What are you drinking, yet AGAIN!!!

[OneCubeOnly]

This afternoon, it's been my good ol' standby/everyday pour, Buffalo Trace.

Except I violated my own rule and put more ice than normal. I'm so ashamed.

[bluesbassdad]

Blanton's (from a mini) and what may prove to be the last of my Rock Hill Farms (100 proof), side by side.

Words fail me. The Blanton's starts out with a nose of heavily buttered biscuits, lightly browned on the bottom. Rock Hill Farms is Mom's apple pie, with a hint of cinnamon and light on the sugar, so the tartness of the apples comes through.

On the palate the Blanton's is more of the same, but it never quite tastes like bourbon to me. (Someone hereabouts once said, "If you don't like Blanton's, then you don't like bourbon." I disagree.) It's so amazingly smooth that it's tempting to escalate from careful sips to rapid, multiple swallows -- the same way I drink Eye of the Hawk Select Ale. Is that any way for a bourbon to be?

In contrast the Rock Hill Farms tickles, tingles and tantalizes. Yes, this is bourbon, with a family resemblance to other Buffalo Trace products. (It's time for me to review the old posts about the various BT mashbills. Regardless, I think I taste a similarity to Stagg and to Buffalo Trace, but not to Blanton's.)

If I can exercise a little restraint, there's just enough Rock Hill Farms left for one more drink, which I intend to have side-by-side with another BT bottling. Which should I choose?

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield

[bobbyc]

Stagg?

[CL]

On the palate the Blanton's is more of the same, but it never quite tastes like bourbon to me. (Someone hereabouts once said, "If you don't like Blanton's, then you don't like bourbon." I disagree.) It's so amazingly smooth that it's tempting to escalate from careful sips to rapid, multiple swallows. Is that any way for a bourbon to be?

I agree with you, Dave. I think Blanton's needs more flavor. It just doesn't do anything for me, particularly at $45 a bottle.

I bought a bottle a couple months ago to settle once and for all whether I can learn to appreciate it. I never did and the bottle is still half full. If I make it to the festival, it will be one of my contributions to the gazebo gatherings.

[OneCubeOnly]

It's so amazingly smooth that it's tempting to escalate from careful sips to rapid, multiple swallows. Is that any way for a bourbon to be?

Gosh, now after your comments it makes me want to go re-explore Blanton's. I'm almost wondering if maybe the "leave them wanting more" phenomenon that I described in my tasting notes is because I'm *WANTING* more fulfillment!? Hmmm...that's a toughie! Blanton's, at least to my palate, seems to satisfy, but you REALLY crave more...maybe that's why you say you tend to turn to the gulping-type of drinking!?

Can a bourbon be too smooth!? Must it have a certain bite that satisfies and makes you not want to gulp more?

[MurphyDawg]

Blanton's, at least to my palate, seems to satisfy, but you REALLY crave more...

Not because you dont feel fufilled, because it is just that damn good!!

Yummy

TomC

[CL]

Not because you dont feel fufilled, because it is just that damn good!!

That's the way I am feeling with my Weller 12 yo tonight. I can't get enough, but the watchful eye of my sweetie is upon me.

BTW, a neighbor came over to have a nightcap. He chose Blanton's on the rocks. I said, "Help yourself. It's always good to share great bourbon with those who appreciate it, especially when it is a bourbon I don't particularly fancy."

[robbyvirus]

Tonight I'm having a nip of Kentucky Vintage. I bought this two months ago when I passed through Kentucky...I've never seen it out here in California. I think it's a pretty good bourbon. It's not too complex, but it has a richer flavor than most in its price range. Kinda oaky, but then I like that.

[Buckky]

last night it was Buffalo Trace...I love this bourbon. This could easily become my "regular pour" but the distribution Gods have decided that Ohio (a stones throw from Ky) isn't worthy of it. I am two hours from the river and WVA where they also sell it but at an inflated price...a $17+ bottle in Ky becomes a $25+ bottle in WVA and I don't get there very often. Frankly I would rather drink BT than Blanton's...I like Blanton's but at $40+ locally it is a rare buy...(If we can get Blanton's then why not Buffalo Trace???) If given the choice I would rather have Elmer T Lee single barrel...alas it too can only be picked up when going south. As a general rule I would choose BT products over nearly all others...but that is probably stating the obvious, especially when you include the VW's. "In a perfect world Buffalo Trace would be in every bar"

[Buckky]

Upon reconsideration I must amend and admit that if you offered me a free bottle of Blanton's and a free bottle of Buffalo Trace I would probably reach for Blanton's MOST of the time ....but I must admit my opinion of Blanton's is colored somewhat by my extremely high expectations due to the price and the wonderful packaging/marketing. (Blanton's is now at least $40, sometimes $45 locally...and the entire "riding jockey" is totally cool) After all what does not become a Blanton's probably becomes a Buffalo Trace and Elmer T Lee himself has said that with 250,000 barrels to choose from there is at least a small degree of hit and miss. (Of course with a genius like Elmer the odds of missing that great barrel are greatly reduced.) However I stand behind my assertion that Elmer T Lee single barrel is better...FOR ME...because as Elmer says he chooses a "sweeter" barrel for his namesake and I just happen to like this kind of bourbon...your mileage may vary...(also in KY Elmer T Lee Single Barrel is $23 while Blanton's is $45...you do the math)...in general I like BT products because they are sweeter and more "candy" like on the chart than other bourbons...we all are different in both our current tastes and in our taste evolution. At one time(when much younger) all I drank were Jim Beam products but as I matured I grew away from them....however I think Bookers is still one of the finest products out there...top ten for sure...top five? Gee am I rambling?....as we all know taste is a very ephemeral thing (cool word eh?...look it up, it really applies to bourbon)that is in constantly changing form due to mood,circumstance, budget??, EXPERIENCE etc......did I mention before this rambling rant that I had had a few? (Buffalo Trace of course)

