Author: Bill

Bill is the Co-Founder, Editor-in Chief, and official Bourbon-o-Phile for ModernThirst.com, and Founder and Chief Blending Officer for Four Gate Whiskey Company. He is a native of Louisville, KY in the heart of Bourbon Country. He attended the University of Kentucky in the mid to late 1990s. He has also been published on Liquor.com. He has conducted various bourbon and whiskey tastings in cities across the country, and consulted for multiple national labels. He is married with two daughters, and lives in east Louisville. You can follow him on Facebook and Twitter @BillStraub and email him at [email protected].

[amazon_link asins=’B00H143UXW,B06Y1VGMH2′ template=’MT-product-carousel’ store=’modernthirstc-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’89cd9de4-ff80-11e7-ad0b-b3d612b3a656′] Stats: Producer: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY ABV: 64.5% (129 Proof) Age: NAS (est. 7-9 years) Price Paid: $69.99 Availability: Limited What it is: The Taylor line is produced by Buffalo Trace in Frankfort, KY, and is named for Colonel E. H. Taylor, Jr.  Taylor owned the distillery in the mid to late 1800s, and is credited with revolutionizing bourbon production.  His historic 100+ year old brick warehouse on the Buffalo Trace property pioneered climate-controlled aging, and is used today for the aging of the Taylor line. The Barrel Proof release is amongst the…

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A little birdie told me to expect the red label Evan Williams 12 year old this month.  It will be sold exclusively at the Evan Williams Experience in Downtown Louisville.  Still no word on price.

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For an updated list, click here. If I had a dollar for every time someone asks me what my top 10 bourbons are, I’d be a rich man. It’s difficult to really answer that because I like lots of different bourbons for lots of different reasons.  Depending on my mood, I may prefer a different flavor at a different time.  But I’m not afraid to name-drop, so I thought I’d take a stab at a few lists.  Naturally, I reserve the right to alter this, update it, and completely switch it around whenever I see fit, for any reason, or…

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There is a new section on the Modern Thirst CafePress Store called “Drink. Live.”  It features a selection of merchandise bearing some of our favorite quotes and sayings about the good life.  We have drinking-related quotes from Abe Lincoln, Mark Twain, Andrew Jackson, and more. Take a look!

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[amazon_link asins=’B00H143UXW,B06Y1VGMH2′ template=’MT-product-carousel’ store=’modernthirstc-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’89cd9de4-ff80-11e7-ad0b-b3d612b3a656′] Stats: Age: NAS ABV: 45% ABV (90 proof) Producer: Old Forester (Brown-Forman) Price Paid : $42.99 Availability: Released to select cities, including Chicago, Denver, Louisville, Nashville, New York City, Seattle and San Francisco. What it is: This is the first in Brown-Forman’s new “Whiskey Row” series, which commemorates the founding of Old Forester Bourbon at 322 West Main Street, Louisville, KY in 1870.  1870 Original Batch commemorates the founding by using similar batching techniques as used by the brand’s founder, George Garvin Brown, in 1870.  In those days of yore, Brown would mingle…

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Modern Thirst launched in early January of 2014. That means that as we approach the end of the calendar year, we’re also approaching the end of our first year providing news and reviews on bourbon, whiskey, and craft beers. With that in mind, we feel it’s only fitting to announce our “Best of the Year” awards, hereafter referred to as “The Thirsties.” We’re awarding a Thirstie in the following categories: Distiller/Distillery of the Year Private Selection of the Year Standard Production Whiskey of the Year Non-Bourbon Whiskey of the Year Bourbon of the Year And the much coveted pimp-daddy category of…

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That’s right! You can have Modern Thirst branded merchandise of your very own! We have partnered with Café Press to provide shirts, glassware, coasters, and more for you to purchase. Just go to http://cafe press.com/Modernthirst (There is also a link on the right hand side of the front page).  And the best part is that with rush shipping, you can still get it in time for Christmas! There are over 50 items available, so check them out! We have items in our standard full color logo:    We have items in our black & white Modernthirst.com logo: And even some…

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[amazon_link asins=’B00H143UXW,B06Y1VGMH2′ template=’MT-product-carousel’ store=’modernthirstc-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’89cd9de4-ff80-11e7-ad0b-b3d612b3a656′] It’s been six long months, but for those who’ve written and asked why we ended the series, take heart!  It’s time for round 10 of the Budget Bourbon Battle Royale!  (Follow this link for previous rounds.) If you’re not familiar with this series, we’re reviewing bottles that can be had for $20 or less in most areas. If you’ll recall, the final round of the BBBR went to Evan Williams While Label (also known as Evan Williams Bottled in Bond).  Today, we’re returning to a familiar name in the Battle Royale, and trying a different bottling of…

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