Hooten Young Operation Gothic Serpent Rye Whiskey

Tim Young and former Special Mission Unit Member (MSG RET) Norm Hooten were chatting around a fire, sipping whiskey and dragging on cigars with friends.  That's how all great whiskey brands are started, aren't they?  These two guys wanted to honor military service and provide a quality whiskey to the market that had meaning behind their brand.  Hooten Young was born.

This is the first product of Hooten Young we have tasted, and that's a shame since we have seen it locally many times on shelves.  Now that we have tasted this 6 year rye, we will be on the hunt for more of their limited-release whiskey to taste and share.  This is the Hooten Young Operation Gothic Serpent Rye Whiskey honoring the 30 year anniversary of Operation Gothic Serpent.  OGS is the real life story that inspired the wildly popular movie Black Hawk Down.  

Coming in at 93 proof, this MGP-distilled whiskey has a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% barley.  The color is antique oak furniture with aromas of dried fruits, tobacco and clove.  Tasted neat in a rocks glass, the sweet dried fruit flavors were joined with carmel candy, peppercorn and cherry cordial.  While the finished isn't overly long, it is very pleasant and leaves you with wanting to dig back into the bottle.  This would be an entry level whiskey for this brand compared to its other limited, higher aged statement releases.  Nonetheless, it is definitely a whiskey that would be a great companion to telling stories with friends and making new memories.  Solid.

ABV:  46.5% (93 proof)

Distillery:  MGP for Hooten Young

Suggested retail price:  $64.99

Drink The Bottles score:  90/100

Filmland Spirits Moonlight Mayhem! Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey

 

Nearly six years ago to the day, we wrote an article about the importance and value of bottle labels in the wine industry.  This, of course, holds true today and encompasses not only the wine but also spirits industry.  We can't think of a brand in the whiskey world who understands this better than the team at Filmland Spirits.  This Los Angeles-based company is comprised of film industry experts and whiskey enthusiasts who want to marry the two industries with enjoyable, eye-catching and palate pleasing brown water.  And that's exactly what we have here for you today.

This is the Filmland Spirits Moonlight Mayhem! Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey that gives you a well-rounded package.  You get the ultra cool art deco label on a memorable and incredibly information-packed bottle, a fair price and most of all - a very tasty and fun product!  This is bottled in Kentucky and distilled in Indiana, meaning it is most likely a product of Midwest Grain Products.  If you're a bourbon snob and just rolled your eyes, feel free to move on.  Most folks don't realize that many dozens of brands start with and still use MGP to distill their spirits.  Some of the most popular brands are MGP to this day.  We never hate on that fact.

Coming in at 94 proof and with a 4+ year age statement, this has a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% malted barley.  Filmland Spirits lists this as a small batch bourbon, and like all small batch bourbons, that definition is clouded (or secretive to some) so we take that at face value.  Let's get into this one...

Gingerbread color in the glass to the rim and more viscous than expected, pleasantly.  On the nose are tons of citrus, chocolate covered cherries and toffee.  A little air time brings out additional sweetness and this is reminiscant of a Werther's Original hard candy.  Tasted neat, the same citrus fruit is at center stage with some island fruits showing up in the back end.  Chocolate covered cherry, baking spice and cigar box join in nicely, always blending with the sweet toffee/candy notes.  This isn't overly complex but it is very tasty and respectable.  While this could be considered their entry-level whiskey, there's nothing juvenile about it.  Filmland Spirits also produces a cask strength bourbon, a 9 year-aged Kentucky straight bourbon, a straight rye and a cask strength rye.  Each one tells a story and features the amazing bottle artwork.  If you see any of these in the store, definitely give them a try!

Check out our YouTube video review!

ABV:  47.0% (94 proof)

Distillery:  MGP for Filmland Spirits

Suggested retail price:  $54.99

Drink The Bottles score:  92/100

 

O H Ingram River Aged Bourbon

 

When we set out to taste and share our thoughts on this bourbon, we were a little apprehensive at first.  We suppose you could say that about any whiskey or bourbon that we've never tasted, but we were worried that the "river aged" statement might be more of a sales gimmick.  Of course the Mississippi River has been used for hundreds of years, allowing distillers a more convenient way to transport their product.  But why would you age your whiskey on a barge on the river?  Well, one advantage is that the whiskey is in constant contact with all sides/ends of the barrel with the constant gentle movement of the river's dance.  Some would argue that this helps develop the familiar whiskey flavors faster and with more intensity.  Let's find out!

