Empty Bottle Support Group 2017

[Clueby]

2 hours ago, JCwhammie said:

Wow, I wish it were that price here. 

Yeah..cheapest I've ever seen it anywhere is $43.99...usually a lot more.

[Madhatter]

5 hours ago, kemosabe said:

Killed this one last night.  Is it OK to post @ rye on this forum, or will I get hit by lightning?

 

Perfectly fine to post here.  Bourbon and rye are all on the same continuum.  A little more rye than 50% or a little less than 50% is a big deal as far as labeling.  But as far as sensory perception and enjoyment, the 50% line is arbitrary and unnecessary.

[Bbstout]

9 hours ago, kemosabe said:

Killed this one last night.  Is it OK to post @ rye on this forum, or will I get hit by lightning?

 

I find pikesville very "bourbony". I hope you stocked up at that price!

[HoustonNit]

Killed this one tonight.

I'm not exactly sure if I like it more than the old 12 year old. However I love the variety that comes from these single barrel selects.

[Tennessee Dave]

[Mako254]

375 blantons

[hn4bourbon]

Emptied this bottle of really good store-picked BT. Luckily I have a few extra in the bunker. For the price point, these good store picks are hard to beat. 

[dcbt]

Finished off my Barrell Bourbon #11 last night.  The farther I got into the bottle, the more I wondered what the big hubbub was about it.

[tanstaafl2]

37 minutes ago, dcbt said:

Finished off my Barrell Bourbon #11 last night.  The farther I got into the bottle, the more I wondered what the big hubbub was about it.

It was mostly about the first 2 or 3 batches from what I can tell. What little I have had of late was pretty pricey balanced by being pretty unremarkable. Not really bad but just kind of "eh".

 

Price goes up, quality goes down. Sounds vaguely familiar...

[Mako254]

1 minute ago, tanstaafl2 said:

It was mostly about the first 2 or 3 batches from what I can tell. What little I have had of late was pretty pricey balanced by being pretty unremarkable. Not really bad but just kind of "eh".

 

Price goes up, quality goes down. Sounds vaguely familiar...

 

Thank goodness for Heaven Hill. 

[dcbt]

11 minutes ago, tanstaafl2 said:

It was mostly about the first 2 or 3 batches from what I can tell. What little I have had of late was pretty pricey balanced by being pretty unremarkable. Not really bad but just kind of "eh".

 

Price goes up, quality goes down. Sounds vaguely familiar...

Not that awards mean a whole helluva lot, but this was the hubbub I was referring to with respect to batch 11:

https://www.fredminnick.com/2017/04/27/shocking-whiskey-upsets-17-san-fran-world-spirits-comp/

[tanstaafl2]

2 minutes ago, dcbt said:

Not that awards mean a whole helluva lot, but this was the hubbub I was referring to with respect to batch 11:

https://www.fredminnick.com/2017/04/27/shocking-whiskey-upsets-17-san-fran-world-spirits-comp/

 

I am sure the judges did their best but I remain underwhelmed by awards different brands receive from various spirits competitions. Are they buying these bottles off a random shelf or, more likely, are they being supplied to them? I also have no idea what goes into the competition bottles versus the one I end up with at home. I have had enough variation between batches to know it isn't always the same, even if the name on the label says otherwise.

 

But that is just the optimist in me talking...

 

I'll stick to the awards they win at home or during my Wednesday tastings!

 

 

[JSpartan]

Had the last pour of VOB 6 from the fridge with a big chunk of ice while grilling last night.

[lcpfratn]

 
I am sure the judges did their best but I remain underwhelmed by awards different brands receive from various spirits competitions. Are they buying these bottles off a random shelf or, more likely, are they being supplied to them? I also have no idea what goes into the competition bottles versus the one I end up with at home. I have had enough variation between batches to know it isn't always the same, even if the name on the label says otherwise.
 
But that is just the optimist in me talking...
 
I'll stick to the awards they win at home or during my Wednesday tastings! [emoji3]
 
 

Bruce, I agree with your sentiments about a lot of these awards. However, Barrell Bourbon is intentionally different with every batch from everything I've heard and read. They make no bones about that, and it is to be expected when batches are being sourced from different locations. I agree that it's gotten to be expensive, and pushes the limit on whether or not it is worth it, but most batches that I've tried, including batch #11, are better than some of today's unicorns that some folks are paying crazy money for, and many of the batches are better than a lot of other stuff that costs the same or even more. I liked batch #11 enough to buy another bottle before it sold out in the stores that I shop at in my area.


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[tanstaafl2]

19 minutes ago, lcpfratn said:

Bruce, I agree with your sentiments about a lot of these awards. However, Barrell Bourbon is intentionally different with every batch from everything I've heard and read. They make no bones about that, and it is to be expected when batches are being sourced from different locations. I agree that it's gotten to be expensive, and pushes the limit on whether or not it is worth it, but most batches that I've tried, including batch #11, are better than some of today's unicorns that some folks are paying crazy money for, and many of the batches are better than a lot of other stuff that costs the same or even more. I liked batch #11 enough to buy another bottle before it sold out in the stores that I shop at in my area.


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I've had a few of them and some were pretty good, I agree. I am just not sure if what they (or anybody else for that matter ) sent to an awards competition was always identical to what I was getting in my bottle from the store in my neighborhood (yes, I know that is a bit overly conspiratorial!). Maybe they are, maybe they aren't! Only way to be sure it seems to me was if the competition bought them off a random shelf and I doubt that is happening.

 

And yes, they really are getting increasingly pricey. I can still buy a perfectly lovely high proof KC or Russell's Reserve for a lot less. Even a BP FR store selection still only costs me $60-65. I think the Batch 11 Barrell Bourbon was pushing $90 for what is essentially a 6 or so year old mystery whiskey. Almost Willett-ish in price!

 

$50 or so and maybe we can talk! I like that they generally tell me the age and mashbill (although I certainly am not sure where a 70% corn mashbill "Tennessee" whiskey is coming from) but I am not yet convinced that their blending skills warrant the additional $40 mark up.

 

However, if you are pouring I will happily try some! 

 

[JSpartan]

Last pour from the first new style bottle OWA I acquired in the spring.  It's also the bottle I shared with my future father in-law when I asked for his permission.  Not just because of that, but this will always be one of my favorites if they keep putting stuff out like this bottle. 

[HoustonNit]

Emptied this bottle of really good store-picked BT. Luckily I have a few extra in the bunker. For the price point, these good store picks are hard to beat. 

Totally agree been really enjoying these.

[lcpfratn]

 
...
 
And yes, they really are getting increasingly pricey. I can still buy a perfectly lovely high proof KC or Russell's Reserve for a lot less. Even a BP FR store selection still only costs me $60-65. I think the Batch 11 Barrell Bourbon was pushing $90 for what is essentially a 6 or so year old mystery whiskey. Almost Willett-ish in price!
 
$50 or so and maybe we can talk! I like that they generally tell me the age and mashbill (although I certainly am not sure where a 70% corn mashbill "Tennessee" whiskey is coming from) but I am not yet convinced that their blending skills warrant the additional $40 mark up.
 
However, if you are pouring I will happily try some! [emoji14]
 

I can't defend their prices, and batch #11 was definitely pushing the $90 price point. I wasn't going to buy one either due to the price, but all the positive comments and reviews convinced me to give a bottle a try. After a couple evenings of really enjoying what I was drinking, I decided to get another bottle. I guess I felt it was something a bit different, and while it's not a value pour, if I wanted it, I had to pay for it. Batch #6 and #11 have been the most highly regarded by many online bloggers and reviewers, and you're lucky if you find any of those batches anymore. I still see lots of batches #4, #5 and 7b in the $70-$80 price range and now #9 (13+ years old) in the $90 range on store shelves.

You also won't get any argument from me about the great values and quality of a KCSiB PS or FRSiB PS BP. I bought 4 bottles of a great 13+yr old KCSiB PS recently for $38 each, and I just picked up 3 bottles of a wonderful 9+yr old FRBP PS OESK at 57.6% for $57 per 750ml.

I'll see if I can make that sample pour of batch #11 happen for you at the next Sampler!

[Kpiz]

Lots of love recently for the BT private selections. I had a good one from a local store last night and plan on getting a bottle before they sell out.

Anyways, just finished off my 3rd (maybe 4th...) bottle of this great KCSB as indicated by my empty upside-down bottle pic. I need to pick up a few more for the bunker

[HoustonNit]

^Kpiz love for the BT private selects but also a big fan of the KCSB store picks. Just finished off this Pick from NASA Liquor here in Houston.

Do any of biblical folks know what happens when you the Four Horseman are done?

[Kepler]

8 hours ago, tanstaafl2 said:

And yes, they really are getting increasingly pricey. I can still buy a perfectly lovely high proof KC or Russell's Reserve for a lot less. Even a BP FR store selection still only costs me $60-65. I think the Batch 11 Barrell Bourbon was pushing $90 for what is essentially a 6 or so year old mystery whiskey. Almost Willett-ish in price!

 

$50 or so and maybe we can talk! I like that they generally tell me the age and mashbill (although I certainly am not sure where a 70% corn mashbill "Tennessee" whiskey is coming from) but I am not yet convinced that their blending skills warrant the additional $40 mark up.

 

However, if you are pouring I will happily try some! 

 

 

I, for one, appreciate Barrell's relative transparency.  They seem on the up-and-up to me.  They are around $80 in my market but it is a high quality bourbon and it's readily available and not something one has to run all over town for.  Is it a "value" product like Knob Creek?  No.  But the handful of batches I've tried are a good quality bourbon and in my estimation not a rip off.  I don't agree with your comparing them to Willett.  But that's just me.

Edited August 19, 2017 by Kepler
type

[smokinjoe]

Hubbub?

Fred Minnick?

Yep.  That 'splains it...

[kwshannon]

19 hours ago, HoustonNit said:

^Kpiz love for the BT private selects but also a big fan of the KCSB store picks. Just finished off this Pick from NASA Liquor here in Houston.

Do any of biblical folks know what happens when you the Four Horseman are done?

 

I envy your access to those bottles. 

[Swamp55]

The Saturday Night Massacre.

The last of my age-stated EC12 and KC9. 

As a replacement, I've bought a NAS KC (as well as a KCSB 9yr), but I haven't picked up a NAS EC yet.  I may just try to find a ECBP.

 

[Kpiz]

^Kpiz love for the BT private selects but also a big fan of the KCSB store picks. Just finished off this Pick from NASA Liquor here in Houston.

Do any of biblical folks know what happens when you the Four Horseman are done?

I hope the quality of the KC picks stay this high for a long time. Some serious age on that one you had! The bottle I had was from a ~10.5yo barrel. I like the warehouse barrel map on the back of your bottle, they should put that on all of them.