2025 Single Barrel Program Barrels

Week 15 – Driftless Glen 8 Year 10 Month Single Barrel Bourbon r/Bourbon Private Selection

This release is our next release from Driftless Glen and continues to show just how well their whiskey is aging. It always humbles me to look back on when I was buying whiskey from them just shy of 4 years old and now we’re looking at barrels just under, or a good deal over, 8 and 9 years old this week. Wild, so cool to see. This is a shorter barrel and it’s a big whiskey.

  • Distilled: Wisconsin (Driftless Glen)
  • Aged In: Wisconsin (Driftless Glen)
  • Bottled In:Wisconsin (Driftless Glen)
  • Age: 8 Years (Distilled May 2016)
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Proof
  • ABV: 62.5% ABV 
  • Labeling: r/Bourbon Custom Labeling
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes:  Heavy and rich, this is Driftless DNA through and through. Heavy spice, lovely oak and tobacco, caramels and barrel char combined with cherry, blackberry, blueberry, pepper and oak. The palate is rich and dense and lovely, packed with caramelized sugars, char, tobacco and cream. Long finish, supple and velvety despite the high proof. 

 

Week 15 – Driftless Glen 9 Year 4 Month Single Barrel Rye r/Bourbon Private Selection

  • Distilled: Wisconsin (Driftless Glen)
  • Aged In: Wisconsin (Driftless Glen)
  • Bottled In:Wisconsin (Driftless Glen)
  • Age: 9 Years 4 Months (Distilled Dec 2015)
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Proof
  • ABV: 60.5% ABV 
  • Labeling: r/Bourbon Custom Labeling
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes:  Big and spicy up front with black pepper, oak, tobacco and honey, rich herbal spice and a zip of ginger, caramels, vanilla bean, cream and nougat. The palate is silky and smooth, pillowy and decadent with tons of spice, sweetness and savory oak: caramels, barrel char, ginger, herbal grassy rye and big, strong oak and coffee, toffee and tobacco. Driftless Rye is now in its prime!

Week 15 – Starlight VDN Finished Single Barrel Barrel Proof Bourbon r/Bourbon Private Selection

The final barrel from my selection time with the Starlight team last may, it’s tasting great and was ready to bottle this March. VDN continues to be one of the most cohesive finishes that Starlight does and it pairs so well with 5.5yr bourbon as the base. 

  • Distilled: Indiana, USA (Starlight Distillery)
  • Aged In: Indiana, USA (Starlight Distillery)
  • Bottled In:Indiana, USA (Starlight Distillery)
  • Age: 5 Years 6 Months + Extended Finishing Time
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Proof
  • ABV: 58.15% ABV 
  • Labeling: r/Bourbon Custom Labeling
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes:  Beautifully balanced: honey, cocoa, pepper and oak meets orange peel, dole fruit syrup, toffee, pleasant oak and balancing spice. VDN works so well with so many whiskeys but with a 5.5yr base it’s sweet, fruity, balanced and the oak and structure of the bourbon holds up really nicely with it. The palate is rich, full of fruits, honey, apple, baking spice like clove and pepper. The finish is long and easy, delicious and rich. 

 

Week 15 – West Fork Whiskey Company Double Oaked Barrel Proof Bourbon r/Bourbon Private Selection

  • Distilled: Indiana, USA (West Fork Whiskey Company)
  • Aged In: Indiana, USA (West Fork Whiskey Company)
  • Bottled In:Indiana, USA (West Fork Whiskey Company)
  • Age: 6 Years 6 Months
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Proof
  • ABV: 63.49% ABV 
  • Labeling: r/Bourbon Custom Labeling on Side
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes:  The bruiser of the week, this is an impressive whiskey bearing a great age statement from West Work and tons of character. It’s a double oaked machine bringing heavy spice on the nose, big cocoa, coffee, toffee and a hint of rich chocolate and cola. The palate is rich and layered, there’s maple, brown sugar, cracked pepper, a hint of toffee and loads of cocoa and espresso in this big, cola driven whiskey. Long finish, hefty and layered again with maple and tobacco seeing this through. This is easily one of the best double oaked I’ve had and probably my favorite West Fork to date. 

 

Week 15 – Old Ezra 7 Year Rye Single Barrel Selection

  • Distilled: Indiana, USA (MGP)
  • Aged In: Indiana, USA (MGP)
  • Bottled In: Bardstown, KY (Old Ezra / Lux Row)
  • Age: 7 Years
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, High Proof
  • ABV: 57% ABV 
  • Labeling: Custom Selection Labeling
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes:  Spicy and peppy, this is what i’ve wanted from Old Ezra and this barrel was the star of the show. Huge rye spice, lovely brown sugar, just enough oak to be a structured and complex whiskey and give us that proof! Drinking really well at 57% ABV – lovely in manhattans, great neat, and enough backbone to work on a cube as the days warm up. Brown sugar, candied ginger, gorgeous floral and herbal spice, and a great, long lived finish. 

Week 14 – Old Forester Single Barrel T8KE x ENDALZ Single Barrel Selection in support of Alzheimer’s Association 

  • Distilled: Kentucky (Old Forester)
  • Aged In: Kentucky (Old Forester)
  • Bottled In: Kentucky (Old Forester)
  • Age: NAS
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, 100 Proof Release
  • Warehouse: Whse K – Floor 6
  • ABV: 50% ABV 
  • Donation: $20 donation to Alzheimer’s Association per bottle
  • Labeling: T8KE x ENDALZ
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes: Big and beautiful nose: maple, pepper, tendrils of cherry and orange peel; currant and caramels. Rich body, it picked up this silky, satisfying, viscosity on the palate at proof. Caramels, black pepper, delicious orange peel and a hint of caramels, butterscotch and vanilla ice cream on the palate. Long finish, satisfying yet crushable, as all things 100 proof are best at. Satisfying, complex, easy to love. 

 

Week 14 – WhistlePig 10 Year Single Barrel Barrel Strength Rye r/Bourbon Single Barrel 

  • Distilled: Canada 
  • Aged In: Vermont (WhistlePig)
  • Bottled In: Vermont (WhistlePig)
  • Age: 10 Years
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • Mashbill: 100 Rye
  • ABV: 56.05% ABV 
  • Labeling: r/Bourbon Single Barrel Program Labeling
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes:Warm pancakes and honey on the nose, syrupy and tobacco driven with lovely cinnamon, caramels, brown sugar and savory spices. It reminds me of our Pancake Breakfast release from way back in 2021 and it is lovely. Palate is rich and creamy, maple, blackberry, spicy rye, sweet cream and a hint of peaches, pancake syrup, and savory oak. Long finish, beautifully balanced at one of the higher proof releases I’ve had recently. 


Week 14 – WhistlePig Piggyback Rye Single Barrel Cask Strength r/Bourbon Single Barrel Selection

  • Distilled: Vermont USA (WhistlePig)
  • Aged In: Vermont USA (WhistlePig)
  • Bottled In: Vermont USA (WhistlePig)
  • Age: 6 Years
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Proof
  • Mashbill: 100% Rye
  • ABV: 54.5% ABV 
  • Labeling: r/Bourbon Single Barrel Program Labeling
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes: The quintessential rye king, these Piggyback barrels that are Vermont distilled are awesome crosses of quality and value – tons of big, bold, woody maple, herbal rye spice, toffee and black pepper that screams rye. At 6 years old and barrel strength, there’s a rich palate, plenty of oak but without covering up sweet maple, peppy rye spice and an herbal note. Long finish, jammin’ and lovely. 


