{"id":219893,"date":"2025-10-09T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-09T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/?p=219893"},"modified":"2025-10-13T10:49:04","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T14:49:04","slug":"four-under-the-radar-whiskey-brands-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/articles\/four-under-the-radar-whiskey-brands-to-know","title":{"rendered":"Four Under-the-Radar Whiskey Brands to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>There\u2019s often a moment during a bourbon bottle share\u2014whether an informal get-together at a friend\u2019s house or perhaps in a hotel after a whiskey event\u2014when someone pulls out a bottle and says something like, \u201cBut&nbsp;have you tried&nbsp;<em>this<\/em>?\u201d&nbsp;Typically it\u2019s not a well-known release that everyone is angling to taste but an under-the-radar find that delivers on style, originality, and flavor. Think of it<strong> <\/strong>like a bartender\u2019s handshake\u2014an off-menu drink that serves as a liquid wink-and-a-nod among those in the know\u2014or, reaching back to those heady pre-internet days, like learning about a buzzy new band from your friend\u2019s older brother.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<!-- Promo shortcode start --><div id=\"nlf-1c\" class=\"gg-promo topic-distilled big\"><div class=\"grid\"><div class=\"title\">Get Our Bourbon Newsletter!<\/div><div class=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/promos\/bourbon-newsletter-big.jpg\" alt=\"glass of bourbon with ice\"><\/div><div class=\"right\"><form id=\"nlf-1\" method=\"post\" class=\"form\" action=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/newsletters\/\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"gg_form_submit\" value=\"nlf-1\"><div class=\"dek\">Distilled is our newsletter about the South\u2019s favorite spirit.<\/div><div class=\"action two-items\"><div class=\"input-left\"><input type=\"text\" name=\"email\" class=\"email-input\" value=\"\" placeholder=\"you@example.com\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"group_id\" value=\"151240180\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"shortcode_form\" value=\"nlf-1\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"subscription_99416\" value=\"on\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"prev_page_id\" value=\"219893\"><\/div><div class=\"gform_footer\"><div style=\"display:none;\"><input type=\"text\" name=\"nl-nov-st\" id=\"nl-nov-st1\" value=\"\" autocomplete=\"off\" tabindex=\"-1\"><input type=\"text\" name=\"nl-nov-b\" value=\"\" autocomplete=\"off\" tabindex=\"-1\"><input type=\"text\" name=\"nl-nov-r\" id=\"nl-nov-r1\" value=\"2025-11-14\" autocomplete=\"off\" tabindex=\"-1\"><input type=\"text\" name=\"nl-nov-et\" id=\"nl-nov-et1\" value=\"\" autocomplete=\"off\" tabindex=\"-1\"><\/div><button data-sitekey=\"6Lc-hRkaAAAAAI84hbB81Jl48pGievR_C_UgHdnY\" data-callback=\"on_submit_nlf_1\" data-action=\"submit\" class=\"g-recaptcha button button-primary after-email\">Sign Up<\/button><\/div><\/div><div class=\"captcha-terms\"><p>This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google <a href=\"https:\/\/policies.google.com\/privacy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Privacy Policy<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/policies.google.com\/terms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Terms of Service<\/a> apply.<\/p><\/div><\/form><script>document.getElementById('nl-nov-st1').value=Date.now();document.getElementById('nl-nov-r1').value='';function on_submit_nlf_1(token) {document.getElementById('nl-nov-et1').value = Date.now();document.getElementById('nlf-1').submit();}<\/script><\/div><\/div><\/div><!-- Promo shortcode end -->\n\n\n\n<p>If you and I sat down to share some pours, here are four up-and-coming whiskey brands I would suggest. From relative newcomers reinventing tradition to bold experiments in blending and finishing, each is pushing boundaries and expressing a unique point of view\u2014not to mention delivering great tastes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<div class=\"article-subheader\"><h2>Lasso Motel<\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1100\" height=\"1100\" src=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/250130_Caribbean_Cask-1100x1100.png\" alt=\"whiskey\" class=\"wp-image-219901\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/250130_Caribbean_Cask-1100x1100.png 1100w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/250130_Caribbean_Cask-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/250130_Caribbean_Cask-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/250130_Caribbean_Cask-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/250130_Caribbean_Cask-1200x1200.