Roger broke the top off trying to open it. Crystal almost jinxed him. And what was inside made it all worth it. 😂🥃 Crystal and Roger crack open Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #9 — a masterclass in blending that combines four rare whiskeys into one bottle: an 8-year Georgia bourbon, a 12-year Kentucky bourbon, a 17-year Tennessee whiskey, and a 12-year Ontario whiskey. Coming in at 112.5 proof and $129, this is a bottle that demands your attention from the first pour. Vanilla. Caramel. Slight spice. A touch of scotch character from the malted barley. Nuttiness. A whisper of chocolate. Roger called it a certified dessert — and with up to 17 years of age in the blend, you can taste exactly why. They've toured Bardstown. They've met Steve McNally. They know this distillery. And Discovery Series #9 is exactly what you'd expect from a team that treats blending as its own art form. If you love bourbon — this one's for you. Distillery: Bardstown Bourbon Company — Bardstown, KY Style: Blended American Whiskey Blend: 35% Georgia 8yr Bourbon · 31% Kentucky 12yr Bourbon · 19% Tennessee 17yr Whiskey · 15% Ontario 12yr Whiskey Proof: 112.5 Price: $129 (clearance find — check your local retailer) Availability: Out of stock on website — secondary market ~$200 Rating Level: Intermediate to Expert 💬 Have you tried Discovery Series #9? Is it back in stock? Do you know if it's coming back? Drop it in the comments — we read and reply to every single one! ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 – He Broke It Already 😂 01:00 – Welcome to The Liquor Connoisseur 01:30 – What Is Discovery Series #9? The Blend Breakdown 03:30 – Four Mash Bills, Four States, One Bottle 05:30 – The Clearance Find Story — Jantz from Wine Barrel 07:00 – Roger's Epic Bottle Opening Struggle 09:30 – The Pour & First Look at the Color 10:30 – Nose / Aroma — Vanilla, Caramel & Corn 12:00 – First Sip — 112.5 Proof Check-In 13:30 – Tasting Notes Deep Dive 17:00 – Age Statements & Why the 17-Year Changes Everything 19:30 – Blending Is Where It's At Right Now 21:30 – The Bardstown Experience — Glass Rickhouse Tour 24:00 – Who Is This For? Beginner vs. Expert 26:00 – Cocktails, Cigars & Share Parties 28:00 – Steve McNally & Signed Bottle Story 29:30 – Final Thoughts & Cheers 🔗 FIND US EVERYWHERE 🌐 Website: www.theliquorconnoisseur.com ▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/@theliquorconnoisseur 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/theliquorconnoisseur 🎵 TikTok: tiktok.com/@theliquorconnoisseur 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/theliquorconnoisseur "Drink to remember, not to forget." 🥃 🍺 DRINK RESPONSIBLY The Liquor Connoisseur is an alcohol positive community that promotes the enjoyment of spirits in a safe, responsible, and legal manner. Please drink responsibly. Must be 21+ to purchase and consume alcohol in the United States. Never drink and drive. If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol, please contact the SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357 — free, confidential, and available 24/7. #️⃣ HASHTAGS #TheLiquorConnoisseur #BardstownBourbonCompany #BardstownBourbon #DiscoverySeries #DiscoverySeries9 #BlendedWhiskey #BourbonReview #WhiskeyReview #112Proof #MasterBlender #DrinkToRemember #SwirlSniffSipAndSavor #CrystalAndRoger #Bourbon #WhiskeyBlend #GeorgiaBourbon #KentuckyBourbon #TennesseeWhiskey #BlendingIsAnArt #ClearanceFind #WhiskeyHiddenGem #BourbonLovers #WhiskeyLovers #CertifiedDessert #MindfulDrinking #WhiskeyEducation #BardstownKentucky #GlassRickhouse #SteveMcNally #AlcoholPositive

"He broke a $129 bottle before even opening it 😂🥃" "Did you break it already?" 😂 Roger broke the metal cap off the Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #9 before he even got the cork out. $129 retail. Going for $200 on secondary. And he snapped the top off trying to open it on camera. Crystal kept the show going. Roger kept his dignity. Barely. 😂🥃 The full review is on the channel — 4 states, 4 whiskeys, one blend. 8-year Georgia, 12-year Kentucky, 17-year Tennessee, 12-year Ontario. 112.5 proof. And Roger called it a certified dessert. "Drink to remember, not to forget." 🔗 Full review →https://youtu.be/fP9k8mvns1w 🌐 theliquorconnoisseur.com Socials: @theliquorconnoisseur #whiskey #bourbon #whiskeyfail #corkbreak #bardstownbourbon #discoveryseries #whiskeygram #whiskeylover #relatable #whiskeycommunity #liquorconnoisseur #drinktoremembernottoforget #swirlsniffsipandsavor #behindthescenes

