Starting to Finish

[tanstaafl2]

I think the Angels Envy is a decent pour when in the mood for something a little sweeter. The Abraham Bowman Port finished is a damn fine whiskey regardless of the finish. It seems to add a softness over the top of the bourbon if that makes sense. Definitely not stuff I have every day but when the mood strikes it definitely hits the spot.

I am certainly in the category of being willing to give them a try, perhaps because I have always tried new and unusual things and don't have a long standing bourbon drinking history. The PHC cognac and Angel's Envy, both regular and CS, are enjoyable pours to me that I like to turn to regularly. I have now had the chance to try the Bowman port finished bourbon and find it to be a great pour as well.

I will continue to look for and at least try finished whiskies as they become available.

[squire]

Finishing adds a dimension the whisky wouldn't otherwise have and for those willing to pay for this extra step it is something a bit different.

[MyOldKyDram]

Working for me in this PHC Cognac tonight, that's for sure.

[AaronWF]

They certainly lend themselves to being lumped into a category together, but I look at finished whiskeys as individuals rather than as a group. I have tasted AE on a few occasions, and have never enjoyed it. I really, really like the PHC Cognac, however. Some of my enjoyment with the PHC comes from the fact that I recognize the HH honey barrels in there. The cognac finish is a great accompaniment to a familiar bourbon profile, and adds another dimension of complexity in taste and intellectual enjoyment.

I'm all for encouraging whiskey producers to experiment, but that doesn't mean I have to love the results. The fact that you can't even call a distilled rye grain mash aged in a used barrel rye whiskey is ridiculous to me, and it emphasizes the fact that there is a lot of room for experimentation out there. I'm not interested in paying for failed experiments or gimmicks, but give me a sublime American whiskey made non-traditionally, and I'm happy to buy it, drink it and praise it.