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5 To Start With


TexasPride
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Hey man, its all good.

Tom (if we all liked the same thing, there would only be frown.gifONE frown.gif bourbon bottling. . .) C

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I ordered some WT101 neat tonight with dinner. I am 99% sure it was watered down in some fashion. Same flavor, but not 101 proof. I saw the bottle, and it was 101 not 80. How would you guys address something like that?

There is no excuse for watering down or mislabeling bourbons. In most municipalities, such conduct is illegal.

This is how I would respond: Send the manager/owner a hot.gif letter and if you don't get an adequate apology and invitation to a dinner for two on the house, never dine there again.

Actually, two nights ago I dined with a client at a very nice seafood place in Newport Beach, CA, and we had to finish our meal talking over the loud and obnoxious rantings of a bar patron who had had three or four too many. Instead of ushering the ass outside (our waiter informed us that the offender was a "friend of the owner"), he was allowed to remain and continue to offend for the remainder of our otherwise tasty meal. I will be sending a letter to the owner.

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Consider yourself debated. smirk.gif I just don't get it with WT. confused.gif

I don't mind WT; I just don't love it. I do drink 101 when I am out on the town cuz it's usually the best I can get in most bars. In fact, I had a few WT 101 when I went out last night. grin.gif

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Even more offensive than a watered down drink is something else put in the bottle. I remember being in a bar a few years ago and ordering a large Jim Beam straight up. I watched the guy pour the drink out of the Jim Beam bottle and ended up with a large SCOTCH!!

Hard to believe but true.

I demanded the attention of the pub Landlord and he was most apologetic, and basically shi**ing bricks. After making me take a blind taste test of Scotch vs Bourbon, the guy knew he was on a hiding to nothing and gave me several free drinks. Now I think about it I should have "dropped the dime" on his scam - the scumbag!

Don't trust, don't fear, don't beg!

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Here are my five, keeping in mind a moderate budget:

Wild Turkey Rare Breed

Woodford Reserve

Blanton's

Elijah Craig 12-year old

Old Grand Dad 114

Each of those is from a different distilling company and each is distinctly different from the others. There were some close calls, but you said five and only five, so I won't mention the ones I had a hard time leaving out.

Tim

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I think it will be difficult to stick to bourbons available in 375 ml, so I'll just list five suggested bourbons. But, I will stay in the spirit of the 375 ml rule and mention relatively inexpensive bourbons. (It seems though that many others ignored your request to keep in mind that you were on a budget.)

Since you appear to be wanting to learn about bourbon (and not just trying to taste the five best bourbons), I will select representatives of several styles.

In no particular order...

W.L. Weller 12 yo

ORVW 107 10 yo

ORVW FR Rye 13 yo

Elijiah Craig 12 yo

Buffalo Trace

All of these are under $20 except the ORVW FRR, which should be under $30.

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I agree with that, Tom. I have said several times that, to me, KS and RR taste very similar. I also agree that KS is a little better. My prices are about $46 and $26. However, I can get both at my ABC stores.

Tim

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And, after my reply agreeing with Tom about KS and RR, I will also agree with you - I much prefer RB to both of them.

Tim

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Well, then, stock up on RR before they figure it out. And their RB is way overpriced - it is only $31 in Alabama, "the home of high liquor prices".

Tim

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There is an article in the current, U.K.-based, Whisky Magazine (excellent magazine, scotch whisky-oriented but covering bourbon too, see www.whiskymag.com) on this very problem and how inspectors try to cope. No doubt the problem is widespread, because compliance is so hard to verify. I reported recently being served "Crown Royal" in a Toronto bar that was nothing of the sort, it tasted like the cheapest whiskey blend seasoned with women's perfume, just awful. The only way is for people who know what things taste like to complain. Malefactors will naturally feel guilty and are more likely to reform if complaints are made.

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Same flavor, but not 101 proof. I saw the bottle, and it was 101 not 80. How would you guys address something like that?

Ask them to open and pour from a new bottle. If they care about your business they will do it. If that bottle had been tampered with they will make well drinks out if it or save it for the unsophisticated drinker.

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I agree that you have to complain immediately. Proprietors who substitute do so because they believe no one will notice. If you do notice, and make a fuss, they'll be more motivated to change their ways.

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Jeff,

I guess I'm in the minority as well. I definitely prefer KS to RR, and I agree that their flavor profiles are quite different. I like Rare Breed quite a bit also, but it falls in between KS and RR IMHO. I also agree that there are lots of good bourbons that are relatively inexpensive that I enjoy. Amazingly enough, I don't always want the expensive stuff, like KS or Stagg. smirk.gif There seems to be a time and place for all ranges of the Bourbon spectrum. drink.gif

Bob

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I don't always want the expensive stuff, like KS or Stagg.

I agree with that, I love bottlings like RR (23) AAA 10 (15) And Old Ezra 7/107 ($11), and probably have them twice as often as the so-called good stuff.

TomC

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