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There was once a time when we could have nearly anything we wanted in the wonderful Willett warehouses. Back in the day, our friends the Kulsveens didn't have every liquor store in America breaking down their doors to get a barrel of their special bourbon. Until 2012, they had sourced every drop, yet something about those special ricks on the hill behind Bardstown seemed to uniformly create exceptional whisky. Honestly, they were extremely ahead of their time in almost every aspect of their business, but when the distillery opened, the doors to those rickhouses closed. Now we're extremely lucky to get our one barrel a year. It's funny because those stocks are actually controlled by the distributor, and so while we definitely feel like we should be getting the lion's share of the barrels for K&L - after all, we were some of the first to jump on the single barrel bus long ago - it's hard to fault them for only giving us one, considering they have to split their allocations between five states and thousands of stores. But, as I am wont to do, I must push every button when there's something I love and believe my customers will benefit from owning. So the choice to pick a 15-year-old barrel as our only Willett seems easy on paper - an incredibly delicious and rare barrel from the pre-distillation sourced stock - but it was actually incredibly difficult. That's mostly because of this special barrel. This is easily the best own distillate I've yet to taste, and while I'm sure there are many other, perhaps superior, barrels distilled since they opened in 2012, this one was so perfectly balanced and delicious that it absolutely sang to me. So while I ultimately picked the 15-year, I asked Ethan - the single barrel guru at Willett - to hide this sample for a few days while I worked my magic. I began to prod and pester our distributor for an additional barrel allocation, but their hands were tied. They'd already committed every barrel, and I was one of the few in California to get access to a 15-year, so my political capital seemed to be spent. Our final option was to get to the New York market, where our newly opened store had not qualified for an allocation because we were so new to the local distributor there. I begged and pleaded, but the rules in New York are extremely strict. You simply can't be allocated a barrel if there are other accounts that qualify ahead of you. So I simply left it up to fate and begged Ethan to continue guarding that sample. In an amazing stroke of luck, not a few weeks later, I got a call from our supplier in New York saying one of our competitors had backed out of their pick and the allocation had opened up. Without hesitation, I mentioned this incredible barrel, and the rest is history. K&L's first Willett barrel in New York and one of the greatest modern Willetts I've ever tasted. Sometimes the stars align and the gods of bourbon allow you to step through the gates. I'm very lucky to have people in every aspect of this business who care about what we do. They know how much I care for them. They are the bourbon angels who made this possible. I won't go into tasting notes or anything like that here today. I've already been effusive enough, but rest assured, no one who understands the potential greatness that modern Willett can deliver will open this bottle and be disappointed. The barrel is named for the song that came on as we drove up that special drive to the legendary spot, "This Must Be the Place" by Talking Heads. It's true of Willett and that special spot at 270 Madison Ave in the great state of New York. We have arrived.

Hooten Young’s Jack Carr Warrior Proof hits all the right targets for the bourbon bros out there, and to be honest, there was a time when this whiskey was nearly impossible to get. It’s got the age, high proof, dark color, and plenty of that cultural appeal that’s become synonymous with the category. The owners bring serious military credentials to the table, and in a whiskey business where relationships still count for an awful lot, they’ve certainly found some interesting lots to bottle. We were happy to offer this limited release to those who found value in its age and identity, but as availability improved, the compelling store wasn't enough to keep in on the shelf. Not because it’s bad whiskey, but because at around $160, there’s a lot of competition. Put this bad boy out there at $60, however, and you’ve got one of the best buys in American whiskey today. This isn’t an official price reset. We’re taking advantage of a local distributor’s inventory reduction and passing those savings on to you. What that means is sixteen-year-old American whiskey, made from 99% corn and 1% barley, bottled at 125 proof, for a remarkably reasonable price. Let’s see how it fares. The color is a surprisingly dark russet (1.4), particularly striking for a whiskey in a category that doesn’t require maturation in new charred oak. The nose is packed with sweet character: brown sugar, marzipan, maple syrup, vanilla extract, candied pecans, hints of caramel candy, and old leather. The palate adds a buttery biscuits, cooked apples, baking spice, and a full bodied texture. The proof is evident but not obtrusive, and a bit of water actually adds weight and spice to the whole thing. All in all, for $60, this is an awesome buy and a fun change of pace from the classic bourbon profile. Whether you like to read Jack Carr and chill or you’re simply looking to expand your understanding of American whiskey, this is an easy win. Just don’t count on finding it here at this price again once this parcel is gone!

