High Octane! How do you rank Barrel Proof Bourbons?

[EarthQuake]

I'm a fan of barrel proofers, I'm curious to hear how everyone ranks those which they have tried. Feel free to include "close enough" bottles such as KCSB or 1792 FP.

 

I'll start:

 

1. George T Stagg (2015 or 2016, can't remember, had at a bar)
2. Stagg Jr Batch 8 129.5
3. CEHT BP 127
4. Four Roses OBSK Ace store pick 115 9 years 3 months
5. Four Roses Small Batch LE 2016 111
6. Knob Creek SB Ace store pick 120 12 years
7. OF 1920 115
8. Bookers (I've tried multiple batches)
9. Elijah Craig BP batch 12 136
10. Barrel 08b George Dickel 128

 

How do you rank them?

[Richnimrod]

In my experience the various Booker's 'batches' have all been good to very good; but only a couple have risen to star status, I'll rate Booker's a bit lower than ECBP, which have been very good to great as far as the several batches (8?) I've tried.    Stagg, Jr. has been hard to find around me, and the few (4?) I've had varied considerably with only one being stellar.   4-R has been inconsistent for me with a couple that I helped pick with the GBS being right up there; but several that I've had from other store selections being only good.    I don't include KC129, or 1792FP in this group, but if I did; a  private pick of each was stellar, and the rest were merely good.

 

Being a total fanboy of pretty much all the BTAC selections I've been lucky enough to try I'd list the whole category above all the aforementioned, with WLW being a consistent personal choice; but, of all the ones I've had, only once had the WLW exceeded the GTS, and 3-times the GTS was the best of the lot.

 

So, I nominate George T. Stagg as the 'King of Bourbons', with William Larue Weller being the Prime minister. 

This is just only my own personal opinion, and based upon my own unique, and sometimes odd, taste buddies.

[kevinbrink]

I could not do this if I tried, too many choices and since some are nothing but memories it's really hard to evaluate especially considering how my tastes have changed over time. 

[jshleffar]

George T Stagg, only had 2 pours so its limited experience but it haunts me how much I would love to get ahold of a bottle. 

WLW this stuff is fantastic and we all know it.

4Roses small batch LE

ECBP 

Stagg jr

CEHT BP

Knob Creek (I've got 3 of a 13 year store pick bunkered that is just awesome)

Bookers

1792 FP

Bulleit

Makers

OF1920

 

Im not including 4roses because the variety is too much to realistically rank

 

[BottledInBond]

The tough part about a topic like this is the wide variety of releases from each level. Which year of which release, everything in a WFE is basically Barrel Proof, etc. In general I would say:

 

GTS (personally I love 14, 12, 09)

FR small batch (2012, 2015, 2013)

One particular WFE barrel

PHC #1

WLW of various years

Booker's 25th & Booke's Rye

 

 

Thats my top tier above. I put Handy, a lot of other WFE, various ECBP, various Four Roses store picks, Blantons SFTB, PHC 4/6/8 on my second tier. 

Edited November 2, 2017 by BottledInBond

[BigSkyDrams]

46 minutes ago, Richnimrod said:

 

So, I nominate George T. Stagg as the 'King of Bourbons', with William Larue Weller being the Prime minister. 

This is just only my own personal opinion, and based upon my own unique, and sometimes odd, taste buddies.

I’ll second this nomination. Best two bottles I’ve ever had were 2015 GTS and 2016 WLW. Hard for me to rank one above the other, but both were phenomenal.

 

After that, my personal rankings become less clear. I would probably put ECBP (I’ve had about 3 bottles) above the Stagg Jrs (about 4 separate batches sampled), as the ECBPs I’ve had recently were just exceptional. I also really enjoy the OF1920, and would probably put that above Stagg Jr as well.

 

That said, ranking like this in hindsight is a tough task. Luckily I have the opportunity to sort out the ECBP, 1920, and Stagg Jr order with a side-by-side-by-side this weekend if mood strikes, and presuming I don’t overwhelmingly fatigue my palate from doing so. I’ll report back of I give it a try.

 

*Edit: I also rated Bookers pretty highly, but it’s been a long time since I’ve had any, so again a tough placement, though I’d probably put it on par with the ECBP from memory

Edited November 2, 2017 by BigSkyDrams
Forgot one

[petrel800]

Here comes the sideways looks.

 

Yes, the once a year heavy hitters (GTS, WLW, . . .) are typically great, epic, blah blah . . . etc.  That said, given the fact that the heavy hitters are few and far between, that makes this discussion deeper to me than just saying GTS or WLW.  

