Bourbon guys (2 Viewers)

[Joe Bryant]

Was planning the next trip to the region and was looking at the Bulliet tasting which their website describes as "A fully immersive sensory experience that explores our classic Bulleit portfolio with the use of lights, sound, and scent bulbs." Is this like a bourbon spa, or what? I wasn't sure what to make of that.

LOL. I'm not sure what that one is but I think it's talking about the one I did and that's over playing it. They have a thing where the lights are lower and there's music and they have different scent shaker things (like a potpourri container) that is meant to pair to pair with the different bourbons. You smell vanilla and then take a sip of the bourbon and it's supposed to compliment it. It's not much more than that. But still interesting.

 

[Joe Bryant]

Side note from a newb, I very much liked the Bulleit Rye. Lots of ryes seem more spicy than I like but Bulleit's was very nice.

 

[AAABatteries]

FWIW, if you find a bourbon you like take the time to dig around on the Internet and find the mash bill.

Turns out ALL of the ones I've tried and liked -- Buffalo Trace, Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, Knob Creek and Wild Turkey 101 -- are low rye. And most of the other brands from the same distillery share similar mash profiles.

Knowing that I don't like wheats or ryes or Tennessee/charcoal filtration cuts this down to size quite a bit. So I've got a pretty long list of bourbons from 5 distilleries (Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, Jim Beam, Michtner's and Wild Turkey) that I'm a lot more comfortable dropping some coin to try.

My affinity for WT101 has prompted me to want to try the Rare Breed and the Longbranch, so I really get what you're saying, and you're right, it will make it easier to choose a direction, and I may have to go back and try Elijah Craig again, since Heaven Hill produces that and the Evan Williams line, which I liked more.

This is the website I linked earlier, and it goes along with what you're saying. The only Buffalo Trace product I've had so far is Benchmark 8, which wasn't bad, and I think I will go ahead and pull the trigger on the Ancient Age. The bad news is that the only size I can find around me is 1.75L, but the good news is that it will run me about $20. It should be fine enough for what I plan for it, and knowing it's from a distillery I've already tried, some of my anxiety about it has been alleviated.

After that, and restocking my WT101 soon, I'll probably roll the dice with the Old Grand-Dad Bottled in Bond, unless I find the 114 first.

Lots of people have WT101 and Rare Breed in their lists of best values in bourbon. Rare Breed is fantastic for the price. (45-55 depending on where you are located).

Benchmark came out with an entire lineup of 5 bourbons - I think they are Small Batch, Single Barrel, Top Floor, Full Proof and BiB. I did a blind of the 5 recently with some friends and Full Proof and BiB I believe were the winners. I think the cheapest of the 5 is like $16.99 and the most expensive is like $24.99. You can basically get all 5 for $100. Seems like this crowd likes bargains so for me the Benchmark Fullproof goes on the list with Rare Breed for best value - you get 125 proof for about half the price of Rare Breed. It's not as good but worth checking it out. OG 114 is the best of that line - the regular I can't drink. Bonded is a good mixer but the 114 is a good daily pour.

And while I'm talking about best values in bourbon - it's still Elijah Craig Barrel Proof for me based on the quality, the distribution and it's often not marked up too bad like a Stagg Jr. (now just Stagg). Knob Creek Barrel Proof picks are also fantastic value for folks who can't find or afford the higher end stuff.

 

[AAABatteries]

Michter's Michter's US1

My nephew gave me this one for Christmas - brought it back from a trip to Kentucky. I haven't tried it yet but am looking forward to it. Also got a bottle of Widow Jane 10 year from my neighbor. Its a bit sweet but has a strong bite at the end. I wouldn't say its a fantastic bourbon by any means but I've managed to go through half the bottle (with some help) in one month so can't complain.

I'm assuming you guys are referring to the bourbon - I thnk all 3 of their line have the "US-1" - so just making sure.

I like the Michters American even better and the Michters Rye the best of the 3. But can't go wrong with any of them.

 

[AAABatteries]

Have to admit I'm Jim Beam curious after my dive into things today. Didn't know they made Knob Creek and that the base product, Jim Beam, had the profile I like. Would be awesome to find a $15-20 fifth I enjoyed as much as I do the higher-priced stuff.

Any thoughts on that one? Don't think I've ever had it.

Regular Beam is garbage - sorry to anyone who likes it. Beam special release stuff can be outstanding. Their Single Barrel and Single Barrel, Barrel Proof are very, very good and reasonably priced by comparison. If you are wanting to check out Beam products I would skip the regular Beam altogether. Their best cheap item from them is probably Knob Creek. Bakers is really good but think it's around $70.

 

[[icon]]

Have to admit I'm Jim Beam curious after my dive into things today. Didn't know they made Knob Creek and that the base product, Jim Beam, had the profile I like. Would be awesome to find a $15-20 fifth I enjoyed as much as I do the higher-priced stuff.

Any thoughts on that one? Don't think I've ever had it.

Regular Beam is garbage - sorry to anyone who likes it. Beam special release stuff can't be outstanding. Their Single Barrel and Single Barrel, Barrel Proof are very, very good and reasonably priced by comparison. If you are wanting to check out Beam products I would skip the regular Beam altogether. Their best cheap item from them is probably Knob Creek. Bakers is really good but think it's around $70.

I'll mostly agree here.

