Well, I think I may have taken this whiskey hobby a little too far. 😂

What started as simply enjoying a really good pour of High West’s A Midwinter Night’s Dram eventually turned into a mission to collect every Act ever released.
After quite a bit of hunting, I finally managed to complete the collection. Acts 1 through 14, the 10th Anniversary Encore, and both Soliloquy releases.

Act 4 is still my favorite. There’s something about that bottle that I absolutely love. The complexity, the balance, and especially that ridiculously long, evolving finish. I’ve had the flavors linger for what feels like 10 minutes after a sip. Act 9 is my second favorite, followed by Act 13.

I’m definitely a rye guy, particularly when there’s a good port or sherry finish involved. I love whiskey that starts smooth, develops layers of flavor, and leaves you discovering something new long after you’ve swallowed.
And while MWND is what really sent me down this rabbit hole, I’ve discovered some incredible bottles along the way. Old Carter Batch 15 Rye, Michter’s 10 Year Rye, Michter’s Toasted Barrel Strength Rye, and Found North Peregrine and Snow Day have all absolutely blown me away.

I know MWND has become a pretty divisive bottle over the years, particularly with the price increases. I understand the frustration, especially considering these bottles used to be around $80. And I certainly wouldn’t argue that every release justifies its current price.
That said, I genuinely enjoy them.

One thing I find particularly interesting about Act 14 is the reported reintroduction of Barton rye into the blend for the first time since Act 6. Whether that signals a return to some of the characteristics people loved about the earlier releases remains to be seen, but I think it’s an interesting development. Personally, I really enjoyed Act 14, even if its finish doesn’t quite have the staying power of Act 4, 9, or 13.

I’ve also been slowly putting together a little whiskey room where I can sit down, relax, and actually enjoy these bottles. Finally got everything arranged the way I wanted, so I figured I’d share a few pictures.
I’m curious how many people here have had the opportunity to try the earlier MWND Acts. I’ve found plenty of opinions about the newer releases, but very few people who have actually compared the entire series.

For those who’ve tried multiple Acts, which one is your favorite? Do you think the older releases really are better, or is some of that nostalgia? And for anyone who’s tried Act 14, did you notice a difference?

Cheers, everyone!

Technically it is the rainbow.
Close enough

I'm usually a Scotch guy, especially when it comes to rich, sherry-matured whiskies. I love those deep, sweet, fruity flavors!

But part of what makes this hobby so amazing is discovering new things. So tomorrow, I'm stepping outside my comfort zone and giving bourbon a proper try for the first time!

No idea if I'll love it, but that's half the fun, isn't it?

Honestly, what an incredible hobby we all share. There's always something new to discover, taste, and learn. Cheers to that! 🥃

Mom and Dad bought their house when they were married in 1964. My grandfather was a bartender and gave them these two boxed bottles as a gift for the bar my Dad built downstairs. The bottles were boxed and never opened. Today, I have them on a display shelf in my dining room, bottles still unopened with the seals intact on the lids.

I got this bottle when I was in Texas for work earlier this year or maybe last year. Highlander Park is the not so secret distillery for anyone wondering.

For whatever reason Highland Park offers way more single cask picks in my home country (USA) for shops over here and we see a lot of them. Some better than others but they’re often reasonably priced and well aged.

This one was picked by Spec’s which is a big box Texas liquor worker chain.

My review is live and first impression/hot take. It’s a fresh crack and I’ve never tried this dram before.

It is non chill filtered with no color added.

ABV: Cask Strength at a whopping 64% ABV.

Cask No: DRU17 A65#20

It’s matured in a refill butt.

Nose: More sherry than I’d expect from a refill. The classic HP heathered pear is there. Beautiful and soft but present. I cannot believe, on the nose, that this is 64% ABV. Pears. A hint of honey.

Palate: Green apple hits me up front with a hint of honey. Again, I would not think 64% ABV. It tastes more like 55%. There are various dark fruits layered in that green apple. A subtle hint of powdered chocolate.