This exceptional release is exactly what I want to see when brands are resurrected from the dead. It’s not enough to just release a fun, authentic, old-looking bottle—although I’m ABSOLUTELY in love with the look and feel of this release. You need to put exceptional whisky in that bottle and charge a fair price. We’ve always loved the Yellowstone stuff and have supported them by doing single barrels and buying as many of the Limited Editions as they can put our way, but I’ve NEVER had a whisky from them that was this delicious. I don’t know exactly what they put in here, but they list a minimum age (always a good sign) and likely included some much older whiskey to round out the blend. We grabbed every bottle we could snag, and that was before I tasted it. Now that I’ve finally popped a bottle, I wish we could have gotten more. Let’s have at it. A classic auburn (1.4). The nose is absolutely stunningly sweet, with zero grainy character and piles of melted caramel butter, warm cherry compote, graham cracker, wild honey, sarsaparilla bark, candied apple, and roasted oak. The palate is sweet and spicy, extremely balanced, and gives the perfect little hug at 110 proof. It’s simply perfect going down. Big red fruit, cinnamon, clove, candied ginger, and burnt orange peel. It’s classic, but somehow feels like an extremely fresh and refreshing take. It’s simply a coup that we were able to grab enough of this to be talking about it here, because it really won’t last long once people start to taste it. Grab a few, as you’ll feel bad filling this beautiful bottle back up just to keep it on the back bar—and you’ll probably have trouble finding better juice for less, anyway.

The secret history behind K&L Faultline Indiana Bourbon is one of my most prized memories as a buyer at K&L. Nearly two decades ago, when we first began to deploy a larger-scale strategy for K&L's spirits department, my colleague David Driscoll and I were determined to launch a store label. For years, K&L had sold wine under several private brands, but we had never done the same with spirits. We did not want to simply repackage other people's goods as our own. We would seek out the very best products we could find and bottle them under a label that exemplified our commitment to doing things better. We were drawing a line in the sand, making clear that nothing less would ever go into this special new label. If we couldn't get the quality and price we wanted from our suppliers, we'd create our own products that met the highest standards possible. And thus, Faultline was born. It was a seismic shift in how spirits retailers operated at the time. The name was a tip of the hat to the very real fault lines running beneath our California stores, connecting them in both geological and metaphysical terms. After the success of our first batches of Cognac, gin, single malt, and rum, we knew we had to put a bourbon together. It was not so easy to buy barrels in bulk in those days. While there are old stories of fine MGP rye stocks being offered at ridiculously low prices, the bourbons had already become dear. So when my friend John Little sent us a huge set of samples of great 10- and 7-year-old MGP for Smooth Ambler's single barrel program, I asked how many we could have. He said there were no real limits. After tasting through the set and liking several barrels, but loving none of them, I dumped my samples into a glass to see what would happen. A sort of magic spell was cast at that moment. The beauty of blending revealed itself to me right before my eyes, or more accurately, my nose. Together, the two whiskies simply sang, without any effort or real work. It was an epiphany. With a world of possibilities now open, we began tinkering and blending the lot, selecting certain 10- and 7-year-old barrels and carefully bringing them down to 100 proof. The resulting blend would become a staple on our shelves for the next half decade. But with the sale of Smooth Ambler to Pernod Ricard in 2017, our source dried up. That, in conjunction with the unprecedented bourbon explosion, tabled Faultline Bourbon for many years to come. Now, nearly 10 years later, the cycle begins again: amazing bourbon, available at incredible prices, blended to the flavor profile we have always loved. This rich and complex bourbon does what mature high-rye bourbon can do so well. It melds the sweetness of corn and oak sugars perfectly with the deep, satisfying spice of the barrel. The whole thing is tied up neatly with a bow of beautiful rye character, while the slow proofing we employ adds texture and depth throughout. You might argue about the nuances of this batch or that, but nothing can dethrone Faultline Bourbon as the king of K&L's bourbon shelves.

This awesome little barrel of wheated bourbon was hand-selected by the K&L Spirits buying team with the team from the Augusta Distillery in spring of 2026, and it is, in fact, the first time I'm tasting this! Augusta has made waves sourcing exceptional casks from across Kentucky as their spirit matures. They seem to have done everything right and have managed to continue to garner interest from aficionados and the general public in spite of the challenges the industry has faced. We're happy to support this wonderful operation and all the excellent people involved, and while this whisky won't win any "affordability" awards, it's damn good juice and only yielded 90 bottles, so it's really very limited. Shall we? The color is a typical chestnut hue (1.2). The nose is pure sweetness with brown sugar, candied pecans and caramel sauce, punctuated only by hints of Tahitian vanilla bean and dark wood spice. With a bit of air, the unrelenting sweetness tames somewhat, releasing citrus oil, sweet, fresh chocolate mint leaf, new leather and golden maple syrup. On the palate, we get a huge vanilla character followed by waves of brown sugar, dense cherry compote, dense dark chocolate and a surprisingly long, dense finish that's full of that red fruit and big baking spice. If you sat me down and said this was a Weller 107 pick, I probably wouldn't have batted an eye. It's a fabulous pick from my wonderful team and will make the very, very few who get to taste it extremely happy.

Ok ok! We're we go with the new narrative in KY, if you know where to look you can get good old bourbon without dispensing a mortgage payment. Some people might point to the old days when 15 year old whisky was $60 but there hasn't been a period in the last decade where we could readily get 15+ year old whisky from anyone in KY at less than $150. And to be honest I think this price point is super for the quality you're getting here. We must assume this product was distilled at Old Barton as it was the only working plant in 2006 in the area. Aging occurred entirely in Bardstown as well. This is a great old distillery that has many people clamoring for their higher end marks, so unless you're one of the unlucky few who specifically doesn't like the Barton profile, there's a good chance they you're going to dig this. Non-chillfiltred and high proof like all the single rack series, only 19 barrels in the batch. Let's taste it. The color is a gorgeous russet. The nose starts immediately with exotic dark woods, fresh charred oak, sweet dried plum, subtle floral and dark tea aromas. With some air, there's a strong vanilla note, caramel candies, red cherry and French roast. On the palate it's medium bodied and rather dry with a lovely dusty not. Darker and woody with a strong oaky flavor down the middle. This is definitely on the drier side of Barton and very woody. It loves air and I'd reckon the middle of the bottle will be exceptional. Right now, I like to give this 30 minutes of nosing before I dive in deep. A fun old bourbon whiskey at a totally reasonable price.

