Old Forester K&L Exclusive Single Barrel “Warehouse L, Floor 1, L-01-020-03” Straight Kentucky Bourbon Whisky (750ml)

$49.99

Don’t get me wrong here, I love barrel proof offerings. It seems like that’s all we’ve gotten lately from the single barrel program, and while they’re great for adding your own dilution, sometimes it’s just nice to have a bottle that’s already perfectly dialed in. There is something to be said for a whiskey you can sip neat or throw into a cocktail and not be afraid to have a couple more. Nailing a barrel right at 100 proof is a skill not every distillery has, but Old Forester knows how to do it right. They were the very first to bottle their own whiskey to protect its integrity, and we got ourselves a fresh one from them. It’s coming in a little shy of 5 years old, essentially making it our own “bonded” bourbon ready to go out the gate. It has that classic Old Forester spice and caramel with chocolatey undertones, almost like a cinnamon graham s’mores in a bottle. Between the clove, anise, root beer, and wet oak, you get mocha latte with a touch of pink peppercorn and red bean mochi. This whiskey begs to be enjoyed next to your favorite pilsner or mixed into an Old Fashioned or Paper Plane. Josh Gelfand

Old Forester has been knocking it out of the park recently. The Whiskey Row series has seen tremendous demand with each release, the Birthday Bourbon is one of the hottest whiskies every year, and the single cask program remains one of the most straight forward, delicious, and accessible programs in Kentucky. This new release was filled into the barrel on February 4th 2021, dumped on December 18, 2025 and bottled the following day. Diluted down to 100 proof, this is a exemplery expression of classic Old Forester, ready for a neat or rocks pour, and perfectly proofed for your favorite bourbon cocktail.

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Barley During Whisky Production

Another one from the archive of short video explainers here. Vic helps you make sense of how barley – a cereal packed with starch – is used by distillers in the different stages of the Scotch whisky production process.

🎬 Watch the Video | 📖 Read the Post

ralfy review 1124 – Old Perth 2009 Vin: 15yo @53.4%vol:

Hidden in plain sight

Rare Find unveils ‘teaspooned’ single cask collection following strong Spring release demand

Rare Find, the independent bottler recognised for its meticulous cask selection and guided maturation, announces the launch of its latest collection of single cask whiskies, exploring the nuanced and undisclosed world of ‘teaspooned’ malts.

Following strong reception for its Spring 2026 releases, Rare Find has accelerated this latest collection in response to continued demand from retailers and consumers alike – bringing forward a new trio of bottlings that further exemplify the brand’s commitment to rarity, character, and discovery.

Teaspooned malts occupy a quietly compelling space within whisky. Originally conceived to protect distillery identity, these whiskies contain a small addition of a secondary malt, preserving both provenance and discretion. For independent bottlers, they offer a unique opportunity to present spirits of unmistakable heritage, whilst maintaining the label confidentiality that surrounds their origins.

This latest Rare Find collection brings together three distinctive single cask expressions, each showcasing the diversity and intrigue of teaspooned whisky across three regions: Speyside, the Highlands, and Campbeltown. As with all Rare Find releases, each whisky is bottled without compromise – at natural cask strength, natural colour, and without chill filtration.

Speyside 22 Year Old
Finished for 14 months in a 1st fill oloroso hogshead

This ‘teaspooned’ malt whisky has been sourced from a legendary Speyside distillery founded in 1892. It has been finished for 14 months in a medium-charred, American oak 1st fill oloroso sherry cask produced in partnership with Bodegas Barbadillo.

Westport 18 Year Old
Finished for 14 months in a 1st fill oloroso hogshead

An elegant ‘teaspooned’ malt from a Highland distillery famed for its extremely tall stills. This release has been finished for 14 months in a 1st fill oloroso cask from Bodegas Barbadillo, crafted from Spanish oak, seasoned for 24 months and toasted, adding refined depth and complexity.

Campbeltown 10 Year Old
Fully matured in a refill hogshead

A distinguished and characterful blended malt sourced primarily from a distillery located just north of Campbeltown’s Kinloch Park. This release has been matured in a refill hogshead, allowing the region’s distinctive coastal spirit to shine with subtle oak influence and layered complexity.

Speaking on the new collection, John Moffat, Head of Commercial for Rare Find, commented: “The response to our Spring releases has been exceptionally strong, enabling us to bring forward this next collection ahead of schedule. These teaspooned malts represent some of the whisky industry’s best kept secrets—where discretion and character exist in perfect harmony. As ever, our focus remains on selecting and presenting exceptional casks at their peak, allowing each whisky to speak for itself.”

