Castle & Cairn

Trip Inspiration Almost seven years ago, I signed up for the Maker's Mark ambassador program, a free email list which comes with the novel kicker of being able to follow a barrel of Maker's Mark whisky through their production process. At six years and eight months of maturation, I got a notification that my barrel was ready and would be in the second season batch for 2025. While it might be a bit of a gimmick, I just had to go up to Loretto, KY for the free tour and specially labeled bottles (TBD on if it tastes any different than regular Maker's). A buddy and I decided to make a long weekend out of it, stopping into a handful of other distilleries nearby.  Itinerary Overview While we chose to stay in Bardstown, the bourbon capital of the world, I believe Louisville is increasingly the home base for most bourbon trips. That being said, I quite enjoyed the quiet and small town vibes of Bardstown. The drive from Atlanta, GA took about six hours on mostly state highways but w...

This extraterrestrial branded bourbon liquor was released by Chattanooga Whiskey Company on June 24, 2025 for World UFO day. It appears to be a custom mash bill bourbon that blurs the line between whiskey and gin by adding 42 distinct botanicals. Botanicals are substances or ingredients derived from plants like roots, berries, seeds, peels, bark, nuts, or spices.  Intergalactic Comet Crusher - Batch Alpha  (presumably the first of multiple releases to come) has manufacturer tastes notes "like having your brains smashed out by a bag of lemons dipped in 42 karat gold " which gives me Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy vibes. Chattanooga Whiskey experiments with their whiskies more than most and I usually enjoy the result. Just know that when they're gone, they're often gone for good.  🛒 Sourced:  Purchased at Chattanooga Whiskey $49.99 - 750ml Gifted to me by my brother and his partner - Thanks for contributing to my hobby and filling my cup! 🧪 Proof:  84 proof...

Pretty much everyone has seen the infamous White Monster, but surprisingly few have also tried its older, blue, and Lo-Carb sibling. Flavor Comparison Both beverages are very citrus forward, but Monster Energy Lo-Carb is much closer to the original monster flavor, slightly less sweet than the OG and somewhat savory while Ultra Zero is "bright" with what I perceive as tangerine or clementine. I would summarize Lo-Carb as being more candy-like and Ultra Zero as veering more fruit-like, though they're definitely both on the same flavor spectrum. A similar comparison would be that the blue monster is to the white monster what Sprite is to Fresca.  On the tongue, Lo-Carb feels a bit smoother with less of the electric lightning bite of Ultra Zero.   Under the Tab - Comparison of Ingredients Looking at the two side-by-side, you see that Lo-Carb has 20 more calories per 16oz. can which still only leaves you at a total of 30. Peeping the ingredients list, you'll see that this ...

There are few things better than kicking back with some friends, either IRL or in voice chat, and having a few beverages while enjoying one of your favorite games. While there is an almost unlimited number of games you could choose, the best games for "getting after it" have a few things in common. Elements of a Good Game for Schwifty Enjoyment Low Complexity - Games that are highly complex usually just don't turn out quite as well after six beers. Low Cost of Quality - Games that punish you heavily for mistakes or from which there is a large impact on progression for misplays are also less ideal. Who can relax when any misplays set you back weeks? Low Social Cost - Games where your sobriety (or lack thereof) and potential gameplay impairment negatively impact the gameplay experience of others are also not ideal.  *Always drink responsibly.   7 Great Video Games to Play While Drinking Each of the following games does a reasonably good job of balancing our desired charac...

Whiskey is celebrated the world over for its complexity and depth of flavor, much of which comes from the oak casks in which it is lovingly aged over multiple years. In this guide, we'll explore the process, science, and relative impact of various factors throughout the whiskey maturation process, referencing case examples where possible. Though humans have been making whiskey for a long time, many producers have relied up on experience and intuition rather than data to guide their aging cycles, though this has begun to change.  The Science of Whiskey Maturation Whiskey Maturation is a multifaced processes through which continuous chemical and physical changes occur within the embrace of the oak cask. These changes can broadly be categorized into three types of interactions: Additive Changes - Focus on the addition of chemicals to the spirit from the barrel or flavoring staves. Chemicals from the charred oak like lignans, phenols, and tannins work their ways into the aging liquid,...

While Jack Daniel's is a household name with its flagship jousting with with Jim Beam for the top spot in global sales, there are many who have never heard of their other releases. Jack Daniel's Single barrel lineup consists of a Tennessee Whiskey (bourbon) at barrel and 90 proof, a Rye also at Barrel proof, and Heritage and Single Barrel 100 at 50% ABV. Single Barrel Barrel Proof  was the first of the lineup, released in 2015, and aims to deliver a traditional Jack Daniel's flavor profile. While single barrels are often both praised and criticized for their variability, the Jack team seems to be able to keep selected barrels remarkably consistent through methodical tasting-based selection. 🛒 Sourced:  $68.99 - Total Wine, GA 750ml - normally closer to $60, a gift from my Mother-in-Law. Price-wise they sit between Jack Daniel's bonded lineup and their age stated premium series releases. I'm seeing some store picks around $65.  🧪 Proof:  127.7 proof, 63.85% ABV - S...

 Once again grabbed by the twin punch of opportunity and convenience, I was stopping in for my weekly $1.50 glizzy and saw a fresh pallet of these sitting in the Costco Liquor store. For around $20, I'll try pretty much anything.  I hadn't heard of Tullibardine  before but they hail from the village of Blackford in Perthshire at the site of an old brewery, visited by King James IV of Scotland all the way back in 1488. A distillery was constructed after the end of World War II, though it lay dormant for 10 years until a group of investors rebooted it in 2003. The distillery is currently operated by French wine group Terroir Distillers and features a cooperage, maturation warehouses, blending, and bottling all on location. The only part of the process that does not happen at the site is malting. Tullibardine Artisan is a US-Exclusive offering aged in ex-bourbon casks. Perthshire is part of the Highlands Scotch region, so I would expect little to no peat and the profile to b...

While the sad truth is that beer just simply isn't health food, it doesn't have to be dessert level calories. At the same time, keeping those frosty carbs down doesn't mean that you have to put flavor out to sea. It is worth mentioning that the key mechanism driving the calories in a beer is alcohol by volume. Each gram of ethanol contains around 7 calories per gram, almost double that  of other carbohydrates and protein. Other residual sugars do still contribute to the beer as any sugars not converted to alcohol remain from the original malt bill. Big beautiful beers often have both high ABV and residual sugar levels, but some "smaller" beers still manage to have good flavor.  I've pulled together my list of brews that pack decent flavor without blowing up your diet.  Low Calorie Beers with Alcohol Guinness - Crushing the myth that dark beers are higher in calories, Guinness has an iconic creamy feel due to the nitrogenating widget in each can. With 125 cal...