I wish more bourbon tasted like this. Or perhaps more accurately, I want more bourbon to feel like this, because while the flavors are nothing new - toasted vanilla, savory oak, candied nuts and subtle spice - the concentration and integration of all these flavors remains unrivaled in bottlings at this proof. And the purity of it is similarly uncanny. I see a parallel between this and the Evan Williams 12, the Japanese export of which we also get from time to time. Where the EW shows herbs and pepper and at times feels a bit disjointed and hot, this Wild Turkey is seamless, immaculate and soft. Though it is by no means simple or boring. Poached pear, roast chestnut and pecan praline round out the range of flavors and aroma, while a distinctly honeyed and toasty finish makes every sip a soothing delight. Such a rare treat, this bottle should be a top priority for every whiskey drinker right now.

Another ridiculously good barrel from our friends at Stoddard Spirits. Bill Binder is one of those guys whom everybody simply loves. His genuine love for this business is infectious, his legitimacy as an arbiter of taste is unquestionable, and his ability to connect with people is unparalleled. While he cut his teeth behind the bar, he is the ultimate front-of-house curator, making everyone who crosses his path feel welcome and special. So it is no surprise that his good name and equally good intentions have brought about one of the most remarkable partnerships this industry has ever seen. There are brands that have claimed to source whiskey from the famed Willett Distillery, but the mere public mention of that relationship could be enough to bring it to an end. Willett is fiercely protective of its trade name and contractual obligations. They have certainly created collaborative releases before, but never have they allowed their name to be used in association with products sold under another brand. It is therefore a significant coup that Bill and his team have secured access to this incredible source. Even more interesting is that the barrels they are sourcing represent some of Willett’s most prized and unusual experiments. This wonderful bourbon is proof that some of the experimental mashbills produced at Willett can occasionally outshine even the best Estate stocks. I honestly cannot remember a seven-year-old WFE tasting this good, although this whiskey remains distinctly outside the normal Willett profile. That is likely why it was never adopted as a core expression, rather than because of any issue with its quality or character. I think I’m ready. The color is a full, shimmering auburn (1.5). The nose, admittedly after the bottle had been open for a week and was already one-quarter gone, is extremely expressive, showing signs of maturity well beyond the age statement. Deep red cherry compote, stunning whipped caramel sauce, gingersnaps, hipster light-roast coffee, sarsaparilla bark, kola nut, sandalwood, and nutmeg all come pouring from the glass. On the palate, the red fruit dominates at first, with a juiciness that completely subdues the tannins. More stone fruit emerges through the midpalate alongside strong baking spice, strawberry candy, and exotic wood notes. The back end dries up beautifully, keeping the whiskey from feeling overly confectionary, while the tiniest hint of earthy, almost Wild Turkey-like funk provides balance. The lengthy finish brings back the clove-driven spice and a seemingly endless wave of candied red fruit. This barrel is both extremely distinctive and genuinely distinguished. A casual observer who does not understand the extraordinary care that went into crafting this special bourbon might scoff at the price-to-age ratio. For the initiated, who understand just how compelling even these younger barrels can be, the quality and potential here will be impossible to ignore.

Bourbon begins with a grain recipe containing at least 51% corn and matures in new, charred oak. The Reveries’ eight-year-old “Toro” is a Kentucky straight bourbon offered as a single-barrel release, drawn from one barrel rather than blended with whiskey from several.

A good workhorse for all manner of cocktails, this bright amber Bourbon has a butterscotch aroma and oaky, relatively dry flavors that elongate into a rich caramel finish. *Best Buy* (KN)

When I heard that the fellas at Pursuit United were doing single barrels, I knew we had to get on board. These guys have got a lot of knowledge and chutzpah, and they're committed not only to doing things differently, but to creating a better expression of the great American spirit using new methods. It was a pleasure to visit them at their fabulous tasting room and bar in downtown Louisville, and I can't recommend the stop more highly to anyone who's in the region. But what we came for was the fabulous whiskies they're producing. The idea to source and blend this way is so out there and unique, it must have felt like an incredible risk when they first started out. But now, many years down the line, they control their products inside and out and have incredible flexibility to produce interesting spirits at very reasonable prices. Here we have an incredible mixture of multiple mashbills and barrel types with a total time in barrel, including component aging and blended aging, of just over 9 years. It can't legally be labeled that way, but it certainly shouldn't be thought of as a 4-year-old whisky, the legally claimable age. There were almost 5 additional years in new wood after blending before a perfect kiss of a finish: 3 months in the highest-quality hybrid French and American oak barrels. That's smart because French oak can sometimes add austerity rather than depth, even in short finishes. The resulting spirit drinks light-years beyond its price point and offers familiarity alongside unique character. Here it goes! The color is an intense mahogany (1.6). A huge nose of rich spices, wildflower honey and maple syrup. Behind that, we've got hints of Coppertone, espresso beans, dried herbs, old leather, brambly fruit and kola nut. The palate is dense and dark, drinking almost like an antique whiskey, with huge spice and oak notes balanced by dense red and baked pome fruit. A gloriously rich and woody character that far outpaces its price point and even feels older than the implied age statement suggests.

