He's often called the man who invented bourbon. He probably didn't. Here's what's actually true, and what's in the bottle.

A 500-year-old sherry-house trick where no barrel is ever fully emptied — and the same process a new Blade and Bow release is about to put to its toughest test yet.

Maker's Mark's 2026 Wood Finishing Series release, tasted after three years of lost interest in the series. Tasting notes, the BEP comparison, and an honest verdict on whether it's worth chasing.

Blue Note's new Small Batch Wheated Bourbon Blend, tasted and reviewed. A Green River-sourced pour, a covid-era store pick that started it all, and an honest verdict on whether it's worth buying two.

A revived label from the Lawrenceburg distillery Julian Van Winkle once ran — recommended over the rye by a liquor-store owner, and worth listening to.

The single most useful thing on a bourbon label isn't the age or the proof — it's the mash bill. Here's how to read it.

The 15 best American whiskeys of 2026 actually worth your money — bourbon and rye you can find and afford, from bottled-in-bond bargains to high-rye pours.

I wrote bourbon off at seventeen. Years later it clicked. Here's what bourbon actually tastes like — caramel, vanilla, oak, and spice — where those flavors come from, and how to taste every layer in the glass.

In 1984 Elmer T. Lee bottled one barrel by itself and accidentally invented modern bourbon hunting. The history behind Blanton's, Warehouse H, and the stoppers.

Most people assume "straight" means no coloring or flavoring added. That's not it — no bourbon can have additives. Here's what the word is actually doing on the label.

Bourbon gets its flavor from charred oak. Barbecue gets its bark from carbon and smoke. They're closer cousins than most pairing guides give them credit for.

Ask most people what makes Tennessee whiskey different from bourbon, and you'll get a shrug or a guess about geography. The real answer is more specific, and it's written into state law: the Lincoln County Process.

Many new bourbon drinkers assume one must be better than the other. The truth is they're simply describing two different ways bourbon gets bottled. Understanding the difference can help you make a more informed purchase—and maybe save you from chasing a bottle based on marketing alone