What bourbon are you enjoying? Fall 2011

[clingman71]

Kahn's EC12 after work, then on to some Cantillon for my lady's birthday, she digs the lambics.

[hectic1]

$10? I always felt like I belonged in an earlier time I grouped them together because they're all relatively difficult to find, price aside. I don't think about price as much, though lord knows I should.

You're still comparing premium barrel proof offerings that are 10-12yrs old vs. a bottom shelf 6-8yr old 100 proof bourbon...not really a fair fight. Dusties are nice but they aren't all of a sudden going to transform into something they're not...a barrel proof premium offering.

[nivto]

You're still comparing premium barrel proof offerings that are 10-12yrs old vs. a bottom shelf 6-8yr old 100 proof bourbon...not really a fair fight. Dusties are nice but they aren't all of a sudden going to transform into something they're not...a barrel proof premium offering.

Was Old Fitz BiB truly considered bottom shelf back in the 70's and 80's? I know that there were several further aged and coveted OF expressions, but I didn't realize that the BiB wasn't highly regarded.

[smokinjoe]

Sazerac 18. The Rolls Royce of Ryes. If you're hesitating buying these later years of Saz 18 because you think it's spent too much time tanked...get that ridiculous idea out of your head immediately. This rye is as good as ever.

[bad_scientist]

You're still comparing premium barrel proof offerings that are 10-12yrs old vs. a bottom shelf 6-8yr old 100 proof bourbon...not really a fair fight. Dusties are nice but they aren't all of a sudden going to transform into something they're not...a barrel proof premium offering.

Yeah, I guess I was wrong. I'll let it go if you will.

[B.B. Babington]

Yeah, I guess I was wrong. I'll let it go if you will.

Nothing wrong here. I sometimes like to compare top shelf to bottom shelf and sometimes really surprised at how the bottom shelf compares. Price is not always a good indication. I've had some $6/liter stuff that was palatable, and some $50 bottles that weren't. and OWA 107 solidly fits in the less expensive yet tasty category.

[hectic1]

I'm not trying to prove anyone wrong here...I'm just saying that you're expecing quite a bit from a bottle that sold for $10 or so.

I'm enjoying a pour of ND OGD 86 from 1985 tonight...this is some mighty fine bourbon! :cool:

[BFerguson]

Nice pour of Baby Saz tonight. Not often that I find a bottle of this. better than I remember from the last time.

B

[T Comp]

Nothing wrong here. I sometimes like to compare top shelf to bottom shelf and sometimes really surprised at how the bottom shelf compares. Price is not always a good indication. I've had some $6/liter stuff that was palatable, and some $50 bottles that weren't. and OWA 107 solidly fits in the less expensive yet tasty category.

Maybe not always a good indication as OWA and OGD 114 are worthy exceptions but I do think that there has to be consideration for proof level and age when comparing bourbons and these generally effect price. The price variability can differ among distillers and is not necessarily in a graduated linear way but pretty close. I also feel that once you get into the barrel/cask strength proofs it becomes similar to bringing a gun to a knife fight. I'm a believer in more barrel goodies are going to make a significant difference in taste as explained further in this closed thread and particularly fussychicken's post at #16. http://www.straightbourbon.com/forum...rrel+goo dies

That being said, true blind tasting with no clue at all about the bourbons given to you for tasting, can certainly show your palates disregard for price. I recently rated Evan Williams BIB with a high number and thought it was barrel strength. Bourbon Joe regularly posts their groups blind tasting results, with proof adjustment, and iirc OWA beat out PVW 15, or something like that :grin: .

__________________

[nivto]

I'm not trying to prove anyone wrong here...I'm just saying that you're expecing quite a bit from a bottle that sold for $10 or so.

True, but on the other hand (and this may be off topic), I can't think of any current 100 proof 6 year old wheaters that can compare to the '67 OF BiB that I have. What I've come to realize is that many of today's premium bourbons rely on age and/or proof to push it to the next level, as opposed to some of the older bourbons which had a certain richness in flavor and fullness in mouthfeel that still existed at lower proofs and age. In my opinion, I think that is even more true for wheaters. I don't think wheaters hold up to lower proofs and age as well as rye does. Four Roses SB, in my opinion, is a perfect example of what 8 year 100 proof bourbon should be able to offer, but it is of course a high rye. What standard wheater do we have on the shelf today that is mirroring that effort? MM or Weller 12? definitely not, in my opinion... bland. OWA or ORVW 10 yr? Possibly, but even those are at 107 proof. (the ORVW 90 doesn't cut it, in my opinion)

Anyway, maybe I'm missing something here, but those are my observations.

