The Last Call

     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...

     I received this spirit as a review sample from 3 Sisters Rum,  linked here . It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.       Three Sisters Rum, is an American craft distillery based in Pennsylvania. American rum often flies under the radar, and seeing a small distillery take on the challenge with such confidence is refreshing. Their process leans heavily into traditional Caribbean methods, utilizing a copper pot still to capture rich, flavorful profiles. For their Rum, they choose to use organic sugar cane to make their base. Personally, I love seeing transparency on the process, shows they are proud on the product. On top of that their Rums are gluten-free, vegan, and even kosher.      The great thing 3 Sisters Rum is doing a bit different is the fact they are adding the natural flavor during distillation NOT afterwards. This allows the infusion of flavors to marry together VS just being an add...

     I received this spirit as a review sample from 3 Sisters Rum,  linked here . It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.       Three Sisters Rum, is an American craft distillery based in Pennsylvania. American rum often flies under the radar, and seeing a small distillery take on the challenge with such confidence is refreshing. Their process leans heavily into traditional Caribbean methods, utilizing a copper pot still to capture rich, flavorful profiles. The "mash bill" features organic sugar cane with a touch of molasses. On top of that their Rums are gluten-free, vegan, and even kosher. Personally, I love seeing transparency and their authenticity stands out.      When Summertime starts to come up, I tend to like sweeter offerings. When done right, flavored spirits can be not only a great thing to enjoy but also work great in a cocktail. The great thing 3 Sisters Rum is doing a bit different i...

     I received this spirit as a review sample from 3 Sisters Rum,  linked here . It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.       Three Sisters Rum, is an American craft distillery based in Pennsylvania. Personally, I love seeing transparency and their authenticity stands out. American rum often flies under the radar, and seeing a small distillery take on the challenge with such confidence is refreshing. Their process leans heavily into traditional Caribbean methods, utilizing a copper pot still to capture rich, flavorful profiles. The "mash bill" features organic sugar cane with a touch of molasses. On top of that their Rums are gluten-free, vegan, and even kosher.      Now white rum can be a great spirit to enjoy neat to experience the true form of a rum or as a mixer. For me, I love experiencing an unaged rum to see the profile prior to aging it. Also, a great unaged rum can do wonders in a cockta...

          Cardinal Spirits out of Bloomington, Indiana has quietly built a reputation for doing things the right way. While they source some distillate, they also distill, age, and bottle their own spirits, and that balance shows real intention. When I spotted this Tiki Rum on the shelf with a 6 year, 8 month age statement, it immediately grabbed my attention. As a rum fan, that kind of age on an Indiana-made rum is not something you see every day, and I went into this one genuinely curious and cautiously optimistic. For the full video review visit the link here:  https://youtu.be/sKQ8zqddqaU . Age Statement: 6 years 8 months. ABV: 40%. Mash bill: Cane juice & molasses. Area of Distillation: Bloomington, Indiana. Appearance:  Pale gold. On the nose:      The nose opens with a sweet, inviting fruitiness led by pineapple, followed by a gentle but unmistakable rum funk that leans Jamaican in spirit without going full hogo. Warm sp...

     I received this spirit as a review sample from 3 Sisters Rum, linked here . It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.      American rum often flies under the radar, and seeing a small distillery take on the challenge with such confidence is refreshing. Three Sisters Rum is an American craft distillery based in Pennsylvania. Personally, I love seeing transparency and their authenticity stands out. Their process leans heavily into traditional Caribbean methods, utilizing a copper pot still to capture rich, flavorful profiles. The "mash bill" features organic sugar cane with a touch of molasses. On top of that their Rums are gluten-free, vegan, and even kosher.      For the aged expression, the rum spends at least three years in white oak casks. While I've been diving down the rum path recently, I've quickly learned Caribbean copper pot stills make some of my favorite rums and I love the profile they deliver...

     The moment West Fork Whiskey Company announced they were finishing their high-corn bourbon in a rum cask, I was mentally in the car, halfway to Westfield. I’ve been following West Fork for years, they’ve got their sourced Old Hammer series, sure, but their in-house line is where they really get to show off. And a 99% corn bourbon? That’s already a curveball. Finish it in rum for a year and a half? That’s a “clear the shelf space, this is coming home” kind of situation. I didn’t even taste it at the distillery, wanted my first sip to be a clean, fresh hit at home.      This bourbon starts life almost entirely as a 99% corn 1% malted barley, spending four years soaking up flavor in new oak. They moved it into a rum cask for an  eighteen-month  finish, long enough that the rum doesn’t just whisper over the top, it moves in and starts redecorating. That kind of extended finish can be risky, but it’s also where magic can happen. Instead of just ad...

 Peerless Distilling Rum Finished Bourbon Whiskey Review.      Every now and then, a bottle sneaks into Indiana that makes you stop mid–liquor store lap. This was one of those moments. Peerless is already a distillery I have a soft spot for, their Double Oak Bourbon and Rye are mainstays for me, but the Rum Barrel Finished Bourbon? That’s a rare sighting here. This is batch 02 of the release and while the label keeps its secrets on age and finishing time, curiosity got the better of me. I cracked it open with my wife the other night, and the experience was… not exactly what I’d pictured from Peerless.      Peerless keeps things true to their style here: barrel proof, sweet mash, and crafted with their signature approach to balance and body. This batch began life as their straight bourbon before moving into rum barrels for finishing. It’s a bold concept — in theory, a marriage of deep Kentucky bourbon richness with tropical rum complexity. Peerless does...