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px\" \/><div class=\"wp-caption\"><div class=\"image-credit\">Photo: Courtesy of Lasso Motel<\/div><div class=\"caption\">Bourbon finished in Caribbean rum barrels.<\/div><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Launching <a href=\"https:\/\/lassomotelwhiskey.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Lasso Motel<\/a> in mid-2024, founder Devin Odell aimed to break away from the typical \u201cone-dimensional\u201d mold of many whiskeys, as he puts it, by infusing the brand with a free-wheeling, rock-and-roll<strong> <\/strong>vibe inspired by the storied Belmont Hotel in Dallas. Odell lived at the Belmont for four years, rubbing shoulders with musicians like Beau\u202fBedford (of the Texas Gentlemen), Paul Cauthen, and Leon\u202fBridges. \u201cThe hotel was always rocking,\u201d he says.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"858\" height=\"1100\" src=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DevinOdell-858x1100.jpg\" alt=\"Devin Odell\" class=\"wp-image-219902\" style=\"width:576px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DevinOdell-858x1100.jpg 858w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DevinOdell-234x300.jpg 234w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DevinOdell-768x985.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DevinOdell-936x1200.jpg 936w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DevinOdell.jpg 1179w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 858px) 100vw, 858px\" \/><div class=\"wp-caption\"><div class=\"image-credit\">Photo: Courtesy of Lasso Motel<\/div><div class=\"caption\">Devin Odell.<\/div><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>He channeled that atmosphere into the brand\u2019s look and feel, debuting its whiskey lineup with a dozen expressions packaged in eye-catching square-shouldered bottles. Most employ the same base whiskey\u2014four-year-old bourbon distilled at Kentucky\u2019s Green River Distilling Co.\u2014that is then finished in a variety of secondary barrels, including casks used to age Bordeaux ros\u00e9, port, moscato, Armagnac, cognac, and Caribbean rum, or<strong> <\/strong>casks made from a specific type of wood, like amburana. Tasting the various finishes side-by-side offers an exploration of how different barrels impact aroma and flavor. In musical terms, they\u2019re riffs on a theme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before starting down that rabbit hole, however, it\u2019s worth beginning with a pour of Lasso Motel\u2019s 18-Year American Straight Whiskey. Distilled in Indiana and bottled at 121 proof, it\u2019s a silky sip with<strong> <\/strong>cinnamon-dusted apricot buoyed by an exotic underswell of currants and spiced dates. That whiskey<strong> <\/strong>helped put Lasso Motel on the map with recent<strong> <\/strong>Best in Show recognitions at the<strong> <\/strong>Ascot Awards and the New York World Spirits Competition.<\/p><div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3876718\" class=\"ad-container in-line-ad mobile inContent\" data-ad-size-mapping=\"inContent\" data-ad-path=\"\/68000349\/in-between-modules\" data-ad-sizes=\"[ [336, 280], [300, 250], [300, 50] ]\" data-ad-channel=\"\" data-ad-type=\"In-between Modules\" data-page-terms=\"\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-7813120\" class=\"ad-container in-line-ad tablet inContent\" data-ad-size-mapping=\"inContent\" data-ad-path=\"\/68000349\/in-between-modules\" data-ad-sizes=\"[ [336, 280], [300, 250], [300, 50] ]\" data-ad-channel=\"\" data-ad-type=\"In-between Modules\" data-page-terms=\"\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-4457575\" class=\"ad-container in-line-ad desktop inContent\" data-ad-size-mapping=\"inContent\" data-ad-path=\"\/68000349\/in-between-modules\" data-ad-sizes=\"[ [336, 280], [300, 250], [300, 50] ]\" data-ad-channel=\"\" data-ad-type=\"In-between Modules\" data-page-terms=\"\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<div class=\"article-subheader\"><h2>Rare Character Whiskey Company<\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"880\" height=\"1100\" src=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ef522d52-d5ea-4cd1-bd91-6cc957bbd676-880x1100.jpg\" alt=\"whiskeys\" class=\"wp-image-219895\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ef522d52-d5ea-4cd1-bd91-6cc957bbd676-880x1100.jpg 880w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ef522d52-d5ea-4cd1-bd91-6cc957bbd676-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ef522d52-d5ea-4cd1-bd91-6cc957bbd676-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ef522d52-d5ea-4cd1-bd91-6cc957bbd676-960x1200.jpg 960w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ef522d52-d5ea-4cd1-bd91-6cc957bbd676.