# Any Bourbon drinkers among us?



## Melensdad

I need a new hobby.

Figured I'd take up drinking.  Bourbon specifically.

My impressions of Bourbon, as a very casual drinker who can go months without alcohol, is that, in any of the classic cocktails, Bourbon is a wonderful drink.  I do enjoy a cocktail when we go out to dinner.  And over the winter I began to play around with some of the flavored Bourbons and Whiskeys that are seasonal.  

I'm still unclear on the actual chemical differences between a Tennessee Whiskey, like Jack Daniels, and a Kentucky Bourbon.  I guess its got to do with the maple charcoal filtering that is tradition for Tennessee Whiskey?  I know that Bourbon is supposed to be at least 51% corn mash, not sure if that is true for whiskey.  It also has to be casked in new charred Oak barrels.

In any event *I'm looking for some easy to drink recommendations.*  I don't like alcohol burn.  I favor a sweeter taste over a spicy bite.  From what I can tell the spice comes from RYE, so the higher the rye content of the mash the spicier the drink???

I'm digging into regional micro-distillers too.  
I've found three here in Indiana that make small batch bourbon.  Spring Mill and W.H. Harrison.  Also Backbone Bourbon, which is an uncut Bourbon, distilled from 70% corn mash, that I have not yet tried.

I also found a New York distiller, Tuthilltown Distillers, who makes a Bourbon out of 100% corn mash.  But I'm still looking for a bottle of that stuff.  Its called "Baby Bourbon" and has been out on the market for a couple years.  Guess I need to find a nicer liquor store?​
So, anyone got any recommendations on a good Bourbon?  

Smoother is better (in my book).


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## Dargo

Wow, aged 16 years and a hand written label.  In college my bourbon was generally aged on the truck and the double printed label was never on straight!

I don't drink very often, but I enjoy a decent bourbon.  Lately, I've found that I like Maker's 46.


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## bczoom

I don't know much about bourbon or whiskey but if you want something smooth, check out the honey bourbon's.
Wild Turkey American Honey
Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey
Jim Beam Honey

I don't really care for whiskeys but those are really good.


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## Glink

Ahh. You don't know how strong my weakness is.


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## Glink

Straight up good bourbon, best served straight over chipped ice;  Woodford Reserve.
Utility bourbon, good with a splash of water or your preferred mixer;  Jim Beam 4 year old.
A nifty little specialty; Jim Beam's Red Stag Hardcore Cider.
I think technically Bourbon has to come from one of several counties in Kentucky. But now sure.


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## Melensdad

I've had several different 'Honey' bourbons and have some Wild Turkey on the bar top now.  I really enjoy the sweet hints of honey and smooth drinking qualities of of the various honey blends.


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## Bamby

Melensdad said:


> I've had several different 'Honey' bourbons and have some Wild Turkey on the bar top now.  I really enjoy the sweet hints of honey and smooth drinking qualities of of the various honey blends.



But as of the Honeys I've tried I prefer Wild Turkey by a pretty wide margin.


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## 300 H and H

http://www.templetonrye.com/home/

Templeton Rye is the favorite around here. Used to be you had to know some one special to get it, in a gallon milk jug. Now a days it is available at the store, and won't get you in trouble buying it either....

Al Capone used to come around here back in the day to secure a supply for his boot leggin enterprise. Suposedly he really favored this Bourbon.

I like it as long as I put the bottle away after 2 or 3 drinks. I am also partial to a simple drink using Bourbon, the classic "Old Fashion" 

Regards, Kirk


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## BigAl RIP

You guys are tougher than me . I just can't handle the taste period .
   I guess it don't matter anyway . I cannot drink anymore .


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## NorthernRedneck

After a couple bad experiences with any kind of hard liquor, I choose to stay with my beer.


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## Dargo

NorthernRedneck said:


> After a couple bad experiences with any kind of hard liquor, I choose to stay with my beer.



Oh, but Bob and I went to an all male college.  We couldn't waste time when we met women!  The first thing we learned was "Liquor is quicker...". 

IM JUST KIDDING!!!!


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## Dargo

BigAl said:


> You guys are tougher than me . I just can't handle the taste period .
> I guess it don't matter anyway . I cannot drink anymore .



You and me both!  I had a couple drinks in Napa last week and I could have sworn that the damn plant behind me tried to grope me!   Just look...


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## Melensdad

Oh, my bourbon hobby's collection grew by 3 today.






The fancy bottle is Willets and I've heard both good and bad about that one, but the bottle is cool.  In the middle is a Hoosier brand called Spring Mill, which is supposed to taste very good.  And to the right is a Holland, Michigan offering that I've heard some really good things about.  Its first aged properly in charred oak casks, then it ages again for 3 months, but this time in a beer barrel, to give it a distinct flavor.  

I've not tried these yet. . . soon.  Its 5 o'clock somewhere.  Right?


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## Adillo303

I tried bourbon, it has to much of a bite for my taste. 

Jack Daniels is just so smooth and mellow. 

Not classy enough for the rest of my family, it works for me.

Good whiskey never lets you loose you place. I assume that includes bourbon.[ame="http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=91iw2QBkZRQ"]Johnny Lee - Cherokee Fiddle - YouTube[/ame]


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## Melensdad

Tried of a bit of this last evening.  Indiana Bourbon that is aged and bottled in Holland Michigan.  So I presume that means the mash is made in Indiana and then transported across the state line in vats to be casked and aged???  Or maybe its all done INSIDE the state of Indiana and the process is simply managed by New Holland Brewing, which is based in Michigan?  They don't really say, other than the fact that its Indiana Bourbon.
















Tried some of it straight up and some with a single ice cube.

There was some alcohol burn straight up that was all but eliminated with the single cube of ice.  Flavors seemed to open up a bit with the ice as well, making for a very pleasant and drinkable bourbon.  Not as sweet as I thought it might be.


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## Melensdad

Stopped at a different liquor shop on the way home from a condo flip that we are finishing up and found another local distillery that makes small batch bourbons.  This is also an organic product.  This is from 3 Oaks Michigan, which is on the Michigan/Indiana border at Lake Michigan.  No, I didn't try it yet.  Probably Friday evening?











I found some W.H.Harrison Governor's Reserve, at about $55/bottle, which is another Indiana made Bourbon.  There were a few bottles on the shelf.  I also found a distributor who has a few bottles of the W.H.Harrison Presidential Reserve, at $110/bottle.  The liquor salesman who is in my shooting group and who sells this particular brand says the Presidential Reserve is very good.  The Governor's Reserve is sort of iffy.  And their standard product, which is unavailable at this time due to production/bottling issues, and only a bit over 1/2 the price of the Governor's, is a much better tasting bourbon.  So I passed on the Governor's Reserve and am debating on spending the cash for the Presidential Reserve.


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## Melensdad

Planning to do a Side-By-Side comparison of 2 different bourbons tonight.

Just not sure which 2 to compare! 

And no, I will not be over-doing it.  Just for the flavor, not for the buzz.  Probably pouring short glasses of two different brands.  Neat.  Letting them get a bit of air, breathing a bit to see if the aroma opens up.  Then sipping a few sips of each for the flavoring.  

Then, taking a single ice cube and dropping it each glass to see how the temp change and dilution changes the flavors of the bourbon.  See if it mellows it or waters it down.


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## Melensdad

OK, dinner is over so let the bourbon begin...

*Journeyman from 3 Oaks, Michigan  ~vs~ Spring Mill from Indianapolis, IN.*

Both are 90 proof.  

Spring Mill has a medium caramel color tint to it, while the Journeyman is noticeably lighter in color.  Neither bottle indicates how long either was aged in the casks, but its likely that the Spring Mill has been aged longer simply because of the darker color.  

All bourbons are aged in new, charred, oak barrels.  The color comes from the aging in the charred barrels and while it is not an absolute certainty, the darker the color is often an indicator of a longer period in the cask.  

Journeyman has a pleasant, almost sweet, aroma to it while the Spring Mill seems to have some more pronounced aroma with stronger hints of alcohol.  Both were sniffed after breathing in glasses, neat, for several minutes.

While nearly sweet to the smell, there is no sweetness to the taste, the Journeyman clearly has an alcohol bite that is sharp on the finish causing a tingling on the lips and inside the mouth.  There is also an alcohol burn all the way down to the stomach.

Switching over to the Spring Mill I found a much smoother flavor with none of the sharpness or alcohol bite in my mouth.  There was a bit of alcohol burn, but far less than the Journeyman, it was more of a warm feeling instead of a burn.  A second sip confirmed my findings that the Spring Mill is clearly the smoother of the two bourbons.

A single cube of ice was added to the Journeyman while I sampled the Spring Mill.  With some of the ice melted into the Journeyman I began sipping again and found the drink to be somewhat acrid in flavor and it still maintained the alcohol burn on the way down.  With ice I am finding the Journeyman to be LESS pleasant to drink and I wasn't overly impressed with it before the ice went into the glass.  *I think the Journeyman will be relegated to mixed drinks.  I'll probably compare it to something in the future, but its not good enough for sippin'*

With a sip of water between each of the drinks each time I switched, I went back to the Spring Mill, this time with a single cube of ice partially melted into the bourbon.  Something bad happens to the Spring Mill when it is diluted.  It actually picked up a bit of mouth bite, but it remained smooth as it went down.  Waited a bit and allowed the ice to melt about 50% and the Spring Mill then mellowed out and became a pleasant drink on the rocks.
*
Overall, I'll pick the Spring Mill any day over the Journeyman.*


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## Melensdad

Stumbled upon this, very interesting ideas, shortchanging time in the aging process...

From the NY Times:  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/22/d...olling-out-a-smaller-barrel-sooner.html?_r=1&


> *Rolling Out a Smaller Barrel Sooner
> *
> 
> THE indispensable ingredient in great whiskey is time: years of aging and mellowing in casks. But in the world of craft whiskey, a growing number of distillers are unwilling to wait that long.
> 
> With a range of new technologies and techniques — smaller barrels, ultrasound machines, pressure chambers — they can put on the shelf in a matter of months, if not weeks, whiskeys that they say compare to ones matured for three to five years.
> 
> “Everyone’s trying to cheat time, in a sense to cheat mother nature,” said John Hansell, the editor of The Whisky Advocate.
> 
> While most small distillers continue to churn out unaged products (like vodka or gin) that can move from still to store in days, dozens of intrepid entrepreneurs see aged liquors, particularly whiskey, as their best shot at differentiating themselves in an increasingly crowded market.
> 
> Yet aging can take, well, ages: four years is a widely accepted minimum for bourbon, eons to a cash-hungry start-up that has spent a small fortune on equipment, barrels and warehousing.
> 
> In response, many new distillers are turning to smaller barrels, as little as 5 gallons, instead of the standard 53-gallon model. The smaller size allows more of the whiskey to come into contact with the wood surface. As a result, it picks up the oaky flavors and dark colors of the wood faster, and within a year a distiller will usually have something with the vanilla and caramel notes associated with whiskey.
> 
> The problem is that those notes are about all they will get. Missing will be the complex floral and fruit notes that come from esterification, the years of interaction of acids in the wood with alcohols, oxygen and other chemicals in the barrel. Such one-dimensionality characterizes several new regional whiskeys, including Kings County bourbon of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, which is aged in five-gallon casks for about a year, or Hudson Baby Bourbon, produced by Tuthilltown Spirits in Gardiner, N.Y.
> 
> “You get something that’s interesting, and some people like it, and there might even be a market for it, but it’s not something that people who are looking for a complicated spirit are going to particularly enjoy,” said Kris Berglund, a chemical engineer and the head of the artisan distilling program at Michigan State.
> 
> It’s not that very young whiskeys are bad; they are just different. Koval, a new distillery in Chicago that makes whiskey with nontraditional grains like millet and spelt, gives its products just a few months in the barrel, enough to smooth a few edges but not so much that the grains’ unusual flavors disappear.
> 
> One thing that minimal aging does is let the flavor of the original grains come through, which can be great for cocktails. Mr. Hansell said it was useful to think of young whiskeys as the equivalent of a blanco, or unaged, tequila optimal for margaritas, while anejo tequila, aged for at least a year, is better for sipping.
> 
> Still, some distillers are unwilling to wait the 9 to 12 months required by small barrels. An array of new techniques eschew aging almost entirely in favor of methods like ultrasound, agitation and rapid controlled pressure swings — all meant to speed the extraction of color and flavor, as well as the chemical reactions inside the whiskey itself.
> 
> Later this year Tom Lix, the founder of Cleveland Whiskey, will introduce a whiskey made in a device akin to an oversize pressure cooker. Inside it he places unaged whiskey and oak staves, then alternates high and low pressure over several days. “In a matter of weeks, if not less, we have product coming out that rivals 10- to 12-year-olds,” he said.
> 
> Another venture producing whiskey for private-label clients is Terressentia, based outside Charleston, S.C. It uses a mix of ultrasonic waves and oxidation to remove impurities from young whiskey rapidly — a process that mimics the effects of long-term aging, said Earl D. Hewlette, the company’s chief executive.
> 
> “Twelve to 18 hours will completely clean 250 gallons of whiskey in a way that is far better than barrel aging,” he said.
> 
> To prove it, he offered samples of six-month-old and two-year-old whiskeys, before and after Terressentia’s process.
> 
> There was definitely a difference in taste: the processed whiskey was a bit smoother, and at least in the younger whiskey, more of the grain notes came through. But both lacked depth, while betraying a vague but noticeably sterile note. Impurities may have been removed; nothing seems to have replaced them.
> 
> So does this mean that start-up distillers are out of luck?
> 
> Not necessarily. While nothing will completely replace lengthy aging in full-size barrels, a few tricks can add depth quickly. One, borrowed from Scotch makers, is to “finish” a whiskey in used wine barrels for a few weeks, which allows some of the wine esters to seep into the liquid.
> 
> Finger Lakes Distilling, in Burdett, N.Y., ages its delicious McKenzie Bourbon in 10-gallon barrels for 18 months, but then sets it aside for a few months more in used chardonnay barrels. As a result, the whiskey ages quickly, but also has some of the darker color and fruity, floral depth associated with older whiskeys.
> 
> As the craft sector does its own maturing, said Dave Pickerell, an industry consultant and former master distiller at Maker’s Mark, more start-ups will adopt this sort of hybrid approach, at least for now. Eventually, he said, he suspected most would convert to traditional large barrels.
> 
> “Many of the people that are employing the small-barrel techniques now have big barrels in the warehouse, and they’re just doing small barrels now to get them through until the big barrels are ready,” he said.
> 
> All the same, he doesn’t expect them to abandon small-barrel aging or other techniques. “They’re not out to make something that tastes like Maker’s Mark,” he said. “They’re out to make something that’s unique and interesting in their own right.”


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## Melensdad

Well for my second installment of head to head comparisons I am going to take SPRING MILL from last night and compare it to BEER BARREL.  

First off is the appearance.  Both are about the same rich caramel color but the BEER BARREL is slightly cloudy, and under careful scrutiny has visible particles floating in the glass.  The SPRING MILL has no such cloud.

As for aroma, both of them have a pleasant aroma, but while the SPRING MILL has mild in its aroma, there is a definite intensity to the aroma of the BEER BARREL.

When it comes to taste the BEER BARREL has virtually ZERO alcohol burn on the way down, it is very smooth after it passes your lips but there is a slight tingle on the lip.  SPRING MILL, definitely has more of an alcohol flavor in the mouth, and, while it does not have an objectionable burn on the way down, it is pronounced when compared to the much smoother BEER BARREL.  This is not to say the SPRING MILL is harsh, because it is not.  

As with my prior test all initial testing was done straight, not cut with water and not iced.  1 ice cube was added to the remaining bourbon in each glass and allowed to melt and breathe for a couple minutes.

I found the BEER BARREL to change from pleasant to almost objectionable with the addition of the ice!  What was once smooth became acrid and harsh.  What was mellow was no more.  I tried it again, just to be sure and came back with the same opinion.  BEER BARREL is wonderful neat.  Not so much on ice.  Only when the single ice cube had completely melted did the BEER BARREL become good again.

The SPRING MILL, while not as tasty as the BEER BARREL when straight, was better than BEER BARREL when served on the rocks.  

Tonight I'd like to say we have a tie.  I prefer the BEER BARREL neat, but on the rocks I'd say the SPRING MILL is better.  Watered down a bit when the ice was gone, the BEER BARREL was redeemed again and again was tasty.  So perhaps if pushed hard enough I'd go say the BEER BARREL is slightly better than the SPRING MILL.


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## BigAl RIP

I think in another week Bob S is going to be a ragin Drunk !!!


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## Jim_S RIP

BigAl said:


> I think in another week Bob S is going to be a ragin Drunk !!!



I don't think we have to worry.

Look back through his posts.  He's not drinking the stuff, he's just sipping it.  

What he is doing is COLLECTING BOTTLES!


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## Melensdad

jim slagle said:


> I don't think we have to worry.
> 
> Look back through his posts.  He's not drinking the stuff, he's just sipping it.
> 
> What he is doing is COLLECTING BOTTLES!



I'm not worried.  I'm just sipping.  




I'm adding to my collection faster than I can reasonably test them.  I picked up the Evan Williams 1783 because I had heard that it was a very sweet bourbon.  Its also cheap (under $20/w tax).  The Wild Turkey "Forgiven" was purchased on a whim, it just looked interesting.  I've not tried it yet, but I did open it up to take a sniff and it smells great.  I did the same with the E.W. 1783 and it smelled of alcohol but not good.  Yet many people seem to really like the flavor of the 1783.

I'll be doing another comparison tomorrow?  Maybe tonight, but probably tomorrow.


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## Dan in Napa CA

I hear Napa is a nice place.  



Dargo said:


> I had a couple drinks in Napa last week


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## Melensdad

Dan in Napa said:


> I hear Napa is a nice place.


But do you have BOURBON in Napa or is it just for wine drinkers


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## Dan in Napa CA

DiNCA likes his corn squeezin's, yup.  Tend toward mixer varieties, but the sippin' styles found in the liquor bin currently include the ubiquitous Maker's Mark and Knob Creek and I kind of started liking Bulleit recently.  

Then there's a new one that is worth considering for your purposes: B&E (aka Breaking and Entering).  It's from a distillery in Alameda, CA, just down the road from here.  It's really a spicy (cinnamon,clove,vanilla) slightly sweet and a little thick, very tasty, great mouthfeel, kind of reminds me of a maple bar in a way.   From St. George Spirits, I'm sure they have a website, indeed, stgeorgespirits.com.

As for Napa distillations, it's mostly Brandy (go figure), but there's a vodka distillery here in town.  And that doesn't count the home distillers, lol.  Lots of Grappa made in these here parts.

Check out B&E, Bob.  It might be up your alley


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## Melensdad

Well we have a problem with the B&E Bourbon.  Its not available here!  I used their locator on the website.  

LINK http://www.stgeorgespirits.com/spirit/bourbon/


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## Dan in Napa CA

We don't have a problem at all.  I can just go over to Lawler's and get some.  I also have no problem with forwarding a sample of sufficient size to your lab for analytical purposes.  PM me the address where SnotRack Laboratory takes delivery.


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## Melensdad

Well I opened both of the brand new bottles.  

The colors of both of these bourbons are a nice deep rich caramel color, and both are about the same shade with good clarity.  The aroma of the *Wild Turkey Forgiven* is is rich, savory and full while the Evan Williams seems sweet to the nose and thin.

In the mouth the *Evan Williams 1783 *definitely has sweet tones and is very pleasant with no burn going down, although there is a small bit of an alcohol burn when it hits bottom.  If you hold it in your mouth it will cause your mouth to tingle.  The taste is fairly sweet too, in a good/pleasant way.

Switching over to the Forgiven from Wild Turkey you pick up spice, probably from the rye.  Its still a pleasant bourbon, and smooth going down your throat, but you get the sense that this is a more serious bourbon than the Evan Williams.  Given that it costs about $30 more per bottle you do expect something more substantial than the low priced Evan Williams and it does deliver.

Adding a single cube of ice to each and swirling the glasses a bit then taking a sip, the Evan Williams 1783 hits your tongue with a sweet shot but then goes down your throat with a slight burn that didn't exist when sipped neat.  Again, still a pleasant bourbon to drink and probably a great mixer, but probably to simple to drink on a regular basis.

Picking up the Wild Turkey Forgiven and bringing up the glass with ice I pick up a scent of sweetness that did not exist neat.   The peppery spice flavors opened up a bit more and the complexity of this bourbon blend showed itself.  I like this.  Very much.  Neat, or with ice, before bed, while relaxing, the Forgiven, in a glass would be a fine companion.

Switching back to the Evan Williams 1783 and the lack of depth with the now nearly completely melted ice cube showed itself to be a thin drink that matched the thin price.  Not to say the 1783 is a bad drink, its not.  Its destined to be a mixer.  Perhaps a summertime drink, neat, while BBQ'ing some burgers or brats.



Dan in Napa said:


> We don't have a problem at all.  I can just go over to Lawler's and get some.  I also have no problem with forwarding a sample of sufficient size to your lab for analytical purposes.  PM me the address where SnotRack Laboratory takes delivery.


Check you INBOX in a couple moments!


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## Melensdad

Went back for another nip of the FORGIVEN  

Neat


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## Melensdad

Drinking any alcohol 3 nights in a row is setting a record for me.  Well maybe in my college days?

Tonight I've got a Tennessee Whiskey, one of only 2 that also qualifies as a Bourbon, but proclaims loudly that it is not a Bourbon.  *Jack Daniels Single Barrel*.  I've also got some of the *BEER BARREL Bourbon* that I had previously sampled.   

Right off the bat the colors are different.  The Jack Daniels Single Barrel is much darker with more brown in the coloring while the BEER BARREL is more golden/amber colored.

The BEER BARREL smells more complex with an array of scents hitting your nose while the Jack Daniels Single Barrel smells mostly of alcohol.

In the mouth the Jack Daniels Single Barrel goes in smooth but then begins to tingle on the lips.  The flavor is over shadowed by the burn as it goes down, then the burn intensifies when it hits bottom.  

Switching over to the BEER BARREL Bourbon and the difference are striking as there is virtually no burn at all, just flavor.  Not overly sweet.  Very pleasant.  This is my third try at the bottle of BEER BARREL and I'm really liking this one.  Easy to drink, good flavor on the tip of your tongue and good flavor when it moves to the back of your mouth, and virtually no burn.  

Adding one cube of ice to each of these the test comparison continues.  First the Jack Daniels Single Barrel.  The ice really tames this drink!  There is still some burn but honestly its much more manageable and not objectionable.  The flavor seems to open up and the taste seems to even out from front to back of mouth.  With a cube, the Jack Daniels Single Barrel is pretty darn good.

Switching over to the BEER BARREL Bourbon and the ice ruins it.  Again.  I've tried this test before.  I simply don't understand how a pleasant flavor can all of a sudden become unpleasant when its chilled and slightly diluted.  Now I still think the BEER BARREL is near the top of my list of bourbons, but I'm still not thrilled with it when you drop an ice cube into the glass.  
_
I know with cigars that what you eat before you smoke, even an hour or two before the cigar, can affect the taste of the cigar.  I assume the same is with bourbon.  What I believe is that its best to try something several times, just to confirm the test.  So with these tests I try to do the same things, repeatedly.  Each test has about 1.5oz of each bourbon.  2 bourbons, neat.  Same 2 bourbons with a single ice cube._​


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## Melensdad

Scored a bottle of the BABY BOURBON.  Its made from 100% corn mash.  I've not opened the bottle yet, it sits, with seal intact, in the cabinet for now.  Looking forward to the weekend.  Its NOT cheap.  $41.99 for a 375ml bottle.  Most bourbon bottles are 750ml.  So this bottle is HALF the size of a 'normal' bottle and yet it costs as much as most medium priced bourbon bottles, making the price per ounce about double the average!

Also  pictured is a non-bourbon that qualifies as a bourbon but which JD says is a whiskey.  Its their SINGLE BARREL and I find it a bit harsh.  Tried it when I bought it a couple months ago.  Cut it with some warm apple juice on a cold night.  Tried it again this weekend.  Not thrilled with it.  But a couple posts up is my latest observation of it, from Saturday evening.

Oh, and a special note to BigAl, I've opened that Jack bottle on 3 different nights and you can see that there is still plenty of booze left in the bottle.  I'd say I drink about 1.5oz of any given bourbon when I do my comparisons.  So no, I don't think I'm going to end up a raging drunk when I'm done testing bourbons!


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## RNE228

NAPA is for auto parts. El Dorado/Amador is for wine 

Have not tried Bourbon, but a friend got me trying single malt scotch... those are tasty, especially the peaty ones.



Melensdad said:


> But do you have BOURBON in Napa or is it just for wine drinkers


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## Melensdad

RNE228 said:


> NAPA is for auto parts. El Dorado/Amador is for wine
> 
> Have not tried Bourbon, but a friend got me trying single malt scotch... those are tasty, *especially the peaty ones*.



When we go to Scotland I always try the various single malts.  The peaty once have a very distinct flavor.  Can't say I dislike it but I'm not sure that I really like it either.  To each his own, I guess that is why they make so many varieties!!!


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## RNE228

Following this thread, I may have to try one of your finds. For the most part, I only had hard alchohol as ingredient in margaritas.  At least till having some nice Scotch. 



Melensdad said:


> When we go to Scotland I always try the various single malts. The peaty once have a very distinct flavor. Can't say I dislike it but I'm not sure that I really like it either. To each his own, I guess that is why they make so many varieties!!!


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## Melensdad

RNE228 said:


> ... For the most part, I only had hard alchohol as ingredient in margaritas.  ...



For the most part I used to consider myself pretty close to a non-drinker.  

A normal year for me might include about 12 drinks a year.  

I've wondered if there are things that I need to do before I'm too old to do them.  So this is just a 'bucket list' sort of thing.  To try different stuff.  Its not limited to bourbon.  But I plan to try all sorts of different things in my life, some of which will be alcohol, some food, some may be hobbies, etc etc.  

I'm going to say, I'm enjoying the bourbon.  In moderation.  Some is interesting in a good way.  Some is bad.  But I've yet to get myself drunk with any of it.  On the other hand, I do sleep well at night


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## Melensdad

OK this is getting out of hand.  I'm sipping ounces but I've now probably got GALLONS of bourbon and the liquor shelf is bowing under the weight of the golden liquid.  

I blame you guys!  Mostly BigAl and his "Dr Rum" stories.

Picked up these 2 today.  I've had the *American Honey* from Wild Turkey before.  Its not "real" bourbon.  Its bourbon that is mixed with a honey liquor, its got a lower alcohol content, about 70-Proof versus 80-to-90 Proof for most burbons.  Its also very sweet, very easy to drink.  Consider it beginners bourbon?  Whatever you call it, its an easy to drink product.  I actually should have bought a bottle of *SWEET LUCY*, which I saw on the shelf for  the first time today.  Its also not a "real" bourbon in that its a mixed product but it sounds very interesting.  Here is a link to SWEET LUCY => http://kevin.prichardsdistillery.pps-dev.com/whiskey/sweet-lucy-bourbon.cfm

The *Breckenridge Bourbon* was purchased under the advice of the liquor salesman who was in the aisle of the shop when I walked in.  Nice guy, pushed this stuff at $44 a bottle, but pointed out that the neck tag of the bottle actually makes a BOLD CLAIM, its ranked as one of the TOP 3 BOURBONS in the world.  What the heck, I'll give it a try.  Not sure when I'll even get around to opening this bottle?  Friday night?  Saturday night?  Maybe not until next weekend?   

I tend to only try these things on nights when we stay home and watch a movie, then I only have a couple ounces.  So not only do I have a couple years worth of bourbon but I've got several unopened brands to try too.


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## Dargo

You know what is odd?  Now that my son is serving overseas, not only does a six pack of beer last for weeks, but the last bottle of Jack I bought tasted about twice as strong as the last bottle I had. Gee, I wonder how that could be...?


----------



## Melensdad

Dargo said:


> You know what is odd?  Now that my son is serving overseas, not only does a six pack of beer last for weeks, but the last bottle of Jack I bought tasted about twice as strong as the last bottle I had. Gee, I wonder how that could be...?



Hmmm 

Look at it this way, now you can afford to buy the good stuff AND you can enjoy it too!


----------



## Melensdad

Well its Friday night and that is movie night at the house, and movie night has become Bourbon night! So its time for another test.  There may be another test tomorrow?


For tonight's enjoyment I broke open the bottle of *Hudson's Baby Bourbon*, which is a 100% Corn Mash bourbon to try against the Colorado's award winning* Breckinridge Bourbon*, which is reported to be one of the "Top 3 Bourbons" in the world.  

Right off the bat the Breckenridge is a medium Amber gold color with a wonderful sweet aroma.  The Baby Bourbon is almost brown in color and, at least compared to the Breckenridge, has very little hint of sweetness to the aroma with a touch of sharp spice to the nose.

Taking a sip of the Baby Bourbon is very pleasant, its mildly sweet on the tongue with a bit of tingle in the mouth.  The flavor remains fairly consistent as it moves through your mouth and has no burn on the way down, but when it hits bottom you begin to feel the warmth build a bit, not in an unpleasant way, but you certainly feel it.

Switching over to the Breckenridge and the sweetness hits your tongue and changes a bit along the sides of your tongue as it moves to the back.  It is very smooth on the first try.  You feel a bit of heat on the second sip but not a real burn.  The flavor, however, is not really a stand-out.  I found it a bit bland and unremarkable.  If this is a Top 3 bourbon then I'll stick with some of the lesser brands.  I'm not saying its bad, its not.  Its just not something that screams out to me.

Dropping a single ice cube into each glass and allowing the ice to swirl around and melt a bit to incorporate some water into the bourbon, I pick up the Baby Bourbon first.  Even with the ice cube partially melted its interesting to see how dark brown in color Hudson's Baby Bourbon remains.  The aroma seems to open up a bit but the same tones hit your nose, just in more volume.  Taking a sip of the slightly diluted Baby Bourbon is a pleasant experience.  In my prior testing I seem to favor the bourbon neat, but I think with this brand I think I prefer it over ice.  Its fine either neat or over ice, but I'm thinking over ice is a bid better.  Its a bit milder on the tongue and milder in the belly.  Even with the ice cube completely melted in the glass, the Baby Bourbon is still darker in color, by a wide margin, than the Breckinridge.

Picking up the Breckinridge with the 1/2 melted ice cube and the flavor has sharpened up considerably.  You pick up some peppery spice which works well with the sweetness of the bourbon.  Its a much better drink on the rocks.  This is the first bourbon that is A LOT BETTER over ice, its easy to drink and the bit of sharpness ads some character.  What was unremarkable and easily forgettable neat is now a pleasant drink with ice.

Honestly I like both of these bourbons.  

I'm not convinced that the Hudson Baby Bourbon is worth the price.  In fact I don't believe that it is a good value.  its interesting, its worth a try if you want to pay the money, but if its not in your budget then you shouldn't think you are missing out on something amazing.  Its good.  Its not amazing.  I like it.  I don't love it.  I'll sip on it some more and come back to it another day, and enjoy it.  

The Breckinridge Bourbon is about average if you are drinking it neat, honestly I can't see it as one of the great bourbons of the world if you simply pour it out of the bottle.  But pour it over ice and its a very good drink.  Its not cheap, but not too expensive, and its a better value than the Baby Bourbon by any measure.  I'm not looking for 'values' with my bourbon testing, but given the price of the Hudson Baby Bourbon, which translates to over $82 for a 750ml bottle, I'm not sure its easy to justify the price.


----------



## Melensdad

I've made my selection for sipping during tonights movie.  

Going back to the *Beer Barrel Bourbon*, I think that may be my favorite so far.  Comparing it to the inexpensive *Evan Williams 1783*.  Both are the same color, in fact so close to each other that you can't tell them apart if they are sitting in glasses on the table.  

The aroma from each is also very similar???

_I'm beginning to think tonight is going to be a bad comparison.  I know with cigars that the food you eat before smoking a cigar will affect the taste of the cigar.  Well we just a big dinner of garlic marinated BBQ Leg of Lamb with mint jelly, Caesar Salad, creamed potatoes, and sautéed mushrooms & onions.  Followed that with a couple freshly baked Heath Bar/Chocolate Chip cookies.  So I'm thinking my taste buds are on overload tonight and my comparison is not going to be very discerning._​
The first few sips of the Beer Barrel Bourbon don't disappoint.  Nice and smooth.  Switching over to the Evan Williams 1783 and that hits the mouth nice and sweet but its neither as interesting nor as smooth as the Beer Barrel Bourbon.  Not saying I don't like it, just saying that when you have two bourbons that you like, there are still differences that can be discerned.

Dropping in a single cube seems like a mistake because both of these bourbons are just fine to drink straight.  

Evan's 1783 is simply not as good over ice.  It tastes watered down and given that its good, but not very complex to begin with, the lack of complexity simply gives you a watered down simple flavor as the ice melts.

Ice in the Beer Barrel Bourbon changes it pretty dramatically, which I had noticed in prior tasting.  And not really in a good way.  This stuff is so good straight there is little reason to water it down and plenty of reason NOT to pour it over ice.

Tonight's winner remains the Beer Barrel Bourbon, which pretty much cements its place at the top of my list _(so far & subject to change).

And I have to say, with the heavy dinner of strong flavors, the food has definitely influenced tonights testing.  Honestly don't think I could pick up much of the subtleties in the bourbons tonight because of the influence of the food. ​_* NOTE TO SELF: * _Wait an hour or two after dinner or eat a meal without such strong flavors before next week's bourbon testing._​


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## 300 H and H

http://www.drinkspirits.com/whiskey/templeton-rye-whiskey-review/

just in case you happen to see some...


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## Melensdad

Did some yard work today, set some fence posts out along the farm field, pruned some trees, knocked down and hauled a bunch of deadfall to the burn piles, generally wore out my body so I figured I needed a reward.  

