All articles tagged with #bourbon
A Tasting Table roundup highlights Benchmark Single Barrel from Buffalo Trace as a $25 alternative to Blanton's, with a similar sweet, honeyed palate, oak and warm spices, and a smoother, easier finish. While not exactly Blanton's, it provides solid flavor at a fraction of the price and is recommended as a great intro bourbon for those on a budget.
Elijah Craig Small Batch offers a Blanton’s-adjacent bourbon around $26–27 for a 750 ml bottle, matching a 47% ABV and 8–12 years of aging, with a robust vanilla, caramel, oak profile and a round mouthfeel. Blanton’s Single-Barrel remains more expensive and single-cask with slightly more pronounced fruit and char and a crisper finish. The piece emphasizes Elijah Craig as a strong value for sipping or cocktails and explains the difference between small-batch and single-barrel bourbons.
Jim Beam has kept its status as the world's best-selling bourbon for years, shipping 16.7 million cases in 2025 (about 200.4 million bottles) and staying far ahead of rivals like Evan Williams and Jack Daniel’s; its long history since 1795, broad availability, and an affordable price—around $17 for a 750 ml bottle—help sustain its lead, even as overall cases fell about 5% from 2024.
Buffalo Trace is turning its Frankfort, KY campus into Camp Buffalo Trace—an adult bourbon-themed immersive experience with interactive activities, bourbon education, and optional luxury on-site camping. Highlights include a Whiskey Woodcraft Workshop, Bung Driving Relay, Blind Tasting & Buffalo Trace Trivia, and a Single Barrel Challenge, plus overnight camping in air‑conditioned canvas tents. The event takes place August 29 and September 5, with a July 14–21 sweepstakes to win day‑camp or day‑plus‑overnight passes; full rules at buffalotracedistillery.com/camp.
President Donald Trump announced the removal of the 10% tariff on Scotch whisky, crediting King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s U.S. visit for strengthening US–UK ties and the interconnected whiskey industries of Scotland and Kentucky. He framed the move as part of broader economic cooperation (the Economic Prosperity Deal) to expand market access for key goods, a stance welcomed by the Scotch Whisky Association and Kentucky lawmakers. The decision comes amid a backdrop of trade tensions that have pressured both the Scotch and U.S. whisky sectors, including declines in Scotch exports to the U.S. and U.S. exports overall, with the policy aimed at easing cross-border bourbon–scotch industry dynamics.
Jim Beam is halting production at its Kentucky distillery for all of 2026 due to ongoing trade tensions and industry challenges, including tariffs and declining exports, particularly to Canada, which has seen an 85% drop in U.S. spirits imports. The move aims to allow site investments, while the company continues distilling at other facilities. The broader industry faces high barrel aging inventories, tax burdens, and reduced consumer demand amid international trade disputes.
Jim Beam is shutting down its Clermont Kentucky distillery for at least a year to invest in improvements amid industry challenges like tariffs and declining demand, while its larger Boston distillery remains operational. The move reflects broader struggles in the bourbon industry, including export declines and changing consumer habits.
Jim Beam will cease production at its Kentucky distillery in 2026 for site upgrades amid industry challenges like tariffs and declining alcohol consumption, while other operations remain open; the move is part of broader industry impacts from trade tensions and market oversupply.
Jim Beam plans to pause production at its main Kentucky distillery starting January 1 to invest in site improvements, amid rising bourbon inventories and ongoing trade uncertainties affecting the spirits industry.
Whiskey producers in Scotland and the U.S. warn that tariffs on British spirits could harm both industries due to their interconnected supply chains, with Scotch and bourbon deeply intertwined through shared ingredients and trade relationships, and oppose higher tariffs to protect their mutual interests.
Buffalo Trace has introduced Eagle Rare 12, a new 12-year-old bourbon now part of its permanent lineup, celebrating its expansion with a richer, more complex profile at $49.99, available from June 2025 in the U.S. and internationally later in the fall.
Buffalo Trace has introduced Eagle Rare 12, a new 12-year-old bourbon aged at 95 proof and priced at $49.99, expanding its lineup with a more mature and higher proof option that remains accessible and regularly available, thanks to recent distillery expansion.
Charles Goodnight Bourbon, produced by Foley Family Wines, has been named the Best Straight Bourbon of the Year at the 2024 London Spirits Competition, surprising many with its Texas origin. The high-rye expression, aged for six years and bottled at 115 proof, impressed judges with its complex flavors of dark roast coffee, s’mores, and molasses. The win marks another success for brand founder Bill Foley, who also owns award-winning wineries and the Vegas Golden Knights. This recognition also highlights the rapid rise of Texas whiskey as a lauded region of production in the US.
A Costco shopper in Burbank, California, found a rare bottle of Blanton's Single Barrel Bourbon for $56.89, a steal compared to its usual prices of over $100 in Kentucky and $220 elsewhere. Blanton's scarcity is due to its lengthy aging process and high demand, leading to limited availability. This isn't the first time Costco has surprised customers with rare finds, including a $27,000 bottle of Macallan 1948 and a $37,000 bottle of 54-year Singleton single malt scotch.
Comedian Jim Gaffigan shares his newfound appreciation for bourbon, humorously reflecting on the transition from being a beer guy to enjoying hard liquor. He humorously contemplates the label of being a bourbon aficionado and recounts a humorous anecdote about considering purchasing an expensive bottle of bourbon. Gaffigan also highlights the role of bourbon in his relationship with his wife and its significance in their daily lives.