James Thompson & Brother 45 year old Final Reserve

[$helby]

It appears that this limited release will benefit the Purple Heart Foundation with 100% of the sales going to charity.  I can't believe a 45 year Bourbon would be drinkable but sure do believe in the cause.   Your thoughts? 

[flahute]

Love the cause.

Also don't think 45yr old bourbon would taste good (even after the aggressive filtering it's likely gone through).

I will let others chase after this.

[Harry in WashDC]

2 minutes ago, flahute said:

Love the cause.

Also don't think 45yr old bourbon would taste good (even after the aggressive filtering it's likely gone through).

I will let others chase after this.

While Steve typed, I browsed.  (Search was for "James Thompson and Brother" and got several good hits.)  $1,800 for a 750 and a 100ml so you can taste without opening the large bottle.  Supposedly, it is potable AND not bad.  90% of proceeds go the the MOH Assn and 10% to the Frazier History Museum in Louisville.  Like Flahute, however, I'll give cash diretly to the orgs and use the balance to restock my bunker.  Nevertheless, this is a nice story worht thinking about instead of ignoring.

[Mako254]

1 hour ago, Harry in WashDC said:

While Steve typed, I browsed.  (Search was for "James Thompson and Brother" and got several good hits.)  $1,800 for a 750 and a 100ml so you can taste without opening the large bottle.  Supposedly, it is potable AND not bad.  90% of proceeds go the the MOH Assn and 10% to the Frazier History Museum in Louisville.  Like Flahute, however, I'll give cash diretly to the orgs and use the balance to restock my bunker.  Nevertheless, this is a nice story worht thinking about instead of ignoring.

 

I like the 750 plus 100 concept. 

[Harry in WashDC]

2 hours ago, Mako254 said:

 

I like the 750 plus 100 concept. 

I do, too.  The only thing better (and a thing that would mean I have about a dozen fewer once-tasted bottles hanging around forever) would be "LEMME BUY 100 ml FOR A SOMEWHAT INFLATED PRICE BEFORE I POP FOR A 750 AT AN EGREGIOUS PRICE CONSIDERING WHAT I'M GETTING!!!!"

[WhiskeyBlender]

I totally agree that due to the way it is distilled, a 45 year old bourbon does not sound great. Unlike a brandy (Cognac, Armagnac, Calvados, etc.) of similar age, which has the requisite fatty acids and congener content to hold up to that kind of long term maturation, most bourbons aren't created to withstand that length of time. Nevertheless, I'm extremely intrigued by it. If anyone has tasted this and can share the tasting notes, that would be great. Can't wait to hear how it actually tastes. 

Edited January 29, 2018 by WhiskeyBlender

[tanstaafl2]

15 hours ago, WhiskeyBlender said:

I totally agree that due to the way it is distilled, a 45 year old bourbon does not sound great. Unlike a brandy (Cognac, Armagnac, Calvados, etc.) of similar age, which has the requisite fatty acids and congener content to hold up to that kind of long term maturation, most bourbons aren't created to withstand that length of time. Nevertheless, I'm extremely intrigued by it. If anyone has tasted this and can share the tasting notes, that would be great. Can't wait to hear how it actually tastes. 

Cognac, Armagnac, Calvados, etc. as well as Scotch, Irish and most any other whisky don't start out and remain in a new charred  oak cask either. Bourbon might (with an emphasis on might) hold up 45 years in used casks in cooler weather. But then it wouldn't be bourbon!

[WhiskeyBlender]

On 1/29/2018 at 9:02 AM, tanstaafl2 said:

Cognac, Armagnac, Calvados, etc. as well as Scotch, Irish and most any other whisky don't start out and remain in a new charred  oak cask either. Bourbon might (with an emphasis on might) hold up 45 years in used casks in cooler weather. But then it wouldn't be bourbon!

No, of course they don't. Brandies are usually in a new toasted oak barrels only from 9 to 12 months before being transferred to older cooperage. Even so, I'm still intrigued by that 45 year old bourbon. Have you had a chance to try it, and if so, what were your thoughts? 

[tanstaafl2]

17 hours ago, WhiskeyBlender said:

No, of course they don't. Brandies are usually in a new toasted oak barrels only from 9 to 12 months before being transferred to older cooperage. Even so, I'm still intrigued by that 45 year old bourbon. Have you had a chance to try it, and if so, what were your thoughts? 

Nope, not tried that one. Oldest I have had was the Jeff 30 and then more recently the PHC 24yo and some time ago the PHC 27yo from about 10 years ago.

 

They are all dryer and more tannic than typical whiskey but the Jeff 30 seemed the least complex and interesting for whatever reason.

 

Without trying them SBS my memory was the 27 was more interesting than the 24. But it has been a while!

[WhiskeyBlender]

On 1/31/2018 at 1:25 PM, tanstaafl2 said:

Nope, not tried that one. Oldest I have had was the Jeff 30 and then more recently the PHC 24yo and some time ago the PHC 27yo from about 10 years ago.

 

They are all dryer and more tannic than typical whiskey but the Jeff 30 seemed the least complex and interesting for whatever reason.

 

Without trying them SBS my memory was the 27 was more interesting than the 24. But it has been a while!

Wow, I must say the SBS 27 sounds intriguing! I find that bourbons usually start taking a downturn 12 to 16 years old, depending upon how they've matured, etc. At any rate, many thanks for giving some feedback on those older bottlings. 

[FasterHorses]

Could barely get 750 out of a barrel with 5% loss per year x45

[Surtur]

Would love to try this, but like 99% of us here, I will pass. I've found I make my worst bourbon decisions in the name of curiosity alone, and even if I were to seek this out in a bar, it would be a huge price because I'm just curious.

[ThirstyinOhio]

A few reviews have hit various social media and they have not been kind.  A few said they couldn't even finish the samples they were given.  Not surprising from a 45yr bourbon.

Edited March 7, 2018 by ThirstyinOhio

[$helby]

6 hours ago, ThirstyinOhio said:

A few reviews have hit various social media and they have not been kind.  A few said they couldn't even finish the samples they were given.  Not surprising from a 45yr bourbon.

Yep!   My thoughts exactly.    I had to try so we bought tickets to the Frazier History Museum tasting dinner last week while we were in Louisville.   $125 per ticket turned out to be a much better spend than $1800 for a bottle.      It was served two ways: Neat and with a couple of drops of Sherry added.    Both were simply undrinkable.   The event and discussion was the highlight as the talks by James Thompson  and the retired Generalk in charge of the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation was worth the price of admission. The way I look at it is we would have probably dropped a couple of hundred dollars on a fine dinner and drinks that night anyway so not a total loss... however; we will not be back for a tasting of the next 43 year old release in June!