Whiskey Best and Worst of 2011

Lets see you personal best new to you pours and events along with the worst events and new pours from last year.

BEST
Meeting Bourbon boffins in Bardstown for the Sampler
Bowman small batch from the Gift Shop
a couple of Willett 7 and 8yr barrel picks
Dinner with Jimmy Russell
a sweet barrel of Michters 10yr single barrel
Redbreast 15 Irish Whisky
WLW BTAC

WORST
My best drinking buddy moving across the continent
a dusty Tom Moore BiB handle
Prices going up
the "Bourbon Expert" next to you at the bar
the 23yr old bar tender who thinks they know how to make a Manhattan
most of the young LDI Ryes under different labels

Glad to hear someone else agrees the young LDI rye is vile. Currently sitting on a 4 year-old bottling from Spec's (Barrel #6) that is absolute swill. My only terrible bottle of December and a strong contender for worst of the year.

The other top contender for biggest 2011 disappointment? Laphroaig Triple Wood. Being such a rabid fan of the rest of their range, it was a totally forgettable dram: poorly integrated, overly sherried juice from sub-par barrels of Quarter Cask that should have been dumped off to independent bottlers.

Best

+ Continuing to know, meet, learn and share with other like minded whiskey enthusiasts.
+ Sampler, KBF, Doug's porch, Gazebo and Chicago gatherings.
+ Winner of the 2011 Bourbonian taster of the year.
+ Kentucky countryside from car window with Gillman as chauffeur and disc jockey extraordinaire...Hendrix Winterland blasting from the speakers.
+ This is the golden age of whiskey and the availability of more barrel proof and nonchill filtered.
+ Okay...gun to the head best, PHC wheater or Bowman's barrel proof rye.

Worst

- Tim Sousley's passing.
- Proliferation of under or improperly aged whiskeys, moonshine and white dog products.
- Ebay with no other transparent and legitimate process.
- My now empty bottle of VVOF.
- Tie between still not a GBS member or the towels at the General Nelson.

Happy New Year

Best
Discovering a nice stash of Pappy in my favorite liquor store, early in the year

Worst
Finally saving up enough to buy several bottles of Pappy, and finding that someone else had cleaned them out earlier that week.

Finding out that my favorite store was not on the list of retailers who received this year's release of Pappy

Best: finding 7 bottles of ORVW 10/107 in July for $25.99per.
Finding the previously not available in Ohio PVW15 5 min from home
As previously stated, more and more barrel strength unfiltered releases

Worst: lack of availability of VW/BTAC
Limited bourbon selection in Ohio
Missing out on some very special bourbons from former distilleries- too late to the. party I guess

Best:

Four Roses barrel selections
Willett 700/800 series
Bowman gift shop bourbon
Bowman LE barrel proof rye
successfully hunting down DSP414 Old Forester 86 proof
'92 EC18
making new friends with bourbon lovers all across the country



Worst:

I don't have a lot to be upset about... I think it's been a great year for bourbon. I've made very few regrettable purchases I feel flush with bottles I find so good that it makes me not care about the insanely overpriced pappys and btacs

To echo Steve, losing a great local drinking friend from my move out west was probably the worst. Drinking good whiskey just isn't the same when it's not in good company!

Also, agreed on young LDI ryes... it's mouthwash to me.

Best:

1) Finding a huge cache of VW at a Total Wine in May. (I left three cases of VW12 behind)
2) Walking out of Total Wine with four cases of PVW15/PVW20.
3) A trip to KY with three buddies and touring seven distilleries.
4) A super terrific tour of the 4R distillery with a VIP tasting.
5) A couple great flights of bourbon with buddies in Frankfort.
6) Ordering VWFRR13 at a restaurant for $8 a glass. (We drank doubles)
7) Buying a bottle of VWFRR13 from same restaurant.
8) Buying three bottles of VWFFR13 right before Christmas.
9) Buying a dusty AHH20.

Worst:

1) No complaints. See above.

Best w/o ranking:
4R Private selection barrel proof single barrel oesk
KC Single barrel
Parker's 2010 Wheater
Rittenhouse Rye BIB

Worst:
Ardbeg 10. made me want to puke. stunk up the whole house.

Best

Having a straight out of the barrel glass of Bernheim with the owner of my favorite shop in Tennessee, a sample of a barrel he had bottled.
WLW.
ABRLE.
All the PVW15 in the spring.

Worst

The theme park bourbon bars in Los Angeles just suck. The bars by Rio, 7 Grand and Monty are overpriced & feel like something your sixty y/o uncle designed in a bad western dream while sleeping in his new yellow mustang convertible he bought with insurance money & two visas to cruise the local high school.
Or worse, for example, Thirsty Crow, couldn't make iced tea so forget about an old fashioned, but the place looks sticky like sugar until your eyes adjust enough to see the cheap vinyl 70's looking trailer veneer. Probably selling a lot of JD & MM too but I'll bet it's not even from the 90's.
These places must be doing ok because they are packed. Mohawk bend? What kind of stupid name is that?
Wood + Vine isn't as bad as long as it's Monday or Tuesday, I can get 4 of the 5 BTAC in a decent glass.
I'm sure this theme park trend is just about in every city across the states. I just wish the theme was about quality bottles & well crafted drinks and less about taxidermy & reproduction fixtures.

Overall, I'm happy with all my bourbon & rye this past year but please, please please distillers, give us more barrel proof bourbons & ryes in 2012!!!

Best:

Holding a bourbon tasting with several friends and coworkers earlier in the year.
Consistently drinking VW rye for $9 at a bar down the street.
The increase in good cocktail bars around Boston.
A true bourbon bar (Saloon) opening up in Davis Sq. Somerville. 100+ whiskeys.
Building up a good stock of old ryes- Vintage 21, VWFRR, Michter's 10, and Saz 18.
Solidifying my favorite daily, lower priced pours- OWA 107 and OGD BiB

Worst:

I tried Elijah Craig 18 again after hating it the first time. I still really dislike it.
The Van Winkle fall release shitshow.