The latest Rare Find releases will be available through select specialist retailers (www.rarefindwhisky.co.uk/stockists) from 16th of April.

Rare Find Teaspooned Malts Collection

About Rare Find

Each Rare Find release is an unrepeatable, limited-edition whisky sourced from sought-after distilleries. With every bottle, we celebrate liquid excellence – meticulously selecting, maturing, and finishing in the highest quality casks to deliver whisky that’s rare by design.

From the millions of casks maturing in Scotland, only a small percentage are destined for single malt bottlings, and from those, only the best become a Rare Find.

The IWSC Returns to Kentucky for the 3^rd  Annual Spirited Judging

June 1-6, 2026

The “Olympics of the Drinks Industry” Accepting Entries until April 24

LONDON  Spirits industry professionals from around the world will once again gather in Bardstown, Kentucky — the “Bourbon Capital of the World” — for the 3rd IWSC (International Wine & Spirits Competition) in early June.  This year, in addition to judging North American Whiskey and Ready-to-Drink (RTD) spirits, the categories are expanding to accept gin, vodka, rum, and liqueurs from across the United States.

Founded in 1969, the London-based IWSC evaluates more than 12,000 entries annually from over 90 countries. The North American Spirits Judging marks the competition’s exclusive North American event, reinforcing Kentucky’s role as a global hub for whiskey and other spirits excellence.

The judges — representing the worldwide standard of beverage expertise — provide North American whiskey and other spirit producers a unique opportunity for international recognition from the competition, widely regarded and recognized as one of the most prestigious in the world. The 2026 Judging Panel of experts brings perspectives from distilling, retail buying, hospitality, media, and global distribution, ensuring a comprehensive and balanced evaluation process.

Led by Dawn Davies, Master of Wine, Commercial Buying Director, Speciality Drinks and The Whisky Exchange, the panel of judges will evaluate the entries using the same rigorous judging process as in the UK, which includes double-blind tasting, a limited number of entries judged per day to avoid palate fatigue, and panel discussions between the judges.

In addition to Davies, the other judges for the North American competition are:

• Richard Paterson OBE, Master Blender, Whyte & Mackay
• Tiffanie Barriere, The Drinking Coach
• Jack Beguedou, Spirits Industry Consultant
• Georgie Bell, Ambassador, Scotch Malt Whisky Society and co-founder of The Heart Cut
• Gary Gruver, Director of Global Beverage Strategy, Marriott International
• Molly Horn, Total Wine & More
• Brad Japhe, Spirits Journalist
• Reece Sims, SIP Spirits Consulting & The Flavor Report
• Tristan Stephenson, bartender and co-founder of Black Rock, London

“Over the years, the quality of submissions has changed dramatically.  We’re working in a highly competitive area, and it’s up to international competitions like IWSC to reveal where these changes are happening,” said Richard Paterson OBE, Master Blender, Whyte & Mackay.  “It’s an exciting time, an innovative time, and thanks to the IWSC, we can show the world what gold medal winners are all about.”

Kentucky is one of just seven global locations where the IWSC replicates its London judging model through its Global Judging initiatives. As in London, the Kentucky event pairs rigorous tasting sessions with programming that celebrates the people, places, and spirits that define America’s whiskey culture.

Medals awarded include Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Gold Outstanding. Top-scoring products advance to the prestigious Trophy Judging round. Winners are revealed at the IWSC Awards Celebration in November 2026 in London

How to Enter

Visit the IWSC North American Whiskey & RTD Judging page to submit entries.

Entry deadline: April 24^th

Winners will be announced June 12, 2026

About the IWSC

Since 1969, the IWSC has set the global standard for beverage excellence. Known as the “Olympics of the drinks industry,” the IWSC evaluates more than 12,000 entries annually from 90-plus countries. Judges are key decision-makers in the industry, including Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers, Master Distillers and Senior Buyers. These experts assess wines, spirits and alternative drinks using a rigorous panel process that ensures fair evaluation. The IWSC stands out for its expert judging, consistent attention, comprehensive categories and global recognition. For producers, its offers benchmarking, recognition and business connections. For consumers, IWSC medals guide excellence in a wide selection of drinks.

