Squire wrote:The point is the video was loaded for the guy to pick the Ocean and with a 50/50 chance he still guessed wrong.
I was more struck by Zoeller's admission the JP bottlings which were advertized as containing SW distillate were also blended with whisky from other sources.
While you are 100% correct he picked wrong by NOT identifying the Oceans...I view it as it affirmed that Oceans IS smoother than an older bourbon.
He identified the older and smoother bourbon as what he "thought" should have been the Ocean...which to me says the Ocean actually tastes SMOOTHER than the older bourbon and hence the Ocean is SMOOTHER than the older bourbon and thus the younger ocean aged bourbon is BETTER, SMOOTHER and more refined...the way I interpret the facts/results is that he affirmed that the Ocean aging WORKS and fooled his palate into thinking the younger bourbon was actually the older bourbon...remember I am an engineer and rely on data...and the data I have says the Oceans is that good...and I added my OWN DATA to the mix last night and I agree with the facts on the table...when a 7 year old bourbon can taste THAT SMOOTH...and is rye based...WOW...and I am a rye mashbill kind of guy!
I think we're not agreeing as to what the point of the video was...I see it as confirmation that the Ocean aged bourbon DOES WORK and mellows the bourbon faster and thus you can get a smoother sipper sooner...which to a distiller or bottler is HUGE. I see your point in that you are mostly against anything "non-traditional"...which I am not saying is a bad thing...but in reading your posts I get it that you are a traditionalist and mostly against some of these new approaches (i.e. Lincoln Henderson's port barrel aging, Zoeller's ocean aging, NDP's in general)...we are all entitled to our opinions and likes and dislikes...which makes this country the greatest in the world...but just because someone doesn't share the same opinion...doesn't mean it is wrong...it is just different...that's all...
I disagree with the taster in that I could certainly get the salty hints on the rebound finish...my wife picked up on it too...and I think it works very nicely with the sweet upfront caramel notes/tastes...
As far as Zoeller's admission...I'm not as shocked as you...I mean look at the big distillers like Four Roses...Rutledge routinely "blends" his 2 mashbills and 5 yeasts together...but all that juice comes from Lawrenceburg itself and it works amazingly well to "blend" different juice...I mean the 125th Anniversary offering was nothing short of AMAZING and it is a blend of THREE different recipes from them that work amazingly together IMO...so I'm not surprised by the admission actually...I'm certain they all do it...he just happened to be honest and admit it!
I mean how can Willett bottle a 20yr old reserve when they have just started redistilling in Bardstown the last couple of years...yet I am a fan of Willett...I just know it isn't their home brewed juice...and am okay with that too...
Joe.