We’ve previously reviewed the Number 8 from George Dickel here on Thirty One Whiskey, and it’s a damn delicious spirit. But that’s not the only version that they produce — the Number 12 is billed as a slightly higher quality spirit, so naturally we felt it obligated to see if the price point matched the experience.

A “back beat” is a steady rhythm on the “off” beat — the second and fourth beats of a traditional four beat measure. It tends to be used to indicate something is a little… off. Non-traditional. Anti-establishment. Which sounds like the perfect description for 3 Howls Backbeat Bourbon.

If you’ve ever thought to yourself “this is a good bourbon, but what it really needs is a huge helping of ginger”, then you probably love a good Kentucky mule. And you also might be the exact audience for Rebel Yell Ginger, too. Personally, I love a good cocktail with ginger beer, but even I found myself wondering whether that ginger is worth adding to the whiskey itself.

Texas whiskey can probably be best categorized by… not fitting into a category. The state seems is home to so many independent distillers pushing the envelope and trying new things with the brown water. An like its fellow Texas distilleries, Lone Elm is a brand trying something well off the beaten path for American spirits: focusing on aged wheat whiskey.

When it comes to whiskey, I really enjoy has a solid history and a good back story. That is not the case in today’s whiskey, though. Paddleford is a brand that has no history to speak of, no story, and tries to hide what little could be pieced together. Can it overcome an opaque history and production on its merits alone?

Previously here at Thirty One Whiskey, we reviewed the bourbon from Few Spirits in the Chicago area, Few is much more than a one trick pony. They also produce a rye whiskey with the same focus on local ingredients and craft distilling. Since we’re big fans of their bourbon, we were pretty excited to check out more of their offerings — and let’s just say, they didn’t disappoint.

We’re wrapping up our exploration of mid-century whiskey with a fitting end: Cutty Sark Blended Scotch. With a storied past (created by one of the most renowned wine and spirits merchants and named for one of the most famous merchant ships in history), Cutty Sark boasts a certain pedigree many blended scotches don’t. But is it all brand and no substance? We’re diving into a bottle to find out.

We’re continuing our journey into the popular whisky of the mid-20th century, and along the way we’ve found that some brands have tried to modernize their branding and image, appealing to the latest generation of drinkers. Ballantine’s doesn’t play that game, keeping with its distinctive mid-century look and feel despite the changing times around it. And in spite of that (or perhaps because of it?) they seem to be doing just fine.