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?

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.

Boxing Day, but make it whisky. B and Katie go Down Under to review Starward Solera and Starward Octave Barrels—Australian single malt aged in wine and Apera casks for big fruit, dessert vibes, and fast-maturing flavor.

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.

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.

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.

The final chapter of our Double Oak series is here — and it’s big, bold, and high proof. Heather and B taste four oak-forward heavy hitters, including Bardstown Discovery Series #13, Shortbarrel Double Oaked, Crittenden, and Dettling 1867, to crown the ultimate double oaked bourbon. Less dessert, more dominance.

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.

A deep-dive into the world of double-oaked bourbon as Heather, B, and special guest Mike break down four bottles that redefine sweetness, spice, and toasted-oak intensity — Woodford Double Double Oak, Angel’s Envy Triple Oak, Old Forester 117, and Whiskey War Double Oaked.

A deep-dive into one of the most sought-after indie bottler releases of the year: The Reveries 16-Year Single Barrel “Runnin’ Down a Dream” by T8KE. We break down the bottle, the bourbon lore, the BuffTurkey origins, the tasting notes, and whether this $325 cask-strength monster is worth chasing.

Double-oaked bourbon brings extra sweetness, deeper caramel, and rich toasted-oak character. In this Tortured Bourbon showdown, we put three bottles to the test—Whiskey JYPSI Tribute, Woodford Double Oaked, and Pursuit United Double Oaked. Which one earns the crown? Watch the episode to find out.

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.

Tortured Bourbon goes full dessert mode as Heather and B pair three decadent bourbons with three real desserts — an éclair, a crème brûlée, and a s’more. Maker’s Mark, Penelope Architect, and Penelope Toasted go head-to-head in the sweetest bourbon experiment we’ve ever attempted. Pastry, custard, campfire… and a whole lot of high-proof chaos.

To celebrate Mexico’s Revolution Day, Tortured Bourbon dives into three Corazón Reposado tequilas finished in legendary Sazerac bourbon barrels—EH Taylor, Eagle Rare, and Weller CYPB. Katie returns to break down the agave, Heather covers the history, and B tries to keep the chaos controlled as we taste, compare, and rank these bourbon-influenced tequilas.

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.

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.

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.

Heather and B go completely unscripted as they crack open Oaklore Distilling’s Storyteller Series: Bloody Butcher Corn Bourbon. From heirloom red dent corn to North Carolina craft distilling, this pour blends Southern storytelling with serious bourbon flavor.

Heather and B honor the red, white, and bourbon with Old Zach Bourbon Whiskey — an 11-year, 120-proof single barrel bourbon from Cox’s Creek Distilling Company in Kentucky. From the patriotic packaging to the deep oak flavor, this barrel-strength bourbon reminds us why America and bourbon belong together.

Heather and B head south to Atlanta, Georgia, to explore the ASW Fiddler Line — a bourbon series that blends Georgia soul with MGP precision. From the toffee-sweet Fiddler Wheated to the barrel-proof punch of the Toasted Cask Strength and the Encore Seelbach’s Pick, this episode is a jam session of caramel, spice, and toasted oak.