Welcome to Flash Reviews, a running log of informal samples, pours, and quick impressions from the past year. These are short-form tasting notes, capturing the first few impressions, flavor highlights, and overall ranking—without the deep dive or formal breakdowns of a full review.
Each entry includes:
- Date Reviewed – when the sample was tasted
- Sample Provider – who shared or sent it
- Basic Stats – producer, proof, age, barrel finish, etc.
- Palate Snapshot: tasting note TL;DR
- Quick Take – my immediate impressions
- Overall Score – on my 7-point scale
Think of this as a living tasting ledger, updated throughout the year. Favorites may get a full review later; the rest stay here as a reference for flavor trends, interesting profiles, and palate exploration.
Jump to:
2026 | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December
2026
Samples provided by Josh
1. Quintessium (Batch 3)
Date Reviewed: February 23, 2026
Sample Provider: Josh
Producer: Forward Slash. Multiple sources.
Type: Bourbon
Proof: 50% ABV
Age: Blend of 6–8 Years
Palate Snapshot: syrupy red fruit, baking spice, mint leaf, custard
Quick Take:
Leans finished from the start with syrupy red fruits reminiscent of a sherry influence. Baking spices follow with a cooling lift of mint leaf and soft custard sweetness. A faint pot-still funk sits underneath, giving the profile a bit of character.
Overall: 4.5 / 7 – Angelic
2. Incantation Volume II
Date Reviewed: February 23, 2026
Sample Provider: Josh
Producer: Forward Slash
Type: Bourbon Finished in Pear Vanilla Mead Cask
Proof: 51.5% ABV
Age: Blend of 5–8 Years
Palate Snapshot: caramel candy, candied blueberry, honeyed pear, maple
Quick Take:
Deep caramel—almost Werther’s candy—leads the nose alongside candied blueberry and honeyed pear. Graham cracker sweetness rounds out the mid-palate before a flash of rye spice. The finish carries maple, grape jelly, and a faint smoky note that drifts toward cognac or brandy territory.
Overall: 5.5 / 7 – Divine
3. Bad Santa Rye 2025
Date Reviewed: February 23, 2026
Sample Provider: Josh
Producer: Forward Slash
Type: Rye Finished in Spiced Rum Cask
Proof: 54% ABV
Age: NAS
Palate Snapshot: caramelized sugar, mulled spice, brown sugar, cinnamon
Quick Take:
Caramelized sugar and mulled spices arrive immediately, clearly influenced by the rum cask. A slightly botanical edge appears mid-palate, likely pulled from the spiced finish. The whiskey settles into syrupy brown sugar and cinnamon on the finish.
Overall: 4.9 / 7 – Angelic
4. The Gincident
Date Reviewed: February 23, 2026
Sample Provider: Josh
Producer: Forward Slash
Type: Barrel-Aged Gin
Proof: 45% ABV
Age: NAS
Palate Snapshot: bright lemon, citrus oil, sweet cocktail
Quick Take:
Bright citrus leads the profile with a strong lemon note that almost recalls a lemon drop cocktail. Simple, expressive, and clearly leaning toward the sweeter side of the spectrum.
Overall: 4 / 7 – Bliss
5. Beyke’s Blue
Date Reviewed: February 23, 2026
Sample Provider: Josh
Producer: Brian Beyke / Green River
Type: Blue Corn Bourbon
Proof: 56% ABV
Age: 6.5 Years
Palate Snapshot: waxy corn, cinnamon apple, vanilla, peanut butter
Quick Take:
Feels like fall in a glass. Cornfield sweetness mixes with cinnamon apple and coating vanilla. Waxy corn character carries through the palate with a lingering cinnamon spice and a faint peanut butter note in the distance.
Overall: 6 / 7 – Divine
6. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof “Tim Did It” Private Barrel
Date Reviewed: February 23, 2026
Sample Provider: Josh
Producer: Heaven Hill
Type: Bourbon
Proof: 59.1% ABV
Age: 10 Years
Palate Snapshot: cherry syrup, baking spice, charred oak, waxy corn
Quick Take:
Cherry syrup and waxy sweetness open the profile before baking spices and tannic char move in. Red fruit continues through the mid-palate, while a distinctive waxy corn note returns on the finish, almost suggesting heirloom grain character. A classic “bourbon’s bourbon” profile.
Overall: 6.1 / 7 – Holy Heaven
7. Allocated (Bourbon)
Date Reviewed: February 23, 2026
Sample Provider: Josh
Producer: Forward Slash (MGP)
Type: Bourbon
Proof: 56.17% ABV
Age: 11 Years
Palate Snapshot: pecan praline, brown butter, vanilla, butterscotch
Quick Take:
A dessert-leaning bourbon built around pecan praline sweetness and a huge brown butter note. Floral vanilla and fruity butterscotch fill out the palate, while a classic high-rye spice carries the finish. Rich and squarely in my preferred flavor lane.
