SB's Top 5 - 2021

[bayouredd]

Forgive me if this thread is around but I've never seen one as such...

The podcast folks pick their fav bottles of the year but do SBers do this? They should, if only to make folks like me jealous. 2021 was not a great year for bourbon finds in this area as barrel picks were sparse & cr@ppy. I struggled to get a top 5 but it didn't keep me from enjoying some oldies just the same.

 

1. RR 13 - not a Turkey fan but this won 2021 finds hands down

2. KC 12 - it's just still that good

3. Remus Repeal 5 - I just don't seek out MGP rebrands, but their own juice is nice

4. Peerless - A Wine World SS  This one stuns me as to how much I enjoy it (had to get a 2nd bottle)

5. 4R SB Select - I liked the 1st one tried a couple years ago but this gift horse is hard to put down

 

Biggest Failure..

OF SBCS - It is such a medicinal cherry cough syrup that I had to 50/50 it with a OF 86 just to tolerate it. The pickers lost all the clout they had with me... 

 

If you have a top 5 or even a 10, dish it out...

[0895]

 (in no particular order and only things I’ve actually tried)

 

-Remus V brought back all those fantastic memories of the good SAOS days.  Remus Reserve is usually good every year, but 5 was a level up for me.

 

-RR13.  Still looking for a bottle unfortunately, but the few experiences I’ve had with it are both favorable and memorable.

 

-OF Birthday Bourbon.  After 2020’s disappointment, I was glad to find the ‘21 back up to par.  Stood out as slightly herbal this year to me, in a very good way.

 

-Stellum Rye was a pleasant surprise.  This is a CS blend of multiple products that hits all the right notes for me.

 

-Evan Williams 23 year (‘21 bottle from gift shop).  As someone who doesn’t really care for EC23, I had doubts on this one.  I was wrong.  It’s fantastic, rich, and nicely oaked without being overdone.

 

My biggest let down this year was again with 4R.  The SmBLE was just not up to my “standard”.  It was perfectly “fine” bourbon, but didn’t taste much different to me than a good older aged OBSQ store pick.

I feel like 4R is usually good about adding the wow factor to their LE’s.

They forgot it with the ‘21 edition.

The real problem here is likely more personal, because I’ve tasted what they are capable of and every year I hype this bourbon up in my head.  

[FasterHorses]

Without much thought…

My top remains the smooth

1.Weller 12

Followed by 

2a. OWA

2b.EHT Sm Batch

4.KC store picks >12yrs

5.JD Single Barrel Store Picks

 

 

 

[Jazzhead]

My favorites from the past year:

 

1792 Full Proof (this year's revelation for me)

 

Smoke Wagon Uncut and Unfiltered (fantastic MGP), 

 

Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series (the best blend of young and old bourbons I've ever had)

 

Wild Turkey 101 Rye (returning at long last to the Pennsy State Stores!)

 

Pikesville Rye (just found another after a long local drought.)

[smokinjoe]

I probably could put 8 or 9 in here, but I’m good with the following 5.  Though, 2-5 are pretty much interchangeable, my #1 is my landslide winner of…

2021 BOURBON OF YHE YEAR

 

1.     Evan Williams 1783.  

2.  Old Forester Statesman

3.  Very Old Barton 90

4.  Jack Daniels SB Barrel Proof

5.  Four Roses Small Batch Select

[Jazzhead]

On the basis of that testimonial,  I'd best take the plunge and try the 1783.   Funny that I tend to shy away from their bourbon, because they make some of the best rye on the planet.   This fall I bought an Elijah Craig barrel proof for the beach,  and it's dandy fine juice.   Very glad to have it.   But I've never had a Henry McKenna I thought was any great shakes,  and my track record with Evan Williams single barrels has not been good.   

 

Heck,  I think sometimes that Luxco does HH bourbon better than HH does.

 

But I need to try the 1783.