IMO without getting into varieties I'd grade the basic Beam products:

• Knob Creek - B+ : Very solid flavor with 120pf offerings pushing into the lower A range.
• Bookers - B : They're a bit wild as relatively young, High-proof offerings. LOT of flavor here, though. Few drops of water peel back the heat if you prefer.
• Bakers: - B- : Solid, but the price point usually steers me to KC instead.
• Basil Hayden - C- : Tastes like someone left an ice cube overnight in what was once solid bourbon and it melted out into... this. Though, I prefer fuller flavored whiskey.
• Beam D+ : Meh.

 

[AAABatteries]

Side note from a newb, I very much liked the Bulleit Rye. Lots of ryes seem more spicy than I like but Bulleit's was very nice.

Also one of my favorites - pretty sure it is still sourced by MGP and is their 95/5 recipe. Lots of places source the MGP 95/5 and with good reason - it's outstanding. If you find a distillery that is doing either a finished 95/5 or barrel strength you can almost buy it and know you are getting something good. Recommendation for those just getting into it is to look for picks of this nature - they are often fantastic and at a great value.

 

[AAABatteries]

Have to admit I'm Jim Beam curious after my dive into things today. Didn't know they made Knob Creek and that the base product, Jim Beam, had the profile I like. Would be awesome to find a $15-20 fifth I enjoyed as much as I do the higher-priced stuff.

Any thoughts on that one? Don't think I've ever had it.

Regular Beam is garbage - sorry to anyone who likes it. Beam special release stuff can't be outstanding. Their Single Barrel and Single Barrel, Barrel Proof are very, very good and reasonably priced by comparison. If you are wanting to check out Beam products I would skip the regular Beam altogether. Their best cheap item from them is probably Knob Creek. Bakers is really good but think it's around $70.

I'll mostly agree here.

IMO without getting into varieties I'd grade the Beam products:

Knob Creek B+ - Very solid flavor with 120pf offerings pushing into the lower A range.
Bookers B: They're a bit wild as relatively young, High-proof offerings. LOT of flavor here, though. Few drops of water peel back the heat if you prefer.
Bakers: B-: Solid, but the price point usually steers me to KC instead.
Basil Hayden C-: Tastes like someone left an ice cube overnight in what was once solid bourbon and it melted out into... this.
Beam D+: Meh.

Are you including the Beam SBBP in your D+ or just most of their basic offerings? The SB and SBBP are really good - the rest of the lineup you can keep.

 

[[icon]]

Have to admit I'm Jim Beam curious after my dive into things today. Didn't know they made Knob Creek and that the base product, Jim Beam, had the profile I like. Would be awesome to find a $15-20 fifth I enjoyed as much as I do the higher-priced stuff.

Any thoughts on that one? Don't think I've ever had it.

Regular Beam is garbage - sorry to anyone who likes it. Beam special release stuff can't be outstanding. Their Single Barrel and Single Barrel, Barrel Proof are very, very good and reasonably priced by comparison. If you are wanting to check out Beam products I would skip the regular Beam altogether. Their best cheap item from them is probably Knob Creek. Bakers is really good but think it's around $70.

I'll mostly agree here.

IMO without getting into varieties I'd grade the Beam products:

Knob Creek B+ - Very solid flavor with 120pf offerings pushing into the lower A range.
Bookers B: They're a bit wild as relatively young, High-proof offerings. LOT of flavor here, though. Few drops of water peel back the heat if you prefer.
Bakers: B-: Solid, but the price point usually steers me to KC instead.
Basil Hayden C-: Tastes like someone left an ice cube overnight in what was once solid bourbon and it melted out into... this.
Beam D+: Meh.

Are you including the Beam SBBP in your D+ or just most of their basic offerings? The SB and SBBP are really good - the rest of the lineup you can keep.

Without getting into varieties = general basic product.

Same applies to KC and Basil varieties. Just focused on the base product. 👍🏼

 

[[icon]]

We got iced in this week down in Memphis so I took the chance to kill some bottles that were low:

imgur.com

Discover the magic of the internet at Imgur, a community powered entertainment destination. Lift your spirits with funny jokes, trending memes, entertaining gifs, inspiring stories, viral videos, and so much more from users like iconiconicon.

imgur.com

• Weller 12yr
• Weller Antique 107 (Gaslight Liquors Pick)
• Willett Family Estate 12yr (#3656)
• Blue Note Juke Uncut (MidSouth Bourbon "No Barrel Left Behind" pick)
• Good ol Buffalo Trace

 

[Charlie Steiner]

Lots of people have WT101 and Rare Breed in their lists of best values in bourbon. Rare Breed is fantastic for the price. (45-55 depending on where you are located).

Benchmark came out with an entire lineup of 5 bourbons - I think they are Small Batch, Single Barrel, Top Floor, Full Proof and BiB. I did a blind of the 5 recently with some friends and Full Proof and BiB I believe were the winners. I think the cheapest of the 5 is like $16.99 and the most expensive is like $24.99. You can basically get all 5 for $100. Seems like this crowd likes bargains so for me the Benchmark Fullproof goes on the list with Rare Breed for best value - you get 125 proof for about half the price of Rare Breed. It's not as good but worth checking it out. OG 114 is the best of that line - the regular I can't drink. Bonded is a good mixer but the 114 is a good daily pour.

And while I'm talking about best values in bourbon - it's still Elijah Craig Barrel Proof for me based on the quality, the distribution and it's often not marked up too bad like a Stagg Jr. (now just Stagg). Knob Creek Barrel Proof picks are also fantastic value for folks who can't find or afford the higher end stuff.

The only Benchmark I've found near me is the basic (said 8 yr on the label, guess it's either the small batch or single barrel), and the Full Proof is on my radar. Not sure if Buffalo Trace switching distributors is going to make a difference in finding it, though.

