Brims and Barrels

Three bottles. Three starting spots. One explosive offense. 🥃🏈🏀

Xavier and Ray bring a triple threat to the Brims & Barrels table: Provenance 10 Year, Reveries 10 Year Rye, and Murder of Crow.

Provenance already earned a spot among our top 10 whiskeys of the year—but can the other two make the starting lineup? From cinnamon and clove to green apple, brown sugar, and a finish that keeps going, we break down what stands out in each pour.

Then we take it to the playbook. Xavier brings back the 2001 Florida Gators’ Fun ’n’ Gun with Rex Grossman, Jabar Gaffney, and Reche Caldwell. Ray answers with the triangle offense and a lineup built for championships.

Shoutout to Jay West @t8ke.review for the selections, Pete @liquor_zone_pearland for keeping us in the game, Laz @thatsubourbonguy for always sharing his knowledge, and Pee Wee @xstitchembroidery for the custom Brims & Barrels New Era hats.

Which bottle gets the ball first in your lineup? Let us know in the comments.

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Two Fits. One Pour.

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The Pete (@liquor_zone_pearland) and Laz (@thatsubourbonguy) invited Brims & Barrels to join them at Liquor Zone for a Provenance barrel pick with Jay West (@t8ke.review) We tasted through four samples, shared our notes, and then revisited the favorites blind to see which barrel stood out.

Jay also talked about his approach to selecting barrels and what makes the Reveries 10 Year Liquor Zone (Pete’s Pick) unique. We’re grateful to Pete and Laz for welcoming us into the experience and letting us share it with you.

Which part of a barrel pick matters most to you—the nose, palate, or finish? Let us know in the comments.

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🥃 GAME READY: Old Elk 10-Year Straight Bourbon

Old Elk took its signature high-malt bourbon recipe and gave it a full decade in the barrel. So naturally, we had to find out if those extra years earned it a spot in the starting lineup.

This new Old Elk clocks in at 105 proof (52.5% ABV) and uses an unusual high-malt mash bill of 51% corn, 34% malted barley and 15% rye. That 34% malted barley is a major part of what separates Old Elk's bourbon profile from a more traditional bourbon mash bill. (Old Elk)

It's also one of three expressions in Old Elk's new 10 Year Collection, alongside a 10-Year Wheated Bourbon and 10-Year Straight Wheat Whiskey. (Old Elk)

Old Elk's official notes call out rich oak, fig jam, almond paste, cocoa powder and honeycomb on the aroma; bright fruit, oak sweetness, caramel and vanilla on the palate; and vanilla oak, confectioner's sugar and light stone fruit on the finish. (Old Elk)

Our fresh-crack experience went somewhere different.

Xavier picked up tobacco, leather and corn, while Ray found an earthy, grain-forward profile. Once we got into the palate, the sweetness came through, followed by leather and darker fruit. It even had us talking about some of the characteristics we associate with Texas whiskey.

Different? Absolutely.

But when it's time for STARTER or BENCH, there's nowhere to hide. 🏈🥃

Watch the full Game Ready and let us know where Old Elk 10 Year lands in your lineup.

Two Fits. One Pour.

🥃 Old Elk 10-Year Straight Bourbon
⏳ Age: 10 Years
🔥 Proof: 105
💧 ABV: 52.5%
🌽 Mash Bill: 51% Corn / 34% Malted Barley / 15% Rye (Old Elk)

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Old Elk 10 Year Collection

Bourbon may bring us to the table, but the people are what keep us there. 🥃🔥

On this episode of Brims & Barrels, Xavier and Ray sit down with Kyle from Smoke Pour Repeat for a conversation that goes way beyond what's in the glass.

Kyle shares how Smoke Pour Repeat brings together two things deeply connected to Texas culture — bourbon and BBQ — and how his journey through the Houston whiskey community has become about relationships, experiences and giving back.

We get into Houston bourbon culture, the evolution from hunting allocated bottles to actually enjoying whiskey again, and why single-barrel picks offer something completely different. Kyle also takes us behind the scenes of barrel selections at places like Maker's Mark, Four Roses, Heaven Hill and Peerless.

And then there's the BBQ. 🔥

Kyle breaks down life on the pit, pairing bourbon with brisket, surviving a Texas cook with high-proof whiskey 😂, and why the right pour can complement what's coming off the smoker.

But one of the best parts of the conversation is what whiskey can create outside of drinking. Kyle discusses helping build the Bourbon Hounds of Houston and using bourbon to support charitable causes, while all three of us talk about friendship, brotherhood, mental health and having other men around who can simply ask, “Are you okay?”

In this episode: Houston whiskey culture • BBQ & bourbon pairings • barrel picks • Kentucky experiences • Texas whiskey • the end of the bourbon-hunting craze • community • brotherhood • and plenty of laughs.

🥃 Two Fits. One Pour.

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The 2026 Russell’s Reserve 13 Year is here and it celebrates Eddie Russell’s 45 years at Wild Turkey.

Xavier and Ray are joined by Kyle from Smoke Pour Repeat to find out whether this highly anticipated release is Game Ready or headed for the bench.

🥃 RUSSELL’S RESERVE 13 YEAR 2026

• 13-year age statement
• Includes bourbon aged up to 18 years
• 121.2 proof
• Non-chill filtered
• Mash bill: 75% corn, 13% rye and 12% malted barley
• Suggested retail price: $200

On the nose, we found rich cherry, strawberry, dark fruit, toffee, seasoned oak and even a peanut-butter-and-Heath-bar combination.

The palate follows with mature oak, leather, tobacco, baking spice and a long Kentucky hug.