I do wonder in a blind tasting how a WLW or PHC 2010 diluted down to 100 proof would score against Stitzel-Welller OF BiB...

[Virus_Of_Life]

$10? I always felt like I belonged in an earlier time I grouped them together because they're all relatively difficult to find, price aside. I don't think about price as much, though lord knows I should.

I don't believe price has that much to do with it when comparing a bottle from ~30 years ago to a modern one. Personally I prefer the OF BiB I've tasted of that era to that which you compared it to, unless you're talking a 2006 WLW that is.

Just goes to show YMMV.

[White Dog]

I'm forced to pound some OO on ice, as I want to get this bottling out of my bunker, and make room for anything but OO.

[STLbourbon]

Last night I was yet again reminded of what a damn fine sippin whiskey Wild Turkey 101 can be...

STLb

[fishnbowljoe]

Bowling night. :skep: Devils Cut, Binny's Weller 12, 80's Old Forester BIB, and 80's Old Fitz BIB. :yum: Drank good.:grin: Bowled...... Cheers. Joe

[nor02lei]

EC 12, OGD 114 and Stagg 2011. The last one was definattly the best.

Leif

[Josh]

Had a Heaven Hill White Label BiB on the rocks while cooking supper tonight. Polish Sausage, sauerkraut and pierogies. I'm not Polish, but after living in Metro Detroit for 10 yrs I'm learning.

[hectic1]

FR OBSV Shopper's Vinyard Rutledge botting... I think I'll follow this up with a FR OBSV 1789b to see how the two compare!

[White Dog]

Bowling night. :skep: Devils Cut, Binny's Weller 12, 80's Old Forester BIB, and 80's Old Fitz BIB. :yum: Drank good.:grin: Bowled...... Cheers. Joe

Was the Devil's Cut a gift, or were you just that curious?? :lol: Otherwise, great line-up. Cheers Joe!

I'm having BHC Harper 15yr, along with WTRB.

[smokinjoe]

A 2007 Toddy's & Dougz Willett 4 yr. bottled at 125.4. It's been a while since I've had this, but it's the big spicy bomb that I remember. What a zinger.

[Brisko]

Some Willett 4 y/o SB rye. This stuff has a lot going on considering its age.

[BFerguson]

Some Willett 4 y/o SB rye. This stuff has a lot going on considering its age.

Yep.

A sleeper of a product in my opinion. The age statement belies the power that lies within.

B

[Brisko]

Yep.

A sleeper of a product in my opinion. The age statement belies the power that lies within.

B

What barrel # do you have? Mine's 1122. I'm curious how similar the different barrels might be.

[White Dog]

Some Willett 4 y/o SB rye. This stuff has a lot going on considering its age.

That's a damn good Rye. Possibly my favorite LDI expression.

Seems to me, and I may be wrong, that young Rye shows better than young bourbon.:skep:

Also, looking at WT101Rye, Ritt, and Baby Saz, why should we believe that they're 5 to 6yr? There's a Rye shortage, their parent companies aren't the most trustworthy, and those whiskeys taste 4yrs old to me.

[BFerguson]

What barrel # do you have? Mine's 1122. I'm curious how similar the different barrels might be.

Excellent taste there. All of mine that I have are the same barrel 1122. 110 proof. Beautiful color in the bottle.

It's no wonder I've bought about six of them. It's just dam good! :grin:

I'm guessing the distributer brought in a bunch of them. I've told my store folks that they need to get in more Willett products.

B

[Brisko]

Yeah, I need to go back and get a case.

White Dog, I agree that rye shows better young than bourbon. It also seems to carry old age better, too.

I just had a little Saz 18 next to this Willett, and they have a lot in common. I don't think anyone would confuse the two, but they have a lot of similar flavors.

Also, yeah I don't think the various NAS ryes out there are much older than legal. My own blending experiments lead me to believe that a little aged stock goes a long way toward making much larger quantity of young whiskey significantly more palatable.

On the other hand, I've seen it postulated that rye doesn't change that much between, say, 5 and 10 years of age. I don't believe it myself, but I've seen it. :skep: