Please Tell Me About Your Advent Calendar Experiences

[jvd99]

On 11/19/2022 at 7:46 PM, mbroo5880i said:

A really good friend of mine bought 3 of the Costco Beer Advent Calendars.  His wife then went out and bought him 3 more and then 3 cases of Sam's Beer Advent Calendar.  The Costco version is all German beers at higher proofs and pints.  The Sam's has a variety of beer styles.  So, he ended up with 9 Beer Advent Calendars.  He has already whipped out one of the Calendars and Advent hasn't even started. 

 He should get three more and do an advent year 

[IamMatt]

So my buddy and I collaborated and each made 2 sets of 12 samples each then swapped so we each have 12 of mine and 12 of his.  Labels are hidden and numbered and we are alternating days so my samples are on odd days and his are even.

 

Started my Advent Calendar tonight.  Really interesting writing down the nose and palate notes in my notebook before revealing what I was drinking,  First sample was Joseph A. Magnus Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

 

 

[IamMatt]

Night 2 was Blackened Cask Strength Bath #110.  Not much transparency from their website regarding mashbill, source, etc.

[geclbxf]

On 12/1/2022 at 9:58 PM, IamMatt said:

So my buddy and I collaborated and each made 2 sets of 12 samples each then swapped so we each have 12 of mine and 12 of his.  Labels are hidden and numbered and we are alternating days so my samples are on odd days and his are even.

 

Started my Advent Calendar tonight.  Really interesting writing down the nose and palate notes in my notebook before revealing what I was drinking,  First sample was Joseph A. Magnus Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

 

 

I am so doing this next year!

[IamMatt]

20 minutes ago, geclbxf said:

I am so doing this next year!

Ironically, the buddy I am doing this with is back in his home state of Ohio right now (dunno if it's Central Ohio). 

[geclbxf]

21 hours ago, IamMatt said:

Ironically, the buddy I am doing this with is back in his home state of Ohio right now (dunno if it's Central Ohio). 

OHio is a much better place this weekend after the USC loss - looking forward to finding out who OSU play's and where at Noon today.

[IamMatt]

Night 3 was Wild Turkey 101.  Rated it 7.5 our of 10.  Night 4 was Maker's Mark FAE-02 2021 54.55%.  Lots of layers of flavors, rated it 8 out of 10.

[IamMatt]

Night 5 was Old Forester 1920.  One of the interesting and fun thing about doing this blind--and blinds in general--is how so much of what I thought I knew was wrong.   I thought I knew OF 1920 well enough to easily recognize it.  Nope.  Same with WT101 the other night.  Didn't have a clue. 

[IamMatt]

Russell's Reserve SiB for night 6.  I had my new-to-bourbon brother over for dinner so we shared the sample, plus a couple others from the cabinet.

[IamMatt]

Night 7 was a George Remus Straight Bourbon SiB store pick at 109.1 proof.  Tonight, night 8, was Doc Swinson's Alter Ego Cask strength.  My samples are randomized so just happened to get two MGPs in a row, and they are a couple of my favorites so far.

 

My nosing and tasting skills suck but my two high points are probably that I immediately picked out banana and cherry in the OF 1920, and tasting the George Remus, I said it reminded me of a Doc Swinson's store pick I have. 

[IamMatt]

Last night, #9 was a blend of 3-12-yrear old straight whiskeys, 97.6 proof, 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley.  Tasted like lemongrass and summer.  It was my blend of Redwood Empire Lost Monarch and Mellow Corn.

[IamMatt]

Night 10 was Starlight Cigar Blend.  It has a unique flavor that would be 8-9 out of 10 if you were in that mood but 6 if you weren't, maybe like Calumet 15?  I got a not like hand lotion.  Night 11 was Sagamore Cask Strength Rye.  I thought I didn't like ryes.  I was wrong.

[IamMatt]

Night 12 was a Good Times Cigar Blend store pick 118 proof.  I'm finding cigar blends--unlike some bottles that are just always awesome--are fantastic if you are in the right mood but a little unpleasant if you are not.

