Rebel Yell 10 Year SB

[T Comp]

1 hour ago, jeffrey r said:

I picked up a couple of bottles of RY10SB, and I popped one open last night.  Definitely a good, interesting pour IMO.  It is a nice contrast in my view to the typically sweeter profile of wheaters, be it the Wellers, the aptly named Sweet Wheat, or even the HHSS cognac finished bottles, all of which I am very fond of. 

 

The RY is a bit "darker" in flavor, less sweet, more oaky, and even a bit bitter on the finish.  Again, not in a bad way, but different, and I like that.  Looking forward to getting some airtime on it, and revisiting the bottle in a couple of weeks.  But as has been mentioned, I don't think any of us can really complain about a 10 year 100 proof wheater for under $50 in today's climate.

A good assessment Jeffrey. I don't care for its style as a wheater myself and you hit on some of those reasons. If you like Larceny you will probably like this even with the bitterness. Of course they're will be slight variations as a single barrel too. 

Edited October 6, 2016 by T Comp

[Hop]

So I wake up this morning at 4:30 and can't get back to sleep... for whatever reason I'm thinking about this bourbon and it hits me to try this SBS with VSOF12 just to see how they compare - anyone else think that might be an interesting comparison?  Both wheaters, both from HH, two year age difference....  I love the VSOF12 but it like so many other things is hard to find but the RY10 might be a solid substitute

 

My thoughts/comments earlier in this thread have changed as I spent more time on the bottle of RY10 that I have to a much more favorable opinion which may get even more favorable tonight when I do a blind tasting between these two - might even open up a bottle of Bernheim Wheat 7yr to mix up the tasting even more...

 

Will report back

[Old Dusty]

6 hours ago, Hop said:

So I wake up this morning at 4:30 and can't get back to sleep... for whatever reason I'm thinking about this bourbon and it hits me to try this SBS with VSOF12 just to see how they compare - anyone else think that might be an interesting comparison?  Both wheaters, both from HH, two year age difference....  I love the VSOF12 but it like so many other things is hard to find but the RY10 might be a solid substitute

 

My thoughts/comments earlier in this thread have changed as I spent more time on the bottle of RY10 that I have to a much more favorable opinion which may get even more favorable tonight when I do a blind tasting between these two - might even open up a bottle of Bernheim Wheat 7yr to mix up the tasting even more...

 

Will report back

 

After your first paragraph I was expecting you to report your findings after a 4:30 am side by side. Not sure if I am happy or disappointed that you didn't ????

[flahute]

34 minutes ago, Old Dusty said:

 

After your first paragraph I was expecting you to report your findings after a 4:30 am side by side. Not sure if I am happy or disappointed that you didn't ????

I had the exact same thought this morning!

[Hop]

I probably should have done it this morning... but I did it this afternoon

 

RY10YR SB

VSOF12

Bernheim 7 yr Wheat

 

Same style glass - however I didn't have anyone with me to do the pours and label so I just poured, shuffled the glasses, and then let them sit while I took the dogs out for a bit.  Came back and I have no idea which is which so even picking a winner I won't know, a true blind tasting... Heaven Hill glasses just to keep it in the family  

 

1st Round - 

Color - out of the bottle there is no appreciable difference in the color of any of the three

Nose - one of the three I didn't pick up anything at all on and the other two were light (could be me as the weather turned cool here and my nose may be off a bit)

Taste - With two being 90 proof and the other 100 I thought that would stand out, it didn't...  

1: Tasted thin but not bad - not much of a finish

2: More body but not a lot of difference between #1 - seemed to anesthetize my mouth as I swirled it around - again not a lot of finish

3: Pretty much the same up front maybe a little "hotter" but not by much - much longer finish and quite good

 

2nd Round - 

1: Same as the first round - definitely believe this to be the Bernheim

2: Maybe this was 3 from the first round ... not sure but good, picking up more Oak this time

3: or maybe 2,...either way... 2 and 3 are the clear winners with the finish and overall mouthfeel and taste

 

Now if I only knew which was which...

 

I'll try again tomorrow but this time with help and in some fashion labeling the glasses

 

[Harry in WashDC]

Glad I read to the end of the thread, Hop.  Like Steve and Dusty, I am impressed by your self-control.  I am also glad you did the SBS and posted your thoughts.  Thus, I didn't have to type,

 

SO?????????

[DonutsNBourbon]

@Hop thanks for the review!  you can put a piece of tape on the bottom of each glass and label them a, b, c, etc and then mix them up, but just remember which one is a, b, and c... I've done that before where I've forgotten which is which!  can't wait until you post the results.

