Bourbon

[WEG3]

Well there has to be a first post some time ,I guess now is as good a time as any..

Dad was a loyal fan and follower of Bellows Club Bourbon , and as time or oppertunity permited he would try/ or drink other stock .... I still have his last unopenned bottle of WT 101,,,,

From reading a few of the posts here it will be a bit before I will be posting my tastes , or at least how they are listed here ...I know what I like , but have not the nose or the detail of taste to have a valid input as of yet , ....My likes run to the likes of Ezra Brooks , Evan Williams , Old Weller 107 , W.L.Weller Centenial,,, with the older(10,12 and 15 year)and higher proofs 90+ single barrel and small batch at the top of my liking ...

I will be reading post and trying other bourbons based on the ratings you all have rated my current favorites at as a base to start ,,Hopefully I will develop the skills to start to rate and give a valid opinion with your help ...

Thank You

Bill G.

P.S. I hope I have this posted on the correct board if not please forgive me ..........Thank You

[MurphyDawg]

Well first things first, Bill G.,

Welcome To Bourbonia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am sure you will find evereything you want to know on this forum and I know I speak for many when I say that I am looking forward to your input!

My only question is regarding you saying:

"with the older(10,12 and 15 year)and higher proofs 90+ single barrel and small batch at the top of my liking ..."

I was just wondering to what bottlings in particular you were referring to??

Welcome Aboard & Rock On ,

Tom (Bourbonic Ambassador) C

PS my first tip for you is to OPEN that bottle of WT 101!!! You won't regret it!

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Welcome to Bourbonia Bill. That's a pretty good first post and you are forgiven. The Tastings topic board is really for either formal reviews or informal impressions of a specific bourbon or family of bourbons and maybe a bourbonic shootout or two. So I'm just going to pop your thread up to General Bourbon Topics.

[WEG3]

Ok here it goes ...a list of the fallen .

Old Weller 107

W.L.Weller Centenial

Ezra Brooks 101

Ezra B. 15yr

Old Grand Dad 114

are my special favorites so far , for common part takings , the every day are Ezra Brooks 90 or Evan Williams 90...

Have picked up of late ETL. single EW single and a Makers Mark 90? I think not sure of the proof at this time .. I will say that from my personal very unskilled tastings of the low proofs in EB and EW did not have the smooth oil feel that I like , Bellows Club , Dad's favorite , it has been a long time from my last sip , I remember as a lighter crisper type feel to it a very enjoyable ,,, I guess what I am trying to say is I like the heavier feel more than what to me is a lighter watery type feeling that say JB Black label ..........If my lack of learning is showing please forgive me I am trying ........

Well if that don't get me a sock in the mouth I guess I be ok ........lol

Bill G.

P.S.

Good Nite all I am off to bed it has been a long night ...

[hollywood]

The Third, You can relax! Just say what YOU feel. You'll find out what you like, and with time you will be able to express it in that precise manner...or not...it doesn't matter! As long as you enjoyed your experience..that is what matters. Sometimes simple is better anyways. Don't worry about getting caught up in...hints of this, or subtle flavors of that and so forth. You can speak that way if you feel comfortable with it over time. For instance, I have two bottles of Jefferson Reserve (Both Batch# 15, Bottle 1503 & 1506) I opened #1506 last night and drank it in a rocks glass with a single cube of ice, and I have three words for its taste....Butterscotch, Butterscotch, Butterscotch! This stuff was wonderful! An excellent pour! What do you expect for 15 years old, right?! Good Luck! See ya, H'wood

[MurphyDawg]

Yep I figure at 15 years you would only get 2 or three flavors (one of them being BARREL) anyway, though the strong sweetness in butterscotch would balance that off quite well. . . . . .hmmm maybe I need a bottle of JR ! LOL

TomC

[hollywood]

M'Dawg. O.K. it was only two (2) butterscotches! Seriously, it was some fine bourbon. However, I didn't taste any barrel. And I better not! I don't want to get back into THAT thread, but this pour will run you $50-$75 a bottle here in AL! Depends if you're dealing with the ABC store, or just a "local" liquor joint. I expect a fine drink for that kind of coin! And I promised I wouldn't go there, but Woodford for $28-$31 at the ABC store is better/less expensive. See ya, H'wood

[Paradox]

Eric, I totally agree. I just finished my bottle of JR about 2 weeks ago and loved the butterscotch notes throughout the whole bottle. Even at the 15yo bottling I detected no barrel either.

