The Last Call

I received this spirit as a review sample from Silverthorn Reserve,  linked here . It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.      Silverthorn Reserve is one of the newer names hitting shelves in 2026, and they’re making it clear from the start that transparency is part of the mission. The brand provides full details on sourcing, mash bills, and blend percentages. That kind of openness is always a strong first step.      The Blender's Art expression brings together well-aged stocks from Georgia and Indiana, blending straight bourbon and straight rye whiskeys. On paper, it promises both maturity and balance, walking the line between classic bourbon richness and rye-driven lift. The Indiana stocks are likely sourced from MGP, known for their 95/5 rye mash bill, while the Georgia bourbon adds an intriguing layer of age and regional character that is less commonly seen at this maturity.      It is a thoughtful...

     Larrikin Bourbon Company is one of those brands I had been watching from a distance, waiting for it to finally land here in Indiana. In 2026, we started seeing bottles hit shelves, along with a few store picks, including this single barrel selected by Handy Spot Liquor in Indiana. After tasting it in-store, I walked away… and then came back two days later to buy it. That alone should tell you something.      Transparency is a strong point for the brand, and on paper this nine-year, barrel proof single barrel looked promising. This is a single barrel Kentucky straight bourbon bottled at a hefty ABV and aged at least nine years. The mash bill is 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley. Larrikin standard releases use the same mash bill and are also single barrels, while select barrels like this one are chosen by individual stores or groups. While the distillery is not officially disclosed, the mash bill and Kentucky origin suggest a strong possibilit...

     West Fork Whiskey Company out of Westfield, Indiana continues to prove they are serious about the craft side of bourbon. This particular release is a high corn bourbon, distilled, aged, and bottled in-house, then finished in cherry brandy barrels. What really caught my attention was the mash bill: 100% corn. Yes, that qualifies as bourbon. After four years in new American oak, it spent another year and a half in cherry brandy barrels, bringing the total age to five and a half years. On paper, that is a fascinating experiment.      A 100% corn mash bill is naturally going to lean sweeter and softer, without the spice from rye or the added structure from malted barley or wheat. That means the finishing barrel has a huge role in shaping the final product. In this case, the cherry brandy cask is not a background note. It is the lead singer. For the full video review visit the link here:  https://youtu.be/3vL3C8_7mts . Age Statement: 4 years. (Single ...

     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 we’re focused on this small batch, budget-friendly opt...

     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 link here:  https://youtu.be/AgN8fJNDpi8 . Age State...

     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 world, selecting barrels, and brining back to Indiana. Sometimes blending, finishin...

          Russell’s Reserve has long been one of those dependable names that consistently delivers solid Kentucky straight bourbon without chasing hype. Between their approachable 10 Year, reliable rye, and well-structured core lineup, they’ve earned a permanent place on many shelves. This private barrel pick, discovered during a stop at West Clay Wine and Spirits, immediately stood out as something special, especially after learning it came from the highly regarded Camp Nelson warehouses.      What made this bottle even more exciting was the blind selection process behind it. The winning barrel was chosen from multiple Russell’s Reserve options, and after tasting it on the spot, both my wife and I agreed it was an exceptional pick. After letting it rest on my shelf for a few weeks, it felt like the right time to dig in and see how it truly performed. For the full video review visit the link here:  https://youtu.be/P6af210yvfg . Age Stat...

          Peerless Distilling is a name most bourbon drinkers recognize instantly, largely thanks to that unmistakable bottle design. It’s bold, beefy, and looks fantastic on a shelf. I’ll admit right away, I’ve had a bit of a complicated relationship with Peerless releases over the years. Some of their offerings, like the Double Oak Bourbon and Double Oak Rye, have been standouts for me, while others have left me scratching my head. Until now, I’d never actually sat down and reviewed their standard Kentucky Straight Bourbon, and curiosity finally won out despite my ongoing hesitation with their pricing.       While there’s no age statement on the bottle, Peerless does confirm on their website that they adhere to a four-year minimum. I always wish that transparency made it onto the label, but it is what it is. What truly sets Peerless apart from many other Kentucky distilleries is their use of a sweet mash process rather than the more co...

