Tremendous bourbons like you’ve never seen, the BEST BOURBONS IN THE ENTIRE WORLD


April 3, 2026

Tremendous bourbons like you’ve never seen, the BEST BOURBONS IN THE ENTIRE WORLD!!!

Right. Well, indeed it was probably about time we once again sampled a little wheelbarrowful of American whiskies, picked at random from the stock. Starting with what may well be a bit of a joke. Slipknot? That heavy metal band that wears masks?

Slipknot No.9 Iowa Whiskey (45%, OB, USA, +/-2021)

It would seem that this baby comes from the Cedar Ridge Distillery, but do not take our word for it, and that the heavy metal band Slipknot, which admittedly is not part of our usual playlists, also hails from Iowa. Were there no distilleries near where Trane, Miles or Zappa lived? Colour: gold. Nose: this is honest, rather nicely textured on the nose, with oriental pastries, orange blossom, vanilla cake, along with delicate (really?) touches of country bread, violet and liquorice. Seriously, this is a charming nose. Mouth: well now, this is good, spicy, floral, with a pleasing tension and a development on poppy seeds and pumpernickel spread with honey and fresh butter. Lovely rye notes, there must have been quite a fair amount of it. Finish: fairly long, with lemon coming through. Just a slight touch of sawdust. Comments: just goes to show, we may play the clever chap, but we should never judge by the labels. I think I shall listen to Slipknot tonight, it will be the first time in my life!
SGP:551 - 83 points.

Old Cassidy (61.5%, OB, Rare Character Whiskey Co., Kentucky Straight Bourbon)

This would appear to be an independent bottler, so the distillery here is not known, but we could be mistaken. It could even be a blend of Kentucky bourbons. Colour: copper gold. Nose: but this is perfect, in any case utterly idiosyncratic, on vanilla pods, gentle varnishes, roasted peanuts, fudge and nougat, and still quite a fair amount of alcohol. With water: earth and rye come to the fore. Mouth (neat): powerfully woody yet with elegance, on peanut butter, coconut but without excess, and floral touches leaning towards geranium and lavender. With water: it can take on vast quantities of water, which is always a sign of quality. Aniseed or caraway bread, vanilla, touches of barbecued corn… Finish: same profile, but careful, too much water dries it out a little this time. Comments: a fine beast for bourbon enthusiasts, perhaps a little less so for those who favour malt. Rather very dry for a bourbon.
SGP:451 - 85 points.

Heaven Hill 15 yo 2009/2025 (61.5%, The Whisky Blues, The Milwaukee’s Club, Kentucky Straight Bourbon, barrel, cask #3448521A, 243 bottles)

Colour: gold. Nose: this is much tauter, closer to a malt, more lemony, fresher, without that woodiness and that caramel which can sometimes become rather invasive in bourbons. With water: little orange blossom cakes, orange zests, Campari and ski wax. Indeed, really. Mouth (neat): very good, taut, malty, on citrus fruits and soft spices, plus a violet and lavender combo that works perfectly. With water: very little change, except for the arrival of bitter oranges. Everything remains perfect. Finish: long, fresh, citrusy. Italian orange bitters are calling the shots. Comments: now this really is bourbon for malt lovers, well played Whisky Blues. You will tell me that when you call yourselves Whisky Blues, you are bound to be thoroughly legitimate in such circumstances, are you not?
SGP:561 - 88 points.

Tennessee Bourbon 2021/2025 (55.6%, Spirit of the Day, #8, 195 bottles)

A distillation in South Carolina from 80% maize. We are not entirely sure we follow everything regarding the connection between Tennessee and South Carolina, but never mind, let us proceed… Colour: full gold. Nose: oh this is unusual, on baked aubergines and Jerusalem artichoke gratin, some curious notes of rum, blood oranges and flowers (pansies, borage). Very faint touches of shampoo. With water: rose-flavoured popcorn, does that even exist? Mouth (neat): even more ‘rum-like’, softer, we really find the maize and soluble chicory. With water: firmer notes return, and most welcome they are. Coffee fudge, for instance. Finish: much the same, plus touches of fig wine. It is not often good, but here it works. Comments: territories we seldom explore, but here it is with great pleasure.
SGP:551 - 86 points.

Now then, here’s a bottle we’ve always loved, without ever having actually tasted it…

Old Crow ‘Traveler Fifth’ (86 proof, OB, Kentucky straight bourbon, 1960s)

An extremely famous flat bottle, supposedly designed to fit into any slim briefcase, very much in the style of a young executive spending his life shuttling between two airports. I should remind you that 86 US proof means 43% vol., strength levels that were fairly typical of bottles rather intended for Italy. Right then, to be honest, we are not exactly expecting miracles here… Colour: gold. Nose: yes yes yes, this is lovely, very floral, marked by the rye, but also the maize, rye bread, dried flowers, everlasting flowers, menthol cigarettes, mead… This really is a very pretty nose. Tell me, what if flat bottles were actually better suited to perfect preservation? Fifty years of business to rethink… (only joking). Mouth: but yes, this is very good indeed, excellent even, floral, with magnificent spices, firm honey (chestnut, heather) and all manner of toasted and roasted nuts. Finish: long, drier, more on cocoa and tobacco. And very lovely it is too. Comments: but what a surprise! One could almost feel like taking the next Pan Am flight from Paris to JFK. Pan Am, do you remember?
SGP:561 - 89 points.

