What Bourbon Are You Drinking, Fall 2009

[funknik]

Yesterday it was "Around the World in 80 Pours" . . . well, thankfully not 80, but I bounced around a lot with a bunch of small drams:

WTKS '07 (this one is really good, lots of cinnamon & caramel corn up front -- the finish can be a little grassy & hot, but I didn't mind -- and I didn't notice it at all on the second pour of this)

OWA Julio's (this was misplaced in this progression)

GTS '09 then GTS '08 (the '09 is the clear winner for me: rounder, sweeter, fuller)

OGD114

Handy '09

OGD114

and the nightcap:

VSOF BHC on Fishinbowl Joe's recommendation. I didn't know how this one would fare following the OGD114, but this is the best pour of SW juice I've had in a while . . . it was almost a shame to go to bed.

[Josh]

Yesterday it was "Around the World in 80 Pours" . . . well, thankfully not 80, but I bounced around a lot with a bunch of small drams:

WTKS '07 (this one is really good, lots of cinnamon & caramel corn up front -- the finish can be a little grassy & hot, but I didn't mind -- and I didn't notice it at all on the second pour of this)

OWA Julio's (this was misplaced in this progression)

GTS '09 then GTS '08 (the '09 is the clear winner for me: rounder, sweeter, fuller)

OGD114

Handy '09

OGD114

and the nightcap:

VSOF BHC on Fishinbowl Joe's recommendation. I didn't know how this one would fare following the OGD114, but this is the best pour of SW juice I've had in a while . . . it was almost a shame to go to bed.

[JamesW]

Last night it was OGD114 followed by GTS '09.

[smokinjoe]

I only had room on my palate for one pour last night: WRMC Seasoned Oak.

I wish I could be more helpful, but all I can say is it was unlike anything I've ever had. The closest I could come to notes on the nose was Black Walnuts.

On the palate it was very dry and woody but not in the conventional way. Definately unique and worth splitting a bottle if you can get in on one.

[Ruby K]

I only had room on my palate for one pour last night: WRMC Seasoned Oak.

I wish I could be more helpful, but all I can say is it was unlike anything I've ever had. The closest I could come to notes on the nose was Black Walnuts.

On the palate it was very dry and woody but not in the conventional way. Definately unique and worth splitting a bottle if you can get in on one.

[Ruby K]

last night i had a nip of weller centennial, followed by revisiting a frankfort ORVW15. I wonder if the bottle I got was one of the older ones closer to 16 that Julian talked about back in the day, b/c i got a lot more wood and smoke than sweetness in it. A good bourbon, to be sure, but not quite what I was expecting. Since i'm still a relative babe in these woods, could someone lemme know if a frankfort bottle or ORVW would be S-W, Bernheim, BT?

[unclebunk]

Cracked a bottle of Russell's Reserve to sample along side an older 101 proof bottle that I found. Very nice at 90 proof but a shame WT lowered it from the more impressive 101 proof that Jimmy prefers.

[Josh]

There are a lot of special releases I'd like to get, but the more I hear of this WRMC SO, the more likely it will be the first one purchased. Dang, it sounds good.

Josh, i kinda feel that way about the WR special releases. The sweet mash was quite unique. That banana bread taste isn't an everyday pour, and I wouldn't spend $80 on it by myself, but got a few friends to go in on it and sneak a nip from time to time, totally worth it.

I had the opportunity to buy the sweet mash when it was out, but I passed on it, maybe I shouldn't have!

I want to be clear, I'm not saying it's the best bourbon I've ever tasted or something I could drink every day, but it's worth trying. Really unique.

[smokinjoe]

I had the opportunity to buy the sweet mash when it was out, but I passed on it, maybe I shouldn't have!

I want to be clear, I'm not saying it's the best bourbon I've ever tasted or something I could drink every day, but it's worth trying. Really unique.

It's the "unique" part that has me pumped. Anybody can say anything is good, or the best they've ever had. But I like that you find it unique, and "unlike anything I've ever had".

[Stones]

Opened an old '65 Kentucky Tavern 86 proof a few weeks back, for a bottom to middle shelf bourbon back in the day it is very, very good! :yum:

[Gillman]

Jack Daniels Single Barrel, from an October '09 bottling. Very good, a light dash of water (in this case) makes it even better. Jack has improved a lot in recent years.

