For the ASW Georgia Heartwoods they get 4-ish year wheated MGP and dump those barrels in a new chard oak barrel. Let them age another 1.5 to 2 years in Georgia then add Hand cut Georgia Oak staves to the barrels and let those sit for a few months on up to they get picked. We just picked a barrel for the Mash and Journey whiskey club thats over 6 years old that had 22 staves in the barrel. Staves were in the barrel for about 6 months. Great barrel. Usually they include how many staves they add to the barrel on the pick sticker. Also picked a 6+ year Soloist which was the best thing we had that day!!! Also soon they will probably be removing the Fiddler from the Soloist label so everything with the name Fiddler will be their sourced line. Everything else is distilled by ASW including Soloist.
hey Dan & Sean if you read this could you consider reducing the audio track volume by 10% or so... could hear your voices in this one but they were quiet vs the music
I enjoy scotch and bourbon but sometimes have a hard time figuring out why people don't just drink what they like. It seems as if this bourbon craze, and pricing, are being driven by marketing on You Tube. Arran 18 and 1910 are all I really need on the shelf :-)
I've heard good things from a little place called EverNorth, haven't even seen a label mock up yet but the guys involved are just crazy enough to pull it off.
I've got a Dark Arts 9.5-year pick from TSR. It's fantastic. Need to find that rice whiskey. Hartman's Distilling in Buffalo I've had some good stuff from. Also I was in St. Louis recently and visited Still 630. Walked out with two bottles. Super unique offerings, but zero distribution outside of Missouri.
Surprised Found North isn't on this last. Canadian blended in New Hampshire!! Sorta pricey but tasty and interesting blends. Very transparent company as well.
Canadian gets a bad rep because flavors and color can be added. I think people would be vastly more receptive if they used a more traditional starting point (that being said it could be great stuff, just why it’s off most people’s radar)
Be glad it isn’t on the list. Once something is labeled as the next hot thing, you can say goodbye to trying to find it. I’m happy that folks snub their noses at Found North and Canadian whiskey. More for me, and better than tons of highly allocated crap out there.
Check out all the offerings here! jtmeleck.com/ westwardwhiskey.com/ www.fiddlerwhiskey.com/ www.darkartswhiskey.com/ iowalegendaryrye.com/ middlewestspirits.com/ www.rarecharacterwhiskey.com/ barrelking.com/
Outstanding as always guys and thank you for doing this episode. It's always nice to hear about new brands that are recommended by sources I trust. I have already started looking for these brands online & near me. Thank you again and keep up the great work.
Hey Guys. A liquor store chain near me has that exact Middle West Spirits bottle for sale, but a 118 proof cask strength. Im on my 3rd bottle. It is INCREDIBLE and definitely a step up from the 99 proof. It's $80 for some reason (lower than msrp), which is a steal for the juice you get. If you want me to help you get a bottle or two, let me know. Im in northern Indiana. Cheers!
I’m in South Bend and have that exact same pick from Belmont. It says 118.2 proof on the tube and label, but also says 58.1 alcohol/vol (barrel 2783). Clearly doing Dan math when they did the writing. I’ve got a fresh bottle I’m sending up to the guys for them to try.
that would be the EXACT store pick I am describing. What an incredible pour. I bought 2 when they were $100, and 2 more when they got dropped to $80. Dont let everyone know the secret until you and I have acquired them all! hahaha@@lancerobbins24
I’m getting a fiddler double malt in a few days I really like scotch but have not had any malt whiskey from America yet so I’m hoping it’s good. Also have two other ASW coming and a lucky seven. Have my fingers crossed. My palate is pretty wide so I’m sure I’ll love them all. Need to get a blend from you guys though. So let’s get to blending fellas. Enjoy!!
Was in Oxford, OH restocking my shelves with Ardbeg 10, Wild Turkey 101 and Michter's rye and I noticed the employee was on the phone the whole time answering several calls. While paying I heard a person on the other end asking for several different Buffalo Trace products. I asked, "is this your daily?" he said, "every day." The callers are rarely the final user. Feels more like Beanie Babies and Hot Wheels crowd to me, you?
