What bourbon are you drinking this Spring - 2024

[Cibsie]

Always a solid pour, cheers everyone and happy Father's Day to all the good fathers out there!

 

Edited June 17, 2024 by Cibsie

[Anwalt]

1 hour ago, mbroo5880i said:

SFTB?  Straight from the Bottle?  

 

Foiled again!

[Kepler]

I'm on vacation starting this week.  Funny, my official vacation started on Friday evening, but since it was a regular weekend, it didn't really feel like vacation yet.

Here on Sunday night, watching a delayed recording of the last leg of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it feels great that I don't have to go to work tomorrow. So I can have a couple of pours with no guilt.

First pour was 2005 Pure Kentucky XO.  I've really come to appreciate this bottle, and as it gets close to the bottom I realize I'm going to miss it.  Think I'll archive off a few ounces in a sample bottle for future comparisons.  It has a unique varnish note that only dusty bourbons can provide.  That sounds strange, but it's a unique and pleasurable flavor.

 

My second pour is Old Fitz Bonded old school bottling ... as inspired by @0895 and the other fellas over in the 'What bottle did you open" thread.  Good call -- good stuff!

 

 

 

 

Edited June 17, 2024 by Kepler

[Kepler]

4 hours ago, Anwalt said:

 

I like that one a lot as well. Much more than anything else I've had from them. I periodically get them for about $35 on Unicorn auctions. Worth every last little nickel. Mine were bought about 9 months ago.

Good to know.  I also have their Uncut unfiltered bottle I purchased at the same time as the small batch but I haven't opened yet.  I'll have to crack open the UU soon to compare them.

[Kepler]

54 minutes ago, Kepler said:

I'm on vacation starting this week.  Funny, my official vacation started on Friday evening, but since it was a regular weekend, it didn't really feel like vacation yet.

Here on Sunday night, watching a delayed recording of the last leg of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it feels great that I don't have to go to work tomorrow. So I can have a couple of pours with no guilt.

First pour was 2005 Pure Kentucky XO.  I've really come to appreciate this bottle, and as it gets close to the bottom I realize I'm going to miss it.  Think I'll archive off a few ounces in a sample bottle for future comparisons.  It has a unique varnish note that only dusty bourbons can provide.  That sounds strange, but it's a unique and pleasurable flavor.

 

My second pour is Old Fitz Bonded old school bottling ... as inspired by @0895 and the other fellas over in the 'What bottle did you open" thread.  Good call -- good stuff!

 

The minty note of the Old Fitz made me want some more minty spiciness.  On my way to reach for the 4R OBSF, my eyes came across the lonely looking '17 4RSmBLE bottle. 

It spoke to me.  The OBSF will have to wait. 

 

[fishnbowljoe]

Long week, long day. Probably more of the same for the coming week. Basically a BT ladder this evening with BT, Weller SR,  ER, and EH Taylor SmB. Please stay tuned. 

[Anwalt]

9 hours ago, Kepler said:

I also have their Uncut unfiltered bottle I purchased at the same time as the small batch but I haven't opened yet.

 

The UCUF did little for me. A Willetty aftertaste. The flavor to burn ratio was not good. For me, it has not improved for being open for a year or more - unlike many bottles which change enough to inspire a Kafka novel. But. I know others who love it, palates differ. I liked their Small Batch way better.

[Harry in WashDC]

Holy house repair, Batman!  Second floor shower in our 80+ year old Wash DC classic colonial is LEAKING onto the kitchen ceiling.  How to cope???  Plumbers cut a hole in the ceiling, used sledges to break up the old cast iron, are cutting pvc to fit.

 

Started VOB 100 at 10:20 am local time.  Plumber is cutting the edges to smooth the original iron drain pipes as you read this.  Sparks all over!

 

Sometimes, NOTHING but the sweet smooth caramel of this sometimes too sweet bourbon satisfies. Maybe a classic Phillie cheesesteak or a Cuban sandwich from my local deli comes close.

 

But, you can’t drink those.

[Harry in WashDC]

2 hours ago, Anwalt said:

 

The UCUF did little for me. A Willetty aftertaste. The flavor to burn ratio was not good. For me, it has not improved for being open for a year or more - unlike many bottles which change enough to inspire a Kafka novel. But. I know others who love it, palates differ. I liked their Small Batch way better.

Thx. Saw one of these but passed.  Now, I feel better at passing.

[fishnbowljoe]

Weller SR last night.

[Davesnothere]

On 6/14/2024 at 10:31 PM, Kepler said:

 

 

 

World series preview?

 

 

That would be a great series, and no weird start times.

[Clueby]

Jumped back into this bottle last night. Man it's a good barrel!

[flahute]

Now it's a very lovely MM101 while watching the swim trials.

[PaulO]

2 minutes ago, flahute said:

Now it's a very lovely MM101 while watching the swim trials.

I saw in the Indy Star how they built the swimming pool in Lucas Oil Stadium (where Colts play).

 

I'm having a little KCSB.

[flahute]

Just now, PaulO said:

I saw in the Indy Star how they built the swimming pool in Lucas Oil Stadium (where Colts play).