Week 14 – WhistlePig Piggyback Bourbon Single Barrel Cask Strength r/Bourbon Single Barrel Selection

  • Distilled: Vermont USA (WhistlePig)
  • Aged In: Vermont USA (WhistlePig)
  • Bottled In: Vermont USA (WhistlePig)
  • Age: 6 Years
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Proof
  • ABV: 55.4% ABV 
  • Labeling: r/Bourbon Single Barrel Program Labeling
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes: A yin to yang of the rye, this barrel of Piggyback bourbon is also Vermont distilled and it’s lovely – big, rich, oaky, bold bourbon. Heavy caramel and baking spice, cinnamon and red hots, caramel candies and big oak. The palate is rich, some fruits mingle – berries, cherry and blackberry settle with more pepper and oak. The finish is long, full of vanilla, creamy corn, honey and a hint of tobacco. 

Week 13 – Hughes Brother’s “Belle of Bedford” 12 Year Single Barrel Cask Strength Rye r/Bourbon Single Barrel Selection 

  • Distilled: Lawrenceburg, Indiana (MGP)
  • Aged In: Indiana & Pennsylvania (Hughes)
  • Bottled In: Pennsylvania (Hughes
  • Age: 12 Years 8 Months
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • Mashbill: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
  • ABV: 54.29% ABV 
  • Labeling: r/Bourbon Single Barrel Program Labeling
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes: A big peppery nose brings dill, brown sugar, a peppy herbal note and loads of spicy ginger, big oak and a touch of caramel. The palate is rich, I love the texture of these releases – chewy and rich, almost choclatey and loaded with rye spice, pleasant dilly herbal character of the “old guard” MGP rye and a big brown butter and caramel. Long finish, gorgeous and rich, grassy, peppy and sweet once more. 

 

Week 13 – Hughes Brother’s “Belle of Bedford” 8yr Year Single Barrel Cask Strength Toasted Rye r/Bourbon Single Barrel Selection 

  • Distilled: Lawrenceburg, Indiana (MGP)
  • Aged In: Indiana & Pennsylvania (Hughes)
  • Bottled In: Pennsylvania (Hughes
  • Age: 8 Years
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • Mashbill: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
  • ABV: 57.87% ABV 
  • Yield: 166 Bottles
  • Retailer: SharedPour
  • Price: $89.99
  • Labeling: r/Bourbon Single Barrel Program Labeling
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes: This barrel is a ride, it opens with caramel and rock candy notes, pepper and ginger, and a gob of maple. The palate is rich and punchy, the toasting here is past the point of that odd fake marshmallowy sweetness I often get. The toasting has brought out sweet oak, woody structure, tobacco and rich pepper, there’s a great apple and pear component with that MGP rye spice, ginger and honey pop and it drinks with the mouthfeel and richness of a far higher proof pour. Thick and rich. The finish is long and spice driven, the sweetness of the palate gives way to more oak and some espresso, pepper and tobacco again. 



Week 13 – Bulleit 7yr Single Barrel Bourbon r/Bourbon Selection 

  • Distilled: Undisclosed Kentucky 
  • Aged In: Kentucky (Bulleit)
  • Bottled In: Kentucky (Bulleit)
  • Age: 7 Years
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Proofed 52% ABV
  • Mashbill: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
  • ABV: 52% ABV 
  • Labeling: r/Bourbon Single Barrel Program Labeling
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes: A strawberry shortcake dream, this bourbon is by far the easiest drinking whiskey of the week with a spring po of sweetness, honey and creamy nougat, lovely strawberry notes and a pop of acidity on the nose to balance the sugars and fruit. Light oak, it’s a creamy nose with tons going on. The palate is rich and driven by cake batter, waffle cone, ginger and pepper, toffee and more of that delightful tang of strawberry fruitiness, waffle cone, vanilla and a hint of butterscotch. Long finish, pleasantly oaky and dry with toffee, caramels and a hint of meringue,. 



THE REVERIES “RAVEN” Rare Release Batch 1 Barrel Strength Bourbon ”  

This is the first Rare Release Batch from THE REVERIES. There’s so much to say about this release I almost find myself without a place to start. As I was harvesting barrels this winter and doing sensory out in the country, the biggest Raven I’ve ever seen joined me just outside the warehouse door. I had forgotten just how big a Raven is compared to a crow.

With feathers black as night, I started to pay attention and realize that there are a number of Ravens that have made their home among the facilities where I’m keeping The Reveries and this particular bird was the giant among them. Its raspy, echoing, guttural caw became a familiar sound as I worked this winter to put together this blend and it stuck with me. We built a rapport over a few shared pistachios, this particular bird thankful for some easy snacking after I watched him peck a hole clean through the inches of ice of frozen over puddles for a drink of water during Virginia’s coldest mornings. 

The Reveries embody a dreamlike state, fueled by hand selected casks. But, people forget that dreams come in all shapes and forms. The Rare Release series of blends features the endemic, literary and mythological horrors that have inhabited the minds of the worlds civilizations. Just as I drew fascination to the Ravens who make their home among the trees and far smaller birds in Virginia, they have lived in the minds of many for centuries. Perhaps the best known is Edgar Allen Poe, whose famous works took a moment to recognize the Raven as well.

They are impressive birds, smart, cunning, vocal yet lurking and I’ve grown to be fascinated by what they represent. To some, the arrival of a Raven is an omen, to others a curiosity and to others yet a celebration. To me, the company of the large ravens of Middleburg became a comfort as I sat among these barrels and heard their caws and cries approaching in the distance, knowing I’d soon be joined by these large phantoms of the trees and the rooftops. Falling asleep at night, alone in the country, the last thing I heard at night was often the Ravens, their own discussions and words among themselves blotting out the thoughts I was left alone with myself this winter. 

As a result, this is a blend I built over the winter first by electing to create microblends of some of my favorite 9 Year casks into two unique batches for future blends, blending together, and then blending in 10 and 14 year Kentucky stocks over long periods of time. The Reveries 9 year stocks have so much oak, char, dr pepper and cola notes while the 10 year is brash and oaky, peppery and has a creamy mouthfeel. The 14 year stocks exude this graceful balance, caramels and tobacco. Together, they create a deep, dark, balanced whiskey that is imposing, complex, a little bit enigmatic yet impressive. 

It’s no secret the first Reveries release caught even myself off guard. I bottled 4 barrels at once anticipating it would be enough to go around but it sold far faster than pretty much any release we’ve done. It left some people frustrated and I took that to heart. Unlike a lot of brands who would use that to raise prices and celebrate how limited something is, I’m going to celebrate an opportunity buck convention and try something new.

Raven will be a pre-sale so I can ensure that I bottle enough to meet demand, which means it will ship about 2 weeks after release. If you order something with it, it will all ship together, and you can combine a future week into it as well. My goal here is that everyone who wants one will get at least a bottle of this release. It’s not something I will likely be able to do again, it just doesn’t make sense logistically , but for this bottling, I’m going to defy convention in the hopes that every group member gets a bottle of Raven Rare Release Batch 1. 