Little Book returns for its 10th chapter with "All The Wiser," a milestone release that shows just how far Freddie Noe’s annual blending project has come. What began as a tribute to Booker Noe, who gave Freddie the "Little Book" nickname, has become one of Beam’s most anticipated limited releases, bottled uncut and unfiltered except for standard quality screening. This 2026 edition is a powerhouse Blended Straight Whiskey at 122.6 proof, built from a remarkable lineup: 14-year Basil Hayden, 11-year and 9-year Knob Creek, 10-year Booker’s, 9-year Baker’s, and 4-year Jim Beam finished in sherry and toasted bourbon casks. That component list alone is wild, but the real achievement is the way it pulls Beam’s many voices into one coherent statement: mature oak, dark fruit, molasses, raisin, fig, caramel, cinnamon, and that unmistakable Kentucky depth. It’s a fitting 10th chapter, showing Freddie less as a rule-bound blender and more as an instinctive listener, shaping the whiskey without forcing it. Big, layered, and deeply Beam.

Hungarian Oak

The famous nicely aged wheater from Buffalo Trace distillery package for the EU market and re-imported to the US. EU stock is shipped with a smart looking sleek black box. No quantity limits.

Frank August is a refreshing take on the bourbon category. Not caught up in any old tropes, this is just really well put together bourbon from a couple of good guys who seem to know everybody. Again, Kentucky is all about who you know and while very little can be divulged about the sources and methods here, I think the whiskey speaks for itself. It's safe to say that this is coming from a well-regarded distillery and the blending is done by an industry veteran who has taken the idea of small batch to a whole new level. Blends matter a lot at this scale and this inaugural batch is tasting pretty stellar. The style isn't a baseball bat to the palate like some of the geeks might want these days, but instead a subtle and elegant expression of bourbon that's rarely on display in the modern market. Let's taste it! The lovely reddish hue tells us that this one is maybe a bit older than some others on the market. The nose is a deft and well-aligned bouquet of caramel candies, toasted vanilla, baked clove, and other aromatic spices. Hints of cacao, burnt sugar, and dried fruit support. The texture is rather rich and unctuous with a full body but no heat at 100 proof. No oddness or distinctive flavors beyond the classic, elegant, and well-rounded character of an excellent medium-aged Kentucky bourbon. The finish is long and inviting, offering tons of sweetness and tempering the spice that lingers on the front palate. It's hard to say where this was sourced exactly, but very few of the luxury brands offer such opulence and well-rounded charisma. I'd say it's safe to say that this is better than most every new product we've come across, and there are many. Frank August might sacrifice power for elegance and completeness, but no good bourbon drinker will be disappointed and the openness allows even the most novice entry into this still somewhat hard-to-parse category. Plus the bottle looks awesome and doesn't scream or shout, just looks pretty on the bar for as long as you can keep it full, which likely won't be long.

The bouquet has a dry, grainy aroma which is accented by peppery/spicy scents. The palate entry is surprisingly sweet and corny, considering how dry the aroma is; the midpalate point is deep, corny sweet, sap-like and a bit syrupy. Ends up well and balanced, with a backnote of dried red fruit (raisins, prunes). (PP)

Noe knows. This latest stellar blend from Freddie Noe, the 8th-generation master distiller at Jim Beam and grandson of Booker Noe, to whom the Little Book line is a tribute, showcases his blending artistry at the highest level. Each Little Book release draws from the deepest stocks to craft a singular blend that tells another chapter in the Beam story, and this ninth edition honors the “founding flavors” of American whiskey, spotlighting the caramel, oak, vanilla, and char that have come to define the style. Five whiskies make up the blend: four bourbons ranging from seven to eleven years old, joined by an eight-year-old rye that lifts the profile with a lively spark of spice. The dark cherry note I so often find in Jim Beam whiskies is here as well, though it plays a supporting role to the rich oaky char and velvety butterscotch. The nose draws you in with layers of burnt vanilla, spiced oak, dark chocolate, and apricot jam, all draped over a foundation of dense caramel. On the palate, the rye makes itself known, with cinnamon and clove striking first before yielding to waves of butterscotch and ripe black cherries that flow into a long, luscious, and woody finish. Beautifully balanced and full of character, this whiskey fulfills its promise: a celebration of the timeless flavors that have made American whiskey cherished for generations.

