Bourbon Obsessed

06/08/2026

Sometimes, the best whiskey stories start in the most unexpected places—like the neighborhood school bus stop. 🚌✨

Check out the carousel slides to see our recent look inside Oaklore Distilling Co in Charlotte, NC, and learn how a shared neighborhood passion evolved into a quality-first craft distillery.

Want to hear our full in-depth podcast interview with the founders? Head on over to BourbonObsessed.com/podcast to listen now or find the Bourbon Obsessed Podcast on your favorite podcast provider or join us on YouTube.

Have you been to the Oaklore Distilling Co. or tried any of their whiskeys? What did you think? Cheers!🥃

06/08/2026

A Six-Cask Finish Bourbon?! Gambit No. 6 Review

Can a bourbon finished in SIX different casks actually work? 🤔 We're tasting Gambit Number 6 from Chip Tate (founder of Balcones). This 92-proof Kentucky Bourbon spends time in Sonoma Chardonnay, Sonoma Cabernet, Apple Brandy, Oloroso Sherry, Moscatel, and Tokaji casks. The flavor profile changes with every single sip!

Watch our full thoughts on this complex, fruit-forward pour. Have you tried Gambit Number 6? Let us know in the comments!

06/06/2026

Bourbon and Distillery News for June 6, 2026
15 Bourbon Industry News Stories and Bourbon Litigation Updates You Need to Know!

https://bourbonobsessed.com/bourbon-and-distillery-news-for-june-6-2026-layoffs-rndc-brown-forman-litigation-updates/

This week's Bourbon and Distillery News covers Whiskey House layoffs, RNDC's unpaid supplier claims, Brown-Forman's fiscal 2026 results, Sazerac's first Tennessee Whiskey, major bourbon litigation developments, and a whole bunch more industry news. Read on for all the details! Cheers!

Read the newsletter here:
https://bourbonobsessed.com/bourbon-and-distillery-news-for-june-6-2026-layoffs-rndc-brown-forman-litigation-updates/

06/06/2026

Angel’s Envy
Cask Strength Bourbon 2026
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Finished in Ruby Port Wine Barrels
117.8 Proof
SRP: $249.99

Please enjoy my Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Bourbon 2026 Review!

-See the carousel slides for the whiskey background details and tasting notes-

Rich Fruit and Port Notes with Balanced Sweetness and Citrus
The nose of Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Bourbon 2026 is mildly sweet with caramel and honey as well as plenty of fruit including cherries, with dark plums in the background and tangerines as well. I get intermittent hints of raisins and milk chocolate, but when I concentrate on them too much, they seem to disappear.

The palate is a mix of tangy tart cherries with tart orange peel and mildly sweet caramel. Later on, there are black cherries and port notes as well. After a few sips, I also notice a touch of a “dusty” character. Hints of sweet cherry candy continue into the finish, but there is increasing tart orange citrus and black pepper which build to a moderate degree and last until the end. There is also a mild coating of sweet caramel layering on my tongue. The finish is fairly long with a pleasant warmth, leaving mild char, lingering port notes, and a touch of dry wood on the back of my tongue and throat.

A Complex & Enjoyable Port Finished Bourbon
Overall, Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Bourbon 2026 is a complex bourbon with ample and varied fruit notes, including stone fruits, presumably largely provided by the port casks. The fruit notes combine nicely with honey, caramel, and mild barrel notes contributed by the mature bourbons. The change in character to a fairly spicy and tart finish brings a nice touch to a very enjoyable pour. While the port finish is not at all overbearing, the flavors are definitely there, as would be expected after 3+ years of finishing time. If you are a fan of the notes that port casks can add to a well aged bourbon, then you will likely want to give this bourbon a try!

Have you tried the Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Bourbon 2026? What did you think? Cheers!🥃

Note: This sample was graciously provided by the Brand for my review. I appreciate it!

06/03/2026

BREAKING NEWS

At today's Potter Jane press conference, we learned some crushing news - Denny Potter and Jane Bowie have been lying to us. Lying to our faces. But, today they have come clean and told their dirty little secret - they are releasing a sourced whiskey. Can we ever forgive their deception? Well, they're nice people. And they gave us whiskey. So, I think so. Coming soon - Big Vat Liar. The first vatted blend from Potter Jane!

06/03/2026

Green River
Honey Finished Bourbon
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Finished with Real Honey
92 Proof
SRP: $24.99
Review

Please enjoy our Green River Honey Finished Bourbon Review!

“Real bourbon. Real honey. Real good.”

See the carousel slides for Background, Details and Tasting Notes

-Equal Parts Honey, Fruit and Spice-
The honey flavors are fairly light throughout, but they become more distinct at the beginning of the finish. In addition, this whiskey has only a mild sweetness, much less than I would have expected. There is a nice mix of both tart and sweet fruits (if one considers Juicy Fruit gum a fruit), with the sweeter flavors nicely contrasted by the spice, dryness and char which develop later on in the finish.

