Fitness
5 Affordable Limited-Edition Bourbons and Whiskeys You Can Actually Find
These days, it seems like limited-edition bourbons and whiskeys practically outnumber regular products. They certainly get most of the attention, as eager whiskey fans scrabble for their chance at a rare, allocated, or unicorn bottle. There’s no denying George T. Stagg, Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch, Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, and their ilk are incredible whiskeys. But not everyone has the time—or budget—to track one down. Happily, these aren’t the only special releases on the shelf. There are several limited-edition bourbons and whiskeys that fly under the radar, underappreciated by the trophy-boasting masses.
Forget the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection and other bottles that are impossible to find at retail. These limited-edition bourbons and whiskeys are accessible, affordable, and always satisfying.
1. Remus Repeal Reserve
Countless whiskey brands source juice from Indiana mega-producer MGP. But the distillery markets a number of its own labels, including George Remus bourbon. With access to the best barrels, including aged whiskeys that are becoming more and more scarce these days, Remus picks the cream of the crop for this annual limited edition. Each year’s bottling blends two different high-rye mashbills—21 percent and 36 percent rye—and a number of ages, typically in the 10- to 12-year-old range. Though its price has risen steadily over the years, the bourbon inside the bottle seems to be continuously refined, too.
[$90; georgeremus.com]
2. George Dickel 15-Year-Old Single Barrel
Stocks of well-aged whiskey at the Cascade Hollow Distilling Company must be nearly endless. Not only does George Dickel release a hotly anticipated and double-digit-age Bottled in Bond Tennessee whiskey every spring, the brand also rolled out a single barrel program in late 2020 with every barrel aged a full 15 years. Available to bars and restaurants in over 20 states and growing—each of which can choose its desired bottling proof—the 15-year-old single barrels will, by definition, vary. But with a shelf price few other extra-mature bourbons can match, and the distillery’s reputation for quality as assurance, it’s a small risk to try out one—or several.
[$60; georgedickel.com]
3. Barrell Dovetail
Since its founding in 2012, Barrell Craft Spirits has been quietly revolutionizing the popular perception of blended whiskey. The company’s team of blenders takes weeks and sometimes months to create each product. They narrow down the flavor through a meticulous “microblending” process. Dovetail took almost a year to perfect, featuring a blend of bourbon and whiskey finished in several cask types: French oak, late bottled vintage port, blackstrap molasses, and also Dunn Vineyards cabernet sauvignon. Proof varies by batch but is always cask strength, and while it’s popular enough never to collect dust on shelves, tracking down a bottle is pretty straightforward.
[$90; mashandgrape.com]
4. Yellowstone Limited Edition
Named for the national park, with which it shares the birth year of 1872, this bourbon has been made at several different distilleries over time—its flavor profile and character changing with each iteration. The current version is produced at Limestone Branch Distillery under the careful hand of master distiller Stephen Beam, whose ancestor J.W. Dant created the original Yellowstone. Each year’s release varies in composition, with past versions featuring barrel finishes including red wine and armagnac. Bottled at 101 proof, Yellowstone Limited Edition offers a memorable tasting experience. It deserves to be more appreciated than it is.
[$100; curiada.com]
5. Booker’s
Although it’s regularly available, Booker’s is technically a series of limited editions. Each batch comprises a unique bourbon, never to be repeated. Chosen to fit a certain profile—intensely flavored, aged 6 to 7 years, always bottled without chill filtration at barrel proof—individual Booker’s batches show enough variation to attract both collectors and die-hard fans who want to taste comparatively. Batches come out a few times a year, usually once per quarter. However, in 2020 there were three releases as master distiller Fred Noe couldn’t find sufficient barrels to meet his standards. Each batch is coded with the year, sequence of release, and also a name that nods to the brand’s namesake. For example, Booker’s 2021-02 “Tagalong Batch” was the second release of 2021. The name refers to the way Booker Noe “tagged along” with his grandfather, Jim Beam, to learn the distilling ropes. The price has gone up over the years but with consistently high quality and proofs regularly topping 120, Booker’s remains one of the best deals on the shelf.
[$90; bookersbourbon.com]
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The key to 360-degree muscle: 90-degree eccentric isometrics. It might seem like we’re throwing a lot of geometry at you, but the concept behind time under tension (TUT) is simple, says Joel Seedman, PhD, owner of Advanced Human Performance: “Perform the lowering phase of a movement in a slow, controlled fashion, usually 3 to 5 seconds; pause in the stretched position, typically around 90 degrees; then perform the lifting phase in a powerful yet controlled fashion.” Believe us, a time-under-tension workout can humble even seasoned lifters…Eccentric isometrics are like the pressure cooker of training.
