What bourbon are you drinking this Spring - 2024

[Richnimrod]

Had my last small pour from a 4-ounce 'sample' bottle I made up years ago of Parker's Heritage Blend of Mashbills.    I think this is from 2012?   Anyway, I didn't kill it off.   I poured off the top 1/2 ounce or so to remind myself what a wonderful Bourbon it is.   I'm gifting the remaining 3.5 ounces to a friend who likely will never have a chance to taste this whiskey otherwise.     I wish I could see his face when he savors the first pour from it.   Alas, I'll just have to imagine that pleasure.   I only see this man infrequently.    ...Only when I need hand surgery of a cortisone injection in my shoulder.   Tomorrow's the shoulder.

[PaulO]

6 hours ago, bayouredd said:

Yesterday saw me thinking yesteryear. I went to my oldest bottle opened for pert near 25 years. Pouring created oodles of bubbles & I was afraid it was bad. Not so; you could taste the dust in it, but it was excellent...

 

Started today with a Shenk's 2023, remembered it was wheater Wednesday, so followed with a BBC Origin wheater. Really nice...

When you get those small bubbles that cling around the surface inside the glass and don't pop right away, the Bourbon is said to be "beady".  That's a good sign.  The DSP 31 distilled JW Dant was like that.

[fishnbowljoe]

Bourbon and cigar night. We enjoyed BT, Traveller Whiskey, Benchmark Full Proof (125 proof), and…….

wait for it….. wait for it….. 2013 GTS  138.1 proof! Yes, it was a great night.

[b1gcountry]

This isn't amazing, but it's nicely distilled and aged 5 year Bourbon finished in Spanish wine barrels in Indiana. 

 

I picked up the bottle last year and just came back to it last night. 

 

I've like most of the starlight stuff I've tried.

Edited May 2, 2024 by b1gcountry

[Harry in WashDC]

On 4/27/2024 at 2:13 PM, fishnbowljoe said:

A nice pour of MM last night.  

Hhhhmmm.  Haven’t had MM in awhile.  Now that warm weather is here, I better move one down next to my Bernheim for use when relaxing outside after a day of yard work.

 

Was pulling honeysuckle and breaking up rotten pine stumps so I don’t bend ANOTHER mower blade.  Came in and discovered I’d run out of beer.  Pulled a new OGDBIB off the shelf (too tired to get out the ladder and grab that Bernheim).  That shrink wrap and cork are TOUGH when your hands are tired from pulling honey suckle.  Indeed, it is why I usually decant it into an old OGDBIB circa 2014 $18.99 OTD back then.  But I forgot the funnel.  The wrap and cork are enough to drive me to drink!

 

Got the cork out.  Watching Nats at Rangers.  Trevor Williams last night pitched for the Nats and TWICE had bases loaded with no outs and managed to allow ZERO runs.  I’ve never seen a pitcher do it twice in a game before.

[bayouredd]

So I Lied !!!

I said I was done buying for the spring. Well. I didn't even make 24 hours before becoming a liar. Damn!

Grabbed a JB Black 7yr 1.75 from TW. (In the glass, now)

Caramel Apple - Funk, on the nose.

Palate looses the apple, but holds the sweet caramel, well. The peanut & funk aren't separate. It's a p'nut-JB funk as a combo. Sorta' a punk or p-funk thing. (shout out to George Clinton/Eddie Hazel) 

 

To me, hands down better than Old Tub. Will it replace my daily sippers? Not better than  Bulleit 10 or VOB90, but very much so, better than the last bottle of George Remus that I've got. Something change in the GR & I had to blend it. Time will tell on that one. Is it a good change of pace sipper. You bet...

 

[mbroo5880i]

10 hours ago, b1gcountry said:

This isn't amazing, but it's nicely distilled and aged 5 year Bourbon finished in Spanish wine barrels in Indiana. 

 

I picked up the bottle last year and just came back to it last night. 

 

I've like most of the starlight stuff I've tried.

 

They are in my backyard.  Well, a little south.  I have only tried one iteration several years ago.  It was a store pick that was highly rated.  It was a cask strength on clearance at half-price, $25.  Cheap Bastard fail.

 

I couldn't mix it with enough palatable whiskey to totally negate the strong overbearing alcohol profile.  It ended up in a solara bottle.  I was tempted to give it to my wife to remove nail polish.  

 

That was a long-term ago.  It may be time to revisit.

[b1gcountry]

32 minutes ago, mbroo5880i said:

 

They are in my backyard.  Well, a little south.  I have only tried one iteration several years ago.  It was a store pick that was highly rated.  It was a cask strength on clearance at half-price, $25.  Cheap Bastard fail.

 

I couldn't mix it with enough palatable whiskey to totally negate the strong overbearing alcohol profile.  It ended up in a solara bottle.  I was tempted to give it to my wife to remove nail polish.  

 

That was a long-term ago.  It may be time to revisit.

Try it first. The store had 3 picks and the other 2 weren't good.

[mbroo5880i]

I decided to open up an older bottle of WFE.  The whiskey is spectacular.  The cork not so much.    

 

The end result is what matters.  

