20 whiskies, no more - no less
I recently acquired a nice, strong, and seemingly new shiny-black 4-shelf-wire-rack that came from a liquor store (I think it was a display for Bacardi handles originally, and it's tall enough for BTACs).
so until I build a home here in Colorado and can do a built-in, I've decided that this shelving unit will be the sole storage solution for my whiskey 'bar', separate from whatever I can and want to bunker.
it's just big enough to hold 5 750ml/1L bottles wide x 4 deep, per shelf, so I intend to fill it with 20 different whiskies (eventually trying to keep 4-deep of each in my bar with one of each always open).
20 different choices seem like plenty, there really aren't that many different ones I'm crazy about anyway, and while I can always grow it later - the intent is to try and stick with this chosen limitation.
so it's become sort of a game... trying to limit this selection to no more than 20 different whiskies at a time, plus I've included a couple of other constraints to make it more interesting and keep it varied.
further, while suiting my tastes and moods is the most important factor to consider - I'm also somewhat trying to mix it up by distillery, as well as availability, proof, cost, mashbill, and overall whiskey-type.
as I think I mentioned in the recent "what's missing?" thread, I've been thinking about this for a bit and here's what I've come up with... I welcome any and all observations, questions, suggestions and otherwise. ;)
by the way - every choice below is something I've had and like (many more, ~35 or so, didn't make the cut for various reasons), and the ones which are colored green are the ones I have at least one bottle of now... (pics to follow tomorrow or so after I charge the camera)
top/4th shelf - 5 Ryes - Handy
- WT 101 Rye
- Rittenhouse BIB
- VWFRRye
- Baby Saz
3rd shelf - 5 Rye'd Bourbons- GTStagg
- OGD 114
- WT 101
- ETLee
- 4R Yellow
2nd shelf - 5 Wheated Bourbons- WLWeller
- Pappy 15
- ORVW 10/107
- Lot B
- Weller SR
bottom/1st shelf - 1 Tenn., 1 Irish, 1 wildcard, and 2 Scotches- Dickel 12
- ?? something Irish, Jameson as a fall-back
- ?? either a Canadian, a Japanese, a flavored, or another Scotch
- ?? a Barrel Proof Scotch (maybe McCallan, but who knows)
- ?? a regular Scotch (Glenmorangie is a strong candidate)
thanks for looking.
-D
Re: 20 whiskies, no more - no less
It seems like you have put a lot of thought into this. I like order when it comes to bourbon to.
I look forward to pics.
Re: 20 whiskies, no more - no less
Quote:
Originally Posted by
DowntownD
thanks for looking.
-D
Thanks for posting. Here is what I would go with using a similar system:
top/4th shelf - 5 Rye Whiskies / Rye Heavy Bourbons
- Rittenhouse BIB
- WTR 101
- Baby Saz
- Handy
- Knob Creek
3rd shelf - 5 Rye'd Bourbons- GTStagg
- EC12
- ETL
- 4R SmB
- ERSB
2nd shelf - 5 Wheated Bourbons- WLWeller 12
- Pappy 15
- William Larue Weller
- ORVW10/107
- Weller SR
bottom/1st shelf - Other- JD Single Barrel
- Lagavulin 16
- Auchentoshan
- 1 Irish / Canadian
- 1 Wildcard (perhaps a micro whiskey or Dickle No. 8)
Re: 20 whiskies, no more - no less
I love shelves 4,3 and 2 for obvious reasons but would discard the last/bottom shelf of 'other' and replace with bourbons under US$20, it just doesn't feel right having only four of the five shelves stocked with 'the better stuff'... :grin:
Re: 20 whiskies, no more - no less
Quote:
Originally Posted by
DowntownD
bottom/1st shelf -
1 Tenn., 1 Irish, 1 wildcard, and 2 Scotches- Dickel 12
- ?? something Irish, Jameson as a fall-back
- ?? either a Canadian, a Japanese, a flavored, or another Scotch
- ?? a Barrel Proof Scotch (maybe McCallan, but who knows)
- ?? a regular Scotch (Glenmorangie is a strong candidate)
thanks for looking.