The mash bill on this O H Ingram Whiskey offering is 70% corn, 21% wheat and 9% malted barley.  The absence of rye provides a smoother and sweeter bourbon and an extremely easy drinker.  On the nose we initially noticed a great deal of tropical fruit, orange juice, espresso bean and polished leather.  It is immediately both inviting and intriguing.  First tastes (neat, of course) provided flavors of apple pie, cinnamon, honeycomb and the citrus that stayed the course throughout the entire tasting experience.  When you first taste this, you find that this initially seems to be higher than 105 proof, but this quickly mellows out to a very pleasant and welcoming finish.

We tasted this the next night and were met with a very similar experience but adding in hints of cherry pipe tobacco on the nose and chocolate-covered coffee beans on the palate.  Each bottle cap displays the barge number where the whiskey was aged.  We really were blown away by this bourbon and are seriously impressed by what O H Ingram is doing here.  

Check out our YouTube review!

ABV:  52.5% (105 proof)

Distillery:  O H Ingram

Suggested retail price:  $69.99

Drink The Bottles score:  94/100

15 Stars Private Stock 8 & 15 Year Blended Bourbon

 

Sourcing and blending whiskey is nothing new.  The practice has been going on for hundreds of years since the first whiskey was produced.  But in order to be successful at blending whiskey, you need to have an understanding of the whiskey itself, the mash bills, the age statements, how to marry the various barrels and an impeccable taste for quality.  Owners of 15 Stars, Rick and Ricky Johnson, are a father and son duo that formed the company in 2019 but didn't release their first product until the spring of 2022.  These entrepreneurs and whiskey pros have been steadily growing their brand since then, paying attention to every detail (including the 15 stars bottle closure, offering a nod to Kentucky becoming the 15th state) and sourcing only what they feel are the finest bourbon barrels available from Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee.

If you consider yourself a "bourbon purist", you might be rolling your eyes about now.  And you would be extremely remiss.  Sure, there is something to be said about a farm-to-bottle, locally sourced grains, aged-in-house operation.  But it is equally impressive to come across master blenders who can create unique and delicious bourbon.  In some cases, you could argue that the latter is more difficult because of the constant trial and error one must endure to find the perfect recipe that ultimately ends up in the bottle.

We were completely thrilled to taste this 15 Stars Private Stock 8 & 15 Year Blended Bourbon.  We had been seeing different 15 Stars products pop up at local liquor stores occasionally, but they were never on the shelves very long, which is indicative to the growing popularity of the brand.  

We tasted this neat in a Glencairn, but we didn't pop and pour this one.  The aromas leapt out of the bottle and we let this one set in the glass for about 15 minutes prior to seeing what it was about.  

Dark brown sugar color to the glass edge with impressive viscosity.  The bourbon felt very luxurious and the aromas initially made you feel like you were walking into a bakery.  Inviting fragrances of freshly baked yeast donuts filled the nose followed by raspberry filling, caramel and clover honey.  The first sip brought in oodles of black cherry with signs of cedar, dried tobacco leaf and vanilla fudge.  We went back and forth about baked pecan pie and mocha hints at the finish, but the black cherry dominance was present throughout the tasting and it was absolutely delicious.  You could drink this on the rocks, but for the life of us, we don't know why you would.  This bottle, in our opinion, should be enjoyed neat and maybe slightly chilled.  Our wine library is about 64 degrees, so this was right in our wheelhouse.  

Keep an eye out for 15 Stars.  They're off to a fantastic start and the momentum is growing!  If we are to assume that this bottle is an indication of the quality of all of their releases, we can't wait to taste some others.  Yes, it is that good!  This one will be fun to re-visit throughout the next few months to see what a little airtime does for it.  We think it will continue to thrive.

Check out our YouTube video review!

ABV:  53.5% (107 proof)

Distillery:  15 Stars

Suggested retail price:  $139.00

Drink The Bottles score:  94/100

Broadslab Distillery Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon

 

We're suckers for farm-to-glass bourbons because you feel like you can really trust the process when everything is done in-house.  Sure, tons of folks are mashing, distilling, maturing and bottling their own product.  But at Broadslab Distillery in Benson, NC they are also growing the grains on their farm.  While the farm-to-bottle process isn't completely unique, it is somewhat rare these days.  And what really sets this distillery apart from others is their flue-cured aging process.  Their patent pending process means that they actually age their whiskey alongside hanging/curing tobacco, providing a unique process that carries over into distinct North Carolina flavors.  

