Personal Solera Bottle

[Tony Santana]

I've got a wheater solera going.  More MM than anything else, but M46, OWA, W12, the Parkers Heritage Wheat Whiskey, ORVW, Larceny.  Started it a long time ago, so I can't even remember what all is in there - might be some PVW15.  Old Fitz?  Smooth Ambler Yearling?  If it's a wheater, it qualifies.  I've never drank any of it yet, so it's well mingled.

[El Vino]

Finally finished with the diet (lost 25 lbs) and having a pour from the solar bottle I began to start this thread.  The bottle contains 1 ounce pours of 20 different bourbons which I have open on the bar.  A four grain whiskey at about 53.2%.  First impression is a more muted aroma with spice the predominant characteristic.  Taste is incredibly complex with spice, butterscotch and vanilla with oak far in the background.  A few drops of water bring out the sweetness and more vanilla.  I am totally happy with this experience and am now plotting my next solera bottle.  Have to admit I am envious of the Four Roses bottles and the Dozen Roses bottle is totally sick.  Love the idea of a wheater solera...a Bushel of Wheat(ers)?!?  Still contemplating the ideas of a scotch solera, but I am not there yet.

Edited April 21, 2017 by El Vino

[0895]

Forgive me father, for I have sinned.

 My last confession should have been on my birthday, when I put the Elliott's Select in here, but I was too ashamed.

I ask for forgiveness, not only from you, but also Mr. Rutledge, Mr. Elliott, Mr. Young, and all the true 4R fans in the bourbon community.

BTW, this mixture is orgasmic... Sorry, not sorry.....wha ha ha!

 

[Bourserker]

This thread inspired me to start one of these, so I put a little of Ancient Ancient Age 10 year, Russell's Reserve 10 year, Pikesville 110 rye and Henry McKenna 10 year in it to get started.  Used a screw top bottle I had sitting around that I was contemplating selling on ebay...I kid, I kid.  Perhaps once I fill it I can sell it for 5 or 600 bucks though...I kid again 

 

 

[Richnimrod]

Hmmmmm.     Pretty Low-fill bottle.    I'd just kill it off ....Then, you could use it for a Solera!     I kid.

[EarthQuake]

I've tried this a couple times and each time what I end up with is like the worst qualities of the various whiskies. I'm not sure what it is or what I'm doing wrong.

 

Generally my vats have been a lot better when I focus it down to like 2-4 different sources, and especially if I start it with the vast majority being something I quite like, rather than many small parts of different whiskeys.

[lcpfratn]

I started a bourbon/rye solera bottle using an old WSR bottle about a month ago. Initial entries were about 1 to 1 1/2 ozs. from all the open bourbons and a couple ryes on my bar, which was around 15 bottles. I'll add more as bottles get opened, moved up from the bar cabinet or are close to empty. I won't  put anything that I hate in the mix, but some mediocre bourbons might occasionally make it in if I think it won't harm the mix. Thus far, it's pretty tasty!

[KyleCBreese]

Giving this a shot for the first time. Blended two ounces from each of the last 12 bottles that I've finished. Ended up at 102.925 proof. 

 

Jim Beam Black 8 Year

Four Roses OBSK

Evan Williams 2002

Smooth Ambler SB 11 Year

Hancock's

High West Midwinter Nights Dram

Old Forester 1920

Makers Mark Private Select

Russell's Reserve SB

Knob Creek SB

Old Grand Dad 114

Russell's Rye SB

[0895]

56 minutes ago, KyleCBreese said:

Giving this a shot for the first time. Blended two ounces from each of the last 12 bottles that I've finished. Ended up at 102.925 proof. 

 

Jim Beam Black 8 Year

Four Roses OBSK

Evan Williams 2002

Smooth Ambler SB 11 Year

Hancock's

High West Midwinter Nights Dram

Old Forester 1920

Makers Mark Private Select

Russell's Reserve SB

Knob Creek SB

Old Grand Dad 114

Russell's Rye SB

 

Very nice.  I like how you wrote it all on the bottle.

Also, the orphan type bottle was a great choice!

[Jfletchgu]

As I poured some HMkBIB into my solera/infinity bottled I figured I would snap a few pictures of my progress. I pour one full shot of every new type of bourbon I buy and toss it in (I did add a little baby saz to it). When it gets to the top I drink it down half way and wait to add more so there should always be at least a tiny bit left of every type I added. On a side note the bottle for American Born Bourbon has a pretty sweet "don't tread on me" bottle that has work perfect for this. Im still working to include more higher end stuff to it.

