Tom's Foolery first bourbon release

[bigmzungu]

I picked up a bottle today at my go to store in Dayton. I actually went in to ask if they would order some and I was told they had gotten it in last week! I love the bottle and the wax, simple yet distinctive. I'm looking forward to trying it. I bumped it to the front of my "too be opened" queue.

I just realized my bottle is from batch 2014-1, so now I'm tempted to save it and go get another to open and enjoy!

Edited October 14, 2014 by bigmzungu

[ohiobourbon]

... now I'm tempted to save it and go get another to open and enjoy!

I would love to know how you like it. And, yes, whiskey is meant for drinking, so enjoy it. Share it with friends. I plan to make a lot more!

Tom

[ohiobourbon]

I thought it was the tall rackhouse structures at the KY distilleries that result in the convection "baking" the barrels at the top up to higher proofs in the summer months.

No doubt the tall rackhouses result in higher temperatures (in the upper rows) than shorter rackhouses, like mine (or Four Roses). However, northern Ohio temperatures average about 8 degrees lower than in Bardstown, so my region will have an impact on the temperature too.

There has been plenty written about how warmer temperatures (and temperature swings) speed-up the maturation process, especially the extraction. Some have even written that the best bourbon came from the higher rows (Ten High?), yet other quality (longer-aged) products benefit from the cooler/more stable temperatures on the lower rows. At this point, my plan is to let the ambient temperatures shape the whiskey ... unfortunately, it'll take a long time before I know how a really really cold winter affects the maturation. I have heard everything from: "it'll just take longer", to "it won't make a difference," to "it'll be better because of the higher oxygen content and lower extraction." If you have seen a technical article on rackhouse temperatures, I would enjoy reading it. Sometime soon I will pull a temperature/humidity history and post it. It's pretty fascinating.

We're all jealous - we know it's crazy hard work (of which of course we are NOT jealous - haha).

For now, I am loving the hard work. This week my duties are: milling rye, cleaning the beer still, bottling applejack, and running slop to the farm. Oh yeah ... yesterday we planted 9 acres of rye!

[Ravensfire]

Love that you are so open about what you do, how you do it and future plans. Wish I was near Ohio or was traveling near but I've got this my list if I even find myself in Ohio. Makes me appreciate the handful of local distilleries even more. (And yes, I do support most of them)

[bigmzungu]

whiskey is meant for drinking, so enjoy it. Share it with friends.

Tom

[Harry in WashDC]

. . . I plan to make a lot more!

Tom

You just made my day.

[rndenks]

I never thought to check here, and I am a bit surprised it is not posted, but I saw on the Facebook page that they are having a release party tonight for Tom Foolery Bourbon at the Market Garden Brewery tonight from 5-8:30pm I believe. They have also said that Mr. Cowdery will be there signing his new book, and David Beam might be attending as well. Their Facebook page explains the David Beam and Tom relationship.

I hope to attend so I will keep an eye out for anyone NEO SB members I recognize.

[squire]

Then please post a report and pictures will get you extra credit.

[steeltownbbq]

I will be attending tonight I'll try to get pictures

[squire]

Even better . . . I'll be present in absentia.

[LCWoody]

It should be a fun gathering. Would love to hear back from the people SB that go.

[heydobro]

It was a very enjoyable event. It was fun hearing Chuck talk in person and to have conversations with him. It was also great hearing from Tom, he is obviously very passionate and he deserves all the success in the world.

[cowdery]

I had a lot of fun, sold a few books, and it was great to see so many Cleveland peeps. My grandfather grew up not far from where the event was held, so it was a homecoming of sorts. Was happy for Tom and Lianne with the large turnout. Many people were thrilled to meet David Beam and he very much enjoyed the fuss.

[dmarkle]

Very cool indeed. If I see it here in the DC area, I'm definitely picking some up. As for your website, I think what attracts us will attract anybody.

You have a couple of taglines that switch as the picture changes. I'd change that to one line, much more bold, that says in a sentence precisely what you're about. At my last trip to the liquor store I ran across about 20 new-ish whiskey brands, just about all of them NDP or of unsure origin. Seriously. So I would put front and center, where your taglines are, what you're doing, which is what sets you apart from almost all of the other new brands out there. Something to the effect "Bourbon, Rye, Applejack distilled and aged here in the Snow Belt of Ohio."

[shoshani]

Hey, Chicago: Tom's just announced on their Facebook page that they have IL distribution and they expect to hit Binny's with all 276 bottles from Barrel 30 next week, Wed Dec 24th. Why yes, I am seeing if I can get a bottle held for me at my closest Binny's. (Hope we eventually get the rye as well!)

[chrisg]

Hey, Chicago: Tom's just announced on their Facebook page that they have IL distribution and they expect to hit Binny's with all 276 bottles from Barrel 30 next week, Wed Dec 24th. Why yes, I am seeing if I can get a bottle held for me at my closest Binny's. (Hope we eventually get the rye as well!)

[mbroo5880i]

Hey, Chicago: Tom's just announced on their Facebook page that they have IL distribution and they expect to hit Binny's with all 276 bottles from Barrel 30 next week, Wed Dec 24th. Why yes, I am seeing if I can get a bottle held for me at my closest Binny's. (Hope we eventually get the rye as well!)

