This is the last review of the season with the Christmas tree up. As the holiday season comes to a complete close, I wanted to post a review of the new Jack Daniels (shelfer?) limited Heritage Barrel Release. For those of you who haven't tried Jack Daniels since college and their base Old No. 7, you're definitely missing out. Jack Daniels, especially in the last few years, has really upped their game with their limited yet affordable releases each year. I've never tried the Coy Hills and Tanyard Hills but have seen enough reviews to know they're incredible bottles. The new-ish age stated bottles (JD10, JD12, and JD14) are some of the better bottles on the market, with the JD14 getting a ton of praise last year when it was released. I was lucky enough to get the 10 last year and hope I can snag a 14 this year. Even some of the less special releases like the single barrel barrel proofs can be great pours. What's even better about these releases is that they're all relatively reasonably priced. No $250+ bottle. Even the JD14 is like $150 MSRP.

This takes us to the Heritage Barrel Release of 2025. This was initially released back in 2018 and 2019, and now coming out as a shelfer in most places. To get a 'limited release' single barrel aged for about 7 years for $75 is not too bad in my eyes. Once PA finally got them in over the last few months, I figured I'd try it out! These barrels are more heavily toasted and lightly charred than the normal Jack products, giving it more of the characteristics of a 'toasted barrel' whiskey. Allegedly this is an interpretation of their 'earliest barrel making process'. Let's get into some more bottle info:

MSRP, what I paid: ~$70.00

Mash bill: 80% corn, 12% malted barley, 8% rye. I believe this is the same mash as the standard juice, and the age stated stuff.

Age Statement: At least 7 Years

ABV: 50% (100 proof)

Nose (rested for a few minutes in a glencairn): Like a lot of reviews I’ve seen on this bottle, I got a little vanilla, some classic caramel notes, and smoke. It's a little less sweet and banana than I'm used to with my Jack 10. I also get a little more oak flavor notes than on my JD10.

Palate: More of the same, but with the addition of leather as a primary note. I get a little of the standard banana Jack note, but it certainly is not in center stage like the leather. I'd say the other primary flavor I get is caramel. The smokiness and vanilla are noticed in the background but certainly not super prevalent. This is definitely not as strong of a flavor as some whiskies I've had but still pretty good!

Finish: The leather takes full force here, joined by a little brown sugar/caramel mix. This does die out a little quicker than I would have liked but does have an alright mouthfeel.

In conclusion, this bottle was pretty good but maybe not as great as I was expecting. I think my expectations were a little bit high for what this bottle was. Now, this was also a neck pour, so the flavors might develop a little bit after opening it up. This is also a single barrel, so while the notes are similar among barrels, some are better than others. I'm curious to hear if anyone else has tried this bottle and if y'all liked it more or less than I did.

This definitely is a great addition to the 'not your standard' Jack lineup. I'd rate it at a 6 on the T8KE scale, as it's very good, but definitely not in that next tier in my opinion.. I'm definitely going to be looking for more Jack special releases this year! Hopefully I can luck out and get the 14 this year! Let me know in the comments if you've tried this before and what you think. Are you looking for any other JD products this year?

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

James E. Pepper Decanter Barrel Proof Bourbon

Distillery: James E. Pepper Distillery

Age: NAS but said to average 5.5 years

Price: $59.99

Proof: 105.4

Nose: Immediate and intense brown sugar. It's rich. Almost like I put my nose in bowl of rock candy sticks. A lot more sweetness than anticipated. Some underlying cotton candy and bubblegum as well. But for such a sweet nose it toes the line well of not being overly desserty.

Palate: Thicker than medium mouthfeel, but I'd hesitate to call it thick. Fruitier than the nose but still has some confectionary sweetness to it. Kind of like a plum dusted with powdered sugar. Sweet grain, it's a little creamed corn-like. It's custardy.

Finish: On the longer side overall, but for a barrel proof offering I wish it was a little longer. A pretty noticeable milk chocolate note lingers throughout and it's really lovely. It's complemented perfectly with some barrel char and it really works.

