A dog and his man take a sip

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A dog and his man take a sip

Unread postby Mike » Tue Apr 03, 2007 7:00 pm

Today is Barleycorn's birthday............at least that is what he claims, and I can't remember for sure. So he talked me into pulling out the A H Hirsch and the Rare Breed. He himself claims to like Rare Breed cause he says they had him in mind when they named it.

This dog is like some people, thinking the world revolves around them. Well, not me, I figger I am only important to a few thousand people at most, maybe in the low 100 thousands.

As to the RB and the Hirsch............they are important to bourbon lovers!!

What a beautiful contrast they present.

RARE BREED has all the goodness of Wild Turkey bourbons in an almost explosive package. This is the full monty of bourbon.........completely unadorned........no tricks, no cuteness, just pure elemental and essential bourbon.

But don't take that for simple, cause RB is robust, beautifully aromatic, agressive, while making no direct attempt at strong-arming you. Still, if you don't stand your ground with RB, it will subdue you. It is a challenge, but one you take on willingly, because the rewards are so great. Rare Breed is alive with aroma, flavor, spice, alcohol, and character. Rich, complicated, viscous, strong, intense, bourbon in the raw.

HIRSCH, on the other hand, takes an entirely different approach. It controls your palate with sublety and nuance. It hints at being a cognac, being a wine, while still being true to its bourbon heritage. A good palate will know Hirsch is out of the ordinary, a great palate (which I lack) would find surprises here and dig deeper into the balance and sublety than this poor fellow can.

There are words in the bourbon descriptive lexicon that provoke derisive skepticism (I have no quarrel with that either), words that seem 'over the top'. But some of those words I understand only when I sip Hirsch. One such word is 'structure'. What the hell does that mean when speaking about bourbon? Yet, when I drink Hirsch, I know that it has 'structure', but I can't for the life of me explain it...........it just fits. Now, God help me, I know that I am in love with words, so discount my gabbing as you will.

Rare Breed is the more direct side of the American character (elemental, deal with it, don't let it beat you, atheletic, forceful, and almost dangerous in its intensity). While Hirsch is the subtle side of the American character (refined, but never as refined or delicate as Cognac, sophisticated, indirect, archane, oblique, and almost dangerous in its elusiveness). Both bourbons are wonderfully evocative of the poles of the American personality.

For the everyday we want something less challenging, either in its intensity, or in its rich subtleness, something we are comfortable with, trust, love and respect. Something in the middle that we can afford and will not get us into trouble because of its seductive extreme, something not too forceful, nor too sophisticated. You choose where your moderate bourbon (or politician) lies, but for an everyday pour, choose moderation.
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rage at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - Dylan Thomas
Mike
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