 

[Jazzhead]

3 hours ago, smokinjoe said:

I probably could put 8 or 9 in here, but I’m good with the following 5.  Though, 2-5 are pretty much interchangeable, my #1 is my landslide winner of…

2021 BOURBON OF YHE YEAR

 

1.     Evan Williams 1783.  

2.  Old Forester Statesman

3.  Very Old Barton 90

4.  Jack Daniels SB Barrel Proof

5.  Four Roses Small Batch Select

Statesman has had a place on my bar ever since the movie came out!

[DeepCover]

Of the ones I tried:

Remus Repeal Reserve V 

Stagg Jr Batch 16

Smoke Wagon U/U

Weller FP (local restaurant barrel pick)

George Remus (local store pick)

[Quiganomics]

Bourbon hunt this year was a rough one in my area so I missed out on quite a few. My top 5 of 2021 are:

 

Bardstown Discovery 6

Remus Repeal V

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C921

Russell's Reserve 13

Driftless Glen Port Finish

[Jazzhead]

8 hours ago, Quiganomics said:

Bourbon hunt this year was a rough one in my area so I missed out on quite a few. My top 5 of 2021 are:

 

Bardstown Discovery 6

Remus Repeal V

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C921

Russell's Reserve 13

Driftless Glen Port Finish

Rough?  Sounds like a good year to me - I'd especially love to score some Remus Repeal V!

[BigRich]

12 hours ago, Jazzhead said:

On the basis of that testimonial,  I'd best take the plunge and try the 1783.   Funny that I tend to shy away from their bourbon, because they make some of the best rye on the planet.   This fall I bought an Elijah Craig barrel proof for the beach,  and it's dandy fine juice.   Very glad to have it.   But I've never had a Henry McKenna I thought was any great shakes,  and my track record with Evan Williams single barrels has not been good.   

 

Heck,  I think sometimes that Luxco does HH bourbon better than HH does.

 

But I need to try the 1783.

 

I don't know.  If you follow Joe's posts back for several years then you will see that he pretty much likes everything.....eventually. 

 

@smokinjoe - Is it time to revisit Bourbon Supreme again?

[Shizzy]

1) Remus Repeal Batch V  (hands down my favorite of 2021)

2) RR 13 (was fortunate to have a fellow enthusiast send me a 2 oz sample and still have an oz left)

3) Frey Ranch BS SiB (this was a four grain pick  from Folsom W&S at 6 years and is my favorite newby doing things right)

4) WT 101 

5) Rebel CS SiB (pick from Lincoln Road Package Store)

[Jazzhead]

6 hours ago, Shizzy said:

1) Remus Repeal Batch V  (hands down my favorite of 2021)

2) RR 13 (was fortunate to have a fellow enthusiast send me a 2 oz sample and still have an oz left)

3) Frey Ranch BS SiB (this was a four grain pick  from Folsom W&S at 6 years and is my favorite newby doing things right)

4) WT 101 

5) Rebel CS SiB (pick from Lincoln Road Package Store)

Well-aged and blended MGP is the cat's pajamas for me.    I've had Remus Repeal batches III and IV, and they told a story of classic bourbon from start to finish.  

 

I had the Frey Ranch this year.   Pretty, pretty good (and the most amazing bottle I've seen since the Turkeytail).    Not Woodinville good,  but quality bourbon that's superior, IMO, to its direct competitor, Law's similar four-grain.  

[steven s]

favorites of what I bought and sipped in 2021:

 

smoke wagon uncut/unfiltered

remus 5

belle meade cask strength

weller kosher wheat

weller 12

weller 107

weller FP

ER store picks (2)

CEHT SiB

RR SiB

Bookers 2021 #3

KC12

OF 1920

Bulleit blenders select 1 (wonderful four roses blend)

 

Bought some others I have not tried yet, but have high hopes for: Stagg jr, MM FAE-02, Wilderness Trail 6 yr pick, etc.

