What bourbon are you drinking fall 2021?

[Rhettro]

Couldn’t decide what I wanted tonight. Settled for a nip OF Statesman. Meh - didn’t do it for me. It was the first time that I could taste the immaturity in it. 
 

Went back to the well and cracked a fresh bottle of EW BiB. Ahh….that’s better. 

Edited December 3, 2021 by Rhettro

[mbroo5880i]

2 hours ago, smokinjoe said:

Oh my Goodness.  Tomorrow’s Friday…don’t know about y’all, but this week flew by.  I guess turkeys can indeed fly, so WT101 it is to mark the occasion.

 

I like to celebrate any day that ends in "y."  It is sort of a "Y" not invitation.  WT101 is a perfect Thursday er Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday....pour

[mbroo5880i]

42 minutes ago, smokinjoe said:

No sir.  I’m still a workin’ man.  

 

 

 

[mbroo5880i]

7 minutes ago, Rhettro said:

Couldn’t decide what I wanted tonight. Settled for a nip OF Statesman. Meh - didn’t do it for me. It was the first time that I could taste the immaturity in it. 
 

Went back to the well and cracked a fresh bottle of EW BiB. Ahh….that’s better. 

 

We like what we like when we like it.  It is a matter of perspective and where you are on the bourbon spectrum.  I started with Basil Hayden tonight and it was fine enough but not very complex.  I much prefer OGD BIB.  I moved to OF Statesman which hit the spot.  It worked for me today for me but not for you.  Tomorrow may be different.  The bourbon spectrum.

[flahute]

So against my better judgement I bought a Total Wine pick of WTKS and RRSiB. I really, really should have listened to my instincts and passed.

I've given both of these a lot of chances. I'm about half way through each. They are awful. Based on what I know from local friends who no people at TW I know that that their selection process is extremely flawed. Based on that I'm also convinced that the distilleries know that they can send all the rejected samples to Total Wine because they know they will get picked. Never again Total Wine, never again.

 

And also - Wild Turkey has some horrible barrels right now. Hate to say it, but our heroes have flaws.

[BigRich]

13 hours ago, flahute said:

So against my better judgement I bought a Total Wine pick of WTKS and RRSiB. I really, really should have listened to my instincts and passed.

I've given both of these a lot of chances. I'm about half way through each. They are awful. Based on what I know from local friends who no people at TW I know that that their selection process is extremely flawed. Based on that I'm also convinced that the distilleries know that they can send all the rejected samples to Total Wine because they know they will get picked. Never again Total Wine, never again.

 

And also - Wild Turkey has some horrible barrels right now. Hate to say it, but our heroes have flaws.

I don't know Steve.  Taking barrels destined for blending into massive batches for WT101 sold for $20/bottle and selling them to TW for $50 to $60 per bottle picks seems like some genius level stuff from our WT heroes. 

[bayouredd]

Trying my first Peerless. It's a 108 proof store pick from Total Wine.

I have to say that it is a flavor bomb. On the front end, a mix master of cinnamon, caramel, peach & tobacco. It dies tremendously at the midway point and the finish is a fairly brief passing of tobacco & a subtle rye spice. It reminds me so much of the Dettling bourbon with a switch on the peach to a dark fruit.

 

At about 5 years, they both have a youthful taste, which come to me in a taste of paste. ( no, I wasn't a paste eater in school but I damn sure knew the smell)

If I had to choose between the 2, on what to take home, it would depend on which one was the lesser price. 5 bucks would make a difference on adoption...

[markandrex]

Sipping on some Wilderness Trail before heading out to a Christmas concert that my wife is singing at (SKY Coral Society with WKU Orchestra).  Should be a nice kick off to the Season.  A real butterscotch experience.

 

Also celebrating the install of the final five windows in the house.  It has been a six month process full of trails and tribulations, but it is done

[flahute]

4 hours ago, BigRich said:

I don't know Steve.  Taking barrels destined for blending into massive batches for WT101 sold for $20/bottle and selling them to TW for $50 to $60 per bottle picks seems like some genius level stuff from our WT heroes. 

That is next level right there. Love it. 

[smokinjoe]

A gorgeous pour of OF Statesman with a good fire to get the weekend started.  The buttery texture and Bananas Foster notes are so good.  

[B.B. Babington]

On 12/2/2021 at 8:07 PM, smokinjoe said:

No sir.  I’m still a workin’ man.  

 

condolences

[smokinjoe]

1 hour ago, B.B. Babington said:

 

condolences

I’m good with it.  

[fishnbowljoe]

SW Old Fitz BIB in the glass tonight. I deserve it.

 

Biba! Joe

[Jazzhead]

Did a number of quarter ounce pours tonight, mostly ryes.   Turley Mill (6-year cask strength MGP) and Alberta Premium Cask Strength were both high proof flavor bombs,  but a WTKS held its own.   'Taint nothin' like a good Turkeytail.   

[0895]

23 hours ago, flahute said:

 

And also - Wild Turkey has some horrible barrels right now. Hate to say it, but our heroes have flaws.

Yep.

It’s not just a total whine thing.  The ones from different stores around here the past year or so have ranged from bad-fair.

I will no longer buy without trying.

[PaulO]

23 hours ago, flahute said:

So against my better judgement I bought a Total Wine pick of WTKS and RRSiB. I really, really should have listened to my instincts and passed.

I've given both of these a lot of chances. I'm about half way through each. They are awful. Based on what I know from local friends who no people at TW I know that that their selection process is extremely flawed. Based on that I'm also convinced that the distilleries know that they can send all the rejected samples to Total Wine because they know they will get picked. Never again Total Wine, never again.

