The Oak Quest..

[BeAnalog]

Ok guys and gals I need your help.

I am on a quest to find the oakiest bourbon I could find and actually buy in NC. What have you found to be best?

 

 

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[Paddy]

Of what's readily available to you, I'd recommend KCSB.  Others of note would be WTRRSB, ECSmb, HMBIB and ER10. 

[DCFan]

WRDO?

[miller542]

I second McKenna 10yr SB.  Also try MM46.

[BeAnalog]

Hmm, so far not bad. I have had some of these. Not sure of a couple of these acronyms...lol

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[DCFan]

Woodford Reserve Double Oak. I myself have not tried it but it sounds oaky. 

[JCwhammie]

I second the KCSB (Knob Creek Single Barrel) as long as you can find a store pick. A store here locally just got a barrel of 14yr 2mo, so I’m sure somewhere close to you has some close to the same age. 

[fishnbowljoe]

Jim Beam Double Oak, and Jim Beam Devil's Cut are a couple others you might want to check out also.

 

Biba! Joe

[EarthQuake]

Well first off I don't know what is available in NC, but Oprhan Barrel Barterhouse or Forged Oak are probably the oakiest you could find without spending a fortune. Not something you're likely to find on every shelf but they shouldn't be too hard to track down either. OB Rhetoric 20-23 year as well but that's a little harder to find and more expensive, but it shouldn't be impossible to find a Rhetoric 22 or 23 at retail.

 

Also, 25+ year old Armagnac or Cognac tend to be great for oak reasons.

Edited December 21, 2017 by EarthQuake

[DeepCover]

Orphan Barrel Barterhouse 

[Jfletchgu]

1 hour ago, fishnbowljoe said:

Jim Beam Double Oak, and Jim Beam Devil's Cut are a couple others you might want to check out also.

 

Biba! Joe

I'll second JB devil's cut. Its about as oak forward as you can get. To me it tastes like chewing on a bourbon barrel stave (not something I would drink all the time, but I do enjoy it every once in a while as a change of pace).

Edited December 21, 2017 by Jfletchgu

[Richnimrod]

1 hour ago, DeepCover said:

Orphan Barrel Barterhouse 

^^^^This!!!    If Barterhouse doesn't set your upper limit for oak, you have a very oak-tolerant palate.

 

It's very oak forward, AND, it ain't a bit cheap.     In fact I'd say it's over the limit for many... in both 'woodiness' and price.

Edited December 21, 2017 by Richnimrod
More Stuph...

[$helby]

2 hours ago, DCFan said:

Woodford Reserve Double Oak. I myself have not tried it but it sounds oaky. 

I have and it's truly oaky.   Not one I particularly liked but I suspect it would fit per the original request and is readily available in NC

[kevinbrink]

16 minutes ago, Richnimrod said:

^^^^This!!!    If Barterhouse doesn't set your upper limit for oak, you have a very oak-tolerant palate.

 

It's very oak forward, AND, it ain't a bit cheap.     In fact I'd say it's over the limit for many... in both 'woodiness' and price.

I would guess it is the filtering that OB does but I find Barterhouse less over the top Oaky then EC 23 or even the last bottle of 18 I tried, they are also proof similarly and OB is (at least when I see the EC's on the shelf) $40ish to $80ish dollars cheaper. I am no fan of OB but they do give you the lowest price of entry for the age statement range with Barterhouse, it's the one OB I like to have on the shelf.

[lcpfratn]

I would guess it is the filtering that OB does but I find Barterhouse less over the top Oaky then EC 23 or even the last bottle of 18 I tried, they are also proof similarly and OB is (at least when I see the EC's on the shelf) $40ish to $80ish dollars cheaper. I am no fan of OB but they do give you the lowest price of entry for the age statement range with Barterhouse, it's the one OB I like to have on the shelf.

I haven't had EC23, but I certainly agree that Barterhouse isn't as oaky as EC18, and is a much better value than EC18 in my area, but I like them both.


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[EarthQuake]

I haven't done a side by side, as I've only had EC18 once at a bar, but I was surprised by how similar the flavor profile is for EC18 and Barterhouse. Barterhouse was supposedly distilled at New Bernheim, which is of course now Heaven Hill's main distillery, so I guess the flavor profile similarity shouldn't surprise me. Really, putting two and two together it's surprising that Barterhouse doesn't get the sort of hype that EC18 does, but I guess a lot of people get upset about OB's marketing. In any case I agree, at $80-90 or for a damn good 20 year old bourbon, Barterhouse can't be beat.

 

I do not recall EC18 being noticeably more oaky than Barterhouse, but it was only one pour. I have a few bottles of Barterhouse here but unfortunately no EC18 to do further research, and that will likely continue as I can usually find Barterhouse for half or less than what I would have to pony up for a bottle of EC18. I'll probably try a pour of EC23 sometime when I can find it at a bar.

