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Re: what did you bring home this week? vol. III

Unread postPosted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 6:28 pm
by independant
Just got my case of VOB BIB(12 750ml) in from our ABC stores here in VA. I had the chance to sample this while I was in KY and although it was after a few I remember it being really good. At a price point I am not sure that this bourbon can be beat. 6 yo age statement BIB for under 12 bucks.

Re: what did you bring home this week? vol. III

Unread postPosted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 7:18 pm
by Ryemash
mozilla wrote:Bought a bottle that I had been sitting on(found it and hoped it was still there) for sometime...this week.

Laird's Straight Apple Brandy Bottled in Bond.



Hmm, I'll have to try that. I used to homebrew and one of my favorites was a hard cider I made and aged with toasted French oak. I acquired a taste for cider when I spent part of a summer in London. While I grew to appreciate beer served at "cellar" temperature, it was summer and if you wanted something cold cider was your only choice.

Re: what did you bring home this week? vol. III

Unread postPosted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 7:47 pm
by ggilbertva
Received this week the following:

3 SB OWA sporting the new bottle
2 SB RHF
2 FRSB

I picked these up from a store that did their own barrel picks and based on past bottlings that have been very good, I pulled the trigger and ordered their '09 releases.

Re: what did you bring home this week? vol. III

Unread postPosted: Sat Oct 17, 2009 4:41 pm
by gauze
weller special reserve

also not bourbon:
sazerac 18 year (2008)
thomas h. handy sazerac (2008) (bargain priced at $45)

Re: what did you bring home this week? vol. III

Unread postPosted: Sat Oct 17, 2009 5:08 pm
by angelshare
Just got my case of VOB BIB(12 750ml) in from our ABC stores here in VA. I had the chance to sample this while I was in KY and although it was after a few I remember it being really good. At a price point I am not sure that this bourbon can be beat. 6 yo age statement BIB for under 12 bucks.


There may be better bourbon out there, but there is certainly not a better bargain. We love VOB 100. Cheers, Independant!

Re: what I brought home this week and why? vol. III

Unread postPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 5:34 pm
by sailor22
Saturday I visited Dothan Alabama and met a fellow at a flea market who said his friend had a lot of old filled sealed decanters. Not expecting much I followed him to an air conditioned shed in his friends back yard and was confronted with over 390 "collectable" decanters from the sixties and seventies. All stored upright and organized by brand and style. Mostly Beam and McCormick but lots of Wild Turkey and a few other Bourbons. Lots of blended Scotch in decanters too. Plenty were empty and still sealed - evaporated and a lot had been emptied - someone drank them as some point I assume. He said he had over 900 before he started selling them.

At any rate I left with seven ceramic decanters containing Wild Turkey 101 8 year from 1978, a Beam 172 month 86 proof, a Cabin Still "hilbilly" decanter that has Stitzel Weller juice in it, and a very pretty glass "Captains Decanter" of Kentucky Tavern Juice that was distilled at Glenmore. Everything was from the sixties and seventies and still full, sealed and in the original boxes.

As for why I bought them, I had hoped to get some juice that was as good as some of the old 8 year Turkey I have had or as good as some of the sixties era Old Crow I have tasted and enjoyed. What I got;

When I got home I managed to get the typically dry flakey cork out of one of the Turkeys without getting any in the juice. I decanted the decanter contents into a clear whiskey bottle.
The first thing I noted was the color - dark red with golden highlights, it still looked lively and like it had been in the barrel much longer than 8 years.
The nose was flat at first but over the next half hour opened up to a complex dance of aromas with floral notes, wood, vanilla, spices and brown sugar all competing. Eventually settling on sweet and floral over deep oak.

The first taste was un-impressive being mostly wood or cardboard and not much else but a couple drops of water and about 20 min. saw a big change. A rich full mouth feel containing vanilla , corn, creamy brown sugar and some subtle spices all competing in some sort of ordered complexity. Nothing thin or hurried about this mouthful of whiskey.
The finish was long, warm, subtly spicy with a surprising dryness that refused to turn bitter at the very end. Damn good juice.

Tonight I'll decant the Old Cabin Stitzel Weller - If it is half as good I'll be a happy man.

Re: what I brought home this week and why? vol. III

Unread postPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:29 pm
by Don Galligan
Sailor:

Did these people know what they had? Were you paying $3 a piece, or something more suited to the age of the juice inside?

Re: what I brought home this week and why? vol. III

Unread postPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 10:08 pm
by sailor22
They really felt the value was in the decanter itself. Neither one drank and they were surprised I was interested in the contents and not the decanter. They felt like the most valuable things they had were Ski Country decanters, which I think had McCormick juice in them.
I paid a little more than $3.

Re: what I brought home this week and why? vol. III

Unread postPosted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 6:58 pm
by enzo
Brought home a bottle of the Hirsch 20yr "American Whiskey" because Grape Vine Market on Anderson here in Austin, TX is closing... and all their liquor is 25% off.

This is a whiskey I've always felt was overpriced... so I could never bring myself to buy a bottle. That said, I haven't tried it before, so I'm excited to see how it tastes.

