The Last Call

     Larrikin Bourbon Company has officially made its way onto Indiana shelves in 2026, and not quietly. This single barrel, barrel proof High Wheat Rye selected by Handy Spot Liquor immediately stood out as something different. I had the chance to taste it on site alongside their bourbon pick, and it was one of those pours that makes you stop mid-sip and rethink what you thought you knew about mash bills.      Based in Kentucky, not far from  Wild Turkey , Larrikin has been transparent about sourcing while also working toward its own distillation. This particular release is sourced from Florida, which makes the profile even more intriguing with its unconventional mash bill to boot.      Larrikin, formerly known as Lawrenceburg Bourbon Company, went through a thoughtful rebrand to carve out a clearer identity. Founder Greg Keeley, originally from Australia and now based in Kentucky, is also a U.S. veteran, which adds a meaningful layer t...

     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...

     Some bottles just sit on the shelf and stare at you. This one did that to me for nearly a year. Old Blue Single Barrel Cask Strength from Wood Hat Spirits was part of a group store pick here in Indiana, originally hovering near the $90–$100 mark before eventually dropping to half price. Once the price fell, curiosity finally won.      Information on this bottling is surprisingly limited. The label states that it is grown, aged, distilled, and bottled by Wood Hat, which is a huge plus in the craft world. As a straight corn whiskey, we know the mash bill is at least 80% corn, but the remaining 20% is undisclosed. There is no age statement, and barrel size is not specified. I reached out for clarification but never received a response. So we go in with what’s in the glass.      Being craft and potentially made with smaller barrels, there are a lot of variables at play. Smaller cooperage can accelerate oak influence, and with a high-corn mas...

     Craft bourbon can be hit or miss, especially when age statements are young and prices creep upward. This single barrel from 18th Street Distilling out of Hammond, Indiana came with hesitation attached. At just three years old and originally priced around $80, it was a bottle that sat on shelves until a significant price drop finally made it too tempting to ignore.       18th Street is one of those distilleries doing everything themselves. They distill, age, and bottle their own whiskey while also maintaining a strong presence in the beer world. That hands-on approach has shown promise in the past, but this bottle felt like a real moment of arrival.      This is a single barrel cask strength straight bourbon, bottled at a hefty 62.8% ABV and aged a minimum of three years. Unfortunately, transparency beyond that stops there. No mash bill details, no barrel size information, and no specifics on warehouse conditions. What is known is th...

     Backbone Bourbon Company has built a strong reputation out of Indianapolis by embracing transparency and leaning into creative sourcing. While many know them for their MGP-driven releases, they’ve never been shy about exploring whiskey from across North America and beyond. This particular bottle immediately stops you in your tracks because it challenges expectations before the cork even comes out.      This is an Irish whiskey, but the color tells a completely different story. Deep, dark, and bordering on mahogany, it looks far closer to a heavily aged double-oaked bourbon than anything traditionally associated with Ireland. That alone made this release impossible to pass up, especially knowing it came from a small, almost accidental single barrel that found its way to Holly’s Package Store.      The whiskey began its life in Ireland, aged as an Irish whiskey before being shipped to the United States. Once stateside, Backbone finished it...

     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: ...

     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...

          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...

Stranahan's Single Barrel Single Malt Whiskey Review.            Stranahan's is one of those names I’ve seen on shelves for years, but somehow never really sat down with until now. This bottle changed that in a big way. This is a Market District single barrel pick of Stranahan’s American single malt, bottled at a healthy 56.71% ABV and aged for five years and one month. It was my first experience with a Stranahan’s single barrel, and honestly, I went into it curious but cautious.      Part of the excitement here comes from the format. Single barrel, cask strength, American single malt, all from a distillery doing everything in-house. When you add in a sub-$50 price tag, expectations naturally start climbing. Before even pouring the glass, this already felt like a bottle worth spending some real time with.      Stranahan's distills, ages, and bottles their whiskey in Colorado, using 100% malted barley and new charred Americ...

