High West - New Bottle Effect

[Trey Manthey]

Killed all but the last few oz of a High West Campfire with some good friends, beautiful strangers, and my bitchy ex last night. This one tastes like Christmas to me. I had opened it a couple weeks prior.

However, I have always seemed to get a really pronounced "new bottle effect" from High West products. Every bottle of theirs that I open is mediocre or just plain nasty when I crack it, so I leave it for a week or so and it transforms into the nectar of the gods. When I first opened the Campfire, I was very disappointed at how little it seemed to work together. This has been the case with 2 Rendezvous Ryes, 2 Bouryes, Campfire, and a 16 year. Maybe it's a coincidence that my palette is off, but I was thinking maybe something with the bottle, cork, or sealing process might do it. Or maybe just a little bit of oxidation is needed to kick things into place.

[smokinjoe]

It's most likely the juice going through molecular changes while it adjusts to a nearly 7,000 foot drop in altitude from Park City to NOLA. Air density changes, as well as the higher gravitational pull seem to have an adverse effect on High West Whiskies. 0 feet altitude may just be too low for it right out of the bottle. From my experience, HW whiskies hit their sweet spot at anywhere from 2,500' to 3,200'. Even here in Atlanta, at ~1,000', it's dang tasty juice, but the same bottle tasted in Macon (~380') tasted like dreck. I'm wondering if they bottled under higher vacuum, if that would help the altitude adjustment period? Or, possibly going to a more squat-shaped bottle?

[squire]

Ah, whisky with low altitude sickness, now that's one I haven't thought of.

[Trey Manthey]

Perhaps the shift from the largely Mormon demographics of Park City to Catholic/Baptist New Orleans also has an effect?

Now that I think about it, when I was visiting my friend in Instanbul, his bottle of Wild Turkey tasted like it had converted to Islam.

[sailor22]

I dunno, most of them taste pretty good to me here at an elevation of approximately 13'.

[squire]

Yeah, whisky tastes good in Florida, I've noticed that.

[sob0728]

Perhaps the shift from the largely Mormon demographics of Park City to Catholic/Baptist New Orleans also has an effect?

Now that I think about it, when I was visiting my friend in Instanbul, his bottle of Wild Turkey tasted like it had converted to Islam.

Just wanted to thank you for the good laugh I got out of that.

[T Comp]

Killed all but the last few oz of a High West Campfire with some good friends, beautiful strangers, and my bitchy ex last night. This one tastes like Christmas to me. I had opened it a couple weeks prior.

I'm more interested in the bitchy ex and why she's still drinking your whiskey?

It's most likely the juice going through molecular changes while it adjusts to a nearly 7,000 foot drop in altitude from Park City to NOLA. Air density changes, as well as the higher gravitational pull seem to have an adverse effect on High West Whiskies. 0 feet altitude may just be too low for it right out of the bottle. From my experience, HW whiskies hit their sweet spot at anywhere from 2,500' to 3,200'. Even here in Atlanta, at ~1,000', it's dang tasty juice, but the same bottle tasted in Macon (~380') tasted like dreck. I'm wondering if they bottled under higher vacuum, if that would help the altitude adjustment period? Or, possibly going to a more squat-shaped bottle?

But seriously...going the other way from low altitude to high...almost got plunked in the face from the cork on a travel bottle of PVW 15 at 8,500 feet. It was like a champagne bottle.

[smokinjoe]

I'm more interested in the bitchy ex and why she's still drinking your whiskey?

But seriously...going the other way from low altitude to high...almost got plunked in the face from the cork on a travel bottle of PVW 15 at 8,500 feet. It was like a champagne bottle.

How was the "thin air" time at altitude on that wheater, Thad? I would guess that it took longer for the Pappy to go from the normal total crap, to air-time induced chocolate covered cherries and caramel toffed delight?

[Restaurant man]

How was the "thin air" time at altitude on that wheater, Thad? I would guess that it took longer for the Pappy to go from the normal total crap, to air-time induced chocolate covered cherries and caramel toffed delight?

Actually it's the opposite. Thin air offers less protection from the bourbon changing :shocked:"germs":shocked:, next to thin air, regular air is like a bounce house knocking those germ things right back into the atmosphere. Phew :skep:

[AaronWF]

It's most likely the juice going through molecular changes while it adjusts to a nearly 7,000 foot drop in altitude from Park City to NOLA. Air density changes, as well as the higher gravitational pull seem to have an adverse effect on High West Whiskies. 0 feet altitude may just be too low for it right out of the bottle. From my experience, HW whiskies hit their sweet spot at anywhere from 2,500' to 3,200'. Even here in Atlanta, at ~1,000', it's dang tasty juice, but the same bottle tasted in Macon (~380') tasted like dreck. I'm wondering if they bottled under higher vacuum, if that would help the altitude adjustment period? Or, possibly going to a more squat-shaped bottle?

Hmmm... light cuts through a crack in your proud stance that any change in whiskey taste after opening is attributed to changes in the drinker?

I've noticed that NCF juice often has more of a tendency to 'open up' with air time than filtered whiskey. Also, there are very few whiskeys on the market that remain UCF at the lower 92 proof point that HW bottles their products at.

[smokinjoe]

Hmmm... light cuts through a crack in your proud stance that any change in whiskey taste after opening is attributed to changes in the drinker?

I've noticed that NCF juice often has more of a tendency to 'open up' with air time than filtered whiskey. Also, there are very few whiskeys on the market that remain UCF at the lower 92 proof point that HW bottles their products at.

[squire]

Well there's Death Valley in California but that doesn't sound like a destination spot.

[Trey Manthey]

If I stand in my backyard my feet are 6' below sea level. However, I have only drunk this particular bottle inside my house, where my glass (and my mouth) would be approximately 11' above sea level.

On a related note, I've noticed that when I raise a glass of any whiskey up to mouth level, it seems to evaporate at an extremely fast rate. I have dubbed this phenomenon "hyperoxidation."

[humchan2k]

If I stand in my backyard my feet are 6' below sea level. However, I have only drunk this particular bottle inside my house, where my glass (and my mouth) would be approximately 11' above sea level.

On a related note, I've noticed that when I raise a glass of any whiskey up to mouth level, it seems to evaporate at an extremely fast rate. I have dubbed this phenomenon "hyperoxidation."

Trey wins.

*pins a W on Trey's lapel*

[tanstaafl2]

Well there's Death Valley in California but that doesn't sound like a destination spot.

Having been to both I can tell you that you definitely want something to drink when you are there!

Although as good as bourbon is it may not be the best choice...

[Josh]

I wonder what it would taste like on another planet?

[squire]

Out of this world I expect.