*A sincere thanks to AP & Sazerac for the sample. The year 1792 was a fairly notable one in French history. France declared war against Austria and the Prussians declared war against France. Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle wrote La Marseillaise in Strasbourg, while Dr. Joseph-Ignace Guillotin advocated for a more humane form of capital punishment and ended up forever … Continue reading 1792 Ridgemont Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Review
Bourbon
Jim Beam Black – Review
(I have to give acknowledge and give a proper word of thanks to the main source of info for this post, Chuck Cowdery's book Bourbon, Straight) Tracing the Beam family's influence on American whiskey-making is a bit like those sections of the bible that ramble on for pages telling you that so-and-so begat so-and-so, and so-and-so … Continue reading Jim Beam Black – Review
Robert Parker enters the Whisky World…
True to form, I missed the window on this by a day or so, but that's never stopped me before so what the hell. Last week, the news slowly seeped out that the wine world's high priest, Robert Parker had posted a bunch of bourbon reviews on his paid-members-only website. Earlier this week, the ruggedly … Continue reading Robert Parker enters the Whisky World…
E. H. Taylor Small Batch Bourbon – Review
*A sincere thanks to AP from Buffalo Trace for the sample. As an American whiskey drinker, you've doubtless come across the term "Bottled in Bond", perhaps you've given some thought to what that means...or perhaps not. Today, the term carries far much less weight than it did in 1897 when the "Bottled-In-Bond" act was passed. … Continue reading E. H. Taylor Small Batch Bourbon – Review
W.L. Weller 12 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Review
William LaRue Weller's story is perhaps a somewhat typical one of successful men and women of the American 1800's. There's war, there's tragedy, there's family, there's dogged perseverance, and there's whiskey. Weller was pretty much born into bourbon making. His grandfather, Daniel, was operating a distillery close to Bardstown, KY as early as 1800. His … Continue reading W.L. Weller 12 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Review
St. George Spirits Breaking & Entering Bourbon – Review
The Casks has left San Francisco and moved to Minneapolis and wouldn't you know it, early October, there's snow in the forecast. So with no small amount of wistfulness, I thought it appropriate for the first review from the new locale to be from one of my favorites from the old locale, St. George Spirits … Continue reading St. George Spirits Breaking & Entering Bourbon – Review
William Larue Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 2011 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection – Review
The name Weller is as intertwined and as important a name as you will find in the history of American whiskey. Daniel Weller was operating a still near Bardstown, KY as early as 1800. His son Samuel followed in his father's footsteps, and his son, William LaRue Weller started making and selling whiskey in 1849. … Continue reading William Larue Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 2011 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection – Review
George T. Stagg Kentucky Straight Bourbon, 2011 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection – Review
*Thank you very much to AP and Buffalo Trace for the samples! Let me just point out right away that, although it might be a good one, the name George T. Stagg is not that of porn star. No, George T. Stagg was successful whiskey salesman who, in 1870, helped E.H. Taylor purchase a distillery … Continue reading George T. Stagg Kentucky Straight Bourbon, 2011 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection – Review
Eagle Rare 17 Year Old Bourbon, 2011 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection – Review
*Thank you very much to AP and Buffalo Trace for the samples! The Eagle Rare brand was originally owned by Seagram's and made its first appearance in 1975. It was created by Charles L. Beam and was sold as a 10 year old, 101 proof straight bourbon. Sazerac bought the brand in 1989 and in … Continue reading Eagle Rare 17 Year Old Bourbon, 2011 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection – Review
Bacon Bourbon for Breakfast at Serpentine
Granted, the whole everything bacon craze has gone too far and far too mainstream to really be taken seriously anymore but that doesn't mean that bacon didn't warrant all the attention in the first place. Bacon is an innocent victim here, it's not bacon's fault it's so delicious, it's the fault of the fad-obsessed, must-create-something-unique-to-be-accepted-by-the-collective … Continue reading Bacon Bourbon for Breakfast at Serpentine
THE CASKS 