9 Bourbons Getting WORSE (And 3 That Keep Getting BETTER)

📖 Get The Bourbon Buyer eBook. My 60-page field manual: https://caskritual.com Bourbon has a problem. Sixteen point one million barrels are sitting in Kentucky warehouses right now at a three hundred percent oversupply, and Jim Beam shut down its main Clermont distillery for all of 2026 because there is literally too much whiskey to sell. The shortage excuse the industry gave you for a decade just expired. Nine brands kept the cuts anyway, and three gave the quality back. Here are twelve bourbons that tell you who is being honest with your money in 2026. You will learn why Elijah Craig Barrel Proof takes the number one spot on the declining side after carrying a twelve-year age statement from 2013 to 2023 before Heaven Hill switched to variable ages where batch C925 hit nine years and one month, the youngest in the series' history, at the same price for three fewer years than the guarantee you used to get, why Basil Hayden is one of the worst values at eighty proof and forty-five to fifty dollars sharing the exact Jim Beam high rye mash bill as Old Grand-Dad Bonded which gives you that recipe at a hundred proof for about twenty-six dollars after dropping its age statement in 2014 for Artfully Aged marketing, and why Eagle Rare Twelve is the number one bottle getting better after Buffalo Trace launched it as a permanent expression in June 2025 at ninety-five proof, a twelve-year age statement, and forty-nine ninety-nine while the flagship from the same rickhouses stayed no-age-statement at ninety proof and drifted to thirty-nine dollars. The video covers Bulleit softening its high-rye punch after the Four Roses sourcing wound down, Woodford Reserve staying thin at ninety point four proof past forty dollars while chasing gimmick finishes, Weller Special Reserve coasting on the family name at a sixty-six dollar street price, Buffalo Trace drifting to thirty-nine dollars while its premium line thrives, Blanton's ballooning to a hundred and three dollar average while the liquid stayed flat, Jack Daniel's Old Number Seven proofed down to eighty and never restored, Elijah Craig 18 Year over-oaked at ninety proof and not selling at a hundred and sixty, Knob Creek dropping its age statement in 2016 then bringing it back in 2020 at a hundred proof for thirty-six dollars, and Russell's Reserve holding its price flat on the 2026 thirteen-year. Cask Ritual breaks down the bourbon and whiskey industry so you can drink smarter and spend with confidence. #Bourbon #Whiskey #bourbonhunting Chapters and key moments: 00:00 Nine bourbons getting worse and three that keep getting better 00:38 #9 Bulleit the high-rye recipe that changed without telling you at thirty dollars 02:06 #8 Woodford Reserve the thin flagship past forty dollars while finishes multiply 03:48 #7 Basil Hayden eighty proof at premium prices for the Old Grand-Dad mash bill 05:53 #6 Weller Special Reserve the hype that ate the value at a sixty-six dollar street price 07:19 #5 Buffalo Trace the flagship that drifted to thirty-nine while the premium line thrived 09:26 #4 Blanton's the bottle more famous than the bourbon at a hundred and three dollars 10:47 #3 Jack Daniel's Old Number Seven the eighty proof drop that never came back 12:45 #2 Elijah Craig 18 Year age without proof at a hundred and ninety that will not sell 14:46 #1 Elijah Craig Barrel Proof the twelve-year guarantee that became nine 17:01 Getting better #3 Knob Creek the brand that listened and brought the age back 18:36 Getting better #2 Russell's Reserve raising the bar and holding the price 20:06 Getting better #1 Eagle Rare Twelve the same distillery going the opposite direction 21:47 Why the shortage excuse finally expired in 2026 Contact: [email protected] Facebook:   / caskritual   Instagram:   / cask.ritual   Pinterest:   / caskritual   X: https://x.com/caskritual TikTok:   / caskritual   Threads: https://www.threads.com/@cask.ritual Disclaimer: This video and channel (Cask Ritual) are intended exclusively for individuals of legal drinking age in their jurisdiction (21+ in the US, 18+ or 19+ in many other countries—check your local laws). We do not promote or encourage excessive or irresponsible alcohol consumption. Always drink responsibly, know your limits, and never drink and drive. If you have health concerns, consult a medical professional before consuming alcohol. All reviews, tasting notes, recommendations, and opinions shared in these videos are subjective, based on personal experience, and for entertainment/educational purposes only. Taste preferences vary widely—what I enjoy, you might not, and vice versa. No sponsorships, affiliate links, or paid promotions are implied unless explicitly stated in the video/description. Cask Ritual is not providing medical, financial, or legal advice. Viewer discretion is advised. Cheers responsibly!