25-30 Year Old Bourbon in Japan

[**DONOTDELETE**]

You've struck a brilliant chord Dr. Whilps! Just as each tree is an individual member of it's species so is each barrel. When filled with American corn whiskey and laid to rest for years as the whiskey becomes bourbon things do change, albeit slowly. The mashbill; the yeast, the barrel, and the rickhouse all start off as more or less equal partners in a mystical process.

At what time does the barrel become the over-riding factor? This varies of course, but how old is too old? Older may be better for some barrels or some mashbills. You've all seen the commerical with the 50-something woman saying "I'm not getting older. I'm getting better!" Oh yeah well prove it granny!

Whenever I see pricey bourbons older than 15 years I am always leary that it's just another wrinkled up old lady that used to be a looker.

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[tdelling]

I just had the Elijah Craig 18 YO single barrel last night, and I must say that
I find it very enjoyable. A true gentleman's drink. The oaky-woody
undertones were marvelous. It's not a bourbon that beats you over
the head... much more mellow (but still falvorful). Personally, I like a
bourbon with the balance shifted a little more towards the woody side
than most of what's on the market today.

I reckon that puts me completely on the other side of the spectrum from Linn,
and most bourbon drinkers in general.

(I almost never drink bourbon with ice, but I suspect that the EC 18 wouldn't
really hold up to ice too well. Perhaps I'll try it tonight.)