Turning 50 in two weeks: any special bottle recommendations?

[WhiskeyBlender]

20 hours ago, EarthQuake said:

I've been trying to do a proper infinity bottle with this one, where I add new stuff as I get it and actually drink it! I've done a few more controlled blends before but usually what happens is I make the blend and then sort of forget about it. Keeping this topped up has become an activity in itself. My only real rule is 10+ years old. It has mostly bourbon, but a a couple oz of rye and a little bit of light whiskey. And some Armagnac now too. The 10+ year old rule is testing, it keeps me from adding Four Roses barrel picks which is a bit of a shame. I'll probably crack and throw some more FR in at some point. I've got a couple Irish whiskies I've considered (16 year old Redbrest All Sherry?) but I don't want to mess up the profile too much by going to Ireland/Scotland. I feel like France is closer to home in an odd way here.

 

I just added 1oz of the following: Darroze Barigos 1988, Darroze Rieston 1995, and Darroze Couzard Lassalle 1996. I think the first two are Baco and the third Folle Blanche. 3oz (in a bottle that was already half empty) is probably a lot more than you would do but I was feeling adventurous. I had a small pour last night and it didn't seem to kill it, but I'll give it a bit more time to mingle before trying again. Worst case I can blend in more bourbon to sort it out. Generally I find Armagnac goes well with American whiskey. I like to make Sazeracs with 1oz Armagnac and 1oz rye (as a nod to Brandy being the original base for the drink and because it's delicious.

 

I've been keeping a spreadsheet of everything I add, which allows me to track average age and average proof (as it goes in at least). I'm at 15 years at 107 proof at the moment.

 

When you make blends at home how scientific do you get? Are you measuring down to the ML or are you winging it?

 

Oh one other question. I've been reading a little about L'Encantada and Lous Pibous bottlings. People seem to be very excited about these. But it looks like it's sourced from Couzard Lassalle, which I can find from Darroze at about half the price. Are the Lous Pibous bottlings worth seeking out?

@EarthQuake, wow, this sounds like a KILLER blend! A 1000+ on adding the Darroze bottlings (especially the two Baco bottles, although since Folle Blanche is a parent of Baco, kudos on that as well), and to keeping a spreadsheet on it. As much as I love Redbreast, I definitely think that while Armagnac comes from grape and Bourbon obviously is corn/rye and/or wheat/with a little barley for starch conversion, Armagnac is aromatically much closer to Bourbon than a malt would be (even though that is also grain). If it were me, I'd just stick to the Armagnac because it is much closer that way to Bourbon, but then again, I don't want to tell you how to do your own blend either.  

 

So, as to your question about how scientific I get on home blends, it really depends. I know that might not be a satisfying answer, but it depends upon what I'm doing. There have been times when I'm really winging it, literally adding "a little of this and a little of that" with no thought about exactly how much I'm adding, nor doing any kind of record keeping. I just want to see how components are going to mesh together basically without bringing my job into it, if that makes sense. There are other times when I'm incredibly precise, and I measure out everything with graduated cylinders and pipettes, keep meticulous notes, etc. I find that a lot of fun to play around with in my off-time. 

 

In fact, for this weekend, I have some candidates to add to my birthday version/transformation of my Infinity Blend. Below I have a "marriage" photo of the Armagnac side of the family on the left and the Bourbon side of the family to the right. Although I have 4 Armagnacs in the photo, in actuality, I will probably add very little of those components, and focus much more on the Bourbon side of the family. I didn't have room to add all the 13 to 20 year old Bourbon cask samples I'm probably going to add, plus the Kentucky Owl batch #1, but at any rate, they'll probably be part of it. 

 

Oh, one more thing @EarthQuake, to answer your question, if it were me when it comes to the Couzard Lassalle stock, I'd just stick with the Darroze. Not only on price, but I know Marc Darroze has a first rate palate, so I have no doubt it be great! 

 

Cheers, 
Nancy

 

[Bbstout]

Happy Birthday Nancy,

 

I just had this pour last weekend. Outstanding. Kicking myself I didn't buy a bottle last time I was in Wisconsin.

