Head to Head Comparisons?

[Guy Debord]

A recent post I made about introducing others to bourbon made me think of the spectrum of flavor profiles and standard release techniques.

Price point aside, has anyone done the following head-to-head pours just for fun? If so, what are were your experiences? I think the following are all great bourbons, but I like throwing two or three together just see what I taste in each.

Weller 12 vs. Elijah Craig12

Blanton's vs. Elmer T. Lee vs. Rock Hill Farms

Evan Williams SB10 vs. Eagle Rare SB10

Four Roses Yellow Label vs. Bulleit

Weller Special Reserve vs. Maker's Mark vs. Old Fitzgerald

Larceny vs. Maker's Mark 46

Angel's Envy vs. (what would be a good challenger here?)

Wild Turkey 101 vs. Old Grand Dad 114

Knob Creek 9 Small Batch vs. Four Roses Small Batch

Buffalo Trace vs. Woodford Reserve

[mbroo5880i]

I have tried many of the bourbons you mention. Sometimes on the same night. Sometimes in tastings, other times just as pours.

[mbroo5880i]

I have tried many of these bourbons. Sometimes side-by-side for comparison, other times just alone.

I would suggest comparing

Buffalo Trace v. Eagle Rare - same mashbill, different age

Larceny, Weller 12, Old Fitz - wheaters

I always thought it would be cool to compare the WT bourbons side-by-side - WT101, RR10, Rare Breed, Kentucky Spirit, SB

[Guy Debord]

mbroo-made great suggestions.

This weekend some friends and I are doing the Wheat-off. Tasting MM, MM46, OFBiB, OF, Weller SR, Weller 12, OWA, and Larceny.

Next week we're pulling resources and doing a single barrel challenge, it's gonna be a no hold barred cage match of epic proportion!

We did this a few months ago with Double IPA's and Three Floyd's Dreadnaught took home the gold. Super fun.

Best,

[Richnimrod]

I have done the Larceny/MM. The Larceny was a clear winner there.

I would suggest a small adjustment to the list.... I'd put OGD BIB instead of 114 against WT 101.

I've done that one and love 'em both; but picked OGD BIB in a very close race.

On a different day I may have gone the other way, though. I'll have to do the pair again soon. Fun Stuff for sure.

[squire]

Research is a continuing process Rich and I admire your dedication.

[MonsterMashBill]

I would think Weller 12 vs. Very Special Old Fitzgerald 12 would be nice to put next to each other. Both 12 year old, 90 proof wheaters, but different mashbills and distilleries. I've also experienced quite a bit of batch variation in each. My first VSOF was dollop of delicious, soft vanilla, not tannic at all, but had this slightly odd cereal finish (which I also got in bottles of Fitzgerald BIB.) My first Weller 12 felt like it had been in barrel too long, just a mouth full of char. Since then, the Fitzgeralds haven't ever been as good as that first one, and the Weller 12's have been much, much better.

[petrel800]

Just a few thoughts,

EC12 vs Weller 12 - tough one considering ones a wheater and the other is ryer (can I do that, ha!).

EWSB while a similar profile, changes with each years expression, and in my opinion varies more year to year vs your typical single barrel offering. ER10 while a single barrel and subject to variences, typically is supposed to be the same profile year in and out.

I've done the Blantons, ETL, Rock Hill one. When not taking price into consideration I tend to find Rock Hill Farms my favorite, when I throw in the fact it's $50 a bottle, I find ETL to be the best value of the bunch for me.

As for your last one, Buffalo Trace vs Woodford . . . I'd probably go Buffalo Trace vs Old Forester - similar price point, similar proof mash bill, close in proof . . . just my thought.

All that said, who cares, compare them all and enjoy . . . :cool:

[JonRob]

Great thread... I'll get back to it in a week. I've done blind tasting for a few of your match ups. Thanks for giving me reasons for a few more.

[AnotherCigarGuy]

I'd be interested in a EC12 v ETL. They both seem to get a lot of love

around here and seem readily available.

