Musty Buffalo Trace

[jeff]

Well it happened again. Leslie and I were at an outside "tiki" bar, if you will, and I noticed a bottle of BT on the shelf. I ordered a double on the rocks, thankful that I didn't have to settle for MM or JBW, or so I thought. I could smell something was up when the bartender placed the drink in front of me. The nose was all mildew and soil, and the taste wasn't much better, with nuances of rotten wood and river water. I did manage to finish it, but made a mental note not to pick up any BT anytime soon, as this was an establishment that probably had very recent production BT.

Don't get me wrong, I have been a fan of BT for a long time. Thankfully so, as unfortunately my first bottle of BT many years ago had this very similar profile, and I was close to never purchasing it again. But I did, and found subsequent bottles to be excellent examples of good bourbon.

I have theorized in the past that this ocassional mustiness in many of BT's products is a result of it's proximity to the river, and the fact that the river periodically floods. I'm not saying that there were barrels underwater, but they seem to have picked up that post-flood mildew aroma and flavor. I think it is always present in small quantities, and contributes to the "house style", but occasionally it's over the top. Am I wrong?

Has anyone else experienced this in BT lately?

[smokinjoe]

Damn, that's bad news. I had the experience of the Great BT Funk a couple of years ago, but recently, nothing but goodness from them. I hope you just had an off bottle, or that it was old stock, and it's not a replay of the Great Funk. You've stated your river theory before, and I've always thought that was as good an explanation as any. It's the one I use when explaining it, anyway. I'll have to stock up from known sources, if this is a trend.

[mozilla]

Jeff,
did the bottle at the bar have a pourspout in it? If so, air would be in constant contact with the bourbon, which IMO, turns it into whatever kind of air is in the bar.

If no pourspout...then it could very well be the bottle is corked.

[jeff]

Jeff,
did the bottle at the bar have a pourspout in it? If so, air would be in constant contact with the bourbon, which IMO, turns it into whatever kind of air is in the bar.

If no pourspout...then it could very well be the bottle is corked.

Jeff,

No pour-spout. It looked to be an almost full bottle too, so I don't think they had it for a long time. And, just based on years of experience with this and other BT brands, I doubt it is a cork problem, unless their corks all fell into the river

[jeff]

I should add that I don't have any real knowledge of why BT sometimes tastes this way. I do know that it is not what a "good" bottle of BT tastes like. In fact, they bear very little resemblance to one another. My theory is only guess-work, based on my experience with the brand, and growing up in Frankfort and recognizing the musty smell in the air that hangs on downtown for weeks after a flood. Tasting this bottle triggered that memory.

[mozilla]

I see.

So, you think that the water from the river is somehow getting into the barrels?

Maybe, the air exchange of the barrel breathing or humidity entering the barrel could be happening? The water vapor in the air would have to be highly filled with the flavors of the river to make this happen, right?

[barturtle]

I wonder if it could be a bottle contamination issue...after all they do sit there unsealed in boxes for a little while...if they happened to be there during this high moisture season the bottles could take on this musty odor/flavor and transfer it to the spirit upon filling.

[Rughi]

I had the experience of the Great BT Funk a couple of years ago...

I think I saw them open for Earth Wind & Fire in the early '80s
Remember how their old hit went?

"I'm gonna try to get you drunk, get you drunk on my BT Funk"

Roger "Put the Bump in the Trunk with the BT Funk" Hodges

[smokinjoe]

I think I saw them open for Earth Wind & Fire in the early '80s
Remember how their old hit went?

"I'm gonna try to get you drunk, get you drunk on my BT Funk"

Roger "Put the Bump in the Trunk with the BT Funk" Hodges

[DukeB]

I've always thought BT smelled and tasted like dirt. Glad someone else finally agrees. I never could figure out why. I gave a friend of mine a totally full 1.75L bottle just to get it out of the house. I'll try some this weekend at the KBF and see if it's changed.