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StillNotes | Release Notes
New bottles. Rare finds. Stories worth sharing.
StillNotes | Release Notes — Week of November 4, 2026
Apparently, the whiskey world decided to celebrate my birthday with me this year.
October 28 happens to be my birthday, and the announcements arriving around it felt like a particularly thoughtful gift.
From a 30-year-old bourbon bottled at an astonishing 164.2 proof to a wheated bourbon with a new personality, there’s plenty to talk about.
But here’s what I always tell guests at my tastings: A bottle doesn’t have to be rare or expensive to be interesting. The story behind it—and what makes it taste the way it does—is what fascinates me.
Welcome to StillNotes | Release Notes, a new series from Wine & Whiskey CLE. I’ll share noteworthy whiskey news, bottles worth watching, and where you might find them, whether you’re shopping in Ohio or traveling through bourbon country.
Let’s see what’s new.
1. Heaven Hill Phoenix: A Bourbon With a 30-Year-Old Story
18-year age statement, with 30-year-old whiskey in the blend | 107 proof | $325 MSRP | 750 mL | Limited release
Thirty years after the devastating 1996 Heaven Hill distillery fire, the company has introduced something extraordinary.
Heaven Hill Phoenix combines 18-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon matured in heavy-char barrels with a portion of 30-year-old whiskey distilled before the original Bardstown distillery burned.
That distinction matters: Phoenix is an 18-year age-stated bourbon containing older whiskey, rather than a 30-year-old bourbon.
Every bottle carries a connection to the original distillery.
I’m particularly drawn to this release because I already teach the story of the Heaven Hill fire in my Bourbon Disasters tasting. It’s one of those moments in whiskey history that reminds us how much can be lost in a single night—and how much determination it takes to rebuild.
Where to look: Select markets and the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience in Bardstown, Kentucky. Shipping began in October 2026; Ohio availability is not confirmed.
Why it’s interesting: Phoenix connects two chapters of Heaven Hill’s history while showing how whiskeys of different ages can contribute to a blend. The oldest component is part of the story, but how those components work together is what ultimately matters in the glass.
An 18-year-old bourbon with a connection to Heaven Hill’s past: Phoenix includes a portion of 30-year-old whiskey distilled before the 1996 fire. Photo courtesy of Heaven Hill.
2. Blade and Bow: Thirty Years Old and 164.2 Proof!
164.2 proof | $2,500 MSRP | 750 mL | 1,200 bottles
Now this is one that made me look twice.
Blade and Bow announced a 30-year-old cask-strength bourbon at an incredible 164.2 proof.
The brand also offers the same underlying blend in its returning 109-proof 30-Year-Old Limited Release, with a suggested retail price of $1,200.
Think about that: the same whiskey blend, presented at two dramatically different strengths.
Adding water to whiskey changes more than its intensity. It can change how we perceive aromas, texture, sweetness, spice, and alcohol—and the result isn’t always as simple as “lower proof means less flavor.”
Where to look: Select markets beginning November 2026. Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Shively, Kentucky, announced an initial allocation of 25 cask-strength bottles by reservation. Reservations open November 16, with pickup later that month. Additional limited drops are planned.
The 109-proof expression returned to Stitzel-Weller on October 30, followed by limited select-market availability.
For travelers interested in tasting rather than buying, the distillery also announced dedicated tasting experiences and one-ounce pours. Confirm current offerings before visiting.
Why it’s interesting: These expressions provide an unusually dramatic example of how bottling proof changes the presentation of a mature whiskey. Fortunately, you don’t need a $2,500 bottle to explore that idea in your own glass.
Thirty years of maturation, bottled at 164.2 proof. Blade and Bow’s limited cask-strength release offers a bold counterpart to its 109-proof expression. Photo courtesy of Blade and Bow Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
3. Four Roses Is Experimenting With Chestnut Wood
104 proof | $55 MSRP | 375 mL | November 20 release
Four Roses has taken its six-year-old OBSK bourbon and finished it in barrels made from Japanese-grown chestnut wood.
Chestnut adds a different wood choice after the bourbon’s original maturation in new charred oak.
For Experimental Series No. 003, the finishing barrels featured different toast and char levels. Each barrel was monitored individually, with finishing periods ranging from five to eleven weeks.
Four Roses describes vanilla bean, apricot, pear, cherry, toasted wood, and baking spice.
For anyone curious about secondary maturation, this is exactly the kind of experiment worth following.
Where to look: Four Roses visitor centers in Lawrenceburg and Cox’s Creek, Kentucky, beginning November 20, while supplies last. This is a visitor-center release rather than an announced nationwide rollout.
Why it’s interesting: Four Roses already makes ten distinctive bourbon recipes using two mash bills and five yeast strains. Exploring another wood species adds a further dimension to the flavor equation.
4. Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Rye: One I’m Particularly Excited About
90.4 proof | $54.99 MSRP | 750 mL | Permanent release
If you love Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Bourbon, this deserves your attention.
Woodford has introduced Double Oaked Rye, taking its Kentucky straight rye whiskey and finishing it for up to twelve months in a second heavily toasted, lightly charred new oak barrel.
Its rye mash bill contains 53% rye, 33% corn, and 14% malted barley.
Woodford describes aromas of roasted espresso, caramel, lemon custard, and candied pecan.
Where to look: A nationwide rollout begins in November 2026. Ohio whiskey enthusiasts should watch for it, although an announced national release does not confirm an OHLQ listing or inventory at a particular store.
Why it’s interesting: This could make an excellent comparison with standard Woodford Reserve Rye: the same grain recipe, with additional barrel maturation in one expression.
It’s a practical learning comparison, although barrel selection and other maturation differences can also influence what you taste.
I can already imagine using these two bottles in a future tasting.