Owner and master distiller Jeremy Norris insists on doing things the old way, or as he refers to, the right way.  The distillery cooks in a 500-pound copper pot still and the barrels are put aside until the whiskey has reached that familiar golden-brown color and rich aromas.  And that is what brings us to the Broadslab Distillery Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon today.  This small batch single barrel is an impressive 115+ proof and just gorgeous in the glass.  

Tasted neat, as always, the bourbon showed up with raw leather, cedar, maple, tobacco and vanilla on the nose.  Since this was a pop-and-pour taste initially, we decided to give this bourbon some air time in the glass before getting an accurate opinion of what it offered.  There was a unique and pleasant earthiness to this bourbon.  It was joined with spice cake, eucalyptus, cherry cola and vanilla throughout.  The finish was lively and this was not overly sweet.  Tasting a product like this confirms that we already knew; Not all great distilled spirits are born in Bardstown, KY!

This is a well-rounded bottle.  We like the aromas, the tastes and the label.  The fact that you can find a really nice product like this, it makes you wonder why people chase only allocated bottles.  Small Batch.  Single Barrel.  Cask Strength.  What else do you want?

ABV:  57.63% (115.26 proof)

Distillery:  Broadslab Distillery

Suggested retail price:  $68.95

Drink The Bottles score:  91/100

2021 Flora Springs Trilogy

 

This is our third vintage of Flora Springs Trilogy to taste and review over the years, and it has always been a consistently delicious and top performer.  For the 2021 vintage (their 38th bottling), there is a new label design which is (in our opinion) more elegant and welcoming that previous offerings.  As most of you know, we do take in consideration label design, or what we call shelf appeal, when scoring our wines and spirits.

The 2021 Trilogy is comprised primarily of Cabernet Sauvignon (85%) but also includes Petit Verdot (10%) and Malbec (5%).  This flagship wine is incredibly silky-smooth throughout the entire tasting experience, offering up tannins that are glossy and fine.  A swarm of aromas that include ripe dark berries, graphite and cedar are introduced initially, but this isn't a fruit-bomb, in-your-face type of wine, which is extremely refreshing.  After some time in the glass, the cedar yields to more earthy style of aromas.  The black fruits carry over on the palate with whisps of chocolate shavings, mint, minerality and suggestions of pine.  This wine is very structured and refined.  

We tasted this wine unaccompanied first and then paired it with some hard cheeses, cured meats and jams.  While the jams were not the best pairing, this wine absolutely soared with the aforementioned meats and cheeses.  If someone were building a wine cellar and asked us to give them 20 different wines to stock/cellar, this one would definitely be in that group.  It is perpetually delicious and each vintage is just breath taking.  Well done!

ABV:  14.2%

Winery:  Flora Springs: Napa, CA

2.300 Cases Produced

Suggested retail price:  $100.00

Drink The Bottles score:  95/100

Irons One Bourbon

 

Tucked away in a brick building in the bustling city of Huntsville, Alabama is a small craft distillery that is doing things the old-fashioned way and creating a product that may just blow your mind.  Owner and distiller Jeff Irons is nearly a one-man show, using only the help of his CTO (Chief Tasting Officer) and wife, Vicki Irons.  Irons One Distillery produces about 30 gallons of bourbon per week, give or take.  In fact, when he sent us a bottle for review, he was temporarily out of stock because he just can't keep it on the shelf.  Now we understand why!

The philosophy that Jeff Irons uses is to oversee literally every aspect of every batch of bourbon personally, from start to finish, ensuring only the highest quality product.  His "from my hands to yours" business model and the fact that every bottle has his name on it resonates with everyone who has ever tasted his incredible craft.  You won't find a team of seasonal workers or any cut corners here.  What you will find is incredible detail and care that is put into every step of the distilling process.

We tasted this small batch bourbon neat in a Glencairn initially.  We then re-visited it with a single cube in a rocks glass but determined that the neat pour was best fitting in our opinion.  We also re-tasted this five days later and, as predicted, were equally and pleasantly surprised as the initial tasting.  This bourbon provided a myriad of aromas and flavors:  Nutmeg, vanilla, oak, spice, dry earth, cake on the nose and some time in the glass kept throwing in more.  

