The New York StraightBourbon.com Crew

[Paradox]

Tonight was one of the best nights we have all had in a while. Stacy and I got together with Chris and Kristin (kgiammarco), Bob and Nancy (Bob) and Cliff (Barrel_Proof) at my place for dinner, great talk and some good ol' bourbon drinking. A good time was had by all! Consider this part 1 of a continuing saga... Here's to doing it again.

[Paradox]

Half of the bottles we got to drink from tonight...

[Paradox]

And the rest

[Barrel_Proof]

For those of you not familiar with the New York StraightBourbon.com Crew,

Mark is the one drinking the VVOF,

Chris is the one drinking the Kentucky Legend,

Bob is the one drinking the Hirsch 16, and

Cliff is the one drinking the Woodside Partners' Reserve.

[bluesbassdad]

You guys really know how to live.

One question: Is the Four Roses as light in color as it appears in the photo? It hardly looks like bourbon.

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield

[Paradox]

Yep, that is actual Four Roses, but don't let that light color fool ya'. When I am in the mood for somthing very light and soft 4Roses is the way to go. And the export only Super Premium variant... Superb.

[boone]

Toto...I have the feeling we are not in Kansas anymore ...

Hmmmmmm..Toto it ain't Kentucky either...

Ohhhhhhhhhh Yeahhhhhhhhh Toto...It's my good friends from New York living it up "Kentucky Style"

Good to see all of ya again...Wish I could have been there

Bettye Jo

[Barrel_Proof]

We all missed you, too, Bettye Jo. You would have enjoyed our retelling of more than a few tales of festival highlights! We may just have to get you in a plane headed north!

[Paradox]

You were definately missed Bettye Jo, we all wish you could have been here as well. Heck, we all wish we could visit KY more often as well. I say this right after every festival each year but I cannot wait for next September already!

[bobbyc]

It appears that the New York Crew did us proud! Were all those bottles full to begin with?

<font color="blue"> Good God Give Yo Yo Ma Some </font>

[Paradox]

Were all those bottles full to begin with?

Not all but some Actually one bottle we didn't talk much about but we all were taken back by it, in a good way that is, was a bottle of 1986 Vintage EWSB. It was much different than any other vintage I have tried to date and it was different in a very nice way. It is hard for me to describe it w/o having some more , but it had a nice smooth finish with very little bite.

[boone]

Hey Bobby,

Take note ---They had your elusive, 1986 vintage, Evan Williams Single Barrel on the table...

OK Mark ...Tell me about it

For those of you not familiar withe the EWSB...

1986, is the first year they started doing the single barrel bottling (EWSB)...

Bettye Jo

Nevermind...I see we were all posting about the same time about the same thing ...

[Barrel_Proof]

For those of you who may be wondering, that EWSB in the picture and which we enjoyed last night was the 1986, the very first bottling of the EWSBs. I found the bottle last week in St. Thomas and brought it back to share with the crew! We all enjoyed the 86 a lot and plan to do a comparison with another of the EWSB releases at our next get together.

[Paradox]

Let me tell you Bettye Jo... After trying the 1986 and being so happily suprised it really makes me want to search around and do another complete set of all the vintages to open and see how this ourbon has evolved from year to year up to now. As I remember it, we were all pleasantly suprised by the 86 vintage. 87' next time anyone?

[MurphyDawg]

That is a very impressive lineup, I am quite jealous. I can see that you guys had a good time!

TomC

[Bob]

Thanks to Cliff, we all got to try the first Evan Williams. We all liked it very much. I've only had the vintages from the last 2 years, and the 1986 was a lot different. Pretty mellow, very smooth, totally enjoyable.

<font color="blue"> </font> Good God Give Us All Some More! <font color="blue"> </font>

[Bob]

I'd have to say another of the many highlights of the evening was having an opportunity to see Mark's collection in person. It is quite a sight, and not just for the number of bottles, but the variety and unique bottlings as well! It's especially impressive with the special "back lighting" turned on, and other lights off. Looked like a "Bourbon Christmas". Very coooool!

Bob

[AmeliaC]

I bet that was beautiful. Glad you all had a good time, I wish every one could see each other more than once a year too. We have a few of the KY/IND Gang get togethers every once in a while. Hey maybe next year Bobby, ME,& Bettye Jo will join you all in New York.

[Barrel_Proof]

Amelia, I know I speak for the entire NY crew when I say that we'd roll out the welcome mat big time for all a y'all. Now just gas up that rig and get going! We may not have a bunker like Bobby's, but we've got at least a few bourbons worth driving for! And we're way friendly, too!

[kgiammarco]

We really need to do that again to keep ourseleves busy until next september... I was thinking what bourbons we could try next time, but honestly we wouldn't be doing too bad to just taste the same things again I still have about half a bottle left of the BP kentucky legend...

-Chris

[Bob]

I agree, we should do that again. It was a lot of fun. We had a nice variety of bottlings, and I know for myself that there were a few that I would have liked to have savored a bit more. OK Chris, hold onto that bottle of Kentucky Legend for us for next time! That was a real treat! thanks again.

Bob

[CL]

Finally, we get to see Bob in focus.

Looks like you all had some fun! Too bad we all couldn't have been there!

[Paradox]

Today was quite a day! Omar (bourbonmed) came up to NY from Miami this weekend and because of the hospitality of Tonya and Ben (tlsmothers) we (Cliff-<BarrelProof>, me and Stacy, Bob and Nancy-<Bob> and Omar's friend Katia) had a place in Brooklyn to get together and meet. Unfortunately due to a family incident, Tonya was not able to be there but her boyfriend Ben was a most gracious host and kept up with her down-home southern hospitality. He still cooked up the most delicious brunch with all the items that Tonya had promised us when we got there.

We had several nice bottles of bourbon available to taste from as well as some very good beer brought by Bob; some of which were his own home brews! Here are some pics from the day. The quality didn't come out as good as I would have liked, but they are still enough to make for great memories.

Again, Thank you Tonya and Ben for opening up your home to us all, as well as feeding our bellies! We really hope you guys can make it down to the festival this year or sometime in the future and we all anticipate getting together again sometime soon.

Here's a pic of 'The NY Crew' excluding me... From left to right - Omar, Cliff, Stacy, Bob, Ben, Katia and Nancy. (Oh and the cat half cut-off on the bottom of the pic is Tonya's and Ben's; Her name is Whiskey, how appropriate!)

[Paradox]

The Brew Master himself, Bob! Holding a bottle of 'Slopbucket Ale' It amazingly was not anywhere near as bad as the name implies.

[Paradox]

The bourbon's, and ryes, that we had available for our 'disposal' during the afternoon: (Missing are 3 Old Charter variants and a Weller 10yo Centennial)