A buddy of mine introduced me to Westward Whiskey's "Milestone". Holy cow that's a very rich and flavorful whiskey. Can't recommend it enough. I'm glad the distillery is making waves.
Being from Iowa, the Iowa Legendary Rye is everywhere. The 80 proof on their entry level bottles always deters me, and the $170-200 price tag on their barrel proof purple label also scares me away.
With the ASW fiddler is that their distillate? 51/45/4 is one of MGPs wheated mash bills and I think the bottle reads aged and finished by ASW right? Either way great juice and great content!
@@BourbonJunkiesmines says finished and bottled. I just knew that was one of MGPs mash bills because we did get one barrel of that mash bill from them. But either way whatever they are doing to it they are doing a great job…that’s Georgia heat is doing something!!
JTM has been my favorite for the past year, especially the higher proof cask strength Blue Label. Their Small Batch is the White Label. If you like crème brule and vanilla pudding, this whiskey is for you!
I have tried a sample of the J.T Meleck it was pretty good. I wish it was available in Michigan. I have heard really good things about Westward, there stuff is half the price as it is here in some other states. I’ve had a couple sample of different Fiddler picks definitely good stuff. Everything else on the list I have heard great things about them. Great list. What all on the list is actually available in Michigan?
Ok, a little off topic here. What is up with that bottle of Octomore that you display on the top shelf in some of your videos, including today? Do you guys drink Scotch whisky, and especially heavily peated Scotch whisky? I’ve noticed it a while ago and it’s been driving me crazy . 😁
So, I'm new to this wonderful world of bourbon and whiskey. Is storing your whiskey with light , such as you do, ok? Is it just sunlight that breaks it down?
I remember Westward's regular single malt being very reminiscent of marijuana to me. A funky herbal kind of note that isn't really my jam. (I did try their "High Desert to Klamath Basin" club release which was really good though.)
Side notes. in colorado, saw a old rip12 for 1k and blantons for 150 this week. On rip's site they say retail is 80$. Can it get worse than that? 101 is up to 24, lord have mercy. Bought me some mm for 26.
I love rare character I love what I've had of theirs, but it's not $100 a bottle stuff when it's sourced MGP. Not everything is I know that, but I just have a hard time throwing $100 out of every single bottle
I would wait atleast 4 years before trying anything from Shortbarrel if you want to try their own juice and not sourced green river or MGP. They just opened their distillery middle of last year. Nothing at all had been aged. Only their sourced products.
One is like a big labrador retriever and the other is a chihuahua that's angry at the world. But they've drank enough whiskey in the last 7-8 years to know how to pick quality barrels so their products should be great.
Thats because Fiddler is not the brand. ASW is the brand and that bottle was a Georgia Heartwood. There are many bottles that have the word Fiddler on it. That is their Sourced line of bottles with the exception of Soloist. That is not sourced and will be getting the word Fiddler removed soon.
I do mis-speak in the video, Fiddler is ASW's sourced line*
www.fiddlerwhiskey.com/
ASW Soloist is the own distilled bourbon label. Rest of fiddler is (generally) MGP wheated bourbon. Everything they do is 4-5 years old.
For the ASW Georgia Heartwoods they get 4-ish year wheated MGP and dump those barrels in a new chard oak barrel. Let them age another 1.5 to 2 years in Georgia then add Hand cut Georgia Oak staves to the barrels and let those sit for a few months on up to they get picked. We just picked a barrel for the Mash and Journey whiskey club thats over 6 years old that had 22 staves in the barrel. Staves were in the barrel for about 6 months. Great barrel. Usually they include how many staves they add to the barrel on the pick sticker. Also picked a 6+ year Soloist which was the best thing we had that day!!! Also soon they will probably be removing the Fiddler from the Soloist label so everything with the name Fiddler will be their sourced line. Everything else is distilled by ASW including Soloist.