The labeling is clear and concise – you can see everything that is in it, the ages, sources, mashbills. Too many brands create whiskeys with big price tags that don’t give you any idea of what you’re drinking. Raven challenges that, and I’m sharing all that I can share. 

I hope you love it, and hope that this blend invades your thoughts and impressions just as it has with myself these recent months. 

  • Distilled: Kentucky & Indiana
  • Aged In: Kentucky & Indiana & Virginia
  • Bottled In: Virginia, USA (THE REVERIES)
  • Age: 41% 9 Year Reveries, 48% 10 Year Reveries, 11% 14 Year Reveries
  • More Info: Rare Release, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • Designation: RAVEN 
  • ABV: 64.4% ABV 
  • Labeling: Reveries Founder’s Bottling Labeling – Black Wax & Gold Foiled Cask Label
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes:
    • Nose:  Big and punchy, proofy and bold. Caramels, apple butter, cola and blackberry meets tart ango, a hint of pepper and candied ginger. 
    • Palate:  Thick and rich, a prickle of spice on the tip of your tongue with a viscosity that coats your palate and sits heavy; caramels, pralines, root beer and black pepper. Spicy candied ginger, tobacco, rich nougat, barrel char, a crackle of cinnamon and decadent cola. 
    • Finish: Long finish; one final prickle of spice, fat dense back palate with a caramel and tobacco character that hangs and hangs. Maple, heavy pipe tobacco, blackberry and a final lightning strike of spice. 
    • Overall: A whiskey for the night. 

Week 13 – THE REVERIES 16 Year 7 Month Founder’s Bottling “Diamond Bullet” Single Barrel Rare Release Barrel Strength Bourbon  

  • Distilled: Frankfort, Kentucky
  • Aged In: Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
  • Bottled In: Virginia, USA (THE REVERIES)
  • Age: 16 Years 7 Months
  • More Info: Single Barrel Rare Release, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • Mashbill: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
  • Designation: “Diamond Bullet” 
  • ABV: 122.71 Proof 
  • Labeling: Reveries Founder’s Bottling Labeling – Black Wax & Gold Foiled Cask Label
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes:
    • Nose:  Apple butter and honey pops immediately. Brown sugar, cherries, tobacco and vanilla bean combine with dark caramels, burnt sugar and a hint of char. 
    • Palate:  Rich and syrupy, viscous and drinks under proof. Rich and fatty; nougat, cocoa, ginger, luxardo and more apple butter. Syrupy, old, oak that’s structured and pleasant and dry. 
    • Finish: Orange peel and ango bitters on the finish with more heavy oak and an orange creamsicle character. 
    • Overall:  Sneaky easy and will put you down for the night if you’re not careful. 


Week 13 – THE REVERIES 16 Year 7 Month Founder’s Bottling “A Gun Made of Gold” Single Barrel Rare Release Barrel Strength Bourbon  

  • Distilled: Frankfort, Kentucky
  • Aged In: Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
  • Bottled In: Virginia, USA (THE REVERIES)
  • Age: 16 Years 7 Months
  • More Info: Single Barrel Rare Release, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • Mashbill: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
  • Designation: “Diamond Bullet” 
  • ABV: 124.33pf Proof 
  • Labeling: Reveries Founder’s Bottling Labeling – Black Wax & Gold Foiled Cask Label
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes:
    • Nose:  Nougat and black tea pop immediately on the nose with heavy oak, black pepper, and blackberry reduction. Dark, spicy, sweet tea. 
    • Palate: Syrupy and rich again; gobs of sweetness, syrupy blackberry, black tea, tobacco and pepper. Lively spice pops for a moment – ginger and honey, a hint of citrus before big oak takes over one more time. 
    • Finish: Long peppery and dank with oak, spice and tons of tobacco and funky orange zest. 
    • Overall:  A kiss from a dank, dark, barrel.

Week 12 – The Reveries “Black Mass” #2421-S 9yr Single Barrel Straight Bourbon 

  • Distilled: Indiana, USA (MGP)
  • Aged: Kentucky & Virginia
  • Bottled: Virginia, USA
  • Cooperage: Kelvin Cooperage Char #3
  • Age: 9 years, 8 Months
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • Cask # and Designation: #2421-S – BLACK MASS
  • Mashbill: 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
  • Bottling Series: #24xx
  • ABV: 58.17% ABV 
  • Labeling: Reveries Founder’s Bottling Labeling – Black Wax & Gold Foiled Cask Label
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes:
    • Nose: Char, blackberry, caramels and dark luxardo cherry syrup grapples the nose. Dense, powerful, loaded with pepper and barrel char, blackstrap molasses and toffee. 
    • Palate:  Vibrant, chewy, palate. A pop of ethanol meets heavy root beer, cherry cola, heavy oak and more molasses, toffee, butter cream and baking spice with a blackberry and ango prickle on the back palate. 
    • Finish: Long finish, tobacco, creamy brown sugar, brown butter, more cherry, root beer, cola and barrel char with a faint hint of BBQ smoke as it heads off. 
    • Overall:  A phantasm of flavor. 

Week 12 – Alambique Serrano Vida Nativa Tepezcuintle Single Cask #4 – T8KE & Aficionados Group Exclusive

This barrel is unlike anything else you’ve seen. Welcome to Vida Nativa from Alambique Serrano

Oaxaca’s Cañada region is not only home to some of the world’s most interesting rums, it is also a habitat for hundreds of unique species, few of which can be found in other parts of Oaxaca. The Alambique Serrano Vida Nativa series celebrates that native life with rare, one-off single casks and blends of Oaxacan rum from the Krassel family. – PM Spirits

About This Cask (Official):

The Tepezcuintle is a semiaquatic rodent that was believed to be a guardian of the natural balance by some prehispanic societies. The name Tepezcuintle comes from the Nahuatl language and roughly translates to “mountain dog” in reference to their hilly, jungle habitat. They are excellent swimmers, and use ponds and rivers as a refuge from predators.

This single cask was fermented from 100% cane juice in pine tanks with ambient yeast. It was distilled by Rommel Krassel on a copper alembic pot still and aged for 24 months in new French Oak followed by 4 months in new Hungarian Oak.. The angel’s share was 10%. No water, sugar, or coloring added.

About The Journey (My Words):

As many of you know, I spent a week in Oaxaca back last August. We’ve talked about some of my time in Logoche, and some of my time with Cinco Sentidos, but there’s always more to discover. This rum is an incredible release and an incredible show of partnership as well. 

Only 4 Alambique Serrano Vida Nativa single casks were to be released this year. We’ve been working with Jason at Cinco Sentidos for a long while. Originally, none of these were to be exclusives for groups or stores. But, after tasting this specific cask while In Oaxaca, it blew every single one of us away and I made the big ask for the cask. After some deliberation, it was granted, and I’m proud to be able to share the incredible story of the Krassel Family with you via this cask. This isn’t the first Alambique cask I’ve done before, we did #3 and #3a from their standard release line back in 2023/2024 after pioneering the program with the Alambique team as one of their first private casks, so my love for Alambique has stretched for years. It’s unbelievably cool to have seen their releases grow and age and this cask is some of the best rum i’ve had, full stop. 

