My continuing adventures with bourbon

[jbalchunas]

Hey everyone,

Nothing too earth-shattering, but I had an experience this weekend that has helped me appreciate bourbon even more...

Went to my mother and laws for dinner on Friday...As I forgot to bring my bourbon, all they had was a bottle of the white label Jim Beam. In all my tastings (KC, MM, EWSB, EC12, WT101, WTRB), I had yet to try plain-old Jim Beam. So, I poured myself a glass (straight) and was ready to enjoy what I thought at least would be a basic bourbon...

Wow! As a relatively new bourbon drinker, I was so relieved to truly be able to tell such a huge difference between the bourbons I had tasted and Jim Beam. I've got a much better appreciation for good bourbon now...and am more than willing to pay more good bourbon...

Yes the Jim Beam was bourbon and therfore tasted somewhat like bourbon, but there was none of that certain bite I have grown to enjoy...and the second I swallowed, all of the tastes I associate with bourbon were gone...all of them...all I was left with was a rather unpleasant taste of alcohol...so in terms of tasting note terminology...i guess that means it had no finish whatsoever in my opinion, compared to my other tastings...

All in all a great experience as I now appreciate the bourbon I have been drinking so much more and am gradually (slowly but surely) being able to pick out new flavors in the bourbons I enjoy every day...

[angelshare]

Went to my mother and laws for dinner on Friday...As I forgot to bring my bourbon



Oh, the horror! Alcohol always helps a visit to the in-laws. I remember one Christmas, we went to my in-laws'. Someone had brought wine, which was an anomaly for this family gathering. I don't drink wine, but Tina had a few glasses and later pronounced it the best Christmas gathering she could remember there. I couldn't tell the difference.



In all my tastings (KC, MM, EWSB, EC12, WT101, WTRB), I had yet to try plain-old Jim Beam. So, I poured myself a glass (straight) and was ready to enjoy what I thought at least would be a basic bourbon...Wow! As a relatively new bourbon drinker, I was so relieved to truly be able to tell such a huge difference between the bourbons I had tasted and Jim Beam.



I have a soft spot for JB white, as it was the first bourbon I ever had, and probably more importantly the first one I ever drank neat. It is light and simple, sure, but I think it may have been what my palate was accepting at the time. I had WT around the same time, but it was probably a year or two after that I tried WT neat or even just on the rocks. (Note: I don't count shots as neat, but I did quite a few WT shots back in my misspent youth. Now, I am a bit philosophically opposed to shots. Anyone feel differently?)

I will admit, if I had been introduced to bourbon via EC 12, EWSB or WT RB, it might be harder to enjoy JB white. But JB white is young compared to most of the ones you list, and MM is wheated. Maybe think of it as a contrast?

Tying into another thread: I guess I feel compelled to defend one of the bourbons that helped get me into bourbon.

[jeff]

See, JB White almost completely turned me off of bourbon. As a young millitary guy I was among friends who enjoyed bourbon and coke, and they prefered JB white. I hated it, so I assumed I had an aversion to bourbon. Well, many years and a hundred or so bottles of bourbon later, I decided to try a bouron and coke again, even used something like EWSB to make it. Turns out, I just don't like bourbon and coke, as it was just as revolting http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/images/graemlins/puke.gif. I have not tried JB white since, but I think I'll continue to pass for fear of unpleasant memories http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

[Ambernecter]

I had a glass of Jim Beam white straight after a Hirsch 16 the other night "just for fun." It tasted like cheap women's perfume and generally did not cut the mustard.
That said Jim Beam white was also my first taste of Bourbon and if that's all there was, that is what I would drink - no coke no nuttin'.
There is no other spirit that tickles my fancy like Bourbon and I can't see that changing.

[TNbourbon]

I had a glass of Jim Beam white straight after a Hirsch 16 the other night "just for fun." It tasted like cheap women's perfume



As with wine, try the lighter before the heavy. For example, I really enjoy AAA 10yo (my month-old bottle from my KY trip is already half gone, and that's with drinking other things, too), but I almost always have a taste of it first, before anything else, because it's so light compared to most others. Then I move on to Beam Black, Hirsch 16, Ezra 15yo or Stagg.
Tonight, I'm starting with Beam Black, so will chase with an ounce or so of Knob Creek, maybe, or what I view as its wheat equivalent, Weller 12. But, I won't have AAA tonight.