Value drinkers this year: OF100, WT101, 1783, WSR

 

[Harry in WashDC]

Easy peasy, thanks to GeeTen for the first two and the fifth. 

 

A couple Baker's 13 I cannot get locally, and one was a stellar C&K pick

VOB 100 neckband "6" (of which I only have a couple left to go with two VOB BIB neckband "Aged 6 years"

JD Bonded (which I'm surprised by)

W12

 

Honorable mention

a bunkered ER neckband 10 star I decided to open on a whim when I dug out a sister bottle to use as a gift

KC 12 yr. which I buy whenever I see it

EC BP which also surprises me as 12 YOs tend to be too oaky for me

[Bob_Loblaw]

Top five that I tried for the first time in 2021 in no order.  

 

RR13 - Great release by WT

PVW/EV23 - Hate to say it, neither was overly oaked and both complex, rich and flavorful. 

King of Kentucky - mind blown at how good this is.  

MMPS "Pitter Patter" - Biased here as I was part of the team that created the recipe, but wow! did it blow away expectations and continues to impress every time I revisit/pour for others.  

 

Apologies for the unicorn filled list, but I checked off a lot of boxes in 2020 and found a few that were absolutely fantastic.

[PaulO]

Here's my top five of 2021.

Two new for 2021 - 

Maker's Mark 101

Evan Williams 1783 (90 proof new version)

 

Old Favorites -

WT 101

Old Forester 100

Rittenhouse Rye

 

Basically anything else "bottled in bond" is good in my book.  

 

[Kepler]

I counted 111 open bottles of whiskey the other day which was about 20 more open bottles than I thought I had.

 

So I'm always running a year or two behind what is released in a given  year versus what I actually open, but of the 2021 releases, off the top of my head the best I've opened so far are Russell's Reserve 13 year and OF Birthday bourbon '21.  I still have some other very promising '21 releases I'm looking forward to cracking open, but generally speaking I haven't purchased as much bourbon in the past year as usual... several of the new releases have passed me by.

[Bob_Loblaw]

Ooh yeah MM101! Not sure if I tried in ‘20 or ‘21 but I CAN say I fell in love in ‘21. 
 

Biggest disappointment WSiB. Considering how difficult it is to find there was nothing overly impressive vs the rest of the lineup. 

[Marekv8]

More about where and when I had these (and who was pouring)— as drinking at home in the dark just doesn’t add any points:

Cascade Moon No. 2

Kings County 7 yo

George Dickel x Leopold Bros. Rye

Blackened x Willett Rye

Widow Jane 10 yo

 

Biggest disappointment was the Remus Repeal V— the Chivas Regal 12 of bourbon, they blended all of the soul out of it trying to please everyone by committee.

 

 

[fishnbowljoe]

1 hour ago, Bob_Loblaw said:

Ooh yeah MM101! Not sure if I tried in ‘20 or ‘21 but I CAN say I fell in love in ‘21. 
 

Biggest disappointment WSiB. Considering how difficult it is to find there was nothing overly impressive vs the rest of the lineup. 

I’ve been hesitant to post because I had a hard time making up my mind on a few things. The above post helped me some, so……….

 

I’m pretty much on the same page as @Bob_Loblaw.  I too fell in love with MM 101 last year. I also agree that the WSiB was a disappointment. I mentioned in another thread that I was gifted a sample that was pretty decent, but the bottle I had was very lackluster. Funny, but I had delayed opening my bottle because I was afraid I’d finish it too fast. Now that it’s open, it’s kinda the opposite. I have a feeling this will linger on my shelf for a while. FWIW, I’ve shared a few samples to pay it forward, and to get a couple of more opinions. Anyway, on to the topic at hand.
 

I really didn’t try very many new things this year. Since retirement was looming, most of my purchasing efforts were geared more towards stocking up as much as I comfortably could on some of my favorites. However, I did take a flyer on a couple of things, was given a tip or two, and was gifted a number of bottles and samples, so I guess I kinda have a list.