[Vosgar]

3 hours ago, Bbstout said:

 

I just had this pour last weekend. Outstanding. Kicking myself I didn't buy a bottle last time I was in Wisconsin.

 

You're in luck!

https://jhenryandsons.com/where-to-buy-our-bourbon/

 

[HoustonNit]

Wow what a crazy lineup for that birthday blend you are making.

Also more importantly I may be a day late or a day shy but happy birthday!

Wish many more for you and your contributions to this industry and many more years for you to enjoy the finer barrel aged spirits.

[Bbstout]

1 hour ago, Vosgar said:

You're in luck!

https://jhenryandsons.com/where-to-buy-our-bourbon/

 

Thanks Vosgar! Didn't know they were distroed in Minnesota. I always saw them in Wisconsin but to be honest have been walking past the whiskey section locally. Not worth the time. Straight to the beer section to pick up my regular...Toppling Goliath Pseudo Sue IPA.

 

 

 

[WhiskeyBlender]

6 hours ago, Bbstout said:

Happy Birthday Nancy,

 

I just had this pour last weekend. Outstanding. Kicking myself I didn't buy a bottle last time I was in Wisconsin.

@Bbstout, many thanks for the birthday wishes! I had a fantastic day yesterday. I'm hoping when the weather warms up by the weekend to be able to sit outside and have a nice birthday dram and cigar.

 

I don't want to inappropriately push a particular client's product, but I am curious as to what batch of J. Henry Bellefontaine Reserve you had? Looks like it might be #3, but my eyes are not that great. Bellefontaine is one of my favorite J. Henry bourbons because it plays on the Henry family's French heritage and uses traditional French blending techniques. Also, it's a lot of fun to put that blend together. 

 

FYI, if there is any way you can make it to visit Dane, WI, to J. Henry & Sons any time soon, please try to pick up a bottle of the 10th year anniversary Limited Edition blend. I'm obviously biased, but I think it is the best thing we've done yet. It's a blend of 5 to 9 year old bourbons, and clocks in at a respectable 63.28% ABV. Joe Jr. and I worked tirelessly on it for the past 2 years. To my palate at least, it has notes of black cherry, dark chocolate (dark chocolate covered cherries?), red rope licorice, blackberry cobbler, buttery croissant, coconut pie, and balsamic fig sauce. 

 

In fact, last week I was working on the formulation for this year's version of J. Henry & Sons Limited Edition. I'm really liking the way this year's formulation is shaping up so far, and the components are overall older as well. After a few days off for my b-day, Joe Jr. and I will crank back up to work on it next week. 

 

Also, thanks @HoustonNit & @Vosgar for the warm b-day wishes! It has been a great start to the '50's! 

 

Cheers,

Nancy

Edited January 16, 2020 by WhiskeyBlender

[flahute]

@WhiskeyBlender a happy, happy birthday to you. I'm ahead of you by a couple years so welcome to the 50's club. Or as Joe would say........family.

[Phil T]

@WhiskeyBlender a belated happy birthday! I remember my 50th, even though it is a distant memory.

 

I hope you had a great day!

 

Prost!   Phil 

Edited January 16, 2020 by Phil T

[Richnimrod]

I'll join the chorus, Nancy!   I do hope your B'day was fun, memorable and satisfying in every way.   Hey! You only have a finite number of such 'milestones' with no guarantee the next one will ever be celebrated, right?

Like Phil directly above, my 50th has been receding in the rear view mirror for a good long time now; but I have a dim memory of enjoying a few great pours and the company of much family and some good friends.  I hope you also had such a day.

[Bbstout]

13 hours ago, WhiskeyBlender said:

@Bbstout, many thanks for the birthday wishes! I had a fantastic day yesterday. I'm hoping when the weather warms up by the weekend to be able to sit outside and have a nice birthday dram and cigar.

 

I don't want to inappropriately push a particular client's product, but I am curious as to what batch of J. Henry Bellefontaine Reserve you had? Looks like it might be #3, but my eyes are not that great. Bellefontaine is one of my favorite J. Henry bourbons because it plays on the Henry family's French heritage and uses traditional French blending techniques. Also, it's a lot of fun to put that blend together. 

