Merrymash Monk Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 I've been happily making my way through my first bottle of ETL over the last couple weeks. What a beautiful pour. Also saw some videos of the man on Youtube, What a gentleman he was. I hope now that he's passed on, Harlan Wheatley or whoever picks out the barrels for this whiskey does as well as Elmer did. Since there is no age statement, I'm wondering if anyone has info as to the age on this pour. I know these are single barrel bottlings, so the age may vary, but is there a ball park figure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 I believe Harlen said it was at least 9 years in an interview, it has been reported to be between 10-14 but the barrels are selected for profile rather than age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merrymash Monk Posted December 8, 2013 Author Share Posted December 8, 2013 Thanks Squire. I find that bourbons around 9 or 10 years of age tend to be a really nice sweet spot for my nose and tongue, so this sounds about right. I hate using the cliche "smooth" to apply to a whiskey, but in this case it really does apply. And yet it still has a full flavor profile. At around 25 bucks a bottle I think this will be my favorite bourbon for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryT Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 A couple groups were doing barrel picks of ETL last April, and the barrels they rolled out were all 9 yrs and a few days (and the BT rep said that is when they start looking at them as ETL contenders - to squire's point, they're really looking to match a flavor profile). Based on where they pick them from, some may be older (maybe even younger). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 So long as they keep the profile I'll be a fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BourbonGuy Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 At around $28, it is not only good, it is reasonably priced. To many are going over the $50 mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherCigarGuy Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 Is there a reason/law as to why they wouldn't age date? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 (edited) They are single barrels and differences in age require hand lettering the bottles which is extra labor and would increase the price without changing the contents. Edited December 8, 2013 by squire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherCigarGuy Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 They are single barrels and differences in age require hand lettering the bottles which is extra labor and would increase the price without changing the contents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merrymash Monk Posted December 8, 2013 Author Share Posted December 8, 2013 A couple groups were doing barrel picks of ETL last April, and the barrels they rolled out were all 9 yrs and a few days (and the BT rep said that is when they start looking at them as ETL contenders - to squire's point, they're really looking to match a flavor profile). Based on where they pick them from, some may be older (maybe even younger).That would be nice to be in on one of those barrel purchases. I guess we have a pretty good source as to the approximate age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merrymash Monk Posted December 8, 2013 Author Share Posted December 8, 2013 So long as they keep the profile I'll be a fan.I'll second that! Good point too about having to individually label bottles with age statements -this being a single barrel expression and all. The cost of that labor intensity wouldn't be worth it since the present price makes this bourbon taste all the better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 This is being overthought to some extent. Except in certain circumstances that don't apply here, age statements are optional. Being single barrel doesn't mean they have to age-label individually by barrel, although again that is an option. If they wanted to use an age statement they could simply choose the age of the youngest whiskey they consider. If, as the rep reported, they don't start to consider a barrel for ETL until it's at least 9-years-old, they could label it 9-years-old even if some barrels are older. Some producers believe age statements are distracting and misleading. In this case, the marketers may have felt Mr. Lee's imprimatur trumps any age statement, so why bother? I like that explanation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 That's true Chuck, they could just label them all 9 years, but then they couldn't use a barrel that was 8 years and 11 months.I think what we're seeing is brand building in the single barrel category with emphasis on the name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainQ Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 The oldest bottling I've heard of was the stellar ETL 15 year picked for Shoppers Vineyard in New Jersey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbroo5880i Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 I know that I have bought age stated single barrels that were older than the age statement, based on the label. However, I always enjoyed the thought of Mr. Lee going in each Tuesday and selecting the barrels. I am not sure how exaggerated this was but it still was a pleasant thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 Apparently, that's exactly what Mr. Lee did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suntour Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 This stuff is just so good. Tasted through a ton of whiskies last night and people were just stunned by how sweet and deliciously syrupy this one is. Obviously it is a different mashbill but downproofed, the EH Taylor single barrel tasted like sawdust water compared to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smknjoe Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 I keep this and OWA by the case. It's one of my favorites. Seriously tasty and priced right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nd2005 Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 This is being overthought to some extent. Except in certain circumstances that don't apply here, age statements are optional. Being single barrel doesn't mean they have to age-label individually by barrel, although again that is an option. If they wanted to use an age statement they could simply choose the age of the youngest whiskey they consider. If, as the rep reported, they don't start to consider a barrel for ETL until it's at least 9-years-old, they could label it 9-years-old even if some barrels are older. Some producers believe age statements are distracting and misleading. In this case, the marketers may have felt Mr. Lee's imprimatur trumps any age statement, so why bother? I like that explanation.I would just love if they added a bit more detail to the bottlings - a barrel #, individual age of each bottling, etc.Too much to hope for I'm sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richnimrod Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 To the statement that BT selects for a flavor/aroma profile for ETL....I bought a bottle about a year ago that was "AWFUL" and, way off from their 'standard of excellence' compared to the several that I'd bought and drank over the previous several years. It was so different that I would've believed it to be an inferior brand in both age and price had I not seen the bottle. Also, when I attended the barrel selection last year (referred to by DarrylD) one or two of the barrels were so different from the 'standard of excellence' that it seemed they must've been distilled and stored very differently than the other 6-or-7 barrels.... BUT, that wasn't the case according to the barrel heads which showed all were distilled and stored the same day! Just one man's experience, but a cautionary tale; for me at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nblair Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 To the statement that BT selects for a flavor/aroma profile for ETL....I bought a bottle about a year ago that was "AWFUL" and, way off from their 'standard of excellence' compared to the several that I'd bought and drank over the previous several years. It was so different that I would've believed it to be an inferior brand in both age and price had I not seen the bottle. Also, when I attended the barrel selection last year (referred to by DarrylD) one or two of the barrels were so different from the 'standard of excellence' that it seemed they must've been distilled and stored very differently than the other 6-or-7 barrels.... BUT, that wasn't the case according to the barrel heads which showed all were distilled and stored the same day! Just one man's experience, but a cautionary tale; for me at least.You sir, have explained the downside of single barrel bourbon. Give me a batch any day of the week. Although that being said, I usually prefer single barrel products because they are typically aged longer than their batched counterparts and they aim for honey barrels. Sometimes they miss, though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 I wonder what the cork in that bottle smelled like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryT Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 I think that experience goes to show that it isn't just the juice, the age, and the rickhouse location. Over 9 years, that barrel has a lot to say about what comes out of it. I assumed (or hoped?) that they would take those and NOT bottle them as ETL but rather blend them into something else, but sometimes that might not be the case. Certainly would damage the brand equity if they made a practice of it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restaurant man Posted December 10, 2013 Share Posted December 10, 2013 I for one would like to have access to a more expensive and prestigious version of ETL. I would be particularly interested if it were allocated and hard to come by. I really have no interest in bottles that I can easily acquire. In fact I despise them :eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richnimrod Posted December 10, 2013 Share Posted December 10, 2013 [quote name=I really have no interest in bottles that I can easily acquire. In fact I despise them :eek:Is that your tongue I see so far into your cheek.... or what??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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