Bourbon

Shortbarrel Four Grain Straight Bourbon

46% ABV
$40
Website

We would like to thank Shortbarrel and Raptor Communications for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

ATLANTA, GA (February 2, 2026) – Atlanta-based Shortbarrel, one of the fastest-growing, independently owned craft spirits brands in the Southeast, today proudly announces the nationwide release of its flagship, always-available Shortbarrel Four Grain Straight Bourbon. After establishing itself as an American Craft Whiskey favorite in its home state of Georgia, Shortbarrel is now shipping its signature expression to 47 states across the U.S. via shortbarrelbourbon.com. With an SRP of $39.99, the bourbon is also available in bars and retail locations across Georgia, Kentucky, Florida, Tennessee, and Texas.

A 4-to-5-year-old wheated bourbon, the whiskey was created as a blend from the company’s extensive inventory of barrels. The whiskey showcases the blending and maturation talents of Co-Founder and Master Blender Clinton Dugan, who sourced barrels from both Wilderness Trail (64% corn, 24% wheat and 12% malted barley) in Danville, Kentucky and Green River (70% corn, 21% rye and 9% malted barley) in Owensboro, Kentucky. Through blending these two mash bills, Dugan created a final profile featuring the core four American Whiskey grains: 65% corn, 3% rye, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley.

For the brand’s signature expression, Dugan leaned heavily into the Wilderness Trail Whiskey, with its high wheat mashbill, which lends a softer, smoother base spirit versus a corn bourbon. The wheat is matched with the rye-heavy whiskey from Green River, providing the spirit both spice and structure. Intentionally blended as an everyday sipper and bottled at 92 proof, Dugan achieved an approachable, non-chill filtered four grain bourbon that highlights the best of both styles – wheated and high-rye – while delivering sweetness, gentle spice, creamy texture, and subtle malt depth.

True to its Georgia roots, the secondary aging for Shortbarrel Four Grain Bourbon takes advantage of the higher humidity and temperatures in the Peach State, which accelerates the process and creates additional layers of flavor. While the initial aging occurs in traditional Kentucky rickhouses in a combination of Char #3 and Char #4 barrels, the final aging takes place in the company’s Atlanta warehouse, which is palletized and racked four-to-five rows high with no temperature control. That additional maturation provides Dugan with a hands-on opportunity to carefully monitor each barrel to find the right whiskey for the final blending.

“Our deep relationships, resources and the state of the American whiskey industry have given us access to some of the most impressive barrels on the open market,” said Shortbarrel Co-Founder and Master Blender Clinton Dugan. “This allows us to select from only the best of the best when blending our whiskies, while also making them affordable enough for everyone to have an exceptionally high-quality, go-to everyday bourbon.”

Shortbarrel Four Grain Bourbon delivers a nose of caramel, vanilla and honeyed grains followed by warm baking spice, toasted oak, and a touch of malt. The palate is full and rounded with corn sweetness and creamy wheat balanced by the rye’s gentle spice and barley’s soft chocolate note. The whiskey then reveals itself with hints of brown sugar and citrus peel. The finish is smooth and has lingering notes of caramelized oak, vanilla bean and a final whisper of pepper and toasted grain.

Like many professional success stories, Shortbarrel was formed through friendship. The three founders – Adam Dorfman, Clinton Dugan, and Patrick Lemmond – took their love of whiskey and turned it into a true passion project. While on a barrel pick in 2020, a chance encounter at a bar in Louisville led the trio to purchase their first barrels themselves, thus creating the Shortbarrel brand. The company name is derived from a common whiskey term “shortbarrel,” which refers to a barrel that has lost 50% of its content to the angel’s share leaving behind a whiskey incredibly deep in flavor – something that Adam, Clinton and Patrick strive for in every bottle of their whiskey.

TASTING NOTES
Aroma: Sweet layers of caramel, vanilla, and honeyed grain rise first, followed by warm baking spice, toasted oak, and a touch of malt.
Mouth: A full, rounded palate of corn sweetness and creamy wheat, balanced by rye’s gentle spice and barley’s soft chocolate note. Hints of brown sugar and citrus peel add depth.
Finish: Smooth and lingering with caramelized oak, vanilla bean, and a final whisper of pepper and toasted grain.

What Gary Says

Nose: Butter popcorn, pastry with vanilla cream frosting, cinnamon, soft oak (rickhouse) and a hint of malt.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, sweet with vanilla, light caramel, milk chocolate, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Finish: Moderate in length with caramel and fading baking spices.
Comments: Soft, sweet with just a touch of spice – as advertised. Nearly a wheater, but unique with a higher ratio of malted barley than you find in the larger distilleries. The nose on this reminds me of standing in a rickhouse, which if you are unfamiliar with that aroma – I’d recommend rectifying that post haste! Appreciate the non-chill filtering, which comes through in the mouthfeel – as well as the transparency on source and mashbills!  All in all a solid four grain bourbon.

Rating: Stands Out

Knob Creek Eli Manning’s Bold Pick: 2026 Batch
Single Barrel Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon

58.2% ABV
$70
Website

We would like to thank Beam Suntory and Multiply for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says:

As the 2025-2026 football season reaches its pinnacle, Knob Creek®, the founding spirit of the James B. Beam Small Batch Bourbon Collection™ and a leader in American Whiskey, announces its second limited-edition barrel release, Knob Creek® Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon, Eli Manning’s Bold Pick: 2026 Batch. Available nationwide, the special edition rounds out its season-long partnership with the legendary quarterback.

Hand-selected by Manning at the James B. Beam Distilling Co. in Clermont, KY, this unique cask-strength expression is bottled straight from the barrel, with proofs ranging from 112.2 to 121.6, unfiltered and uncut. The result is a bold, robust bourbon that opens with flavors of rich vanilla and toasted oak, unfolds into layers of roasted nuts and warm spice, and finishes with a long, full-bodied warmth. A true expression of Knob Creek®’s signature depth and intensity, it’s crafted to be savored during the season’s biggest game-day moments – whether celebrating a fantasy championship or cheering on a team through the final stretch.

“Football teams are built on trust – trusting your picks, your preparation, and your instincts, whether you’re on the field or managing your fantasy lineup,” said Freddie Noe, eighth generation master distiller. “That same mindset guides how we make bourbon. Working with Eli last year set a high bar and bringing him back this season raised it. We put some of our finest barrels in front of him, and this one stood out right away. Bottled at cask strength, it delivers more intensity and more flavor – a full-bodied bourbon built for game day.”

What began as fantasy football advice rooted in making bold calls and trusting one’s gut has grown into a celebration of seeing hard work pay off. Throughout the season and continuing through the postseason, Knob Creek and Eli Manning are continuing to share bold picks on the biggest matchups and ways to celebrate – from hosting the perfect watch party to raising a glass with Eli’s Gameday Old Fashioned, best crafted with the 2026 Batch.

“At this point in the season, you’ve made your calls, and it’s now about seeing them through,” said Eli Manning. “Hand-picking this barrel was a bold pick of its own – balanced, uncompromising, and full of character. It held up every time I came back to it, and that’s exactly what I expect from Knob Creek® when it counts most: a bourbon worthy of the biggest moments.”