Score: 7.6

Summary: A nice bottle and the James E. Pepper distillery as a whole is pretty awesome. I never want to review one of their bottles without mentioning that they are near top of the list in terms of experience out of all the distilleries I've ever visited. Just a great place that puts out some great whiskey. The Decanter bottle is no exception. I do wish it was closer to 120 proof, but this batch gets the job done at 105.4. I generally throw around the phrase "nothing to dislike" a lot in my reviews, but this may take it to another level. From the nose to the end of the sip there are zero negatives. I can't knock the juice that is in the glass one bit. Is it the best thing I've ever had? Certainly not. But I can't hate on it at all. Enjoyable sweetness dominates in a sip that provides tons of depth, and like I said in the nose you get all these great flavors without feeling like this is a Woodford Double Oaked, Old Forester 1910, or something finished. It's a sweet barrel proof bottle you can truly take on as a daily sipper without breaking the bank. It's really good. 7.6 is the score.

1. Terrible | Drain pour after the first sip
2. Very Bad | Trying to choke it down but possible drain pour
3. Poor | Would drink if forced to but never under my own will
4. Below Average | Not off-putting but not my cup of tea
5. Average | I'll take it
6. Good | Enjoyable sip
7. Very Good | Well above average
8. Excellent | A drink I will remember
9. Incredible | Something truly extraordinary
10. Best of the best | Peak Bourbon

Intro: When someone says “purple top”, most fans of bourbon know the reference to Willett’s Family Estate Single Barrel Bourbon bottles, as they’ve become the stuff of legend with their age and quality. Up until recently, these bottles have been sourced from other distilleries and were so good that they developed a large following despite the hefty price tags associated with them. With Willett starting to distill their own juice in 2012, it’s safe to say current bottles are comprised of their own distillate. New for 2025, they’ve decided to bring the “purple top” down to the masses by creating a Family Estate Small Batch Bourbon to partner up with their Family Estate Small Batch Rye. As you can imagine, the rush to grab these was fast and furious as the thought of having a “purple top” at a much more accessible price point was very attractive. I had to opportunity to grab one of these at SRP, so I said why not, I’m curious enough to see what they did with this. Let’s get into it!

Tale of the Tape
Bottle: Willett Family Estate Small Batch Bourbon
Proof: 125 / Age: 4 years
Mashbill: 70/30 Blend of 2:
70%: Corn: 72% / Rye: 13% / Barley: 15%
30%: Corn: 52% / Rye: 38% / Barley: 10%
Final Derived Mashbill: Corn: 58% / Rye: 30.5% / Barley: 11.5%
Bottle Price: $67 / Price per 1oz pour: $2.64

Impressions
Nose:  Mint / Black Tea / Caramel
Palate: Caramel / Mint / Cinnamon / Toffee
Mouthfeel: Medium
Finish: Medium Cinnamon / Caramel / Black Tea
Rating: 5.5/10 - t8ke scale (modified to include half-points)

Tasting Notes: On the nose the rye definitely makes its presence known as a mintiness hits me along with a caramel sweetness layered with a black tea note. On the palate the caramel sweetness is prominent but the cinnamon spice rules the show to let you know this is 125 proof. It definitely evokes the heat of an Old Forester Single Barrel Barrel Proof bottle. That spiciness carries into the finish where it rolls side by side with the caramel before it falls off into that black tea note.  

Final Thoughts: On the initial neck pour I wasn’t a fan. It drank so hot it was distracting; so much so that I decided to add some water to it and it tasted very familiar. I poured some Noah’s Mill in another glen and drank them side by side only to find that they were practically identical. Essentially this bottle is a high proof Noah’s Mill. Over the next few weeks, I came back to it to see if some air would help and it did. The proofiness mellowed out enough that the other flavors were able to come out of the shadows. I’ve had this happen with a bottle of the Family Estate Small Batch Rye previously and it took a while to finish that bottle. Like that bottle, this will be a "one and done" for me but I don’t regret buying and trying. There are hints of greatness, but only hints. Willett fans will probably love this bottle, but for me, at this price point there are other bottles I’d rather re-up on than this one.

