Yellowstone Small Batch 107

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Yellowstone Small Batch 107
6 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

53.5% ABV
$45
Website
Yellowstone Small Batch 107 Six Year Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey
We would like to thank Limestone Branch and BYRNE PR for sending us samples to review.

What the Producer Says

Lebanon, Kentucky-based Yellowstone Bourbon announced the release of Small Batch 107, a new permanent addition to the Yellowstone family. The elevated expression pays homage to the brand’s history while featuring several firsts for the family lineup. Small Batch is aged six years and the only variety in the Yellowstone portfolio to feature an age statement on packaging.

Bottled at 107 proof, the expression is one of the highest proof everyday offerings from Yellowstone. Due to the high proof, Small Batch is non-chill filtered, which allows the depth of flavors to stand out in this bold new bourbon. Yellowstone Small Batch 107 is available nationwide starting this month at a minimum suggested retail price of $44.99 per 750mL bottle.

Yellowstone Bourbon is one of the few bourbon brands available with a strong history of tradition and 150 years of continuous sales. To honor Yellowstone’s heritage and values, seventh-generation Founder and Master Distiller Stephen Beam crafted Small Batch 107 with expert care. As one of the most experienced experts in the industry, Beam made deliberate choices from the six-year age statement to the 107 proof point and more to create a new release that achieves the ideal balance of flavor and depth.

“Yellowstone was the top selling whiskey in Kentucky in the 1960s, and at the time, it was bottled at six years old,” said Beam. “I wanted to bring back that tradition and offer a product with a clear age statement, and the perfect entry level proof point at 107. This is a long time coming. We’ve had great success with special finishes but never had an age-stated product before Small Batch.”

Together, Small Batch’s six-year age statement, 107 proof point and non-chill-filtering process result in a bold flavor experience that’s great neat or over ice, and stands up well in a cocktail. With notes of caramel and vanilla with hints of chocolate and oak on the nose, Small Batch features intensified flavors of caramel, oak, honey and Yellowstone’s signature rich cherry notes.

“The higher proof brings out more flavors, and by non-chill filtering Small Batch we created a much more full-bodied product than a lower-proof chill filtered bourbon,” said Beam. “It’s the perfect addition to our family of offerings. Small Batch delivers on our heritage and tradition, bringing back memories of Yellowstone’s history, while also representing a natural progression in elevating the portfolio.”

What Gary Says

Nose: Salted caramel, chocolate, vanilla, raw walnuts and oak.
Palate: Rich mouthfeel, caramel, milk chocolate, honey, cinnamon, black cherry, pepper and a bit of cloves.
Finish: Moderately long and syrupy with chocolate covered cherries.
Comments: If there’s a ‘perfect proof point’ (short of barrel strength), 107 might be it. This is delicious, and the non-chill filtration really shines through in both the mouthfeel and the finish. While delicious neat, this opens up nicely with just a few drops of water bringing out more cherry and a slight citrus note on the nose, and bringing the chocolate forward, bending towards toffee (and a touch of baked apples). Honestly not sure which I prefer! A well balanced pour that I look forward to enjoying all spring (if it lasts that long!)

Rating: Stand Out/Must Try

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High West Bourye 2025

/ / Bourbon, Other Whisk(e)ys, Review, Rye Whiskey / ,

High West Bourye 2025
Blend of Straight Whiskeys

46% ABV
$125
Website
High West Bourye
We would like to thank High West Whiskey and lippe taylor for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

Legend has it, the only way to catch a glimpse of the cunning and elusive jackalope is to enjoy a glass of a truly incredible whiskey. That’s why we made Bourye®, a cross between bourbon whiskey and rye whiskey (Bourbon + Rye = Bourye) that—like the jackalope itself—is unique, mysterious, and gone in a flash. All whiskeys in this carefully crafted, limited-release blend are a minimum of ten years old. Overflowing with rich flavors of orange crème anglaise drizzled over dark chocolate ginger cake, with notes of espresso on the finish, Bourye® is sure to attract even the most discerning of jackalopes.

All whiskeys in this carefully crafted blend are a minimum of 10 years old and sourced from multiple distilleries. See highwest.com for technical details and sourcing, that’s not a secret. However, the proportions are! Bourye® is best enjoyed around a campfire while looking at the Milky Way.

Mash bill Details
Straight Rye Whiskey: 95% rye, 5% barley malt from MGP; 80% rye, 20% malted rye from HWD
Straight Bourbon Whiskey: 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% barley malt from MGP; 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley from MGP; 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley from KY
Filtration: No Chill filtration, no flavor added

Sensory Notes
Nose: Honeycrisp apples, caramelized peaches, homemade waffles with honey butter, bergamot, toasted almonds, sandalwood, wooden chest filled with dark chocolate truffles
Taste: Maple glazed doughnut, salted crème brûlée, candied orange peel, chicory, English breakfast tea, ginger chews, seasoned oak
Finish: Fresh yellow nectarines with a softly building rye spice
Bourye® is best enjoyed around a campfire while looking at the Milky Way. Sip straight or with a little water. Not recommended with ice.