About the IWSC Competition Global Judging
Since 2022, the IWSC has held in situ Global Judging events, an initiative introduced by
Strategy and Business Development Director Christelle Guibert. The IWSC is proud to be the first international drinks competition to institute a series such as this. Until today, wine and spirits have been judged in Italy, Austria, Georgia, Turkey, Italy, Argentina, Australia, the United States, South Africa and China. The competition is committed to the initiative due to the opportunities it gives all producers in a region to take part, no matter what their size is, and allows for the drinks entered to be judged in context by judges who are up to date with the region and its most recent developments.

LATEST EDITION

It’s our special awards issue! After all of the ups and downs in the whisky industry over the past 12 months, our annual awards special edition is the perfect time to celebrate the brilliant products, people, and places that make up the whisky industry. This issue features the winners of the World Whiskies Awards 2026, as well as the latest Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame inductees and Icons of Whisky.

We also have some very special milestones to celebrate this issue, including an interview with Hollywood actress Karen Gillan on her work with Compass Box on its Hedonism whisky, as well as a look back at the Macallan 1926 to mark a century since the legendary bottling was distilled.

Bradley Weir, Whisky Magazine editor

READ MORE

CASK COLLECTION No.79

Our 79th Cask Collection release for Spring 2026 brings together five individual casks, each drawn from distilleries more commonly encountered as part of a vatting or blend.

Each of the five casks is presented as it was found: single cask, natural strength, undiluted and unfiltered. Through single casks, we take a closer look at the finer details – a glimpse beneath the surface of a typical release.

These are the building blocks: character, texture and structure at the heart of each distillery’s style, before they are shaped into something broader. Together, they offer a different perspective – not a polished core expression, but the singular character of a cask that must be harnessed to create the whiskies we know and love.

LEARN MORE

Loch Lomond Open Edition 2026, 46%

https://youtu.be/9BXE7aWm-Pw

This is one of the yearly releases in the whisky industry that really shows off how fun and engaging Loch Lomond are as a distillery.

Matured initially in ex-American oak and then finished in ex-Argentinian Malbec casks, this is a 46% offering from the folks of Loch Lomond that has a lot going on under the surface. I’m still genuinely unsure if it is peated, or contains a cask or low peated whisky, but I can certainly taste something ashy and sweet on the finish.

A sweet, interesting and different bottle of single malt, you don’t need me to tell you how good Loch Lomond are as a distillery, it’s something that is already very well established amongst those who know!

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Booker’s Bourbon Releases Its First 2026 Batch!

The first Booker’s Bourbon Batch of 2026 is inspired by one of Booker Noe’s favorite cities in the world: New Orleans…introducing the Booker’s “Big Easy” Batch, a bold, high-proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey that pays homage to a place Booker returned to time and again – for the food, the people, and the unforgettable flavors that stayed with him long after each visit.

This Batch is made up of five separate production dates and were stored in five different storage warehouses. The age is 7 years, 2 months and 15 days and bottled at a bold 129.1 proof. The result is a bourbon that’s big and unmistakably Booker’s, with aromas of vanilla and spice, a warm and robust palate, and a long, lingering finish.

Booker’s Batch 2026-01 “Big Easy” Batch

• Proof: 129.1
• Age: 7 years, 2 months, 15 days
• MSRP: $99.99
• Sipping Suggestion: Enjoy neat or with a splash of water to open up the flavors

Liquid Breakdown:

• 16% was stored on the third floor of warehouse H, a nine-story house
• 24% was stored on the sixth floor of warehouse G, a nine-story house
• 16% was stored on the fifth floor of warehouse O, a seven-story house
• 22% was stored on the third floor of warehouse J, a nine-story house
• 22% was stored on the fourth floor of warehouse M, a seven-story house

Master Distiller Notes

The full batch background story is shared below, on behalf of Fred Noe, 7^th Generation Master Distiller.

For a guy who lived in Kentucky, Dad sure found himself in the Big Easy plenty. He made his first trips down there as a young man, friends like Billy Roby by his side, the two of them eating and drinking their way around town. Some time after that, he and Mom visited on their honeymoon. In later years, they’d always point out the bar where they shared a drink as newlyweds. The place seemed to love him back too, during one visit they even changed the name of Bourbon Street to Jim Beam Bourbon Street for a day.

But it was the flavors of New Orleans that really held a special place in Dad’s heart. He couldn’t get enough if its food – a fresh oyster here, a bowl of jambalaya there. But you wouldn’t find his favorite dish on the menus of the fancy restaurants, no, it was the Lucky Dog street cart that caught his eye and stole his heart.

