What bottle did you open today? Spring 2017

[DeepCover]

@HoustonNit

Two bottles purchased and already 2 SBS comparisons, same day no less. I admire your dedication.

[HoustonNit]

@Deepcover I have no self control, thanks for giving me the heads up on these.

[DeepCover]

@HoustonNit

Admittedly, I can be a bad influence.

[beasled]

Decided to crack this... Cheers!

[CardsandBourbon]

If you know what I picked up yesterday then the following should not surprise you.  My idea of a Sunday dinner:

 

 

Steak with Broccoli & Angel hair pasta with fresh herbs, rosemary & olive oil bread washed down with some GTS Jr.

[MrAtomic]

I bought a 1.75 of Weller SR a few days ago and opened as soon as I got home, so it could get a little air. Of course, I had to drink some, too. You know -- to make more space in the bottle for, uh, air.

 

Anyhoo, I sat down with it again tonight and it's a real bummer of a bottle. Weller 12 was my everyday bourbon for 7-8 years. When that got scarce I happily switched to 7 year-old OWA in the "barrel bottle" and then the red-capped bottle with the clear plastic label. That, too, was great stuff. When it disappeared a few years ago I grudgingly switched to NAS Weller SR with the green cap and plastic label. Happily, I found that I liked the SR quite a bit. More than standard-issue MM, MM46, or Larceny, at least.

 

This new bottle, though, is crap. It has no personality at all and no traits I can identify. Tasted blind there's no way I'd peg it as a wheater, let alone a Weller. I know it's just one bottle, but it's emblematic of why I drifted away from the bourbon world a couple of years ago. I'm happy to be back, but I won't be giving my money to BT any longer. There's enough Weller 12, Centennial, and Antique in the bunker to last me a little while. When it's gone I'll find something else.

 

Actually, I've already found my "something else." It's  It's Henry McKenna BIB. This baby has become my go-to bottle, and at less than $30 it's a cheap and cheerful reminder that I/we don't have to play BT's game to drink fantastic, easily obtained bourbon. I'm sad to be walking away from Weller after so many years, but I'll wipe away my salty, wheated tears over a glass of HH BIB. 

[HoustonNit]

^Oh no that's not good to hear. I also recently purchased a 1.75L of W12 and this is bad news. I'm in the process of finishing of a bottle of the older plastic label I bought earlier this year. It's really good but it's not super complex just tasty easy drinking whiskey. I also have a bottle of HMcK10 that I'm really liking but would take W12 over it. If you really like HMcK try to find some EC SB selections. I have two 10 year old version of these and right now I prefer them over HMcK10 and EC12, love these HH offerings. Last get some RY10YRSB I prefer this over everything just mentioned. It's HH, 10yrs old SB and a wheater.

[MrAtomic]

44 minutes ago, HoustonNit said:

^Oh no that's not good to hear. I also recently purchased a 1.75L of W12 and this is bad news. I'm in the process of finishing of a bottle of the older plastic label I bought earlier this year. It's really good but it's not super complex just tasty easy drinking whiskey. I also have a bottle of HMcK10 that I'm really liking but would take W12 over it. If you really like HMcK try to find some EC SB selections. I have two 10 year old version of these and right now I prefer them over HMcK10 and EC12, love these HH offerings. Last get some RY10YRSB I prefer this over everything just mentioned. It's HH, 10yrs old SB and a wheater.

 

Thank you!

 

I've been out of the bourbon game for a couple of years, but am eager to get back in. I'll definitely take your suggestion to try the 10 YO Rebel Yell. I passed up a couple of them earlier this week, so I'll go back and grab one.

 

I'm sorry for peeing all over your glee about finding some Weller 12. I always loved the 12 for the reasons you wrote: it was tasty, easy drinking stuff. Hopefully, your bottle is at least as good as it's been for the past couple of years. My guess is it's worlds better than the SR I'm drinking. And just in case, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

 

Thanks also for the tip about the Elijah Craig Small Batch. I've been passing up the standard EC because of the lack of an age statement, but will try to find some of the Small Batch. When I find one, I'll A/B it against some of the old, brown label 12-YO Barrel Proof EC I still have somewhere. That was great stuff! Man, now I'm remembering that when we moved to TX a couple of years ago, I ran out of boxes/packing material for my whiskey bottles and in the panic of packing I ended up giving away 2 bottles of the ECBP to neighbors I barely knew. D'oh!

Edited June 26, 2017 by MrAtomic
me no spell so good

[HoustonNit]

 
Thank you!
 
I've been out of the bourbon game for a couple of years, but am eager to get back in. I'll definitely take your suggestion to try the 10 YO Rebel Yell. I passed up a couple of them earlier this week, so I'll go back and grab one.
 
I'm sorry for peeing all over your glee about finding some Weller 12. I always loved the 12 for the reasons you wrote: it was tasty, easy drinking stuff. Hopefully, your bottle is at least as good as it's been for the past couple of years. My guess is it's worlds better than the SR I'm drinking. And just in case, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
 
Thanks also for the tip about the Elijah Craig Small Batch. I've been passing up the standard EC because of the lack of an age statement, but will try to find some of the Small Batch. When I find one, I'll A/B it against some of the old, brown label 12-YO Barrel Proof EC I still have somewhere. That was great stuff! Man, now I'm remembering that when we moved to TX a couple of years ago, I ran out of boxes/packing material for my whiskey bottles and in the panic of packing I ended up giving away 2 bottles of the ECBP to neighbors I barely knew. D'oh!

I should clarify my experience with the non age stated EC has only been single barrel selections from stores or bars can't comment on the standard stuff. The SB selects of EC are probably a safer bet than HMcK10 but I would take HMcK10 over standard EC small batch.