BTW, I did pick up the Ancient Age today and will probably sample it tonight. I wanted to get it ahead of tomorrow, as I've been trying to limit myself to only drinking on nights when I don't have to get up early the next day. I asked one of the salesmen if he had tried it before, and his review was pretty much in line with everyone else, and he went on to suggest Very Old Barton, which is on my list already but will have to wait its turn.

 

[DocHolliday]

Side note from a newb, I very much liked the Bulleit Rye. Lots of ryes seem more spicy than I like but Bulleit's was very nice.

Bulleit Rye is fantastic, especially for the money! I lean towards ryes these days though.

 

[FatMax]

I'm just getting to know whiskeys a little now, and I'm finding some stuff I really like. As far as Ryes go, I really like Rabbit Hole Boxergrail.

The others I really like are the single pot still Irish whiskeys, but those don't really fit the theme of this thread.

 

[[icon]]

I'm just getting to know whiskeys a little now, and I'm finding some stuff I really like. As far as Ryes go, I really like Rabbit Hole Boxergrail.

The others I really like are the single pot still Irish whiskeys, but those don't really fit the theme of this thread.

Redbreast

 

[FatMax]

I'm just getting to know whiskeys a little now, and I'm finding some stuff I really like. As far as Ryes go, I really like Rabbit Hole Boxergrail.

The others I really like are the single pot still Irish whiskeys, but those don't really fit the theme of this thread.

Redbreast

Powers - John's Layne too, if you haven't had it. YUM

 

[simsarge]

Question. This might not be the right place to ask, but I'll at least start here. I need to settle a bet and my payee said he likes Buffalo Trace or Bowman. I was going to buy some and send it to him, but but I can't seem to find either around me (Southern NJ) and nobody around him (outside Myrtle Beach) delivers (Drizly, etc)
Anybody have any insider info?

 

[AAABatteries]

I'm just getting to know whiskeys a little now, and I'm finding some stuff I really like. As far as Ryes go, I really like Rabbit Hole Boxergrail.

The others I really like are the single pot still Irish whiskeys, but those don't really fit the theme of this thread.

Redbreast

Powers - John's Layne too, if you haven't had it. YUM

I’ve had a hard time finding that one.

The Redbreast line is fantastic. The CS 12 is my favorite but the Lustau is really good. Need to find a Red Spot to go with my Green, Yellow and Blue.

Any other Irish you would recommend?

 

[Rustoleum]

Lots of people have WT101 and Rare Breed in their lists of best values in bourbon. Rare Breed is fantastic for the price. (45-55 depending on where you are located).

Benchmark came out with an entire lineup of 5 bourbons - I think they are Small Batch, Single Barrel, Top Floor, Full Proof and BiB. I did a blind of the 5 recently with some friends and Full Proof and BiB I believe were the winners. I think the cheapest of the 5 is like $16.99 and the most expensive is like $24.99. You can basically get all 5 for $100. Seems like this crowd likes bargains so for me the Benchmark Fullproof goes on the list with Rare Breed for best value - you get 125 proof for about half the price of Rare Breed. It's not as good but worth checking it out. OG 114 is the best of that line - the regular I can't drink. Bonded is a good mixer but the 114 is a good daily pour.

And while I'm talking about best values in bourbon - it's still Elijah Craig Barrel Proof for me based on the quality, the distribution and it's often not marked up too bad like a Stagg Jr. (now just Stagg). Knob Creek Barrel Proof picks are also fantastic value for folks who can't find or afford the higher end stuff.

The only Benchmark I've found near me is the basic (said 8 yr on the label, guess it's either the small batch or single barrel), and the Full Proof is on my radar. Not sure if Buffalo Trace switching distributors is going to make a difference in finding it, though.

BTW, I did pick up the Ancient Age today and will probably sample it tonight. I wanted to get it ahead of tomorrow, as I've been trying to limit myself to only drinking on nights when I don't have to get up early the next day. I asked one of the salesmen if he had tried it before, and his review was pretty much in line with everyone else, and he went on to suggest Very Old Barton, which is on my list already but will have to wait its turn.

The dropoff from 1792 to Very Old Barton’s is steep.

The Sam’s Club Member’s Mark bourbon is from Barton. My friends and I found it to be much much closer to 1792 than to VOB, which makes it a great bargain in my book at $19.

 

[FatMax]

I'm just getting to know whiskeys a little now, and I'm finding some stuff I really like. As far as Ryes go, I really like Rabbit Hole Boxergrail.

The others I really like are the single pot still Irish whiskeys, but those don't really fit the theme of this thread.

Redbreast

Powers - John's Layne too, if you haven't had it. YUM

I’ve had a hard time finding that one.

The Redbreast line is fantastic. The CS 12 is my favorite but the Lustau is really good. Need to find a Red Spot to go with my Green, Yellow and Blue.

Any other Irish you would recommend?

Middleton is excellent, but my neophyte palate thought that Powers was just as good, at about 25% of the price. That's not to say Powers is inexpensive, it just that Middleton is crazy. The Spots are all good too. I'll have to check my notes when I get home. I think there was one more that I liked. IIRC there are only a handful of true single pot still whiskeys anyway.

 

[Instinctive]

Just tossing out that this thread inspired my whiskey sour craving, which I fulfilled successfully. Old Granddad 114 - the perfect cocktail bourbon.

 

[Gamma1210]

I'm just getting to know whiskeys a little now, and I'm finding some stuff I really like. As far as Ryes go, I really like Rabbit Hole Boxergrail.