About Alambique Serrano (credit to PM Spirits for the images/info below):

Third-generation distillers seamlessly blending modern and antiquated techniques. Brothers Isidoro, Rommel, William, and Axel Krassel Peralta continue the work that their grandfather Max started in the 1930s. An immigrant who fled his home country of Germany at the start of WWI, 16-year-old Max landed on the Gulf coast of Veracruz in 1917.

With no knowledge of Spanish, Max began working any odd job that he could find. He eventually found himself in the mountainous Cañada region of Oaxaca, where he met and married his wife. It wasn’t long before he began distilling aguardiente on a coffee farm (at that time it was common for the haciendas to distill their own cane). After learning the ropes, Max set out on his own to begin distilling his own aguardiente, using a still he designed and built himself.

Max’s three sons followed in his footsteps, improving upon his still design and increasing aguardiente production. Word began to spread far away from Santa Maria Tlalixtac about the quality of the rum produced by the family.

Nowadays, Santa Maria Tlalixtac has a road into town – a four-hour unpaved trek from the nearest highway that is as stunning as it is treacherous. Grandpa Max has passed away, but his son Isidoro and four grandsons Rommel, Axel, William, and Isidoro keep the family tradition alive, working alongside one another in every aspect of production. Thanks to their hard work, aguardiente aficionados no longer need to hike for days to try a rum that has been three generations in the making.Production:

High-quality, hand-harvested cane from the steep hillsides of the Oaxacan Cañada region. Distilled in handmade stills and tropical aged in both dry and humid bodegas. 

The makers of Alambique Serrano practice traditionally organic agriculture, leading to healthy and robust cane plants while preserving the integrity of their farmland.

Organic sugarcane is hand-harvested from the laderas (hillsides) above the palenque (distillery), from altitudes that range from 700 to 1200 meters (2,300 – 3,900 feet) above sea level. The harvested cane is transported by horse, donkey, or mule to the trapiche to be milled that day.

Once a mound of cane (approximately 10 tons) is transported to the trapiche (mill), the master distillers begin extracting the juice from the cane with a Campollo 9” mill. The juice is then filtered and, by the force of gravity, transported in a system of hoses that can be up to 2 km long before reaching the distillery. The Krassel family moves the trapiche from location to location based on the season.

Steel Tank Fermentation 

Once the fresh-squeezed cane juice arrives at the distillery, it is diverted to seven 1,200-liter stainless steel fermenting tanks that are stored outside of the distillery. The juice begins to ferment on its own, thanks to the presence of an abundance of wild yeasts that start and maintain the fermentation. Depending on the climate, yeasts, and sugar content of the cane juice, fermentation will last between six and ten days.

Pine Vat Fermentation 

For the small batches destined to be distilled in the copper alembic stills, the freshly-squeezed cane juice is diverted into a small bodega housing three pine vats, where the juice is fermented with ambient yeasts. 

Distillation 

Column

The “Krassel Still” invented by Max is considered a continuous still. It houses eight plates in the distillation column, produces no heads or tails, and the distillation ABV is regulated by the temperature of the cooling chambers and the flow of the fresh caña juice to the boiling chamber. It is an engineering marvel that needs to be seen to fully comprehend. Unlike the majority of Oaxacan aguardiente producers, the Krassel Family fires their still with diesel, rather than use the much more common method of powering their still with firewood. They believe this to be the best way to protect regional forests, which are increasingly threatened by deforestation.

Copper Alembics

Just recently, Rommel decided to explore distilling aguardiente in a more simplified system: with rustic copper pot alembic stills that are typical of mezcal production in the Oaxacan Valleys. The result is higher proof, heavier rums that are intensely aromatic and pleasantly oily.

Aging

The Krassel have four aging areas: a dry bodega located 5,600 feet above sea level, a humid bodega located in the cellar of the distillery at 2,000 feet above sea level; an even more humid bodega 100 meters from Rio Blanco, and a fourth, small cave that is exposed to the elements at the foot of Rio Blanco.

Both column still and pot still rums are aged in a combination of a range of barrels, including ex-whisky, ex-cognac, new French oak, ex-sherry and ex-mezcal. 
In Conclusion: (My Words): 

As you can see from the above, this is an operation like no other. What continually blows me away is that this looks like a remote jungle thousands of miles from civilization, but it’s geographically not that far from the centro of Oaxaca. But, the roads are so hazardous and the mountainsides so steep that it’s a full day’s journey just to get to see the Krassels and their aguardientes (rums). It’s an incredible family that have been doing incredible things for three generations and the hand of the maker is so evident in every part of their releases. 

Our Vida Nativa features the wily Tepezcuintle and was matured for 24 months in New French Oak and then 4 months further in New Hungarian oak. In whiskey terms this doesn’t sound like a lot, but in hot, humid, Oaxacan mountain climates, this is nearly an eternity. 

If there’s an odd new thing to try, it’s this, as it will certainly warp your perspective of rum for the better and forever. I haven’t had something with this much flavor in eons. 

  • Distilled: Oaxaca, Mexico (Krassel Family, Alambique Serrano)
  • Aged: Mexico
  • Bottled: Mexico (Alambique Serrano)
  • Age: 24 Months New French Oak, 4 Months New Hungarian Oak
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • ABV:  58.1% ABV 
  • Selection: Cask #4 – T8ke & Aficionados Group Exclusive 
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes: Dense on the nose, powerful and brutish, bold, assertive, absolutely brimming with character. French vanilla, big black pepper, peppy oak and gobs of sticky toffee, espresso, cinnamon, vanilla, grassy and diesel-y funk. The palate is massive, powerful again, huge in proof but larger yet in flavor. For the proof, the ethanol sneaks by, carried and covered by the rich and powerful rum character. Maple, brown sugar, black pepper, gobs of toffee, honey, french vanilla, grassy funk, citrus peel, tobacco, a wallop of tropical fruit and a hint of petrol and diesel. Long finish, it hangs on so long, it’s grippy and powerful and full. 

Week 11 – Penelope Barrel Strength Toasted Rye Single Barrel r/Bourbon Barrel Selection

  • Distilled: Lawrenceburg, Indiana (MGP)
  • Aged: Indiana (MGP)
  • Bottled: Lawrenceburg, Indiana (Penelope / MGP) 
  • Age: 6 Years + Toasted Finish (6mo)
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • Finishing Barrel: Char 2, Heavy Toast
  • ABV:  58.5% ABV 
  • Labeling: r/Bourbon Custom Labeling
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes: Rich on the nose, lots of brown sugar and herbal spice, a light pop of dill and pleasant, sweet, creaminess. Vanilla, honey, clove and black pepper meats cigar wrapper, toffee and brown sugar. Palate is rich and natural, layered and loaded with rye spice, maple, a hint of marshmallow, creamy tobacco and waffle cone. Long finish, unabashedly rye here with bits of toasty sweetness carrying through. 

