Bottles you wish you could give back: or finish

[Brisko]

Interesting topic. I've had a few single malt Scotches that were either bland and boring, or just not very good, but never had the same experience with bourbon.

Up until now. Against my better judgment:skep:, I picked up a liter of Old Fitz BiB. My reasoning was, hey, I like most of the low-end HH products, (even Cabin Still is drinkable at 36 months, if not enjoyable), and I like a few other products that most of you guys hate (Beam rye, for instance) but damn, I think I may have met my match with this one.:bigeyes:

The nose isn't anything special but it's pleasant. And the entry is actually great-- there was a fleeting moment of "man, this could be really good." Sweet, syrupy stewed fruit, cinnamon sticks... about a nanosecond later the finish hits: hot hot hot and really bitter, almost like tree sap. A truly Hobbesian finish: nasty, brutish, and short. At least it was short. Adding water or ice actually made it worse. Ice killed all the sweetness and amplified the bitterness. I didn't try mixing it but I'm not sure it would even be good for that.

Anyway, I'm going to let it breathe for a few weeks before I turn it into drain cleaner. I recall that I was pretty disappointed with my first OWA for a while, too. I don't have high hopes for this one.

[Brisko]

Interesting topic. I've had a few single malt Scotches that were either bland and boring, or just not very good, but never had the same experience with bourbon.

Up until now. Against my better judgment:skep:, I picked up a liter of Old Fitz BiB. My reasoning was, hey, I like most of the low-end HH products, (even Cabin Still is drinkable at 36 months, if not enjoyable), and I like a few other products that most of you guys hate (Beam rye, for instance) but damn, I think I may have met my match with this one.:bigeyes:

The nose isn't anything special but it's pleasant. And the entry is actually great-- there was a fleeting moment of "man, this could be really good." Sweet, syrupy stewed fruit, cinnamon sticks... about a nanosecond later the finish hits: hot hot hot and really bitter, almost like tree sap. A truly Hobbesian finish: nasty, brutish, and short. At least it was short. Adding water or ice actually made it worse. Ice killed all the sweetness and amplified the bitterness. I didn't try mixing it but I'm not sure it would even be good for that.

Anyway, I'm going to let it breathe for a few weeks before I turn it into drain cleaner. I recall that I was pretty disappointed with my first OWA for a while, too. I don't have high hopes for this one.

Well, honesty compels me to report that upon revisiting this bottle tonight, it's not nearly as bad as I'd originally thought. I have a feeling that my palate was off (way off) the other night because even my go-to glass of OGD BiB was a little bitter in retrospect. Maybe a couple of days of breathing has helped, too.

And as I think back, I have found that wheaters seem to suffer worse on off nights than rye-recipes. I recall ORVW 10/107 being kind of unpredictable.

Anyway, I think the Fitz can stay, for now. It's still pretty tannic on the finish but it's not awful.

[Moretorque05]

I bought a 1.75L bottle of Willett Pot Still Reserve a few months ago because, well, the bottle looks awesome. The stuff inside however is just plain bad. I don't like keeping many bottles open at once and I am struggling to get through it. Waste of $70 for sure.

[Brisko]

Uppdate on Old Fitz, it's moved up to drinkable. In fact the bottle is half gone. Don't get me wrong, it's not great but it's serviceable at $15. I guess my palate was off.

[StraightNoChaser]

I bought a 1.75L bottle of Willett Pot Still Reserve a few months ago because, well, the bottle looks awesome. The stuff inside however is just plain bad. I don't like keeping many bottles open at once and I am struggling to get through it. Waste of $70 for sure.

On the bright side you could make a pretty cool bong out of it

[anyexcuse]

Uppdate on Old Fitz, it's moved up to drinkable. In fact the bottle is half gone. Don't get me wrong, it's not great but it's serviceable at $15. I guess my palate was off.

I kinda like Old Fitz BIB. I don't like it as much as Wellers Reserve, which is a little more money, but around here it is the cheapest wheater I've found that I find drinkable. Glad you don't mind it!

[Brisko]

I kinda like Old Fitz BIB. I don't like it as much as Wellers Reserve, which is a little more money, but around here it is the cheapest wheater I've found that I find drinkable. Glad you don't mind it!

I "kinda" like it too:grin:. It's gone now, but I have some HH Gold label BiB in it's place. The Old Fitz was nice and simple, and sweet. My only complaint is that it never did stand up to ice very well (which the Gold label does admirably). I imagine I will be replacing it, though. I'm a sucker for BiBs for some reason.

[anyexcuse]

I "kinda" like it too:grin:. It's gone now, but I have some HH Gold label BiB in it's place. The Old Fitz was nice and simple, and sweet. My only complaint is that it never did stand up to ice very well (which the Gold label does admirably). I imagine I will be replacing it, though. I'm a sucker for BiBs for some reason.

For some reason I never cared for HH BIB although I have bought it a few times hoping, but Old Heaven Hill 8 year has been my favorite cheap pour for years. To each his or her own!

(OGD BIB is one of my favorites, although a very different bourbon from Old Fitz BIB!)

[bad_scientist]

After a year of regretting these purchases, I'm coming around to Macallan Cask Strength and Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban (finished in port casks). I've despaired that I'd never drink them, but now I am proving that I am able!