Took a small glass, added a few ice cubes and poured about an ounce, maybe ounce-and-a-half of *JOURNEYMAN's Bourbon*.

This is my second try of this bourbon and it confirms the first try, I just don't much like this brand.  Its somewhat harsh, somewhat astringent in the mouth and has somewhat of a burn, even when the ice is fully melted.  Can you say MIXER?  This bourbon is not something that I want to drink straight, not something I want to drink over ice.  Cover up the harsh bits of flavor with something else and it might be an appropriate way to drink this bourbon?

Honestly I can't say that I can find anything good about this one.  Not anything.  If you like it then please chime in with whatever I am missing, but I can't seem to find a way to compliment this product.

Bottom of the heap, by a wide margin:  *JOURNEYMAN'S BOURBON*







300 H and H said:


> http://www.drinkspirits.com/whiskey/templeton-rye-whiskey-review/
> 
> just in case you happen to see some...


Kirk, you trying to kill me?  Expand my test to Rye?

I'm sticking, for now, to Bourbon, which is a subset of Whiskey that should make you very happy as it is made with a minimum of 51% corn!

Or have you switched your fields to Rye?


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## 300 H and H

Oh there is corn in there as well, just maybe not enough to be called bourbon. Locals around here do call it as a bourbon...


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## Melensdad

300 H and H said:


> Oh there is corn in there as well, just maybe not enough to be called bourbon. Locals around here do call it as a bourbon...


A Rye Whiskey has a minimum of 51% Rye in the mash.  Typically it will also have corn, malted barley and/or wheat in the mash as well.

A Bourbon Whiskey has a minimum of 51% Corn in the mash.  Typically it will have some wheat, malted barley and/or rye in the mash as well.

Both have to be aged in new oak barrels that have been fire charred.

So they are technically very similar.  

Would a rose be as sweet by any other name?


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## Melensdad

I'm not from the "South" but now that Melen goes to college in North Carolina I'm learning more about the culture.  In the south there is a drink called a SWEET LUCY, which has no real recipe, but instead has 1000 different recipes as families tended to alter the recipe to suite their own tastes.  

Basically you take a nice bourbon and mix it with something like Peach Brandy, Apricot Brandy or some other fruit liqueur or a blend of several fruit liqueurs.  Commonly found in duck blinds and deer camps and used as a celebratory after(?) hunt drink.  

There is now a commercially made Bourbon Liqueur named SWEET LUCY, its a little lower in alcohol than regular Bourbon, bottled at only 70 Proof.  I'll be trying it tonight, probably comparing it to Wild Turkey's American Honey, which is also 70 Proof and therefore not a true Bourbon, which must be a minimum of 80 Proof and consequently is labeled a Bourbon Liqueur.

Picked this bottle up on my way home today:





Nice to see the purchase also supports charity:


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## Melensdad

Can you guess which is the honey liqueur/bourbon and which is the fruit liqueur/bourbon?  

Wild Turkey American Honey on the left with the light golden honey color, and the Sweet Lucy on the right.







Aroma of the American Honey is sweet and the scent of honey is detected.  The SWEET LUCY has a bit more of a traditional bourbon aroma but its also sweet to the nose.

Trying both of them at room temperature, the SWEET LUCY is interesting, its sweet but not too sweet, and I can't really pin down what the fruit flavor is?  Apricot maybe?  Not really sure.  But its very smooth, no tingle, no burn.  In comparison the AMERICAN HONEY is a bit too sweet, and it is very 'syrupy' feeling in your mouth, but its also not as smooth as the SWEET LUCY as it has a touch of spice to it and a bit of burn, but nothing objectionable.  Neither of these is as serious as regular bourbons.  My favorite way to drink the Wild Turkey AMERICAN HONEY is to add a shot of it to a bit of warmed apple juice.  The ratio would be 2 oz apple juice to 1 oz American Honey.  But today, for this comparison, the warmed apple juice is omitted because I want compare these drinks the same way as I compare and test regular bourbons. 

I dropped some ice into each glass and both of these drinks are better chilled.  Either would probably would be a great summer drink on the rocks while outdoor grilling some meat.  I think I prefer the SWEET LUCY over ice, but honestly I really enjoy the AMERICAN HONEY mixed into some warmed apple juice; it is a wonderful late evening drink while you are sitting and relaxing, reading a book or before bedtime.  

Just to try something a bit different, and only because this is not "real" bourbon, I also added some Ginger Ale to each of these.  The mix was about 50%-50%.  The SWEET LUCY + Ginger Ale was excellent together.  Again in the summer heat this would be a great drink by the BBQ.  Switching over to the AMERICAN HONEY + Ginger Ale and I was a bit disappointed.  The syrupy AMERICAN HONEY didn't really mix too well with the Ginger Ale.  It was still very sweet, in fact it might have actually gotten sweeter?  And it seemed to feel more syrupy to the mouth after the addition of the Ginger Ale.  

I have to say that when Iced, or when mixed with Ginger Ale, I'd favor the SWEET LUCY as a drink.  

But I've got a soft spot in my heart for warm apple juice + AMERICAN HONEY.


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## Melensdad

Tonight is movie night at the house and the choice of movies is _12 Years A Slave_.  I have no desire to watch the move.  But I'm also not really wanting to do a Bourbon comparison test either so I'm opting for a simple single Bourbon review.  

Poured about 1.5 ounces of pride of Indianapolis "*SPRING MILL*" Bourbon into a glass.  Maybe if I simply tip the whole thing back and down it in one swallow I won't stay awake to watch the movie that is about to start?

Took a sip and it definitely tingles in the mouth and has a distinct alcohol burn all the way down.  I didn't recall it being _THIS _harsh the first time I tried it.  This is only my second nip at the bottle.  

Well the flavor of SPRING MILL is very good but with that said I find the experience of drinking it neat is unpleasant.  Too bad, this really tastes good but the alcohol burn that starts at the front of the mouth and travels all the way through until it hits your stomach ruins the experience.  If only it was smoother.  I find myself alternating between sipping water and sipping from the small glass of SPRING MILL, needing the water to calm down the sharpness of this Bourbon.  

I'm really torn in this little taste test.  Do I like it?  Or not?  

Well I like the flavor!!!  This is a good tasting bourbon.  

But I dislike the harshness of this bourbon, its simply not smooth enough to sip neat.  Probably should have dropped an ice cube into the glass to re-test it with some ice, or may just poured a bit of my water into the glass.  I'm too lazy to cross the house to the kitchen to get the cube and my wife will be upset if I spill the water, so I'm going to have to judge this Bourbon as a good, but not great Bourbon.  Its far superior to the Journeyman's bourbon, for which I can't really find anything good to say.  But it could be better.


*EDIT:*
About 35 minutes have passed since I wrote the above notes about the Spring Mill and a movie that I don't want to watch is playing in my living room.  Hey, I'm a "comedy" and/or "action/adventure" guy.  If its a Sci-Fi "action/adventure"  that is even better.  Oh I even enjoy a good historical documentary about Ancient Rome or English monarchs.  But _12 Years A Slave_ is a drama.  Just not a genre I care to watch.

So I poured a single shot of from the bottle of* WILLETT POT STILL* to try to numb my mind.  Probably should have poured more -a whole lot more, that, or shot myself in the head.  There is simply no way I will make it through the end of this movie.  I don't care if it won an Oscar, its just too boring for me.  

The WILLETT POT STILL is a moderately smooth bourbon, one that is often rated well on the interwebs, but it still has a bite too it.  I find it smoother than the SPRING MILL, but not as flavorful as the SPRING MILL.  It tingles in the mouth but is not too sharp.  And it burns a bit on the way down, but not as much as some others.  That said, it simply doesn't have the wonderful flavor of the SPRING MILL.  I'd clearly say that I prefer the lesser known Indianapolis made Bourbon to this nationally known brand.  

And now to try to enjoy the rest of the movie.  Maybe I should try another shot of bourbon to ease the pain that this movie imparts?   Or maybe there is a _Gilligan's Island_ re-run on TV that I can find in another room of the house, certainly that would be better than enduring this drama flick.

. . . can't take it anymore, I'm off to find some old _Gilligan's Island_ re-runs, or some other suitable substitute.​


----------



## Melensdad

Paid my property tax bills today.  Thankfully the tax reform has LOWERED my property taxes.  So I have a little bit left over.  Stopped off and bought 2 new bottles.  

The Jim Beam is a limited run item.  Probably won't get a chance to crack one open until Saturday.


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## Melensdad

Curiosity got the best of me.  

I'll say that I had a sip, literally just a sip or two of the new *Jim Beam Signature Craft* and it is peppery and spiced in the mouth but without much trace of burn or tingle in the mouth.  By comparison to some of the other brands you will either love the spicy flavors or you will dislike the Signature Craft offering.  Going down it is also smooth, much smoother than Woodford or many of the brands that I've tested in this thread.  I'd honestly have to do a side-by-side test to see what is smoother on the way down with less alcohol burn, but I'd guess that this is in the top 3 bourbons with 'least burn'.  But again, that is based on just a couple slight sips.  Perhaps when I do a real test we'll find something a bit different.

Anyone familiar with *Woodford Reserve* already knows that it does taste good if you like a very mild tasting bourbon, I think that mild flavor is its standout quality.  It makes it easy to drink because there is nothing to offend.  But that mild flavor also means there is little to remember about the brand.  Still, it should be a 'standard' in your liquor cabinet.  That said, I think it also has more 'alcohol burn' than it should.  For something that is so mild to the taste, the Woodford Reserve is betrayed by a burn as it goes down.

I'll try to do a real test of the new *Jim Beam Signature Craft* this weekend and might crack open the Woodford while I'm at it, just to see if it has changed any one the years.


----------



## Dargo

Did you see this article?

Top Small Batch Bourbons


----------



## Dargo

Melensdad said:


> Paid my property tax bills today.  Thankfully the tax reform has LOWERED my property taxes.[/IMG]



How so?  I had 6 houses and one 200 acre parcel go WAAAAAY up!   It had some fricking comment about a voter approved increase over the previously implemented legislated cap.  So, on all but one piece of property, I'm paying *OVER* the supposed state cap!!

Looks like rent is going UP at my rental properties whenever each comes up for renewal.


----------



## Melensdad

Dargo said:


> How so?  I had. . .



Apparently it varies by county.  All my properties are in Lake County.  5 parcels currently.  All went down from last year.  My home went down by the biggest %.


----------



## Melensdad

Tonight I'm comparing a 'new' and an 'old' bourbon from my collection.

The *JIM BEAM SIGNATURE CRAFT* bourbon, which I purchased this past week, and the *HUDSON BABY BOURBON* which is the most expensive bourbon I've got in my comparison of bourbons that cost $50 per bottle or less; it has also been in a comparison test before.  The BABY BOURBON cheats, because the bottle is only 375ml yet it costs about $42 for the tiny bottle.  If this was a standard 750ml it would not qualify for this test because the bottle would be about $84, but …

As for color, the HUDSON BABY BOURBON is a little darker caramel color than the more golden amber of the JIM BEAM SIGNATURE CRAFT.

The aroma of both of these are very different from each other and both give off strong whiffs of alcohol when you swirl around your glass.  The SIGNATURE CRAFT has the milder aroma and both offer a hint of sweetness to the nose.

Sipping the BABY BOURBON is pleasant.  The flavor is fairly mild with very little tingle in the mouth from the alcohol.  As the bourbon moves from the front to the back of the mouth the mild flavor changes to somewhat acerbic and it goes down the throat smooth.  Its not until after you swallow and the bourbon goes down that it begins to burn.  Its an odd sensation, it starts out mild and turns to fire.

JIM BEAM'S SIGNATURE CRAFT has a nice mild flavor with some hints of spice but not  in a bad way.  The flavor is far more consistent from the front of the mouth to the back and it goes down smooth, but then hits you with some burn.  Not a lot of burn, but burn.  And this is the first time I've sipped a bourbon that made me cough; I'll chalk that up as an oddity.  Second sip is interrupted …. Misha my Akita decided to tip over my glass of BABY BOURBON.  Damn her.  Couldn't she have tipped over the cheap stuff!?!  

So mess cleaned up and a new shot of Baby Boubon in the glass so now I'm back to the SIGNATURE CRAFT again and the experience is better this time.  No cough.  It tastes good, consistent, mild with a hint of spice, and it goes down smooth … but then you get hit with a burn after its down.  Doesn't burn on the way down, its only after it settles in that the burn hits.

Back to the BABY BOURBON for its second sip and its the same experience as the first sip.

Drinking both of these neat, I'd give the nod to the SIGNATURE CRAFT from Jim Beam as the better sipping bourbon.  Its smoother to drink and doesn't have that harshness or the change of flavor from front to back that you get from HUDSON'S BABE BOURBON.

So its on to the ice test.  One cube of ice is dropped into each of the glasses.  I let both rest for a minute and swirled them around to melt the ice a little bit.  With the ice cube about half melted I pick up the SIGNATURE CRAFT and take a good size sip.  Its become a bit harsher with the ice melted into it and the flavor is less smooth.  The *JIM BEAM SIGNATURE CRAFT* bourbon is clearly a better sipping bourbon when served neat.

On to HUDSON'S BABY BOURBON and I take a nice sip.  With the mostly melted ice cube, the flavor of this bourbon has evened out.  Its nicer with the melted ice and the transition from the front to the back of the mouth is evened out.  The *BABY BOURBON* is the better choice between the two for drinking over ice.


----------



## Doc

I love these tests Bob.   And I'm impressed that even after the 4th or more tests your typing / wording does not seem to suffer.   Good job.


----------



## Melensdad

Doc, I only pour a total of about 2 to 3 ounces.  That means each bourbon is only 1 to 1.5 ounces per glass.  

My goal is not to get drunk, my goal is to taste these bourbons for their flavor.  To try to discern their flavor and to see which I enjoy more.  I'm not writing some fancy sort of review where I wax eloquently about silly things like _"Tastes of freshly charred leather with hints of over-ripe Bing cherry"_ or other stuff that people don't understand.  People understand if something is harsh, or bitter, or burns or is sweet or smooth.  I try to drink all of these in the same manner.  I have 3 glasses beside me.  One with some ice cubes.  One with about an ounce to ounce + 1/2 of BRAND "Y" and the last with about an equal amount of BRAND "X" bourbon.  

I let them sit a moment to air out, sniff them for aroma.  

I sip one.  I sip the other.  I repeat .

Then I add a single cube of ice.  Swirl it around, let it melt a bit, maybe about 1/2 way.  Then I take a sip or two to see how the flavor changes.  Then the other.

I also talk about the front of mouth versus the back of mouth flavor because our taste buds on the front, sides and back of mouth have very different flavor receptors.  So something that tastes good in one part of the mouth may, in fact, be objectionable in another part of the mouth.  Many bourbons change from good to bad, sweet to acerbic, mild to harsh, as the liquid moves across your taste buds from front to back and then down your throat.

I will admit, there are some nights when I have a bit of a buzz from the bourbon.  Those nights, and tonight is one of them, when perhaps I've poured an ounce and a half each rather than just an ounce?  And some of these have more alcohol than others.  By definition "Bourbon" must be no less than 80 proof, but some brands can exceed 110 proof.

Bourbon "Liqueurs" are typically 70 proof, Jack Daniels Honey, Wild Turkey American Honey, Jack Daniels Tennessee Cider,  Evan Williams Cider, Jim Beam Honey, Sweet Lucy and a host of others would qualify.


----------



## Melensdad

OUCH!  I'm sore.  Moved about 8 cubic yards of topsoil with the tractor, then leveled it by hand in two newly built raised beds.  Each holding about 4 yards.  I also loaded up, and unloaded and then carried a bunch 30(?) 5/4ths thick x 6" wide x 12' long deck boards.  Those were what I used to make the raised beds.  I have 6 more beds to build.  

So now its time for a reward.  

*WOODFORD RESERVE*, neat, in a small glass.  Just about an ounce and a half.

It smells sweet and it tastes mild, its sad that it has such a strong alcohol burn while it goes down.  The burn finished quickly, you don't feel much of it after its down, but you feel it going down.  This is a good bourbon, but I honestly think there are better.  The reputation of this bourbon is that its one of the better of the brands, but I personally tend to think its a bit over rated.  The *SPRING MILL* from Indianapolis, for me, offers a better drinking experience.  And the *BEER BARREL* from Holland, Michigan is better than the SPRING MILL.  

Of course, the *JOURNEYMAN* is still the worst of the bunch, and WOODFORD RESERVE is far far superior to the JOURNEYMAN.  

I'm looking for a use for the JOURNEYMAN, perhaps it will strip old varnish off of antique wood that needs refinishing, or maybe it can be used as a gun clear for copper fouling?  Yes the JOURNEYMAN, in my opinion, is that bad.  And while I don't favor the WOODFORD RESERVE, it is in a whole different category than JOURNEYMAN.  But clearly I don't hold the WOODFORD RESERVE in the same high regard that many bourbon drinks seem to do.


----------



## Dargo

You going?

Bourbon Affair - USA's only native spirit


----------



## Melensdad

Dargo said:


> You going?
> 
> Bourbon Affair - USA's only native spirit



No, I'm not a bourbon expert.  Just a guy who is trying different small distillery bourbons.

I'm trying to stick with the under $50 per bottle mark but my main goal is to find unusual small distilleries.  I scored both with a bottle of Traverse City, Michigan Bourbon.  I was heading to the fencing club and was running early, but forgot my keys to open the club, so I stopped at a liquor store that I have never "bourbon hunted" before when I saw this bottle.  Picked it up for $32 so I met the under $50 qualification and its from a small batch distillery.  This particular bottle is from Batch #3.  They also had some bottles from Batch #5.  

I'll probably crack it open this weekend, maybe Friday?


----------



## Melensdad

Tonight I'm trying the *TRAVERSE CITY* bourbon and comparing it to the highly acclaimed *BRECKINRIDGE* bourbon.  

The colors of these two bourbons are virtually identical.  A light amber.  No hint of cloudiness, just a light golden color.

Comparing the aromas, the Traverse City is very pleasantly sweet to the nose and defies any simple description.  The Breckinridge is milder on the nose, slightly less sweet to the smell and offer only hints of alcohol.

The Traverse City is pleasantly mild in flavor with absolutely no alcohol tingle in the mouth, its smooth on the front of the tongue and it moves back the mouth while remaining fairly smooth.  Going down there is only a mild hint of an alcohol burn, barely enough to notice.  I don't notice any real complexity but its easy to drink and easy to enjoy.

Apparently ranked as one of the top bourbons, the Breckinridge is harsher than the Traverse City and has a more pronounced burn on the way down.  First sip to first sip, I'd have to give the nod to the Traverse City as the better tasting of the two.  A second sip of the Breckinridge mimics the first, nice flavor but slightly harsh with some alcohol burn on the way down.  A final sip of the Traverse City neat, and while it is pleasant, it also seems to be simple and singular compared to the more complex but harsher Breckinridge.  

A single ice cube has been added to each glass.  

Now with a half melted ice cube, the Traverse City picks up a hint of spice and the flavor seems a bit more complex.  Its still very smooth and still very easy to drink and enjoy.

Switching to the Breckinridge, this bourbon also opens up with some spice but also becomes more mild and easier to drink.  The alcohol burn nearly vanishes and the back of the tongue finish is pleasantly peppery.  

Switching back again to the Traverse City and the ice cube is now gone and the drink has become a very good, very easy to drink bourbon that I like very much.  I'd like to compare this bourbon to the Beer Barrel Bourbon, a bourbon that I'd put on/near the top of my personal list.  

Finishing off the last of the Breckinridge and I'd say its very good with some ice, melted.  Its a complex flavor that defies description but I could write a bunch of crap that sounds good but is really just pretentious gibberish, mentioning Thai chili, steamed green tea and hints of leathery oak.  Its none of that.  But is really is pretty darn good, especially on ice.

Now to finish off the Traverse City, its good.  Nice and easy to drink.  Its good neat, its good over ice.  Not sure which I prefer over all, I'd say that the Breckinridge really becomes better with ice, and that means really really good.  The Traverse City is just easy.  Easy to describe as simpler and easier to drink.


*
I've not looked back at my prior Breckinridge review, but I have to wonder if the food I've eaten tonight somehow affects the taste of the bourbons I try. Just as food can affect the flavor of a cigar many hours after finishing the food, I wonder if it does the same with bourbons.*​


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## Melensdad

_Spent the day moving stone, dirt, and building more of the monumental garden that the lovely Mrs_Bob asked for as her Mother's Day gift.  Its a series of raised beds, with crushed limestone paths between the beds.  So now my body is sore, I'm sitting in a big leather chair relaxing and I'm going to reward myself with another bourbon comparison.​_
​
Tonight its the battle of the big boys.  *JIM BEAM'S Signature Craft *-vs- *JACK DANIEL'S Single Barrel*.  Yes I know that Jack Daniels is a "Tennessee Whiskey" but it also, by definition, qualifies as a bourbon.  

Both are a dark rich amber in color, not light or golden but more brown.  The shades of the two are nearly identical, if pressed I'd say that Jack Daniel's is only slightly darker.

Neither offers a sweet smell, and both offer up the smell of alcohol.  The Jack Daniels offers up some spice in its aroma while the Jim Beam doesn't really seem to offer up too much!

The first sip of the Jim Beam Signature Craft left a little tingle on the lips but a smooth mellow flavor on my tongue and a slight burn only after swallowing and it hit bottom.  The second sip was identical to the first, with the identical mild burn in the belly.  

Shifting over to the Jack Daniels Single Barrel and my mouth was immediately assaulted with a harshness that did not exist in Beam's offering.  Its just not a good drink.  It burns on the way down and in the belly, its harsh in the mouth, it leaves an unpleasant tingle on the lips and inside of the mouth afterwards.  

Back over to the Jim Beam Signature Craft for a final sip before adding ice and its definitely the easier of the two to drink.

So now dropping a single cube of ice into each glass.

The single cube is now about half melted into each of these bourbons.  The Jim Beam Signature Craft mellows out a bit and the flavor is still fairly mild.  The taste is good, not really sweet, but offers up a hint of sweetness and the burn, while still present has mellowed out a little bit and still only exists when the drink hits bottom.  While the flavor is fairly mild, there does seem to be an elevation in something spicy on the tongue.  The JIM BEAM Signature Craft is a pretty easy to drink bourbon with some nice flavors and is only hampered by the modest burn in the belly.

Switching over to the Jack Daniels Single Barrel and even after the dilution from the mostly melted ice cube its still a harsh flavored drink that smacks your mouth, its got more than a hint of spice, but the tingling in the mouth and the burn in the belly have diminished considerably with the addition of the melting ice cube.  I definitely like the Jack Daniels better after the ice is melted into the drink but that is not to say that I really like this drink.  I can say that I really don't like it.  Its simply not worth whatever I paid for it.  Its a bit better than my least favorite, the Journeyman Bourbon, that one is simply bad.  This offering from Jack Daniels, despite its premium price, premium bottle and "Single Barrel" designation, it is just not very good. 

Between the *JIM BEAM "Signature Craft"* and the *JACK DANIELS Single Barrel* I'd easily choose the Jim Beam product.


*For whatever it might be worth, I'm suffering from a slight acid integestion this evening, so the burn in my belly from the alcohol may be more severe than on some other day.*​


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## Melensdad

6 guys and 1 lady from my shooting group got together yesterday at the cigar lounge to try out some adult beverages.  I posted my observations at the website we share.  Rather than retyping the stuff here, I'm just going to copy/paste the observations from yesterday.

We had some homemade moonshine, some commercial moonshine and then we also had *GENTLEMAN JACK, BEER BARREL, RIDGEMONT RESERVE 1792 and ANGLES ENVY.  *

The names won't look familiar, except for mine, because they are the screen names used at our shooting group website.



			
				melensdad said:
			
		

> Anyone want to come to the NWI INGO Clubhouse on Thursday for a Bourbon comparison test? Probably about noon?
> 
> Sadclownwp and I are going to be there. He is bringing Angel's Envy and I am bringing Beer Barrel. Both are unique in that after traditional aging in charred white oak casks, both are re-casked. The Angels Envy is re-casked in barrels from Port wine and the Beer Barrel is re-casked in barrels that formerly held Dragon's Milk Beer.
> 
> Lonehoosier is going to show up too! He's bringing a bottle too.
> 
> Bring something if you come.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> melensdad said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> OK just my INITIAL take on these 4 bourbons...
> 
> RIDGEMONT RESERVE 1792 is a really nice, really smooth bourbon.  The aroma picks up some oak and maybe some vanilla and is sweet.  It has plenty of aroma too.  The color is a rich amber, bordering on a brown amber. There is a definite tingle all through the mouth but its not a harsh tingle and there is no burn at all in the mouth, and no burn going down either.  You notice a little bit of heat at the bottom, but not enough that I'd call it a burn.
> 
> The GENTLEMAN JACK, in comparison to the R.R.1792 has very little aroma in the glass, I had Sadclownwp take a couple deep inhales and he agreed that the aroma is very light.  The color is also a bit lighter than the R.R.1792 as well, its more of a golden amber.  In the mouth the JACK is harsher, it has a light tingle but it stays with you, especially on the back end of your mouth and has a mild burn on the way down.  Even a minute after swallowing the drink your mouth is still feeling some of the tingle.
> 
> ANGLES ENVY and BEER BARREL are similar in that both are smoother and mildly sweeter.  I prefer the BEER BARREL both neat and over ice, when compared to the ANGLES ENVY, but that is not to say that the ANGLES ENVY is not good.  Its very good, very smooth, hints of sweetness and no burn.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> lonehoosier said:
> 
> 
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> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...


Thought I'd give a bit more complete follow up on these bourbons.

There were 7 INGO members today _(Snap Dragon, IL Caveman, BradMedic, Lonehoosier, Andy219, Sadclownwp & myself)_ plus we had some of the "regulars" who stepped up and took one for the team, just to help us out.

First off I'll say that the *Gentleman Jack* was favored by Andy219 and Snap Dragon.  Its very different from the other 3 and given how different it is, I think it lends itself to strong opinions, either FOR or AGAINST.  With any Jack Daniels product I've ever tried, I either really like it, or I don't.  So it is with this one.  The people who liked it, thought it the best.  The people who didn't like it, ranked it at the bottom.  And it hits you with a full force of flavor and plenty of alcohol tingle in your mouth, spices of some sort, and even after the finish it lingers with you in the mouth.  There is some burn on the way down but not an objectionable amount, it goes down smoother than you'd guess based on the sensation in your mouth.  I liked this much better with cube of ice, mostly melted into it.  It seemed to mellow out the flavors, reduce the mouth tingle and generally make it a more pleasant drink.  That said, me, I'm just not a big fan of this one.

The *RIDGEMONT RESERVE 1792* is a bargain for what it brings to the table.  Under $30 for the bottle it was the cheapest bottle at this showdown but it was smooth and tasty with a nice aroma and a sweet finish.  I can easily see why people would like this bourbon, its easy to drink, either neat or with a cube of ice.  The bit of burn I noted above in my earlier observations vanished when adding an ice cube and letting it melt into the drink.  Nobody picked this one as the winner, but also nobody found it objectionable.  

But I think its fair to say that the two stars of the show, and probably were a reasonable "TIE" were *ANGLES ENVY* and *BEER BARREL*.  Most everyone liked BOTH of these two bourbons.  Some liked one a bit better than the other, but I don't think either of them stood out as clearly superior over the other.  

Both are similar in the way they are made, both are aged in the traditional charred oak casks, but then after the aging process, both are re-casked.  In the case of the *ANGELS ENVY* the second aging is done in Port Wine barrels.  Port wines are known to a hearty dark red wine that is generally sweet and often served as a dessert wine.   There is no indication of how long its aged in the wine barrels, but I'd suspect its casked for a few months.  With the *BEER BARREL* bourbon the process is the same, but the second casking is aged in beer barrels from New Holland Brewing's DRAGONS MILK beer and is aged for 3 to 4 months in those beer barrels.  Each of these two bourbons picks up hints of the flavors and is simultaneously mellowed a bit by the second cask aging process and those characteristics seemed to add to the bourbon rather than covering up or overwhelming the traditional bourbon flavor.


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## Melensdad

Relaxing after a long day and watching MONUMENTS MEN so I'm not going to do a 2 bourbon comparison, but rather I'm sitting with a small glass of *WILD TURKEY FORGIVEN* next to me.  The glass is neat, not even an ice cube in sight. No reason to water this down and tame it, it may be WILD Turkey but its smooth and comfortable as your favorite pair of shoes.

Its a rich savory bourbon with a good bit of spice that rounds out the flavor.  It does have some modest burn going down but its such a pleasant drink with wonderful complexity that moves from savory to spicy and the burn going down is more of a warming glow.  I really like this drink.  It hits your tongue with a nice savory, not sweet, sensation and there is nary a hint of mouth tingle.  It moves to the back of the mouth and you pick up some peppery spices before it rolls down your throat with its mild warmth.  There is no harshness in this drink.  Just goodness.


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## Melensdad

I'm beat up and sore from moving dirt and stone and building raised beds.  So I'm sitting and resting.  Got a short glass with a single shot of *Traverse City Bourbon* neat.  

I'm got some mouth tingle today on the first sip but none after.  And it seems a bit harsh going down with a little more burn than I remember from the first try at this bottle.  The aroma is still nice and sweet.  Its still goes into the mouth bringing some good flavors.  But the burn going down is new.  Doesn't burn at the bottom but it does offer a little heat when it hits the belly, its on the way to get there that it burns.  

This is still a nice drink.  Its not a stand out as one of the best, but its right in the middle of the pack of good bourbons.  You won't go wrong if you see it on the shelf and buy a bottle, its a pretty easy to drink bourbon that offers enough taste to actually offer your mouth something to enjoy.

Perhaps I'm getting this burn because of the dinner of dry rubbed ribs I just finished off?   Food tends to alter the flavors of things that come after it so I'm guessing that might be the issue tonight.


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## Melensdad

Well I got up and did a 10 mile walk to raise money for Cancer Research.  Melen walked with me but I lost her at the 6 mile water stop, given last years major back surgery, I was actually surprised she made it that far.  The lovely Mrs_Bob was one of the walk organizers so she was unable to walk.  We had a great turnout, easily a couple hundred people. Temps were 88 and the sun was hot, and at the 9.5 mile marker I almost quit.  That is where the local Dairy Queen is located.  Just a half mile from the finish line and it was calling to me.  But I resisted and pushed forward.

So tonight I deserve a bourbon.  

Pulled out the *SPRING MILL BOURBON *from Indianapolis and its tasting very good, going down very smooth, but for some reason tonight when it hits bottom its starting a fire in my belly.  Maybe it is reacting to the Chinese food I had for dinner?

As I'm not doing a bourbon comparison tonight I went ahead and broke tradition by dropping 2, yes 2 ice cubes into the glass with my bourbon.

I like the flavor of this bourbon, especially neat.  At the front of the mouth it is an excellent bourbon with savory richness when it hits your tongue.  Moving to the back of the mouth it tends to be a bit harsher but it goes down very smoothly.  On ice I tend to like it less, its muted in flavor yet smoother on the back of the tongue.  But tonight I simply don't want to tolerate the burn in the belly.  With some melted ice watering down the savory SPRING MILL the flavors seem sharper and spicier rather than smooth and savory but the burn is nearly non-existent.  Its still a good bourbon.  

SPRING MILL is one of the bourbons that I come back to when I want to enjoy a drink.  Its not one of the best, but this one is better than most and its got some excellent flavors.  

_Oh below is my reward for walking. Each string bracelet signifies a different type of cancer. We got one for entering the walk. Then we picked up a different color bracelet for each mile. Plus we got one at the end so I have 12 on my wrist. Mile 5 was the bright pink one, for breast cancer. Not sure what each of the other colors signify. BTW, the blue thing to the left side of my wrist watch is a "Fitbit" fitness tracker, I have registered over 27,000 steps today, 22,000 of those were before noon! We have another cancer walk tomorrow, in Crown Point, but its only a 3 mile event._​


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## Melensdad

Tonight, no special movie to watch, just kicking back with the dogs as the lovely Mrs_Bob and Melen have flown the coop for a trip to Albuquerque.  So I've got a week of bachelorhood, with 4 dogs.  





Both of tonights bourbons are roughly $25/bottle, well under the $50/bottle self imposed limit.

*TOWN BRANCH* is a new bourbon, light honey color with a strong alcohol aroma.  Its got 11 Silver, Gold and Platinum awards since 2012.  That is good chunk of awards for such a new brand, so I have high hopes for this bourbon.  I keep swirling it around in the glass, sniffing for the aroma, but only really getting strong scents of alcohol.  

The *ELIJAH CRAIG 12 year old* bourbon is from one of the most long established brands.  Its got a dark rich color, much darker than the TOWN BRANCH, and the aroma is a rich, savory aroma with complexity that almost covers up the alcohol.

Sipping the *TOWN BRANCH* gives you a dull flavor up front that changes a bit going back and then goes down smooth.  Until it hits bottom.  Start the countdown.  5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ….BURN!  The second, and then the third sips of the TOWN BRANCH prove that this is a smooth in the mouth bourbon, and its smooth going down too.  Not a hint of mouth tingle, no burn in the mouth, its just really smooth in the mouth.  Neither the 2nd or 3rd sips mimic the initial burn from the 1st sip, but maybe my internal organs have all been charred beyond hope and there is nothing less to burn?  A sip of water, a bit of a delay, and then a 4th sip of the TOWN BRANCH and it again proves itself to be smooth until it hits bottom.  Its not as harsh as the 1st sip, but its there.  Warm glowing burn, like a potbelly stove in the workshop in the winter.  It keeps you warm, but get to close and its not a good experience.  