Finish: Ashy peat is apparent here for the first time. I didn’t get the ash on the nose or palate. The alcohol starts to shine through, too. And not in a bad way. This is a nice warm finish. There’s a nice earthiness to it. There’s a bit of alcohol burn too.

8.0/10 maybe? I’m interested to see how high or low this one goes up or down in subsequent ratings. I’d reviewed a bourbon and a rye tonight. So this was pour number 3 and I rarely enjoy 3 pours in one night.

One of the only knob creeks available where im at. is it any good?

Looking forward to getting into 1 or 2 of these tonight

I think it tastes great, even for being "mid". Sure, it's not the best, and it's hard to get...but it goes with everything, on the rocks, and neat. Buffalo Trace works with all of it. Even in stupid stuff like rootbeer, orange carbonated drink, or even something as stupid as chocolate milk. It's truly a one size fits all type of whiskey. Jack of all trades, master of none, but often times better than a master of one.

I started to drink bourbon since last year and only recently I found out that I am living in the worst state to buy whiskey. So far, I have been mostly getting my bottles from Costco, Total wine or Safeway but I cannot never get the ones that are highly praised.

Templeton Distillery has started distilling its own whiskies – this bottle, however, is a sourced MGP 95% rye and 5% malted barley rye aged in Iowa for a minimum of four years in new charred American White Oak barrels. This was my first straight, unfinished rye whisky and it convinced me to continue exploring ryes.

At the time of this revisited tasting, the bottle had been open for 15 months. I used a Denver & Liely Bourbon glass and aerated the rye for 20 minutes in the glass covered with a notecard.

The whisky has medium-long viscosity in the glass and was more viscous than I was expecting for a 90 proofer.

ON THE NOSE: Lemon, mint, fresh pineapple, bubblegum, pine, lemongrass, light vanilla & caramel, light baking spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves), floral notes, & light oak.

ON THE PALATE: Sweet citrus fruits (lemon & pineapple), pine, floral notes, caramel & vanilla, citrus (lemon) zest/peel, black pepper & the baking spices from the nose, dark raw honey, hint of dark cherries & cherry skins, oak, & unsweetened dark chocolate.

This is a very “rye” rye but one with a nice balance of fruity sweetness, spices, floral and herbal notes, and oak/barrel influences that define the sip.

MOUTHFEEL: Medium viscosity that coats the palate

FINISH: 8-10 seconds

Heading down to Charleston, SC for a small vacation in a week. Any recommendations on stores with a good selection ?
Not looking for anything insane but would love to pickup a few nice bottles of bourbon.

As always, I’m doing this review live. I attempt to forget everything that I know (or think I know) about a dram prior to starting a live review on Reddit. That said, this is my favorite wheater so I’m biased.

Specs: This is the 2025 install of the Heaven Hill Heritage Collection.

Mash bill: This one isn’t actually bourbon. It’s American Wheat Whiskey at 51% Wheat / 37% Corn / 12% Malted Barley. So it is high corn and kind of bourbon adjacent, I guess.

ABV: 50%

Age: 19 Years Old

Nose: Soft oak is how I’d initially describe it. Sweet oak. But just a soft feel to the nose. There’s some honey and definitely a big butterscotch scent on the last pass. I often get a more caramel note that I’m not finding on the nose tonight.

Palate: More butterscotch up front. Big time! There’s also caramel layered on. It’s quite creamy. There’s a hint of graham cracker. Like crumbled graham cracker. A bit of baked cinnamon apple type of taste. There’s light pepper flakes, too.

Finish: As much as I love the nose and palate, the finish is the minor flaw. It’s shorter than I’d like but it is pleasant. There’s some more nice oak. I am getting dark chocolate covered cherries. The tannins are a little stronger than I recall. That hint of pepper is back, too.

It’s awfully good. I liked this bottle so much last year that I bought two. I’d been waiting awhile to open the backup and tonight was the night. I decided to pour myself a double. 😂

8.8/10

Found this on a shelf in a drive through bottle shop.Never actually thought I would ever see one let alone have opportunity to buy it $410 aud

For the price it was a decent Whiskey with a great story. Where did it go wrong?