Thanks for the background. I love the level of transparency on the website too. So rare...and refreshing!
hey Dan & Sean if you read this could you consider reducing the audio track volume by 10% or so... could hear your voices in this one but they were quiet vs the music
I enjoy scotch and bourbon but sometimes have a hard time figuring out why people don't just drink what they like. It seems as if this bourbon craze, and pricing, are being driven by marketing on You Tube. Arran 18 and 1910 are all I really need on the shelf :-)
I've heard good things from a little place called EverNorth, haven't even seen a label mock up yet but the guys involved are just crazy enough to pull it off.
I've got a Dark Arts 9.5-year pick from TSR. It's fantastic. Need to find that rice whiskey. Hartman's Distilling in Buffalo I've had some good stuff from. Also I was in St. Louis recently and visited Still 630. Walked out with two bottles. Super unique offerings, but zero distribution outside of Missouri.
+1 Still 360
Surprised Found North isn't on this last. Canadian blended in New Hampshire!! Sorta pricey but tasty and interesting blends. Very transparent company as well.
Canadian gets a bad rep because flavors and color can be added. I think people would be vastly more receptive if they used a more traditional starting point (that being said it could be great stuff, just why it’s off most people’s radar)
I’m not surprised lol.
Be glad it isn’t on the list. Once something is labeled as the next hot thing, you can say goodbye to trying to find it. I’m happy that folks snub their noses at Found North and Canadian whiskey. More for me, and better than tons of highly allocated crap out there.
Check out all the offerings here!
jtmeleck.com/
westwardwhiskey.com/
www.fiddlerwhiskey.com/
www.darkartswhiskey.com/
iowalegendaryrye.com/
middlewestspirits.com/
www.rarecharacterwhiskey.com/
barrelking.com/
Man Barrel King is doing a lot right. So glad I’m close enough to visit!
Handrew Uggins
Been looking for a Georgia Heartland toasted. Love ASW
Toasted Rye and Bourbon are both great
Great backstory on the Legendary Rye. According to Blind Barrels, it was one of the preferred drinks of Al Capone. Enjoyable pour.
The one and only recipe that Al Capone called "the good stuff"
I'll definitely be on the lookout for some of these. Thanks guys.
I’ll ad one. Green River Rye. Great easy sipper with great flavor.
Stuff and Whiskey put me on to Middle West Pumpernickel Rye. Great stuff!!
So many great Whiskeys to try.
Outstanding as always guys and thank you for doing this episode. It's always nice to hear about new brands that are recommended by sources I trust. I have already started looking for these brands online & near me. Thank you again and keep up the great work.
Bought a bottle of ILR purple label (cask strength) to give to my son when he graduated college. WOW, is that different and awesome!
Hey Guys. A liquor store chain near me has that exact Middle West Spirits bottle for sale, but a 118 proof cask strength. Im on my 3rd bottle. It is INCREDIBLE and definitely a step up from the 99 proof. It's $80 for some reason (lower than msrp), which is a steal for the juice you get.
If you want me to help you get a bottle or two, let me know. Im in northern Indiana. Cheers!
I’m in South Bend and have that exact same pick from Belmont. It says 118.2 proof on the tube and label, but also says 58.1 alcohol/vol (barrel 2783). Clearly doing Dan math when they did the writing. I’ve got a fresh bottle I’m sending up to the guys for them to try.
that would be the EXACT store pick I am describing. What an incredible pour. I bought 2 when they were $100, and 2 more when they got dropped to $80. Dont let everyone know the secret until you and I have acquired them all! hahaha@@lancerobbins24
I’m getting a fiddler double malt in a few days I really like scotch but have not had any malt whiskey from America yet so I’m hoping it’s good. Also have two other ASW coming and a lucky seven. Have my fingers crossed. My palate is pretty wide so I’m sure I’ll love them all. Need to get a blend from you guys though. So let’s get to blending fellas. Enjoy!!
