The Last Call

 Kirkland Signature Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Review.      Kirkland’s Lowland single malt scotch whiskey immediately caught my attention, not just because it’s a bit of a rare find here in Indiana, but also due to Kirkland’s reputation for solid, well-priced bottlings, often available at Costco. While I’m a big fan of Kirkland’s Highland and Islay releases, this Lowland offering had me curious but cautious, wondering how it would stack up.      Now, this whiskey’s story is pretty classic. It spent most of its time in ex-bourbon barrels like most scotches, but then got finished in ex-sherry casks, something I always appreciate because it usually adds a nice layer of sweetness and complexity. It’s bottled by Alexander Murray & Company, who do a lot of these Kirkland releases, and honestly, they tend to nail it more often than not. I didn’t see a distillery name, which isn’t unusual, but the cask choices and the 46% proof tell me they were aim...

 Penelope Bourbon Cigar Sessions One American Whiskey Review.        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 b...

 Bhakta 2012 Cask Strength Indian Single Malt Whiskey Review.     I received this spirit as a review sample from Bhakta Spirits. It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.      Here in Indiana we do not see many Indian whiskeys on the shelf. I'd say maybe five total in a given area. Which is an increase from basically zero a few years ago. Being a Scotch fan, Indian whiskey is quite an interesting spin on malt whiskey. Though it can be a dividing spirit for some. Now, when it comes to Bhakta, they are focusing on vintage spirits or unique expressions overall. While most of these are way out of my budget, the pure age on these do bring a big price tag. I've had two different spirits from their line up and I think the bottlings are very solid, specifically the blending and finishing job they did with their 1928 Rye.      Now, when it comes to 2012, this peaked my curiosity. Not only with the age statement, at cas...