Luke is a Level I Certified Whiskey Specialist with a passion for exploring and unearthing the best whiskeys around. Luke has a preference for Rye whiskeys but has tasted over 250 different whiskeys to date varying from bourbons to scotches. He continues to expand upon his whiskey knowledge by tasting dozens of bottles monthly and reviewing them here on Barrel and Brew as he pursues his Masters of Whiskey certification.
I’m a big fan of rye whiskey, so when a 12 year bottle of rye shows up on the shelves for a fair price, I have to buy it. Pendleton Rye 1910 is Canadian rye whisky, but much of the bottle pointed towards Oregon. I mean, it’s cut to proof with water from Mt. Hood,…
You know Jim Beam, but do you know the much smaller distillery started by two members of the Beam family? Limestone Branch Distillers Inc. produces Yellowstone Select Bourbon, a blend of Kentucky straight bourbons that has begun taking home gold medals at spirits competitions. In this Yellowstone Bourbon review, we’ll cover the history, taste, price,…
Johnnie Walker White Walker is a limited edition blended scotch whisky dedicated to the TV show Game of Thrones (GoT). If you haven’t seen GoT, you likely know someone who has. It ran from 2011-2019, and it’s one of the most popular TV shows to ever air. However, it caused a lot of fans to…
Noble Oak is a brand with a clear mission – one that is more than just whiskey and profits. Noble Oak has committed to planting a tree for every bottle sold. So, we figured we should do a review on their whiskey and look more into their noble efforts. After discussing more on their mission…
I was browsing through the whiskey section at our local liquor store, as I often due, and came across a whiskey I couldn’t ignore. A 95 proof, Colorado straight rye whiskey. So, I did what I usually do. I threw it in my cart with 8 other bottles that caught my eye. We’re going to…
Bourbon and whiskey isn’t all about Kentucky. Recently, I’ve been trying to review as many bourbons as possible from various states and regions. So, I figured I’d take a look at the first distilled whiskey in the state of New York post prohibition – Hudson Whiskey. Whether you’ve had Hudson Whiskey or not, if you’re…
William Grant & Sons has been a prominent producer of Scotch and Irish Whiskey for over a century. Their notable brands include Balvenie, Grant’s, Glenfiddich, Monkey Shoulder, Tullamore Dew, Hendrick’s Gin, and Sailor Jerry. Well, recently they’ve moved into the bourbon market with Fistful of Bourbon. I have written a couple reviews of William Grant…
As a Colorado resident and frequent traveler to Breckenridge, I’ve had Breckenridge Bourbon before. I’ve never actually sat down and done a tasting with it, though. So, I figured it was high time I pour myself a glass and write a Breckenridge Bourbon review. After we discuss some of the history and specs of Breckenridge…
Rye used to be a prominent grain used in American whiskeys. For hundreds of years, rye matched or outpaced corn as the predominant grain used in the production of whiskey. That’s even with bourbon requiring at least 51% corn in its mash bill. However, rye was unable to recover from the effects of prohibition. Corn…
With brands such as Jack Daniel’s and Woodford Reserve, it’s no wonder why Old Forester isn’t the most popular bourbon produced by Brown-Forman, but they are the oldest. We’re going to peak inside some of the history of Old Forester to see how they’ve managed to stay around for so long. Along with that, we’ll…
According to reports done by Drizzly, Bulleit and Woodford Reserve are the #1 and #3 best selling bourbons in the US, respectively. Last night I found myself drinking Bulleit, and the Kentucky Derby is coming up, which Woodford has sponsored for over 20 years. So, I figured it was a great time to write a…
Over the last couple years fake Hennessy has been a way for scammers and con artists to make money. They are distilling their own liquor and selling it in Hennessy bottles. We’re here to cue you in on the best ways to spot fake Henny because it’s not only unethical but potentially dangerous. This isn’t…