Just became a member of barrel king 👌
@BourbonJunkies - if you can find the new Copper & Cask 8 Year Small Batch Series #001, you will be blown away
Dude, literally just picked one up today. Excited to crack it open.
Rootshoot single malt BiB made with vapor spirits (boulder) good local stuff for me. I've done some work there, automation.
Great brands, cheers!
Was in Oxford, OH restocking my shelves with Ardbeg 10, Wild Turkey 101 and Michter's rye and I noticed the employee was on the phone the whole time answering several calls. While paying I heard a person on the other end asking for several different Buffalo Trace products. I asked, "is this your daily?" he said, "every day." The callers are rarely the final user. Feels more like Beanie Babies and Hot Wheels crowd to me, you?
New Holland is doing some awesome stuff and starting to grow their offerings. Not sure what the distribution nationally looks like though
Just picked up 2 bottles of the Dragon's Milk Origin Bourbon! Stuff is so good!
Love Westward
The Dark Ages finished in Maple Syrup Barrel/Amburrana staves is delicous!!!
is that the rye?
A buddy of mine introduced me to Westward Whiskey's "Milestone". Holy cow that's a very rich and flavorful whiskey. Can't recommend it enough. I'm glad the distillery is making waves.
If you like Middle West Sherried Bourbon, you NEED to try their Ported Pumpernickel Rye.
Being from Iowa, the Iowa Legendary Rye is everywhere. The 80 proof on their entry level bottles always deters me, and the $170-200 price tag on their barrel proof purple label also scares me away.
Your buddy Jason C had a Middle West Ported Pumpernickel Cask Strength barrel pick in his top 10 Ryes of 2022...if memory serves me..
New Riff is one my friends are obsesses with right now
I think Westland (Seattle) beats our Westward (Portland), but both are super solid.
Middle West Spirits Rye is SO GOOD! They're Cask Strength Rye Picks are AMAZING!
What did Dan shoot on the back nine in AZ after his front nine 79
Once you add the sugar...isn't that technically a rum now? For the gold label Iowa Legendary.
With the ASW fiddler is that their distillate? 51/45/4 is one of MGPs wheated mash bills and I think the bottle reads aged and finished by ASW right? Either way great juice and great content!
Yeah the Georgia Heartwood is mgp
I could swear the bottle we have said distilled in GA
Fiddler is their sourced line (except Soloist). Their branding is weird
@@BourbonJunkiesmines says finished and bottled. I just knew that was one of MGPs mash bills because we did get one barrel of that mash bill from them. But either way whatever they are doing to it they are doing a great job…that’s Georgia heat is doing something!!
JTM has been my favorite for the past year, especially the higher proof cask strength Blue Label. Their Small Batch is the White Label. If you like crème brule and vanilla pudding, this whiskey is for you!
Have you two tried Corbin Cash Rye? one of my favorites since discovering it
I have tried a sample of the J.T Meleck it was pretty good. I wish it was available in Michigan. I have heard really good things about Westward, there stuff is half the price as it is here in some other states. I’ve had a couple sample of different Fiddler picks definitely good stuff. Everything else on the list I have heard great things about them. Great list. What all on the list is actually available in Michigan?
Better check with Kenny Coleman on the color on that JT Meleck. Bet they have additives.
I live right next to Westward and that stuff is just way to damn expensive. Going across the bridge to Bull Run is the better choice IMO
Ok, a little off topic here. What is up with that bottle of Octomore that you display on the top shelf in some of your videos, including today? Do you guys drink Scotch whisky, and especially heavily peated Scotch whisky? I’ve noticed it a while ago and it’s been driving me crazy . 😁
Some of these brands you’ll know and some you won’t….Dan just absolutely crushing it this video 😂
You forgot to mention an up and coming brand…Virtue Spirits, soon to be known as Evernorth! Hand crafted, blended and selected by true pros!
