Anyone tried or know anything about Joseph Magnus bourbon?

[Harry in WashDC]

I just marked this thread "follow".  There's not a RECENT poster here whose comments I skip. (Good to see you again, Wade.  It's been awhile.)  In spite of the price, I have loved the JAM offerings I have tasted and have purchased a couple based on those tastes - not as everyday pours, but sometimes late at night when I can't sleep and get wistful . . .

 

Truth be told, the price does hang me up a little.  For example, the recent OF releases, particularly the 1897 BIB, are about half the price and hit some similar spots.  That said, Nancy's creations do scratch a satisfying itch I have.  My only thought is - would I be better off, dollarwise, dropping my JAM purchases and using the money for upper shelf cognacs/armagnacs?  Is a puzzlement, one that I am fortunate to be able to afford to try to solve.

 

PS - that Murray Hill reminded me of the unopened blended whiskey (name no longer comes to mind but could have been 4R) my brother and I found in the back of my Dad's liquor cabinet when he died in 1980.  It dated from 1945-6.

Edited June 9, 2017 by Harry in WashDC
insert "recent" as I only read the latest 2 pages this time & don't remember who else is on here

[wadewood]

Another Houston area guy purchased 3 different J. Magnus products from retail.  I will pick 2 of those along with 4 other bourbons.  The blind tasters will know what the 3 J. Magnus products are, but not which 2 I picked.  They will not know any of the other 4 bourbons.  8 tasters; all guys with I think good palates.  All will be poured the 6 samples side by side in Glencairn glasses.  I'll taste as well, but since I'll know what they are, my scores will not be included.

[RWBadley]

4 hours ago, wadewood said:

Another Houston area guy purchased 3 different J. Magnus products from retail.  I will pick 2 of those along with 4 other bourbons.  The blind tasters will know what the 3 J. Magnus products are, but not which 2 I picked.  They will not know any of the other 4 bourbons.  8 tasters; all guys with I think good palates.  All will be poured the 6 samples side by side in Glencairn glasses.  I'll taste as well, but since I'll know what they are, my scores will not be included.

 

A great tasting, wish I could be there

 

Any reason not to let out a couple names of the other whiskeys involved? Might create a fun guessing game

[WhiskeyBlender]

@Harry in WashDC, there is going to be a 375 mL version of the JMB. Don't quote me on it, but I think that the smaller bottles are currently in production, so hopefully they'll be ready for filling here pretty soon. There is already a 100 mL version. I'm not sure just yet if MHC will also be available as a 375 mL. 

[wadewood]

1 hour ago, RWBadley said:

 

Any reason not to let out a couple names of the other whiskeys involved? Might create a fun guessing game

The reason is it is a blind tasting.  All will be posted after the tasting.

[Harry in WashDC]

12 hours ago, wadewood said:

Another Houston area guy purchased 3 different J. Magnus products from retail.  I will pick 2 of those along with 4 other bourbons.  The blind tasters will know what the 3 J. Magnus products are, but not which 2 I picked.  They will not know any of the other 4 bourbons.  8 tasters; all guys with I think good palates.  All will be poured the 6 samples side by side in Glencairn glasses.  I'll taste as well, but since I'll know what they are, my scores will not be included.

Based on YEARS of reading your comments, Wade, I have no doubt this will be a truly objective SBS.  Plus, my palate may not match yours exactly, BUT I know where they coincide and where they differ, pretty much.  Hence, I am reallyreally looking forward to the results.

[BigTS]

Curious if there will be another Reserve bottling by JAM?

[Harry in WashDC]

23 minutes ago, BigTS said:

Curious if there will be another Reserve bottling by JAM?

Well, they sent out an email last week about pre-ordering Cigar Blend Batch #7 for pick-up early next year, and their website as of a few minutes ago has a "Sold Out" tag on it @ $149 per.  Although their website doesn't list a contact/info email address, I note that it does list phone numbers, and they do have a Facebook page.  IIRC from last Spring's WhiskyFest WashDC, Matt Witzig (whose card I had but can't find) works for JAM and likely can answer your questions. 

[BigTS]

Yes, I received the same email notification. I'm waiting on the cigar blend in a private barrel offering due in this month at one of my local liquor stores. I was just wondering if the 16 yr Reserve offering would be offered again.

[Clifford]

I had a dram of the Magnus Cigar Blend Batch 3 last week.  I was very good.

[WhiskeyBlender]

On 12/10/2017 at 4:20 PM, Clifford said:

I had a dram of the Magnus Cigar Blend Batch 3 last week.  I was very good.

Clifford, I'm glad you like it. However, batch #3 got sold as a private cask before I was finished working with it, and I didn't get a chance to make the final blend adjustments to really hit the correct profile. If you can get ahold of either batch #6 or #7, which were bottled just last week, that will be a lot closer to how CB is supposed to taste. 

[WhiskeyBlender]

On 12/3/2017 at 1:43 PM, BigTS said:

Yes, I received the same email notification. I'm waiting on the cigar blend in a private barrel offering due in this month at one of my local liquor stores. I was just wondering if the 16 yr Reserve offering would be offered again.

