Van Winkle 12 Year Tastes Like Scotch??

[YoungExec]

Well, first I want to say hello to you all. I just joined the forum tonight, and would have joined ages ago if I had known that this forum existed. I was actually clicking the link to "Contact StraightBourbon.com" to request they put up a forum on their page, and on the page it took me to I found a link to a forum already in place. I'm glad to have found it.

I'm not an expert Bourbon taster nor am I yet a true Bourbon connoisseur, but I know clear well what a good Bourbon tastes like. I bought a bottle of 12 year Van Winkle Special Reserve tonight, and it tastes like Scotch. Now, as I said I am not an expert taster, but this tastes a lot like the few scotches I have tried. Why is that? Thanks for your input.

[YoungExec]

?

[Blackkeno]

I'm speechless!

[YoungExec]

lol, I'll take that as a neutral statement.

To rephrase my question, what about the actual makeup of Van Winkle Special Reserve is similar to scotches?

Brad

[YoungExec]

It has come to my attention that some of you have found this post offensive. I sincerely apologize for anything I may have said that was offensive, but I think that you all missed my point (maybe not). I am simply saying that the aforementioned Bourbon tastes more like Scotch than any other Bourbon I have tasted, and I'm wondering if anyone knows why?

Jeez guys, I appreciate my love for Bourbon as much as I appreciate air. However, during my day when someone asks why Oxygen is different than the air a person breathes I don't ridicule them nor do I push them away... I simply explain the vast differences, whilst still respecting everything that the questioning person has to offer. I had only expected the same respect from the people that may frequent this forum.

So, starting again... Does anyone know, specifically and chemically, why Van Winkle Special Reserve may taste a bit like Scotch to me?

With sincere regards,

Brad

[century451]

I havent had a chance to try this particular bourbon yet so my initial reaction would be I have no earthly Idea. But I can say this with no regrets.....I have never tasted a bourbon that tastes like scotch or even comes close. They are in my oppinion two completely different taste profiles.

Logic might lead me to believe that you have a chemical makeup that for you, makes these two very different spirits taste the same or close to the same.

My first experiance with scotch was JB, my last experiance was with Dalmore 12 year. Big difference in flavors with the latter being very sweet and smooth in comparrison.

Personally for me the scotch has a sick medicine flavor compared to bourbon....even a low end bourbon. Others may have a better reply to your question.

Steve

[racer]

Steve is right. As a reformed scotch drinker, I've tasted all sorts of single-malt scotch. I cannot find a scotch, that taste like bourbon. Maybe you're detecting a tannic taste. Single-malt scotch because of the peat always have a slight medicinal flavor, which could be tasted as tannic.

mark

[tdelling]

>So, starting again... Does anyone know, specifically and chemically,

>why Van Winkle Special Reserve may taste a bit like Scotch to me?

You're going to have to give us more information, especially concerning

your experience with bourbon and scotch.

Perhaps the Van Winkle is the first bourbon you've ever had

that is made with wheat instead of rye.

Perhaps the Van Winkle is the first bourbon you've ever had

that is aged more than ~6 years.

Which bourbons do you have experience with?

Which scotches do you have experience with?

When you say "tastes like scotch", do you mean "tastes like

a cheap blend (e.g Clan MacGregor)?" or do you mean "tastes

like a single malt (such as Glenmorangie)"?

When you say "more than any other bourbon I have tasted",

does that include Maker's Mark? Stagg? Or is your experience

mostly with, say, Ten High?

Tim

[YoungExec]

hahaha, no my experience with Bourbon is not only with Ten High.

I have enjoyed more than 50 different types of Bourbon's. Here is a small picture of my collection of bottles(54 of them last i counted):

I know that the picture is of poor quality, my webcam stinks.. But, at least you can see that I have had much more than Ten High. Though, I think that there is a bottle of Ten High up there somewhere.

I post the picture, mainly, because of being told that some people thought I was a "troll", and I am far from such a thing.

Some of the better Bourbon's I have tried would be:

Bakers

Bookers

Knob Creek

Ezra Brooks 15yr Single Barrel

Woodford Reserve

Basil Haydens

Evan Williams Single Barrel

Makers Mark

Elijah Craig

and many more..

As far as scotch experience, I have absolutely zero. I have had a few different types, mostly high dollar I would expect, however I couldn't tell you what they were called for the life of me. Just have had them at gatherings and such.

[YoungExec]

Racer,

I think you are probably correct. Thanks!

[racer]

It may be the tannic taste, you're noticing. Used bourbon barrels are shipped to scotland for use in aging scotch also. That may be it also. The folk on this board are very polite and generous. They'd rather not comment, than lash out on a topic. If you enjoy bourbon, you're at the right place. Right now, I'm just getting into wheaters, really I can't help. Maybe some of the other posters may.

mark h.

[YoungExec]

haha, I just realized that at the bottom of the page there is a Van Winkle Special Reserve label graphic! hah, no wonder some may have thought I was trolling..

[Marvin]

Do you suppose there is a possibility someone could have put scotch into your bottle, because there is no comparison to the way bourbon is made to the way they make scotch? Just back up to the home page and click onto the icon and it will tell you exactly how bourbon has to be made. Each distiller can vary the grains as he sees fit, where in scotch the main thing they do is use peat to dry the grain and that is where the medicinal taste is derived. So, if I were you, I would buy another bottle of Van Winkle 12 YO and I think you will probably find it tastes nothing like scotch. I sure hope no one played a trick on you by putting scotch in your bottle.

Cheers,

Marvin

[YoungExec]

lol, no.. nobody put scotch in my bottle.. I appreciate the suggestion, but I'm quite familiar with how Bourbon is made.. I shall, however, buy another bottle and try it again to see if by chance I had just bought a bad bottle or something..

[bobbyc]

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

.. I shall, however, buy another bottle and try it again to see if by chance I had just bought a bad bottle or something..

[YoungExec]

lol, ya I'm not so confident that I will feel any differently.. Maybe it was something I had eaten that evening.. Though, I doubt that too.

[CL]

Referring to a posts elsewhere in this thread....

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

Marvin: Do you suppose there is a possibility someone could have put scotch into your bottle?

[YoungExec]

lol, unless the liquor store clerk has far far too much time on his hands, I think not.. hehe

[MurphyDawg]

As a semi-related side note. If you get a better picture of those at some point, we have a thread called "show us your Stash" and I would be thrilled if you added to it. . .

TomC

[MurphyDawg]

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

Maybe it was something I had eaten that evening..

[YoungExec]

Good deal, I'm buying a digital camera for a new business venture, and will use it to take a couple pictures of my collection.. hehe, that just gives me an excuse to buy it sooner than later.. Just a warning though.. My bottle collection, sadly, is mostly a collection of empty bottles..

It's still a fun thing for me though, hehe, even more fun when I"m emptying them.

As for the glass, it was a crystal rocks glass.. Hand cleaned before I put anything in it, so, it wasn't dusty or anything.. I eat all sorts of strange stuff, so maybe that's what it was.. Who knows, maybe that was the night I had Indian food.. Curry + Bourbon I would think may not make the best combination.. hah

Brad