Rebel Yell

[Dave43]

Was reading some old posts on value bourbon and rebel yell came up a lot. In the recent 5 years there hasn't Been much talk about it, has the quality changed?

[ramblinman]

see http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/showthread.php?22953-Rebel-Reserve for recent thoughts on the reserve and the standard along with it. The short of it seems to be that most here would prefer to leave it on the shelf.

[squire]

Dave I don't think it's a quality shift so much as a price escalation. I wrote a review more than five years ago and from what I recall (dimly) would say the same thing today based on recent tasting samples. I don't buy it myself but come across it because the brand is rather popular locally among Ole Miss Rebels football fans. Not bad stuff by any means but at a cost 40% higher than Evan Williams Black it's no longer a bargain.

[Quantum]

About a month ago I stumbled across a bottle from 02. I found it very drinkable, but I have no idea how it compares to current production.

[Grain Belt]

One of my locals has a bourbon of the month and I usually pick up whatever it is. I have had both Rebel Yell and Rebel Reserve in the last year and I will gladly allow the Ole Miss fans to have as much of it as they want to celebrate their football resurgence. I would place Cabin Still, Benchmark, Old Crow, Ten High (Straight Bourbon) and Ancient Age about three shelf levels above both variations of Rebel Yell. Rebel Yell strains my favorite saying about bourbon. "There is no such thing as bad bourbon. Some are just better than others." I think that the saying is true, but when times are tough and I scrounge up $12, I am grabbing an Evan Williams Black and letting someone else grab the Rebel Yell.

[squire]

Perhaps I should revise my earlier post. When I said I don't believe there has been a quality shift of course I'm referring to the current Rebel Yell that has been made for the last 20 years by Heaven Hill using their basic Old Fitzgerald wheat formula. Yeah, I know it's a Luxco brand but Heaven Hill makes it. Prior to 1992 it was made by Stitzel-Weller who originated the brand. The S-W stuff was very good and at 6 years/90 proof was a step above Cabin Still and just a notch below Old Fitzgerald BIB, the flagship of the S-W line.

Come to think of it, there should be little if any difference between current Rebel Yell and Old Fitzgerald Prime though I'm not inclined to buy the pair for comparison purposes, not at retail prices. A half off sale would be tempting.

[ratcheer]

Yes, when I was starting college in the late-60's/early-70's, Rebel Yell was one of my go to bourbons. It was very good, back in the day. I sure wish I had bunkered a few bottles for posterity.

Tim

[fishnbowljoe]

Yes, when I was starting college in the late-60's/early-70's, Rebel Yell was one of my go to bourbons. It was very good, back in the day. I sure wish I had bunkered a few bottles for posterity.

Tim

What Tim said. :bowdown:

I was an underage teenager at the start of the 70's. Me and a few of my buddies could always count on one certain older friend of ours, to grab us some whiskey if we wanted some. It was usually when we were going to play cards, have a campout, or head to the drive-in movies. We didn't care what he bought. We just gave him the money and said buy us something good. He usually bought us Yellowstone Mellow Mash. When Yellowstone wasn't available, he bought us Rebel Yell. :bigeyes: :yum:

[Old Dusty]

One of my locals has a bourbon of the month and I usually pick up whatever it is. I have had both Rebel Yell and Rebel Reserve in the last year and I will gladly allow the Ole Miss fans to have as much of it as they want to celebrate their football resurgence. I would place Cabin Still, Benchmark, Old Crow, Ten High (Straight Bourbon) and Ancient Age about three shelf levels above both variations of Rebel Yell. Rebel Yell strains my favorite saying about bourbon. "There is no such thing as bad bourbon. Some are just better than others." I think that the saying is true, but when times are tough and I scrounge up $12, I am grabbing an Evan Williams Black and letting someone else grab the Rebel Yell.

[Paddy]

+1. The only bourbon I have tried that I had to dump in cocktails to finish the bottle. Based on advice from this forum I worked my way up from the bottom shelf trying different house styles and mashbills to hone in on my preferences. When I hit RY and it's slightly less nasty sister Rebel Reserve I really thought I had bottomed out. Luckily it turned out that WAS the bottom of the bottom shelf and all is good now. But that stuff is dreck/swill/shit/rotgut that will never pass my lips again. HH does Larceny and did the one off Parker's wheated that are good to great. But the Old Fitz line and the NDP labels it supports are to be avoided IMHO.

[Grain Belt]

I ripped into the Rebel Yell line but ironically I really enjoy an Old Fitz BIB. Go figure. This hobby doesn't always follow conventional logic.

[Paddy]

I ripped into the Rebel Yell line but ironically I really enjoy an Old Fitz BIB. Go figure. This hobby doesn't always follow conventional logic.

[deathevocation]

From memory, mid 90s I used to drink it, Old Crow or Real McCoy - just depended which one was on special!

[TunnelTiger]

Drank a lot of it in the late '60s, haven't had any since and after reading all the negative posts here doubt I will.