Here we go with the mingling thing again.

[jbutler]

Yesterday afternoon while cleaning my garage, I suddenly realized that I had quite a few bourbon bottles with an inch or less in them. To make matters worse, most of these bottles had been pushed to the back of the shelf and for all practical purposes forgotten.

So with a wild hair, I decided to do some "mingling" I poured all of them into one bottle. I tasted it last night, and to my surprise the mingle result was quite tasty ... not to mention unique. So here's a list of what's in it (as I said, about an inch or less of each):

Old Fitz 12

Jefferson's Reserve

Henry McKenna SB

Corner Creek

OGD 100

EC 18 YO

Rebel Yell

Benchmark

The results were quite remarkable. Enough so that I think I'll just keep this bottling going. Whenever I have but a tiny amount of anything, and another full bottle of same, I'll just dump it in here (excepting the GTS!). QuestionMark Special Reserve

Anyone else maintain a "dregs" bottle?

[bobbyc]

Not yet Jim, but I think I'll start one. Sometimes we find a bottle that just doesn't do the dance , and we find this before that 750ml is completely gone. What a neat solution, All it needs is a small jump to get it going. Roger that on the GTS , nothing but an ice cube and those very seldom!

[kitzg]

In your garage! This conjurs up images for me of be banished to the garage to drink bourbon. Interesting since we suspected our son once of drinking from our better bottles our bourbon now is relegated to our bedroom closet! When the son moves out we plan to remodel the lower level to include a bar and give it some respect.

But to answer... I've never done any self mingling with bourbon. People yes, bourbon no.

Greg

[jbutler]

It's not as bad as it sounds Greg

I have a friend who is a cabinet maker. Every once in a great while, he makes one the wrong size. Rather than toss it, he'll offer it to me. I've begun to populate my garage with these beautiful "reject" white maple cabinets. I keep all my bourbon out there, as well as my wine collection, and a 4 ft^3 refrigetrator stocked with beer and champagne.

I''ve got a decent stereo out there and a nice dart board. It's where me and my friends hang out and act like men We can drink bourbon and eat peanuts and throw the shells on the floor ... scratch in places we wouldn't want to in mixed company ... you know, just generally be pigs and not feel guilty about it.

[Paradox]

Anyone else thinking of those old Married With Children episodes with Al and his friends conducting their NO MA'AM meetings in the garage?!

Maybe a visit here will refresh peoples memories of Al and his friends...

[brendaj]

Jim,

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

It's not as bad as it sounds

[bobbyc]

I began my mingled bottle with a little Old Forester 86, Knob Creek and A touch of Old Rip 10yo 107. So like you Jim I have a 4 grain thing going. I looked for other things to add to this but I must stop there for now. I guess I should take a sip and post elsewhere the results.

[Gillman]

Hi Jim, I was looking through older posts and found this one which (as many here would guess) appeals to my interest in mingling.

Recently I confected a mingling based on ORVW 10 year old. I added some Woodford Reserve, McKenna 10 year old, Baker's and a little Hirsch 16 and Rittenhouse. I taste-tested it recently against samples I kept of all these "straight" and feel the mingling smokes them all. It has`something of all of them and a deep juicy malty middle with fine tangs from the rye at the edges.

Just curious if you kept your "jug" going, and if so, if you are happy with the current result.

Thanks for an update!

Gary

[jbutler]

It's interesting that you should mention it Gary. I was having a drink with my neighbor last weekend, and suddenly remembered that bottle (once again tucked away at the back of the shelf and forgotten). I've added nothing to it since this post, but each time I try it, the flavor strikes me differently. On occasion, I taste it and find it quite appealing. At other times, it's just plain foul. Most recently, it was appealling.

I've got a few "bottoms" I could pour in there, and believe I will soon. Should be interesting.

[Gillman]

Thanks for the update! I find too that minglings can differ seemingly in flavor at various times, but so do regular bourbon bottlings. Currently I am sampling a mingling of American and Canadian whiskies made a couple of years ago. There is a sweet bourbon underlay but with a shorter finish than bourbon would give, and also a lighter note from Canadian whiskies in there. Also, I recall experimenting with fruit juice additives at the time and can taste them faintly, there is a "tangy" finish from that source, posibly. I feel these blends are superior to most commercial examples, and are pleasant to sample when one doesn't want the full bore taste of straight whiskey.

Gary