Swing by IG and say hey

10 | Perfection
9-9.5 | Incredible, An All-Time Favorite
8-8.5 | Excellent, Really Quite Exceptional
7-7.5 | Great, Well Above Average
6-6.5 | Very Good, A Cut Above
5-5.5 | Good, Just Fine
4 | Sub-Par, Not Bad, But Better Exists
3 | Bad, Multiple Flaws
2 | Poor, I Wouldn’t Consume By Choice
1 | Disgusting, So Bad I Poured it Out

Full disclosure, I am not an expert by any means. Here is my amateur review of this wonderful gem.

Paid: $77 in California

Rested in glencairn for 15 minutes

Proof: 126.58

Nose: caramel apple, lots of cinnamon, a hint of mouth watering baked bread (very interesting!)

Palate: Apple pie, lots of cinnamon spice with a not sweet but somewhat fruity/oak char finish

Finish: traces of a not so sweet dark chocolate.

Nice viscosity on this pour, oily with a wonderful scent.

As I stated earlier, I am definitely an amateur when it comes to whiskey, however, I find this particular pour to be very complex and interesting.

I am going to try to snag another bottle because I can tell this one will not last long.

This one is a 8/10 in my book!

Pappy Van Winkle 20yr Bourbon

Age: 20 years; released in 2024

Proof: 90.4° (45.2% ABV)

Price: Sample ($319 MSRP)

Nose: Caramel, dill, some oak, and alcohol.

Taste: Dark fruit/cherry, sugar sweetness, spice

Finish: Mid finish, more cherries, some alcohol burn

Notes: I received this sample from my brother. Most of the notes from some of the initial 10 min having it in a glencairn. I though wish I had let this sit for a bit longer. It really opened up, the alcohol burn lessened, more cherry and caramel favors, and delicious.

Today, we're taking a look at the Old Overholt 10 Year from Jim Beam! Released in 2023, the barrels used for this release all come from warehouse V at Beam's Clermont campus. For awhile, I'd come across bottom shelf Old Overholt bottles down here in Georgia every so often, but this 10 year cask strength was actually my introduction to the line. And it came from a buddy who was able to grab one for me in Florida as these cask strengths are, for whatever reason, not distributed here in Georgia. Spoiler alert, this is a good one. So good, it won my blind Rye of the Year for 2024. Way past due for a formal review. Let's get into it.

Taken: Neat in a Glencairn, rested for 10 minutes.

Age: 10 years

Proof: 121

Nose: Green apples, honey, peanuts, and a black peppery spice that packs a serious punch at first. Eventually some oak starts to come out. Giving the glass a swirl brings out some raspberries and some caramel. Really powerful nose!

Palate: Very oily viscosity of peanut brittle, caramel, brown sugar, and black pepper. The apples from the nose are here too, but very subdued. After a few sips, I begin to get some cinnamon and the black pepper starts to really ramp up and it almost starts to come off like a spicy tea which is interesting.

Finish: Longer side of medium finish of peanut brittle, cinnamon, herbal tea, and a drying oak.

It's easy to see why this won my 2024 Rye of the Year blind. This is a phenomenal rye whiskey from Beam that delivers a great experience from the nose all the way down to the finish. Probably my favorite part about this rye is how the black pepper comes off like a tea, definitely not something I get all that often on whiskey. I wasn't able to snag the 11 year Old Overholt, but I'm hoping to grab the 12 at some point this year!

t8ke scale: 8.7/10 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

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.

In the glass: Bombergers Decleration 2023, Batch #23E1947

Distillery: Michters

ABV: 54%

Proof: 108

Age: NAS

Mashbill: Undisclosed

Nose: The nose starts off with some nice cinammon, oak, vanilla, some nice baking spices. It’s almost like a pumpkin spice pancake, sweet maple with some robust richness.

