Episodes!

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Four Roses 2025 Limited Edition vs OBSK NC Store Pick

In this episode of Tortured Bourbon, we go deep into one of the most talked-about releases of the year — Four Roses 2025 Limited Edition Small Batch Barrel Strength — and put it head-to-head with a Four Roses OBSK Barrel Strength North Carolina store pick. We break down Four Roses’ unique 10-recipe system, explain why mash bills and yeast strains matter, and explore how age, proof, and intentional blending shape flavor. From dessert-leaning fruit notes to bold rye spice and mature oak, this is a true barrel-strength showdown that asks the real question: does the Limited Edition live up to the hype?

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Barrell Bourbon New Year 2026 Review

Barrell Bourbon New Year 2026 is a bold, multi-state blend that proves chaos can be delicious. At 110.3 proof, this celebratory release delivers bright fruit, deep baking spice, and a long, thoughtful finish. New year. Same bad decisions.

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Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection No. 21: Sweet Oak

Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection No. 21: Sweet Oak is one of the most talked-about allocated bourbon releases of 2025 — and for good reason. Finished in Chinkapin oak barrels, this 110.4-proof limited edition pushes Woodford far beyond its traditional flavor profile. In this episode of Tortured Bourbon, Heather and B break down the barrel experiment, taste it live, debate the $180 price tag, and decide whether Sweet Oak is a bold success or an oak-heavy gamble.

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 Pappy Van Winkle 12 vs Weller 12 vs Poor Man’s Pappy

After years of chasing, rumors, and bourbon mythology, Tortured Bourbon finally tasted Pappy Van Winkle 12 Year — and put it head-to-head with Weller 12 and the legendary Poor Man’s Pappy blend. Is the hype real? We poured, compared, and found out.

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Weller 12 vs Knob Creek 12: Battle of the 12-Year Titans

Weller 12 vs Knob Creek 12 goes head-to-head in this controversial bourbon showdown. A wheated unicorn battles an oak-forward powerhouse as we break down flavor, value, availability, and which 12-year bourbon actually deserves your money.

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Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series: North Carolina Edition

The Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series – North Carolina Edition is more than a limited bourbon release — it’s a tribute to the Old North State crafted by NC State alum Dr. Blake Layfield. In this episode, Tortured Bourbon dives into the story, tasting notes, and custom staves behind one of the most meaningful bottles we’ve ever opened.

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Puncher’s Chance Bourbon Review: The Underdog Whiskey with a Knockout Finish

Puncher’s Chance is the bourbon built for fighters — a 90-proof Kentucky straight bourbon blended from 5- and 6-year barrels with big vanilla, caramel, and rye-spice character. We tasted it with our guest Aaron to see if this underdog delivers a real uppercut. Here’s our full Tortured Bourbon breakdown.

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Horse Soldier Small Batch

A pour with purpose. This Veterans Day, Heather, B, and Aaron honor the Green Berets who became bourbon makers with Horse Soldier Small Batch Bourbon — a 95-proof wheated masterpiece forged from courage, brotherhood, and American craftsmanship. From battlefield to barrel, this bottle carries a story worth sipping.

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🥃 Crittenden Cut Above – The Mississippi Bourbon That Went Legit

From the moonshine hills of Kiln, Mississippi, comes a family distillery doing bourbon the right way. Heather and B sip through Crittenden’s Cut Above lineup — Baby Doll, Double Oak, and Harvest Batch — proving small-batch craft bourbon can pack as much heat and heart as Kentucky’s best.

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Eagle Rare Bourbon Showdown: Standard vs Barrel Pick Battle 

Heather and B take flight with one of the most hunted bottles in bourbon — Eagle Rare. But is the standard 10-year Buffalo Trace classic still king, or do single barrel picks from NC ABC and Hoppy Endings soar even higher? We taste, argue, and rate all three in the ultimate Eagle Rare bourbon face-off.

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