After a good swig of water, switching over to the *ELIJAH CRAIG 12*, and just raising the glass to my nose that complex aroma hits you before the bourbon hits the lips.  The flavors are TOTALLY different between these two bourbons, but the belly burn is similar!  I like this ELIJAH CRAIG, its got some savory flavors and has a bit of a tingle on your tongue, with some peppery spices, but not in any way objectionable.  It does however, have a burn in the belly.  

Dropped a single cube of ice into each glass.  Allowed each of them to melt a bit and I picked up the *ELIJAH CRAIG 12* first.  The aroma seems to have thinned out a bit, the complexity seems somewhat simple now, but the alcohol is still secondary.  Taking a sip and the peppery spice comes through, the mouth tingle is gone, the burn is both DELAYED and also REDUCED to a far more pleasant level.  The single cube of ice now completely melted, all the flavors have mellowed, there is still a bit of peppery spices, the burn is mellowed further.  Too mellow in fact, its muted so much that the complexity has been simply watered down and is no longer interesting.  The ELIJAH CRAIG 12 is good neat, its good with ice, but its not nearly as good when the ice cube is fully melted and its too diluted.  

Back to the *TOWN BRANCH* and the ice is pretty well gone by the time I get to this glass.  Its better!  The burn in the belly is gone.  The flavor has opened up a bit, there is a hint of pepper now, something that was absent earlier.  This is now a very easy to drink bourbon lacking any sort of burn, no mouth tingle, with a mild, if nondescript flavor.  The last of the TOWN BRANCH went down with that mildly peppery spice to it, smooth all the way, no burn in the belly.  But not overly interesting in any way.  Its not outstanding neat, its easy to drink after ice, but easy to drink doesn't make it interesting or exceptional in any way.  I'm wondering how it won all those awards.  Would I drink this again, sure.  Its not bad.  It just doesn't stand out.  Probably better in mixed drinks than neat or over ice.

Back to the last sip of the *ELIJAH CRAIG 12* and it confirms its the better of the two bourbons.  There is a very mild, manageable burn at the bottom, there is a peppery spice in the mouth, there is some complexity in the flavors, and its smooth going down.


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## Melensdad

I was out in the woods cutting up and dragging out 3 trees that fell over the winter and landed on a large spruce tree.  They damaged the spruce and I wanted to salvage as much of the big spruce as possible so I made it my mission to cut up those fallen trees.

And now my body is sore, its early evening, and I've got nothing left to do but sit around with the dogs.  So out comes the bourbon for another comparison.  

I've picked 2 bourbons that don't really impress me.  Neither is bad.  But neither was really memorable as a stand out either.

*TRAVERSE CITY BOURBON* versus the new *TOWN BRANCH BOURBON*.

Both are a light amber/honey color, virtually identical.  I suspect both are aged only a few years as bourbons tend to darken in the charred casks when stored for long periods of time.

To my nose, the TRAVERSE CITY has a sweet and somewhat complex aroma while again, the TOWN BRANCH really smells of alcohol over any other scent. 

Sipping the TOWN BRANCH first and it is a repeat of my last trial.  It hits bottom and BURNS with a fiery intensity that is simply not pleasant.  Sad, because its smooth in the mouth and has a mellow, easy to drink, if somewhat nondescript flavor.  

The TRAVERSE CITY has more flavor in the mouth and doesn't burn going down or hitting bottom, its clearly the easier to drink bourbon.  I think I like this bourbon better each time I drink it.  Its still not exceptional but its a solid middle-of-the-pack bourbon that borders on pretty darn good. It has a distinct peppery bite to it in the back of the mouth, and its warm in the belly but it really doesn't burn.  

Another try at the TOWN BRANCH and its a repeat of the prior sips.  Good in the mouth, goes down easily, but then sets fire to your guts when it settles in the belly.  

Now for the tests with ice, 1 cube of ice dropped into each glass, and allowed to partially melt.  

The TRAVERSE CITY is sipped first and the peppery flavors become a bit more apparent and I also notice a brief bit of a burn going down that transitions into a warm feeling in the stomach.  

Switching to the TOWN BRANCH, with its fully melted ice cube and I pick up some spice in the mouth but its still nice and smooth, it goes down and then lights a fire in the belly, but it also quickly extinguishes the fire, so the heat is noticeable but short lived.  Another sip and this time I don't really notice the heat in the gun until after a few second delay, but its still there and still noticed.  One last sip and the glass is empty, but it repeats itself if the characteristic belly burn.

Back to the last of the TRAVERSE CITY and the spice kicks in as it transitions from the front to the back of the mouth.  The burn is mellowed out, it was not much to begin with, but what there was has mellowed.  

*Between these 2 bourbons I'd easily give the nod to the TRAVERSE CITY BOURBON over the TOWN BRANCH.*  So that is 2 different trials where the TOWN BRANCH ended up at the bottom.  I still don't think it is a bad bourbon, but its not really a great value either.  There are better bourbons in the same price range.  Its flavor is somewhat nondescript and it has a distinctive burn that I suspect most will find objectionable.  Dilute it down, mix it with something else and it may be fine, but in my simple 2 part trial I have to say its just not that good.  Not horrible either.


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## Doc

Love these reviews Bob.  They are both entertaining and informative.   Thank you sir.


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## Melensdad

Doc said:


> Love these reviews Bob.  They are both entertaining and informative.   Thank you sir.



I'm rather enjoying doing this.  I'm keeping all my bottle choices under $50 each, so some very well known, well respected bourbons like Blandons (about $54/bottle) are just out of reach of this test.  

But what I've found with cigars is that $20-$25 will buy me an amazing smoke, but many $6-$8 cigars are pretty lousy. And then you find that rare gem of a cigar, low priced but smokes well beyond its pedigree.  

With this bourbon test I'm looking for those 'rare gems' in bottles.  Many of my purchases are from smaller distillers, they, like craft breweries, are often trying to stake their claim.  I often put up a small company product against a major distiller.  Some of the small guys are very successfully making a mark.


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## loboloco

Hey Bob, I just tried an EVAN WILLIAMS small batch bottle.  A little more mellow than Wild turkey.  Give it a try, it is pretty good.  Decently priced too.


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## Melensdad

loboloco said:


> Hey Bob, I just tried an EVAN WILLIAMS small batch bottle.  A little more mellow than Wild turkey.  Give it a try, it is pretty good.  Decently priced too.



My friendly liquor salesman & shooting companion told me to try it as well.  He said it was just rated a 91 (I think a 91) and claims its very good.


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## Melensdad

I know its a weeknight but I've got nothing else to do so I am breaking a rule and decided to pour a little bourbon from a bottle that breaks the $50 price range.  JEFFERSON RESERVE is typically in the $53 to $55 price range, just a little bit over the self imposed $50 limit for the bourbons I've been comparing.  

*JEFFERSON RESERVE* is often regarded as one of the better bourbons available, they make 3 common grades and the RESERVE is the highest grade.  They also have a higher grade, called the Presidential Reserve, but that is not commonly found in many stores, and it costs a lot more.





I've pulled out a bottle of *WOODFORD RESERVE* for this comparison.  The two are very similar in color, a nice rich amber.  In fact they look the same.  Oh, they smell the same too!  WOODFORD RESERVE is commonly considered one of the better mass market bourbons.

JEFFERSON RESERVE has big bold presence in the mouth, and you get some spice, some toffee and maybe some leather flavors.  It doesn't tingle in the mouth, but it does give you some tingle as soon as it hits your throat and you get a bit of burn in your belly.  Its not a lasting burn, but there is burn.  This is a full bodied bourbon that is not for the timid, you know you are drinking bourbon when you are drinking JEFFERSON RESERVE.

Switching to the more common, but well respected WOODFORD RESERVE, is a semi-dry medium/full bodied bourbon with toffee, mocha, and white pepper flavors with a pronounced copper tang. Finishes with a sweet, charred barrel, brown, and metallic fade, this is another aggressive and spicy bourbon, with more of a belly burn.

Dropping ice cubes into each.

The JEFFERSON RESERVE calms down considerably and tastes awesome when opened up with some ice melted into the bourbon.  The burn in the belly is tamed down, but not totally eliminated, the spices are actually highlighted and they enhance the overall flavors.  The flavors seem to sharpen up and if you don't like a bit of peppery spice you won't like this but I think its excellent.

Switching to the WOODFORD RESERVE and the single cube is mostly melted.  The flavors are muted and dulled down, the burn still exists and you pick up spice only at the very back of your mouth.  

*The clear winner here is the JEFFERSON RESERVE, so much so that there is no comparison, its THAT MUCH better, especially with the melted ice cube.*  But its also over budget, costing about $53 per bottle while the other bourbons in this thread are all under $50 per bottle and most are actually about $30 to $35.  So you expect more from the JEFFERSON RESERVE, and it delivers more.


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## Melensdad

*FAVORITE BOURBON SHOWDOWN!*​_Just got home from a wake for my uncle.  He was also the substitute grandfather for my daughter since my father died before my daughter was born.  So its been a very long day.  Rather than test out bourbons I don't know, I figured I'd take 2 that I really enjoy.  I know I enjoy these, its not the day that I want to be critical or analyze various flavors.  I just want to sit back and relax and reflect on the loss of a beloved uncle. _​
*UNDER $50 Favorite:  BEER BARREL BOURBON
-- versus --
OVER $50 Favorite:  JEFFERSON RESERVE​*
_I'm not going to give a full review because both have been mentioned in prior posts, with the JEFFERSON RESERVE just posted yesterday._​
The BEER BARREL BOURBON is slightly cloudy in the glass, but a dark amber color.  The JEFFERSON RESERVE is also a dark amber color, but without the little floating particles that you see in the doubled barreled BEER BARREL brand.

Sipping the BEER BARREL BOURBON first simply does not disappoint.  Perhaps I've had too much acidic coffee while hanging out at the funeral home all day because I picked up some mouth tingle and some burn in this first sip … not detected in prior tastings.  But I also picked up that wonderful flavor of this mid-$30's brand and I simply love it.  A couple more sips confirms my love of this brand.  

Switching to the JEFFERSON RESERVE and it was simply full of wonderful flavors, but I also noticed a bit of mouth tingle _(again I'm blaming the coffee from earlier)_.  And it still has the characteristic, but subtle burn that I expected.  Again, I love this brand.  Its rich, its complex, its wonderful.  A couple more sips confirms my love of this brand.

*"NEAT" sampling WINNER = "TIE"
Both are great, for different reasons, and both are sip worthy on a regular basis!​*

Adding a cube of ice to each.  Allowing each to melt a bit.

Just like last time, the JEFFERSON RESERVE is amazing.  The burn is tamed, the tingle is gone, the flavors sharpen up.  The drink is bold and wonderful, even diluted down a bit.  Again, I really love this brand.  

Switching back to the BEER BARREL and I have to admit that the flavor is just not quite as good after the ice.  Oh the flavors open up a bit but they also seem to thin out a bit too.  Its still good, its very good, but it is no longer awesome.  

*"ICED" sampling WINNER = JEFFERSON RESERVE


"SHOWDOWN" winner = JEFFERSON RESERVE
Honorable Mention = BEER BARREL​*

Maybe its not fair to compare these 2 bourbons.  One is a premium traditional small batch bourbon, the other is a micro-distillery oddity that is second aged in used beer barrels.  Both are excellent and both are worth the price.  Want to enjoy a bourbon on a Saturday afternoon while attending to the BBQ, then the BEER BARREL is going to be my recommendation.  Want to impress your new boss, or celebrate a promotion, or some other such thing, then the JEFFERSON RESERVE should probably be on your 'short list' of suitable choices.​


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## Melensdad

*Bourbon Ginger Cocktail*

A great summer drink on a hot day.  Like a Gin & Tonic, only better, and all grown up.
1 ounce bourbon
4 ounces ginger ale
1 lime wedge _(or a bit of lime juice)_
ice​


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## taffboy

Never tried Bourbon is it like whisky.Stronger or milder can't drink whiskey drunk to much on my 21st birthday never touched it since.


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## Melensdad

taffboy said:


> Never tried Bourbon is it like whisky.Stronger or milder can't drink whiskey drunk to much on my 21st birthday never touched it since.



All *Bourbon* is "Whiskey" or "Whisky"***
All *Scotch* is "Whisky" 
Not all "Whiskey" or "Whisky" is Bourbon, nor is it all Scotch.

To be considered Bourbon it must contain at least 51% corn in the 'mash' mixture.  The remaining 49% can be any combination of corn, rye, wheat, barley, etc.  Also to be considered Bourbon it must be aged in NEW, fire charred, white oak barrels.  

***_Whiskey is generally the US spelling and is used by the vast majority of distillers here, but some distillers use the Scottish/English/Canadian spelling which eliminates the "e" and is therefore Whisky.  _​


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## taffboy

Melensdad said:


> All *Bourbon* is "Whiskey" or "Whisky"***
> All *Scotch* is "Whisky"
> Not all "Whiskey" or "Whisky" is Bourbon, nor is it all Scotch.
> 
> To be considered Bourbon it must contain at least 51% corn in the 'mash' mixture.  The remaining 49% can be any combination of corn, rye, wheat, barley, etc.  Also to be considered Bourbon it must be aged in NEW, fire charred, white oak barrels.
> 
> ***_Whiskey is generally the US spelling and is used by the vast majority of distillers here, but some distillers use the Scottish/English/Canadian spelling which eliminates the "e" and is therefore Whisky.  _​


Thank you


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## Melensdad

Taking another stab at *JOURNEYMAN BOURBON*.  This has historically been my least liked brand of the bunch.  

Dispensing with a comparison, dispensing with my traditions, just poured about an ounce and a half into a glass, tossed in a single ice cube, let the cube melt down about half way, swirled it around, took a sip and its just nasty crap.  It hits the front of the mouth with an off taste.  Its harsh, it burns, and it tastes bad.

Save this stuff for your Mother-in-Law.  Give it to her straight up.  Or over ice.  But don't mix it into a sugary sweet drink, a mint julep or some mixed concoction that will hide the awful flavor of this brand.  Just serve it to her.  _Let her know what you think of her, without speaking a word.  _


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## Melensdad

We sold a townhouse that we fixed up and flipped so I had to move a bunch of furniture today that was in the townhouse before the closing.  I'm just a little bit sore after loading the truck, moving the furniture, and unloading the truck.  Got home and poured a little nip of *SWEET LUCY*.  

Unlike _real bourbon_, which by definition, must be no less than 80 proof, SWEET LUCY is only 70 proof.  Its a liqueur, similar to Wild Turkey's American Honey or some of the other "flavored" bourbons.  But what is different about SWEET LUCY is that it is harder to pin down to a specific flavor.  So while Jack Daniels, Evan Williams, Wild Turkey, etc all make Honey, or Cherry, or whatever flavored bourbon liqueurs, the SWEET LUCY is a traditional drink from the south, which is based on various family recipes where fruit juices are mixed with bourbon.  




Personally I find *SWEET LUCY* a bit sweet too my palate.  Its probably the wrong drink for an evening drink, its more suited to an afternoon BBQ during a party, or for sipping around the swimming pool, etc.  Its got a semi-citrus, but very sweet, taste to it, and in the mouth its very syrupy and smooth.  There is no burn in the throat or in the belly, nor is there any tingle in the mouth.  Maybe you could call this a beginner's bourbon?  But it really is not that, its more like a 'mixed bourbon drink' that comes pre-mixed in the bottle.  

If you want something EASY to drink, if you favor syrupy sweet and smooth to harsh or spicy, if your drinking is often at the side of a pool, during parties or celebrations while having a BBQ, then this is probably a great drink to try.  Its not a serious bourbon.  But *SWEET LUCY* has its place on the shelf.


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## Melensdad

Wife and I went to COSTCO today, saw this for $18.99.  Normally I'd pass it by, but it had as sign listing its awards.  That intrigued me.  So I stopped and looked.  

Evan Williams "SINGLE BARREL VINTAGE RESERVE"

*WHISKEY OF THE YEAR* - _The Spirit Journal_
*DOMESTIC WHISKY OF THE YEAR* - _Malt Advocate_
*SPIRIT OF THE YEAR, BOURBON CATEGORY* - _Wine & Spirits Buying Guide_
*SPIRIT OF THE YEAR, AMERICAN WHISKEY CATEGORY* - _Food & Wine_
*TOP SPIRITS OF THE YEAR, BEST AMERICAN WHISKEY* - _Wine & Spirits Buying Guide_​
Looking forward to this evening and trying it.  I did crack the seal for a sniff.  The brief whiff I got was very promising.  

Bottle says it was casked in 2004, so I'm guessing this is aged 9 to 10 years in charred oak.


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## taffboy

Melensdad said:


> Wife and I went to COSTCO today, saw this for $18.99.  Normally I'd pass it by, but it had as sign listing its awards.  That intrigued me.  So I stopped and looked.
> 
> Evan Williams "SINGLE BARREL VINTAGE RESERVE"
> 
> *WHISKEY OF THE YEAR* - _The Spirit Journal_
> *DOMESTIC WHISKY OF THE YEAR* - _Malt Advocate_
> *SPIRIT OF THE YEAR, BOURBON CATEGORY* - _Wine & Spirits Buying Guide_
> *SPIRIT OF THE YEAR, AMERICAN WHISKEY CATEGORY* - _Food & Wine_
> *TOP SPIRITS OF THE YEAR, BEST AMERICAN WHISKEY* - _Wine & Spirits Buying Guide_​
> Looking forward to this evening and trying it.  I did crack the seal for a sniff.  The brief whiff I got was very promising.  R
> 
> Bottle says it was casked in 2004, so I'm guessing this is aged 9 to 10 years in charred oak.


 That sounds like a Welsh whiskey with a name like that hope you enjoy it.


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## Melensdad

Tonight is *EVAN WILLIAMS 1783* versus the new *EVAN WILLIAMS SINGLE BARREL VINTAGE RESERVE*.  One distillery, two bourbons.

These two bourbons are identical in color, both are a nice rich brown amber.

The *1783* is 'ok' if a bit thin in both aroma and flavor.  Its got some mouth tingle and some burn in the belly.  The flavor, before the tingle starts, is pretty mild and not particularly complex in any noticeable way.  

The *SINGLE BARREL VINTAGE RESERVE*, referred to as "single barrel" from now on, hits your mouth and immediately you get mouth tingle, it has some peppery spice, but that is overwhelmed by the tingle and that translates to a substantial burn as it goes down.  When it hits bottom, the burn continues in the belly.  Another sip, more burn.  I do not like this bourbon straight.  Switching back to the *1783* and the simplicity of flavor returns but the intense burn is also gone and most of the mouth tingle is also gone, so it is a much easier to drink bourbon than the *SINGLE BARREL* offering from Evan Williams.

Dropping a single ice cube in each and allowing them to mostly melt.

Water it down a little bit and all of a sudden the *SINGLE BARREL* is tamed down like into a pleasant drink.  Its burn is all but gone, the mouth tingle is eliminated, there is plenty of peppery taste, with a hint of sweetness on the tip of the tongue.  This has changed from a drink that I disliked straight to a drink that I can easily enjoy over rocks.  In fact I like it very much.

The *1783* with a melted cube didn't change much but was just a bit more watered down.  A bit thinner in flavor.  Its mild burn still exists and its pepper flavors are enhanced. 

Basically I'd say the* 1783 *is generally a good mixer, its inexpensive and unremarkable.  Want a Mint Julep or any other drink and this would be a fine choice that won't break your budget.  

Now the Evan Williams *SINGLE BARREL VINTAGE RESERVE* is an interesting bourbon.  Its cheap, at $18.99 a bottle at Costco.  Its harsh and miserable to drink straight with some severe mouth tingle, throat burn which is followed by a fire in the belly.  But when you water it down a bit well that is when the magic happens.  The flavors become subtle, the tingle vanishes completely, there is no burn in the throat and the belly is only lightly warmed.  Its a very good drink once its been lightly diluted with a cube or two of ice.  What was bad is now good, perhaps very good.  If you like your bourbon 'neat' then this is not your bourbon … unless you also like it harsh with substantial burn.  But if you like it with a bit of ice, or a bit of water, then this is a great value.  At $19 a bottle its hard to pass up, I presume there is a similar variant that is available at stores that are not named COSTCO but I don't know the price.  Its certainly cheap enough, and it would probably make a good mixer bourbon, it makes a good bourbon over ice, but honestly I can NOT recommend it straight, its just too harsh.


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## Melensdad

For tonight I've decided to come back to the brand new *EVAN WILLIAMS SINGLE BARREL VINTAGE RESERVE* and pair it up to one of my all time favorites, the *WILD TURKEY FORGIVEN*.  And just to be clear, the offering from Wild Turkey is not a true bourbon, its a bourbon blended with rye, apparently by mistake, but when tasted, the distiller said the mistake was 'forgiven' and hence the name.

Colors of both drinks are a dark rich amber.  The *SINGLE BARREL* offers a more complex aroma than the *FORGIVEN* but the scents are not easily identifiable.  

No need to repeat everything I wrote yesterday about the* SINGLE BARREL* yesterday.  Its the same today.

But the *FORGIVEN*, if you need a reminder, is a wonderful drink neat.  It has some burn but its not objectionable.  Its got a great rich flavor although to the nose it is not as complex as the *SINGLE BARREL*.  Still, given the option, when drinking it neat, there is only one choice between these two, and that choice is the *FORGIVEN*.

So speeding up to the second half of the comparison I've dropped ice into each glass.

With the single ice cube melted into the *FORGIVEN* the flavors have become sharper and notes of pepper are present.  The burn is still present too, but again, its still not objectionable.  This is just a darn good drink, and with ice its crisp and sharp flavored but not at all harsh in the mouth and only a bit warming in the belly.  

Switching to the *SINGLE BARREL* and the single cube has completely melted but today I didn't drink as much before I placed the cube in the glass so today we have a somewhat less diluted solution.  Even though it is stronger than yesterday its still very good slightly diluted.  Oh the burn is there, and it hits pretty hard.  I'd prefer a bit more water mixed with this brand.  But the flavors are very very good, complex, changing from front to back of mouth, none being objectionable.  This is a very very good bourbon when diluted a bit.  

Honestly I don't know which bourbon I like better.  *WILD TURKEY FORGIVEN* is awesome straight and pretty darn good with ice.  Clearly I prefer it straight.  *EVAN WILLIAMS SINGLE BARREL VINTAGE RESEVE* is still an undrinkable beast served up straight but when lightly diluted with an ice cube its an excellent bourbon.  Does it end up near the top of my list of "Best Bourbons Under $50" well yes its "near" the top, but no its not at the top.  I think, overall, the "FORGIVEN" is a bit better because its much better neat, even if its not as good with ice.  So I'd have to say that the *FORGIVEN* beats out the *SINGLE BARREL* but I'd also have to admit that the FORGIVEN is not a true bourbon but rather is a bourbon blend, which makes it a whiskey, by definition.  

That said, I added a second ice cube to the remainder of the Evan Williams Single Barrel and I'm enjoying the heck out of it.


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## Melensdad

I scored a very rare bottle of *JEFFERSON OCEAN*.   It is very rare, very small batch, very unique.  Most liquor stores can't get this, the bottles are allocated.  One of the stores in my county got 6 bottles . . . they would only sell me 1.  

There were 62 barrels of roughly 8 year old bourbon that were put onto a ship and sent around the world.  Normal bourbon is aged in barrels that sit in a warehouse for years without movement.  These did that.  Jefferson sourced 62 barrels of bourbon aged 6-8 years and then put them on a container ship for another 6 months where the barrels sloshed, rocked and rolled with the waves across the oceans visiting a total of 31 ports and making their way across the equator four times. The theory is that this constant movement of the liquid in the barrels ages (matures) the whiskey faster because more of the liquid is in contact with the wood more often.

I will tell you, it smells awesome!


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## Melensdad

Poured myself about 2 ounces of *JEFFERSON OCEAN, Aged At Sea* bourbon tonight.  

The aroma is complex, with hints of vanilla, honey, maybe a bit of oak too?  And the color is a nice rich dark amber.

The first sips on the tongue are smooth and rich.  Its got a savory caramel flavor that transitions into a spicy finish.  This is the first bourbon that I've had that has any hints of salt in the flavor.  It goes down without any burn but does leave you with a mild bit of warmth.  After the bourbon is down you get a bit of mouth tingle.  This is really good stuff.  Really really good stuff.  As you bring up the glass you smell the very special aroma that is different than other bourbons I've tried, it gives you a prelude to the goodness that will come when the glass reaches your lips.

I wanted to say putting casks on a ship was nothing more than a marketing gimmick and that Jefferson’s Ocean tasted like regular bourbon, that there were no hints of salt or brine and that it’s trip around the world on an oceanic research vessel was all waste of time… but I can’t.  It was not a waste of time, it was not a mistake and its not a marketing gimmick.  

Some kind of magic happens during that journey around the would, with the waves sloshing that bourbon against those charred oak barrels.

31 sea ports, north and south across the equator 4 times with the temperature and humidity changing with each latitude.  And the ever present motion of the waves.

No, this stuff is special.  Its beyond really good, its excellent.  

After dropping a single ice cube and letting it melt down I take another sip.  I can't believe it but this may have actually gotten better.  The flavors are not diluted, the mouth tingle is tamed, and the its still just damn good.

Overall this is some seriously tasty bourbon. Rich and deep in character starting at the nose and surging through the finish there are strongly defined bourbon notes blending with some uniquely briny characteristics.  I have found a new favorite.


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## Melensdad

OH MY GOODNESS OH MY GOODNESS we have a battle tonight.  The TITANS are battling the GODS with this match up.  

*JEFFERSON RESERVE versus JEFFERSON OCEAN. * 

Both of these bourbons hover at/near the top of my favorite list just about every single day, both are awesome, the RESERVE is a bargain at about $50 and the OCEAN is a bargain at roughly $80, albeit it a more expensive bargain.

It should be noted that the folks behind JEFFERSON don't actually distill their bourbons, they buy them and then blend, continue to age, or otherwise alter them in some way.  And they are masters at doing so.

Upon first sniff, the OCEAN hints at briny and savory complexity without any alcohol harshness on the nose.  RESERVE does give off some alcohol but is also complex to the nose with a mixture of flavors. 

Sipping the OCEAN is a treat, it goes in sweet and savory at the front, you do pick up hints of salt.  But it finishes off peppery at the back of the mouth and goes down smoothly with a warming glow, not a burn, at the bottom.  Its just so damn good.

Tipping back the RESERVE and it too is something to savor.  A bit less savory at the front, not quite the complexity of the OCEAN, add in a slight bit of mouth tingle on the finish with a peppery finish and a bit more of a hint of burn.  Its just so darn good.

Clearly I have a favorite between these two bourbon when drinking them neat and its name is OCEAN.

There was a bit more bourbon in each glass after my 'neat' sampling than normal so I dropped slightly larger ice cubes into each than I normally do, trying to keep the proportions consistent.  Letting the ice cubes in each glass melt a bit I picked up the JEFFERSON OCEAN first and the peppery flavors became more noticeable and moved up front.  Switching to the JEFFERSON RESERVE and it has smoothed out a bit more with the addition of the melting ice cube.  

Damn these are both good.  

TITANS versus GODS.  The RESERVE is clearly the lesser drink, the Titan in this fight, but its not lesser by much and the price is about half of that of the OCEAN so its clearly the value pick.  The OCEAN is an astonishing good bourbon and is worth every penny of the nearly $85 _(with tax)_ I paid for the bottle, heck I may go and try to get another bottle if they will sell it to me.  



*VERDICT of this showdown:  
UNDECIDED​*_Or maybe too good to decide and I just need to drink more of these 2 bourbons.  
A lot more.  
Often.  
Even if in moderation.  _​


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## Melensdad

Well, after sleeping on it last night I have come to a decision about the battle royale between *JEFFERSON RESERVE* and *JEFFERSON OCEAN*

The answer is that *OCEAN *is the more serious bourbon, best when drinking alone by a fire pit and contemplating the world, searching the skies for an elusive comet or planet or with a good buddy and discussing some life changing event, perhaps a celebration or even a toast to a departed loved one.  Its too special for most times.  Its a serious drink, maybe even a somber drink, but its not one for parties where people may not appreciate its subtle flavors and its certainly waisted if used as a mixer.

The* RESERVE* is great when you are all alone, but probably would be better to celebrate with a group of friends, perhaps the last night at fish camp, or a toast to a graduate, even to a wedding, when you are with a groups of people.  Use it as a 'mixer' and you will get someone to tell you that you are an idiot, but it would probably make a hell of a Whiskey Sour, or an Old Fashioned.  Just don't mess it up with fruits and froth.


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## Melensdad

Tomorrow a friend is bringing me a bottle of *TEMPERANCE TRADER Barrel Strength Bourbon*.  Its a 'high rye' bourbon and, being a barrel strength, its also high alcohol so it may need to be diluted a bit to be drinkable neat.  Its also an Indiana bourbon, distilled in Lawrenceburg, but then shipped to Portland, Oregon's Bull Run Distilling Company for finishing, it is a fairly common practice for bourbons to be sourced and bought, then aged, altered or blended under another brand name.  Probably one of the very best known is Jefferson, which sells some astounding bourbons.

High rye tends to be a bit more peppery than wheated bourbons, which tend to be a bit sweeter and, or mellower.  Makers Mark is probably the best known of the wheated bourbons and Pappy Van Winkle, arguably the best bourbon available is a whetted bourbon.  But generally rye bourbons are more common than wheated bourbons.


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## Melensdad

Had several friends stop by the cigar lounge and had several bourbons to taste and share.  

*TEMPERANCE TRADERS*, distilled in Indiana, finished in Portland, OR.
*JOURNEYMAN*, distilled in Indiana, finished in Three Oaks, MI.
*JEFFERSON RESERVE*, origins unknown.  ​
First off it was a universal belief among all those who tried all 3 bourbons that the *JOURNEYMAN* bourbon is harsh.  Some people were kind and said it was drinkable, but that was about the highest compliment.  Basically it was not well received by anyone and nobody actually thought it was good, or even marginal.

*TEMPERANCE TRADERS* was generally considered to be very good.  This bourbon had not been previously reviewed.  It is a "barrel proof" bourbon so each shipment will be a slightly different proof, and that proof will be noted on the bottles.  Generally "barrel proof" bourbons will be between 110 and 120 proof.  

I think 1 person chose TEMPERANCE TRADERS as the best of the 3 bourbons, if that person didn't consider it the best, he certainly was very complimentary of the brand.  But overall, everyone liked it, nobody disliked it.  Despite it being a much higher proof, it was not harsh, nor did it have substantial alcohol aroma, nor did it have substantial alcohol burn.  People noted tones of almond, vanilla and caramel in the flavor.  People noted it was sweet at the front and that it didn't finish harsh or overly spicy.  It is a "high rye" with 25% rye in the mash, but didn't have the high spice that many find in high rye blends, possibly because its also 65% corn?  It was honestly a very smooth bourbon that, despite being over 110 proof, could be sipped neat.  Adding a few drops of water tamed down anything that anyone found objectionable _(and there wasn't much to find objectionable)._  So letting a single ice cube melt a bit would be advised to anyone who might choose to mellow it.  At $39.99 a bottle it is certainly priced very nicely for what it delivers.

*JEFFERSON RESERVE* was very well received by everyone _and with 1 possible exception_ it was clearly the top choice of all the testers as their bourbon of choice in this test.  As this has been previously reviewed, no further comments necessary.


----------------------  and then -------------------​

A few days after the above testing I flew down to New Orleans for the weekend, stayed at the Windsor Court Hotel _(I highly recommend this hotel if you go to NOLA)_.

If you stay on the club level floors they provide a complimentary bar.  Among many other things, they stocked 3 bourbons: *Makers Mark*, *Jim Beam *(white) and* Jack Daniels* _(which is legally a bourbon by definition)_.  I'm not a fan of Beam white label and JD, while technically a bourbon, is a bit harsh to my taste.  

So while I was down there I was drinking _free_ Makers Mark bourbon.  Really hard to complain about Makers Mark.  Reasonably priced and easy to drink.  Its a "wheated" bourbon, as I mentioned previously and that cuts down the peppery sharpness that is found in the "rye" bourbons.  All bourbons have no less than 51% corn, but after that the second ingredient is typically either rye or wheat.  Makers Mark is the most common wheated bourbon, Jim Beam is probably the most common with rye bourbon.


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## Melensdad

*WOODFORD RESERVE versus MAKERS MARK*

I'm not generally a big fan of the major brand bourbons but they didn't get to be big sellers by producing junk and honestly some of them are pretty darn good, despite the fact that I'd prefer to find a micro-distiller who crafts their products in small batches.  Still, it makes sense, in a thread like this to throw up a couple big brands and see what they are, how they compare.  And with these 2 brands we are comparing apples to oranges because they are very different bourbons.


*WOODFORD RESERVE* hits your nose with a punch of vanilla, some spice, some oak and a bit of alcohol, its complex to the nose and gives you, what you hope, is a prelude of what is to come.  With the *MAKERS MARK* the aroma is more of alcohol than anything else, it overpowers the background aromas; it contains none of the complexity of the WOODFORD RESERVE since the alcohol just overwhelms.   Based on aroma alone, the clear choice would be the WOODRFORD RESERVER, it simply smells wonderful.

But when it comes to flavors, the MAKERS MARK scores with nice soft tones.  Its a little sweet on the front and when it finishes it stays smooth.  There is a little burn on the way down but not much, and the burn is gone before it hits your belly.  Straight up the MAKERS MARK is a bourbon that has some upfront sweetness and is mellow enough for drinking straight up in the evenings.

Switching over to the WOODFORD RESERVE and its a much different type of bourbon, rougher around the edges, with some strong oak flavor on the finish that can be somewhat acerbic. This is a drink that finishes strong and bold.  Its not as sweet at the front, its got a mild burn going down but, as with MAKERS MARK its not a strong burn.  

