🥃Review #18 Rowan's Creek - Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey

Rowan's Creek - Straight Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey with backlighting and a cairn

I'm a pretty big fan of Willett. They're slept on when it comes to major producers I feel and Noah's Mill became something of a go-to for me when Booker's started to draw scarce. Though it alas lost it's 12 year age statement more than a decade ago, Rowan's creek has an endearing aesthetic to the labeling and I was excited to take another peak at this easier to drink offering.

📚Background: Made by Willett Distillery in Bardstown Kentucky, Rowan's Creek claims to be crafted with care by hand in "small lots, one batch at a time." It is named after the creek that to-this-day runs through the Willett Distillery The namesake , John Rowan himself was a esteemed judge and statesman who incidentally both represented Kentucky in the Constitutional Convention of 1799 and killed a man in a duel over a drunken gambling dispute. He went on to serve as the Kentucky Secretary of State and in the US House of Representatives.

🛒Sourced: $38.99 Local Vine, GA 750ml

🧪Proof: 100.1, 50.05% ABV - Yeah gemmie that extra .1% thank you, I'll take it.

🎨Color: R3 - A solid medium intensity per the Castle & Cairn Color Scale, leaning towards reds/browns

🥔Mash Bill: An interesting Blend of Four Mash Bills;

72/17/15 Corn/Rye/Malted barley - BALANCED
79/7/15 Corn/Rye/Malted barley - HIGH CORN
52/38/10 Corn/Rye/Malted barley - HIGH RYE
65/20/15 Corn/Wheat/Malted barley - WHEATED

No age statement, tastes probably 5-6 years to me.

👃Nose: Woody Oak, clove, vanilla to start. Make sure to open your moth when nosing this one. Once I did, I started to find some Licorice/Tobacco notes as well, a nice surprise. A full but nonabrasive nose, go back to this while chewing.

😜Palate: A full medium thickness in line with the color and nose, good mouthfeel. Lots and lots of wood, deepening into what I find to be a bit of a muddle aromatic notes. The cloves and licorice come through well on the tongue and I get a general grassy or herbaceous feel.

💦Finish: The muddle clarifies into hot tea, a short burst with an overall warming finish. Tea and heat flash quickly before subsiding to a lingering oakiness. Reasonable alcohol sensation for the proof, not smooth but not disagreeable either.

🏆 Overall: 6.5/10 - Very Good - Solid for your wallet and your cup, Rowan's creek has a lot of prairie flavors executed with the excellence of a mature distillery. It's easier drinking than Noah's mill and has plenty of things to like. It would be truly remarkable if coming from a craft startup, but I feel for the price you're starting to get within range of some really solid alternatives. I'll probably grab this bottle occasionally as a moderately priced representation garden flavors to share with buddies getting into the hobby. Will be happy to work this into my "Friday Pour" lineup for the time being. Original review 5.75/10, assessed to be low.

Mid Bottle Review 7/16/24: 7/10 - this bottle has a lot to love about it. A little bit of air in the headspace mellows any of my earlier concerns. Little House on the Prairie notes stay strong and it dances across the tongue with elvish enthusiasm. Leaf lovers rejoice, I'm convinced to pick up another bottle. Bumped overall rating as I really have enjoyed this bottle since first review.

Tipsy Review 7/24/24: After a few pours into an evening, how do things change? Grassland flavor intact from the nose, even in a rocks glass. Got to love the definition of the character. Little bit of paint coming through on second nose, but not altogether unpleasant. Sip is downright delightful. Clear and bright would be my two descriptors. With a little duller mouth, this bottle tastes like sunshine. Throw away your fridge, putting ice in this would be a shame. A modicum of the garden character remains and delights the relaxed mind. This is one of those bottles that truly climbs a drink or two into the night.

💵Would buy again? Sure

⚖️Rating Scale:

🥃Review #53: Costco's Kirkland 15YR Highland Single Malt Scotch - 2025

The 2025 release of Costco's Kirkland 15-year Highland Scotch hit shelves in late January and is a recurring installment on an annual cadence. The first pallet to hit my local store sold out almost immediately. Thankfully, we got two more shipments at one pallet each that hung around a bit longer and I was able to snag a bottle. Like in previous years, this Highland Scotch is finished in sherry casks. Alexander Murray & Co. is the bottler with MISA imports out of Texas bringing it to the States for consumption (Costco's standard sourcing pattern for Scotch). The bottle has a nice heft to it and there is an ensconced Alexander Murray Lion adding some nice texture to the front of the bottle. Steve Lipp, CEO of Alexander Murray, calls it "Perfect for after dinner drinking." All-in-all, this shows an attempt to elevate the product and presentation from the ubiquitous blends and non-age stated iterations you'll sometimes find under the Kirkland label. Neither Alex...

🍺 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...

🍺🍷🥃 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. Last Updated & Validated 2/4/2026 . 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 Twis...

🎮 Call of Duty Warzone - The Drinking Game

Fairly self explanatory per the graphic below. What could be more fun than tossing back a few cold ones with your closest buds while rampaging through one of your favorite video games? Call of Duty Warzone might not have as much nostalgia as it did in the Verdansk days, but it still has some charm. The best part: you'll already be at home when you're done so there's no need to worry about a designated driver! Obligatory plug to know your limits, be legal, and drink responsibly, we don't respawn IRL (yes I know that's a cringe statement - that's the joke). Call of Duty Warzone Drinking Game Prep To play the game, you'll need the following in addition to an internet connection, gaming device, and Call of Duty: A Party Sipper of your Choice - I recommend something relatively low ABV. We balanced the rules for a player of moderate ability and a sipper of 4-8% alcohol. Light beer is my go-to here since it has enough lovely hydrating water to soak up any shots. ...

Castle & Cairn

Search This Blog