The others I really like are the single pot still Irish whiskeys, but those don't really fit the theme of this thread.

Redbreast

Powers - John's Layne too, if you haven't had it. YUM

I’ve had a hard time finding that one.

The Redbreast line is fantastic. The CS 12 is my favorite but the Lustau is really good. Need to find a Red Spot to go with my Green, Yellow and Blue.

Any other Irish you would recommend?

I’ll add more tomorrow but I do think Irish are underrated overall. You aren’t going to get the burn of a full proof bourbon but there are some interesting flavors out there. If you can find teeling by you they are worth a try for sure. Only working distillery in Dublin and it felt like going to a craft brewery going there. A lot of experimental stuff going on but their base small batch is very good.

 

[AAABatteries]

I'm just getting to know whiskeys a little now, and I'm finding some stuff I really like. As far as Ryes go, I really like Rabbit Hole Boxergrail.

The others I really like are the single pot still Irish whiskeys, but those don't really fit the theme of this thread.

Redbreast

Powers - John's Layne too, if you haven't had it. YUM

I’ve had a hard time finding that one.

The Redbreast line is fantastic. The CS 12 is my favorite but the Lustau is really good. Need to find a Red Spot to go with my Green, Yellow and Blue.

Any other Irish you would recommend?

I’ll add more tomorrow but I do think Irish are underrated overall. You aren’t going to get the burn of a full proof bourbon but there are some interesting flavors out there. If you can find teeling by you they are worth a try for sure. Only working distillery in Dublin and it felt like going to a craft brewery going there. A lot of experimental stuff going on but their base small batch is very good.

I have a bottle of Teeling Small Batch and love it. I had the low end Powers and had to use it for Irish coffees - too sharp a metallic vanilla note for me. But I’ve heard good things about John’s Lane like Max said.

 

[FatMax]

I'm just getting to know whiskeys a little now, and I'm finding some stuff I really like. As far as Ryes go, I really like Rabbit Hole Boxergrail.

The others I really like are the single pot still Irish whiskeys, but those don't really fit the theme of this thread.

Redbreast

Powers - John's Layne too, if you haven't had it. YUM

I’ve had a hard time finding that one.

The Redbreast line is fantastic. The CS 12 is my favorite but the Lustau is really good. Need to find a Red Spot to go with my Green, Yellow and Blue.

Any other Irish you would recommend?

I’ll add more tomorrow but I do think Irish are underrated overall. You aren’t going to get the burn of a full proof bourbon but there are some interesting flavors out there. If you can find teeling by you they are worth a try for sure. Only working distillery in Dublin and it felt like going to a craft brewery going there. A lot of experimental stuff going on but their base small batch is very good.

I have a bottle of Teeling Small Batch and love it. I had the low end Powers and had to use it for Irish coffees - too sharp a metallic vanilla note for me. But I’ve heard good things about John’s Lane like Max said.

I lack the vocabulary really describe whiskeys, but to me John's Lane kinda has a grassy, black peppery finish, if that makes any sense. It's what attracted me to it (and probably why I prefer Ryes to Bourbon)

 

[Charlie Steiner]

BTW, I did pick up the Ancient Age today and will probably sample it tonight.

Here goes...

First thought: Guess I'm not done with plastic bottles. One of my first scotches was a cheap no-name brand (Sir Edwards) that hid a decent caramel flavor behind heavy malt, but I'm digressing...

Screw top. No surprise. Don't like the plastic piece at the top that breaks up the pour.

First sniff is pleasant; I'll call it oak and vanilla. And something watery?

First sip (after a few more sniffs) is a bit malty, caramel and/or brown sugar joins the vanilla and oak, a little burn on the back end but doesn't go all the way down like the Benchamark or Evan Williams.

Aftertaste is much like the taste, a fairly even mix of vanilla, oak, caramel/brown sugar and malt (the telltale sign of 'cheap' whisk(e)ys from all walks of life). For its blemishes, I kind of wish it lingered longer.

Second sip pretty much confirms my first impression.

Knee-jerk thoughts: I'm presuming the 'malty' note is the reason this juice that has been called 'Stagg Jr. Jr.' sells for a fraction of the price. That said, the malt is not a deal-breaker and there's enough of the other flavors I like in my bourbon that I actually kind of like it and it should do well as a follow up pour to WT101 and Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond/1783, and eventually Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond. I will definitely buy it again, though I'll probably try Very Old Barton once this bottle is gone.

Question: Once I finish either of my 1.75L glass bottles (WT101 and Evan Williams BiB), I'm considering transferring the Ancient Age to it, as the plastic bottle concerns me; anyone have horror stories about doing this?

 

[MrJimiT]

I'm just getting to know whiskeys a little now, and I'm finding some stuff I really like. As far as Ryes go, I really like Rabbit Hole Boxergrail.

The others I really like are the single pot still Irish whiskeys, but those don't really fit the theme of this thread.

Redbreast

Powers - John's Layne too, if you haven't had it. YUM

I’ve had a hard time finding that one.

The Redbreast line is fantastic. The CS 12 is my favorite but the Lustau is really good. Need to find a Red Spot to go with my Green, Yellow and Blue.

Any other Irish you would recommend?

I love, love, love Redbreast CS12 and I cannot tell if I like Redbreast 15 better or not. I love them both. Single Pot Still is the way to go!!

Of all of your "Spots", which one is your favorite?? Or better yet, which SPOT is the one I should seek out the most???

 

[AAABatteries]

I'm just getting to know whiskeys a little now, and I'm finding some stuff I really like. As far as Ryes go, I really like Rabbit Hole Boxergrail.