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 880px) 100vw, 880px\" \/><div class=\"wp-caption\"><div class=\"image-credit\">Photo: Courtesy of Rare Character Whiskey Company<\/div><div class=\"caption\">Rare Character whiskeys.<\/div><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Pablo Moix and Peter Nevenglosky drew inspiration from Europe\u2019s long-standing tradition of independent bottlers when they founded <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rarecharacterwhiskey.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rare Character<\/a> in 2021. Combining Moix\u2019s experience selecting single-barrel whiskeys for his L.A. cocktail bars and restaurants with Nevenglosky\u2019s background in spirits, they built a large portfolio of distinctive barrels sourced from distilleries across the country. They\u2019re primary customers are bars, liquor stores, bourbon groups, and others who select full barrels to buy, bottled exclusively for them with a barrel code and wax seal, the color of which corresponds to the whiskey\u2019s general flavor profile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"897\" height=\"1100\" src=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-09-09-214439-897x1100.jpg\" alt=\"Pablo Moix and Peter Nevenglosky\" class=\"wp-image-219903\" style=\"width:576px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-09-09-214439-897x1100.jpg 897w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-09-09-214439-245x300.jpg 245w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-09-09-214439-768x942.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-09-09-214439.jpg 945w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 897px) 100vw, 897px\" \/><div class=\"wp-caption\"><div class=\"image-credit\">Photo: Courtesy of Rare Character Whiskey Company<\/div><div class=\"caption\">Peter Nevenglosky (left) and Pablo Moix.<\/div><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>While the barrel program remains the foundation of its business, Rare Character has also expanded into finishing whiskeys in various secondary casks, as well as bottling single-barrel bourbons and small-batch blends under both revived and new labels, including Fortuna, Pride of Anderson County, and the superlative Brook Hill.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Putting it all together can be a bit complicated, but Moix, who tastes every barrel, has rightfully developed a reputation for his palate, and the core idea is straightforward: \u201cWe\u2019re curators,\u201d Nevenglosky says. \u201cWe find things that are unique, and people trust us because we continue to put out great stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<div class=\"article-subheader\"><h2>Starlight Distillery<\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1100\" height=\"835\" src=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_2769-copy-1100x835.jpg\" alt=\"a distillery on a farm\" class=\"wp-image-219908\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_2769-copy-1100x835.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_2769-copy-300x228.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_2769-copy-768x583.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_2769-copy-1580x1200.jpg 1580w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px\" \/><div class=\"wp-caption\"><div class=\"image-credit\">Photo: Courtesy of Starlight Distillery<\/div><div class=\"caption\">Starlight Distillery.<\/div><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/starlightdistillery.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Starlight<\/a> sits on a seventh-generation family farm in southern Indiana, where Ted Huber, along with sons Christian and Blake, oversees a growing whiskey program rooted in agriculture. The family has cultivated the same land since 1843, and along with fruits and vegetables also produces estate-grown wine, jams, cider, and baked goods, all sold at an onsite farm market.