 

For me the top Barrel Proof Bourbon on the market has to go to ECBP.  Regular release, can be tougher to find, but its out there.  Great price.  In my book, on PAR with most annual special release stuff you will find.

 

The 4R barrel picks when they are available are right there too.  Still very accessible, still at a great price.  Even better if you can participate in the selection.  Gift stuff shop is typically very good to epic.

 

Finally, don't discount the Jack Daniels Cask Strength offering.  Heavy hitter and one of the best newer releases I've had in the last few years.

 

I could wax poetic about the once a year stuff and other stuff you'll never find or have to sell a kidney for, but you're not missing too much with the ECBP, 4R stuff and the JD offering.

[DCFan]

Of your list I’ve only had OF1920 (delicious) and Bookers which I gave away because I couldn’t stand it. All in all I’m not a fan of the high octane stuff.

Edited November 2, 2017 by DCFan

[graftonbc1]

Here I go: 

1 Elijah Craig A117

2. Four Roses OESQ, store select

3.  Any Bookers from 2016

4. 1792 Barrel Proof, store select

5.  Knob Creek 25th anniversary

[RWBadley]

I loves me some GTS. The 2012 was especially nice. The WLW in general also is right there. Variable to each year and your own tastes.

 

Of the stuff more commonly available the ECBP batch 11 seemed quite neck and neck with the GTS. Not better- not Much worse certainly.

 

The JDBP has been phenomenal

 

The Stagg Jr I'd rate a bit below the above, batch 4 and 5 were quite good, not sure as much about the more recent bottlings

 

The 1920 at 115 isn't quite BP, but close. It's a great pour- but considerably less complex than the others. A very nice 'clean' bourbon that with a little air time or ice presents a easy non challenging very tasty sort of experience.

 

The Four Roses barrel picks are also pretty nice, but so variable it's impossible to discuss other than generalities. The ones I've been getting vary in proof with some being a little lower than 120- rather than 125+

 

Some of the old bottlings of Willetts have been exceptional. Not sure where to find them now except secondary market or your bunker if your lucky.

 

Bookers to me is a good pour. Some bottles rate a bit higher than others. Given a similar price to ECBP it's an easy choice for me.The 25th was incredible, but long gone now.

 

The Knob Creek store picks at 120 proof have been meh to OK for me.

 

The EHTBP I like ok, again rather variable, but overall decent BT juice

 

Mostly, there's a place for all of it on the bar- I sure gravitate to the ECBP and the bottle level sure drops faster than the others

 

Cheers,

RW

[JCwhammie]

I’ve never had any BTAC. Here are my rankings for what I do have: 

1. Blanton’s SFTB

2. Stagg Jr 130 proof

2-4 4R OESQ, OESF, and OESK (in no specific order)

5. Belle Meade Single Barrel Cask Strength TWCP pick

6. WT Rare Breed

7. Bookers

8. ECBP 136 Proof 

9. 4R OBSK (I’ve read from multiple people that this is their favorite recipe. My bottle 8yr 9mo 51.6% that is lighter in color and lacks of any complexity compared to my other 4R.)

Edited November 2, 2017 by JCwhammie

[Limegoldconvertible68]

Now love for Rare Breed?  My current palate places it in 1st place. 

[DCFan]

18 minutes ago, Limegoldconvertible68 said:

Now love for Rare Breed?  My current palate places it in 1st place. 

I like it too but it wasn’t on the list. 

[Mako254]

31 minutes ago, Limegoldconvertible68 said:

Now love for Rare Breed?  My current palate places it in 1st place. 

 

I'll second that. A great pour. 

 

ECBP B517 

OBSO and OBSK cask strength. 

 

OGD 114 at $23 is hard to beat and IMO can hang with some of the bourbons on this list that are 2 or 3 times the price. 

[JCwhammie]

37 minutes ago, Limegoldconvertible68 said:

Now love for Rare Breed?  My current palate places it in 1st place. 

I enjoy Rare Breed quite a bit. It may not have been top 5 for me, but I’d put it at number 2 for bang-for-my-buck. I also love that, unlike many of the others, I can find it at basically the same price (give or take $5) at any store. That seems to be a challenge with most barrel proofs. 

[smokinjoe]

1.  George T. Stagg 

2.  Jack Daniel's Cask Strength

3.  Elijah Craig Barrel Proof

4.  Maker's Mark Cask Strength

5.  Wild Turkey Rare Breed 

 

if we were here to allow ryes, Thomas H Handy would jump into the 5 spot, and maybe all the way up to 3, or 2 even.