TASTING NOTES
COLOR: Dark amber
AROMA: Expansive notes of vanilla and caramel, slightly smoky, slightly oaky
TASTE: Bold and complex vanilla, nuts and oak
FINISH: Lingering warm, full flavor

What Gary Says

Nose: Salted caramel, dark chocolate, brown sugar, black cherry, charred oak and candied pecans.
Palate: Bold and warm with caramel, cinnamon, chili oil, gingersnap cookies, dark chocolate, walnuts and orange zest.
Finish:  Moderate in length, spicy with cinnamon and pepper spice over vanilla.
Comments: I’ve enjoyed plenty of Knob Creek single barrels, and this one is definitely in the ‘bold’ column for sure! Spicy, and a bit on the hot side although with any single barrel (and more so with cask strength offerings) it may vary. I had the pleasure of picking a barrel of Knob Creek with the Georgia Bourbon Society many years ago, and this is a bourbon that really shines at cask strength (although with this particular bottle, a couple drops of water opened it up nicely!) I did try Eli’s Gameday Old Fashioned but believe the bottle of bitters I bought was a bad batch (although swapping for another bitters, I’d recommend upping the Brown Sugar Syrup from 1/4 oz to 1/2 or even 3/4 oz; this bourbon has enough spice and punch to stand up to that).

Rating: Stands Out

Wilderness Trail 6 Year Single Barrel Wheated
Family Reserve Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Barrel # 765288; ISC Classic #4
Rickhouse: E-N12-9-15; Yeast Strain: 927

55.2% ABV
$70
Website

We would like to thank Wilderness Trail Distillery and Allison Worldwide for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

Wilderness Trail, the award-winning Kentucky Distillery known for using modern science to optimize old-world distilling traditions, is proud to announce the launch of 6-Year-Old Private Barrel offerings in their single barrel lineup. This marks a notable milestone for the young craft distillery, which was founded only 13 years ago.

The collection features three distinct 6-year-old, single-barrel, cask-strength, non-chill filtered expressions including a Wheated Bourbon, a High-Rye Bourbon, and a Rye Whiskey. Each is meticulously crafted using Wilderness Trail’s Sweet Mash process, proprietary yeast strains, and a Level 4 Alligator Char barrel profile to deliver elevated flavor definition and barrel complexity.

Hand-selected for its distinct character and complexity, each single barrel is a testament to the combination of employing modern fermentation science with traditional Kentucky maturation techniques. Wilderness Trail’s unconventional approach to traditional bourbon-making is crafted for the true whiskey enthusiast looking to explore alternative styles and is best enjoyed neat or on the rocks.

“At six years, our single barrels hit the sweet spot where our sweet mash fermentation and proprietary yeast strains deliver layered complexity without sacrificing balance,” said Dr. Pat Heist, Co-Owner and Chief Scientific Officer of Wilderness Trail Distillery. “The Wheated, High-Rye bourbon, and Rye Whiskey selections let enthusiasts choose between softer high-wheat elegance and the vibrant spice and herbal nuance of rye, each barrel a distinct expression of science meeting tradition.”

Crafted for true whiskey enthusiasts. Each single barrel is hand-selected, bottled at cask strength, and features a high-wheat mashbill for a uniquely soft, rich flavor.

Aged for 6 years, it features a mashbill of 64% corn, 24% wheat, and 12% malted barley using proprietary yeast strains. Aged in a #4 char barrel and entered at 110 proof.

FLAVOR PROFILE
Color: Rich, unfiltered deep amber
Nose: Sweet and nutty.
Taste: Notes of vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, and stone fruit.
Finish: Hints of baking spice, oak, and barrel char.
HOW TO SIP IT
All our whiskeys are best enjoyed neat or on the rocks in a classic sipping glass.
If you’re inclined, you can add a few water droplets to open up their rich aromas. We’ll leave that up to you.

What Gary Says

Nose: Coffee cake with vanilla icing, caramel, cinnamon, oak and a hint of cloves.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, caramel, butterscotch, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, pepper spice approaching chili oil.
Finish: Short to moderate in length with oak and pepper spice.
Comments: For the ABV this one drinks a tad hot to me (if I had to guess, I would have put it north of 60%) but a bit of water doesn’t hurt it. In fact a few drops brings out fruit notes on the nose (apples and pears) and tamps down the pepper on the palate, taking the butterscotch over to more of a toffee note. Tried this in an Old Fashioned and it did really well (where I tend to prefer rye-bourbons).

Rating: Stands Out