Folks often talk about the "Kentucky hug" that you get with a whiskey or bourbon.  Well, we would suggest that this bottle gives you an Alabama backrub instead.  The pecan pie, vanilla cream, caramel corn and spice cabinet flavors blend beautifully and you can taste some floral and hard candy elements on the back end.  To say that this bourbon is smooth would be an unfortunate discredit to what Mr. Irons has done here.  We can only compare the smoothness of this whiskey to a professional paint job on a full restored 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS.  

Sometimes when we taste a new (to us) bourbon we start laughing after the initial taste.  And that's exactly what we did here.  We knew instantly that this was a superior product and a real treasure.  It's understandable why Irons Distillery wants to keep every step of the process under their thumb.  The quality, flavors, smoothness and drinkability of this product needs to be protected at all costs.  

So, how did we arrive at our score?  We compare this bottle to others in the 90 proof range.  This could very easily be our favorite 90 proof bourbon of 2024 and it is as good as any that we have tasted in the last 6 months.  The only drawback is the availability and distribution.  If this was more readily available it may have reached our first-ever perfect spirits score!  But if you are in the Huntsville, Alabama area, you absolutely, without a doubt, need to check out Irons One.  They might just have some bourbon waiting for you!

ABV:  45.0% (90.0 proof)

Distillery:  Irons One

Suggested retail price:  $50.00

Drink The Bottles score:  96/100

ANGEL'S ENVY "Worth The Envy" Marketing Campaign Focuses on Inclusivity

 

ANGEL'S ENVY is breaking down barriers with their wildly popular, award-winning and globally recognized finished whiskeys.  They are rolling out a national marketing campaign called "Worth The Envy", with a mission to "craft the future of bourbon and break stereotypes".

Maria, Dao, North American Marketing Director for the brand says, "At ANGEL'S ENVY, we pride ourselves in our innovative nature and origin.  We were one of the first distillers ever to bring secondary finishing to the bourbon industry at a time when it was considered a somewhat radical and visionary concept.  'Worth The Envy' strives to bend how people think about bourbon."

This new campaign shows how bourbon sparks conversations and experiences and it makes people who are not necessarily stereotypical whiskey enthusiasts think about how bourbon can enhance their lives.  More unique cocktails, a more welcoming environment and inclusiveness for all levels of whiskey fans and a potpourri of people from all walks of life are encouraged to come together and share in this lovely distilled spirit that we call whiskey and bourbon.

At Drink The Bottles we can tell you that we have personally been fans of ANGEL'S ENVY for many years.  Their Rye whiskey finished in port wine barrels is one of the first finished Rye that we had ever tasted.  We still use it regulartly in an Old Fashioned when we are looking for a sweeter version of the wildly popular cocktail.  Hats off to ANGEL'S ENVY on this new marketing campaign!

Spark Plug Cocktail Recipe

Mix up a delicious twist on the classic Espresso Martini Cocktail.

• 1 1/2 parts ANGEL'S ENVY Kentucky Straight Bourbon Finished in Port Wine Barrels
• 1 part Vanilla Liqueur
• 2 parts Espresso

Add all ingredients into a shaker tin.  Shake vigorously and strain into a coupe glass.  Garnish with three coffee beans or grated cinnamon.

Heaven's Door Exploration 1 Bourbon

 

Superstar Bob Dylan co-created the Heaven's Door brand and it has been incredibly popular because of the variety of products offered and of course, the quality of the spirits.  Master Distiller Ken Pierce is a veteran of in the whiskey world and under his influence, has made Heaven's Door a stand out brand among the competition.  Heaven's Door is opening their distillery and brand center later this year and it looks like it will be a place that everyone wants to visit.

Today we take a look at Heaven's Door Exploration 1, and inaugural bourbon offering in the newly-labeled Exploration series.  This bourbon is aged at least 5 years before spending another 2 years finishing in Calvados brandy casks from France.  An addition of medium-heavy French oak staves helps add to the flavor profile.  Coming in at 108 proof, we felt this drank closer to 120 proof with everything that is going on here, including the incredible mouth-coating feel you get and very long, spicy finish.

This was tasted neat in a Glencairn from a small sample bottle.  Medium to darker caramel color with predominant oak, mint, citrus, eucalyptus and orchard fruits all competing for attention on the nose.  The initial flavors were more citrus and grilling spices.  This was not overly sweet, but very structured, allowing a great balance of the citrus with oak and a spicier finish the sat incredibly on the tongue.  Some impressions of dried fruit and floral boquet from the brandy finishing showed up with some additional time in the glass.  Mutt stated that he thought this bottle was "incredible" and we both agree that we can't wait to see what else Heaven's Door has in store!

