Something Different about the latest release of ETL?

[GizmoStudent]

ETL was my "gateway drug" to Bourbon early last year and every bourbon

I have purchased since then was always compared to it as a reference.

With that said,

I feel that the 3 releases of ETL as of early 2014 have always been IMHO consistent in taste.

So it pains me to say again IMHO that this latest fall release of ETL just doesn’t seem to measure up.

It's not "bad", it just doesnt seem to be as tasty as before.

And there seems to be a lot of this ETL fall release available ??

My trusty liquor store had 16 bottles on the shelf a couple days ago and I only took

home 4 bottles and I’m sad to say that I am kind of glad that I did not buy more.

My friends (who have drunk/drank ETL but have not tried the latest release) say that I must have

burned out my taste buds drinking the Hazmat ECBP neat.

Since most reviews of ETL on the net are dated -

What do the folks of the StraightBourbon world have to say about this latest release of ETL?

 

Thanks,

GizmoStudent

 

[BourbonGer]

ETL was my “gateway drug” to Bourbon early last year and every bourbon

I have purchased since then was always compared to it as a reference.

With that said,

I feel that the 3 releases of ETL as of early 2014 have always been IMHO consistent in taste.

So it pains me to say again IMHO that this latest fall release of ETL just doesn’t seem to measure up.

It's not "bad", it just doesnt seem to be as tasty as before.

And there seems to be a lot of this ETL fall release available ??

My trusty liquor store had 16 bottles on the shelf a couple days ago and I only took

home 4 bottles and I’m sad to say that I am kind of glad that I did not buy more.

My friends (who have drunk/drank ETL but have not tried the latest release) say that I must have

burned out my taste buds drinking the Hazmat ECBP neat.

Since most reviews of ETL on the net are dated -

What do the folks of the StraightBourbon world have to say about this latest release of ETL?

Thanks,

GizmoStudent

Interesting. Its something I've always struggled to find over here but I was lucky to find a bottle a few weeks ago. Yesterday while browsing the store I came across a shelf full of them with a 20% discount. Was very tempted to buy a few..

[Richnimrod]

You speak of 'releases' as though the stuff is "batched". ETL is a Single Barrel offering, and as such, it is subject to some variability. My guess is that the bottles you've acquired just happened to be from barrels that either hit your sweet spot; or didn't, in the recent case. The fact that they show up in your area periodically doesn't mean they're batched, it just indicates when bottles arrive in the region, which lately seem like they're seasonal 'releases' (of batched juice); but it's not batched, I'm sure.

[b1gcountry]

Even if they aren't batched there is a good possibility the barrels are selected and bottled in a group, and my question would be who is the guy who picked the barrels? And are they short enough on barrels that they had to use barrels that didn't match their desired tasting notes for the brand?

Or is your palette changing, or are you comparing a new bottle to one that's been open for a while?

[jaxn slim]

I got some bottles yesterday, and I tried one. It was hotter than I had remembered, but it was still delicious.

[kjbeggs]

Gizmo, since you don't really care for them, send me one of those four you just bought, and I'll compare it to my older bottles and let you know what I think... :cool:

[Josh]

The barrels are not selected by an individual, they're selected by a committee and always have been. Elmer was a part of that committee before he died but the rest of the members are all still in it. I loved ETL as a value single barrel offering, but not as something you have to hunt for, so I stopped buying it when it stopped being easy to find. If I'm going to pay $60 for an SB of that mashbill, I might as well buy Blanton's or Rock Hill Farms.

Anyway, if it has changed, it's probably because younger barrels are going into it due to BT's supply problems. More likely, you just got bottles from a barrel that you didn't care for.

[Paddy]

I sensed a profile change after Mr. Lee's passing in the summer of '14. Now, it could have been the particular barrel (or me for that matter), but I couldn't help but wander if the demand surge following his death had an influence on the distillate being brought to bottle a bit younger than those prior to.

I recall hoping that the 'run on' after Mr. Lee's passing would slow down and things would soon get back to normal (always on the shelf). Unfortunately, demand seems to have only increased since I had that thought! :skep:

[GAbiker]

I don't know how more available ETL is now vs prior. In the spring this year my store received 2 cases of ETL. This last release we received 1/2 case.

Haven't tasted the latest release as I have always loved BT mashbill #2 and have bunkered ETL and RHF over the past few years.

[willmohawk5]

Interesting first post for someone...

Can anyone back up their "latest release" with a bottle code?