Adding a single cube of ice to each and letting both melt down a little bit I pick up the MAKERS MARK first.  Not that it needed to tame down, but the melted cube certainly eliminated the mild burn as it went down.  But while the burn was all but gone, it seemed to pick up a little sharpness and peppery spice at the back of the mouth on the finish.  What was a great easy to drink bourbon is even easier to drink on the rocks _(or in this case, with just a single cube). _ 

Switching to the WOODFORD RESERVE and the melted ice cube, the finish has less oak but still seems acerbic and spicy and the mild burn remains.  I don't think the ice tamed this drink, it may have altered it, but its not tamed down any.  

*WINNER of this match up is easy.  Its MAKERS MARK.*  I think its better straight up and I think its better with ice.  So no split decision, no hard choices.  I'm not saying the WOODFORD RESERVE is a bad bourbon, its not, but its not a bourbon that that I'm particularly fond of nor is it to my tastes, which tend to favor a smoother softer bourbon.  If you like WOODFORD RESERVE then you probably also like JACK DANIELS.  I'm not a JACK fan either.


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## Melensdad

Been sipping on a bottle of *BUFFALO TRACE BOURBON* lately.  It had me puzzled about its mashbill because up front it is on the sweet size while the finish offers some spice.  And its pretty smooth, with a bit of burn going down.  I wondered if it was a "wheated" bourbon based on the sweetness and smoothness, but the spice betrays that.  So I did a bit of research and Buffalo Trace doesn't release the mashbill but some experts have theorized it as a LOW RYE (less than 10% rye) bourbon mash, and that makes a lot of sense.

The aroma is very nice, hints of vanilla come through.  The color is a nice medium/dark amber.

Drinking it neat, on the tongue it goes in sweet and smooth with spice on the finish and some burn on the way down.  The burn is not too harsh, but its definitely there and its one you feel going down but not so much at the bottom.  I get no mouth tingle from this 90 proof bourbon either.  This is a fairly easy to drink bourbon and I can see why its become so popular.

Adding a cube of ice and letting it melt down a bit the *BUFFALO TRACE *becomes a sharp flavored bourbon, and rather than taming down it seems to highten all the tastes and even highten the burn.  What was smooth is no longer smooth, what was mellow is no longer mellow.  I'm not saying its bad, that would be a misinterpretation, it is simply sharp and sharp flavors can be good.  With the exception of the burn, which is also enhanced, the sharp flavors are actually pretty interesting.

This is priced about $22 a bottle, CVS recently had it on sale for just under $20.  Its a bargain at either price.


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## Melensdad

Cowboy hat maker Stetson introduced *JOHN B STETSON BOURBON *and I happened to find a bottle, with a free bourbon glass, at the local supermarket.  I had seen a review of this bourbon a while back, listing it as a great new bourbon.






As for the bourbon, its a nice light amber in color, aged for 4 years.  By law bourbon needs to be aged for 2 years, many brands are aged for 8 to 12 years, some rare few for much more.  But the lighter amber color comes from the 4 years of aging rather than from a longer aging which imparts a somewhat darker color.

*JOHN B STETSON* is a 4 grain bourbon, which starts with at least 51% corn, then adds both Rye & Wheat as well as Barley.  Most bourbons have a 3 grain mash bill, with either Rye or Wheat, but not both.

Taking it into the mouth the sweetness imparted by the wheat hits you first and then stays with you on the finish while the rye's spice is added to the finish so you get both sweet and spice at the end.  If you like MAKERS MARK for its smoothness and sweetness and lack of spice then you will probably also like *JOHN B STETSON *for the same qualities but it has a little more spice to it.  Its not overly complex and I'd put it as a good "mixer" bourbon or a nice modest priced sipping bourbon for "everyday" consumption.  You won't be saving this bottle for those special occasions, its a bit to thin in flavor complexity and to simple for those special occasions where you want something like the Jefferson Ocean, or even the Jefferson Reserve.

Its also got some burn to it.  But not too much, its more a belly warmer than a belly burner.  And the mouth feel is smooth, with only a hint of alcohol tingle at the end.  

As with many bourbons, when dropping an ice cube into it and letting it melt down a bit the bourbon tends to open up a bit.  But this one also tends to become a bit hard around the edges after it opens up.  I preferred it neat.  It seems a bit smoother and a bit easier to drink neat.  But the mouth tingle from the alcohol was gone after the slight dilution from the ice and the belly burn was almost gone after the ice too.  Still, I preferred it straight up because it seemed to be smoother, even if a bit stronger.

Do I like it?  Yes I do.  Is it on my favorite list?  Nope.  It is easy to drink and at under $30 its a better value than something like the EVAN WILLIAMS 1783 because I think it offers a bit more.  Its also a nice companion to your MAKERS MARK since it offers a somewhat different profile but not too different to be totally unfamiliar.


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## Melensdad

*SPRING MILL BOURBON* from a small company in Indianapolis versus nationally distributed *MAKERS MARK BOURBON* tonight.

First off the color, the MAKERS MARK is a rich brownish amber color while the SPRING MILL is more of a golden amber.  

As for aroma, the MAKERS is a milder smoother tone to the nose without much of a hint of spice while the SPRING MILL is much spicier in aroma and also more complex with hints of sweetness up front before the peppery spices hit you.  Not that this should come as a surprise because the MAKERS is a wheated bourbon while the SPRING MILL aroma is pretty typical of a high rye bourbon.

Taking a first sip of each of these two provides flavors that mimic the aromas.  The MAKERS MARK is smooth and a little sweet going in, smooth on the finish, with no spice and minimal burn.  The SPRING MILL hits your tongue with a bit of sweetness up front but as it transitions to the finish at the back of your mouth there is spice that hits you with a bit of sharpness, followed up with some burn on the way down.  These are very different bourbons, but then again MAKERS MARK is one of the few 'wheated' bourbons that is in common distribution and the SPRING MILL is a very typical rye bourbon and rye bourbons dominate the bourbon landscape.

Dropping in a single ice cube and letting them melt down a bit _I pick up the glass of MAKERS MARK, swirl it around and notice that an ANT has dropped into the glass from the tree branches that hang over our patio furniture.  DAMN.  I fish it out with my finger and flick it away.  I suppose the test is invalid unless an ant drops into the SPRING MILL glass too?  So much for my scientific evaluations.  _Still I soldier on with the test, the ice cube in the MAKERS MARK is all but melted when I take my first sip.  Its even smoother now up front, which hardly seems possible, but on the finish it seems a bit sharper with a hint of pepper.  

Well no ant has fallen into the SPRING MILL but I sip it anyway.  Its flavors have opened up a bit and are sharper on the tip of the tongue and at the finish, but despite being sharper they are also less harsh.  So the water from the cube has mellowed out the harshness and yet has maintained but slightly tamed the peppery spices.

*TWO VERY DIFFERENT BOURBONS in this test.  Totally different profiles.  Both are good bourbons. * Personally I prefer the MAKERS MARK for its smoothness when its neat.  Add an ice cube to each and both are good and I like both, not sure which I would choose with a bit of water/ice.  I suppose my favorite would depend on the day, my mood and perhaps global warming, the situation in the Middle East and Wall Streets results of the day?

Overall I'll say that I like the *MAKERS MARK *better, because I think its the better bourbon neat.  And I'll also say that I personally like smoother bourbons over spicier bourbons so my bias will be toward the MAKERS MARK.  That said, the *SPRING MILL *has typically compared well against other bourbons I've tried.  Its a good, not a great, bourbon.  And SPRING MILL is very good over a bit of ice.


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## Melensdad

JEFFERSON OCEAN is releasing another batch of OCEAN in October.

If you can't find it, it will be available again soon.  Well not soon enough.  But still not too far into the future.  The current batch, which is pretty much sold out, retailed for $70 to $80 a bottle in stores while it was available but is now trading for at least DOUBLE that price, plus shipping, on the internet.  I'll be curious to see if the NEW OCEAN bourbon followed a different route across the equator (several times) as the CURRENT/last issue of OCEAN.



Oh, I picked up 2 more bottles of Bourbon. 

One is Blantons, checked around and nobody up here has it for cheaper so I just paid $56 for a bottle of bourbon that is worth $49.  But oh well.  Its a well known premium, favored by a lot of people, always considered to be a very good bourbon, but never one of the elite bourbons.

Also got a bottle of $69 Col. E.H.Taylor "Single Barrel" bourbon.  I've heard some really good things about this so I'm hoping its good.  It is one of a series of limited releases.  There have been 6 or 7 so far.  The "Small Batch" and the "Single Barrel" are the only two that are still commonly available in stores.  I'd have loved to have tried the old fashioned "Sour Mash" bourbon but that seems to be long gone.  In 2006 they launched the line with their "Tornado Surviving" bourbon after a tornado hit Warehouse C of the Bourbon Trace Distillery, but honestly that seems more like a gimmick release than a serious one, still it sold out and is sought after by collectors.








EDIT:  going to start drinking early tonight, the sis-in-law came over.  I'm hiding down in the man cave.  

Since I had 2 new bottles I figured I'd open both.  

The *Col. E.H.Taylor* is only very slightly darker amber than the *Blantons* but they are both very similar in hue.  I'd guess they are probably about the same age, at least based on the color.  

As for the aroma, the TAYLOR is a 100 proof (50% alcohol) bourbon, so its a bit higher in alcohol than most of the brands, and your nose is hit with a sweet scent followed by the alcohol.  You pick up some vanilla, and maybe a bit of oak too.  But its first and second sweet then alcohol that hits your nose.  Switching over to the BLANTONS and it could not be more different in aroma from the TAYLOR if you tried.  BLANTONS smells of grains and is mild to the nose in most every way with a bit of sweetness at the end.

Taking the first sip of the *BLANTONS* and it goes in smooth but finishes with a mild spice, a mild burn in the belly and a mild tingle on the tongue.  Nothing objectionable, easy to drink, nothing sharp or harsh.  A second sip is a bit bigger and the sensations are repeated.  The burn is a bit bigger, the mouth tingle on the finish a bit stronger, but only because the sip was bigger.  Nothing is bad, nothing is outstanding.  This is a really nice UNDER $50 bourbon, unfortunately it costs more than $50. 

Bringing up the *COL E.H. TAYLOR* up for the first sip and it goes in smooth, it transitions to the back of the mouth and hits you with a dose of spice, it goes down without any burn and without any mouth tingle from the alcohol.  Its a rare combination when higher alcohol produces no/less burn but it does happen and I like it that way, but that is not best way to judge a bourbon.  Honestly I love the upfront sweetness but this bourbon's peppery spice hit at the back of the tongue is stronger than most and its not going to appeal to all bourbon drinkers.

Dropping a single cube of ice into each glass and allowing them to melt down a bit I picked up the TAYLOR first took a healthy sip.  The spice at the back of the tongue is tamed considerably.  Often a cube of ice will sharpen the flavors while dulling the burn but with the TAYLOR the peppery spice is dulled and tamed down and the burn remains absent.  I really like this bourbon over a cube of ice.

Switching to the BLANTONS with the ice cube mostly melted and the burn and tingle both have been tamed, the flavors are still very mild but have been sharpened.  Its a nice smooth drinking bourbon over ice.  Its a mild flavored boubon with a bit of a burn when served neat.  

VERDICT:  I'm not a big fan of the BLANTONS.  I don't much like it neat and it is very drinkable with a single ice cube.  But very drinkable doesn't make it outstanding.  Sure, its good.  But I will choose the *COL E.H. TAYLOR* as tonights winner, by a reasonably large margin.  For everything it is, and for what it omits, its a very good bourbon.  I think a bourbon has to be tested a few times to make sure its really good, so I won't say this is among my favorites.  Not yet.  But I will say that the TAYLOR has the potential to end up in the favorites category.


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## Melensdad

Just wanted to take a second look at the *Col E.H. Taylor* so tonight, while watching a rerun of SHARKNADO 2 with the family I poured about an ounce of the TAYLOR into a glass to sip on.

Tonight the aroma coming of the glass is the same sweet smell, followed by the whiff of alcohol.

Tonight the first sip went in just as smooth and just as sweet, it also transitioned into a bit more spice than I'd prefer as it hit the back of the tongue.  So far, so good.  Its a repeat of last night.

But unlike last evening I got some burn in the belly when it went down.  There was still no mouth tingle from the alcohol, so that also mimics last nights trial.  

I know that what you eat affects the flavors of you drink, my guess is that the burn is affected the same way?  Last night we had grilled chicken, tonight I ate some scrambled eggs.  So maybe that has something to do with the heat I am getting today in the belly?  The second sip gives a little less fire in the belly.  

Honestly no ice today, just trying this neat tonight.  And mainly because I poured such a small sample.  Yesterday I preferred this Col E.H. Taylor with a slightly melted cube better than drinking it neat.  If I had a cube of ice I think today I'd second that opinion from yesterday.  But tonight's small sample gives me enough reason to add this bourbon to my "favorites" list.  One of these nights I'll compare it to the JEFFERSON'S RESERVE, if it passes that test then I may have to compare it to the champion of the bourbon hill,  JEFFERSON'S OCEAN.  

This IS very good bourbon.


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## Melensdad

For tonight's movie night I've got a short glass of *FOUR ROSES SINGLE BARREL* bourbon that I've been hearing some great things about.  There are a few different types of Four Roses bourbons on the market, this is the SINGLE BARREL version.  Its about $38 a bottle so its not on the cheap end of the Sub-$50 bourbons, but nor is it too pricy.  This is a 100-proof bourbon whiskey so its a bit higher in alcohol than many others, which by law must be at least 80-proof and I think the majority of bourbons are right about 80.  I also have a short glass of my favorite * JEFFERSONS OCEAN Aged at Sea* bourbon for my comparison.  Its probably not fair to do that to the FOUR ROSES.  But I really like the OCEAN bourbon and if I was to pour out 1 glass before this test it would not be the OCEAN!  So on with the comparison.

Both of these bourbons are a nice rich medium amber.  If one is darker than the other then its the FOUR ROSES that might be very slightly deeper in color.  There is no indication of age on the bottle or the hang tag.  There is an indication on the hang tag that this is LESS THAN 10 YEARS OLD, but not sure if its 2, 4, 6, 8 etc years old.

To the nose, the *FOUR ROSES* hits you with a bit of sweetness, perhaps a touch of honey and only subtle undertones of alcohol actually are sensed by your snout.  There is something else in there, not sure what I pick up, but its a really pleasant bourbon aroma.  

The first sip from the glass and it goes into your mouth with a nice mellow and sweet smoothness.  I think the touch of honey in the aroma is also sensed on the tongue.  But got a very long finish to it with a lasting tingle on your lips and a lingering burn in the belly.  You feel this bourbon going down, you feel it in your mouth with the tingle after the swallow, and then it simmers in the belly.  Now if that is not something you like then there are some good points.  The flavor with that hint of honey and a bit of spice on the back of the mouth before all the tingling and burning start, is actually a nice mellow flavor with a nice taste to it.  

I shifted over the the *JEFFERSONS OCEAN* and, by comparison, WOW, just WOW, this stuff is so good.  So damn good.  With that said, I'm going to end the comparison.  The OCEAN costs more than twice as much as the FOUR ROSES SINGLE BARREL and its just not fair to compare these bourbons.  I'll save the rest of the OCEAN for after I finish my testing of the FOUR ROSES.

I dropped a single cube of ice into the FOUR ROSES SINGLE BARREL and let it melt down quite a bit.  Taking a sip with about 2/3rds of the single cube melted and the mouth tingle is about 70% gone, the burn in the belly is reduced to a modest simmer that stays with you but it doesn't burn on the way down.  While the mouth tingle is mostly gone, its still lingers for quite a long time.  Unlike some other bourbons where the flavors become sharper with a little bit of water this bourbon this one retains its nice mellow semi-sweet flavor with its hint of honey.  

_I'm not sure that I really enjoy this bourbon neat.  

And I'm not sure I really enjoy it with ice. _ 

Its got a mellow flavor but its also got plenty of heat to it with all that lingering tingle on the lips and that burn in the belly that continues to simmer away.  Its got a very long finish that I do not enjoy, if the burn in the belly was shorter, if the tingle on the lips waned faster . . . I'm not one to enjoy the burn that *FOUR ROSES SINGLE BARREL* delivers but I do enjoy the flavor.  My bet is that this would make a great "mixer" because its going to stand up to flavors that are added to make the mixed drink of your choice.  Might be one of the better choices for an Old Fashioned because of its stout body.

Now that I'm done with the test of the FOUR ROSES its time to switch to something that I really enjoy.  The OCEAN has been written about in the past so I don't need to rewrite what I've already written so I'm just going to sit back and enjoy.


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## Melensdad

Just purchased 3 bottles of bourbon over the internet.  Never did that before.  But I've wanted to try a couple of these and haven't been able to find them.  One was an impulse buy.  Anything over $50 is something that I consider to be a fairly expensive bottle and all 3 of these fit that category.  Anything at $100 and above I consider to be in the elite category for bourbons and all of these are well under that mark.  There are very few bourbons over $150 per bottle but they do exist.  There are also plenty under $30 each.

*Bookers Small Batch Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey*	$58.99  _(from Jim Beam Co, Kentucky)_
Aged for six to eight years and bottled at a robust ~130 proof, this bourbon earned a 90-95 point rating from Wine Enthusiast and is a three-time Double Gold medalist at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.​
*Few Bourbon Whiskey Signature Edition*	$62.99 _ (tiny batch distillery located in Evanston, IL)_
Autographed by the master distiller, this bottle of bourbon earned a score of 93 points from the Beverage Testing Institute.​
*OYO Bourbon Whiskey*	$51.99 _ (small batch "4 grain" bourbon from Ohio)_
Made in the heart of the Ohio River Valley, each of these award-winning whiskies is crafted by a fourth-generation master distiller.​


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## Melensdad

Picture of the 3 new bottles, all were on sale, but all are over $50, even on sale.

Distiller autographed my bottle of FEW.  Its from batch 5 and is bottle #87.  This is the first of these 3 new bottles that I'm breaking into to try out.






*FEW* is a very aeromatic bourbon, your nose is hit with the sweet scents of vanilla and honey as well as a pretty stiff hit of alcohol.  Bottled at 93 proof its a bit more alcohol than in the standard 80 proof bottles, but I'm not sure that the higher alchohol content can be blamed for the hit to your nose because there are other bourbons in this range that don't hit your nose with such a stiff whiff of alcohol.  That said, its not an unpleasant aroma because the heavy scent of sweetness balances the alcohol nicely.

The color of *FEW bourbon* is a beautifully dark rich amber, not sure how long this has been aged, the color would have you believe its an older bourbon but the distiller is a reasonable newcomer who distills and ages his bourbons in Evanston, IL so I suspect its young, in the 2 to 4 year range, but aged in a very deeply charred barrel.

First sip is sweet up front, transitioning back to some fairly mild spice, and goes down very smoothly.  It seems sort of uneventful but then just when you think its over, the mouth tingle starts up and the warmth hits your belly.  Both have a delayed reaction.  Neither is harsh.  You want to come back for more.  Second sip, repeat of the first.  But the finish is even longer, it sticks with you and its good.  Sip number 3 and the mouth tingle and the warmth in the belly seem to have mellowed down a bit, perhaps because they have been 'seasoned' by the first two sips?  You do feel the belly warmth, hard to call it a burn, for a long time after its down.  It sticks with you but is no unpleasant or harsh.  Its warmth, not burn.  I like this bourbon neat.  

Dropping in a cube of ice and letting it melt down a bit the first thing you notice is that the aroma is no longer as strong when you bring the glass up to your nose.  You pick up the sweetness but not the alcohol scent.  The ice definitely mellows this in some ways, the mouth tingle is now absent, the belly warmth is tamed down, but you pick up some added sharpness in the spice at the back of the mouth.  The finish is not as long as when sipped neat.  I think its sweet flavor is watered down a bit too much when served over ice but if you like a bit of sharpness to your bourbon then this might be a good choice over ice.  

I'd have to say I rank *FEW Bourbon* fairly high on my list.  Especially neat.  A bit less so over ice.  Its also not a cheap bourbon.  For the price I'd say its not as good a value as* Jefferson's Reserve*, which is about $53 a bottle.  Still, if you stumble upon a bottle and are looking for a premium VERY SMALL or TINY batch, then give a bottle of *FEW Bourbon* a try.  It's a very good, but perhaps not a great, bourbon.  Me, I'm pretty much tired of the $20 to $40 bourbons, with the possible exceptions of Makers Mark and a very very few select others.

-----------------  On topic, sort of:

Interesting article from Mens Journal, about distilleries you can trust.  FEW is one of those =>  http://www.mensjournal.com/food-dri...lleries-making-whiskey-you-can-trust-20140903

They also mention WIDOW JANE, which is on my bucket list.


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## Melensdad

Sipping on the *OYO Bourbon *and I'm underwhelmed.  I've really been looking forward to trying this one.  Its a bourbon, mixed with a wheat whiskey, but the proportion is such that it still qualifies as a bourbon so with the mix there is still at least 51% corn in the mash.  OYO is a micro-distiller in Ohio.  I believe they buy their bourbon from Lawrenceburg, IN and mix it with their own OYO distilled wheated whisky.

To start out this is a 90 proof bourbon with a lovely caramel color.  The aromo is mostly alcohol on the nose with some subtle hints of vanilla.  But mostly alcohol.  

Sipping it neat you notice that *OYO* has got some rye qualities, from the bourbon mash, in that it has plenty of back of mouth spice.  But its also got the mellowness and sweetness characterized by wheated bourbons.  Going into your mouth its very pleasant.  Its what happens afterwards that is the problem.  Burn in the belly.  Long lasting deep hard burn.  Some mouth tingle too from the alcohol, but the burn in the gut is strong enough that you almost have to reach for a fire extinguisher and really are not too terribly concerned about the tingle on the lips, which is also a bit harsh.  But before the unpleasant part there is a good smooth and mellow bourbon flavor that is very nice, with a bit of spice, but not too much, at the back of the tongue.  

So far the OYO reminds me of WILLETS POT STILL bourbon, in that its got some nice notes but is just to harsh with too much burn to enjoy straight up.

Thankfully I'm done with this one neat, I dropped in an ice cube and let it melt down to see if this can be tamed down.  Surprisingly the single cube really tamed the harshness of the *OYO Bourbon* down into a very pleasant drink.  The characteristics of wheated bourbons really now shines, this becomes a very smooth drink, with just a hint of alcohol tingle finish in the mouth, and a bit of warmth in the belly but no longer is there a burning fire that rivals an old fashioned pot belly stove.  The flavors really sharpen up but don't become harsh; can something be both smooth but sharp?  Mellow but with disctinct traces of spice?  This one seems to do it.

Honestly I really do NOT like *OYO Bourbon* straight up.  Its just a mean drink when you try it neat.  But mellow it out with a bit of ice or water and all of a sudden this becomes a very nice well balanced bourbon that is intersting to the tongue, no longer harsh, but still offers some body.  Ice not only saves this bourbon from the trash heap, it redeems it and makes it a VERY good, perhaps not great, bourbon.


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## Melensdad

Tonight is a good night for *BOOKERS Bourbon* from the home of Jim Beam.  Its bottled at Cask strength, so every batch has a slightly different proof.  My bottle is just a shade over 130 proof.

Given the strength, I'm not even going to bother to sip this neat.  I poured about an ounce and a half into a glass, added 2 ice cubes and let it sit a little bit.  Mock me for not drinking a 130+ proof drink straight if you will, but I don't drink to get drunk or even a buzz.  Typically I have a 1 drink limit and do it for the flavor.  

*BOOKERS* is the premium bourbon from Jim Beam and it is a real doozy of drink.  Its a nice dark caramel color with plenty of alcohol in the aroma.  

But it is the taste that really sets this bourbon apart.  Its got some BIG FLAVORS, even with 2 cubes 1/2 way melted, the flavor is very bold and spicy.  There is only a little alcohol tingle on the lips, a little warmth in the belly _(much less than the OYO that I taste tested yesterday)_.  But this is a full flavor bourbon with strong spices and strong flavors in your mouth.  It is very different than any other bourbon in this thread because it is far more flavorful than any other bourbon in this thread, so much so that its got more flavor than the others by a wide margin or magnitude.  

This is strongly flavored but very good.  And obviously high in alcohol, which most people will want to tame down.  But when I say good, by that I mean very very good.  It goes into a special category of good that we can call great.  You have to like spice to like this, but if you do you won't just like it, you will love this.  *BOOKERS Bourbon* is worth the price... and more.

I'd say its not your everyday bourbon, and I'd still pick JEFFERSON'S OCEAN as a better bourbon.  But not by much.  I just don't think I could drink the BOOKERS everyday, and the OCEAN is something I'd love to pick up daily.


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## Melensdad

Wife bought me 3 bottles for my birthday.  

Garrison Brothers TEXAS Bourbon 
Widow Jane (distilled in Indiana, finished in NY)
Barterhouse 20 year old

So far this is the only one that I've sampled.  The Garrison Bros is aged 2 years, very smooth, very little burn but only after it hits bottom and it's not a hot sustained burn but rather a warm feeling. Not hot.  I very much like this!

Widow Jane has been on my wish list for quite a while.  They hide the fact that they don't actually distill this bourbon.  But it is rumored to be very very good so I don't care if it comes in on a truck from Indiana (?) and is then cut and finished in NY.  I care that it tastes good.

Barterhouse is also sometihing of a mystery as to its origins.  I believe it's a Brown-Foreman brand, but am not 100% sure of that.  What I know is that it is one of the very few bourbons aged 20+ years so that alone should make it very special.

Garrison https://caskers.com/product/garrison-brothers-texas-straight-bourbon-whiskey/
Widow JANE https://caskers.com/product/wj/
Barterhouse https://caskers.com/product/barterhouse-old-blowhard-kentucky-bourbon-whiskey/


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## Melensdad

Sipping on the *WIDOW JANE* tonight after coming home from the fencing club.  My bottle is from barrel 92, bottle 172 of 2013.  It is 91 proof.  Each bottle is individually remarked with the information specific to the bottle, batch, year and proof.  FWIW, its aged 7 years.

Widow Jane is a dark caramel color, somewhat darker than many other bourbons of a similar age range, so I suspect the barrels are charred to a darker char.

Poured about an ounce and a half into a glass and tried it neat.  Its got a nice sweet taste up front with some spice on the back end and a nice finish.  Its got a mild burn, not an intense one, when it hits your belly.  You notice it, it is more than a warming feeling.  But its not too objectionable. _ I will admit that I burnt the roof of my mouth on some deep fried Chinese food, consequently the alcohol content hurt the roof of my mouth a bit and that may be altering some of my taste buds in this review too!_  Still, I enjoyed the flavor straight.

Dropping in a single cube of ice and letting it melt down a bit I noticed the spices at the back of my mouth really sharpen up a lot but the burn in the belly was virtually eliminated.  It was still sweet up front.  

This is a nice bourbon, despite my burnt mouth.  Poured another half-ounce into the glass, added a bit of the water from a melted ice cube, and enjoyed it again.  I think I like this bourbon with a bit of water more than I like it neat.  Its got some nice rye spice to it and some great complex flavors.  I  suspect its the mineral water that makes this just different enough to put this into my "favorites" list.  Honestly I think the Garrison Brothers may be a bit better, but this is very very good.  Not available in Indiana, its a mail order item here, but worthy of consideration if you find it.  I won't rate it up with the Jefferson Ocean.  I will even say that the Jefferson Reserve is a better value, given that it costs less and and is just as good.  Bookers is probably better.  Col E.H.Taylor Single Barrel is on par with this.  All of these that I've named are, sadly, over $50.


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## Melensdad

So tonight after fencing practice I poured a short glass of *BARTERHOUSE* bourbon.  

It has a wonderful sweet and spicy aroma and it hits your tongue and tastes so good, but then it goes down and it BURNS.  _Like water on the wicked witch of the West it BURNS._  Not what I like in a bourbon.  Not at all.  Its got some spice to it, which is not at all objectionable, but rather is interesting.  Its got some sweetness to it, again, adding a layer of complexity and keeping things interesting.  If you spit it out at this point it would be wonderful.  But you swallow bourbon, you don't spit it out.  And then it burns.

So I added an ice cube let it melt down.  That fixed it.  NOT!  It still has an objectionable burn.  But on the plus side, its still wonderfully sweet and spicy and has a great flavors in the mouth.  Sadly it burns.  Its a 90.2 Proof bourbon, I've had plenty of others with significantly more alcohol that had far less heat to them.  So the alcohol level is not to blame.  I've had spicier bourbon that had less burn.  I even tried to let it air out a bit.   Then I put in another ice cube, so it was now about 1/2 frozen water and 1/2 bourbon.  Stuck my nose in the glass and boy does this smell wonderful.  Certainly the burn must be tamed by now?  Right?  Ahhh, finally the burn is tamed down.  Sadly some of the sweetness is watered down and some of the spice is mellowed too.  But the aroma remains to remind you of this brand's potential.  

Is this bad?  NO.  Is this as good as it should be?  NO.  Am I glad I have it in my cabinet?  YES.   I'll try it again some other day and see if it burns as bad the next time.


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## RNE228

All this talk of Bourbon, and I am jealous I do not have a fencing club closer to go to... 



Melensdad said:


> Sipping on the *WIDOW JANE* tonight after coming home from the fencing club.


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## Melensdad

Tonight!





> Wild Turkey’s Jimmy Russell is the longest-serving, active Master Distiller of a major whiskey brand in not just Kentucky, but all of North America. To honor his father and their dynamic personal and professional relationship, Eddie Russell created a limited-edition mingling of 13- and 16-year-old whiskies, called Wild Turkey Diamond Anniversary.
> 
> It will be available exclusively from May to August in the Wild Turkey Visitor Center and then nationwide in late summer, Wild Turkey Diamond Anniversary Edition has an SRP of $124.99.
> 
> This year is actually being called the “Year of Jimmy Russell” as Jimmy is a living legend among the Kentucky distilling community. Marking 60 years in the industry this year, the integrity he has brought to the bourbon trade remains unparalleled and is reflected in every bottle of Wild Turkey. Wild Turkey tells BourbonBlog.com No other American Master Distiller in history has reached this milestone.



- See more at: http://www.bourbonblog.com/blog/201...ond-anniversary-bourbon/#sthash.LClBNdni.dpuf



I'm in search of some WOODFORD RESERVE Masters Selection SONOMA-CUTRER PINOT NOIR FINISH Bourbon.  Its just been released.


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## Melensdad

Just scored one of my bucket list bourbons.

OLD FORESTER 12 year Birthday Bourbon, 2014 release.


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## EastTexFrank

Melensdad, that picture of your liquor cabinet puts me to shame.  

I thought that I had enough Scotch stored up to float a small battleship, OK maybe a frigate, but you sir have me bested.  

I just wish that I could drink bourbon so I could take part in this thread.


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## Melensdad

Which cabinet?  I have 2, 1 just for bourbon


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## Melensdad

It is probably 5 o'clock somewhere but it was only a bit after 11am here when we did a bit of a taste test at the cigar lounge.  And a mighty good taste test it was.  4 of us were sipping.  

Texas made Garrison Brothers first batch (spring '14) was rated the #1 of the 4 of these we had.  Bib & Tucker, a  brand new Kentucky brand, was also rated very high, just behind the first batch of the Garrison Brothers.  The 2nd batch of Garrison Brothers (fall '14) was very different from the first batch, sharper and a totally different flavor profile.  It was ranked 3rd.  Then there was the Michigan offering from Journeyman's and it was so far below the other 3 brands that it was not even in the same league.  Sort of like comparing Pee-Wee football to the NFL.  Journeyman's is just that bad in comparison, and it was not just my opinion it was the collective opinion of the group that there was simply no comparison between our bottom ranking of the Journeyman's and the other 3 offerings.

My first choice was the first batch Garrison.  Garrison is a boutique brand from Texas, price is about $75-$80 per bottle, and they are sayingn that each will be different from other brands.  There was a big difference between the Garrison #1 and the Garrison #2.  Taste profiles were different, spice profiles were different.  

Bib & Tucker, priced about $50-$55 per bottle, is a new brand being introduced and its a milder flavor, milder spice, very easy to drink, and very very good.


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## Melensdad

Special Order arrived.  Took 2 weeks to get in, but I got it.  Liquor store only got 1 bottle and it had my name on it.

We have a big fencing tournament tomorrow so I doubt that I will try this tonight.  

But probably tomorrow night!


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## Melensdad

When I started this thread I was reviewing modestly priced bourbons, typically under, or at least not too much over, $50 per bottle.  

So going back to comparison reviews, I pulled out a new bottle of *BEER BARREL* that I had purchased quite a while ago and never got around to opening.  Never compared it to *KNOB CREEK *so I figured that it would be a nice comparison.  Lots of KNOB CREEK fans out there, its a fine bourbon.  BEER BARREL is one of my low priced favorites, with its second aging in New Holland Brewing's Dragon's Milk barrels after it is aged in traditional charred oak barrels.  

Just on looks alone, the KNOB CREEK is slightly darker/richer in color than the BEER BARREL.  The KNOB CREEK is a dark amber, while the BEER BARREL is more of a honey amber color.  

As for the aroma, the BEER BARREL is a little sweeter in scent while the KNOB CREEK has a bit more of an alcohol scent.  

Sipping on the BEER BARREL is always a pleasant experience, just a hint of a tingle on the lips and only the slightest warmth, but not a burn.  The flavor changes from sweet on the front of the tongue to a little bit of a spice on the back.  Its just a nice easy to drink bourbon and the roughly $35 price tag is a bonus because its modest in comparison to some others.  The KNOB CREEK is a higher proof bourbon and has much bolder flavors.  There is also a bit of lingering heat when it hits your belly.  At 100 proof for the KNOB CREEK versus 80 for the BEER BARREL you might think that the KNOB CREEK would be harsh, but it is not harsh, rather it is better described as bold or hearty.  But its not harsh.  

