pepcycle
12-12-2004, 12:16
Opportunity is what it is.
On Friday night, Jeff and I had the motive and the opportunity to do a side by side between two single barrel versions of Buffalo Trace.
Both were barreled on 5.1.1996. One was selected by a group of bourbon enthusiasts, some of which are members of this board. The other was selected by Sal Marino of the the Throroughbred shop. We shall call these barrels 4 and 5, since some of us tasted them under those names.
The colors are indistinguishable. Classical burnt orange of Buffalo Trace fame. On the nose, both have a toasted oak and vanilla, with just a hint of clovey spice and that earthiness that makes BT unique. On the palate, again so similar that its scary. Number 4 having a citrus and molasses note, while number 5 has a dark chocolate/cocoa and several degrees more cinammon. Frankly, I find them so similar that its hard to believe they are from different barrels. After several approaches, still the same. Each expressing nuances of their heritage, but never far from the midline. Neither separates itself tremendously from standard BT (Good and Bad) Each subtly different, challenging my abilities to differentiate. We didn't do the ultimate test, a triple blind against std BT. Next time.
More to come. (Vatting???)
BTW: These are both great bourbons and it was worth any price difference to say, "I picked this one".
http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif
On Friday night, Jeff and I had the motive and the opportunity to do a side by side between two single barrel versions of Buffalo Trace.
Both were barreled on 5.1.1996. One was selected by a group of bourbon enthusiasts, some of which are members of this board. The other was selected by Sal Marino of the the Throroughbred shop. We shall call these barrels 4 and 5, since some of us tasted them under those names.
The colors are indistinguishable. Classical burnt orange of Buffalo Trace fame. On the nose, both have a toasted oak and vanilla, with just a hint of clovey spice and that earthiness that makes BT unique. On the palate, again so similar that its scary. Number 4 having a citrus and molasses note, while number 5 has a dark chocolate/cocoa and several degrees more cinammon. Frankly, I find them so similar that its hard to believe they are from different barrels. After several approaches, still the same. Each expressing nuances of their heritage, but never far from the midline. Neither separates itself tremendously from standard BT (Good and Bad) Each subtly different, challenging my abilities to differentiate. We didn't do the ultimate test, a triple blind against std BT. Next time.
More to come. (Vatting???)
BTW: These are both great bourbons and it was worth any price difference to say, "I picked this one".
http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif