2025

RIOT. Double Bonded Rye

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey / ,

RIOT. Double Bonded Rye
Double Bonded Blend of Straight Rye Whiskeys

50% ABV
$50
Website
RIOT. Double Bonded Rye Whiskey
We would like to thank Three Chord Bourbon and CHQ Media for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

— First-ever Double Bonded Rye, blending two Bottled-in-Bond ryes from MGP and Bardstown Bourbon Co.
— Label features The Darts, an all female band that has a raw garage-punk energy with a dark, hypnotic groove — think fuzzed-out organs, thundering drums, and fearless vocals.
— This blend of ryes is as unique as the hot pink label in the sea of green ones on the shelf.
— Photo by Ed Arnaud captures the chaos and swagger of the punk ethos.
— Gold Medal winner at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition
— Aged 4–7 years; mash bill: 86% rye, 9% corn, 5% malted barley
Tasting Notes
Color: Clear amber color
Nose: Balanced nut and spice characters
Palate: Balanced spice and oak
Finish: Cooling menthol with spice and oak

What Gary Says

Nose: Rye spice with mint, cinnamon, lemon and tangerine zest with a hint of clove.
Palate: Sharp, warm and spicy with chocolate, cinnamon, cloves, honey and pepper spice.
Finish: Short to moderate in length with cinnamon, mint and caramel.
Comments: None of that ‘barely-legal rye’; that high-rye mashbill definitely comes across loud and clear, and fitting with what they’re going for. This one is also better with a bit of water, which brings out a note of grapefruit on the nose. I like the idea of blending products from different distilleries; looking for something unique that might even be greater than the sum of it’s parts. While there wasn’t anything off-putting to me, this didn’t quite achieve that (although a perfectly serviceable rye, especially if you’re looking for a high-rye rye).

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Flipside Triple Wood Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Flipside Triple Wood Bourbon
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Toasted French Oak and American Oak Barrels

45% ABV
$35
Website
Flipside Triple Wood Bourbon Whiskey
We would like to thank Three Chord Bourbon and CHQ Media for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

— Honors blues legend Guitar Shorty, known for wild, electrifying performances and his influence on people like Jimi Hendrix and Buddy Guy
— Photo by Larry Hulst perfectly captures the intensity and creativeness of Guitar Shorty’s live shows
— Double Gold Medal winner at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition
— A blend of straight Kentucky bourbons, aged in new charred American oak barrels, then finished in a mix of new and used toasted French and American oak barrels
— Blend of 4-7 year old bourbons, finished for 2-3 months
— 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley
Tasting Notes
Color: Clear amber color
Nose: Sweet butterscotch with light oak and walnut
Palate: Sweet corn and nutty umami character
Finish: Lingering tingly finish

What Gary Says

Nose: Vanilla, slightly sour oak, fall leaves and wood spices.
Palate: Sweet with caramel corn, cinnamon, honey, anise, nutmeg, bit of chocolate and pepper spice.
Finish: Short to moderate in length with vanilla and oak spices.
Comments: The toasted French oak definitely comes through with all of the spice notes. I found this came across a tad hot for 45%. I would have guessed a higher rye mashbill, but the finishing is definitely adding more of a spice kick. A bit of water helps this one out quite a bit.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Cornerstone Rye

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Cornerstone
Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

54.5% ABV
$175
Website
Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Cornerstone Rye

What the Distillery Says

Master’s Keep Cornerstone is the fourth release in the limited edition Master’s Keep series, and was the oldest rye whiskey ever released by Wild Turkey prior Master’s Keep Triumph’s release in 2024. For this one-of-a-kind Limited Edition, Eddie Russell hand-picked and set aside a secret lot of his oldest and boldest rye whiskey barrels, all aged from 9 to 11 years, then leveraged his nearly four decades of experience to create a perfectly balanced spirit that showed off just what an American rye whiskey could be. Aromas of vanilla, black pepper, and toasted rye give way to cascading flavors of honey and baked apple before a long and lingering finish of spice and oak.

