The Last Call

     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. Area of Distillation:  Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Appearance: ...

     Smoke Wagon is one of those brands that immediately draws attention, partly because of its striking bottle design with wax seals and etched glass, and partly because of the mystery surrounding its sourcing and blending philosophy. Based out of Nevada, Smoke Wagon has built a reputation around curated blends, often utilizing MGP distillate while being unusually transparent about what goes into the bottle. Unfortunately, distribution is limited, and for me that means a drive to Ohio just to pick one up, but curiosity finally got the better of me.      This release is a blend of two distinct rye mash bills. The first consists of 51% rye, 45% corn, and 4% malted barley. The second is one of MGP’s newer recipes, made up of 51% rye and 49% malted barley. These components are blended together and released at a robust proof without clear indication of whether it is true cask strength. The bottle reviewed here was bottled on September 30th, 2023, and is labeled...

     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...

     West Fork Whiskey Company has been quietly building one of Indiana’s most respected whiskey programs through in-house distilling, aging, and bottling, and now they’re adding another layer with a brand-new label: Tailored Barrel. This release represents their vision of finding truly unique barrels outside of their core lineup and releasing them in their purest form. When I got the opportunity to attend the release event and pick up one of the very first bottles, saying no wasn’t an option.      This particular bottling immediately catches your eye with its elegant presentation and refreshingly honest label. Every detail is there, mash bill, age statement, proof, and source. Transparency like this is still scarse in whiskey, and it’s something I’ll always champion when a brand gets it right.      This bottle is sourced directly from MGP and uses their well-known 95% rye and 5% malted barley mash bill. What makes it exceptional, though, is ...

        Penelope has been on a roll lately, especially since settling under the MGP umbrella, and their recent limited releases have been grabbing attention for good reason. Marshmallow Toast debuted in late 2024 alongside the Cream Brûlée Architect in 2025, and each showcases Penelope’s knack for pulling highly specific flavor profiles from single barrels. I missed the excitement of batch one, but batch two found me at the right moment during my travels, and at a reasonable price. As a longtime Penelope fan and a lover of toasted bourbons, this release had me genuinely excited.      Batch one appears to have been closer to four years old, making batch two a slight age upgrade. The whiskey is then finished in heavily charred No. 3 casks, designed to coax out toasted sweetness, vanilla creaminess, and the “marshmallow toast” character they’re aiming for. The transparency behind this release only adds to its charm, Penelope lets you know exactly how...

     Penelope has become a household name in the bourbon world, and for good reason. Their transparency around sourcing and blending, especially with access to MGP stocks since their acquisition, has led to some exciting releases. With the Weeded Bourbon, Penelope is offering something approachable and shelf-stable, an everyday pour that doesn’t break the bank.      This release is a four-grain bourbon and is only 1% different compared to their standard four-grain. It shifts slightly, boosting the wheat while trimming the barley, a subtle but interesting tweak. The whiskey is aged four to six years, with a blend that includes some older barrels for added depth. At a price point generally ranging from $30–$40, it aims squarely at the budget-friendly market while offering a higher proof than their standard four-grain expression. For the full video review visit the link here:  https://youtu.be/XWegRGLxu3g . Age Statement: 4 years. ABV: 47.5%. Mash bill:...

     Rare Saint is a newer brand on the Indiana whiskey scene, with its operations based in Indianapolis. Early indications suggest they do a lot of sourcing from MGP, which is far from a bad thing, MGP makes some excellent whiskey. That said, there’s a bit of marketing questions here, with the bottle labeled as a “limited release” and “rare spirit.” I picked this one up out of curiosity and a desire to support a local brand, hoping to see how they handle barrel selection.      The labeling suggests a two-barrel blend and an official age statement is nowhere to be found on the bottle. Their website mentions a 5-year age, but without that detail on the packaging, it’s left as an assumption. For the full video review visit the link here:  https://youtu.be/DZdKGnv-FUs . Age Statement: 5 years (according to the website). ABV:  57.65%. Mash bill: 95% rye, 5% malted barley. Area of Distillation: Indiana. Appearance: Dark honey. On the nose:  ...

            Penelope has long been a name to watch in the whiskey world, and with their 2025 release of  Cigar Series Chapter One , they’re pushing the boundaries again. This bottle, which I stumbled upon in mid-July, had been out for about a month and a half, but there it was, sitting on a shelf like it was waiting for me. It felt like one of those “last one left” moments, maybe even a bottle someone stashed in the back hoping to grab later. Regardless, it came home with me.      Now, I’m not a cigar smoker myself, but I’ve always had a soft spot for cigar blends. There’s something about the sweeter, often multi-finished profiles that tend to hit my palate just right. This particular entry from Penelope doesn’t rely on multiple barrel finishes the way others in the space do. Instead, they’ve opted for a more blend-forward approach, and honestly, that’s what made me so curious. It’s a bold swing in a genre that’s often dominated by ...

     There’s something oddly charming about Old Hammer. It’s like the quiet cousin of West Fork Whiskey Company—same bloodline, just a little more rough around the edges, and a lot more likely to knock your socks off with cask strength heat. This particular bottle is a single barrel pick selected by the in-house whiskey club over at West Fork, and while I wasn’t lucky enough to be on the tasting panel for the pick, I  was  there on release day. One pour in, and I knew it deserved a closer look.      Here’s the deal: Old Hammer leans hard into the MGP pipeline, and this bottle is built on the classic 99% corn, 1% malted barley mash bill. That’s the sort of recipe that usually doesn't see much love, so to see it dressed up in an 8-year-old cask strength expression is great. Due to the mash bill you highly rely on the barrel, age, and proof to do the lifting scene there's really no other grains BUT corn to bring complexity. It felt like someone hande...

          Three Floyds Distilling, based in Munster, Indiana, has long been a powerhouse in the craft beer world with legendary brews like Zombie Dust and Gumball Head. Over the last several years, they’ve been steadily building their spirits portfolio, distilling, aging, and bottling everything in-house, often experimenting with unique grains like oats and beer malt. Their label art is as wild and unapologetic as their recipes, and when I stopped by in May 2025 to pick up their Dark Lord Straight Malt, something else caught my eye: their first rye whiskey release.      While the distillery offered a 7-year version at the time, I stumbled upon this 4-year bottling on store shelves. At first, I thought I had the 7-year in my hands, only to later learn this was the younger sibling. Adding another twist, the liquid inside was sourced from MGP, nothing wrong with that, as they make fantastic whiskey, but not distilled by Three Floyds themselves. ...

     Let me be honest up front—I had written this one off. Penelope’s “Crème Brûlée” finish in their Architect Series sounded like a gimmick, another novelty bottling destined to get dusty on a shelf. But curiosity got the better of me when I heard a nearby shop had just one bottle left. A quick phone call and a gracious store clerk later, I found myself making the hour-long drive to secure it. Now, I’ve always liked what Penelope puts out. While I haven’t had every single expression, the ones I’ve tried hit that sweet spot. And with Penelope now officially under the MGP umbrella, they’ve been churning out some seriously strong offerings.       Penelope uses a three-grain mash bill here. The whiskey is aged at least five years and finished using French oak staves, specifically selected in collaboration with a French cooperage using what they call “oak stave technology.” These staves are chosen to emphasize the flavors of a classic crème brûlée, think c...

     Three Cord has been on my radar for a while now, they’ve put out some fun finished bourbons, and the toasted/honey combo they released before was downright phenomenal. So when I spotted this six-year, cask strength, single barrel double oak pick from Lake Liquors, I knew it was coming home with me. Double oaks are a personal weakness, and this one had that “buy it now or regret it later” kind of look. At $50, it was an easy decision.      This one’s sourced from Indiana, yep, we’re talking MGP. It was barreled January 18, 2016, and bottled May 22, 2023, then given the double oak treatment in a fresh new charred barrel for extra depth and sweetness. That six-year age puts it right in MGP’s sweet spot, where the bourbon still has some liveliness but has built up enough oak character to really shine. The proof sits at 55.4%, giving you all the richness you want without tipping into palate fatigue territory. For the full video review visit the link here: ...

     I received this spirit as a review sample from the World Whiskey Society,  linked here . It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.      World Whiskey Society isn’t just dabbling anymore, they’re deep in the game. Over the last few years, they’ve become known for tracking down rare barrels, blending and finishing them with finesse, and then releasing bottles that are as stunning to look at as they are to drink. When I saw this one, a 20-year-old American Light Whiskey dubbed their “Cigar Blend” I was instantly intrigued. Multiple finishes, a bold age statement. Count me in.      The “Cigar Blend” name tells you what they’re going for: a whiskey that pairs well with a cigar, meaning bold, sweet, and rich. And while I don’t smoke cigars, I love cigar blends for exactly those reasons, especially in the summer when I want something sweeter without being flavored. For the full video review visit the link h...

     I received this spirit as a review sample from Fincasa Whisky, linked here . It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.      Fincasa Whiskey quickly became one of my to go ryes finished in a rum barrel. After experiencing batch 001, I instantly cooed tell the direction they were heading was going to be great. Now we are on batch three and some hefty changes are showing! The label clearly states the barrel origin, age, and finishing time, a level of transparency that should be the industry standard and that we love to see.       Fincasa continues to source their rye from Indiana where they bumped the age from three years to five years. But what sets batch three apart is its finishing process. While batches 001 and 002 were aged in Barbados rum barrels, this expression is finished in ex-Puerto Rican rum casks for a full 12 months. After speaking to Fincasa whiskey they are planning on keeping the finish...

     Sometimes a bottle calls to you without rhyme or reason, and this was one of those moments. Dark Arts Whiskey House had just dropped a new Seelbachs pick: a double-oaked, two-barrel blend of well-aged MGP bourbon. Drink. Click. Order placed. Truth be told, I have been loving nearly everything I sampled from Dark Arts in 2024, I figured it was a safe bet. What followed was a bit of a rollercoaster.       This bottle brings together two sourced Indiana bourbons, one aged 11 years and the other 10. The final blend underwent a secondary maturation for double-oaking, and it was bottled at cask strength, uncut and unfiltered. The concept is promising: a rich, layered bourbon leaning heavily into oak and spice, with a base spirit old enough to carry some weight. On paper, it checks the boxes. But it’s always what’s in the glass that counts. For the full video review visit the link here:  https://youtu.be/3IM1pPUzXAw . Age Statement:  10 ye...

     There’s something comforting about pouring a glass from a distillery you’ve grown to trust. Tonight's pour comes from Backbone Bourbon Company, right here in Indiana, and if you've followed along for any amount of time, you’ll know I have a soft spot for them. This single barrel, uncut straight bourbon comes in at a bold 63.8% ABV and boasts over 8 years and 8 months in the barrel. Backbone’s approach to transparency and craft has always stood out to me. Whether it's sourcing, blending, or just having fun with good whiskey, they don’t hide behind gimmicks, and that earns my respect every time.      Backbone doesn’t play coy about their whiskey’s origin. This one is sourced from MGP, proudly stated both on the bottle and their website. Again, this is a barrel proof, single barrel expression, meaning no dilution, no blending, just one specific barrel chosen for its character. This particular single barrel was selected by my buddy Rich over at Holly’s Pac...

       I received this spirit as a review sample from Larado Whiskey, linked here . It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.      More recently I've had the pleasure of reviewing the other two release from Larado and so far, I've been very impressed. Larado is based out of Colorado where they are sourcing whiskey from Indiana and bringing it back to Colorado for aging along with keeping their releases single barrel. As always there is nothing wrong with sourcing specially when you are transparent in the process like Larado is doing.     When it came to their Rye whiskey, I was instantly impressed. I loved the profile it bought with the age. It was the pentacle sip I wanted when I hear "rye whiskey." When it comes to Roper Reserve they are keeping the same mash bill as the rye but keeping it cask strength along with single barrel. I have high expectations with their barrel selection and excited to see how it h...

     I received this spirit as a review sample from Larado Whiskey, linked here . It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.      Now I am always keeping my eyes peeled for brands to checkout and the other day while on that hunt I ran across Larado Whiskey. Essentially Larado is based out of Colorado where they are sourcing a whiskey from Indiana and bringing it back to Colorado for aging. Personally, I think this is a great idea and I love seeing the transparency of Larado's process. For this release we do see something that is quite uncommon, a wheat whiskey.      You might be thinking this is a typical mash bill for such a release, but it is far from that. Not only are they choosing a mash bill using 95% wheat but also keeping a solid age statement on it. Typically we see wheat being used as an accent grain, which is does quite well.   I've had some experience with this level of wheat being used in...

     I received this spirit as a review sample from Larado Whiskey, linked here . It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.      Larado’s Single Barrel Small Batch Rye arrives with a solid introduction out the gate. Based in Colorado, they are taking their whiskey from Indiana and aging it in Colorado. And honestly, the level of transparency Larado is bringing to their releases is a breath of fresh air. There is nothing wrong with sourcing whiskey as long as you keep transparent on that and Larado is. On top of that, not only letting it age in Colorado but keeping it single barrel is going to make the release more your own.     Now for me, bringing a rye at the higher age statement to the market is welcomed. Typically Indiana rye showcases itself in the six to eight year statements. Typically this brings the best balance of spice, sweet, fruity, and complexities without going too high in costs. For the full video r...