Coppercraft 9 Year Old Straight Bourbon

I’d like to thanks CraftCo and their PR team for sending me this sample with no strings attached.

IMAGE: A bottle of Coppercraft Distillery 9-Year Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 90.6 proof, from Holland, Michigan, sitting on a wooden railing with a blurred green yard and trees in the background.

When I first published a review of Coppercraft Bourbon back in May of ’24, most of the comments I received told me that if I ever got the chance to grab one of their 9-year-old single barrels, I should do it. Well, I never did see one of those, but I recently was offered a sample of their new 9-Year-Old Small Batch Bourbon, which I happily accepted.

Coppercraft Distillery is a craft distillery in Holland, Michigan, a small city on the shores of Lake Michigan. It was founded in 2012 and is slated to reopen in August of 2025. It produces gin, vodka, applejack, rum, canned cocktails, a partially sourced rye, and sourced bourbons. Coppercraft is part of the CraftCo portfolio, which also includes Fox & Oden (reviewed here back in October of last year). CraftCo, in turn, is owned by the DeVos-backed Windquest Group based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. According to an email from their PR team, this bourbon is “Distilled in Indiana,” much like its portfolio mates. The company doesn’t provide much more information than that. However, I don’t know about you, but for me, “Distilled in Indiana” on an unknown bourbon is a plus. If it’s coming from MGP, it will probably fall somewhere between pretty darn good and great.

So what makes this different than any other bourbon sourced from Indiana? To find out, I asked their PR team about the “brandy-inspired” slow proofing of the barrels. They explained that it takes a few weeks to bring the whiskey down to proof, and they do this in the barrel by adding what is known in the cognac world as “petites eaux.” Not knowing what that was (I’m not the Cognac Guy, after all), I did some digging online and found what I believe to be a great definition.

“For an added layer of intrigue, there is something unique that can be used in place of or in combination with water called petites eaux. Petites eaux (“little water” in French) is water that has been placed to “age” in an empty, used Cognac barrel. The water will slowly pull any remaining alcohol out of the barrel staves. According to Nicholas Faith’s book ‘Cognac: The Story of the World’s Greatest Brandy,’ this water solution can get up to around 20% ABV after several months, which shows how much alcohol can potentially still be left inside the barrel staves. Petites eaux is used as a slower method of lowing the proof and, in a way, adding different aromas or flavors.” — CognacReverie.com, accessed July 23, 2025

So basically, it’s adding water to a barrel that previously held bourbon and using it to pull out more whiskey trapped in the wood. Essentially, they’re proofing it down with something akin to an extremely low-proof bourbon. Jim Beam uses a similar process for Devil’s Cut, which, in my opinion, is an improvement over standard Jim Beam White (or at least it was the last time I had either, which was a few years ago).

So, let’s see how it tastes, shall we?

Coppercraft 9 Year Old Straight Bourbon

Purchase Info: This bottle was sent to me by the producer, at no charge, for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $37.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $2.53

Details: 45.3% ABV. 9 years old. Distilled in Indiana (from PR email, not on bottle).

Nose: Nutty, vanilla, almond, green apple, baking spice, and a hint of wintergreen.

Mouth: Mint, green apple, caramel, cinnamon, and almond.

Finish: Medium in length and warmth. Lingering notes of wintergreen, vanilla, green apple, and almond.

IMAGE: A hand-drawn smiley face which denotes that I like the product.

Thoughts: Total mint bomb—but not in a bad way. If you’re sensitive to mint notes, skip it. However, if you don’t mind mint, this is quite tasty. You might notice that there is one thing I didn’t call out above that I thought I’d notice in there. And that is oak. At nine years old, I expected more of it, but nine years—while a decent length of time to age—isn’t twelve or fifteen, where oak tends to dominate. Overall, I like it. I especially appreciate seeing an age-stated bourbon for under $40.

If you want to support our work at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.

Woodinville Whiskey: Tequila Barrel Finished Bourbon

This sample was provided by the producer with no strings attached.

