MarkEdwards Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 Just curious here.Personally, I find Bookers 126 a bit rough with significant burn on the swallow, while the Wild Turkey 101 Rare Breed, for instance, is more friendly to my tongue.What does a higher proof do for you, taste-wise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 Flavor... anything 80 proof tastes like water to me. With Bookers, I thought it had a lot of alcoholey-solvent taste without the flavor of higher proof (I don't enjoy it much at all.) With things like WLW and Stagg, to me it's more flavor with a bit of alcohol kick that's enjoyable. But it's also the bourbon, there's things that are 100 proof and are harsh, while 140+ proof Stagg is fine to sip neat for me. At some point I just started to ignore the alcohol taste of bourbon, and focus on other aspects... killing the proof out of the equation and going off flavor alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILLfarmboy Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 Flavor...take smaller sips if nesesary.....flavor..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skunk Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 What does a higher proof do for you, taste-wise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkEdwards Posted August 17, 2009 Author Share Posted August 17, 2009 I'm glad to see that Booker's is not the example to judge by, then. I AM sipping (very small sips - grin) a glass of Booker's right now, alongside an inch thick, rare rib-eye (yum!), and it seems to do better than just sipping all by its lonesome.I'm also guessing (well, thinking out loud, I suppose) that more alcohol content will also act as a solvent to keep more of the flavors in solution...Thanks for the answers, y'all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNbourbon Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 ...What does a higher proof do for you, taste-wise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratcheer Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 In my opinion, the higher proof bottlings come with more intense flavors, which is why I love them.Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rughi Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 Nothing really.Except in the sense of a higher proof being less watered down.Alcohol gets in the way, but the intensity of the barrel strength makes it all worth it. I've been following Jim Rutledge's low proof experiments as possible (and as seen in many 40th Anniversary bottlings), but I believe they've been terminated, from a Q&A response Lear asked in his guest spot he did on Hansell's blog (http://blog.maltadvocate.com/2009/03/06/guest-blog-jim-rutledge-four-roses-distillery/). Pity...Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost Pollito Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 http://blog.maltadvocate.com/2009/03/06/guest-blog-jim-rutledge-four-roses-distillery/I think you ment this one Roger. The other link was for Port Ellen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclebunk Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 In my opinion, the higher proof bottlings come with more intense flavors, which is why I love them.TimI'm with you. The GTS and WLW are certainly high octane but the alcohol doesn't get in the way of all the robust flavors, at least not for me anyway. I'm happy to drink them neat in small sips or to add a drop or two of water to open the nose and turn down the initial burn a notch, though, frankly, I don't mind the burn much either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggilbertva Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 Proof control and flavor. I typically don't buy anything 80 proof unless it's a dusty and I want to try it. While some of the uber high proofs may mask some of those flavors, altering the proof little by little allows me to balance the proof to flavor ratio. It used to be true that there was a cost benefit but since the distillery's now know that people will pay a premium for some of the barrel proof offerings, the prices have become silly. When I could buy Stagg or WLW for $45 a bottle or less, it made sense but not anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rughi Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 http://blog.maltadvocate.com/2009/03/06/guest-blog-jim-rutledge-four-roses-distillery/I think you meant this one Roger. The other link was for Port Ellen.Thanks, Joe, you got it right.Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cas Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 In my opinion, the higher proof bottlings come with more intense flavors, which is why I love them.TimI think intensity is the right word. It invites small sips, slowly, to be savored. And the warmth kind of settles in over you.I also agree that Bookers is not the best example of a high proof bourbon. I like Bookers just fine, but it's one of the few that I prefer on ice instead of neat. Maybe Bookers has a little more burn that the ice helps dissipate.Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 The highest proof I've tried to date is 107. This thread is getting me really interested in trying some of the higher proofs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waiahi Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 I found it shocking at first...but if you do side by side comparisons, you'll find that some higher proof bourbons are smoother and don't burn as much as some lower proof ones do!Just the other night, I had a drink of OGD114, and followed it up with a dram of 80 proof JB rye, neat. I've always drank the JBrye on the rocks, but decided to try it neat for the first time. I drank the OGD without a twitch, but the JBRye...well, I did have the ole Whiskey wince and cough.... :slappin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DowntownD Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 * not paying for someone to water down my drink before I even open it* more intense flavor* holds up better on a rock or three Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnbowljoe Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 More "BANG" for the buck. :grin: Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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