Vatting Success Stories

[kickert]

Ritt BIB with OGD 114.

I mixed it 1.5:1 but I think up to 2:1 either way would be good. The added proof gave the Ritt even more umph and the OGD gained a lot of flavor character. What you get is a high rye, high proof monster that will please those of us who like a lot of character and complexity in our pours and can stand higher proof.

I would venture to say this is one of the best vats I have ever done.

[funknik]

Ritt BIB with OGD 114.

Didn't know you had some 114, Ben - - good for you.

In despair over yet another overly musty EC12 I purchased, I vatted it with some KY Tavern BIB I had lying around. Wow! That sweetened up the EC12 and added some umph! The finish is still reeky with semi-rotten, moldy wood, but the flavor and mouthfeel are totally saved. Actually, that metallic-y wood taste at the end is a lot less objectionable when prefaced by the sweet candy corn taste. The hybrid was very satisfying.

Anyway, I dumped as much of the EC12 into the remaining 3/8 of the bottle of KY Tavern . . . I think it will all work out. I'm thinking of using some OGD 114 to amend the remaining EC12.

[kickert]

Didn't know you had some 114, Ben - - good for you.

Its yours.... After that round of Mystery Minis I saved about half a pour and gave it a shot. I am glad I did.

[funknik]

Its yours.... After that round of Mystery Minis I saved about half a pour and gave it a shot. I am glad I did.

I'll have to remember that combo.

[funknik]

In despair over yet another overly musty EC12 I purchased, I vatted it with some KY Tavern BIB I had lying around. Wow! That sweetened up the EC12 and added some umph! The finish is still reeky with semi-rotten, moldy wood, but the flavor and mouthfeel are totally saved. Actually, that metallic-y wood taste at the end is a lot less objectionable when prefaced by the sweet candy corn taste. The hybrid was very satisfying.

Anyway, I dumped as much of the EC12 into the remaining 3/8 of the bottle of KY Tavern . . . I think it will all work out. I'm thinking of using some OGD 114 to amend the remaining EC12.

Stay tuned, this may not be as much of a success story as I initially thought -- I'm afraid the tainted EC12 will infect the KY Tavern with its funk.

[Squash]

I also had no success vatting bad EC12 with other bourbon. The bad EC12 just ruins anything it touches. I'd pour it out, but I don't want to hurt the earth.

[funknik]

I also had no success vatting bad EC12 with other bourbon. The bad EC12 just ruins anything it touches. I'd pour it out, but I don't want to hurt the earth.

Hurt The Earth! That's awesome.

[Eth3rStrik3r]

I tried Vatting EW Black with Seagrams VO(while not Bourbon, pretty good in its own right). I mixed it in a 1:1 ratio, and it was pretty damn good. It went down really smooth, with a nice hot finish.

[Bourbon Geek]

Perhaps the ultimate vatting success story happened a few years ago at the site of George Washington's distillery in Mount Vernon. As part of a publicity deal, all of the American Whiskey producing members of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) had sent a barrel or two of one of their products to Mount Vernon. They were already partially aged ... some more than others ... they continued to age for a few more years on site and were tapped in to a time or two for special bottlings.

Eventually, the remaining product was vatted and bottled. The larger bottles ... 750's at 121.2 barrel proof were "auctioned off" for $250 each. The mini's are still for sale at the gift shops at Mount Vernon for about $25 each ...in a gift pack... although I believe supplies are beginning to run short.

The following brands were represented in the mix: George Dickel, IW Harper, Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, Maker's Mark, Platte Valley, Rebel Yell, Very Old Barton, Virginia Gentleman, Wild Turkey, and Woodford Reserve.

The main successes were the raising of substantial funds for the Mount Vernon Ladies Association and their education efforts ... a great positive PR experience for the American spirits industry ... and a very interesting vatting of american whiskey.

By the way ... for you folks interested in the finish ... it was cork.

[JamesW]

Mixing Makers Mark with Old Fitzgerald BiB... pretty good mix. Makers is sweet and smooth but bland while the Old Fitz is less so with some kick.

[tommyboy38]

I've had a bit of success with vatting some very woody Ten High 10yr w/ AA. Very nice in a 1:1 mix. I thought a bottle of the current Ten High KSBW might work better but I was way off. I plan on returning to the THT and AA in a 2:1 ration to keep some of the age and add a bit more flavor or to try a 1:1 w/ AAA 10 yr.

