Peerless Finally Did It: The 10-Year Kraver's Old Reserve
If you've been following Peerless since their resurrection, you knew this day was coming. Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. released its first-ever 10-year-old whiskey — Henry Kraver's Old Reserve Bourbon — on April 22, 2026, at the Louisville distillery, with a one-bottle-per-person limit.
Every bottle in Batch 1 represents liquid aging since the very beginning of the 2013 revival — making this not just the distillery's first age-stated bourbon, but a full decade of discipline in a glass. Sweet mash. No sourcing. Barrel proof. No chill filtering. Everything they promised, delivered.
Batch 1 Tasting Notes · 117.6 Proof (58.8% ABV)
Nose: Pipe tobacco, candied peanuts, almond extract, French vanilla ice cream, port wine
Palate: Candied orange peel, jammy pear/apple/cranberry, clove spice, graham cracker, marshmallow texture
Finish: Tobacco barn, charred applewood, vintage funk — rustic and long
MBD Take
This is exactly the kind of release that rewards patience — both the distillery's and yours. If you believe in the sweet mash, no-sourcing, barrel proof philosophy, this bottle is the proof of concept. Batch 1 is gone. Plan for Louisville on April 22, 2027. Set the calendar reminder now.
Quick Stats
Why It Matters
In 2024, the IWSC named Peerless World's Best Bourbon. This is the release they've been building toward since day one.
Why Peerless Is Different: The Sweet Mash Advantage
Sweet Mash Only
Most distilleries use sour mash — recycling backset from previous fermentation for consistency. Peerless starts completely fresh every single batch. The result is a cleaner, brighter distillate where grain and barrel character develop without interference from the prior run.
Never Sourced
Grain to bottle, in-house, full stop. They operate under the same distilled spirits number — DSP-KY-50 — as the original 1889 distillery. That's not marketing. That's a production philosophy they've refused to compromise on since Day 1.
Barrel Proof, Untouched
No dilution. No chill filtering. Every bottle is what the barrel says it is. At 10 years, that discipline stops being a promise and starts being visible in the glass. What you taste is purely what the wood and time created.
MBD Take
I've poured Peerless for people who've never heard of it and watched them do a double take. It doesn't drink like a craft whiskey. It drinks like a distillery that has been obsessing over one thing for a decade. Because it has. The 10-Year is the culmination. If you can find it, buy it without hesitation.
2026 Bourbon Rankings: What the Critics Are Saying
We're nearly halfway through 2026 and several credible outlets have published their rankings. Here's the honest summary — what matters, who said it, and what you should actually do about it.
Men's Journal 2026
Best of Awards
Michter's 10 Year Old claimed Best Overall. Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr. Small Batch took Best Bottled-in-Bond. Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond held Best Value — still under $20 and capable of anything from neat to an Old Fashioned without embarrassing itself.
VinePair Top 30
2026 Edition
Russell's Reserve 13 Year Old sits at the top — a yearly limited release they call "as good as bourbon gets," with rich caramel, vanilla, hints of dried fruit and s'mores. Worth hunting every spring when it drops.
Boozemakers
87 Bourbons, Blind
After 87 bourbons across four blind tasting sessions over eight weeks, Wild Turkey Rare Breed held the top spot for a third straight year. Russell's Reserve 10 Year was flagged as "criminally overlooked." Hard to argue with either call.
The Daily Pour
2026 YTD
Bardstown Bourbon Co.'s Distillery Reserve series continues to show up strong. King of Kentucky's first-ever batched expression also made waves — Brown-Forman dropped three batches simultaneously in February, which is worth tracking.
MBD Take
The consensus in 2026 isn't "find the rarest bottle." It's "buy the honest ones." Russell's Reserve 10 Year at ~$50, Evan Williams BiB at under $20 — these keep showing up because they keep delivering. That's the whole MBD philosophy right there. Stop chasing. Start drinking well.
Your Own Backyard: Sagamore Spirit Is Having a Year
If you're in Maryland and you're sleeping on Sagamore, it's time to wake up. In the last eight months, your local Baltimore distillery has released its oldest whiskey ever and crossed into bourbon territory for the first time. Both are worth knowing about.