[flahute]

1 hour ago, MrAtomic said:

 

Anyhoo, I sat down with it again tonight and it's a real bummer of a bottle. Weller 12 was my everyday bourbon for 7-8 years.

This is not the first extremely negative report I've heard on the latest batch of W12.

[Clueby]

8 hours ago, flahute said:

This is not the first extremely negative report I've heard on the latest batch of W12.

I thought his review and comments were on a newly purchased bottle of Weller Special Reserve and he just mentions W12 in passing as something he used to drink. I don't think the negative comments were directed at W12.

FWIW, I just bought a new bottle of WSR and don't really notice any difference to any I've purchased over the last 4 or 5 years. 

[HoustonNit]

^Not sure how I missed that was drinking some EC12...

[flahute]

1 hour ago, Clueby said:

I thought his review and comments were on a newly purchased bottle of Weller Special Reserve and he just mentions W12 in passing as something he used to drink. I don't think the negative comments were directed at W12.

FWIW, I just bought a new bottle of WSR and don't really notice any difference to any I've purchased over the last 4 or 5 years. 

Whoops....you're correct. That's what I get for multitasking while reading. 

I am still curious to hear from recent W12 purchasers to see if there is a trend.

[GeeTen]

20 hours ago, flahute said:

I am still curious to hear from recent W12 purchasers to see if there is a trend.

 

Hey Steve,

 

I was waiting to run through my stash of pot-bellied W12s before opening the new bottle W12 - BUT I'll take one for the team and do a SBS next week when I get back from spending the 4th of July week on Block Island, RI with the grandkids at the "beach house."    

 

[fishnbowljoe]

3 hours ago, GeeTen said:

 

Hey Steve,

 

I was waiting to run through my stash of pot-bellied W12s before opening the new bottle W12 - BUT I'll take one for the team and do a SBS next week when I get back from spending the 4th of July week on Block Island, RI with the grandkids at the "beach house."    

 

 

 

I'm curious too Gee. Thanks for taking one for the team. I know it's rough, but somebody has to do it.

 

Cheers! Joe

[HoustonNit]

 
 
I'm curious too Gee. Thanks for taking one for the team. I know it's rough, but somebody has to do it.[emoji6]
 
Cheers! Joe

We'll see how things go but I'm almost done with a bottle of W12, I'll try to open my new bottle tonight. Yes it's a tough lot to have to drink some W12.

[kevinbrink]

Cracked 1792 High Rye, exceeded expectations, might pop the Sweet Wheat next.

[dcbt]

3 minutes ago, kevinbrink said:

Cracked 1792 High Rye, exceeded expectations, might pop the Sweet Wheat next.

Don't.  You'll be disappointed after the High Rye.  Just my opinion, the High Rye is their best offering.

[kevinbrink]

1 minute ago, dcbt said:

Don't.  You'll be disappointed after the High Rye.  Just my opinion, the High Rye is their best offering.

Spot on, it's not terrible, but clearly not in the same league. Started my night with ECBP A117, then had a blend of JBB 8yr KCSB blend, then the 1792 High Rye and now the Sweet Wheat they were consumed in the order I enjoyed them.

[HoustonNit]

We'll see how things go but I'm almost done with a bottle of W12, I'll try to open my new bottle tonight. Yes it's a tough lot to have to drink some W12.

Sorry was in the mood for something different tonight had a 12yr KCSB pick that I really enjoyed tonight. Followed with a pour of a just opened SAOS SB cask strength. 11yrs 49.8%. The SAOS was kind of boring. My last bottle was a 11yr over 60% which was significantly better. Have a sample left from that one and will need to do a SBS.

[lcpfratn]

Opened a bottle of Jefferson's Reserve Pritchard Hill Cabernet Cask Finished Bourbon this evening that I received for my birthday. It is a very unique pour. I like it, but will have to have a few more pours before I'll be able to say whether or not I love it. 

[flahute]

3 hours ago, dcbt said:

Don't.  You'll be disappointed after the High Rye.  Just my opinion, the High Rye is their best offering.

Agree with dcbt.

I'm a big fan of Sweet Wheat, but you should never follow high rye bourbons with wheaters. Well, not never, but just be aware that wheaters can taste tame after the spice of high rye.

[Richnimrod]

I opened the bottle I scored a couple days back of a store pick (I helped select it!) of Knob Creek SB 120.    This one is very nearly 12-years old; but virtually no wood over what you'd expect with KC.

As I recalled from the pick this is all about the sweet side of Jim Beam's mashbill. 

In my experience KC has always been one of the sweeter profiles in the JB line (along with Booker's).     This one is that in spades.    All about sweet caramel and brown sugar, and it drinks like about 107 rather than 120.

I don't always want one this sweet; but when I do this one will certainly fill the bill. 

I'll have to grab another couple of these! 

[mbroo5880i]

2 hours ago, Richnimrod said:

I opened the bottle I scored a couple days back of a store pick (I helped select it!) of Knob Creek SB 120.    This one is very nearly 12-years old; but virtually no wood over what you'd expect with KC.

As I recalled from the pick this is all about the sweet side of Jim Beam's mashbill. 

In my experience KC has always been one of the sweeter profiles in the JB line (along with Booker's).     This one is that in spades.    All about sweet caramel and brown sugar, and it drinks like about 107 rather than 120.

I don't always want one this sweet; but when I do this one will certainly fill the bill. 

I'll have to grab another couple of these! 

 

KCSB is a really interesting bourbon.  I do like the sweet brown sugary and caramel bottles, but I also like the cinnamony and spicy bottles, but I also like the baking spice and leathery bottles, but I also like.....

[OldFitzWithTheGoldLabel]

Open a Willett for the 4th of July


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