no accounting for taste

[fogfrog]

I have tasted a few bourbons, but have yet to learn how to tell the differences and appreciate them properly. Yesterday I bought a bottle of Weller Antique 107 and found I like Evan Williams 4YO BIB and Barton's VOB better! Now, I can get a bottle of EW BIB for ten bucks and the Weller cost me 23. I think the VOB is about 13 bucks . I wonder how to learn to appreciate or if I should even bother? I mean, I had a little of the Weller and to tell you the truth, didn't enjoy it so much... I think I like the sweetness of the VOB. I poured VOB after the Weller and found it to taste much much better. I guess I should just be happy I can be happy with less expensive bourbons......

[ratcheer]

You are exactly right. Everyone should drink what they prefer, not what someone else says they like.

Also, VOB is a well-respected bourbon, especially the bottled in bond version. If you like it, stay with it. Experiment with other things from time to time, but if you really don't like them, chalk it up to experience and forget about them. When you do find something you enjoy, remember it and buy it when you want to.

Tim

[NeoTexan]

You are exactly right. Everyone should drink what they prefer, not what someone else says they like.

Also, VOB is a well-respected bourbon, especially the bottled in bond version. If you like it, stay with it. Experiment with other things from time to time, but if you really don't like them, chalk it up to experience and forget about them. When you do find something you enjoy, remember it and buy it when you want to.

Tim

As always, sage advice from the Guru.

[Mamba]

I confess never developing a very strong affinity for the Van Winkle 13 year rye (G-series) even though its the holy grail for some. Saz Jr. was cheaper and much better to me. I suspect almost everyone has similar stories.

[fogfrog]

well, I have been drinking it today very slowly... I take a small shot glass and fill it to 70% and then top it off with water and put it in the glass. The Antique is tasting good! I probably need to do a blind test with a few different bourbons to see if I can really tell what I like.

[ratcheer]

As always, sage advice from the Guru.

Thank you, Dale.

Tim

[ggilbertva]

If you don't like a bourbon on first try, give it a second chance, or maybe even a third. I never move on after trying a bourbon only once. I give it a couple of tries over time to see if it improves once opened. I personally find the Antique 107 to be a really fine pour....but as Tim said, go with what you like not what others say is good. The VOB BIB is simply great and at that price, it's a steal. There are bourbons I've tried once, didn't like but visited later on and found it to be respectable.

As for appreciating bourbons, my opinion is that comes with time and of course as you are exposed to a greater selection of bourbons. In fact, just yesterday by brother vatted Baby Saz and '07 Handy. I picked up bubble gum in the nose and the taste was very good. Time will fine tune your nose and palate so you will begin to pick up the dominate and subtle profiles of various bourbons.

[gr8erdane]

I agree with Greg. I find that the same bourbon tastes different at different times too. I can adore a bourbon one night, go back to it the next and be disappointed and then the next night flip flop back to loving it again. There are so many things that can affect the taste outside of the bourbon itself. What you've had to eat or drink before, your mood, the weather (yes I believe that can be a factor), how you're physically feeling at the time, and what you're doing while drinking just to mention a few. As far as tasting the things others comment about, sometimes you try too hard to taste them. Just sit back and wait for that magic moment. It'll come in it's own sweet time.

[HipFlask]

As far as developing your palate start by noticing the main tastes. Vanilla, Carmel, Cinnamon. For the longest time those were about all I could pick up. Then VWFRR and I could taste orange peel. Also make note of how long the taste stays in your mouth. the VW kind of rolls like thundar across the tongue. Since I have started to pick up differnt tastes my enjoyment of spirits has gone way up. But this has come with a price as i have spent lots of money on whiskey to trying to taste them all and find the ones I really like.

[CrispyCritter]

If, like me, you tend to drink different whiskies in one night, the order in which you drink them can affect how they taste. I've sometimes had wheaters taste like straight ryes, for instance - usually after drinking a straight rye or a heavily ryed bourbon like OGD.

And, as Dane points out, lots of other factors can affect drinkability as well. I've had nights where something that's usually easy-to-drink for me (like Weller 107 or Old Fitz BIB) seem to go down like acid, and other nights where a challenging pour like (any) Stagg goes down too easily.