 

FYI, if there is any way you can make it to visit Dane, WI, to J. Henry & Sons any time soon, please try to pick up a bottle of the 10th year anniversary Limited Edition blend. I'm obviously biased, but I think it is the best thing we've done yet. It's a blend of 5 to 9 year old bourbons, and clocks in at a respectable 63.28% ABV. Joe Jr. and I worked tirelessly on it for the past 2 years. To my palate at least, it has notes of black cherry, dark chocolate (dark chocolate covered cherries?), red rope licorice, blackberry cobbler, buttery croissant, coconut pie, and balsamic fig sauce. 

 

In fact, last week I was working on the formulation for this year's version of J. Henry & Sons Limited Edition. I'm really liking the way this year's formulation is shaping up so far, and the components are overall older as well. After a few days off for my b-day, Joe Jr. and I will crank back up to work on it next week. 

 

Also, thanks @HoustonNit & @Vosgar for the warm b-day wishes! It has been a great start to the '50's! 

 

Cheers,

Nancy

 

Nancy,

 

Indeed it Batch 3 @ 51.72% Your eyes are still good in your old age ; ) What is the best batch if I can find one? I have driven by the J Henry Sign many times on my way to Madison, Wisconsin. Unfortunately never have been though. I love how they use heirloom corn, reminiscent of old bourbon before GMO corn was used. J Henry is one of the few craft brands that I have been impressed with. Next time you go there make sure to go to New Glarus which is 20-30 miles away if you like Beer. They make incredible stuff including Belgian style Sours/Lambics. Hopefully the Anniversary LE is still available when I travel back this summer.

 

Cheers, Dave

[Supercharger]

14 hours ago, WhiskeyBlender said:

Dammit. I’ve passed on this a few times. Now I’ll be compelled to buy if I see it again. 

[DeepCover]

Happy birthday, Nancy. I wish you many more and thanks for all your knowledgeable contributions on SB.com.
 

That’s one heck of a birthday blend. I’m truly jealous.

[Bbstout]

Nancy,

 

Looks like I lucked out. My BIL found some Bellafontaine Batch Batch 3's. What do you consider the best batch? Should he look for 1 & 2 or should I just be happy with B3.

 

I asked around my Wisconsin connections and it looks like the 10th is gone everywhere and currently selling for secondary prices. 

 

You need to stop blending good bourbon or people are going to start getting mad at you for prices going up like Fred Minnick LOL 

[WhiskeyBlender]

On 1/21/2020 at 9:14 AM, Bbstout said:

Nancy,

 

Looks like I lucked out. My BIL found some Bellafontaine Batch Batch 3's. What do you consider the best batch? Should he look for 1 & 2 or should I just be happy with B3.

 

I asked around my Wisconsin connections and it looks like the 10th is gone everywhere and currently selling for secondary prices. 

 

You need to stop blending good bourbon or people are going to start getting mad at you for prices going up like Fred Minnick LOL 

Hehehe, sorry about that, @Bbstout! I personally really like Belle III. The proof is slightly higher on it than on the first 2 batches. My personal favorites are batches 1 and 2, but that's only because I think they're closer to what the true profile of Belle should be, and not because there's anything "wrong" per se with Belle III. Capiche? 

 

If you think you might be in the Dane, WI area anytime soon, please PM me. If you'd like to buy a bottle of the Limited Edition 10th Anniversary Blend directly from the distillery, I'll see if they can hold one back for you. I'll be speaking with Joe, Jr. again on Monday as we discuss this year's LE. Like I've said before, I know I have an obvious biased, but I really think it's the best thing J. Henry has put out to date. In fact, the base of the blend started with barrels that were over 140 proof and were extremely rich and intense (I seem to recall at least 1 barrel was over 143!). When we combined this with a few other barrels, the proof fell to a little over 126, which isn't in the 140's but is still pretty high. I wish we had been able to make a lot more of it. We're working to increase the size of the 2020 LE. 

 

At any rate, please let me know if you'd be interested in having a bottle held back.