Dropped a small bit of ice in each glass and let them melt down a bit.  As with previous tests, I don't like the BEER BARREL as much with just a bit of melted ice.  For some reason the BEER BARREL tastes pretty darn good neat, and it tastes pretty darn good with a fully melted ice cube, but with just a little bit of ice melt it seems to be off in some way.  So drink it straight, or let the cube fully melt (or add an equivalent amount of water) but don't bother with it when it just has a cube that is only very slightly melted.

The KNOB CREEK seems to really sharpen up with some melted ice/water added.  The bold flavors are really heightened after the ice has melted down.  Lots of bourbons get sharper flavors, more pronounced spices, after they get some ice/water added to them.  KNOB CREEK doesn't disappoint when you let the ice melt down, the bold flavors open up and become sharper and more bold.  

If you like a full flavor bourbon then your choice is going to be KNOB CREEK, at least in comparison to the BEER BARREL, which is milder and easier to sip.  The BEER BARREL is soft and mild while the KNOB CREEK has big bold flavors.  To each his own, some will prefer one, some the other. * I like both enough that I'll call tonight a TIE. * Some nights I'm in the mood for a light, easy to drink, mild flavor profile.  Some evenings I'm in the mood for big bold flavors.

Both of these bourbons are at/under $35 per bottle and both are well worth the price, but both are very different.


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## EastTexFrank

Don't let anyone say that I'm an ol' stick in the mud when it comes to alcoholic drinks.  

Although I say that Scotch is my liquor of choice and that I don't particularly like Bourbon, in the spirit of adventure that lies within us all, I'm willing to try anything ... once.

I was in the liquor store today and asked the lady what she would recommend as an introduction to bourbon for and absolute novice.  After much deliberation, this was her recommendation.

http://www.whwc.com/p/30485

It's a Labrot and Graham Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select.  I'm still trying to summon up the courage to try it.  Bob, if you've tried it, I'd appreciate your comments.

Personally, at the moment I'm sipping a Barenjager before bed.


----------



## Melensdad

I am not really a fanboy of the regular *Woodford Reserve *bourbon.  I've tried it.  I even reviewed it here in (somewhere in this thread) in a comparison or two.  Its a decent bourbon, lots of people swear by it.  I think its a fine "mixer" but not really all that good for drinking straight.  And since I will sip on bourbon straight more often than I will drink an Old Fashioned or a Manhatten, I tend to favor bourbons that are really good straight.  Lots of people have a different opinion than I do and honestly the *Woodford Reserve* is one of the most popular premium bourbons on the market today, so don't take my opinion as gospel, its just my opinion and worth exactly what you paid for it.  

Today at the cigar lounge one of my shooting buddies showed up with a bottle of *Noah's Mill*.  Its got great reviews and I've wanted to try it but it was never on my "must have" list of bourbons.  Its a 'barrel proof' bourbon so each batch is a slightly different proof.  This stuff we had today was about 119 proof.  It was really good sippin bourbon.  A few of us tried it and everyone agreed that it was worthy of drinking straight.

Tonight after leaving the fencing club I stopped at my local shop.  He had a bottle of one of my 'bucket list' bourbons. * GEORGE T STAGG* bourbon, it is both a 'barrel proof' and an antique, aged 17 years.  A very rare combination.  It took 3 visits to get that 1 bottle and I got lucky because the guy who was on the list in front of me never showed up, so I got it.  While I was there I also got a bottle of *MAKERS 46* from Makers Mark.  I honestly think that Makers Mark is one of the truely great bourbons, and at under $30 a bottle its a best buy too.  Makers Mark is a 'wheated' bourbon, made with Corn + Wheat instead of Corn + Rye, which is more traditional.  Pappy Van Winkle, the worlds most sought after bourbon, is also a 'wheated' bourbon, so Makers Mark is in fine company being a non-conformist.  The *MAKERS 46* is traditional Makres Mark, whch has been second aged wtih some additional barrel staves to impart a bit more chared oak flavoring, and that adds a bit of vanilla and/or caramel too.  I've never tried it but I've wanted to, so I picked it up to try out.  Under $35, and a bit more complexity than traditional Markers Mark should make it a serious winner.  The George T Stagg was more than double the price of the Makers 46.


----------



## Melensdad

Buried my friend Dale today.  He was a Scotch drinker.  And while I will drink Scotch while I'm in Scotland, I don't keep it at home because I'm more of a bourbon fan.  So I'm sitting quietly, contemplating life and realizing that 57 is way too young an age to bury a friend, to see a wife loose a spouse, and to see 2 sons lose their father.  I was honored to be a pall bearer at the funeral.   Coming home I cracked open the bottle of the Woodford Reserve MASTER'S COLLECTION Sonoma-Cutrer Bourbon.  Way more than $50.  I wanted to hoist a special drink in his honor.

Its a rich brown color, bordering in redish brown, unlike anything else I have in my collection.  The scent is both sweet and spicy with some hints of alcohol coming through to the nose.  

This is a very complex bourbon and very non-traditional as it is finished off in wine barrels after the traditional aging.  Its also fairly hot with plenty of mouth tingle and some burn, not a long lasting burn but there is a lingering heat that remains after the burn finishes.  The flavors are almost savory in the mouth with few hints of sweetness on the front of the mouth.  Its smooth at the front of the mouth but not really sweet.  The savory flavor is not peppery like many other bourbons either.  Its hard to pin this one down.  

After drinking about an ounce I dropped a 1/2 melted ice cube into the remaining ounce that was left in the glass to let it melt down, chill the liquid and see if the water would open up the flavors.  

The ice considerably calmed the tingle, reduced the burn but left the lingering warmth.  The savory flavors that I could not really pin down to anything in particular seemed to pick up some of the more traditional peppery tones that are common in high rye bourbons.  It remains a very interesting bourbon, with a very long finish.  The mouth tingle seems to start up long after the bourbon has found its way down your throat, so the tingle is delayed and stays with you, much the way the belly warmth stays with you.   Ths is a very long finish and its very complex in its flavor profile.  

The *Woodford Reserve MASTER'S COLLECTION Sonoma-Cutrer* is not a typical bourbon, its a very special bourbon.  Some may not enjoy it, some will love it, but there is no question that it is a rare and special product indeed.  It is, very much, like a special friend.


----------



## road squawker

well, you can always stop drinkin bourbon and invite Hillery over for a drink of Ensure.


----------



## Melensdad

*BIB & TUCKER Kentucky Bourbon* is probably one of the finest of the *under $50 per bottle* bourbons that I have ever tasted.  

BIB & TUCKER is easily better than Blantons (slighly over $50), Woodford Reserve, Makers Mark, Buffallo Trace, Beam Black, etc (all under $50).  On par with Jeffferson's Reserve (slighly over $50).  So if you want a really nice bourbon that is a really geat value, take a look around for the new *BIB & TUCKER* offering while it is still under $50.  

Price for the bottle is under $50 but sales tax may tip the total to just over $50.


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## Melensdad

Last night was a quite night at the house, relaxing after spending the middle part of the day in Chicago seeing the Christmas musical production of THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS with the family.  We had great seats, about 8 rows back from the orchestra pit and nearly dead center of the stage.

Poured about 1.5 ounces of *"OYO Bourbon Whiskey Michelone Reserve"* and dropped a single ice cube in the glass.  

I've had OYO before, didn't like it neat, but liked it plenty with a cube melting in the glass so I went right to the ice tray and picked out a smaller cube to drop in the glass.

The *OYO Bourbon* is generally priced just a few dollars over $50 per bottle, sometimes can be found on sale for just under $50.

The single cube really tamed the harshness of the *OYO Bourbon* down into a very pleasant, very good drink. The characteristics of wheated bourbons really now shines, this becomes a very smooth drink, with just a hint of alcohol tingle finish in the mouth, and a bit of warmth in the belly but no longer is there a burning fire that rivals an old fashioned pot belly stove. The flavors really sharpen up but don't become harsh; can something be both smooth but sharp? Mellow but with disctinct traces of spice? This one seems to do it.

Honestly, as stated earlier, I really do NOT like *OYO Bourbon *straight up. Its can be a mean drink when you try it neat. But mellow it out with a bit of ice or water and all of a sudden this becomes a very nice well balanced bourbon that is intersting to the tongue, no longer harsh, but still offers some body. Ice not only saves this bourbon from the trash heap, it redeems it and makes it a VERY GOOD, perhaps not great, bourbon.

For those interested in Indiana bourbons, this one might qualify.  It is produced by MIDDLE WEST SPIRITS out of Ohio.  Its a blend of their Wheat Whiskey and bourbon, but they don't seem to actually produce bourbon, so it is believed by me that their bourbon comes from MGP in Lawerenceburg, IN, then blending into the OYO Wheat Whiskey.  This makes for a bouron that is a 4 grain bourbon containing CORN, WHEAT, RYE and 2 ROW BARLEY.


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## Sparquelito

I drink mostly good dark beers anymore.

Used to be a bourbon drinker, and in fact drank more than my share of Jim Beam and Jim Beam Black.  Eventually I had to give it up. (I liked it too much.)

As it is now, beer works better. 
I get full before I get pie-eyed, and the whole house is happier.


----------



## Melensdad

Sparquelito said:


> ... Used to be a bourbon drinker, and in fact drank more than my share of Jim Beam and Jim Beam Black.  Eventually I had to give it up. (I liked it too much.)
> 
> As it is now, beer works better.
> I get full before I get pie-eyed, and the whole house is happier.



I'm fortunate that I don't like it too much.  In fact I don't even like getting a 'buzz' from any alcohol.  But I do enjoy the flavors, smells and sensations.  Not really a fan of beer, but I'll drink a cold one every now and again, typically on a hot summer day, or on a fishing trip, etc.  Not a drinker of most other alcohols, but I do enjoy a few Gin & Tonics each year, again usually on hot summer days.  

But an ounce or two of fine bourbon a few nights a week while watching a movie or while sitting and relaxing, that I do enjoy.


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## Melensdad

Last night was the last evening Melen was home for Thanksgiving break.  We decided to stay home, eat dinner in the living room and watch a movie.  I pulled a bottle of *FOUR ROSES SINGLE BARREL* out of the cabinet and poured 2 ounces and dropped in a single, fairly large, ice cube.  This is a fairly "hot" bourbon with plenty of tingle and a long lingering burn, but a nice flavor.

To the nose, the *FOUR ROSES* hits you with a bit of sweetness and maybe some honey and only subtle undertones of alcohol actually are sensed by your snout. There is something else in there, not sure what I pick up, but its a really pleasant bourbon aroma. 

I let the cube of ice melt down almost completely, the drink was now cool with only a small amount of ice remaining. Taking a sip into my mouth and there is still tingle in the mouth but its not overly objectionable, the burn in the belly was reduced to a modest simmer that stays with you but it doesn't burn on the way down. While the mouth tingle is mostly gone, its still lingers in your gut for quite a long time, in fact too long. Unlike some other bourbons where the flavors become sharper with a little bit of water this bourbon this one retains its nice mellow semi-sweet flavor with its hint of honey. 

*FOUR ROSES SINGLE BARREL* has got a mellow flavor but its also got plenty of heat to it with all that lingering tingle on the lips and that burn in the belly that continues to simmer away. Its got a very long finish that I do not enjoy, if the burn in the belly was shorter, if the tingle on the lips waned faster . . . I'm not one to enjoy the burn that *FOUR ROSES SINGLE BARREL* delivers but I do enjoy the flavor. 

I really think this bourbon should be reserved as a "mixer" because its going to stand up to flavors that are added to make the mixed drink of your choice. Might be one of the better choices for an Old Fashioned or Manhatten because of its stout body, and because it will stand up to the ice cubes that are typically added to many mixed drinks.


---

For tonight we are having BEENIE WEENIES while watching THE WALKING DEAD.  

Not sure what type of bourbon goes well with the Zombie Apocalypse and a bowl of Beenie Weenies?


----------



## Doc

Well Bob, I've read your reviews and enjoy them.  I don't often drink bourbon, but when I do it is with ice and water.  2/3 water.  Tonight I'm watching the buckeye's and beer did not sound good, so I'm drinking some Makers Mark your way.  Straight for now and later I'll have one with an ice cube.  Very enjoyable.  Thanks Bob.


----------



## Melensdad

Doc said:


> Well Bob, I've read your reviews and enjoy them.  *I don't often drink bourbon, but when I do it is with ice and water.  2/3 water.*  Tonight I'm watching the buckeye's and beer did not sound good, so I'm drinking some Makers Mark your way.  Straight for now and later I'll have one with an ice cube.  Very enjoyable.  Thanks Bob.



The reason I drink it straight is to really taste the flavor.  I add a bit of ice, let it meld down some, to see how it changes the flavor.

Some bourbons taste better straight.  Some taste better with a bit of water or ice.  

Makers Mark tastes good either way.

But what I don't like is watered down bourbon.  A bit of water can sharpen up the flavors, tame down the burn, or both.  But too much water tends to wash out the flavors and can make different bourbons take the too similar because the flavors have been washed out and diluted.

Last night I had about an ounce of GEORGE T STAGG.  Its a 'barrel proof' bourbon.  Very bold flavors and very high alcohol content.  I put in an ice cube but is SANK.  I swirled it around, it sank again.  Not sure what the proof is on my bottle, but its high enough that it won't float an ice cube.  I added a bit of water to that glass to tame it down.  But even after the cube melted and the water was added, I doubt it was 50% water/50% bourbon.    

I don't drink bourbon, I sip it.  I think that is the best way to enjoy it.


----------



## Doc

I am sipping bourbon tonight.  I agree that Makers Mark is good either way (straight or on ice).  I'm on the ice now (2 cubes) and I do like that better.


----------



## Melensdad

I've got an ounce of Makers 46.  Straight.  No ice.


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## Umberto

OK, but tonight it's Glenfiddich with a dash of water. It's all good.


----------



## Doc

Umberto said:


> OK, but tonight it's Glenfiddich with a dash of water. It's all good.


I had my GlenFiddich in my hand to bring upstairs and drink tonight, but the Makers Mark was beside it and changed my mind and decided to go with that this evening.  Will have GlennFiddich sometime in the not to distant future.  You are correct, it's all good.


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## Umberto

Maker's is right beside the the Glenfiddich here, too.


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## Melensdad

Finally getting some time to try out the *Woodford Reserve MASTERS COLLECTION Sonoma Cutrer* bourbon.  Roughly $100.  I sampled it previously but really just shot.  So tonight will be the real test as I have some time to sip and consider.






First off this has a reddish brown color to it and when you get your nose anywhere near the glass you pick up very strong scents of vanilla, it is perhaps the best smelling bourbon on the planet.  Rich, sweet vanilla.

In the mouth you also pick up some of the vanilla, there is a modest bit of mouth tingle and a bit of burn, but the burn is overshadowed by a long flavor finish that lasts.  This has many characteristics of traditional bourbons, specially the traditional Woodford Reserve, but the second aging in the wine barrels adds a lot of character to this drink.  I suspect that this is second aged for an extended period.  

Many bourbons that are second aged only pick up hints of other flavors and are typically second aged for a few short months.  Now I have no clue how long they second age this in the wine casks, but it certainly picks up a lot of flavor and complexity.  Some may not like the bold flavors of this bourbon but I tend to like bold flavors, and this bourbon has plenty of flavor to spare.  It also has a nice rich mouth feel, its not watery or thin, but rather it coats the mouth.  The flavors are full and rather sharp, while you smell plenty of vanilla, you don't taste a lot of vanilla, at least not up front.  After the drink is down your throat you will still pick up some flavors on your pallate and one of those will be the vanilla, but you also taste some butterscotch, and some spices like a spicy root beer.  

I suspect that this bourbon is going to divide people.  Love it or hate it.  I personally hate the regular line of Woodford Reserve.  But this bourbon from their MASTERS COLLECTION is something that I like.  

And I like it plenty fine straight.  But for the consistency in testing I am going to drop a small ice cube into my glass now that I have sipped down about 1 ounce of the 2 ounces that I poured.  So I picked out a small cube, dropped it in and let it melt down about 1/2 of the way.  Swirled my glass around to incorporate the water and the bourbon and the beautiful vanilla scent remains.  Right away I noticed the change in the flavor, its certainly sharper, and also seems much weaker in flavor and thinner in mouth feel.  I pulled out the remainder of the ice.  I personally wouldn't recommend this fine bourbon on ice.  I would say if you like it you will really enjoy it straight up, but there is no point in watering it down.  Ice doesn't add to this drink.

Do I like it?  Yes I do.  *Woodford Reserve MASTERS COLLECTION Sonoma Cutrer* is a very different bourbon, and I think a very nice one, if you like different.


----------



## Melensdad

Stopped off at the local liquor purveyor tonight on my way home from the fencing club looking for the new fall 2014 release of Jefferson's OCEAN.  Still not there yet.  But he had a set of RYE WHISKEY that I picked up.  Not cheap.  Not outrageous either.  These are 1/2 bottles, BTW, not full 750ml but rather only 375ml bottles.  It is NOT bourbon.  Bourbon has to have at least 51% corn in the mash, this stuff may not have any corn?  Don't know, it doesn't say.  But its got plenty of rye.






Broke open the "NEW CASK" tonight for a sip, poured just 1 ounce into a juice glass.  No ice.  Not one of my regular taste tests.  Just wanted to sip a bit to see what this stuff is.  What I found out was that it is a very spicy rye.  Very spicy but not a whiskey that has a harsh taste or a harsh burn.  In fact the burn is more of a warming glow.  The peppery spice, however, tingles in your mouth long after the warmth in your belly is calmed.  

This is an interesting drink.  Not something I'd go to for a soothing drink, the rye's spicy character is a little too intense for that.  If you like peppery drinks this might be a great choice for you.  I don't dislike it.  I like it.  Don't love it.  I'm looking forward to trying a real taste test of it, probably with the aged cask as a comparison.


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## Melensdad

Enjoyng some WIDOW JANE bourbon tonight. Really like this juice. I know its an NDP with, apparently local mineral water from the Widow Jane mine in NY state added to bring it down to selling proof. I have no problem with NDP bourbons, although I would prefer that the sellers be honest about it on their label, as per the law. But all that aside, Widow Jane is a wonderful bourbon to drink, neat. Sweet followed by some spice and a bit of heat. Very drinkable. Only available by mail order here, but my lovely wife got a bottle for me a couple months ago. Fine woman is she. I will be sad when this bottle is gone.

Also got a phone call from my favorite liquor purveyor. They got their delivery of JEFFERSON'S OCEAN. He is holding a bottle for me. He said he sold 3 bottles already, had a couple other people on the "call list" waiting for it to arrive. So I'm guessing it is all sold out?  This is generally referred to as OCEAN 3 among the bourbon collectors, because its off the 3 vessel used for aging.  Rumor has it that OCEAN 2 is better than OCEAN 3.  Fortunately for me, I have some OCEAN 2 left so I can make my own comparison.


----------



## EastTexFrank

Bob, you're turning into the biggest drunk I know with the lovely Mrs Bob as a willing accomplice.   

I'm jealous.


----------



## Melensdad

EastTexFrank said:


> Bob, you're turning into the biggest drunk I know with the lovely Mrs Bob as a willing accomplice.
> 
> I'm jealous.



I am thining of buying T-shirts for my public school fencing team students that read *"I am the reason my coach drinks"* so that I have someone to blame for this issue of mine.

And I'm pretty sure by now that most people think I have a huge drinking problem.

However, just like with my Detonics pistols . . . I have a lot of them but rarely do they actually get shot or carried.  So it is with the bourbon.  I have an entire cabinet dedicated strictly to bourbon.  Most bottles have only a few ounces gone.  With the Widow Jane last night, I took a small "juice glass" that I believe holds about 3 ounces and put about 1.5 ounces of bourbon in it.  Sipped on it while watching a movie just after I had finished a large meal.  Never even got the slightest hint of a buzz from that small amount of distilled 'corn juice' from New York.  But the taste was wonderful.


----------



## Melensdad

Been waiting and waiting but my ship finally came in. I got my bottle of Jefferson's OCEAN (voyage 3) today. Only 6 bottles were allocated to our entire county and I got 1 of them. I still have some of my bottle of the 2nd voyage so I'll be able to compare these to rare bourbons. Its the only bourbon that is actually aged while on a ship that crosses the equator (4 times) subjecting the barrels to changes in waves, temperature and humidity to give this stuff a very unique character. I'm thinking I'll crack this open on Saturday evening after the JV Team fencing tournament.


----------



## EastTexFrank

Melensdad said:


> Its the only bourbon that is actually aged while on a ship that crosses the equator (4 times) subjecting the barrels to changes in waves, temperature and humidity to give this stuff a very unique character.



Oh Mr Skurka!!!!!


----------



## Melensdad

EastTexFrank said:


> Oh Mr Skurka!!!!!



I'm gonna need a bigger bourbon cabinet  

Picked up these two bourbons and a Rye too.  The Prichard's is their very complex Double Oaked bourbon.  Very nice, easy to sip.  Hard, but not impossible, to find.  A little pricy but worth it.  The WL Weller uses the same mash as Pappy Van Winkle, its a "wheated" bourbon but is aged in a different area of the rickhouse.  Cheap, but very hard to find, its always a limited release, always rated as one of the best available.  Haven't seen it in my area in over a year, probably should have picked up 2 of them.  It won't last long at the store.  Rye whiskey is interesting sometimes, don't know much about this one, figured I'd try it.


----------



## Melensdad

Sipping on some of the* WL WELLER Special Reserve* tonight.  Poured about an ounce and a half into a short glass to give it a try.  

*WL WELLER Special Reserve* is a 90 Proof "wheated" bourbon, meaning it is mostly corn with the second ingredient being wheat instead of the usual rye.

It smells beautifually sweet with some vanilla and carmel tones.  When it hits your mouth you pick up a real nice sweetness but that is followed by some alcohol tingle on your lips and then you get a good bit of burn in the belly, more burn than you want.  But you come back for more because it tastes so good in your mouth before the burn.  I didn't have an ice cube to tame it down any but there was a bottle of water next to me so I added a few drops.  My biggest concern was that I would water down the wonderful flavor trying to tame the burn.

After adding the water I brought the glass up to my nose and noticed that some of the sweetness/caramel scents were reduced so I feared that maybe I'd ruined it trying to tame the heat.  The water seemed to really help this bourbon!  The heat was all but gone.  The bourbon to water ratio was probably 12:1, so not too much water.  There was still the wonderful mouth coating sweetness, there was still SOME of the alcohol tingle on the lips, but the majority of the burn was eliminated, with only a bit of warmth remaining.  For about $23 a bottle this stuff is a massive bargain, so much so that I think it should replace Makers Mark as my top pick in the low priced category of "everyday" bourbons.  The ONLY reason it simply cannot replace Makers Mark is that the *WL WELLER Special Reserve* is not widely distributed and typically not available year around.  But as much as I like Makers Mark, this stuff is better juice and if you find it you need to buy it.  But buy 2 because if you find it today it will likely be gone next week.  

Good stuff this is.  Very.  Very good stuff.


----------



## Melensdad

Been a long day.  This morning I was at the Catholic high school with their fencing team.  Ths afternoon was the public school for their fencing team.  

Now there are two small glasses sitting beside me. Glass 1 has Jefferson's Ocean Voyage 2 while glass #2 has Jefferson's Ocean Voyage 3. Both neat.

Truth be told I absolutely love the Voyage 2 but while I think that juce is among the best bourbon ever produced, I don't understand why some people in the bourbon collectors groups are offer up harsh criticism of Voyage 3. Voyage 3 is very good too. It may not be as good as Voyage 2, but its still very good bourbon, even if a little bit too hot for my liking.

The flavor of Voyage 3 is very nice, the complaint I have with it is the heat tends to slightly overwhelm the flavor on the finish. I don't pick up as much brine in Voyage 3, which is a shame, its one of the things that makes Ocean unique. Honestly not upset that I bought 2 bottles of Voyage 3, only wish I had found 3 bottles of Voyage 2.


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## Umberto

No bourbon tonight, but a dram of Courvoisier V.S.O.P. will have to do.


----------



## Melensdad

Umberto said:


> No bourbon tonight, but a dram of Courvoisier V.S.O.P. will have to do.



That should work well too


----------



## Melensdad

Poured a bit over an ounce of each of these into 2 glasses to try them side-by-side.  Without going into a full review like I've done in the past let me just say that I don't really like either of these.  The darker one is worse, actually its not good.  The lighter one is better, but its drinkable, not really good.  

Counter intuitive, the lighter one is aged in aged casks while the darker one was stored in new casks.

I don't think I could recommend either of these.  But take that with a grain of salt since I am not really a fan of Rye whiskey, so its not really fair for me to not recommend something that is outside of my wheelhouse.  

Neither is what I favor.  First off they are RYE whiskies, tend to spicier than I enjoy.  The darker colored one is moderately hot and spicy and has lots of complex flavors; the lighter colored one is smoother, easier to drink, but less complex and flavorful but simultaneously more enjoyable for my palate.


----------



## Melensdad

Finally found something *FOUR ROSES Single Barrel* (100 proof) does well.  Its nasty hot when you drink it neat.  There is no outstanding flavor that makes it stand out in taste.  

But it does make a fine OLD FASHIONED.


----------



## Melensdad

At the cigar lounge this morning, trying to keep warm.  Its -1F outside with -30F wind chills.  One of my friends came in the right recipe for warmth.

A limited edition rye blend finished in French Port casks.  Very nice!


----------



## Melensdad

Heavy drinking day today.  Had about 3/4th of an ounce of the rye in the previous post this morning.  Now I have about 2.5 ounces of bourbon sitting next to me.  

Both of the below bourbons are under $50 per 750ml bottle, so both are in the affordable category.






Bourbon #1 is *Knob Creek 100 proof Small Batch* and I don't recall the price but I think it was about $40 and bourbon #2 is *Knob Creek 120 proof Single Barrel* which is marked with a silver label proclaiming that it was specially picked by Booker Noe himself.  OK.  Whatever.  Anyway, it was priced at $48.99, just inside the 'affordability' category of under $50.

Both are aged 9 years.  

To my eye, the 120 proof Single Barrel has a little darker tint to it, but both are a nice rich dark amber.

To my nose the 120 proof hits you like a baseball bat with the scent of alcohol, once you get past that you pick up some butterscotch and vanilla.  But it takes a moment to get past that alcohol.  The 100 proof, by contrast, doesn't hit you with the alcohol but rather you get some vanilla, and maybe some spices that hit your nose.  

Picking up the 100 proof and taking a sip you get some very nice sweetness followed by a little peppery spice at the back of the mouth.  When it goes down you have a very long warm finish, you get some tingling of mouth and some belly warmth that lingers.  Its not a hot burn, but it is a warmth that stays with you and it really has a bit of a delayed reaction.  Switching to the 120 proof I found a sweeter and easier to drink bourbon that also has a long, but delayed finish, and a hotter finish.  The burn was not the most intense I've sampled, but it was more of a belly burn than a belly warmth.  Despite that I enjoyed the flavor in my mouth a lot, very sweet up front and yet not as typically spicy in the back of the mouth.  It has more of a sweet to savory transition which seemed to also coat the mouth with a rich coating.  It tasted so good I went back for a second sip, the initial impressions were repeated.  If I stopped this comparison here I would simply throw away the bottle of 100 proof and keep the 120 as the clear winner.  I'm not a fan of the heat on the finish of the 120 proof Single Barrel, but everything else about it is just so darn good.  In the spirit of fairness I went back to the 100 proof and it was a repeat of my eariler impressions, its just not quite as good as the 120.  

On to the ice. . . 

Small cubes added to each glass and allowed to melt a bit.  

The 100 proof Small Batch, with ice, is very good stuff.  The finish is shorter and considerable more tame, the spices are sharpened and the up front sweet flavor is maintained.

The 120 proof Single Barrel, with ice, loses some of its sweetness and some of its richness, but is also tamed down on the finish to something that is manageable.  Its easier to drink with a single cube but its, in some ways, less enjoyable too.

Pick your poison, both are very good.  I'd have to give the nod to the *120 proof Knob Creek Single Barrel* but with the caveat that you need to expect a moderately hot finish.


----------



## EastTexFrank

I'm sitting here reading your post, drinking a Midori before bed.  Do you think that I need to get my testosterone level checked????


----------



## Melensdad

EastTexFrank said:


> I'm sitting here reading your post, drinking a Midori before bed.  Do you think that I need to get my testosterone level checked????



If you have to ask


----------



## EastTexFrank

Melensdad said:


> If you have to ask




Thanks Bob.  I was looking for a little more comfort than that.  I think that I'll switch to Scotch or Brandy tonight for my nightcap just to remove all doubt.


----------



## Melensdad

EastTexFrank said:


> Thanks Bob.  I was looking for a little more comfort than that.  I think that I'll switch to Scotch or Brandy tonight for my nightcap just to remove all doubt.



After admitting to the Midori you can never eliminate ALL doubt.  

Best you can do is eliminate MOST of the doubt.


----------



## plott hound

seems to me that jack daniels honey is the nector of the gods.


----------



## Melensdad

plott hound said:


> seems to me that jack daniels honey is the nector of the gods.



I like it too.  But it is NOT actually whiskey, whisky, scotch or bourbon.  It is mostly VODKA, with JUST ENOUGH of the famed JD in the bottle to be marketed legally as a flavored whiskey.  Ditto for Evan Williams flavored offering.  Ditto for Crown Royal's flavored offerings.  Ditto for all the other brands too.

VODKA is a neutral grain spirit that is cheap to produce.  

Whiskey and Bourbon are aged spirits that are more expensive to produce and which require time to age.  Add to that the fact that American Bourbon and Whiskey are in high demand with limited supplies in the warehouses.

Consequently the "flavored" craze that is sweeping the spirits world needs to have its supply boulstered.  So to make that stuff, and WINTER JACK is my favorite of the flavored spirits (Jack Daniels that tastes like a spicy apple pie) is actually made with a large % of "neutral grain spirits" (vodka).  Industry insiders know this, us common folk are learning the truth.

Some people honestly think they are drinking whiskey.  I have no problem with these beverages, I like them.  But they are not whiskey/bourbon/scotch.


----------



## EastTexFrank

Damn Bob, first you mock my Midori and now you destroy my belief in what's possibly my favorite late night tipple... Bärenjäger.  After reading your post, I did a Google search and you're right, the base is vodka!!!!!

Ah!!!  What the heck!!!  I love the stuff and don't care.     I'm sipping one as I write this.

Cheers!!!!!!  

Tomorrow I will have to break out the Drambuie.


----------



## Melensdad

EastTexFrank said:


> Damn Bob, first you mock my Midori and *now you destroy my belief in what's possibly my favorite late night tipple... Bärenjäger.  After reading your post, I did a Google search and you're right, the base is vodka!!!!!*
> 
> Ah!!!  What the heck!!!  I love the stuff and don't care.     I'm sipping one as I write this.
> 
> Cheers!!!!!!
> 
> Tomorrow I will have to break out the[strike] Drambuie.[/strike]blender, mini umbrellas, and fruit for pina coladas



FIFY 

As for all the VODKA mixed into my favorite JD 'WINTER JACK' or Evan William's Cider or Wild Turkey American Honey, etc etc etc.  I know the truth but I am still a fan of those beverages.  Its just a dirty little insider secret.


----------



## Melensdad

Bought these for Frank to try to butch him up a little after his flirtation with girly drinks, then I found out it's illegal for me to ship booze to Texas so I decided to keep them.  

The Parker's Heritage is (I believe) the 7th edition, this one dedicated to finding a cure for A.L.S. and is named Promise of Hope.  Expensive, but has gotten quite a few good reviews.  The other is a bottle of semi-rare STAGG JR.  Its a barrel proof bourbon, and known for really bold flavors.  Never had it.  I'm game to try anything.


----------



## Melensdad

Back to the economy bottles (under $50).  I picked up a bottle of *Jim Beam Signature Craft* that was aged in *SHERRY CASKS*.  

NOT A FULL REVIEW, but an initial impression.

Not really a fan of Beam branded products but this one is pretty good, and only $39 at my local shop.  Its smooth sipping, very little burn, easy to enjoy neat, nice flavors.  

To the nose you are first hit with alcohol, but then get a nice whiff of butter scotch sweetness.  

The front of the mouth taste is actually fairly unremarkable, it goes past the front of your tongue without making much impact, very little 'tingle' from the alcohol, but when it hits the back of your mouth and sides of your tongue and its not like a normal bourbon flavor, you get that SHERRY flavor mixed with bourbon.  I suspect that some people, bourbon purists perhaps, will hate this.  I rather liked it.  It finished warm, not hot, and the finish lingered in your mouth, for the most part, in a pleasant way.  There is a bit of ascerbic sensation that is not overly pleasant but it goes away quickly and unless you dwell upon it it can be ignored.


----------



## EastTexFrank

OK, Skurka, I've finally got you figured out!!!!   

As I sit here sipping my "Original Trader Vic's Macadamia Nut Liqueur" it came to me and it all suddenly made sense.  

Over in the Prepper Thread a long time ago we were talking about our preparations and how seriously we wanted to get involved in the Doomsday scenario.  It's obvious that your plan, when the the S does HTF, is to get drunk and stay drunk for the duration.  After the event, whatever it may be, you'll emerge from your drunken haze muttering "Whatzupp and whatzappenin' bro'".    "Has anyone seen the the lovely Mrs Bob?"

Seriously, I may never become a Bourbon drinker but I do love your reviews.  Now stop giving me a hard time time about me and my ladies drinks.     I am secure in my masculinity ... I think???


----------



## Melensdad

EastTexFrank said:


> OK, Skurka, I've finally got you figured out!!!!
> 
> As I sit here sipping my "Original Trader Vic's Macadamia Nut Liqueur"
> 
> ... Now stop giving me a hard time time about me and my ladies drinks.     I am secure in my masculinity ... I think???