Woodinville’s oldest whiskey to date is the final chapter in the limited series that began with the acclaimed 8 and 9 Year releases. This is not simply an older version of the standard bourbon. Founders Brett Carlile and Orlin Sorensen developed a distinctive 55% corn, 35% rye, and 10% malted barley mash bill specifically for an ambitious barrel experiment conducted with Independent Stave Company. The custom barrels were built from staves seasoned outdoors for 24 months, then heavily toasted and only lightly charred, an unusual treatment designed to maximize sweetness, vanilla, toasted nut, spice, and mature oak character. After a full decade in Woodinville’s barrelhouses in the high desert of Quincy, Washington, the whiskey has developed remarkable depth while retaining the lively rye spice at the heart of the recipe. Bottled at a perfectly judged 100 proof, it offers layers of warm vanilla, toasted almond, freshly baked bread, caramel, buttery toffee, clove, dried fruit, polished leather, and gentle campfire smoke. The finish is long and beautifully composed, balancing warm baking spice and soft oak tannin against lingering vanilla sweetness. Already awarded Double Platinum at the ASCOT Awards and Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, this is a fitting culmination of more than a decade of experimentation and patience.

The wonderful people at New Era have done what nearly every lover of bourbon has always dreamed of—turned their love of this golden elixir into a full time occupation. For Zane Brammell it started with simply sharing his love of the spirit with hundreds of other people and eventually developed into this wonderful new brand. Along the way he enlisted some industry veterans to help his cause, and that's how we connected through an old friend, Kris Comstock of Buffalo Trace fame. Kris was integral to our success in the early days of K&L's KY Barrel program. Our selection was to take place in a little restaurant in the tiny, historic town of Midway, and my colleague Stephanie Manning joined for the festivities. We enjoyed a hearty lunch before cracking into their samples and, despite my insisting we wanted anything except more Wilderness Trail, this barrel stood out among the eight samples we tried. The classic Black Label Wilderness Trail recipe, but aged MUCH longer than we've seen from the distillery's single barrels, which never even crack into the 6 year range. Anyway, it was such a revelation we knew we couldn't let it slip from our grasp. New Era's fun newsprint labels were the perfect canvas to utilize the beautiful art designed by Stephanie's own grandmother, Dorelle Heisel. Her exquisite, mind-bending design represents perfectly the dimensional enigma that this barrel represents. Anyway, let's have a taste! The color is a vibrant mahogany (1.6). The nose is so tight and tied up after opening it needs plenty of AIR! Don't make the mistake of guzzling this right out of the bottle. No, no, it's got so much there, but needs time and air. If you let it wait out, you'll notice an incredible array of sweet confectionary flavors, but the baked apple, cherry compote, and dark chocolate notes dominate. On the palate, some very unusual combinations here with big cinnamon and leather coming in after roasted oak, sweet baked orchard fruit, and jammy red fruit. It's not quite like anything else out there to be honest, and it's hard to pinpoint another distillate in the same flavor range, but that doesn't stop it from being completely delectable. Occasionally, different and delicious are one and the same, and this is a perfect example of that. New combinations of classic flavors, but it will especially reward the most patient drinkers.

Old Fitzgerald 7 Year Old Bottled-in-Bond marks a triumphant revival of a historic bourbon brand first registered in the 1870s. Now produced by Heaven Hill, it follows strict Bottled-in-Bond standards and features a wheated mash bill of 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley. Aged seven years in #3 char oak barrels, it offers rich, balanced flavors of brown sugar, baking spices, and oak. This release is the brand’s first permanent expression in decades

Heaven Hill has one of the deepest stocks of mature bourbon anywhere in Kentucky, but the real advantage of that inventory is the ability to do things almost nobody else can. Double Mash takes two of the distillery’s foundational bourbon styles, its traditional rye-recipe bourbon and its wheated bourbon, and combines them into a single 9-year-old Bottled-in-Bond release. The final composition is 65% rye-recipe bourbon and 35% wheated bourbon, marrying the structure and spice of the former with the softer, rounder character of the latter. More importantly, Heaven Hill has assembled the whiskey while still meeting the unusually strict requirements of Bottled-in-Bond: everything comes from the same distillery, was distilled during a single distillation season, matured for well beyond the required four years, and is bottled at exactly 100 proof. It is a clever use of two historic Heaven Hill whiskey styles and a fascinating demonstration of just how much flexibility a producer with this kind of mature inventory can have. Rich, structured and wonderfully balanced, this is a genuinely distinctive addition to Heaven Hill’s bonded whiskey legacy.

This lovely little barrel was selected in the winter of 2025 and bottled in late spring of 2026, just before its 8th birthday. This beautiful style from Heaven Hill is totally distinct from the others we see, offering another window into the massive operation that represents the second-largest stocks of bourbon in the world. Within the structure of this massive operation, the Heaven Hill single barrel seems to be the most elusive. We've technically selected another almost a year prior to the release of this barrel, but it seems to have never been bottled, so this is the first and maybe the last we'll ever see. Heaven Hill's barrel program is in flux and always changing. It's one of the best out there, but we sometimes lose opportunities that we love, like the recently retired Rittenhouse barrel program. Every year is a new surprise with our wonderful friends at Heaven Hill, and we'll keep showing up to see what they do next. Let's have a taste! The color is a classical burnished hue (1.1). The nose is zesty and inviting with sweet peach skins, honey-covered oats, tangerine peel, light-roast Arabica, and complex sweet herbs, woodruff & hyssop. The palate is extremely open and drinkable with a beautiful medium body and a rich roasted pecan backbone. The sweet herbs and stone fruit compete on the palate, but ultimately it's extremely well balanced and opulent without being overwrought. This is some of the most elegant bourbon we've ever had grace our glasses and a welcome departure from the big, oaky, intense style that we're often getting these days. Maybe it leans slightly into the aperitif styles, but isn't at all lacking in character. A wonderful pick I'm proud to get behind.