 

Cheers,

Nancy

Edited January 23, 2020 by WhiskeyBlender

[EarthQuake]

On 1/10/2020 at 8:14 PM, WhiskeyBlender said:

@EarthQuake, wow, this sounds like a KILLER blend! A 1000+ on adding the Darroze bottlings (especially the two Baco bottles, although since Folle Blanche is a parent of Baco, kudos on that as well), and to keeping a spreadsheet on it. As much as I love Redbreast, I definitely think that while Armagnac comes from grape and Bourbon obviously is corn/rye and/or wheat/with a little barley for starch conversion, Armagnac is aromatically much closer to Bourbon than a malt would be (even though that is also grain). If it were me, I'd just stick to the Armagnac because it is much closer that way to Bourbon, but then again, I don't want to tell you how to do your own blend either.  

 

So, as to your question about how scientific I get on home blends, it really depends. I know that might not be a satisfying answer, but it depends upon what I'm doing. There have been times when I'm really winging it, literally adding "a little of this and a little of that" with no thought about exactly how much I'm adding, nor doing any kind of record keeping. I just want to see how components are going to mesh together basically without bringing my job into it, if that makes sense. There are other times when I'm incredibly precise, and I measure out everything with graduated cylinders and pipettes, keep meticulous notes, etc. I find that a lot of fun to play around with in my off-time. 

 

In fact, for this weekend, I have some candidates to add to my birthday version/transformation of my Infinity Blend. Below I have a "marriage" photo of the Armagnac side of the family on the left and the Bourbon side of the family to the right. Although I have 4 Armagnacs in the photo, in actuality, I will probably add very little of those components, and focus much more on the Bourbon side of the family. I didn't have room to add all the 13 to 20 year old Bourbon cask samples I'm probably going to add, plus the Kentucky Owl batch #1, but at any rate, they'll probably be part of it. 

 

Oh, one more thing @EarthQuake, to answer your question, if it were me when it comes to the Couzard Lassalle stock, I'd just stick with the Darroze. Not only on price, but I know Marc Darroze has a first rate palate, so I have no doubt it be great! 

 

Cheers, 
Nancy

 

 

Nancy, thanks for the thoughtful response as always. I tend to agree with your that Armagnac is closer to Bourbon than malt heavy spirits are. I've made the mistake of adding a small amount of Scotch to a blend of mostly bourbon / rye before, which completely overwhelmed the blend. So I think I'll stick with American whisky and a bit of Armagnac for this one.

 

The explanation of your blending process is quite satisfying! I appreciate that sometimes you follow the same sort of method at that you might employ in your day job, but also that you wing it and take a carefree approach - I'm sure that is an enjoyable break from the norm for you. That blend with the 13-20 year old bourbons sounds fantastic.

 

Thanks for the advice on the Darroze as well - that's what I was leaning towards. I've had such good luck with Darroze that I rarely venture to other brands or negotiants. Though a but did give me a half bottle of a 1997 L’Encantada Bellair (the K&L pick), which after a couple glasses seems to be quite good, so I may have to find some more stuff from them.

[EarthQuake]

2 hours ago, WhiskeyBlender said:

Hehehe, sorry about that, @Bbstout! I personally really like Belle III. The proof is slightly higher on it than on the first 2 batches. My personal favorites are batches 1 and 2, but that's only because I think they're closer to what the true profile of Belle should be, and not because there's anything "wrong" per se with Belle III. Capiche? 

 

If you think you might be in the Dane, WI area anytime soon, please PM me. If you'd like to buy a bottle of the Limited Edition 10th Anniversary Blend directly from the distillery, I'll see if they can hold one back for you. I'll be speaking with Joe, Jr. again on Monday as we discuss this year's LE. Like I've said before, I know I have an obvious biased, but I really think it's the best thing J. Henry has put out to date. In fact, the base of the blend started with barrels that were over 140 proof and were extremely rich and intense (I seem to recall at least 1 barrel was over 143!). When we combined this with a few other barrels, the proof fell to a little over 126, which isn't in the 140's but is still pretty high. I wish we had been able to make a lot more of it. We're working to increase the size of the 2020 LE. 

