Old Crow vs eBay - Checkmate

[spun_cookie]

You might want to empty those decanters into glass.

http://www.alotofsteins.com/subdir/empty.html

Thanks for the link... and I am emptying them as fast as I can

The only thing that made me think I needed to empty them for quality pourses was:

Ceramic, or porcelain decanters, are not designed (for example: tested under adverse conditions such as extreme humidity or extreme temperature changes) to store the contents over a long period of time. Since this material is porous, a thin glaze on the inside is all that keeps the contents from going straight through to the outside. The pressure of the contents against the sides and bottom can, if conditions are right, push through the smallest of cracks. Should this ever occur, you have what is known as a “leakerâ€. A leaker has a small fraction of the value of a mint condition decanter. The possibility of the glaze cracking occurs in a small percentage of decanters-mostly fifth size or larger. It rarely does, but can, occur in miniatures. (Glass decanters, of course, do not have this problem.)

In this case the ceramic, unglazed portion would leach into the bourbon, which may be the case in the two that I have had that was bad... that and air leakage and cork rot... I would think if it has not happended at this point... its not going to...

With that said, I have been considerig pouring them into embpy bottles just to be safe.... and, thank you for the cool link...

[spun_cookie]

Seeing the wisdom in your advice, I have transferred (opened, filtered, and tasted) the bourbon from the chess pieces to wine bottles. There were two that have all kind of junk in them, but the vast majority were very clean and clear.

I have 26 bottles left or 32 (2 were bad, 1 was empty, and 3 have been consumed ).

I have now sealed all of the decanters by gluing in new corks (used wine corks) , except for the two Queens which will be used to drink from during games...

[spun_cookie]

Here is the table now Tiles and edged with natrual rock...

[callmeox]

Wow, great work, Em.

[spun_cookie]

Those little pieces are a normal chess set... actually a pretty big chess standard set (2" by 2" squares).

The 2nd shot is my 5.5 yr old...

[kickert]

Thanks to Em for a generous sample. Here are my notes:

SIGHT: Extremely dark burnt orange - we are talking almost brown. Legs are slow to form, closely spaced legs give way to big broad streamers

NOSE: Typical carmel/vanilla/oak. Complex sweetness - more maple syrup than corn syrup.

TASTE: I don't find many of the flavors from the nose on the pallate - at least not immediately. The most dominate flavor is old wood (not tannic oak, but rather 2x4's that has been set out in the elements). The taste reminds me of working on renovating old homes; I can't get past that

FINISH: After a good 10 seconds and elusive sweetness pops and lingers with caramelly goodness. This lasts 30-45 seconds easily.

CONCLUSION: The finish is the best part. The old lumber flavor is unusual, but not off putting. It has a richness that is rare in modern pours. Comparing this to current Old Crow would be like trying to compare GTS to benchmark.

[funknik]

The most dominate flavor is old wood (not tannic oak, but rather 2x4's that has been set out in the elements). The taste reminds me of working on renovating old homes; I can't get past that.

The old lumber flavor is unusual, but not off putting. It has a richness that is rare in modern pours.

In very un-Funknik fashion, I haven't yet done proper notes on the bottle of this I got, but rather have been simply enjoying it....typically after work curled up the couch with a good book. I need to buckle down and make some official noted soon as I am about 3/5 through the bottle (I hope I'm exaggerating, but probably not). I transferred this OC1968 to my favorite bottle (a brandy bottle shaped like a woman's torso) and that has made the experience even more pleasurable.

What I have noticed is a little of the "old" taste that I think is coming through as "old lumber" to you, Ben. I thought after the first sip of this that it tasted like an old china cup -- probably a lot of what we're tasting is "must" from the ceramic and/or cork, but after letting my pour sit a little while I could easily get around this. Likewise, the more of the bottle I down, the better this stuff tastes (cruel fate!). I could see how with a 50ml it would be hard to let it breathe.

I got a lot of herbal presence in the initial entry which I was surprised by and quite a bit of butter in the finish which I thoroughly enjoy...UD butterscotch. I would absolutely agree with you, Ben about the richness also -- you just don't get a dark-bodied, thick and gooey whiskey in a regular bottling these days...this stuff today would be saved for a Rare Breed style bottling. All in all, excellent....I better get to work doing my notes before this stuff is all gone, Thanks Again, M!

[ggilbertva]

While the OC was labeled 86pf, there's no way it's that proof now. None of the chess pieces were full and the evaporation over time increased the proof to whatever it is now. Also, the color is unlike anything I've seen in a bourbon stated as 10 year 86 proof. It's darker than any of the BTAC barrel proof offerings. In fact, it's the darkest bourbon I have in my bunker.....coffee like in appearance. One thing I've noticed with my OC is that letting it sit for a short period of time (5-10 mins), really opens up the nose and flavor. Some of the old wood Ben is talking about transfers more to the background and a buttery quality emerges up front. The latest chess set that's been shared was bottled 11/69. I've seen some folks state it as '68....just for clarification.

[spun_cookie]

Greg. The chess sets were produced and sold from 1968 to 1969 from what I can tell.

I do not know how you can tell, but I guess that they came out every so often. There are 12 diffrent peices to chose from (Green King, Quees, Castle, Kight, Bishop, pawn and Brown King, Quees, Castle, Kight, Bishop, pawn).

Probably 1 a month for a year or longer.... anyone buying these things when this came out? I have been told that a complete set when bought new was over $750.

[ggilbertva]

Em,

In looking at the original boxes they came in, they are date stamped November 1969. So maybe the most recent purchase was the tail end of those decanters.

Greg. The chess sets were produced and sold from 1968 to 1969 from what I can tell.

I do not know how you can tell, but I guess that they came out every so often. There are 12 diffrent peices to chose from (Green King, Quees, Castle, Kight, Bishop, pawn and Brown King, Quees, Castle, Kight, Bishop, pawn).

Probably 1 a month for a year or longer.... anyone buying these things when this came out? I have been told that a complete set when bought new was over $750.