TASTE: Cascading flavors of honey and baked apple
AROMA: Warm vanilla, black pepper, and toasted rye
FINISH: Remarkably crisp and clean, with long and lingering flavors of spice and oak
PROCESS: 109 proof aged 9-11 years

What Gary Says

Nose:  Citrus zest, dill, mint, charred oak, honey, pepper and a bit of cedar.
Palate:  Green apple sour candy, cinnamon, caramel and honey.
Finish:  Moderate in length, drying with apples and rye spice.
Comments:  This is a very apple heavy dram (which apples aren’t an unusual tasting note, but with rye it is a bit different). Solid whiskey, although takes some work to coax the complexity from it, and that shines through for me more on the nose than on the palate.

Rating: Stands Out

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Four Roses 2025 Limited Edition Small Batch

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Four Roses 2025 Small Batch Limited Edition
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

54.5% ABV
$250
Website
Four Roses Small Batch LE 2025 Bourbon Whiskey
We would like to thank Four Roses and The Brand Guild for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

August 19, 2025 Four Roses Distillery announced the release of its highly anticipated 2025 Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon, a standout expression from the award-winning Kentucky bourbon maker, releasing September 3rd, 2025. This marks the 18th edition in the annual series, featuring a unique blend of three bourbon recipes and four different batches, bottled at barrel strength.

Non-chill filtered and bottled at 109 proof, the 2025 Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon features four hand-selected batches aged 13 and 19 years. Chosen from Four Roses’ 10 distinct bourbon recipes, this year’s limited edition blend is composed of a 13-year-old bourbon from the OBSV recipe, a 13-year-old OBSK, a 13-year-old OESV,
and a 19-year-old OESV.

“Year after year, we look to create a unique expression that highlights the best of what our ten recipes can offer,” said Brent Elliott, Four Roses Master Distiller. “When blending this year’s release, I was drawn to the 13-year-old V batches that showcase pronounced delicate fruit and sweet barrel tones. Although these barrels can really shine on their own, the OBSK brought in a complexity that I think people will really enjoy. The addition of the 19-year-old OBSV also adds another layer of depth and aged character that rounds out the blend beautifully.”

The recipes selected for the 2025 Limited Edition Small Batch result in notes of sweet apricot, vanilla, caramel, black tea leaves, hints of rye, and mellow oak on the nose, followed by flavors of apricot, hints of citrus, crème brûlée, and antique spiced oak on the palate, with those same flavors lingering in a very soft and long finish.

This year, Four Roses will release approximately 16,854 bottles of its 2025 Limited Edition Small Batch at a suggested retail price of $249. They will be available at select retailers nationwide and through the distillery’s bottle drawing, which will accept entries from August 19 to 24, 2025. Winners of the bottle drawing will be selected at random and notified on August 29, 2025 for a chance to purchase and pick up their bottle at the Distillery Visitor Center in Lawrenceburg, KY, in September. Visitors to the Four Roses Distillery can also enjoy a pour at Bar 1888 in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, while supplies last.

For more information on Four Roses Distillery and the 2025 Limited Edition Small Batch release, please visit www.fourrosesbourbon.com, or follow on Instagram @fourrosesbourbon.

Recipes:
OBSV – 13 Years Old
OBSK – 13 Years Old
OESV – 13 Years Old
OESV – 19 Years Old

What Gary Says

Nose: Vanilla, caramel, apricot, raw honey, orange zest, oak, mint, thyme, hints of cinnamon, clove, leather and tobacco.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel with caramel, blood orange, vanilla, apricot, oak, chocolate, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Finish: Long and drying with caramel, oak and citrus spice notes.
Comments: This is classic Four Roses – balanced, nuanced, complex and lovely. I’ve yet to try a Four Roses Small Batch LE that I didn’t REALLY like. Interesting enough I don’t care for older bourbons, as I’m not a big fan of heavy oak, but while there is oak for sure it is quite deft – no doubt a tribute to the single-story rickhouse maturation. This is quite lovely, and sips like a champ neat – but I found with a few drops of water and a few minutes in the glass – I was rewarded with baked apples on the nose, and the chocolate stepping forward more on the palate. All in all another really lovely bourbon!

Rating: Must Try

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Remus Repeal Reserve Series IX Straight Bourbon Whiskey

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Remus Repeal Reserve Series IX
Straight Bourbon Whiskey

52% ABV
$100
Website
Remus Repeal Reserve Series IX Straight Bourbon Whiskey
We would like to thank Luxco and BYRNE PR for sending us samples to review.

