Hirsch 20 vs Henry Clay

[Joeluka]

This questions goes out to both the people who have tried them and to the people who collect bourbon.

Which would you choose if both of them were the same price? Hirsch 20 or Henry Clay

I have to make this decision and I'm wondering what everyone thinks.

Thanks for the input

[luv2hunt]

I'd buy them both

(Because I've never tasted either one )

Dawn

[tmas]

I'd buy them both

(Because I've never tasted either one )

Dawn

I'll second that, the only way to go, Joe.

[BSS]

As a collector, to me a Clay and Finch(together) would be equal to a Hirsch 20. I have two Hirsch 20s, and have never seen a Clay and Finch in person.

[cowdery]

The Clay and Finch have to be classified primarily as novelties. They are not all that outstanding, but they are genuinely unique, from long defunct distilleries (which UD wouldn't disclose the names of, the bastards).

[Vange]

I say Hirsch 20, but what do I really know. I never tried clay or finch, but have tried hirsch 20. A beautiful bourbon.

I think there is a difference between finch and clay besides the 1 year aging difference. I am pretty sure I read on here that clay is SW bourbon. That should make it more valuable than finch, but I am not so sure about decifing between hirsch 20 and clay.

[Gillman]

I have tried both the Clay and the Hirsch 20 and would give the nod to the Hirsch. It has a rich flavour that is unbeatable. Of course it has an aged taste but it presents that feature very well. The Clay is somewhat different than any other bourbon I've had (we tasted it at Jim's recently), good but in a different league to the Hirsch, I'd say.

Gary

[jburlowski]

[quote=Evangelos]I say Hirsch 20, but what do I really know. I never tried clay or finch, but have tried hirsch 20. A beautiful bourbon.
quote]

I will take the opposite position... I have never tasted the Clay or Finch but I have tried (on several occassions) the 20 yr Hirsch... my take: not very interesting and largely one-dimensional; not nearly (IMHO) as good as the Hirsch 16 (any variant).

[doubleblank]

I'll second Chuck's comment and go a step further. To me, they are all novelties as I don't find any of them remarkable in taste. I like Hirsch 16 but find the 20 too woody for my taste. The Finch and Clay are solid whiskeys......but worth their original asking prices....much less current prices? Not to me. But if I had to choose........I'd pick the Hirsch 20yo as the more interesting novelty.

Randy

[wadewood]

Ditto from me as well. I would say all three of these are really more collectables; currently cost way more than what the taste of the bourbon would indicate.

I'm a drinker, not a collector. That said, if you are a collector, only 2400 bottles of the Finch and the Clay were made. I'm guessing this was way less than Hirsch 20, so those would be the better collectables.