 

And also - Wild Turkey has some horrible barrels right now. Hate to say it, but our heroes have flaws.

OK, so don't buy Spirits Direct brands or their single barrel selections of regular brands either.

It sounds like TW doesn't actually select, or at least doesn't bother to have anyone taste samples.  Maybe just ends up being the dumping ground for barrels others rejected.

 

On the contrary, I have over time purchased single barrel selections from Kroger and Meijer.  These included products from: Beam, Four Roses, WT.  I'm pretty sure it was whatever the distilleries decided to send them.  By and large these selections stayed well within profile of brand.  I never got a bad one.  I will say, at different times, I got one WTKS fantail, and one FRSB that both seemed extra good.  I wrote the numbers down.  Next time at the store - all gone.

[sbsbsb]

On 12/3/2021 at 1:38 AM, flahute said:

So against my better judgement I bought a Total Wine pick of WTKS and RRSiB. I really, really should have listened to my instincts and passed.

I've given both of these a lot of chances. I'm about half way through each. They are awful. Based on what I know from local friends who no people at TW I know that that their selection process is extremely flawed. Based on that I'm also convinced that the distilleries know that they can send all the rejected samples to Total Wine because they know they will get picked. Never again Total Wine, never again.

 

And also - Wild Turkey has some horrible barrels right now. Hate to say it, but our heroes have flaws.

 

9 hours ago, 0895 said:

Yep.

It’s not just a total whine thing.  The ones from different stores around here the past year or so have ranged from bad-fair.

I will no longer buy without trying.

 

This seems to be a sentiment that's picking up traction, and there's a super-obvious explanation:  The stuff that's been coming out in the past year or so (in terms of RR Single Barrels and WTKS single barrel) is all finally from the new distillery which went online in 2011.  It's no longer from the old distillery which dated to the early 1930's.  From my perspective, this was just as much a shift as when Stitzel Weller shuttered and transitioned wheated production to Bernheim...same formula, same warehouses, but entirely new distillery.  Wild Turkey just didn't change the distillery name for their switch.  But make no mistake, this is an old formula which is being made and distilled in an entirely different facility.  It has to have an impact.  Whether it's good or bad in the long term remains to be seen.

[smokinjoe]

57 minutes ago, sbsbsb said:

 

 

This seems to be a sentiment that's picking up traction, and there's a super-obvious explanation:  The stuff that's been coming out in the past year or so (in terms of RR Single Barrels and WTKS single barrel) is all finally from the new distillery which went online in 2011.  It's no longer from the old distillery which dated to the early 1930's.  From my perspective, this was just as much a shift as when Stitzel Weller shuttered and transitioned wheated production to Bernheim...same formula, same warehouses, but entirely new distillery.  Wild Turkey just didn't change the distillery name for their switch.  But make no mistake, this is an old formula which is being made and distilled in an entirely different facility.  It has to have an impact.  Whether it's good or bad in the long term remains to be seen.

Hmmm.  Interesting supposition.   Certainly sounds plausible.  

[Kjbarth]

16 hours ago, smokinjoe said:

A gorgeous pour of OF Statesman with a good fire to get the weekend started.  The buttery texture and Bananas Foster notes are so good.  

That sir, looks like a good night!

[flahute]

1 hour ago, sbsbsb said:

 

 

This seems to be a sentiment that's picking up traction, and there's a super-obvious explanation:  The stuff that's been coming out in the past year or so (in terms of RR Single Barrels and WTKS single barrel) is all finally from the new distillery which went online in 2011.  It's no longer from the old distillery which dated to the early 1930's.  From my perspective, this was just as much a shift as when Stitzel Weller shuttered and transitioned wheated production to Bernheim...same formula, same warehouses, but entirely new distillery.  Wild Turkey just didn't change the distillery name for their switch.  But make no mistake, this is an old formula which is being made and distilled in an entirely different facility.  It has to have an impact.  Whether it's good or bad in the long term remains to be seen.

This is a very good point and one that I knew about but had also forgotten about. I'll be paying closer attention to this going forward.

[Bret Bret]

Might be meant for a different forum but decided to start my first infinity bottle.  It's sad seeing an empty bottle of a great whiskey (yet another forum), so I can find some solice in knowing that as long as the bottle never goes empty there will always be a few molecules of the starter whiskey in each subsequent pour.  And the nice thing is, the infinity bottle actually ROCKS.

[Kjbarth]

MM101 watching Alabama/Georgia SEC Championship Game.

[B.B. Babington]

enjoying some recent purchases.  basil 10 was surprise.  I'm not big beam fan but could drink this all night.  bulleit single barrel 104 proof very enjoyable, whoever picked this knew what they were doing.  elijah toasted giving great after taste but somehow not coming out as strong as expected following previous two.  makers fae-02 109 proof coming in harsh.  It would be great on its own but the makers coming in at 1st like kerosene leveling out well on further sips.  I'll hang with these 4 all night to see where it goes.  But don't wait with baited breath for update, logging off to go deep into sips.

 

 

[G L Tirebiter]

Sippin' a little Buffalo Trace and was pulling for the Dawgs to make it closer.  No 'sporting interest' in the game,..... just as well after that pick 6.  

So Georgia was favored by 6 or 7?    Reckon there was lot of money wagered on the team that had won sis games in a row against the other.

[markandrex]

BT SP this evening after working in the yard all day.