Distilled from Rogue’s Dead Guy ale without hops. Captivating aromas of charcoal, barbecue rub, dark berries, licorice, and vanilla. The palate is laden with spice and more barbecue notes—along with grilled oranges, succulent dark berries, molasses, burnt marshmallow, savory spices, and ashy fire pit. The finish comes on strong—abounding with heat and barbecue, grilled fruits, chocolate-covered espresso beans, toasted vanilla, caramel, and burnt sugar. Lovely charred and burnt notes throughout, creating our highest-scoring Rogue whiskey to date.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Fall 2021)

Gracefully layered maturity, with a creamy palate melding savory and sweet. Creamed buttered corn, peanut brittle, and vanilla-almond cream veer into dried herbs, mint leaves, old leather, and eucalyptus. Water brings out red fruit notes of raspberry and cherry, grape juice, cinnamon toast, cider donuts, dark chocolate, and bitter espresso. Peanut notes merge well with caramel and a hint of spice. Almond, drying cocoa, more red fruit, and spice end things with a flourish.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Fall 2021)

The new recipe is a big step forward, with a dry nose that abounds with rich aromatic peat smoke, wiry heather moorlands, rabbi dates, raisins, and mixed peel. The palate bursts with red berry sweetness, and comes full of juicy cherry notes, dark toffee, and gentle spices. Reformulating a whisky can be a difficult decision, as some people will cherish the old version, but this truly deserves the Lum Reek name

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2021)

A blend of 4 and 8 year old Indiana ryes. Orange marmalade, savory spices, Juicy Fruit gum, toasted oak, and gingersnaps highlight the nose. There is a velvety texture on the palate, with notes of fruit punch, dark chocolate, cooked plums, and allspice. Add water and the richness deepens, with blackberry jam, roasted walnuts, and milk chocolate. A superb finish boasts more spice and dark fruits, butterscotch, and black cherry.

Reviewed by: Ted Simmons (Fall 2021)

Thick and chewy, with dark untamed notes of prune, cooked blueberries, incense, sage, and saddle leather. There’s a luscious sherried-like quality here, coupled with an appealingly rugged earthiness, both integrating with cedar, barbecue fire, smoked brisket, rich dark chocolate, and espresso, then sprinkled with paprika and cayenne pepper. This is a whiskey with deliciously wild abandon—beautiful smoke notes as well as succulent dark fruit, zingy orange, apple, chocolate, and spice.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Fall 2021)

The first permanent branded label from Barrell Craft Spirits (featuring a bourbon and this rye), departing from its batch release format. Lemon tea, orange peel, and confectioners’ sugar on the nose. The spiced smooth palate begins with notes of orange, lemon, and candied pineapple. Water unlocks licorice laces, treacle, Fig Newtons, mince pie, dusty oak, and maltiness. Spice, maple syrup, clove-studded orange, and cinnamon close out this nimbly balanced effort.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Fall 2021)

Rich and concentrated aromas of torched crème brûlée, warm caramel, molasses, cigar wrapper, and charred oak introduce this flavor-packed whiskey. The alluring sweetness is persistent, dense, and chewy on the palate, with honeycomb and waxy fruit notes tempered by bitter chocolate, an herbal menthol note, and a touch of furniture polish on the finish. High Angels’ Share indicates this is from unusually low-yielding barrels. (Kentucky only)

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Fall 2021)

Bakery sweets in the form of chocolate chip cookie, vanilla bean scone, confectioners’ sugar, and Nutella, along with fresh garden herbs and red apple on the nose. The full and rich palate turns to lemon meringue, vanilla cake, blackberry tart, bitter chocolate, and pecans. A long syrupy finish delivers peppery spice, musty attic, and, with water, nutty milk chocolate and baking spice. Well-built, with depth and dynamic flavors.