"She's a wizard. He resurrects lost whiskeys. They made one bottle together. 🥃" "She's one of the ones who just has an amazing nose for things. Nicole Austin — a wizard." 🧙‍♀️ Nicole Austin broke ground at every career turn — from Brooklyn to George Dickel, where she created the Bottled in Bond series Crystal and Roger swear by. Then there's Todd Leopold — James Beard Award nominee, 25-year career, reviving pre-Prohibition spirits previously lost to history using old world techniques and heritage grains. When those two sit down to make a whiskey together, you pay attention. George Dickel x Leopold Brothers Collaboration Blend. 100 Proof. Full review on the channel. 🥃 "Drink to remember, not to forget." 🔗 Full review → https://youtu.be/lCB2GD81ML4 🌐 theliquorconnoisseur.com #whiskey #ryewhiskey #nicoleaustin #toddleopold #georgedickell #leopoldbrothers #whiskeylegendsz #collaboration #preprohibition #whiskeygram #whiskeystory #liquorconnoisseur #drinktoremember #swirlsniffsipandsavor #craftwhiskey

"After a year of drinking rye, I finally figured out my pattern 🥃🤯" "After a year on the rye journey, I've learned I either get mint or I get apple. This one gives both." 🤯 Roger breaks down something rye drinkers feel but rarely articulate — it's not that this whiskey tastes like mint. It's the coolness. That refreshing quality on the exhale when you breathe out after the sip. It opens the whole whiskey up. And for something at 100 proof, finding refreshing in there is the last thing you expect. George Dickel x Leopold Brothers Collaboration Rye. Apple up front. Mint coolness on the finish. Full review on the channel. 🥃 "Drink to remember, not to forget." 🔗 Full review → https://youtu.be/lCB2GD81ML4 🌐 theliquorconnoisseur.com #whiskey #ryewhiskey #ryejourney #whiskeyeducation #tastingnotes #georgedickell #leopoldbrothers #whiskeygram #whiskeynerds #mindfuldrinking #liquorconnoisseur #drinktoremember #swirlsniffsipandsavor #crystalandroger #craftwhiskey

"This $109 bottle was on sale. Here's why that happened. 👀" "Their loss can be your gain." 👀 Crystal found the George Dickel x Leopold Brothers Collaboration Rye on sale at the local retailer. Roger said stop second-guessing clearance bottles — it doesn't mean it's bad. It means that specific market didn't jump on it fast enough. And somewhere else it's flying off shelves. New brands hit the market every day. There's only so much shelf space. When a store clears something out, that's your window. 🥃 This is one of the best bottles they've opened this year — and they got it at a discount. Always check what your local retailer is clearancing. Full review on the channel. "Drink to remember, not to forget." 🔗 Full review → https://youtu.be/lCB2GD81ML4 🌐 theliquorconnoisseur.com #whiskey #ryewhiskey #whiskeytips #whiskeyshopping #hiddengem #clearancefind #georgedickell #leopoldbrothers #whiskeygram #whiskeylover #liquorconnoisseur #drinktoremember #swirlsniffsipandsavor #crystalandroger #craftwhiskey

"The secret to tasting more flavor in your whiskey 🥃🤯" Most people finish their whiskey and clean out the glass. Roger does something different. 🥃 After the drink is gone, set the glass aside. Let the ethanol fully evaporate. Then come back to the nose — and what you get is a pure distillation of every flavor that people on the internet claim they taste. No alcohol burn. No distraction. Just the whiskey telling you exactly what it is. Roger calls it the dry down. And on complex bottles like the George Dickel x Leopold Brothers Collaboration Rye, it's the only way to get the full picture. This is mindful drinking. This is what we mean by drinking to remember. Full review on the channel. 🥃 "Drink to remember, not to forget." 🔗 Full review → https://youtu.be/lCB2GD81ML4 🌐 theliquorconnoisseur.com #whiskey #whiskeyeducation #drydown #mindfuldrinking #howtotastewhiskey #whiskeytips #whiskeytechnique #georgedickell #leopoldbrothers #whiskeygram #liquorconnoisseur #drinktoremember #swirlsniffsipandsavor #crystalandroger #craftwhiskey

"We weren't ready for what was inside this bottle 😂🥃" "This is one of the few bottles that has nutrition facts on it." 😂 Serving size: 1.5oz. 120 calories. And a rye that completely blew their expectations away the moment they opened it. George Dickel x Leopold Brothers Collaboration Blend. Roger said it straight — he didn't check other people's reviews first, went in with his own expectations based on the bottle, and it blew all of that away. This is NOT what they were expecting. 🥃 Full review is on the channel — green apple nose, smoky palate, chocolate and Earl Grey finish. You need to hear this one. "Drink to remember, not to forget." 🔗 Full review → https://youtu.be/lCB2GD81ML4 🌐 theliquorconnoisseur.com Social Media: @theliquorconnoisseur #whiskey #ryewhiskey #georgedickell #leopoldbrothers #nutritionfacts #collaboration #unexpected #whiskeysurprise #whiskeygram #whiskeylover #liquorconnoisseur #drinktoremember #swirlsniffsipandsavor #crystalandroger #craftwhiskey

