BOTM, 4/06: Rock Hill Farms

[bluesbassdad]

. . . and no negative comments I can recall.

Here's one, and it comes from someone who has far more experience with bourbon than I do.

He once did a fascinating series of posts on "How to Taste Bourbon", paraphrasing.

(Where is Marvin, anyway?)

Yours truly,
Dave Morefield

[bluesbassdad]

I knew I'd commented on Blanton's and Rock Hill Farms in the same post on several occasions. Accordingly, I did a search on keywords: blanton's rock hill farms, with userid: bluesbassdad. The search returned an astonishing 20 posts.

I picked one of the more lucid ones for your perusal. Also note the several relevant comments among the replies.

Speaking of "astonishing", which I was earlier, one of those 20 threads contained a post from a former member here who said he would never buy another bottle of Stitzel-Weller whiskey. Incredible. Of course, he was a Blanton's lover, too. Maybe that tells me something.

Yours truly,
Dave Morefield

[Ambernecter]

Hi Ambernecter:

Might be interesting for you to try RHF HTH with Blanton's and see what you think. Both are single barrell expressions from Bufallo Trace, and both are roughly the same price ballpark-wise. Unfortunatly we don't get RHF up here, although vintages may bring in a limited shipment one of these days...

What I really mean is, I'd like to hear a HTH as I can't get RHF. Thought I'd better play it straight here!

Hey Frodo!

I have sampled Blanton's (from the cask, Original and Gold) on numerous occasions but not ever head to head. I have always found it slightly lacking... Super marketing and packaging but the whiskey, although very good, does not quite live up to it's promise.

Blanton's also has a very dry finish that reminds me of VW 15YO - not pleasing to me at all.

RHF leaves me grinning from ear to ear and leaves Blanton's hanging it's head in floods of tears about how it was close, but no cigar!

[Frodo]

Thanks! Another whisky I'll be on the lookout for from the LCBO...

[gothbat]

Here's one, and it comes from someone who has far more experience with bourbon than I do.

I'm going to have to agree with the linked review, the flavors do not compliment one another imo. I'm not good at picking out different flavors when I taste most bourbons and this one is no exception but whatever I taste, while not bad, just tastes odd to me. I don't dislike this bourbon but of all the ones I have tried so far I would have to say that this one is among my least favorites. The fact that I am drinking it as I type this after drinking a glass of VWSR definitely isn’t helping this but these are the same feelings I had when I tried it the first time.

[Virus_Of_Life]

OK I gotta say I was so anxious to open my bottle of RHF and did last night. The nose creeping out of the bottle smelled very good, similar to ETL, so I was even more anxious to taste...

Then the let down! The finish on this was very woody and corky to the point that it just wasn't a pleasant bourbon to drink. Is there a chance that I got just an overly woody barrel? The cork seems fine, but it just has a bad cork/wood taste on the finish. I'll try it again in a couple of days but am not seeing all the hype as of yet. It honestly (other than the wood) tastes a lot like ETL to me with more alcohol burn! Same mashbill?

[Ambernecter]

Christian!

RHF is my baby and I really do love the stuff. I have had some bottles noticably better than others bit I enjoyed every one. You may have struck out barrel wise but I really wouldn't be too hasty...

Maker's is a nice everyday pour for me, but today, even out of my Reidel Bourbon glass, it just isn't cutting the mustard. I'm not worried - probably the Chinese food I had last night or me being in a foul mood?

Some (many) forum members love EC12. I am not one of them but have given it several cracks of the whip... just not my stuff. This may be the case with you and Mr. Gothbat towards RHF. Horses for courses!

Hmmm horses - anyone for Blanton's?

[bluesbassdad]

Here's a situation where a tasting group such as Bourbon Joe's would be worth its weight in empty bourbon glasses and rings on the coffee table. If only someone familiar with the taste of Rock Hill Farms could taste it and give his opinion . . .

There's a chance I'll be in La La Land in June. If you haven't finished the bottle by then (fat chance, it sounds like) maybe I could swing by and we can both compare it to one of the bottles I will undoubtedly pick up while I'm there.

I suppose it could be that you're just a Blanton's guy -- not that there's anything wrong with that.

A tangential thought: Is there anyone here who doesn't have a distinct preference for either Rock Hill Farms or Blanton's?

Yours truly,
Dave Morefield

[Virus_Of_Life]

Here's a situation where a tasting group such as Bourbon Joe's would be worth its weight in empty bourbon glasses and rings on the coffee table. If only someone familiar with the taste of Rock Hill Farms could taste it and give his opinion . . .

There's a chance I'll be in La La Land in June. If you haven't finished the bottle by then (fat chance, it sounds like) maybe I could swing by and we can both compare it to one of the bottles I will undoubtedly pick up while I'm there.

I suppose it could be that you're just a Blanton's guy -- not that there's anything wrong with that.

A tangential thought: Is there anyone here who doesn't have a distinct preference for either Rock Hill Farms or Blanton's?

Yours truly,
Dave Morefield

I know this will be like sacrilege Dave, but I've never had Blanton's, if you were referring to me that is?

I envision having a couple more pours of that RHF but do not plan to drain it anytime soon - wasn't to my liking too much.

I am always open to the possibilities of meeting others if they are traveling through...

[SBOmarc]

Having enjoyed Blanton's for quite some time before tasting Rock Hill Farms I can say that although I consider myself a "Blanton's Guy" I also enjoy the other. From reading the posts I have been fortunate that all of the bottles of RHF that have passed my way were all exceptional and consistent.

The RHF has the much longer finish but the Blanton's has more balance. I can't see where anyone can go wrong chosing either.