What bottle did you open today? - 2024

[NDN98]

On 1/20/2024 at 6:24 PM, Kepler said:

I've been meaning to try this one for awhile.  Well here goes!

 

This is one of my favorites.  Wish it were more widely available other than Japan and the distillery.

[NDN98]

Picked this one up this weekend and cracked it.  Very good bourbon and very off profile for Old Forester, which isn't surprising considering it is the Early Times mash bill.  It is quite good, but a littler overpriced in my opinion, even though I bought it at MSRP.

[Davesnothere]

In the spirit of opening more bottles in '24 than we buy, I  opened this one tonight. 

If I'm correct this is batch 11. My first impressions are it's very ethanol forward, not my favorite on the palate, but it does have a long finish the resolves into a lingering fruitiness. 

But, then again what do I know. As always opinions subject to change.

But, right now I'm not terribly impressed.

 

[FasterHorses]

11 hours ago, Davesnothere said:

In the spirit of opening more bottles in '24 than we buy, I  opened this one tonight. 

If I'm correct this is batch 11. My first impressions are it's very ethanol forward, not my favorite on the palate, but it does have a long finish the resolves into a lingering fruitiness. 

But, then again what do I know. As always opinions subject to change.

But, right now I'm not terribly impressed.

 

I had a mixed first impression but it quickly became one of my all time favorite pours. It is in my top 5 for sure. 

[Anwalt]

This is the lowest-proof SFTB I've ever seen. And I like it, a lot. Almost all of the flavor of its higher proof cousins, none of the burn. Gonna side-by-side it with a 132 proof and see. In the Happy Place.

 

 

[Davesnothere]

6 hours ago, FasterHorses said:

I had a mixed first impression but it quickly became one of my all time favorite pours. It is in my top 5 for sure. 

I hope it gets better.

[PaulO]

On 2/2/2024 at 9:53 PM, Davesnothere said:

In the spirit of opening more bottles in '24 than we buy, I  opened this one tonight. 

If I'm correct this is batch 11. My first impressions are it's very ethanol forward, not my favorite on the palate, but it does have a long finish the resolves into a lingering fruitiness. 

But, then again what do I know. As always opinions subject to change.

But, right now I'm not terribly impressed.

 

When it was relatively new, I got to try the EHT Bottled In Bond.  I was underwhelmed.  I didn't enjoy it much because the finish had this dry orange peel note that stayed with me.  It was one of the few bonded whiskies that wasn't in my wheel house.

Over time, I've figured out - BT mash bill #1 brands are generally not my favorite. 

[Swamp55]

So, I had a bit of a surprise in the bunker today.  I was rummaging around looking for a backup bottle of WRDO to put in the cabinet to replace the bottle that I had just finished.  I couldn't seem to find a backup, although my trusty records indicated that there should be one there.  Then, I looked again at what I had thought was a bottle of the standard WR.  Well, what do you know, I still had one of the original bottlings of WRDO when it was in the same shape bottle as standard WR.  The last two or three (at least) bottles of WRDO I have bought and drank have all been the current "squatty" bottle, so this bottle must have been lost in the back row for several years.  I did a quick web search and found a reference to WRDO's bottle being changed in 2016; if so, this bottle has been around a while.  I like the look of the new bottle better, but this shape bottle sure fits nicely in tight spots in the cabinet!

 

[jvd99]

Calumet 16, not the current batch, had this for awhile in the bunker. Supposed to be pretty good, so we’ll see….first sip is hot, kind of astringent, lots of oak. Probably put some water in this…water doesn’t do much, first impression is this isn’t in my preferred profile, oh well still not bad either 

 

 

Edited February 10 by jvd99

[Skinsfan1311]

1 hour ago, jvd99 said:

Calumet 16, not the current batch, had this for awhile in the bunker. Supposed to be pretty good, so we’ll see….first sip is hot, kind of astringent, lots of oak. Probably put some water in this…water doesn’t do much, first impression is this isn’t in my preferred profile, oh well still not bad either 

 

 

My bottle isn't as fancy

 

I've read that people prefer the 14.

I've never had the 16, but I've had the 8 and  have through a couple of the 14's.

 

I had a pour of the 14 earlier,  and am having some MM46 right now. The 46 is drinking hotter than the Calumet.

 

 

[jvd99]

Continuing to thin the herd…a special delivery from Japan

 

 

[Clueby]

Happy VD, SB!