 

Night 13 was Hirsch The Horizon.  This was almost a drain pour when I first opened it.  It was minerality/Flintstones vitamins on steroids.  I actually checked the bottle to make sure it was distilled in Indiana and not Tennessee.  It got better with time but still unpleasant for me.  My son likes it or else I would have probably poured it out.

 

Night 14 was a5-yr-old Pinhook Rye BevMo store pick 110 proof.  Nothing spectacular.

 

Night 15 and 16 I started to feel like Matt Porter.  Night 15 (after my fulsome nosing and tasting notes) I wrote "If not ECBP then a KC SiB."  Turned out to be a KS SiB BevMo store pick.

 

Night 16 was similar to night 15, classic bourbon notes, proofy, delicious.  My wife is joining me for most of these samples and as I walked the two glasses from the kitchen to the living room I was already enjoying the aromas emanating from the juice.  After more effusive nosing and tasting notes I wrote "Maybe a high-proof BT product like Stagg or EHT BP?"  It was Stagg Jr Batch 17.  Oh, and my wife found it a little hot and asked, "do you want to finish mine?"  Well, if you insist.

 

[IamMatt]

We've been on a real streak of hitters lately, and my guessing has gotten better.  Night 17 was an ECBP barrel pick.  I guessed it was ECBP (didn't ID which pick, lol!)  134.7 proof.

 

Night 18 was another good one and a surprise to me.  A Heaven's Door bourbon Lukas Liquor store pick at 126 proof.  Rich, complex flavors, I was getting an ECBP vibe from it so I was surprised it was from Tennessee.  No minerality at all.  I am not sure if it is Dickel or someone else like Tennessee Distilling.  Delicious though.

 

Night 19 was a change of pace.  A light low-proof crushable bottle after all the high-octane stuff.  Hancock President's Reserve at 88.9 proof.  Good complexity for a low-proof pour.  I was severely underwhelmed by this when I first bought it but I like it now. That's what I love about blinds!

[Obree]

What a great idea! I have not come any further than watching the advent calendars from the Bourbon Junkies and Matt from ADHD........ Love the idea of doing this with a friend like you guys do!

[IamMatt]

This is the first time I have done it and I am really disappointed it is almost over!  It has been so much fun, especially when I have no idea what half the samples are since they were made up by my friend. 

 

Night 20 I found a familiar note that I thought was MGP.  Turned out I was right, it was Redemption 10-yr high-rye barrel proof. 

 

Night 21 kinda ticks me off.  My wife and I both liked it, found it to have classic bourbon notes with some smoke, muted citrus, and light banana bread.  It was Stellum cask strength bourbon.  I have occasionally gone back to this bottle for over a year and it never floated my boat before so I contributed it to my local club's Bottle Share 11 days ago!  Oh well, easy come, easy go.

[MM818]

This thing has been on my island all month. I usually have to push it aside to enjoy my morning coffee. But, I think I’m going to miss it.
 

Alas, no whiskey, candies, or chocolate behind the door. But I got a MM PS sitting on the doorstep. 
 

 

[IamMatt]

Night 22 had lots of dried fruit and spice notes.  Barrel Batch 33.  We liked it.

 

Night 23 had candied fruit, vanilla, baking spice, tea with honey.  It was Barrel Dovetail.  We liked it.  I dodged a bullet on this one, Like night 21's Stellum, I went back to it numerous times and it never really clicked for me so I brought this one to the Bottle Share too.  But I reclaimed it at the end of the day instead of leaving it for the club so if it back on the shelf. 

[IamMatt]

And the final night, night 24.  What a surprise.  Strong fruity flavors and proofy, reminded me of an ECBP a few years ago that was 134-ish proof.  Turned out to be Jack Daniel's Barrel Strength Rye.  I loved it.  In the last 24 days I have found I actually like ryes.  Just what I need, another rabbit hole do dive down!

[IamMatt]

Here's a little coda to my post.  I am holding on to a bottle of Remus VI I scoured for the buddy I did my Advent calendar with.  The shared blind thing was so much fun I suggested when he picks it up, we exchange a half-dozen more random samples with each other and he was down for it.  Looking forward to more blind fun.