fishnbowljoe Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 Thanks to a suggestion from a fellow member, we're gonna switch gears once again, and go with a BOTM that is a little more nondescript this time. Wathen's No comment from me at all this time, as I have yet to buy or taste this one at all. Bet y'all are relieved. Post way! Let's hear it for Wathen's. Cheers! Joe PS. Yes I'm early again. I wouldn't hold your breath for next month though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meruck Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Gotta say, Wathens was one of my standbys.Its a fine "table bourbon". 8 year single barrel, nothing wrong with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLH3 Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 It's pretty good stuff. I didn't think it was better than EC12, Weller 12 or 4RSmB, which is in the same price range, but I certainly wouldn't mind another glass of it right now.:grin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasquatch Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Its a fine "table bourbon". 8 year single barrel, nothing wrong with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Who makes this brand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tucker Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Who makes this brand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tucker Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Previous Wathen's discussion...http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/showthread.php?16785-Wathen-s-Still-Around Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Tucker, any producer can sell a whisky but only a distiller can make it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 I had a bottle of this 2-3 years ago. It was not bad but not very interesting either. It's not sold here but I saw plenty on the shelves in Ketucky. I didn't pick any up. I spent my money on handles of VOB BiB, Heaven Hill White Label BiB and AAA 10 y/o among other things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 I'm familiar with the original Wathen's put out by Charles Medley using whisky he made while serving as the Master Distiller for Glenmore but I understand those stocks were depleted over a decade ago. I don't know to what extent the Medley family is involved with the current brand but since they are no longer making whisky it must be sourced. I was figuring Heaven Hill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyjd75 Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Wathen's is one of my favorite bourbons. Has a nice following here in central Ky. Probably Heaven Hill but that isn't necessarily bad. I find some similarity between it and Henry McKenna (which I also like). A nice pour when looking for something other than one of the big boys (even if one of the big boys made it!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffrey r Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 I've had a bottle open for a couple of months. In honor of the BOTM, poured a couple of ounces over ice tonight. It's a fine bourbon, but not one that I will make a staple. I would choose the McKenna BIB over it at the same price, with the higher proof, greater age (presumed with the Wathen's NAS), and more robust flavor of the McKenna BIB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulO Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 I haven't had any Wathen's lately. The other bourbon that I've tried that sort of reminded me of Wathen's was the 2009 OF Birthday bourbon. The birthday bourbon was a little drier, but had a lot of the same tastes. Maybe it's just a coincidence. Wathen's never really reminded me of EC or the other HH brands I've tried. There was another Frank-Lin brand called Josh Brooks that tasted similar to Wathen's. Josh Brooks was 8 year old and 90 proof. They changed the label, and also reduced it to 80 proof, so I've stayed away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 I haven't had any Wathen's lately. The other bourbon that I've tried that sort of reminded me of Wathen's was the 2009 OF Birthday bourbon. The birthday bourbon was a little drier, but had a lot of the same tastes. Maybe it's just a coincidence. Wathen's never really reminded me of EC or the other HH brands I've tried. There was another Frank-Lin brand called Josh Brooks that tasted similar to Wathen's. Josh Brooks was 8 year old and 90 proof. They changed the label, and also reduced it to 80 proof, so I've stayed away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulO Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 I thought the Wathen's was pretty decent bourbon. I just find that in it's price range ($30+ around here) there are many good bourbons or ryes nowadays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazer Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 I happen to have one of these open. It's not good. Some people here are saying its not bad. Its hard to find a bad bourbon, but this one is not good. Just tastes like generic bourbon. Nothing on the nose, palate or finnish to say wow, that's good stuff. Because it isn't. save your money and get some OGD BIB, now that's a good bourbon.My bottle says, "eight generations, 250 years." That's not an age statement. IMHO, not aged enough. There's plenty of good bourbons out there, move on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulO Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 I haven't tasted any for several years. Back then, I liked it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edo Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 (edited) I ordered a bottle of Wathen's a couple weeks ago. It cost about $29 here. I haven't cracked it yet, so I can't comment on the taste, but the accompanying propaganda strongly implies it is "Medley". The ring around the top has the barrel number written in (#215) as well as the date it was "Hand Bottled" (7/20/10 -[no info on when it was dumped, except the 250 years... maybe 1760?]) this data is "Signed" Charles W. Medley (later we find born 1941, so 1760 can't be right). A tag around the neck claims "Bottled by the Charles Medley Distillery", then inside gives a run down of names in the "Medley & Wathen Kentucky Distilling Ancestry", then a couple more pages of 'finest this, select that, ..zealously guarded secret yeast, eight generations ... double distilling ... aged unhurried to it's peak of flavor..Sounds pretty good ... Edited May 8, 2013 by edo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 The most impressive thing about that is the skill of the copywriter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doubleblank Posted May 11, 2013 Share Posted May 11, 2013 I've still got a couple of the "original" bottlings of this. One was bottled in '98 and the other in '01. I will bring one to Wade's gathering tonight and hopefully people will post notes. I said here some time ago that I get a buttery bisquit flavor from the old bottles. It's a flavor not found in any other bourbon I have tasted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VT Mike Posted May 11, 2013 Share Posted May 11, 2013 I had a few drinks out of a bottle that was from barrel #745, bottled Jan 18, 2013. It was okay. Not that great, but not awful either. I wonder how much variation there is (flavor and quality) from one barrel to the next? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danger Posted May 14, 2013 Share Posted May 14, 2013 Friend offered to bring a bottle of this stuff back for me (don't normally see it in NC) but I passed because of this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckles Posted May 14, 2013 Share Posted May 14, 2013 I generally like to participate in the BOTMs, but the only Wathen's I have seen for sale near me would cost about $35 (with tax). No comments in this thread have convinced me to make that investment, and there are others in that price range I've been hankering to try--maybe one of those will be BOTM next month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edo Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 (edited) I ordered a bottle of Wathen's a couple weeks ago. It cost about $29 here. I haven't cracked it yet, so I can't comment on the taste, but the accompanying propaganda strongly implies it is "Medley". The ring around the top has the barrel number written in (#215) as well as the date it was "Hand Bottled" (7/20/10 -[no info on when it was dumped, except the 250 years... maybe 1760?]) this data is "Signed" Charles W. Medley (later we find born 1941, so 1760 can't be right). A tag around the neck claims "Bottled by the Charles Medley Distillery", then inside gives a run down of names in the "Medley & Wathen Kentucky Distilling Ancestry", then a couple more pages of 'finest this, select that, ..zealously guarded secret yeast, eight generations ... double distilling ... aged unhurried to it's peak of flavor..Sounds pretty good ...So ..... I cracked it. (The top pulled off, away from the 'cork' still in the bottle. Have to glue that back later) ...The nose has a maple, vanilla, cinnamon, hint of mint thang going on. It kind of reminds me of a dusty Old Grand-dad I have (including the 'buttery' thing doubleblank mentioned.) Tastes like the nose promised, but now I'm getting a little cocoa added, and maple sugar (wife says honey)... and ...spicier? Or maybe hotter .. young-hot. My rough guess is that it's five years old. No problem with that, so my first impression is very positive. ...But it's light, not too complex. Maybe too light, even without a drop of water. Quick finish. ... so while it's very (too?) easy to drink, it's not very satisfying (beer drinkers, think Corona to Guiness.) And overall, too sweet (for both of us.) Probably should be put on the date-rape drug watch list. Enjoyable. 7 out of 10 whatevers. Edited May 15, 2013 by edo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNovaMan Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 ... so while it's very (too?) easy to drink, it's not very satisfying (beer drinkers, think Corona to Guiness.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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