       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...

     Starlight Distillery has quietly built a strong reputation out of southern Indiana, expanding distribution while continuing to lean into what makes them unique. Their deep focus on finishing barrels, many of which are sourced directly from their own farm, has helped them carve out a recognizable identity in the craft whiskey space. This bottle, however, steps slightly outside of what most people expect from Starlight.      This is a single barrel Indiana Light Whiskey, selected by Indiana Liquor Group. It immediately caught my attention, partly because light whiskey remains an underrepresented category on shelves and partly because I had never tried Starlight’s take on it. I’ve been vocal in the past that some Starlight releases hit for me and others do not, so this felt like a fair chance to see how age and barrel selection shape a style that’s already unconventional.      Light whiskey often confuses people, but it has nothing to do wi...

       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...

    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...

     Balcones has long been one of those distilleries that pulls me back in with every release, and this single barrel hazmat rye was no exception. When this pick from HiProof landed on my doorstep, the excitement was immediate, partly because I trust their picks, and partly because I’m a sucker for Texas whiskey and its bold edge. The moment I saw the deep, blood-red hue in the bottle, I had a feeling this one was going to leave an impression.      This release is a Texas straight rye whiskey aged exclusively in European oak casks. It clocks in at 73.2% ABV, making it one of the highest-proof bottles currently on my shelf. As a straight rye, we know it’s at least two years old, but based on the profile I’d guess it leans somewhere closer to three to four. What sets this apart is that full-term European oak maturation, which should leave a very different imprint than the American oak typically associated with Balcones’ releases. For the full video review vi...

     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 ...

     There are certain releases that instantly grab your attention, and this Backbone Bourbon Company single barrel American single malt was one of them. As soon as news broke about a hazmat-level American single malt with an extremely limited yield, I knew I had to try to get my hands on one. Backbone has earned my trust over the years through transparency, thoughtful sourcing, and some genuinely standout single barrels, so this bottle already had a lot going for it before the cork was ever pulled.      This particular barrel was selected by T8ke, a well-known figure in the whiskey community and the mind behind the r/bourbon community. After tasting through several options at Backbone, this was the barrel he couldn’t walk away from. With a final yield of just 68 bottles, it was never going to be an easy find. When I got the chance to purchase one, there was no hesitation. For the full video review visit the link here:  https://youtu.be/HFEgS_q-STU . A...

       Every so often, a whiskey crosses your path that feels more like a legend than a release. Old Dragon Bones from Backbone Bourbon Company was one of those whispers, a mythical bottle I'd only seen mentioned in passing. Then came Take’s single barrel pick, and I knew I had to have it. This 20-year-old Canadian rye, bottled at a staggering proof point, is one of those rare finds that blend power, elegance, and innovation in equal measure. Backbone has long been one of my favorite Indiana-based independents, known for sourcing exceptional barrels and bottling them honestly, high proof, minimal interference, maximum flavor.      Old Dragon Bones is a masterclass in cask finishing. Backbone took a 20-year-old Canadian rye and split it across three barrels. Each rested for over a year before being recombined into neutral oak to marry. Now, before you say  "Canadian whisky this, Canadian whisky that"  this is NOT your typical sourced bottom sh...

     Jack Daniel’s is no stranger to innovation, and the Heritage Barrel line continues to prove that the Tennessee giant still knows how to surprise even its long-time fans. The 2025  Toasted Barrel Edition  takes the brand’s familiar character and layers in new depth through an extended barrel toasting process. As someone who’s always appreciated the Single Barrel Selects for their rich balance and great value, I was eager to see what doubling the toast time could do.       What makes this expression unique is the barrel treatment: while standard Jack barrels are toasted for 12 minutes and then charred, the Heritage barrels are toasted for 24 minutes and flash-charred. That means more of those deep caramelized sugars and toasted oak flavors have time to develop. The whiskey goes though the Lincoln County Process of maple charcoal filtering and aged for at least seven years. The barrels are then stored in the highest rickhouse elevations for...