The others I really like are the single pot still Irish whiskeys, but those don't really fit the theme of this thread.

Redbreast

Powers - John's Layne too, if you haven't had it. YUM

I’ve had a hard time finding that one.

The Redbreast line is fantastic. The CS 12 is my favorite but the Lustau is really good. Need to find a Red Spot to go with my Green, Yellow and Blue.

Any other Irish you would recommend?

I love, love, love Redbreast CS12 and I cannot tell if I like Redbreast 15 better or not. I love them both. Single Pot Still is the way to go!!

Of all of your "Spots", which one is your favorite?? Or better yet, which SPOT is the one I should seek out the most???

100% buy a Blue Spot if you can find it. I got lucky and found one on the shelf - paid $99 for it and then found a 2nd one in Florida. Split that 2nd bottle with my buddy. It's fantastic - cask strength and finished in Sherry, Mediera and Bourbon barrels. Right now I'm limiting myself to only drinking it on St. Paddy's day as we do a yearly Irish whisky night and I want it to last a while as I don't expect to get lucky a 3rd time.

Of the others - Green is solid but the price keeps going up. I've had 2 bottles and not sure I'll buy a 3rd. Yellow is overpriced IMO. It's good and definitely better than Green but it's $100+ everywhere I see it. Seldom see Red and I've never had it. Considering how much I'm invested in the other 3 I'm apprehensive to buy Red but it would complete the set (ignoring Gold which I've heard is outstanding) so I'd probably buy it for around $120 if I could ever find it again.

I keep waiting for the bubble to burst on the whiskey market and it hasn't - maybe won't. I have more than I could drink in probably 3 years so I've tried to limit my purchases to special bottles, staples and things I've just never tried.

FTR, I think I still would take RB CS12 over Blue Spot. It's that good.

ETA - also was going to mention that the RB CS I think is now NAS and not 12 years - so if you see an old 12 year bottler for sure grab it.

 

[MrJimiT]

I'm just getting to know whiskeys a little now, and I'm finding some stuff I really like. As far as Ryes go, I really like Rabbit Hole Boxergrail.

The others I really like are the single pot still Irish whiskeys, but those don't really fit the theme of this thread.

Redbreast

Powers - John's Layne too, if you haven't had it. YUM

I’ve had a hard time finding that one.

The Redbreast line is fantastic. The CS 12 is my favorite but the Lustau is really good. Need to find a Red Spot to go with my Green, Yellow and Blue.

Any other Irish you would recommend?

I love, love, love Redbreast CS12 and I cannot tell if I like Redbreast 15 better or not. I love them both. Single Pot Still is the way to go!!

Of all of your "Spots", which one is your favorite?? Or better yet, which SPOT is the one I should seek out the most???

100% buy a Blue Spot if you can find it. I got lucky and found one on the shelf - paid $99 for it and then found a 2nd one in Florida. Split that 2nd bottle with my buddy. It's fantastic - cask strength and finished in Sherry, Mediera and Bourbon barrels. Right now I'm limiting myself to only drinking it on St. Paddy's day as we do a yearly Irish whisky night and I want it to last a while as I don't expect to get lucky a 3rd time.

Of the others - Green is solid but the price keeps going up. I've had 2 bottles and not sure I'll buy a 3rd. Yellow is overpriced IMO. It's good and definitely better than Green but it's $100+ everywhere I see it. Seldom see Red and I've never had it. Considering how much I'm invested in the other 3 I'm apprehensive to buy Red but it would complete the set (ignoring Gold which I've heard is outstanding) so I'd probably buy it for around $120 if I could ever find it again.

I keep waiting for the bubble to burst on the whiskey market and it hasn't - maybe won't. I have more than I could drink in probably 3 years so I've tried to limit my purchases to special bottles, staples and things I've just never tried.

FTR, I think I still would take RB CS12 over Blue Spot. It's that good.

ETA - also was going to mention that the RB CS I think is now NAS and not 12 years - so if you see an old 12 year bottler for sure grab it.

Fantastic information!! Thanks!!

 

[[icon]]

I'm just getting to know whiskeys a little now, and I'm finding some stuff I really like. As far as Ryes go, I really like Rabbit Hole Boxergrail.

The others I really like are the single pot still Irish whiskeys, but those don't really fit the theme of this thread.

Redbreast

Powers - John's Layne too, if you haven't had it. YUM

I’ve had a hard time finding that one.

The Redbreast line is fantastic. The CS 12 is my favorite but the Lustau is really good. Need to find a Red Spot to go with my Green, Yellow and Blue.

Any other Irish you would recommend?

I love, love, love Redbreast CS12 and I cannot tell if I like Redbreast 15 better or not. I love them both. Single Pot Still is the way to go!!

Of all of your "Spots", which one is your favorite?? Or better yet, which SPOT is the one I should seek out the most???

100% buy a Blue Spot if you can find it. I got lucky and found one on the shelf - paid $99 for it and then found a 2nd one in Florida. Split that 2nd bottle with my buddy. It's fantastic - cask strength and finished in Sherry, Mediera and Bourbon barrels. Right now I'm limiting myself to only drinking it on St. Paddy's day as we do a yearly Irish whisky night and I want it to last a while as I don't expect to get lucky a 3rd time.

Of the others - Green is solid but the price keeps going up. I've had 2 bottles and not sure I'll buy a 3rd. Yellow is overpriced IMO. It's good and definitely better than Green but it's $100+ everywhere I see it. Seldom see Red and I've never had it. Considering how much I'm invested in the other 3 I'm apprehensive to buy Red but it would complete the set (ignoring Gold which I've heard is outstanding) so I'd probably buy it for around $120 if I could ever find it again.

