Castle & Cairn

Produced by Barton 1792, a holding of the same Sazerac that also operates Buffalo Trace, this special offering has been a rare sight at US Costcos for the last few years. Though I've previously had a good amount of both the occasionally offensive  Kirkland Small Batch and solid  Bottled-in-Bond , the Single Barrel has proved most elusive. In my native Georgia, we only got two pallets in 2025! The fact that they sat for more than a day shows just how much the bourbon boom has tapered off; I'm still showing them in-stock a week later.  Kirkland Single Barrel Bourbon provides a huge value, undercutting Total Wine's rival Wolcott Rickhouse Reserve by a good bit even though the juice is likely just about the same (there is some small difference as I somewhat proved in a long  blind tasting battery ). Further details are sparse, but Master Distiller Danny Kahn's name is on the bottle which has to mean something. 🛒 Sourced:  29.99 at Costco Perimeter, GA for 1 liter...

Green River seems to be pretty universally loved these days. They and their sister brand Bardstown Bourbon Company are putting out some darn good whiskies. In the last six months, I've tasted both the traditional rye bourbon and wheated bourbon from them and quite enjoyed both. The other night, I was sitting around and wondered how they'd be mixed. The traditional bourbon leaned into some nice fruited notes while the wheated showed some pastry aspects and marshmallow fluff. How does a balanced blend hold up compared to the original subcomponents? Vámonos! For the uninitiated, Whiskey Frankenstein is the practice of whiskey blending at home to try to create improved or interesting combos.  🧪Preparation I blended the two spirits in a 50/50 ratio to arrive at a 50ml sample. Proof should be in the 113-114 range. Whiskies were measured using a 100ml lab-quality graduated cylinder wielded with questionable skill. Mechanical agitation (stirring/shaking) was applied at the time of ...

Chattanooga Whiskey Company is known is being pivotal in getting laws changed to permit distilling within Hamilton County, becoming the first to do so since Prohibition. Their "Tennessee High Malt" style and bespoke processes showcase the characters of specialty malted grains, garnering multiple awards for both their core offerings and their always-fascinating experimental series.  Cask 111 is the full strength expression of Chattanooga Whiskey's flagship mash bill. It skips the solera finishing process of the 91 proof offering , instead opting for a small format blend which can lead to subtle variations between batches. 🛒 Sourced: $38.99 for 750ml from Smyrna World of Beverage, GA ($5 incentive, normally $43.99) 🧪 Proof:  111 proof, 55.5% ABV 🎨 Color: R4  - a ruddy reddish-brown. Good Legs. 🥔 Mash Bill & Production:  Yellow Corn 75%, Malted Rye, Caramel Malted Barley & Honey Malted Barley (25% specially malted grains, exact ratios undisclosed). A ...

The flagship brand of nutrition giant Nutrabolt, Cellucor and energy brand C4 are long-time players in the space, having launched their first pre-workout beverage, C4 powder, in 2011 with a canned version following in 2018. Marketing has long been targeted directly to gym-goers and bodybuilders. Today, you'll see two varieties of cans: yellow which is aimed at athletic performance and endurance, and black which focuses on brain function and concentration. Minority investor Keurig Dr Pepper provides nationwide logistics. Paying homage to the classic summer ice pop, a staple of ice cream trucks and school parties everywhere, C4 Frozen Bombsicle was introduced with the rest of the RTDs as a limited offering in 2018 and received a design update as well as elevation to the main nationwide lineup in 2021. Despite the heavy red, white, and blue packaging, the liquid inside is completely clear. Frozen Bombsicle remains one of the few legacy C4 flavors to utilize a cooling flavor compound t...

Founded back in 2018 by fitness influencer Katy Hearn and husband Haydn Schneider, Alani Nu (part of Congo Brands which also owns PRIME hydration/energy) seeks to disrupt an energy drink category historically dominated by marketing aimed at young men. Alani's branding emphasizes bright and vibrant color palettes while prominently featuring women and more traditionally female activities. The vibes-based plan complete with abundant influencer marketing and wellness adjacent value-prop seems to have gained traction with the brand surpassing $1billion in global sales for fiscal 2025. Beyond energy drinks, Alani Nu's catalog also has pre-workout, shakes, snacks, and energy stick offerings.  Cherry Twist was first introduced in spring of 2024, designed as a 1980s retro cherry-lime soda. Originally intended as a limited run, huge sales velocity at launch resulted in its quick promotion to the standing lineup. 🛒 Price: $16.59 for 12 cans, note this reflects a national promo and $6 o...

With the tagline "Bold Never Burnt", this ready-to-drink dark roast coffee from Philadelphia's La Colombe provides a self-described nutty flavor in a convenient format. It can be found nationally in the USA in standard retail outlets like Target or Publix, 48oz container for around $5. I do not see it on the La Colombe official website which focuses more on direct consumer retail. Made with specialty-grade beans, it is brewed strong with around 280mg caffeine per serving, a good deal more than a standard cup per volume. Not much other data available, but let's get into it! 🌍 Origin: Noted as Colombian in the product description - 100% Arabica 🔥 Roast Level: Dark - Espresso Roast 🧪 Brew Method: Immersion Cold Brew (assumed) 👃 Nose: Mild as they tend to be with cold brew. Generically roasty. 👅 Flavor: Initial palate is nut forward as advertised which deepens into roast and a chocolate adjacent gentle bittering note towards the finish. Aftertaste and back of fin...