Thanks for sharing! I have family heading up to Waukegan next weekend! This is one that I would really like to try. I seem to recall the Ohio price around $40. Is this correct?

[shoshani]

Thanks for sharing! I have family heading up to Waukegan next weekend! This is one that I would really like to try. I seem to recall the Ohio price around $40. Is this correct?

Yeah, earlier in the thread Tom mentioned a $40 general range. But Ohio is a control state; here in IL prices aren't set by a governing body. Binny's may be higher, or quite possibly even lower.

[ethangsmith]

Hi Tom! No idea how I've been missing this thread.

I've spoken with Tom on a few occasions in relation mostly to his ex-Michter's pot stills. I can assure anyone that hasn't been convinced yet that Tom and Lianne are the real deal and care deeply about their products. They took the old pot stills from unused relics in need of repair to shiny producers of great whiskey once again! And we all know what those pots are capable of! I can't wait until the day the whiskey comes to PA or MD.

[shoshani]

Got my bottle. $40 at Binny's. (I got it at Skokie; I know they also have it at their South Loop location.) I like it. A lot. Even at just over 2 1/2 years in the barrel.

It's young, but it still manages to be fairly hefty in body. When I first opened the bottle, I got a spicy, cinnamon-tinged finish. That's settled down a bit on subsequent pours. A little air helps it focus, I think.

Very interested in how an older, perhaps bonded expression would taste. This is excellent now and shows a lot of promise for aging well.

[mbroo5880i]

I picked up a bottle of Tom Foolery, Binny’s Barrel Selection (Barrel #30) today. It was purchased at the Highland Park store. The price was $39.99. In addition to the single barrel, Binny’s also carries a small batch version.

To be honest, I was a little hesitant to purchase an unknown bourbon, especially one not from a familiar source and one not from Kentucky. However, after reading about the bourbon on SB.com and reading Mr. Tom’s comments, and then checking out their website, I thought I would give it a go. Given the price, I thought I would probably be overpaying, especially for a whiskey that is a little over 2 years old.

I wanted to share a review for other members, especially since, I believe, Binny’s is the first retailer to offer it outside of Ohio. I know several members live in the Chicago area and, also, that Binny’s ships to many states.

My bottle has a label that says “Batch #2014-3, Bottle #194, Single Barrel Bourbon.” The Binny’s product code is #77946.

It is labeled as “Tom’s Foolery, Ohio Straight Bourbon Whiskey” and bottled at 90 proof. The Tom’s Foolery website lists the mash bill as 72% Yellow Dent Corn, 16% Winter Rye, and 12% 6 Row Barley. It was barreled at 118 proof in a 53-gallon barrel on May 1, 2012. This makes it close to 2 years and 8 months at the time of bottling. How cool is it to know that much information on what you are buying? BTW, you can see the bottling of this bourbon on their Facebook page.

I am not great at providing tasting notes but here goes.

Color: A nice dark tea hue which is surprising given its relatively young age.

Nose: I found it to have a sweet floral nose with a slight touch of leather and, as noted, in an online review, surprisingly very little alcohol scent. The nose was very similar to some of the lower rye Four Roses recipes but fainter.

Taste: This was where I was surprised. Even with the lack of alcohol scent, I was expecting an alcohol bite. After all, it had only been in the barrel for a little over 2 years. However, I found a sweet floral, yet spicy flavor. The flavor is very similar to, but less hot, than EWSB 2004. There is an initial sweetness followed by cinnamon and clove. The flavor is very full and it has a nice mouth feel without being heavy.

Overall: I found the bourbon to be surprisingly balanced. Is it as complex as an 8-year old bourbon? Obviously not, but it is really good for a 2-year old bourbon. I will be honest, I am enjoying it more than any of the 2004 EWSB bottles I had this year and I had several different barrels. I am also enjoying it more than WR which I have been drinking more of recently since I received a bottle for Christmas. Is it worth the $39.99 price tag? Given the comparison to EWSB, it is a matter of scale and principle. I wish the price were in the low $30s but I understand the economies of scale and it appears the producer is working to produce good whiskey in the “right” way. Therefore, I feel really good about this whiskey and my purchase.

I am not going to embarrass myself by giving it a numerical rating or grade. I will just say this. I wish I would have bought 2 bottles!

Thank you to Michael Shoshani for the heads up that Binny's was getting it! And to others on SB.com for bringing it to my attention!

Edited December 29, 2014 by mbroo5880i

[BAO]

Picked up both the Binnys SB and SmB this weekend. Sb has been cracked, and is really good. Promising future.

[greatgoo]

Has anyone tried their new rye release yet?

[callmeox]

I have not. Grab one and let us know what you think.

[ohiobourbon]

I have not. Grab one and let us know what you think.

Callmeox ... you can afford your own bottle, I think.

Pick one up at Downtown Liquor or one of these fine stores:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/iw6kuxh0uzlqney/Tom's%20Foolery%20Agency%20List%20-%20Aug%202015.3.xlsx?dl=0

Let us know what you think.

Tom