Old Blowhard

[bad_scientist]

Both Barterhouse and Blowhard are all over DC, even at stores aimed at college crowds. Admirably, only one store, the absolutely disgusting Schneider's, is marking it up.

[callmeox]

Both are on the Ohio list for April, which confirms their commodity status.

No prices up yet.

[Kpiz]

I don't agree that there have been no ill effects of age. The nose on Barterhouse is one dimensional (all wood) and it's very simple on the palate. I wouldn't say it's bad by any stretch but it's not one I would buy again at that price.

Judging by this thread, I would say these are pretty divisive and one should try before buying, given the cost involved.

[drunk]

I'm drinking a little Barterhouse right now, and I completely agree with these comments. On the nose, I could mistake this for a woody batch of EC12 except with the addition of a strange chemical note that dissipates after several minutes in the glass. The palate is good but simple and thin.

[TunnelTiger]

Doesn't sound like I am going to miss out on anything by not getting either of these locally.

[petrel800]

Doesn't sound like I am going to miss out on anything by not getting either of these locally.

[Eric B]

Just saw that this stuff should be 26 year old SW product. So two questions for everyone: 1) Do we think this will be the best of of Orphan Barrel products coming from Diageo since it is SW juice? 2) How much do we think they are going to try and take our wallets for in selling this?

Not SW juice... Bernheim juice aged at SW! It's actually the Dickel Mash Bill.

Edited April 18, 2014 by Eric B

[squire]

I would say the Old Charter mash bill which is about the same rye content as Dickel.

[Eric B]

I would say the Old Charter mash bill which is about the same rye content as Dickel.

It's the Dickel Mash Bill

[Josh]

When it was distilled, it was intended to go into Old Charter or IW Harper.

[squire]

Josh is correct, I usually refer to it as the Charter/Harper mash bill. Of course at the time these orphan whiskys were distilled Bernheim had no connection to Dickel.

[VAGentleman]

It's the Dickel Mash Bill

Dickel is 84/8/8 these are 86/6/8

[Paddy]

Old Charter 23 doesn't sound too balanced to me....I'll continue to pass.

[TunnelTiger]

Do you suppose anyone really thinks there are "lost" barrrels in this day and age with computer controlled inventories and the scores of "bean counters" to account for every penny for their investors and the tax collectors.

Give me a break.:skep:

[squire]

The tax guys know where they are.

[NWBourbonDrinker]

Do you suppose anyone really thinks there are "lost" barrrels in this day and age with computer controlled inventories and the scores of "bean counters" to account for every penny for their investors and the tax collectors.

Give me a break.:skep:

Yes, but I still believe in the Easter Bunny too.

[HOF44]

Do you suppose anyone really thinks there are "lost" barrrels in this day and age with computer controlled inventories and the scores of "bean counters" to account for every penny for their investors and the tax collectors.

Give me a break.:skep:

I don't think they are "lost barrels", but more likely an allotment that has been to small for a big distiller to really do much with. Now with the way bourbon is selling it gives them an incentive to put out some of this previously unprofitable juice. I imagine some will be Devine and some swill.

Edited April 19, 2014 by HOF44

[squire]

And it will all be expensive.

[The Black Tot]

I was lucky enough to put a few of each away in my newly christened bunker.

Had to go to sea before I could sit down for a serious tasting, though. I should get to try it in early May.

My expectation on the Blowhard is only based on the reviews I've read. But there are definitely enough individual tasters on either side of the fence, so I figure I could just as likely end up on either side of the debate.

I figure the upside is that I've got a unique whiskey that I enjoy, to share with bourbon enthusiast friends who have an interest in such a product. Also, as a sailor I LOVE the label and the theme, as Squire has alluded to.

The downside is I might have some boring whiskey, which I can still share with bourbon enthusiast friends who have an interest in such a product.

The design on both of these bottles is really good. I have to give credit to Diageo on that - they hired a good agency with good artists on this one. I would certainly like more bottles with labels on this design caliber. Both of these look great on a bar.

tbt

[The Black Tot]

One question I forgot to ask, for people who have already opened their Orphan Barrel bottles.

