What are you drinking right now?

[bobbyc]

Well I have in hand my 12 yo VanWinkle Rye Manhattan. Nice very nice. Of course if there's a way to screw it up I'll find it, Well not exactly but I did use a few drops each of 3 different bitters that I use. ( Peychard, Angostura, Orange bitters) I suppose if I want to compare this to my strongest recollection of a Manhattan I should use Angostura only . It's no worse for wear, I'm not going to pour it out and it is easily the best I've had.

[texascarl]

Re: Bitters. See section of the Esquire write-up on Manhattans and bitters.

Shake well with cracked ice: (Some insist that a proper Manhattan must be stirred, so as to prevent "clouding" or undue fraternization between the whiskey and the vermouth; Esquire says, let 'em mingle.)

2 oz good rye

1 oz Italian vermouth

2 dashes Angostura bitters

Strain into in chilled cocktail glass and garnish with twist or, of course, Maraschino cherry (which is subject to the same challenge re: purity as adding an olive to a Martini).

Of course, human beings, being human beings, can never leave well enough alone. Here, then, are the obligatory variants.

First, a few you can make by monkeying around with the bitters: lose the Angostura and pitch in a splash of Amer Picon and it's a Monahan; a splash of anisette and it's a Naragansett; two dashes of cherry brandy and a dash of absinthe and you've got a McKinley's Delight. Leave a dash of the Angostura in, add a dash of orange bitters and three dashes of absinthe: a Sherman.

Or you can tinker with the vermouth. Replace half the Italian vermouth with French for a so-called Perfect Manhattan. Equal parts of rye, French vermouth and Italian vermouth: a Jumbo. Make that with bourbon: a Honolulu (no bitters at all in those last two). Cut the Italian vermouth entirely and make it half bourbon and and half French vermouth: a Rosemary. To turn that into a Brown University, just add a couple dashes orange bitters. Coming almost full circle, if you make your classic two-to-one Manhattan with French vermouth instead of Italian and a dash of Amer Picon and one of Maraschino, you're in Brooklyn. And there are more--the Rob Roy, for one, but we gotta stop somewhere.

[Paradox]

And I'm on my third 13 yo Van Winkle Rye Manhattan. I used Angostura bitters and Gallo sweet vermouth, and had to add a cherry... from a jar I keep in the fridge always soaking in bourbon. What kind of bourbon? Well, since I read a long time ago about Bobby always keeping some bourbon soaked cherries around, I thought it would only be right that when I did it to use Stagg. So let's just say that this is the best Manhattan I have had!

[bobbyc]

Gee Mark , I don't know what to say....... I have mine in some of Mr. Russells' finest, They go fairly quick, I think George T would do them proud! I would like another but I cut myself off, of course that could change too.

[MurphyDawg]

Tonight I went front porch sippun' on the first decent night in forever, with a rather copious (sic??) glass of AAA 10 year. . . .aaaaah summer is FINALLY here. . .

TomC

[MurphyDawg]

I am getting dangerously close to proclaiming a new favorite whiskey .

Well here's mine. Tonight I had another small pour of my exquisite Eagle Rare 17 and if someone held an assault rifle to my head and demanded a favorite whiskey from me, this is what I would declare. (thats about the only way you will get a declared favorite outta me anymore, except maybe "whats in my glass right now").

MMMMMMmmmmmmm. . . .

TomC

Jeff, are you . . . possoibly. . . .implying that there could be something (*GASP*) even slightly better than the Stagg!?!?!? . SHOCKING!!!!

[MurphyDawg]

The last few drops in my bottle of Wild Turkey Rare Breed. If there is a quicker way to bring a tear to a mans eye I am not sure I know it. I now have no more Rare Breed or Russells Reserve left now!! BooHoo! All kidding aside from the standard 101 bottling on up it is hard to argue that anyone makes more consistantly outstanding whiskey (dare I say, In the WORLD!!) than the fine folks at Wild Turkey. Thank goodness for them !

TomC

[ratcheer]

Old Forester Birthday Bourbon. It is awesome, maybe the very best. I splurged with a big drink of it because I just found a new bottle at $4 off. So, I now have two full bottles in reserve.

[ratcheer]

I totally agree, Tom! In addition to the OFBB I just got today, I also got a new bottle of Russell's Reserve at $2 off. So, I am set for a while. I have an open and two new bottles of OFBB, a new bottle of RR, and an open and a new bottle of RB.

I try to never run out of Rare Breed. I am going to change my longtime stance, though, and knock it down from #1 all-time favorite. I now rate RB as tied for #1 with Old Forester Birthday Bourbon. And, I had made that decision before I logged on to sb.com and saw that quote you gave.

Tim

[CL]

Jeff's fave - Weller 12 yo, from my May trip to L'ville. I love this stuff. When I return to L'ville in July for a wedding, I am buying several 1.75L of this stuff. I will be driving this time and will have the room for a haul.

BTW, Jeff's other fave and my former daily pour - Old Forrester 100 - has fallen off my short list. I don't know why it just doesn't taste as good as it used to. It seems too harsh now. This is a shame because I can get OF 100 in NC.

BTW, my "what are you drinking now?" last week was WT RB and GTS. I was on vacation at Lake Gaston in NC/VA. (I never did get to a VA ABC store.) I bought WT RB in NC and had brought along the GTS for good measure.

[jeff]

I don't know why it just doesn't taste as good as it used to

You know, I had the same experience with my last bottle of OF100. Seemed rather hot and harsh. I thought it might have just been that day, but I tried some again a couple nights later and I had the same experience. I hope it's a bad batch and they're not messing with the formula. Mabe that's what happens when you pull too many of the "honey barrels" out of the mix to make the premium stuff (i.e. birthday Bourbon and Woodford Reserve).