[fishnbowljoe]

Tried a mixture of WTRB and WTRR 10/90 tonight. (approximately 1:1) :yum: Reminds me of WT RR 101. :grin: This is probably my best vatting to date. Very tasty. Joe

[Phantos]

Tried a mixture of WTRB and WTRR 10/90 tonight. (approximately 1:1) :yum: Reminds me of WT RR 101. :grin: This is probably my best vatting to date. Very tasty. Joe

I'm drooling like Homer Simpson...

[spun_cookie]

vatting current (09) OWA and 1995 WT 80 proof... great mix

Gives the WT some breath with the OWA and the WT gives the OWA some depth.

... the 09 OWA I have seem very thin... I would not have done this with the past OWAs I have had...

Tried a mixture of WTRB and WTRR 10/90 tonight. (approximately 1:1) :yum: Reminds me of WT RR 101. :grin: This is probably my best vatting to date. Very tasty. Joe

I was trying to figure out what I was going to do with the remainder of this RR90 bottle, and that's a BRILLIANT idea!

and yes... brilliant

[ErichPryde]

Tried a mixture of WTRB and WTRR 10/90 tonight. (approximately 1:1) :yum: Reminds me of WT RR 101. :grin: This is probably my best vatting to date. Very tasty. Joe

I was trying to figure out what I was going to do with the remainder of this RR90 bottle, and that's a BRILLIANT idea!

[OscarV]

Tried a mixture of WTRB and WTRR 10/90 tonight. (approximately 1:1) :yum: Reminds me of WT RR 101. :grin: This is probably my best vatting to date. Very tasty. Joe

Yes I'll add my praise also, great idea Joe, I'm gonna try it.

[ErichPryde]

anyone else notice how Emerald quoted me... before the post? :skep: something's just not quite right here......:bigeyes:

joe, could you tell me what proof your rare bird was? I think most of them sit right around 54% or so, I know that Wild Turkey keeps their barrel proof close to the bottle proof in the old school style. that would make your blend somewhere right about 99 proof or something. unless you had a stronger bottle of RB.

Just curious, it's for no good reason. :grin:

[callmeox]

anyone else notice how Emerald quoted me... before the post? :shady: something's just not quite right here......

He edited his post 3 minutes after you made yours.

wild guess: He added in your quote at that time. :bigeyes:

[ErichPryde]

He edited his post 3 minutes after you made yours.

wild guess: He added in your quote at that time. :bigeyes:

yeah, I know, I was actually talking to him in chat room at the time. and joe.

:cool:

[callmeox]

Not that he can't shape shift and alter the time/space continuum at will, he just didn't need to do it that time. :cool:

[ErichPryde]

Not that he can't shape shift and alter the time/space continuum at will, he just didn't need to do it that time. :cool:

well, he does after all ride a wild rocket in to work every day. :shocked:

*Edit: I want to hear about the vatted jet fuel/ER101 Emerald has stashed away, by the way....

[spun_cookie]

I keep that in a deep dark cool hole for special occations...

Last night it was more of teh WT80 from 1995 and current OWA... the group liked it so much, we killed both....

[ErichPryde]

okay... not sure this is a success story, but it sure as hell is interesting. I mixed 75% Evan Williams Single barrel 1996 to 25% Russel's Reserve 10/90.

....If canada was to make a "canadian bourbon," it very well may end up tasting like this. this is incredibly "high" sweet for a rye base bourbon. but it isn't faint, there are other things going on in the glass. weird.

[fishnbowljoe]

I was doing a little side by side tasting of FR 08 and 09 Mariage. I thought what the heck, and poured a little of each into a glass with a couple of ice cubes. (I didn't measure exactly, but it was pretty much equal parts.) My luck in vatting continues. :grin: I thought it was pretty darn tasty! :yum: Joe

[Gillman]

Here's how the pros did it in 1941:

http://books.google.com/books?id=Yk4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA122&dq=Life+Magazine+General+MacArthur+1941#v=onepage&q=Schenley&f=false

(It's the ad for Schenley blend of straight whiskeys, see pg. 66 of the magazine).

Their method is very interesting - but you can do as well, or better.

Gary