Not much else to say, really. I bought them shortly before I had my first great bourbon, and since then, scotch - except for Springbank, because it's awesome - got moved to the back of the closet.

[soad]

On the bright side you could make a pretty cool bong out of it

[Bmac]

I wish I could give back the Old Grand Dad 86 that a buddy at work suggested I get. I know there is a lot of love out there for Old Grand Dad....but this bottle is pure nast. Unpalatable, undrinkable, unmixable and just sits there taking up valuable real-estate in my bar.

Although, I will say several months later the nose is starting to improve but, after that soapy taste...I am too scared to give it a second shot.

BTW, that bong was an awesome conversion.

[sob0728]

After a year of regretting these purchases, I'm coming around to Macallan Cask Strength and Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban (finished in port casks). I've despaired that I'd never drink them, but now I am proving that I am able!

Not much else to say, really. I bought them shortly before I had my first great bourbon, and since then, scotch - except for Springbank, because it's awesome - got moved to the back of the closet.

Personally, I really liked the Quinta Ruban.

[tommyj1986]

I've picked up quite a few that I've been disappointed with but bought out of curiosity. The biggest one is the WR MC Sugar Maple Finish, disappointing at its price point, maybe even at a 1/3rd of the price. Most recently though a HH Old Fitz 1849.

[Bmac]

I've picked up quite a few that I've been disappointed with but bought out of curiosity. The biggest one is the WR MC Sugar Maple Finish, disappointing at its price point, maybe even at a 1/3rd of the price. Most recently though a HH Old Fitz 1849.

In regards.to the WR MC Maple Wood Finish, let it air out for.a while, it's starts to pickup some caramel.sweetness. At least mine did. I was disappointed with it too, now it's very good.

[tommyj1986]

In regards.to the WR MC Maple Wood Finish, let it air out for.a while, it's starts to pickup some caramel.sweetness. At least mine did. I was disappointed with it too, now it's very good.

Good to know, mines been open a while and I haven't tried it in over 6 months, have to give it a try again soon.

[spinningrecords]

On the bright side you could make a pretty cool bong out of it

That picture bums me out.

[jaycamm]

Whipper Snapper Oregon Spirit Whiskey. It's hands down the worst the bottle I've ever opened. It tastes like corn whiskey mixed with red wine but worse.

[sutton]

HH Old Fitz BiB - when this was BoTM, I bought it to try and liked it - although there was a bit of a minty edge to it, it was a decent sipper while grilling on the back porch. I finished it rather quickly (for me) over the next couple of months and went back to the same store to replace it.

The second bottle is still sitting on my shelf - just awful. Best I can describe it from the nose through the finish: dirty, raw herbs, bitter mint. I couldn't believe how different from my first experience.

Since then, I've used it for bourbon hot dogs for the Super Bowl, and that was not bad. I've tried it a few more times but can't get past the first sip. I don't drink much, so I can't waste my bourbon quota on this stuff. I might buy a bottle of MM and blend 50:1 with the HH just to see if I can get it down over the next decade or so...

[Kalessin]

HH Old Fitz BiB - [...]

Since then, I've used it for bourbon hot dogs for the Super Bowl, and that was not bad. I've tried it a few more times but can't get past the first sip. I don't drink much, so I can't waste my bourbon quota on this stuff. I might buy a bottle of MM and blend 50:1 with the HH just to see if I can get it down over the next decade or so...

[sutton]

MM may not get a lot of love around here, but it doesn't deserve that...

At the predictetd rate of consumption, it's probably better to just use the Old Fitz BiB as a rinse for your kitchen sink drain and free up the space for a bottle of something nicer...

:grin: Don't get me wrong - I like MM. I was just hoping I might be able to bury the HH behind it at 50:1 ... after all, I need a decent, reasonably priced wheater to bury 750ml of HH Old Fitz over the next 10 years (yeah, I bought a litre of it).

And ... I'm not sure I want to do that to the sewer system. I might be violating some EPA/hazmat law...

[CorvallisCracker]

Try adding 3/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1/8 teaspoon of liquid smoke, and a tablespoon of dry sherry. If it's still undrinkable, send it to Cooks Illustrated with a note stating, "Tried it, didn't work. YOU drink it."

[Phil T]

I bought an ER 17 from the '11 BTAC. From the 1st pour, it was not very good. Grassy, musty, dirty. Just kind of bland. I struggled to drink 2/3's of the bottle. The rest went down the drain. Life's to short to drink bad bourbon.

[beerfactory]

I'd like to give back my $11 bottle of Mellow Corn. I just can't seem to stop pouring it.

[BarrelChar]

My 375 ML bottle of Buffalo Trace. Inexpensive? Yes. But it's exceedingly average to the point of being boring. Rather than dump it, I now use it for cooking and will keep it around in case I need to disinfect any open wounds.

[sob0728]

I bought an ER 17 from the '11 BTAC. From the 1st pour, it was not very good. Grassy, musty, dirty. Just kind of bland. I struggled to drink 2/3's of the bottle. The rest went down the drain. Life's to short to drink bad bourbon.

That is surprising to me. I really like the bottle I have. It is not a good value by any means, but it is the opposite of undrinkable. I don't think I would ever drop $60 on another bottle, but I do enjoy it.