Michters is Americas first distilling company, dating back to 1753 when they started out making rye whiskey. They take a 'Cost Be Damned' approach to the production of every barrel, using various methods including air drying their barrels for 36 months, toasting the barrels before charring them, using a low barrel-entry strength, heat cycling to encourage ageing during the winter. The American whiskey is aged in second-fill bourbon casks. It has a rich, soft sweetness which is remarkable.

84 Proof mash bill: 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% barley. Average of 3 years, aged in charred oak barrels. The high amount of corn gives this bourbon a classic sweet taste with notes of vanilla and caramel from the wood, and the rye adds some light spice flavor.

The Michter's "US 1" bottlings are so named to honour Michter’s heritage. The brand was established in 1753 as America’s first whiskey company. Washington and his troops drank Michter’s while they were hunkered down in Valley Forge. Michter's US 1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon is made from a carefully selected mashbill that features the highest quality American corn. It is then matured to the peak of perfection. Truly "small batch" each batch of our US 1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon is batched in a holding tank sized to fit a maximum of twenty full barrels, leaving no margin for "blending out" imperfection and thus necessitating excellence from every barrel. Reflecting the spirit of the Bluegrass State, Michter's US$1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon is nuanced, mellow and earthy. Michter's US *1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon is also available with personalized Fort Nelson Select labeling at Michter's Fort Nelson Distillery. Truly “small batch,” each release is typically composed of no more than two dozen barrels, with the quality shining through. A very well-balanced, sweeter style of bourbon. Flavours of rich caramel with balanced vanilla, stone fruit notes, smoky depth, with an oak finish.

High West is Utahs first distillery since 1870 and the worlds only ski-in gastro distillery. Hand-numbered labels adorn hand-blown glass bottles with wooden-topped cork stoppers. The whiskeys are all 46% and not chill-filtered. High West Double Rye is a marriage of a 2-year-old rye (95% rye and 5% barley) and a 16-year-old with a more conventional mash bill of 53% rye, 37% corn and 10% barley.

High West is Utahs first distillery since 1870 and the worlds only ski-in gastro distillery. Hand-numbered labels adorn hand-blown glass bottles with wooden-topped cork stoppers. The whiskeys are all 46% and not chill-filtered. High West Rendezvous Rye is a marriage of two straight rye whiskies: an exotic 6-year-old with a 95% rye and 5% barley malt mash bill, and a very rare 16-year-old with an 80% rye, 10% corn, 10% barley mash bill.

Jack Daniel's 1907 Tennessee Whiskey is charcoal mellowed and matured in the cooler areas of the barrel warehouse and bottled at 37% alcohol. Because the whiskey does not work its way as deeply into the barrel wood it has a light, slightly sweet taste profile. Jack Daniel's entrusted his famous distillery to his nephew, Lem Motlow in 1907. Lem soon introduced a white-labelled, lighter version of Jacks Whiskey. Jack Daniel's proudly continue this tradition with Jack Daniel's 1907.

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked is matured in separate, charred oak barrels adding a rich and colourful flavour to their Kentucky straight bourbon. Before bottling, the second barrel is deeply toasted before a light charring - extracting additional amounts of soft, sweet oak character. The innovative approach to maturation has crafted a delicious and award winning bourbon whiskey.

Basil Hayden's Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is aged 8 years in the Kentucky hills, producing an extremely smooth and rich style of Bourbon. Due to Basil Hayden's trademark elegance, this is a Bourbon that can be truly savoured and enjoyed in style.

"the nose and delivery are just about as good as it gets." - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2019 Sazerac Rye dates back to the 1800’s and symbolizes the tradition and history of New Orleans saloons. It was at the Sazerac Coffee House on Royal Street where local patrons were served toddies made with Rye whiskey and Peychaud’s Bitters. The libation became know as the “Sazerac” and America’s first branded cocktail was born. This 6 year-old version of the famous Sazerac Rye is produced at the scenic Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort (probably using a 'barely legal' rye recipe), home of numerous other whiskies such as Eagle Rare 10 year-old, Eagle Rare 17 year-old, Blanton's, Rock Hill Farms and George T. Stagg. The beautifully designed bottle harks back to the pre Civil War days when barrels of whisky were poured into ornately engraved decanters supplied by the distiller, displaying the colour of the whiskey to good effect. In what seems to be a company tradition, the price is nowhere near the kind of money many other ryes command. Our re-tasting since last visiting this stalwart in 2008 found moderate aromas suggesting caraway and oak shavings then green apple, orange zest, wood spice and sweet nutty/vanilla notes. This is a soft, plush 'fruity' style without compromising depth of flavour - dried apricots, apply rye and white pepper come counterpointed by light vanilla oak. The keynote grain isn't aggressive like some others, while the balance is near perfect, and there's dark rye bread, more pepper and a subtle muddled mint refreshing the fade. In short - Sazerac is a broad appeal whiskey with enough mid-palate sweetness, complexity and kick to convert one-eyed Bourbon nuts - or even the odd malt enthusiast. Keep this as the 'proper' choice for a Manhattan or Sazerac Cocktail. 45% Alc./Vol.

Elijah Craig are another of Heaven Hill's successful brands. When a surge in popularity for the 12 year led to an inability to meet demand, it was removed from US shelves in 2016 (no surprise, age statements are now sought after). The core whiskey has since been re-labelled “Small Batch". Typically made from a mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye and 12% malted barley, rumour has it this contains a fair proportion of whiskeys in the 8-12 year old range.