Amusing, yet scary...

[tanstaafl2]

The latest post on the K&L Spirits Journal has a copy of Robert Parker of wine fame(?) giving his reviews on Bourbon!

Really on top of that GTS! It is indeed pushing 100 proof...

And I am guessing as David did that "Rollins Creek" is supposed to be Rowan's Creek. He must have really enjoyed drinking that one!

I guess we better stock up on the Old Bardstown Black Label before the masses clear it out! Or KBD changes the source.

Although at least we share some common ground with Hudson Baby Bourbon. I didn't much care for that one either.

Just what we need to get the latest craze chasers to suck up for no discernable reason what little quality bourbon is out there...

[suntour]

This is an extremely unfortunate development.

[savagehenry]

Wow he gave some of those some ridiculously high scores.

Hudson sucked - 82 points

[enn]

I don't even know where to go with this line:

They make a pre-blended Manhattan that is a killer, but the two whiskies I tried included their least expensive, Campfire. It is a silky smooth blend displaying hints of a Highland-like peatiness intermixed with sweet caramel, subtle wood smoke and spice box.

[portwood]

For the newcomers to Bourbon: more scary than amusing.

Those with well stocked bunkers have a tough decision to make: laugh at the feeding frenzy while drinking the nectar, OR sell and use the profits to retire.

Blanton's Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey; Bottled 12/27/12; 93 proof; from the Blanton Distillery Co., Frankfort, KY with no indication of age; Packaged in a squat, designer bottle with a horse and jockey on the cork-finished top.

Smoky, woodsy, caramelized flavors of brown sugar, honey and maple syrup include a hint of wood. With a light to medium amber color, a full-bodied, gorgeously textured, fleshy, broad, savory mouthfeel, and no harshness, this is either a brilliant master blend or a bourbon with some serious age.

Sad ...

Edited May 7, 2013 by portwood

[squire]

Stop the presses, Mr. Parker has discovered Bourbon.

[omgmarclol]

I don't even know where to go with this line:

They make a pre-blended Manhattan that is a killer, but the two whiskies I tried included their least expensive, Campfire. It is a silky smooth blend displaying hints of a Highland-like peatiness intermixed with sweet caramel, subtle wood smoke and spice box.

when we met dave perkins at delilah's during whiskey week, he did confirm that the scotch element in campfire was a highland...

[tanstaafl2]

I don't even know where to go with this line:

They make a pre-blended Manhattan that is a killer, but the two whiskies I tried included their least expensive, Campfire. It is a silky smooth blend displaying hints of a Highland-like peatiness intermixed with sweet caramel, subtle wood smoke and spice box.

when we met dave perkins at delilah's during whiskey week, he did confirm that the scotch element in campfire was a highland...

Yes, Highlands can sometimes have a soft peaty characteristic that is somewhat different from the brasher Islay/Island style more typically associated with peat. Glendronach 15 Revival has a bit of that. So I will give him a pass on that one.

Besides there is so much more to make fun of!

[T Comp]

Mr. Parker has many wines rated 90 plus that shouldn't be but yeah this will certainly feed the frenzy for another year. Something about Blanton's that attracts the wine guys too. A few years back Gary Vaynerchuk was raving about it. I know a certified sommelier who believes it and Eagle Rare are the best bourbons.

[Meruck]

......................... Something about Blanton's that attracts the wine guys too. A few years back Gary Vaynerchuk was raving about it. .............

Its that cute little man on the horsey.................................

[squire]

Blantons deserves the accolades, I've seen it beat out 20 year Pappy in a blind tasting.

[Dolph Lundgren]

"In the mouth, it is elegant by bourbon standards, silky smooth and persistent as well as surprisingly subtle, gracious and refined. If that's what you're looking for, and persistent as well as surprisingly subtle, gracious and refined. If that's what you're looking for, give this bourbon a try, but its understated personality will be something you either love or find lacking"

You know, if that's what your looking for...

[HighHorse]

You just can't escape the fact that bourbon is an exceptional spirit. And when you have "brand ambassadors" running around trying to peddle the millions of barrels that are aging in the hills of Kentucky and elsewhere, it's inevitable that we'll be seeing articles like this popping up. I, for one, enjoy seeing a guy dipping into this stuff and discovering how damn good it is. Is it puppy love? Perhaps it will keep his readers busy chasing the elusive and oversold and overeverythingelse Pappy while we bunker up. Bourbon Survivors unite! I'm just thankful he didn't get a hold of a bottle of OGD.... oh, never mind.

