New Expert Spirit Reviews - February 21, 2024 - Garrison Brothers Guadalupe, Old Forester 1924, Glenglassaugh 12 Year and More!

This 2024 limited edition bourbon release is named after one of the great rivers of the Lone Star State. Master Distiller Donnis Todd and his team begin with their flagship Texas straight bourbon made with Texas-grown grains (corn, soft red winter wheat, and barley). They then finish the bourbon in tawny port barrels for an additional two years. Bottled at 107 proof, there were a total of 10,500 bottles made and 1,000 of those bottles will be released at the distillery on launch day February 3, 2024. The remaining bottles will be distributed nationally in February 2023. (SRP $149.99)

Old Forester 1924 is the fifth release in the brand's Whiskey Row Series. This Kentucky straight bourbon uses a different mash bill than OF's traditional recipe. Here, 79% corn, 11% rye, and 10% malted barley is used. Aged for 10 years, the name and recipe marks a time during Prohibition when Old Forester acquired barrels from closed distilleries with different mash bills and sold it under the Old Forester name. Available nationwide beginning January 2024. (SRP $115)

For Reflection II, Blue Run's Whiskey Director Shaylyn Gammon used some of the first Reflection release as a base but the dominant mash bill uses less rye than the original. Additionally, older stocks of whiskey were used and the proof here increased to 100. Available nationwide as of September 2023. (SRP $99.99)

The third seasonal bottled-in-bond bourbon from Still Austin is a Blue Corn Bourbon. It's made with 100% Texas-grown grains with the following recipe: 26% blue corn, 25% white corn, 44% rye, 5% malted barley. It follows the bottled in bond regulations so it's the product of one distillation season from one distiller, is aged for at least 4 years in a federally bonded warehouse, and is bottled at 100 proof. Available for purchase online and at select retail locations in early December 2023. (SRP $79.99)

This straight bourbon was inspired by the first legal bottle of Clyde May's Original Conecuh Ridge Whiskey, named the official state spirit of Alabama. This was released to commemorate the spring 2024 opening of Conecuh Ridge Distillery in Troy, Alabama. Aged at least 5 years in new, charred American oak, this is bottled at 100.6 proof. Available November 2023 at select retailers nationwide. (SRP $49.99)

Distilled at Green River Distilling Co. in Owensboro, KY, this limited edition bourbon is aged over four years before being finished in a combination of sherry, port, and armagnac casks for an additional 6-8 months. The barrels were married and then bottled at 101 proof without chill-filtration. With just 3,000 bottles produced, availability begins November 2023 in-store at select retailers in two dozen states and nationwide via the brand's website. (SRP ~ $40)

Made to commemorate Catoctin Creek's 15th anniversary, the brand announces their oldest release to date: a 6 year-old Rabble Rouser Bottled in Bond Rye Whiskey. It was produced in the fall 2017 season from 100% rye and was pot-distilled. This bottling was made with the first set of 53-gallon charred new oak barrels used to mature their signature rye whiskey (30-gallon barrels were used previously). This limited edition will be released on February 14, 2024 both online and via retailers nationwide. (SRP $99.99)

Green River Rye is a Kentucky straight rye whiskey made from a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley. This is the third core release for the brand's portfolio. Aged from 4-6 years, this is distilled, aged, and bottled at Green River Distilling Co. in Owensboro, Kentucky. Bottled at 95 proof, availability begins February 1, 2024 nationwide. (SRP $34.99)

This is the third port-finished rye released by the brand and its longest aged port finish to date. It begins as a straight rye aged for 6 years in new, charred American oak barrels before finishing its maturation in Maryland-style port casks for an additional 3 years. Bottled at 103 proof, it's available beginning November 2023 at the Baltimore-based distillery and at select retailers in the US. (SRP $99.99)

Portside is a limited edition release of The QuintEssential. Made with 100% two-row pale malted barley, this American single malt was aged for 6 years in Cedar Ridge's own bourbon barrels. Three different finishing casks were used — first-fill ruby port, first-fill amontillado sherry, and virgin French oak. Master Blender Murphy Quint married the three to create this expression. Bottled at a cask strength of 117.2 proof, Portside is available in Iowa, Chicago, and online beginning November 2023. (SRP $99.99)

This 46 year-old single malt from Glenglassaugh was distilled in 1975. It was matured in a single ex-bourbon barrel which was hand-selected by Master Blender Rachel Barrie. This bottling is one of the oldest and rarest expressions from the distillery. Glenglassaugh, which means "valley of the grey-green place," was founded in 1875 on the Highland coast of Scotland. It's packaged at 41.7% ABV without chill-filtration or added color and each bottle is hand-numbered and sealed with wax. This is a US exclusive release with availability beginning April 2023. (SRP $4,800)

This 12 Year bottling is one of three new single malts for Glenglassaugh in the relaunch of its core portfolio. Aged for a minimum of 12 years, this coastal single malt was matured in three different casks: bourbon, sherry, and red wine casks. Like all single malts in its portfolio, the casks were matured in coastal warehouses overlooking Sandend Bay. With the new portfolio comes an updated bottle design. Bottled at 45% ABV, this launched in summer 2023 with the US getting its allotment in September 2023. (SRP $65)