-D
Well how peaty do you like your Scotch?? If you want a cask strength peat bomb (I mean a atom bomb of peat:bigeyes:) I would go with Laphraiog 10 y.o Cask Strength. if you are looking for something less peaty I would go with the Aberlour A'bunadh - it's cask strength and this stuff is great!!
As for your regular Scotch The Glenmorangie is a great choice (Scotland's #1 whisky) but I would go with something like the Highland Park 18 y.o - but this is not everyday scotch (unless you are rich) Something alittle cheaper is The Glenfiddich 15 y.o Solera Reserve. Also if you can find it a bottle of Springbank - The vintage 1997 bottling is very, very nice and priced pretty darn cheap for such a great Scotch.
For your Irish selection I would go with a bottle of Bushmills Black Bush. Great price and a damn fine Irish whisky.
For your Canadian/Japanese selection if you want Canadian I would go with Glen Breton Rare 10 y.o. For you Japanese I would go with Yoichi 10 y.o I think this is the best of the Japanese Malts
p.s. the rest of your racks look great:grin:
Re: 20 whiskies, no more - no less
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Stones
I love shelves 4,3 and 2 for obvious reasons but would discard the last/bottom shelf of 'other' and replace with bourbons under US$20, it just doesn't feel right having only four of the five shelves stocked with 'the better stuff'... :grin:
I totally agree -- no need for an 'other' shelf here -- excepting of course that I need some place to slip my Dickel. :grin:
I love this, but I would not necessarily do five of each types! Mine would go something like this:
Rye Whiskey
Handy
Baby Saz
WT Rye 101
Van Winkle Family Reserve
Rye'd Bourbons
Wild Turkey Rare Breed
Elijah Craig 12yr
Evan Williams Single Barrel
Ancient Ancient Age 10yr
George T. Stagg
Old GrandDad 114
Buffalo Trace
Old Ezra Brooks 7/101
Knob Creek
Wheated Bourbon
Old Weller Antique 7/107
Lot 'B'
William Larue Weller
Other
Dickel No.12
Looks like I fell a little short . . . I'm sure I could think of something to fill the void -- there are others I like but have only had once: Weller 12, McKenna SB, Rock Hill Farms, Four Roses Single Barrel that might get added to the list if I got to know them better and a couple I need to revisit before being sure: ORVW 10/107, Wild Turkey 101, Rittenhouse BIB, etc.
Fun game, though...
Re: 20 whiskies, no more - no less
Might I submit a bold choice for your wildcard selection a bottle of corn whiskey? How about Virginia Lightning or Mellow Corn BiB?
Re: 20 whiskies, no more - no less
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Josh
Might I submit a bold choice for your wildcard selection a bottle of corn whiskey? How about Virginia Lightning or Mellow Corn BiB?
Josh, I like your suggestion. I have some corn whiskey in my bunker and it's a nice addition.
Re: 20 whiskies, no more - no less
since my initial post I've moved (hence the lack of photos yet) and (based in part on your feedback) I've decided to re-define my 4th/bottom shelf. instead of it being an "other" (read: non-bourbon/rye) group, I've decided it'll be for what I consider to be "exceptional values" in Bourbons and Ryes. this change caused me to move a few around as well as creating a couple of openings, so here's where I am now:
Quote:
Originally Posted by
DowntownD
top/4th shelf -
5 Ryes- Handy
- VWFRRye
- Saz 18
- Baby Saz
- ??
3rd shelf -
5 Rye'd Bourbons- GTStagg
- Booker's
- 4R SB
- ETLee
- ??
2nd shelf -
5 Wheated Bourbons- WLWeller
- Pappy 15
- ORVW 10/107
- Weller 7/107
- Lot B
bottom/1st shelf -
5 Exceptional Values in Bourbon and Rye- WT 101 Rye
- Ritt BIB Rye
- WT 101
- Weller 12
- 4R Yellow
I'll get to some photos soon. thanks for looking and for your comments.
