This is more about mashbill than barrel, a fine showcase of grain. Light and sweet on the nose, with peanuts, nougat, creamed corn, banana pudding, coconut cake, and Popsicle stick; water brings out fresh apple. It stays consistent on the palate, showcasing the purity and sweetness of the grain: cream, vanilla taffy, toasted coconut, and toasted wood. It finishes with peanuts, toasted coconut, clean grain, and oak.

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Fall 2020)

Backyard bonfire smoke, black pepper, charred oak, aniseed, and smoked fish, going from peppered mackerel to Arbroath smokie, but the smokiness from the Islay cask finish overpowers this young whisky at times, hindering the appreciation of other distillate characters. To taste, there’s sugared breakfast cereal, fudge donut glaze, vanilla, stewed apple, black currant, pepper, clove, and background smoke, with a pepper and salted caramel finish.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2020)

Fruit-forward on the nose, with stewed prunes and spiced apple cake, as well as rose potpourri, cinnamon, sassafras, and chai masala. The palate is oak-led with red fruit, chocolate, spice, walnuts, almonds, vanilla syrup, and sliced lemon. More oak on the finish, along with mocha, dark chocolate, walnuts, and cinnamon apple.

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Fall 2020)

Made with 95% soft red winter wheat, this whiskey is reticent at first, giving up little of its personality, though there are glimpses of violet, dried rose petals, berries, and oranges on the nose. The palate has more dried flowers and a bit of fruit, along with oak, nuts, and dark chocolate, but a peculiar herbal, piney top note elbows its way to the front. Everything resolves on the finish with semi-dark chocolate, pepper, dark fruit, and oak.

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Fall 2020)

The longest-standing expression in the range, 10 year old was introduced in 2002. It offers a nose that is light and initially green, with unripe apples, acetate, ripe pears, bananas, and light fudge. The palate is relatively insubstantial, with nutty milk chocolate, vanilla, brittle toffee, and oak. Nutty in the short finish, with a hint of malt and drying oak.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Fall 2020)

Pinhook’s first bourbon distilled at Castle & Key Distillery, following an earlier release of a rye. The palate is smooth despite the high proof, with tart notes of orange peel. Water smooths it out, with some pepper and spice emerging against restraining oak tannins. Aged 2 years and 10 months, it has a young and dry profile, but some pleasant spice and earthy notes on offer.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Fall 2020)

An aromatic nose reveals chamomile tea, dried herbs, peanut shells, fresh sawdust, snickerdoodles, brown sugar, and stone fruit. The palate is simple but pleasing, with black tea, licorice, bitter nuts, dry oak, and a touch of cinnamon. It finishes fairly short, with pleasant flavors of eucalyptus, black pepper, and oak.

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Fall 2020)

A new brand honoring golf legend Bobby Jones and offering three expressions—a rye, a 10 year old Tennessee whiskey, and this single-barrel bourbon. The bourbon has a nose of mint, red berries, blueberries, orange slices, and pine forest. The palate is smoothly textured and full bodied, with generous notes of vanilla, spice, cedar, and pepper. The finish is somewhat oak-heavy, but with good texture and pleasant fruit notes. Solid and well balanced. (24,000 bottles)

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Fall 2020)

A portion of the whisky that went into the mix was finished in Caribbean rum casks, not the final whisky. The rum barrel finish does shine through. The nose is sweet with cane sugar, tropical fruits, malt, coconut, and banoffee pie. Smooth on the palate, relatively light-bodied, and easygoing, with clear rum notes, fudge, honey, cereal, and developing bitter orange. Cinnamon and oak char in the relatively short finish. Great for mixing.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Fall 2020)

An easy drinker, with typical caramel and vanilla notes tinged with herbal flavors of horehound and pine boughs. Nicely balances bright fruit and sweetness with generous rye spice, suggesting an oatmeal cookie with vanilla frosting. While not overly complex, flavors are nicely integrated with charred oak. (5,000 bottles)

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Fall 2020)

The nose is a bit reticent, starting with baked apple heaped with peppery spice, then discarded coils of apple peels, with hints of date, roast beef, and peanut, but it never really takes off. A tasty autumnal dram with rich savory juices, cooked apple, dark toffee, and background oakiness, with the stewed juices of plums, prunes, and raspberries squaring off against a wave of spices. (60 bottles)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2020)

First released in 2008, Peaty Tang is a blend of 4 to 5 year old heavily peated and 8 year old unpeated whiskies. Pipe tobacco on the nose, with damp undergrowth, canned pears, and smoked meat. Medium-bodied, with light sweet peat smoke, vanilla, cereal, green apples, and licorice on the palate. Dark chocolate, caramel, and tangy smoke in the short to medium finish.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Fall 2020)

A simple and enjoyable whiskey with pleasant sweetness and fresh oak sawdust on the somewhat tight nose. While light-bodied on the palate, there is a nice oiliness to the texture, as flavors of toasted marshmallow, fresh citrus, and gentle cedar give way to a finish with some clove spice. (39,756 bottles)

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Fall 2020)

A nose of cinnamon-sugar and citrus leads to flavors of orange gumdrop, tangerine, and sweet tea. The body is quite light and quickly succumbs to drying spices and a finish of bitter tea leaves. Passable, but just not a lot to see here. (1,428 bottles)

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Fall 2020)

From Spirit Works Distillery in Sonoma County, California, pot distilled from a blend of two bourbon formulas that feature 60% corn with wheat, rye, and barley, aged a minimum of 4 years. Herbs, black pepper, and caramelized sugar on the nose, with lots of minerality. The palate has notes brown sugar, fennel, bitter chocolate, almond oil, and white pepper, followed by a finish of wild herbs and tart spices. (1,020 bottles)

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Fall 2020)