5. 1792 Wheated Full Proof: A New Spin on Sweet Wheat
125 proof | $39.99 MSRP | 375 mL | November release
Another announcement that arrived on my birthday!
1792 is introducing Wheated Full Proof, a higher-proof expression building on the wheated bourbon style associated with its Sweet Wheat release.
Wheat replaces rye as the secondary grain. Barton describes the expression as sweet and rounded, although its character also reflects fermentation, distillation, maturation, and bottling proof.
The new release is bottled at 125 proof, matching the whiskey’s original barrel-entry proof. That tells us its bottling strength; it doesn’t automatically mean the whiskey went into the bottle without any proof adjustment.
Where to look: The announced initial markets are California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Illinois, beginning November 2026. Ohio is not included in that initial list.
Why it’s interesting: This offers another way to explore Barton’s wheated bourbon style at a substantially higher proof.
Also, notice the bottle size. At $39.99 for 375 mL, the equivalent cost for 750 mL would be $79.98. Comparing bottle sizes helps put the price into perspective.
6. Town Branch: A 17-Year-Old Kentucky Single Malt
100 proof | $399.99 MSRP | 750 mL | Only 85 bottles
Kentucky may be famous for bourbon, but it produces other distinctive styles of whiskey, too.
Town Branch has released Archive Series Volume 3, a 17-year-old bottled-in-bond Kentucky single malt made entirely from malted barley and aged in former Kentucky bourbon barrels.
This single-barrel release comes from some of the distillery’s earliest whiskey stocks.
Where to look: This is an extremely limited release associated with Town Branch Distillery in Lexington, Kentucky. Contact the distillery for current purchase information; Ohio availability has not been confirmed.
Why it’s interesting: Bourbon requires at least 51% corn and maturation in new charred oak containers. This single malt takes a different path through its grain recipe and use of former bourbon barrels.
The bottle is a good reminder that where a whiskey is made doesn’t necessarily tell you what style it is.
Town Branch also announced plans for an Archive Series Cask X Tour & Tasting Experience by the end of 2026—another development for Kentucky travelers to watch.
7. Barrell Sweet Peat: When Whiskey Traditions Collide
142.34 proof | $199.99 MSRP | 750 mL | Limited release
Barrell Craft Spirits announced a 22-year-old blended whiskey combining Canadian and Scotch whiskies, finished in toasted Jamaican rum and Islay whisky casks.
That’s quite a combination!
Part of Barrell’s Black Label Series, Sweet Peat brings together mature whiskey from two countries with finishing casks that contribute another set of influences.
Barrell describes caramel, tropical fruit, toasted oak, and delicate peat smoke—a combination that makes those finishing-cask choices particularly intriguing.
Where to look: Barrell Craft Spirits’ website where legally available, along with select retailers. Check shipping eligibility before ordering. Ohio inventory is not confirmed.
Why it’s interesting: This bottle demonstrates the creativity of blending and finishing. A whiskey’s identity can come from the thoughtful combination of different origins, ages, and cask histories.
8. Ohio Bottle Watch: Rabbit Hole Single-Barrel Finds
Cavehill Single Barrel | Announced OHLQ price: $76.99 | 750 mL
Heigold Single Barrel Cask Strength | Announced OHLQ price: $59.99 | 750 mL
Finally, something specifically for my fellow Ohio whiskey enthusiasts.
OHLQ’s announced Rabbit Hole exclusive release window ran October 26 through November 2. With that window now over, these are bottles to check for remaining inventory rather than an upcoming release.
Cavehill features a four-grain bourbon recipe that includes honey malted barley, while Heigold brings a high-rye recipe.
They would make a fascinating comparison for anyone interested in how grain choices contribute to flavor—while keeping in mind that maturation, proof, and individual barrel character also matter.
Where to look: Check OHLQ for current listings, prices, and any remaining exclusive inventory. Availability varies by store and is not guaranteed.
Why it’s interesting: Single barrels provide a chance to explore variation within a producer’s recipes. Two barrels carrying the same brand name can still offer noticeably different experiences.
What’s Worth Watching Next?
If I were planning a bourbon-country trip or deciding what to watch for locally, these would be at the top of my list:
For Ohio shoppers: Watch for Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Rye as its national rollout begins, and check OHLQ for remaining Rabbit Hole exclusive inventory.
For Kentucky travelers: Four Roses Experimental Series No. 003: Chestnut arrives November 20 at its visitor centers. Blade and Bow’s cask-strength reservations open November 16, and Stitzel-Weller’s announced tasting options may offer a way to experience the whiskey without buying a bottle.
For collectors: Heaven Hill Phoenix carries a direct connection to pre-fire whiskey, while Town Branch’s 17-year-old single malt and Blade and Bow’s 30-year-old cask-strength release are exceptionally limited.
Suggested retail prices and release announcements do not guarantee availability. Check directly before making a special trip.
The Bottle Isn’t the Whole Story
What I love most about these releases is what they can teach us.
A change in grain can alter a whiskey’s character. Another barrel introduces new possibilities. Proof changes our perception. And sometimes a bottle carries decades of history within it.
That’s the inspiration behind StillNotes and the experiences I create through Wine & Whiskey CLE.
I believe understanding why you enjoy a whiskey is much more rewarding than simply knowing whether it’s expensive or hard to find.
Have you spotted any of these releases, or is there one you’d love to try?
Until next time, keep exploring, keep tasting, and taste with intention.
Wine & Whiskey CLE offers private wine and whiskey tasting experiences throughout Northeast Ohio. Bring your friends together, explore the stories behind the spirits, and discover your own flavor
preferences.
This is a release-news roundup, not a hands-on review. Flavor descriptions are attributed to the producers unless otherwise noted. Prices and release plans reflect the announcements cited; check current availability before purchasing or traveling.
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