 

[tanstaafl2]

I don't know that I would even want to try to rank them as each have had their own unique charms. I thought the very first batch of ECBP (don't recall the proof) was pretty darn remarkable and a rival for any of the others I have had. The 2 SB.com HHSS was also way up there. Various FR PS bottles as well as the various annual LE's from FR have been right up there as well. I also had a barrel pick from my store of Old Scout (Barrel #666, the Highway to Hell bottle!) that was pretty remarkable as well. The PHC Wheated was also pretty remarkable.

 

GTS and WLW are pretty consistently excellent when I can find them although I haven't tried the newest GTS yet and I haven't even seen a WLW for the last couple of years.

Edited November 2, 2017 by tanstaafl2

[Kane]

Here we go, today's list below, tomorrow may be completely different

 

1) GTS

2) WLW

3) ECBP

4) JDSB BP (a big surprise, and my personal whiskey of the year)

5) CEHT

6) Stagg jr.

7) Booker's

...

99) Maker's CS

 

Given that I absolutely adore Booker's, I think I simply like high octane stuff in general.

[EarthQuake]

Interesting to see all the posts! Some of which reminded me of others I've had in the last year or so (MMCS and WTRB). I keep a database with scores and tasting notes, and also a sample archive if I want to try something again (I broke out the ECBP sample recently when trying to decide if I should pick up a bottle of the latest batch and confirmed that it's not something I particularly like), which is why I can put together a list like this that I'm fairly confident in. I'm sure if I tried them all blind the order would switch up a little bit, but I doubt much. Saying that, the majority of these I've managed to try in the last year or so, so they're relatively fresh in my memory. I can't imagine ranking things I've tried years ago, but again that's where notes come in handy.

 

1. George T Stagg (2015 or 2016, can't remember, had at a bar)
2. Stagg Jr Batch 8 129.5
3. CEHT BP 127
4. Four Roses OBSK Ace store pick 115 9 years 3 months
5. Four Roses Small Batch LE 2016 111
6. Knob Creek SB Ace store pick 120 12 years
7. OF 1920 115
8. Bookers (I've tried multiple batches)
9. Wild Turkey Rare Breed
10. Elijah Craig BP batch 12 136
11. Maker's Mark CS
12. Barrel 08b George Dickel 128

Edited November 3, 2017 by EarthQuake

[Charlutz]

My own list looks like everyone else’s: GTS, WLW, THH, Blanton’s SFTB, Stagg Jr., ECBP and Booker’s. But... where is the SAOS in this thread? Nobody?  Not even the Sarah bottles? 

Edited November 3, 2017 by Charlutz

[PaulO]

The first bottles of ECBP wowed me.  I have a few bunkered; haven't had any for a while.  It's not so easy to find.

The latest Rare Breed is very nice.

KCSB does have the single barrel variability.  All the ones I've tried have been pretty good.  I know a place that puts it on sale now and then ~$30.  That's hard to beat.

OGD 114 - shh don't tell anyone.

 

One negative is my reaction to Stagg Jr.  It tasted like: really mediocre whiskey, not very old, just high proof.

[fishnbowljoe]

As far as what I've had fairly recently...... (FWIW, #1 is pretty much a tie as is #4.)

 

#1. 2007 WLW, 117.9

#1. SB HHSS barrel #2, 124.6 proof

#3. Stagg Jr. batch #8  129.5 proof

#4. FR's ps OBSV, 118.2 proof

#4. KCSB ps 120 proof

#6. Old Forester 1920, 115 proof

 

Cheers! Joe

 

[bourbon4all]

2 hours ago, fishnbowljoe said:

As far as what I've had fairly recently...... (FWIW, #1 is pretty much a tie as is #4.)

 

#1. 2007 WLW, 117.9

#1. SB HHSS barrel #2, 124.6 proof

#3. Stagg Jr. batch #8  129.5 proof

#4. FR's ps OBSV, 118.2 proof

#4. KCSB ps 120 proof

#6. Old Forester 1920, 115 proof

 

Cheers! Joe

 

Batch 8 was good wasn't it

[LCWoody]

My top favorites are: 1- '91 RB (one of the best bourbons of all time)

                                  2- WFR 20y (and a few others)

                                  3- SAOS barrel 4116 (and a few others)

                                  4- GTS '09

                                  5- The 1st ECBP, several other GTS & WLW, Bookers 25th, all PH BP

Edited November 3, 2017 by LCWoody

[kevinbrink]

7 hours ago, bourbon4all said:

Batch 8 was good wasn't it

Might be the only one I really like personally. Most are a hot mess to me.