 

I'm a real sucker for oak and find that Barterhouse/EC18 have a near ideal amount of oak, certainly not too much though I know some will disagree. In fact, the only bourbon I've ever had that I would say was overoaked was Parker's Heritage 24 year, which has a really strange almost herbal character to it. One of the weirdest bourbon's I've ever tried.

 

I've got a 40 year old Dartigalongue 1976 Armagnac that I've been sipping on tonight. I would say it is on the verge or slightly over-oaked. Armagnac is generally stored in much bigger barrels, so it can age longer without taking on an excessive amount of oak.

 

 

Edited December 21, 2017 by EarthQuake

[NYCBourbon]

4 hours ago, JCwhammie said:

I second the KCSB (Knob Creek Single Barrel) as long as you can find a store pick. A store here locally just got a barrel of 14yr 2mo, so I’m sure somewhere close to you has some close to the same age. 

All the KC’s I’ve had above 12 years have been (delicious) oak monsters, that’s a great way to go. As someone else suggested Barterhouse is also a great option. A 20 year old bourbon under $100 in the current market is a good deal in my book. I’ll replace the bottle I have when it’s gone. 

[NYCBourbon]

13 minutes ago, EarthQuake said:

I haven't done a side by side, as I've only had EC18 once at a bar, but I was surprised by how similar the flavor profile is for EC18 and Barterhouse. Barterhouse was supposedly distilled at New Bernheim, which is of course now Heaven Hill's main distillery, so I guess the flavor profile similarity shouldn't surprise me. Really, putting two and two together it's surprising that Barterhouse doesn't get the sort of hype that EC18 does, but I guess a lot of people get upset about OB's marketing. In any case I agree, at $80-90 or for a damn good 20 year old bourbon, Barterhouse can't be beat.

 

I do not recall EC18 being noticeably more oaky than Barterhouse, but it was only one pour. I have a few bottles of Barterhouse here but unfortunately no EC18 to do further research, and that will likely continue as I can usually find Barterhouse for half or less than what I would have to pony up for a bottle of EC18. I'll probably try a pour of EC23 sometime when I can find it at a bar.

 

I'm a real sucker for oak and find that Barterhouse/EC18 have a near ideal amount of oak, certainly not too much though I know some will disagree. In fact, the only bourbon I've ever had that I would say was overoaked was Parker's Heritage 24 year, which has a really strange almost herbal character to it. One of the weirdest bourbon's I've ever tried.

 

I've got a 40 year old Dartigalongue 1976 Armagnac that I've been sipping on tonight. I would say it is on the verge or slightly over-oaked. Armagnac is generally stored in much bigger barrels, so it can age longer without taking on an excessive amount of oak.

 

 

Great summary, totally agree. I actually liked Barterhouse better than the EC18 I currently have open until the latter got some air in the bottle. Very similar profile as you said; the Barterhouse is just a bit more oily than the EC18 which is probably attributable to the difference in proof. I get hating on the marketing for Orphan Barrel but I have a really hard time seeing complaining about a 20 year old bourbon at that price point.

[BeAnalog]

Woodford Reserve Double Oak. I myself have not tried it but it sounds oaky. [emoji3]

I have woodford reserve double oak and it's very good. Not sure if it's worth the price but yes, great flavor. One of my favorites. I have also tried MM cast strength and liked it as well but I wouldn't say it's stronger on the oak flavor. It's probably the only Makers I like.

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[tigerlam92]

Old Blowhard would be oakier than Barterhouse for Orphan Barrel, you may still find some.

Hirsch 25 Yr Rye is one of the more oakier from the past.

[EarthQuake]

I got myself a bottle of Rheotoric 23 for Christmas, very similar to Barterhouse but it takes the oak up a notch. It shouldn't be impossible to find.

Edited January 7, 2018 by EarthQuake

[smokinjoe]

28 minutes ago, Whiskey Junkie said:

I believe there is a Double Double Oaked also if you can find it.

I call dibs on getting approval for especial SB approved abbreviation of D2O!!!  

[DCFan]

34 minutes ago, Whiskey Junkie said:

I believe there is a Double Double Oaked also if you can find it.

Whoa, that even beats double secret probation. 

 

 

[DeepCover]

5 hours ago, Whiskey Junkie said:

I believe there is a Double Double Oaked also if you can find it.

Indeed there is. It's at the distillery, but I've also seen it at Evergreen Liquor outside Louisville. IIRC, it's about $45 for a 375ml. 

[kevinbrink]

A couple places in NY have Double Double Oaked 375's priced between $49 and $65 which makes me think they got it through a distributer, pretty sure it would be marked up more if it wasn't. They ship so if someone is interested shoot me a PM