The widely loved Four Roses Limited Edition bottled for the European Market in 700ml bottles, re-imported and sold in advance of its arrival. This extremely rare expression is about as rare as it gets Stateside, but our suppliers in Europe are able to offer stock at well below market prices. This is a blend of bourbons aged 12 to 20 years old. 39% of the blend is OESF at 16 years of age, 31% an OBSV at 12 years old, 23% is an OESK at 15 years, and the last 7% OBSV at aged to 20 years. The distillery describes the character, "creamy vanilla, honey and brown sugar on the nose are followed by the flavors of ripe berries and tangy citrus on the palate. Intertwined are herbal notes and Four Roses' signature mellow spice to balance out the layers of complexity and sweetness with a delicate finish."

Maker’s Mark produces its bourbon in Loretto, Kentucky, with red winter wheat in place of the rye commonly used in bourbon recipes. The “New York Knicks Championship Edition” is a one-liter release of the producer’s Kentucky straight bourbon.

Booker’s is named for Booker Noe, Jim Beam’s grandson and the master distiller who created the brand. The 2026-02 “Milkshake Batch” is a Kentucky straight bourbon aged 7 years, 6 months and 12 days and bottled at 124.4 proof (62.2% alcohol by volume).

You know, can we have a little bit more respect for Wild Turkey? I've seen some of the bourbon bros roll their eyes a little bit when it's suggested, I get that you feel like you've had it before, that it's not as exciting as the quadruple cask finish cask strength bottling you managed to get from a buddy for just twice MSRP, but please let's take a closer look at this. This is 8 years old and comes it at just $5/year, which is pretty phenomenal when you look at the state of other age statement whiskies and the price direction they're going. The nose is super inviting, a little bit of brown sugar, peppery spice, something a little creamy, and then just a little hit of zest and dill. The palate is rich and super pretty, lil custard, a fair rich bit of barrel spice, more pepper, and then toast on the lingering finish. This is just delicious and impeccably done, a bounty of bourbon for your buck.

There are few professional moments more gratifying than the work I’ve done on the recent releases of our new K&L Every Drop brand. This historic label, which predates the founding of our store by many decades, fell into my lap thanks to a thoughtful customer who won a little mini from the 1940s at auction and passed it my way. So when the opportunity arose to create a new, store-exclusive brand, I knew this magnificent, long-forgotten IP had to be revived. We painstakingly reimagined every detail of the label, staying faithful to the original design. From its classic clean lines to the timeless tag line “Supreme Quality” stretching across each bottle’s shoulders, it perfectly reflects our ethos. The label’s revival was inspired by an exceptional batch of rare bourbon that we had acquired by a stroke of good fortune: a great old whiskey from Frankfort, followed shortly by a second release of the same. But how could we continue producing whiskies that lived up to those extraordinary beginnings? My premise was never that Every Drop must be mythical in rarity, but that every bottle, yes, every drop, should offer our customers an experience of unmistakable quality, unique character and unmatched value. That’s a tall order, especially given that I have no control over the aging or production of the barrels we source. With only tiny samples representing entire lots, I set out with a wing and a prayer to find our third batch. That search led to a parcel of mature bourbons from a certain distillery near Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. While I can’t name it on the label, nothing stops me from saying it outright: it’s that ol' Kickin' Chicken in Tyrone. The question then became, how could a seven (nearly eight) year old Turkey compete with the best in class? The answer lay in blending and proofing. I’ve always found immense joy in blending on the small scale that I've been afforded, and this project gave me the chance to shape the final character through careful selection and proof adjustment. When a customer emailed asking if it might be similar to W.B. Saffel, a whiskey twice the price and up to 12 years old, I knew we’d hit the mark. The proof and batch name pay quiet homage to the great blenders behind that legendary bourbon and, indeed, it was a beacon which I hoped would guide me. Now, this is my Tuesday to Sunday whiskey. It’s exuberant, balanced, and endlessly satisfying. It’s unquestionably the best value on the shelf today in this style, which is quite distinct from regular WT or Russell’s Reserve. It just so happens that it’s a style I love. Expect an elegant balance of sweet oak, fragrant fruit, zesty spice, and a rich caramel backbone. It shines in cocktails and stands beautifully on its own. And if you don’t appreciate “Minerva's Purple Wax”, I know a monk in Midway who wants a word.

