Kepler Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 3 minutes ago, FasterHorses said: Kepler.. i fell for the same trick. Was sure 5 was coming after the 4 year but i think we’re going on the 3rd consecutive year of 4 y/o Willett. Cant blame them when they get $199 for a 6 year though. Belle meade got me with their single barrels.. was all geared up for the 13 and then 14 but theyve stayed at 12 for a few years now. SAOS has the recent history of a little more age though so fingers crossed Yeah great points FH. I don't know but for some reason I have more confidence in SAOS that they will deliver what we are asking for (which is just a little bit more age in their otherwise excellent base Rye whiskeys). They seem to be a bit more tuned in to us whiskey geeks. Like you said, fingers crossed. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kepler Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 1 hour ago, Kepler said: Fryeday pour for me is KC cask strength 2009 rye. It's been a very nice bottle. The KC CSR was excellent, but time to step it up another notch. Kentucky Owl batch 1 it is. For all the fair criticism of their pricing, there is no question in my mind that their better rye whiskeys are first class in quality. This is one of my very favorite ryes, and off the top of my head the only one I personally own that consistently bests it is THH. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob_Loblaw Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 12 hours ago, Kepler said: the only one I personally own that consistently bests it is THH. Funny you should mention. Closed out yesterday with the 2020. It was incredible. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kepler Posted February 28, 2021 Share Posted February 28, 2021 5 hours ago, Bob_Loblaw said: Funny you should mention. Closed out yesterday with the 2020. It was incredible. Well done sir Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattk Posted February 28, 2021 Author Share Posted February 28, 2021 I find myself coveting some bottles that are more on the expensive side lately. To buy them will not be kind to my overall whiskey budget. So I'm still planning on purchasing them. In the meantime I figure I can go without buying any dailies for a while and tidy up a shelf or two. First set up is a selection of local craft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottledInBond Posted February 28, 2021 Share Posted February 28, 2021 On 2/27/2021 at 12:27 AM, Kepler said: The KC CSR was excellent, but time to step it up another notch. Kentucky Owl batch 1 it is. For all the fair criticism of their pricing, there is no question in my mind that their better rye whiskeys are first class in quality. This is one of my very favorite ryes, and off the top of my head the only one I personally own that consistently bests it is THH. KO batch 1 flew under the radar but I love that stuff. Still have 5 bottles of it stashed, thankfully 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0895 Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 11 hours ago, Mattk said: First set up is a selection of local craft. I really enjoyed the Wigle rye I bought in 2019. Had a (slightly strange for rye) tart cherry thing to it that I enjoyed quite a bit. Interested to hear what you think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0895 Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 (edited) On 2/26/2021 at 11:42 PM, Kepler said: Good observation. I've been cautiously optimistic for awhile that Willett would gradually release a 5 year (and eventually even a 6 yr) to replace the regular 4 year rye expression, .... but so far, no dice. I was just basing that on the fact that in my neck of the woods in the past we had a 2 year and then a 3 year product for a few years there, before it was replaced by the current 4 year SKU. When the 4 year came out I predicted that the age would continue to stretch, but so far anyway I have been proven wrong. Here's hoping that we see a 5 year sometime soon. On 2/27/2021 at 12:09 AM, FasterHorses said: Kepler.. i fell for the same trick. Was sure 5 was coming after the 4 year but i think we’re going on the 3rd consecutive year of 4 y/o Willett. Cant blame them when they get $199 for a 6 year though. Belle meade got me with their single barrels.. was all geared up for the 13 and then 14 but theyve stayed at 12 for a few years now. SAOS has the recent history of a little more age though so fingers crossed Interesting that you guys brought this up. I've tried two different single barrels of WFE house distilled rye now (6 and 7 year) and both of them have just been not very good at all (IMO). Very grassy / hay, herbal and a mouthful of dilluted mint, like just before you spit out your saliva soaked glob of toothpaste after brushing. Since I have no other knowledge besides what I've personally tasted, I assume that batching benefits their rye greatly. I really hope that extra age isn't what's making it worse, and that at 6-7 year blend would be really good. I have really enjoyed the 3 and 4 year batched bottles, with one in particular being some of my favorite rye ever. Unfortunately, a couple years ago I bought a 6 year single barrel that I'm now dreading ever opening because I'm convinced I won't like it, even though the single barrel factor is in play (shrug). At least is was cheaper back then. Anyway, I'll keep enjoying the 4 year batched willet and as an MGP fan, look forward to whatever SAOS has planned for us in the future. Edited March 1, 2021 by 0895 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Black Tot Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 17 hours ago, BottledInBond said: KO batch 1 flew under the radar but I love that stuff. Still have 5 bottles of it stashed, thankfully Me too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guss West Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye. Way, way better than I expected; the neck pour was 9/10 for goodness sakes!! This is in the wow-juice category. I saw this for a split second last year and missed out getting some. When I saw it yesterday, I asked how many I could buy (only two) and called back later begging to set aside two more. I'm going to buy as many of these as I can find around town. This one is tong-worthy! Add this one to a very short list of must-have ryes. When I find something I really like, I buy enough to drink it for awhile. Yes, I'm hoarding. Yes, I have a problem. Come on over and I'll pour you a dram! I only recently realized how much of my great whiskey was purchased during my travels up and down the east coast the past five years. Now that I'm mostly parked at home, I'm realizing how limited the offerings are here in CT. I intend to take full advantage of this Turkey Drop!! Keep Calm and Gobble On! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinjoe Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 2 hours ago, Guss West said: Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye. Way, way better than I expected; the neck pour was 9/10 for goodness sakes!! This is in the wow-juice category. I saw this for a split second last year and missed out getting some. When I saw it yesterday, I asked how many I could buy (only two) and called back later begging to set aside two more. I'm going to buy as many of these as I can find around town. This one is tong-worthy! Add this one to a very short list of must-have ryes. When I find something I really like, I buy enough to drink it for awhile. Yes, I'm hoarding. Yes, I have a problem. Come on over and I'll pour you a dram! I only recently realized how much of my great whiskey was purchased during my travels up and down the east coast the past five years. Now that I'm mostly parked at home, I'm realizing how limited the offerings are here in CT. I intend to take full advantage of this Turkey Drop!! Keep Calm and Gobble On! Is the “neck pour” a “something”? I understand the concept, I think. The “first pour” from a bottle, which, is usually contained high in the unopened bottle and perhaps...in the neck of it. But, is there more to it than that? Something specific to the whiskey that the neck imparts, in contrast to just a first pour impression? Or, is it just a slang term. Serious question, as I don’t know, and have been hearing this term a lot recently. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bourbon-n00b Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 8-year MGP Rye? Don't mind if I do... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRich Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 A neighbor swung by on Saturday night and we shared a few pours of a local PS of WhistlePig and some Rare Breed Rye. He brought he habano Cohibas so it was a good time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guss West Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 22 hours ago, smokinjoe said: Is the “neck pour” a “something”? I understand the concept, I think. The “first pour” from a bottle, which, is usually contained high in the unopened bottle and perhaps...in the neck of it. But, is there more to it than that? Something specific to the whiskey that the neck imparts, in contrast to just a first pour impression? Or, is it just a slang term. Serious question, as I don’t know, and have been hearing this term a lot recently. I recognize this has been a long-standing debate in the whiskey world and I welcome more informed discussion. "These are just, like, my opinions man." Given that I have already outed myself as a believer in the voodoo of "air time" improving the contents of a half-full bottle of whiskey; a corollary of that is the idea that the "neck" pour represents the "tightest" the flavors in a whiskey would ever be. If I like the neck pour I'm almost certainly going to love the bottle by the time it's half-full and the flavors have had time to relax. This "open bottle" phenomenon is more clearly appreciated in wine culture, where the exposure of the wine to air can follow the full trajectory from complimentary to off-putting in a matter of hours/days. In the world of tea, things are even more superstitious; I'll spare you! In conclusion, the neck pour is the first pour of the bottle and I like whiskey. Thank you for attending my TEDx talk! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinjoe Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 5 hours ago, Guss West said: I recognize this has been a long-standing debate in the whiskey world and I welcome more informed discussion. "These are just, like, my opinions man." Given that I have already outed myself as a believer in the voodoo of "air time" improving the contents of a half-full bottle of whiskey; a corollary of that is the idea that the "neck" pour represents the "tightest" the flavors in a whiskey would ever be. If I like the neck pour I'm almost certainly going to love the bottle by the time it's half-full and the flavors have had time to relax. This "open bottle" phenomenon is more clearly appreciated in wine culture, where the exposure of the wine to air can follow the full trajectory from complimentary to off-putting in a matter of hours/days. In the world of tea, things are even more superstitious; I'll spare you! In conclusion, the neck pour is the first pour of the bottle and I like whiskey. Thank you for attending my TEDx talk! Thanks, Guss. I didn’t know that the neck pour thing has been a long standing debate in the whiskey world. Thanks for the clarification that it seems that it is just slang for the first pour from a bottle. First pours can be tricky due to so many things! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flahute Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 1 hour ago, smokinjoe said: Thanks, Guss. I didn’t know that the neck pour thing has been a long standing debate in the whiskey world. Thanks for the clarification that it seems that it is just slang for the first pour from a bottle. First pours can be tricky due to so many things! I think the neck pour is an inverse reference to "air time" in that the neck pour has not yet had a chance to benefit from it. Cue the classic debate about air time. I'm in the camp that it's more about day to day palate changes so I find the sudden interest in neck pours to be unfounded. Just my opinion! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guss West Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 9 hours ago, flahute said: I think the neck pour is an inverse reference to "air time" in that the neck pour has not yet had a chance to benefit from it. Cue the classic debate about air time. I'm in the camp that it's more about day to day palate changes so I find the sudden interest in neck pours to be unfounded. Just my opinion! D2D palate variation drives more drift than air time. They both contribute to the perceived changes in a bottle over its lifespan. If "air time" is the overall arc of improvement that a whiskey takes over time, D2D variations are potentially much larger, dramatic, and transient variations from that arc. Good palate days and bad palate days are a thing. Independent of "air time" in the bottle also being a thing. Add to that, we are not very good at resolving taste and smell memories so this is all a bit loosey-goosey. This is why SBS blind tasting is the gold standard for oenology. I refer you to Scott and Bart's argon gassing experiments. Many of the gassed bottles are noticeably "flat". Liquor hound talks about letting bottles "air out" for a while before he starts the argon gassing. I wonder how my life would be different if I spent this much mental energy learning how to play the stock market?! Jeesh... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinjoe Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 I bypass all that “voodoo” airtime, neck pour position, D2D palate variation, gold standards, gassing, and other loosely-goosey things and go straight to the meat and potatoes of bottle contents maximization. I simply break out my Luo Pan and Feng Shui my bar. I find this as equally effective! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCwhammie Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 On 3/1/2021 at 7:54 PM, bourbon-n00b said: 8-year MGP Rye? Don't mind if I do... That sounds wonderful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LvR Mike Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 On 1/16/2021 at 11:30 AM, JCwhammie said: I like the BIB NR Rye quite a bit, so I was excited to pick this up yesterday. This barrel is the most mint forward straight whiskey I've ever had, detrementally so. Ill revisit it down the road, but it may be a while. Hopefully my palate adjusts and I end up enjoying it. But at this point I'm disappointed. This looks sweet. Where did you find this? Is this readily available in your area? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LvR Mike Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 On 2/13/2021 at 6:32 PM, Clueby said: Broke out the piglets today for a sbsbs. 10 yr: Yep, it's a Canadian rye. Its decent but I don't think it's worth the $65+ price tag. It checks all the rye boxes. Grassy, minty, with spicy finish. Nose was the most herbal of the 3. 12 yr Old World: Noticeably darker and the nose carries a lot of the Cask finishes to give it a more fruity character. That also carries over to the palate. Apparently Port only makes up about 7% of the overall blend but I pick it up the most. I believe this one is MGP rye as a base? 15 yr Estate Oak: The darkest of the 3. Similar to the 10 year but has more oak to the nose and the taste. Its softer feeling and a little lower proof but it finishes longer. I understand this is Canadian also and is aged again for ~6 months in new charred casks from WP's farm. That's where the color and the oak comes from I assume. Better than the 10, but not sure its worth the crazy price tag. $200+?? I liked the 12 year the best of the 3. I tend to like finished ryes or rye in a cocktail so that makes sense I guess. Glad I tried them but I won't be rushing out to buy a bottle of any of them soon. I bought the Farmstock one and maybe my excitement got the best of me because I didn't care much for it. I feel like WP is flaunted everywhere in my area, especially the 15, and I don't quite understand why. I need to find this set for myself and reevaluate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LvR Mike Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 On 2/21/2021 at 8:19 AM, Bob_Loblaw said: My first experience with this one. Both the wife and I commented that the rye was much sweeter than we expected. Lots of orange and citrus notes with some subtle baking spices. Of course, the wife went back for a second nip How did you obtain this? I once explained to someone the Rye's I liked a lot and he then told me that I should try the Van Winkle Rye and I thought why not. I then had a crash course lesson on how hard it would be to find... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCwhammie Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, LvR Mike said: This looks sweet. Where did you find this? Is this readily available in your area? It was at a local store in STL. The SiB rye just hit the market in January. I don't believe it's readily available here yet. The BIB rye is readily available, and I much prefer it over this particular SiB rye. Edited March 3, 2021 by JCwhammie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob_Loblaw Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 3 hours ago, LvR Mike said: How did you obtain this? I once explained to someone the Rye's I liked a lot and he then told me that I should try the Van Winkle Rye and I thought why not. I then had a crash course lesson on how hard it would be to find... I bought this from a store that I have been purchasing from for several years and have built a relationship with. Long standing relationships, lotteries/raffles, or just spending big $$ are how I think the majority of these bottles get sold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clueby Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 4 hours ago, LvR Mike said: I bought the Farmstock one and maybe my excitement got the best of me because I didn't care much for it. I feel like WP is flaunted everywhere in my area, especially the 15, and I don't quite understand why. I need to find this set for myself and reevaluate. I think this set of 3 was around $20 so was an economical way to try them, especially given the high price tags on individual bottles of them. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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