Education
Bourbon 101: The Complete Beginner's Guide
Everything you need to know about bourbon: legal requirements, production, tasting notes, key terms, and building your cellar.
·5 min read
Read articleThe Bourbon Journal
Guides, comparisons, and insights for the curious bourbon enthusiast.
This Week in BourbonMay 25, 2026
Bourbon Weekly: Wild Turkey Revives Gold Foil, E.H. Taylor Returns
Wild Turkey revives the cult Cheesy Gold Foil at 16 years, Buffalo Trace brings back E.H. Taylor Four Grain and Cured Oak, and Heaven Hill commits to wheat.
Read report
Latest
30 articles
Industry News
Bourbon Weekly: Brown-Forman Rejects $15B Bid, Maker's Mark Wins
Brown-Forman rejects Sazerac's $15B offer, Maker's Mark Cask Strength is named Straight Bourbon of the Year, and Angel's Envy doubles up at cask strength.
·11 min read
Industry News
Bourbon Weekly: MGP Idles Limestone Branch and Lux Row, Little Book Chapter 10, Buffalo Trace Reopens
MGP shuts distilling at two Kentucky sites. Beam ships its most transparent blend ever. Buffalo Trace's John G. Carlisle Cafe opens a year after the flood. Jack Daniel's puts a $600 bottle in a McLaren helmet.
·14 min read
Industry News
Bourbon Weekly: Pernod Walks, $3,000 Stitzel, New Riff Wins It All
Brown-Forman and Pernod Ricard end merger talks. Stitzel-Weller drops a 163-proof 31-year-old. New Riff named World's Best Bourbon. Tariffs cut both ways.
·10 min read
Recipes
More Than a Julep: 3 Modern Bourbon Riffs for the Kentucky Derby
The mint julep earns its spot on Derby Day. But the race card has room for a blackberry-bourbon smash and a peach fizz that belong right next to it.
·6 min read
Industry News
Bourbon Weekly: Charlotte ABC Bust, Blood Oath 12, Wildcask Returns
Mecklenburg ABC's secondary-market sting nets 28 summonses. Lux Row drops Blood Oath 12 with Italian wine cask finish. Sazerac's $15B Brown-Forman bid heats up.
·9 min read
Distillery Spotlight
Earth Day Bourbon: Why Frey Ranch Sets the Estate Standard
Estate-grown bourbon is rare. Frey Ranch raises every grain on one Nevada farm, and a handful of other distilleries get close. A measured look for Earth Day 2026.
·7 min read
Industry News
All 9
Industry News
Bourbon Weekly: Wild Turkey Revives Gold Foil, E.H. Taylor Returns
Wild Turkey revives the cult Cheesy Gold Foil at 16 years, Buffalo Trace brings back E.H. Taylor Four Grain and Cured Oak, and Heaven Hill commits to wheat.
·12 min read
Industry News
Bourbon Weekly: Brown-Forman Rejects $15B Bid, Maker's Mark Wins
Brown-Forman rejects Sazerac's $15B offer, Maker's Mark Cask Strength is named Straight Bourbon of the Year, and Angel's Envy doubles up at cask strength.
·11 min read
Industry News
Bourbon Weekly: MGP Idles Limestone Branch and Lux Row, Little Book Chapter 10, Buffalo Trace Reopens
MGP shuts distilling at two Kentucky sites. Beam ships its most transparent blend ever. Buffalo Trace's John G. Carlisle Cafe opens a year after the flood. Jack Daniel's puts a $600 bottle in a McLaren helmet.
·14 min read
Guides
All 6
Guides
Best Barrel Proof Bourbons: Full-Strength Expressions Worth Seeking
Seven barrel proof bourbons that deliver unfiltered intensity and depth. What cask strength means and why enthusiasts seek it.
·7 min read
Guides
Best Bourbon for an Old Fashioned: Cocktail-Ready Bottles
Seven bourbons that hold their own in an Old Fashioned. Bold enough to stand up to bitters and sugar, balanced enough to keep things elegant.
·6 min read
Guides
Best Wheated Bourbons: Soft, Rich, and Worth Exploring
Eight wheated bourbons worth exploring, from Weller and Maker's Mark to the exceptional 46 Cask Strength. How wheat shapes flavor and what it means for your palate.
·6 min read
Education
All 4
Education
How to Start a Bourbon Collection: A Practical Guide
Build a bourbon cellar with intention. Five foundation categories, common mistakes to avoid, and why tracking what you drink changes how you buy.
·7 min read
Education
The Bourbon Flavor Wheel: A Guide to Tasting Notes
Learn how to use the bourbon flavor wheel to identify tasting notes. Covers sweet, spice, fruit, oak, grain, and floral categories with practical examples.
·8 min read
Education
How to Read a Bourbon Label: Proof, Age, Mashbill & What Actually Matters
Decode bourbon labels in minutes. Proof vs ABV, age statements, single barrel vs small batch, and the hints that predict your flavor.
·3 min read
Recipes
All 2Recipes
More Than a Julep: 3 Modern Bourbon Riffs for the Kentucky Derby
The mint julep earns its spot on Derby Day. But the race card has room for a blackberry-bourbon smash and a peach fizz that belong right next to it.
·6 min read
Recipes
Three Bourbon Cocktails for Easter Brunch
Bourbon pairs with spring flavors better than most people expect. Elderflower, carrot-ginger, and milk punch recipes built around bottles you probably already own.
·5 min read
Comparisons
All 2
Comparisons
Stagg vs E.H. Taylor: Two Buffalo Trace Icons Compared
George T. Stagg and E.H. Taylor Small Batch compared side by side. Proof, flavor profiles, availability, and which suits your palate.
·4 min read
Comparisons
Weller vs Maker's Mark: The Wheated Bourbon Showdown
W.L. Weller Special Reserve and Maker's Mark compared head to head. Flavor, availability, the Pappy connection, and which wheated bourbon fits your palate.
·5 min read
Track the bottles you read about
Add any bourbon from our articles to your watchlist, rate bottles in your collection, and find expressions matched to your palate.