IMAGE: Bottle of Woodinville Special Limited Release bourbon finished in tequila barrels, labeled 100 proof, sitting on a wooden deck with a green backyard in the background.

I am an outlier in my family. I do not like tequila. At all. Not in a margarita, not in a cocktail, not in a glass on its own. I’ve tried expensive tequilas and inexpensive ones. It just doesn’t mesh with my palate. So when a bottle of Woodinville Bourbon that had been finished in tequila barrels landed on my doorstep, I was a little concerned about how this review would go. But I persevered and did the tasting anyway. I mean, there’s no way it would be as bad as some of the TerrePure bourbons I used to occasionally review. And I went into this review with an open mind, even though I’ve been known to describe a margarita as “lovely sweetened lime juice ruined by tequila.”

So, what is this bourbon? And where can a person get their hands on a bottle if they adore both tequila and bourbon? Well, I’m going to let the producer tell you a little story about that. They went through all the trouble to write a wonderfully transparent story. It would be a shame to let it go to waste.

“Tequila and Bourbon, together— a pairing Woodinville co-founder and head distiller Brett Carlile could not wrap his mind around. “It’s something I always wanted to try but was afraid to take a stab at. Eventually, curiosity got the best of me. So, I went for it and was blown away by how well Tequila and Bourbon play together,” says Carlile.

 Brett’s experimentation landed on what he and Orlin see as a real winner: Tequila Finish Woodinville Flagship Bourbon. It’s a Bourbon that’s made quite the trek. It started with grains grown in Quincy, WA where the Omlin family has farmed for four generations. Then those grains headed across the Cascade mountains to our distillery in Woodinville, WA, to be distilled in this Western Washington town where nearby wineries and breweries send their wild yeasts into the air— lending a distinct terroir to the whiskey.  That new-make whiskey heads back across the mountain pass, again, where it’s placed in new American Oak barrels built from wood that seasoned in the elements for 18-24 months. 

 Brett tasted that Bourbon, and once it reached nearly 6 years, he deemed it ready for a fun project in the top-secret Warehouse 1. (It’s an original barrelhouse on the farm that’s home to numerous experiments.) Brett sourced some Extra Anejo Tequila barrels, and the team filled those emptied barrels with Woodinville Bourbon. And there it sat. Orlin and Brett revisited it, during the sweltering summers and frigid winters of Central Washington. And, a few months back, they tasted it and knew it was ready to release.”

According to the press release, 2,000 bottles were produced. 500 of them will be available at the distillery on May 3rd starting at 10 a.m. On May 5th, the rest will become available on their website, woodinvillewhiskeyco.com. The price will be $69.99 per 750 mL bottle.

Let’s see how it tastes, shall we?

Woodinville Whiskey: Tequila Barrel Finished Bourbon

Purchase Info: This bottle was provided by the producer for review purposes at no charge. The suggested retail price is $69.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.67

Details: 50% ABV. Aged for over 5 years.

Nose: Green apple, brown sugar, and woodsy notes.

Mouth: Dry and oaky—trending toward, but not reaching, astringency. Notes of agave syrup, baking spice, brown sugar, and vanilla.

Finish: Warm and on the shorter side of medium length. This is where the tequila influence appears strongest to me—notes of agave and cinnamon.

Thoughts: As mentioned above, I've been known to describe a margarita as “lovely sweetened lime juice ruined by tequila.” I do not care for tequila. So I am turning this over to my usually silent, tequila-loving tasting partner and wife so this one gets a fair shake.

IMAGE: A hand-drawn smiley face denotes a “like” rating. In this case it is because of how much my wife liked it.

"I like this. What stands out to me is how well the flavors produced by the yeast that Woodinville uses play with the tequila. I like the woodsy notes on the nose—kind of a cedar, oak, underbrush sort of smell. On the mouth, I like how the bourbon adds richness and baking spice to the product, flavors that tequila typically lacks. If I'm nitpicking, I could wish it was sweeter—not a huge fan of the dryness—but I can get past that. I like it, but am not sure I'd reach for it if I was looking for bourbon. But when I can't decide if I want bourbon or tequila, this will work well."