What Gary Says

Nose: Baked apple crisp, vanilla, oak, cedar, hint of maple syrup, chocolate, almonds and blood orange zest.
Palate: Salted caramel, chocolate orange, toffee, ginger snap cookies, cinnamon with a bit of oak.
Finish: Moderate in length with peaches, caramel and rye spice.
Comments: I’ve been a long-time fan of High West Bourye since I first reviewed it almost 9 years ago to the day.  Sadly I don’t have any from that far back, when I did happen to have bottles from 2024 and 2017 that I pulled out for comparison purposes. Insanely similar to last year’s batch, and pretty darn similar to 2017.  All that said – this is a really nice whiskey, giving you the best of the sweetness of bourbon with some spice from the rye.  You may wonder – is this different from simply a ‘high-rye bourbon’?  Short answer – yes.  It has some pretty high-rye bourbon in the mashbill (or blend-bill?) but it definitely has different characteristics.  And whiskey enthusiasts are well aware that even IDENTICAL mashbills can produce very different whiskies based on where they age and for how long. This is very well balanced pour, and while I’ve never enjoyed it around a campfire – it was delightful in the comfort of my own home!

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Compass Box The Peat Monster Cask Strength Origin Story

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

Compass Box The Peat Monster Cask Strength Origin Story
Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

56.7% ABV
$125
Website
Compass Box The Peat Monster Cask Strength Origin Story

What the Blender Says

While The Peat Monster may boast purely Scottish ancestry, this is a whisky born in the USA. To mark its 20th birthday, and to celebrate America’s influence on Scotch whisky more broadly, we have finished some of this whisky in very special seasoned virgin American white oak barrels.

FLAVOUR PROFILE
On the nose; sooty barbecue smoke, green apple and powerfully aromatic citrus oils, all underpinned by warming cinnamon. On the palate; tarry, smoked almond, with the seasoned virgin oak delivering added richness and vanilla notes alongside seaweed, cayenne pepper and saltiness.

SERVING RECOMMENDATIONS
Wherever you enjoy your whisky, join us in toasting two decades of The Peat Monster and the close whiskymaking ties linking Scotland with America.

TECHNICAL DETAILS
Bottled at 56.7% ABV | Natural colour | Not chill-filtered
Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
A limited edition of 9,126 bottles
December 2022

LEAD WHISKYMAKER
James Saxon & Alex Driver

What Gary Says

Nose:  Smokey peaty goodness! Creosote, nylon rope, sea salt, toffee, cocoa and butterscotch.
Palate:  Rich and thick, sweet with caramel, marzipan, cinnamon, chocolate, peat, coconut, brown sugar and chili oil.
Finish:  Long and syrupy yet drying with toffee, peat and pepper.
Comments:  Thick, sweet and peaty – all the things I’d hoped for! Just delicious. This opens up with some time in the glass, bringing out more sweet notes on the nose that initially are squarely ‘in your face peat’ (which I don’t mind). A bit of water thickens this dram up even more. I’ll be honest – The Peat Monster was never my favorite from the core range at Compass Box, but I always enjoyed the Cask Strength versions. I don’t have any others laying around to directly compare against, but fairly certain this would be my favorite one yet.

Rating: Must Try

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JYPSI Tribute Double Barreled Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review /

JYPSI Tribute Double Barreled Bourbon
4 Year Straight Bourbon Whiskey Blend

43% ABV
$45
Website
JYPSI Tribute Double Barreled Bourbon Whiskey
We would like to thank Outsiders Spirits and CHQ Media for sending us samples to review.

What the Producer Says

Whiskey JYPSI introduces Tribute Double Barreled Bourbon

A celebration of those you want to raise a glass to

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 5, 2025) – JYPSI Spirits announced the launch of its fourth whiskey today: Whiskey JYPSI Tribute Double Barreled Bourbon. Tribute is an 86-proof, straight bourbon whiskey aged a minimum of 4 years and double-barreled in new American Oak. Today’s Tribute release follows the prior introductions of the company’s industry-acclaimed and award-winning Legacy and Explorer whiskeys in 2023 and 2024.

“This is a whiskey with a price point and a flavor profile everybody can enjoy, but with the same high-quality approach we’ve taken with our other whiskeys. And that’s what we were looking for with Tribute,” says co-founder and music artist, Eric Church.

Whiskey JYPSI’s Tribute is priced at $44.99 and will be available online at shop.whiskeyjypsi.com and in select liquor stores.

Once the mash is distilled and aged at least four years in charred new American Oak barrels, Tribute then takes the extra step of proofing down its whiskey and re-barreling it for an additional 3 to 6 months – also in new American Oak. This gives Tribute its additional aromas of vanilla and caramel and a refined flavor most everyday bourbons cannot match – along with its deep, robust color. Tribute is then bottled at 86-proof for a rich, bold flavor with smooth drinkability.