 

At any rate, please let me know if you'd be interested in having a bottle held back.

 

Cheers,

Nancy

This sounds very interesting. I tried a small sample of, I think it was a 5 year old barrel proof release from J Henry. It was one of the better craft bourbons I've tried, but still tasted a bit under-developed and, for lack of a better term, "crafty". So I'm very curious to know how their stuff fares with a bit more age on it.

 

How long do you suppose it will be before they're able to do a regular release in the 8+ year range? I'm excited for all of the craft places to get to this point. Not that bourbon necessarily needs to be 8+ years old to be good, but my favorite ones tend to be.

[WhiskeyBlender]

19 hours ago, EarthQuake said:

This sounds very interesting. I tried a small sample of, I think it was a 5 year old barrel proof release from J Henry. It was one of the better craft bourbons I've tried, but still tasted a bit under-developed and, for lack of a better term, "crafty". So I'm very curious to know how their stuff fares with a bit more age on it.

 

How long do you suppose it will be before they're able to do a regular release in the 8+ year range? I'm excited for all of the craft places to get to this point. Not that bourbon necessarily needs to be 8+ years old to be good, but my favorite ones tend to be.

@EarthQuake, you wouldn't happen to know what barrel of the J. Henry Patton Rd reserve you tasted, would you? I'm pretty sure I would have picked it for that program, and I would have the date of distillation, cooperage used (i.e., McGinnis, Brown-Forman, etc.), and other info on it, if you're interested. 

 

Out of curiosity, have you tried the 7 year cask strength releases? 

 

Also, when you say "crafty," it's interesting, because I tend to think of that "crafty" taste as having very tight distillation cuts, often with play dough aromas, and also over-oaked and exceedingly tannic with green, woody notes from small barrels. The oak staves have been mostly kiln dried and the caramel and vanilla aromas are intense, but very short on the palate because they have not developed long-chain molecules yet. 

 

I tend to think of J. Henry bourbon as much closer to a "traditional" bourbon profile than a good deal of craft bourbon producers, but it is more in the style of something akin to Barton's or Old Forester, which tend to have a lot of volatile top notes with lots of esters (i.e., think ethyl acetate/pear drop/fruity, a bit of iso-amyl acetate/banana, bubble gum). I should clarify that I'm by no means saying that you are "wrong," just that my palate interprets a little differently, since I've worked with so many craft producers over the years. I'd love to hear more about your definition of "crafty" taste- not to argue about it, just to get a better idea of what your palate is perceiving. It's an important topic and I'm fascinated by the diversity of how people perceive that particular "crafty" taste. 

 

Part of the issue for J. Henry & Sons is that the winters are long, and there is no insulation in their old 100+ year dairy barn where the barrels are matured. Thus, it definitely takes more time for the bourbon to acquire matured aromas and flavors than it does for KY bourbons. The exciting part, however, is that we have been putting and continue to put back barrels that are dedicated to the 8 to 12 (or even 15) year program. Joe, Jr. and I want to release an 8 year old version this year, fingers crossed, but it will be a few years before 8 years becomes the norm. Production is ramping up, so there will continue to be more barrels devoted to the longer term maturation program. 

 

At any rate, I'm rambling I know. I've been working all day on a single malt whisky blend for a new distillery client from India, and I'm currently having a cocktail with Elijah Craig, fresh blood orange juice, and tonic. I don't feel like the brightest bulb on the planet! 

 

Cheers, and over and out....

Nancy

 

 

Edited January 24, 2020 by WhiskeyBlender

[EarthQuake]

1 hour ago, WhiskeyBlender said:

@EarthQuake, you wouldn't happen to know what barrel of the J. Henry Patton Rd reserve you tasted, would you? I'm pretty sure I would have picked it for that program, and I would have the date of distillation, cooperage used (i.e., McGinnis, Brown-Forman, etc.), and other info on it, if you're interested. 

 

Out of curiosity, have you tried the 7 year cask strength releases? 

 

Also, when you say "crafty," it's interesting, because I tend to think of that "crafty" taste as having very tight distillation cuts, often with play dough aromas, and also over-oaked and exceedingly tannic with green, woody notes from small barrels. The oak staves have been mostly kiln dried and the caramel and vanilla aromas are intense, but very short on the palate because they have not developed long-chain molecules yet. 

 

I tend to think of J. Henry bourbon as much closer to a "traditional" bourbon profile than a good deal of craft bourbon producers, but it is more in the style of something akin to Barton's or Old Forester, which tend to have a lot of volatile top notes with lots of esters (i.e., think ethyl acetate/pear drop/fruity, a bit of iso-amyl acetate/banana, bubble gum). I should clarify that I'm by no means saying that you are "wrong," just that my palate interprets a little differently, since I've worked with so many craft producers over the years. I'd love to hear more about your definition of "crafty" taste- not to argue about it, just to get a better idea of what your palate is perceiving. It's an important topic and I'm fascinated by the diversity of how people perceive that particular "crafty" taste. 

 

Part of the issue for J. Henry & Sons is that the winters are long, and there is no insulation in their old 100+ year dairy barn where the barrels are matured. Thus, it definitely takes more time for the bourbon to acquire matured aromas and flavors than it does for KY bourbons. The exciting part, however, is that we have been putting and continue to put back barrels that are dedicated to the 8 to 12 (or even 15) year program. Joe, Jr. and I want to release an 8 year old version this year, fingers crossed, but it will be a few years before 8 years becomes the norm. Production is ramping up, so there will continue to be more barrels devoted to the longer term maturation program. 

 

At any rate, I'm rambling I know. I've been working all day on a single malt whisky blend for a new distillery client from India, and I'm currently having a cocktail with Elijah Craig, fresh blood orange juice, and tonic. I don't feel like the brightest bulb on the planet! 

 

Cheers, and over and out....

Nancy

 

 

Hey Nancy, sorry I don't have barrel number from it, it was just a sample from a buddy (and I can't remember who now, it was a little while back). I have not had the 7 year but am curious and excited to try their older expressions. I went through Madison this summer and stopped at a few stores but didn't find anything other than the standard releases (I was on the hunt for Four Roses picks more than anything).

 

As to the "crafty" note, yeah like i said, for lack of a better word. I wish I could describe it more eloquently (and it's been a while, so I'm going off memory). It certainly tasted more like a traditional bourbon, and less like the small barrel aged 2 year old bourbons from so many craft operations. But still there was something a bit off. I don't think I have the vocabulary to fully explain what I mean. But in any case, by all means, I think you're more than qualified to tell me that I am wrong!

 

It's great to hear that they are holding back barrels for further aging. Are these distilled or aged in a different manner? I recall you talking about things that you might do if the spirit is going down for a longer period, but I don't think I fully understood it when you said it and I'm sure I've forgotten most of it in any case.

[Bbstout]

My personal favorites are batches 1 and 2, but that's only because I think they're closer to what the true profile of Belle should be, and not because there's anything "wrong" per se with Belle III. Capiche? 

 

Nancy,

 

I found Batch 2! It was at a store they I don't shop at anymore as they put out BTAC and Pappy at above secondary. Once in awhile they have a good store pick that I'm guessing the Master Distiller picked because any pick's that the store employees do are crap. When I went in the bottle was marked at $58. At the register it rang up as $100. I bit my lip and handed over the Credit Card, not worth my time to contest. Some day Karma will catch up with the owners.

[Bbstout]

17 hours ago, WhiskeyBlender said:

@EarthQuake, you wouldn't happen to know what barrel of the J. Henry Patton Rd reserve you tasted, would you? I'm pretty sure I would have picked it for that program, and I would have the date of distillation, cooperage used (i.e., McGinnis, Brown-Forman, etc.), and other info on it, if you're interested. 

 

Out of curiosity, have you tried the 7 year cask strength releases? 

 

Also, when you say "crafty," it's interesting, because I tend to think of that "crafty" taste as having very tight distillation cuts, often with play dough aromas, and also over-oaked and exceedingly tannic with green, woody notes from small barrels. The oak staves have been mostly kiln dried and the caramel and vanilla aromas are intense, but very short on the palate because they have not developed long-chain molecules yet. 

