What bourbon are you enjoying? Fall 2011

[G.H.Adams]

Tonight I started with a pour of Blantons with dinner. I will finish the evening with Wild Turkey 101.

[Young Blacksmith]

did a few KCSBR's last night, and it got a bit better as the night progressed, but the alcohol and heat did not float my boat. I'll end up using this to mix with ginger ale unfortunately.

[jcg9779]

FR OBSK and FR OBSV back to back. The OBSV had a little more heat to me, but also had a better mouthfeel and a little more flavor. Both were very good pours though!

[DeanSheen]

Some nice buttery OWA NAS followed up by 2010 WLW.

The WLW is gone and my head hurts.

[Flyfish]

My wife and I enjoy "cocktail hour" before dinner. Typically, we sample two bourbons, attempting to have some connection between the two. Last night, for example, we had AAA 10YO and OC 101--both Buffalo Trace products. (She prefers the AAA. I like the Charter.) Tonight we compared two single barrels: Four Roses and Evan Williams SB 2000.

Our practice is to sniff for a while from Glencairn glasses before tasting neat. Then, I add a couple drops of bottled water. Finally, we have a pour over ice. (And repeat all of the above as required.)

Tonight, the EWSB tasted off. Can't put my finger on why but it was just bad. By the time we got to the rocks stage, though, it was tasting noticeably better. And by the time we got to the repeat stage, I was happy again.

This is my third bottle of EWSB2000 (and it is autographed by Harry Shapiro at the distillery). We are 3/4 through the bottle so it is no stranger to us. Still, I can't explain the definite unpleasantness in what has been one of my favorite pours.

Anybody have any ideas?

[Brisko]

Sometimes my palate is just off. I think some whiskeys are worse for this than others, though. ORVW 10/107 and current WTRB have been the worst for me. Sometimes they taste great, while other times they are bitter and barely drinkable.

As to what causes it, no idea.

[M14Shooter]

Sipping on some Pappy 20 .

Regards,Mike

[clingman71]

Cork N Bottle Weller 12 Barrel Selection #3 and Kahn's Selection Elijah Craig 12

[wvbowhunter]

A healthy pour of 1792 before bed. Might follow it up with some OWA.

[T Comp]

Sometimes my palate is just off. I think some whiskeys are worse for this than others, though. ORVW 10/107 and current WTRB have been the worst for me. Sometimes they taste great, while other times they are bitter and barely drinkable.

As to what causes it, no idea.

You been tasting with my tongue or what Brisko :grin:. Specifically those two have caused me some consternation too, though maybe not as far as barely drinkable. My thought is that with both being aggressive on the wood char, even close to soot taste, that the other great flavors can easily get lost because of food or whatever affecting our tongue that day.

[MacGuffin]

We had our first snowfall today (that actually stuck). So, as I watch the evening news with my wife, I'm warming my palate with a healthy pour of Knob Creek. What can I say, I'm a simple guy.

[Brisko]

You been tasting with my tongue or what Brisko :grin:. Specifically those two have caused me some consternation too, though maybe not as far as barely drinkable. My thought is that with both being aggressive on the wood char, even close to soot taste, that the other great flavors can easily get lost because of food or whatever affecting our tongue that day.

Only once was it barely drinkable but it was very disappointing when it happened.

I think you may be on to something with the char, as that seems to be where the occasional "off" flavors come from. I'm sure there are all sorts of factors that change how we taste things from one day to the next. But it would be nice to be able to predict it before you dive in to a big pour of your favorite belt. I usually take a little pre-sip before I pour a glass, now, to make sure that it's really what I'm in the mood for.

[Flyfish]

Today it was Basil Hayden and OGD 114--both from the same Beam recipe but at 80 proof and 114 proof respectiviely. Color: Almost identical. The extra age (8 yr) for the BH was offset by the lower proof. Nose: More pronounced in the OGD. On the palate: Every time I taste the OGD I have a flashback of more than 50 years to Beeman's gum--it's the cloves.

The flavor profile is the same for both: Some vanilla, dark chocolate, and citrus, plus the cloves.

My wife thinks BH is like cognac--easy sipping straight.

I like the OGD on the rocks.

We start straight for nosing, take a sip or two, add a couple drops of bottled water, and then go on the rocks.

Other than the fact that my wife likes it, I can't justify the extra $10 for BH. The OGD 114 is more than good enough for me.

[wvbowhunter]

Having a tall pour of FRYL with a bottle of Ale-8-One. Will probably have a pour of FRSB next.

[hectic1]

Getting ready to participate in an online tasting...the menu for tonight is:

1) Parker's HC Cognac Barrel Finished 100PF

2) EH Taylor Release #2 100PF

3) Toddy’s Willett Bourbon 10YO #312 120.4pf 25/48 ( purple wax)

4) Toddy’s Willett Bourbon 10 YO #396 120.1pf 30/144 (black wax)

5) Toddy’s Willett Rye 5YO 121.6pf 27/132

[jcg9779]

Drinking a small pour of WT101 Old No. 8 before the WS game starts. I did not like it initially, and it is much better now that it has been sitting open....or maybe I just have a very receptive palate tonight.

[M14Shooter]

First snow of the year.So to warm up after snow duty I opened some Julio's Rock Hill Farm.Its really hitting the spot.Great Mid-Palate and a very long finish.

Regards,Mike:grin:

[clingman71]

Party Source 1792, just can't get into this bottle. Ive had bottles of 1792 that I loved, but not this one. Opened in the summer, tried a few pours, shelved for awhile. I can't even put my finger on what it is exactly that isn't doing it for me, its just not.

[smokinjoe]

Jefferson's Rye. A nice middle-of-the-roader rye. Doesn't knock my socks off, but it's more interesting than standard fare. Minimally, one of the things I look for in a rye is that it doesn't simply taste like a high-rye bourbon. BTW, it's Ritt BIB's failure to pass this litmus test that has me not lovin' on it like so many others.......Sorry :crazy:. But, Jeff Rye passes the test. I'll continue to keep it in my rye rotation.

[DeanSheen]

Party Source 1792, just can't get into this bottle. Ive had bottles of 1792 that I loved, but not this one. Opened in the summer, tried a few pours, shelved for awhile. I can't even put my finger on what it is exactly that isn't doing it for me, its just not.

[clingman71]

Well the first two words of your post are my clue as to why you can't get into it. I'm def. not in synch with the selector.

I'm sipping on my second pour of RB&F 1792. It's gooood!

[Bourbon Boiler]

I just re-opened a bottle of Eagle Rare 10 that had been buried and forgotten about for almost a year. I don't know if it's my mood or if it improved with some air in the bottle, but it's tasting really good tonight.

[Scrub]

I am a sinner. I am drinking WLW with a splash of cola, and I will follow that with Henry McKenna Single Barrel with a splash of water. It it gets good to me, I do not know what will be next. I have about 25 open bottles at the moment .........................

[Bourbon Boiler]

I am a sinner. I am drinking WLW with a splash of cola, and I will follow that with Henry McKenna Single Barrel with a splash of water. It it gets good to me, I do not know what will be next. I have about 25 open bottles at the moment .........................

[jburlowski]

Last night it was E H Taylor SB and PHC 2011. Like the former. The latter... not so much.