[Harry in WashDC]

I sensed a profile change after Mr. Lee's passing in the summer of '14 . . . :skep:

[squire]

Just pour the Crow into an empty ETL bottle.

[GizmoStudent]

Thank you everyone for the responses,

If a bourbon termed to be “hot” correlates to a bourbon being young in age

then I believe this is the case with the latest release of Elmer T Lee.

As ETL is a non-age statement single barrel bourbon and all releases are subject

to the taste determination of the Buffalo Trace committee ---

I as a customer must say that I am disappointed in some of the barrels that were

chosen for this latest release of Elmer T Lee as compared to the 2013 /2014

releases that I have bunkered.

Maybe ice is a requirement for the majority of this new batch?

Hey, this latest release of ETL is still a good bourbon but IMO not worth the marked-up

prices currently asked for in my area and next time I will try before buying : )

GizmoStudent

Direct replies:

KJBEGGS: If you send me a pre-paid, self-addressed box for a 6 lb. shipment and include

packing material, I will send you a bottle and look forward to your feedback.

And if you go to the F1 race next year in Austin you owe me a couple shots & beers.

PM me with your contact info.

WILLMOHAWK5: Bottle codes for current ETL release in my possession:

B152592135K, B152592135K, B152592135K, B152592059K

[Robertsccr5]

Where did you get yours? I have three bottles with codes similar to yours. B152592136K. I'll pop one open today to try it.

I'd imagine they are from the same barrel.

[mbroo5880i]

I am with Josh. If I am going to pay $35 or more, which seems to be the current price when available, I am going to opt for Blanton's or RHF, if they can be found. I like BT #2 mashbill a lot but I am not going to hunt these bottles out. If they are available and the price is right, I will grab one. If not, I can generally find FR in my price range. I haven't had a standard ETL in a few years. The most recent bottles I have had were ETL Comm and they were great!

[jaxn slim]

I am with Josh. If I am going to pay $35 or more, which seems to be the current price when available, I am going to opt for Blanton's or RHF, if they can be found. I like BT #2 mashbill a lot but I am not going to hunt these bottles out. If they are available and the price is right, I will grab one. If not, I can generally find FR in my price range. I haven't had a standard ETL in a few years. The most recent bottles I have had were ETL Comm and they were great!

Blanton's and RHF are typically in another price range, though, right? Don't they usually sell in the $50-60 range?

[Robertsccr5]

Blanton's and RHF are typically in another price range, though, right? Don't they usually sell in the $50-60 range?

In my area Blantons is usually $50 at lowest but I can find RHF for $45 all day.

[MGOBLUE]

My bottle code is B152670941K, B152670852K for the 2 I got in MI.

[JoeTerp]

Where do I find the bottle code?

[amg]

Where do I find the bottle code?

[Josh]

Michigan state minimums: Blanton's $60, Rock Hill Farms $55

[smokinjoe]

ETL was my “gateway drug†to Bourbon early last year and every bourbon

I have purchased since then was always compared to it as a reference.

With that said,

I feel that the 3 releases of ETL as of early 2014 have always been IMHO consistent in taste.

So it pains me to say again IMHO that this latest fall release of ETL just doesn’t seem to measure up.

It's not "bad", it just doesnt seem to be as tasty as before.

And there seems to be a lot of this ETL fall release available ??

My trusty liquor store had 16 bottles on the shelf a couple days ago and I only took

home 4 bottles and I’m sad to say that I am kind of glad that I did not buy more.

My friends (who have drunk/drank ETL but have not tried the latest release) say that I must have

burned out my taste buds drinking the Hazmat ECBP neat.

Since most reviews of ETL on the net are dated -

What do the folks of the StraightBourbon world have to say about this latest release of ETL?

Thanks,

GizmoStudent

[mbroo5880i]

Blanton's and RHF are typically in another price range, though, right? Don't they usually sell in the $50-60 range?

[Robertsccr5]

So I cracked my bottle open which I'm about 99.9% sure is from the same barrel as the OP (given the bottle code is only one minute different than the OP) and I am going to go ahead and confirm that this particular barrel just doesn't suit his tastes. This barrel is pretty solid. Still has lots of caramel, vanilla, spice, its soft and creamy. I am not the best at picking out tasting notes but this is definitely better than the last bottle I had which was bottle B14261, coincidentally two days short of being bottled exactly one year ago to the day.

[willmohawk5]

Mine are:

B152--0725K (the middle numbers were smudged) B1504322:33K B1504322:33K B1504319:00K