I keep waiting for the bubble to burst on the whiskey market and it hasn't - maybe won't. I have more than I could drink in probably 3 years so I've tried to limit my purchases to special bottles, staples and things I've just never tried.

FTR, I think I still would take RB CS12 over Blue Spot. It's that good.

ETA - also was going to mention that the RB CS I think is now NAS and not 12 years - so if you see an old 12 year bottler for sure grab it.

@AAABatteries knows stuff 🤘🏼

Thanks for sharing GB

 

[Charlie Steiner]

I just posted in the scotch thread about my trip to a local honey hole of a store with my father, but what I didn't post there was that I made yet another impulse purchase, despite saying just a few posts upthread that I was going to limit myself to one purchase a month.

I stop at this store on my way home whenever I visit my parents, though usually I just browse. The last couple of times there, I was looking for Old Grand-Dad 114, but all they carry is the 1.75L bottles of the 86 proof version. Today, however, my father wanted to go and resupply, and I went in strictly to browse, as I had just picked up the Ancient Age only a few days ago. What I wasn't expecting was to find Old Forester 100 for $25. This brand has been on my radar also, but I'd never seen the 100 proof before, and for the third time in this store, I found a bottle whose price was so low to me that grabbing it was a reflex.

Because I had so much fun sharing my tasting experience here last night, I'm going to do it again...

First thought: So dark. Had to hold it next to the WT101 and Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond and I think it really is a touch darker. Had to look up the mash bill, could only find that all Old Forresters have 18% rye in their mash bill, which appears to be 5% more rye than WT 101. I'm on record here of being leery of rye, so here goes nothing.

First sniff is less Wild Turkey and more Evan Williams, in that the Wild Turkey burns my nose a little yet the vapors from the Forester give me mostly what I guess is vanilla, but with something foreboding behind it. I know that mint is often a note that accompanies rye, and I think it's mixing with and slightly masking the other flavors.

First sip is hot yet not burning and gives way to caramel/brown sugar more than vanilla and an oaky aftertaste that actually fades pretty quickly, leaving me a little puzzled; how can it hit so strong at first and then fade so quickly?

Second sip not as hot as the first, so the actual flavors hit my palate quicker, and this time the last notes are kind of chocolatey but not sweet.

Against my better judgement, I added a drop of water for my third sip, which actually made it smell more like the WT101 to me and turned the heat more into spice, pleasantly peppery, and made it even a little sweeter.

Knee-jerk thoughts: Can't help but compare it to the Evan Williams and Wild Turkey due the proof, and I think I like it more than the Evan Williams BiB but not as much as the WT101, even though it doesn't have the afterburn that the WT101 has. Not the biggest fan of the initial heat but it fades quickly enough and it seemed to welcome the splash of water. Looking forward even more to trying the Old Grand-Dad BiB and/or the 114.

 

[[icon]]

Since we've got a bit more tasting notes happening lately I figured I'd share this.

Admittedly, I'm terrible at picking up and articulating notes. That's just not how my brain/palate work.

That said, a tasting wheel has helped me identify flavors I'm tasting, and then using the wheel I can refine them a bit. For example: Sweet > Buttery > Caramel.... or Spice > Aromatic > Licorice.


There are lots of them but this American Bourbon Association wheel has some decent guidance notes.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

So... Virginia has ABC stores -- state stores that are the only place you can buy hard liquor.

They actually do get hard-to-get product sometimes, but it's in small quantities and they don't shelve it. They send an e-mail to a list that you sign up for that there's "limited product" available for sale at a particular set of stores. So you look to see if your store is on the list and then either call to see what they have (which, as you'll see, eats up valuable time) or beat feet straight to the store and hope for the best.

I just signed up for this list over the weekend and BAM!!! 2pm today. E-mail. I literally bolt straight out the door to the nearest ABC store, which... isn't on the list of stores .

So I head to the one up the road and arrive at maybe 2:18. When I get there there's a line of like 10 dudes in front of me. They didn't have Buffalo Trace at all, but the guy two in front of me made off the with last bottle of Eagle Rare. Pretty crazy system.

Told Mrs. Dinsy that the next time the close store (3 minutes max if we make the light) has product she's coming with me so that on the off chance they have what I'm looking for we can get two bottles.

 

[[icon]]

So... Virginia has ABC stores -- state stores that are the only place you can buy hard liquor.

They actually do get hard-to-get product sometimes, but it's in small quantities and they don't shelve it. They send an e-mail to a list that you sign up for that there's "limited product" available for sale at a particular set of stores. So you look to see if your store is on the list and then either call to see what they have (which, as you'll see, eats up valuable time) or beat feet straight to the store and hope for the best.

I just signed up for this list over the weekend and BAM!!! 2pm today. E-mail. I literally bolt straight out the door to the nearest ABC store, which... isn't on the list of stores .

So I head to the one up the road and arrive at maybe 2:18. When I get there there's a line of like 10 dudes in front of me. They didn't have Buffalo Trace at all, but the guy two in front of me made off the with last bottle of Eagle Rare. Pretty crazy system.

Told Mrs. Dinsy that the next time the close store (3 minutes max if we make the light) has product she's coming with me so that on the off chance they have what I'm looking for we can get two bottles.

The Significant Other move is a strong one. It works well!

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Howler Head Banana Infused Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Howler Head Banana Infused Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is blended with only the finest Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey we could get our paws on. You've got a kick of oak, a nice whirl of sweetness, & some straight from the jungle Bananarama awesomeness.

3brothersliquor.com

As much as the monkey on the label attracted me, I just could not pull the trigger and buy a bottle.

 

[Bluesbomber]

EH Taylor barrel strength 127.3... 11 thumbs up, and to my buddy's lady friend who started buying rounds after my buddy was enticed to try it, and twisted my arm oh so gently to reup, you are a saintly woman and all the best life has to offer for you and yours....js.

 

[MrJimiT]

EH Taylor barrel strength 127.3... 11 thumbs up, and to my buddy's lady friend who started buying rounds after my buddy was enticed to try it, and twisted my arm oh so gently to reup, you are a saintly woman and all the best life has to offer for you and yours....js.

I love EH Taylor products, but I have never seen a Barrel Strength to even try. Kudos!!

 

[[icon]]

EH Taylor barrel strength 127.3... 11 thumbs up, and to my buddy's lady friend who started buying rounds after my buddy was enticed to try it, and twisted my arm oh so gently to reup, you are a saintly woman and all the best life has to offer for you and yours....js.

True Story... a good buddy of mine who is a pretty hardcore bourbon guy traded a Old Rip Van Winkle 10yr for a EHT Barrel Proof last year. I think he got the better end of the deal, as well.

EHT Barrel proof is fan-****ing-tasting.

 

[Dan Lambskin]

Found an Elijah Craig Private barrel barrel proof at Kroger today and grabbed that

 

[AAABatteries]

Found an Elijah Craig Private barrel barrel proof at Kroger today and grabbed that

I’m super jealous of the folks that can get whiskey at Kroger, Target and the like - we even had a stupid law here in GA that on 2 stores from like Costco, Sams, etc can have liquor in the entire state. Thankfully we aren’t as bad as ABC store states but it’s impossible to find discount whiskey

 

[Dezbelief]

Found an Elijah Craig Private barrel barrel proof at Kroger today and grabbed that

I’m super jealous of the folks that can get whiskey at Kroger, Target and the like - we even had a stupid law here in GA that on 2 stores from like Costco, Sams, etc can have liquor in the entire state. Thankfully we aren’t as bad as ABC store states but it’s impossible to find discount whiskey

Only individual owned liquor stores are allowed in Texas, limit of 5 per person. Families can team up to have chains of more than 5 stores.

 

[Joe Bryant]

Visiting family in Lexington for Super Bowl weekend and some tours yesterday.

Willet was super nice. Family owned vibe and definitely felt independent. Did a tasting and had their Willet Pot Reserve, Rowan Creek, Pure Kentucky and Old Bardstown. Pot Reserve was my favorite.

 

[MrJimiT]

Visiting family in Lexington for Super Bowl weekend and some tours yesterday.

Willet was super nice. Family owned vibe and definitely felt independent. Did a tasting and had their Willet Pot Reserve, Rowan Creek, Pure Kentucky and Old Bardstown. Pot Reserve was my favorite.

I went in July '22 and enjoyed the Willet Tour!!

 

[tribe]

So... Virginia has ABC stores -- state stores that are the only place you can buy hard liquor.

They actually do get hard-to-get product sometimes, but it's in small quantities and they don't shelve it. They send an e-mail to a list that you sign up for that there's "limited product" available for sale at a particular set of stores. So you look to see if your store is on the list and then either call to see what they have (which, as you'll see, eats up valuable time) or beat feet straight to the store and hope for the best.

I just signed up for this list over the weekend and BAM!!! 2pm today. E-mail. I literally bolt straight out the door to the nearest ABC store, which... isn't on the list of stores .

So I head to the one up the road and arrive at maybe 2:18. When I get there there's a line of like 10 dudes in front of me. They didn't have Buffalo Trace at all, but the guy two in front of me made off the with last bottle of Eagle Rare. Pretty crazy system.

Told Mrs. Dinsy that the next time the close store (3 minutes max if we make the light) has product she's coming with me so that on the off chance they have what I'm looking for we can get two bottles.

The recent drops have been pretty crazy. In the past month or so I've been able to grab an OF19, Stagg Jr (B16 too for some reason), MWND, and a few Blantons that I was able to trade up for a RR13 and WT 101 12Yr. At least in Nova you've got to be crazy fast to get to the store, but it's worth it if you can get there within the first 10 minutes.

 

[Joe Bryant]

More tour info.

Left our tasting at Willet on Saturday and had a bit of free time before our tour at Bardstown Bourbon. So stopped by Heaven Hill near Willet.

While Willet felt homey and local and family owned, Heaven Hill feels like Amazon/Disney World. Over the top beautiful welcome center that has like a museum type thing where you walk through see all the history and such. But mainly it felt just over the top commercialized. People were friendly and nothing weird, it just feels a little odd to celebrate Elijah Craig as the frontier preacher bourbon maker guy with the end result feel like it's mostly from Madison Avenue marketing.

I'm a capitalist and I'm all for people doing business and making the most of things. But Willet compared to Heaven Hill felt like the local family owned great steak house vs Ruth Chris.

 

[Galileo]

More tour info.

Left our tasting at Willet on Saturday and had a bit of free time before our tour at Bardstown Bourbon. So stopped by Heaven Hill near Willet.

While Willet felt homey and local and family owned, Heaven Hill feels like Amazon/Disney World. Over the top beautiful welcome center that has like a museum type thing where you walk through see all the history and such. But mainly it felt just over the top commercialized. People were friendly and nothing weird, it just feels a little odd to celebrate Elijah Craig as the frontier preacher bourbon maker guy with the end result feel like it's mostly from Madison Avenue marketing.

