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I was at the Monger’s earlier today, and noticed the New Riff Balboa Rye on the shelf. While, it may have been in Georgia for some time, I’ve never seen it. Couldn’t resist picking it up.

Chilly, drizzly, crappy day here, today. Starting the after With a Mortlach 15yr. Two reasons: I just like saying Mortlach, and Mortlach sounds like a descriptors of this weather. “What kind of weather are you having?” ”Mortlach…” ”Yuck”

“That’s what she said.”

Good pour. Impressed for Irish Whiskey. Very smooth (drinks like it is less than 55% ABV) but good flavors without being overpowering. I tend to like strong flavors but wasn't expecting that here. The nose is misleading. It is strong and initially smells like rum and raisin as the name says. After it opens up for a few minutes you get more of the PX notes - raisin, grape, fig, date, etc. however the rum notes are still present. If a traditional Irish Whiskey is a 3/10 on flavor, this is a 5.5/10. You get rum funk balanced with sherry sweetness without being to sweet. This is not a sticky sweet whiskey at all. A little sweet, but the rum notes pull away from the PX sweetness and not in a bad way. Overall, balanced and totally worth the price. I do not have anything like it, thus making it a worthwhile purchase. 7.75/10 overall, but as Irish Whiskey goes, it's a higher score.

Yup!

.....as well it should.

Just got this. Supposed to be a sherry bomb, something I like. Cask strength and fairly young (7 years old), but I often like younger single malts that are less woody and still rich flavored. I am fine with older single malts as well, but a younger age does not scare me at all. I'll report once I try it. Very excited.

Brain fart. I was thinking 4R and moved it to OF. But damn that BB was good!

Just picked this up. Excited to try it. Not a big Irish Whiskey guy as they are generally lighter/milder in the flavor department. However, rum and PX Sherry finish got me interested as did cask strength. I was getting a scotch I was interested in from the same shop and figured I'd give it a go. $70 for a cask strength Irish Whiskey is good, especially if it is a good pour. I have The Wild Rover, by High N' Wicked and it is good, but did not blow me away. I felt it didn't really know what it wanted to be and the PX notes are not strong. I will try the Killowen in the next couple of days and report.

Agreed.

I have considered the 15 year variety too but there's quite a price jump between the 13 and 15 year. $250 for the 15 year seems high to me.

I burned off some brush in the bonfire last night. Unfortunately I have much more to do. It really has piled up and without my boys around it has gotten ahead of me. Anyway I took a bottle of Peerless Rye with me that was a store pick from 5 years ago. It has a wonderful spearmint note in the mid palate. A couple of neighbors saw the flames and smoke so it turned into an evening of hotdogs, chips and s’mores with rye. Happy FRyeday!

I know it's off topic, but I was able to find the Old Forester Single Barrel, Barrel Proof. I'm headed out in a bit to pick it up. I don't much care for Rye, but do like higher proof, so will tee this and the Sagamore Double Oaked this weekend.

My bottle of Knob Creek 18 arrives this week. Of course a 21 year variety is forthcoming so depending on price, I'll look to add that to my collection as I enjoy Knob Creek and find it to be fairly priced.

Thanks Mal. I forgot about that one. Bookers in CA have always been shelf turds. Even now with the price settling at $89-99 they languish on the shelves. Good for me because I always have one open.

I knew that extra $20 would come with a steep grading curve!

The BB is 10-12 years old and bottled at 90 something proof, changes by release. It seems a drier profile compared to other versions of OF. I get tannin like strong tea, dry wood like cedar cigar box. At low 90 something proof, and not much sweetness, it can feel sort of thin. It's ok, but not my favorite in the OF line up.

https://www.bookersbourbon.com/bourbons/2018-02-backyard-bbq From what I remember, it was a tasty batch. Beam had recently hiked the price but it was still easily obtainable here in MA.

Yeah....it's great, but so is the standard 101...not worth the extra $$$...

Yup and, after the initial pour, it's very good but not much better, (if it all), than the standard offering. I guess that I can to do a blind SBS, but I already know that it's not worth the extra $$. I don't regret the purchase, but will not be replacing these...

Agreed... but I opted for the KC18 that day instead, because the 12 year is ubiquitous, and the 18 not so much.

Enjoying OGD 114 watching the rain. Going to move onto some Bombergers 2025

I think you can always post a new bottle (of any kind) here, or else in the Rye forum. Equally appropriate Nice looking photo, and a really nice looking glass there. Happy fRyeday to you sir!