[bobbyc]

At the moment a little Stagg. No one should be surprized by that, by now. It's been a long afternoon here in Kentucky, My weekend stretches before me ( Monday for me this week is 10am Wednesday) It has been thundering a lot and looks like rain, I'm working on a new hosta bed. Before this Stagg, Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, and before that Eagle Rare Single Barrel. If I have another drink this evening and it isn't more George T. I'm going to hit the Jefferson's , you know, to see if it can hold up. ( I won't be too dissapointed if it doesn't, nothing else does!)

[pepcycle]

Today I celebrate two momentous occasions with two great bourbons. OFBB for the obvious reason and Stagg for reaching my goal of losing 35 pounds since March. (Last week I found out I still have ribs) At 187, I'm at my lowest weight since 1977.

Cheers

[CL]

Congrats!

[Ambernecter]

Mr. Ed.

Fantastic news - well done to you sir!

I am somewhat of a health nut and it is distressing to see so many people whose quality of life suffers, just 'cos they shovel too much food away.

I salute you with a Woodford Reserve.

Keep it up!!

[Barrel_Proof]

A b'day toast to you, Ed!

[Speedy_John]

Way to go, dude! I'd like to lose about the same number of pounds. How did you do it?

SpeedyJohn

[boone]

Happy Late Birthday to you!...

Congratulations, on your weight loss goal ...You should be very proud ...with good reason

Bettye Jo ....

[pepcycle]

John

Here's the key to losing the weight and getting the exercise. Ignore the warning signs till your physician tells you that you have to do something drastic or suffer the consequences. The real driver was possibly having to notify Dive Masters of a possible condition and being denied dive privileges. So a controlled carb, low fat diet with daily exercise it is. (Not the Atkins diet) We make choices everyday. I had to change some of those.

Lucky (?) thing I was doing some knee therapy (soccer injury)at the same time I started the diet and took advantage of the gym facility at rehab. (Now, the amazing thing. A lot of this started with a PM thread I had with Bluesbassdad about running out of gas. Its about attitude and choosing how you view events in your life)

"Changes in attitude, Changes in Latitude"

[pepcycle]

Thanks for the positive reinforcement.

Mucho Appreciado

[Black85L98]

Congrats on the 35lbs good job! That is about what I would like to get rid of.

[MurphyDawg]

Tonight Eagle Rare 17 year old. The best of the best (including Stagg) in my opinion. I cannot vouch for tomorrow given my current situation, but today turned out to be pretty good and I figure I should celebrate all the good I can when I can, so here is a toast of the best to all my great bourbonic friends.

TomC

[bluesbassdad]

Elijah Craig 18 y/o -- in honor of our child bride and her lucky husband.

It tastes different than I recall, an occurrence I've almost come to expect, perhaps influenced by the EC 12 I drank a couple of evenings this week. The nose is less woody than I recall, and there's a strong presence of the grassiness that I tasted in my EWSB '92. On the palate I'm getting some of that EC12 medicinal quality (some call it "camphor"), which suggests pine resin or eucalyptus. The grassy flavor returns at the [dry] finish, which reminds me of the "flinty" quality of a Johannesburg Rieling that I drank years ago.

I have yet to try some Manhattan makin's that I bought recently. While I still have the Bardstown Bourbon Society newsletter handy, I think I'll try the recipe that used EC 18. (I'll have to use regular, refrigerator ice, though.)

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield

[CL]

Well, I need to clear out some bottles in my liquor cabinet, so I thought I would start with the Knob Creek.

Before I met SB.com last summer and rapidly expanded my collection, I used to like KC as a winter drink. Not any more. It justs tastes blech to me now. Guess I'll have to save this bottle for mixing with guests' drinks.

The problem is (and this is a good problem to have), most of my liquor cabinet is stocked with bottles I can't get here in NC, so, for most of my collection, I am not in a hurry to get rid of it. And I can't buy any more EC 12 yo or WT RB, both available here in NC, cuz my wife said no more till I clean out what I already have. What to do?

Guess I will just go to the pantry and pull out that bottle of BT.

[jeff]

Jefferson's. Trying to get to know this one a little better. What is the chance that this bourbon came from Buffalo Trace? Has that classic "earthiness" that I taste in most BT bourbons, but just a little hotter. I think I'll try this one on the rocks tomorrow to see if it mellows out any.

[bobbyc]

I know every one gets different mileage. I'm going on memory here because tonite I have a bit of the EC18 with American Still Life. I thought the bottle I have is fairly smooth with a cube or 2. At any rate I enjoyed finding Jefferson's because I had no Idea it would come out and it's something to go along side of OFBB, Stagg, And FRSB when we do get it.