My first bottle of EH Taylor Barrel Proof is home. Idk why I feel so weird about opening it, maybe all the hype…

I feel like I'm treating it like a newborn, lots of staring, no idea what I'm doing, afraid to open it! ha ha

So, two questions for the people who've been down this road already??

Which EH Taylor is actually the best? Small Batch, Single Barrel, Barrel Proof, Straight Rye, Four Grain, Amaranth, Seasoned Wood... etc? Any ranking is appreciated…

Crack it now or let it sit and judge me from the shelf?

Cheers 🥃

I got influence by a bourbon influencer into this one. Pretty good bottle. Main notes I get are citrus, baking spice and a sort of damp earth or damp oak thing that is really unique.

Decided to open this Black Bush bottle, which has been sitting sealed for almost a year, and compare it with the Original. Here are my first impressions:

Colour and age

The Original is way brighter than the Black Bush (which could be due to age and also caramel colouring). I believe the Original is aged for less time than the Black Bush (I've read that the Original is 3–5 years old, while the Black Bush is 7–11 years old).

Bushmills Original

Price: 11~ euro on a sale

Cask influence: Mostly seasoned bourbon casks, with some sherry casks as well.

Nose: Vanilla, cereal sweetness, honey, fresh citrus. A very light but inviting nose.

Palate: Vanilla, light citrus, milk chocolate, quite nutty (pistachio, hazelnut), a strong black peppery note and some graininess.

The texture is quite watery, but that's normal for a whisky bottled at the legal minimum of 40% ABV.

Finish: Short, nutty, with a drying aftertaste.

Bushmills Black Bush

Price: 16~ euro on a sale

Cask influence: Hand-selected Oloroso sherry casks.

Nose: Richer, but still a delicate nose, with figs, cherries and a hint of chocolate.

Palate: Carries the nose over, with sweet red fruits. There's the nuttiness, just like in the Original, and lots of dryness. The peppery note is here as well, and it hides the sherry influence. It's very obvious that the whisky is young and not fully integrated. It's more malty than the Original.

The texture is still a bit watery, but it feels noticeably fuller than the Original. Of course, 40% ABV is too little, and I feel it would benefit from a slight ABV push.

Finish: Medium, with a nice oaky peppery spice, dryness and a pleasant sherried aftertaste.

Overall

I like both the Original and the Black Bush. They're quite different, but if I had to get one, I'd go with the Original.

The Original may be simpler and more vanilla-forward, but it has its place.

It's a great everyday TV dram: inexpensive, nothing off-putting and unbothering. I could drink it all day and not think about it, which is fine for some occasions.

The Black Bush, on the other hand, is good, BUT I personally wouldn't get it as an everyday whisky or drink it as a sipping dram.

I understand that it's probably a good first, affordable introduction to sherried whisky, but it doesn't really do it for me.

My main criticism is that the sherry influence is definitely there, and I can feel it, but it's very muffled, and I really wish it were more upfront.

I finally nabbed one of these this past weekend and it is everything I expected and read about.

Finishing our Japan trip in Morimoto and then exiting through Tokyo at the Haneda airport. We’ll have all of 10 hours in Tokyo and be on a tight todo list. Looking for suggestions on liquor stores on the western side of the city. I want the best options for Japanese whiskey. Thoughts? i cant be taking the train 45min one way to the other side of the city. Thanks.

Penelope Rio (Spec's Pick): A much higher proof than the usual Rio, this should be a fun dessert pour...

Nashville Barrel Company Canadian Whiskey Single Barrel (T8ke Pick): 35 years old & bottled at 156.48 Proof. Fuck a duck, that's going to be an interesting bottle...

Copper & Cask Private Batch (SP09 Spec's Pick): I've been keeping a close eye for this one since I saw the TTB filing and for good reason, a very small (10 barrel) blend of 11 year old MGP priced at $65? Yes please...

Stagg 26C: We got a massive wave of these down here in Houston for $67 plus taxes, more than enough to go around apparently. That's an easy yes at MSRP...