No, the 16 yr Family Reserve was found among a number of 18 year barrels, and one 16 year old, that came on the market a few years ago. Two of the barrels, a particular 18 yr and the 16 yr, were really exceptional, so I blended them together then had them marry for 8 or 9 months. If any more barrels like that come around, then there will be another Family Reserve, but not until that time. 

[birdie]

Half way through a bottle of the Murray Club blend and it is really good, wondering if we will ever see Cigar Blend in Colorado.

[WhiskeyBlender]

43 minutes ago, birdie said:

Half way through a bottle of the Murray Club blend and it is really good, wondering if we will ever see Cigar Blend in Colorado.

A few weeks ago, I did an event for the 5280 Whiskey Society in Denver. Cigar Blend is just making its way out to CO, so stay tuned. Also, glad you like MHC. On the new batch, I slightly increased the straight bourbon content (11 and 19 year old components), and decreased the amount of 9 yo light whiskey. There wasn't that much light whiskey in there to begin with, but I wanted to make a slight adjustment to it in order to give it a little more heft on the palate. Stay tuned for that coming out as well.....

[flahute]

5 hours ago, WhiskeyBlender said:

No, the 16 yr Family Reserve was found among a number of 18 year barrels, and one 16 year old, that came on the market a few years ago. Two of the barrels, a particular 18 yr and the 16 yr, were really exceptional, so I blended them together then had them marry for 8 or 9 months. If any more barrels like that come around, then there will be another Family Reserve, but not until that time. 

Did they marry in one of the barrels or in a stainless steel tank? (Or other).

[Justin]

On 12/14/2017 at 6:18 PM, WhiskeyBlender said:

Clifford, I'm glad you like it. However, batch #3 got sold as a private cask before I was finished working with it, and I didn't get a chance to make the final blend adjustments to really hit the correct profile. If you can get ahold of either batch #6 or #7, which were bottled just last week, that will be a lot closer to how CB is supposed to taste. 

I'm also a big fan of the cigar blend, am really enjoying a bottle of batch #2.  Unfortunately I was a day late on the email for batch 7... Do you all ever have sale events at the distillery for LE products?

[Clifford]

On 12/14/2017 at 6:18 PM, WhiskeyBlender said:

Clifford, I'm glad you like it. However, batch #3 got sold as a private cask before I was finished working with it, and I didn't get a chance to make the final blend adjustments to really hit the correct profile. If you can get ahold of either batch #6 or #7, which were bottled just last week, that will be a lot closer to how CB is supposed to taste. 

Would you choose 6 or 7?  Why?  Thank you.

 

 

 

 

[BigTS]

Just cracked open a batch #7 Cigar Blend......it is dangerously delishous!

Great work Nancy!

[Clifford]

1 hour ago, BigTS said:

Just cracked open a batch #7 Cigar Blend......it is dangerously delishous!

Great work Nancy!

Congratulations on the 7.   525 bottles?  Do you know anything about the 6? 

[BigTS]

Yes, 525 btls. Unfortunately, I don't know anything about 6.

[WhiskeyBlender]

12 hours ago, Clifford said:

Congratulations on the 7.   525 bottles?  Do you know anything about the 6? 

Sorry Clifford, I was actually in route from CA to D.C. yesterday, so I didn't get a chance to respond. I'll be putting together batches #8 & 9 of Cigar Blend this week, among other things. Glad to hear you like batch #7!

 

So, batches #6 and 7 come from the same "coupe mere," or mother blend, meaning that all the primary components are the same. However, they evolve a little differently in their respective Armagnac casks, as one would expect subtle differences depending on how many tannins the cask still has to offer, how much in the way of caramelized wood sugars, etc. Depending upon these type of factors, I make subtle adjustments to these casks as they are finishing. So, for instance, one cask might be getting a little too much new spice or wood notes from the Armagnac cask, so you have to counterbalance that with a small amount of a bourbon component that would have more sweetness to it, or maybe one cask needs more depth and complexity, so you add a little bit more of an older component, etc. 

 

I personally liked Armagnac cask #1 better than #2 from this coupe mere, as I thought it had better balance and finesse overall, and cask #2 had a little more tannin and spice quality, and was a touch drier. However, since I wasn't in D.C. when batches #6 & 7 were bottled, I'm not sure which Armagnac cask made it into which batch. I'll find out today when I'm at the distillery, as I have to be there in an hour, so I can find out for you which cask you have in your batch #7 bottle. 

 

However, the take-away is that both batches come from the same coupe mere, with subtle adjustments after that as needed, so they will still be remarkably similar. I hope that helps in the meantime? 

 

 

[birdie]

Anyone tried the Murray Hill Club Special Release just announced in the last few days. Does not ship to CO so I need a buddy in DC to go grab a couple but was just wondering if anyone had a taste yet.

[Clifford]

43 minutes ago, birdie said:

Anyone tried the Murray Hill Club Special Release just announced in the last few days. Does not ship to CO so I need a buddy in DC to go grab a couple but was just wondering if anyone had a taste yet.

Not available until 12/26 at the distillery. 

 

[birdie]

1 hour ago, Clifford said:

Not available until 12/26 at the distillery. 

 

Thanks for the update.

[WhiskeyBlender]

16 hours ago, birdie said:

Thanks for the update.

Our labels for the MHC Pineau des Charentes finish were due to arrive yesterday, but didn't. They'll hopefully come in today and can be picked up tomorrow.