Have you guys tried anything from High Bank Distillery in Ohio? Their double oak and Double double oak are phenomenal.
So, I'm new to this wonderful world of bourbon and whiskey. Is storing your whiskey with light , such as you do, ok? Is it just sunlight that breaks it down?
UV is what's bad for whiskey for the most part. Don't store your bottles in windows and you should be fine!
JT Meleck is great! Would be awesome to see yall come to my neck of the woods and do a pick.
Ok I'll bite,,, 79 in AZ. Was that on the Sim? White Tees? and which course there is some stupid good courses out there.
Y’all know Matt is going to make the best
I remember Westward's regular single malt being very reminiscent of marijuana to me. A funky herbal kind of note that isn't really my jam. (I did try their "High Desert to Klamath Basin" club release which was really good though.)
If you guys like Westward, try some Westland single malt. They’re out of Seattle and they will blow your nipples off.
Side notes. in colorado, saw a old rip12 for 1k and blantons for 150 this week. On rip's site they say retail is 80$. Can it get worse than that? 101 is up to 24, lord have mercy. Bought me some mm for 26.
Don’t forget the Awamori you tried at the castle… I think it was PitP #1….
Made from rice and aged in clay pots.
Barrel King is for sure the best one on this list. Amazing blends!
How come all the bottles are barely empty? Are all these second or third bottles for you?
We own north of 1500 bottles, we can't drink them all down without dying.
There is a store that has multiple Rare Character picks to include an exceptional series. How do you choose?!
I love rare character I love what I've had of theirs, but it's not $100 a bottle stuff when it's sourced MGP. Not everything is I know that, but I just have a hard time throwing $100 out of every single bottle
Hey boys ima swing by tomorrow
Need another Rare Character Cognac finished BJ pick.
I was close to leaving after the “rice rice baby” remark….🤣
EverNorth/ Barrel King/ BJ picks only bottles I want in 2024.
Y'all should make it down to Texas and do a still Austin pic
Please continue recommending craft whiskey. The more the hunters are going after craft whiskey, the better 👍
Opinions on buzzards roost?
I remember Dan getting a bottle 2 years ago that he loved
You need to try another GA distillery: Short Barrel.
I would wait atleast 4 years before trying anything from Shortbarrel if you want to try their own juice and not sourced green river or MGP. They just opened their distillery middle of last year. Nothing at all had been aged. Only their sourced products.
@@williamwiley5531 true, but it's still a really good product.
ShortBarrel Bees Knees if you like sweet stuff is absolutely delicious
What I need is a bottle of virtue spirits to cherish! Can you help a brother out?
EverNorth*
Just got my first BK box in and they are not fucking around! Damn great pour from the toasted vanilla stagg finished. Trying the 77MP bottle tonight!
Just wondering if you guys could say the word “fantastic” a few more times?
Thanks.
Hard Truth is releasing their first 5 year Bourbon in 2 weeks. If their Bourbon is anything close to their rye, these should be HITTERS!
WOO HOO
It’s not “sock-ee”, it’s “sock-eh” … as alcohol professionals you shouldn’t get that so wrong.
I heard a couple virtuous bastards are starting a label called Evernorth. Know anything about those chuckleheads?
One is like a big labrador retriever and the other is a chihuahua that's angry at the world. But they've drank enough whiskey in the last 7-8 years to know how to pick quality barrels so their products should be great.
Drinking out of the bottle, not cool.
Good news is that we own the bottle
Now that Matt is there head blender it’s going to epic drop mile walk away. Just saying!!
You picked Fiddler as one of your brands and never actually said Fiddler.
Thats because Fiddler is not the brand. ASW is the brand and that bottle was a Georgia Heartwood. There are many bottles that have the word Fiddler on it. That is their Sourced line of bottles with the exception of Soloist. That is not sourced and will be getting the word Fiddler removed soon.
“Craft” aka sourced whisky will go down in history as one of the most overrated and overpriced trends.