by gillmang » Tue Sep 18, 2007 3:54 pm
Those able to get it should buy the single barrel bottlings of this brand available currently at Cork & Bottle in Kentucky, I got mine at the Covington location. The two are from barrel no. 10 and barrel no. 11. They are just superb, rounded and fruity (black fruit like cherries or plums) despite the high proof. Apparently they are in fact 9 years old. There is no hint of earthy warehouse in them either, that "fresh loam" that some bottlings from the Buffalo Trace distillery have had.
The Buffalo Trace single barrel bottling also at this location (there is only one that I saw) is similarly good: this house knows how to pick them.
Someone I know, a bourbon neophyte, told me normally he wouldn't buy Old Weller 107 because of its low price. I had to laugh because when intip-top shape as these examples are it may be the best bourbon available today and its super low price is just an (atypical to be sure) bonus.
Maybe it's a sly form of humour at Trace, "ah we'll give 'em the best we have and just for fun charge very little for it". Whatever the explanation, it's great whiskey. It is like buying fine French Champagne for $10.00 per bottle instead of $50.00.
Gary