Home blending

[DaveU]

I really enjoy a 50:50 blend of Eagle Rare 10yo and Angel's Envy. ER10 is a good, solid bourbon, but not all that complex. Angel's Envy has some nice sweetness and wine notes but otherwise is too light and thin for my tastes. The combination has body, depth and a complex finish. Much better than either whiskey alone.

[hn4bourbon]

I really enjoy a 50:50 blend of Eagle Rare 10yo and Angel's Envy. ER10 is a good, solid bourbon, but not all that complex. Angel's Envy has some nice sweetness and wine notes but otherwise is too light and thin for my tastes. The combination has body, depth and a complex finish. Much better than either whiskey alone.

[KJND]

Had an open HH Gold bonded that I didn't care for much as a sipper, had a new bottle of Old HH 8/86. Took a recently emptied handle and dumped the liter of 8/86 in and filled the rest up with the bonded. Hoping it will be a nice sipper but if not will use it up in some Manhattan's. Hoping it takes the roughness off the bonded.

[Richnimrod]

Tonight I opened up my trial of your creation, Monk. My son, Gary and I both agree: it's excellent!

One of those few that seem to exceed the sum of the parts (WT101/OFS), both of which are nice pours already.

It is dangerously drinkable at 100+ proof, and has a very full palate with a really nice mouthfeel.

Thanx! & GOOD JOB Buddy!

[Merrymash Monk]

I made a blend this evening that I will call "Junior & Senior." It is 60% Old Grand Dad 80 proof and 40% Stagg Jr. It turned out really nicely with lots of dryness and some good herbal and coffee notes. You can go to 50/50 for a bit more thickness and spice.

It would never occur to me to blend a Stagg with anything since its such a HUGE bourbon to begin with. But I'm sure it would help most of the traditional 80 proofers out quite a bit.

[Merrymash Monk]

Tonight I opened up my trial of your creation, Monk. My son, Gary and I both agree: it's excellent!

One of those few that seem to exceed the sum of the parts (WT101/OFS), both of which are nice pours already.

It is dangerously drinkable at 100+ proof, and has a very full palate with a really nice mouthfeel.

Thanx! & GOOD JOB Buddy!

I find the OFS especially dangerously drinkable at 100 proof. At least the WT101 gives it some more heat and that makes me want to slow the sipping down. Some water seems to bring out more overall flavor and stretch things out a bit. But as you know the water or not to water question is always a very personal taste kind of thing.

[buckey48]

I prefer my SB Blend at a 60/40 ratio, heavy on the OWA over Weller 12. I've tried subbing Larceny in for the W12, and while drinkable not nearly as nice. I'm experimenting with some mingles of OGD 114 and Ritt BIB (different ratios to find what I like). Other than the SB Blend, I typically don't vat a large quantity of others - but I have fun trying different things (and as long as you're having fun, you're doing it right!)

Alton Brown says a 60/40 blend of OWA107 /12 year old Weller. Is a poor mans Pappy Van Winkle. Having never tried Pappy, does any one who has agree?

[Richnimrod]

(IMHO) If one were to do a side-by-side with these two, it would hardly be a fair comparison, even if the Pappy were "only" the 15-year.... Since more than half of the SB blend would be 7-years old or less. That said, the two pours would be similar enough that most folks would note the similarity. I don't think too many would confuse the two, however.

Now, if one starts to compare on a price/value basis the differences will likely shrink to insignificance for many folks. IMHO the SB blend is a rather better value and quite a wonderful pour, which I would take hands-down, if I'm the guy pulling out his wallet. ... Just sayin'...

[buckey48]

(IMHO) If one were to do a side-by-side with these two, it would hardly be a fair comparison, even if the Pappy were "only" the 15-year.... Since more than half of the SB blend would be 7-years old or less. That said, the two pours would be similar enough that most folks would note the similarity. I don't think too many would confuse the two, however.

Now, if one starts to compare on a price/value basis the differences will likely shrink to insignificance for many folks. IMHO the SB blend is a rather better value and quite a wonderful pour, which I would take hands-down, if I'm the guy pulling out his wallet. ... Just sayin'...

I think that is what Alton Brown was talking about. Not an exact match. It works for me.,

Your price point is right on also. The on PVW I find in the San Francisco bay area ranges from $225 for 10 yr, $250+ for 12 yr. $600+ for 15 yr. ( Craigslist prices) That will buy a lot of Antique and 12 Year.

[Richnimrod]

That will buy a lot of Antique and 12 Year.