If you want to support our work at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.

High West Bourye 2025

I’d like to thank High West Distillery and their partners at Lippe Taylor for sending this sample with no strings attached.

IMAGE: Bottle of High West Bourye whiskey on a wooden deck, featuring a jackalope on the label, with a backyard scene and bare trees in the background.

Hello friends! I hope everyone is having an amazing day today. I’ve been hobbling around on an injured foot after my deck bit me last night. I ended up with a five-inch-long sliver of wood stabbed about an inch into the ball of my foot. I was able to get it out just fine—just a little self-surgery with a sterilized X-Acto blade. It ended up looking like a cut. Not too bad... if it were anywhere but exactly where all my weight lands with every step. But hey! That just means I’m done with yard work for a little while. Not going to complain about that.

Especially when there’s whiskey in my glass.

Tonight’s whiskey is one from High West Distillery out of Park City, Utah. I’ve met some of the folks there a few times and always walk away impressed with their operation. In fact, what I love most about them is their willingness to let the consumer know exactly where the whiskey comes from—even if it wasn’t originally distilled by them.

For example, if you take a look at the press release for this particular bottle of Bourye (a blend of bourbon and rye whiskey), you’ll see the following:

Mashbill:
• Straight Rye Whiskey: 95% rye, 5% barley malt from MGP; 80% rye, 20% malted rye from HWD
• Straight Bourbon Whiskey: 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% barley malt from MGP; 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley from MGP; 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley from KY

That’s pretty cool for a whiskey nerd like me. Plus, this particular release is over 10 years old. So, double-digit age and transparency? Yes, please.

The only thing I don’t love is the price. Trying to sell a $125 bottle of whiskey when folks are trying to figure out how to buy their groceries is... certainly a choice. But I wouldn’t doubt that their suppliers charged them an arm and a leg as well. And as a guy who sells things I make to people (see below), I get needing to make money on the things you’ve made.

One thing I did find odd: they specifically called out that this doesn’t do well with ice. And as someone who usually likes his whiskey with a small piece of ice, I can confirm—it doesn’t really take water well. Of course, at only 92 proof, it doesn’t really need it either.

So let’s dig in before I give everything away.

High West Bourye 2025

Purchase Info: This bottle was sent at no charge for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $124.99 per bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $8.33

Details: 10 years old. 46% ABV. Mashbill: A blend of whiskeys that include: Straight Rye Whiskey from MGP (95% rye, 5% barley malt), Straight Rye Whiskey from High West (80% rye, 20% malted rye), Straight Bourbon Whiskey from MGP (75% corn, 21% rye, 4% barley malt and 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley), and Straight Bourbon Whiskey from and unnamed Kentucky Distillery (78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley).

Nose: Ripe banana and red fruits, sweet vanilla-caramel, and dusty oak.

Mouth: Caramel, vanilla, red fruit, black tea, ginger, and oak.

Finish: Medium in length and warmth. Lingering notes of floral vanilla, black tea, barrel char, and ginger.

IMAGE: This is a hand-drawn smiley face. It denotes that I like the whiskey.

Thoughts: This is a good whiskey. I’m really enjoying it. There’s very little chance I’ll be purchasing it—not at that price, and not in this economy. But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a good product. I dig the spicy and oak notes. I just wish it had a bit more proof. The mouthfeel is a little thinner than I’d like for something that runs over $8 a pour. Overall, I like the whiskey—it’s just that I’d like it a lot more at about half to two-thirds of the price.

If you want to support our work at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.

Heritage Distilling Co. Service to America Salute™ Whiskey - War Dogs & Battle of Iwo Jima

I’d like to thank Heritage Distilling Company for providing these samples with no strings attached.