 

Week 11 – Barrell Craft Spirits Z6M6 9yr7mo 99% Corn Single Barrel r/Bourbon Barrel Selection

  • Distilled: Lawrenceburg, Indiana (MGP)
  • Aged: Indiana & Kentucky
  • Bottled: Louisville, Kentucky (Barrell Craft Spirits)
  • Age: 9 Years 7 Months
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • ABV:  58.64% ABV 
  • Labeling: r/Bourbon Custom Labeling
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes: Big and fat and creamy, creamed corn and honeycomb meets apple butter, rich oak, a layer of butterscotch and a rich, fresh baked cake character. The oak is stronger than I’d expect on the nose, bringing balance and a pop of tannin to mingle with the decadent sweetness. Rich palate, creamy and a touch chewy, pralines, creme brulee, caramelized sugar, maple, buttered popcorn and loads of caramel. The finish is long, holds really well and for ages, more oak, toffee, butter cream and a dash more of apple butter and cinnamon. Lovely stuff. 

Week 10 – Ben Holladay Single Barrel ‘One Barrel’ Bourbon r/Bourbon Single Barrel Select

This first of two barrels, this is their ‘rye bourbon’ recipe which features corn, rye, malted barley mashbill under the ‘One Barrel’ designation. Distilled on December 2rd, 2016, this is barrel #1968 and matured entirely in Rickhouse C. It matured on Floor 4, in Rick 11 and Tier 3. Asa  result, it’s 7 years and 7 months old, and bottled at 61.05% ABV. 

  • Distilled: Missouri, USA (Ben Holladay)
  • Aged: Missouri, USA
  • Bottled: Missouri, USA (Ben Holladay)
  • Age: 7 Years 7 Months
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • Mashbill: 73% Corn, 15% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
  • ABV:  61.05% ABV 
  • Labeling: r/Bourbon Custom Labeling
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes: Rich brown butter on the nose, spicy pepper, pleasant oak, nutmeg, clove, brown sugar and toffee pop right away. It’s nicely integrated and the oak shows through really pleasantly. Some cocoa, pleasant tobacco, a pop of pepper once more on the palate. The mouthfeel is pleasant and viscous – it really drinks like a thick, rich, caramel driven pour. Long finish, pleasant combination of sweet oak, toffee, creme brulee, vanilla bean, a little hint of espresso and big pepper once more. 

 

Week 10 – Holladay Soft Red Wheat Single Barrel Wheated Bourbon Barrel r/Bourbon Barrel Select

  • Distilled: Missouri, USA (Ben Holladay)
  • Aged: Missouri, USA
  • Bottled: Missouri, USA (Ben Holladay)
  • Age: 6 Years
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • Mashbill: 73% Corn, 15% Wheat, 12% Malted Barley
  • ABV: 60.75% ABV  
  • Labeling: r/Bourbon Custom Labeling
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes: Sweet and decadent on the nose, it’s surprising that this wheater is every bit as rich as its older cousin. Beautifully rich – waffle cone, butterscotch, sweet caramels and a hint of light fruit: cherry, blackberry, some blueberry. Graham cracker, pepper and a pleasant, structured oak. The palate is rich, a hint of cinnamon pairs with the sweet, decadent desserts and light fruity character. Long finish that’s heavy on waffle cone and graham cracker, a hint of cinnamon, big caramels and a pound cake, dessert finish. 

 

Week 10 – 100 Mill Street Barrel Finished Gin ‘T8KE-03’ Single Barrel Bottling

Tasting notes below. 

  • Distilled: Minneapolis, MN (100 Mill Street)
  • Aged: Minneapolis, MN (100 Mill Street)
  • Bottled: Minneapolis, MN (100 Mill Street)
  • Age: 25 Months
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, High Proof
  • ABV:  57.5% ABV 
  • Labeling: Custom r/Bourbon Labeling
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes:  Big and bright, loaded with spice, citrus, cedar and honey, the juniper sits a touch farther back on the nose with more pepper, coriander, and spice with a touch more vanilla. Grapefruit holds on and the nose is lovely and rich. Palate is viscous, satisfying, layered, lots of honey, juniper, orange peel and a hint of ginger, pepper, a hint of vanilla, grapefruit essence and some orange peel alongside more cedar and a hint of lemon. Long finish, this is the defining difference from our first bourbon barrel, finish hangs on longer with a touch less botanical and a touch more barrel sweetness and balancing spice. 

Week 10 – Barrell Craft Spirits 17yr American Whiskey Finished in Curacao Barrels

Behold a behemoth. Some things are insane by nature and this is one of them. By now, it’s no secret that Barrell and I share a spirit of innovation. Last year’s Infinite series should have been a billboard of that, and the spirit continues. 

Together, we’ve launched an entirely custom label for 2025 and beyond. The Collaboration with T8KE series will continue all year as a number of projects and experiments reach maturity and pass our marker for “holy sh*t that tastes good” quality. The colored border will change with each release as we move about the world of whiskey from bourbons to ryes and beyond – and we’re starting with beyond. 

This American Whiskey was distilled in Indiana and in 2018 was entered into a Curacao barrel. It’s slumbered there for 7 years and the result is pretty much unlike anything else I’ve ever had. And, all this time in cask has punched the proof a fair bit as well. At 17 years old, it’s first maturation was in used barrels, and second maturation in orange curacao barrels. It’s very limited compared to some of our past releases, so I anticipate it will be Limit 1. We’ll have larger batches later this year. 

  • Distilled: Indiana, USA
  • Aged: Kentucky, USA
  • Bottled: Kentucky, USA (Barrell Craft Spirits)
  • Age: 10 Years + 7 Year Curacao Finish
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • ABV:  141.44pf
  • Labeling: Collaboration With T8KE label
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes: Sweet cream and orange peel on the nose, there’s a funky pepper, tobacco, aromatic orange peel, and cake batter character on the nose. The palate is rich, aromatic, bright and powerful. Heavy orange peel, aromatic lemon, honey, cake batter, sweet oak and decisive pepper. Where it pops first on the nose with tons of orange and honey, oak structure and baking spice and pepper balance it right out on the back palate. Sneaky sneaky proof, the finish drifts right in and hangs on tight – orange peel, caramel candies, vanilla bean, cake batter, a big pop of oak here and black pepper, ginger and a touch of tobacco to see this pour out. It’s bold, it’s big, it’s bright and it’s unlike any whiskey you’ve had before. 

Week 8 – Dancing Goat Limousin Rye Chocolate Bitters Finish r/Bourbon Single Barrel Selection

  • Distilled: Indiana, USA (MGP)
  • Aged: Indiana & Wisconsin
  • Bottled: Wisconsin, USA (Dancing Goat)
  • Age: 8 Years + Chocolate Bitters Barrel Finish
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • Mashbill: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
  • ABV: 57.3% ABV 
  • Labeling: r/Bourbon Custom Labeling
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes: Rich on the nose, notes of black pepper, punchy rye spice, sweet cream and espresso, cocoa and maple. The chocolate pops here on the spicier side, dry like a high cocoa content chocolate bar rather than a creamy, chalky milk chocolate or something. Rich on the palate, big savory combination of spice and sweet: hefty oak, great rye spice, a touch of black pepper and ginger comes together with pleasant bitter character, cocoa and espresso popping on the palate. Long finish, rye spice, oak, black pepper and cocoa continue on the finish. The cocoa reminds me of Woodford’s chocolate bitters and this is a rye for a manhattan if I’ve ever seen one. 