Reviewed by: Ted Simmons (Fall 2021)

This French oak and peated Islay scotch barrel-finished bourbon is bright and delicate, with a scotch-like nose offering gentle notes of kumquat, potpourri, and candle wax, with water bringing out vanilla and saltwater taffy. The palate is deeper and more brooding, as orange peel melds with allspice, mince, and a hint of pipe tobacco. The finish isn’t terribly lengthy, but offers sweetness punctuated by an appealing touch of light citrus, all integrating well with the spice notes.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Fall 2021)

Blended using a portion of peated malt from an undisclosed Islay distillery, this delivers a smooth and polished nose, deftly balancing honey sweetness with moderate peat smoke, supported by barbecued dry fruits and orange peel. Citrus, honey, and toasted pastry flavors, with flashes of dried apricot, tropical fruits, and grapefruit flesh, which yield before a delicious final phase of chocolate, malt, and cocoa usher in the dry finish.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2021)

A rush of fresh herbs on the nose, making way for sweeter notes of cola, milk chocolate, and caramel, balanced against licorice, tobacco leaf, and leather. A bright, spicy, and warming palate, with water bringing out fresh cherries, vanilla, fragrant oak, cedar box, and spice. A long, smooth, and chocolaty finish, lightly spiced with the flavorful bitterness of an espresso ristretto, all combining to create a classic bourbon profile.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Fall 2021)

Named after a 16th century daimyo in feudal Japan, the mizunara oak influence on the nose is distinctive, with aromas of exotic wood, apricot compote, fragrant spices, baked orange, grilled croissant, and peppermint. Flavor development is composed and serene, so don’t swallow in a hurry: Golden Delicious apple, vanilla fudge, mint, and ground pepper, with a later surge of more concentrated vanilla and banana chips. (3,000 bottles for the U.S.)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2021)

Candied orange slices, new leather, nutmeg, raspberry jam, dried earth, and a hint of barrel char on the nose. Grape jelly, orange Creamsicle, and citrus notes lead on the palate, followed by sweet cinnamon-raisin bread, cherry candy, chocolate notes of hot fudge sundae, lemon pepper, and spiced oak. Coffee and almond nuttiness on a creamy finish that also shows tangy citrus and subtle herbs. A complex, layered array of flavors.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Fall 2021)

A syrupy sweet nose of maraschino cherry, peanut butter cookie, and strawberry rock candy. With water, savory barbecue smoke emerges, as does dusty oak. There’s more sweetness on the palate: peanut brittle and strawberry shortcake with whipped cream, along with coffee bean, vanilla cream, and water with lemon. The finish finds pipe tobacco, bitter chocolate, and barrel char. A rich and intense showcase for the finishing cask.

Reviewed by: Ted Simmons (Fall 2021)

Aromas of dried herbs and new leather waft above grape jam, candied raspberries, and cherry cough drops, with more candied notes emerging over time. Water accentuates the cherry flavors, but also brings forth dry, earthy elements of hayloft and fresh-cut grass. Slightly abrupt on the finish, but this is certainly a concentrated and flavorful whiskey with luscious dark berry, cinnamon bun, café au lait, and loads of savory spice.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Fall 2021)

Dried peel and lemon oils meet the brisk arrival of earthy peat smoke aromas, pepper, and ground ginger. The smoke builds over roasted apricot, ripe gooseberry, and maritime notes of the tideline. The high strength is undeniable on the palate, with a wave of intense pepper sweeping away the initial dominant vanilla, golden syrup, and lemon flavors, finishing with barbecued stone fruit, ashy smoke, and dried fruit. A great pick. (U.S. exclusive; 612 bottles)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2021)

Distilled from a recipe from now-closed BridgePort Brewing’s Kingpin Red ale. Floral and perfumed at first, with lilac and rose water, moving to earthy wood notes, dried orange peel, and hops. Full and creamy on the palate, with café au lait, fudge, and strawberry jam, developing to reveal cooked berries and jammy concentration and depth, balanced against barrel char, burnt coffee beans, and roasted maltiness. Good length on the finish with a hint of sandalwood, mintiness, tangy citrus, oak, and spice.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Fall 2021)

A blend of the distillery’s two flagship whiskeys, Dorado and Classic (both made from 100% mesquite-dried malt), finished in sauternes casks. Licorice, cedar, and sandalwood, with Del Bac’s signature campfire and mesquite influence presiding. Powerful and chewy on the palate, led by lush flavors of blackberry tart, cooked peaches, figs, dark chocolate, and campfire smoke. A long finish offers more dark fruits, chocolate, and coffee. A big whiskey with plenty to savor. (751 bottles)

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Fall 2021)