We recently held a BARDS (Bourbon And Rye Drinkers Society) meeting at the Barrell Craft Spirits facility in Louisville. The meeting was hosted by Chris Zaborowski and included a tour of the facility and a blind tasting and blending exercise.... Continue Reading →
I was recently asked to arrange a staff training trip to the Michter’s Distillery and the bar at Michter’s Fort Nelson Distillery, by Gary Crunkleton. Gary makes these trips to Kentucky with his staff at least once a year. He... Continue Reading →
The St. Louis Bourbon Festival will take place on October 6, 2023. This is the third year for the festival. I will be there in their cigar area talking Bourbon and cigars along with Steve Fante of Yellowstone. The St.... Continue Reading →
Lincoln Henderson was fond of saying that whiskey has to be made correctly every step of the way or it will be an inferior product. I know many people that worship extremely old whiskey and unless it is 10 years... Continue Reading →
Most major distilleries use chill filtration on their flagship whiskeys. Even their “non-chill filtered” whiskeys usually have been filtered with a carbon filtration system. The most economical way of doing this is to decide what works best for your end... Continue Reading →
The first time I experienced the Glencairn mixing glass was about five years ago. I was having a drink with Fred Minnick at the local tavern near his home. He asked me if I tried the new Canadian whisky glass... Continue Reading →
People always ask me why I do my tastings with dried cranberries, pecans and a cigar. I do this because of the ephemeral nature of tasting whiskey. There are a lot of variables that have an effect on the flavor... Continue Reading →
In the Taylor diary, written in the first decade of the 19th century, at The Filson Historical Society archive, is this direction for gathering yeast: “The art of making whiskey in the first place, the distiller must be an industrious... Continue Reading →
I frequently hear about rye grain giving Bourbon a spicy flavor, but I am not sure the spiciness of a whiskey necessarily comes from the rye grain. After all, if rye is the source of spice then why isn’t the... Continue Reading →
