24 Bourbon Crusaders were selected to each blind taste 15 different samples, divided randomly among them using random.org. That means each of the 60 bourbons were tasted and scored by 6 different Crusaders. That also means that some people (like me) wound up with a disappointing overall group of samples, which was actually later confirmed by the data. More on the data later.

The rating scale (see attached) was 1-5 using ½ points for a total of 9 different rating choices. There was a word next to each number to help the taster along (ex. “offensively bad”, “amazing”). To further separate close scores later, there was an additional option for 6 possible recommendations (ex. “drain dump”, “special occasions”). Finally, there was an opportunity to provide tasting notes, which offered ample entertainment at the event afterparty.

A tasting of this magnitude requires a combination of hard work and strong relationships. 60 bottles tasted 6 times requires 360 sample bottles, caps and shrink bands. That’s just for the Bourbon Crusaders to narrow the field down to 10. In order for each of the 120 guests at Willett To Be Cured to taste the Top 10 samples, another 1,200 bottles, caps and bands would be required. Thankfully I distribute packaging for a living so I was able to help out here.

On top of the original 60 bourbon bottles, there would need to be an additional 10 bottles of each of the top 10 bourbons for the event itself. Oh, and they would also need to be from the same barrel for any single barrel bourbons that made the top 10. Spoiler alert: There were 2 of them. Eric Bollmann from Northern Kentucky’s Cork ‘N Bottle was invaluable in helping to procure the bourbons for this event.

The heavy lifting fell to one man: RJ Sargent. Not only did he ultimately fill over 1,500 bottles by hand. Not only did he apply shrink sleeves over 1,500 caps armed with only a hair dryer. RJ also invented a complex numerical and color-coded system for each bottle, boxed up 24 randomized sample kits, and managed to get them safely to each remote taster. Every group is lucky to have someone this insane, and an undertaking of this magnitude has no chance of succeeding if you don’t.

Once the tasters had completed their evaluations and entered their results online, all that remained was what to do with it. Fortunately, Crusader Jacqueline Rice is a data scientist for a large corporation when she isn’t thieving from a whiskey barrel, so tabulating the results was literally done by a professional. And once the top 10 were set, and RJ finished pouring 1,200 more bottles, it was up to the Willett To Be Cured guests to determine the Best On the Shelf.