 

I tend to think of J. Henry bourbon as much closer to a "traditional" bourbon profile than a good deal of craft bourbon producers, but it is more in the style of something akin to Barton's or Old Forester, which tend to have a lot of volatile top notes with lots of esters (i.e., think ethyl acetate/pear drop/fruity, a bit of iso-amyl acetate/banana, bubble gum). I should clarify that I'm by no means saying that you are "wrong," just that my palate interprets a little differently, since I've worked with so many craft producers over the years. I'd love to hear more about your definition of "crafty" taste- not to argue about it, just to get a better idea of what your palate is perceiving. It's an important topic and I'm fascinated by the diversity of how people perceive that particular "crafty" taste. 

 

Part of the issue for J. Henry & Sons is that the winters are long, and there is no insulation in their old 100+ year dairy barn where the barrels are matured. Thus, it definitely takes more time for the bourbon to acquire matured aromas and flavors than it does for KY bourbons. The exciting part, however, is that we have been putting and continue to put back barrels that are dedicated to the 8 to 12 (or even 15) year program. Joe, Jr. and I want to release an 8 year old version this year, fingers crossed, but it will be a few years before 8 years becomes the norm. Production is ramping up, so there will continue to be more barrels devoted to the longer term maturation program. 

 

At any rate, I'm rambling I know. I've been working all day on a single malt whisky blend for a new distillery client from India, and I'm currently having a cocktail with Elijah Craig, fresh blood orange juice, and tonic. I don't feel like the brightest bulb on the planet! 

 

Cheers, and over and out....

Nancy

 

 

Nancy,

 

Doesn't 45th Parallel contract distill for J Henry? 45th is about an hour from my house. I fly fish in a river a stone throws away from the Distillery in the summer. I looked up their portfolio and they have Border Bourbon which I have never had. What are your thoughts on there distillation methods. It must be in high regard if you and the Henry's chose them. The only reason I ask is there is another Distillery in Wisconsin by the name of Yaharra Bay that makes sub par Whiskey in my humble opinion. Thank God you avoided them.  ; )

[WhiskeyBlender]

On 1/24/2020 at 10:52 AM, Bbstout said:

Nancy,

 

Doesn't 45th Parallel contract distill for J Henry? 45th is about an hour from my house. I fly fish in a river a stone throws away from the Distillery in the summer. I looked up their portfolio and they have Border Bourbon which I have never had. What are your thoughts on there distillation methods. It must be in high regard if you and the Henry's chose them. The only reason I ask is there is another Distillery in Wisconsin by the name of Yaharra Bay that makes sub par Whiskey in my humble opinion. Thank God you avoided them.  ; )

@Bbstout, wow, I guess that makes sense if you're just in Minneapolis! Yes, they sure do contract distill for J. Henry. I have to confess that I'm not that familiar with 45th Parallel's in-house distillation, but I've been advising them on the distillation of J. Henry for the last 7 years. I've heard rumors about Yahara Bay. That's another one I can't say that I've tried, but I will take you're advise and steer clear! 

 

Cheers,

Nancy

[Bbstout]

4 hours ago, WhiskeyBlender said:

@Bbstout, wow, I guess that makes sense if you're just in Minneapolis! Yes, they sure do contract distill for J. Henry. I have to confess that I'm not that familiar with 45th Parallel's in-house distillation, but I've been advising them on the distillation of J. Henry for the last 7 years. I've heard rumors about Yahara Bay. That's another one I can't say that I've tried, but I will take you're advise and steer clear! 

 

Cheers,

Nancy

I love Wisconsin. This is a bottle from Old Joe who Jimmy Russell's Dad worked for.

[tanstaafl2]

On 1/6/2020 at 7:34 PM, WhiskeyBlender said:add a little bit of that as well. 

Once the Armagnac bottles arrive and once I have the birthday Bourbons figured out and purchased, I'll post a photo of my loot! I'll also keep you posted on what I decide to do for the special birthday blend. I

Seems pretty clear to me what you should do is bring the special birthday blend to Bardstown in April where we can all properly wish you a Happy Birthday at the gazebo!