[bluesbassdad]

H'wood,

You wrote, in part:

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />

However, I didn't taste any barrel. And I better not! I don't want to get back into THAT thread, but ...

[hollywood]

B'B'D, No, my reference was to a thread that I enjoyed at first, but became exhaustive to me..referring to the way we perceive the value of whiskey for the dollar etc.. I eluded to that later in my post when I said I still liked Woodford better in the $28-31 range than the Jefferson Reserve. Or something to like of that. However, I do like "barrel" tastes as long as they ARE in the flavors of oak and charcoal!..Tastes that I like in the JD products...again, that is another subject! I know many of my counterparts here are not fond of the JD products for some reason . Back to the point, I think "barrel" tastes are the main "ingredients" that make bourbon/whiskey. Then again, like you said when it becomes to influencial/prominent it becomes overbearing. I like hints of oak/charcoal etc..but, it shouldn't taste like I'm drinking bark or wood. I hope this clears my comment up some. See ya, H'wood

[bluesbassdad]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />

I hope this clears my comment up some.

[jeff]

I have been working on a bottle of JR since last valentines day and I love it. There are some discussions and tasting notes around if you dig a little. I do think that it is a little pricey for what it is (and I can get it here for $43), but I do enjoy it very much.

[ratcheer]

I bet I like Jack Daniels Black Label as much as you like Elijah Craig 12-yr.

Tim

[hollywood]

My man Rat! The comic! I was gonna drive over to Pelham and bring you a bottle of booze for the holidays. I guess a bottle of JD Single Barrel wouldn't be appropriate!? You are correct.. you don't have to worry about a shortage of EC12 in our area do to my consumption! Drink on neighbor! See ya, H'wood

[MurphyDawg]

Sheesh I was beginning to think that people were saying that noticing barrel notes was a bad thing , If thats the caser maybe SC**ch and its re-used cooperage is the place to be. I am not suggesting that everyone is gonna rush out and LOVE EC 18 or Ezra B, but to me some extra aging (above the standard 4 years, I mean), and barrel/char presence is a good thing, especially in a good finish, examples: VanWinkle 10/107, Russell's Reserve, Birthday Bourbon, Elmer T. Lee & Weller Centennial all have obvious barell notes that improve, and dont setract from the whiskey. (I am not as keen on the sugar maple charcoal flavor in Tennessee whiskey, though I do enjoy George Dickel quite a bit.). So I am not sure why one would be dissapointed to see barrel notes it only serves as a counterpart to the sweetness, that would otherwise prove to cloying.

Hope that clears up what I meant

TomC

PS Per Daves request - When I mention BARREL NOTES I mean: smoke, wood/oak, charcoal, burnt (like burt sugar/ burt vanilla), molasses is a barrel influenced sweetness. . . .

[hollywood]

M'Dawg, You're clear. To expand on barrel tastes..The pours you mentioned are some of my favorites. I think it is important for a bourbon to have a "distinct character". As long as it is a good one! To ME there are too many bourbons (not good ones) that have no individuality. That is what the OF Birthday Bourbons, Elmer T. Lee's, Woodford Reserve's, and so forth have. To me its obvious, and I believe this comes from barrel for the most part. Again, these tastes shouldn't come in the form of overpowering bark, wood, and sap! More like spices, vanilla, caramal, chocolate, and oak (there is a difference between oak, and bark/sap). I probably couldn't explain...I'll just leave it. Thanks, Tom. I believe WE are on the same page! See ya, H'wood

[ratcheer]

Okay. You win.

I went to a Christmas party this evening. They had an open bar. I first ordered Wild Turkey. It was 80 proof and not especially good.

For my second drink, I spotted Gentleman Jack and ordered that. It was very tasty and really very good.

I am surprised, but not too biased to admit a mistake.

[hollywood]

Rat, Good for you! Hey, I like it too, but I will say this...it is a little thin for my liking. Then again, 80 proof stuff is all pretty much the same way to me.(on the "thin" side that is) I do like the flavor of "The Gent" very much. In a semi-perfect world, I could have that flavor with a thicker pour. Oh, well there is always OFBB, Woodford, Elmer T. Lee, Rare Breed and many others I like as well. See ya, H'woo

[bluesbassdad]

The huge disadvantage of "conversing" with typed text is that the participants can't see each other's facial expressions and body language or hear vocal inflections. (Just imagine all the possible translations of "Yeah, right."). Even the emoticons don't always convey meaning clearly. And if we inadvertently give offense, we can't immediately make amends with, "Say, lets try that bottle of Pappy's I've been meaning to open".