With passion fruit and a tiny umbrella


----------



## Tractors4u

I know I'm late to this party and I've been trying to catch up.  You've got me wanting to go to the Class VI store.  What is that you say?  The Army breaks down its classes of supply into 10 categories.  The 6th class of supply is Personal Demand Items.  The stores that sell alcohol located on Army bases took the name Class VI store.  I work on an Army base and being a retiree I can buy there.  I think it is time to go buy some Woodford Reserve or try something new.


----------



## Melensdad

Bypass the regular Woodford Reserve and buy something that is a limited production run.  Woodford Reserve makes a MASTERS COLLECTION where they release something different every year _(sometimes a couple times a year)_.  

Jim Beam is starting to do a similar thing with their SIGNATURE CRAFT releases.  

Col. E.H.Taylor releases a new one every once in a while, they are worth trying.

There are now quite literally dozens and dozens of craft brands too.

With the exception of regular Makers Mark, I generally have been buying oddball brands, limited run productions, etc.


----------



## Melensdad

Jefferson's OCEAN Voyage 2, probably the best bourbon in the world.  
Jefferson's OCEAN Voyage 3, its drinkable, but sharp, more like a rye, not outstanding like Voyage 2.
Jefferson's OCEAN Voyage 4, almost as good as Voyage 2, simply outstanding.

Life can get worse than having to choose between these 3 bourbons.


----------



## Doc

Interesting.  I had to go searching to find the price on Jefferson's Ocean Voyage 2 but had a rough time.  I found a review for what I'll guess is Jeffersons's Ocean Voyage 1.  It did not rank high in this bloggers opinion, posted in 2012:
http://recenteats.blogspot.com/2012/11/bon-voyage-jeffersons-ocean-aged.html



> Sunday, November 11, 2012
> Bon Voyage: Jefferson's Ocean Aged
> 
> The story of Jefferson's Ocean Aged is one of the more curious bourbon stories of the year. It started out with a slightly gimmicky release by McLain & Kyne, makers of the Jefferson line of bourbon. They took a sourced Kentucky bourbon and aged it at sea, in the hull of a ship, for four years. The theory was that the bourbon would slosh around at sea, getting more contact with the barrel. This is not an entirely original concept, having already been done with Kelt Cognac. They originally announced that they would release 600 bottles at $90 each.
> 
> Well, apparently some of the bourbon disappeared at sea. There would be fewer bottles and they would cost more like $200. The allocation to retailers was cut way back. As a result, one retailer, K&L here in California put the bottle on auction. Shockingly, it sold for over $1,000. You read that right, a current bottling that was originally priced at $90 went for over $1,000 at auction. As I remarked at the time, this, more than any single event, marks the end of the golden age of whiskey and portends the crash.
> 
> To their credit, K&L gave the proceeds to charity, but what about the bourbon? Could it possibly be worth that amount? Lucky for me, I was able to taste some that was acquired for a far lesser amount.
> 
> *Jefferson's Ocean Aged, 41.15% abv ($1,000?)*
> 
> The nose has a nice spicy characteristic, but the palate is a bit flat. There is banana and some spice that trails into the finish. Not unlike the standard Jefferson's bourbon, this is a decent but totally unexceptional bourbon. There's just not much to it.
> 
> Having tried this, I'm even more shocked that it could sell for a ridiculously high price. This is a totally average bourbon. We are truly living in whiskey bubble which may be close to popping, and this is the pets.com of bourbon.


----------



## Melensdad

Voyage 1 is long gone, too few bottles to distribute.  I never even heard of OCEAN until just about the time of the release of Voyage 2.

Voyage 1 was aged for too long on a ship.  They took "white dog" and barreled it and left it on the ship for 4 years.  

All the voyages since then they have taken already aged bourbon (roughly 7 to 8 years) and moved the casks onto a ship for roughly 4 months.  4 months seems to be the standard time that other bourbon makers use for 2nd againing too.  Long enough to pick up hints of flavor, not so long as to overwhelm the base bourbon.


----------



## Melensdad

Wife sent me to the hardware store to buy some paint rollers and some primer.

I got these too!


----------



## MrLiberty

Jim Beam when I drink Bourbon


----------



## Melensdad

Sipping the HIGH WEST AMERICAN PRAIRIE RESERVE bourbon.  A bit over $50 a bottle and outstanding flavor.


----------



## MrLiberty

Melensdad said:


> Sipping the HIGH WEST AMERICAN PRAIRIE RESERVE bourbon.  A bit over $50 a bottle and outstanding flavor.




When I start paying that kind of money I usually go for Johnnie Walker Blue.

Here's a site you might like.......

http://www.lastdropdistillers.com/age-verification/


----------



## Umberto

Melensdad said:


> Wife sent me to the hardware store to buy some paint rollers and some primer.
> 
> I got these too!



How do you like the High West?  We were in Park City last week and bought a 6 pack of Bourye 5 year old to give out for birthday gifts to all our February birthday friends and bought 2 bottle's of the older Bourye for ourselves. I had a dram the other night and it's quite good but for what we paid, it will be savoured and never see an ice cube or set up.

That must be a full service hardware store. 

Cheers, BJ


----------



## Umberto

Melensdad said:


> Sipping the HIGH WEST AMERICAN PRAIRIE RESERVE bourbon.  A bit over $50 a bottle and outstanding flavor.



They run about $40 at the source. The aged Bourye a tad more.


----------



## Melensdad

From what I understand the "American Prairie Reserve" has just been discontinued.  

I've heard really great things about about the Bourye too.

As for prices, due to state alcohol taxes, prices will vary state to state.

I've only sipped on an extra large shot of the APR and I really really enjoyed it.


----------



## Umberto

I know the distiller does a lot of experimenting with different recipes and styles. I've not had an off bottle of anything he makes to include the vodka. His vodka is much better than his classmate from Pemberton. 

My son is a chef in Park City and recently made a chocolate using HW in the recipe. The word is the distiller wants to talk to him (but has yet to do so). We tried the HW chocolates sold by HW and they were not that good.


----------



## Melensdad

I was involved in chocolate sales for my entire professional life, I have to tell you that making good chocolate is like making good bourbon.  Its part science, part art.


----------



## Melensdad

Good day today.


Girl Scout Cookies . . . 
High West American Prairie Reserve _(this is a back up bottle because this is a discontinued product that is a VERY good bourbon so I snagged another before its all gone)_
STAGG Jr _(another back up bottle because this is pretty hard to find)
[*]Weller 12 ~ wished I could have gotten more!
[*]Noah's Mill
_


----------



## Melensdad

Tried a bit of this tonight but I can't tell you how it tastes.

Before sipping this I happened to eat a bowl of Lime-Chili Shrimp Soup.  It was hot & spicy and it burned my taste buds and the spice in the soup opened them up.  So when I took a sip of the Russell's Reserve Single Barrel it just gave me a whole new definition to the term SPICY.


----------



## Melensdad

Today it was 5-O'Clock somewhere, and that somewhere was the backroom of the cigar lounge about 11am this mornging.  





Noah's Mill is outstanding.

That is the better batch, the 13 year old version.  I have Noah's Mill at home, it no longer claims to be that old.  Still good stuff.  But that version of the Noah's Mill is considered the best.  We may need to try a head-to-head taste test between the 2 versions someday.

In that lineup there was:  
JIM BEAM 12yr Signature Craft + JIM BEAM 12yr Signature Craft Sherry Aged
Breckenridge Bourbon
Noah's Mill
JEFFERSON'S + JEFFERSON'S OCEAN Voyage 3​
I'd say that the Beam "Sherry" was preferred over the regular Beam.

I'd say that most of us thought the Voyage 3 was underwhelming for the high price, but the regular Jefferson's a great value for the price.

Noah's Mill was everyone's favorite.  It was also the boldest flavor, by far.

And while Breckenridge was ranked by some panel as one of the Top 3 bourbons in the world, I don't think anyone was overwhelmed by it.  Its good, and it is a good value at about $35, but its not something that people would go out of their way to find.  If you see it you may want to buy it.  But if you go out searching for it you are probably wasting gas money.


----------



## Melensdad

Stopped at the local liquor establishment tonight on the way home from the fencing club and bought a bottle of George Dickel Barrel Select.  About $35.  So moderately priced.  Its a "Tennessee Whiskey" rather than a "Bourbon" but the distinction between the 2 is just in the name.  George Dickel, just like Jack Daniels, meet the legal definition of BOURBON, but neither claims to be a bourbon.

Cracked it open and it has a wonderful aroma with a hint of spice and a waft of vanilla.  I've heard good things about Dickle so I bought this on a whim because they didn't have a new release I was looking for.  I think its a keeper after trying it.  It is smooth, but hot on the finish.  The hot finish burns a bit in the belly but not for too long.  A bit hotter than I prefer and lasts a bit longer than I'd prefer, but I'm sure a single ice cube could tame it nicely.  

For $35 it is a nice addition.


----------



## Umberto

I'll have to get that. I'm a George Dickel fan. 

I chuckle every time I watch Star Trek and Sulu says he's a fencer and the look Kirk gives him.


----------



## Melensdad

Umberto said:


> I'll have to get that. I'm a George Dickel fan.
> 
> *I chuckle every time I watch Star Trek and Sulu says he's a fencer and the look Kirk gives him.*


If you like *Gentleman Jack* then I think you will like this *Dickel Barrel Select*. 

I've seen the Dickel 8 year and the Dickel 12 year before, in fact those are widely distributed and very modestly priced.  They are also well respected but I'd never had any of the Dickel products before.  When I saw this version I figured I'd give it a try.  Its pretty good stuff, but more like G.Jack than some of the other bourbons that I sip.  At $35 a bottle I'd rate this a quality bargain buy.  I'd personally prefer Makers Mark, which is cheaper, as my all time "go to" bargain buy, but I wouldn't hold it against anyone if they chose *Dickel Barrel Select*.

And yes, Sula as a fencer is a bizarre thing.  Especially the photos of him in his later years recreating the scene


----------



## Umberto

Oh, no. I was talking about the new Sulu. I don't think George knows what a real sword is let alone a foil.


----------



## Melensdad

Umberto said:


> Oh, no. I was talking about the new Sulu. I don't think George knows what a real sword is let alone a foil.



Actually George was apparently a fencer, it was then written into the script.


----------



## Melensdad

Searching for 3 bottle right now: 
*Jeffeerson's Manhatten:* _Its just a pre-mixed Manhatten cocktail_

*Col. E.H.Taylor "Cured Oak": *_A limited release from Taylor_

*I.W. Harper 15 Year:* _New from Diagio, its a re-entry to the US market, but this time instead of being a bottom shelf bargain brand, they are bringing it out in 2 versions, a mid-priced -$40- bottle, and an ultra-premium 15 year @ $75.00_​


----------



## Umberto

What about Buffalo Trace? I have a bottle I've never opened - suppose I should find out.

I never did give out those bottles of High West and will drink them myself.


----------



## Melensdad

Buffalo Trace is a fine low priced bourbon.  In the same price range there are 2 that I think are much better.  But its all personal preference.  I much prefer *MAKERS MARK* or *EAGLE RARE 10yr* to BUFFALO TRACE.  All 3 are under $30/bottle.  To my taste the Buffalo Trace is pretty thin on flavor, but I know others who say the same about MAKERS MARK.


----------



## Umberto

Makers Mark is my bar bourbon so will save the Buffalo Trace for later.

When you walk the Camino you'll see a lot of wine. Bourbon is hard to find and expensive, but I'm sure you knew that.


----------



## Melensdad

Umberto said:


> Makers Mark is my bar bourbon so will save the Buffalo Trace for later.
> 
> *When you walk the Camino you'll see a lot of wine. Bourbon is hard to find and expensive, but I'm sure you knew that.*



I'm practicing my Spanglish already. . . _"Vino Tinto pretty please" _


----------



## Doc

SIL brought some Knob Creek to a weekend get away to Cinci.  We played Uker and I sipped some over ice, and with a little water.  Really liked it.   So much that I bought a bottle a few weeks ago and it's been my go to for the past few weeks.   I normally will hit the Makers Mark but it sits while I'm hitting on the Knob Creek.


----------



## jimbo

https://www.yahoo.com/food/workers-busted-for-allegedly-stealing-barrels-of-117006802221.html

 Melensdad, did you happen to get in on this deal?  Great prices while it lasted.


----------



## Melensdad

jimbo said:


> https://www.yahoo.com/food/workers-busted-for-allegedly-stealing-barrels-of-117006802221.html
> 
> Melensdad, did you happen to get in on this deal?  Great prices while it lasted.



I couldn't drink a barrel of bourbon if I tried.

Honeslty I buy a lot but drink very little.  I have a lot of bottles with only a couple ounces missing from each.


----------



## jimbo

Melensdad said:


> I couldn't drink a barrel of bourbon if I tried.
> 
> Honeslty I buy a lot but drink very little. I have a lot of bottles with only a couple ounces missing from each.



I'm the same way with scotch.  I have several bottles both open and sealed.

 Several years back I bought a case of Lagavulin in Denver, split it with a friend, and still have a couple of unopened bottles.

 I liked the comment from the officer that this multi barrel find was more than a person could drink in a lifetime.


----------



## Melensdad

Local shop now carries *MAKERS MARK CASK STRENGTH* bourbon.

It is a limited run from Makers Mark.  As I understand it, it will be released a couple times a year, but in limited runs so it will be periodically available at some stores but not always available.

Cracked open the bottle tonight.  Its about $35 a bottle, but its a 1/2 size bottle with only 375ml instead of the normal 750ml size bottle.

Damn good stuff.  If you like regular Makers Mark then if you can find this stuff I'd suggest you buy it.  Its stronger, by a good margin, roughly 120 proof, but that varies from barrel to barrel.  Regular Makers Mark is 80 proof.  You may want to tame this down with a single ice cube.  Even tamed a bit it offers a much more flavorful drink than regular M.M.  Still not harsh, still smooth, but it may be a bit much for some if you drink it neat.

Its good.  Really good.


----------



## Melensdad

I picked up one of the bottles of the limited edition *Jefferson's Groth Reserve Cask Finish* bourbons.  Was going to save it until the weekend but a friend was pestering me via TEXT message so I caved to pressure and cracked open the bottle tonight.

This is 6 year old bourbon finished in wine casks from the famed Groth Vinyards.  

First off, this is almost a copper colored bourbon.  Polished copper maybe.  Not the traditional amber.

To my nose its got some great aromas.   Maybe a bit of Peach, definitely some Corn, Caramel, Vanilla and Oak.  There is also a bit of char or smoke.

The taste is awesome.  It has no mouth tingle but there is a long finish with some burn, a bit more burn than I like, but the taste more than makes up for that one drawback.  It goes into your mouth smooth and sweet.  As it transitions to the back of the mouth it stays sweet and smooth, it is not until it goes down that you feel any burn on the finish. There is definately corn and toffee and vanilla, and then there is the influence of the red wine, maybe a hint of blackberry.  

I'd honestly rank this a solid 8.5 out of 10.  Jefferson's Voyage #2 is better, Voyage #4 is not as good.  This is  very different than either of those.  It spent something like 9 months in those red wine barrels that previously held $100 bottles of Cabernet and the wine influence is actually fairly subtle, but it must do something because this is a very nice bourbon that should be reserved for celebrations and special occasions.  Worth the $80 MSRP.  

It is a limited item, hard to find, but if you find *Jefferson's Groth Reserve Cask Finish* its worth buying.


----------



## Melensdad

In case you were confused and thought it was Christmas, it is not.  But it is a wonderful day in America today => http://www.nationalbourbonday.com


----------



## Melensdad

Enjoying one of the best drinking bourbons I've ever had the pleasure of sipping.  

This is Garrison Brothers Fall 2013 release.  My wife got me this bottle over a year ago and I break it out on rare occasion.  Its my favorite Garrison Bros release and we did a comparison of a several different bottles at the cigar lounge and it confirmed what we already knew, this is the best Garrison Bros release.  

If you can find any Fall 2013, grab it.


----------



## Melensdad

Stopped by one of the local liquor sellers tonight.  He was waiting for me to show up and called me to the back room.  He saved me a bottle of* BLOOD OATH*.  He was allocated 3 bottles, I got one of those 3.  I went in for a bottle of *JEFFERSON'S Manhatten*, which is a pre-mixed Manhatten.  I knew that was coming in so I stopped as I was driving by and saw the owners truck in the lot.  

Sipping on the Jefferson's Manhatten now while I watch all the weathermen on TV shriek about the severe storms/tornadoes that are just west of the state line on the IL side.  Guess the heavy weather is coming my way, tornadoes are running southwest of Chicago and looks like South Lake County/North Newton County in Indiana are in line for some really bad stuff in about an hour as the storm progresses toward Kankakee, IL and then over the state line.  

In the mean time, I'll enjoy sipping on the Manhatten and hope the tornado straps that we had installed to hold the roof in place actually work if we get hit.

From a BLOOD OATH press release (believe it at your own peril):


> St. Louis-based Luxco announced the launch of its limited release, ultra-premium bourbon series, Blood Oath. This brand-new craft bourbon whiskey series is unique to the market as it will highlight a different variant, or Pact, each year. The inaugural Pact, named Blood Oath Pact No. 1, consists of a special blend of three carefully selected, top-notch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskeys, blended and bottled by hand, resulting in one distinctly exclusive and unimagined bourbon. The debut combination, bottled at 98.6 proof, is available in limited quantities nationally in 750ml bottles, with a suggested price of $89.99.
> 
> “I have the luxury of not being tied down to one specific distillery, so I sampled many bourbons to find the perfect mix to make Blood Oath Pact No. 1,” explained John Rempe, Director of Corporate Research and Development at Luxco and creator of Blood Oath. “This product is an exquisite union of three well-bred bourbons with various age statements and mash bills. The first, a spicy bourbon with a mash bill favoring rye, barrel aged for a subtle woodiness. The second is a smooth, wheated bourbon and the third is a full-bodied, more experienced, oaky bourbon with a rye-based mash. Each of these complement the other and none overpower the palate, creating an amazing bourbon.”


----------



## Umberto

My #1 son gave me a bottle of Fremont Mischief from one of the boutique distilleries in Seattle. a part of the proceeds goes to Wounded Warriors. I've not tasted it yet and waiting till I have my men at home. 

http://fremontmischief.com

I don't know it's a "fine" whiskey but sure it will make a good Manhattan.


----------



## Melensdad

Got stuck in a traffic jam due to an accident.  I happened to be right in front of a liquor store.  Stopped in and picked up some supplies for our July 4th celebrations and saw this bottle.  $36.  Limited release 1/4 cask signature Beam Signature.  Might crack the bottle open tonight, just to insure quality.


----------



## Melensdad

Broke the seal, poured just a little bit into a glass.

Nice caramel color, on the nose you get hit with powerful whiff of alcohol and it overwhelms everything else.  This is only an 86 Proof pour so I'm not sure why it has such a strong alcohol presence.  There is probably a hint of vanilla coming through, but it is a distant secondary aroma.

On the tongue it is pleasant, mildly sweet, very little change from front to back of the mouth, very little tingle on the lips, no peppery bite at all.  There is a mild burn on a lingering finish.

Its a good $36 bottle, but there is really nothing outstanding.  Not a great $36 bottle.  Not sure that the 1/4 Cask finishing really offered up anything special.  This is an easy to drink smooth bourbon, no need to try to tame it down with a cube of ice, its not hot _(but it is warm)_ on the finish, its not overly bold in flavors, in fact, like with the non-descript aroma the flavors, to my taste are also reasonably undistinguishable.  

Best, and probably worst, I can say about* Jim Beam Signature Craft Quarter Cask Finished Bourbon *is that it is fine.  Just fine.


----------



## Melensdad

Took a 2nd try at the Jim Beam 1/4 Cask the other day.  

On one of the bourbon forums I was advised to let it 'air' for about 15-20 minutes and that would improve it.  

They were wrong 

Honestly take a pass on that bourbon.  At $36 a bottle it is not a bad price, but there are better bourbons for $10 less per bottle.

So tonight, trying to rid that bad experience from my memory, I'm going with one of the world's best bourbons.  And the fact that it raised money for charity makes it all that much better.
*
Parker's Heritage Promise of Hope Bourbon.  *About $100/bottle and it was a very limited release, which is all sold out.  If you don't have it already, you are not going to get it.  Unlikely you'll find it at any of the whiskey bars either, this is from 2014 so bars that were lucky enough to get it have probably already sold out.


----------



## Melensdad

I haven't been able to find any unusual premium bourbons locally for a while, seems like we are in the dog days of summer as far as bourbon supplies go.  Tonight I put a few bottles on order.

*HUDSON FOUR GRAIN BOURBON*, this is a 1/2 bottle (375ml) size, runs about $40 for a half bottle.  I have a bottle of HUDSON'S BABY BOURBON, which is an all corn bourbon, this one, as the name describes, is made from 4 grains, but still has, by law, 51% corn in the mash bill.  HUDSON's seems to be pretty well respected, but I am not a big fan of their BABY BOURBON, figured I should give them a second chance with the FOUR GRAIN and see how that goes for me.

*FILIBUSTER TRIPLE CASK *limited edition.  Paid $79.  Its a limited release, something like 2750-ish bottles.  Its also a 'cask strength' bourbon, so it is very high alcohol.  They age this is for 5 to 6 years in charred American Oak, then further matured for 60-90 days in Pedro Ximenez Sherry (80 percent) and Fino Sherry (20 percent) barrels for additional finishing, before being combined bottled at cask strength (117.47 proof).  Oh, and the finishing barrels are only 40 liters in size, so they are very small compared to standard barrels, which supposedly means that the bourbon gets extra contact with the barrel.  Might be a gimmick, but many of the Sherry aged bourbons are really good so I figured I would give it a try.

Bourbon #3 is actually more strange and unusual than the Fillibuster.  It is *Kings County Barrel Strength Bourbon* from New York.  About $36 for a mini-200ml bottle, so its actually expensive because the bottle tiny size.  Another 'cask strength' high alcohol bourbon.  I know very little about it, but it is a 122 proof, 70% organic corn & 30% barley mash bourbon from the oldest distillery in NY state.  It is aged in mini barrels that only hold 5 gallons each and they are exposed to the sunlight to heat them up.  Its just an odd process all the way through and figured I'd give it a try.

Not sure when they will arrive but I'll keep you informed.


----------



## Melensdad

Well tonight I am going to have to make a really hard decision.

Perhaps the toughest choice I've faced in my lifetime.

Which of these three bourbons do I crack open while watching SHARKNADO on the SyFy Channel tonight?  

What type of bourbon goes well with fish?


----------



## NorthernRedneck

Can't help you there. I don't drink bourbon and until I'm finished with my meds I can't drink at all. [emoji22]


----------



## Melensdad

NorthernRedneck said:


> Can't help you there. I don't drink bourbon and until I'm finished with my meds I can't drink at all. [emoji22]



When you are finished with all your meds and all healed up then you can start learning to drink bourbon


----------



## EastTexFrank

Melensdad said:


> Which of these three bourbons do I crack open while watching SHARKNADO on the SyFy Channel tonight?
> 
> What type of bourbon goes well with fish?



Bob, if you're going to be watching Sharknado you don't need to be worrying about the quality but more about the quantity.  It takes a *LOT* of Bourbon to make that movie even come close to being enjoyable.


----------



## Melensdad

EastTexFrank said:


> Bob, if you're going to be watching Sharknado you don't need to be worrying about the quality but more about the quantity.  It takes a *LOT* of Bourbon to make that movie even come close to being enjoyable.



You were right.  But I cracked open the seal of the Filibuster Triple Cask Aged bourbon.  It was a bad choice.  I had been eating BBQ ribs that the lovely Mrs_Bob had slow cooked on the grill and the flavor of the BBQ lingered in my mouth and overwhelmed the bourbon's flavors.  The movie didn't help.  I didn't recall _SHARKNADO _being *that* bad of a movie.  

Tonight is the premier of _SHARKNADO 3, Oh Hell No_ and I will try again, maybe I can make it all the way through tonight's movie?  In any case, I will sip the bourbon AFTER a reasonable palate cleansing so I can taste the flavors, smell the aromas and enjoy the bourbon.


----------



## MrLiberty

Melensdad said:


> You were right.  But I cracked open the seal of the Filibuster Triple Cask Aged bourbon.  It was a bad choice.  I had been eating BBQ ribs that the lovely Mrs_Bob had slow cooked on the grill and the flavor of the BBQ lingered in my mouth and overwhelmed the bourbon's flavors.  The movie didn't help.  I didn't recall _SHARKNADO _being *that* bad of a movie.
> 
> Tonight is the premier of _SHARKNADO 3, Oh Hell No_ and I will try again, maybe I can make it all the way through tonight's movie?  In any case, I will sip the bourbon AFTER a reasonable palate cleansing so I can taste the flavors, smell the aromas and enjoy the bourbon.




Before drinking a fine aged bourbon, one must cleanse the palate first with water.


----------



## Melensdad

MrLiberty said:


> Before drinking a fine aged bourbon, one must cleanse the palate first with water.



I prefer ginger ale as my palate cleanser.   

But certainly trying a new bourbon after eating BBQ ribs with a nice thick sticky sauce is not the right way to test the spirit.


----------



## Melensdad

*SHARKNADO 3, Oh Hell No* is on now, lots of stars making cameo appearances in this one.  It promises to be as bad as can be expected, in a good way.

In tonight's glass is another short pour of the same limited edition *Filibuster Triple Cask* bourbon.  Tonight I have  a clean palate giving this bourbon a fair trail.

The color is a rich golden brown and  the aroma hits you with a really nice dose of vanilla or perhaps butterscotch up front.  You pick up alcohol only after you pick up the sweetness of vanilla/butterscotch aroma.  This is a CASK STRENGTH bourbon, my bottle is from "Batch 3" which had only 605 total bottles and is bottled at 117.47 proof.  There were only a total of just about 2750 bottles produced from all the batches, so I suspect there were 5 total batches.

The first sip proves this to be a hot drink.  There is all sorts of mouth tingle, it hits your inner lips as well as your tongue and the finish after it goes down is just a long slow burn that is a bit to hot.  Not quite the smooth drink I was hoping for.  The peppery tingle in the mouth is fairly mild until after the bourbon is washed down, that is when it picks up with a spicy tingle that lingers, but you spend more time concentrating on the burn in the belly which is like a self induced heartburn.  

Its too bad because for the brief moment when you can actually taste this burbon _(before the spicy tingle and burn set in and overwhelm your senses)_ it has some serious potential to be good.  I really like some of the bourbons that are aged in sherry casks, but for $35 the Jim Beam Signature Craft Sherry Cask aged is a better buy than this limited edition Filibuster, at least when sipped neat.  But the Jim Beam is NOT a "cask strength" bourbon, is a traditional 80 proof bourbon so its probably not a fair comparison.  This Filibuster is one of the very few 'sherry cask' aged "cask strength" bourbons on the market, the only other one I know of is the limited edition Angels Envy Cask Strength, and I've never seen one of those bottles in any store.  So it is probably not fair to compare the Beam to the Filibuster, at least not without watering down the Filibuster.

I dropped in a single ice cube and let it melt down a little bit to see if this can be tamed down so the flavors can be brought forward and the burn pushed to the back.  Only SLIGHTLY melted and all of a sudden this is a much improved bourbon.  The mouth tingle and harsh spice is tamed.  The sherry cask flavors start to come forward, but there is still plenty of burn in the belly that lingers in the finish.  A bit more melting of the ice and the flavor of vanilla seems to be coming forward, there is also some hints of the sherry cask coming forward and the burn is starting to be tamed down.  The single ice cube is now 1/2 melted and I'm really starting to like this *Filibuster Triple Cask* bourbon.  The flavors are sharper, the tingle is gone, the burn is there only as a hint of a memory of what it once was.  I like the complexity of the flavors too.  The sweetness of the sherry, the vanilla and butterscotch, the light hints of spice without the tingling or burn.  

I'd have to say that this is a bourbon that you can't reasonably drink neat.  This is just not a pleasant bourbon to drink without watering it down a bit.  At 117.47 proof, this is too hot to drink neat.  But its hard to drink my favorite BOOKERS neat, and it is impossible for me to drink George T Stagg neat, so that is not a condemnation of this limited edition Filibuster to say it is not wise to drink it neat.  And adding a cube of ice waters it down, bringing the proof down to someting closer to the standard 80 Proof at which most traditional bourbons are bottled, so you can water it down and still have a full proof bourbon, which might actually stretch the value of this bourbon.

*VERDICT:*  If you demand to drink your bourbon neat then pass on the limited edition cask strength* Filibuster Triple Cask* bourbon.  If you don't mind taming it down with a little bit of water or a single cube of ice, and if you can find one of the roughly 2750 bottles of this stuff that were ever produced, then its worth the roughly $80 for the sherry cask flavor profile in this cask strength bourbon.


----------



## Melensdad

I don't normally drink 2 nights in a row, but I've got 3 new bottles of bourbon to try!  Tried the Filibuster and liked it.  Tonight I poured about 2 ounces of *HUDSON'S FOUR GRAIN BOURBON* into a small glass.  Drank more than half of it before I realized I was supposed to be taste testing it.  So I poured a bit more so I had about an ounce in the glass.

First off, the color of this bourbon is a nice amber/brown.  The aroma is definitely butterscotch.  Its a 92 proof (46% alcohol) which is a bit more than the standard 80 proof that characterizes most brands of bourbon, but its not a hot bourbon in any way.

On the tip of the tongue its fairly sweet, but it becomes a bit aserbic and off flavored at the back of the tongue.  Overall its a really nice flavor profile even if a bit off if you let it sit in the rear of your mouth.  The finish is a mild warmth, not really a burn, and that warmth lingers for a good bit.  There is no mouth tingle.  There is no hint of spice either.  This is a really mild mannered bourbon.  

Honestly no need to drop and ice cube in this one.  I know I do that for a lot of my reviews but I don't see the point since this is such an easy drinking bourbon.  My biggest complaint is that this is expensive, its sold by the HALF BOTTLE (375ml) and runs about $42.  That makes it an $84 bottle.  For $84 I can find other bourbons I enjoy this much, or more.  I do enjoy this one, I just don't know that its worth the price tag.  Glad I bought it, I was not as happy with the same brand's BABY BOURBON, but this FOUR GRAIN is actually a nice drink.


----------



## Melensdad

Last night I cracked open the tiny 200ml flask of *KINGS COUNTY DISTILLERY *bourbon of high proof/cask strength bourbon.

OK, this is an interesting bourbon.  Its not really to my taste profile, but it is an interesting bourbon.

First off, the color is a dark amber brown.  The aroma is almost savory, which comes back in the flavor.  More savory on the palate than sweet, and its followed by intense spices and then a long finish of heat.






So lets get into this, drinking it neat it's a fairly hot bourbon, but not a nuclear hot that burns through your stomach lining, rather its a slighly hotter chili pepper than you'd normally like, and it sticks with you for a while, just a little while longer than you'd like.   But before you get to that part of this bourbon you have a mildly sweet that turns into a savory flavor and then transitions into some seriously peppery spices in your mouth.  Not objectionable spices, more like a "high rye" whiskey sort of peppery spices.  You clearly get hit with the spices, no way to avoid them, but then it goes down and the long finish burn begins.  I've had spicier bourbon.  I've had hotter bourbon.  This offers spice and burn, but not overwhelming spice, nor overwhelming burn.  Just plenty of both.  If you like rye whiskey this is probably going to be your bourbon.  Some of the cask strength bourbons are nearly impossible to drink neat, its possible to drink this one without ice, but it probably would be better slightly watered down.

*KINGS COUNTY DISTILLERY* bourbon is 61% alcohol, or 122 proof.  I should have tried it with an ice cube.  I only tried it neat.  I'd bet it would be more tamed down, and yet I suspect it might maintain some of its bolder flavors even with a partially melted ice cube.

*I'm not sure if this is distributed outside of New York State.  *If you stumble upon some, and are feeling in the mood to drop some coin on a small bottle, this is worth a try.  I'm really curious to see how it will taste with a little melted ice so its dilluted down just a bit.  I'd bet it is very good.  But that will be the subject of a future posting.


