Eagle Rare vs Russell’s Reserve 10 — who wins the ultimate 10-year bourbon showdown? In this unscripted episode, we taste, compare, and argue over two Kentucky legends to see which bottle truly deserves your shelf space.

🇺🇸 Celebrating July 4th & 1 year of Tortured Bourbon with Evan Williams 1783 American Heroes Edition. Veteran-picked, budget-friendly, tasty.

Join Tortured Bourbon as we tackle Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A125, the first big bourbon release of 2025. Is it a banger or a bust? Full tasting, review, and laughs inside.

What’s behind the red wax? In this deep dive bourbon review, we explore three Maker’s Mark expressions—Original, Maker’s 46, and Maker’s 101—to find out if the hype matches the pour. From sweet wheated mash bills to seared French oak staves, we’re breaking down the flavors, history, and branding behind one of Kentucky’s most iconic bourbons. Is it a smooth classic or just marketing magic? Let’s sip and see.

Bardstown Bourbon Company has built a reputation for bold blends and never missing a beat—but does Fusion Series #7 live up to the hype? In this episode of Pour Decisions Wednesday, we break down the mash bill, taste every note, and put it through the Tortured Bourbon ranking system. It’s part science, part chaos, and all about whether this bottle earns a permanent spot on your shelf.

On this week’s Pour Decisions Wednesday, we face Heaven Hill’s Grain to Glass Bourbon—an experimental release with full seed-to-bottle control, a proprietary corn strain, and serious craft whiskey ambition. After surviving the peppermint PTSD of their Grain to Glass Rye, Heather and B brace for either redemption or regret in this 107-proof high-rye bourbon showdown.

This week on Old Forester Fridays, we take on a battle of bourbon identities: the sharply dressed, cinematic smooth-talker versus the rugged, smoke-slinging ranch hand. In one corner, it’s Old Forester Statesman, a 95-proof bourbon dressed to the nines in sleek branding and backed by a movie franchise. In the other, it’s Old Forester King Ranch Edition, a bolder, 105-proof Texas collaboration that swaps out polish for mesquite smoke and leather-wrapped bravado.

Both bottles carry the Old Forester name, both sit at the higher end of your bourbon shelf—and both lean hard into marketing, image, and storytelling. But do either of them actually deliver on flavor? Or are we just paying for the label?

Join Heather and B as they dig into the mash bills, barrel treatments, branding choices, and of course—the taste. With Heather playing fashion critic and B playing rodeo clown, this episode asks the big question: is there any real substance under all that style?

If you’ve ever picked up a bottle because it looked cool or had a story, this is the episode for you.

In Part 2 of our Bardstown Bourbon deep dive, we explore two experimental showstoppers from their Collaborative Series—a Small Batch Stave Finish and a Silver Oak Cabernet-finished bourbon. Blending, finishing, and bold flavor collide in this bourbon tasting that proves Bardstown isn’t just playing the game—they’re rewriting the rules.

What happens when you take three 100-proof Old Forester bourbons, put them side-by-side, and ask two unqualified but overly confident bourbon nerds to judge them? You get one of the most evenly matched, high-proof tasting showdowns in Tortured Bourbon history.

In this episode, we line up:

🥃 The Contenders

• Old Forester Signature 100 Proof

  A classic, budget-friendly workhorse that punches above its price point. Think caramel, banana bread, and a touch of spice—if your everyday pour wore a flannel and fixed your lawn mower.

• Old Forester Store Pick (Single Barrel 100 Proof)

  A more personalized expression with variation depending on the pick. Ours brought the heat and a little swagger. It’s the bourbon equivalent of showing up to a tasting in cowboy boots and quoting Hemingway.

• Old Forester 1897 Bottled in Bond

  Part of the Whiskey Row Series. Same proof, but the story—and price tag—take a leap. Rich, layered, and aiming for prestige with a nod to the 1897 Bottled in Bond Act.

In this episode of Tortured Bourbon, we delve into the heart of Kentucky’s bourbon innovation by exploring the Bardstown Bourbon Company’s Origin Series. Known for their modern approach and commitment to quality, Bardstown Bourbon Company has introduced a lineup that challenges traditional bourbon norms. But do these expressions signify the future of bourbon, or are they just another trend?

Pinhook Cask Strength Bourbon – Bold, Brash, and Racing for Glory

In this second episode of Pour Decisions Wednesday, the Tortured Bourbon crew returns to the saddle with a high-proof stallion—Pinhook Cask Strength Bourbon. And let’s be clear: this one isn’t trotting politely into your Glencairn. It’s coming in hot at 115.3 proof, bold as hell and ready to test your bourbon mettle.

In this blind tasting episode, we pit two expressions from the renowned Buffalo Trace Distillery against each other:

• Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon: The flagship offering, known for its consistent quality and widespread availability.

• Buffalo Trace Single Barrel Select: A store-picked single barrel version, offering unique flavor profiles depending on the barrel selected.

In this episode, we delve into Old Forester’s Whiskey Row Series, a collection that pays homage to significant milestones in the brand’s storied history. Each expression offers a unique glimpse into the evolution of bourbon, reflecting the innovations and challenges of its respective era.

Horses, hats, and high-proof pours—join Tortured Bourbon as we celebrate the Kentucky Derby with a tasting showdown between Woodford Reserve and Pinhook 9-Year. History, humor, and bourbon reviews collide in this Derby Day special!