What bourbon are you drinking? - Winter '13/'14

[mbroo5880i]

This winter... Four Roses Small Batch, Four Roses yellow label, Wild Turkey 101, Wild Turkey Rare Breed, Elijah Craig 12, Larceny, Eagle Rare 10, Buffalo Trace, Knob Creek.

Also tried this winter: Fighting Cock, Jim Beam Black (cashews!), Virginia Gentleman (yuck), Woodford Reserve, Maker's Mark.

My favorite so far... Wild Turkey 101! I love the vanilla and oak/leather notes. To my surprise, it's actually smoother than Eagle Rare or Elijah Craig. Price is amazing too. If only I could get a 1.75 of Rare Breed or Kentucky Spirit... both are twice as expensive since they are more premium and only come in 750ml.

Unfortunately in Northern Virginia, there's not many Wheaters available other than Maker's, Maker's 46, Larceny, and I think I saw one bottle each of PVW, and WLW. As I'm still a real newbie, I'm trying the bottom and mid-shelf first.

That's a nice mix! Unfortunately, wheaters are becoming more difficult to find. We don't get Larceny in Indiana so when OWA and WL12 are scare, we usually have to opt for Makers, WSR or Old Fitz. I guess some opt for Rebel Yell. The bottom to mid-shelf is the best place to start. It helps to set a baseline.

[Paddy]

SB blend 50/50 in front of the fire on a snowy night = easy drinking. Probably gonna have to move toward something rye to end up.

[Auracom]

Stagg Jr. followed by a 50:50 ECBP/EC12 barrel select vatting.

[mbroo5880i]

Stagg Jr. followed by a 50:50 ECBP/EC12 barrel select vatting.

Nice! Especially on a cold night. I love vatting ECBP with EC12.

[DrBob]

Four roses private selections at barrel strength. Started with the OBSK, now having OESF. the OBSK is about 11.5 years and the OESF about 10.25. Both are about 111 proof plus or minus. Really like the OBSK, though I have to say the OESF is very unique. After these I may go with some WTRB just to stay on the BP trend.

[bingstein]

Had some Old Medley 12 for the first time last night and was pretty blown away. Totally exceeded my expectations. Easily the worst packaging for a great bourbon I can think of off the top of my head. They should consider going toward a PVW style bottle or something and a label change couldn't hurt.

[hn4bourbon]

Nice! Especially on a cold night. I love vatting ECBP with EC12.

I am sipping some of this ECBP with EC12 right now. This vatting tastes just amazing! I'm blown away every single time I take a sip of this vatting! Thanks again for sharing the vatting idea.

I had some 90s WT81 earlier. It was nice as well.

[Kpiz]

Hardwater does look great. Some very value pour but most are grossly expensive.

4RSmBLE '12 is $12

OFBB '13 $5

ER17 '12 $15

ECBP was reasonable $12-15 for how it taste not against retail price though

But

GTS $30

FYI - AHH 16 $150 lol

The 1 oz pour is so small! I am not sure it is correct actually.

It was quite fun. But last time I went, two shelves crashed down. Dinner suspended and canceled for the night, no big deal for us. Credit card machine didn't work either took over 45 min to get our check. They didn't even do it until we said we need to catch our flight.

I had a feeling someone would recognize the bar! You made a pretty good list of their best values, though they had just sold out of the 4RSmBLE '12, so I didn't get to try it. I went with HW21 ($15), EC20 ($17), THH '09 ($20), JPS18 ($17), Bourye ($10). All stuff I've never tried before. The 1oz pours are definitely a tease.

Wow, that is a cool bottle and a cool looking bar. Sounds like a great pour!

It is a pretty cool spot in SF, I recommend it if you're in SF and looking to try some rare bourbons and ryes. As Hugh said though, it's pretty pricey.

