New to Bourbon & Confused about PracticalWhisky.net

[BBQ+Bourbon]

Well, I'll provide what tasting notes I can. I'm not very good at pinpointing tastes though and putting them into words.

For example, I like to drink really nice coffee, and I can appreciate a good coffee (maybe even pinpointing some of the aromas/tastes). But I'm no taster; those guys identify smells/tastes that I still can't find after months of drinking the stuff. If that makes sense.

As a wheated bourbon fan, do you think OWA will do wheated bourbons justice? (Can't get WLW12 here.)

I'm a wheater fan and Scotch triggers my gag reflex- literally. It smells and tastes to me like moldy bread mixed with green Chloraseptic.

I love bourbon and have only had a couple I couldn't stand (EC 12 aka liquified dust and -not-Very Special Old Fitgerand). Wellers 107 (OWA) is my favorite overall. If I were on a desert island and could take a lifetime supply of any bourbon with me, it would be SW OWA.

So, if you like Scotch, you'll probably hate it

[sailor22]

It smells and tastes to me like moldy bread mixed with green Chloraseptic.

As good a description as I have ever heard.

So the Scotch guys alwas come up with something like "It tastes like the fair Peat of Old Farkward county"
Isn't Peat a kind of combustible soil? I ask
Aye! they reply.
I marvel that they just spent $789 for a bottle of whiskey that tastes like dirt, moldy bread and green Chloraseptic, and somehow enjoy it.

[wadewood]

FINALLY... You should definitely seriously for sure add Corner Creek reserve to your lineup. It's exceptional AND in that strange category of "break-in bourbons for scotch drinkers."

To show how we all have different opinions, to me Corner Creek is the worst bourbon I have ever tasted. I did not want to even dump it down my kitchen sink drain for fear of it's rotten smell permeating my house!

[ErichPryde]

Agreed.

Best of the BT Mashbills in current production IMO (excluding BTAC, VW's & stuff from Tom Moore):

High Corn: Old Charter 10

Higher Rye (relative to the above): Elmer T. Lee, AAA 10 y/o (tie)

Wheat: Weller 12

Hmm. it is interesting to see the different tastes at work here. I honestly cannot stand the Weller 12, but am currently thoroughly enjoying a glass of Lot B, which would be my wheat pick of choice except for how relatively expensive it is!

I've actually never tried the Elmer T. Lee. I will have to give it a shot.

[Josh]

Hmm. it is interesting to see the different tastes at work here. I honestly cannot stand the Weller 12, but am currently thoroughly enjoying a glass of Lot B, which would be my wheat pick of choice except for how relatively expensive it is!

I've actually never tried the Elmer T. Lee. I will have to give it a shot.

Yeah, I think the lesson here for newbies is that everybody has different tastes, and that's ok. Like Chuck wrote, there is no good, better or best. There's different. And ratings are bull.

[Dr. François]

So does this guy just not know bourbon? He seems to like ERSB a lot (giving it a 90)...

I have noticed that scotch drinkers like ER90 quite a bit. I think that might be why I've never cared for it (never met a scotch I loved). I like the bottle, though!

[ebo]

I have noticed that scotch drinkers like ER90 quite a bit. I think that might be why I've never cared for it (never met a scotch I loved). I like the bottle, though!

I definately like my scotch, and I have a bottle of ER90 that I have not tried yet. I'm going to have to open that up and see whats what.

[StraightBoston]

To show how we all have different opinions, to me Corner Creek is the worst bourbon I have ever tasted. I did not want to even dump it down my kitchen sink drain for fear of it's rotten smell permeating my house!

Not a Corner Creek fan here, either -- my taste of it reminded my of new-mown grass (which may explain its appeal to Scotch drinkers?)

[loneranger84]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Tried some Old-Fashioneds over the weekend. (One with WT101. One with MM.) Both were very sweet and pleasurable to drink; I like how bartenders all try to make their Old Fashioned some fancy way too. (e.g. Lemon Twist surrounding Marachino Cherries mashed into the bottom of the glass).

Also putting a nice dent in my bottle of OFS.
No matter how long I let this stuff air out, I find it needs a splash or an ice cube before the smell becomes tolerable.
(Once the smell is tolerable, it's quite good. It's just too alcohol-y before that point, and you can't "get around" that smell.)

From what I've read, this is normal for higher-proof bourbons?
(I just can't imagine drinking this neat myself.)

[ErichPryde]

Thanks for the replies everyone.
It's just too alcohol-y before that point, and you can't "get around" that smell.)

From what I've read, this is normal for higher-proof bourbons?
(I just can't imagine drinking this neat myself.)

I don't know. I have had several 80-90 proof bourbons (like Jefferson's, not the reserve or the PS) that smellled more like alcohol or acetone than some of the very high proof ones I have, like Thomas Handy Rye or William Larue Weller.