Book Review of ‘Bourbon Justice’ by Brian Haara

In the book’s foreward, Fred Minnick himself tells us, “let me be clear: I cannot express how important this book is to bourbon history.” I’ve read and reviewed multiple Minnick books and they are amongst the very few I recommend to others. He’s spot on about Brian Haara’s phenomenal new book Bourbon Justice- This is instant classic material. Like many of you, I became aware of...

Book Review of ‘Barrel Strength Bourbon’ by Carla Harris Carlton

Like Bourbon itself, new books on the topic continue to be released all the time. Some people try and read everything they can (guilty), some people want just an overview, and some people just want a book for their coffee table or bar. Then comes a book like Barrel Strength Bourbon that works for everyone. You may know her as “The Bourbon Babe” on the Internet, but Carla is an...

Book Review of ‘The Big Man of Jim Beam’ by Jim Kokoris

My deep dive into bourbon began in earnest with Knob Creek and Basil Hayden’s. They were the first premium small batch bourbons released and their mastermind was Booker Noe. At the time of their release, Booker’s legendary career was pretty much over, and I had no idea who he was. Today, the Bourbon Trail is like Disneyland for adults, whiskey festivals draw crowds of thousands, and they all...

Book Review of ‘Bourbon: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of an American Whiskey’ by Fred Minnick

Fred Minnick truly needs no introduction, but he deserves one anyway. He is a bestselling whiskey author, a judge for the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and World Whiskies Awards, a bourbon ambassador for the Kentucky Derby Museum, a contributor to Whisky Advocate, a photographer, and a guy willing to talk bourbon with literally anyone on Twitter. Without question his face belongs...

Book Review of ‘Dead Distillers’ by Colin Spoelman and David Haskell of King’s County Distillery

Dead Distillers, Colin Spoelman and David Haskell’s follow up to 2013’s The Guide to Urban Moonshining, is a truly unique walk through the history of whiskey- in many cases a walk through actual cemeteries! Spoelman, a Kentucky native and hobby moonshiner, founded New York’s King’s County Distillery. The first NYC distillery opened since Prohibition, King’s County produces all of...