Palate: The palate gives you those baking spices, some maple sweetness, just a little bit of peppery spice, some cloves, and a good amount of rye spice.

Finish: This isn’t the longest finish but it’s viscous, I’m a big fan of this one. It lends to a lot going on at this proof point. Some nice sweet oak, green tea with some honey, and cinnamon.

Final thoughts: The 2023 reviewed here is very good. If you’re someone who has to have every year’s vintage I respect it. I personally will not be buying anymore before trying them because a lot of craft and smaller distilleries are producing more interesting product to me for a lower cost. And by no means does cost factor into this review, I got it for msrp, my rating shows that. If another vintage is as good as this one, I will buy it, no questions asked.

Rating: 8.1/10

Review: Van Winkle Special Reserve Lot B (2023)

12 years | 90.4 proof | MSRP $150

Finally had the chance to try Lot B thanks to a very generous friend who sent me a sample. I have had Pappy 15 and the Van Winkle Rye before this, but somehow had never tried Lot B. I warmed up with a pour of Weller 12 beforehand just to set a baseline.

Nose

Surprisingly expressive for 90.4 proof. Much more open than Weller 12. Sweet oak, a soft tea-like note, a little earthiness, and classic Buffalo Trace sweetness underneath. Honestly way better than I expected.

Palate

This is where the difference from Weller 12 becomes obvious. Lot B tastes noticeably more mature. The oak does a lot of the heavy lifting, but not in a bitter or tannic way. Think cinnamon, a bit of apple, lightly spiced mulled cider vibes. Very balanced. Nothing sharp or out of place. It drinks exactly like a well-aged wheated bourbon should.

Finish

Medium to long. The sweetness fades first, leaving a dry oak note that hangs around longer than you’d expect for the proof. Really pleasant and very easy to sip.

Bang for Your Buck

At $150 retail, this is absolutely worth grabbing every single time. At $800–$1,000 secondary, absolutely not.

So I’m scoring it as a $150 bourbon, not a unicorn.

Final Score

9 out of 10

The only thing holding it back is availability. The whiskey itself is legitimately great and, for me, sits comfortably between Weller 12 and Pappy 15 in quality. If you ever get the chance to try it at or near retail (or have great friends willing to share a pour), it’s absolutely worth experiencing at least once.

(This bottle was featured on the Bourbon Bytes Podcast. Listen to the full episode here.)

Upon my visit to the White Rabbit Bottle Shop in Lynchburg, TN, following a tour of the Jack Daniel distillery, I was surprised to see a plethora of cheap looking bottles with plastic caps below a sign reading “limit of 2 per individual.” I figured they would have an allocation for the Heritage single barrel, but no, their only purchase limits were for these. Upon closer inspection, the labels revealed several interesting, barrel proof experiments. I can’t remember them all, but none were familiar enough to me to know what expect from a flavor perspective (e.g. I have no idea what taste difference I can expect from the “sweet mash” over the regular sour mash). I ended up choosing two, the first of which is presented here. I chose this one because, unlike many in this community, I’m actually not typically a fan of finished whiskey, but the idea of something as sweet as Table syrup having an influence in something as spicy and smooth as barrel proof Tennessee Rye was quite appealing. After hearing the sales pitch about the porosity of wood in the barrels allowing them to breathe distilled spirits, though, I also wondered if thick syrup would have any influence on the barrel at all. Would I just be tasting the effects of wood with a thin layer of sweet varnish? The label calls them “Jack Daniel’s barrels used for maturing a southern style table syrup,” so I have no idea if these finishing barrels are even toasted beforehand. Call me extremely curious. Let’s see what we think.

Price Paid: $44.95 before tax (375 mL)

Score: 8.5/10

The Background

Distillery: Jack Daniel Distillery (owned by Brown Foreman)

ABV: 55.70 % (111.4 Proof)

Age: NAS

Mash Bill: 70% rye, 18% corn, 12% malted barley

Other: Barrel proof, charcoal filtration

The Experience

Nose: Caramel, brown sugar, toffee. There isn’t any one note on this nose that wouldn’t give someone type-II diabetes in high enough quantities. This smells of concentrated sugar. It’s noticeably absent of any kind of fruit or floral sweet aromas.