Eagle Rare 12 yo (47.5%, OB, Kentucky Straight Bourbon, +/-2025)

So here we are at Buffalo Trace, as it would seem that this 12-year-old was first released last year. This may therefore be the very first batch we have before us… Colour: deep gold. Nose: geraniums, lavenders, dark honeys, it is all there, almost thick on the nose even. There is quite a spectacular molasses and rum side, truth be told. Mouth: fresher and more taut, more peppery too (pepper liqueur), then increasingly chocolatey and syrupy. Prunes, hoisin sauce… Finish: long and still rather thick, concentrated, with molasses running riot. Comments: we much prefer the ten-year-old ‘single barrel’, which we find less, how shall we put it, suffocating. But this remains a magnificent whiskey.
SGP:641 - 80 points.

Shenk’s Homestead Sour Mash (45.6%, OB, Kentucky Sour Mash, batch #L25E1902, 2,371 bottles, 2025 release)

It would seem that this sour mash has been partly matured in Vosges oak, that is to say wood cut just next door to WF Towers. It is also supposed to be rather heavily marked by rye. Colour: full gold. Nose: very soft, rounded, without any rough edges, aside from indeed a rather gentle rye. The rest is on fresh breads, particularly seeded loaves of all sorts and kinds. Some nougat too. We find the whole rather restrained, if you see what we mean. Mouth: more presence here, more spices, earthiness, faded flowers… yet it remains globally quite soft and discreet. The Vosges oak does not seem to have truly taken control, even if some peppery notes appear keen to gain the upper hand. Finish: medium length, with some unexpected varnish notes, at least at this stage. The aftertaste is truly dry and spicy. Comments: this is very much a matter of casks.
SGP:551 - 83 points.

Tennessee 15 yo 2011/2026 (56.4%, Wu Dram Clan, The Liquid Crew)

This can only be George Dickel, and that is certainly not bad news. Colour: gold. Nose: it is all here, peanut butter, popcorn, vanilla cake, burnt wood, coffee fudge… With water: and nougat, of course, along with wafts of pot-pourri. Mouth (neat): very good, earthy and spicy, on lavender and rye bread, plus some Italian bitters. At cask strength, this delivers rather well. With water: closer to the cereal and eau de Cologne, but in a measured and elegant manner. Finish: fairly long, fragrant, almost oriental. Little touches of rose water. Comments: this is fresh, light, elegant, unpretentious and very good.
SGP:541 - 85 points.

Bardstown Bourbon Company 8 yo (64.6%, OB, The Whisky Exchange exclusive, Single Barrel Bourbon, 2026)

We shall admit it without shame or regret, we had never heard of the Bardstown Bourbon Company before. But the ‘TWE’ stamp is more than enough for us… Colour: deep gold. Nose: nougat, vanilla and popcorn. This is a very light nose, very ‘kind of superficial’, yet without that being a flaw, quite the opposite in fact. With water: acacia blossom and courgette flowers, even a few touches of cauliflower. Mouth (neat): fresh and cheerful, not especially deep on the palate either, but spritzes and fruit juices work rather well. A tropical cocktail of papaya and coconut milk, we are very close to a Scottish grain whisky. With water: much the same. Very light touches of redcurrant juice with honey. Or something else perhaps, coconut is ruling the roost. Finish: medium in length, on a very light texture, with vanilla and coconut. Comments: we have not checked, but it does feel largely dominated by maize. Let us say it, it rather feels like North British.
SGP:630 - 81 points.

We’ll round off this little transatlantic journey by heading right to the far end of the West Coast, if that suits you…

Westland 9 yo (56.5%, The Whiskey Trail, Elixir Distillers, peated American single malt, first fill bourbon barrels, 817 bottles, 2025)

This should, we agree, have absolutely nothing to do with everything that came before. Colour: gold. Nose: what we sometimes used to call green peat, in any case grassy, close to what one might get from burning hay rather than wood, without even bringing peat or coal into the matter. But there is a very lovely medicinal side, close to eucalyptus but also natural rubber and root vegetables, celery in particular. Did you know we were President of the Celery Club of France? (come on, S.) With water: rubber (or rubber tree) takes control. It reminds us somewhat of certain cachaças, seriously. Mouth (neat): here we are much closer to Scottish peats, but with a minty and lemony side that is still rather uncommon. Medicinal peat, very dry. With water: very good, just a little dominated by the cask. Typical post-Covid malt (what?). Finish: long, dry, truly bitter, but nicely salty in the end. Comments: a combative Westland, one that does not let itself be pushed around.
SGP:373 - 84 points.

Well, it was the oddly flat Old Crow that sort of came out on top, which still surprises us a little. Perhaps good old OBE shows through more clearly in a flat bottle, indeed? In any case, one can’t help wondering whether, with the current glut, quite a few people shouldn’t be rushing to re-rack into inactive casks, cognac-style (refill casks / fûts roux). Assuming, of course, that would be legal… Very active casks (and low ages) may well start to become a thing of the past… (and frankly, we’re not complaining!)

(Also, vielen Dank for the 'flat' one, Sebastian!)

Check the index of all American whiskies we've tasted