 

The bottle was a barrel selection by Crossroad Vintners who made several stellar picks from the Willett NDP barrel inventory.  I remember attending a release event attended by Drew Kulsveen but that was a different WFE bottle that was one of my all-time favorite bottles.  It's been so long I don't remember where this bottle came from.  I am not certain the source.  I bought it around 2013.  I am guessing Heaven Hill because it resembles ECBP.

[mbroo5880i]

1 minute ago, b1gcountry said:

Try it first. The store had 3 picks and the other 2 weren't good.

 

Thanks and good advice.  I thought I was getting a great deal buying a highly rated cask strength store pick for $25 but the raters must have all been store employees.  

[GaryT]

First impression . . . this may be the best Blood Oath I've tried!  Raspberries, dark chocolate, honey, thick mouthfeel . . . just a lovely whiskey (and I think the first I've tried that had any finishing from Merlot casks? Although some listed "red wine" so who knows)  Hoping to do a few more passes and have a review posted in the next week or two!

 

[GaryT]

Following up the Blood Oath with a bottle-kill pour of GBS ETL.  Only had 3-5 pours left when I brought the bottle to Bardstown last week with the expectation it would be killed off there. Was surprised when Saturday night there was still a big pour left (not that we lacked for good pours last weekend!) . . . but not all that sad I had to do the honors myself back home in Jaw-juh   Picking this barrel is one of my fondest whiskey memories, as it was the first barrel pick I had ever participated in, was able to do it with my old man and a great group of guys/gals, and ETL was my favorite bourbon at the time (and was easily found on shelves).  The good ol' days!

 

[markandrex]

Having some older Blanton’s on a pre-Derby evening.  It rained all day here with more expected.  I would not want to be in the infield at the Derby tomorrow.  

[mbroo5880i]

Opted for a screw cap bottle tonight after last night's cork fiasco.  Old Fo 100.

[Thomm]

53 minutes ago, mbroo5880i said:

Opted for a screw cap bottle tonight after last night's cork fiasco.  Old Fo 100.

That's why I filled my fancy church rummage sale decanter with OF 100.  It's just too good to be screw cap material.

I picked up a new FR SiB tonight on the way home from work.  Now I must partake of the one that's on its way out to justify the purchase.  

 

[GaryT]

6 hours ago, Thomm said:

That's why I filled my fancy church rummage sale decanter with OF 100.  It's just too good to be screw cap material.

I picked up a new FR SiB tonight on the way home from work.  Now I must partake of the one that's on its way out to justify the purchase.  

 

 

Don't disagree about how good OF 100 is, but love that it's screw cap!  HATE corks that break, don't seal well, AND ultimately add price to the bottle while being an inferior seal.  Really wish Wild Turkey would have gone to screw caps 50+ years ago, as the collective time whiskey drinkers have spent decanting/filtering dusty Turkey because of bad corks is likely measured in years  

(but your point about it being good is spot on!)

[Kepler]

My annual derby day pour.  Cheers!

 

[0895]

Enjoying some good pours for derby day.  Working right to left.

 

Edited May 4, 2024 by 0895

[JCwhammie]

In KY with some friends. 

[Kepler]

1 hour ago, 0895 said:

Enjoying some good pours for derby day.  Working right to left.

 

 

 

Curious how the two OF stack up.

[Skinsfan1311]

This was gifted, and a very thoughtful one at that, but I still prefer the MM101.

That said, it's very good. 

[Kepler]

21 minutes ago, Skinsfan1311 said:

This was gifted, and a very thoughtful one at that, but I still prefer the MM101.

That said, it's very good. 

 

I notice this is from 2021, but I don't recall ever seeing any MM private selection in the 375ml size.  I wish they offered more in that size because I'd be more likely to try several different ones in a smaller size/price combination, even if the price per volume is higher than the 750. 

 

The problem with MM PS offerings is that there are just too many of them on the shelves, .... too many to choose from, so I tend to not buy any of them anymore.  This is simply a failure in marketing, something that Maker's usually excels in above all else.

 

[b1gcountry]

7 minutes ago, Kepler said:

 

I notice this is from 2021, but I don't recall ever seeing any MM private selection in the 375ml size.  I wish they offered more in that size because I'd be more likely to try several different ones in a smaller size/price combination, even if the price per volume is higher than the 750. 

 

The problem with MM PS offerings is that there are just too many of them on the shelves, .... too many to choose from, so I tend to not buy any of them anymore.  This is simply a failure in marketing, something that Maker's usually excels in above all else.

 

I think they were trying to replicate the 4R single barrel picks...

[Radioyada]

Down in Jacksonville visiting with my two best friends. Some bottle tastings in the hotel before going out for dinner. All were liked, with the Bardstown being the most surprising on how good it is. 
 

 

[Skinsfan1311]

23 minutes ago, Kepler said:

 

I notice this is from 2021, but I don't recall ever seeing any MM private selection in the 375ml size.  I wish they offered more in that size because I'd be more likely to try several different ones in a smaller size/price combination, even if the price per volume is higher than the 750. 

 

The problem with MM PS offerings is that there are just too many of them on the shelves, .... too many to choose from, so I tend to not buy any of them anymore.  This is simply a failure in marketing, something that Maker's usually excels in above all else.

 

I've never seen them either. This was part of a PS sampler 3-pack.

I can't recall what the staves combo were on the other two bottles.  

I think that the 750ml bottles are pricey and I doubt that I'll buy any in the future, unless I can try it first.