[Flyfish]

My wife and I like to do blind vertical tastings; i.e., members of the same families but at different levels. For example: Basil Hayden, OGD BIB, and OGD 114; Ezra Brooks 90, Old Ezra 101, and Ezra B SB; EW, EW 1783, and EW SB; EW SB from '01, '02, and '03. WT 101, WT RB, and WT KS. There are lots of ways to climb the ladder of BT expressions. Even when one of us knows what family we are dealing with, it is always an instructive experience. Occasionally we are joined by our friend Dan whose experience was once pretty much limited to JD Black. It is a real treat to watch his eyes light up when we serve him some Booker's, EC BP, and KC SB. A "bourbon extract" tasting like that can be quite a revelation when you come to it with no preconceived notions.

[lrochau]

I did a head to head comparison last weekend. Went Russell's reserve single barrel vs. Weller 107 age statement vs pappy 15. Girlfriend poured them so I didn't know the order. Called all three and had them ranked pappy, Weller 107 and Russell's reserve sb.

[Guy Debord]

Wow this thread came a live! It had many views and no replies, I thought it was a dead cause. Thanks so much for this education!

After giving this more thought, I think you guys are spot on.

The better way would be to approach these by age, single barrel/non-single barrel, and by mash bill. Genealogy, i.e. maker family is a great consideration too.

This weekend, I placed ETL next to ER10 and loved them both equally for different reasons. That ETL is a Binny's pick and it's delicious with butterscotch, vanilla, and toffee along with great warmth and good moth feel. The nose on that is superb. The ER10 was all woody, oak, cinnamon, and caramel wonderfulness. After that I went and grabbed a pour of ER10 out in a bar, just for fun. The bottle had about two pours left in it and it blew my new bottle at home out of the water. I guess the oxygen in bottle did something to the bar's bottle, but the flavor profile was turned up a great deal.

The whole journey is a blast and I think my top five is coming together!

Best,

[Guy Debord]

Update: In terms of the Wheat Off, we had to cancel it because all could not make it last minute. I think, I'll just work on the Weller 12 vs. Maker's 46 in my own time. I am really interested that. In another thread, however, I did mention tasting a WLW BTAC and the Pappy 15 a few weeks ago. I actually enjoyed the WLW more, but now I'm just spoiled and ruined on the wheaters. I should have never opened pandora's box, I do not have the money to play the BTAC or Pappy game, shucks, but at least I know what amazing taste's like.

[smknjoe]

Guy, ER10 and ETL are both single barrel products. So, the one at the bar could have just been a better barrel. I would assume that before air-time as the reason why you preferred it over the one at home.

[Guy Debord]

Spoke too soon. Now the thread is dead. :grin:

Thanks smknjoe- Maybe it was you or perhaps someone else who told me to revisit my WellerSR after letting the air get to it. My first impression when I opened it was a medicinal and herbal like. It made a huge difference though, the next few pours later that week were much better. You have to let'em breathe!

Follow up-How much can you let a bottle breathe? Is it good to leave the cork out for a few minutes before pouring a freshly opened bottle? Should I make bigger pours initially to allow for more oxygen to hang out in the bottle between pours?

[MauiSon]

For me, 2 half-full bottles of Weller is much better than 1 full bottle.

[ewj]

did a WT101, WT8, WTRB, ORVW10 blind tasting some days ago. all the wild turkeys were fresh opened bottles. I got ORVW ranked before WTRB and got both of them right. confused 101 and the 8yo because the 8yo tasted like crap: it was one-dimensional and flat, with a bitterish taste and no real finish.

I can still get my hands on a couple of 8yo, so I wanted to see for myself if they're really that much better than the 101nas as everyone claims. tried the 8yo again after 1 day, 2days respectively, and noticed quite a positive transformation flavour-/bodywise. gonna get those 8yo I guess.

[squire]

Guy I'm not aware of any sort of way to measure oxygen being introduced to liven up a freshly opened bottle. Other than the whisky shaking off it's initial slumbering pose I don't think my taste buds are sufficiently acute to notice further tiny differences.

Of course a quick fix is just decant it into another bottle.