Other Whisk(e)ys

Ōlta Mexican Whisky

40% ABV
$55
Website

We would like to thank Ōlta Whisky for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

Denver, CO — Olta Whisky, a pioneering corn-based Mexican whiskey, is now available throughout Colorado and California in fine retail locations including Total Wine and Molly’s Spirits and is preparing for expansion into Texas and Florida retail locations in the coming weeks. The award-winning brand’s 3-year expression is also currently available in a fast growing list of Latin American restaurants nationwide. Olta plans to release 4-year and 7-year expressions in 2026.

Produced and bottled in Michoacán, Mexico, Olta is made from locally-picked ancestral corn and is earning its reputation as a quality spirit, alongside Mexico’s premium tequila and mezcal brands. It won a bronze medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in May 2025.

The 80% corn, 20% malt mixture is double-distilled and aged in American oak barrels for three years in a small mountain village that sits at 7,000 feet of elevation. Olta barrels were originally used in the United States for traditional whiskey, then in Mexico for agave-based spirits like tequila, and now for corn-based Mexican whiskey. This process gives Olta a unique flavor profile unlike any other whiskey on the market. Olta, which means “to inebriate” in the Irish language, has notes of agave, vanilla and spice and slight smokiness.

“Olta was inspired by my daughter’s half-Mexican and half-Irish heritage. I wanted to create a spirit that celebrates the beauty of blending cultures while showcasing the incredible versatility of Mexican ancestral corn. Whiskey became the perfect bridge, a way to honor tradition, innovation, and pride in a single bottle,” said Olta founder and CEO Selene Nestor. “Olta is more than just a spirit; it’s a tribute to heritage, community, and craftsmanship. Every sip carries that story, and I’m proud to say it stands apart as something truly unique in the world of whiskey.”

Nestor, who is based in Colorado, has a long history in the hospitality, food and beverage industries and is co-founder of the Hispanic Restaurant Association. She researched and experimented with corn-based whiskey production for two years before she found the ideal recipe, ancestral corn, barrels, knowledgeable distillers, and climate for aging the product. She employs a team of female farmers and distillers in Michoacán to help her produce Olta.

Olta Whisky is also available online nationwide at https://oltawhisky.com/ and has a suggested retail price of $55.00

What Gary Says

Nose: Grilled corn, vanilla, honey with notes of agave – nearly tequila.
Palate: Sweet with a smokey funky corn note, honey, vanilla and a bit of an earthy note.
Finish: Short to moderate in length with smoked honey.
Comments: This is a very interesting dram to be sure.  The tequila maturation is quite clear – in fact on the nose my brain thought tequila over whiskey but the palate brought it back. I think this is the first Mexican whisky I’ve tried, so I can’t provide comparisons to the category at large but if this is a fair representation than I’m excited about the possibilities! It isn’t trying to be like American corn whiskey or bourbon in terms of profile – a truly unique product that takes the senses on a trip to Mexico in every sip. Hoping that distribution grows so others can experience this for themselves!

Rating: Stands Out

Jack Daniel’s Bonded
Tennessee Whiskey

50% ABV
$30-$35
Website

What the Distillery Says

High standards delivered at 100 proof

We’ve been making exceptional Tennessee Whiskey since before the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. Our Jack Daniel’s Bonded Tennessee Whiskey is created from our classic Old No. 7 recipe made in one distilling season, aged for at least four years in our federally bonded barrelhouses, and offered at 100 proof.

Aroma: Seared corn and caramel with light hints of vanilla and butterscotch
Taste: Toasted marshmallow and maple
Finish: Oaky, sweet, and slightly herbal

What Gary Says

Nose:  Slightly burnt caramel, charred oak, cocoa, banana nut bread and burnt marshmallow.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, chocolate, pepper, marshmallow, nutmeg, maple candies and a hint of banana.
Finish:  Moderate in length with chocolate and banana nut bread.
Comments:  No surprise to me that Jack Daniels at a higher proof is better than the standard bearer. This definitely has all of the hallmarks of Jack Daniels, and while solid it is a tad sharper than I’d expect for only 50% ABV.

Rating: Stands Out

Yellowstone American Single Malt Whiskey

54% ABV
$45
Website

What the Distiller Says

108 Proof / 54% abv
Like any member of our family, Yellowstone American Single Malt Whiskey stems from previously established roots. Nearly everything we’ve perfected over seven generations of distilling presents itself in this bottle. Much like the park for which it’s named, this whiskey is a uniquely American icon. One worthy of revisiting.

Nose: Cereal malt and honey with a hint of peach blossom.
Palate: Sweet medium body with notes of honey, pear, stone fruit and dates.
Finish: Notes of oak with hints of cinnamon and English walnuts.

What Gary Says

Nose: Honey, hay, subtle fruit and floral notes with pine, a bit of baked apples, pears and a hint of apricots.
Palate: Honey, toffee, pears, cherries, clove and a bit of nutmeg.
Finish: Moderately long with honey, bit of pepper spice and clove.
Comments:  American Single Malt is tough to pin down as it isn’t a well established category (yet) so as a consumer, I don’t have a specific expectation!
What I mean by that is – I like both bourbon and Islay scotch, but if a bottle of bourbon had notes of peat smoke and iodine – that would be “off”. In my limited experience, ASM is more subtle and softer than a bourbon – and this does fit into that expectation. Honestly, I enjoyed this one a bit more every time I came back to it (not in the same evening). My first impression was meh, but giving it more time in the glass helped and perhaps just being more open minded.

Rating: Stands Out

Little Book Chapter 9: None for Granted
Blended Straight Whiskey

60.9% ABV
$160
Website

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

What the Distillery Says

Little Book® Chapter 9, “None for Granted” pays homage to the founding flavors that made modern American Whiskey.

FREDDIE’S NOTE
“None for Granted” is my way of paying homage to the founding flavors that made modern American Whiskey.
Chapter 9 takes us back several decades, to an era when whiskey as we know it was just finding its feet. As possibilities were explored and foundations were laid, a certain profile began to emerge: one built on brown sweets, the comforting warmth of vanilla, creamy caramel and big oak.
“None for Granted” celebrates these founding flavors: the ones that are still the backbone of American Whiskey today.
After experimenting with several blends, we landed the profile. Five unique whiskeys blended into a viscous, golden liquid. Each pass of the nose and every sip brings out another layer: Ripe apple. Butterscotch. Baking spice. And plenty others you’ll discover for yourself.
I and countless others wouldn’t be making the whiskey we’re making without the flavors captured in Chapter 9 – the profile pioneered at the start of modern American Whiskey. It’s worth revisiting time and again, never to be taken for granted.

Blend Components:
11yrs Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
8yrs Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
8 yrs Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
7yrs Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
7yrs Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Tasting Notes
Color: Deep copper with golden undertones
Aroma: Ripe apple, butterscotch and baking spices
Taste: Brown sweets, warm vanilla, creamy caramel and big oak

What Gary Says

Nose:  Subtle, honey, toffee, caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg, fall leaves, butterscotch and a hint of cedar.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, caramel, vanilla, baked apples, mandarin oranges, cinnamon and chili oil.
Finish:  Moderate in length, slightly drying with citrus and pepper.
Comments:  This is a well-rounded chapter in the Little Book series—unassuming yet satisfying, with a graceful blend of autumnal sweetness and restrained spice. It delivers on those backbone flavors, offering warmth without scorching and depth without heaviness. The chili oil nuance is a clever twist, subtly shifting the profile from cozy dessert dram to something with savory character. A quiet complexity that makes it stand out. While it might not scream for attention, it earns it with composure and charm, and every additional sip.

Rating: Stands Out