----------



## jimbo

Melensdad said:


> *SHARKNADO 3, Oh Hell No* is on now, lots of stars making cameo appearances in this one. It promises to be as bad as can be expected, in a good way.
> 
> In tonight's glass is another short pour of the same limited edition *Filibuster Triple Cask* bourbon. Tonight I have a clean palate giving this bourbon a fair trail.
> 
> The color is a rich golden brown and the aroma hits you with a really nice dose of vanilla or perhaps butterscotch up front. You pick up alcohol only after you pick up the sweetness of vanilla/butterscotch aroma. This is a CASK STRENGTH bourbon, my bottle is from "Batch 3" which had only 605 total bottles and is bottled at 117.47 proof. There were only a total of just about 2750 bottles produced from all the batches, so I suspect there were 5 total batches.
> 
> The first sip proves this to be a hot drink. There is all sorts of mouth tingle, it hits your inner lips as well as your tongue and the finish after it goes down is just a long slow burn that is a bit to hot. Not quite the smooth drink I was hoping for. The peppery tingle in the mouth is fairly mild until after the bourbon is washed down, that is when it picks up with a spicy tingle that lingers, but you spend more time concentrating on the burn in the belly which is like a self induced heartburn.
> 
> Its too bad because for the brief moment when you can actually taste this burbon _(before the spicy tingle and burn set in and overwhelm your senses)_ it has some serious potential to be good. I really like some of the bourbons that are aged in sherry casks, but for $35 the Jim Beam Signature Craft Sherry Cask aged is a better buy than this limited edition Filibuster, at least when sipped neat. But the Jim Beam is NOT a "cask strength" bourbon, is a traditional 80 proof bourbon so its probably not a fair comparison. This Filibuster is one of the very few 'sherry cask' aged "cask strength" bourbons on the market, the only other one I know of is the limited edition Angels Envy Cask Strength, and I've never seen one of those bottles in any store. So it is probably not fair to compare the Beam to the Filibuster, at least not without watering down the Filibuster.
> 
> I dropped in a single ice cube and let it melt down a little bit to see if this can be tamed down so the flavors can be brought forward and the burn pushed to the back. Only SLIGHTLY melted and all of a sudden this is a much improved bourbon. The mouth tingle and harsh spice is tamed. The sherry cask flavors start to come forward, but there is still plenty of burn in the belly that lingers in the finish. A bit more melting of the ice and the flavor of vanilla seems to be coming forward, there is also some hints of the sherry cask coming forward and the burn is starting to be tamed down. The single ice cube is now 1/2 melted and I'm really starting to like this *Filibuster Triple Cask* bourbon. The flavors are sharper, the tingle is gone, the burn is there only as a hint of a memory of what it once was. I like the complexity of the flavors too. The sweetness of the sherry, the vanilla and butterscotch, the light hints of spice without the tingling or burn.
> 
> I'd have to say that this is a bourbon that you can't reasonably drink neat. This is just not a pleasant bourbon to drink without watering it down a bit. At 117.47 proof, this is too hot to drink neat. But its hard to drink my favorite BOOKERS neat, and it is impossible for me to drink George T Stagg neat, so that is not a condemnation of this limited edition Filibuster to say it is not wise to drink it neat. And adding a cube of ice waters it down, bringing the proof down to someting closer to the standard 80 Proof at which most traditional bourbons are bottled, so you can water it down and still have a full proof bourbon, which might actually stretch the value of this bourbon.
> 
> *VERDICT:* If you demand to drink your bourbon neat then pass on the limited edition cask strength* Filibuster Triple Cask* bourbon. If you don't mind taming it down with a little bit of water or a single cube of ice, and if you can find one of the roughly 2750 bottles of this stuff that were ever produced, then its worth the roughly $80 for the sherry cask flavor profile in this cask strength bourbon.



I'm not a bourbon drinker, mostly scotch.  But I agree with you on the cask strength spirits being a little over the top.  My current pour, Nadura, was bottled at 112 +.  For me it needs one ice cube.

 Have you tried playing with glasses?  I'm a Reidel fan, and all spirits taste different depending on the glass.  I don't know if there is a bourbon specific glass, but the Reidel single malt glass should work.  

 The difference in taste is amazing.


----------



## Melensdad

jimbo said:


> I'm not a bourbon drinker, mostly scotch.  But I agree with you on the cask strength spirits being a little over the top.  My current pour, Nadura, was bottled at 112 +.  For me it needs one ice cube.
> 
> Have you tried playing with glasses?  I'm a Reidel fan, and all spirits taste different depending on the glass.  I don't know if there is a bourbon specific glass, but the Reidel single malt glass should work.
> 
> The difference in taste is amazing.



I typically use a "Glencairn" whiskey glass.  

Bourbon, just like Scotch and Rye, is just a subset of the whiskey family of beverages.  

This is the Glencairn glass I typically favor, its Irish crystal, designed for sipping whiskey, neat.  But I will admit that sometimes I just use a 3-oz juice glass, especially if I am making a Manhatten or something similar.  I rarely use a traditonal 'rocks' glass for mixed drinks because I rarely make a full size drink.


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## EastTexFrank

Melensdad said:


> I typically use a "Glencairn" whiskey glass.
> 
> Bourbon, just like Scotch and Rye, is just a subset of the whiskey family of beverages.
> 
> This is the Glencairn glass I typically favor, its Irish crystal, designed for sipping whiskey, neat.  But I will admit that sometimes I just use a 3-oz juice glass, especially if I am making a Manhatten or something similar.  I rarely use a traditonal 'rocks' glass for mixed drinks because I rarely make a full size drink.



Pretty glass.  Why is it half empty?  Bob, I'm disappointed in you!!!


----------



## Melensdad

EastTexFrank said:


> Pretty glass.  *Why is it half empty?  *Bob, I'm disappointed in you!!!



That is about as much as I normally drink.  

The most that glass has ever held would have had bourbon up to the top of the engraved cuts in the crystal.


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## Melensdad

I normally avoid dairy products_ (except for blue cheese, I love blue cheese)_ but I may have to try this drink.

Its called *AFTER MIDNIGHT

Ingredients​*

1 oz. bourbon (preferably Weller Special Reserve)
½ oz. amaretto
½ oz. dark crème de cacao
½ oz. half-and-half
 
*Preparation*
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a glass. Serve cold.​Sounds like it might be damned good!


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## Melensdad

No Creme de Cacao in the house.  No Half-and-Half in the house.

So I took an ice cube and put it into a glass with just a little bit of the *KINGS COUNTY DISTILLERY* bourbon.

What I thought was a bit too hot when sipped neat, but still an interesting bourbon, is not so interesting when dilluted with a partially melted ice cube.    

I am going to bury the tiny bottle in the back of the liquor cabinet and bring this out some day well into the future to see if my opinion changes.  As of now, this was an interesting experiment in bourbons, but not worth the high price tag.  There are better bourbons to be had in this price range.  There are better bourbons to be had at a lower price point.


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## Melensdad

Found a bottle of *ELIJAH CRAIG "BARREL PROOF"* last night.  On my way home from the fencing club I stopped bymy local adult beverage shop, they only got an allocation of 3 bottles 

Paid a bit over $40 for the bottle.  Which is a fair price.

ELIJAH CRAIG "12" is a well respected modest price bourbon.  The limited release "BARREL PROOF" variety is hard to find, some stores get it, most stores don't get any, and a few get a pretty good allocation.  Reviews of the "BARREL PROOF" are generally very favorable and positive.  I've been looking for the "BARREL PROOF" for a few months, ever since it was announed and released to the wild.  All searching was in vein.  Until today.  In fact it fell off my radar.  

I was greeted by the regular night clerk, he said to go back to the office, the owner had a bottle for me.  It was the *ELIJAH CRAIG "BARREL PROOF"* 

Not sure when I'll get around to cracking the seal.  But I'm looking forward to that evening.


---------


Still looking for "Col E.H.Taylor CURED OAK" and also "I.W.HARPER 15 Year"

Doubt I'll ever get a bottle of the Taylor, I think it is long sold out.


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## jimbo

Melensdad said:


> Found a bottle of *ELIJAH CRAIG "BARREL PROOF"* last night. On my way home from the fencing club I stopped bymy local adult beverage shop, they only got an allocation of 3 bottles
> 
> Paid a bit over $40 for the bottle. Which is a fair price.
> 
> ELIJAH CRAIG "12" is a well respected modest price bourbon. The limited release "BARREL PROOF" variety is hard to find, some stores get it, most stores don't get any, and a few get a pretty good allocation. Reviews of the "BARREL PROOF" are generally very favorable and positive. I've been looking for the "BARREL PROOF" for a few months, ever since it was announed and released to the wild. All searching was in vein. Until today. In fact it fell off my radar.
> 
> I was greeted by the regular night clerk, he said to go back to the office, the owner had a bottle for me. It was the *ELIJAH CRAIG "BARREL PROOF"*
> 
> Not sure when I'll get around to cracking the seal. But I'm looking forward to that evening.
> 
> 
> ---------
> 
> 
> Still looking for "Col E.H.Taylor CURED OAK" and also "I.W.HARPER 15 Year"
> 
> Doubt I'll ever get a bottle of the Taylor, I think it is long sold out.



The Elijah 12 is what I keep for my house bourbon, and one of the few bourbons I enjoy.  I live in Va, land of the standard brand only, so will have to wait to try the cask strength.


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## MrLiberty

On  23rd May, the No 1 bottle of The Last Drop 50 Year Old was auctioned at  a sale managed by Sotheby's Hong Kong. The rare whisky achieved great  success among passionate bidders and sold for the record amount of  HK$85,750 (UK£7,100; US$11,500)
The bottle was donated by Crown  Wine Cellars to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Crown Worldwide  Group and all the proceeds will go to Hong Kong based Charity Sunchine Action. 



http://www.lastdropdistillers.com/


Oh if only I could afford this......


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## Melensdad

jimbo said:


> The Elijah 12 is what I keep for my house bourbon, and one of the few bourbons I enjoy.  I live in Va, land of the standard brand only, so will have to wait to try the cask strength.



EC12 is pretty good juice and its a good price too.  

This cask strength Elijah Craig varies a bit from barrel to barrel, but its roughly 128 to 130 proof, which is roughly 50+% higher than standard EC12.

Flavors of cask strength tend to be bolder and more pronounced than the lower proof varieties, which are actually nothing more than cask strength that has been mixed with water to bring down the proof to (typically) 80, which is generally the 'standard' proof for bourbon.  Depending upon brand, most bourbons are between 80 and 90 proof.  

I found that I generally prefer the cask strength bourbons, usually with some ice.  Add a cube or two and even when it melts down a bit its still got bolder flavors than the standard version of the same bourbon ... but it is also high proof so a little goes a long way since I do not like getting a 'buzz' when I drink I tend to be pretty skimpy with my portions of barrel proof varieties.


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## Melensdad

Had some good friends over to the house today, great conversation, excellent food _(Texas BBQ brisket and smoked sausages flown up from Austin)_ and just a nice relaxing day.  Now I'm sitting with a short glass of *JEFFERSON'S OCEAN 'Aged At Sea' Voyage 4* bourbon.


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## Melensdad

Flew into Chicago from North Carolina this morning.  There is a BINNY'S liquor store near O'Hare Airport (Oakbrook store) so I stopped in there on my way home.  

They had plenty of Jefferson's Ocean Voyage 4, a good bit of I.W.Harper 15 year, 1 bottle of limited edition BOOKERS and quite a few oddities.  Picked up 3 bottles.  2 of them are under $50.

*Balcones Baby Blue *from Waco, TX.  Its supposed to be a fairly young bourbon, 3 or 4 years old.  Its distilled from Blue Corn.   Supposed to be just a bit different than others due to the blue corn used.  Not sure if it is true.  Review are very mixed.  Its a Double Gold medal winner but also is regularly criticized.  So I think its one of those where its up to the person drinking it to determine if they like it.  ($49.95)  I have been wanting to try this one out for a very long time but its nowhere to be found in my part of Indiana (and maybe not in the whole state).

*KOVAL Single Barrel* from Chicago.  Its a young bourbon, aged in mini-barrels (5 gallons each) which is supposed to impart more barrel flavor into the bourbon because there is more bourbon in contact with the surface of the barrel. Mini barrels are gaining in popularity among micro-distillers who need to sell bourbon sooner and can't afford to age it for extended periods.  Another bourbon that some love, some hate.  Biggest criticism seems to be that it is just too young, yielding a slightly harsh bourbon.  ($49.95)  This is another one that I've wanted to try ever since hearing about it.  I like to try 'local' brands and this one is probably the closest distiller to where I call home.  

*A.D. LAWS Four Grain* was $79.95 and is from Denver, CO.  The bourbon is made a mashbill of corn, wheat, rye and malted barley, all of which (except the corn) come from the Colorado Malting Company (the corn is from Wisconsin). Its aged 3 years and they claim that the aging of the bourbon at the high altitude with the mountain weather patterns is supposed to lend different flavors to the bourbon.  Everyone claims something.  But it is generally very well reviewed.  Its been one that I figured if I ever found, I would try.  Its the flagship whiskey from AD LAWS, supposed to be their best.  Looking forward to trying it.










*Decided to crack open the BALCONES BABY BLUE this evening.
*
Its a 92 proof, caramel colored drink with the most bizarre aroma for any whiskey I've ever tested.

I've wanted to try the Balcones Baby Blue since it was introduced but its not to be found in my state.  Glad I picked it up when I was driving out of the airport because I just cracked open the bottle and this stuff is actually pretty interesting.  Very different.  The aroma is unlike any whiskey product that I've ever tried.  It hits you in the nose with the aroma of fermented soured corn, vanilla and alcohol.

The flavor is almost savory on the front of the mouth that turns into a spice at the back, a mild lingering burn on the finish.  Its a bizarre experience, not in a bad way.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I love it or that it is great.  I'm saying it is very different.  I do like it for what it is.  And its actually easy to drink.  I'd rate it as "OK" not great, but certainly it is very unusual and that makes it special.  Not something I'd pick up daily, but I think it is a good addition to the cabinet.


----------



## Melensdad

Been a tough day.  Went to a memorial service that was one of the worst I've ever attended.  It was for the mother of my favorite fencing student who died in a car crash with my student driving the car her mom died in (but apparently the crash was not the fault of my student).  

So I sat down with a small bit of the *KOVAL Single Barrel* bourbon.  

This is a bourbon that tastes as if it is barely aged, but done in 5 gallon mini-barrels.  The theory behind the mini-barrel is that it exposes more bourbon to the surface area of the barrel than in the traditional 53 gallon barrels.  This exposure is supposed to age the bourbon faster.  That is the theory.  After tasting this bourbon I believe that theory can be safely de-bunked and considered nothing more than a failed theory.

Its a medium amber color with a strong aroma.  The aroma of alcohol and vanilla leap out of the bottle, its a strong powerful scent.  Let it air out in a glass for a while and it tames the aroma down a bit ... or perhaps your scent receptors are just burned out by the strong aroma and you lose your scence of smell?  After sitting in a glass for 10 minutes the aroma is mild and pleasant.  

Trying it neat if you like to get assaulted by a harsh, young, corn forward flavored bourbon that is somewhat spicy then this is your bourbon.  It just tastes like it needs more time in the warehouse aging in charred oak barrels, as if it is unfinished.  The spice hits your tongue and burns on the way down to your belly, its a moderately long finish that is moderately hot but not overwhelmingly hot.   The corn flavor fades, the vanilla scent you smell is never tasted or maybe its overwhelmed.   I guess I'm saying it could be worse, but it also is not all that good.

I added a bit of water to the remainig *KOVAL Single Barrel* bourbon that was in the glass and it really tamed down the harshness but the spice remained.  This is a 94 proof bourbon so adding the water probably droppd it down to roughly 65 proof?  Its much better watered down, the harsh flavor is mellowed and the overwhelming corn is now acceptable.  Its still a bit harsh with a spicy burn, the spice in the mouth seems to linger on the finish and the burn continues so that wasn't tamed.  But overall its a better bourbon.  I could almost like this over ice, if I drank bourbon over ice.  

I'm not saying this is the worst bourbon I've had, that distinction goes to *Journeyman's*.  Heck I'd probably choose this over Jim Beam White Label too, but that is because that bourbon _(like some other mass market bourbons)_ lacks body and flavor.  But I'm not really saying this is very good bourbon either.  Its not.  It should probably be relegated to mixed drinks where it is diluted a bit and tamed by other flavors in the mixed cocktail.

My opinons are worth what you paid for them, but if you see *KOVAL Single Barrel* on the shelf you may want to walk to the opposite side of the aisle so you are not tempted to waste your money on this one.  Unless you really like young, corn flavored, harsh bourbons with lots of mouth tingle and moderate burn or you normally water down your bourbon with ice.


----------



## Jim_S RIP

I don't think this has been posted.

Neat: The Story of Bourbon - Documentary coming in 2016


Film Trailer:
https://youtu.be/ADkEGmTqsXQ


----------



## Melensdad

Drinking 3 nights in a row, that is a rarity for me, but I bought 3 new bottles and wanted to try each one.  

So far I've had the *Koval Single Barrel*, which was more than disappointing.  Not too bad over ice, but not worth the cost, and clearly proof that the mini-barrel aging concept doesn't work well.  There was also the very differnt *Balcones Baby Blue*, the odd smelling, odd tasting bourbon that is actually pretty interesting.  Its also not great, but its worth trying, if for no other reason than to try it out.  

Tonight is the *A.D. LAWS Four Grain Bourbon* which has a better reputation than the others, and a higher price tag on the bottle too.  This is a light amber colored bourbon with an aroma of alcohol and not much else.  

Take a sip into your mouth and this is a spicy, sharp flavored bourbon, but not harsh and not bad.  In fact its pretty darn good if you enjoy spicy flavors.  The finish is long and fairly hot, so when you combine the hot finish with the sharp spicy flavorings it is pretty clear that this is not a bourbon for the meek and timid.  That does not mean you should be afraid of this bourbon, it just means that its got some boldness to it and you need to like that type of beverage if you are going to drink this neat.

Adding a bit of water to the small amount that was remaining in the glass I brought it up to my nose and was able to detect a much sweeter aroma, which was completely absent before it was slightly diluted.  

The water totally tamed down the sharpness and spice of this bourbon.  All of a sudden this became a very mild, very tame drink with no traces of the sharpness that could turn off the timid drinker.  There was still a long lingering finish but the burn was more of a mellow warmth, like standing a few feet away from a fireplace on a winter day.  Its not hot, but it gently warms.  Take a bigger sip and you can get some of those peppery spices and a little of the sharpness to return, but its still a lot tamer than when it was neat.  If a bit of pepper and sharp spice is your bag then this is your bourbon.  

I have to say I very much like this.  Its good neat.  Its a little better tamed down with a bit of melted ice.  Sharp spicy bourbons are not my first choice but this one is good enough to go back for more.  Just under $80 a bottle makes *A.D. LAWS Four Grain Bourbon* hard to go back to very often, but its not a bad choice to add to your premium shelf if you can find it.


----------



## Melensdad

Had a tough week. Tonight I relax.

Limited edition release of Filibuster Bourbon, triple casked, sherry finished and barrel proof.


----------



## Melensdad

Went out to dinner with my wife, the restaurant had LIVER & ONIONS on the menu.  So I feasted on that, then came home to a little bit of the 2014 limited edition Old Forester _Birthday Bourbon_:


----------



## Melensdad

Last evening's pour in an etched Glencairn glass that reads: _ "Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough"  -- Mark Twain_


----------



## Melensdad

Friday evenings are made for bourbons like this...


----------



## Melensdad

My wife threatened to give away some of my bourbon.  She says I have too many bottles.  

Clearly this evening's pour of an autographed bottle proves that I have too FEW


----------



## Melensdad

New Holland Brewery's Beer Barrel Bourbon, its not serious, its not expensive, and certainly not exclusive.  But its a tasty little drink that I have as one of my go-to bourbons for when I don't know what I want, or when I don't have a specific taste for something.  

Its good, its distilled in southern Indiana, shipped in trucks up to New Holland, Michigan where it is finished in "Dragon's Milk" beer barrels and its just an easy to drink, easy to enjoy bourbon.


----------



## Melensdad

*Temperance Traders *... on 'close out' for $19

*1792 Sweet Wheat* ... on allocation in NWI, next to impossible to find, paid $32

*Hibiki 17* ... very hard to find unless you are on a wait list, the 2 younger varieties are fairly common and in the $65 to $90 range, the 17 year old variety is a lot more special

*Wild Turkey Master's Keep* ... Lot 1, 17 year ... heavily allocated wait list item, same price range as the Hibiki 17

Looking forward to breaking the seal on one of these tonight!


----------



## Melensdad

Trying a little bit of the *17 year old Hibiki * from Japan.  It is their flagship bourbon, they have 2 other, younger offerings as well.

The color is lighter and more golden in color than any of the American offerings I have in my cabinet.  For such an old drink to be so light in color it must have a very light char on the oak barrels.  On the nose I immediately pick up vanilla and a little honey, followed by an alcohol scent.

Taking the first sip I am overwhelmed by how sweet this is in the mouth.  It continues to taste sweet on the tip of the tongue and even as it transitions to the back of the mouth.  Its not sweet in a bad way but rather in a very good way.  When you swallow it it has a very long very mild heat that just lasts.  You then get some tingle on your lips, but its not harsh.  The lip tingle fades away after a while but the lingerly belly heat (_I will not refer to it as a burn_) continues.  

The second sip is a repeat of the first, but I detect a slight tannic flavor on the back of the mouth.  

This is probably the smoothest whiskey I've ever tried.  

And given the pricetag of this bottle I am not going to bother to dilute it with an ice cube.  There is no need.  Its certainly in a rare class, not just because of the high price tag, but also because of how smooth and how unusual it is.  If you run across it and the price tag doesn't scare you away then buy it.  But you won't find it too many places.  For the most part this is a 'back room' stash that the owner reserves for special customers, regular patrons, etc.  Some big retailers may have it on the shelf, or more likely in a glass case.







*EDIT:*

Just a follow up on this Hibiki.  It is not a strong or robustly flavored drink.  Its very different, smooth, subtle in flavors.  If *Bookers* has a bold flavor then *Hibiki 17* has soft flavors in comparison.  It is good. It is different.  I'm not convinced it is a great drink, but it might be.


----------



## Melensdad

A new release so its hard to find, but I suspect it will become more common with time.  Its the wheat bourbon version of Ridgemont Reserve's 1972 called "SWEET WHEAT" and runs just a bit north of $30 a bottle.

To my nose it has a strong alcohol scent, very strong!  In fact it overwhelms the mild scent of vanilla.  The color is a golden color.

On the tongue it goes in sweet, just like the name, but once it passes the tip of the tongue is gets a bit aserbic toward the back of the mouth.  Once it goes down it burns.  Its not super hot, but there is a noticable burn.  I was really looking forward to another "wheated" bourbon at a modest price, something to compete with Makers Mark, Larceny and the offerings from Weller.  

Let's just say I'm underwhelmed and disappointed.  I'll try it again another day.


----------



## MrLiberty

A lady friend stopped by last night with a gift of Jim Beam.  I know it is not the best, but was a nice gift anyway.


----------



## Melensdad

MrLiberty said:


> A lady friend stopped by last night with a gift of Jim Beam.  I know it is not the best, but was a nice gift anyway.



*Jim Beam* is far more popular than any of the brands I have been reviewing so there is obviously something good inside that bottle.  

Congrats on the gift


----------



## Melensdad

Got a touch of the flu so I've stayed away from the liquor cabinet.  

But I'd like to raise a glass to this 109 year old lady from England 

From the Thrillist website I submit: https://www.thrillist.com/drink/nat...ys-whiskey-is-the-secret-to-long-life?share=c



> *109-YEAR-OLD WOMAN: WHISKEY IS THE SECRET TO LONG LIFE*
> 
> A British woman has apparently found the elixir of life, and it’s brown and comes in barrels.
> 
> Grace Jones, of Broadway, Worcestershire in England, celebrated her 109th birthday last week and even received a birthday card (her ninth) from Queen Elizabeth II, according to a report by the BBC. When asked by a reporter what her secret is to a long life, Jones didn’t hesitate.
> 
> *“I don’t drink, but I have a little drop of whiskey every night,”* she said.
> 
> Despite her old age, Jones said she feels about the same as she did in her sixties (which incidentally were the actual 1960s), reporting no aches, pains, and a good appetite — mainly just hearing loss, according to the report. We can certainly drink to that.
> 
> And let’s not forget, a New Jersey woman slightly Jones’ senior — at 110 years-old — *attributed her longevity to enjoying Miller High Life and shots of Johnny Walker Blue Label. *You know, these centenarians might be onto something.


----------



## Melensdad

I hear this one goes down easy, its a little dirty, kinda cheap and it is rumored to be pumpkin spice flavored and come with some UGGs


----------



## Melensdad

The "Glencairn" glass is the traditional whiskey glass for sipping scotch/whiskey/bourbon neat.  The "Old Fashioned" glass is the traditional choice for drinking your scotch/whiskey/bourbon with a splash of water or a bit of ice.  Tulip shaped glasses with a bowl and an outward flute to the rim have been designed by Riedel for sipping whiskey.  Glasses have been designed to focus the aromas with various bowl shapes.

Waterford has come out with premium versions of their takes on these types of glasses.  All are small, roughly 6 to 7 ounces if filled to the rim, but they are not designed to be filled.  

I've been partial to the "Glencairn" style glass and have several.  In the photo, the first glass is Waterford's take on a footed Glencairn glass.  I was tempted to buy that one, but I've opted to try out the #3 glass in the photo, with the upright shape and outward flute on the rim as several of the new designs seem to indicate that the fluted rim allows the aroma to be focused to the nose, so that is the one I have on order.  The other two designs are made for drinking whiskies 'on the rocks' or with a splash of water.

Specifically Waterford claims this about the glass I have on order:


> ... The Lismore Connoisseur Flared Sipping Tumbler has a rounded bowl to comfortably warm and swirl the whiskey, a pinched middle to concentrate the bouquet, and a flared opening that releases the fragrance. Crafted for the connoisseur who enjoys sipping their finest single malt or aged blend straight, it allows for the full experience of taste and aroma...


----------



## MrLiberty

Ran across this article this morning and I knew exactly where I was going to put it.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddri...bons-for-under-dollar100/ss-AAeCuu1?ocid=iehp


----------



## Melensdad

MrLiberty said:


> Ran across this article this morning and I knew exactly where I was going to put it.
> 
> http://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddri...bons-for-under-dollar100/ss-AAeCuu1?ocid=iehp



Great list.  I wish it went into a bit more detail about how they rated them, but still a nice list.  Heck it could be a Christmas list for a lucky guy.

Lots of bourbons in that list that I have never seen, nor even heard of.  Some on the list were a surprise, some missing from the list were surprising too.


----------



## Melensdad

My new sipping glasses arrived today when the big brown truck pulled into the driveway.  

Just for comparison, I snapped a photo of one of them, next to my favorite Glencairn glass.  These glasses each hold roughly the same capacity, at roughly 6 oz each.  I will be curious to see if the aroma is focused like the traditional Glencairn glass.  Several of the new whiskey glass designs have a flared rim like this one and SOME people seem to think this design may be an improvement.  Time will tell.


----------



## Melensdad

Testing out the new sipping tumbler with some of Col EH Taylor's best single barrel 100 proof bourbon.

Its very interesting with the flared lip, you get the sensation of intaking air along with the bourbon because of the lip shape.  The Canadian Whiskey glasses also have a flared lip, as do the Riedel whiskey tasting glasses.  I think I like this glass shape very much.  But I do not get quite the aroma out of this glass that I get from the Glencairn shape, so there is a trade off.


----------



## Melensdad

People argue over which is the best shape glass for drinking various whiskey types (whisky, whiskey, bourbon, rye, scotch) so I figured I'd do a non-scientific taste test.  I typically sip bourbon whiskey and do so straight/neat.   

My favorite glass has traditionally been the Glencairn, which is the classic glass shape, narrow at the top, its supposed to focus the aroma.  Recently several companies have come out with flaired rim glasses and Canadian whiskey companies have chosen a flaired rim as the official glass for their version.  Scotch and bourbon companies seem to stick with the narrow Glencairn.  But premium wine glass maker Riedel recommends a flaired lip for all whiskey types.  

Hmmm, what to do what to do?  So I bought a flaired lip glass to test against the Glencairn shape.  Poured a bit of bourbon into each and cozied into my favorite leather chair  

As for aroma, I pick up a stronger aroma from the Glencairn but also pick up the scent of alcohol ... while in the flaired lip glass the aroma is milder and also the alcohol scent is almost non-existent.  No matter how far I stick my nose into the flaired lip glass I have only the mildest scent of alcohol while it is ever present over the Glencairn.  

Taking sips from each glass yield slighly different taste experiences too!  The flaired lip glass tends to put your sip onto your tongue and wash it down the sides while the Glencairn glass tends to have the sip come in contact with the very tip of your tongue.  High school biology class taught me that different parts of the tongue sense sweet, spice, etc.  And these glasses prove that true.  

Honestly, I'd have called all this bupkus before this experiment, but this cheap bottle of bourbon both smelled better and tasted good from the flaired lip glass and not quite so good from the Glencairn ... I can only suggest that that is because of the particular flavors of this bourbon and the way each glass has it hit your tongue.   

Other bourbons, ryes, scotches will have to be tested and I suspect that each flavor profile will favor one glass over the other. I also suspect that everyone will have totally different opinions on this because each of us favor different flavors.


----------



## D1005

Heck yeah, there are Bourbon drinkers here!   Well, among other choices of spirits.   Stealing a line from an episode of The Thirsty Traveller, and paraphrasing as I can't remember from that far back, "5 year old burns the tip of the tongue, 10 year old burns the back of the tongue, 15 year old burns the throat, but 20 year old slides right on down."

To that end, I prefer spirits old enough to vote, but can't afford them.   Though I have found some 10 year olds weren't too bad.

Cheers!


----------



## Melensdad

D1005 said:


> ...
> 
> To that end, I prefer spirits *old enough to vote*, but can't afford them.   Though I have found some 10 year olds weren't too bad.
> 
> Cheers!



I think old Scotch (18+ years) is better than middle aged Scotch.  I have a 14 year old in my cabinet that I just think is horrible.  

With Bourbons I think the middle aged Bourbon is the best (7 to 12 year) of the bourbons; really old bourbons can become too woody/oaky flavored, and too young is bad.


----------



## Melensdad

Got this in time for my birthday.  A gift to myself.  

Its a limited release, comes out every September and is allocated to only certain stores in small quantities.

Old Forester Birthday Bourbon.


----------



## Melensdad

I stopped at the local adult beverage store on my way home last night and BOOM, got these 3 ... bourbon barrel aged Scotch, a bottle of Baby Saz rye, and a Yellowstone bourbon that I'm not sure I actually want, but it was an impulse buy.  

The Glen is $49, and while its Scotch Whisky and technically doesn't belong in this thread, it was aged in bourbon barrels so its fair game.  I'm not normally a fan of Scotch but the owner gave me a sample, it smells/tastes more like a bourbon than a Scotch, with none of the heavy peat, etc.

The Sazerac, technically a rye whiskey was $32 and is pretty widely considered to be the best value in ryes, its highly sought after and under produced so its, unfortunately, not as common as it should be.  

The Yellowstone is a limited release, a few thousand bottles for the world, a bit north of $100.  Its supposed to be a hot spicy  bourbon, its a blend of 3, a wheat bourbon and 2 high rye bourbons, so probably not to my flavor profile.


----------



## EastTexFrank

Now, the Glenfiddich I could definitely handle.  For me that would be a keeper.  You know, the one that stays at the back of the liquor cabinet and dug out when you are feeling good about yourself and think that you deserve a treat.  At $49 that would be considered a bargain around here.  

When I was younger I used to love the smoky, peaty Scotches but as I grew older I moved on to the more "middle of the road" ones like Glenfiddich, Macallen (my favorite) and Glenmorangie.  

Wood County, where I live used to be dry and I had to drive 20 miles to the nearest liquor store.  In the last few years more and more towns have been going wet and the liquor store across the county line decided to close the doors before they went bankrupt.  They had a going out of business sale to get rid of their stock and I was right there, check book in hand, to help them move their Scotch.  I came home with 36 bottles of good Scotch at 20% to 40% discount.  My ambition now is to live long enough to drink it all.


----------



## MrLiberty

EastTexFrank said:


> Now, the Glenfiddich I could definitely handle. For me that would be a keeper. You know, the one that stays at the back of the liquor cabinet and dug out when you are feeling good about yourself and think that you deserve a treat. At $49 that would be considered a bargain around here.
> 
> When I was younger I used to love the smoky, peaty Scotches but as I grew older I moved on to the more "middle of the road" ones like Glenfiddich, Macallen (my favorite) and Glenmorangie.
> 
> Wood County, where I live used to be dry and I had to drive 20 miles to the nearest liquor store. In the last few years more and more towns have been going wet and the liquor store across the county line decided to close the doors before they went bankrupt. They had a going out of business sale to get rid of their stock and I was right there, check book in hand, to help them move their Scotch. I came home with 36 bottles of good Scotch at 20% to 40% discount. My ambition now is to live long enough to drink it all.


 

Well, sir if you like scotch, I just came back from the liquor store and Johnny Walker has one I have never heard of called Odyssey, $1,100.00 a bottle.  I could not believe my eyes when I saw the price.  And here I though Johnnie Walker Blue was expensive.  



> *John Walker & Sons Odyssey Blended Scotch Whisky* (80 proof / 40% ABV, $1,100) – deep amber in color, the nose on Odyssey is a nice blend of orange, honey, caramel, and clove spice with a touch of salt. It has the character of a spiced cake. The entry has a nice round mouth feel with subtle flavors from the nose including the orange, honey, caramel, and salt. Odyssey isn’t a particularly bold or assertive whisky, which is very much in line with the Johnnie Walker style. In the midpalate the whisky turns its focus to warm baking spices like clove, nutmeg, and ginger which are well balanced by the rich honey and caramel undertones. The spice flavors are full but not overly strong. It’s in the midpalate where Odyssey shows its age, with a very slight touch of rancio. The finish is surprisingly dry, much more so than we would expect, showing that Johnnie Walker used a younger malt in the mix to balance out older malt.


----------



## jimbo

MrLiberty said:


> Well, sir if you like scotch, I just came back from the liquor store and Johnny Walker has one I have never heard of called Odyssey, $1,100.00 a bottle.  I could not believe my eyes when I saw the price.  And here I though Johnnie Walker Blue was expensive.



An 80 proof blended malt with younger malts added from a run of the mill producer, at $1,100 a bottle?

I think I'll pass.  Even at $50 I'd walk by this one.


----------



## MrLiberty

jimbo said:


> An 80 proof blended malt with younger malts added from a run of the mill producer, at $1,100 a bottle?
> 
> I think I'll pass. Even at $50 I'd walk by this one.


 

Johnny Walker Green Label ran about $50 to $60 bucks a bottle, but they quit making that one.


----------



## jimbo

MrLiberty said:


> Johnny Walker Green Label ran about $50 to $60 bucks a bottle, but they quit making that one.



I've never been a fan of blended scotch.  Occasionally someone gives me a bottle of middle range Chivas.  It's OK, but I prefer peatier scotch.  Lagavulin or Caol Isla.

Nadurra is another favorite.  Milder.  IMO one of the best scotch buys around.