[JPBoston]

Just some simple pours again tonight:

Fighting Cock 103

Kirkland 103

EW BIB

I've been let-down lately by FC. My first bottle blew me away, tons of caramel up front, rye spice in the mid, then a mingling of the sweetness and spice in the finish. Very distinct sections. Now, I get the rye spice, but just a hint of the caramel, and that's if I really 'search' for it. The finish has been more bitter and thin then I remembered at first.

This has been the same for the last 3-4 bottles. Still a very nice pour for the money, but that first bottle was almost transcendent. I find it hard to believe it was simply my palate playing tricks on me, as the entire first bottle displayed that profile, over a period of about 3 weeks.

[oke&coke]

Since I am staying at my parents for the night I don't have access to the bar save a 4RSmB fresh off the shelf. Been hitting it pretty hard. Third pour and I will be sleeping good tonight.

[oke&coke]

Pour #4 and I'm still awake. Oh well good bourbon or good sleep, either way I win.

[oke&coke]

Well, I haven't been this hammered in a while so I guess I will have another pour. 4RSmb you are too kind. And Godfather on tv isn't helping.

[GaryT]

Nice pour of ECBP, batch 1. Nearing the end of the bottle, but it will always hold a special place in my heart :yum:

[sutton]

60:40...70:30...Whatever it takes...

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=220+221+whatever+it+takes&FORM=VIRE3#view=detail&mid=7E76C85D2261C4507AAF7E76C85D2261C4507AAF

[Flyfish]

Just finished a tour of the property with the snow blower. My wife came out to put some liquid de-icer on the front steps. "This could be a bad sign, Honey," she said. "It's frozen."

We're hoping some 90 proof ETL will keep us from freezing. May have to bring out the barrel-proofers.

[RVTsteve]

Been consumed by consuming FRsmbLE2012 this past week. I drank about a quarter of the bottle when I first got it and then it just sat there til last week. Now it's almost gone. Don't think this bottle will make it to the Super Bowl

[Clavius]

Just poured some 2004 Evan Williams Single Barrel from barrel #75 (barreled 5/4/2004, bottled 11/7/13). Sipping it neat from a Riedel 'O' spirits glass. Great stuff.

[Paddy]

Finishing up the last couple of pours from a 03 EWSB. Hope I enjoy the 04's as much as I have the 03's.

[MauiSon]

Been consumed by consuming FRsmbLE2012 this past week. I drank about a quarter of the bottle when I first got it and then it just sat there til last week. Now it's almost gone. Don't think this bottle will make it to the Super Bowl

I sure would like to know if you notice a change in the profile - I worry that Four Roses product may tend to decline with air-time. (and, uh, W12 in the glass now)

Edited January 27, 2014 by MauiSon

[jtexaslonestar]

I decided to try something I read in the "How do you like your bourbon?" from a fellow GA SBer. I was going to go Booker's but that WTRB just couldn't be resisted. Thanks Thig!

[bingstein]

A healthy pour of VWFRR from this year. Soooo tasty.

[callmeox]

As I plant a staff firmly in the ground to declare that I have had my fill of clearing snow this winter, I am comforting myself with a pour of HHSS knowing that it's not over by by stretch of the imagination.

[Old Dusty]

A healthy pour of VWFRR from this year. Soooo tasty.

Won't be the thread police and tell you that's not a bourbon. Why? Because I'm joining you with a'12 version of the same. And agree-soooo tasty.

[Old Dusty]

I sure would like to know if you notice a change in the profile - I worry that Four Roses product may tend to decline with air-time.

Personally I have not seen any degradation over time at least in the SBLE's, SmBLE's and Barrel Proof Private Selection versions. Been awhile since I had the standard line open but had a YL not so long ago and also don't remember it losing much. And I was gifted the remainder of the vaunted 17 yr Gift Shop bottle that had been open for many months before I got it. It was good to the last drop.

Edited January 27, 2014 by Old Dusty

[Paddy]

I sure would like to know if you notice a change in the profile - I worry that Four Roses product may tend to decline with air-time.

Mine don't tend to hang around long enough to find out!