What are you drinking right now?

[OneCubeOnly]

Has anyone else had a while away from a fave and noticed a different slant on things on their return?

You betcha! And it was Maker's Mark! Except for me it was something to do with the barrel char--something that never bothered me before and ever since I tasted it that first time that's ALL I taste. It's a real sooty used-cigarette-butt type of taste that overwhelms the other flavors. YMMV.

[OneCubeOnly]

Every so often, I must admit, something still makes me go out and buy a small bottle of it for old times sake.

Last summer while staying on the Las Vegas Strip I was absolutely DETERMINED to find a good bourbon for the hotel room. I was somewhat restricted by not having a rental car, and it took a deliberate search to find anything worth drinking. I'll tell you--when you guys talk about there being "no other bourbon in the world", that night Maker's Mark was absolute ambrosia.

[Ambernecter]

If Maker's tastes like used cigarette butts I'm having a pack of 20 tonight!
It's a great change of pace from Stagg and the rest, almost like a "lite bite" as opposed to the main course.
I remember being in Vegas in '96 on leave from the British Army. (We were on exchange with your troops in Fort Lewis.)
I had lost all my money in 30 mins at the blackjack tables and went to drown my sorrows with a couple of mates at a bar called "The Spotted Cow." It was right at the end of the Strip near the Sahara where we were staying. Spike the barman listened to my woes (as he had doubtless done with other people a million times before!) told a couple of funnies and then came the killer blow!!
"Guys, this ones on me!" A couple of large free pours of Wild Turkey later and all did not look so bad.
To explain; I had always watched films from the USA with the all seeing all knowing barman and wondered if it could be true. Could a barman really be as cool as in the movies? Well that day/night Spike was the man and then some!

[jeff]

The last sips of a bottle of Kentucky Spirit. Goodbye old friend, you have served me well.

[MurphyDawg]

I had KS today as well, in honor of your post!


TomC

[Paradox]

Finished off my Blanton's last night and just now finally finished that rancid bottle of Basil Hayden's that was taking up room for WAY too long now... I think now I'll pop open a bottle of Rare Breed .

[CL]

Homemade mint juleps! Fantastic!

After I got out of the hospital visiting my Dad, I headed out for a late dinner (9 pm) on Bardstown Road, north of Watterson in L'ville, KY. After dinner, I called up my Grandmother (who is a night owl) and my Aunt and Uncle who are staying at her house.

When I arrived, my Aunt (and Godmother) offered me a mint julep. I declined at first thinking of prefab mint julep mixes. My Uncle told me I wanted to try this. The drinks were wonderful. My Grandmother grows her own mint and makes her own syrup. She boils sugar and water and then adds mint stems to soak overnight. What is left is a syrup that she freezes for the times her favorite grandson comes over.

Even after freezing, the mint seemed so fresh. It immediately took me back to my childhood when my Dad and many of my relatives grew their own mint. I remember as a kid picking leaves and chewing on them for a blast of cool mint.

For the record, the bourbon that graced the mint was Henry McKenna 80 proof. My Uncle told me that my Grandfather liked HK, so my Aunt had brought some to my Grandmother's house.

BTW, while we were sitting around talking, I asked my Grandmother about which Ripys that she and Grandpa were friends with in Lawrenceburg. She said that they were real good friends with Ernie Jr. and Neat Ripy. Ernie ran the JTS Brown distillery (which later was bought by Austin Nichols) where my Grandfather worked for a while after he worked at Old Joe.

The other Ripys that were good friends were Tom (Ernie's brother) and his wife Hazel. Tom ran the Lawrenceburg Transfer trucking company.

My Aunt and Uncle set my Grandmother up with a computer and asked her to document all this history for us. I told her I would help. So, in the coming months, I hope (working in between helping my Mom and Dad) to have alot more Holman Bryant history.

[brendaj]

CL,

My Grandmother grows her own mint and makes her own syrup. She boils sugar and water and then adds mint stems to soak overnight.

Your Grandmother is a a wise woman... That's the real way to make 'em.
I would be interested to hear her version of an Old Fashioned (in another thread, of course... ). My guess is, she went to the Pendennis Club years ago.
Sorry I missed ya'll when you came thru town. Please send my good wishes to your Daddy.
Later,
Bj

[TexasPride]

Finishing off my bottle of Jim Beam Black.

It is too soft for my taste. I like that 101 or better that when you lean in to take a big wiff, your eyes burn. Now THAT'S whiskey...

[Paradox]

To celebrate the new price and final bottling of some of the best bourbon still around I'm drinking A.H. Hirsch 16 yo . I really hate to see this one go and know I'll never be able to get it again years from now...