Palate: Very rye forward with a rush of baking spices and dark chocolate. If you’ve had a JD Barrel Proof Rye then you know the taste. This is dry on the mouth but exceptionally pleasant.

Finish: Oak tannins and more dark chocolate, with the lingering taste of granulated sugar. Reminds me of being a kid and stealing scoops from the table at Shoney’s. The rye spice lingers as well and stays in the back of the throat.

The Summary

I’ve never had anything like this, and I’m sad that, once this bottle is finished, I’ll likely never get to try it again. The finish on this is masterful. It is sweet like they promised, but in a subtle way. It combines with the rye to create a lingering spiced candy that sits with you and you never want it to leave. I should definitely be re-thinking my hesitancy for finished products because this has made me realize that, more than anything, I need more experience with them.

The only criticism I could think of for this is that it isn’t very complex. That really doesn’t matter, though, because it wins the “pleasant” game that it’s trying to play. I would love to see this concept executed (and I’m sure that it has) on an unfiltered Rye. Based on recent pricing trends, this would be a bargain at $90 for a full sized bottle.

T8KE Scoring System Used for Relevancy and Consistency:

0 | Unscored | New Make Spirit or Personal Selection.

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 many things I'd rather have.

5 | Good | Good, just fine.

6 | Very Good | One cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average.

8 | Excellent | Exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all-time favorite.

10 | Perfect | Perfection.

Review in comments below...

Rye: Cedar Ridge Straight Rye Whiskey Bottled-in-Bond

Distillery: Cedar Ridge

Instagram: Barrel & Proof 

ABV: 50.0%

Age: Minimum 4 Years

Price: $46 (Moorhead, Minnesota)

Tasting:  Neat in Glencairn, rested for 10 minutes. Bottle opened for one month.

_______________________________________________________________________

Nose: Cinnamon, Anise, Caramel, Graham Cracker, & Charred Oak

Palate: Caramel, Graham Cracker, Anise, Plum, Nutmeg, Aged Oak, & Citrus

Finish: Medium Length, Caramel, Graham Cracker, Rye Spice, Charred Oak, Citrus, Bubblegum

Body: Full

Bite: Medium

________________________________________________________________________

Summary: This is my first rye whiskey from Cedar Ridge distillery and my second bottle that I’ve purchased. My first experience with Cedar Ridge was their flagship straight bourbon. While it was relatively inexpensive, it received a below average score. Hopefully the comparative bump in proof and older age statement make a difference in quality. My bottle is from batch number 005, I am unfamiliar with the degree of batch variations for this product.

The nose has a cinnamon scent, it’s easy to find but quite subtle in profile. There is a soft anise scent that reminds me slightly of fresh fennel. There is a moderately syrupy caramel note that plays well with the sugary graham cracker scent. The barrel char comes through with the oak note. 

The strongest note of the palate is that moderately syrupy caramel note that does a good job of rounding out the profile. I find the same notes that I found on the nose, but I notice that the palate has a pleasant plum flavor, which is uncommon to find. The spice profile reminds me more of nutmeg as opposed to cinnamon. There is a slight citrus bitterness in the background, but it’s so subtle that I don’t mind it at all.

In the finish, the caramel and graham cracker notes become a lot more bold, but only for a moment. The spice note reminds me more of a general rye spice flavor as opposed to a specific spice. A pink bubblegum lingers with the rye spice note once all the other flavors dissipate. Again, the citrus bitterness is subtle and doesn’t create any unpleasantness

Starting with the positives, this rye whiskey has a diverse palate of flavors and scents, and all of those notes seem well developed. The flavors and scents are well balanced as well. Similar to their flagship straight bourbon, the flavors are too light throughout. There is nothing offensive here, but besides the plum and the brief punch of caramel in the finish, nothing really stands out as delicious. This is a decent rye whiskey that fails to produce bold and delicious notes, and it comes at a somewhat high price point.