I'm a capitalist and I'm all for people doing business and making the most of things. But Willet compared to Heaven Hill felt like the local family owned great steak house vs Ruth Chris.

I couldn't agree more with your assessment of these two. I was not nearly as enamored with Heaven Hill as I was with most other places. Other places simply felt more nostalgic. Even places like Buffalo Trace and Maker's, which are marketing machines themselves, had a more down home feel to them compared to Heaven Hill. If I was a betting man (and I am), I suspect you found Bardstown Bourbon somewhere in between, but a little closer to Heaven Hill than to Willet in terms of feel.

 

[3C's]

So... Virginia has ABC stores -- state stores that are the only place you can buy hard liquor.

They actually do get hard-to-get product sometimes, but it's in small quantities and they don't shelve it. They send an e-mail to a list that you sign up for that there's "limited product" available for sale at a particular set of stores. So you look to see if your store is on the list and then either call to see what they have (which, as you'll see, eats up valuable time) or beat feet straight to the store and hope for the best.

I just signed up for this list over the weekend and BAM!!! 2pm today. E-mail. I literally bolt straight out the door to the nearest ABC store, which... isn't on the list of stores .

So I head to the one up the road and arrive at maybe 2:18. When I get there there's a line of like 10 dudes in front of me. They didn't have Buffalo Trace at all, but the guy two in front of me made off the with last bottle of Eagle Rare. Pretty crazy system.

Told Mrs. Dinsy that the next time the close store (3 minutes max if we make the light) has product she's coming with me so that on the off chance they have what I'm looking for we can get two bottles.

If you live in Williamsburg my apologies for taking that last bottle.

 

[Galileo]

First time trying Jefferson's Reserve very old very small batch tonight. A friend just gifted me a bottle. Seems to be a decent sipper. I get a solid hit of butterscotch on the nose. Fairly mild and smooth on the palate with a toasted caramel/toffee flavor, but takes on a more spicy sensation at the back of your tongue if you let it set there for a moment.

 

[[icon]]

Visiting family in Lexington for Super Bowl weekend and some tours yesterday.

Willet was super nice. Family owned vibe and definitely felt independent. Did a tasting and had their Willet Pot Reserve, Rowan Creek, Pure Kentucky and Old Bardstown. Pot Reserve was my favorite.

I REALLY hope you went to the bar and drank some of their good stuff (Family Estate bottlings) and had one of their legendary egg salad sandwiches.

 

[The Man With No Name]

Whiskey Lore's Travel Guide to Experiencing Kentucky Bourbon: Learn, Plan, Taste, Tour

 

[Charlie Steiner]

Picked up the Old Grand-Dad Bonded yesterday, and I'm just opening it now...

First thought: 27% rye. The Old Forester 100 pushed the envelope for me, and that was only 18% rye. I still remember typing in this very thread that I wasn't sure about rye, yet here I am.

First sniff: Couldn't wait for the pour and sniffed it as soon as I pulled the cork. I'm still not good at identifying specific notes, and in this case, the first word that came to mind was 'cool'. Must be the mint. The second word that came to mind was 'inviting'.

First sip: Very WT101-ish at first, vanilla/caramel, oak. A lot of heat like with the Old Forester 100 that hit quickly, but unlike the Old Forester, the heat lingered a little longer but wasn't a burn and just left a pleasant aftertaste that lingered longer than the Old Forester did as well. No burn down the throat, either. Just a nice, lingering oak and caramel aftertaste.

Second sip: Didn't swirl it in my mouth like I had the first time, and there was no heat. It wasn't as enjoyable, either. Not bad, just not as much of the full flavor this time.

Added a splash of water for the third sip, and that took all the fun out of it. Had to add some more from the bottle to be able to finish the rest.

Knee-jerk thoughts: Definitely like it more than the Old Forester 100 and possible the WT101 as well. Won't be able to get this in 1.75L and I'm not sure if I want to try the 86 proof as it's probably watered down to where I had it on my third sip. Regardless, I think I will be keeping this on hand. Good price, good proof, good taste. May have to do a blind comparison with WT101 next weekend. I'm definitely overcoming my 'fear' of rye, but I'm still not in a hurry to get to it as I'm still enjoying navigating this tier of bourbon.

 

[Charlie Steiner]

Copied from FB...

Happy Bottled-in-Bond day!

March 3, 1897, President Grover Cleveland signed the Bottled-in-Bond Act, the very first food and drug safety act instituted in the world, and it was because of whiskey. (The Purge Food and Drug Act wasn't passed until 1906, so you see the significance of whiskey in America). When you see Bottled-in-Bond on a label, it means the following:

The whiskey was made by the same distiller,
All whiskey in the bottle was distilled the same distilling season,
It's been aged at least four years,
You'll know exactly what distillery made it and where it was bottled,
It's 100 proof/50% alcohol by volume, and,
No additives or other substances but water has been put into the bottle other than true whiskey.

This was a major change for whiskey production in America as the Act required the whiskey to be sold in bottles if you wanted to be BIB. For distillers, there was an incentive to go through the extra cost to be BIB for marketing purposes, but also because it allowed taxes on their spirit to not have to be paid until the barrels were dumped for bottling.
The BIB Act was a huge step at the federal level to preserve the integrity of some of America's finest spirit. Celebrate today with a bottle of Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon.


Guess that means more Old Grand-Dad tonight, since it's the only BiB I have at the moment.