IMAGE: Two bottles of Heritage Distilling Co.'s "Service to America Salute" bourbon, featuring Battle of Iwo Jima and War Dogs editions, displayed on a wooden railing outdoors.

Sorry about missing last week. I was having a mental health crisis brought on by homophobic comments left on the site. I don’t allow them to be posted, but I still have to see them. And mean comments are never fun—especially for someone who struggles with mental health on a good day. Even more so these days, when everyone seems angry and determined to “win” every conversation. Just remember, there’s a real person on the other side of the screen. Be kind.

Anyway, you’re not here for a lecture—you’re here to read about bourbon. So let’s get to it.

Tonight’s bourbons come from Heritage Distilling Co. out of Gig Harbor, Washington. They’re veteran co-founded and have built a solid reputation in the craft spirits world, racking up awards for ten straight years from the American Distilling Institute. As one of the biggest craft distilleries on the West Coast, they continue expanding through traditional sales channels and the Tribal Beverage Network—an interesting partnership with Native American tribes to create branded distilleries and tasting rooms. It’s a unique approach that not only grows their business but also supports tribal communities in the process.

These bourbons are part of Heritage Distilling Co.'s Service to America Salute™ line, which pays tribute to those who serve. Each edition honors a different community and raises funds for related charities.

Let’s dig in and see how they taste, shall we?

Heritage Distilling Co. Service to America Salute™ Whiskey - War Dogs

Purchase Info: This bottle was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $95 for a 750 mL bottle. As of writing, it’s available for purchase on the HDC website.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $6.33

Details: 49.3% ABV. Mashbill: 78% Corn, 12% Rye, 10% Barley. 5 years old. Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

Nose: Brown sugar, almond, cinnamon, and fresh mint.

Mouth: Cinnamon, oak, almond and mint.

Finish: Warm, sweet, and medium in length, with notes of almond/cherry, mint, and cinnamon.

IMAGE: hand drawn smiley face. It means I like it.

Thoughts: This is pretty tasty. It's just a good, solid bourbon. Sweet on the finish. Warm in the mouth. I like it.

Heritage Distilling Co. Service to America Salute™ Whiskey - Battle of Iwo Jima 80th Anniversary

Purchase Info: This bottle was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $95 for a 750 mL bottle. As of writing, it’s currently sold out on the HDC website, but you can sign up to be notified when available.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $6.33

Details: 52.5% ABV. Distilled by Heritage Distilling Co.

Nose: Black tea, cinnamon, and citrus.

Mouth: Cinnamon red hots, nougat, and a touch of chocolate.

Finish: Warm and on the longer side of medium. Lingering notes of cinnamon and black tea.

IMAGE: a hand drawn face with a neutral expression. It means it is a perfectly fine whiskey, just not to my tastes.

Thoughts: Very warm—think Cinnamon Red Hots or Atomic Fireball candies. Lots of cinnamon. The note I’m describing as black tea on the nose and finish is the same as the one I call nougat in the mouth. It just presents differently in different areas. Since I’m not a fan of black tea, this gets a neutral rating. And as we all know, a neutral rating doesn’t mean anything is wrong with it—it just isn’t meshing with my palate. A lot of folks will like this one, though. It’s rich and sweet.

If you want to support our work at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.

Woodinville Bourbon, Port Finish

I’d like to thank Woodinville Whiskey Company for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

IMAGE: A bottle of Woodinville Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Casks, featuring a detailed label with rustic imagery, set on a wooden railing with a blurred backyard view.

Hi everybody! (Every time I think of those words, I think of Dr. Nick from The Simpsons. “Well, if it isn't my old friend Mr. McGreg, with a leg for an arm and an arm for a leg!” Man, I’m sidetracked already, and I haven’t even really started yet.)

Recently, Woodinville Whiskey made a lot of their products available for purchase on their website, WoodinvilleWhiskeyCo.com. In honor of this news—and let’s be honest, to help get the word out—they sent me a bottle of their Port Finish bourbon. Since this is one of their products I’ve never tasted before, I thought it would be a good use of all of our time to give it a proper review. Especially since you don’t have to go online to buy it—it’s also nationally available at retail.

