What bottle did you open today? - 2024

[Kepler]

On 3/10/2024 at 6:40 PM, Clueby said:

That's one of my favorite bottles ever! It's like a really great Evan Williams profile.

It's excellent!

[Stones]

First time posting after a few years of absence... bit of a mix of open bottles at the moment.

Some old, some new... all different.

[Harry in WashDC]

11 hours ago, Stones said:

First time posting after a few years of absence... bit of a mix of open bottles at the moment.

Some old, some new... all different.

Welcome back.  That OGD bottle with its bubble, fluted neck doesn't look like the current bottle shape.  Is it dusty or is it just an overseas variant?  Also, does Australia still lmit basic imported spirits to 70 proof?  Not that I'll get down there aga9n anytime soon; just curious.

[Patrick_OKC]

Continuing my bunker beat down, I opened two bottles this evening. One was good as expected, and the other was shit, as I feared. I knew the shit bottle (Hirsch) was not the original Hirsch when I bought it at least 10 years ago, but I bought it anyway. 

 

Pat

 

[Thomm]

It's what I purchased today, what I opened today, and what I'm drinking today.  Look at me, I just hit three categories with one tasty turkey! 

[Stones]

12 hours ago, Harry in WashDC said:

Welcome back.  That OGD bottle with its bubble, fluted neck doesn't look like the current bottle shape.  Is it dusty or is it just an overseas variant?  Also, does Australia still lmit basic imported spirits to 70 proof?  Not that I'll get down there aga9n anytime soon; just curious.

Thanks Harry, yes the OGD is a dusty along with the OF in the middle. I believe the Aust standard is 86proof which is around 43%ABV for basic spirits.

[camduncan]

On 3/16/2024 at 5:06 PM, Stones said:

Thanks Harry, yes the OGD is a dusty along with the OF in the middle. I believe the Aust standard is 86proof which is around 43%ABV for basic spirits.

What Tym said... A number of products sold here are watered down.  Makers Mark and Buffalo Trace are two examples sold at 80 proof.  We even have products sold under some loophole in our international trade agreement with the US that sit at 37% ABV.  Jim Beam White Label is the most notable.  

[Anwalt]

I really like the 23. Decided to open a 22 and let it breathe for a month to compare.

 

 

[Double C's]

this is pretty good. I ended up doing a quick comparison to Larceny  BP B523. It was pretty close, so I will redo that once the Holladay has been open for a bit.

[Kepler]

On 3/21/2024 at 9:28 PM, Double C's said:

this is pretty good. I ended up doing a quick comparison to Larceny  BP B523. It was pretty close, so I will redo that once the Holladay has been open for a bit.

 

Good to hear positive feedback.  I bought their BiB wheated bourbon and the "rickhouse proof" version of their rye-based bourbon.  I need to open mine.

 

[Clueby]

A fresh store pick. This one is a darker, meaner BT. It lacks the typical fruitiness I usually get with BT. I dig it.

[flahute]

On 3/21/2024 at 7:28 PM, Double C's said:

this is pretty good. I ended up doing a quick comparison to Larceny  BP B523. It was pretty close, so I will redo that once the Holladay has been open for a bit.

 

On 3/22/2024 at 11:02 PM, Kepler said:

 

Good to hear positive feedback.  I bought their BiB wheated bourbon and the "rickhouse proof" version of their rye-based bourbon.  I need to open mine.

 

Haven't had time to post about it yet but this past Wednesday I did a barrel pick at Holladay and we picked a 7yr soft red wheat. All I can say is that it was outstanding. I was really impressed. I also was impressed with their rye recipe bourbon. Even better than the quality of the distillate was the quality of the people. We spent time with not only the owner and the master distiller but people at various levels of the company and they are the stars of the show. I made a lot of new friends over 2 days. This experience reminded of the old days when the distilleries rolled out the red carpet for you. I think Holladay is going to do great things.

[fishnbowljoe]

4 hours ago, Clueby said:

A fresh store pick. This one is a darker, meaner BT. It lacks the typical fruitiness I usually get with BT. I dig it.

 

I’ll join you @Clueby.

[Grady330]

On 3/21/2024 at 4:09 PM, Anwalt said:

I really like the 23. Decided to open a 22 and let it breathe for a month to compare.

 

 

Great stuff!!

[Grady330]

Calumet 10, love this stuff.

[kcgumbohead]

On 3/12/2024 at 7:45 PM, Anwalt said:

A little behind. Happened to be in the right place at the right time in Charlotte - BiB Day, as several of you noted above. The Old Fashioned was very good.

 

 

OK kids, did cocktails not used to be 12-14 bucks in MOST establishments? I know inflation has affected everything but should I now anticipate 18-20 bucks for an old fashioned?? I paid that a few years back at the Roosevelt in New Orleans for the house Saz but I also got the glass.

[kcgumbohead]

14 hours ago, fishnbowljoe said:

I’ll join you @Clueby.

Sounds good, I'm of the opinion that standard BT could do with a bit of darkness and mean-ness. Oh wait that's Stagg jr. or whatever they call it these days. Glad you found a winner!!

Edited March 25, 2024 by kcgumbohead

[Anwalt]

4 hours ago, kcgumbohead said:

OK kids, did cocktails not used to be 12-14 bucks in MOST establishments? I know inflation has affected everything but should I now anticipate 18-20 bucks for an old fashioned?? I paid that a few years back at the Roosevelt in New Orleans for the house Saz but I also got the glass.

 

Bougie place, bougie price. It's probably how they are making up for high costs of everything else. 

