I recently got accepted to medical school. The local liquor store near me has George T Stagg priced at $900. I got to talk the owner down a little bit but I’m still not sure I want to spend that much on a bottle even though I want to celebrate an accomplishment. Should I buy it?

Just wanted to show progress

I didn’t buy it. I like Blanton’s Gold, but it’s not worth that.

I saw this McLaren JD for $899. Has anyone tried it?

Family is big on Jack and Diet. On two different family trips to Mexico, we came across this and had to purchase. I’ve never seen it in the states. Curious if this a non-US thing only. The pour stand is kinda cool.

A moment of silence.

Just bought the new post 2024 version of this and... Is it just me or it pales in comparison to the old non chill filtered or even the transition phase before 2024.

Same on the nose but mild on the palate, lost all its complexity and finishing is poor.

Just me??

Found these in the wild today! Haven’t had the 26c yet, only the 26b. Can’t wait to crack all of them.

So last month I'm at Louisville Rickhouse with the MoCo Bourbon Club doing a barrel pick.

If you've never done one, it's not what you'd expect. You don't just point at a barrel, and they're not always preselected either (sometimes they are). They narrow it down to a few targets, you taste them side by side, and getting everyone to agree can take forever, which is great.

Then the crew agreed and the etching was the cherry on top. This one's ours. Every bottle from that barrel is the juice we picked that day, which still feels a little wild to me. The flavor can shift a little depending on when it's bottled and other factors, but hopefully not much.

Anyway, if your crew ever gets the chance to do one, do it. Drink water frequently, trust me, it will help.

Whiskey: Rebel 100 Bourbon

Distiller: Undisclosed

Producer: Lux Row Distillers

Instagram: Barrel & Proof https://www.instagram.com/barrel_and_proof?igsh=czJ2MzhybG42MG9j&utm_source=qr 

ABV: 50.0%

Age: No age statement (minimum 4 years)

Price: $17 (Twin Cities, Minnesota)

Tasting: Neat in Libbey Bourbon Trail glass, reviewed blind, rested for 10 minutes. Bottle opened for 1 month.

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Nose: Baked Bread, Rye Spice, Caramel, Chocolate, & Dry Oak

Palate: Baked Bread, Caramel, Chocolate, Rye Spice, & Dry Oak

Finish: Medium Length, Baked Bread, White Pepper, Caramel, Chocolate, Anise, & Leather

Body: Full

Bite: Medium

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Summary: This bottle is produced by Lux Row, but was sourced from other distilleries. I do not have much experience with Lux Row products, but this is one of their base bourbons that they offer. I picked this bottle up on sale but I have never seen it for more than $25. As noted, this review was done blindly.

On the nose the most prominent scent is a delicious rye bread note. There is a syrupy caramel note and bitterness from a chocolate scent. The oak scent is on the dryer side, but it blends really well with the rest of the notes. I wish the nose on this was more robust, but it does open up considerably after a few minutes.

The palate is simple but the notes that are present are rich and heavy. I love the spice and warmth of the rye bread notes. The caramel and chocolate blend well, like in a candy bar. Again the moderate dry oak note adds some nice complexity.

The finish is a little different, I pick up a nice white pepper note that adds some punch. The rye spice becomes a bit more funky, I pick up some anise which doesn’t work the best with the leather flavor that sticks around. I do like the boldness of the flavors in the finish.

This whiskey was quite unique for a budget bourbon. I really enjoy the rye bread notes and how they interact with the caramel and chocolate. Overall the profile stays relatively the same throughout the tasting, more so than most whiskey. The nose and palate are my favorite aspects, the anise and leather on the finish don’t blend well together in my opinion. After my blind review I have tasted this a few additional times, I personally think it is a solid budget bourbon.

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Rating: 

Nose (10%) - 6/10

Palate (50%) - 7/10

Finish (40%) - 6/10

6.5/10 Pretty good. Better than average.

Recommend: Yes

Rank: I created a compilation ranking list of whiskies I’ve purchased at a store or at a bar and done a formal tasting.  All whiskey ranked on the list tasted neat and rested for 10-15 minutes.  Whiskey I ranked below and above Rebel 100 are shown for reference.

140 out of 275 whiskies tasted.

139 Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch

141 Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Store Pick: Keyport Liquor

Ranking Link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/147h44fId0tZYmHsroGgjzcRK2xn6050P8m7mZqArGLw/edit?usp=sharing 

Kentucky distillery New Riff hit it out of the park with the 2025 batch of its annual limited release 6 Year, 100% Malted Sherry Finish Barrel Proof Rye bottled without chill filtration at 111.9 proof (55.95% ABV).  The rye is first aged in new charred American White Oak barrels before being finished for an undisclosed length of time in a mix of Pedro Ximénez (PX) and Oloroso sherry casks.

This review is based on 8½ months of multiple notes-taking sessions all using Denver & Liely Bourbon and Glencairn Copita glasses with varying aeration times.

COLOR: Dark red amber/red copper

AROMA PROFILE: Punchy & jam-like dark red fruits are front-and-center (cherries, black currants, black raspberries, blackberries, dried figs, dried dates, raisins) mixed with herbal rye notes, baking spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, a hint of cloves), light fruity caramel & vanilla, sweet tobacco leaf, toasted oak, & a touch of anise – Let it aerate in the glass & the ethanol punchiness will dissipate & allow the other aromas to emerge to the forefront.

PALATE: The dark red fruits (fresh & dried) from the nose pop immediately blending together with punchy herbal rye & black pepper notes, the baking spices from the nose, light fruity caramel & vanilla, sweet tobacco, toasted oak & some oak tannins, & a kick of black pepper on the finish – The rye spice & herbal rye notes come slightly behind the fruit and malt whisky notes drinking like a rye-scotch hybrid.

MOUTHFEEL/VISCOSITY: Long viscosity in the glass & an immensely creamy/buttery/oily mouthfeel

FINISH: 15-17 seconds

Employee just dropped all the allocation on the table and I had to partake.

I'm no scotch man. This store is a friend. I asked him to open this so I could see it. Is this a popular pour?

I was scrolling through the subreddit earlier today and noticed a post about a large whiskey collection. Just wanted to also share my “selection” that my brother and I have massed over the past 3 years. My brother and I are big whiskey fans and are in our early 20’s, so the selection will continue to grow. If you see any bottle that you would like a review on or any that you want to hear my thoughts on let me know down in the comments. Happy hunting and happy drinking!

I know some of their pours are getting praise. All I've ever seen here is this entry level. Just Meh. It teased with great legs, nose was ok but palate was underwhelming.

Old Louisville 10 year Wheated bourbon (2026 release)

Price- $99.99

Mashbill- 51 corn, 45 wheat, 4 malted barley

Age- 10 years

Proof- 108.9

Source- MGP

Distilled- Indiana

Finished- No

Selected- No

Tasting impressions:

Cooked pear slices drenched in cinnamon, banana pudding, rootbeer float, apple fritter doughnut, chai tea, ginger. This one's evidence that MGP barrels have serious potential. When it's good it's good. Worth the price of admission.

Score:

86/100

Reached 25 years on the job today. Eligible to retire. For the last 25 days, the wife been giving me a daily gift as a kind of Advent calendar for reaching the finish line. Got some golf things as well, but these are the bourbon related things. She got em all at MSRP too. Best score is the the second photo. She's a good woman.

Worldwide Wine & Spirits, Southington

Found in my grandmothers cabinet