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What bourbon are you drinking in Australia? - Summer 2013


Stones
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Eagle rare is posing quite the conundrum for me . The first glass from my first bottle I hated it. Too much oak for me, and generally seemed out of balance. I said never again. The last few glasses however seemed great, finally undertanding why its a popular choice. Buy another bottle and have the same initial evaluation, sits in the bar for 6 months, getting better and better. Im now up to my fifth bottle and haven't had one ive enjoyed from the first glass.

I wish I could buy the last quarter of the bottle ( for quarter the price). Any one had any similar experiences?

Yep exactly the same for me

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Eagle rare is posing quite the conundrum for me . The first glass from my first bottle I hated it. Too much oak for me, and generally seemed out of balance. I said never again. The last few glasses however seemed great, finally undertanding why its a popular choice. Buy another bottle and have the same initial evaluation, sits in the bar for 6 months, getting better and better. Im now up to my fifth bottle and haven't had one ive enjoyed from the first glass.

I wish I could buy the last quarter of the bottle ( for quarter the price). Any one had any similar experiences?

I've only ever bought one bottle of ER10 and didn't like (or particularly hate) it at any point. I thought it was fairly dry, oaky and ... a touch thinner than expected given the 90 proof. Finished the bottle and never bought another. Interestingly enough I had a bottle of standard issue BT (back when it was still bottled at 45% and cost me $40) open at the same time that I enjoyed much more than the ER10. But then they dropped the proof and upped the price to $50 on the BT and I've never picked up another. Much rather fork over $90 for Bookers and add the water myself if need be!

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Eagle rare is posing quite the conundrum for me . The first glass from my first bottle I hated it. Too much oak for me, and generally seemed out of balance. I said never again. The last few glasses however seemed great, finally undertanding why its a popular choice. Buy another bottle and have the same initial evaluation, sits in the bar for 6 months, getting better and better. Im now up to my fifth bottle and haven't had one ive enjoyed from the first glass.

I wish I could buy the last quarter of the bottle ( for quarter the price). Any one had any similar experiences?

I know what you mean, the bottle does get better the longer it is open, a few bourbons do in my experience. My father in law usually drinks it when I open the bottle and than I hide it for a couple of months.

I really miss Buffalo Trace a 45% although the 40% is still far superior than the 37% Jim Beam White.

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I decided to open up the George T Stagg Jr, first thoughts neat wow strong alcohol flavour very much in the background due to the fumes, decided to add a lump of ice and let it sit for a while, still strong alcohol but the flavours starting to shine through nice sweet flavours, so added another and in the end found the sweet spot of 3 cubs and let it sit for a good 20mins. At first I didn't really like the jr but after after playing around a bit it's really nice, strong but wow packs flavour so many different flavours coming through. Certainly worth getting from the Uk so much cheaper that here :)

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Having a few Scotches tonight (JW Black - my daily, CR 18 and GF 18).

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Went to Ardbeg day last week at Barras in Hawthorn. Really enjoyed the Evan Williams 23 year old - had two glasses.

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I know what you mean, the bottle does get better the longer it is open, a few bourbons do in my experience. My father in law usually drinks it when I open the bottle and than I hide it for a couple of months.

I really miss Buffalo Trace a 45% although the 40% is still far superior than the 37% Jim Beam White.

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Ironically, in the US, BT competes with Jim Beam and Jack Daniels. It was one of the dilemmas they had in the early days of planning the release into Australia - they'd never be able to get the price down to a level where they could challenge those product on our market.

I bought a few bottles of standard issue BT back when it was bottled at 90 proof from an independently owned liquor store near me for $39.95 when it first came out a few years back. IMO that price definitely was competitive with JD and WT86.8 (more expensive than Beam white label but that's 74 proof here so it should be cheaper). Now BT is 80 proof and $50 a bottle, which isn't competitive price-wise.

I think the issue is that BT/Sazerac or their Australian distributor are a little greedy; they obviously have no shame when it comes to blatant gouging as the prices of the BTAC releases in Australia proves. Standard BT isn't insanely overpriced but still ... for an extra $5 one can pick up WT101, and for $10 less there is WT86.8. Both are higher proof and for all the grief Campari seem to get about what they've done to WT, I think the quality is just fine and they treat Aussie customers pretty well with reasonable, consistent prices and good availability.

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Funnily enough at $49.95 it's up against EW Black at 80 proof. Wonder how that's moving for the distributor - bet it's not.

I don't mind BT at $50 though admit I only have 90 proof bottles at home. The 80 proof has tasted ok at the bar.

Truth be known, I'm likely to pull out another $15 and buy a Blanton's Original.

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I think BT is reasonably priced. I love Blantons also but I think Id rather BT. It cant compete with JBW for price but I recon it should want to.

Prefer BT to EWB also, even at 80 proof!

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When my supply of US sourced bourbon runs out I'm probably going to be living on Blantons and WT exclusively....

Last night I had a nice healthy pour of the SB Blend off this site. Darn good stuff after ~6months of marriage.

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They should add in there that by having to bottle at a lower proof (to minimize tax) they're destroying the flavour profiles of their products. Blantons 80pf, Green label Jack :lol:

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Blantons 80 proof isn't bottled at a lower proof for our market, that's what the product is everywhere in the world it's sold, so it's exactly the flavor profile they want you to exerience. I don't know much about green label Jack, but according to the JD website, it's a lighter less mature product which tells me it's exactly what they want you to taste, and I would assume the same all over the world.

Now if you want to talk about Jim Beam (White Label), Buffalo Trace or Makers Mark which we know all lower the proof exclusively for the Australian market, then we can talk about destroying (maybe eroding is a better term) product profiles :)

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All I can say down here at the moment is thank heavens for beer.

The spirits market is a joke. Blanton's original, Dickel 12 and maybe the WT RR 10/90 are the only labels I can think of that are anywhere near the mark for value for those of us who like to sip rather than drown in a mixer.

Jeez I am a grump :D

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I see the Van Winkle greed over has started,just notice one big retailer selling the range for silly money. 10yrs for $300. 12yrs $469 13 yrs Rye $600 15yrs $ $700 20yrs $2169 and last the 23yrs at $3000 this is just crazy greed by the retailers.

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I paid 230 for 15 yr only 2 yrs ago, cheaper that GTS!

These prices are bs. PHC for 130 is pretty good value for high proof rare bourbon at Dans

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^ PHC hasn't been in stock for a long time at Dans.

That's true. They have an annoying habit of leaving long-gone bottles up on their website for months and months don't they. The PVW's are another example.

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How does everyone rate the Pappy goodies to similar bourbons on the market ?

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^ PHC hasn't been in stock for a long time at Dans.

I was lucky enough to get one early when they released it, usually they will say on the website that its sold out if its unavailable.

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How does everyone rate the Pappy goodies to similar bourbons on the market ?

I don't rate any of the Pappy or BTAC products at the prices we pay here, or the inflated prices often found in the US for that matter. Nothing in current production is worth those prices IMO. Put the money towards trying every single product on the Aust. market, and maybe then drop the coin if you are still keen. I'd also make sure I tried it at a bar first for $20-$30 a shot to ensure it's something you like and want to shell out big bucks for...

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