This newly released small batch bourbon represents a completely new phase in the nearly half century project launched by Even Kulsveen and his wife Harriet Willett. The Willett family has been part of the bourbon distilling apparatus since at least the late 1800s, but the slow and methodical relaunch of the Willett distillery was achieved through passion, prescient determination, and undeniable grit. The defining theme across the last five decades has been a commitment to delivering exceptional quality no matter what. While their small operation has become the darling of collectors and connoisseurs, the Kulsveens clearly understand the importance of producing bourbon meant to be enjoyed. Not every bottle must be a unicorn, but every drop must be worthy of even the most discerning drinker. That is why this new small batch 'Purple Top' is so exciting, arriving more than a decade after the release of the WFE Green Top Rye small batch. This expression is a blend of the original 13 percent rye bourbon and the much higher 38 percent rye bourbon. The batch I am tasting clocks in at 61.8 percent ABV, and future batches will likely fall in that range, making comparison part of the fun. The color shows a classical burnished hue (1.2). The nose is sweet and expressive with cornbread, maple, vanilla, and spice, though it avoids the typical Willett cinnamon profile, which makes it especially approachable. On the palate it is juicy and remarkably drinkable, offering dark red fruits such as cherry and pomegranate alongside toasted vanilla, caramel candy, gentle cinnamon, and a rich clove-driven finish. This is a lovely bourbon, clearly selected with great care. Considering its handcrafted nature, it easily outperforms its specs and price, standing up well against many younger single casks I have tasted. In a broader sense, it is a fantastic bourbon to wet your whistle and an excellent gateway into the Willett pantheon.

Product details coming soon.

Very few developments from the KY side of Suntory have been met with such enthusiasm as their decision to start bottling these Knob Creeks at full cask strength. The brand has long been a stable on our shelves at the classic 120 proof, but being able to pick barrels at full strength brings them up to par with their competitors -Heaven Hill, Buffalo Trace, Four Roses- who have offered proper cask strength product now for many years as single barrels. But what's really interesting is that Beam has seemed to simulateounsly expand the available flavor profile of these special casks, so while it seemed that previous expressions were offered in a relatively narrow range of flavor profiles, this new program is offering incredible diversity of character. And while a single barrel of Stagg Junior at 7-8 years old would sell out in an instant at $150, Knob Creek needs to over deliver in terms of quality to be at all viable in the current market. This impeccable barrel does so and so distinctly outside of the Beam profile, we're reminded of the massive diversity of flavor that this excellent old distillery really can offer. Here we go! The color is a classical mahogany (1.5). The nose begs a deeper whiff with dense red cherry sauce, deep sweet undertones of roasted sugar, tense sarsaparilla, caramel sauce, pomegranate syrup, vanilla cream and tinned peach. The palate is powerful red fruit and deep charred oak with no typical Beam peanut notes at all. If this was in a Stagg bottle no one would blink an eye at paying $200 a bottle for a 9+ year old product, but people still need convincing that knobs got the goods. This is the perfect blinder to trick your friends into loving Beam products. Absolutely delicious stuff.

Until now, most Knob Creek has been bottled at 9 years of age or younger for good reason: There’s no guarantee that bourbon will taste good after a dozen years in the barrel—let alone great. This one is richly complex from the start: York Peppermint Pattie, raisins, baking spice, dark chocolate-covered cherries, iced tea, and tobacco barn appear on the nose, followed by a chewy, full palate laden with cinnamon, allspice, and ginger, and perfectly balanced with sweet berry cobbler, chocolate ganache, and caramel. The finish goes on and on. Add in a fair price and excellent availability as part of Knob Creek’s core lineup, and only one question remains: What are you waiting for? *#2 WHISKEY OF 2020* (SSB, Winter 2020)

From Master Distiller Jimmy Russell and his son Eddie Russell, this tawny and full-bodied whiskey evolves on the palate. At first, it features orange peel, vanilla and caramel, then dry leather and cocoa notes midpalate, and finishes long and lean with clove and allspice accents. Dilute to taste, sip slowly and consider all the complex flavors. (KN)

New charred oak is a defining requirement of bourbon production, along with a grain recipe containing at least 51% corn. New Louisville’s “Summer Jam” is an eight-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon, with an age statement that refers to the youngest whiskey in the bottle.

Our prayers finally answered, true cask strength single barrels from the legendary Knob Creek brand have previously been just a dream. Each time we walk into those hallowed rickhouses, we taste one of the world's best bourbons straight from the barrel as it was intended, but they insisted on bottling at the traditional 120 proof. The reasons why have changed over the years, now it seems though the reasons for outweigh those against, much to our delight. The beautiful thing about a cask strength version of Knob is not only that we get to see it at higher proofs, but also at lower proofs, since previous barrels had to be at least 120 proof to show up in the program. No surprise though none of ours are low proof. We've got three bruisers all close to 130 proof from an incredible run of barrels distilled on September 9th, 2015. Bottled just a couple of months before their 10th birthday, three barrels we affectionately refer to as Triple X 5th Floor Magic are three of the best we've ever had in all our years tasting at Jim Beam. These high floors absolutely sap these barrels extracting the maximum possible amount of flavor and leaving you with truly unprecedented drinking experience. This barrel, B, was bottled on June 4th at 128 proof without chillfiltration or additions of any kind.

