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We turn the Four Roses 10 Recipe Tasting Kit into a hands-on bourbon class, testing how two mash bills and five yeast strains can reshape flavor in the glass. We rank our favorites, compare the kit to an OBSK single barrel, then build a custom blend to chase the perfect balance of sweet, fruit, and spice.
• quick sponsor shout and housekeeping plus where to watch and listen
• why Four Roses matters plus the brand history from Prohibition to its US comeback
• the 10-recipe system explained using two mash bills and five yeast strains
• tasting through Mash Bill E recipes and calling out vanilla, pear, tea, floral and bitterness
• tasting through Mash Bill B recipes and tracking rye driven spice, cherry, caramel and oak
• naming our top picks with OBSK as the standout for our palate
• comparing kit pours vs a bottled single barrel and checking proof
• asking and answering barrel entry proof today and why it changes whiskey
• blending equal parts to build a personal Four Roses style pour
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Ten bottles from one distillery sounds simple until you realize Four Roses is playing a completely different game. We crack open the Four Roses 10 Recipe Tasting Kit and put the distillery’s famous “two mash bills plus five yeast strains” system to a real test, glass by glass, note by note. If you’ve ever wondered whether yeast can really change bourbon flavor, or why one Four Roses single barrel hits your palate perfectly while another feels sharp, this tasting turns that mystery into something you can actually taste.

We walk through the Four Roses story and the modern rebuild that made the brand a favorite among bourbon enthusiasts, then get practical with the production details: Mash Bill E versus Mash Bill B, and what each yeast strain is designed to contribute (delicate fruit, spice, rich fruit, floral, herbal). From there, it’s a guided bourbon tasting focused on what matters most for building your own palate: identifying vanilla and caramel sweetness, spotting fruit shifts like pear and cherry, noticing herbal tea and mint notes, and paying attention to bitterness and finish when a recipe doesn’t land as a great standalone sipper.

The fun twist is we don’t stop at rankings. We compare the kit to an OBSK single barrel, talk proof, look up Four Roses barrel entry proof, and then blend our own custom pour to see how the recipes behave when you mix them like a master distiller. If you love bourbon education, Four Roses recipe codes, and DIY tasting experiments, hit play, then subscribe, share this with a bourbon friend, and leave us a five-star review so more people can find the show.

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We put Maker’s Mark Star Hill Farm American Wheat Whiskey 2025 and 2026 in the ring and score them side by side to see what changed and which one drinks better. Along the way, we get into why wheat needs oxygen, why Maker’s Mark is treating this as a vintage-style annual release, and how regenerative agriculture connects to flavor.
• why Star Hill Farm exists and why it is not bourbon
• Maker’s Mark shift from one mash bill to experimentation
• regenerative agriculture and why “grain matters”
• why wheat whiskey can improve after opening
• 2025 release proof age mash bill and tasting notes
• our barrel bottle breakdown scoring system
• 2026 release mash bill changes and what they do to flavor
• head-to-head verdict plus a simple blend idea if you own both
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Maker’s Mark spent nearly 70 years defending one core mash bill, so when Star Hill Farm American Wheat Whiskey shows up as a yearly, changing release, we have to treat it like a real moment in modern American whiskey. We line up the first two annual releases, 2025 vs 2026, taste them with our barrel breakdown scoring, and answer the question every curious whiskey fan is asking: which one actually drinks better right now, and why?

We also dig into what makes this project different from a typical “new expression.” Star Hill Farm is built around wheat as the star, not corn as the safety net, and it’s tied directly to Maker’s Mark’s push for regenerative agriculture and a grain-forward philosophy. We talk about why soil health and farming practices matter for long-term whiskey quality, and why this release is designed to evolve like a vintage rather than taste identical every year.

Then we get practical. Wheat can change dramatically after you open a bottle, and we share the cap-off, let-it-breathe approach that transformed the 2026 pour from too oaky into a dessert bomb. Expect tasting notes like cherry cola and toasted oak on the 2025, then caramel, vanilla, and an unmistakable “Milk Duds” finish on the 2026, plus the mash bill changes that help explain the swing. If you’ve got both bottles, we even float a simple blending idea to see what happens in your own glass.

If you enjoy cast strength whiskey reviews, Maker’s Mark tasting notes, and smart whiskey talk that stays grounded in what you can taste, hit subscribe, share this with a bourbon friend, and leave us a review so more people can find the show.

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One great bourbon story can change your whole drinking life, and Ed Blake’s starts with a bottle he avoided for years. After a bad early run-in with bourbon, he returns to it later through a Pappy Van Winkle 15 and suddenly the rabbit hole opens. From there, we follow the real path from enthusiast to trusted palate: learning how to taste, learning how to talk about flavour, and learning how to help other people find what they actually like.

Ed (Rising Tide Spirits) shares how barrel picks and community feedback sharpened his selection skills, including the practical reality of tasting barrels in winter, when whiskey can show harsher edges before it warms up. We also get into what it’s like building brands as a non-distiller producer, how Old Stubborn came to life through a strong distillery relationship, and why he’s committed to small production and high quality instead of chasing shelf space.

Then we go deep on rye whiskey, especially MGP rye. We unpack the dill pickle note that turns some drinkers off, how fermentation timing can influence it, and why longer aging often brings more caramel sweetness, richer oak, and a smoother balance. If you’re curious about Old Swagger, Old Stubborn, premium bourbon packaging, or what separates a hype bottle from a genuinely great pour, you’ll leave with a clearer buying compass and a better vocabulary for your own palate.

Subscribe for more whiskey conversations, share this with a rye or bourbon friend, and leave us a review with the best bottle you’ve had this year. What tasting note instantly makes you want another sip?

We sit down with Ed Blake of Rising Tide Spirits and trace the real steps from bourbon fan to respected barrel picker and brand builder. We dig into how he sources and blends Old Stubborn and Old Swagger, why his packaging is part of the experience, and what he’s learning from rye whiskey as the market shifts.
• Ed’s early bourbon misfire and the moment Pappy brings him back
• Building a whiskey community and learning through shared pours
• The liquor store “help a shopper” moment that turns into a job
• How private barrel picks create trust and demand
• Sourcing as an NDP and why winter barrel samples can mislead
• Designing premium packaging that matches premium whiskey
• Staying small by choice while releases sell out fast
• Rye whiskey education, MGP dill notes, and how age softens them
• Barrel aging plans in Kentucky and a teased higher-aged release

Remember, we're the Scotchy Bourbon Boys, www.scotchyburbonboys.com for all things scotchy bourbon boys. Remember, you can get t-shirts, Glenn Karen's. Contact me direct for those. Whether you listen to us or you watch us, make sure you leave us good feedback.

If You Have Gohsts

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Support the show

https://www.scotchybourbonboys.com

The Scotchy bourbon Boys are #3 in Feedspots Top 60 whiskey podcasts in the world https://podcast.feedspot.com/whiskey_podcasts/