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Spirits came into the mix in the early 2000s, shortly after Ted helped push legislation to legalize craft distilling in Indiana and imported an eighty-gallon pot still from Germany to make grappa and brandy from the family\u2019s farm-grown fruit. The distillery expanded into whiskey in 2013, now operating two pot stills and a column still, and the bulk of Starlight\u2019s grains it either grows itself or buys<strong> <\/strong>from nearby farms, often working with them to cultivate heirloom varieties.&nbsp;<\/p><div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1711943\" class=\"ad-container in-line-ad mobile inContent\" data-ad-size-mapping=\"inContent\" data-ad-path=\"\/68000349\/in-between-modules\" data-ad-sizes=\"[ [336, 280], [300, 250], [300, 50] ]\" data-ad-channel=\"\" data-ad-type=\"In-between Modules\" data-page-terms=\"\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-8856956\" class=\"ad-container in-line-ad tablet inContent\" data-ad-size-mapping=\"inContent\" data-ad-path=\"\/68000349\/in-between-modules\" data-ad-sizes=\"[ [336, 280], [300, 250], [300, 50] ]\" data-ad-channel=\"\" data-ad-type=\"In-between Modules\" data-page-terms=\"\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-2387737\" class=\"ad-container in-line-ad desktop inContent\" data-ad-size-mapping=\"inContent\" data-ad-path=\"\/68000349\/in-between-modules\" data-ad-sizes=\"[ [336, 280], [300, 250], [300, 50] ]\" data-ad-channel=\"\" data-ad-type=\"In-between Modules\" data-page-terms=\"\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"733\" height=\"1100\" src=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_3046-733x1100.jpg\" alt=\"bourbon barrels\" class=\"wp-image-219927\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_3046-733x1100.jpg 733w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_3046-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_3046-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_3046-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_3046.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 733px) 100vw, 733px\" \/><div class=\"wp-caption\"><div class=\"image-credit\">Photo: Courtesy of Starlight Distillery<\/div><div class=\"caption\">Starlight bourbon barrels aging on the farm.<\/div><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Its recently released ten-year bourbon embodies the distillery\u2019s agricultural ethos. The bourbon is a blend of three- and four-grain pot-distilled recipes made with locally grown grains and aged in heavily toasted, flash-charred barrels from the Napa-based Sequin Moreau cooperage (a nod to both Christian and Blake\u2019s background in viticulture). The barrels aged in a warehouse on the farm, situated near a westward-facing wall that soaks up rays from the late-afternoon sun. The bourbon\u2019s rich mahogany color speaks to the depth of influence from the barrels, while peppery, grassy rye undertones are complemented by a sorghum-like sweetness and a touch of raw grain and toasted oak.<strong> <\/strong>\u201cThey basically cooked over there in a corner,\u201d Christian says. \u201cI love the viscosity that brought out.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<div class=\"article-subheader\"><h2>Dark Arts Whiskey House<\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1100\" height=\"733\" src=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Copy-of-0035_Dark-Arts_C1584-1100x733.jpg\" alt=\"whiskey bottles\" class=\"wp-image-219898\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Copy-of-0035_Dark-Arts_C1584-1100x733.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Copy-of-0035_Dark-Arts_C1584-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Copy-of-0035_Dark-Arts_C1584-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Copy-of-0035_Dark-Arts_C1584-1600x1067.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px\" \/><div class=\"wp-caption\"><div class=\"image-credit\">Photo: Courtesy of Dark Arts Whiskey House<\/div><div class=\"caption\">Dark Arts whiskeys.<\/div><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>When <a href=\"https:\/\/www.darkartswhiskey.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dark Arts<\/a> president and \u201cchief alchemist\u201d Macaulay Minton was developing the brand\u2019s debut releases in 2023, he recalls that containers filled with whiskey experiments took over nearly every flat surface in his home. He tested secondary finishing in jars rinsed with wine and various spirits. He took a deep dive into the nuances of wood from around the globe and the effects of varying levels of toasting and charring. He even tried finishing whiskey<strong> <\/strong>in containers coated<strong> <\/strong>with maple syrup.