Perhaps I am unable to get your actual meaning regarding the two liqours that you mentioned and your regard of them.

If I were to take your words literally, my own bias (read "experience") would cause me to be quite surprised at your findings. I would have to ask whether you saw the bartender break the seal on each bottle and pour directly into your glass. If your answer is "yes", then I would ask whether you had just eaten, say, garlic toast, jalapeno nachos, or licorice whips, which might have influenced your taste at that moment.

If you really do prefer the taste of Gentleman Jack to that of Wild Turkey 80 proof (which I drink only in bars that don't have the 101 -- I don't own a bottle, myself), then perhaps I need to poke around my closet to see if I can find my last bottle of Gentleman Jack, which has gathered a layer of dust by now. Maybe it's more enjoyable than I remember.

As I've described before, I thought I liked JD No. 7 for years. Someone offered me Gentleman Jack, and I found it easier to drink. Later I discovered that I liked the Single Barrel even better. Then about a year ago I started getting reacquainted with bourbon again. Suddenly the oily taste and feel of the JD line, even the Single Barrel, seemed unpleasant by comparison. I set aside a half-full bottle of SB and an unopened bottle of GJ. There may even be some No. 7 sitting around.

Since the last time I drank a JD product, I've sipped or drunk heartily of a dozen or more bourbons (from Rebel Yell to Kentucky Spirit), a few ryes, and even several of those foreign whiskies. Not once have I found myself longing for slug of Jack.

So... were you joking, or were you serious? (We can still be friends either way, even if I can't offer you a drink of Pappy's. )

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield

[bobbyc]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />

And if we inadvertently give offense, we can't immediately make amends with, "Say, lets try that bottle of Pappy's I've been meaning to open".

[Blackkeno]

"If you really do prefer the taste of Gentleman Jack to that of Wild Turkey 80 proof (which I drink only in bars that don't have the 101 -- I don't own a bottle, myself), then perhaps I need to poke around my closet to see if I can find my last bottle of Gentleman Jack, which has gathered a layer of dust by now. Maybe it's more enjoyable than I remember."

Of the Tennessee Whiskeys I've tried, JD7, GJ, JDSB, and Dickle #12, Gentlemen Jack is my favorate. I've only tried the Turkey 80 once in a bar, and although it was good, I'm pretty sure I would prefer GJ to it.

[ratcheer]

Oh, I was serious. But, no, I didn't see the bartender break the seals on either bottle. I can say with certainty that that drink of WT 80 did NOT taste like any other WT whiskey I have ever tasted, before. Prior to finishing the drink, I found myself wishing it was all gone.

And, never having tasted Gentleman Jack before, I have no idea whether it was the real thing.

And, no, I hadn't eaten anything prior to the WT.

So, yes, I was serious, but I can't vouch for the actual content of the bottles. It was a very expensive party at a very expensive country club, but I also know that that's no guarantee of quality, either.

Tim

[hollywood]

B'B'D, I'm a little surprised at your post in relation to Ratcheer's opinion that he liked Gentlemen Jack to WT80. It is obvious that your liking is just the opposite (which is fine), but to imply that he had just eaten garlic, licorice, etc., and that somebody possibly was deceptive in what was poured, or that Rat' wasn't serious in his post is a little....I don't know what it is. I have read many of Ratcheer's posts, and it seems like he favors many good bourbons...Is it that outlandish to accept that his tastes on a particular pour are a little different than yours? Sincerely, H'wood

[bluesbassdad]

Well, now...

OK, it's settled. It really is time to revisit those bottles I set aside a few months back. It's been at least six months since I've had the GJ, and I know from my experience during that time that my taste-memory is not very reliable.

While I'm at it, I may just pick up a bottle of Wild Turkey 80. It could be that when I drink it while listening to a live blues band, I'm not so much tasting it as allowing it to serve as a backdrop for enjoyable entertainment.

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield

[bluesbassdad]

Tim,

Thanks for setting me straight. I just couldn't shake the idea that perhaps the same humorous streak that's reflected in your choice of screen name had influenced your post. Now I know better.

As I mentioned moments ago elsewhere in this thread, I'm not sure that I've been paying attention to the taste on those occasions when I've drunk WT 80. Thanks to your post, now I'll either buy a bottle of it for some serious sipping or, perhaps, stop by the local blues club sometime when there's no entertainment on stage. (And I'll revisit at least the GJ from my Tennessee trio.)

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield