The Last Call

       Barrell Craft Spirits has built a reputation on bold blending and creative finishing, and their Cigar Blend Bourbon immediately caught my attention the moment it was announced. As someone who gravitates toward sweeter, richer profiles, cigar-style batches tend to land right in my wheelhouse, though they can be hit or miss depending on execution. This release is bottled at cask strength, and features a blend of straight bourbons sourced from Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee. The blend includes barrels ranging from 7½ years all the way up to 18 years, creating a layered foundation of mature whiskey.           Where things really get interesting is the finishing. This blend is finished in a combination of Madeira, Armagnac, rum, and Hungarian oak casks. Each component plays a role in shaping the final profile, with the goal of creating a whiskey that pairs well with the richness and depth typically associated with a cigar-style pour....

     Some bottles feel different the moment you pick them up, and this one absolutely falls into that category. This Single barrel pick Oat Whiskey from Dovetail Distillery is one of those releases that immediately stands out simply because of what it is. An oat whiskey at barrel proof already pushes outside the norm, and when you add in the fact that it’s coming from a craft distillery in Nevada that distills, ages, and bottles everything themselves, it becomes something you really want to sit down and take your time with.           Dovetail has already impressed me before, especially with their Cutthroat Oat Whiskey, which ended up in my top whiskeys of 2025. Going into this one, the expectations were already high, but I was curious to see if lightning could strike twice.      What makes this whiskey so interesting starts right at the grain. Instead of the usual bourbon-style mash bill with corn and rye, Dovetail is doing som...

I received this spirit as a review sample from Travelers Point,  linked here . It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.      Some bottles feel like they represent more than just another release, and this one definitely falls into that category. Travelers Point continues to be one of the most interesting craft distilleries here in Indiana, and this newest Signature Series release feels like a big step forward for them. From the moment I saw this one announced for 2026, I knew it was something I had to go check out in person.      The distillery itself sits in Kirklin, Indiana, a small town you could easily miss if you blink while driving through. But right next to that lone stoplight is a tasting room that feels like a hidden gem. After spending some time there and learning more about this release, it became clear this wasn’t just another bottle for them. This was a project built around experimentation and confidence in...

       Knob Creek stepping into a “blender’s edition” series honestly caught me off guard in a good way. For a brand that already has such a recognizable identity, seeing them experiment with different batch concepts feels like a smart move rather than a risky one. When I found this bottle at a surprisingly low price, it went from “I’ll pass on the hype” to “okay, you’ve convinced me.”      This first batch sits right in the middle of the Knob Creek lineup with a 10-year age statement and a slightly higher proof than the standard offerings. The idea behind this release is simple but interesting. Instead of chasing extreme oak or pushing toward high proof, this batch seems designed to highlight a sweeter and more approachable side of the brand’s profile.      What makes this bottle stand out isn’t just the age or proof, but the concept behind it. This is meant to be the first in a sequence of releases where different batches highlight dif...

     Penelope has been one of those brands that continues to surprise me in the best way possible, especially since they started showing up more consistently here in Indiana. Their barrel selections, finishing work, and overall consistency have all been incredibly solid, so when I came across this 18-year American Light Whiskey sitting on the shelf, it was an instant buy. It’s not often you see a light whiskey at this age, and it’s even rarer to see one sitting just above the hazmat line.      What really drew me in here wasn’t just the proof or the age. It was the idea of what Penelope could do with older light whiskey stock. Light whiskey is usually known for being softer and more subtle compared to bourbon, but when you add serious age and keep it at hazmat proof, you start wondering just how much flavor they managed to pull out of it. For the full video review visit the link here:  https://youtu.be/Gci5ozlpZ9s . Age Statement: 18 years. ABV: 70.1...

     Traveler’s Point Distillery has quietly been building something special out in Indiana, and this barrel proof wheated bourbon feels like a real step forward. With their focus on locally sourced grains and full control over distilling, aging, and bottling, this release shows what happens when a craft distillery starts hitting its stride. Seeing this expression reach over four years old at barrel proof is a strong sign of growth.      There’s a clear intention here too. Instead of chasing aggressive, high-proof heat, Traveler’s Point leans into balance and drinkability. That philosophy immediately sets expectations for something a little different from the usual barrel proof experience. The distillery uses a lower barrel entry proof, along with 53 gallon barrels, allowing the whiskey to mature gradually and develop complexity without becoming overly tannic or hot. A      Everything is handled in-house in Indiana, from grain to glass, reinf...

     Circle City Whiskey Company is one of those brands that has slowly earned more and more space on my shelves. Every time a new release drops, it feels like they push the envelope just a little further while still keeping that transparency we all want to see in modern whiskey. Tonight’s pour is their newest release for 2026, the Robusto Blend, and this one immediately caught my attention because it was designed as a cigar-style batch.      I am not a cigar smoker myself, but I have always enjoyed cigar-style bourbons because they tend to lean richer, darker, and more layered while still bringing a higher proof to the table. This one checks all of those boxes before the bottle is even opened.       The Robusto Blend is a four-barrel blend built around both transparency and creativity. Three of the barrels come from Heaven Hill, all at least eight years old, and each one was finished differently. One was placed in a toasted cask, a...