Castle & Cairn

Rittenhouse and Redemption Rye are always dueling in my mind for dominance of the lower end of the rye market. Rittenhouse Bottled-In-Bond is a well loved and long-of-tooth brand that is a mellow entry point into the rye whiskey genre.  📚 Background:  Debuting shortly after Prohibition's end, Rittenhouse Square Straight Rye Whiskey was launched by Continental Distilling Corporation in Philadelphia, it's name paying homage to Philadelphia's famed Rittenhouse Square , long a fashionable district with sprawling mansions and art institutions. During WWII, shortages forced production stoppages and changes to plant, so Continental Distilling reintroduced the spirit in 1948 as simply "Rittenhouse," a 4-year-old Bottled-in-Bond rye and it remained a cheap and reliable iteration of the format. Heaven Hill acquired the Rittenhouse brand in 1993, a time when rye whiskies were not particularly popular. Heaven Hill stuck to their instincts, keeping Rittenhouse afloat in the f...

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, ...

Intro Maybe you just found a dusty bottle of whiskey in the back of your closet. It looks about the same as the new bottle of the same bourbon you just bought, but is it? This post will discuss how whiskey changes over time, both in an opened bottle and a sealed one, and how you can maximize the shelf life of your favorite brown juice. Does Whiskey go bad? No , at least not in the traditional sense. Microorganisms, primarily bacteria, fungi (molds and yeasts), and some protists, are to blame for the vast majority of what we think of as food spoilage. They latch onto sources of the nutrients they need to grow and reproduce, along the way spinning off a deluge of enzymes and waste products which can produce off odors or just plain make you sick. Molds and other fungi not only cause spoilage but can also produce  mycotoxins , secondary byproducts which can have severe and acute impacts on your body and organs. Whiskey's high alcohol content is our savior from the trials and tribulati...

Over the years, I have been taught a variety of tasting techniques. Some swear by certain mouth movements while others prefer a simple sip. To develop the tasting method used in reviews on this site, I analyzed more than a dozen tasting guides from industry influencers, manufacturer's, and equipment suppliers in addition to my aforementioned experience. I believe this process allows for the most accurate personal diagnosis of a particular spirit, but ultimately the most important thing is that YOU enjoy your whiskey experience. Chase your muse with brown water however you please.  Preparation As with most activities, being properly prepared can greatly increase both the pleasure and proficiency of the experience. For the best results, consider: Glassware - We have a whole guide on stocking your bar with the right drinking vessels. To summarize: a Glencairn or other glass with a tulip top, like a small red wine glass or traditional snifter, works best. Due to their shape, these gla...

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...

One of my Dad's favorites, the Lasanta 12 Year Old is a single malt Scotch whisky produced by Glenmorangie, a Highland distillery in Scotland.  The word "Lasanta" translates from Gaelic to "warmth and passion," as evoked by the bright red packaging. Glenmorangie's flagship is constantly in the top five single malts by popularity and this cask finished option seeks to add to that renown. I am a huge fan of sherry cask finishing for all styles and hold a favorable opinion of Glenmorangie's standard offerings, so I am quite excited to dig into this bottle!  📚 Background: Glenmorangie's the Lasanta 12 begins its life in the distiller's signature tall stills, some of the tallest in Scotland. The marketing alleges that the height helps to create a more delicate and elegant spirit. The whisky is then matured in ex-bourbon casks for ten years just like the flagship. For the final two years of maturation, the whisky is transferred to Oloroso sherry casks...

