Welcome to the December 2021 recap. A big thank you to all my readers. I'm hopeful everyone stays safe and has a wonderful new year!
This month I posted 14 articles. The site saw 19,500+ page-views. Up from the 15,474 views in November. Additionally, there were over 219,000+ page-views for the year!
Four Roses has announced the opening of their expanded visitor center. The updated visitor center comes in at 14,446-square-feet and is designed to inform and educate guests about Four Roses’ bourbons, its distilling process, and its unique history.
To design and build the visitor center, Four Roses partnered with Louisville-based architecture firm Joseph & Joseph + Bravura, the same firm that in 1910 designed the distillery itself, which is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The new building is modeled after the existing Spanish mission-style structures unique to Four Roses and this part of the country. The interior space has an accompanying 3,850-square-foot outdoor covered patio and cocktail area.
Welcome to the review for Four Roses Bourbon. This is my first time reviewing a Four Roses product. For those new to the site, I did tour the distillery in 2019, you can check it out here.
The Ohio Department of Liquor has posted the results of the 2021 Baker’s Single Barrel Select Bonus Lottery.
Sadly, there were zero Mark R. winners, keeping my lifetime losing streak intact.
Jim Beam has announced the limited release of Jim Beam Bourbon Cream. For those who have never had bourbon cream... Buffalo Trace is the gold standard and lots of other distillers are getting into the act.
Today is the last day to enter the The Ohio Department of Liquor (OHLQ) lottery for the following:
Pappy Van Winkle Collection (same prices as 2020)
Buffalo Trace Antique Collection Products (same prices as 2020)
The Ohio Division of Liquor Control (OHLQ) has announced a never-before-released mash bill blend for Ohio from WhistlePig called Home-Field Hog Batch. It will be available in select stores the week of December 13 with a price of $64.99 plus tax.
As I'm sure you know, this week is the Pappy Van Winkle lottery through the Ohio Department of Liquor... perhaps our only opportunity to purchase a bottle without spending multiple paychecks.
Booker's Bourbon has announced their latest release titled 2021 - 04, "Noe Stranger's Batch." This is the fourth Booker's release this year and is named to celebrate Booker Noe... From Fred Noe, Beam Family 7th Generation Master Distiller...
This batch celebrates the genuine, social nature of my dad, Booker Noe, and the way he could turn a stranger into a friend for life in no time.
The Ohio Department of Liquor has posted the results of the 2021 Expensive Bourbon lottery (OFC Bourbon 1993 ($2,499.98 plus tax), Double Eagle Very Rare ($2,000 plus tax), Michter's 25 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon ($1,000 plus tax), King of Kentucky ($249.98 plus tax), Old Forester Birthday ($149.98 plus tax).
Once again, there were zero Mark R.'s who won, keeping my lifetime losing streak intact.
The 2021 Ohio Department of Liquor (OHLQ) Pappy Van Winkle and Buffalo Trace Antique Collection bottle lotteries are live. These lotteries are for the opportunity to purchase the following:
Today is the last day to enter the The Ohio Department of Liquor (OHLQ) lottery for the following:
- Baker's - $99.99 + tax. There are two barrels allocated for Ohio:
- Barrel 1476919 - 107 PROOF (CENTRAL, SOUTHEAST, AND SOUTHWEST) - With flavors of dark chocolate & cocoa that coat the palate and aromas of vanilla & candied pecans roasting in the oven, this select barrel has an almost desert-like quality. The finish is well-rounded, ending with notes of light tobacco and espresso.
- Barrel 1476968 - 107 PROOF (NORTHWEST AND NORTHEAST) - This complex bourbon with a robust finish has flavors reminiscent of chewy caramel changing to light butterscotch as it travels across your palate, and a citrusy aroma of bright orange zest leading to a soft char.
Like last year, the previous year and the year before, the The Ohio Division of Liquor Control (OHLQ) has announced the Pappy Van Winkle and Buffalo Trace Antique Collection bottle lottery. This is a lottery to win the opportunity to purchase a hard to find bottle of select Buffalo Trace products at retail prices. The 2021 edition begins at 12:01 a.m. Monday, Dec. 6 and runs through 11:59 p.m. Monday, Dec. 13.
