable at 107 proof when served neat. Water brings out more caramel on the nose and more spice in the month. I’d buy this one if I saw it on the shelf.

Old Americana Small Batch Rye (Luca Mariano Small Batch Rye prior to an April 2021 Rebrand)

Purchase Info: This sample was graciously provided by the distillery for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $44.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $3.00

Details: 95% Rye Mashbill. 41.5% ABV. 4.5 years old. Currently available in Michigan, Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina and online through Woods Wholesale Wine

Nose: Cedar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mint.

Mouth: Thin mouthfeel. Cool mint transitions to cinnamon red hots.

Finish: Gentle and short. Follows the nose with mint, cedar, and cinnamon.

Thoughts: Once again, the thin mouthfeel on this one is kind of a turn off for me, but I could see this acting well as a "card playing" rye where you don't really want to contemplate what is in your glass, instead just wanting a little social lubricant. But that would only be the case if it were priced lower. Once again. Nothing wrong with it, just not to my palate.

Luca Mariano Single Barrel Rye

Purchase Info: This sample was graciously provided by the distillery for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $59.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.00

Details: 51.5% ABV. 5.5 years old. Currently available in Michigan, Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina and online through Woods Wholesale Wine

Nose: Cedar, mint, honey, and nutmeg.

Mouth: Follows the nose with cedar, mint, cinnamon, and a nice spicy heat.

Finish: Warm and medium length. Notes of cinnamon, cedar, and mint.

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Thoughts: Classic rye notes predominate. I like this one a lot. This tastes like the perfect proof level for this whiskey. Nice mouthfeel, heat, and flavor. I’d be happy with this purchase if I found it on the shelf.


Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

MB Roland Single Mash Whiskey: Mixed Grain

Paul and Merry Beth of MB Roland are my friends. Because I might be biased, I have decided to disclose that bias so that you can decide how much to trust the review. In the spirit of the upcoming holiday season, I am reviewing a bottle that they gave me as a gift. This was not intended by them as a review bottle, but I like it and wanted to share.

I had originally intended this to be Tuesday night’s post. But, then I went ahead and got sick. Not sure with what, but I’ve got a Covid test ordered just in case. After feeling great yesterday, I backslid today and feel pretty rough. So I’m going to keep this pretty short.

This was a gift from my friends at MB Roland. It wasn’t intended as a review bottle, they are just nice people. For ethical reasons, I only review things that friends make with a disclaimer stating it was made by my friends so that you can use that to weigh how biased I am. And I only do it when I really like something. That said, when this arrived on my doorstep a couple of months ago, I knew after the first sip that I wanted to let everyone else know how good it is. In fact, I walked right over to the edge of my yard with the bottle and two glasses and invited my neighbor to try it as well, knowing he has a sip of whiskey now and then.

He also enjoyed it, in case you were curious.

MB Roland Single Mash Whiskey: Mixed Grain

Purchase info: This was a gift from my friends at the distillery and was not intended as a review bottle. But I can’t help wanting to brag about my friends and how much I like this particular bottle that they made.

Details: Mash bill: 32% white corn, 32% wheat, 31% rye, 5% malted barley. 55.3% ABV.

Nose: Caramel, dried grain, wheat bread, coal fire smoke.

Mouth: Cinnamon, candy bar notes of caramel, nougat, and chocolate.

Finish: Medium length and warm. Follows the mouth with cinnamon and candy bar notes, as well as hints of the coal fire smoke without being "smoky."

Thoughts: This is such an easy drinking 110° proof that I almost never have it with ice. It's sweet, spicy, thick, and rich. It somehow has hints of coal fire smoke without actually being smoky. The grain shows through but it also has lovely caramel notes. I just really like it.


Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.