New Expert Spirit Reviews - November 29, 2023 - TINCUP Fourteener, Widow Jane The Vaults 2023, Michter's 25 Year Bourbon and More!

This is the second release in TINCUP's Fourteener series, an annual limited edition series which highlights Colorado's 14ers — mountain peaks with an elevation of at least 14,000 feet. Quandary Peak, one of the most popular 14er hikes in Colorado is illustrated on the bottle and it celebrates the Ten Mile Range of the Rocky Mountains. The whiskey is a straight bourbon which has been aged for 14 years in new, charred American white oak barrels. It is cut to proof with Eldorado Springs water. Available online via the brand's website and at select retailers nationwide beginning October 11, 2023. (SRP $70)

This is the fifth annual release for The Vaults series which features Widow Jane's oldest and rarest whiskey. This 2023 release marks the first bourbon released under the helm of Head Distiller & Blender Sienna Jevremov who was named to the position in fall 2022. It's made with a blend of straight bourbons from Tennessee and Indiana aged a minimum of 15 years and as old as 20 years. Each release in The Vaults series have been finished with wood from various regions and with different lengths of time for its air-seasoning. Here, Chinquapin oak casks which were air-seasoned for at least 48 months were selected to finish the maturation. It's proofed to 49.5% ABV with pure limestone water from the Rosendale Mines of New York 100 miles north of the Red Hook, Brooklyn distillery. Just 2,600 cases have been released nationally with availability beginning October 2023. (SRP $249)

Announced in November 2023, this bottling is the first 25 year-old Kentucky straight bourbon release for Michter's since 2020. Each of the barrels used in this release were selected by Master Distiller Dan McKee and Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson. Availability for this rare release begins in December 2023. (SRP $1,500)

Malting Season is one in a limited-edition annual series from Benriach which celebrates seasonal production techniques done at the distillery. Benriach is one a few distilleries in Scotland to have a malting floor and this bottling honors that tradition. Master Blender Rachel Barrie selected concerto barley to use here and the single malt was aged in both virgin and first-fill bourbon barrels. It was then bottled at 48.3% ABV. Available in select markets for a limited time as of October 2023. (SRP $165)

Jack Daniel's Bonded Rye is the third release in the brand's Bonded Series and the first bottled in bond rye whiskey released in its history. Like the other rye whiskeys in its portfolio, this is made with a mash bill recipe of 70% rye, 18% corn, and 12% malted barley. It was charcoal mellowed prior to being placed in new toasted & charred American oak barrels made at their own cooperage. As is required of bottled in bond spirits, this was made in one distilling season (the first batch was distilled in spring 2016) and it was aged for a minimum of 4 years in a government bonded warehouse. It is bottled at 100 proof (50% ABV). This is a permanent addition to the brand's portfolio and will be available nationwide as of September 2023 with global expansion expected to follow. (SRP $31.99/700ml)

Gatsby Reserve is a limited edition straight bourbon from Indiana-based Ross & Squibb Distillery celebrating F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel The Great Gatsby. Featuring some of the oldest bourbon reserves, this second edition release was aged for 15 years like its predecessor. Here, two mash bill recipes were used by Master Distiller Ian Stirsman and his team — 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley and 60% corn, 36% rye, and 4% malted barley. Bottled at a cask strength of 98.1 proof, this is available beginning October 2023 (SRP $199.99)

First released in 2019 as an experimental batch, Cigar Rye is back with a larger batch for 2023. Like previous releases, this bottling begins with 4 year-old Indiana rye (95% rye, 5% malted barley). Then the whiskey is finished in new American oak barrels that were cold-smoked with aged tobacco leaves grown in Kentucky. Bottled at 52.5% ABV, it's available nationwide as of mid-October 2023. (SRP $75.99)

Each fall, Barrell Craft Spirits selects the bourbons that will go into this release intended to bring in the New Year. This 2024 bottling is made from the largest selection of states and bourbons for a single release from the brand this year. (Kentucky, Wyoming, New York, Tennessee, Indiana, Texas, Ohio, and Maryland.) The ages of the bourbons range from 5-15 years and it has a derived mash bill recipe of 72% corn, 22% rye, 5% malted barley and 1% wheat. Bottled at a cask strength of 113 proof, it's available at select retailers beginning November 2023. (SRP $89.99)