Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon: No Age Statement, Lots of Flavour
A decade ago, Elijah Craig (of Hevean’s Hill distillery) was ahead of a trend. Their delightful, popular Elijah Craig 12 bourbon was beloved by fans (myself included) for its robust flavour, rich texture, and classy branding. But despite its popularity, Elijah Craig opted to change…
The Cult (and Critics) Behind the Pappy Van Winkle Hype Machine
Is there ever such a thing as too much good publicity? For producers and fans of Pappy Van Winkle, the luxury, premium line produced at Buffalo Trace Distillery, the answer is simply a resounding “yes.” It would be hard to think of a brand in…
Does the “No Age Statement” Trend Mean Bad News for Your Bourbon?
To your average consumer, the age of a whisky is often viewed as synonymous with its quality. Older = better was an easy gauge of value, especially since it almost always corresponded with a price increase. This was true for every dram from Scotches to…
Orphan Barrel Lost Prophet Bourbon: Gimmick Drink or Great Dram?
Smoth’s Rating: 9.2/10 It’s a rare occasion that I come across a whiskey as rare as Orphan Barrel’s Lost Prophet, a 22 year-old bourbon. Some claim the Orphan Barrel lineup is more marketing gimmick than quality. With it’s extremely high price, snappy branding and questionable background,…
Bulleit 10 Year Bourbon: A Mature Whiskey
I’m a fan of Bulleit bourbon. It’s a straight forward, unabashed whiskey that’s perfectly suited for decent cocktails and sipping alike. So when I got the chance to try Bulleit 10 bourbon, the big brother of the Bulleit line, I was excited — would this bring additional refinement…
Maker’s Mark Misses My Mark
Enter any frat house in North America, and behind the decaying furniture and overturned beer cans, you’ll almost certainly see the red-waxed necks of Maker’s Mark bottles strewn about. Its appeal to fraternity drinkers is threefold: It’s readily accessible at all liquor stores, it’s iconic (and thus…
Knob Creek 9 Year Small Batch is BIG Bourbon
I’m an outspoken advocate for big, beefy bourbons. Sure, I can appreciate the more reserved pleasures of a bourbon like Four Roses Small Batch, but I find myself tending towards the muscular, loud flavours of Elijah Craig. Needless to say, I was excited to finally review the notoriously…
Bulleit Bourbon is Worth a Shot
The first time I was introduced to Bulleit Bourbon, it was described to me as the “go-to, bar standard for bourbon in most of the United States.” Whether this was meant as a flattering compliment or damning criticism is hard to determine, but one thing…
Elijah Craig 12 yr Small Batch: A Most Muscular Bourbon
As of this review, Elijah Craig 12 yr Small Batch is my favourite bourbon – and rarely do I make a statement like that with such surety. While Four Roses Small Batch previously elevated my expectations with its well-balanced subtleties, Elijah Craig took a sledgehammer…
Small Batch, Big Taste: Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon
Four Roses Small Batch bourbon has forced me to undertake an overhaul of my bourbon rating system. Previously, I was handing out high ratings to bourbon like I was giving away business cards at an ’80s leadership conference. As it turns out, I just really like…