Category: Drink

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Branch On Fire: Knob Creek Small Batch 100

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Knob Creek is owned by the parent company of Jim Beam (now Beam Suntory, a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings in Japan), and this is one of the Clermont, Kentucky’s easier to find whiskeys. It is the cheaper sibling of their small batch brands, alongside Booker’s, Baker’s and Basil Hayden. Introduced in 1992, Knob Creek Small Batch is the original of the brand line, with a few variants follwoing over the last 30 years. And while it is not a whale by any means, it is still a solid bourbon well worth the price tag of $35-40 or so it typically … Continue reading Branch On Fire: Knob Creek Small Batch 100

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Branch On Fire: Old Forester Whiskey Row

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The last Branch on Fire I did was for Old Forester Rye. Well, we are back with more Old Forester. Several more, in fact. Last month, I was able to participate in an online Whiskey Row tasting, featuring Jackie Zykan from Old Forester. In the tasting was five different whiskeys from Old Forester, with each representing a different era for the distillery. Whiskey Row, as they call it, includes whiskey based on their recipes from 1870, 1897, 1910, 1920 and then we had a bonus whiskey: The Statesman. I was able to secure a sampling kit for the event. We … Continue reading Branch On Fire: Old Forester Whiskey Row

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Branch On Fire: Old Forester Rye

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This is the first rye whiskey I have reviewed for this site. Of the three whiskeys, I drink more bourbon and scotch, but I still enjoy a good rye. I like the spicy kick. Old Forester has been around a long time. More than 145 years actually. In fact, they claim to be the first bourbon available exclusively in sealed glass bottles. But they did not take their first crack at a rye until 2019. Rye can be tricky to ferment, so most distillers use additives to help stabilize it. Old Forester goes a little different, using a mash bill … Continue reading Branch On Fire: Old Forester Rye

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Branch On Fire (Burns Night): Lagavulin, Offerman Edition

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January 25 is the birthday of famed Scot poet Robert Burns. And well, they celebrate. Food, poetry…and scotch whisky. I’m not Scottish, as far as I know, but hey, that just happens to be three things I can absolutely get behind celebrating. Flaviar, the whiskey club I joined late last year, even had a virtual event built around it. Ultimately, it was an attempt to sale some a well known peated whiskey, but it was also suppose to feature a poetry reading and tasting notes an a couple of scotches. I say suppose to because the audio wound up being … Continue reading Branch On Fire (Burns Night): Lagavulin, Offerman Edition

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Drinking Whiskey With Friends…Virtually

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One of the lasting things of 2020 may wind up being we finally figured out how to properly hang out virtually as a group. Whether it be Zoom, Facetime groups, Google Classroom, we have all been forced figure out ways to see each other without seeing each other. Companies now have virtual happy hours. Vendors do the same for clients. For example, tonight I was able to log into Facebook and watch a podcast with guys I went to high school with…and a couple whiskey experts. I wasn’t even part of the recording, just the chat. But still, it is … Continue reading Drinking Whiskey With Friends…Virtually

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Branch on Fire: Flaviar Welcome Box

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The college football national championship game seems like a good time to hit my first sampler box from Flaviar, a whiskey club I signed up for for Christmas. I chose the Welcome Box for my first sampler. They have a variety of boxes to choose from, from whiskey, rye, scotch, rum, vodka, etc. This one has one each of bourbon, rye and scotch. Figured it would be a decent starting point. The three whiskeys included are Breckenridge bourbon, Few Rye and Wolfburn Aurora scotch. They include three sampler vials of 50ml each. I’m going to taste them without seeing which … Continue reading Branch on Fire: Flaviar Welcome Box

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This Week In (Weez) Beer

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This one has actually been a couple weeks, as I have not drank much since the holidays. Narrow Gauge Rocket Appliances Imperial India Pale Ale This is a hazy IPA from the Florissant, MO brewery making some of the better juicy IPAs in the St. Louis area. Rocket Appliances is tart, but not in a traditional IPA bitter style. It is also hazy, but not NE juicy as it is more grapefruit or passionfruit than OJ. It is also more hoppy on the nose than the tongue, typical of a double dry hopped beer. This one uses galaxy and mosaic … Continue reading This Week In (Weez) Beer

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Branch on Fire: Jefferson’s Reserve Very Old

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This was my free bottle I got for signing up for Flaviar through a friend. And well… Who? Jefferson’s whiskey’s are made by father and son Chet and Trey Zoeller, only they don’t make whiskey. They source and blend it. They made their name with the Oceans whiskey, which is literally aged on the ocean in barrels, increasing agitation. Jefferson’s Reserve is one of their more readily available and affordable flagship whiskeys. It features multiple blends, but all aged at least eight years and up to 18, while also still considered small batch as well (8-1 barrels of 4 different … Continue reading Branch on Fire: Jefferson’s Reserve Very Old

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Branch on Fire: Dogfish Head Compelling Gin

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Wait, this isn’t whiskey? What? Dogfish Head was one of my first craft beer loves, so when one of Sarah’s trips took her to Baltimore a few years back, I turned it into my Delaware trip and a stop in Milton, DE to hit my favorite brewery finally. I brought back several beer varieties, and even a Dogfish Head-branded record player…and this gin. I don’t drink gin often. Typically as a changeup cocktail dining out. Which is why I still have this bottle at home. It is the only gin I sip neat. I used others for mixing. Gin is … Continue reading Branch on Fire: Dogfish Head Compelling Gin

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Branch on Fire: High West Campfire

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I recently had half a bottle of this gifted to me by someone who likes bourbon but not scotch. Bonus for me, I’m equal opportunity with my whiskey. See, this one from High West is a blend of bourbon, rye and scotch. They don’t release the ratios, but the rye comes from High West, the bourbon from MGP and the scotch is an undisclosed source, due to contractual reasons they say. The whiskey was born when the High West distiller was visiting a B&B at Bruichladdich distillery and he tried a dessert that inspired him to mix the peaty scotch … Continue reading Branch on Fire: High West Campfire