Plebe question to the SB Pros

[shyster512]

I am fairly new to SB (DEC 2007). My history- I drank 10 yr old Old Charter as my bourbon of choice from my early years until about 2000, and found it enjoyable. A friend then gave me a bottle of Blantons Single Barrel which I immediately fell in love with. I found it more and more difficult to go back to The Old Charter- Blantons taste was just bolder with taste that the Charter lacked.
I continued with Blanton's as my bourbon of choice until November when a friend gave me a bottle of 16 Year old Hirsch (wow, what a friend). Immediately, I fell in love with that bottle. It had a great smell (nose as I was to later find out) and the taste was so much "more" than my beloved Blantons. At that time I searched the internet and found this site which blew my mind.
I then purchased a bottle of Four Roses Single Barrel. I really liked it too, and found it tasteful with a citrus/orange taste. After tasting Four Roses and Hirsch at the same time and on different occasions, I found myself picking up the Hirsch instead of Four Roses because of the complexity of the taste, the sweet vanilla taste, and the overall balance of this 16 year old.
At Cristmas, my wife gave me a bottle of PVW 15 year old. Again, I thought that this is the best taste ever in a bourbon. The nose and taste presented itself as vanilla, with maple syrup, or carmel with a strong finish of spice and nuts (particularly pecans) which lingered devilishly until the next sip. I now find myself drinking a shot of Pappy after any other bourbon is drank. While I find Hirsch more subtle and balanced that Pappy, I dearly love the bold after taste of spice and pecans which I get from PVW.
Now my Question- Is it normal when one starts drinking "premium" bourbons to like the one you most recently drank over the ones you previously drank? Other than Four Roses, each bourbon I drank I liked better that than the one before. Or was I just lucky in the order which I drank the bourbons?

[Barrel_Proof]

I gotta say that this post is a testament to the vitality of the StraightBourbon.com forum.

I jump in here right away, because over 30 years ago, as a college student, Old Charter was the drink of choice and will always hold a fond spot in my heart. But I digress.

To your question, I do think that you have been fortunate to try very good bottlings all during your early investigation. Thus, as you discover new things to enjoy about each of these high quality bottlings, it is not surprising that each new one became the favorite.

That said, you will reach the point -- probably won't reach it until you have had several premiums from HH, WT, BT, and the gems from KBD -- where the newly tasted ones lack the luster of these first premium bottlings you are so enjoying.

Do not fear. Though I've tasted several hundred different bourbons and have hundreds more never opened (and which await the right occasion), the thrill of tasting a new one that you enjoy remains, even though it will be harder and harder for each new bottling to ascend to superstar status.

Welcome and enjoy the ride. We have fun here. It is an open and healthy community of really good folk.

I am fairly new to SB (Nov 2007). My history- I drank 10 yr old Old Charter as my bourbon of choice from my early years until about 2000, and found it enjoyable. A friend then gave me a bottle of Blantons Single Barrel which I immediately fell in love with. I found it more and more difficult to go back to The Old Charter- Blantons taste was just bolder with taste that the Charter lacked.
I continued with Blanton's as my bourbon of choice until November when a friend gave me a bottle of 16 Year old Hirsch (wow, what a friend). Immediately, I fell in love with that bottle. It had a great smell (nose as I was to later find out) and the taste was so much "more" than my beloved Blantons. At that time I searched the internet and found this site which blew my mind.
I then purchased a bottle of Four Roses Single Barrel. I really liked it too, and found it tasteful with a citrus/orange taste. After tasting Four Roses and Hirsch at the same time and on different occasions, I found myself picking up the Hirsch instead of Four Roses because of the complexity of the taste, the sweet vanilla taste, and the overall balance of this 16 year old.
At Cristmas, my wife gave me a bottle of PVW 15 year old. Again, I thought that this is the best taste ever in a bourbon. The nose and taste presented itself as vanilla, with maple syrup, or carmel with a strong finish of spice and nuts (particularly pecans) which lingered devilishly until the next sip. I now find myself drinking a shot of Pappy after any other bourbon is drank. While I find Hirsch more subtle and balanced that Pappy, I dearly love the bold after taste of spice and pecans which I get from PVW.
Now my Question- Is it normal when one starts drinking "premium" bourbons to like the one you most recently drank over the ones you previously drank? Other than Four Roses, each bourbon I drank I liked better that than the one before. Or was I just lucky in the order which I drank the bourbons?

[ggilbertva]

What you've experienced is what makes bourbon such a great treat. I found that with each new bourbon, I found complexities, flavors, depth, etc. that varied from bottle to bottle and encouraged my progress towards the next new bottle. Besides a very few bourbons, there's really none that I don't like. What you don't want to do though is make the mistake that only the premium bourbons are worth drinking neat (or whichever way to prefer). There are many reasonably priced bourbons that rival much more expensive offerings. For instance, the following are but a few:

Weller Antique 107
Old Rip 107
Very Old Barton BIB
Baby Saz
Rittenhouse BIB
Fighting Cock
Evan Williams Single Barrel

These are just a few that I keep on hand and all are reasonably priced. Of these, I think the most expensive for me is the Old Rip at $25 a bottle. The Weller, VOB and FC can be had for under $20. When I started drinking bourbon, I went from just a couple of bottles to my now silly collection of 150+ bottles. That of course is the danger. You become hooked and spend lots of $$, or at least some of us do. I love trying new bourbons and when possible, do side by side comparisons of similar mashbills, etc.

What you have tried so far are very respected bourbons. This forum is great when researching the bourbons that are out there so use this as a tool when looking toward your next purchase.

[jburlowski]

Sounds like that, when it comes to bourbon, you are a "serial monogamist".

[cowdery]

The other thing you have to look forward to is the day when you remember something extra-fondly only to realize it's no longer available.

[NickAtMartinis]

The other thing you have to look forward to is the day when you remember something extra-fondly only to realize it's no longer available.

Or, only to realize it's not nearly as good as you once remember. This always happens. It's hard to live up to a memory even if you're having the same exact thing years later. It just seems not as good.

[TNbourbon]

Or, only to realize it's not nearly as good as you once remember. This always happens. It's hard to live up to a memory even if you're having the same exact thing years later. It just seems not as good.

Then, Mark, you, too, have something to look forward to -- when it IS just as good as you remember it, but is no longer available.
Sorry, happens.

[mgilbertva]

I had to laugh when I read Mike's post, in part because I've had similar experiences.

As you try more bourbons you'll find your tastes will change, sometimes from one day to the nest. As you've probably gathered from the other posts here, you'll want to go back and try those past bourbons (not to mention new ones!) because sometimes suddenly that bourbon will turn out to be unexpectedly outstanding. I'm amazed at how a bourbon that one day struck me as one of the best I've ever had, is merely good on another day, and vice versa, and then back again. That's why so many of keep several (or more) bottles open at the same time.

Oh, and welcome aboard - I'm glad you found us.