[CL]

My last two bottles have been hot and harsh. Until your comments, I had thought my taste buds had changed. Now, I am not so sure.

I first noticed the difference two bottles ago. Because of the "different" taste, I didn't drink the first bottle very often and it lingered on the shelf for a while. I finally finished it and then got a second bottle. I was hoping that my "phase" was over, but the second bottle had the same heat.

I had been thinking that the most likely reason that I thought OF100 was hot was because lately I have been drinking more mellow and/or more smooth bourbons. I bought several new bottles in Chicago in April and in L'ville in May (Old Fitz BIB, Old Charter Classic 90, OCPR, Old Weller Centennial, Old Weller 12 yo, more ORVW, etc.). Maybe that's it. Who knows?

[bobbyc]

Mabe that's what happens when you pull too many of the "honey barrels" out of the mix to make the premium stuff (i.e. birthday Bourbon and Woodford Reserve).

I don't have any numbers but I think that effect would be about the same as pulling 2 cents out of 20 bucks. ( negligible) Besides they should be filling their Woodford warehouses with pot still and one would think the Old Forester taken to L&G has stopped. Birthday is such a small amount it isn't even a blip on the radar screen. BF should have as much whiskey aging as most any one else ( Barton , HH, Four Roses, I would think they would have less than BT or Beam) .

[jeff]

I'm sure you're right Bobby, but something seems to have changed. Definitely not the same bourbon that I once proclaimed my favorite (BS - Before Stagg). I just hope they don't go tinkering with a good thing. And who really knows for sure what they will end up doing with WR. If they really are going to try and keep the flavore profile the same, that might call for mixing some pre and post pot still whiskey. I'm guessing here. Right now I'll just chalk it up to a bad batch. Are there batch numbers on the OF bottles? I haven't noticed.

[bobbyc]

I haven't got to a stinker bottle of OF yet. I will think that that's possible. I can't see what they might gain by screwing around with Old Forester. In the book Nothing Better In The Market. They made it clear that at that time at least the quality of OF was guarded closely . In fact they even cut a dealer off for 2 years just for selling OF below the suggested price. I know we all look for the good deal and I think the market can take care of itself to some degree. Don't know about batch numbers , there should be a julian date somewhere, maybe the cases.

[texascarl]

Quick Old Forester FYI for the Kansas/Missouri/Nebraska bourbonia members.

O.F. has a rebate going on for us right now (maybe the rest of ya, too, for all I know, but the neck-hanger lists these states), and it ends next week. I just bought a 1.75L of O.F. 86 on sale at Royal Liquors in KC for $17.99, the $3 rebate will drop that price to $14.99. ~ $7 for a 750 at that rate, and mighty hard to beat at that price.

[jeff]

Elijah Craig 12yo. One of the staples of my cabinet. This ranks up there with Weller 12yo for the best bourbon value award. I think 12 years is when bourbon really transforms into something special. There are great younger bourbons of course (i.e. Kentucky Spirit, Rare Breed), but most of my favorites are upperclassmen: Stagg, EC 12 &18, Weller 12yo, ER 17, OCPR 13yo, Pappy 20 & 23, etc.

[MurphyDawg]

Henry Mckenna Single Barrel 10 Years Old, Bottled In Bond. You don't hear a whole lot about this bottling on here but I found one in NH for like $16, so I thought I was a reasonable risk to take a crack at. It is rather good in a workmanlike way, i like that it is 100 proof that is the strongest Heaven Hill whiskey I have tried. It is darker and richer and has a little more of a fuller wooden taste t it than the EWSB's I have tried, but it is definately an HH bottling. Good over a coupla ice cubes, I am glad I bought it.

TomC

[ratcheer]

In my younger days (early 70's), Henry McKenna was one of my favorite bourbons. Not single barrel, of course. That being 30 years ago, I can't give any meaningful comments, other than that I really liked it and bought it, often.

I haven't seen any in years, though.

Tim

[bluesbassdad]

Take a look at my first impression of this bourbon, and tell me how your impression compares. (I haven't revisited this one yet. So many bourbons; so little time and liver.)

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield

[koji]

Hi everyone,

This Henry Mckenna Single Barrel 10 Years Old, Bottled In Bond,sounds great.But I don't think it was never sold in Japan,can somebody post a picture of this bottle(or Jug)for me.If I can't drink one I will imagine it.

There are three Henry Mckennas you can get in Japan right now,two are from Heaven Hill,one 80p clear bottle,other is in a Jug 80p,it says it comes from Bardstown.The third bottle comes in a same clear bottle as the first but on the bottom it will say Lawrenceburg,80p and is made by the Four Roses Distillery,they are both light but good bourbon,I keep all three around me.

Koji

[Paradox]

Koji, w/o retaking a pic of just the bottle... here is a pic where the bottle is shown in the background, you can see it with a green foil top, and a label on the front saying Henry...

[MurphyDawg]

Yeah thats sounds about right, noting that barrel presence seems a little more noticable in the HMSB (LOL ) than the other two.

Tomc

[MurphyDawg]

Tonight, booker's! It is good and suprisingly sweet, but overall it gives the impression of bourbon mixed with rocket fuel!

TomC

[WEG3]

Tonight It is a tall glass of Ezra B Single 15.... after a long long long day of playing the wannabe farmer on my lil' 20 acre place this is something to come home to ... only thing better is ORVW.... But this bottle has been open to long so I finished it off if a second is needed then VW will more than do , ..it's fine stuff ,,,

Bill G.