“Rather than mindlessly performing slow-tempo reps, you’re using the increased time under tension as a means to fine-tune your body mechanics and alignment, which requires more mental engagement and focus,” Seedman adds.
If you want to forge functional muscle mass and strength while simultaneously bulletproofing the joints and connective tissue, give this 10-move, full-body eccentric isometrics workout a go.
Directions
Perform the following moves as 90-degree eccentric isometrics following the above protocol. Use heavy weight, but not at the detriment of proper form. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets and 2 minutes between circuits. Perform once every 2 to 4 days for optimal results.
Best Time-Under-Tension Workout for Total-Body Strength
Circuit 1
A. Barbell Back Squat
Set a squat rack up with heavy weight, then grasp bar and step under it. Squeeze shoulder blades together, then stand to unrack bar and step back with feet shoulder-width apart. Inhale, hinge at hips and slowly bend knees to 90 degrees. Pause, keeping natural arch in low back, then extend through hips to powerfully stand. 3 x 4-6 reps
B. Renegade Row
Start in the top position of a pushup with hands shoulder-width apart on moderate-to-heavy dumbbells (shown). Explosively drive right elbow back to row dumbbell toward ribs while balancing on opposite hand and feet. Pause, then slowly lower weight, stopping a few inches above floor. Switch sides after all reps are done. 3 x 5 reps each side
Circuit 2
A. Dumbbell Bentover Row
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding two moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in front of thighs, palms facing you. Push hips back and hinge torso forward so it’s nearly parallel to floor, soft bend in knees. Dumbbells should be near shins. Drive elbows back to row weights toward ribs. Pause, then slowly lower down for 3 to 5 seconds. 3 x 4-5 reps
B. Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with Legs Raised
Set an adjustable bench to a 30- to 45-degree angle and lie back with dumbbells in either hand. Engage core and lift legs off floor, flexing feet. Press weights overhead, palms in. Slowly lower to 90 degrees, staying tight and compact. Pause, then drive weights up directly over chest. 3 x 4-5 reps
Circuit 3
A. Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat
Stand lunge-length in front of a flat bench, holding heavy dumbbells in each hand by your sides, palms facing in. Rest the ball on top (shoe’s laces) of your right foot behind you on the bench. Slowly lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Pause, then drive through your heel to stand. Switch sides after all reps are complete. 2 x 3-4 reps each side
B. Single-leg Romanian Deadlift
Stand with feet hip-width apart holding dumbbells or kettlebells. Drive right leg up, foot flexed, knee aligned with hip, making a 90-degree angle. Hinge at hips as you slowly lever your torso toward floor, lowering weights and driving right leg back for counterbalance. Hold, then squeeze glutes to reverse. 2 x 3-4 reps each side
Circuit 4
A. Pullup
Hang from a pullup bar using an overhand grip with legs extended and feet flexed. Engage lats and draw shoulders down your back, then pull yourself up until chin is higher than hands. Pause at the top, then slowly lower. Pause at bottom, then reset before your next rep. 2-3 x 4-5 reps
B. Kneeling Overhead Barbell Press
Hold a bar with moderate-to-heavy load at shoulder level with forearms perpendicular to floor. Kneel at end of bench with feet flexed to grip edge for support. Inhale, engage your core and glutes, then press the bar overhead, pushing your head forward so it passes your face, exhaling at the top.
Slowly lower until elbows are at 90 degrees, then hold to maintain tension. Begin your next rep from here. 2-3 x 4-5 reps
Circuit 5
A. Dumbbell Pushup
Place hands on dumbbells (this provides greater range of motion) at shoulder width and feet wider than shoulder width with just toes touching the ground. Keep head neutral and hips high to increase tension on core, chest and tris and reduce stress on spine. Slowly lower to the floor. Stop
once elbows hit 90 degrees, pause, then push up to start. 1-2 x 6-8 reps
B. Biceps Curl
Stand with feet hip-width apart with moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in each hand hanging by sides. Engage biceps to curl the weights up, keeping upper arms still. Pause at the top, then lower slowly. Don’t let arms drop all the way down to keep greater time under tension on biceps. 1-2 x 6-8 reps
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