Nelson County 6% Bourbon & Cola is the new premium Bourbon in town! Using Bourbon aged for longer, Nelson County 6% has a gentle, smooth, sweet vanillan taste with a rich finish that points to the extra quality and increased strength of this traditional American spirit.

84 Proof mash bill: 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% barley. Average of 3 years, aged in charred oak barrels. The high amount of corn gives this bourbon a classic sweet taste with notes of vanilla and caramel from the wood, and the rye adds some light spice flavor.

A new Woodford that’s set to be part of the core range. This is finished in heavily toasted, lightly charred barrels.

For over 200 years, Buffalo Trace Distillery has been defined by a dedication to one craft: making fine American whiskey. By honouring tradition and embracing change, it has earned its place of leadership among the legendary spirits producers of the world and is now recognised as the World’s Most Awarded Distillery. The venture produces a wide range of whiskeys using three different mash bills: one light rye, one heavy rye and a third flavoured with wheat. They've developed different products by aging those three mash bills to meet various grades and price points. At Buffalo Trace, that translates into at least fifteen labels: W. L. Weller, Eagle Rare, George T.Stagg and Old Rip Van Winkle (amongst others), and that's not counting many reserve and limited-release variants. While the mash bills contribute to the flavour, the more significant differentiation among brands takes place in century-old warehouses. Constructed of massive wood beams and covered by a brick shell, these structures allow the alternating cooling and warming of Kentucky's four distinct seasons to mature the bourbon by nature's timetable. Steam pumped throughout the warehouses during the extreme cold of winter compensates for the dramatic drops in temperature and gives the whiskey additional cycles in and out of the wood. This is said to make for a more balanced bourbon as the liquid is able to take additional advantage of the natural sugars occurring in the charred barrels. The distillery was the first to use this method of aging in 1859 and has been doing so ever since. The warehouses were built in the 1900s and represent diverse architectural styles. Consequently, their designs and location on the property contribute to the significant differences in the whiskey coming from each. Certain floors within a given warehouse produce better whiskey than others do. For example, the fourth and fifth floors of Warehouse C and the fourth through sixth floors of Warehouses I and K produce the company's best. It's these locations which have been reserved for the maturation of Buffalo Trace. The brand itself was born only relatively recently. In 1999, visitors to the newly named and renovated distillery asked, “Why isn’t there a bourbon called ‘Buffalo Trace?" In response, Elmer T. Lee ventured into the best floors in the best warehouses to find some of the finest barrels that really matched up with his views on what a full-bodied, robust Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey should taste like. The result was what consumers enjoy today , batched from no more than 40 barrels at a time. There are two ABV variants on offer - one at 45% and this lower proof 40% bottling. The flavour profiles are pretty much identical, but as you would expect, less alcohol means a little less concentration. That said, the difference isn't huge, and what you miss out on is made up for in dollar savings. The style moves away from macho Bourbon, aligning with the feminine elegance of whiskeys like Evan Williams Single Barrel. As an affordable, middle-tier offering, it's also deceptively complex. The rye is evident but balanced by softer, sweeter notes like vanilla wafers, toasted sponge cake, cherry chocolate and just plain old, high-quality American oak. This expression doesn't boast super length, but it is incredibly easy to drink. Our preference is uncut (too much water makes it a little 'peachy' and the more nuanced notes are lost). An ice cube and a comfortable chair by the barbeque is all you need to complete the picture.

"One soaring, beautiful eagle." - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible We first tasted Eagle Rare in 2006 when it was labelled 'Single Barrel'. As of 2019, that changed to a multi-barrel blend with a ten year old age statement. It remains a standout value - an American whiskey with the unusual credentials of maintaining a reputation for exceptional quality while being relatively easy to come by. The profile confirms a #1 Mashbill from Buffalo Trace, which is reported to be low rye (10% or less), yielding notes of caramel, new charred oak, liquorice bullets, cocoa and peppermint rock lollies plus cinnamon in support. The complexity grows with time. Re-tasted from a 20ml sample, it's lean on entry, but fills out beautifully into a medium-bodied, chewy whiskey with muted rye spices before vanilla and Bounty Bar flood the finish, the sugars checked by balancing oak and more creamy vanillas. Ever reliable and better than many Bourbons at twice its price, Eagle Rare remains hard to beat. 45% Alc./Vol.

Introducing a flavourful whiskey collaboration between master distiller Eddie Russell and actor Matthew McConaughey. Its name was inspired by the longest branches of their family trees and the connection they have to the states of Kentucky and Texas. Pick one up today at your local first Choice Liquor store today.

Longbranch is a rare small batch Bourbon made with 8 tear old WIld Turkey Bourbon and refined through a special filtration process with Texas Mesquite and oak charcoals, a unique method that deepens the flavour and complexity of the whiskey.

Elijah Craig are another of Heaven Hill's successful brands. When a surge in popularity for the 12 year led to an inability to meet demand, it was removed from US shelves in 2016 (no surprise, age statements are now sought after). The core whiskey has since been re-labelled “Small Batch". Typically made from a mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye and 12% malted barley, rumour has it this contains a fair proportion of whiskeys in the 8-12 year old range.

Note: ABV may vary from batch to batch. Tasting note: [BATCH QBC 16-25 tasted] Bright brassy copper. Dessert style opening sniffs include tea biscuits, vanilla fudge, mocha and hints of sticky date. Air contact dries and lightens the bouquet introducing liquorice root, and fresher, woody/peppery notes. Linear on entry. Mid palate is mildly bittersweet, bolder, oily, resinous, plummy, warming but keenly balanced at high ABV. Finishes with a brisk flurry of sweet baking spices and late cedary oak. 57.15% Alc./Vol.

The Four Roses distillery is located in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky on the banks of the Salt River in Anderson County. The distillery has a unique Spanish Mission-style architecture rarely seen in Kentucky and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The company attributes their products quality to several factors: A unique Limestone water source, the spring-fed Salt River; a high quality grain source (Four Roses are the only distillery using the same grain source for 45 years, paying a premium for quality); Two Mash Bills in daily production - one mash bill contains significantly more rye than any other Bourbon, resulting in a spicy, full-bodied taste; and five proprietary yeast strains, each producing uniquely different flavours. Tasting note: Polished brass gold. Aromas of lamington cake and cherry ripe interchange with peppermint and drying oak as damp cedar wood enters. Lots of American oak input in the mouth: anise infused honey, cocoa and cherry ripe. A splash of minty-rye to finish. Rounds off finely tannic/peppery with hints of Turkish Delight and caramel fudge in the aftertaste. Youthful, but surprises with its complexity. Solid value if you're looking for a rye-heavy Bourbon. 45% Alc./Vol.