What the Distillery Says

The oldest and highest proof ever.

Remus Bourbon, the award-winning whiskey inspired by the roaring spirit of the Prohibition era, announced the release of Remus Repeal Reserve Series IX Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The highly anticipated annual release from the historic Ross & Squibb Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, is a rare bourbon comprising their best stocks.

Aged between 10 and 18 years, the 104 proof (52% ABV) non-chill filtered Remus Repeal Reserve Series IX is the highest proof ever for the series. A limited supply will be available in September at a minimum suggested retail price of $99.99 per 750mL bottle.

Crafted to honor the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, Ross & Squibb Master Distiller Ian Stirsman selected the finest barrels of high rye bourbon, for which the distillery is renowned, to create this year’s edition. Remus Repeal Reserve IX includes 7% of an 18-year-aged bourbon containing 21% rye; 26% of an 11-year-aged bourbon comprising 36% rye; 23% of a 10-year-aged bourbon containing 36% rye; and 44% of a second 10-year-aged bourbon comprising 21% rye.

Remus Repeal Reserve Series IX features an aroma of seasoned oak, leather, ripe sweet cherry and subtle tobacco on the nose with prominent flavors of cherry, roasted coffee and a touch of smoky spice on the palate; and lingering oak and spice that fades into notes of coffee, cherry and tobacco in the finish.

“Bourbon fans have always expected something new from each edition of Remus Repeal Reserve,” said Stirsman. “That’s why for Remus Repeal Reserve Series IX, we found some of our most unique barrels to date. After finalizing the blend, we blind-tasted it at different proofs to ensure we provide fans with the unique experience they expect. In the end, we believe the 104 proof, combined with 10-18-year-old bourbons, did just that.”

Since its inaugural release, the Remus Repeal Reserve collection has earned a multitude of notable recognitions and awards. Remus Repeal Reserve VIII earned a platinum medal at the 2025 ASCOT Awards, a double gold medal at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and a gold medal and Consumer’s Choice Award at the 2025 SIP Awards. Additional key accolades for the esteemed collection include No. 1 Best Bourbon Under $100 by UPROXX, Top 5 Limited Bourbons and Whiskeys by Men’s Journal, Whiskey of the Year by WhiskeyFellow and a 98-point rating and a double gold medal from The Tasting Panel.

Remus Repeal Reserve Series IX is comprised of:

  • 7% 2006 Bourbon (21% Rye)
  • 26% 2014 Bourbon (36% Rye)
  • 23% 2015 Bourbon (36% Rye)
  • 44% 2015 Bourbon (21% Rye)

What Gary Says

Nose: Rich with chocolate fudge, caramel, brown sugar, crème brûlée, bit of cherry with hints of tobacco and a mineral note.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel with chocolate, walnuts, caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg, cherry and nougat.
Finish: Long and syrupy with caramel, bit of coffee and nutty oak.
Comments: When I first nosed this, my brain immediately thought about a candy bar; all of those notes came wafting out of the glass. This is a delicious pour, right from the bottle! A few drops of water brings a hint of citrus zest to the nose, and more creaminess to the palate, but I really enjoy this right at the bottled proof (and appreciate the higher ABV!) Also appreciate the transparency on where it’s distilled, the vintage/mashbill and the proportions included! I just so happened to have some left from my sample of Remus Repeal Reserve Series VII (back in 2023) which I really enjoyed, so I did a little side-by-side tasting. This year’s won hands down! A few shades darker in the glass, while there is a familial resemblance between them, this had more fudge on the nose by comparison, and the 2023 leaned more into maple/fruit. Interesting enough, both bottles share similar components, with the 2014 Bourbon (36% Rye). What was used in each batch might not have been distilled at the same time, so not sure it’s the exact same liquid – but it was 21% of the 2023 mix and 26% of this one. The mix of mashbill here is 49% the higher rye vs 47% in the 2023, so not terribly different there. In any event, this is one I would not pass up the chance if you see it as it isn’t likely to linger long!

Rating: Must Try/Must Buy

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