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Forthwest Whisky

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  The Pacific Northwest is one of the most highly producing agriculture regions in the United States.  The cool evening climate from the Pacific ocean along with the unique multi-layered terroir creates a farmer's dream.  Back in 1934, however, locals noticed that there was an over abundance of pears and apples from the area that were going to waste, and they decided to take matters into their own hands.   Hood River Distillers has been a staple in Oregon for over 90 years, first creating fruit wines and brandies, and eventually branching out into bourbon, whiskey, tequila, gin, vodka and more.  The company distributes across the US and produces nearly 1,000,000 cases annually.  The Forthwest Whisky label currently offers four distinct expressions and three of those are flavored.  The bottle we are tasting today is Forthwest Whisky , an 80 proof blended Canadian whisky. First of all, lets talk about the packaging and specifically the bottle. ...

Shortbarrel Four Grain Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

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If you haven't heard of Shortbarrel Bourbon yet, you're either living under a rock or it isn't currently distributed where you live.  We first tasted one of their Bees Knees  bottles from a friend who bought it on a trip to Kentucky, and that first sip made us sit up and take notice.  While it isn't available in our state (yet), we've been lucky enough to find their bottles while on trips and we always look for new releases.   Three friends - Patrick Lemmond, Clinton Dugan, and Adam Dorfman - had a dream like so many whiskey enthusiasts do.  But they turned their vision into a reality and they are the founders of Shortbarrel, one of the most exciting, consistent and fast-growing brands in the past couple of years.  No detail is overlooked from the quality of the blending and/or distilling and down to the eye-catching packaging.   While the company operates a distillery in the Atlanta, Georgia suburb of Norcross, their flagship  Shortbarr...

Good Old Times Japanese Cherry Tree Cask Finished Bourbon

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  From Coxs Creek Distilling Company comes one of the most unique finished bourbon examples we have tasted in a long time.  Good Times Bourbon is known for being experts at finished and blending whiskeys, and today's bottle is another feather in their cap for quality, uniqueness and taste!  Coxs Creek Distlling Company is a non-distilling producer that is without a doubt  leading the way for distinctive expressions of whiskeys. Good Old Times Japanese Cherry Tree Cask Finish checks off some great boxes before you even taste it.  It's a single barrel release, barrel strength proof point and has a super-impressive 10-year age statement!  The packaging is quentissential Good Times Bourbon and this release is tough to find, at least for the suggested retail price. Mahogany in color with classic bourbon notes of vanilla, toasty oak, and tons of vanilla predominantly, but some airtime gives us some floral notes with orange marmelade.  On the palate, a subtly...

Heaven Hill Distillery Honors a Storied Legacy with Heaven Hill Deatsville 13-Year-Old Bourbon Whiskey

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  Heaven Hill Distillery Honors a Storied Legacy with Heaven Hill Deatsville 13-Year-Old Bourbon Whiskey Limited-edition release marks one of the final opportunities to experience Bourbon fully matured at the historic Deatsville campus as it transitions out of active aging Bardstown, Ky. — (February 26, 2026)  Heaven Hill Distillery announces the release of Heaven Hill Deatsville 13-Year-Old Bourbon Whiskey, a limited-edition expression drawn from one of the most distinctive aging sites in the distillery’s 90-year history. Bottled from just 17 barrels aged on the third floor of Rickhouse AA, this release represents one of the final few opportunities to experience Bourbon fully matured entirely at the Deatsville campus before the site transitions out of active aging. The Deatsville campus, originally home to the shuttered T.W. Samuels Distillery, has been an enduring part of Heaven Hill’s heritage since the early 1980s, when the company first assumed stewardship of the ri...

Jack Daniel's Chris Fletcher - Distiller of the Year

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 Jack Daniel’s Chris Fletcher Named Master Distiller of the Year by Whisky Magazin e The distillery’s 14-Year-Old Tennessee Whiskey Batch 1 also awarded World’s Best Tennessee Whiskey at the annual Icons of Whisky and World Whiskies Awards America Lynchburg, Tenn. (February 24, 2026) – Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller Chris Fletcher was named Master Distiller/Master Blender of the Year at Whisky Magazine’s 2026 Icons of Whisky and World Whiskies Awards America, held February 12 in Louisville, Ky. Jack Daniel’s 14-Year-Old Tennessee Whiskey Batch 1, which Fletcher crafted in his role overseeing production and innovation at the Jack Daniel Distillery, was also awarded World’s Best Tennessee Whiskey at the ceremony. The annual awards celebrate the people and places responsible for exceptional whiskey-makingin the U.S., alongside the best in American whiskeys. Winners of World Whiskies Awards Americas will go on to compete next month against global competitors at the World Whiskies Awar...

2021 Clif Family Winery Kit's Killer Cab

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  Kit's Killer Cab from Clif Family Winery was first tasted twenty years ago from barrel.  It was Kit Crawford, co-owner and co-founder of the winery, who dubbed this Napa Valley Cabernet a "killer" wine, so naturally, it had to go into bottle! The family behind this label is also the pioneers of the incredibly popular and tasty Clif Bar, a portable and nutritious snack for on-the-go professionals, outdoor enthusiasts, busy moms... well, you get it.  Everyone loves a Clif Bar, right? Clif Family Winery started out as a small garden and a place to grow olives and fruit from planted trees.  Next, bring in the wine and eventually a tasting salon.  You want a food truck?  Check!  You want to be part of a Peloton riding club?  No problem!  There's nothing that these folks can't or won't do as long as it makes sense to their brand and goal to bring delicious products to life.  Today, Clif Family Winery grows nine grape varietals on 90 acres of...

Bernheim Wheat Whiskey 20th Anniversary Limited Edition

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Bardstown, Ky.   —   (February 23, 2026)   Heaven Hill Distillery proudly announces the release of Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey 20th Anniversary Limited Edition, a special bottling commemorating two decades since Bernheim pioneered a new style of American Whiskey and helped usher in the modern whiskey renaissance. Launched in 2005, Bernheim Original Wheat Whiskey was the first truly new American Whiskey style introduced since Prohibition, boldly using soft winter wheat as its primary grain. At the time, the category-defining innovation marked a turning point for American Whiskey — one that has since become an enduring legacy. “This release is both a celebration and a thank you,” said Max L. Shapira, Executive Chairman of Heaven Hill Brands. “When we launched Bernheim Wheat Whiskey 20 years ago, we took a chance on a new mashbill and a new idea. The support we received in those early days helped shape not only this brand, but the expansion in popularit...