September 2025 · Reserve Series
10-Year-Old Straight Rye
Their oldest release ever
Aged in new charred American white oak, available at the distillery and select retailers nationwide. Notes of peach crumble, roasted nuts, and molasses cookie. A major milestone — the oldest straight rye Sagamore has ever put out.
→ The one I'd be hunting.
October 2025 · Reserve Series
High Rye Straight Bourbon
Their first bourbon — ever
60% corn, 25% rye, 15% malted rye. Available at the Baltimore distillery and select Maryland retailers. Caramel, turbinado sugar, orchard fruit, cinnamon, and a rye spice finish. Breaking Bourbon called it "well-rounded and full of flavor" for a 6-year-old.
→ The everyday Tuesday bottle.
MBD Take
As a Maryland bourbon dad, I'm proud to have a distillery this good in our backyard. The 10-Year Rye is the bottle worth tracking down. The High Rye Bourbon is worth picking up on a regular Tuesday without any hand-wringing. Both deserve a spot on your shelf, and neither requires you to leave the state to find them.
Three Bottles Worth Finding Right Now
No hype. No lottery entries. No secondary market. Here's what I'd actually tell a buddy standing at the liquor store counter this week.
Russell's Reserve 10 Year
~$50
Shows up on best-of lists because it keeps delivering. Multiple blind tastings have it consistently outperforming bottles twice its price. If there's one bottle that proves you don't need to spend crazy money for a great pour, this is it.
Best for: Neat sipping, gifting
Sagamore High Rye Bourbon
~$49 · Maryland Only
Maryland-made, solid proof, approachable price, and a flavor that splits the difference between bourbon and rye. The fact that it's local makes it even easier to recommend. Pick it up at the Baltimore distillery or a select MD retailer.
Best for: Local pride, weeknight pours
Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond
~$18
100 proof. Caramel, vanilla, citrus, black pepper, long warm finish. The most honest $18 you'll spend in a liquor store, full stop. Keep two on the shelf and you're always ready to host without thinking twice about it.
Best for: Cocktails, hosting, stocking up
MBD Take
The bourbon game right now rewards the people who know what they're looking at on the shelf. These three don't require luck, a lottery, or the secondary market. They just require showing up — and knowing they're worth it before you pick them up. Now you know.
The 2026 "Big Game" Price Tracker
Tracking the highest-chatter allocated releases nationally and in the DMV. The chart compares target MSRP against the "Grab It" fair secondary value. Click any bar to see why that bottle is dominating the conversation.
Click a bar above to see the 2026 trend profile for that bottle.
The Maryland Scout: DMV Market Intel
National trends don't always apply to our local corridor. Hunting in Maryland, DC, and Virginia requires a tactical approach.
Mastering the Local Drop
In Maryland, the Maryland Bourbon Society is your best intelligence source. They frequently flag state-wide warehouse drops or "surprise" inventory hitting Montgomery County ABS stores. Real-time alerts on local drops often yield better results than entering over-saturated national lotteries.
Secondary Market Shifts
The DMV is seeing a "Secondary Split." While ultra-aged unicorns have dropped in secondary value, mid-tier allocated staples like Weller Full Proof and Stagg are stabilizing.
Expert Tip: If you spot Weller Full Proof for $150 or under in a local MD shop, don't hesitate.
Finding Better Liquid
2026 is the year of the Store Pick. Local groups are prioritizing unique barrels from Barrell Spirits and New Riff.
These selected barrels often provide superior complexity compared to standard allocated batches at a much fairer price point. Building store relationships is the smartest play in the current market.
📈 Distillery Insights & The Future
Understanding macro trends helps you predict future allocations and shifts in quality before they hit local shelves.
The "Great Recalibration"
Major distilleries including Jim Beam have paused or slowed production to avoid a bourbon bubble. Expect a return to flagship quality and fewer experimental labels that miss the mark.
Age Statements Are Back
After years of NAS releases dominating, brands like Heaven Hill and Woodinville are returning to bold age statements. Peerless's 10-Year is the most visible example — and it won't be the last.
Craft Gains Ground
With New Riff and McLaughlin Distillery earning top honors in 2025, craft is no longer an alternative — it's a destination. Many $50 craft bottles are now outperforming $500 secondary unicorns in blind tastings.