BourbonBaron
02-02-2012, 07:47
Has anyone compared these two? I picked up two bottles this Fall, and I just finished the first one the other day. At first I wasn't a fan, but after a month or two of being opened, I grew to appreciate it a lot more. There was a lot of smoke on the finish that lightened up significantly after the bottle was open, and I really loved the creaminess that accompanied it, which stuck throughout the lifetime of the bottle. I was glad the smoke flavors mellowed out.
The second bottle I opened is totally different. Sadly, to my (unrefined, compared to a lot of you) palette, it tastes nothing like this other bottle. It reminds me a lot of the Rebel Yell Reserve I recently purchased, of which I can't say I care for all that much. No smoke and only a tiny bit of cream compared to the first bottle.
The problem here is I have no clue which bottle was which, as I opened the second bottle and poured half of it into the first bottle to give it more air exposure. I didn't actually have a glass until a few days after doing so, and I only checked the bottling codes after having my first pour. One is 2011 and one is 2009.
Did the expressions really change that much between the two years or am I crazy? Obviously I didn't do a side by side but I would swear that the two are immensely different. I purchased these from two different retailers but I assumed both were 2011 when I bought them.
Strange question, I know. I realize that since the ORVW/90 isn't exactly coveted, most from 2009 have probably been drank by now. I just find my experience quite odd as I assumed both would have tasted pretty darn similar.
The second bottle I opened is totally different. Sadly, to my (unrefined, compared to a lot of you) palette, it tastes nothing like this other bottle. It reminds me a lot of the Rebel Yell Reserve I recently purchased, of which I can't say I care for all that much. No smoke and only a tiny bit of cream compared to the first bottle.
The problem here is I have no clue which bottle was which, as I opened the second bottle and poured half of it into the first bottle to give it more air exposure. I didn't actually have a glass until a few days after doing so, and I only checked the bottling codes after having my first pour. One is 2011 and one is 2009.
Did the expressions really change that much between the two years or am I crazy? Obviously I didn't do a side by side but I would swear that the two are immensely different. I purchased these from two different retailers but I assumed both were 2011 when I bought them.
Strange question, I know. I realize that since the ORVW/90 isn't exactly coveted, most from 2009 have probably been drank by now. I just find my experience quite odd as I assumed both would have tasted pretty darn similar.