Bourbon Lens

Long overdue, we sit down with 3 bottles of Bottled in Bond bourbons from Heaven Hill. These bottles share the same mashbill and proof, but run the gamut of age and price. A blind tasting is the best way to see how they stack up. Enjoy this week's episode and be sure to let us know your favorite bourbon from Heaven Hill. 

Here's the lineup:

Glass 1 - Henry McKenna 10 Year Old Single Barrel Bottled in Bond

Glass 2 - Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond 7 Year

Glass 3 - J.T.S Brown Bottled in Bond

Jake's Final Ranking 3 - 2 - 1
Scott's Final Ranking 3 - 2 - 1

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us over this journey. We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, or tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, or even purchase your own Bourbon Lens tasting glass or t-shirt.

Cheers,
Scott, Jake, & Michael
Bourbon Lens

Image and Logo Credit: Heaven Hill Distillery

Jake and Scott are back in "the office" and we are sharing some Kentucky Senator Bourbon. Kentucky Senator is a revived brand and each release of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey will carry the name of an esteemed U.S. Senator from the Bluegrass State. We taste their first two releases, including a 15 year and a 6 year Kentucky Straight Bourbon. We discuss many topics in this episode including sourcing whiskey, celebrity brands, the premium bourbon market, and whether we view whiskey as a good investment vehicle. We'd love to hear your thoughts on some of these discussion topics, so be sure to interact with us on social media.  A big thank you to Kentucky Senator Bourbon who provided these bourbons to us for the purposes of discussing them on our podcast.  We were not compensated for this podcast and the provision of bourbon for sampling does not bias our independent opinions.

Batch 1 is a fifteen year old Kentucky Straight Bourbon with a mash bill of 78.5% corn, 13% rye and 8.5% malted barley and bottled at 107 Proof. The first release was limited to 1320 bottles and has an SRP of $199.99. 

Batch 2 is aged six years, this Kentucky Straight Bourbon has a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% malted barley and is proofed at 107. The second release was limited to 1300 bottles and has an SRP of $109.99. 

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us over this journey. We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, or tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, or even purchase your own Bourbon Lens tasting glass or t-shirt.

Cheers,
Scott, Jake, & Michael
Bourbon Lens

About Kentucky Senator Bourbon:

The Kentucky Senator brand was originally distilled and bottled by Crigler & Crigler in Covington, Kentucky, then by Double Springs Distillers, Inc. in Bardstown. Revived by Kentucky Senator Spirits, LLC in 2019, each release of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey will carry the name of an esteemed U.S. Senator from the Bluegrass State. The brand revival is led by Andre Regard and Damon Thayer as they work to restore this vintage Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey to its glory days. Both men possess a unique background in Bourbon that they bring to the management team.

These days, it's really easy to spend $100 on a bottle of bourbon, but how do you avoid getting burned at the liquor store? Stick with some of our choices for the $50 - $100 price range and you'll find some heavy hitting bourbons. Don't get burned at the liquor store, shop smart with these tips.

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us over this journey. We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, or tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, or even purchase your own Bourbon Lens tasting glass or t-shirt.

Cheers,
Scott, Jake, & Michael
Bourbon Lens

Castle & Key just released its 3rd installment of Restoration Rye, 2021 Batch #1. This batch was crafted from 80 barrels and was meant to highlight some notes that are perfect for summer whiskey drinking.  We compare this 2021 release to Batch 1 from 2020 in this episode.  Each batch of Restoration Rye Whiskey is blended using a series of pods. Each pod is created by grouping barrels to create a specific sensory profile. Restoration Rye features a mashbill of 63% Rye; 20% Malted Barley; 17% Yellow Corn. Enjoy this episode as we talk about how these two batches match up and whether we think Castle & Key is heading in the right direction with their whiskey releases.

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us over this journey. We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, or tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, or even purchase your own Bourbon Lens tasting glass or t-shirt.

Cheers,
Scott, Jake, & Michael
Bourbon Lens

LINKS:

• Kentucky Distillers' Association Announces Castle & Key Distillery as the 43rd Heritage Member - June 29, 2021
• Castle & Key Distillery Website
• All the Nerdy Details on Every Batch of Restoration Rye
• Bourbon Lens Episode 106 - Our First Impressions of 2020 Batch 1

Jake and Scott are back in the Bourbon Lens office and have lined up two powerhouse bottles from Heaven Hill's wheated mashbill; Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond (a 9 year from Fall 2018) and Larcey Barrel Proof (Batch A121 featuring 6-8 year old bourbon). It is clear that wheated bourbons are a big hit in the bourbon world right now, partially attributable to the Pappy Van Winkle and Weller Bourbon craze.  But does Heaven Hill have some of the best wheated bourbons out right now? Hear our thoughts on this matchup of two Heaven Hill "Wheaters". Jake also discusses his interest in becoming the "World's Top Whiskey Taster" in Bardstown Bourbon Company's competition. Bardstown Bourbon Company's 2nd annual competition to find the World's Top Whiskey Taster is COMING SOON!  Head to https://worldstopwhiskeytaster.com/ for all the details of how to enter, but here's the quick rundown:

1. Submit your application before August 15th, 2021.
2. Qualified applicants will receive a link to complete a video interview between July 15th and August 15th.
3. All interviews will be conducted and recorded online through MyInterview.
4. BBCo. will ask 3 questions to get to know you.
5. Selected contestants will be invited to compete in one of the five regional showdowns.
6. Regional finalists will receive a trip to the Bardstown Bourbon Company distillery December 10 -12th, with the final showdown taking place on Saturday, December 11th.
7. Go to WorldsTopWhiskeyTaster.com to enter. 