[Surtur]

I like the sounds of a Four Roses bottle. I’m working on a Wild turkey   bottle right now and it is great as expected. I drink more Wild Turkey products than anything else so it has quite a flavor to it with all the variation in the 101 the past few years. The last couple bottles I’ve opened have been outstanding.

 

also about done with my Everything bottle, which gets varying amounts of every type of whiskey, except limiteds. It now has mostly bourbon and rye, with minuscule amounts of Irish and scotch from Islay, Highland, and Speyside. It has a ton of flavor. I try  to only drink what I add in so it is always in flux

[brock957]

1 part OGD BIB

1 part GD 12

1 part WSR

1 part WR

1/2 part 1920 Prohibition ( from Texas )

1/2 part WTRB

Now here's the part you'll probably kill me for, I put a split vanilla in the bottle I let it blend for 2 weeks in.

I know you're probably turning up your noses at me, wondering whether to give me a warning, or just ban me. LOL.

It actually tastes pretty good.

I just saw that you can see me takin the picture in the mirror.

Edited February 5, 2018 by brock957

[bourbon4all]

5 hours ago, brock957 said:

1 part OGD BIB

1 part GD 12

1 part WSR

1 part WR

1/2 part 1920 Prohibition ( from Texas )

1/2 part WTRB

Now here's the part you'll probably kill me for, I put a split vanilla in the bottle I let it blend for 2 weeks in.

I know you're probably turning up your noses at me, wondering whether to give me a warning, or just ban me. LOL.

It actually tastes pretty good.

I just saw that you can see me takin the picture in the mirror.

I can tell you most here will tell you to drink it the way you want to and keep up the blends..... With tasting notes 

[CUfan99]

I started my 1st solera bottle yesterday. I started out thinking I would do 1 oz pours from my open bottles, but I stopped after my 1st three additions were all mashbill #1 BT products; ER10, BT and Stagg Jr 130 proof. Now I'm thinking I may keep it as a mashbill #1 or broader BT vat. Any opinions? 

[JCwhammie]

1 hour ago, CUfan99 said:

I started my 1st solera bottle yesterday. I started out thinking I would do 1 oz pours from my open bottles, but I stopped after my 1st three additions were all mashbill #1 BT products; ER10, BT and Stagg Jr 130 proof. Now I'm thinking I may keep it as a mashbill #1 or broader BT vat. Any opinions? 

I love mash bill #1, so I’d be on board with that. Throw some EHT SmB in next. 

I often mix Stagg Jr and BT together, which is right at 110 Proof. It’s pretty fantastic. If I can find some ER10 I’ll sub that for the BT. 

[El Vino]

To me part of the fun is the evolution of the blend.  So I add whatever I buy 1 ounce at a time.  If you narrow what you put in, its more of a vat than a solera.  Nothing wrong with that mind you, and I vat things frequently, but the solera is the cross section of my bourbon/rye adventure.  The only filter I apply is quality:  if I don’t like it on its own, I don’t add it it to the blend.  I have lost count how many things have gone in or the proof:  but it is one of my favorite pours.

[miller542]

13 hours ago, El Vino said:

its more of a vat than a solera.

 

Right, about half of this thread is simply a vat and not a solera.  Drink some of it, add something new to the mix, rinse, repeat.

[Jav]

I started one this weekend. I used an old Larceny bottle as I like the shape and the stickers all came off pretty easy without hassle.

 

I had a taste yesterday and while it was actually very good, it did have  a LOT going on in the sip.  I definitely went through about 5 different flavor profiles quickly, and they were each a bit different.  The finish was long and fantastic though.

 

I have a notebook, but from memory I put in 1.5 ounce pours of the following:

 

Old Forester 1920

KC 9 year (the last ounce or so I had of the NAS version)

KC NAS

Smooth Ambler Old Scout American Whiskey

Elijah Craig Small Batch

Eagle Rare

Buffalo Trace

Angels Envy

Wild Turkey 101

Henry McKenna 10 year BIB

 

 

[0895]

So I realized today that I was behind on my solera of 4R.  I also need more space.

Today I dumped the 375 ml bowman bottle into a recently emptied 4RSB 750 ml bottle,

made new labels, and added the missing 3 bottles to the "vat".

I call it a highly productive day. 

 

Looking towards the future, I think I should try to get a screw top 4R platinum Japanese bottle.  I think this would be a neat presentation for this project.

Anyone have one to donate to the cause?

 

Edited May 16, 2018 by 0895