So, what is it? Well, as the name says, it’s Woodinville bourbon that has been finished in Port casks. Originally launched as a special release in 2017, it was so well received that it became the third full-time member of their lineup. Now, if you’re like me, you want more details than that. Well, never fear—the company is ready to tell us. This bourbon starts with a mash bill of 72% corn, 22% rye, and 7% malted barley. It then spends at least four years in barrels sourced from Independent Stave before spending another six months or so in Port casks, specifically Port casks sourced from Portugal’s Douro Valley.

But enough with all of that—let’s get to the important part. How does it taste?

Woodinville Whiskey Company Bourbon, Port Finish

Purchase Info: This bottle was sent to me at no charge for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $44.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $3.00

Details: 45% ABV. Mash bill: 72% corn, 22% rye, and 7% malted barley. Finished for 6 months in Port casks.

Nose: Caramel, vanilla, red fruit, and fresh-cut oak.

Mouth: Brown sugar, red fruits, nutmeg, clove, and oak.

Finish: Warm and on the longer side of medium length. Notes of brown sugar, red fruit, chewable vitamins, nutmeg, clove, and oak.

IMAGE: I like this whiskey so I gave it a like rating. Those are represented by this hand-drawn smiley face.

Thoughts: This is a very good whiskey. I really like the fruit notes that I assume the Port finish is bringing. The oak notes are more like fresh-cut oak than aged and dried oak. The nutmeg and clove are lovely on the mouth and finish. In fact, the complex finish is the best part of this. I'm really enjoying it.

If you want to support our work at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.

Townie Regular Bourbon, Townie Fine Rye, & Townie First Class Bourbon

I’d like to thank the folks at Bluebird Distilling and their PR partner for sending these samples with no strings attached.

IMAGE: Three bottles of Townie Whiskey on a wooden surface outdoors: Regular Bourbon (84 proof), Fine Rye Whiskey (86 proof), and First Class Bourbon (100 proof).

It has been a rough week since we last spoke. My wife’s grandmother passed at the age of 99, and one of my dogs may or may not have had a stroke. I’m pretty sure those two things are unrelated, as they never met each other. But there has been a lot of stress in the household as we worked through grief on two fronts.

The good news is that my pup seems to be getting better, even if she does currently need to be hand-fed like a baby. But the vet thinks it should be a temporary thing, so I’m willing to do whatever it takes to keep my pup living a good life, even if that good life now seems like it will be shorter than it did at this time last week. So since I am not in a great headspace at the moment and because we have a lot to cover, let’s jump straight into the whiskeys, shall we?

Townie Whiskey is a brand of “procured” whiskey put out by Bluebird Distilling in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. The line is not distilled in-house—at least not entirely—but are instead a line of less expensive offerings that are intended to be…they don’t explicitly say “well bourbon,” but that’s the vibe I’m getting from their marketing. Here is what the brand has to say for themselves:

The brainchild of Jared Adkins, founder and owner of Bluebird Distilling, Townie Whiskey is an approachable and economic counterpart to his scratch-made craft spirits. An unpretentious whiskey line made to be enjoyed straight up or paired with a light beer in a boiler maker. Adkins and his distillers hand selected barrels and blended each expression (with their own scratch-made juice) in order to deliver a high quality yet affordable product.

So, now onto the important part, how do they taste?

Townie Regular Bourbon

Purchase Info: This was sent by the producer for review purposes at no charge. The suggested retail price is $34.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $2.33

Details: 42% ABV.

Nose: Green apple, dried grain, and fresh cut hay.

Mouth: Baking spice, apple and dried grain.

Finish: Medium in length and warmth. Lingering notes of green apple and fresh cut hay.

IMAGE: A neutral face because this isn't bad, but it isn't for me.

