The Vatting Thread 2014

[flahute]

Kyle - you have something special there in more ways than one!

Agreed. That old decanter is pretty special.

[kcgumbohead]

I like my 50/50 4RYL/W12 combo but the W12 is not currently on local shelves. I am looking to up the proof a bit so I am doing a WT101/4RYL in a 50/50 ratio. This will give me a 90.5 proofer of 2 pours I really enjoy on their own. That's what started the W12/YL vatting for me so I am hoping for similar or better results from this, and at a small investment to boot!! Good fun.

[KyleCBreese]

Agreed. That old decanter is pretty special.

[dSculptor]

Had me a vat of EWB/VOB 6yr. yesterday @ 50/50, it's pretty good, one compliments the other for sure.Think I'll keep it around for awhile.Maybe a bit of OGD 114 to ump the pf up a bit.(next time)

[kcgumbohead]

50/50 4RYL & WT101 was a failure so far. Didn't enhance either and resulted in a very pedestrian and boring pour. The sweetness was muted as was the spice even though this combo upped the proof vs the YL/W12 vatting I do enjoy. I really hoped the sweet but mellow 4R would pair up with the sweet spicy 101 to result in a multilayered sweet and spicy fun low$ hobby pour to enjoy any old time. I am going to let these sit together for a couple weeks and give it another shot but this may be headed to mixerville to join my lone WSR bottle.

[GaryT]

50/50 4RYL & WT101 was a failure so far. Didn't enhance either and resulted in a very pedestrian and boring pour. The sweetness was muted as was the spice even though this combo upped the proof vs the YL/W12 vatting I do enjoy. I really hoped the sweet but mellow 4R would pair up with the sweet spicy 101 to result in a multilayered sweet and spicy fun low$ hobby pour to enjoy any old time. I am going to let these sit together for a couple weeks and give it another shot but this may be headed to mixerville to join my lone WSR bottle.

[kcgumbohead]

How much did you mix? I would bet that over half of the mingles I've experimented with left me unimpressed, and preferring both of the components unadulterated. I've started using 2oz sample bottles for this, as I find a 2oz sample gives me enough for 3-4 tastings over different periods of time, and allows me to try different ratios without using a lot of the components. The down side - I have a bunch of 2oz sample bottles, and at one point probably had a dozen mingles waiting to be tasted

I didn't get too nuts, used an empty 375 and filled about 1/2 way so there is enough for a few tastings as it mingles and hopefully becomes a bit tastier. I am trying NOT to accumulate several of these so my experimentation phase is winding down in a hurry!! Leavin it to the professionals.

[GaryT]

I didn't get too nuts, used an empty 375 and filled about 1/2 way so there is enough for a few tastings as it mingles and hopefully becomes a bit tastier. I am trying NOT to accumulate several of these so my experimentation phase is winding down in a hurry!! Leavin it to the professionals.

[dSculptor]

50/50 4RYL & WT101 was a failure so far. Didn't enhance either and resulted in a very pedestrian and boring pour. The sweetness was muted as was the spice even though this combo upped the proof vs the YL/W12 vatting I do enjoy. I really hoped the sweet but mellow 4R would pair up with the sweet spicy 101 to result in a multilayered sweet and spicy fun low$ hobby pour to enjoy any old time. I am going to let these sit together for a couple weeks and give it another shot but this may be headed to mixerville to join my lone WSR bottle.

I've tried this combo already,but you may want to try it at a different ratio, did mine @ 4RY-60: Wt101-40 for a final pf of 88.4, I thought it to be pretty good, or for a higher pf try the reverse which gives you 92.6.(have not tried this one)

I always start out with my vats in my glencairn @ 50/50 then work off of that,then if I like it I'll go to 200ml. and let them sit for awhile,then if I really like it... go bigger.Vat-on my friend!

[HD 335]

Ended up tonight with a 60/40 Blantons single barrel with OWA107. The sweetness from Blantons enhances the OWA while maintaining a slight spice with the finish of OWA. I like this as much as the SB blend.

