El Vino Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 (edited) I have seen comments by board members on their personal "solera" bottle. I am one week into a seven week diet program which allows no alcohol. Now common sense would suggest I stay away of my wine/whiskey bar. Well, oops. So I decided to take one ounce from each of my 13 open American whiskey's and start my own solera bottle. This will be my first pour six weeks from now. I decided not to add any contents from my open scotch bottles. It smells great! For those that have solera bottles, what are you thoughts on adding Scotch to the mingle? Look forward to the board's thoughts and experience. For the record, the initial contents of my personal solera bottle are: 1 ounce each of 8YO MGP Rye at 60.9% from Single Cask Nation, Michters Barrel Strength Rye Batch 1 at 54.5%, Michter's 10YO at 47.2%, 1792 RR Astor private selection at 46.85%, 1792 FP Release 1 at 62.5%, ECBP Batch 9 at 67.8%, CEHT Barrel Proof Release 1 at 67.25%, Makers 46 at 47%, Larceny ay 48%, EWSB 2004 Liquor Outlet private barrel at 43.3%, Journeyman Featherbone at 59.6%, and OWA private barrrel from Bayway at 53.5%. Edited January 28, 2017 by El Vino Correct grammar. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garbanzobean Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 I started a Solera bottle back in 2013 or 2014. I keep a list of what I put into it with it. I also have a "cask ends" decanter where I put bourbon and rye I don't want to drink anymore. I use this for cocktails, cooking, etc. Mixing scotch and bourbon is an interesting novelty, but I don't recommend putting it into your Solera. I suggest doing a separate Solera bottle for your scotch. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeTerp Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 I like this idea. I think I want to create a Four-ty Roses one 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Vino Posted January 28, 2017 Author Share Posted January 28, 2017 (edited) I like the idea of a lifetime 4R mingle, and a BT mingle and a WT mingle, and a scotch mingle... I had a glass decanter with a glass stopper for my first attempt. I don't keep empty bottles, so I'm going to have to wait until I have an empty to start my next solera bottle. Edited January 28, 2017 by El Vino 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinjoe Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 I had one of these going about 10 yrs ago. Kept it in the garage beer fridge. Kind of a fun way to make an event of killing off a bottle. I would write down what it was. Then, I ran out of space on the paper about the same time the pen fell off its holder on the fridge door and rolled under the fridge. Those obstacles became too much to overcome. So, I quit... If I can summon the intestinal fortitude, I may start another one... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcbt Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 This seems to be all the rage right now. I've never tried it, though parts of it seem appealing. But I think I'm too OCD to allow me to ultimately enjoy the process. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mosugoji64 Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 I think you guys have given me an idea of what to do with my FR '09 Mariage bottle! Mrs. Mosugoji made an impromptu solera bottle at the Sampler in Bardstown every year. Since she doesn't drink whiskey, she would take an empty bottle in her purse and dump all of the samples into it. She called it her "Sampler Sampler." Everyone would have the opportunity to give it a spin at the gazebo later that evening. The results were sometimes unremarkable and sometimes pretty good. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richnimrod Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 I used to try to write down each addition to my own 'Solera'; but became "unmotivated" at some point after about 30-different things having been added. I will say this about the practice of periodically adding Bourbons (and a couple of straight ryes)... I've yet to be disappointed by any of the pours I've had from the solera. Sometimes the poyurs from that bottle seem FABULOUS to me. It isn't always stellar ; but, I assume ...sometimes.. often? my palate is missing the best of it, and maybe sometimes I've added something(s) that didn't benefit the overall mingle. It';s kina fun, and helps me gain space when looking at a low-fill bottle that I'm not likely drain right away. I will also say; I don't ever put anything into it that I find lousy. If I wind up with a Bourbon I just really don't care for, I either use it in highballs, whiskey sours, old fashioneds, cough medicine (whiskey, honey, lemon juice), or give it away.... last option, which I've only ever done once is to pour it out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottledInBond Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 I have a current solera decanter that's been going for about 3 years. Some nice pours have gone into that thing but I've never written anything down. My friends often like pours out of this better than most individual bottles 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvd99 Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 I've got the itch now, I think I'm going to get my own solera going. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mosugoji64 Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 I had a couple of 50mL samples from last years' Sampler Sampler set aside and tried some last night after being reminded by this thread. It's pretty tasty and solidified my interest in starting a solera bottle. Thanks for the inspiration, guys! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvd99 Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 OK - got it started with the following in an OWA bottle. I like the screw cap for this long long term project OWA 5oz EC18 2oz OF1920 2oz Blantons Gold 1oz FR OESK Binny's 2oz WTRR Binny's 2oz not going to keep track except to write down what went in and when. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 I have what I call my Frankenstein bottle which is as much of the leftover Four Roses I can gather up at the end of a barrel selection. Not entirely sure what is in their each time! On 1/28/2017 at 10:24 AM, El Vino said: I decided not to add any contents from my open scotch bottles. It smells great! For those that have solera bottles, what are you thoughts on adding Scotch to the mingle? Look forward to the board's thoughts and experience. If you want to get a sense of what a mingle with bourbon and scotch might be like there is always the HW Campfire. It uses a peated (but not Islay) scotch and my understanding is that it is only a small portion of the blend. It also has some rye thrown in for good measure. Unpeated scotch might be a bit less dominating but I wouldn't start out blending too much bourbon and scotch from the beginning. Probably best to try it in small quantities until you get a feel for whether you like it! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berto Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 (edited) I have one that's a hot mess. Very unbalanced right now. It's in the IW Harper 15 bottle though so at least it looks nice. Edited January 30, 2017 by berto 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0895 Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 I'm really glad this thread was started. I'm definitely doing a 4 roses bottle. Since I have all 10 recipes, a few SB's and SmB's, and a couple LE's, this should be brilliant! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Vino Posted February 3, 2017 Author Share Posted February 3, 2017 I added two more to the mingle (ER 10 and Makers Cask Strength) and...will power failed my diet. I took a very small sip this evening after a particularly difficult week at work. My initial impression was great, but was struck by the complexity. I don't have too much experience with four-grain whiskey's but I wonder if it is the luck of the mingle or a characteristic of four grain whiskeys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bourbon4all Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 I just started one of these and having a lot of fun with it. Like being a master distiller.... (with boat loads of options) needs a little sweet needs a little less heat needs to be drank. yum 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzhead Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 I have a rum solera bottle that began with a mistake and now is one tasty dram. I bought a bottle of Kinniche 12 from Total Wine expecting a classic Barbados rum but getting an undrinkable cinnamon bomb. So I cut it basically 50-50 with a dry gold Granadan rum and produced a tolerable concoction. But after a while the bottle began to get damn good, especially when I added a third of Smith and Cross, a truly unique Jamaican funkmeister. A few tweaks since then, mostly from more true-to-type Barbadans, and I gotta say this could be the best rum bottle on my shelf. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvd99 Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 I added a healthy dose of SAOS 10 100 and ER, plus another splash of Bookers. A fairly accurate estimation is the bottle is 100 proof. After the initial construction of a full bottle, I'll never know what the ABV is again because I'm not going to measure out what I've poured out, then precisely track what goes in and constantly recalculate. I'd lose interest way too fast if i did that. Ill just drink some, then pour something new in and roll with whatever happens. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bourbon4all Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 Blending's fun! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jkersh Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 I've been in the process of trying a "wheated" one and a "rye" one just to see what comes of it. So far pretty interesting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0895 Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 (edited) Since I was off work today and its 25 degrees outside, I decided it would be the perfect day to start my 4R solera bottle. I put approx 1.30 oz of all 10 recipes plus the two SmB LE's (2015 & 2016) I have open. I also had to sample a few to make sure they were still good.... The bottle is a little 375ml A. Bowman that I finished off the other night. I really like the bottle and in order to justify keeping it with the wife, I need to make it useful (yeah, I know....but I don't have an empty 4R bottle right now). Yes, it's slightly small, but so far so good. I have not tasted the "mingle" yet. Figure I'll wait a bit to let it get together. Further 4R will be added to it in the future as I buy or open them. Edited February 9, 2017 by 0895 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dSculptor Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 1 hour ago, 0895 said: Since I was off work today and its 25 degrees outside, I decided it would be the perfect day to start my 4R solera bottle. I put approx 1.30 oz of all 10 recipes plus the two SmB LE's (2015 & 2016) I have open. I also had to sample a few to make sure they were still good.... The bottle is a little 375ml A. Bowman that I finished off the other night. I really like the bottle and in order to justify keeping it with the wife, I need to make it useful (yeah, I know....but I don't have an empty 4R bottle right now). Yes, it's slightly small, but so far so good. I have not tasted the "mingle" yet. Figure I'll wait a bit to let it get together. Further 4R will be added to it in the future as I buy or open them. Dude...nice vat! I think you'd call that a dozen roses, or 12 roses! Bet it's damn good! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0895 Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 18 minutes ago, dSculptor said: Dude...nice vat! I think you'd call that a dozen roses, or 12 roses! Bet it's damn good! Ha, yes. I just now realized I put 12 different in the bottle. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flahute Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 5 hours ago, 0895 said: Since I was off work today and its 25 degrees outside, I decided it would be the perfect day to start my 4R solera bottle. I put approx 1.30 oz of all 10 recipes plus the two SmB LE's (2015 & 2016) I have open. I also had to sample a few to make sure they were still good.... The bottle is a little 375ml A. Bowman that I finished off the other night. I really like the bottle and in order to justify keeping it with the wife, I need to make it useful (yeah, I know....but I don't have an empty 4R bottle right now). Yes, it's slightly small, but so far so good. I have not tasted the "mingle" yet. Figure I'll wait a bit to let it get together. Further 4R will be added to it in the future as I buy or open them. The cult approves of this message. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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