Re: 20 whiskies, no more - no less
Quote:
Originally Posted by
DowntownD
since my initial post I've moved (hence the lack of photos yet) and (based in part on your feedback) I've decided to re-define my 4th/bottom shelf. instead of it being an "other" (read: non-bourbon/rye) group, I've decided it'll be for what I consider to be "exceptional values" in Bourbons and Ryes. this change caused me to move a few around as well as creating a couple of openings, so here's where I am now:
top/4th shelf -
5 Ryes
- Handy
- VWFRRye
- Saz 18
- Baby Saz
- ??
3rd shelf -
5 Rye'd Bourbons
- GTStagg
- Booker's
- 4R SB
- ETLee
- ??
2nd shelf -
5 Wheated Bourbons
- WLWeller
- Pappy 15
- ORVW 10/107
- Weller 7/107
- Lot B
bottom/1st shelf -
5 Exceptional Values in Bourbon and Rye
- WT 101 Rye
- Ritt BIB Rye
- WT 101
- Weller 12
- 4R Yellow
OK, I'm bored with Call of Duty and don't feel like laying down just yet so I'll add some thoughts. Of course these are just my thoughts.... Somehow some way I'd say you need somethign from Barton and BrownForman in there, as well as maybe a better rep from Heaven Hill.
top/4th shelf - 5 Ryes 5 is a lot of Rye to try and achieve diversity in, maybe take a cue from Kickert and go with Straight Rye/Heaviest Rye Bourbons. If you insist on 5, I'd....
- Handy This one stands out like nothing else possibly could
- VWFRRye
- Saz 18 VW and Saz18 are too similar. I'd go Vintage 21 Rye over Saz18, still similar but better. Or maybe Ri1, I've never tried it but it would add diversity.
- Baby Saz Or maybe Rittenhouse, Baby Saz and Handy are essentially the same just BP/not BP
- WT Rye. This is where I'd say the greatest rye ever ORVW 12year Old Time Rye but its just about impossible to come by; therefore the only thing I think that comes remotely close is WT.
3rd shelf - 5 Rye'd Bourbons
- GTStagg
- Booker's Really? Are you sure you want two extremely high proofers? How about OGD 114? Similar to Bookers in a way yet MUCH less expensive and easier drinking.
- 4R SB Yep I'd always have this one too
- ETLee Eh, I'd go Hancock's or Blanton's
- Old Forester Birthday Bourbon - But yes I am sure that damn bottle shape will pose an issue! Otherwise how about EWSB or VOB (See below values)
2nd shelf - 5 Wheated Bourbons
- WLWeller Which Weller? If you're talking Larue, call it Larue; otherwise there's a few Wellers and they all have WL in front of them! I'd say:
- William Larue Weller (the 2006 for as long as you can find it)
- Pappy 15 How about Pappy20, you've already got two other 107s
- Pappy 20 to know you have some Stitzel Weller bourbon
- ORVW 10/107 Yes
- Weller Antique 7/107
- Lot B I'm seeing a whole lot of the same thing here, if you're going to have 5 wheaters you need to have Maker's in there, I know I don't care for it much either but I don't have 5 wheaters open at any one time unless some are older SW bottles.
bottom/1st shelf - 5 Exceptional Values in Bourbon and Rye Are you sure you don't want some other booze readily available? Do you have some Tequila in the fridge? I don't keep scogthc in the home, but I always have at least one or two bottles of something other than american whiskey. For me it's always Tequila, usually Vodka and sometimes Gin.
- WT 101 Rye Good grief how much Rye do you want?!? I love it more than most, but seriously I can't imagine having a bottle of every Rye open all the time. I'd replace that with:
- Ancient Ancient Age 10 year (pretty much the best value in bourbon ever!!)
- Evan Williams BiB (White Label) - Hard to find, but trust me more than worth it, when you find it (check Missouri) buy 5 cases!
- WT 101 Yes, always have this
- Weller Special reserve the best value in a wheated bourbon period
- 4R Yellow Maybe replace this with VOB to get something from Barton in the mix
Again just my thoughts. CHEERS!!
