MeAndMyWhiskey Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 A very generous soul shared a sample with me (so take notes with a grain of salt . . . just based on one 50mL tasting). Look: Deep amber, Tight necklacing, Very slow legs Nose: Caramel (more as it opens). With a little water a note of vanilla ice milk from DQ develops (like a Buster Bar). Herbaceous notes in balance (as compared to MGP ryes, where those herbal notes are dominant). Less herbaceous than MGP but still aromatic. I could totally be fooled for a bourbon nose, but slightly more aromatic/herbaceous. A little bit of a fresh cut lumber and peanut note. Taste: High proof comes right through. Fruity (like Juicy Fruit gum) and cinnamon notes. Caramel backdrop to it all. Some bite at full proof, but water seems to dull/shut down the flavors a little bit too much. A slight raw peanut note. Finish: Delightfully warm! With custard and juicy fruit in finish. Some anise/spice notes in the finish too. All in all i really enjoyed this rye, but couldn't justify the price tag. It's great to have good (and generous) friends! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Black Tot Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 Full disclosure: Despite my pre-release vitriol about the price tag, an infamous SB enabler gave me a taste of this, and I ate my words. I bought some...dammit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flahute Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 1 hour ago, The Black Tot said: Full disclosure: Despite my pre-release vitriol about the price tag, an infamous SB enabler gave me a taste of this, and I ate my words. I bought some...dammit! And here you are giving me a hard time for saying I think ECBP at $65 is worth it. Hypocrite! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Black Tot Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 I deserve that. My brain called Booker's Rye "Barrel proof better than Saz18" when I tasted it. That broke down all resolve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flahute Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 22 minutes ago, The Black Tot said: I deserve that. My brain called Booker's Rye "Barrel proof better than Saz18" when I tasted it. That broke down all resolve. All of us here have the capacity for weakness at critical moments. I'm actually glad I tasted it before reading your "barrel proof better than Saz 18" comment because I would have been looking for that and trying hard to find any reason that I had found it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KyleCBreese Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Passed today at $360. Way too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joboyd Posted October 17, 2016 Share Posted October 17, 2016 Coronated as Jim Murray's "World Whisk(e)y of the Year." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koRn Posted October 27, 2016 Share Posted October 27, 2016 ^^should have taken it at 360. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beasled Posted November 28, 2016 Share Posted November 28, 2016 On 10/27/2016 at 11:09 AM, koRn said: ^^should have taken it at 360. One just sold for £830 at whiskeyauctioneer. The previous one up there (in July) went for £370... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louisiana Posted November 28, 2016 Share Posted November 28, 2016 (edited) Ha. I bet that made him feel better. Glad to have one of these babies in the bunker. Edited November 28, 2016 by Louisiana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 21 hours ago, beasled said: One just sold for £830 at whiskeyauctioneer. The previous one up there (in July) went for £370... So I should be able to get £415 for the half bottle I have left? Heck, I can be generous and accept £400 even though I did all of the work in pulling the cork out and letting it breath... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottledInBond Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 So I finally tried a couple small pours of this recently. Begrudgingly I have to admit that I really liked it. It is delicious as well as also unique in terms of flavor profile, regardless of scarcity. I did enjoy it most with just a little bit of water, which really brought out the cinnamon. Now of course the price is the rub. Is it "worth" $300 a bottle MSRP (ignoring secondary pricing for now)? No, not when I can get other pours I love for $100 or less. But, many limited bottles are also getting harder to find, so using something like Stagg at MSRP as a point of comparison is really starting to become a tough sell. Based on the world we live in I would buy it again at retail for $300 if I came across it, but of course that is becoming very unlikely going forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFerguson Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 Got a pour of this after work from my local whiskey slinger. Glad I didn't pay for it. I had high hopes and great expectations for it, based on what many have stated here, and elsewhere, but I was really disappointed. It lived up nowhere near the hype that it had received.I keep nosing it and tasting, trying to see some greatness out of it, but it just completely failed to impress me. Disappointed doesn't even begin to describe it. Which is ok, as I'm now glad I didn't pony out the dough for it. It's just sad, as I really believe he days of great, deep, aromatic and exotic ryes are just long gone. Sorry to be the downer, but I just had to say it.BSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guardian Enzo Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 I'd never buy it in a million years even at MSRP, but setting aside price I think it's a fantastic whiskey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Black Tot Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 It's always the greatest of luck when you don't prefer something expensive. I wasn't so lucky with Booker's Rye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFerguson Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 At least to ease the disappointment of Booker's, I had a pour from my bottle of Hirsch 25yr rye. So, it wasn't a complete bust. Maybe I need to revisit it again, as it's also likely the glass of WTAS before hand did alter the taste buds.BSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 2 hours ago, BFerguson said: At least to ease the disappointment of Booker's, I had a pour from my bottle of Hirsch 25yr rye. So, it wasn't a complete bust. Maybe I need to revisit it again, as it's also likely the glass of WTAS before hand did alter the taste buds. B Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Consider trying a bit of water if you didn't last time. I found it a bit of a challenge at proof (It is 136 proof after all!) and for me it really blossomed with just a light touch of water. How much is a personal thing of course so I suggest a little at a time! Not that it will work for everybody. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFerguson Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 Consider trying a bit of water if you didn't last time. I found it a bit of a challenge at proof (It is 136 proof after all!) and for me it really blossomed with just a light touch of water. How much is a personal thing of course so I suggest a little at a time! Not that it will work for everybody.Yep, did that too. Not a stranger to barrel proof.BSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFerguson Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 Consider trying a bit of water if you didn't last time. I found it a bit of a challenge at proof (It is 136 proof after all!) and for me it really blossomed with just a light touch of water. How much is a personal thing of course so I suggest a little at a time! Not that it will work for everybody.Yep, did that too. Not a stranger to barrel proof.BSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinjoe Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 5 hours ago, tanstaafl2 said: Consider trying a bit of water if you didn't last time. I found it a bit of a challenge at proof (It is 136 proof after all!) and for me it really blossomed with just a light touch of water. How much is a personal thing of course so I suggest a little at a time! Not that it will work for everybody. "Bit of a challenge at proof..." Hot as Hades is how I remember it! It almost blew me off of your 2nd story deck! But indeed, touch of water smoothed it out considerably. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guardian Enzo Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 Heh, I loved it neat. And I can't drink GTS without bringing the proof down some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 On 1/28/2017 at 6:31 PM, Guardian Enzo said: Heh, I loved it neat. And I can't drink GTS without bringing the proof down some. That is the fun thing about spirits. Everyone can have a different take and every one of them is entirely correct for that particular person! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvd99 Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 4 hours ago, tanstaafl2 said: That is the fun thing about spirits. Everyone can have a different take and every one of them is entirely correct for that particular person! So you're saying everyone here is right all the time - no wonder you're the BOTY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottledInBond Posted February 19, 2017 Share Posted February 19, 2017 Cracked a bottle of this for friends that were in town last night. I think everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. Expensive, but I've never had a pour of this that I didn't think was awesome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazz June Posted November 28, 2017 Share Posted November 28, 2017 Was a second batch of this made? Virginia ABC has a lottery for it coming up. My understanding was this was a one time thing, but I guess they could have held some back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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