When it was time to make the call, the decision was unanimous: three starters. This is a dependable veteran pour that shows up, handles its assignment and represents some of the best that Wild Turkey has to offer.

Stay tuned for our full sit-down episode with Kyle from Smoke Pour Repeat.

LIKE, COMMENT and SUBSCRIBE for more Game Ready reviews, blind tastings and bourbon conversations.

Two Fits. One Pour. 🥃

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🥃 BROWN-FORMAN’S FINEST BLIND!

Four heavy hitters. Two palates. One shocking result.

In this episode of Brims & Barrels, we put some of the finest bottles across the Brown Forman portfolio head to head:

🔥 Old Forester President’s Choice
🔥 Woodford Reserve Batch Proof
🔥 Jack Daniel’s 14 Year Batch 1
🔥 King of Kentucky

We judged every pour blind on nose, palate, and finish and the bottle that took the crown caught both of us completely off guard. Can a bottle under $150 really defeat Jack Daniel’s 14 Year and King of Kentucky?

We’re also breaking in the new Brown Room, talking Astros baseball, football, and the memories that make certain bottles mean more than their price or rarity.

Pour something good and watch the blind unfold.

👇 Before the reveal, comment which bottle you think wins.

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Jack Daniel’s dropped something special—and you can only get it at the distillery.

In this Game Ready, we pour the Jack Daniel’s Special Release Boiler Hill Batch 2 Small Batch Rye. Bottled at a massive 142.7 proof, this hazmat release delivers cherry, cinnamon, charred oak, black pepper, and plenty of rye spice—without drinking nearly as hot as the proof suggests.

Ray shares how his parents secured the bottle during a trip to Lynchburg, and we discuss the other limited releases in the series, whether Boiler Hill Batch 2 is worth its secondary-market price, and some more accessible Jack Daniel’s bottles that still deliver exceptional value.

Then it’s time to decide: Is Boiler Hill Batch 2 starting—or going to the bench?

Our comparisons:

🟢 Ray: The Incredible Hulk
🟢 Xavier: The Green Power Ranger

Final verdict: GAME READY and officially Brims & Barrels approved.

Let us know in the comments: Have you tried any of the Boiler Hill, Coy Hill, Tanyard Hill, or Fire Brigade releases?

🥃 Two Fits. One Pour.

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Four bottles. Four heavy hitters. One blind tasting.

In this episode, we put some of Heaven Hill’s most respected expressions head-to-head:

🥃 Heaven Hill Heritage Collection 22 Year — “The Prestige”
🥃 Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C923 — “The Assassin”
🥃 Parker’s Heritage Double Barreled Blend — “The Trickster”
🥃 Penelope 13 Year American Light Whiskey — “The Outcast”

These bottles bring serious age, proof, and reputation—but once the labels disappear, none of that matters. Can a sourced bottle compete with expressions selected and released directly by Heaven Hill? And will the legendary C923 take down bottles that cost significantly more?

The results surprised us, and our final rankings weren’t the same.

Pour along with us and let us know how you would rank these Heaven Hill Heavy Hitters.

Visit: https://brims-and-barrels.webflow.io/

Follow Brims & Barrels on Instagram and watch or listen on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and iHeartRadio.

Special thanks to our partners:

OnlyDrams — Track your whiskey collection and discover your next pour.
Chophouse Barber Company — Proudly serving the Houston area.

Like, comment, subscribe, and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode.

Two Fits. One Pour. 🥃

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Four bottles. Four heavy hitters. One blind tasting.

In this episode, we put some of Heaven Hill’s most respected expressions head-to-head:

🥃 Heaven Hill Heritage Collection 22 Year — “The Prestige”
🥃 Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C923 — “The Assassin”
🥃 Parker’s Heritage Double Barreled Blend — “The Trickster”
🥃 Penelope 13 Year American Light Whiskey — “The Outcast”

These bottles bring serious age, proof, and reputation—but once the labels disappear, none of that matters. Can a sourced bottle compete with expressions selected and released directly by Heaven Hill? And will the legendary C923 take down bottles that cost significantly more?

The results surprised us, and our final rankings weren’t the same.

Pour along with us and let us know how you would rank these Heaven Hill Heavy Hitters.

Visit: https://brims-and-barrels.webflow.io/

Follow Brims & Barrels on Instagram and watch or listen on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and iHeartRadio.

Special thanks to our partners:

OnlyDrams — Track your whiskey collection and discover your next pour.
Chophouse Barber Company — Proudly serving the Houston area.

Like, comment, subscribe, and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode.

Two Fits. One Pour. 🥃

#BrimsAndBarrels #HeavenHill #ElijahCraigC923 #ParkersHeritage #PenelopeBourbon #BourbonBlind #BourbonReview #WhiskeyTube #BourbonCommunity

Old Forester President’s Choice has been on Ray’s chase list for a long time—and thanks to a bottle trade within the bourbon community, he finally secured one.

This 2026 single-barrel release was personally selected by Campbell P. Brown, a fifth-generation Brown family member. Aged 88 months, this pour delivered raspberry, brown sugar and raisin on the nose, followed by vanilla, cinnamon and rich sweet oak on the palate. The finish brought leather, tobacco and even more vanilla.

It may carry a seven-year age statement, but does it drink well beyond its age?

To close out this Game Ready review, we matched the bottle’s prestige with two football figures who represent the top of the organization: Jerry Jones and Tom Brady.

Drop your football comparison in the comments—and let us know if Old Forester President’s Choice is worth the chase.

Two Fits. One Pour. 🥃

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