Overall: 6.25 / 7 – Holy Heaven
8. Allocated (Rye)
Date Reviewed: February 23, 2026
Sample Provider: Josh
Producer: Forward Slash (MGP)
Type: Rye
Proof: 53.36% ABV
Age: 12 Years
Palate Snapshot: blueberry syrup, donut sweetness, red grape, baking spice
Quick Take:
Huge blueberry syrup note leads the profile with a sweetness reminiscent of blueberry donuts. That richness deepens into tannic red grape before subtle spice appears late. It drinks almost like a dessert wine–finished bourbon at times, though the rye spice keeps it grounded.
Overall: 6.5 / 7 – Holy Heaven
9. Westward Cask Strength
Date Reviewed: February 23, 2026
Sample Provider: Josh
Producer: Westward Whiskey
Type: American Single Malt
Proof: 62.5% ABV
Age: NAS
Palate Snapshot: peach candy, milk chocolate, apricot, mandarin
Quick Take:
Bright confectionery notes open the glass—peach rings and candy sweetness—before milk chocolate and apricot appear. Butterscotch and white pepper build underneath, with hints of mandarin and faint dank hops. Reminiscent of some experimental American single malts emerging from the West Coast.
Overall: 5.9 / 7 – Divine
10. Patience
Date Reviewed: February 23, 2026
Sample Provider: Josh
Producer: Forward Slash
Type: Peated Single Malt
Proof: 52.5% ABV
Age: Blend of 5–9 Years
Palate Snapshot: cedar smoke, dark chocolate, red fruit
Quick Take:
Cedar smoke leads with a softer peat profile than expected, followed by dark chocolate and a hint of red fruit sweetness. Not entirely in my wheelhouse stylistically, but the balance and structure are solid.
Overall: 4 / 7 – Angelic
Samples provided by Rich
New Riff Balboa Rye (2025)
Date Reviewed: February 24, 2026
Sample Provider: Rich
Producer: New Riff Distilling
Type: Balboa Rye
Proof: 100 Proof
Palate Snapshot: molasses, candied mint, clove, chai spice
Quick Take:
Opens with dark molasses and a cooling lift of candied mint. The palate leans earthy, bringing clove and chai-like baking spices that linger longer than expected for 100 proof. The balance between sweetness and spice keeps it engaging without becoming heavy.
Overall: 5 / 7 – Angelic
Still Austin Bottled in Bond 7 Year (2025)
Date Reviewed: February 24, 2026
Sample Provider: Rich
Producer: Still Austin Whiskey Co.
Type: Bourbon (Bottled in Bond)
Proof: 100 Proof
Age: 7 Years
Palate Snapshot: marshmallow, milk chocolate, red fruit, root beer candy
Quick Take:
A dessert-forward profile with deep marshmallow, milk chocolate, and red fruit sweetness leading the nose. The palate follows with creamy texture and a spice note that oddly recalls those old I.S.C. root beer bottle caps—sweet, herbal, and nostalgic. Rich mouthfeel and layered sweetness make this one dangerously easy to like.
Overall: 5.4 / 7 – Divine
Tanager (2025 Release)
Date Reviewed: February 24, 2026
Sample Provider: Rich
Producer: Still Austin Whiskey Co.
Type: Bourbon (Cigar Blend)
Proof: 107 Proof
Palate Snapshot: bold oak, stewed fruit, blackstrap molasses, wintergreen
Quick Take:
Big, confident oak arrives first, followed by stewed dark fruits and a thread of blackstrap molasses. The spice builds gradually with black pepper and a bright wintergreen peppermint and tobacco note that lingers. Despite the bold oak structure, the proof stays controlled, keeping the whole experience balanced and drinkable.
Overall: 6.5 / 7 – Holy Heaven
Still Austin Monster Mash Cask Strength (2025)
Date Reviewed: February 24, 2026
Sample Provider: Rich
Producer: Still Austin Whiskey Co.
Type: Bourbon (Cask Strength)
Proof: 112 Proof
Palate Snapshot: floral fruit, maple, sweet corn, strawberry candy
Quick Take:
The nose opens floral and fruity, reminiscent of classic Buffalo Trace profiles — think E.H. Taylor with a sweeter edge. Maple and sweet corn carry through the palate alongside black pepper heat that blurs between spice and flavor. Tannic oak frames the finish while a surprising strawberry bubblegum note appears late. This one opened up nicely and grew more cohesive with time in the glass.
Overall: 5.5 / 7 – Divine
Samples provided by Nick P.
Middle West Ported Pumpernickel Rye — Batch 4
Date Reviewed: February 25, 2026
Sample Provider: Nick P.
