Help LikeItWasSodaPop Decide His Special Wedding Bottle(s)

[LikeItWasSodaPop]

OK, I don't have the deepest bunker but I have a few nice bottles and I'm hoping to open one or more of them for my wedding on June 30.

Before you worry about wasting good bourbon on unappreciative shitfaced quasi-acquaintances and annoying family, know this: these will be sequestered in a secure location and available only to a select few.

I'm considering:

4R Mariage 2008 or 09

PHC Golden Anniversary

Willett 24 Rye

Hirsch 16

PVW 15 (09)

Bonded Beam 13 year 59-72

AaronWF made a good point: these will all probably benefit from air, so I'd have to open them a bit prior ... thereby killing some of the "special-ness" of the bottle if I have a nip or two, which I probably will.

I'm thinking the best thing is to pick two, pour half of each into two empty 750 ml bottles, and give 'em air a week or so prior to the wedding (then put the rest in 375s back into the bunker). I'm leaning toward Hirsch for the special-ness factor -- I've never had it -- and the PHC as a forward looking gesture (i.e. toasting my own future golden anniversary -- hubris ... maybe, but I'm hoping she'll stick around for 50 years, that's for sure).

I know I'm being a total nerd about this but it's all y'all's fault.

For what it's worth, the rye at the bar will be PS Willett 5 year and the bourbon will be PS unchillfiltered EC 12. The beauty of a DIY wedding is that I get to control the bar totally.

Cheers, y'all.

[sailor22]

Randy (Doubleblank) gave me some great advice a couple of years ago when I was looking for a bottle for a special occasion. He told me to open Bourbon that you know from prior experience that you like. Two reasons - 1- there is always a chance that the juice you have heard so much about isn't as good as you had hoped. and 2- If you have very rare and expensive whiskey on the table it can become an event about the whiskey and not about the special event your there to celebrate.

That said, you have some great ones to choose from. The possible exceptions may be the Beam and the Hirsch. If it's from a ceramic decanter you might find that the cork has spoiled it a bit. The two I have opened were pretty much ruined. No personal experience but I have heard some of the Hirsch gold foil can have a metallic taste. It would be a drag to be looking forward to something so much and have it be a let down.

Sounds like the Pappy is a sure thing and probably the Parkers too.

[LikeItWasSodaPop]

Thanks, Sailor. I do appreciate your advice -- though it would cut this thread really short! I'm basically trying to procrastinate from actual planning.

But I get the idea. Putting "special occasion" hopes on a bottle is dumb. And I knew that before I posted.

So what I'm going to do is OPEN ALL OF THEM (and give some proper air time prior). It's just going to be me and AaronWF anyway, so we might as well drink in style, drink great stuff, and have the memories be about friendship first and good whiskey second.

I guess I knew this would be the end result anyway. Stay tuned for pictures post June 30th.

[Happyhour24x7]

Just don't "AWF" too many of them....otherwise the first day of your marriage may be epic in a less than desirable manner. Congrats in advance.

[Ejmharris]

I would go for the obvious. One if the 4R marriages. I had an '09 sample and it was fantastic. Not sure that one needs much breathing time either, my sample was straight from a freshly opened bottle.

[SMOWK]

Randy (Doubleblank) gave me some great advice a couple of years ago when I was looking for a bottle for a special occasion. He told me to open Bourbon that you know from prior experience that you like. Two reasons - 1- there is always a chance that the juice you have heard so much about isn't as good as you had hoped. and 2- If you have very rare and expensive whiskey on the table it can become an event about the whiskey and not about the special event your there to celebrate.

[wmpevans]

How about the DSP 414 OF BIB you brought to the Sampler.

Mighty Mighty fine whiskey IMHO.

I seem to remember you have several bottles(cases!!!) of this great juice.

Congrats on the upcoming event. Have a blast, and from the selections listed I don't think you can go wrong.

Cheers, Bill.

[hectic1]

I think you're going the right route Josh...it's a special day so you should only enjoy the finest bourbon your budget will allow! See you and Aaron this weekend!

[tmckenzie]

Shoot, for a furneral, oh sorry, wedding, I would drink the beam. Save the rest for the marriage.

[StraightBoston]

Whiskey-wise, you can't go wrong with anything in your list (unless as Randy said, it's a corked bottle or not attuned to your palate) but I would decouple a "special bourbon occasion" from a "special life occasion" -- of course, since my wife doesn't enjoy bourbon, I have to do that anyway!

I'd go with the Mariages for the name and leave the rest. If you want to have something top-shelf for bourbon-appreciating guests, add the Pappy 15. (Do the PHC on your first anniversary.)

For example: the Hirsch 16 is a fine bourbon, but worthy of being appreciated on its own. Don't let the wedding distract you from a tasting, and don't let a tasting distract you from your wedding.

In any case, congratulations!

[Bourbon Boiler]

If you're confident the old Beam is untainted, that's the one I'd go with.

[Yalc]

I have some PVW15 I am saving for my daughter's wedding. That should be 10 - 12 yrs from now. It will take some willpower but I can do it. Hopefully her Father in Law will appreciate it, otherwise I will pour him a shot of Jack and he won't know the difference.

The Point is that the PVW is special to me for personal reasons that have nothing to do with its cult status. That is why it is being saved. Go with the one you are most emotionally invested in for whatever reason.

I wish you and yours the best!

[Lazer]

I just had some booker's at a wedding. It really hit the spot. :cool:

[passthebourbon]

A certain grad school class once taught me to never lump good news in with bad, as the bad will always overrun the good. Also, if you have two pieces of good news, space them out, in order to maximize enjoyment out of each piece, whereas you should always lump together two pieces of bad news.

Therefore, with such a momentous occasion, don't pick that bottle you've always been meaning to crack, open the one with a related sentimental value that has piqued your interest...like the 4R Marriage. That way it will be about the day and you can save the other big time bottles for future occasions.

My 2 cents...

And thank you to a great SB'er who is helping me with a lead on a WLW during such a hectic time. (seriously, it can wait) :grin: