The Last Call

 High West Bottled in Bond Straight Rye Whiskey.      High West is one of those brands that pulled me in early on, and I’ve stuck around ever since. From Campfire being one of my first love-at-first-sip bottles to always keeping Double Rye picks on hand, they’ve earned a lot of goodwill with me over the years. That said, I’ve also been vocal about their pricing creeping up while some releases haven’t quite hit the same highs as earlier versions. So when I saw a bottled-in-bond rye made entirely from High West’s own distillate, I was curious… and cautiously optimistic.      This release feels like a statement bottle. No sourcing, no blending gymnastics — just 100% High West rye, bottled in bond, and ready to stand on its own. This Straight Rye Whiskey is bottled in bond at 50% ABV and aged a minimum of four years, meeting all the classic Bottled-in-Bond requirements. While four years isn’t a headline-grabbing age, this whiskey makes it clear that age st...

 Journeyman Corsets, Whips, and Honey Whiskey Review.      Journeyman Distillery continues to prove why they’re one of the most exciting craft producers in the Midwest. Corsets, Whips, and Honey is a brand-new, distillery-exclusive release built on their 100% wheat whiskey and infused with real Michigan honey. Originally rooted in Michigan and now expanding into Valparaiso, Indiana, Journeyman handles everything in-house, and that commitment to transparency and local collaboration shows up immediately with this bottle.      This is not a honey-finished whiskey or a flavored gimmick. Real honey from Great Lakes Bee Company is blended directly into Journeyman’s Corsets, Whips, and Wheat whiskey. It’s Michigan through and through, and that local focus adds a lot of character before the glass is even poured. For the full video review visit the link here:  https://youtu.be/P3EM0ps7nC4 . Age Statement: N/A. ABV: 35%. Mash bill: 100% Michigan wheat. Are...

Kirkland Signature Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey Review.      Tonight, we’re diving into something a bit different, Kirkland Signature Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. This one hits the shelves at Costco for an unbelievably low price, making it one of those “budget-friendly” bottles that sparks curiosity. It’s not a powerhouse, but it certainly catches your eye with its clean, official-looking bottle design. Most of what we know about this whiskey is that it’s sourced from Barton 1792, a well-known name in bourbon circles. It’s a liter bottle, priced around $18.99, which makes it one of the most accessible Kentucky straight bourbons on the market.      Kirkland Signature doesn’t give us many details beyond the source, so we assume these barrels are secondary picks from Barton 1792. It’s likely younger whiskey, which aligns with the light color and approachable profile. Kirkland also offers a Bottled-in-Bond and a Cask Strength version, but today...

Hugh Hamer Grape Brandy Finished Bourbon Whiskey Review.       West Fork Whiskey Company out of Westfield, Indiana continues to be one of the most interesting producers in the state, especially when it comes to creative finishes. This Hugh Hamer Street Bourbon is part of their sourced Old Hamer/Hugh Hamer lineup, pulling from MGP and finished with intention rather than gimmick. This particular bottle was a single barrel pick for the Brownsburg Bourbon Society, finished in grape brandy barrels.      Grape brandy finishes are not something you see often in bourbon, and that alone made this bottle intriguing. After tasting it at the distillery, revisiting it later with a fresh palate felt like the right way to really see if that grape brandy influence held up. For the full video review visit the link here:  https://youtu.be/dtLtdu2OnQg . Age Statement: +7 years. (Single barrel). ABV: 61.81% (Cask strength). Mash bill: 99% corn, 1% malted barley. Ar...

Old Hamer 10 Year Single Barrel Bourbon Review.       Old Hamer continues to be one of those quietly interesting labels that rewards anyone willing to slow down and pay attention. This particular bottle is a single barrel, cask strength bourbon coming in at a robust 62.2% ABV and carrying an age statement of at least 10 years. While West Fork Whiskey Company handles their own distillation and aging under other labels, the Old Hamer and Hugh Hamer lineup is openly sourced from MGP, something they are refreshingly transparent about.      What makes this release stand out is that it was hand-selected by Whiskey Weather during a barrel pick at West Fork. After tasting multiple barrels side by side, this one proved that proof alone does not dictate quality. Despite being a few proof points lower than another available pick, this barrel showed better balance and sweeter character, ultimately earning a spot on my shelf. For the full video review visit the lin...

Bourbon De Luxe Kentucky Straight Bourbon Finished in Jamaican Rum Casks Review.      Bourbon De Luxe is a name that once belonged to the pre-Prohibition era, a brand that built a respectable following before eventually fading out after the market shifted. That legacy was dormant until Rolling Fork, working in collaboration with Starlight Distillery, revived the trademark and began releasing small, highly limited batches under the original Bourbon De Luxe banner. I never expected to see one of these bottles in Indiana, and certainly not at nearly SRP. The moment I saw a Jamaican rum cask finish, the decision made itself. I’m a complete sucker for rum influence, especially when paired with a bold bourbon.     T he base whiskey here is at least seven years old and after blending, the whiskey spent nine months in a Jamaican rum barrel selected by Rolling Fork. If you're not familiar with that name, you should be. Rolling Fork is going out to all parts of the rum wo...