We got ourselves yet another fantastic Knob Creek cask strength bourbon, and this one crosses over the decade line. Combining the classic Knob Creek flavors with another level of spicy nuttiness, this is a great one for the collection. The nose brings forward some charred peanut brittle, bold cinnamon and cardamom, sawdust and steel, and a touch of caramelized banana. The palate is big and robust, as the baking spices come forward even more, sharing space with the dense oaky char. Clove, licorice, and leather remain on the palate, and a touch of water settles the 125.1 proof liquid down a touch to pop out a little more of the roasted vanilla and stone fruit sweetness underneath.

Kentucky straight bourbon is aged in new, charred oak barrels—a legal requirement that distinguishes bourbon from many other whiskey styles. Nashtucky’s 11-year-old release comes from a single barrel, #2458, rather than a blend of barrels, with an age statement reflecting at least 11 years of maturation.

Lost Lantern’s United States of Bourbon 1776 Edition is the rare whiskey concept that feels both historically resonant and genuinely delicious. Created for the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026, this special one-time bottling is the limited-edition counterpart to Lost Lantern’s 50-state bourbon project, but here the focus narrows to the original 13 colonies. The blend brings together straight bourbons from distilleries in Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island. Bottled at 121.4 proof, aged 4 to 8 years, and limited to just 1,776 bottles, it has all the makings of a true commemorative release, but the whiskey itself carries the weight. Warm, complex, and spicy, it offers orange zest, dark chocolate, walnut, fruit, spice, fresh-baked bread, leather, and a long, assertive finish. A 2026 Icons of Whisky America winner and Food & Wine Drinks Visionaries 2025 honoree, this is a rare and fitting tribute to American whiskey’s independent spirit.

From the folks at Willett distillery, Noah’s Mill has less than 20 barrels in a batch and will include 15 year old barrels in the dump. The deep amber color prepares the nose for what promises to be an exciting ride. Aromas of ginger, plums, cinnamon, fresh-baked cornbread, and fresh-squeezed cherries. The warm palate packs caramel, nutmeg, and vanilla with lovely cinnamon on the finish. Sourced whiskey. (FM, Spring 2016)

Created by master distiller Brent Elliott to mark the distillery’s grand reopening, this Bourbon is the first permanent addition to the portfolio since 2006. This is a concentrated sip—even with plenty of water—showing warm, toasty vanilla, sugar cookies and buttery brioche, finishing extra-long and drying, accented by plenty of baking spice. It’s a real lipsmacker. (KN)

Luxe and velvety, this port-finished Bourbon shows bold caramel and toffee up front, morphing into notes of sherry, honey and rounded red fruit. Plush and very soft, it needs little more than an ice cube. (KN)

This complex whiskey has a bold caramel aroma and, at 100 proof, an unsurprising hit of alcohol heat. Balanced with a bit of water, the caramel palate shows zesty orange peel, espresso, maple and clove. The long finish is bracing and drying, with leather and oak, plus flickers of citrus and spice. *Best Buy* (KN)

Willett's flagship product is their Pot Still Reserve in the wonderfully weird pot still bottle. This super easy going small batch blend represents 30 years of grit and determination in one little bottle. Now that the Willett's have finally got their still up and running, this will likely become a showcase of their older own distilled bourbons in the future. For now it's still a blend of some wonderful sourced whiskies of excellent quality. Easy drinking, but not simple by any means, expect a strong bouquet of candied citrus and sweet dark caramel. The sweet nose and front palate belies a building peppery note and a drier finish driven by oaky spice. Production remains very limited on these, so don't expect it to always be around. The awesome bottle makes for a great gift all year round.

Product details coming soon.

Fathertime Bourbon is a premium small-batch bourbon that celebrates the power of patience and craftsmanship. Aged in charred American oak barrels, it delivers a smooth, balanced profile with notes of rich caramel, vanilla, toasted oak, and warm spice. Inspired by the enduring symbol of Father Time, this bourbon honors tradition while offering a refined, modern drinking experience. Fathertime Bourbon is crafted for those who value quality, heritage, and the timeless character of expertly aged American whiskey. The Empyt Nester's Strength is the full cask strength version of the original recipe.

Kentucky Peerless traces its roots to the 1880s and today operates under historic Distilled Spirits Plant number 50 in downtown Louisville. This Toasted Kentucky Straight Bourbon carries a designation governed by federal standards: straight bourbon is made from a mash containing at least 51% corn and matured in new charred oak containers for a minimum of two years.

Created by sixth-generation Beam master distiller Booker Noe, Booker’s Bourbon is traditionally released uncut and unfiltered. The 2025-04 “Phantom Pipes Batch” is a Kentucky straight bourbon aged 7 years, 6 months, and 15 days, then bottled at 126.4 proof, preserving the batch-strength format that defines the Booker’s line.

Built around a notably high-rye bourbon mash bill, Bulleit "Frontier" is bottled at 45% ABV and positioned as the brand's flagship Kentucky straight bourbon. The label traces its inspiration to Augustus Bulleit's 19th-century whiskey, revived by Tom Bulleit in the late 1980s.

Mildoak and vanilla aromas lead the nose. The robust palate opens with a dusting of cocoa. Adding water transforms that into milk chocolate and vanilla richness. Each sip exits with black pepper and a lemony zing. Aged at least four years. (KN)