When to Drink Barrel Proof Pappy?

[CL]

Sam's Wine's special bottling of 20 yo Pappy began shipping this week. This is the most limited bottling (60 bottles) I have seen yet in my relatively short Bourbon life. The Sam's bottling also distinguishes itself from Julian's other special bottlings because the Sam's bottling is barrel proof. This situation, I think, justifies that we consider the general philospophy seen here at SB.com to "Drink it, Man! Drink it!".

[bluesbassdad]

CL,

I had to check "undecided", even though I hate being wishy-washy (well, most of the time I do )

I've had the Park Avenue bottling for at least a week, and I haven't felt moved to open it yet. During that interval I have been content with a variety of previously opened bottlings, WT rye, WT 101, VWFR rye, Woodford Reserve, Benchmark (we all go slumming sometimes, right?), and Old Commonwealth, along with newly opened ORVW Old Time 12 year rye.

It will probably be different with the Sam's bottling because of the quirky way the purchase came about, as I've described in another thread. (Sam's called to advise of availablity; I had intended to sample the PA bottling before deciding whether to order this one. Wife thought the call was about wine, perhaps for one of our upcoming birthdays. She placed the order and put it on her charge card, dealing remarkably well with the $100 price, I thought. As a calming gesture I suggested that she make this bottling my birthday present. We'll see.)

If I have the opportunity to open it on my birthday, I will do so. I know my son will at least taste it with me, before he reverts to blended s----h on the rocks. Come to think of it, considering the way he has treated my tools, musical intruments and compact discs over the years, maybe it's better that he doesn't have a taste for bourbon.

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield

[CL]

Heck, if it's a birthday present, it makes good sense to wait until your birthday. If you don't, your better half might not be so willing next time you want to splurge.

When I got the Woodside Partner's bottling a few months ago, I opened it right away. But, I had two bottles of that, so that was an easy decision. I haven't really had much of it since, then, though. I have about 3/4 left of the original bottle and the unopened second bottle. I do love the Woodside, but it was easier to resist its allure because I could get a proxy bourbon with Julian's many other find bourbons. Seeing that many other special bottlings of Julian's are popping up, though, it will be easier for me to partake in the Woodside. I know there will be more (or similiar bourbons) where that came from.

I don't put the Sam's bourbon in the same category as Julian's other special bottlings because the Sam's bourbon is cask strengh and only 60 bottles. Unless Julian starts sending out other cask strength bottlings, I am inclined to go slow with this one. I only have one bottle this time.

[bobbyc]

Heck, if it's a birthday present, it makes good sense to wait until your birthday. If you don't, your better half might not be so willing next time you want to splurge

BBD you need to put on a good show for her. You know properly ritualize it and all that. Give her her hundred dollars worth. You may even want to finish up with a " If I didn't know better I'd swear there's Viagra in this Bourbon" .

[CL]

"If I didn't know better I'd swear there's Viagra in this Bourbon"

LOL!

[Paradox]

You may even want to finish up with a " If I didn't know better I'd swear there's Viagra in this Bourbon" .

LMAO!!!

[MurphyDawg]

Drink it MAN, DRINK IT!!!!! Drink it MAN, DRINK IT!!!!! Drink it MAN, DRINK IT!!!!! Drink it MAN, DRINK IT!!!!! Drink it MAN, DRINK IT!!!!! Drink it MAN, DRINK IT!!!!!

I think I am undecided. . .

TomC

[bluesbassdad]

Bobby,

We may need to enhance your "Bourbonian of the Year" designation by adding an oak-leaf cluster for humor.

Yours truly,

Dave "Bob 'E.D.' Dole is my hero" Morefield

[CL]

I did! I did! See my tasting notes in the Tasting section.

I originally voted I would wait, but I waited only about 12 hours. Curiousity got the best of me.

[jburlowski]

I checked undecided. I'm hoping for two bottles --- if I'm lucky one will be opened immediately. Otherwise I will wait (perhaps for only minutes) for a suitable "special occassion".

[Rughi]

I checked undecided. I'm hoping for two bottles --- if I'm lucky one will be opened immediately. Otherwise I will wait (perhaps for only minutes) for a suitable "special occassion".

I'm confused, John...

It sounds like you're referring to the current Pappy 23 year Unchill Filtered, standard proof bottling , but isn't this a 3 1/2 year old thread about a 20 year Barrel Proof bottling?

Maybe the Twilight Zone is kicking in a bit...

Roger

[TNbourbon]

This was about a one-time barrel-proof bottling Julian did some time ago for a Chicago retailer. As Roger points out, the single-barrel Pappys in the works will be at 95.6 proof, not barrel proof.

It was a 'closed' thread when I started seeing it pop up on my 'new posts' earlier. Apparently, 'Closed' doesn't affect the old polls themselves -- but, now I see the thread is open, too.:skep:

As it happens, I DO have a barrel-proof 'Pappy' (or, at least, some 21yo Stitzel-Weller, distilled in 1985). I opened it immediately upon Preston handing it to me, and it took all of, oh, 10 seconds to begin pouring.:toast:

[luv2hunt]

Jon got one of these for his birthday a few weeks ago. No, he hasn't opened it yet.

Dawn

[Vange]

Just out of curiosity, what was the proof on this bottling?

[luv2hunt]

133.4

[Vange]

WOW! That's some serious stuff!