In no particular order:

#1-MM 101. See above comments.

#2-FRSB. It had been quite a long time since I had a bottle of this. Not sure if I finally bought a bottle or if it was a gift from my son, but after a long absence, it’s back in my cabinet. FWIW, I actually had two bottles, but one already went to the big blue bin.
#3-Weller Antique PS. This one was a retirement gift from a fellow member here. This bottle more than made up for the disappointment of  my WSiB.

#4-WW Outryder. I can’t remember if I bought this because of a tip from @Galvin0791, or if it was a gift from him. CRS kicking in. As always, nice job @WhiskeyBlender.

#5-A Private Selection Yellowstone Select 

 

Honorable Mention-A sample of 2021 FRSmBLE. Once again courtesy of @Galvin0791

 

Biggest disappointments:

#1- The aforementioned WSiB. Weller Whore that I am, it pains me to give this one a thumbs down.

#2-Rush Creek Bourbon, wheat recipe. I tried to show a little support for a local distillery. Nice people, nice place, but IMHO, their bourbon is still lacking a bit. Maybe a little more age will help.

 

Biba! Joe

[flahute]

My top 5 will be a mix of new things I've tried and old standbys that I just kept going back to.

 

1) KC12 just keeps on delivering at a very high level.

2) FRSiB 100 proof. It's really expensive in WA State now so I don't drink it as much but every time I do buy a bottle it goes really fast. 

3) Wilderness Trail 6yr 8mo private selection by my group. Best WiT I've had so far and a great sign of what's to come for them.

4) OF100. It is my most consumed bourbon.

5) WT101. It is my most consumed bourbon. (It and OF100 are so close that I don't honestly know which one technically wins)

 

Honorable mentions:

Dickel 17yr private pick by my group. Every now and then I get the vitamin flavor but when I don't it ranks top three.

OFBP private selection I did with my local.

MM101. It's been more of a holiday bourbon but if I drank it all year long it would move up.

RR13. Only had one taste and it was good enough to rank #1 but I have a hard time doing that on only one taste.

 

 

[Jazz June]

4 minutes ago, flahute said:

My top 5 will be a mix of new things I've tried and old standbys that I just kept going back to.

 

1) KC12 just keeps on delivering at a very high level.

2) FRSiB 100 proof. It's really expensive in WA State now so I don't drink it as much but every time I do buy a bottle it goes really fast. 

3) Wilderness Trail 6yr 8mo private selection by my group. Best WiT I've had so far and a great sign of what's to come for them.

4) OF100. It is my most consumed bourbon.

5) WT101. It is my most consumed bourbon. (It and OF100 are so close that I don't honestly know which one technically wins)

 

Honorable mentions:

Dickel 17yr private pick by my group. Every now and then I get the vitamin flavor but when I don't it ranks top three.

OFBP private selection I did with my local.

MM101. It's been more of a holiday bourbon but if I drank it all year long it would move up.

RR13. Only had one taste and it was good enough to rank #1 but I have a hard time doing that on only one taste.

 

 

Which Wilderness Trail? The rye bourbon, wheated bourbon, or rye whiskey? On your pick, did you guys taste more than one of these or all barrels of one recipe?

[Jazz June]

For the topic at hand, the best five things I drank in 2021 in no particular order:

 

Russell's Reserve 1998

Willett Family Estate, various sourced single barrels of bourbon and rye, including some >20 year old examples at Willett Bar

Wild Turkey 101 from 1992

Four Roses PS, various barrels

2017 William Larue Weller

 

I don't really have a regular/daily drinker, but the bourbon I went through the most of this year was Wild Turkey 101.

 

 

[flahute]

3 hours ago, Jazz June said:

Which Wilderness Trail? The rye bourbon, wheated bourbon, or rye whiskey? On your pick, did you guys taste more than one of these or all barrels of one recipe?

High rye bourbon. I think we had 8 barrels to chose from all of which were over 6yrs old.