[HD 335]

Tried a 60/40 and 70/30 mixture of Elmer T Lee and OWA107. It didn't taste as good as the Blanton's mix, but will give it one more whirl at 50/50.

[KyleCBreese]

Decided to finally try my own Four Roses Small Batch Barrel Proof that I made. I used equal parts of four private selection barrel proofs I have.

OBSK - 11 years 6 months - 109 proof

OESO - 10 years 9 months - 115.6 proof

OESQ - 9 years 7 months - 120.8 proof

OESV - 12 years 2 months - 115.4 proof

Tons of caramel on the nose with a taste of oak and a heavy spice. Really drinkable for the proof. I wish Four Roses would put out a small batch, barrel proof.

[BootsOnTheGround]

I wish Four Roses would put out a small batch, barrel proof.

They do every year....in increasing quantities, even.

Nice vat and thx for the feedback. Always wanted to try my own.

[KyleCBreese]

I didn't realize the LE SmB was barrel proof. I've never had one.

[BootsOnTheGround]

I didn't realize the LE SmB was barrel proof. I've never had one.

Yep, JR just blends and bottles AFAIK....no actual "vatting" takes place. And the word on the street is FR has depleted all/most (?) of their vintage stock, so the LE SmB and LE SiB *should* yield more and more bottles of younger whiskey. The 125th Anniv had an 18 yr OBSV in it.

[dSculptor]

Been on a mission to empty all of my near empty bottles, yesterday I had a little left in my JB 7 yr, and FC, so guess what I did, yep, they go pretty well together @ 50/50,well enough for me to have to restock the 2 and mix me some up,although I think I could go a bit lighter on the FC.... vat on!

[whiskeyagonzo]

I opened an AE Rye the other day and it was just awful. A friend had told me that he mixed some Jeff Rye to knock the sweetness down a bit. Didn't have any Jeff handy so I used some WP because I am not that fond of it either. I did 2:1 AE:WP. I will let it mingle for a while and report back. Here's to hoping that combining two sub par bottles creates at least something I don't want to dump down the drain.

[tanstaafl2]

I opened an AE Rye the other day and it was just awful. A friend had told me that he mixed some Jeff Rye to knock the sweetness down a bit. Didn't have any Jeff handy so I used some WP because I am not that fond of it either. I did 2:1 AE:WP. I will let it mingle for a while and report back. Here's to hoping that combining two sub par bottles creates at least something I don't want to dump down the drain.

I expect a good home could found for both of those bottles if the vatting doesn't work out. Mine for example! :cool:

[BAO]

Made some 60/40 OGD BIB and Larceny the other night. It was ok.

[dcbt]

I got lost in a deep, dark google rabbit hole earlier this week and wound up reading a years-old post from "that other site." Bourbon Joe, Ron, and Mike were touting a four grain vat consisting of EW1783, MM, and GTS. I won't lie, I have no intention of using GTS but I will play around with Stagg Jr in its place (and plan on modifying the ratios a bit as well). Weekend project, though.

Edited August 7, 2014 by dcbt

[kcgumbohead]

Did a 4RYL barrel proof batch. Will let this sit awhile before tasting came out to 115p.

[dcbt]

I got lost in a deep, dark google rabbit hole earlier this week and wound up reading a years-old post from "that other site." Bourbon Joe, Ron, and Mike were touting a four grain vat consisting of EW1783, MM, and GTS. I won't lie, I have no intention of using GTS but I will play around with Stagg Jr in its place (and plan on modifying the ratios a bit as well). Weekend project, though.

Just mixed up two 60mL test batches

1) 20mL each of MM, 1783, and Stagg Jr. This one most closely resembles the recipe cited above, end result 103.5 proof for $26.99 avg weighted price for a fifth.

2) 30mL MM, 27mL 1783, 3mL Stagg Jr. Also 4 grain but 50/50 wheat/rye (vs 33/66 above) and essentially only adding Stagg Jr to get to 90 proof (90.4 to be exact). Could accomplish the same thing with 50/50 MM/BT but this way is a couple bucks cheaper ($17.44 vs $19.99 AWP for a fifth).

