Hello all... yet another newbie here!

[gblick]

Hi all,

I recently fell in love with bourbon (a few months ago), and I have this forum to thank!

I've had a fair bit of experience with WT101 but that was a good while ago (younger days), and back then I was mostly just drinking it to cop a buzz and wasn't really savoring the flavor, and the WT101 was the only bourbon I had ever tried. Most of my drinking experience is with tequila, which I've been drinking for around 25 years (started out with the Cuervo Gold mostly for the buzz/party factor, but discovered and began savoring the 100% agave stuff for about the past 10 years). I eventually got to where I was mostly liking the real expensive (~$100/bottle) 'extra aged' tequilas, but I finally decided that the prices were killing me. So I made a run for the border and decided to try some bourbon again.

Not knowing much at all about bourbon, I went to the liquor store and asked the guy for recommendations. The first bottle I came out with was Knob Creek. It was ok, but it didn't really 'wow' me. Then I got online and found this forum and started reading as much as I could to get ideas. I found out about the difference between wheated bourbon and bourbon made with rye, and saw that Van Winkle was mentioned a lot. So I went and bought me two new bottles, one of the Lot B and one of the Pappy 15 (I was used to spending $100 on tequila, so it was not too hard). Got home and tried the Lot B...THAT'S IT! I was officially hooked right then and there. Later when I tried the Pappy 15, I was even more blown away.

I've found my 'true spiritual calling' (in the distilled sense) in bourbon!

Since then, I have liked all of the wheated bourbons that I've tried including ORVW 10/90, ORVW 10/107, Lot B, Pappy 15, Weller Antique 107, & Old Fitzgerald BIB (great value that OFBIB at $13/bottle!). I've also tried Weller SR/90 and Weller 12yo, but I've come to the conclusion that I much prefer the higher proof Weller 107. I found a decent deal on a bottle of WL Weller 19yo so I bought it, but I think that one may have suffered from TOO much time in the barrel. Also tried Maker's Mark, but sadly found it kind of bland compared to all of those previously mentioned.

I've tried a few other rye-based bourbons like Old Grand Dad BIB, EC12 (old 1986 bottle), and Blantons, but unfortunately I've just not warmed up to the rye stuff, maybe that will change in time.

Anyway, this is where I'm at right now. It's good to be here, and thank you SB!

Best Regards,
Gus

[wadewood]

Gus - welcome aboard; sounds like you are off to a good start. You found a bottle of the Weller 19 still on the shelf? Even if you thought this was too woody, it is great find. It was very limited in release and has not been made since 2001.

[doubleblank]

Glad you're posting Gus........and look forward to more. Just don't tell these yea-whos where the good stuff is here in Houston.

Turns out Gus lives near me here in Houston. We need to have a Houston (or all of Texas) SB.com get together soon.

Welcome aboard.

Randy

[mgilbertva]

Welcome!

I'm jealous you found a Weller 19yr. I'd love to find one of those. I'm extremely fond of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection Weller (18yr) so I assume I would like the 19 as well.

You will know you've really gone over the edge when you join the dusty hunting madness. For wheaters the Old Fitzgerald BIB from Stitzel-Weller is highly sought after and crazy-good.

[Pappy's Friend]

Welcome, Gus! I'm glad to see another person partial to the wheaters!

[gblick]

Thanks,
Well I think I'm already over the edge, because I've been searching like mad for all the old dusty wheaters I can find.

Don't worry, Randy, I'll keep the good stuff (wheaters and ryes) under wraps and only divulge it's locations by pm, to keep the unregistered lurkers from snatching it all up.

Speaking of SW....Is it safe to assume that the older Weller bottles with Louisville labels are filled with SW whiskey? Being aged seven years, it seems like anything with a bottle date of 1999 and earlier would be SW (please correct me if I'm wrong), but I've been finding some bottles with a 2000 date and a Louisville label. Would these still have the coveted SW inside? I did searches and found some info regarding this, but it's still kind of unclear to me. I guess it doesn't really matter, as I like the recent stuff just fine, but I'd still like to know what I'm getting. Thanks for any clarification anyone can give.

So far, all of the Old Fitz BIB that I've found has not been from DSP-16, but I still like it. Can't wait to find some with SW, just to have a side-by-side comparison.

Regards,
Gus

[ggilbertva]

As Mark pointed out, the Old Fitz BIB is very good. VA doesn't carry the current offering of the OFBIB so I'm not able to perform a side by side. I'll be travelling to KY in Oct so hope to do a little shopping for items I can't find here in VA.

As for the Weller Antique, I would think that it's very possible that even the bottles dated 2000 would have SW bourbon in them, but I'm only speculating. If a bourbon has an age statement on it, then the whiskey must be at least that old, so it could be slightly older than 7 years. As you stated, it's good in either case. I really enjoy the current Antique and at less than $20 a bottle, it's a bargain.

[mgilbertva]

If you feel like it, it would be fun to get your input on high-end tequilas under the Foreign Whiskey forum. I have very little knowledge of tequilas and would love to learn more.

[whiskeyhatch]

Hey! Welcome aboard! Could you please tell me where in Houston I might find Lot B? Thanks.

[gblick]

Could you please tell me where in Houston I might find Lot B? Thanks.

Lately I've been seeing it very often at various Spec's locations, though some of their stores don't have it. While looking, if you happen across any of the Pappy Van Winkle 15yo (not likely to see it at Spec's except for maybe the downtown store if you're lucky), I'd highly recommend trying it, it's only about $4 more than the Lot B but very well worth the extra cost.