We started this whole thing, The Practical Still, on the premise that you don't have to spend crazy money, hunt whiskey, or stand in lines to enjoy the hobby of drinking bourbon, rye, and Scotch whiskies. But more and more lately, we end up on Friday sipping expensive booze but…

We had spring here on the front range of Colorado for a couple of days and then it snowed again. I know we should be drinking Irish whiskey on St. Patrick's day but cold weather and rye whiskey go together like me and Dan so let's line up a few…

Remember when I said that I wouldn't spend $250 on a bottle of Russell's Reserve Single Rickhouse Bourbon? You do? Good. Then do you remember when, at the very first opportunity, I bought one anyway? Of course, you do. Well, today is the day that we find out how it…

It's no secret that we love Booker's Bourbon. We usually have a current favorite batch and it's fun to compare that favorite against new batches that might take the title. That's what we'll do today. We'll open up the reigning favorite, Bardstown Batch, and see how it stacks up to…

Thanks to Larry for the topic of today's Friday Sips LIve! Let's go back to our own shelf and talk about whiskeys that have surprised us in one way or another. Better than we thought they'd be, better than the price might suggest, or of course, disappointing in some way.…

Dan had a couple of really great bottles that needed to be put out of their misery so we decided to do that live! We also took a look at a new glass and compared it to some old favorites. We are sad to see that 2020 George T Stagg…

This week Dan feels better but I'm sick so we're Friday Sipping remotely. Booker's Bardstown batch is a favorite but the recently released Kentucky Tea is getting rave reviews. We can't sip them together this week since one it at Dan's house and one is at mine but we'll talk…

We've sent and received so many samples lately and it's been fun to have everyone sipping on some of the same whiskey during Friday Sips Live. Today, we'll take some of the samples we've received and taste them blind and live! I came up with what I think is a…

How about something a little different? Japanese Single Malt whisky has long rivaled Scotch Single Malts in some drinkers' minds. It's still early in 2023 so let's try something different - The Hakushu Single Malt Whisky, aged 12 years. Cheers! On a non-whiskey note. You probably know that we also…

Today we sip some lovely rye whiskeys from Willett, Kentucky Owl, Knob Creek, and of course, Wild Turkey/Russell's Reserve. They were all tasty and even more enjoyable while sipping from new Last Cut Crystal (@lastcutcrystal on Instagram) rocks glasses with our logo etched on the bottom. You can see the…

#shorts - Blanton's is always a single barrel bourbon. How much more, if anything, should we expect from a store pick or private barrel of Blanton's? These days, most store picks are chosen from samples sent from the distillery rather than by a team of seasoned barrel-picking veterans from a…

Leiper's Fork Distillery Bottled In Bond 4-Year Old Bourbon Whiskey On a recent trip back to Alabama from Colorado, a last-minute change of plans put me in close proximity to a distillery I've been wanting to learn more about, Leiper's Fork Distillery. We had a long drive ahead of us…

It was a year! While we had a few stinkers, we've talked enough about those. Let's talk about the whiskey we really enjoyed. The no-brainers and the surprises. The ones we spent too much on and the ones we didn't have to break the bank on. We're still happy to…

Blanton's was the first commercially available single barrel offering back in 1984, it even says 'The Original Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey on the neck tag'. Others followed suit soon thereafter, like one of our favorites, Wild Turkey Kentuck Spirit. For many years, Blanton's sat on shelves at $25, ignored by…

Blanton's was the first commercially available single barrel offering back in 1984, it even says 'The Original Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey on the neck tag'. Others followed suit soon thereafter, like one of our favorites, Wild Turkey Kentuck Spirit. For many years, Blanton's sat on shelves at $25, ignored by…

From Old Forester 1910 to Woodford Double Oaked to expensive Wild Turkey Master's Keep One, does spending time in another new barrel make better whiskey? And it seems as if every distillery has a toasted bourbon expression these days. Some brands use toasted barrels all the time, what's the fuss?…

While we often sip a variety of whiskeys during Friday Sips Live, we don't often set up specific tastings to determine if one dram is better than the next. Thanks to regular Friday Sipper, Eric, we have two wonderful examples of Irish Single Pot Still whiskeys to pit against each…

For the week of Thanksgiving, we are most certainly thankful for everyone who watches, comments, and shares what we're doing here at The Practical Still and that's true every other week as well. This week, we're opening up a bottle of Scotch whisky that we know little about but that's…

We have enjoyed every whiskey we've tried from Boulder Spirits. These two follow suit and are exceptionally tasty whiskeys. The Cask Strength Bourbon at 5 years old is a revelatory experience. At nearly 134 proof, it's on the hot side but nothing like I expected. And the flavors are fat…

What to drink? That's always a good question. When we asked that for ourselves today, Wild Turkey came up, and before you know it, I had a pile of Wild Turkey and Russell's Reserve bottles packed up and ready to haul to Dan's garage. Dan's dad is visiting so no…

We missed you last week! We picked up some limited-release Deerhammer Progeny 3 last week and we interviewed Stranahan's and Tincup founder, Jess Graber for a yet-to-be-released podcast episode so we'll some Tincup whiskey too. Dan has a little Baker's left so we'll sip some Jim Beam whiskey that isn't…

Dan had a couple of really great bottles that needed to be put out of their misery so we decided to do that live! We also took a look at a new glass and compared it to some old favorites. We are sad to see that 2020 George T Stagg…

Dan and I have spoken at length (no surprise) about finished whiskeys and even swore off them for a long time. Done well, they are delightful and a welcome change of pace. Done poorly, as they more often are, they're like drinking boozy kool-aid. And what about second-barrel finishes that…

I mentioned last week that my last bottle of Kentucky Owl Batch 1 Rye has reached a mythic place in my mind and become the only bottle I am not willing to open. It was, when I sipped the last bit of the first bottle, the best whiskey of any…