[jvd99]

Taking some time off purchasing. 2023 will be the year to start getting into the bunker more…so here’s another. I bought this very early on in my bourbon fandom and I didn’t know much and the store kinda snuckered me into buying this saying it was SW, even though it’s clearly not. I believed them and have been sitting on this for about 10 years. Anyways, first sip is actually very enjoyable, lots of vanilla and oak. I like it very much and still have another 18, a 21 and 25

 

 

[Clueby]

3 hours ago, jvd99 said:

Taking some time off purchasing. 2023 will be the year to start getting into the bunker more…so here’s another. I bought this very early on in my bourbon fandom and I didn’t know much and the store kinda snuckered me into buying this saying it was SW, even though it’s clearly not. I believed them and have been sitting on this for about 10 years. Anyways, first sip is actually very enjoyable, lots of vanilla and oak. I like it very much and still have another 18, a 21 and 25

Was it ever determined definitively that JPS 18 was not SW distilled? I know it's been debated hotly for years.

[Kepler]

I just picked this up and wanted to open it right away because I've never had it before.  It's really good. Such a longer finish with more depth than the single barrel BP.

 

 

I need to open my 10 year now.

[smokinjoe]

48 minutes ago, Kepler said:

I just picked this up and wanted to open it right away because I've never had it before.  It's really good. Such a longer finish with more depth than the single barrel BP.

 

 

I need to open my 10 year now.

That looks amazing.  

[PaulO]

15 hours ago, Kepler said:

I just picked this up and wanted to open it right away because I've never had it before.  It's really good. Such a longer finish with more depth than the single barrel BP.

 

 

I need to open my 10 year now.

I'm generally quite thrifty (cheapskate) by nature. 

But, if I happened to come across one of those, there would be some big time rationalization.  

 

[VWIndy]

MSRP is $80 for the JD12.  I would be all over one of these if I could find even close to that price:}

VWIndy

 

[Anwalt]

18 hours ago, Kepler said:

It's really good. Such a longer finish with more depth than the single barrel BP.

 

That is some gooood stuff. I had to slow it down once I got that first bottle, did not want to stop.

[Kepler]

4 hours ago, PaulO said:

I'm generally quite thrifty (cheapskate) by nature. 

But, if I happened to come across one of those, there would be some big time rationalization. 

 

2 hours ago, VWIndy said:

MSRP is $80 for the JD12.  I would be all over one of these if I could find even close to that price:}

VWIndy

 

1 hour ago, Anwalt said:

That is some gooood stuff. I had to slow it down once I got that first bottle, did not want to stop.

 

 

It's outstanding.  I did pay msrp so pulling the trigger is a no-brainer.  Even though I realize it's a 700ml bottle size

Which to Anwalt's point, this bottle will empty even faster than you realize.

 

 

[Davesnothere]

On 2/9/2024 at 6:28 PM, jvd99 said:

Calumet 16, not the current batch, had this for awhile in the bunker. Supposed to be pretty good, so we’ll see….first sip is hot, kind of astringent, lots of oak. Probably put some water in this…water doesn’t do much, first impression is this isn’t in my preferred profile, oh well still not bad either 

 

 

You exactly summed up my thoughts on the 15. Not my profile, and really not my profile for $120.  I'll save it for the next bottle share. 

[Davesnothere]

I found this A124 today while I was browsing for an Old Forester 1924.  I didn't find the OF, but this was a nice substitute.

My first impression is it's wonderful. I'm getting the faintest hint of ethanol, sweetness up front and on the back end, and a nice cinnamon on the mid-palate. 

[Davesnothere]

I have to stop buying finished JD.  I haven't yet found one I enjoy. As soon as I opened the bottle I was hit with a strong sherry nose. Surprising right? It was just too sweet for me. There is certainly nothing offensive in this release, but it's simply not my flavor profile. At 50ish bucks after tax for a 375, I'm going to bow out on these.

 

[Skinsfan1311]

15 hours ago, Davesnothere said:

I have to stop buying finished JD.  I haven't yet found one I enjoy. As soon as I opened the bottle I was hit with a strong sherry nose. Surprising right? It was just too sweet for me. There is certainly nothing offensive in this release, but it's simply not my flavor profile. At 50ish bucks after tax for a 375, I'm going to bow out on these.

 

I feel like that about most finished whiskey...

[Harry in WashDC]

Local Wegman's has basic BT in a glass case for $48 a 750.  I finished off a BT last night and thought about a replacement but hesitated then passed as another store near me usually has it at $40.  As I turned around, a large display of HH BIB 7 yr 750s caught my eye.  At $43 per 750 AND considering it is not regularly available here and, when it is, has an asking price close to or at $100, I grabbed two.  Celebrated by stopping by the sammich bar and picking up a 16 inch meatball sub.  Ate half the sub in the garage but waited until I was home and settled before opening one of the HH BIBs.  It was worth the wait.