Tasting Notes

Some bottles get your attention before the cork ever comes out. Pendleton 1910 Bourbon is one of those bottles. The packaging is sharp, the Western character is strong, and the story has just enough intrigue to make you want to spend some time with it. A 10-year age statement. A 90-proof straight American bourbon. A Hood River, Oregon connection. Glacier-fed spring water from Mt. Hood. Indiana distillate. A beautiful bottle that looks great sitting on the bar. On paper, there is a lot here to like. See how we ultimately scored it by reading the full article.

A High-Proof Rye That Does Not Come Out Swinging. Some ryes announce themselves with a sharp elbow. This one takes a different route. That description sounds like it could go one of two ways. It could become an aggressive rye spice bomb. Or it could become overly sweet and lose the rye character altogether. See where this one took us by reading the entire article.

Big Proof, Young Whiskey, and a Pour That Needs More Time. Some bourbons are young and exciting. Some are young and promising. And some are young in a way you can smell before you even take the first sip. Where does Boone’s “Homegrown” Bourbon fall…read further to find out.

Some bourbons play it safe. This is not one of them. The Big Winston bourbon line from Broad Branch, and this particular bottle finished in cider barrels is exactly the kind of pour that makes you slow down and pay attention. Not because it is perfectly polished. Because it is different.

This was our first pour from Augusta Distillery, and it definitely got our attention.

Some bottles win you over with complexity. Some do it with balance. And some make their point before you ever take a sip. This one did exactly that. The color is deep, rich, and inviting, the kind of appearance that immediately tells you this bourbon means business. Frankly, it looks like what you want a quality bourbon to look like in the glass.

Ironclad Distillery Co. — Newport News, Virginia. Let’s start here. This is not your typical bourbon. And that’s exactly why it works. Sword & Sash is a collaboration tied to The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, which adds a meaningful personal connection for us. But this review isn’t about the story on the label. It’s about what’s in the glass. And what’s in the glass is… different.

Copper & Kings absolutely nailed the landing with the American apple brandy cask finish. It comes across sweet and crisp, bright, clean, and never overpowering. No candy coating. No artificial “dessert bourbon” energy. Just a smart, well-placed accent that lifts the whole pour.

Officially, 1792 Bottled in Bond is a limited-edition 100-proof release. The 1792 brand itself leans into spice, charred oak, mint, caramel apple, coffee, and black pepper. Other published reviews often describe Bottled in Bond as spicier and oakier than the 1792 Sweet Wheat, which tends to come across sweeter, lighter, and thinner on the palate. See how we scored it in the full article.

Let’s make this simple: if you love Heaven Hill, this bottle is going to make you smile.