 

Week 8 – Penelope Bourbon 10 Year Estate Collection ‘T8KE’ Single Barrel r/Bourbon Selection

  • Distilled: Indiana, USA (MGP / Penelope Bourbon)
  • Aged: Indiana
  • Bottled: Indiana (MGP / Penelope Bourbon)
  • Age: 10 Years
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • Mashbill: 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
  • ABV: 52.7% ABV 
  • Labeling: r/Bourbon Custom Labeling
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes: Fat and oaky just like it’s high(er) rye cousin, this barrel is loaded with cream, maple, cola and heavy tobacco, luxardo cherry, a hint of char and lighter on the pepper while heavier on the baking spice. The nose is enticing, it’s a rich, heavy nose. The palate is rich, chewy, syrupy, packed with oak, toffee, luxardo cherry, caramelized sugars and a hint of barrel char. Long finish, there’s lots of sweet pastry, heavy oak, rich cherry character and a dash of cola, char and pepper to see it out. This barrel presents more cola and cherry compared to our previous, while dialing back some baking spice that was extra evident in the first. 21% rye from MGP ages beautifully. 

Week 7 – NULU 7yr Maple Brulee Single Barrel Barrel Strength r/Bourbon Selection

  • Distilled: Indiana, USA (MGP)
  • Aged: Indiana & Kentucky
  • Bottled: Kentucky, USA (NULU)
  • Age: 7 Years + 7 Month Maple Brulee Finish
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • Mashbill: 60% Corn, 36% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
  • ABV: 59.1% ABV 
  • Labeling: r/Bourbon Custom Labeling
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes: Big, bold, balanced, there’s a lot going on here. The nose opens with maple, ginger, black pepper, wonderful oak and some vanilla bean, cocoa and light espresso. It’s big and rich, but balanced – sweet, savory, spicy, oaky. The mouthfeel is layered, syrupy, rich. It’s an easy drinker with the proof and there’s enough oak and baking spice to bring the maple, brown sugar, toffee, cocoa and faint tough of espresso and char to balance. Long finish, sweet then spicy, packed with flavor.
  • Distilled: Indiana, USA (MGP)
  • Aged: Kentucky & Virginia
  • Bottled: Virginia, USA
  • Cooperage: Independent Stave Company (ISC) Char #3 Cooperage
  • Age: 9 years, 6 Months, 8 Days
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • Cask # and Designation: #1129 – T8KE
  • Mashbill: 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
  • Bottling Series: #11xx
  • ABV: 61.25% ABV 
  • Labeling: Reveries Founder’s Bottling Labeling – Black Wax & Gold Foiled Cask Label
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes:
    • Nose: Rich cola and honey, toffee and sweet tea. Rich and dark, more dessert than char, a pop of pepper. 
    • Palate: Viscous on the palate, syrupy and rich. Cola and sweet tea, balancing spice, heavy oak, light char note and heavy tobacco and richness. 
    • Finish: Long finish. Decadent and rich, powerful layers of cola and toffee, exceptional balance between oak and dessert character, richness and structure. 
    • Overall: How can something 61% ABV be so decadent and delicious? 

 

Week 6 – The Reveries 9yr Founder’s Bottling #2479 “REVERIE” Barrel Strength Single Barrel Straight Bourbon

  • Distilled: Indiana, USA (MGP)
  • Aged: Kentucky & Virginia
  • Bottled: Virginia, USA
  • Cooperage: Seguin Moreau Napa Char #3 Cooperage
  • Age: 9 years, 6 Months, 8 Days
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • Cask # and Designation: #2479 – REVERIE
  • Mashbill: 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
  • Bottling Series: #24xx
  • ABV: 60.35% ABV 
  • Labeling: Reveries Founder’s Bottling Labeling – Black Wax & Gold Foiled Cask Label
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes:
    • Nose: A beautiful balance of enticing fruits and baking spice. Caramel and toffee meet baked apples, cinnamon, cracked pepper, decadent black cherry and blackberry with a heavy oak note. 
    • Palate: Syrupy and rich, toffee drives first: decadent dessert character, strong oak, baked apple and cinnamon once more. Brown sugar, demerara, blackberry and orange peel funk.  
    • Finish: Balanced fruit character and brown sugar: heavy oak, rich spice and the perfect pop of fruity acidity, deep dark blackberry preserve and tons of toffee. 
    • Overall: Decadent and daring. 

Week 6 – The Reveries 9yr Founder’s Bottling #2499 “SCHISM” Barrel Strength Single Barrel Straight Bourbon

  • Distilled: Indiana, USA (MGP)
  • Aged: Kentucky & Virginia
  • Bottled: Virginia, USA
  • Cooperage: Kelvin Cooperage Char #3
  • Age: 9 years, 6 Months, 8 Days
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • Cask # and Designation: #2499 – SCHISM
  • Mashbill: 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
  • Bottling Series: #24xx
  • ABV: 60.15% ABV 
  • Labeling: Reveries Founder’s Bottling Labeling – Black Wax & Gold Foiled Cask Label
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes:
    • Nose: Bold, brash, unyielding. Charred oak, pepper and spice, cola and fig. It’s dense, it’s rich, there’s gobs of black cherry, fig and boysenberry; tobacco, cigar wrapper and cola, and cocoa. 
    • Palate: Rich and syrupy, dense and decadent. The proof sneaks by but the oak, cherry, cola, charred oak and pepper hardly lets up. 
    • Finish: Long finish: decadent and bold, heavy oak, tobacco, rich cream and cocoa, cola and toffee packs in with luxardo cherry and deep sweetness. 
    • Overall: Methodically driven, maniacally rich. 

Week 6 – The Reveries 9yr Founder’s Bottling #2415 “SEA OF KINGS” Barrel Strength Single Barrel Straight Bourbon

  • Distilled: Indiana, USA (MGP)
  • Aged: Kentucky & Virginia
  • Bottled: Virginia, USA
  • Cooperage: Barrel 53 Cooperage Char #3
  • Age: 9 years, 6 Months, 8 Days
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • Cask # and Designation: #2415 – SEA OF KINGS
  • Mashbill: 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
  • Bottling Series: #24xx
  • ABV: 58.95% ABV 
  • Labeling: Reveries Founder’s Bottling Labeling – Black Wax & Gold Foiled Cask Label
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes:
    • Nose: It’s classic, it’s balanced, it’s quintessential. Honey, vanilla cream, cookie dough and sweet oak. 
    • Palate: Oily viscosity, gobs of vanilla and cocoa, toffee and buttercream. Pralines and buttercream. Palate is silky and rich, so satisfying. 
    • Finish: Long finish, supple and well integrated, balancing sweetness and oak. Hangs in there forever, impressive given the lower proof. 
    • Overall: No one voice shouting too loudly; a symphony of sweetness and spice. 