-A Balanced Honey Finished Bourbon-
I have to say, Green River Honey Finished Bourbon is not what I had anticipated. The honey flavors and sweetness are fairly subtle, rather than being overpowering as they have been in some of the other honey (barrel) finished bourbons I have tried. In addition, while I generally feel that ryes do better with sweeter finishes, this bourbon has just the right amount of spice and tart fruits to stand up to the relatively mild honey notes to create a very balanced and enjoyable pour.

If you are a fan of honey finished whiskeys, but were hoping for one with less honey dominance and greater balance, then Green River Honey Finished Bourbon is one you will definitely want to try. And, for $25, it’s pretty hard to beat. Have you had it? What did you think? Cheers!🥃

Note: This sample was graciously provided by the Brand for my review. I appreciate it!

06/01/2026

📢 NEW PODCAST EPISODE! 📢
From Neighbors to Distillers: The Oaklore Distilling Story

We hit the road to Matthews, NC (just outside of Charlotte) to hang out with Matt and Tom—the founders behind Oaklore Distilling Co!

Their incredible journey didn't start in a corporate boardroom—it started right at the neighborhood bus stop while walking their kids to school. From Tuesday night neighborhood tastings to building one of the most exciting, fast-growing craft distilleries in North Carolina, their story is packed with passion, patience, and a serious obsession with the magic of oak maturation.

In this episode, we’re breaking down:

-How an early blending experiment accidentally won "best of the night" with their local bourbon group.

-The fascinating science of how they use the North Carolina Piedmont climate to age their barrels.

-A sneak peek at their highly anticipated Prohibition Oak bourbon release coming this fall (aged with actual 100-year-old wood!).

-Their strict "make it right" philosophy—if a barrel isn't 100% ready, it doesn't get bottled.

Grab a pour, sit back, and come along for the ride!

🎧 Listen to the full interview now on your favorite podcast provider or at https://bourbonobsessed.com/bourbon-obsessed-podcast/ or watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/wtf5BZ7slHs

We hit the road to Matthews, NC (just outside of Charlotte) to hang out with Matt and Tom, the founders of Oaklore Distilling Co.!From walking their kids to ...

05/31/2026

Old Forester
117 Series
High Angels’ Share Rye
110 Proof
SRP: $64.99

Please enjoy our Old Forester 117 Series High Angels’ Share Rye Review!

(See the carousel slides)

This nose of Old Forester 117 Series High Angels’ Share Rye starts out full and mildly sweet, with a pleasant mix of fruits. It is rounded out by vanilla and caramel, with relatively subtle rye spices and mild oak. It is very pleasant, and I am enjoying nosing this whiskey quite a bit.

The palate is drier than I would have expected, with a nice mix of still fairly mild rye spices, black licorice and tart limes. The flavors continue into the dry finish, which has an added touch of dark caramel, as well as moderate white pepper spice and mild barrel char that appear later on and linger. Again, the rye spices remain fairly mild.

I generally do not do this, but this rye seemed to call for it: with a few drops of water, the palate became less dry, as well as a bit more full-bodied with a mild sweetness and much more noticeable sweet caramel. Likewise, caramel became more prominent in the nose, and the finish mellowed out a bit, as well.

-A Surprisingly Complex Rye Whiskey-
Old Forester 117 Series High Angels’ Share Rye is a complex and somewhat surprising whiskey. While some of the flavors remain similar throughout, the transition from a mildly sweet, fruity and rich nose to a much drier and spicier palate and finish was a bit of a surprise.

Nonetheless, the more I sip on this rye, the more I enjoy the complexity and fairly concentrated flavors, despite it being bottled at only 110 proof, rather than barrel proof, as I might have expected. In addition, there are many mature notes present, particularly in the palate and finish, which might add some credence to the rumors that this rye contains barrels up to 12 years old.

If you are looking for a rye that is a bit out of the ordinary, with many of the expected flavors but some surprises too, this is one that you will want to try. However, be prepared for the unique character that these more concentrated mature flavors bring.

Have you tried Old Forester 117 Series High Angels’ Share Rye? What did you think? Cheers!🥃

Note: This sample was graciously provided by the Brand for my review. I appreciate it!

05/31/2026

Neeley Family Distillery Three Chamber Still:
-Purging the Steam Line-
There was quite a bit of prep work that needed to be done to get the still up and running for its first run. One of the things was to purge the steam line of water prior to running the steam. (Steam added to the video for effect)

05/25/2026

In this week’s New Bourbon Releases News, which I forgot to post here yesterday….

Wild Turkey revives “Cheesy Gold Foil,” Heaven Hill declares 2026 the “Year of Wheat,” Green River finishes bourbon with real honey, and Remus honors Lou Gehrig with a symbolic limited release. We have these stories and many more in this week’s New Bourbon Releases News. Read on to learn all about them!

Have a safe Memorial Day and please take some time to remember all of those who have given their lives for us and our country.

This week's new bourbon releases include Wild Turkey Gold Foil, Rittenhouse 250th, Green River Honey, Woodford Red Corn and more!