     Bondstone is one of those brands many bourbon drinkers first encounter on the shelves at Total Wine, often under the Spirits Direct umbrella. While that association can sometimes raise eyebrows, Bondstone has been slowly expanding beyond that lane, and the Quad Oak release feels like an attempt to stand out in a crowded field of finished bourbons. Now when it comes to Spirit Direct brands that can mean in-house bottlings, sourced projects, or partnerships with smaller distilleries, and Bondstone sits firmly in that sourced-project lane.      The “Quad Oak” name comes with a bit of creative interpretation. According to the bottle, Bondstone starts with a double-oaked bourbon matured twice in new charred oak barrels. They then blend that with a bourbon matured three times in new charred oak barrels, before finishing the combined whiskey with toasted American and French oak staves. While this may not be four full barrel maturations, there is no denying th...

     Knob Creek has never been shy about leaning into age, oak, and intensity, and in 2025 they took that philosophy one step further by extending their long-aged lineup to 21 years. As someone who genuinely loved the Knob Creek 18, including its bold, oak-forward profile that some found overwhelming, I was extremely curious to see what three additional years in the barrel would bring. Finding this bottle at SRP made the decision easy. This felt like a natural evolution of the Knob Creek story, and one I was excited to explore. For the full video review visit the link here:  https://youtu.be/yU0Kh7Adxag . Age Statement: 21 years. ABV: 50%. Mash bill:  75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley. Area of Distillation:  Clermont, Kentucky. Appearance:  Deep espresso mahogany. On the nose:      Instantly rich and expressive. Classic Jim Beam nuttiness shows up first, leaning toward walnut and pecan rather than peanut. Dark vanilla follows, r...

Widow Jane is one of those brands that tends to drift in and out of my rotation, mostly because their pricing can feel wildly inconsistent depending on the release and where you live. Sometimes it’s approachable, other times it feels completely disconnected from reality. When I spotted Widow Jane Decadence sitting on a Costco shelf at one of the lowest prices I’ve ever seen, curiosity finally won. On paper, a 10-year-old bourbon finished in maple syrup casks sounds like a cozy fall pour, and with the price finally lining up, it felt like the right moment to pull the trigger.      Widow Jane Decadence begins as Widow Jane’s 10 Year Bourbon, a blend of sourced straight bourbons from Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Once blended, that whiskey is finished in maple syrup barrels sourced from Crown Maple, a well-known producer that many people probably already have sitting in their fridge. While Widow Jane doesn’t disclose an official finishing time, most estimates place it so...

       Journeyman Distillery has built a strong reputation in the craft whiskey world, operating out of Three Oaks, Michigan, with a newer presence in Indiana. Over the years, they’ve released some genuinely impressive bottles, even if a few have missed the mark. Their standard Featherbone Bourbon has been a consistent performer for me, so when a local Indiana chain store released a single barrel pick at cask strength, curiosity got the better of me.      Single barrels from Journeyman are not something we see every day. That exclusivity, combined with barrel proof presentation, certainly sets expectations a little higher. It’s aged in standard 53-gallon barrels and presented at cask strength. Like most of Journeyman’s lineup, it is also kosher certified, which is a significant undertaking in the production process. There is no official age statement, though this barrel was filled in 2018. For the full video review visit the link here:  https://yo...

       My introduction to Bear Wallow Distillery came years ago through their core releases, and I immediately appreciated how proudly local their approach was. They distill, age, and bottle everything in-house, relying on Indiana grains and keeping things small enough that most of their whiskey never even makes it out of their own region. That kind of dedicated local following says a lot about a distillery’s character. So when I learned they were releasing long-aged single barrel offerings near the end of 2025, I made it a point to stop by while visiting the area, and I left with this bottle in hand, excited to dive deeper.      This single barrel straight bourbon is a big step forward for Bear Wallow. Coming in at 64.7% ABV and aged 8 years and 4 months, it carries a mash bill of 65% corn, 25% wheat, and 10% malted barley. No rye at all, which allows the wheat to take a more expressive supporting role. Everything in this bottle is Indiana to the core...

     High West is one of those distilleries I’ve always had a complicated relationship with. I genuinely enjoy what they do, but I’ve also been vocal about pricing and the occasional miss on some of their finished releases. That said, when they get it right, they really get it right. And I’ll still stand by this: bring back the Double Rye picks.      This particular bottle is part of their Cask Collection, featuring a blend of straight whiskeys finished in a Sauvignon Blanc wine barrel. I passed on it once in Ohio and regretted it almost immediately. A year later, I found it sitting on a local grocery store shelf and didn’t hesitate. Some bottles have a way of circling back around.      This release is a blend of straight whiskeys, likely a combination of bourbon and rye, possibly including both sourced distillate and High West’s own. As with many recent releases, finishing times and mashbill breakdowns are not disclosed.      ...