[mhatzung]

I think I remember someone on this site had blended Larceny with Devils Cut (3 to 1 I think). I tried a 1 to 1 blending and just tasted it last night. I was really surprised at how the Larceny lost its youngish taste. It was super smooth up front with a very comfortable oaky finish that I really enjoyed. The real test will be a re-taste and see if it seems the same.

[buckey48]

You ain't kiddin'!!! And, I will NOT be seeking the "Unicorn" which Pappy has become anytime soon, for the relatively small difference between it and several other pours (like SB blend, for one). Pappy is exceptional Bourbon; but is hardly the only exceptional one, and certainly not one which is easy to come by.

[black mamba]

My favorite home blend is 4RYL with OGD114 at 60/40. Tastes remarkably like ETL for about half the money.

[buckey48]

And 4RYL is what?

[SqueakScolari]

And 4RYL is what?

4 Roses Yellow Label - the entry-level 4R expression.

[squire]

Entry level but fully mature, rounded, balanced and sophisticated as well. A good example of the value in Bourbon because if this were a Scotch it would cost twice as much.

[buckey48]

Thanks, never tried the yellow label. Have 2 others open on the bar now. Single barrel and 100 proof variety.

Have you tried Black Maple Hill (8yr)? Good stuff when you can find some.

[squire]

Haven't had Black Maple Hill since it was a 16 year age stated. Tried a couple bottles (the second to confirm the impressions of the first) but found I preferred younger Bourbon, particularly the 10 year Very Old Heaven Hill BIB which was less woody and far cheaper. The owner of a liquor store in Bardstown pointed me toward the Heaven Hill when I was buying the Black Maple Hill, saying it was the same whisky anyway.

[Oboe Cadobro]

I recently did 50:50 WT101 w/ WTRRSmBSB

I assume that this is some form of WT Russell's Reserve...what does the rest of the abbreviation stand for?

Can we get this added to the abbreviation list?

[black mamba]

SmBSB = small batch single barrel. What it says on the label.

[squire]

Small Batch Single Barrel is for the slow witted among us who don't get what they're talking about is whisky whisky.

[Quantum]

I find the OFS especially dangerously drinkable at 100 proof. At least the WT101 gives it some more heat and that makes me want to slow the sipping down. Some water seems to bring out more overall flavor and stretch things out a bit. But as you know the water or not to water question is always a very personal taste kind of thing.

[Merrymash Monk]

OFS is one of my favorites, so I will need to try this one. Someone else here mentioned Ritt BiB with OFS, and I have really enjoyed that at about 70/30. I was surprised how little of the OFS it took for the flavor to start coming through.

One thing I noticed while I was playing around with this, is that higher rye blends seem to need less resting time. A day old sample tasted almost identical to one mixed in the glass. I tried adding Larceny to SB blend in a few ratios, and it seems like that needed about a week to settle down.

It could just be my mind playing tricks on me, but it seems like wheated blends seem to improve over time, while high rye blends taste great immediately. I like to try using a couple whiskies in an old fashioned, and my notes seem to back this up.

[garbanzobean]

Hello all, new around here. Based on an idea I stole from Ralfy, I recently began creating my own solera bourbon blend. My intent is to have this for the rest of my life. To leave to my kids, grandkids, or whoever wants it. Basically, I measure out an ounce or two at a time of bourbons I really like and put them into a new bottle to marry. The idea is that I keep track of each bourbon added (vintage/year, age, proof, etc) along with amount and date added. As I haven't been doing this for very long, you'll have to excuse me for having a fairly lame vatting so far: 1oz old forester 75th anniversary repeal of prohibition, 2oz Four Roses SB, 2oz Stagg Jr, and 2oz William Larue Weller (2013). I've got this mixture hanging out in the used up bottle of Old Forester 75th. Once it does that, I'll move it to an empty 750ml bottle. That's the biggest bottle I've got, so at that point I'll replace each dram I take out of it ounce-for-ounce with fresh bourbon. Should be interesting, though I have a feeling I'm going to have to sample it diligently to keep it from getting over-oaked from some of the older bourbons I've bunkered.

My inspiration for this project:

[GaryT]

Let us know how that turns out garbanzobean! I've tried mingles of several bourbons, and not had great luck. If I had to guess, I'd say half I thought I liked less than the components themselves, 40% I liked equally as well, and only a couple did I think were greater than the sum of the parts (although none of mine were of the quality you're using, which I'm sure makes a difference!)