 

I'm having a little KCSB.

They did! Very impressive. Pool is on top of the field and the deck around it is elevated. A big curtain separates the main pool from a warmup pool.

[flahute]

Now with some KCSiB while still watching swim trials. Katie Ledecky crushing souls on the 1500m free. She's a full pool length ahead of the field and lapped someone.

Now the mens 200m fly - my absolute favorite.

[Anwalt]

Converted a buddy from scotch to bourbon & rye. For his birthday he requested in order: Lux Row 12, ECBP C923, and GTS '23. I added the ECBP from the BYO tour.

 

We both rated the bottles in the following order: ECBP from BYO, GTS, ECBP C923, LR12. The first 3 were like the Olympics - a tiny bit apart, 1/100th of a second sort of stuff. The LR12 was quite good but not close to #3...oak was a bit too heavy, felt "watery" compared to the others.

 

Once we got to smoking the flavors became more muted and the proof on the  C923 and GTS shone through.

 

I am interested in what the cigar blends do while smoking. I have and enjoy the JMCB. Others I should consider for a nice smoke?

Edited June 19, 2024 by Anwalt

[Skinsfan1311]

58 minutes ago, Anwalt said:

Converted a buddy from scotch to bourbon & rye. For his birthday he requested in order: Lux Row 12, ECBP C923, and GTS '23. I added the ECBP from the BYO tour.

 

We both rated the bottles in the following order: ECBP from BYO, GTS, ECBP C923, LR12. The first 3 were like the Olympics - a tiny bit apart, 1/100th of a second sort of stuff. The LR12 was quite good but not close to #3...oak was a bit too heavy, felt "watery" compared to the others.

 

Once we got to smoking the flavors became more muted and the proof on the  C923 and GTS shone through.

 

I am interested in what the cigar blends do while smoking. I have and enjoy the JMCB. Others I should consider for a nice smoke?

You're observations make sense and it can be a conundrum, because cigars tend to wreck your palate.   Palate-wise, neither of them are doing the other a favor.   Smoke dulls and whiskey burns.  The higher proof whiskey shines because the ABV can stand up to the havoc wreaked on your taste buds by the smoke.    Same thing happens to me.   I try to sip a little whisky, before lighting up, and start with something in the 90's and work my way up.   That said, the spicier and/or higher ABV whiskies tend to stand up well against cigars.       How did you and your buddy like the Gurkhas?   I've read that a lot of people bad-mouth them for construction issues,       I don't have a favorite whiskey and cigar pairing, I just drink/smoke whatever catches my fancy.   I will say that after lighting up, I drift towards the spicier ryes and higher ABV bourbons.   

[Obree]

1 hour ago, Anwalt said:

Converted a buddy from scotch to bourbon & rye

Man on a mission!

[Anwalt]

1 hour ago, Skinsfan1311 said:

How did you and your buddy like the Gurkhas?

 

Loved them. I had not tried them before a few weeks ago.  I normally go for "smooth & creamy" or perhaps medium bodied, and certainly not robust. But the Gurkhas (a gift from another friend)...they were just right. More body than I'd normally go for, but flavorful. Long burn, nice even burn, even in wind. I knew my birthday buddy would love them. And he did.

Thanks for the thoughts on booze with smokes. We did drink most of the drinking before the smoking for the reasons you described. I would not drink the ECBP BYO bottle once we started, it seemed that it'd have been a waste of a very flavorful pour.

[Grady330]

Yesterday was KC 9, Blanton's SiB and a OGD 114. For some reason OGD 114 is becoming rare around here. Don't know why. 

[Kepler]

9 hours ago, Anwalt said:

Converted a buddy from scotch to bourbon & rye. For his birthday he requested in order: Lux Row 12, ECBP C923, and GTS '23. I added the ECBP from the BYO tour.

 

We both rated the bottles in the following order: ECBP from BYO, GTS, ECBP C923, LR12. The first 3 were like the Olympics - a tiny bit apart, 1/100th of a second sort of stuff. The LR12 was quite good but not close to #3...oak was a bit too heavy, felt "watery" compared to the others.

 

Once we got to smoking the flavors became more muted and the proof on the  C923 and GTS shone through.

 

I am interested in what the cigar blends do while smoking. I have and enjoy the JMCB. Others I should consider for a nice smoke?

 

 

Great tasting and excellent feedback

  What's BYO?

[Kepler]

On 6/18/2024 at 8:31 AM, Davesnothere said:

That would be a great series, and no weird start times.

Yep.  But I guess weird start times might depend on where one is located!

[Anwalt]

1 hour ago, Kepler said:

What's BYO?

 

Bottle Your Own, from the HH tour. The bottles tasted & bought on that tour are reputed the be the best in each category (ECBP, Larceny, Bernheim). I believe it.

[Kepler]

10 minutes ago, Anwalt said:

 

Bottle Your Own, from the HH tour. The bottles tasted & bought on that tour are reputed the be the best in each category (ECBP, Larceny, Bernheim). I believe it.

Dang I need to go back for that tour!