The latest 2021 Ohio Department of Liquor (OHLQ) lottery is live, kicking off today (December 1) and running through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, December 5th.
Welcome to the November 2021 recap. A big thank you to all my wonderful readers.
This month I posted 13 articles. The site saw 15,000+ page-views. Traffic appears to be normalizing between 14,000-20,000 pageviews per month. Make sure you tell your friends!
Also, I was approved for Google AdSense and that generated $27 in revenue (I'm rich!). I know everyone hates ads (myself included) so I have the amount of ads turned down.
The Ohio Division of Liquor Control (OHLQ) has announced what they are calling a 'Bonus' lottery for a limited supply of Baker’s Single Barrel Select for $99.99 + tax per bottle. By making this a 'Bonus' lottery, the State has made it much more inconvenient for anyone interested in entering or anyone who wins. For instance, the lottery is only open beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, December 1, and must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, December 5 as opposed to the usual week. Additionally, if you win the chance to purchase a bottle, there are only 16 locations where you can purchase your bottle as opposed to every OHLQ location.
Angel's Envy has announced their 10th annual Cask Strength Bourbon Finished In Port Wine Barrels. The 2021 release will consist of 14,760 bottles and will be available in all 50 states beginning on December 1st.
Welcome to the review for Michter's US-1 Sour Mash Whiskey. This is my first time reviewing Michter's so I'm excited.
Today is the last day to enter the The Ohio Department of Liquor (OHLQ) lottery for the following:
- OFC Bourbon 1993 ($2,499.98 plus tax)
- Double Eagle Very Rare ($2,000 plus tax)
- Michter's 25 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon ($1,000 plus tax)
- King of Kentucky ($249.98 plus tax)
- Old Forester Birthday ($149.98 plus tax)
The Ohio Department of Liquor has posted the results of the 2021 Parker's, Old Fitzgerald 8, Old Fitzgerald 13, Rock Hill Farms, and Mister Sam lottery. Sadly, there were zero Mark R.'s who were winners, keeping my lifetime losing streak intact.
Ohio laws are such that the only way liquor can be sold is through the State. It's a ridiculous system that harms the consumer by allowing a monopoly and limits the availability and flow of the products that consumers actually want. I would also argue that it costs Ohio millions and millions in lost tax revenue by consumers going to neighboring states to buy bottles they can't get in Ohio. Another casualty of this policy is that no liquor can be ordered online, neglecting Ohioans the opportunity to buy many wonderful bourbons.
Additionally, the State runs several lotteries throughout the year... presumably to fairly allocate a limited supply of hard to find bourbons and whiskeys... These lotteries are becoming more and more prevalent each year... in fact, this year alone, we're already on our 7th lottery.
The latest 2021 Ohio Department of Liquor (OHLQ) lottery is live, kicking off today (November 8) and running through 11:59 p.m. on Monday, November 15th.
Instead of focusing on bringing a wider variety of liquor products to Ohio or working through supply issues (half the stores I go to seem to be out of widely available products, such as Woodford)... the State has announced yet another lottery. This one is for premium bourbons starting at $149.98 + tax per bottle all the way up to $2,499.98 plus tax.
Beam Suntory owned and Canadian based Alberta Distillers has announced a limited re-release of their Alberta Cask Strength Rye. This release is made in Calgary, Alberta and crafted with 100% Canadian prairie rye grains grown by local farmers and nutrient-dense, glacier-fed spring water from the Rocky Mountains.
In what is a yearly tradition, Buffalo Trace has announced the release of their 2021 Antique Collection. This collection usually includes William Larue Weller, George T. Stagg, Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye, Eagle Rare 17 Year Old, and Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old.
However, this year, George T. Stagg will not be released because the selected barrels didn't meet the Buffalo Trace taste standards for the Stagg brand.