Do these releases have synthetic corks?

Thanks,

tbt

[tigerlam92]

Looks natural for both.

[The Black Tot]

Thanks very much. I had missed that pic.

I was hoping for synthetic. Perhaps I'll have to be careful about these getting "corked" in my bunker. I need to read more about this phenomenon.

tbt

[dmarkle]

Just opened my bottle of Barterhouse. I thought it was good. The SW provenance thing is pretty stupid IMO. You might as well call Bulleit SW bourbon... Ugh. I guess the worst thing about this whiskey was that I personally don't like the marketing -- the insinuation that there are one or two barrels left in the rickhouse that will be Gone Forever once this is all done. As if there isn't any 19 year old whiskey which will be marketable as 20 year old whiskey next year.

How did it taste? Was it worth $75? For me, I liked it, and for me, yes it was. Of course, I really like Dickel Barrel Select, and I like Bulleit, though I thought the 10 yo was a real letdown -- too thin and dry -- it didn't seem to add much over the standard bottling. Was it woody on the nose? Yeah, a bit. Over-aged? Not in the slightest. I personally think that every bottle of EC 17 I have ever tried was overaged; that eucalyptus note I get is so off-putting. Also, I don't get any sawdusty aromas off the nose like I might a poorly casked and overaged scotch. I guess what I like about Dickel is that it seems to have a kind of distinctive hazelnut kind of thing going on in the background, and the Barterhouse has that too. It's not a really chewy whiskey with the super deep mouthfeel, but it's not thin like I found the Bulleit 10 to be.

I think it's different. I think it's yummy.

[The Black Tot]

Five days until I get to try my bottles out...but who's counting?

tbt

[garbanzobean]

I did a side-by-side tasting of Old Blowhard and Barterhouse. Both are actually pretty good, and neither tastes like oak splinters.

The Blowhard reminds me of something in between Eagle Rare 17 (I've only had the 2012 release) and Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2013. It has a nice mouthfeel (coats the tongue well), and is pretty smooth. My operating hypothesis is that it is more of a "Johnnie Walker Blue" type release. It's something practically anyone would enjoy as a gift, but isn't a particularly challenging bourbon. Some would likely find it to be a bit bland for the price, but I enjoyed it. I wouldn't personally pay anywhere close to MSRP for it, but my friend was happy to share.

Barterhouse is pretty different from Blowhard. It needs some air, but opens up nicely. It reminds me of an Eagle Rare 17/Henry McKenna hybrid. It's a little thinner in the mouthfeel than the Barterhouse, but the nose and taste are definitely more rye-forward. Frankly, I'm not sure it is "worth" MSRP vs other premiums, but it is a pretty good bourbon. I'd put it close to par with the Eagle Rare 17 2012 release as well as the E.H. Taylor single barrel release I had, and below the 2013 GTS, WLW, 4RSBLE13, etc. On the other hand, a recent Henry McKenna private barrel I had blows it out of the water with a similar taste profile (cost was around $30), so intrinsic quality is definitely in the eye of the beholder.

One thing I was impressed with for both releases was the overall mouthfeel. Given the age of the products, I believe they have to be pretty heavily filtered, but they seem to have enough oils and proteins leftover to get a good tongue-coating mouthfeel. Both products haze up briefly with the introduction of water, but it's nothing like the Stagg Family or 4R Barrel Proof releases. The bright side of that is that I didn't notice any menthol/camphor/wintergreen off notes, which sometimes pop up in non(or less)-chill filtered releases, at least for me.

Bottom line: Diageo struck a pretty good balance with their filtering here. Neither product is something I feel the need to stock up on, but they are decent whiskies. I firmly believe both are better than JPS 21, though I'm not certain they beat out EC21. Regardless, if you are interested in either for the educational value of trying really old bourbon, I don't think you'll be too disappointed. If I were giving these as gifts, I would give the Blowhard to the same kind of people that would appreciate Johnnie Walker Blue, and I would give the Barterhouse to the whiskey anorak looking to get his/her bearings with older bourbons (or someone who missed out on the BTAC/Pappy release last year).

Edited April 28, 2014 by garbanzobean