Gary

[spun_cookie]

little Weller SR from 1988. Thanks to razorburnt I picked these up in DC... crazy good juice .. fat, full and deep... not a 7 yr 90 proof bottle is you ask me...

[Ruby K]

last night i had a nip of weller centennial, followed by revisiting a frankfort ORVW15. I wonder if the bottle I got was one of the older ones closer to 16 that Julian talked about back in the day, b/c i got a lot more wood and smoke than sweetness in it. A good bourbon, to be sure, but not quite what I was expecting. Since i'm still a relative babe in these woods, could someone lemme know if a frankfort bottle or ORVW would be S-W, Bernheim, BT?

whoa! upon closer squinting, my centennial has a BHC label up top and is stamped "clyde forth" on the bottom... is this the S-W stuff? did i totally just stumble into some extra goodness?

[Joshua]

I had the tail end of a sample of OFBB09. Not really good, don't care for the stuff...

Then I killed a couple JBW 50s to make room for samples. Funny thing, my OF Prime 7 year dusty is the same color as weller centennial... and they look dang near black next to the yellow JBW. Dare I say JBW was better then OFBB09?

[Luna56]

Big, big pour of ERSB tonight to help me lament my failure to procure the BTAC Stagg that was here in NH for such a short time. Missed it, it was gone. Gotta make a trek tomorrow to hopefully score some Handy. But in the meantime, the ER is a nice consolation. Saddle soap and wood seem magnified in this bottle, so I have a lot to distract me from my misery.

Cheers!

[jburlowski]

Got home last night after a weekend in GA visiting old friends. Had a OGD 114 before going to bed.

[funknik]

whoa! upon closer squinting, my centennial has a BHC label up top and is stamped "clyde forth" on the bottom... is this the S-W stuff? did i totally just stumble into some extra goodness?

[JamesW]

Last night was Wathen's followed by WLW 08

[Ruby K]

The "Clyde Forth" on the bottom would indicate that this is an early Centennial release; the BHC label stayed on the neck until very late in the run -- is the bottle from Frankfort or Louisville? I found 4 bottles of Frankfort Centennial with the "Clyde Forth" stamp on the bottom -- that is very tasty juice, much better, I would say than the later bottlings.

To my knowledge, only the Louisville bottles are suspected of being SW juice. I say suspected, because I have never been convinced -- I'm probably opening myself up for blasting here, but I've tasted both the Louisville & early Frankfort bottles of this stuff and didn't really notice a difference. Also, I think I'm pretty good at recognizing SW when I taste it (again my tasting ability is up for debate :grin:) and I didn't get any of the SW hallmarks from the Louisville Centennial (roasted almonds, burnt butter, etc.). That's not to say I'm right, but I just have not been convinced that any of this juice came from Stitzel-Weller (of course there are others who have had far more contact with the Louisville Centennial than myself also).

Either way -- yes, you stumbled into something very good -- enjoy it!

[nor02lei]

I did have Dickel 8 before dinner yesterday and JDSS with the apple pie after dinner. Oh, I do like Tennessee whiskey. Later I had a uncut 9 years HH from Cadenheads and that tasted very good as well.

Leif

[OscarV]

Jefferson's Presidential Select, neat.

[nor02lei]

Weller 7/90 and 12 before dinner and JDSS after partly with the last out of my apple pie. The younger Weller was ok but not really as good as the 12. None of them was even in the same league as the JD.

Leif

[smokinjoe]

Sippin' on a Weller 12. This one continues to disappoint me, lately. The last couple of bottles have been thin and pedestrian. I've been avoiding the W12 for the last couple of months, because of this. Unfortunately, after this pour, I still ain't feelin' the love. Beats the crap out of the Weller SR (but I must admit, just about everything does), but ain't touchin' the Antique. Oh well, C'est la Vie. This too, shall pass...

[SMOWK]

Starting the evening with a little EC12 pre-dinner. I'll post more when I get into the better stuff after dinner.

Dinner: Smoked Brisket thrown in with some Tomatillo sauce.

mmmm....tomatillo's

[George]

Had a little MM before dinner. I'm not sure if was my mood or palate or what, but I found it to be even better than the last time I had it.