The Last Call

     Watershed Distillery, based out of Ohio, has quietly been building a strong reputation across several spirit categories, from gin and brandy to finished whiskeys and now straight bourbon.Batch No. 3 was one of the bottles I brought home after a trip to Ohio in early 2025, picked up with genuine excitement after having some excellent past experiences with Watershed releases. Between prior barrel picks and a maple cask-finished expression I really enjoyed, this felt like a safe purchase walking out of the store. For the full video review visit the link here:  https://youtu.be/uWqsQNQvJ3Q . Age Statement: 4 Years. (Batch 003). ABV: 61.1%. (Cask strength). Mash bill: N/A. Area of Distillation: Columbus, Ohio. Appearance: Light golden hue. On the nose:      The nose is surprisingly restrained for something north of 120 proof. Ethanol is the dominant player, followed by dusty corn and a light grain-forward note that leans raw rather than sweet. There’...

     I received this spirit as a review sample from Echo Spirits Distilling Company, linked here . It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.      Every once in a while, a bottle comes across the radar that makes you stop mid-scroll. That was the case with Genever from Echo Spirits Distilling Company. Based in  Columbus , the distillery is known for producing and aging some of its own spirits while being transparent about sourced products, something I always appreciate. When I saw a Dutch-inspired genever-style spirit made from malt whiskey instead of neutral grain, I knew I had to try it. As someone who enjoys gin, herbal liqueurs, and botanical-forward spirits, this felt like it was right in my wheelhouse.      Genever is inspired by traditional Dutch Genever, a category that predates modern gin. Instead of starting with a neutral grain spirit, this expression uses a malt whiskey base and layer...

     I received this spirit as a review sample from Echo Spirits Distilling Company, linked here . It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.      There is something refreshing about a distillery that treats blending like a craft instead of a marketing angle. Based in  Columbus, Ohio , Echo Spirits has built a reputation not just on distilling, but on thoughtful sourcing, finishing, and transparency. Their Engineer Series is essentially their workbench, a space to experiment and fine tune flavor profiles.      Batch 25A, nicknamed Trail Mix, immediately caught my attention because of how open they are about the blend. Percentages, mash bills, aging timelines, even the finishing details are laid out clearly. For a whiskey enthusiast, that kind of transparency is a big plus before the cork is even pulled.  For the full video review visit the link here:  https://youtu.be/E7vj07acxXk . Age Statement...

     High Bank has been on my radar for a while, especially since I’ve frequently passed by their bottles during trips to Ohio. Today, I decided it was time to take the plunge and pick up two of their offerings; the Barrel Proof and the Double Oaked. Personally I am a sucker for double oaked, even ones that pull a slighty higher price point.       Now this is a blend of straight whiskeys, NOT a bourbon, so keep that in mind during this review. Speaking of a few things to keep in mind...there’s no age statement on the bottle. The distillery’s website mentions a minimum of five years, so we can reasonably assume that this is a blend of whiskey aged for at least that long.  However, I do wish this was on the bottle. Also, there is not a state of distillation or sourcing location noted....nor mash bill(s) being used. While none of this is necessary for the review, I always commend transparency and it helps us understand the process and what (maybe) to...

Watershed Distillery Barrel Strength Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Maple Syrup Barrels Review.  I received this spirit as a review sample from Watershed Distillery. It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.      For those unfamiliar, Watershed Distillery is an Ohio-based distillery known for aging, producing, and bottling all their spirits locally. They’re not just about bourbon, they’re also focus on brandy, gin, and vodka. This release is number three of four in their "Fall Finishing" series. Now, this is as much Ohio as you can get with a spirit. Not only distilling, aging, and bottling in Ohio BUT the barrel was from the Jackson Ohio cooperage AND the Maple Syrup was from Alliance, Ohio. For the full video review visit the link here!:  https://youtu.be/ua1gRBKpQ4g Age Statement: 5 years. ABV:  54.6% Mashbill:  72% corn, 21% rye, and 7% malted barley. Area of Distillation:  Columbus,  Ohio. Finishing: 3-...