Check out our quickie YouTube review here!

ABV:  54.0% (108.0 proof)

Distillery:  Heaven's Door

Suggested retail price:  $79.99

Drink The Bottles score:  93/100

Westward Single Malt Whiskey Pinot Noir Cask

 

We could keep this short and sweet by stating, "We really like this", but that's not our style.  Today we tasted the Westward Single Malt Whiskey Pinot Noir Cask from Oregon and if you're a finished whiskey fan, read on!

Whether or not you're familiar with Westward Whiskey, you need to pay attention to their history and their philosophies.  This award-winning distillery has been around for 20 years, back when craft distilling wasn't "a thing" and they helped pave the way for the now more than 2200 craft brands in the US.  Head distiller Miles Munroe approaches each offering with critical care, always conscious of the footprint that the northwest United States will leave on each bottle.

This single malt whiskey is finished in French Oak Pinot Noir barrels, after first starting off the aging process in American Oak.  For finished whiskey enthusiasts, this one is hitting on all cylinders.  You start with a cherry pie, sweet tobacco, leather and vanilla.  We tasted this neat and allowed it some ample air time, rather than a pop-and-pour method.  Suspecting we had something special here, we wanted to give this dark amber offering some time to show itself, and it did!  Scorched earth, fig, stone fruits and vanilla were at the forefront with a more herb-like finish, combined with cocoa powder and sweet, savory vanilla pudding.  

While we don't know the mash bill or the details of the finishing time in the Pinot barrels, we can tell you that this whiskey really put a smile on our faces.  As someone who genuinely loves Pinot Noir from the Pacific Northwest and whiskey, this was a fanstastic marriage.  A self-proclaimed "whiskey purist" might not appreciate a finish like this, but they would be remiss.  If you aren't familiar with wine finished whiskey, we definitely recommend you try this one out.  It may blow your mind!

ABV:  45.0% (90.0 proof)

Distillery:  Westward Whiskey

Suggested retail price:  $89.95

Drink The Bottles score:  93/100

Two James Spirits Johnny Smoking Gun Blended Whiskey

 

We're not going to lie.  We know that a perk of this project is the ability to taste unique and extraordinary spirits that we may not be introduced otherwise.  The Johnny Smoking Gun Blended Whiskey from Two James Spirits out of Detroit, Michigan is just one of those cases.  

The distillery's founder, Dave Landrum, pays homage to two important men in his life who also bear the namesake of the brand.  Both named James (father and grandfather), left a positive mark on those around them by the love they showed for their communities and the passsion for life, among other things.  Dave is no stranger to the food and beverage world.  He is a mixologist, sommerlier and self-proclaimed spirits snob who wanted to carve his own path by creating a brand he could call his own.

Two James Spirits is deeply rooted and excited about their Corktown, Detroit community.  While being environmentally conscious, they also corn and grain locally in Michigan, maintaing not only more control of the overall process, but also supporting local family farms.

To say Johnny Smoking Gun is riddled with individuality would be a huge understatement.  The packaging and label are both on point and really stand out.  We have always exlcaimed that you need to start with good packaging.  Aged at least 2 years, this 87 proof blended whiskey is proofed down with Japanese tea.  Yes, you read that right.  Japanese tea.  We really didn't know what to expect with this but were very eager to taste it.  We popped this and tasted it neat (and later tasted it with some time in the glass).

On the nose initially were aromas of dried earth, butter cream frosting, lemon and corn casserole.  We've decided after tasting this we are going to skip the casserole for the holidays this year and serve JSG!  The first taste was a real eye opener (literally) with green tea, frosting, faint smoke and a treasure trove of aromas you would pick up at a Hallmark store.   That may sound extreme, but we all know what that feels like.  This is a tasty beast that finishes with a buttery and herbacious blend that draws you back for the next sip.

We generally never taste spirits with food.  It's just not our thing for the most part.  But I'm going to tell you that I had a few sips of Johnny Smoking Gun last night with beef arm roast, carrots and potatoes and the pairing was just remarkable.  If you're looking for something outside of the standard whiskey or bourbon on a lower proof side, give the Two James Distillery a try with this bottle!

Mutt and Jeff explore Johnny Smoking Gun on YouTube

ABV:  43.5% (87.0 proof)

Distillery:  Two James Distillery

Suggested retail price:  $49.96

Drink The Bottles score:  90/100