We were watching Bourbon Street’s famous barrel races from the balcony of our French Quarter hotel when he spotted that cart rolling down below. He sent me to get us some – and boy, you’d have thought it was the best damn bite he’d ever had. His love for those dogs became legendary in the city, living on even after he passed – in fact, when Freddie and I last went, a five-star restaurant served us up some on a silver platter. Dad found flavors he loved everywhere he went. I hope you’ll be as taken with this bourbon as he was with those Big Easy Lucky Dogs.

Mac-Talla unveils Cognac cask expression to mark 40 years of Fèis Ile

Islay single malt brand Mac-Talla has launched a limited edition Cognac cask-finished whisky to commemorate the 40th edition of Fèis Ìle.

Owned by Perth-based Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers, Mac-Talla draws on four generations of Islay heritage, sourcing single malts matured exclusively from various distilleries on the island.

Created to mark the milestone edition of Islay’s renowned festival, the new expression combines the brand’s signature coastal peat smoke with a rich, fruit-forward influence from Cognac cask finishing. The whisky began its maturation in first-fill Bourbon barrels before undergoing a further two years in Cognac casks.

The resulting liquid offers a balance of tropical sweetness and gentle smoke, reflecting both Islay tradition and a more experimental cask approach.

Now in its 40th year, Fèis Ìle is one of Scotland’s most prominent whisky festivals. The 2026 edition will run from 22–31 May, featuring an extended 10-day programme of distillery open days, tastings, music and cultural events across the island.

Graeme Mackeddie, Production Director at Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers, said: “Fèis Ìle is a moment of real significance in the whisky calendar, and for its 40th anniversary, we wanted to create something that both honours Islay tradition and showcases a more progressive side of Mac-Talla. The Cognac cask finish brings a vibrant, fruit-led character that works beautifully alongside the whisky’s natural peat smoke and sweetness, resulting in a dram that is both distinctive and celebratory.”

Tasting notes: 

• Nose: sweet almond croissants with a hint of sweet orchard fruits
• Palate: Freshly baked pastries with poached pears, warm pineapples and toasted coconut. On the finish, there’s a hint of peat smoke and winter spices.
• Non-Chill Filtered, no added colour
• ABV: 52.4%
• RRP: £78

Mac-Talla Cognac Fèis Ile 2026 is exclusively available from May 14th across the UK and EU. https://mactallawhisky.com/stockists

ABOUT MSWD

Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers (MSWD) is an independent, family-owned company based in Perth, Scotland. Rebranded in 2020, MSWD represents five generations of Morrison whisky heritage under one name, with a focus on single-malt production, brand development, blending, and bottling. Its flagship brands include Aberargie, Old Perth, Mac-Talla, Càrn Mòr and Bruadar.

Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers is solely owned and operated by one of Scotland’s oldest and most prominent whisky families, Jamie and Brian Morrison. There have been over five generations of the Morrison family involved in the whisky business, including grocers, brokers, blenders, bottlers and distillers, making them one of Scotland’s oldest whisky families.

Their heritage gives them access to a wide variety of unique casks from pedigree distilleries across Scotland. Their family’s values run through everything they do, and they proudly showcase them beneath each of their bottles, reiterating their commitment to Patience, Intuition and Integrity.

In every whisky they release, they are committed to continue to impart the knowledge that has been passed down from generations of family whisky makers. Our chairman’s great-grandfather, William Walker, one of the pre-eminent whisky brokers of his era, worked closely with various distilleries on the island, even advocating on behalf of the Islay whisky trade to American businesses on the repeal of US prohibition in 1933.

Walker grew very fond of Islay, where he eventually purchased a home, and played an integral part in developing transport, trade and marketing of the Island’s produce.  His philanthropic nature was deeply appreciated by Islay residents – with the Glasgow Islay Association (of which he was a life member and chairman) noting in 1934 “In the Island itself, he has closely identified himself with every cause worthy of support”.

In 1963 a chance lunchtime encounter at a Glasgow restaurant led to Stanley P Morrison, the son-in-law of William Walker, purchasing Islay’s oldest distillery — Bowmore (established in 1779) — that evening. Morrison Bowmore Distillers was created and emerged as a globally recognised brand of quality Single Malt Scotch

Whisky, producing a characterful spirit with some legendary bottlings. Morrison Bowmore Distillers was acquired by Suntory in 1994.

To find out more about Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers visit www.morrisondistillers.com or for MacTalla visit www.mactallawhisky.com