[tanstaafl2]

On ‎10‎/‎11‎/‎2016 at 5:20 PM, Hop said:

I probably should have done it this morning... but I did it this afternoon

 

RY10YR SB

VSOF12

Bernheim 7 yr Wheat

 

Same style glass - however I didn't have anyone with me to do the pours and label so I just poured, shuffled the glasses, and then let them sit while I took the dogs out for a bit.  Came back and I have no idea which is which so even picking a winner I won't know, a true blind tasting... Heaven Hill glasses just to keep it in the family  

 

1st Round - 

Color - out of the bottle there is no appreciable difference in the color of any of the three

Nose - one of the three I didn't pick up anything at all on and the other two were light (could be me as the weather turned cool here and my nose may be off a bit)

Taste - With two being 90 proof and the other 100 I thought that would stand out, it didn't...  

1: Tasted thin but not bad - not much of a finish

2: More body but not a lot of difference between #1 - seemed to anesthetize my mouth as I swirled it around - again not a lot of finish

3: Pretty much the same up front maybe a little "hotter" but not by much - much longer finish and quite good

 

2nd Round - 

1: Same as the first round - definitely believe this to be the Bernheim

2: Maybe this was 3 from the first round ... not sure but good, picking up more Oak this time

3: or maybe 2,...either way... 2 and 3 are the clear winners with the finish and overall mouthfeel and taste

 

Now if I only knew which was which...

 

I'll try again tomorrow but this time with help and in some fashion labeling the glasses

 

 

Easy enough to cut a small piece of tape, like blue painters tape, in the same size/shape , label lightly with pencil, and use three identical glasses. Put the labels on the bottom of the glass in about the same position, pour your spirits in each, making sure you know what went in each glass, and then shuffle the glasses with your eyes closed, maybe walk away for a few minutes and then reshuffle until you are pretty sure you don't know which one is which!

[Hop]

Looking for this while in KY this week and it's nowhere to be found. That seems odd. Not one store has even heard of it...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Hop]

On 10/16/2016 at 11:02 AM, Hop said:

Looking for this while in KY this week and it's nowhere to be found. That seems odd. Not one store has even heard of it...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Same thing in TN as I passed through there

[starhopper]

Been sippin' on this Rebel Yell Single Barrel, tryin' to get my bearings, for the past day or so (Barrel #4744355). Gonna go out on a limb here and say that I much prefer it to Weller 12 (which, when it appears in my neck of the woods, is $79 a bottle, and highly overrated IMHO) and it is almost on par with the Pappy Family Reserve 12 Lot B I had last year. Yes, it's pretty damn good. The nose on this thing is just heavenly, with a sweet, yeast bread kind of aroma - hell, I could just sit and smell the glass all day. The palate is a sweet black licorice with vanilla overtones and some oak, coating my entire throat. For me, the only thing that keeps it from being as good as the Pappy was the medium finish - nice, but not as complex as the Pappy Lot B.  But, to my taste buds at least,  IT'S DAMN CLOSE. For $49 a bottle, I'm finished hunting for Pappy - it's no longer worth the time, effort and especially the ridiculous price.

Edited November 2, 2016 by starhopper

[jd1585]

36 minutes ago, starhopper said:

Been sippin' on this Rebel Yell Single Barrel, tryin' to get my bearings, for the past day or so (Barrel #4744355). Gonna go out on a limb here and say that I much prefer it to Weller 12 (which, when it appears in my neck of the woods, is $79 a bottle, and highly overrated IMHO) and it is almost on par with the Pappy Family Reserve 12 Lot B I had last year. Yes, it's pretty damn good. The nose on this thing is just heavenly, with a sweet, yeast bread kind of aroma - hell, I could just sit and smell the glass all day. The palate is a sweet black licorice with vanilla overtones and some oak, coating my entire throat. For me, the only thing that keeps it from being as good as the Pappy was the medium finish - nice, but not as complex as the Pappy Lot B.  But, to my taste buds at least,  IT'S DAMN CLOSE. For $49 a bottle, I'm finished hunting for Pappy - it's no longer worth the time, effort and especially the ridiculous price.

I was hoping to pick up a bottle here in Indy, but it was allocated and went before I could get to it. 

[starhopper]

27 minutes ago, jd1585 said:

I was hoping to pick up a bottle here in Indy, but it was allocated and went before I could get to it. 

WOW - already allocated? Geesh.

[JT3NSB]

hey Hop Im in troutman.  you need help with tastings, holler!  

[starhopper]

1 hour ago, JT3NSB said:

hey Hop Im in troutman.  you need help with tastings, holler!  

LOL- thanks JT3

[Charlutz]

Bought a bottle and tried it on Friday. I'm not quite with you on this, Starhopper. It's a good whiskey, but as Jeffery and TComp described, different from Wellers or Makers. It's got more of the oaky, less sweet flavor reminiscent of Larceny but it's good, which I find Larceny not to be. I'm glad to have bought it and will spend more time with it before making a decision on whether it will be a repeat purchase. The color is beautiful. A very deep, dark red brown. 

[Hop]

41 minutes ago, Charlutz said:

Bought a bottle and tried it on Friday. I'm not quite with you on this, Starhopper. It's a good whiskey, but as Jeffery and TComp described, different from Wellers or Makers. It's got more of the oaky, less sweet flavor reminiscent of Larceny but it's good, which I find Larceny not to be. I'm glad to have bought it and will spend more time with it before making a decision on whether it will be a repeat purchase. The color is beautiful. A very deep, dark red brown. 

I was much like you on my first pour or two but then it hit and I have been on a run with RY10SB that I plan to make last for a long time - it just keeps getting better

[Charlutz]

5 hours ago, Hop said:

I was much like you on my first pour or two but then it hit and I have been on a run with RY10SB that I plan to make last for a long time - it just keeps getting better

 

That's good to hear as I really wanted to like Larceny. I'm a big Heaven Hill fan but it just didn't work for me. I like the RY10 and rooting for a little air to do it some good. 

[IncredulousNosco]

One thing I've noticed about young wheaters, MM, Larceny and Weller 107 in particular, is that decanting them helps a LOT. Every time I pick up a bottle of the aforementioned, I pour half of it into another bottle. Then I wait a week or so before really enjoying it. They go from being a little too sour and tinny, to butter-creamy and peanuty. 

 

And as it turns out, this really helps with this Rebel Yell 10 yo as well. When I very first opened it I noticed that about about a teaspoon of water had a similar effect. But now that I have decanted it for a few days, I no longer feel the need for water.  I now find it excellent, and on par or maybe a little better than Weller 12. Maybe as good ad ORVW 12. 

 

The only exception I've seen to the above is MMCS. This whisky tastes much better straight out of the bottle than it does decanted. 

 

Here is my RY10yo is with a dram and its dedicated wheater decanting bottle. The old lady and I both love it.

 

 

[JDB]

I'm really looking forward to this release. I'm not particularly a fan of Luxardo's offerings, but I tried this a week or two ago and was pleasantly surprised.

[starhopper]

41 minutes ago, JDB said:

I'm really looking forward to this release. I'm not particularly a fan of Luxardo's offerings, but I tried this a week or two ago and was pleasantly surprised.

I have several bottles of barrel 47444355 and will go on record saying that I find it just as good as the VW Lot B 12 yr old - it is that delicious!  Now, I just need to find more bottles!  Don't think I'll be hunting for any Piper Van Wunkles this year.

Edited November 7, 2016 by starhopper

[tanstaafl2]

30 minutes ago, JDB said:

I'm really looking forward to this release. I'm not particularly a fan of Luxardo's offerings, but I tried this a week or two ago and was pleasantly surprised.

 

I think you mean Luxco. Luxardo is a former Croatian, now Italian, liqueur maker of a whole 'nuther color. Many colors in fact!

[starhopper]

Sitting here doing a SBS with Weller 12 tonite - to my taste buds, there is no question that the RYSB10 is superior in EVERY way - nose, palate, finish, packaging, and price - not even close IMHO.

Edited November 12, 2016 by starhopper

[amg]

4 hours ago, Three quarks said:

According to a press release, 2000 cases released in SEP, and 4000 planned for 2017.

Glad to hear that they're making more of it. It's the best wheated bourbon I've tried in a long time.

[skj]

On 11/12/2016 at 1:16 AM, starhopper said:

Sitting here doing a SBS with Weller 12 tonite - to my taste buds, there is no question that the RYSB10 is superior in EVERY way - nose, palate, finish, packaging, and price - not even close IMHO.

I picked up a W12 and a RYSB10 last week but I haven't done a SBS yet.  I wonder though about the superior on price comment. The W12 was about half the price of the RYSB10 - $22 vs $42. Was your cost significantly different?