Thoughts: Not a fan of this one when poured neat. That said it does ok in a highball or an Old-fashioned. It's a little more expensive than I'd want my cocktail-only pour to be (almost 1.5 bottles of Wild Turkey 101) but pricing tolerance is a personal issue. I'm giving this one a neutral rating. It's not for me, but it isn't like there is anything objectively wrong with it.

Townie Fine Rye

Purchase Info: This was sent by the producer for review purposes at no charge. The suggested retail price is $34.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $2.33

Details: 43% ABV.

Nose: Cedar, wintergreen, and cinnamon

Mouth: Cedar, molasses, caramel, and a subdued cinnamon spice.

Finish: Bright and of medium length- Notes of cedar, molasses, cinnamon, and caramel.

IMAGE: A neutral face. This one isn't for me, but others may like it.

Thoughts: Neutral on this one too. I think the lack of proof on this dilutes it a little too much. It doesn't have the spicy burn I expect from a rye. This is not to say that it is bad; it is just that it isn't for me.

Townie First Class Bourbon

Purchase Info: This was sent by the producer for review purposes at no charge. The suggested retail price is $39.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $2.67

Details: 50% ABV.

Nose: Caramel, baking spice, and dried grain.

Mouth: Caramel, vanilla, baking spice, and green apple.

Finish: Medium in length and warmth. Lingering notes of floral vanilla, green apple, baking spice, and dried corn.

IMAGE: This is a smiley face. Because I like it.

Thoughts: This is much better than the 84° proof version of their bourbon. The online description says it is made from their favorite barrels. Which makes sense based on the increase in quality. I do think the added proof helps too. It has a nice burn throughout the tasting process. Just a touch more green apple and corn than I'd like on the finish, but this isn't bad. Much like all of these, I will probably set it aside for cocktail use, but this one especially would also be ok if it were just poured neat and served to me that way.

If you enjoy BourbonGuy.com, consider supporting us! Make a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. You can also shop our custom merch—tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more—at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER for 5% off orders of $50 or more!

Blind Barrels Craft Whiskey Subscription Box

I’d like to thank Blind Barrels for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

Tonight’s bonus review isn’t about a whiskey, per se, but rather a whiskey subscription box experience. Blind Barrels reached out and asked if I’d be interested in taking a look at their offering. Since this doesn’t easily translate to just words on a page, I decided to have some fun and make a video about it. For those who’d rather read than watch, here are the key points.

Blind Barrels Subscription Box

Purchase Info: I received this sample box from the producer at no cost for review purposes. Individual boxes and quarterly subscriptions are priced at $69.99 each, plus shipping. An annual subscription for four boxes is also available for $199.99.

Details: This subscription showcases craft whiskey and includes four blind 50 mL samples per box. More information is available at BlindBarrels.com.

Thoughts: I go much more in-depth on my thoughts in the video above, but here’s the bottom line. As someone who’s practically drowning in whiskey bottles (not a bad problem to have, right?), this isn’t something I’d personally buy for myself. If you’re a whiskey veteran with shelves that look like a distillery showroom, you might feel the same. But if you’re in that phase where you’re still itching to try all the whiskey—where every bottle you haven’t tasted feels like an unsolved mystery—this could be right up your alley.

Blind Barrels sends you four surprise samples of craft whiskey every quarter, wrapped in a little mystery and a whole lot of fun. You need to click a QR code just to find out what you are tasting. Back when I was a wide-eyed enthusiast chasing every new release and suffering from serious FOMO, this would’ve been exactly what I’d have wanted. And let’s be honest, we all go through that phase in our whiskey journey—where discovering new, obscure whiskeys is like unearthing hidden treasure.

If that’s where you are, this box adds a touch of adventure to your sipping routine. Or if you have a whiskey lover in your life who’s already hard to shop for, this might just win you gift-giver of the year. Hell, even now, I’d love to get one. Because let’s face it, blind tastings are a fun little game where everyone wins. And this one? Definitely no exception.

If you want to support our work at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.