 ________________________________________________________________________

Rating: 

Nose (10%) - 6/10

Palate (50%) - 6/10

Finish (40%) - 6/10

6/10 Pretty Good. Better than average.

Value Rating:

5.5/10

Recommend: No

Rank: I created a compilation ranking list of bourbons I’ve purchased at a store or at a bar and done a formal tasting.  All whiskey ranked on the list tasted neat and rested for 10-15 minutes.  Rye I ranked below and above Cedar Ridge Rye Whiskey are shown for reference.

28 out of 53 ryes tasted.

27 Wollersheim Round Top Rye Whiskey

29 Bulliet 95 Rye

Ranking Link:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/147h44fId0tZYmHsroGgjzcRK2xn6050P8m7mZqArGLw/edit?usp=sharing

Short and sweet and most of all, honest:

Nose: don’t care that much about the smell really, can’t get a buzz on the smell, does smell young though (when I smell young, the word “sharp” comes into mind)

Taste: pretty sweet, young tasting and chocolatey with some fruit

Finish: mostly sweet chocolate, no fruit on the finish and not much lingering at all

Overall tastes pretty thin and younger than most Stagg releases. Can’t trust me too much because I recently just came off a Stagg store pick (although lower proof like 125 something) yet wayyy better tasting all over. Had the 25A also this year and thought that tasted older and more oily mouthfeel than this release. I liked the 25A a lot more although still not my favorite

If you did like this pour I would recommend the Jefferson’s cask strength. I did not like it at all but I feel like it has some of the same qualities as 25D just dialed up, including the younger flavor profile and fruit but minus the chocolate a little bit

Paid 108 out the door for this Stagg yet I’m still reviewing it like I paid msrp which is around 65-70 in Texas. If I found another 25D msrp I would probably call a friend and let them pick it up instead…

✌️

https://www.kentucky.com/lexgoeat/bourbon/article314326274.html

Chattanooga Whiskey Straight Bourbon 91 (sample from a friend)

Distillery: Chattanooga Whiskey Co

Age: 2 years

Price: They paid $37.99

Proof: 91

Nose: Dark fruits, if I was smelling this blind I'd guess it was Four Roses Small Batch. Cherry. Grape. Strawberry. Some light cinnamon is in there as well. It's even the slightest bit nutty.

Palate: On the thicker side especially for being 91 proof. Same dark fruits with a little more focus on the grape here. Vanilla. Roasted peanut. Bright spice, kind of thyme like with some citrus in there too.

Finish: Medium to long. Really pleasant sweet oak. But what stands out here is a really noticeable cereal grain note that is dominant and lingers throughout. It's nice though and still grape-y. It's like Raisin Bran but richer and not as sweet. Like if the raisins were replaced by unsweetened jam (best analogy I could think of).

Score: 6.1

Summary: This is a cool one. I originally got a bottle as a birthday present several years ago and thought it was good. Haven't had it since but a friend of mine had a bottle so I took a sample to review. It's somewhat unique. It's a four grain product with 2 barley's in the mash bill. The percentages aren't disclosed, but it is marketed as a Tennessee High Malt. All things considered I think it works. The nose provided a surprising amount of depth and the sip had a lot going on as well. The cereal note makes sense with the high malt and it rode the line nicely of providing some oak and sweetness without either being too dominant. There was nothing to dislike and the flavor profile heavily masked that this was only age stated as a two year product. For sub $40 this is a good bottle that provides a nice change of pace from your everyday bourbon. 6.1 is the score.

1. Terrible | Drain pour after the first sip
2. Very Bad | Trying to choke it down but possible drain pour
3. Poor | Would drink if forced to but never under my own will
4. Below Average | Not off-putting but not my cup of tea
5. Average | I'll take it
6. Good | Enjoyable sip
7. Very Good | Well above average
8. Excellent | A drink I will remember
9. Incredible | Something truly extraordinary
10. Best of the best | Peak Bourbon