Costco's liquor store is a thing of beauty. While not every Kirkland edition is a hit, there are enough standouts on a fun per dollar ratio to always merit a look. Almost all of the house brands are less than $30, and I'm always excited to take a long shot when the new seasonal releases come around.  📚 Background: Distilled by Barton 1792 in Bardstown Kentucky, Kirkland Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey hits the shelves a few times a year. Mine was from batch 1124. The bottle presentation is supposed to evoke the same feel as other small batch whiskeys and there is a decorative purity seal that is reminiscent of the ever reliable bottled in bond green filigree, albeit in a meaningless red. Unlike its bonded brethren, this edition comes in under 100 proof and does not have any age statement. There's not a whole lot of additional information provided by Costco or the distiller, but we can reasonably assume that it shares a similar pedigree as the entry level 1792...

I am a massive fan of The Balvenie's 14 Yr Caribbean Cask Single Malt but it does set you back $89.99, a fine price for Scotch but well outside my everyday bourbon budget. At the other end of the spectrum, Dewar's White Label ( our review here ) might be at the spot of being the cheapest and most drinkable scotch out there, so I was understandably intrigued when they released a Caribbean rum barrel finished version with an 8-year age statement.. If we know anything in this world, it's that you seldom get something for nothing, so I am forced to ask: is it any good? 📚 Background : First Released in 2019, this bottle sees a base blend of whiskies aged at least eight years put to bed in the aforementioned rum casks for four to six months. If it works as intended, this second aging should add additional sweetness, potentially some fruity notes, or maybe even spiciness depending on the char level and rum aged in the barrel. I would note that the 500+ gold metals claimed on the ...

 Every now and then, I get acquisition fever and go scroll amazon looking at whiskey glasses, bar accessories, and grilling paraphernalia, none of which I need. I'm always intrigued by the concept of whiskey stones. It sounds like a great idea: put these little fellas in your cup to cool it without watering down the good juice. But do whiskey stones work? I decided to pull out the spreadsheet and some high school physics to find out.  The Contestants A la Jeff Bezos, I grabbed four of the more popular material options from Amazon. In general, individual stones seem to be around 28grams though the bullets are a bit larger and the relative weight of the filled stainless steel cubes a bit lighter. Overly Simplified Science  Heat is a form of energy that can transfer from one object to another due to a temperature difference (yes even cold things have heat energy). Specific heat is a material property that tells you how much heat energy is required to raise the temperatu...

Heaven Hill is an institution in the whiskey world, manufacturing such deft drams as Henry McKenna, Larceny, Old Fitzgerald, Parker's and Elijah Craig. Savvy buyers know that many of their bottles meet or beat those of similarly priced and exhaustingly hunted Buffalo Trace products. Take a scroll through Reddit, X(formerly known as Twitter) or many a forum and you'll see this bottle as a recurring pick for the best value in bourbon. Here's my take on the budget beast, Evan Williams Bottled-In-Bond: 🛒 Sourced: 1.75L   Tower Spirits - ATL, GA  $26.89 - This is a competitive intent price match of Total Wine which is $26.99. That's $11.57 for the 750ml equivalent. Rock bottom prices for a bonded whiskey. 🧪 Proof:  100, 50%  📚 Background : As regulated by the Bottled-In-Bond Act of 1897, Evan Williams Bottled-In-Bond is a beefed up version of the ever population Evan Williams black label. Master Williams, the namesake, opened Kentucky's first commercial distillery al...

Benchmark has been bumping around the whiskey world for more than 50 years since its introduction as a luxury bourbon offering by Seagram's in the 1960s, produced at the same Old Prentice Distillery site that would go on to become Four Roses. The namesake was intended to imply that this whiskey was the benchmark against which to measure all others. Sazerac purchased the brand in 1989, attaching the name of the McAfee brothers and making it part of the same family as Buffalo Trace in whose Frankfort, KY distillery it is produced today. The McAfee brothers explored the site of the Buffalo Trace distillery after arriving by canoe, noting the namesake great buffalo crossing and implying that the namesake "Benchmarks"  are the survey markers left by that team of explorers. Benchmark was Sazerac's budget offering and remained an unremarkable 80 proof label for 30 years until the brand was reinvigorated in 2020 with the introduction of "Full Proof", "Single Ba...