I agree. I have a 1993 bottle of Old Overholt and several bottles of 1983 Jim Beam Rye. They don't taste anything alike and don't taste anything like the current offerings.Quote:
Originally Posted by tmckenzie
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I agree. I have a 1993 bottle of Old Overholt and several bottles of 1983 Jim Beam Rye. They don't taste anything alike and don't taste anything like the current offerings.Quote:
Originally Posted by tmckenzie
I believe all Beam rye is the same off the still and made at Clermont.
I love mixing Rye, and when I do, I want the highest proof. My favorite Manhattans were made with either Handy or Willett Rye. I only made 2 with the Handy, as I'm not made of money, but the Willett Rye is cask strength, and can be had for $35. Not the cheapest in the world, but damn good.Quote:
Originally Posted by trumpstylz
If I'm being frugal, I would rather mix OGD 114 than use OO or Beam Rye. Much better IMHO.
Jim Murray, in his book The Complete Guide to Whiskey (Triumph 1997), discussing rye whiskeys (this is back when there were only a handful of them), states regarding mashbills and production,
. . . Jim Beam's is 51 percent rye. The big boy is Old Overholt with an impressive 61 percent rye. * * * [I]n the case of the Beam brands, either their Claremont or Boston distilleries will be called into action, depending on which is available.Now, that was at least 15 years ago, but Old Overholt was established as a Beam product at that point, and he must have gotten that information from somewhere.
I've sampled two recent bottles of these back to back and they were almost indistinguishable. The Overholt might have had just a touch more bite, but it was very subtle. I like both of these better than Pikesville Rye, which saddens me as a Marylander. Although the Pikesville isn't made in Maryland, but in Bardstown by Heaven Hill!
About ten years ago when I was first getting into whiskey, I had bottles of both Beam and OO, and I thought they tasted different. I preferred the OO, so that's what I tended to keep around for casual consumption and mixing. I ran out a while back and haven't picked up a new bottle. I suppose it might have changed over time. Perhaps I'll get one each of the JB and OO and blind taste them.
I like Jim, but he gets some of his information from his vivid imagination.Quote:
Originally Posted by chasking
Old Overholt was something I could not even finish. Poured about half the bottle out. After that experience I did not bother trying the JB Rye since I figured they had to be the same stuff.
I neither like, nor dislike OO and Beam Rye. These ryes are so flat That they border on being comatose. I feel that any discovery effort put into comparing and contrasting them would be about as scintillating as doing the same with Aquafina and Dasani water.
[QUOTE][/
I've sampled two recent bottles of these back to back and they were almost indistinguishable. The Overholt might have had just a touch more bite, but it was very subtle. I like both of these better than Pikesville Rye, which saddens me as a Marylander. Although the Pikesville isn't made in Maryland, but in Bardstown by Heaven Hill!
QUOTE]
After doing more tasting of the OO, Beam Rye, and Pikesville, I'm reversing my earlier statement. I now think Pikesville is my favorite of the three. And it also happens to be the cheapest in my area, less than $8 per bottle if you buy it by the case.
None of these are as flavorful as Rittenhouse, Sazerac, Handy, Bulleit, etc. But for my taste, for an inexpensive pour, I think I now would prefer these low cost ryes to almost any of the lower cost bourbons like EW black, Ancient Age, Beam White, etc.