Re: what did you bring home this week? vol. III

Unread postPosted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 10:25 pm
by gauze
mozilla wrote:
gauze wrote:weller special reserve

also not bourbon:
sazerac 18 year (2008)
thomas h. handy sazerac (2008) (bargain priced at $45)


Why did you buy these? What are you expecting from them? Please don't just list what you brought....elaborate a bit.



sorry sir.

The Weller was because of talk on here, because I drove an hour to get to the store and wanted to get something besides the ryes mentioned above and the because of price, $16. Better than Maker's Mark, I am not sold on Wheaters yet though. Haven't found OWA yet anywhere local.

Might as well add this that I got today: Stagg 2009, I don't think I need to go into great detail on why I bought this. What do I expect from it ... rite of passage level intensity :shock: . I didn't open it yet as today has been a string of bad luck from a fender bender to stupid junk at work to a few klutzy accidents. Sticking to daily pours for the time being.

Re: what I brought home this week and why? vol. III

Unread postPosted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 10:39 pm
by enzo
Dammit... I'm starting to get jealous... why is there zero BTAC in Austin? who's hoarding this stuff at the distributor level?

Re: what did you bring home this week? vol. III

Unread postPosted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 11:39 pm
by gauze
mozilla wrote:

Great job....no need for appologies.

I believe it is important to understand why folks, new or older members, look for a certain label. Having expectations, one way or the other, tells us alot about your tastes and style of purchase. Plus, it helps foster discussion which will help increase everyones bourbon knowledge. A main reason why we are all here. :)

I, personally, don't buy any of those brands on a regular basis(or ever), so, I was curious to find out why you were searching them out....what you might be expecting and your satisfaction with the price to flavor mix.

Have you tried most of the other items on the lower and mid shelves...or are you heading for the top, first?


I can give you a complete list of whiskies I have tried, and I don't consider price as an obstacle to trying interesting/exotic sounding stuff, but I like a bargain as much as anyone. I'm use to having expensive hobbies (no kids) and whiskey isn't nearly as expensive as record collecting for example.

in approximate order:
unknown lower shelf stuff in my youth
jameson (gift from friend from dublin didn't even open for a year because "I don't like whiskey")
glenlivet (only scotch I have tried, disliked this greatly, ended up finishing it as a mixer for whiskey sours)
bushmills,white label
knob creek
jim beam
jim beam black
maker's mark
wild turkey 101
evan williams, black label
elijah craig, 12 year (did I get the mysterious bad bottle? not too good)
bellows (2 shots of this made for a sinus headache for a few hours, made me wish this bar watered down the liquor, what's below bottom shelf?)
buffalo trace
bulleit
JB rye
old overholt
wild turkey rye
rittenhouse bib
handy sazerac rye
weller special reserve

sitting unopened:
stagg 09
sazerac, 18year 08
sample nip of "American Honey" (not whiskey)

sitting on my buddies shelf that I have to try next time I go over:
russell reserve rye, 6 year

I'm obviously on a rye kick right now. if you notice jack daniels is not on my list and no canadian whiskies. I am curious to try some of the other mid shelf stuff like Old Grand Dad just 'cause it's a classic name. Haven't seen a lot of 4 roses stuff out there and when I have it's been fairly pricey.
I have really liked both Wild Turkey bottles on my shelf and think I'll try the Rare Breed and Kentucky Spirit (and Russell Reserve) before the end of the year.

Re: what I brought home this week and why? vol. III

Unread postPosted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 12:57 pm
by RobotAZ
I bought a bottle of Eagle Rare 10 year last night. The nose and aftertaste were excellent considering my newby senses. The taste in the mouth was about like Woodford Reserve, in my opinion. I have not had many single barrel bourbons though. I bought it because it's a cheap single barrel and three friends who work at Liquor Barn here in Lexington all said it was awesome for the money. I agree and am happy with the purchase.

I almost bought the Very Special Old Fitz 12 year, too, but I want to know more about it first. Blanton's will be my next sampling.

Re: what I brought home this week and why? vol. III

Unread postPosted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 5:17 pm
by PaulO
I went down to Bloomington and found Fightin' Cock, and Elmer T. Lee. I got the Fightin' Cock because it's got a 6 year age staement, 103 proof, and I don't see it too often. People were talking about it and got me interested. I usually like Heaven Hill juice and this was no exception. The ETL I had wanted to try but it only appeared recently after being absent a long time. The ETL sort of reminds me of Old Charter with more legs to it, richer and thicker but not sweeter.

Re: what I brought home this week and why? vol. III

Unread postPosted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 12:10 pm
by Rotgut
What I brought home this week (so far): OGD BIB

Why did I choose it: I'm slowly working my way around / through the wonderful world of bourbon (and rye) (and TN whiskey). I'm mostly sticking to my plan of starting from the bottom shelf and working my way up*. I've read tons of posts and reviews here and I've been trying the stuff I can find that seems to be widely regarded. Of the 10 or so kinds I've tried so far, OGD BIB has been one of my favorites. I like it, every store has it, and it seems to be a good value for the price. My bottle was getting low, and I saw a bottle for a decent price. This'll be a staple in my collection. I wish the stuff came in handles.

Mike