THE BOURBON RESOURCE: APRIL 2025
More bourbon cuts, ranking the Lux Co bourbons, World Whiskies Awards
The Bourbon Resource: APRIL 2025
FIRST, ANOTHER THANK YOU
The Bourbon Resource continues to grow, and that’s all because of you. Between social media and monthly newsletter reads, we’re approaching an audience of 2,000 reads per month. If our newsletter views hold, we’ll exceed the 2024 numbers by May of this year. This audience keeps me going, and I appreciate every one of you. Thank you.
THE BIG BOURBON RESOURCE NEWS
Green River Distillers in Owensboro, Kentucky, is the latest bourbon business to cut staff due to the industry slowdown. The company said 26 positions have been eliminated effective this month. Less than three years ago, Bardstown Bourbon Co. purchased Green River and planned to grow its distribution from four states to 45 by the end of 2025. There’s no word on how the job cuts might impact plans. Green River joins several other distilleries that have announced cutbacks as the bourbon industry, once hot as lava, cools.
THE BIG BOURBON RESOURCE NEWS PART II
Wild Turkey 101, 8-year bourbon, will be released this month, and it will become a permanent offering in the United States, the company announced in a press release. Until now, the 8-year, crafted in small batches, was available only as an export (wonder if tariffs had anything to do with this?) Now, the 8-year will be on shelves alongside the standard 101, a blend of six to eight years. Wild Turkey says there’s a demand for the 8-year expression, but will the demand be there at twice the price? WT 101 ($24 MSRP) is nearly half that of the 8-year ($45). If I can find a bottle in time for what promises to be a jammed May newsletter, I’ll review.
OTHER BOURBON RESOURCE NEWS
Maker’s Mark has released its wood finishing series, Bourbon Keepers bottling. These whiskeys undergo a wood stave finishing technique meant to enhance flavors. I have not tried the most recent release, but I’ve found previous batches have the typical Maker’s sweet notes with a bit of added oak. $70 MSRP
Michter’s newest 10-year release will hit shelves this month. It’s one of those bottles that, to me anyway, has never been worth the price. I find it thin with little distinct flavor (some leather and oak). You can find far better products for less than the 10-year $185 MSRP.
King Bourbon has published its first-anniversary issue of the Bourbon Zine, which explores the history and culture of bourbon. In this edition, publisher Steve Gentry looks at the bourbon media landscape (and gives a shout-out to the Bourbon Resource), the history of the polarizing Jepson’s Malort, and more. The quarterly publication is always an enjoyable read, and it’s available for purchase online.
Tickets go on sale for the 2025 Kentucky Bourbon Festival on April 16 for bourbon insiders and the following day for everyone else. Tickets for the event, to be held September 5-7, range from $105 for a one-day Sunday pass to $6,995 for a VIP premium ticket package, which is impressive, but for a certain income segment among us.
Penelope Bourbon has launched its first-ever bottled cocktail: the Penelope Peach Old Fashioned. Diving into the ready-to-pour market makes sense since the company is (obviously) banking on replicating the success it's had in the finished arena. The Peach Old Fashioned, an 80-proof product, retails at $29.99
WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS FOR 2025 ANNOUNCED
I find these lists interesting because the “winners” tend to be varied from publication to publication, which makes sense. Everyone has a preference for a different flavor profile. (I’m waiting for someone to create the Bourbon Heat contest that features only bourbons at 125 proof and above. Sign me up to judge!!)
The awards have several categories that honor the best public relations team, world whiskey brand ambassador, and more. But the whiskies take center stage.
Winners included:
Old Fitzgerald 2024 VVS ($230 MSRP) won World’s Best Bourbon. I have a little left in my bottle, and it’s not because I like it; I give it to friends who want something they normally can’t get. It’s good, but the world’s best?
Blanton’s won the best single-barrel bourbon. Lots of people swear by Blanton’s. I have multiples of every bottle and pour it off because I find it weak and overrated.
There are a lot of flavored whiskeys on the market, and the judges named Cocoa Bomb, Chocolate, as the best of the bunch. I’ve never heard of this, let alone tried it, but the name alone has me intrigued. The Heritage Distilling Company, which makes the 75-proof product, said in a press release: “Flavor notes include a burst of semi-sweet dark cocoa, cocoa nibs and a rich chocolate nose with a smooth signature whiskey finish.” I could be good over ice cream (???) $40 MSRP.