Producer: Middle West Spirits
Type: Rye (Port Finished)
Proof: 99.5 Proof
Age: 5 Years
Palate Snapshot: cherry candy, candied mint, fig, molasses
Quick Take:
Opens with syrupy cherry candy and candied mint, quickly followed by fig and molasses sweetness. The mouthfeel leans viscous for the proof, giving the port influence plenty of room to show itself. A brief flash of pepper transitions into a cooling spearmint note before settling into a shorter finish with lingering sweetness.
Overall: 4.75 / 7 – Angelic
Seelbach’s Christmas Rye — Batch 001
Date Reviewed: February 25, 2026
Sample Provider: Nick P.
Producer: Seelbach’s
Type: Rye Finished with Amburana and Maple Staves
Proof: 107.6 Proof
Age: 7 Years
Palate Snapshot: maple sugar, candied mint, amburana spice, brown sugar
Quick Take:
Light maple-soaked brown sugar opens the profile alongside a familiar candied mint note. The palate leans spice-forward with amburana clearly driving the sweetness, while the maple stays more subtle in the background. A lighter body than expected for the proof keeps it from feeling heavy, though it reads slightly young before finishing with a medium lingering spice.
Overall: 4 / 7 – Bliss
Driftless Glen Single Barrel Rye — Barrel 1012
Date Reviewed: February 25, 2026
Sample Provider: Nick P.
Producer: Driftless Glen Distillery
Type: Single Barrel Rye (Cask Strength)
Proof: 117 Proof
Age: 10 Years
Palate Snapshot: toffee nut, almond, caramel, red fruit
Quick Take:
Nutty sweetness leads the way with toffee, almond, and caramel layered over subtle red fruit. The texture is medium-thick and carries those dessert-like notes through the palate while rye spice stays restrained until late. The finish dries out with a touch of woody spice, leaving behind lingering nuttiness.
Overall: 6.25 / 7 – Holy Heaven
Driftless Glen Single Barrel Bourbon
Date Reviewed: February 25, 2026
Sample Provider: Nick P.
Producer: Driftless Glen Distillery
Type: Single Barrel Bourbon (Cask Strength)
Proof: 122 Proof
Age: 10 Years
Palate Snapshot: caramel candy, vanilla frosting, maple, espresso
Quick Take:
A rich nose of chewy caramel candy and cream cheese frosting immediately stands out, followed by molasses and maple. The palate turns darker with hints of charred barbecue sweetness before the proof shows up in a rush of espresso and dark chocolate. The flavors are bold but taper more quickly than expected for the proof.
Overall: 6 / 7 – Divine
Samples provided by Vince R.
Shortbarrel “The Bee’s Knees V”
Date Reviewed: February 28, 2026
Sample Provider: Vince Rogers
Producer: Shortbarrel Bourbon
Type: Bourbon (Finished with Honey)
Origin: Kentucky
Palate Snapshot: floral honey, baking spice, red fruit
Quick Take:
Floral honey dominates the profile from the start, coating the palate with deep sweetness. The mouthfeel sits between light and medium, allowing some heat and baking spice to push through before the finish. Dark and red fruits linger faintly, though the honey character ultimately overshadows much of the whiskey underneath.
Overall: 4.5 / 7 – Angelic
Shortbarrel Tokaji Finished Bourbon
Date Reviewed: February 28, 2026
Sample Provider: Vince Rogers
Producer: Shortbarrel Bourbon
Type: Tokaji Wine Finished Bourbon
Palate Snapshot: green wood, honey, apricot, cardamom
Quick Take:
Opens with green wood, vanilla frosting, and honey before tart fruits — kiwi and apricot — move into focus. A surprising smoky edge appears early, almost peat-like, before the proof softens into cardamom, mint, plum, and stone fruit. Unusual and distinctive, with a profile that occasionally reads like a sherry-finished whiskey.
Overall: 5.25 / 7 – Divine
Samples provided by Alex M. (@bourbonboot)
Distillery 291 “M” Maple Finished Rye — Colorado Spirits Collective × Whiskeyer
Date Reviewed: March 3, 2026
Sample Provider: Alex McCabe
Producer: Distillery 291
Type: Maple Finished Rye (Single Barrel)
Mashbill: 61% German Rye, 39% Root Shoot Corn
Proof: 121 Proof
Palate Snapshot: cedar wood, dark syrup, blackberry, tobacco
Quick Take:
Old cedar wood and dry, dark syrup lead the nose alongside gentle leather and rosewater. Dark fruits — blackberry and fig — build through the palate with a dense candied sugar texture. The finish echoes an Old Fashioned, with cherry-orange sweetness giving way to a brief burst of proofy tobacco before settling into a syrupy blueberry linger.
Overall: 6.25 / 7 – Holy Heaven