What also makes the blend unique is the source of the grains. Whiskey JYPSI whiskey maker Ari Sussman said, “Instead of using commodity grains from large commercial farming operations for efficiency, the company contracted with small family farms willing to grow more flavorful, varietal-stated grains specifically intended for making whiskey. These sustainably raised grains for Tribute include a variety of the once-sacred Cherokee White Corn.”

Church added, “With Tribute, we’re also honoring and working with small communities and local farmers to make this whiskey… I’m from Appalachia, so I love the small-town and artisanal element. And it’s those points of differentiation that, to me, make a major difference with people who drink whiskey.”

“Typically, companies won’t do all this because it takes more time and costs more money,” said JYPSI Spirits co-founder and owner Raj Alva. “But if you’re committed to making a better bourbon, you not only use the best distilling and blending practices; you start with the very finest grains that make up that whiskey in the first place and go above and beyond conventional processes at every level of production. That’s what we did with Tribute.”

What Gary Says

Nose: Vanilla, caramel, sponge cake with a bit of maple syrup drizzle.
Palate: Round mouthfeel, caramel, toffee, vanilla, cocoa, bit of banana nut bread.
Finish: Moderate in length, damp with cocoa.
Comments: This is a very easy to drink dram, and different from other ‘double barrel’ bourbons out there. I’ve really enjoyed most of the ‘double barrel bourbon’ offerings. This one is different in that they proof it down before going into the second barrel, although I think they may have lost something in the process. It isn’t quite as intense as some others, but they weren’t shooting to be amongst the pack. Priced where it’s accessible to try.

Rating: Stands Out

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Lux Row Small Batch PX Sherry Cask Finish

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Lux Row Small Batch PX Sherry Cask Finish
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in PX Sherry Casks

56% ABV
$50
Website
Lux Row Small Batch PX Sherry Cask Finish
We would like to thank Luxco and BYRNE PR for sending us samples to review.

What the Distillery Says

Lux Row Distillers makes Small Batch PX Sherry Cask Finish available nationwide

ST. LOUIS (Jan. 28, 2025) – Bardstown, Kentucky-based Lux Row Distillers is expanding its Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey family with the national release of Lux Row Small Batch PX Sherry Cask Finish. The new release is crafted from small batches of 4-year-old ryed straight Kentucky bourbon finished for six months in casks that held PX Sherry, an intensely rich and sweet wine made from overly ripened, sun-dried grapes. Offered at 112 proof (56% ABV), Lux Row Small Batch PX Sherry Cask Finish will be available nationwide in February at a minimum suggested retail price of $49.99 per 750mL bottle.

The PX Sherry cask finish imparts an aromatic bouquet of dried figs and dates, and decadent flavors of grape syrup and candied fruit followed by hints of spice, roasted coffee, and dark chocolate. The result is a unique and balanced pour.

“We wanted to meld the intensely sweet flavors of PX Sherry with the spicy, peppery flavor notes of our ryed bourbon,” said Lux Row Master Distiller John Rempe. “The outcome is a delicious combination of two opposing yet complementary flavors that results in a truly unique expression.”

Lux Row Small Batch PX Sherry Cask Finish debuted in October 2024 at Lux Row Distillers and quickly became a favorite of distillery visitors and guests.

“PX Sherry was an immediate hit at Lux Row,” said Lux Row Brand Manager Eric Winter. “We’re looking forward to expanding its footprint and sharing this unique offering with bourbon drinkers who are looking for one-of-a-kind flavor options and taste profiles.”

Lux Row Small Batch PX Sherry Cask Finish is the latest offering to join Lux Row’s award-winning brand family. Current Lux Row products include 12-year Double Barrel and Lux Row Four Grain Double Single Barrel, which earned a Platinum medal at the Ascot Awards, a Double Gold designation at the SIP Awards and a Gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

TASTING NOTES
AROMA: An aromatic bouquet of dried figs and dates
PALATE: Flavors of grape syrup and candied fruit
FINISH: Hints of spice, roasted coffee, and dark chocolate

What Gary Says

Nose:  Caramel, vanilla, figs, plums, bit of orchard fruit and oak.
Palate: Creamy with caramel, chocolate, vanilla, grape soda, honey, nutmeg and a bit of cinnamon.
Finish:  Moderately long with baking spices and dark fruits.
Comments: Wow, this is just delicious! Full disclosure – I’m a fan of PX sherry maturation and finishes, so I went in expecting to really like this and was not disappointed. This nails that PX sherry finish balance without overpowering the bourbon base, and bottled at a respectable ABV – this drinks like a champ neat. A few drops of water won’t hurt it, and brings out some more orchard fruit on the nose, but I think this is a winner neat in a nosing glass.

Rating: Must Try

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