Our Biggest Surprise Yet? Blind Whiskey of the Month

Welcome back to Your Bourbon Journey! 🥃 It’s that time of the month again! With the "Road to the Sweet 16" in full swing, we have curated an absolute powerhouse lineup for our April Whiskey of the Month. This month, we went bold—tasting five unique expressions that span the entire spectrum of flavor and finish. From Finished Rye and Wheat whiskeys to high-proof American Light Whiskey and Kentucky Straight Bourbon, we are all over the map! We put these contenders to the ultimate test in a blind tasting format to see which bottle has what it takes to advance toward our Whiskey of the Year title. The competition was fierce, the legs were luscious, and the results? Let’s just say we were genuinely stunned. In this episode: We dive into five distinct expressions, evaluating them on the nose, palate, and finish. We break down the unique profiles, discuss the impact of finishing casks (Armagnac, Madeira, Port/Sherry), and score them live to see who reigns supreme this month. Featured Candidates: * Dark Arts Cask Strength Bourbon (Armagnac Finish) * Dark Arts Blunt Blend (Batch 3) * Knob Creek Blender’s Edition 1 * Penelope American Light Whiskey (18 Year) * Remus Master Distiller Experimental Series 2 Stay tuned until the end for the Big Reveal! We break down the math, discuss the "Sweet Sixteen" leaderboard implications, and find out which of these bottles are destined for our Whiskey of the Year tournament. If you enjoy our blind tasting series, hit that SUBSCRIBE button and join us on our journey! 🔔 Don't forget to like and comment: Which of these bottles would be your top pick? Are you a fan of the finishes in this lineup? #YourBourbonJourney #Bourbon #WhiskeyReview #BlindTasting #RoadToSweet16 #WhiskeyCollection #BourbonWhiskey #RyeWhiskey #CraftWhiskey #WhiskeyTasting #WhiskeyLife #BourbonCommunity #HighProofBourbon #DarkArtsWhiskey #PenelopeBourbon 📊 SEE THE LIVE LEADERBOARD: Want to see where these bottles rank against the rest of the field? Check out our real-time leaderboard here: 👉 https://yourbourbonjourney.com/2026/02/27/the-live-leaderboard-road-to-the-sweet-sixteen/ 🥃 OUR NEW SCORING PROCESS: We’ve revamped our scoring to be more transparent than ever. Read the full breakdown of our new rubric and the "Sweet Sixteen" bracket process on our website: 👉 https://yourbourbonjourney.com/2026/02/27/decoding-the-pour-the-new-your-bourbon-journey-scoring-woty-process/ ### **Connect With Us & Support The Journey!** 🥃 **Become a Patron & Get Exclusive Content:** https://www.patreon.com/cw/YourBourbonJourney 🌐 **Visit Our Website:** https://yourbourbonjourney.com/ 🔔 **SUBSCRIBE HERE:** https://www.youtube.com/@YourBourbonJourney?sub_confirmation=1 📸 **Instagram:** https://www.instagram.com/yourbourbonjourney/ 👍 **Facebook:** https://www.facebook.com/YourBourbonJourney 🎥 CHAPTERS 0:00 Welcome to April Whiskey of the Month The Road to the Sweet 16: Introduction 1:10 Meeting the Contenders & Technical Specs 2:49 Explaining the Scoring Rubric 3:17 Sample A: Floral Notes & Proof 5:06 Sample B: Luscious Legs & Marshmallow Sweetness 7:18 Sample C: Chocolate & Fruit Complexity 9:46 Sample D: Savory Palate & Cinnamon Finish 11:37 Sample E: Bready, Jammy & Consistent Mouthfeel 13:41 Round 2: Re-evaluating & Comparing the Lineup 17:37 THE REVEAL: The Reveal: Ranking the Field 21:43 So Many Surprises! 25:19 Final Thoughts & Whiskey of the Year Contenders ❌YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL❌ Dark Arts Cask Strength Bourbon (Armagnac Finish) Mash Bill: 60% Corn, 36% Rye, 4% Malted Barley Age: 10 Years; Proof: 113 (Cask Strength) Other: Finished in Armagnac Cask; Batch AT2; Bottle 132 Original Review: https://youtu.be/K6YnXHYFCZU   Dark Arts Blunt Blend (Batch 3) Dank Arts Mash Bill: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley Age: 8 Years; Finished: Madeira Cask and Armagnac Cask; Proof: 113.8 Original Review: https://youtu.be/bPKYGGOWBwQ   Knob Creek Blender’s Edition 1 Mash Bill: 77% Corn, 13% Rye, 10% Malted Barley Age: 10 years; Proof: 106 Original Review: https://youtu.be/yzxOxzQ9_Tc   Penelope American Light Whiskey 18 Year Limited Release Mash Bill: 99% Corn, 1% Malted Barley Age: 18 Years; Proof: 140.2 Original Review: https://youtu.be/n4FR9BA-AVM Remus Master Distiller Experimental Series 2 Mash Bill: 95% Wheat, 5% Malted Barley (LKSV formula/rare) Age: Distilled in 2017 – Approximately 9 years Quattro-Finish: (separately) Tawny Port, White Port, Oloroso Sherry and Ruby Port Casks (then blended); Proof: 113 Original Review: https://youtu.be/-FltVNDnw8o 🚨REMEMBER TO ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY🚨 ❓Questions❓ YourBourbonJourney@gmail.com NOTE: The spirits in this review were purchased by us.We were not compensated by the spirit producers for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.