----------



## Melensdad

Broke open the seal on a $150/bottle *Wild Turkey Master's Keep *tonight.  Its a little spicier than I normally like but this is some amazing juice.  Worth the price.  Amazingly long finish with flavor that just stays with you.  Burn is modest but not harsh.  No tingle in the mouth, just loads of vanilla and caramel flavor with some peppery spice for interest.


----------



## EastTexFrank

Sorry that I got your thread sidetracked on Scotch for a while but you got it back on point.  

Bob, I'm not sure that $150 a bottle anything is good value.  OK, I'm Scottish and by definition ... cheap.  I can tell the difference between a bad, rough whiskey and a good whiskey but the difference between a good whiskey and a very, very good whiskey .....?????

It's the same with a good wine and a very good wine, the difference is lost on me.  

Having said that, my grand daughter brought me a bottle of "The Dalmore" Scotch and it was excellent.  It was very, very good.


----------



## Melensdad

Frank my normal limit is $100 as the maximum I will spend.  I've found that most of the whiskey that I enjoy is actually in the $40 to $100 price range, and most of those are at the lower end of that range.  

But for the upcoming holidays we have a lot of people coming into town, figured I'd buy a few bottles of other things ... including Scotch.  Figured I'd buy some "good" stuff in that mix too.  But most, if not all, of the bottles I'm currently in the hunt for are under $100.


----------



## Melensdad

Finished grouting the new tile in the bathroom and thought I deserved a break so I cracked open a limited edition bottle tonight. 

*Yellowstone Bourbon* 

Its a 105 proof blend of 7yr Rye, 12 yr Rye and 7 yr Wheat bourbons. Clearly rye heavy, spicy and tannic. It has a long finish that is almost sweet at the end. What is not to my liking is the burn in the belly, that too is also long. It would probably be tamed down if I added an ice cube but I'm drinking it neat. Not my normal taste profile and I was unsure if I would even like this one, but I am surprised and am enjoying this bourbon.


----------



## D1005

For me, passing $20 a fifth is getting into the expensive stuff!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Melensdad

D1005 said:


> For me, passing $20 a fifth is getting into the expensive stuff!!!!!!!!!!!



There are some very good low priced bourbons . . .*  Makers Mark.  Old Forester.  W.L. Weller *are 3 that come to mind.

All above $20 but not necessarily much more.  But because of the aging process its hard to get really cheap bourbon that is worth drinking.  

Some like *Evan Williams* (about $19) but I'm not a fan.  And *Jim Beam White Label* is also inexpensive, but over ice, to me, it tastes a lot like melted ice cubes.


----------



## jimbo

Melensdad said:


> There are some very good low priced bourbons . . .*  Makers Mark.  Old Forester.  W.L. Weller *are 3 that come to mind.
> 
> All above $20 but not necessarily much more.  But because of the aging process its hard to get really cheap bourbon that is worth drinking.
> 
> Some like *Evan Williams* (about $19) but I'm not a fan.  And *Jim Beam White Label* is also inexpensive, but over ice, to me, it tastes a lot like melted ice cubes.



One of the few bourbons I can enjoy is Elijah Craig.  It's around $25 here.  Not bad IMO.

If you need gin, I've grown a taste for Citadel.  Just over $20/750, but the 2.75 liter is less than $35,  Strange pricing for 3 times as much.  A good martini gin.

Tonight's find was Tomatin 18 and Scapa 16.  Both new to the ABC around here.  Under a hundred, but not much.  Do you know anything about either of these?


----------



## Melensdad

Stopped at the liquor store where I know the owner, he was in the back office so I poked my head in asking if he had anything special.

Picked up 1 bottle each:

*Parkers Heritage Malt Whiskey*_ (yes, a Kentucky Malt!  Hell has officially frozen over)_*

Weller Special Reserve* at $21 its the best bargain bourbon available

Huber Vinyards *Starlight Bourbon*, an Indiana micro-distillery making their own bourbon and beating Pappy Van Winkle in blind taste tests!

Old Pogue's *Five Fathers Pure Malt Rye* a high proof rye whiskey.  


Only the Parker's Heritage is over $50/bottle.  Its an annual limited release product and they offer a different selection each year.  The others are low production items, semi-exclusive because the production numbers are low, but none are elitist.  The Starlight is probably the hardest to come by, is well respected, and the most coveted of the bunch.  The Weller is the best known, has been around for years, but its releases each year are small and somewhat regional so it is hard to find in some areas, easy to find in other areas.


----------



## Melensdad

Tried about 1 oz of the *STARLIGHT* bourbon tonight.  Drank it neat.  

Its good.  For a bourbon that falls in the 'under $50' category it is very good ... you may find it in the $35 range.  

No clue what the mashbill contains, but I suspect it is a wheated bourbon like Pappy Van Winkle, Makers Mark, W.L.Weller and Larceny.  Its a 95 proof bourbon that is sweet up front, mild flavored, some heat in the belly but not a real burn, mostly just warmth.  This is very easy to drink straight, no need to cut it with ice/water.  The aroma seemed to have a strong alcohol scent, but the flavor was not overwhelmed by alcohol in any way.

If you find a bottle of STARLIGHT in your local store then I'd suggest you buy it.


----------



## Melensdad

Poured about an ounce and a half of the *FIVE FATHERS* tonight.  Technically not bourbon.  

Its interesting but I'm not sure if that is a compliment.  The aroma is sour, like sour mash.  The only other whiskey I've smelled that has this strong of a sour aroma is Balcone's Baby Blue.  But Five Fathers is sour with some spice in the aroma.

As for the taste, it goes in your mouth with a little sweetness but that is then quickly overwhelmed with peppery spices and then it gets hot.  First sip was estremely hot, with lots of burn, long lingering burn.  Second and third sips were more of the same, but I suppose I got a little bit used to it and was able to appreciate some of the spicy flavor.  Honestly the aroma ruins it for me.  This is too hot to drink neat.

Dropped in a small ice cube and let it melt down a bit.  No change to the aroma, its still just as 'sour' as it was before.

With the ice cube about 1/4 melted the Five Fathers is all of a sudden very easy to sip.  The burn is gone.  The pepper is tamed.  There is no boubon like vanilla or caramel, but this transitioned into a very nice rye whiskey with characteristic spice when the melted ice mixed with the rye.  

It is not going to become one of my favorites.  I'd pick Wild Turkey's FORGIVEN over this most every day.  But for a change up, or for people who really enjoy the spice, this is not a bad drink.  Its going to take me a year to drink this bottle, maybe longer.  If you like spice and heat this is for you.

At roughly $50, I would personally not buy this again.


----------



## Melensdad

Had a wee nip of *Noah's Mill* tonight.

WOW that is just damn good bourbon.  Very smooth.  Easy to drink neat.  Just a little bit of belly burn, more like warmth than burn.  For a high alcohol "barrel proof" bourbon it is pretty close to amazing.  I need to sip on this more often and stop experimenting with stuff that is not nearly as good.  Seriously, if you have not tried *Noah's Mill* then you are doing yourself a disservice.  

Not 100% sure, but I think it might be just under $50/bottle. 

I'm also a big fan of *BOOKER'S* barrel proof bourbon _(slightly over $50/bottle)[/b], which I think is bolder in flavor than the *Noah's Mill*.  One of these days I'm going to have to do a head-to-head comparison between *NOAH'S MILL* and *BOOKER's* bourbons.  Not sure which will win, not even sure which I like better.  It would be an interesting comparison.  Both are pretty amazing, both can be sipped neat, no need to water them down with ice.  Bolder flavors than the lower proof bourbons on the market but still easy to drink._


----------



## Melensdad

Went to BINNY's in Oak Brook (Illinois) and found a bottle of the new *Jack Daniel's BARREL PROOF Single Barrel*.  I've been told a couple times its not yet available in Indiana so I was happy to see it across the state line.   Honestly didn't look at the price tag, I'm guessing it was $79 or $89?

Also grabbed a bottle of *BLADE & BOW* which I've not seen anywhere in the northwest corner of our state.  It was on sale for $39.99, $10 off their regular price.  

Picked up a small 375ml bottle of *Carpano Sweet Vermouth*, it was $17.99.  Its the best Vermouth I've ever had the pleasure of mixing into a drink and its so good you can enjoy it alone.  I don't make mixed drinks enough to warrent buying a full bottle so I just got the little one.

http://australianbartender.com.au/2014/02/26/eight-top-sweet-vermouths-scored-and-rated/


----------



## Melensdad

Bing, bang, boom!


----------



## Melensdad

Installed a wood floor in my friend's kitchen today.  Tonight I'm sore.  So I poured a little bit of *WILLET'S Pot Still Bourbon *in a glass.  As a pain killer.  

Didn't like this stuff the last couple times I tried it.  Don't like it this time either.  Its spicy, harsh, mildly aserbic and just hot enough in the belly to be unpleasant but not so hot that it is seriously objectionable.  It is just not good enough in any way to be considered good.  Some are hot but taste great.  Some are mild but don't taste great.  I just can't like this one.  

I'm thinking it needs to be gone from my cabinet.  Perhaps mixed into a Whiskey Sour or a Manhattan or something?  Clearly its not good enough to drink neat.

Only good thing I can say about it is it comes in a really cool bottle.


----------



## Melensdad

Switched it up a little tonight.  A barley based Whiskey instead of a Bourbon.  FEW Single Malt Whiskey.

Liquor salesman says only 18 bottles were allocated to the area?  All I know is that I got 1 of those bottles.  I love FEW Bourbon, this stuff is different but still very interesting.  I prefer bourbon, but this is something I can still enjoy.

It's UNFILTERED and cloudy to the eye, somewhat sweet to the nose, spicy on the tongue with a moderately long finish and a bit of heat in the belly.


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## Gunsrus

Sorry, I ain't never touched bourbon or any other kind of liquour in my life. I've stayed away from it and I always will, because I didn't like the taste of it I took when I was young. I also don't like the potential effects it has on the mind.


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## Doc

Good for you gunrus.   To each his own.
I'm kinda hooked on Knob Creek.  I wanted to try the variety like Bob but I found one I really like more than others.   So for now, when I sip one it's Knob Creek.


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## Melensdad

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE DAY:  

*Do not try to drink whiskey after eating hot peppers.  *​


Just sayin...  

...not a great idea.​


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## Melensdad

*JEFFERSON'S OCEAN "Voyage 6"* is in my glass tonight.

This is my third try with this bourbon.  It's the famous, and hard to find, "Aged at sea" bourbon that crosses the equator several times on a container ship, sloshing around with the motion of the waves, affected by temperature changes and humidity.  I've had a bottle of each voyage in my cabinet since it was introduced except for Voyage 1, which was limited to only a couple hundred bottles.

I'm not overly impressed with *Voyage 6* and cannot really recommend it.

It's sweet on the tongue and pleasant enough in flavor until it goes down.  Then it burns.  First day I tried it the burn was modest.  Second time I tried it the burn was hot.  Today it is, again, hot in the gut.  I could tame it down with some ice or some water but that destroys the flavor.  So do you want a good flavor bourbon or a hot bourbon, those are the choices.  Personally I want flavor without that fire in the belly burn.  And this is a lingering burn, not a warmth.  It's more like acid indigestion but the type that Zantac won't fix.  

If you can find *Jefferson's OCEAN Voyage 2* then buy it.  That is among the very best bourbons ever produced.  If you can find *Jefferson's OCEAN Voyage 5* then buy that one, it's still available in some places and it's damn fine distilled and aged corn.  But I'd say you should pass on the newest voyage, it's just not good enough.  

For a more modest price of about $55 you can buy a bottle of* Jefferson's Reserve*.  That is very good bourbon.  For about the same price as "OCEAN" you can buy a bottle of *Jefferson's "Groth Cask" *and that is pretty darn amazing.  But skip *"Voyage 6" *unless you like a bourbon with plenty of heat in the belly.  Too bad.  The flavor is good, in fact really good.  But the burn is too much and there are better bourbons for less money ($80), so skip this one if you see it.


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## EastTexFrank

Melsdad, I want to draw on your experience with Bourbons because I know nothing about them and, I think, I've only tasted it once about 40-years ago.

"Waaay back in January, 2015, you advised someone to stay away from the common Woodford Reserve.  That's a pity because I just got a bottle of Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select for Christmas.  I think this particular friend is trying to wean me off Scotch.  

My question is, before I open it and try it, is it actually drinkable or is it something that I need to push to the very back of the liquor cabinet and keep for emergencies or sterilizing open wounds?


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## Melensdad

*Woodford's Reserve Distiller's Select *is their main line offering.  Its $35 to $40 a bottle in most areas.  So its a mainline brand, a bit more expensive than Jim Beam or Makers Mark but clearly not in the premium category of bourbon prices which can easily top $50.

Lots of people like it.  I'm just not one of those people.

So is it drinkable?  Yes, if you are not ME.  

It would be a good "mixer" if you don't drink your whiskey straight.  But try it, you may like it.  There is a reason there are so many different brands and that is because there are so many different tastes.  

Honestly if you don't like it straight, you will impress people if you use it as a "mixer" because they will wonder why you are using such a good brand to mix with Coke or 7up.


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## EastTexFrank

Thanks Bob, I may try a wee nip for New Years.


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## Melensdad

EastTexFrank said:


> Thanks Bob, *I may try a wee nip* for New Years.



So, how was it 

I sipped on a little bit of *BLANTON'S* last evening after returning home from a nice dinner with friends and family.

Not a fan of Blanton's either.  But one of my cousin-in-laws collects the Blanton's bottle toppers.  They have race horses in slightly different positions, and each is designated by a letter in the name Blanton's.  So if you line up each of the letters to spell out B-L-A-N-T-O-N-S the horses appear to be running.  

So I have had this bottle of Blanton's sitting in my cabinet, minus maybe 2 ounces, and I promised him I'd send him the bottle topper when the bottle was done.  Figured I might as well start knocking off that bottle to make room for something I like better.  

*Blanton's* reminds me of *Woodford Reserve*.  

Now for some reason I do like a couple of the offerings from Woodford Reserve's *Master's Collection*.  Near as I can tell their _Sonoma Cuttrers Cask Aged_ bourbon is the same bourbon as you have, but they second age it in wine barrels.  Its probably a bit over aged in the wine barrel, taking away some of the bourbon flavor, but I like it.  I also _New Cask Aged_ Single Malt from the Woodford Reserve's Masters Collection too, but not their _Old Cask_ product.


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## EastTexFrank

Well, I had a little splash at midnight and let's just say that it wasn't to my taste.  I don't know if it was just this one in particular or Bourbon in general.  I may have to experiment some more before I decide that I was born a Scotch drinker and I'll stay a Scotch drinker.

It was quite smoothe, no real bite or burn to it either on the palette or the throat.  Also the flavor was much "warmer" and "full and rounded" than I expected but I guess I just didn't like the taste all that much.  

I think that you're right though, it would make a good mixer.  Maybe I have to find something that I can pour in it to make it drinkable.  So, I either need to break out the cocktail shaker or push it to the back of the cabinet with an "antiseptic - for emergency use only" sticky on it.


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## Melensdad

A bit more of the *BLANTON'S* last evening while watching the original STAR WARS movie with the family.

We went to see the new Star Wars movie on New Years Eve, which was a pretty good movie.  Watched the 3 prequel movies over 3 days during Melen's break ... I forgot how bad those 3 movies are!!!  So now we are watching episodes 4, 5 and 6, which are the 3 movies from the 'original' set.

So trying to kill off the bottle of *BLANTON'S* so I can send away the cork/topper.  Had some ham and some hoppin-johns for a traditional New Years 'good luck' dinner.  Food was bland so the Blanton's flavor was less affected by the food.  It actually tasted reasonably good last night.  The thing about Blantons is that it actually goes into your mouth tasting pretty good, sweet and modestly complex ... but then it gets to the back of your mouth and there is an acerbic sort of twang to the taste that is off-putting to my senses.  No burn in the belly last night, possibly because of the food choices.  

So I'm slowly getting rid of the Blanton's bottle.


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## Melensdad

*High West's "A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DRAM"* is in my glass tonight as I sit with Misha and watch a documentary called LONG WAY DOWN about a motorcycle trip from the northern most point in Scotland down to Capetown South Africa.

I seem to save this drink for cold winter nights. Silly really, its so damn good it should be enjoyed far more often. I've got a couple different bottles from different acts. It's complex and spicy and just so good. Too bad it is so hard to find.

This is not actually a bourbon, its a blend of various different rye whiskies, which is a close cousin to bourbons but it doesn't quite have enough corn in the mash bill to qualify as a bourbon under the legal terms.  Its got a lot of spice to it, which is typical of high ryes.  But despite the peppery spices it is still a very smooth drink.  At 98.6 Proof its a bit hot in the belly but that burn doesn't last long.  Overall a very good drink, very very good.  One of my favorites and saved for special occasions or cold winter nights.


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## Melensdad

It's Lent and I gave up drinking Bourbon until Easter ... but that doesn't mean that I can't buy it 

Found a bottle of *Old Forester Limited Series 1897* "Bottled in Bond" bourbon.  Paid $54 including sales tax.

Bottled in Bond was popular but basically fell out of favor, there are several brands that offer it and some, like *Old Grand Dad* are great low priced bourbons while *Col EH Taylor* offers most of their products as premium Bottled in Bond offerings.  

*Old Forester *is claiming that this represents a revival in “Bottled in Bond” bourbon, named for a quality control measure Old Forester initiated back in the late 1800’s. To be Bottled in Bond, you have to be made from a single distillery, in a single year, then aged at least four years in a government "bonded" facility and the bourbons are bottled at 100 proof.  This Old Forester is not nationally distributed and not available to over half the county but is available here in Indiana, not rare here but not all that easy to find either.  

Since I gave up drinking bourbon for Lent I can't sample this bottle until Easter


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## pirate_girl

Melensdad said:


> It's Lent and I gave up drinking Bourbon until Easter ... but that doesn't mean that I can't buy it




Hey Bob, I gave up bacon.
It hurts!


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## Melensdad

Lent is over, so last night after returning home from the wake of my uncle who died at age 99, I made a Manhattan using the new* CONTRATTO Sweet Vermouth*.  The base was *BOOKERS* bourbon, which is a bold flavored cask strength bourbon.  Actually drank 2 of them.  It was a good pairing.  A few ice cubes, a couple dashes of _Orange Bitters_, a single dash of _Angostura Bitters _and 2 cherries.  

The only downside is that the BOOKERS is so strong that when made into a mixed drink has a second alcohol and no "mixer" to cut it, it makes for a potent drink, so drinking 2 of them definitely had me over my limit 

I used the BOOKERS for only 1 reason, there was only a few ounces in the bottom of the bottle, I needed some space in the liquor cabinet, so I figured I could get rid of that bottle with 1 or 2 drinks.  Never made a mixed drink with BOOKERS before.  Its really too good for mixed drinks.  

The photo below shows my Lenten purchases.  

The CONTRATTO Sweet Vermouth is the tall dark bottle, second from the left side of the photo with the painting of the girl for a label.  I've hear great things about the other 2 Sweet Vermouths that are in the photo.  The COCCHI brand _(far left)_ is one of the original sweet vermouths ever made.  The Carpano ANTICA Recipe _(3rd from left)_ is also an old recipe vermouth.  Both of those are award winners and highly praised when reviewed.  Both are known as sweet vermouths that can stand on their own without needing to be mixed into a drink.

Most Sweet Vermouths you find at liquor stores are cheap wine that was 'fortified' with other ingredients, maybe some brandy too.

As for the newly added bourbons, I tried a little of the limited edition Old Forester on Easter Sunday.  Its good.  Wyoming Whiskey's Bourbon is rumored to be good, but a little young.  The Straight Edge is a sourced bourbon, probably from southern Indiana, then shipped to a vineyard in California where it is second aged in wine barrels, again rumored to be very good.  The bottle of Sazerac Rye is a classic rye, nothing new to that one, been around for many years, its considered on of the best.  I saw it and grabbed it because my other bottle is low.  Its hard to find in my area.


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## Melensdad

So since Lent has been over I've been experimenting with various Vermouths.

Honestly don't have the perfect combination yet.  

But I've found a couple bad combinations!  

Probably the thing I learned most quickly is that STRAIGHT EDGE bourbon is over-casked in the wine barrels.  It has way too much of a wine influence on the bourbon.  I like several second casked bourbons.  But so far not thrilled with this one.  Sometimes it takes 3 or 4 2nd chances but I'm not convinced there are enough 2nd chances for the STRAIGHT EDGE, despite the fact that it has gotten some great reviews and has a lot of people who enjoy it. Just not to my taste.

I can also say that Straight Edge + Cocchi is just a bad combination.  Really bad.  

But the Cocchi is actually very good with something like an Elijah Craig Barrel Proof.

I've also found that I prefer the Italian Black Cherries in heavy syrup over the more traditional marichino cherries when making a Manhattan.  And I also tend to enjoy my Manhattans to be a bit heavy on the Vermouth.  More traditional recipes seem to be roughly 2/3rds bourbon with the remaining 1/3rd being a combination of Vermouth, cherries and bitters.  But I seem to prefer it with 50% bourbon and 50% sweet Vermouth, bitters, cherries.  As for the orange slice, in any case I just use a couple dashes of orange bitters_ (its a convenience issue)_ instead of using a slice of orange.

Also picked up a couple new bottle, haven't opened them yet.

The Stanahan's is actually a Malt Whiskey rather than a Bourbon.  Its a limited edition variety. I was not a fan of their standard yellow label so I'm hoping that this Diamond Peak is better.   We will see.  

The Old Forester is also a limited edition.  Some reviews say its good, others say its bad.  Again, have not tried it yet.


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## Melensdad

Not a bourbon.  Its a whiskey.  Billed as a Colorado Whiskey ... whatever that is.  Tastes like Scotch to me.  I'm not a fan of most Scotch and this is no exception.  You can taste the malt, not sure if this is a pure malt mash but that wouldn't surprise me.  

This is the limited release Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey.  The yellow label is their normal stuff.  This black label 'Diamond Peak' is supposed to be special, somehow?  

So while I bought this a while ago I didn't try it until tonight.  Poured about an ounce and a half in a Glencairn glass.  Tried it.  Didn't like it.  Drank about 1/2 of it over a 20 minute period and considered tossing the rest down the drain.  

And then I had a revelation.  Try it with some Vermouth, some bitters, orange and cherry . . . or, in simple terms, make it into a Manhattan.  But which Vermouth?  l picked the Cocchi Vermouth because its flavor profile is less fruity and more bitters heavy.  Given the malty nature of this Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey I figured it would be a good pairing.  I got lucky and was correct.  

I won't enjoy this straight but it makes a tasty Manhattan, so its not a total loss.


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## Melensdad

Drinking a bit of STRAIGHT EDGE bourbon. Maybe 2 or 3 ounces in the glass. Its a dark amber color, darker than most bourbon. Its aged a second time in wine barrels.  This is my second attempt at this bourbon.  First time I tried it I felt the wine barrels imparted too much flavor and overwhelmed the bourbon.  Tonight I fee the same way. The wine barrel second aging is just too much for the underlying bourbon.  Its less like bourbon and more like a brandy or cordial.  

As posted previously, this doesn't make a good mixed drink either.

Basically not a a fan.  I just don't feel like I'm drinking bourbon.


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## EastTexFrank

Melensdad said:


> I just don't feel like I'm drinking bourbon.



And to us Scotch drinkers that may not be a bad thing.  

Sorry Bob, I couldn't resist.


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## Melensdad

EastTexFrank said:


> And to us Scotch drinkers that may not be a bad thing.
> 
> Sorry Bob, I couldn't resist.



Well this is nothing like scotch either.  

Think of this more like a brandy?  Or a strong vermouth?  Or a cordial?


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## Melensdad

One to sip, one to save.

That "American Pharaoh" bottle from* Makers Mark* is extremely limited production, I was lucky my local adult beverage purveyor set aside the bottle for me.  Its just regular Markers Mark inside the fancy bottle but I could probably put the bottle up for sale today and get $200 for it.  Save it for a decade or two and get a lot more.  

*I.W. Harper* offers 2 versions, this is the younger/cheaper bottle.  The older 15 year bottle retails for $75, this bottle is half that.  Its supposed to be pretty good, and a pretty good value.  Guess I'll find out.


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## Melensdad

Trying the I W HARPER straight bourbon tonight.  It is unremarkable but basically a capable bourbon.  There is a hot finish and a bit of an astringent tone but its not bad. And there is some alcohol tingle on the lips.  It also has a bit of vanilla, but its not a strong flavor. There is also a light flaver of almond.  This would probably make a very good mixed drink.

At $35, however, there are plenty of other brands that are as good, if not better. So this is clearly an 82 proof bourbon many will want to bypass.  I would not argue with anyone who takes a pass on this young version of I W HARPER.  I'm more curious about the 15 year old $75/bottle version of I W HARPER.


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## Melensdad

I was unsupervised this evening and ran up to Oakbrook on Chicago's far west side to a large liquor store called Binny's.  My goal was to go there just to pick up a jar of cherries 

While I was there a few other things fell into my basket.  

Carpano's Antica Recipe as well as their Punt e Mes Vermouths got added.  The Antica is really amazing Vermouth, good enough to drink alone.  I've been told by several people to try the Punt e Mes but couldn't find it anywhere.  Picked up the last bottle that they had on the shelf.

Also grabbed a bottle of IW Harper 15 year old bourbon and a bottle of Oppidan Solara Aged bourbon.  Solar aging is an unusual process, only a few distillers age this way.  Oppidan is a local Chicago area company, they distill, age and bottle their bourbon locally.


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## EastTexFrank

Well, at least you didn't get sidetracked and forget the cherries.


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## Melensdad

Spent too much time swapping implements, lifting fertilizer bags and then sitting in a tractor seat, mowing then fertilizing and then mowing some more.  And my back is killing me.

So instead of Aleve I made up a Manhattan with the younger/cheaper version of IW Harper.  I suspected that the cheaper IW Harper would make a good Manhattan, and I was right.  This is an excellent Manhattan and, with any luck, in about 30 minutes the pain in my body will be somewhat relieved.


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## Melensdad

Sipping on a little bit of the* 15 Year Old I.W.Harper Bourbon* tonight.  The bottle costs $75.  Which, for a 15yo bourbon is actually modestly priced.  It comes in a nice decanter bottle.  The bottle holds a nice dark amber colored bourbon.  

_FWIW, the younger I.W.Harper is $35/bottle and the age is unmarked, but its a Straight Bourbon, so by law must be no younger than 2 years._​
Lots of peppery spice in the 15yo I.W.Harper.  One the nose you pick up peppery spice at just a casual whiff but if you actually put the Glencairn glass to your nose, which focuses the aroma, the peppery spice burns your nostrils if you inhale to deeply.  There is also a pleasant undertone of butterscotch to the aroma as well as the scent of alcohol.  

On the tongue it hits fairly sweet but finishes a little bit acerbic.  There is no bold flavor to this bourbon, its actually somewhat nondescript and offers a hint of oaky flavor, which is not unexpected in a 15yo bourbon.  Its not bad but that is the best I can say about this bourbon and as it goes down its got a fairly significant burn.  The burn ends quickly, its not one of the long hot burns like a coal briquet that lingers, but more of a flash fire that flares hot but extinguishes quickly.

For $75 I'd prefer a bolder flavor and less of a burn.


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## Melensdad

I was always under the impression that the classic Glencairn scotch/whiskey glass had a capacity of about 5.5 ounces.

Based on my scientific experimentations, documented in photos below, it appears that the glasses actually hold about 4.33 ounces.  Of course this presumes that my favorite shot glass actually holds a proper shot of whiskey ... which, compared to my other shot glasses, appears to be a reasonable assumption.

Now for proper whiskey sipping, the glass is designed to only be filled into the rounded bowl portion of the glass so the whiskey can be swirled around to concentrate the aroma up into the chimney portion of the glass, so realistically 2 ounces is about the maximum capacity of the glass for whiskey tasting.


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## Melensdad

As is normal for my routine I stopped off at the local adult beverage purveyor on my way home from the fencing club.  

He had 3 bottles set aside for me.  

*KA VA LAN* is new to the USA but I've seen it the EU.  Its not a bourbon, but rather a whisky.  Believe it or not, made in Taiwan_ (the non-commie China)_ and has an excellent reputation.  This is one of their cheaper offerings, about $100.  They have some that are very expensive. I've seen it, but never tried it. 

*Knob Creek Vintage 2001* is a new limited edition offering.  Its their oldest offering, distilled in 2001, bottled in 2016, aged 14 years.  Its a 100 proof and very limited distribution.  About $130.  So new and so rare I can't even find anyone on my bourbon collectors groups that have tried this.  This is from Batch 1.  There were 3 batches released.  

*Yellowstone Select *is the second offering from Yellowstone.  The first offering was a 105 proof blend of 2 high rye bourbons + 1 wheat bourbon and carried a 7 year age statement, this is 93 proof Kentucky Straight bourbon so it is probably a much younger offering. It is also less than half the price of the original, at only $49/bottle.  Rumor is this is an enjoyable bourbon to drink, not exceptional but not priced like an exceptional bottle either.


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## Melensdad

Cracked open the* KA VA LAN* to give it a try.

Interesting.  Taiwanese whisky.  Who would have thunk it could happen?  

It is a very golden color.  The aroma is butterscotch and alcohol.  

The flavor is somewhat bold, a bit sweet, but ending with some spicy after tones.  

It is very different from American Bourbon, it is also unlike any Tennessee Whiskey _(which is technically bourbon)_ or other American style Whiskey that I've ever tried.  It is very different from Scotch too.  I've got some expensive Japanese Whisky and this is unlike that too.  

So I don't really know what this is.  Its good, differently than anything else I've had.  Not sure that most people want to experiment with a nearly $100 bottle of Taiwanese Whisky, but if you get a chance to try any of the varieties of* KA VA LAN* then I'd recommend you try them.  At just under $100 this is the cheapest *KA VA LAN *that I've seen.  There may be a cheaper variety?  I know there are some that are far far more expensive.


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## Melensdad

Sipping on a French Whisky tonight.  Its pretty good, not great.  Probably better for a Manhattan than straight sipping.  Aged in "Limousin Oak" barrels, not sure what that is, but they seem to make a bid deal out of that fact.


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## Melensdad

My local adult beverage establishment kept setting aside bottles for me while I was gone. A bottle of ultra-rare + out of production _Col. EH Taylor "Seasoned Wood"_, semi-rare _Blood Oath Pact 2_, semi-rare _Jefferson's 'Wood Experiment' Collection_ (3,4,6,10 & 12), plus a bottle each of _Slaughter House_ and _Straight Edge_. All were safely tucked away in the back room waiting for me to get back from Spain. 

Got to love customer service like this! 

Now I'll admit I've had Straight Edge before, not a big fan, but I took it with a smile because he took care of me despite the fact that I was out of the country for nearly 2 months. He could have easily put cash in his pocket by selling some of these to others but he really takes care of his regulars, perhaps that is why I am loyal to his store


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## Melensdad

Yesterday ...  Montecristo Espada Robusto and some Quiet Man Irish Whisky


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## Melensdad

The good widow is a fine woman who can warm your soul on a cold night.


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## Melensdad

Back home again in Indiana after a trip down to Winston-Salem, NC to move Melen back into her dorm room for her senior year of college.  

Cracked open the seal on a bottle of *ELMER T LEE Kentucky Straight Single Barrel Bourbon*.  Its not expensive at only $35, but it is rare and highly allocated and I've been wanting to try this one for quite a while.  This one doesn't have national distribution and its very hard to find in the states where it is supposed to be available.

Sweet up front, spicy going down with some burn.  But its got a nice overall flavor on the tongue and a caramel scent on the nose.  Well worth the more than the asking price.


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## Melensdad

Taking another try at the OPPIDAN Solara Aged Bourbon.  There are only a few bourbons in the world that use Solara aging process, which never lets the barrel get completely empty and mixes other barrels together, continues the aging ... blah blah blah.

Supposed to add complexity to the bourbon.

Perhaps it does.  I think its a bit hot up front, got lots of spice, but not sure that I pick up any nuances of complexity in the flavor.  This is probably a high rye bourbon based on the level of spice intensity.

Probably would make a heck of a Manhattan but not sure its all that great when drinking it neat.


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## Melensdad

The annual release from Parker's Heritage collection (release #10) is a 24 year old bourbon.  Oldest bourbon of which I am aware.

And I got one tonight.

A little on the pricy side.  So much so that I told the clerk not to print a receipt so there would be no evidence to destroy at home


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## Melensdad

Dug an old bottle of *Jefferson's OCEAN Aged at Sea* bourbon out of the back of the cabinet.  

Took a small sip.

WOW I need to drink this stuff more often.


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## Melensdad

Looks like there is now a specific Bourbon Tasting Glass that was endorsed by the KY Distillers Asso.  

Its very similar to a Glencairn glass, but a bit wider and more squat.

Looks like I need another bourbon glass.  My wife will be so thrilled to hear this news!  

STORY HERE =>  https://thewhiskeywash.com/whiskey-styles/bourbon/bourbon-now-official-tasting-glass/

PURCHASE IT HERE from the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Shop => https://kybourbontrailshop.com/official-bourbon-tasting-glass.html#.WSN2czOZPsk


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## Jim_S RIP

Melensdad said:


> Looks like there is now a specific Bourbon Tasting Glass that was endorsed by the KY Distillers Asso.
> 
> Its very similar to a Glencairn glass, but a bit wider and more squat.
> 
> Looks like I need another bourbon glass.  My wife will be so thrilled to hear this news!
> 
> STORY HERE =>  https://thewhiskeywash.com/whiskey-styles/bourbon/bourbon-now-official-tasting-glass/
> 
> PURCHASE IT HERE from the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Shop => https://kybourbontrailshop.com/official-bourbon-tasting-glass.html#.WSN2czOZPsk



I think that after the purchase local, store, then rent a truck fiasco you would need more than just a new glass!


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## Melensdad




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