     Dark Arts Whiskey House continues to be one of the more intriguing brands I’ve been diving into throughout 2025, especially as availability remains limited here in Indiana. Empyrean immediately stood out, not just for the striking apothecary-style bottle and label design, but for its ambitious concept: a bourbon finished separately in both red and white port casks before being blended back together. That approach alone suggested a level of intention and control that had me genuinely excited to see how it translated in the glass.      Empyrean starts with an Indiana-distilled high-rye bourbon sourced from MGP. Dark Arts takes a slightly different approach when it comes to finishing. They split the bourbon into two finishing paths: one portion finished in red port casks, the other in white port casks. Instead of transferring the whiskey sequentially between barrels, Dark Arts blends the two finished components together, allowing them to dial in...

    New Riff is a distillery I’ve had the chance to visit a few times, and every trip has only strengthened my appreciation for what they’re doing. From releases like their Balboa Rye and Malted Rye to the newer eight-year bourbon, there’s a clear sense of intention behind their portfolio. While the eight-year rye didn’t fully hit the highs I was hoping for, it was still a respectable pour. This single barrel straight rye caught my attention when local Indiana store picks started popping up on sale, making it the perfect excuse to finally explore New Riff’s single barrel program.      This particular bottle carries an age statement of four years and four months, offering a bump in both proof and maturity compared to their standard bottled-in-bond rye. New Riff is refreshingly transparent with their production details, and this single barrel rye is no exception. The mash bill comes in at 95% rye and 5% malted rye, which effectively makes this a 100% rye whiskey u...

     As 2025 winds down, Maker's Mark surprised everyone with what appears to be a limited-age-stated run of their beloved cask strength bourbon. I’ve always had a soft spot for Maker's Mark. It wasn’t a brand I fell in love with immediately, but somewhere along the way, it became a comfort bottle, a pour I reached for between bigger, flashier releases. Their lineup consistently offers strong value, and while I still haven’t tried the Cellar Aged, the rest are genuinely solid. Seeing this on the shelf at standard cask strength pricing made it an easy pickup.      This release is still their classic wheated bourbon, although Maker's Mark doesn’t publish the exact mash bill. The side label offers some intriguing production details: a 110-proof barrel entry, 378 hand-rotated and hand-selected casks, and the note that each batch is “aged to taste.” That wording alone hints at future variations. I wouldn’t be surprised if 6.5- to 8-year age statements start appe...

     Penelope has been on a real tear lately, and 2025 feels like the year they simply refused to miss. Their track record with MGP distillate has been impressive, but this collaboration with T8ke immediately stood out. Take has long been a respected reviewer and a guiding hand in the r/bourbon community, so hearing he was teaming up with Penelope made this an instant “must buy.”      The bottle itself looks regal, with a noble blue label that feels elevated without trying too hard. And once I learned this was a blend of five to seven-year-old bourbon finished in Sauternes casks at barrel proof, I knew this was going to be something different. Sauternes is a French dessert wine known for its sweetness and expensive barrel costs, so expectations were set high before the cork even moved. Amusingly, this is listed as a “single barrel” despite yielding 900 bottles. Whether that’s a massive cask or loose interpretation, the end result is what matters, and T8ke r...

     Four Finger Distillery is one of those craft producers that continues quietly building something special, and their Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon feels like a meaningful milestone for where the distillery is today. Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Four Finger produces nearly everything in-house, from gin and vodka to absinthe, rye, and even peated bourbon. Released in 2025, this bourbon follows their Bottled in Bond rye and continues the distillery’s push toward more mature, transparent, and confidently crafted whiskey.      The name “Four Finger” itself tells a story. Formerly known as 1205 Distillery, the brand changed their name to pay tribute to the founder and master distiller Brad when he lost his pinky finger during the construction of the distillery. Rather than treating it lightly, the distillery embraced it as part of their identity, creating a name that stands out just as much as the whiskey itself. For the full video review visit the link...