Week 5 – Elijah Craig Barrel Proof r/Bourbon Single Barrel Selection

  • Distilled: Bardstown, Kentucky (Heaven Hill)
  • Aged: Kentucky (Heaven Hill)
  • Bottled: Bardstown, Kentucky (Heaven Hill)
  • Age:8 Years
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • ABV: 65.40% ABV 
  • Labeling: r/Bourbon Custom Labeling
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes: Sweet vanilla rocks the nose first, followed by cola, caramelized sugar, toffee and butter cream. The proof sneaks by despite registering north of 65%. Rich palate, heavy on caramel, baking spice, vanilla bean, classic waffle cone. The finish is moderate – favors sweetness for density / complexity with a cola and creme brulee twist that heads for the exit gracefully. 

Week 5 – Hirsch 10 Year Double Oaked Bourbon r/Bourbon Private Selection

  • Distilled: Kentucky, USA (Undisclosed)
  • Aged: Kentucky (Hirsch)
  • Bottled: Bardstown, Kentucky (Hirsch)
  • Age: 10 Years
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • Mashbill: 72% Corn, 13% Rye, 15% Malted Barley
  • ABV: 56.8% ABV 
  • Labeling: Custom r/Bourbon Sticker
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes: Imposing oak, honey, toffee and tobacco strikes first – it’s a big bourbon no matter how you slice it. Rich maple, heavy toffee, bold oak and plenty of pepper and spice to balance. Delicious cola, pound cake, big cocoa and vanilla. Palate is rich and layered, complex and chewy – layers of oak, sweet dessert, rich pepper, a pop of black cherry. I like how rich and oaky it is, without becoming dry or overly tannic, bitter, bark like. Long finish, decadent combo of brown sugar, cola, sweet oak, vanilla bean and toffee. 

Week 4 – Pinhook True Small Batch T8KE x The Chloe r/Bourbon Exclusive Blend

This blend came together out of a pair of delicate, racy, expressive and aromatic bourbon barrels that shone best together and stayed that way. Blended at The Chloe in person by Jay West & Sean Josephs. The Chloe is a mainstay of New Orleans, a boutique hotel with 14 rooms in a restored 1800’s Uptown mansion. Their bar and restaurant are among the best in the neighborhood. 

  • Distilled: Frankfort, KY (Castle & Key)
  • Aged: Frankfort, KY (Castle & Key EH Taylor Stone Warehouse)
  • Bottled: Frankfort, KY (Pinhook) 
  • Age: 5 Years
  • More Info: Two Barrel Blend, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • ABV: 59.7% ABV 
  • Yield: 378 Bottles
  • Labeling: T8KE x THE CHLOE 
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes: Beautiful, bright and fruit driven there’s honey, apples and pears, peaches, vanilla cream and rich, caramel, toffee and butterscotch on the nose. Bright palate with pleasant oak, honey and butter cream, pepper and freshly baked pastries. Long finish that brings peach cobbler, brown sugar, a hint of tobacco, cream and toffee together once more. 

Week 4 – Pinhook True Small Batch T8KE x The Sylvain r/Bourbon Exclusive Blend

This blend came together out of a pair of brash, bold, confident and decadent barrels that punched and bruised their way through our tasting. Blended in person by Jay West & Sean Josephs. Sylvain (in their own words) is an unruly Southern bistro for locals in the French Quarter. In my words: you gotta go there. Grab a Pinhook Sazerac and try everything on the menu you have room for. 

  • Distilled: Frankfort, KY (Castle & Key)
  • Aged: Frankfort, KY (Castle & Key EH Taylor Stone Warehouse)
  • Bottled: Frankfort, KY (Pinhook) 
  • Age: 5 Years
  • More Info: Two Barrel Blend, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • ABV: 60.1% ABV 
  • Yield: 414 Bottles
  • Labeling: T8KE x THE SYLVAIN 
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes: A contrast if I’ve ever seen one – rich brown sugar, maple, heavy oak, baking spice and fig rocks the nose of this brooding pair of barrels. The palate is rich and heavy, black pepper and tobacco with orange peel, brown sugar, rich cocoa and pleasant oak. Long finish, dark and delicious, blackberry, toffee, cola and black pepper mingle. 
     


Week 4 – 5 Sentidos Marteno con Espadin Destilado de Agave T8KE x Aficionados Group Exclusive Batch

  • Distilled: Oaxaca, Mexico (Tio Pedro Pascual Hernandez & Eduardo “Lalo” Barriga)
  • Bottled: Oaxaca, Mexico (5 Sentidos)
  • Agaves: Marteno (a.Karwinskii) & Espadin (a. Angustifolia)
  • Cooking: Roasted in conical underground oven for 5 days with firewood and guamuche
  • Fermentation: 10 day rest after cooking, shredded via small mill, 3 day dry ferment, followed by 10 day wet ferment
  • Water Source: Well Water
  • Distillation: double distilled, clay pots, by Tio Pedro at his palenque “La Esparanza”
  • Distillation Location: Santa Catarina Minas
  • ABV: 46.8% ABV, adjusted with puntas y colas  
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes: Fresh and bright on the nose: incredible complexity. Apple cider vinegar, honey, sweet cream, a pop of green bell pepper, minerality and warm honey. Bright minerality, tons of slate and a pinch of lemon and salt. It’s bright, it’s full, if you pour a glass and set it across your desk you’ll catch a whiff in no time. The palate is silky and rich, full mouthfeel with black pepper, orange peel, lemon and lime, limestone and minerality, a balancing hint of salinity. There’s a fruity sweetness on the back palate – melon and tropical fruits. The finish is long and savory, a bright combination of fruits and pepper. It reminds me of a melon salad I had once at a restaurant – watermelon, balsamic, a hint of flakey salt and some honey and black pepper. Wildly unique and wholly satisfying. 

Week 3 – Dancing Goat 8 Year Limousin Rye Port Finish r/Bourbon Single Barrel Selection

  • Distilled: Indiana, USA
  • Aged: Indiana & Wisconsin
  • Bottled: Wisconsin, USA (Dancing Goat)
  • Age: 8 Years + Port Wine Finish
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • ABV: 59% ABV 
  • Labeling: Custom r/Bourbon Branding 
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes: Spicy up front: big rich rye spice, pepper, honey and blackberry reduction pops immediately. Big and rich on the palate, it’s jammy, sweet and spicy, there’s a kiss of oak and pleasant vanilla bean, orange peel, blackberry and blueberry reduction, figgy and packed with viscosity. Long finish, pleasant mouthfeel on the back palate, jammy and rich with pepper and oak balancing the jammy port influence. I’d give this the nod over MWND any day of the week and I know you will too. 


Week 3 – Rare Character Single Barrel Series 8yr1mo OLO r/Bourbon Single Barrel Selection

  • Distilled: Indiana (MGP)
  • Aged: Lexington, Kentucky (Rare Character)
  • Bottled: Lexington, Kentucky (Rare Character)
  • Age: 8 Years 1 Month + Finishing Time 
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • Mashbill: 51% Rye, 45% Corn, 4% Malted Barley
  • ABV: 59.14% ABV 
  • Labeling: Custom r/Bourbon Labeling
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes: It’s decadence in a bottle. I love finished ryes because Rye maintains so much of its character and has this assertive spine and backbone of structure to hold together with heavy finishing. This wasn’t intended to be a heavy finish, but when something comes out as short as this, it’s just concentrated by nature. Red berries, rich tobacco, a hint of barrel char, big rye spice, sweet oak and rich, dry wine hangs and hangs on the palate. Rich mouthfeel, layered, opulent, heavy. Stewed fruits, dates, boysenberry, blackberry, a touch of ango, black pepper and heavy oak. Long finish, decadent and layered, heavy and spicy, sweet and indulgent. 