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That hands-on curiosity continues to inform Dark Arts\u2019 method. Minton combs through his barrel inventory for an interesting base whiskey and then explores ways to enhance it through custom blending, re-barreling, and finishing. \u201cI just want to innovate,\u201d he says, \u201cand push the envelope in the development of American whiskey profiles.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1100\" height=\"733\" src=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Copy-of-0098_Dark-Arts_C1584-1100x733.jpg\" alt=\"a tasting bar\" class=\"wp-image-219928\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Copy-of-0098_Dark-Arts_C1584-1100x733.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Copy-of-0098_Dark-Arts_C1584-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Copy-of-0098_Dark-Arts_C1584-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Copy-of-0098_Dark-Arts_C1584-1600x1067.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px\" \/><div class=\"wp-caption\"><div class=\"image-credit\">Photo: Courtesy of Dark Arts Whiskey House<\/div><div class=\"caption\">The Dark Arts tasting room in Lexington.<\/div><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The results have begun to turn heads.<strong> <\/strong>At September\u2019s Kentucky Bourbon Festival in Bardstown, the line<strong> <\/strong>at the Dark Arts booth consistently snaked through the tasting grounds.<strong> <\/strong>While many were looking for the festival-only release of its sixteen-year-old Cuv\u00e9e Buff-Turkey blend (dark cherry, tobacco leaf, orange zest, and <em>so<\/em> good), the core lineup offers a flavorful introduction to Dark Arts\u2019 approach. Earlier this year, the company opened a tasting room in Lexington, Kentucky, inviting even more to try its ongoing experiments. \u201cWe\u2019re always coming out with different flavors,\u201d Minton says. \u201cThe whole cycle of coming up with an idea and manifesting it into reality and then putting it into people\u2019s hands is a beautiful thing.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><div id=\"div-gpt-ad-5631727\" class=\"ad-container in-line-ad mobile inContent\" data-ad-size-mapping=\"inContent\" data-ad-path=\"\/68000349\/in-between-modules\" data-ad-sizes=\"[ [336, 280], [300, 250], [300, 50] ]\" data-ad-channel=\"\" data-ad-type=\"In-between Modules\" data-page-terms=\"\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3371024\" class=\"ad-container in-line-ad tablet inContent\" data-ad-size-mapping=\"inContent\" data-ad-path=\"\/68000349\/in-between-modules\" data-ad-sizes=\"[ [336, 280], [300, 250], [300, 50] ]\" data-ad-channel=\"\" data-ad-type=\"In-between Modules\" data-page-terms=\"\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3392783\" class=\"ad-container in-line-ad desktop inContent\" data-ad-size-mapping=\"inContent\" data-ad-path=\"\/68000349\/in-between-modules\" data-ad-sizes=\"[ [336, 280], [300, 250], [300, 50] ]\" data-ad-channel=\"\" data-ad-type=\"In-between Modules\" data-page-terms=\"\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Break out one of these bottles with bourbon-loving friends and you might surprise some folks<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":219905,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"2025-10-09T12:00:13Z","apple_news_api_id":"ffdadfd0-d537-4902-9e53-477fc0aadaa7","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2025-10-09T12:00:14Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAD\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/w==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/A_9rf0NU3SQKeU0d_wKrapw","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2392,1780],"tags":[51,48,30280,508],"authors":[17974],"issue":[],"recipe-type":[],"class_list":["post-219893","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drinks","category-food-and-drink","tag-bourbon","tag-drinks","tag-whats-new","tag-whiskey","authors-tom-wilmes"],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.3 (Yoast SEO v26.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Four Under-the-Radar Whiskey Brands to Know &#8211; 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