I JUST picked up JMCB this week. It was just sitting on the shelf, all alone, batch 195. I had to take it home. It just got put out a couple hours prior 😆. Definitely one of my top pours of the year along with Disco 12, C923 and the new shelf Jack releases. Man this is an expensive hobby but I love it. EXCELLENT choices in your top 8 this year!
Great list! I was debating throwing stagg 22b into my end of the year blind best of 2023, but hesitant because its technically a a 2022 release even though I got it in 2023. Cheers, and keep up the great works
I actually just cracked open my Disco Batch 8. It's everything I was told it would be. Fantastic pour. I have a bottle of the Bookers 23-04 I've yet to open but now I'm looking forward to it even more. Got it the same day I was able to score a bottle of the Michter's 10 year bourbon.
I’ll admit, i was surprised the Bardstown origin series was an honorable mention and not higher. The wheated bourbon from them has certainly been my favorite for the year just behind their discovery series 11.
Solid list! I happen to live in Kentucky, so let me know if you’re looking for anything specific and there’s a decent chance I might be able to get it for you.
Really impressed with the Bardstown Origin (white label). I’ve been keeping my eye out for the black label too. I’d happily spend the money on the Discovery series just to try it out.
Did you sit down and rank these looking back, or was this a comparison of the rankings you gave when you sipped them? Interesting to see how a look back compares to throughout the year scoring. If you have it accessible, do you have your scored rankings to post? My "Whiskey of the Year" as far as a new expression goes is the Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof Rye. Of course, I don't know how many 'new' whiskies I've tried this year, but it's a heck of a product to compete in the $65 range, and around here it's starting to be findable. Booker's -04 Storyteller was my favorite out of the lineup this year as well. Charlie's was my #2 though, and might fine #03. Those were pretty close together though, with Apprentice kind of being a very distance 4th. I have a store pick Rare Character Amburana this is MGP 95/5 rye 7y base with the amburana finish, and I think I like it's balance more than the Starlight, which is high praise. Guess you'll have to get a sample! Here's to a great year of whiskey, and to a better one next year! cheers!
The only amburana finished I've tried is the ASW bottle. It's ok but not great. I wanna love it because I want that cinnamon toast crunch/cinnamon roll flavor I keep hearing about. Do other bottles have a better flavor than ASW?
I picked up a Rare Character SP Amburana finished and I absolutely tasted a pear, apple, and cinnamon pie. It is a single barrel so they will vary but this was my first amburana finish and it is great. I've not tasted anything with that flavor profile before.
It's ok that hillrock wasn't in your top 8, but I know it's top 10! Hahahaha. Good list! My top 3- Hillrock Single Malt Dove Tail, rum cask Black Button Distilling, Pre Prohibition (Number 5 on the Flaviar 2023 Advent Calendar) I honestly think Black Button is taking that number 2 spot though!
My TOP 3 bottles of 2023 would be: 3) RD One’s Amburana Finished 2) Augusta Distillery’s Buckner 13 1) Thomas H Handy 2021 Release. Also I’m definitely responsible for some of those crotch shots in the truck. My bad 😂🤣