Will let marinate for a little before trying.

Edited August 10, 2014 by dcbt

[Infidel]

Interesting thread, didn't know people did this.

I previously thought "vatting" was having two separate drinks simultaneously, separate glasses.

Best I've had in that way was a pour of Barterhouse, waiting for it to open up in the glass. While I grew impatient but still wanting a drink made a pour of Booker's over a rock. Went back and forth between the two, usually sniffing the Barterhouse then small taste of the Booker's to small taste of Barterhouse followed by more Booker's.

Have a jug containing a fifth of Jim Beam Rye which didn't work for me. Put it on toasted oak cubes a few months ago. Add 02 occasionally, shake. Wasn't doing what I expected so added some Rittenhouse 100 and some rye white dog near 140. Just a dash of each. Not really doing what I expected, but better than the original bottle. More sweet, not the spice level expected. In its defense it was preceded by a taste of THH when I started reading this thread, but not the first time I have sampled it this month.

Need to read this thread to determine if people are allowing these vattings to marry in the bottle. It doesn't matter if or not, but the most important is which.

[kcgumbohead]

I'm baaack!! Well have been for awhile as I posted this elsewhere but this is where it belongs and the right forum in which to elaborate on why and what I was trying to accomplish. After my displeasure with the YL/101@ 50:50 I took it and combined it at 50:50 with my W12/YL combo which I very much like. The result is 2 ptsYL:1ptW12:1ptWT101. I find the YL to be a great moderator as it is sweet, mellow and features the layers of flavor (albeit young versions) that the 10 recipes contribute, but at 80p its a bit light. The W12 has a nice caramel note but the char on the end while not harsh needed IMO to be subdued a bit. Its age however offers a great depth of flavor and counterpoint to the mellow YL but lacks any spice at all. WT101 is a bit schizophrenic to me as it toggles during the sip between a big punch of spice and ethanol burn. The WT spice is a great element that I wanted to feature while pushing that ethanol down in the mix.

The result gives me the sweet mellow 4R entry with a rich buttery mouthfeel and flavor thanks to the elder W12 and I believe an enhancement of what I have come to know of the 4R OESO recipe. There is also something in WT when aged that gives me this so perhaps its present in young 101 but somehow masked? Then the spice from the 101 takes center stage and is featured sans that pesky ethanol that clouds my enjoyment of the 101 stand alone. On the finish the W12 emerges with hints of oak and some smoke but just a hint vs its native state in order to bring the whole thing home.

I love the story this one tells as each component is represented in the sip. That "storytelling" is the hallmark of what I love about all my very favorite bourbons. This is not in the same league as those but for less than 20 bucks it is MUCH more than any of its components e at least to me and its ourselves we need to please first and foremost with these little experiments.

My approach is this, I started all these experiments at 50:50 in a Glencairn and the immediate result is indicative of what I have noticed as the mingles age so I tend to trust the impressions I get early on. I also as other posters have noted approach this from a seasoning perspective just as one does when cooking. The resulting YL/W12/WT101 is one I have had on hand for awhile now and gone to several times. I really enjoy it and for the money (sub 20.00 avg. weighted cost in GA) its one I will keep on hand as long as I can get the components, lookin at you W12!!

The next round I may just do a small 1:1:1 and see where that goes but I am plenty happy with my current recipe and its has achieved keper status on my shelf.

Love this thread and all the great contributions, as several others have said, VAT ON!!

I've tried this combo already,but you may want to try it at a different ratio, did mine @ 4RY-60: Wt101-40 for a final pf of 88.4, I thought it to be pretty good, or for a higher pf try the reverse which gives you 92.6.(have not tried this one)

I always start out with my vats in my glencairn @ 50/50 then work off of that,then if I like it I'll go to 200ml. and let them sit for awhile,then if I really like it... go bigger.Vat-on my friend!

[Hawg73]

Reading these posts is so interesting. You guys are mad scientists. Any recommendations on how to get started vatting?