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us over this journey. We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, or tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, or even purchase your own Bourbon Lens tasting glass or t-shirt.

Cheers,
Scott, Jake, & Michael
Bourbon Lens

]

You won't find us reaching for the barrel proof bourbons often in the summer heat, so what do we reach for when the temperature rises? In this week's episode, we discuss some of our favorite choices when summertime rolls around and we want to enjoy our favorite booze outside or poolside. Whether it's low proof, on the rocks, finished whiskey, or the ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktail craze, we give you some ideas for this summer.  Let us know what you reach for as the weather warms up!

Shoutout to Jim Beam for sending us over some of their latest Jim Beam Highball, ready-to-drink canned cocktails for us to try out and photo credit to Jim Beam as well.

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us over this journey. We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, or tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, or even purchase your own Bourbon Lens tasting glass or t-shirt.

Cheers,
Scott, Jake, & Michael
Bourbon Lens

Recently, we had the opportunity to sample 6 single barrels from Western Spirits Beverage Company; you may remember our previous episode. This was all in preparation for their upcoming release of Sam Houston Bourbon Release No. 6. We were honored to be selected, along with several other "bourbon influencers", to help provide feedback that would contribute to a final batch for Release No. 6, a 15 year old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.  The Release is now on shelves and we were sent bottles of the final batch as a thanks for participating in this project for Sam Houston Bourbon.  Check out this episode to get all the details of Release 6 and our thoughts on the final blend.

This was an awesome opportunity for us and we are so appreciative of Western Spirits Beverage Company and Sam Houston Bourbon.  This release is 103 proof / 51.5% alc/vol, non-chill filtered, and has an MSRP of $129.99.  Be sure to also check out Bourbon Lens Episode 121 where we tasted through the 6 barrels that were ultimately ranked and some were incorporated into this final batch.

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us over this journey. We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, or tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, or even purchase your own Bourbon Lens tasting glass or t-shirt.

Cheers,
Scott, Michael, and Jake
Bourbon Lens

It's National Bourbon Day and we are having a brand new bourbon this week. Will Schragis, Stellum Spirits' Chief Sales & Innovation Officer, joins Bourbon Lens to chat about all things Stellum, whiskey industry, and the modern whiskey drinker. A wildly popular blending house, Barrell Craft Spirits, just created a more affordable spinoff brand (at $55, Will says it's the best whiskey for the price on the market).  New from the team at Barrell, it's Stellum Rye and Bourbon. 

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us over this journey. We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, or tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, or even purchase your own Bourbon Lens tasting glass or t-shirt.

Cheers,
Scott and Jake
Bourbon Lens

Our first Bourbon Lens Barrel Pick is now available for purchase! Jake and Scott sit down in the Bourbon Lens Office to taste through the unique finished bourbon we picked from Starlight Distillery.  This is a 4 ½ Year Old, Straight Bourbon distilled by Starlight and finished in a French, Sauternes Wine Cask.  The bourbon is available for purchase via Shared Pour for $59.99.  Be sure to head there to get yours before it sells out: SharedPour.com.  

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us over this journey. We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, or tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, or even purchase your own Bourbon Lens tasting glass or t-shirt.

Cheers,
Scott and Jake
Bourbon Lens

Link to Purchase - via SharedPour.com

Our full tasting notes on the Starlight Sauternes-Finished Bourbon

Jake and Scott catch up about life and bourbon as they sip through 3 different Bulleit Bourbons. Scott recently had the opportunity to help a local store, Bottles Unlimited in New Albany, IN select a barrel of 11 year old Bulleit. And thanks to some help from Bottles Unlimited, we were able to secure two more limited bottlings of Bulleit to taste them side-by-side with this 11 year old store pick called "Quarantine Breakout". The barrel is available now at Bottles Unlimited and we recommend you heading there to grab a bottle before it's gone.  Big thank you to Kyle Denson from Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits and Diageo for the lineup.

Bottles Unlimited is located: 
427 State Street
New Albany, IN 47150
(812) 945-6765

We are thankful for everyone who has taken the time to give us feedback on our podcast.  If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, or tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, or even purchase your own Bourbon Lens tasting glass or t-shirt.

Cheers,
Scott, Jake, & Michael
Bourbon Lens

About Bulleit Single Barrel Bourbon - "Quarantine Breakout" Private Selection from Bottles Unlimited New Albany Indiana:

An 11 year old, 104 proof bourbon that was selected by a team of friends of Bottles Unlimited, including Lora, Kyle, Clayton, and Scott from Bourbon Lens on February 4, 2021. Selected from 6 blind samples, this barrel was the clear winner amongst the group and has a unique taste profile that is sweet with a bit of funk. This bourbon reminded us of the Kentucky State Fair; fried dough, sweet and savory notes, sweet corn, and a little bit of spice. It's an easy drinker that is sure to impress those seeking something out of the ordinary from Bulleit.

About Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year Old:

Aged in charred American white oak, select Bulleit Bourbon barrels were set aside to age for 10 years. The result is a special expression of Bulleit that provides a rich, deep, incredibly smooth sipping experience.

About Bulleit Blenders' Select Bourbon:

Limited-edition 100 proof bourbon that selectively mingles three of the ten distillates used in our flagship Bulleit Bourbon. These three distillates are each aged for a minimum of nine years. Hand-selected from more than 100 distinct liquids, this blend was painstakingly crafted by our blender Eboni Major to achieve a unique taste profile that is distinctly Bulleit in character.