"We were NOT expecting candy apple in a rye whiskey 😮🥃" "That's candy apple right there. I was not expecting this." 😮 Crystal smelled it first. Green apple. Then Roger took his sip and said — no, that's more candy. Like a Jolly Rancher. Then the smoke came through on the palate that wasn't on the nose at all. And that barrel started coming through. 🥃 George Dickel x Leopold Brothers Collaboration Rye. 100 Proof. The bottle that kept surprising them with every single layer. Full review on the channel — this is one they had to keep sipping to believe. "Drink to remember, not to forget." 🔗 Full review → https://youtu.be/lCB2GD81ML4 🌐 theliquorconnoisseur.com Social Media: @theliquorconnoisseur #whiskey #ryewhiskey #firstsip #candyapple #georgedickell #leopoldbrothers #whiskeysurprise #whiskeytasting #whiskeygram #whiskeylover #liquorconnoisseur #drinktoremember #swirlsniffsipandsavor #crystalandroger #craftwhiskey

Did they just make the Cork Pop of the Year on camera? Crystal and Roger crack open the George Dickel x Leopold Brothers Collaboration Blend — a marriage of George Dickel's Comb Steel Rye and Leopold Brothers' Three Chamber Rye, coming in at 100 proof and $109. And they found it on sale. 👀 This one surprised them both. Green apple on the nose. Smokiness on the palate. A chocolate and Earl Grey finish nobody saw coming. Roger called it an "amalgamation of all the good things" — Tennessee whiskey, rye, and a hint of something almost scotch-like. It checks boxes you didn't even know you had. This is a collaboration between two of the most respected names in American whiskey. Nicole Austin — the wizard behind George Dickel Bottled in Bond — and Todd Leopold, a James Beard Award nominee who has spent 25 years reviving pre-Prohibition spirits lost to history. When those two get together, you pay attention. Distilleries: George Dickel (Est. 1870, Tullahoma TN) x Leopold Brothers (Est. 2014, Denver CO) Style: Collaboration Blend — Comb Steel Rye + Three Chamber Rye Proof: 100 Price: $109 (found on sale — always check your local retailer) Rating Level: Intermediate ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 – Cork Pop of the Year Teaser 01:10 – Welcome to The Liquor Connoisseur 01:45 – What Is This Collaboration? George Dickel x Leopold Brothers 03:30 – Nicole Austin & Todd Leopold — Who Are These People? 05:45 – The Bottle, the Label & Nutrition Facts on a Whiskey? 07:30 – Opening & The Cork Pop Moment 09:00 – The Pour & First Look at the Color 10:00 – Nose / Aroma — Green Apple & Candy Apple?! 12:30 – First Sip — Palate Coating 14:00 – Tasting Notes Deep Dive 17:00 – The Smokiness, the Mint Finish & the Rye Journey 20:00 – Rose Water, Blackberries, Earl Grey & Cocoa on the Finish 22:30 – The Dry Down Method — How to Get More from Your Glass 25:00 – Who Is This For? Beginner vs. Intermediate 27:00 – Final Thoughts — Was the Discount a Steal? 28:30 – Cheers & Please Like, Subscribe, Share 🔗 FIND US EVERYWHERE 🌐 Website: www.theliquorconnoisseur.com ▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/theliquorconnoisseur 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/theliquorconnoisseur 🎵 TikTok: tiktok.com/@theliquorconnoisseur 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/theliquorconnoisseur 💬 Have you tried the Dickel x Leopold Brothers collab? Do you think collaborations like this are the future of American whiskey? Drop your thoughts below — we read and reply to every comment! "Drink to remember, not to forget." 🥃 🍺 DRINK RESPONSIBLY The Liquor Connoisseur promotes the enjoyment of spirits in a safe, responsible, and legal manner. Please drink responsibly. Must be 21+ to purchase and consume alcohol in the United States. Never drink and drive. If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol, please contact the SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357 — free, confidential, and available 24/7. #TheLiquorConnoisseur #GeorgeDickel #LeopoldBrothers #RyeWhiskey #CollaborationWhiskey #WhiskeyReview #BourbonReview #RyeReview #NicoleAustin #ToddLeopold #ThreeChamberRye #CombSteelRye #DrinkToRemember #SwirlSniffSipAndSavor #CrystalAndRoger #CraftWhiskey #AmericanWhiskey #TennesseeWhiskey #WhiskeyCollaboration #WhiskeyTasting #MindfulDrinking #WhiskeyEducation #IntermediateWhiskey #WhiskeyLovers #BourbonLovers #RyeJourney #WhiskeyNerd #WhiskeyCommunity #CorkPop #Whiskey