Must Buy

Stillman’s Sonder Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 10 Years

47% ABV
$70
Website

We would like to thank Dancing Goat Distillery and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says:

The Dancing Goat team embarked on an eighteen-month journey—analysis, blending, reentry testing, gauging, finishing, re-blending, and regauging—to take the most choice barrels from their elusive aged stocks. Stillman’s Sonder is a whiskey that is polished and reimagined, crafted through generational knowledge and responsibility. From 2010 to 2016, distillation in Indiana included a series of large exploratory test runs and orphaned barrels. The Maas Family carefully collected these barrels in secret until their stocks grew and aged to a point where a 10+ year aged whiskey could be blended and produced with consistency and growth.

The 10-Year Straight Bourbon Whiskey utilizes both Andean and American oak aged barrels with texture and concentration pushed through several double oaked components. Spoon proofed in barrels at times with encouraged oxidation through short fills and vatting, this is a remarkably expressive bourbon crafted through extreme care and reflection.

TASTING NOTES
Aroma: Milk chocolate, ripe strawberry and chai tea with a curious hint of the outdoors like a forest stream in autumn.
Taste: Sweet cream and brown sugar touched with vanilla bean. Strawberry notes transform to a more structured sweet cardamom.
Finish: What starts as sweet meets a robust wall of oak and tannin. Chocolate and berry notes prevail with an inviting, long and pleasant finish.

What Gary Says

Nose: Rich chocolate malt, vanilla, caramel, oak and a hint of black cherry.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, dark chocolate, vanilla, peanut brittle, nutmeg, strawberry and a hint of tobacco.
Finish: Moderately long with chocolate covered strawberries and oak.
Comments: Wow! I’ve had plenty of MGP bourbon (which is where this was distilled, although the finishing, re-barreling and blending was all done in Wisconsin), but this is some of the best by far. Strawberry is a note I rarely get (in fact only once before have I gotten that from a bourbon, and less than a handful of times in Scotch). The thick, richness of the nose and palate are a treat – and definitely a unique pour. While I’d love to see this with a bit more proof on it – this is one of the best new bourbon’s I’ve had in a while.

Rating: Must Try/Must Buy

Remus Repeal Reserve Series VIII
Straight Bourbon Whiskey

50.5% ABV
$100
Website

What the Distillery Says

Remus Repeal Reserve Series VIII is the eighth annual limited-edition release in the Remus Repeal Reserve collection, created by Ross & Squibb Distillery to commemorate the repeal of Prohibition on December 5, 1933.

The 101-proof, non-chill-filtered bourbon is a blend of three high-rye bourbons aged between 10 and 17 years:
• 9% 17-year bourbon with a 21% rye mash bill
• 24% 10-year bourbon with a 21% rye mash bill
• 67% 10-year bourbon with a 36% rye mash bill

For Series VIII, Master Distiller Ian Stirsman and the blending team increased the proportion of the 36% rye recipe and selected 101 proof after evaluating the blend at several proofs.

Official tasting notes describe aromas of cherry, candied pecans and leather, followed by maple syrup, cherry and fig on the palate. The finish features vanilla, oak and lingering baking spice.

What Gary Says

Nose: Caramel, dark chocolate, vanilla, oak, leather, wood polish, cigar paper, black cherries and tobacco.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, cherry, figs, black walnut, caramel, chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, honey and vanilla.
Finish: Moderately long with tobacco, caramel and baking spices.
Comments: I bought this in 2026 at Lux Row distillery (on-sale even!) As I loved Remus Repeal Reserve Series VII and Remus Repeal Reserve Series IX even more, it was a no brainer to pick this up. I’m not sure why they still had it on the shelves in late April 2026, because this is just delightful! Right in-line with those, and even at full retail (I think I paid $90 at the distillery) this is a really well made bourbon and I’d have had no regrets. A bit of water brings out notes of cherry cola on the nose, and some orchard fruit notes (apple) on the palate.

Rating: Must Try/Must Buy

Knob Creek Blender’s Edition 01
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

53% ABV
$42
Website

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

What the Distillery Says

Blender’s Edition 01 marks the first release in a new limited series dedicated to the craft behind every bottle of Knob Creek. Created by our Master Distiller and expert Blenders, this special release is hand-selected and meticulously blended to showcase their unique vision of bold, full-flavored bourbon.

Designed to unlock the sweeter side of the Knob Creek profile, Blender’s Edition 01 reveals rich layers of vanilla and indulgent confectionary notes, balanced by the signature depth and character you expect. It’s a rare opportunity to experience Knob Creek exactly as our Blenders intended – precise, expressive, and unapologetically bold.

