Don’t Blink: Cowboy Bourbon Returns, Wyoming’s Unicorn Barrel Drops, and a Million-Dollar Whiskey Auction Kicks Off

Pull up a chair on the porch—this week in bourbon is loaded. We’ve got a trio of powerhouse releases, a single-barrel stunner from the high plains, and a club pick that’ll tempt your refresh button. Awards season is in full swing, and there’s a headline-grabbing whiskey auction that could hit seven figures. Let’s get into it.

High-Proof Heavy Hitters: Cowboy, Wyoming & More

Garrison Brothers unleashes 2025 Cowboy Bourbon (146 proof)

Everything about Cowboy Bourbon is big—the myth, the hype, and definitely the proof. The 2025 batch clocks in at a stout 146, and if recent years are any guide, it’ll be a race to snag one before allocations vanish. Garrison Brothers is Texas bourbon through and through, and this annual, uncut, unfiltered release is the distillery’s calling card for folks who like their pour loud and proud.

If you’re on the hunt, now’s the time to make friends with your local shop and keep your notifications on. More details here: Men’s Journal.

Wyoming Whiskey drops an ultra-limited Barrel Strength #6429

Wyoming Whiskey just tapped one of the top-tier honey barrels in its Kirby rickhouses for a tiny, barrel-strength release: #6429. “Highly limited” here really means what it says—this is the kind of bottling that locals whisper about and collectors chase. Expect a bold, high-plains profile and a bottle count you can probably tally without taking your boots off.

Full scoop via Fred Minnick.

Breaking Bourbon Single Barrel Club: McLaughlin Distillery Cask Strength “Baby Barrel” Bourbon (BC #110 & #111)

Breaking Bourbon’s Single Barrel Club is back with a twofer from McLaughlin Distillery—cask strength “Baby Barrel” Bourbon picks BC #110 and #111. These club selections are known for their character and for disappearing fast. If you’re into comparing sibling barrels side by side, this is your kind of porch session.

Details and access via Breaking Bourbon.

BTAC season rolls on: 2025 William Larue Weller gets the deep-dive treatment

Chasing BTAC this year? Fred Minnick put 2025’s William Larue Weller under the microscope. It’s the wheated, barrel-proof darling of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, and the review will help you decide if it’s worth your time (and budget) to pursue—or trade for once the dust settles.

Read the review here: Fred Minnick.

Who Dey bottles: Boone County Distilling rolls out limited-edition Bengals bourbon

Football and bourbon, name a better duo. Boone County Distilling has a limited-edition Bengals-branded bourbon hitting local shelves—perfect for game day pours and gifting to the diehard fans in your life. Expect fast sell-through around Cincinnati, so move quick if you want one for the bar—or the mantle.

More via LINK nky.

Competition Winners & Million-Dollar Auctions

A million-dollar American whiskey auction takes the spotlight

360 bottles of rare American whiskey—heavy on the bourbon—are set to cross the block in The Great American Whiskey Collection, an auction series celebrating the nation’s 250th. If you’re into museum-piece bottles and deep-bench verticals, this is the kind of catalog you’ll study like game tape. Early chatter puts the valuation in the seven figures.

Event overview: Inc. • Another report pegs potential hammer prices up to $1.7M: Yahoo.

LA Spirits Awards: Small-batch bourbons take Platinum

The LA Spirits Awards dropped their 2025 results, and the small-batch bourbon category brought home some serious hardware, including multiple Platinum medals. If you’re shopping for bottles with competition cred, this list is a handy cheat sheet—proof that “small batch” can still punch way above its weight.

Winner roundup here: The Whiskey Wash.

…and the best straight bourbons of the LA Spirits Awards

Straight bourbon entries also showed out in LA, with top-tier medals and tasting notes that read like dessert carts and leather libraries. One standout: Bardstown Bourbon Company’s Origin Series Wheated Bourbon landing Platinum. Add these to your tasting calendar if you’re plotting a year of new pours.

Full list: The Whiskey Wash.

Uncle Nearest Faces $108M Loan Buyout Offer

Investor group bids to buy out a $108M Kentucky loan tied to Uncle Nearest

Big-dollar moves in bourbon country: an investor group has reportedly offered to buy out a $108 million Kentucky loan connected to Uncle Nearest and Nearest Green Distillery. It’s a developing story with a lot of moving parts, including pushback and court wrangling, but the headline is simple—major capital is circling, and the outcome could reshape the brand’s next chapter.

Catch up on the latest via Kentucky.com.

Closing Pour

From Texas thunderbolts and Wyoming unicorns to auction block fireworks, bourbon’s starting the year with a sprint. Whether you’re camping out for Cowboy, calling in favors for that single barrel, or just penciling in the LA award winners for your next bottle run, may your shelves get happier and your pours get tastier. Same time next week on the porch.

Sources

Item	Link
Garrison Brothers Reveals 146-Proof 2025 Cowboy Bourbon – Men’s Journal	Link
Wyoming Whiskey Releases Highly Limited Barrel Strength #6429 – Fred Minnick	Link
BC #110 & #111 McLaughlin Distillery – Breaking Bourbon Single Barrel Club	Link
Bourbon Review: 2025 BTAC William Larue Weller – Fred Minnick	Link
Boone County Distilling limited-edition Bengals bourbon bottles – LINK nky	Link
This Million Dollar Whiskey Collection Is Going Up for Auction – Inc.	Link
Private Whiskey Collection Filled With Rare Pappy Van Winkle Could Fetch $1.7 Million – Yahoo	Link
4 Platinum Medal-Winning Small Batch Bourbons From The LA Spirits Awards 2025 – The Whiskey Wash	Link
The Best Straight Bourbons From The LA Spirits Awards 2025 – The Whiskey Wash	Link
Investor group offers to buy out troubled whiskey’s $108m Kentucky loan – Kentucky.com	Link

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