[portwood]

I'm just thankful he didn't get a hold of a bottle of OGD....

The packaging* isn't sexy enough for him so it would probably get a terrible score - which in Parker's world is anything in the mid 80's.

* notice how often he refers to the bottle/packaging in the reviews?

[Grain Belt]

I found it interesting that his entry to tasting were certainly not "entry level" bourbons. It would be like starting a "wine newby" on 45-60 dollar wines on up to a 200 dollar bottle of Opus One or even higher. God forbid that you would start with a 15 dollar wine that is representative of a grape variety. It reminds me of a song with the lyrics "down here with the rest of us." Those so inclined should raise a glass of mid to lower shelf bourbon in honor of Mr. Parker this evening. He will not be bothering us where the working class sipper resides.

[PaulO]

Articles like this really make me appreciate SB.com and the wonderful people that contribute. :toast:

[Dolph Lundgren]

Blantons deserves the accolades, I've seen it beat out 20 year Pappy in a blind tasting.

Those blind tasters have the most refined palates. Too bad they cant see the bottle like Robert - the whiskeys could have scored themselves a couple more points!

Edited May 7, 2013 by Dolph Lundgren

[callmeox]

How is a wine guy reviewing bourbon any more of a negative impact on supply than the dozens of who have shown that it only takes a computer and spare time to start a whiskey blog and be seen as an "expert"?

[tanstaafl2]

How is a wine guy reviewing bourbon any more of a negative impact on supply than the dozens of who have shown that it only takes a computer and spare time to start a whiskey blog and be seen as an "expert"?

Mostly because of which wine guy it is. He is the "Oprah" of wine guys who has a following that is likely to respond in a Pavlovian manner that could easily spread amongst the ever powerful onslaught of roobs!

:bigeyes:

Or something like that...

[David D]

How is a wine guy reviewing bourbon any more of a negative impact on supply than the dozens of who have shown that it only takes a computer and spare time to start a whiskey blog and be seen as an "expert"?

Robert Parker on an average day has more of an impact on booze economics than the impact of every blog post ever written, taken from every single blogger since the invention of the internet, added together, and multiplied by 1,000.

Edited May 7, 2013 by David D

[callmeox]

Heh, hyperbole need not apply.

As I scanned the bottles listed in your blog post, there's not one that I would miss if the Johnny Come Lately wine drinkers bought up every last retail bottle.

Cowdery did more damage to bourbon availability with his recent blog about value bottles, IMO.

Let the retailers answer the countless Pappy and BTAC calls if it keeps noobs out of the middle to lower shelf zone. :thumbup:

[MyOldKyDram]

Mostly I'd agree, save the 4R SmB, which I already expect to be tougher to find this year. This surely won't make it any easier.

[GaryT]

How is a wine guy reviewing bourbon any more of a negative impact on supply than the dozens of who have shown that it only takes a computer and spare time to start a whiskey blog and be seen as an "expert"?

I guess he's popular when it comes to wine, but anyone whose scale has a broad range of 82-100 (really - nothing lower than an 82, and way too many north of 95??) to me is a nincompoop. I know tastes differ, and also that a lot of sheeple out there will shop "by the score" without reading any details. Let them stupid folks stroll past any Handy, Stagg, PHC 2012, or FR2012LESmB in order to get the primo stuff with higher scores - like ER10, Old Bardstown Black Label, and Noah's Mill.

I find this a sad commentary on our times, that "celebrity" requires not "credibility" (which is not for a minute to insinuate I know anything more than he does on the topic - but if Old Bardstown Black Label was a better dram than PHC2012 - I think the invisible hand of the market would have cleared the shelves of the stuff a long time ago).

On the plus side - maybe now they will

[Old Dusty]

Blantons deserves the accolades, I've seen it beat out 20 year Pappy in a blind tasting.

Thank goodness for squire as the voice of reason on these boards. He is always the champion of the under appreciated value pours or just plain common sense.The rest of us benefit from him calling us back form the siren song of the Pappy and BTACs of the bourbon world. Thanks squire!

[Old Dusty]

And to clarify, Blanton's is not a value pour except when compared to current retail (or secondary market) for Pappy 20!