🇺🇸 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.

Is Penelope Bourbon more than just a pretty bottle? We put the Instagram-famous Rosé Cask Finish and Architect Series to the test in a tasting full of strawberry shortcake notes, French oak science, and our usual bourbon-fueled chaos. Spoiler: it’s not just about the looks.

Maker’s Mark Private Select turns bourbon into a custom flavor adventure. In this episode, Tortured Bourbon dives into four wild stave combos, from mocha bombs to crème brûlée pours. It’s a cask-strength ride through flavor science, chaos, and some seriously fun tasting notes.

Bourbon nerds say Floor 8 is where the magic happens—and in this Pour Decisions Wednesday episode, we find out if the hype is real. Heather and B pop a 100-proof Old Forester Single Barrel pick from the infamous Floor 8. Big flavors, big opinions, and big laughs. Does the floor really matter? Watch and find out.

Two barrels. Two char levels. One flavor war. In this episode of Tortured Bourbon, Heather and B pit Penelope Toasted Rye (char 1) against Penelope Toasted Bourbon (char 4) in a showdown of grain, fire, and finish. From marshmallow fluff to burnt toffee, this toasted battle proves that char level isn’t just a detail—it’s destiny.

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.

Welcome to Tortured Bourbon! In this kickoff to our three‑part Penelope Bourbon series, hosts B and Heather take on the brand’s signature expressions—Four Grain and Wheated Bourbon. You’ll learn about Penelope’s rise since 2018, its unique multi-mash‑bill approach, and why its sleek bottles keep popping up on back bars. On the palate, the Four Grain offers a balanced mix of vanilla, citrus, and marshmallow with a mild spice kick, while the Wheated delivers a comforting, creamy honey-vanilla flavor reminiscent of baked goods. Whether you’re a bourbon beginner or a seasoned sipper, this showdown will help you decide which expression deserves room on your shelf.

In this Tortured Bourbon showdown, Heather and B tackle three Larceny Barrel Proof bottles—A124, C920, and C924—breaking down their confusing codes, tasting each batch live, and ranking them using their signature system. Are they bourbon… or robots?

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.

When longtime viewer and Patreon supporter Tyler sent us four mystery bourbon samples—each with a secret identity—we knew we were in for a ride. One bourbon he loves, one he hates, one we missed in a past episode, and one we can’t even get in our area. With Katie holding the answers until the end, we dove headfirst into one of the most unpredictable blind tastings we’ve ever done. No script. No prep. Just four pours, four guesses, and four people slowly realizing how wrong they might be. This episode was fun, chaotic, and full of surprises—and we’re already ready for the next one.

In this Tortured Bourbon showdown, Heather and B compare the easy-drinking Larceny Small Batch with a bold, barrel-proof Private Barrel Pick. It’s Heaven Hill’s wheated mash bill at two very different octanes—one mellow and approachable, the other fiery and full of personality. Along the way, they uncork the legend of John E. Fitzgerald, the original rickhouse thief, and decide which bottle still steals the show.

Big Horn Bourbon comes from the wide skies and wild spirit of Montana—but does this 80-proof whiskey from Willie’s Distillery deliver anything beyond frontier charm? In this Pour Decisions Wednesday episode, Heather and B explore this small-town bourbon and give it the full Tortured Bourbon treatment.

Same mash bill. Same distillery. Wildly different outcomes. In this episode, we put Heaven Hill’s Bernheim Barrel Proof up against the 19-Year Wheat Whiskey from their exclusive Heritage Collection. One is accessible and bold; the other is rare, refined, and ridiculously expensive. Is the extra age—and price—worth it? We taste, debate, and do the bourbon math so you don’t have to.

In the finale of Old Forester Fridays, we put the legendary fan-made 1915 blend to the test. Can a DIY mix of 1910 and 1920 really beat the originals? Join Heather, B, and Aaron as they sip, rank, and settle the score in this high-proof showdown filled with flavor, fandom, and a fake label.

Is Missouri hiding one of the best barrel strength bourbons out there? In this Pour Decisions Wednesday, we explore Ben Holladay Rickhouse Proof—a bold, historic, grain-to-glass powerhouse from the oldest distillery west of the Mississippi. High proof, deep flavor, and zero hype. This one’s a sleeper hit.

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.

In this third episode of Pour Decisions Wednesday, we pour one out for Indiana’s heritage distilling with a lesser-known wheated bourbon that’s been turning quiet heads in craft whiskey circles: William Dalton Bottled in Bond Wheated Bourbon from Spirits of French Lick.

Forget the mass-produced mash bills and corporate-age statements—this is bourbon the old-school way: grain-to-glass, pot-stilled, and made with locally sourced ingredients. At 100 proof and over four years old, this craft wheater pays tribute to William Dalton, an early Indiana distiller whose legacy lives on in this small-batch bottle.