TASTING NOTES
TASTE: Sweet confectionary notes and a full mouthfeel complimented by notes of vanilla bean
AROMA: Bold vanilla, slightly fruity with subtle caramel notes
COLOR: Amber Brown
FINISH: Velvety with soft vanilla and seasoned oak

What Gary Says

Nose: Vanilla, peanut brittle, caramel, rickhouse mustiness, leather and a hint of chocolate.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel with bold vanilla, caramel, cherry, unroasted peanuts, oak, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Finish: Moderately long and damp with vanilla, honey and oak.
Comments: This is just a delightful dram! The vanilla notes are prominent, and this is definitely sweeter than your standard Knob Creek – but not cloyingly so. A really well balanced dram that showcases how variable individual barrels are (with this being a batch that represent one profile). This drinks nicely neat, but a few drops of water thickens the mouthfeel nicely, and amps the cinnamon with a bit of cocoa. This is absolutely a ‘Must Try’, and with every pass I lean more towards ‘Must Buy’ (although I do prefer my bourbon more on the sweeter side).

Rating: Must Try/Must Buy

Barrell Bourbon Cigar Blend
Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Madeira, Armagnac, Rum and Hungarian Oak Casks

55.6% ABV
$85
Website

We would like to thank Barrell Craft Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

Barrell Cigar Blend Bourbon is a blend of whiskeys aged 7.5 to 18 years finished in Madeira, Armagnac, rum, and Hungarian oak casks, delivering layered notes of dark fruit, molasses, and warm spice. Refined yet expressive, it’s equally compelling with or without a cigar—crafted for slow sipping, long conversations, and a finish designed to linger.

Boston cream pie and grape soda announce that you’re in for a dark, sweet, brandy-inflected bourbon. The barrels have imparted everything from cedar chest to pipe tobacco and pu’er tea. Hungarian oak’s gentle cola spices pervade every part of the drinking experience while the Madeira adds pecan pie to the palate and sweet vermouth to the finish.

APPEARANCE: Maple syrup.
NOSE: The heady, piquant scent of crusty sourdough bread strikes first. A distinctly fruity note plays second fiddle to the toffee, pipe tobacco and dusty cedar chest of the cask’s themselves. The oxidized wine imparts walnuts, dry autumn leaves, and leather of rancid, going as far as miso in the savory direction. As the whiskey breathes, pastries emerge ranging from sticky buns and eclairs to sweet potato pie. Fruits resolve into pear, persimmon, and a splash of grape soda.
PALATE: Warm cola with the cinnamon dialed up. Slightly burnt cornbread, pistachio ice cream, and a vanilla so pungent it’s perfume-like. The texture is big, rich and chewy, full of oils, sugars and tannins. The Armagnac makes its presence felt with dried cherries and dates while the oak brings notes of pu’er tea, and fernet. Underneath that earthiness one finds a bit of dried mushroom and soy sauce.
FINISH: The combination of oak, spice and fortified wine reads as sweet vermouth, as if you’re swallowing a sip of Manhattan. Clove is particularly potent, as is juniper berry and cocoa powder. There’s a rich mineral vein running through it containing slate and salt. As it lingers there’s ample opportunity to focus on facets of rosehips, cinchona bark, black truffle and incense.

WITH A SPLASH OF SPRING WATER: The nose is awash with butterscotch hard candy. Beneath it, it’s mostly the fruits which have been shuffled about, now reading as Mirabelle plum, honeydew melon, and hint of sun-dried tomato. On the palate the rum emerges showing a very clear molasses note backed up by café au lait and cinchona bark.

• A blend of straight bourbon whiskeys aged 7.5 to 18 years
• Distilled in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana
• Finished in Madeira, Armagnac, rum, and Hungarian oak casks
• Bottled at 111.2 proof
• Crafted and bottled in Kentucky

What Gary Says

Nose: Musty cigar paper, toffee, dark fruit notes give way to baked pears, light roasted coffee, cedar, oak, worn leather and vanilla.
Palate: Thick mouthfeel with vanilla, black cherry, caramel, brown sugar, honey, oak, cinnamon, pepper spice and a bit of cloves.
Finish: Moderate in length with caramel, rouge vermouth, cocoa and oak.
Comments: When I think of ‘cigar blend’ whiskies, I imagine a whiskey that reminds me a bit of a cigar as well as one I might enjoy simultaneously with a cigar (although this latter is a bit of a stretch for me, as despite several attempts I don’t happen to enjoy cigars – so I’m guessing a bit on this front). The nose on this definitely brings images of a cigar that hasn’t yet been lit (or ‘spiced up’ Arnold Schwarzenegger style; thanks to Big Rich for sharing that video!) But it isn’t one dimensional, and the bourbon shines through along with the wine cask influence, and some hallmarks of well aged whiskey (note not ALL age on whiskey is “well aged”) like worn leather. This is an absolute gem – sips brilliantly neat but also opens up really nicely with a few drops of water (bringing notes of figs and butterscotch).  The folks at Barrell Craft Spirits have a long track record of blending and finishing some amazing whiskies, and this is another great example!

Rating: Must Try/Must Buy