 

I rarely drink whisky or cocktails "out" at all. What I have is better, and better priced. But there I was and had a hankering....

[Double C's]

On 3/24/2024 at 9:40 PM, Clueby said:

A fresh store pick. This one is a darker, meaner BT. It lacks the typical fruitiness I usually get with BT. I dig it.

Did you just pick this one up recently or do you mean a freshly opened bottle? If this is one that you have had a while, I am curious as to which barrel it is from. I have several bottles from a few years ago when Schnucks would get several barrels at a time and you could get bottles from a variety of barrels at once.

[Double C's]

On 3/25/2024 at 12:55 AM, flahute said:

 

Haven't had time to post about it yet but this past Wednesday I did a barrel pick at Holladay and we picked a 7yr soft red wheat. All I can say is that it was outstanding. I was really impressed. I also was impressed with their rye recipe bourbon. Even better than the quality of the distillate was the quality of the people. We spent time with not only the owner and the master distiller but people at various levels of the company and they are the stars of the show. I made a lot of new friends over 2 days. This experience reminded of the old days when the distilleries rolled out the red carpet for you. I think Holladay is going to do great things.

I keep seeing content from various bourbon youtubers as well as Fred Minnick that they are doing barrel picks at Holladay. I hope that everyone doesn't hype up this brand like all things BT. I enjoy the fact that I can go to any decent LS and find Holladay products on the shelf in my area. I almost feel like I should think about bunkering up some bottles now, but I would hope that their products only continue to get better as they are able to get some more age on their barrels. Those may come in the form of barrel picks down the road, but only time will tell.

[Clueby]

1 hour ago, Double C's said:

Did you just pick this one up recently or do you mean a freshly opened bottle? If this is one that you have had a while, I am curious as to which barrel it is from. I have several bottles from a few years ago when Schnucks would get several barrels at a time and you could get bottles from a variety of barrels at once.

Not sure when I got this.  Probably in the last 1-2 years. Its not from the period when they had a bunch of different barrels offered in 375s.  That was a fun time trying all those different ones.  I will look and see if this has a date or barrel #.

[flahute]

4 hours ago, Double C's said:

I keep seeing content from various bourbon youtubers as well as Fred Minnick that they are doing barrel picks at Holladay. I hope that everyone doesn't hype up this brand like all things BT. I enjoy the fact that I can go to any decent LS and find Holladay products on the shelf in my area. I almost feel like I should think about bunkering up some bottles now, but I would hope that their products only continue to get better as they are able to get some more age on their barrels. Those may come in the form of barrel picks down the road, but only time will tell.

I was on the same pick as Fred in fact. I think it will take a while for the hype train if it ever even happens. The average hype beast has an aversion to anything outside Kentucky and anything craft. Their product will definitely get better as it gets more age. They have proper rickhouses and the right climate - basically the same as Kentucky. The master distiller is very humble and smart. When I referred to him with that title he was uncomfortable with it. That's a good sign. Now that the product is coming into a good age range they will continue to learn. I only learned about them last year so I'd guess most of the country doesn't know much about them yet. The hype appears to be real locally though. Bourbon Lore just released their 18 barrel blend and one barrel's worth sold out at the distillery Saturday morning immediately. If I was you, I'd try every barrel pick that comes out and the ones you really like stock up on.

[Double C's]

19 hours ago, flahute said:

I was on the same pick as Fred in fact. I think it will take a while for the hype train if it ever even happens. The average hype beast has an aversion to anything outside Kentucky and anything craft. Their product will definitely get better as it gets more age. They have proper rickhouses and the right climate - basically the same as Kentucky. The master distiller is very humble and smart. When I referred to him with that title he was uncomfortable with it. That's a good sign. Now that the product is coming into a good age range they will continue to learn. I only learned about them last year so I'd guess most of the country doesn't know much about them yet. The hype appears to be real locally though. Bourbon Lore just released their 18 barrel blend and one barrel's worth sold out at the distillery Saturday morning immediately. If I was you, I'd try every barrel pick that comes out and the ones you really like stock up on.

I hope you are right and the hype train doesn't hit this brand sending all the taters into a frenzy to buy them all up. I did just hop onto the bourbon outfitter site a few minutes ago and saw that the bourbon lore Holladay pick was sold out already. I believe I was on the site only minutes after it was available for regular purchase. Maybe the early access folks snatched them all up. With bourbon prices the way they are these days, especially with store picks seemingly landing in the $60 - $80 range, it makes it a little more difficult to stockpile the ones you find that you really like. My wife already thinks I have "enough" bottles, so I find myself having to sneak things into the house on occasion. 

[smokinjoe]

I was speaking with a friend who is a member of a well known Bourbon group which did some picks at Holladay a couple months ago.  Their feedback was similar to Steve’s (“Flahute”.  I can call him Steve because he is my brother…).  They had very good things to say about the barrels they chose, and even better things to say about the experience and Holladay’s hospitality.  Sounds like that distillery has it goin’ on.  

[kcgumbohead]

On 3/25/2024 at 9:23 PM, Anwalt said:

 

Bougie place, bougie price. It's probably how they are making up for high costs of everything else. 

 

I rarely drink whisky or cocktails "out" at all. What I have is better, and better priced. But there I was and had a hankering....

Oh I completely get it, I very much enjoy a well crafted Old Fashioned and I understand that certain establishments come with a bit of a premium but on average I am seeing price creep lately and it’s pissing me off. I am ok with 12-14 and I really, really like a good Old Fashioned when we are on a night out but I am also getting cranky with these ever increasing prices, particularly when 12-14 is hardly a thin margin. Vent over, carry on…