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Barrel pick trip


LCWoody
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Myself and and a few other people went to Louisville this past week to pick barrels for a local liquor store in Lake Charles. Beam was the main sponsor of this trip. They were 1st class, can’t say enough good things about them. 

The first barrel pick was at Bulleit Bourbon, they said this is the 1st barrel pick for the state of LA. 

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Next was Maker’s Mark, what a beautiful facility and super nice people. Saw something interesting in the sample room, looks like different proof entry’s. 

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Next was Beam, the barrel we picked is 15y and will yield about 80 bottles. It was so delicious. 

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Next was Barton 1792

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Then my favorite barrel pick of the week, (the experience) so laid-back and very cool to have a Russell helping pick a Russell, and a Russell pouring you a sample. 

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A very great  experience, so glad I was able to go.  

 

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That sounds like a great week! 

What's the bottling proof for Bulleit? I wasnt aware they did PS barrels.

I think I'd be the same as you in that picking a barrel with Eddie would be a highlight. 

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7 hours ago, JCwhammie said:

That sounds like a great week! 

What's the bottling proof for Bulleit? I wasnt aware they did PS barrels.

I think I'd be the same as you in that picking a barrel with Eddie would be a highlight. 

I think they said the barrel program started about 2 months ago. The proof is going to be 104p

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Edited by LCWoody
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That was certainly a busy and fun filled trip! I’ve participated in a lot of private barrel selections, but they’ve always been made via barrel samples (usually 3 to 5 sample bottles from different barrels). I’m looking forward to making my first barrel pick at a distillery soon!

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15 hours ago, LCWoody said:

Then my favorite barrel pick of the week, (the experience) so laid-back and very cool to have a Russell helping pick a Russell, and a Russell pouring you a sample. 

 

 

What a great experience the whole trip must have been.

I've never been lucky enough to do a barrel pick, but my first trip to Kentucky did include a personal tour of WT distillery by Eddie himself, and to this day remains the best distillery tour experience I've ever had despite several subsequent trips to Kentucky.  The man's knowledge and his willingness to share it with guests sets him apart.

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Well, I did a thing today...fantastic experience with Al Young! The Four Roses private barrel selection process and facility is absolutely first class!

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10 hours ago, lcpfratn said:

Well, I did a thing today...fantastic experience with Al Young! The Four Roses private barrel selection process and facility is absolutely first class!

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Nice pic of a very nice set-up, my friend.   Good on ya'!!!!

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2 hours ago, Vosgar said:

Jeff - I'm still waiting to hear what your group picked.....

I bet the got a killer OBSK (what everyone wants) and he doesn't want to let us know so he can keep it all for himself. :)

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Jeff, I'm hoping you picked the first 4R I will like. Always wanted to be CULT'r. :) Pretty Kool picking with Al at your side. Great!

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Jeff - I'm still waiting to hear what your group picked.....

I bet the got a killer OBSK (what everyone wants) and he doesn't want to let us know so he can keep it all for himself. [emoji4]

We’ll, the group was just my son and I, and we were picking for one of my favorite stores...and some self interest too. We were picking blind from eight barrels. All different recipes, but no O yeast. The ages were 8 1/2 yrs up to 11 1/2 years, and we actually ended up picking the oldest one even though I didn’t think it was the oldest until Al revealed the age and recipe to us. My son actually pegged the recipe before the reveal, which impressed me. I was only somewhat confident that it was the low rye recipe. Anyway, we ended up picking an OESV barrel.
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You're not sounding very enthused about your pick

Oh, we’re very excited about it! We didn’t think there was really a bad barrel in the bunch, just some were more interesting than others. So, it was still hard to try and pick a favorite out of eight barrels. We were hoping to eliminate OESK and OBSF from the running when we started since the store has previously picked those recipes, and as luck would have it, we eliminated both of them fairly early. After that, it was still hard to pick a favorite, but we finally settled on one, and it was also one of Al Young’s top two picks, so we were very happy about that!
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Jeff, I'm hoping you picked the first 4R I will like. Always wanted to be CULT'r. [emoji4] Pretty Kool picking with Al at your side. Great!

Bill, I hope you like it too!
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1 minute ago, fishnbowljoe said:

Is Mandy still there helping with private picks?

 

Biba! Joe

I don't know if she was at Jeff's pick, but she runs the private selection program. She was there for our pick in May as she always is because we ask her to be there.

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Is Mandy still there helping with private picks?
 
Biba! Joe

She wasn’t there when we started, but she was there before we finished.
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3 minutes ago, flahute said:

I don't know if she was at Jeff's pick, but she runs the private selection program. She was there for our pick in May as she always is because we ask her to be there.

 

1 minute ago, lcpfratn said:


She wasn’t there when we started, but she was there before we finished.
 

Thanks guys. I remember her way back when she was a tour guide. On one trip down, Paul and I had her on a tour at Cox’s Creek. The next time down I helped with a barrel pick, and she was Jim Rutledge’s assistant in their private selection program. She’s a really nice person, and very good at what she does.

 

Biba! Joe

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40 minutes ago, fishnbowljoe said:

 

Thanks guys. I remember her way back when she was a tour guide. On one trip down, Paul and I had her on a tour at Cox’s Creek. The next time down I helped with a barrel pick, and she was Jim Rutledge’s assistant in their private selection program. She’s a really nice person, and very good at what she does.

 

Biba! Joe

Indeed she is, and I've also come to learn that she has quite a palate as well.

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8 hours ago, flahute said:

Indeed she is, and I've also come to learn that she has quite a palate as well.

I was told the same thing straight from JR a few years ago. He thinks very highly of her.

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On 9/29/2019 at 8:56 AM, Vosgar said:

I was told the same thing straight from JR a few years ago. He thinks very highly of her.

Personally I think I prefer Mandy's opinion to Al Young!

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