🥃Review #17 Lonehand Tennessee Sour Mash Whiskey

Lonehand Tennessee Sour Mash Whiskey 1.75L bottle sits on an end table ready to review

A budget level whiskey that by styling has aspirations of being a Jack Daniels knockoff. I have never seen one smaller than 1.75L in stores, though I'm sure total Wine probably still stocks it through spirits direct from old warehouse supply. Picked up this bottle years ago on the clearance rack near the checkout. Was looking for something to mix some bulk cocktails with and hoped this would be fit for purpose.

📚Background: Made using the Lincoln County process where leftover mash from a previous batch (called "backset" or sour mash) is reintroduced to the new mash bill. The backset contains active yeast and lactic acid bacteria which result in a lower pH for the new mash, more acidic, controlling the growth of unwanted adulterating bacteria during fermentation. Ultimately, sour mashing results in a smoother and more consistent taste due rather than the implied sour taste. Occasionally, the presence of good bacteria growing between mashings can result in subtle earthy or fruit flavors. This whiskey is then maple charcoal filtered prior to barreling just like Jack Daniel's, a process that clarifies the whiskey but in theory does not change the flavor profile. The juice comes from Tennessee but was bottled in Texas (?!?!) by Dynasty Sprits. Interestingly enough, following a bit of fraud and scandal, Sazerac purchased Dynasty in 2018. The color is surprisingly dark for the age, suggesting the use of additional coloring agents.

🛒Sourced: $14.99 for a 1.75L bottle, clearance bin in 2021

🧪Proof: 80, 40% ABV

🥔Mash Bill: 80% corn, 12% malted barley, 8% rye - On the side labeling, it says "aged for a minimum of 12 months". You'll note the absence of the term "straight" or anything else that would give us more details on process quality.

👃Nose: Woody and young, some booziness even at 80 proof. Some off odors like pencil eraser and salt, like brackish water.

😜Palate: Way hotter than it should be for the proof. Mouthful of burn. New wood flavors like pine rosin or sour molasses. Not much else. Unpleasant on the tongue. Very thin but somehow trying to kill my taste buds all the same. This thing is basically Roundup.

💦Finish: Super short but leaves a burning trail. Not really much flavor aftertaste at all.

🏆 Overall: 1.5/10 - So bad I poured it out. Mercifully this brand is discontinued, but it's truly awful reputation has resulted in bottles still being on the market. I dumped the rest of this bottle and should have done so years ago. I almost wonder if they sourced barrels that didn't pass quality control after the first year intentionally, hoping to drown out the off flavors with downproofing. https://distiller.com was more charitable with their community rating but I just don't see it.

💵Would buy again? No, God No

⚖️Rating Scale:

🍺 Costco's Kirkland Vintage Ale 2025 - Review & Tasting Notes

Fall is in the air, and that means we have yet another year of Kirkland's Vintage Ale! Brewed proudly by Deschutes (pronounced "Da-Shootz") in Bend, Oregon, this Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout spends nine months in the wood, picking up what the whiskey left behind (mostly vanillin and tannins). Bottled over the summer, this particular beer is from Lot B. Neither Costco nor the packaging give us much additional detail beyond the ABV and style. I remember finding last year 's edition to be solid but nothing to write home about, fairly dry but a pleasant pour. The use of the work "vintage" to me implies that some changes may be made year-to-year but we'll have to see if our taste buds can help us validate. How does the 2025 vintage fair? 💅Style: Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout 🛒Sourced: $7.99 Costco, GA for a 22oz bottle. $2 cheaper than the 2024 edition! 💥Hops: Not Mentioned sadly. Other ingredients include chocolate malt, milled oats and Dutc...

🍺 Definitive Light Beer Tier List: Meta-Analysis & Ranking

Trends come and go: Craft Beer, Hard Seltzer, Canned Cocktails, and more. In the world of beverage, the currents are constantly shifting, but one drink has an irrevocable grip on America: Light Beer. Good old beer flavored beer may take a hit from new competition, but brands like Miller Lite and Michelob Ultra constantly sit at the top of sales volume lists, even with the fall of Bud Light and rise of Modelo's Flagship. But which light beer is best? Let's find out. Methodology - Light Beer Ranking Taste preferences vary significantly between consumers, but across a large sample we should be able to get a somewhat representative picture of the populations preferences. For this ranking, we will combine data sourced from multiple beer rating sites with an internal Castle & Cairn house ranking to create an overall beer quality score. The starting population of beer brands will be those that are explicitly branded as "flagship light" or beers with less than 100 calor...

🥃 Review #40: Kirkland Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (2024)

Like Costco's other Scotches, the Kirkland Signature Islay Single Malt is bottled for Alexander Murray and imported by MISA Imports after being distilled and aged in Scotland (TTB.gov plant registry TX-I-1277). The isle of Islay is one of the southern most islands in Scotland and is one of the five whisky regions ensconced in law. There are only nine active distilleries on the island, and the Islay style is typified by strong peat or smoky flavors. As a single malt, we know that the juice in this bottle comes entirely from one of those nine! All of the distilleries are significantly smaller than Glenlivet and many of the mainland producers. Taste testing has people split between Caol Illa, Bruichladdich (Port Charlotte), and Bunnahabhain as being the source. Caol Illa and Laphroig both have done deals for private brand scotch without rights to name the source distillery, but Laphroig does not match the flavor profile for this bottle. Realistically, Caol Illa is the most likely cand...

🥃 Best Bourbons at Every Price Point Guide - Updated for 2025

Bourbon, America's native spirit, offers a wide range of flavors and experiences. Bourbon hunters scour the shelves for rare or premium offerings but a rising tide lifts all ships. Whether you're a seasoned connoisseur or just starting your bourbon journey, there's a perfect bottle out there for you, and at a price that fits your wallet. Here's a quick guide to some of the best bourbons at various price points in 2025 that you won't have to search all over the world to find. Methodology Pricing will be for $750ml bottles of bourbon since that size the most widely available. Similarly, I am only bringing in bottles that can be readily found in the market (proxying this by using the stock from my local Total Wine for the base catalog and pricing unless noted). The best bourbon in the world isn't the best bourbon in YOUR world if you can't reasonably find it. Additionally, chosen bottles must be versatile enough to be consumed straight or neat as well as in a ...

🍺🍷🥃 Beer, Wine, and Spirits Rebate Website Master List

If there is anything I love more than a good drink, it's saving money buying that good drink! The rules for providing discounts on alcohol differ substantially between states with some allowing outright discounts or coupons and others entirely disallowing any sort of purchase incentive. Thankfully though, in my native Georgia as well as most states, a simple reimbursement approach is permissible. Alcohol Rebate Site Master List The following sites are relatively stable for each manufacturer. New offers usually come out every few months. None of these are affiliate links and I provide no assurance as to the process. I have saved so much money using rebates and hope you have similar success. Best practices and general process advice will be presented at the bottom. New sites will be added as I uncover them. Beer Rebates Boston Beer Company Brands - Angry Orchard, Dogfish head, Hard Mountain Dew, Samuel Adams, Sun Crusher, Truly, and Twisted Tea. Some brands may not have active...

Castle & Cairn

Search This Blog