Shoot, you make me real sorry I missed this little cozy. When you're drinking Split-label Turkey 12 & Real RR 101, life's gotta be good. Looks like y'all had a big time!
"Anniversary" Bourbon - 12 year, 90 proof - ? distillery, bottled by Maritas Spirits, NJ; the nose was full of vanilla and fruit, the mouth citrus/lemon "candy" tones. The general consensus was that this is wheated, but we can't be sure. It had a lot of similarity to current BT and other S-W products we have tasted. Linn thought it had a cork taint, with which I initially agreed, but Tina thought it was more of an "off" bitter flavor. Maybe this is why it presumably got sold as bulk?
I've had two of the John Lennon version. I'm with Tina, I don't think the problem was a cork issue. Although the whiskey wasn't horrible, it just finished with what reminded me of black walnuts that had been laying in my pantry too long. So...I fed it to my friends that drink Bourbon and Coke...They didn't notice, and they liked the pretty bottle...
FWIW, I seriously doubt that was SW whiskey. While it may have been wheat, it most likely wasn't Stitzel. I'm fairly sure Marita was somehow associated with Mr. Even. So that could really muddy the waters as to distiller.
And, I may be wrong (its happened...) as far as I know, Maker's has
never, ever sold bulk. If Bill can't dip it in wax, he isn't selling it...
Bj
As a Kentuckian, I consider it my civic duty to drink Bourbon, smoke and bet the ponies. Its a tuff job, but someone has to do it...