Charles Steele
The Whiskey Wash Team

Charles Steele

Head of US Reviews

Portland-based attorney bringing an analytical eye to American whiskey – with a soft spot for the peculiar.

About Charles

Charles Steele, a Portland-based attorney, is a native of the Pacific Northwest. His legal background provides him with an analytical approach to understanding whiskey and other aged spirits. Primarily a legal writer, freelancing for The Whiskey Wash offers Charles a unique opportunity to showcase his versatility as a writer. Although his preference lies with whiskey and whiskey-based cocktails, he has a profound appreciation for all unique and unconventional liquors, from Malört to Ojen – if it’s peculiar, he’s intrigued.

Latest from Charles

Can a 141-proof Texas bourbon be bold and balanced? We taste Garrison Brothers' 12th Cowboy Bourbon release to find out if this uncut beast is worth the hunt.

All articles by Charles

Can one man with no investors build a great bourbon? Chris Walz's Scattered Castles blends 5-10 year barrels into something
What happens when bourbon and rye rest 32 months in Isle of Jura Scotch casks? We taste Bardstown Bourbon's 99-point
Does Old Overholt's 11-year cask strength rye pack the punch its proof promises? We taste the 2026 Edition to find
Can a 7-year bottled-in-bond, high-rye bourbon deliver a wild ride in the glass? We taste the 2025 Old Grand Dad
What happens when The Dalmore finishes a 17-year-old Highland malt in three rare González Byass sherry casks? We pour a
Can six different barrel finishes, from Cabernet to Tokaji, work in harmony in one bourbon? We taste Chip Tate's Gambit
Does a 12-year-old blend called Double Smoke really bring a double hit of peat? We taste Isle of Skye's newest
Can an everyday bourbon still reward repeat visits? We taste Penelope's new Classic Series Kentucky Straight Bourbon to find out
Can Italian dry red wine casks tame sweet Kentucky bourbon? Blood Oath Pact 12's double Montepulciano and Sangiovese finish may
What cigar should you light with Isle of Skye Cigar Reserve? We taste this soft, smoky blended Scotch and reveal
Can a single bottle capture bourbon from all 50 states? Lost Lantern spent five years crafting the widest-ranging American whiskey
Can a sour mash whiskey aged in French Vosges oak truly stand out? We taste Michter's Shenk's Homestead to see
What happens when bourbon is finished in barrels that once held farm-harvested honey? Starlight's Honey Reserve delivers a sweet, honey-forward
Only 9,665 bottles exist, one for each of Lou Gehrig's plate appearances—but does this 109-proof tribute bourbon deliver a home
Is craft whiskey finally living up to the hype? Redwood Empire's Hyperion Batch 001 proves what happens when distillers unlock
What happens when a 3,000-year-old Egyptian tomb recipe meets Vermont rye? WhistlePig's The Boss Hog XXIII proves the whiskey world
Can two Port casks capture the contrast of light and shadow in a single pour? We taste Yellowstone Limited Edition
Named after Booker Noe's boozy chocolate malted milkshakes, is Batch 2026-02 too confrontational at 124.4 proof, or a perfect introduction
Can a bourbon born on a golf course live up to its origin story? We tee off with Penelope's Architects
Can an Iowa craft distillery produce a rye whiskey worth chasing? Cedar Ridge's Nine & Three Quarters, aged nearly a
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