BourbonEnthusiast.com

friday night had my first session after a while of abstaining due to "physical training" period. I'm a part time musician and some old friends from texas were in town touring with some japanese and I was talking to the bass player and he's got an interest in whiskey but isn't that deep into it, so I arranged to stop by my place and pick up a couple bottles so we could have a tasting after the gig at a friend's house where they were staying.

We had been chatting so I had some idea of stuff he hadn't had and should try. 4 Roses Small Batch and Old Weller Antique 107 were on the menu. I intentionally stayed away from the pricier stuff because anyone can pull out an expensive bottle and give the impression if you don't like this your pallet just isn't sophisticated enough, or whatever, I wanted to pull out a couple mid-shelfers people might not be familiar with. There was a mix of men and women hanging out and I tried to get anyone who'd taste to try some of each. Only one japanese drank any, rest were non-drinkers or just doing beer.

Everyone loved the 4 roses, mostly because of its smoothness but also for interesting flavors even if they couldn't express what they were (we've all been there I assume). My favorite comment on the OWA107 is "This here is a man's drink". It also went down well but not as much as the 4 roses which I can see is a more accessible bourbon. Talked and drank until 6am was a bit head smashed all day after that. Good times.

Tonight I'm drinking my first bourbon. Elijah Craig 12 year old

Crankypants wrote:Tonight I'm drinking my first bourbon. Elijah Craig 12 year old

Welcome aboard you have a whole bunch more to go. We do have other members here from Australia so you will not be alone.

Started with a Virgin 101, then Old Heaven Hill BIB, then went Ezra..taking the dog for a wallk and will probably end the evening with an Evan Williams Black.

Just having a little starter sampler of some High West 16 YO Rye (80% rye) sent courtesy of a very fine gentleman here. Briefly, the color is deep mahogany. Very deep caramel in the aroma. The 92 proof alcohol does nip at my nose a bit. A very nice palate across the mouth. There's a real complexity there. Sweet, bitter, some sour. Spice and some oak aggressiveness across the tongue, but that is quite subdued, and says, yes I have seen the oak, the good part of the oak, properly air-dried oak. Or maybe the oak was balanced by something from the distillate.

This is a really good rye whiskey. As Chuck might say, "Too bad they didn't make it." I'd be really interested in tasting the new make whiskey of this. That'd be a real learning experience.

I'm desperately trying to clean out bottles that have maybe a couple pours left in order to get my bottle count down to somewhere south of 50. So tonight, a '79 Early Times was laid to rest. For an 80 proof, I enjoy this bourbon much like a low proof scotch or irish. It's flavorful and easy to drink.

Yesterday, Fricky and I really enjoyed a Buffalo Trace Single Barrel, hand picked by the Kentucky Bourbon Enthusiasts in 2004 (Thanks Bob). This was an exceptional bottle of Buffalo Trace whiskey.
Joe

Wife put me on a diet, so limiting my consumption. Shooting for one special one for tonight -- Michter's small batch tonight

Greg -- I did get up to Frederick to Ye Olde Spirit Shop and found the ORVW 10 year 107. Glad I did. thanks for the tip.

bluedog20175 wrote:Wife put me on a diet, so limiting my consumption. Shooting for one special one for tonight -- Michter's small batch tonight

Greg -- I did get up to Frederick to Ye Olde Spirit Shop and found the ORVW 10 year 107. Glad I did. thanks for the tip.

Excellent, I hope you grabbed more than one. The ORVW are hard to find.

Tonight I took 30 ml of the newly released Maker's Mark 46 and 20 ml of Weller Antique 7 YO 107 proof and mixed they together.

This is now a 100 proof wheat bourbon with the oak of MM 46 and the creamy sweetness of Weller Antique.

Just good whiskey, subduing the oak (although I like oakiness more better than other folks seem to) a bit and offering more of the robust Antique flavors.

Another 50 ml of this stuff and I will be in tip top tall tale telling regalia. I'm gone slip silently past this sleeping dog so I don't wake him up cause he will want some if he comes to life...............oops, he opened an eye............'Go ye back to sleep, ye worthless hound, I am merely having a constitutional glass of prune juice...........remember, you and me are on the wagon the rest of the week..........and Imo see you stick to it!'

Does God hold it agin ya if you lie to a dog? I would gladly tell my dog the truth, but he will just use it agin me, so I fudge it a bit...........same thing with the wife, you can't always be honest...........CAN YOU?..............that's way too dangerous! Besides, mostly lying comes easier than truth telling..........I know, cause i've tried 'em all both!!

I vatted some Very Old Barton BIB with High West Rye last night, the percentage was approximately 65% VOB and 35% HWR. Excellent pour!! I also followed that with a little glass of Bakers which I took down to around 100 Proof. I think Bakers has one of the best noses I have ever experienced. Great fruit, vanilla with a strong cherry component. The taste doesnt quite live up to the nose as that metallic feature which you find in the Beam products really comes through and, imho, almost overpowers the nuances of the bourbon. Still a very good bourbon which I enjoy.

Having a sip of WT Tradition for the first time in a while. Irrespective of the cost (we can go back and to about the cost 'til hell freezes over), it is a first rate bourbon. It definitely lies in the land of the ultra aged bourbons and is quite dry and oakey......but not, to my palate, overly so. It is still under $100 a bottle in these parts, so I am inclined, in hopes of a long life, to set back another bottle.

I don't think it is a bourbon suitable for every palate, but I just love this stuff. I would not like it to be the only bourbon I would have on a desert island, but would be most happy for it to be one of them.

Tonight it's New York Whiskey. It's 46% abv, 100% grain, aged under four months. Not much else on the label other than the required govt warning and a small barcode. Made by Tuthilltown Spirits, Gardiner, NY. It was in a 375 ml bottle from Batch 1-2010.

It's not my place to make a detailed review, but I say it's very drinkable. For under four months, the oak isn't harsh, there's no bad fermentation flavors in it. It's pricey, and only you can decide that if it's available to you, whether it's worth it to have it.

As a consumer, it'd be nice to know more about this spirit. What grains? New or used oak? Don't know if this is a limited edition, one time thing. Or will there be different expression in the future. I know the folks at THT like to make what they like, or where their experiments take them, and figure out later what TTB reg it falls under. And NY brand registration rules require an extra $250 fee for every new brand every year, so I can understand no wanting to file a new brand every year, or every time you do an experimental batch that might be very limited production.

I think I'll have a glass of Wathen's single barrel next, before bed.

Nuttin too excitin......2007 GTS diluted to 107. This one hit the spot tonight.

Pappy 20 YO for me this evening. This bourbon is really really good. Has always been and still is one of my all time favorites. I think I know where I can get another bottle...........I 'spect I better go get it.