Welcome to the October 2021 recap. Pageviews are down again for the third month in a row. Make sure you tell your friends!
On a personal note, I want to thank everyone who donated for their support in the 2021 CHA Dog Jog. I was able to raise $3890 for the location animal shelter in honor of my Tobey, who I lost this summer after 15 1/2 wonderful years.
This month I posted xx articles. The site saw ~14,000 page-views. Down from the 16,438 views in September and down 50% from the 28,998 views in October of 2020.
Welcome to what is becoming a thing... if you missed the first Q&A or the second Q&A, click on the links to enjoy. As always, the submitted questions will have a name with them. General questions will not.
I don't write a ton about Japanese Whiskey on this site, but I absolutely fell in love with this bottle.
The House of Suntory (Beam Suntory - Jim Beam brands merged with the House of Suntory to create Beam Suntory) has announced a limited edition bottle of Hibiki Japanese Harmony adorned with painted flowers and flowing ribbons of water to represent the vital force of Japan's everchanging twenty-four seasons.
MGP has announced that they are rebranding their Lawrenceburg, Indiana location to be called Ross & Squibb Distillery.
Today is the last day to enter the The Ohio Department of Liquor (OHLQ) lottery for the following:
- Rock Hill Farms Bourbon Barrel ($54.99)
- Mister Sam Tribute Whiskey ($249.98)
- Old Fitzgerald BIB 8 Yr Decanter ($85.00)
- Old Fitzgerald BIB 13 Yr Decanter ($139.99)
- Parkers Heritage Collection 10 YR Heavy Char. ($119.99)
The latest 2021 Ohio Department of Liquor (OHLQ) lottery is live, kicking off today (October 11) and running through 11:59 p.m. on Monday, October 18th. This lottery is for Parker's, Old Fitzgerald 8, Old Fitzgerald 13, Rock Hill Farms, and Mister Sam.
The Ohio Division of Liquor Control (OHLQ) has announced yet another lottery. This time for bottles of Parker's, Old Fitzgerald 8, Old Fitzgerald 13, Rock Hill Farms, and Mister Sam. This new lottery will begin at 12:01 a.m. on October 11th and end at 11:59 p.m. on October 18th.
The Ohio Department of Liquor has posted the results of the 2021 Weller Full Proof and Elmer T. Lee lottery. Sadly, there were three Mark R.'s who were winners, but none of them were me 😒, keeping my lifetime losing streak intact.
Welcome to the September 2021 recap. Last month was the first month ever where viewership declined year-over-year. Let's see how September fared.
This month I posted 10 articles. The site saw 16,000+ page-views. Down from the 17,252 views in August and down 40% from the 27,122 views in September of 2020.
In one of the strangest co-branding partnerships I've seen, Lux Row and Ducks Unlimited (DU) have announced the launch of Daviess County Double Barrel Bourbon.
The first ever Ohio Craft Whiskey Festival has been announced and will take place on Saturday, October 16 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Henmick Farm & Brewery in Delaware (4380 N Old State Rd, Delaware, OH 43015).
Members of UFCW Local 23D (United Food & Commercial Workers) have been on strike since September 11th, picketing Heaven Hill Distillery and its recently proposed 5-year contract. The reasons given for the strike is the new contract removes a cap on health insurance premium increases that reduce take-home pay, cuts overtime, and drastically changes work schedules which makes it harder for employees to support and care for their families.
Today is the last day to enter the The Ohio Department of Liquor (OHLQ) lottery for the following:
The latest 2021 Ohio Department of Liquor (OHLQ) lottery is live, kicking off today (September 13) and running through 11:59 p.m. on Monday, September 20th. This lottery is for Weller Full Proof, Weller Single Barrel, Weller C.Y.P.B., and Elmer T. Lee.
The Ohio Division of Liquor Control (OHLQ) has announced an upcoming lottery for bottles of Weller Full Proof, Weller Single Barrel, Weller C.Y.P.B., and Elmer T. Lee. This new lottery will begin at 12:01 a.m. on September 13th and end at 11:59 p.m. on September 20th.
