Let's talk solera bottles

[Jazzhead]

Here's my three (more or less) finished solera bottles,  where IMO the blends are superb and I'm drinking them down.   Pride of place is the Frank August solera,  which I declare completed this evening by way of dumping an existing solera into the last one-fifth of my Frank August bottle. 

 

 The result is,  I'll state,  as good as any bourbon I've had.  The FA is an odd duck;  the provanance is unknown, and the marketing is obscure and defiantly adopts a "trust us" attitude that this is good stuff.   And it is, kinda Wild Turkey-like,  and by serendipity the perfect final ingredient in the blend.

 

A fourth solera bottle has gone the wrong way of late.  I keep tinkering with it and it just becomes more of a hot mess.

 

I used to keep close track of what into each bottle,  but I've lately I've been winging it and just blending for taste and mouthfeel.   Two were started to save crappy bourbon; I recall the base of one was Garrison's.   But I also try to blend better whiskey from good.  

 

Who does this sort of stuff?   What's your philosophy?

 

 

[JakeySnakes]

I used to have one solera bottle that I would dump the last once from EVERY bottle I killed. Every so often I would take a sip. It progressively got worse and worse with every drop of different bourbon added. I eventually gave up on it and finished it off.

 

Every so often now I'll do a mingle, but keep it to the same "family", or try to have 2-3 that will compliment each other, but not keep it going and going. The last was a 50/50 of Basil Haydens (gift), and OGD BIB for a nice 90proofer that eventually went in the freezer and turned out amazing.

 

Got nothing happening right now though.

[bayouredd]

Basically, I started all with a pour I just wasn't into at the time and grew them with last bottle pours and so on...

When i'd get to about half of a 750, I would try a pour. If it was 'grand', I would drink it down without addition. If it was just ok, I would add. So far, I have finished a couple of really excellent batches & am working on a 3rd that has been pretty damn good, but I am adding as I am subtracting. It has been as good as any daily pour. I do find that having a basis of KC, keeps it tolerable no matter what is added or subtracted. I look for any excuse to drop some KC into it. Of course, I cheat; I'm a KC slut...

[Grady330]

Have been struggling with a bottle of Garrison Bros. Any thoughts on what I could add to it to save it? Or just wing it and add a daily sipper to it. Guess my question is are there better adders than others?

[bayouredd]

On 1/28/2023 at 9:35 AM, Grady330 said:

Have been struggling with a bottle of Garrison Bros. Any thoughts on what I could add to it to save it? Or just wing it and add a daily sipper to it. Guess my question is are there better adders than others?

I've had only 1 Garrison Bros and found the best addition was the kitchen drain... 

[Grady330]

9 hours ago, bayouredd said:

I've had only 1 Garrison Bros and found the best addition was the kitchen drain... 

Getting close to this !!

[Jazzhead]

On 1/28/2023 at 10:35 AM, Grady330 said:

Have been struggling with a bottle of Garrison Bros. Any thoughts on what I could add to it to save it? Or just wing it and add a daily sipper to it. Guess my question is are there better adders than others?

To start,  I'd try a 50 - 50 blend with some MGP high rye (36%) bourbon,  like Belle Meade Sour Mash or Smooth Ambler Old Scout.

[Grady330]

11 minutes ago, Jazzhead said:

To start,  I'd try a 50 - 50 blend with some MGP high rye (36%) bourbon,  like Belle Meade Sour Mash or Smooth Ambler Old Scout.

Will give it a try. Thanks...

[Bret Bret]

On 2/1/2023 at 2:11 PM, Grady330 said:

Will give it a try. Thanks...

I find willett pot still reserve to be an excellent adder.  Nothing fantastic on its' own and not sure if adding to a 'meh' whiskey would create any memorable synergies.

[wadewood]

Solera refers to casks.  What you are doing is more called infinty bottles

[Jazzhead]

Here are my five current solera bottles.   At this point, all are improvised;  I do plenty of deliberate 50/50 or 1/3 - 2/3 blends, but I have only a vague idea what's in most of these bottles anymore.

 

  They are all blended to taste alone,  each gotten to a point of greatness,  and then tweaked with new adds to sustain the profile.  One's a malty sumbitch, and another's a coppery vibe intended to mimic Buffalo Trace.  The ones that are drunk down are ones I don't want to mess with, the fuller ones are the subject of ongoing experiments to smooth out a harsh edge,  or otherwise bring 'em closer to perfection.

 

Most these started with a base of a reclamation project,  a bourbon that just wasn't cutting it.   But as these experiments mature I've gotten away from that, adding only good stuff and treating them as extended sax solos, trying to keep the vibe going.  These are all superb bottles.