Familial blends that synergize like the SB blend.

[suntour]

I've been pretty obsessed with vatting things together lately, probably after I learned how incredible the OWA/W12 mashup is blended. I wonder, there's got to be other offerings like this, one shorter on proof or age, the other bigger and rougher, needing taming. I put together a Heaven Hill vatting like this not too long ago that I actually felt was better than the sum of its parts; some Old Heaven Hill Bonded plus Fighting Cock plus Evan Williams Single Barrel resulted in something not necessarily better than the single barrel, but definitely smoother and more complex and surprisingly delightful.

The only other one like this that I've discovered is that I LOVE Old Grand-Dad bonded mixed equal parts with Knob Creek. I just feel it reveals and enhances something in each that I don't notice while consuming each.

As I missed the Four Roses 125th this year and don't really want to plunk down $50 on a bottle of the single barrel in Oregon (not that its not good, but its around thirty bucks elsewhere) so I've been messing with Bulleit, Bulleit 10 year, and FRYL in differing parts, trying to reveal something not seen in either. It still needs work. Also, upon revisiting, I forgot how much I like Bulleit. I never even think about drinking it, but it was hitting the spot last night unbelievably, and then made a rather mind-blowing old-fashioned.

[squire]

Try one part Grand Dad 114 with two parts 80 proof Benchmark.

[GaryT]

I love experimenting with different vattings and different ratios - lots of fun! Unfortunately, I haven't found one I like as much as the SB Blend (60/40 ratio with more OWA). I haven't given up, just haven't found one I love enough to buy two 750s for the sole intention of vatting them. That is the only reason I buy W12 (not that it isn't decent on its own, but I just don't find I reach for it on its own very much). Please share what you've tried and liked!

Squire - I may have to pick up some Benchmark just to try that

[Wryguy]

Another good vatting is Bakers and OGD114. And I think this Dickel-Ritt BiB blend will work nicely once I get the proportions right.

[sailor22]

This one is a dusty vatting -- OGD BiB and OGD 86 both from ND -- 1:1.

This one is on my vatting notes from a few years ago when all this was available and not crazy expensive. Not familial but it works;

Equal parts Vintage 23 Rye, Saz 18 Rye and High West 21.

[jeffrey r]

I do quite a bit of vatting with HH bourbons with general success. There is no real rhyme or reason to it, but often I just want to consolidate bottles, and my HH bottles are good candidates. I've topped off Old Fitz 1849 with Larceny. I've topped off Henry McKenna BIB with PHC blend of mashbills. I've used EWSB in a similar fashion with success as well.

[squire]

Yes, well generally, if you like the stuff that went in you'll like the blend.

[mbroo5880i]

Interesting topic. I vat (actually, just blend in a glass) a lot of stuff, primarily adding a straight rye to bourbon to spice it up. So, a lot of it is two family blends with the exception of blending EC12 with ECBP and WTR101 with WT101.

[Gillman]

Sometimes I vat because I don't like the stuff going in. Recently, a Beam White seemed very heavy on the "funky yeast" while a Buffalo Trace showed considerable dankness, a throwback as generally I find the palate of all BT today quite clean.

It took about an 8 bourbon vatting to completely efface these characteristics, others used included Triple A, EC 12, Jack Daniels Sinatra, and WT 81 bourbon and rye. Clearly the constituents all have a say but they meld in a way completely different to each on its own. Usually you need at least three or four going on to achieve this. Result is a clean, deep "Kentucky" palate with a lot of velvet on the palate.

Gary

[suntour]

[kyrocklover]

Various blends of OGD BIB, OGD 114, KC and KCSB have worked well for me.

[Cigar Dan]

The one I am liking is really just the same stuff at different proofs, but I like equal parts EC12 and ECBP. I don't know why, but I like that result much better than simply cutting the ECBP with water. An added bonus is that it stretches out the ECBP much more than adding water.

[VT Mike]

Some may consider this to be sacrilege, but I'm planning to vat together 2009 George T Stagg with Buffalo Trace.

Edited November 25, 2013 by VT Mike

[black mamba]

I try different vattings all the time, and one of the best I've done is 4 parts Russell's Reserve 10 year old with 3 parts Wild Turkey Rye 101 proof. It comes out to 94.7 proof with a mashbill (best I can figure) of 53% corn, 35% rye and 12% barley malt.

[squire]

That WT combo sounds like a good one.

[sutton]

Makes sense - if WT is now bottling the better stuff into higher end offerings (Russell's, Rare Breed, Kentucky Spirit etc), maybe putting them back together in some proportion you might get close to the WT101 as it was 20 yrs ago? A fool's errand? Would be very interested in anyone's vatting that might re-create something close to the old 101 ... I've never had it so I don't have a point of reference to compare to ...

[Gillman]

Some may consider this to be sacrilege, but I'm planning to vat together 2009 George T Stagg with Buffalo Trace.

No sacrilege, it's literally the same bourbon except the Stagg is older. But distillers mingle different ages all the time: you can too.

Gary

[Tony]

I like to mix up Four Roses, pretty much all of them in various ratios. I like to think this way that my FRSmB 2012/2013s will last forever if I fill them up with some regular SmB or SB or even YL as they get lower.

Best regards, Tony

[squire]

I was introduced to WT 101 in the mid 60s so the whisky would've been distilled in the late 50s when work was still done by hand rather than relying on computer controls. The brand stayed remarkably consistent for decades thereafter but changes in recent years have shifted the flavor profile, and not for the better.

[jeffrey r]

The one I am liking is really just the same stuff at different proofs, but I like equal parts EC12 and ECBP. I don't know why, but I like that result much better than simply cutting the ECBP with water. An added bonus is that it stretches out the ECBP much more than adding water.

I did the same, and was very pleased with the results. Mixed the batch 1 ECBP with a store single barrel EC12, creating a very nice 114 proof bourbon. Then I couldn't leave well enough alone, and tried diluting what I had left in the vatting further with water, and that was an unmitigated failure. Gotta be careful with this vatting business... I'll probably do the 1:1 vatting again with a batch 3 bottle yet to be opened.

[sailor22]

Loves me some WT American Spirit BUT I wish it had a less dry finish. Sweeter and longer would be just the ticket.

What would you vat with it to get that result? Suggested ratios.

I'm down to my last few bottles of this and don't have unlimited juice to experiment with so would like to get close on one of the first few tries.

[Trey Manthey]

American Spirit with Tradition, equal parts. I reviewed these side by side on here a while back, and the 50/50 vatting was my favorite.

[Brisko]

Not stellar, but better than the sum of its parts: WTRB and WTRR (both recent bottlings) at about 2:1. Made the RB less harsh and the RR less boring.

[Phil T]

I did the same, and was very pleased with the results. Mixed the batch 1 ECBP with a store single barrel EC12, creating a very nice 114 proof bourbon. Then I couldn't leave well enough alone, and tried diluting what I had left in the vatting further with water, and that was an unmitigated failure. Gotta be careful with this vatting business... I'll probably do the 1:1 vatting again with a batch 3 bottle yet to be opened.

[shoshani]

I still do a house blend of two parts VOB BIB to one part OGD BIB. I like it a lot, but the synergy brings up a mild funky-ish note, almost buttery. It may not be for everyone. But they're both high in rye and work well together, and it's very inexpensive.

Last night on a whim I did a very rough (unmeasured) 1:1 of EC18 and Johnny Drum 101. They work well together, but both are HH distillate so they probably should. (At least I presume the Drum is HH, coming as it does from KBD.)