BOTM 4/11: The 2010 BTAC

[BourbonRob]

doggerlander, I understand the low inventory....I tried for years to find the BTAC with no luck...finally on a trip I found one store that would special order but not reserve, by the time I got there this year I got 3 of the 4 bottles...maybe next year I'll get them all...they sell out in a week or two.

Rob

[politely]

At this point in time I've gone through at least one bottle each of Weller, Stagg and Handy, and am about a third of the way through a bottle of ER17, but haven't opened up a Saz yet. The Stagg is just awesome, and the nose on it is simply amazing - I would say the best from any bourbon I've tried, and possibly the best nose of any whiskey I've had. It literally starts me salivating. I also found the Weller and Handy to be revelatory drinks, and really wish I had some BTAC from prior years to compare. In my opinion, these are truly outstanding, memorable bottlings. With respect to the ER17, I like it and enjoy it, but would not put in the same category as the Weller, Stagg & Handy, and would say it's one step down. On the other hand, I think that the ER17 could be a regular sipping whiskey, as opposed to the high proof in the other three, which dictate some planning before drinking.

[RyanL]

politely,

I agree with pretty much everything you said. Stagg is my absolute favorite from the BTAC and I tend to prefer wheated bourbon and I really love the WLW as well, so that says a lot about the Stagg. I have gone through phases(during winter) where I think Stagg may edge out PVW if not as my #1 bourbon then at least as my current favorite pour.

Handy is the pour that made me realize I really liked some ryes after Saz had made me think maybe I just didn't like them. I have since been coming around to the Saz a lot more and by the time I finish my 1st bottle maybe I will actually end up getting another, who knows.

ER17, sigh. It's good and I like it. I definitely won't be making it my regular pour. I don't know if it's the fact that I paid about $70 after tax for the bottle and my only thought were, this is pretty damn good but it doesn't blow me away or anything. I don't ever really find myself going back to that bottle very much. If it were priced in the $40-45 range I would even pick up another couple bottles of it at that price. At $70 I'll just pass on it and spend the money on more GTS, WLW, and THH. When I can get EWSB as a regular pour for $25ish and it's pretty damn good as well imo, I'll stick with that.

[ODaniel]

I was only able to get the WLW and GTS. While the GTS is great, I think the WLW takes the cake. It is one of the best bourbons I've had. Neat, it's smooth and doesn't burn, gives a nice warming of the torso like 5 seconds after swallowing. Haven't experienced this with any other bourbon. It is packed with flavor too. The Stagg, while great, wasn't as good in my opinion. I've tried it neat, and with a dash of water. I will say I am taking these bottles slooow. I've only had a few small pours of each.

[politely]

I finally opened up a Saz 18, and despite some negative comments about steel tanks, I am really enjoying it. Tonight, I'm going to have to say it's my favorite rye, ahead of VWFRR, Templeton, Ritt 100, etc. I don't have the experience to say what it was like before the steel tanks, but I have to say this is really enjoyable. There is an aftertaste that I guess could be qualified as metallic, but honestly, I don't know if that's just a continuation of the mint, menthol and grassy finish.

*edit - err.. I don't include Handy in the above, since it's sort of in its own category.

[humchan2k]

I purchased the entire BTAC '10 collection last year, including as many multiples of Saz 18 and Stagg that I could find...and grapped a Pappy 15 on the same day, for good measure.

I think I'm odd because while I adore Pappy 15 and wheat whiskey in general, the WLW has always been so hot and over the top that I just can't dig it. I know that sounds odd, but it's not enjoyable for me to drink purely from a heat perspective. WLW is a 6/10 at best.

Saz 18 - I think it's one of the best whiskies in the world, but the '09 is even better...it's the same stuff sitting in metal at this point, so I think it's safe that each year release will get a little worse and worse due to oxidation and not being a new distillate. Still a top 5 rye for me though. 8.5/10

Handy - I liked the '09 better, but whatever....it's still magnificent. It's got a lot of all spice, clove, honey, and a bit of leather. 9/10

Stagg - Best whiskey in the world for me, but I can only drink it once in awhile, cuz it's just so.....BIG. Big flavors. Bold nose. Huge aftertaste. It's a 2oz meal of bourbon. 10/10

ER17 - Womp womp It's thin, it's boring, and Eagle 10 is pretty much the same product from a flavor perspective. I will never buy ER17 again, and I only bought 1 of it....very plain whiskey, in no way worth the $. 4/10

I think, for me, from now I'm just going to buy Stagg, (as many as possible!) Handy and 1 bottle of the Saz 18 to see how it's aging...but when the Saz 18 becomes actual BT juice on a new product, I'll probably try to get a case a year.

[dohidied]

Has anyone compared the 2008 Saz18 to the 2010? I found a store that has both and I was trying to decide which to buy. I'm leaning towards the 08 as it's spent less time in steel, but I wanted to get some wisdom from the crowd.