Whats this about blending bourbon

[gillmang]

By the way John I'll never forget the first thing I read that got me thinking about this, the first thing I mean in an American whiskey context (since vatting/blending in Scotland is very old).

I can't recall now where I saw it, but it had to do with a distillery worker talking about a batch of bourbon. He said, if it is not right or not strong enough in taste (something like that) we just add a barrel of rye to it. (He wasn't talking about labeling and I am sure it was labeled properly under whatever law applied at the time, I am just trying to make a general point). And that was like a eureka moment, hey why can't I do that!

Gary

[Birdo]

Gary, I'm cool with vatting the way you do it, sounds like a good idea. I have taken your advice and mixed rye based with wheat based bourbon and enjoyed, quite nice. Haven't ventured past a Wild Turkey and Makers 50/50, but I liked it, maybe better than either of the two individually.

Also agree that most bourbon is at least good bourbon, tho I don't care for youngish 80 proofers, they seem suitable for use in mixed drinks, like rum or vodka. I usually don't like wine used in cooking either. Yuck. Back in college, a frat-boy I knew use to dump near empties into one bottle, be it whiskey, tequilla, rum, or what ever, that mix was awful. Mixed it with Hawaian Punch and Mountain Dew.

I think the big trend in flavored bourbons is a way to get young people who currently like sweet drinks like Captain Morgan and coke to consume bourbon, great idea to get those people over to bourbon, tho its not to my taste.

Birdo

[gillmang]

All points taken, thank you. About that "cup of plenty", in one of Steinbeck's novels, maybe Cannery Row, one of the protagonists is a gent usually down on his luck and a group of his friends meet frequently to drink from a jug of mixed leavings similar to what you described that the student did. I think a bar owner they knew prepared it for them. It is a poignant scene, where he says (I paraphrase), "you know sometimes I wonder if the day will come when I can enjoy beer on its own, or whiskey, or port wine, and not have to drink them together in this big jug where you can taste a bit of each thing. But then I think ah we are fortunate we can have a drink even such as this mixed jug provides, and give thanks to the good man who provides it to us".

One of America's great writers, John Steinbeck, famously of Salinas, CA. I once took a detour through that dusty place and didn't see anything dedicated to his career or memory, there probably is though and I must have missed it.

Gary

[RandyG]

Tried something a few weeks ago and have since verified it's appeal. Mixed a 50/50 concoction of Jefferson's 18YO and Pappy 12 YO Lot B. If any of you are fortunate enough out there to have these on the shelf, give it a try. You WON'T be disappointed!

Cheers,
Mr. G

[gillmang]

Sounds great and makes perfect sense.

Gary

[GBrough]

So i am going to get a bottle of Wathen's or Eagle Rare 10 year, which one would you do and i do plan on using the bourbon for vatting after i get a feel for where the flavors lie.

[Birdo]

So i am going to get a bottle of Wathen's or Eagle Rare 10 year, which one would you do and i do plan on using the bourbon for vatting after i get a feel for where the flavors lie.

I would pass on the Eagle Rare, very disappointing. I like the regular Buffalo Trace and Ancient Ancient Age 10 year both better from the same distiller than Eagle Rare. Might have got a bad bottle, but I won't buy it again.

Don't know about Wathens so please weigh in if you try it. Still can't get a hold of Elijah Craig 12 barrel proof, but I'll keep looking.

[GBrough]

I have heard a lot about wathen's, and all of it good it is said to be a tad one dimensional but still. On the matter of EC12 Barrel Proof the only barrel proofs in my area are bookers and rare breed.

[Birdo]

That's the nice about Louisville, great variety of bourbon. Bookers and Rare Breed are both easy to find, and excellent. I can get the Elijah Craig 12 barrel proof at the distillery, but it's $74 for an initial release.

[GBrough]

wow, yea in california our options are limited, but we get great stuff. I really want to try EH taylor barrel proof but it is hard to find to begin with.

[Bob Barker]

So i am going to get a bottle of Wathen's or Eagle Rare 10 year, which one would you do and i do plan on using the bourbon for vatting after i get a feel for where the flavors lie.

So i am going to get a bottle of Wathen's or Eagle Rare 10 year, which one would you do and i do plan on using the bourbon for vatting after i get a feel for where the flavors lie.

I would pass on the Eagle Rare, very disappointing. I like the regular Buffalo Trace and Ancient Ancient Age 10 year both better from the same distiller than Eagle Rare. Might have got a bad bottle, but I won't buy it again.

I have to disagree about eagle rare 10yo. I think it's one of the better bourbons out there in its price range. You are correct that there is a good deal of barrel to barrel variation so it could have been a rare exception barrel.

[GBrough]

I love a good red wine, when I do decide to get drunk it is off moscato or another light wine.

Sadly I did not get a bourbon yet, my friend and I had to push his car away from the off ramp of a freeway. Brightside got to do some more research on bourbons I like.

[Birdo]

Bob, One thing that I have noticed recently is that food can ruin my bourbon enjoyment, and that could have happened with the Eagle Rare. I was enjoying a Knob Creek at the Outback last week, it was great, until I had some salad. At that point, the Knob Creek went from great to bad.

The Knob Creek Single Barrel is basically a 'barrel proof bourbon' as it is bottled at 120 proof, a pretty good deal considering.

[EllenJ]

Knob Creek is totally wonderful with steak 'n potatoes.
Not so much with Caesar salad dressing, though
If you wanted an alcohol beverage with your salad, white wine probably would've been better, but I prefer to just have water or a beer (Foster's is pretty much just fizzy water anyway) and then order a bourbon with the main course.

And if you're lucky enough to have Knob Creek as a selection (most of the Outbacks, Longhorns, and Texas Roadhouses I've seen offer Beam, Daniels, and either Maker's or Wild Turkey (but never both), another glass is also good with their desserts (BTW, I love Outback; don't nobody tell me it ain't no good simply 'cause I can depend on getting a good steak there wherever I see one).

[bunghole]

Knob Creek is totally wonderful with steak 'n potatoes.

+100 Agree Totally! Now both hungry and thirsty.