Week 2 – Blue Run T8KE x TBC CHOSEN Exclusive Blend

This is custom blend of bourbons but it’s also so much more. This spring, I had an opportunity to work the first truly custom blends with the Blue Run team they offered. Now, a lot of people talk about Blue Run the brand, or Blue Run the whiskey, but rarely, if ever, do I hear about the team. That’s where we’ll start today because I got to spend the day blending with Shaylyn Gammon.

Some of you may know that name but I’d wager many of you don’t. And that’s fine. But, it’s time to change that. 

If you’ve had Russell’s Reserve 13 Year, then you know Shaylyn’s work. She worked for Wild Turkey for quite some time before leaving to join Blue Run. Her career started in food science at the University of Louisville and she then moved to spirits R&D for Campari, the company who owns Wild Turkey, among many things. There she worked on whiskeys all across the catalogue but truly spearheaded Russell’s Reserve 13 Year, which speaks for itself

Not long after the launch of RR13, she took the plunge and joined a newly founded whiskey company called Blue Run. Our single barrel in 2024 with Blue Run was a real hit, and I knew I wanted to do more with Blue Run, so it came as an easy choice to explore doing a blend. I had a couple conditions though – I wanted us to work together to create something unique and new, and we were going to do it in person. 

Luckily, Blue Run agreed and last May I found myself at the table with all manner of whiskey strewn about as we got to work: 6-10yr bourbon, rye, you name it. This release is our first Blue Run custom blend and perhaps we had a little too much fun…so it won’t be our last either. 

Blends are important to me because they harness the unique and outstanding qualities of single barrels, and let you create something that’s greater than the sum of those parts. Single barrels are awesome at providing a snapshot into all of these different distilleries we have the privilege to work with and select from. But, blends let you create something even greater.

That single barrel with standout flavors, that single barrel with an incredible texture and mouthfeel, that single barrel that’s got just a touch more oak than is needed but is packed with dessert all become paints on an easel to create a whiskey that’s an indulgent and immersive experience, bringing together flavor, tannin, complexity, leveraging the heat and oak just right to create something bigger. 

So, without further ado, I present our first exclusive, a 600 bottle blend of bourbons all from Kentucky. It’s a Kentucky Straight Bourbon release from a handful of major distilleries and ages in KY, all 6+ years.

I learned so much from Shaylyn as we tasted and blended and discussed and her success is no surprise to me after our time together. 

I also appreciate that Blue Run went back to the drawing board on packaging since our last select – this release now features a solid metal cork, better labeling and a custom front plate that’s metal also and etched and customized. When you’re done with the bottle, the centerpiece actually pops off (it’s magnetic) and you can hold on to it. I’ve never seen something like that before.

It’s become a bottle on my bar but also my desk as its become a welcome fidget tool when I’m on the phone, hah. As I mentioned above, there is also another blend lurking in this chosen set with matching branding. Like I’ve done for some sequential releases in the past, going in on Chapter 1 will give you a guarantee to grab the next one as well. 

  • Distilled: Kentucky, USA (Undisclosed Producers)
  • Aged: Kentucky, USA
  • Bottled: Kentucky, USA (Blue Run)
  • Age: NAS
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • ABV: 57.1% ABV
  • Labeling: Custom T8KE x The Bourbon Concierge Metal Plate & Cork 
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes:
    • Nose: Maple and brown sugar, French vanilla, cinnamon, baking spice and rich oak. 
    • Taste: Rich on the palate, layered, big, buttery texture. Pleasant oak – not too dry, but plenty of influence and structure here. Vanilla bean, toffee, tobacco, some black pepper and baking spice, sweet cream and a hint of cocoa. 
    • Finish: Long, packed with dessert and baking spice, pleasant oak but not too drying, great blend of cocoa, cinnamon, pepper, brown sugar and sweet caramels. 
    • Overall: Blended to be big and complex, sweet with plenty of spice and tannin to balance nicely. 


Week 2 – Rare Character Single Barrel Series KOA Bourbon r/Bourbon Single Barrel Selection

  • Distilled: Kentucky, USA (Undisclosed Producer)
  • Aged: Lexington, Kentucky (Rare Character)
  • Bottled: Lexington, Kentucky (Rare Character)
  • Age: 9 Years
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • ABV: 69.72% ABV 
  • Labeling: Custom r/Bourbon Labeling
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes: Huge, bright, rich – this barrel is full of heavy, syrupy sweetness, big fruits and cherry, a touch of cocoa, cola, barrel char. Palate is rich and there’s a prickle of proof, laced with honey, toffee, cola, cherry, char, graham cracker, tobacco and bright fruit. Fudgy, layered mouthfeel, Long finish – it’s rich and oaky here, proof fades a bit on the finish and more bright cherry, tobacco, toffee rises. 

Week 1 – Corbin Cash 9 Year Rye r/Bourbon Single Barrel Selection 

  • Distilled: Atwater, California (Corbin Cash)
  • Aged: Atwater, California (Corbin Cash)
  • Bottled: Atwater, California (Corbin Cash)
  • Age: 9 Years
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Cask Strength
  • Mashbill: 100% Merced Rye
  • ABV: 71% ABV 
  • Labeling: Custom r/Bourbon Labeling
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes:  Rich, sweet, syrupy and sticky, this is a hefty rye., It’s loaded with maple, caramels, toffee, creme brulee, char, cracked pepper, decadent tobacco, a touch of ango and heavy rye spice. Rich on the palate, tons of honey, and spice, rye character, bread, black tea, tobacco. Viscous and coating, sneaky for the proof but bold and grippy, hangs on the palate with a long, tobacco and maple finish that’s rye dominant and spicy spicy spicy. 


Week 1 – Rare Character Single Barrel Series TST Toasted Rye r/Bourbon Single Barrel Selection

  • Distilled: Lawrenceburg, Indiana (MGP)
  • Aged: Lexington, Kentucky (Rare Character)
  • Bottled: Lexington, Kentucky (Rare Character)
  • Age: 7 Years 6 Months + Finishing Time
  • More Info: Single Barrel, No Coloring, No Filtering, No Additives, Barrel Strength
  • Mashbill: 51% Rye, 45% Corn, 4% Malted Barley 
  • ABV: 58.39% ABV 
  • Labeling: Custom r/Bourbon Labeling
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes: Big, fat and rich this rye rounds out huge spice notes, maple and toffee, a hint of herbal punch and big caramel notes. I liked how the toast integrated with the rye spice, adding nice brulee, oak and honey notes rather than off-sweet marshmallow-y notes. Lovely palate, drinks closer to 100pf and sits nicely with a pillowy, supple mouthfeel. Orange peel, rye spice, brown sugar and tobacco mingle. Long finish, driven by pepper, rye spice and sweet toffee. Toast brings a nice layer of natural sweetness, dessert forward, to a rich and spicy rye.