Sampler Sunday, Virginia Style

[angelshare]

We had the great pleasure of hosting One Cube and Bunghole for a whiskey tasting yesterday. It was an atmosphere of fun and informality - no blind tasting or notes, just good conversation and commentary. Some of the featured expressions and general impressions included:

Sazerac 6 yr vs. Rittenhouse BIB - We all felt the Rittenhouse was the winner - fuller bodied and richer, but the Saz was quite enjoyable. We also compared Pikesville 80 proof, which, head to head with the Saz was weak and watery.

WT 12 year (split label) vs. "old" RR 10 year 101 - the 12 year hands down had the better nose, but the mouth of the RR was preferred. The 12 year had a warmer, more lingering finish.

"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?

Jim Beam 100 months old, 86 proof - Linn seemed to be in heaven. Sweet, maple syrup tones with a heavy mouth even at 86 proof. Similar to modern day Jim Beam black, but richer.

Old Taylor 6 yo from ND, late 70's - the consensus here was 'unremarkable." Nothing offensive about it, but nothing great, either.

Other items tasted included Wathen's 01, OGD 114 from ND, OC PR. Most importantly, we all had fun and enjoyed each other's company.

The biggest surprise of the afternoon was when Linn got religion after reading our copy of the Maker's Mark "autobiography" and joined the Church of the Red Wax. Feel free to copy these photos and use them to blackmail Linn! (And we hope this shows that we were not taking things too seriously!)

[angelshare]

Linn's conversion!

[angelshare]

RR 10-101 vs. Turkey 12 - experiment in progress

[bourbonv]

Great Photographs! I do have to say though, I converted Linn to the Goispel of Bill several years ago - Gospel of bill Sr. that is - with some Maker's Mark from 1980 that was outstanding bourbon. I am glad that you have him following the new version as well!

[OneCubeOnly]

Thanks again to Dave & Tina for all the great hospitality and giving us the run of the bar! I was able to break my "Wild Turkey 12 cherry" thanks to Dave's generosity!

A pleasant surprise for me continues to be Old Charter Proprietor's Reserve. I've only had the BT version at Dave's, and each time I make note to buy some, but for some reason it never happens. Great stuff!

I've also been made aware of the howling error I've made by passing up countless bottles of Wathen's over the years. I had no idea it was so heavily sought after! And now that I've tasted it, I can appreciate why!

[Brewer]

It looks like you Virginia folks had yourself a good 'ole time. Wish we could've been there...or KY! Been stuck here in NY too long! One of these days we're gonna bust outta here and go on a road trip; where we'll wind up no one knows!

[Bourbon Joe]

Hey Linn,
Is that a Maker's Mark booklet you're reading or is it a "Penthouse" magazine disguised as one. Come on now, tell the truth. Great photos.
Joe

[cowdery]

The pictures of Linn put me in a mind of St. Paul on the road to Damascus.

[bunghole]

Many Thanks to Dave & Tina Angleshare for yet another great time!

The 12 year old "Anniversary" bourbon was by far the most dissapointing of the lot as we had such high hopes for it as it had to have been distilled in the early 1960's. Unfortunately it was a bitter bourbon and one unlike any bourbon I have yet to encounter. I thought it might have been the dreaded cork taint. Yet the bourbon was clear and showed no signs of oxidation. It wasn't musty or tannic. Tina took one small sip and said she thought it was nutty and bitter like a Brazil nut. I thought she was spot on and ceased any further intake. I would have to agree with Dave that this bourbon is most likely a wheater.

The mid-'70's Beam won best in show in my opinion. While in the Army during the mid 1970's I drank more Jim Beam than anything else. I think it was $10 for a half gallon jug at the PX vs. todays $45 for a 1.75 L of 86 proof Beam black. I used to come out of the PX with a jug in each hand and that would usually last me a week, but sometimes I would run out. I used to drink a lot.

We tried some Wasmund's Single Malt that is pot stilled in Northern Virginia. Very malty nose and unique palate due to the toasted apple wood chips it is aged with. Since I don't care for 100% barley whisky this one was not for me.

The National Distillers 114 proof Old Grand Dad was quite good, and although we didn't have a recent Beam OGD 114 with which to compare I thought it very like current offerings.

The National Distiller's 86 proof Old Taylor was just as unremarkable as today's 80 proof Old Taylor from Beam. It's bourbon that has no off tastes or aromas and damn near no finish at all. Fairly one dimensional and would be good for those that like bourbon and Coke.

The 12 year old Wild Turkey 101 proof and the 10 year old Russell's Reserve 101 proof were both so good that I really couldn't tell them apart. Had they been the first drink of the day and done blind I sure some subtile differences would have been discovered.

Dave made the mistake of letting me behind the bar whereupon I proceeded to pour small sips from just about every open bottle he and Tina owned. They have soooo many fine bourbons that I can't resist the temptation!

ima

[EllenJ]

It's hard to tell from the photos... are those stickers all over Da Bunghole supposed to be stuck on your bar tab, suggesting that they make Linn available at that establishment?

I'm not certain, but I THINK I recall Julian saying that they'd bottled some decanters for Maritas when his father was operating out of Commonwealth. That would explain why it tasted like wheated bourbon, although it would have been Stitzel-Weller, not Maker's Mark. I remember tasting some of the Maritas brand once and it was quite good. It's probably oxidation that caused that bitter flavor in yours, rather than cork taint. One thing we've learned about the ceramic decanters is that they're not as reliably airtight as glass bottles. Usually it isn't a problem, but we try to get the contents of any non-glass container into a glass bottle as quickly as we can. It seems there's no progression, or if there is it's really fast. Decanters are either just fine or awful, nothing just "partially off-tasting". If you find another Anniversary (or other) decanter from Maritas I wouldn't avoid it just because this one stunk.

[Mike]

BUNGHOLE FOR BOURBON ENTHUSIAST SAINTHOOD!! Let's put him in the canon...........er, I mean, Canonize him (even if he is still kicking!)

[bunghole]

Saint Bunghole does have a nice ring to it!

[Bourbon Joe]

I have a Presidents Decanter from Maritas which tastes exactly as Linn described.
Joe

[angelshare]

I THINK I recall Julian saying that they'd bottled some decanters for Maritas when his father was operating out of Commonwealth. That would explain why it tasted like wheated bourbon, although it would have been Stitzel-Weller, not Maker's Mark.

Thanks for the info! S-W was our speculation, although we didn't know the definitive answer re: whether MM had ever sold bulk whiskey. We take it MM never did?

Decanters are either just fine or awful, nothing just "partially off-tasting"

That makes us think that the bitterness in the finish was more likely the whiskey flavor, then. There was nothing immediately offputting about it, only in the finish.

[bunghole]

It's hard to tell from the photos... are those stickers all over Da Bunghole supposed to be stuck on your bar tab, suggesting that they make Linn available at that establishment?

John, as you can tell those are the Maker's Mark stickers sent to the Ambasadors. When I asked Dave if I could use some of his stickers he said "Sure!" probably thinking I would take some home with me. You should have heard the peals of laughter as I emerged from the bathroom with the stickers all over my face just as the photographs depict. It was too much fun!

ima Saint bunghole