THE BOURBON RESOURCE RANKS LUX ROW BOURBONS
Lux Row has a little for everyone. You can find a terrific and inexpensive bottle of bourbon, and you can also go all high-end for a pour that impresses. Lux Row’s wide range of price points makes its products an attractive buy. Here are The Bourbon Resource’s five favorites.
Lux Row 12-year double barrel: MSRP: $200
That’s a lot of money for a bottle, but it’s good; no, fantastic. Here’s what I’ve written in the past:
This deep and rich bourbon reminds me of the amber-colored sherry I picked up at the Torres winery in Spain. The Lix Row is surprisingly light and sweet for a high-proof bourbon (I drank it neat), with orange peel up front and then some dark fruit flavors (cherry, blackberries) coming through the standard vanilla and caramel you’ll find in most good bourbons.
This is one of the few bourbons worth a price that starts with a “two.” This is one, and it’s the best Lux Row product there is.
Blood Oath Pact 10: $130
The Blood Oath Pact 11 has been slowly making its way to market. I haven’t had this one yet, but I have had the Pact 10. As I noted in a review last year, the Blood Oath Pact 10 had more flavor (anise, floral notes) and a better finish (dark berries, vanilla) than the other releases, which made it the best yet. We’ll see how the latest release compares, but so far, Pact 10 wins.
Old Ezra 7: $70
It used to be hard to find OE7 on any shelf —- and then the bourbon downturn hit. Now, it’s everywhere, and that a good thing. At 117 proof, it’s a bigger bourbon full of flavors that coat your mouth and provide a long, lingering cherry finish. It’s a perfect sipping bourbon and one that more people will now get a chance to try. If you’ve never tried it, find a taste. You’ll be glad you did.
Rebel 10: $100
If there’s one bourbon I wish I could easily find, it’s this one. It’s everything I want in a bourbon. Its dark amber color, berries on the nose, cherry, a little orange, and maple, and a long, thick finish, always has me reaching for more. Please, Lux Row produce more of this, or at least, make it available in the private pick program.
TIE: Ezra Brooks 99 ($25) and David Nicholson Reserve ($32)
Yes, a tie is a bit of a copout, but it’s hard to decide between these two. The EB99 is among the best bourbons at its $25 price point. Its spice, heat, and depth are better than several products that cost twice as much, and it drinks easily and smoothly. It’s often relegated to the bottom shelf, and that’s a shame. It drinks far better.
It’s hard to find the Nicholson Reserve; I know of one store in my area that carries it (infrequently). It’s a nutty and caramel bourbon with no burn, a surprise since this clocks in at 100 proof. It’s another easy sipper at a reasonable price point. I wish Lux Row would make this easier to find.
THE BOURBON RESOURCE REVIEW
The Representative Barrel Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Proof: 116, but can vary
MSRP: $50
The Representative Barrel Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey
A solid, higher proof option at a reasonable price point
History
The Representative is a sourced product from Indiana* (that usually means MGP) aged and bottled by Proof and Wood in New Canaan, CT. It’s a blend of about 20 barrels.
The Representative Barrel Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Mash bill:
75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malt
Let’s taste it:
🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn glass
👉🏻Nose: Vanilla, light fruit with predominant orange, charred oak, pepper
👉🏻Taste: Orange, allspice, hint of caramel, vanilla
👉🏻Finish: Pepper, vanilla, oak, sweet vanilla
The Representative Barrel Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Summary
The Representative doesn’t look that impressive coming out of the bottle and into the glass since it’s light in color and appears thin. But looks can be deceiving. This bourbon’s solid all the way around. The long finish is the real winner, with the pepper hitting hard first, followed by the other flavors. This is an excellent sipping bourbon taken neat (though I won’t hate if you use water or ice).
Conclusion – The Representative Barrel Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey
A $50 barrel proof with good flavor is becoming as rare as a pure blue diamond. The Representative Barrel Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey shows that you can produce an excellent product at a reasonable price point. I have a half-bottle left and have asked some friends to mule some for me. I don’t want to be left without.
Have you tried the Representative Barrel Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey? What do you think?
That’s it for this month! I hope you enjoyed The Bourbon Resource. Please visit our friends at Bourbon Obsessed, the best source of distillery reviews around.
Ray Marcano writes and publishes the Bourbon Resource monthly, and he’s president of the 32 Staves Society. He’s a bourbon lover and long-time journalist who freelances for some of the country’s largest media brands. He’s the former national president of the Society of Professional Journalists, a two-time Pulitzer juror, and a Fulbright fellow. He also writes Objectivity Rules, a free, weekly newsletter on political and societal issues.
*Information from Skurnik Wines