Empty Bottle Support Group 2025

[Skinsfan1311]

On 7/5/2025 at 12:14 AM, NDN98 said:

Said adios to these 2 tonight.

 

I enjoyed the Old Fitz 7, but I will not be in a hurry to buy another WT 8-year-old.  While it is slightly better than the normal Wild Turkey 1O1, it’s not that much better to justify the price.

AMEN!!!    I have a couple bottles of that OF BiB and the jury is still out on whether it's worth it, or not.   I like it...but not sure if I $60.00 like it.   For the $$$, I prefer Bulleit BiB....

[smokinjoe]

The store up the street is very hit-and-miss on their barrel selections, with me.  Regardless, I try at least one bottle of most of what they do.  This Full Proof 1792 came in a little bit ago, so picked it up, then.  Last drops tonight.  It is well above average.  Maybe, more…. I don’t like the price, but may spring for another on tomorrow’s latest edition of the weekly repeating event of the end of the work week…”It’s Friday, so Joey deserves a treat today!”  

[Skinsfan1311]

Goodbye!

[Skinsfan1311]

Another one for the recycle bin.

I'm going to miss this one....

[LCWoody]

Finished off a great bottle last night with a few friends.

 

[Swamp55]

More empties for the bin.  Coincidentally, all of these are 100-proof bourbons.  That is a proof that I really like (obviously!).

 

The Barrell Foundation Double Barrel is a new addition to the regular Foundation offering (that is not really all that old, itself).  Despite the name, I didn't find it particularly oaky.  It was actually very similar to the original Foundation (which I like a lot), perhaps just a tad richer and fuller.  Interestingly, the price of these two is the same ($50) - very reasonable nowadays for this quality.

 

The Four Roses OESO is one of the new 100-proof single barrel offerings from that distillery.  I have had this one and the OESK so far.  Between those two, I think I slightly prefer this one, as the fruitiness is quite intense (which I like in FR bourbons).  I think this is a definite rebuy at the $50 price.

 

Old Grand-Dad Bonded is one of those great "legacy" bourbons that gets little attention from the mainstream.  But, for those of us who have been familiar with it for a long time, it remains one of the best values in our cabinets. Such a quality product at such an attractive price ($25)!

 

Finally, The Knob Creek Small Batch 12 yr. is a great example of a "classic" aged bourbon.  The flavors are all those that you expect from a traditional bourbon.  Terrific, in other words.  The 9 yr. is a really fine product in its own right, and the 12 yr. turns that product up a notch.  I will say that the oak is quite noticeable, although not at all overdone to my tastes.  The price of this one ($65) seems to be creeping up a bit from the past, but I still can't say that it is overpriced if you are fond of this style.

 

Interesting to consider four bourbons of the same proof providing such different drinking experiences.  But, all very good -- what a great hobby!

 

[0895]

The wife & I quickly knocked out this delicious store pick.   

 

 

[Kepler]

7 hours ago, Swamp55 said:

More empties for the bin.  Coincidentally, all of these are 100-proof bourbons.  That is a proof that I really like (obviously!).

 

The Barrell Foundation Double Barrel is a new addition to the regular Foundation offering (that is not really all that old, itself).  Despite the name, I didn't find it particularly oaky.  It was actually very similar to the original Foundation (which I like a lot), perhaps just a tad richer and fuller.  Interestingly, the price of these two is the same ($50) - very reasonable nowadays for this quality.

 

The Four Roses OESO is one of the new 100-proof single barrel offerings from that distillery.  I have had this one and the OESK so far.  Between those two, I think I slightly prefer this one, as the fruitiness is quite intense (which I like in FR bourbons).  I think this is a definite rebuy at the $50 price.

 

Old Grand-Dad Bonded is one of those great "legacy" bourbons that gets little attention from the mainstream.  But, for those of us who have been familiar with it for a long time, it remains one of the best values in our cabinets. Such a quality product at such an attractive price ($25)!

 

Finally, The Knob Creek Small Batch 12 yr. is a great example of a "classic" aged bourbon.  The flavors are all those that you expect from a traditional bourbon.  Terrific, in other words.  The 9 yr. is a really fine product in its own right, and the 12 yr. turns that product up a notch.  I will say that the oak is quite noticeable, although not at all overdone to my tastes.  The price of this one ($65) seems to be creeping up a bit from the past, but I still can't say that it is overpriced if you are fond of this style.

 

Interesting to consider four bourbons of the same proof providing such different drinking experiences.  But, all very good -- what a great hobby!

 

 

Great summary of these different bourbons.  

 

[fishnbowljoe]

Not much left in this one, so I dumped it into the 750 I had open. Not much left in it either.

[Kepler]

This was a very underrated bottle when it was on the shelves.  Does anyone know if the new Nelson Brothers are anywhere near as good as these were? 

 

 

[0895]

Finishing a real good 2018 store pick tonight.  By the time I tasted it at the store and realized how good it was, this was literally the last bottle.

Sometimes you only get one.

Oh Well.

 

[Kepler]

I enjoy these Chattanooga bonded series.  Each season is made up of a different mashbill blend which keeps it interesting.  And the price is decent as well.

 

[rzelinka]

On 6/24/2025 at 8:32 AM, Kepler said:

 

Bottle clearing mode, three more for the bin.  I still have replacements for all of these but even if I didn't I don't think I'd replace any of these if I had to buy them today. 

Blanton's has become too expensive for what it is (although if all of them tasted like this 2019 honey barrel did, it would be worth it.  Unfortunately they don't).

Not a fan of the barrel proof Old Fo.  Just give me 1920 for less $ and call it a day.

The twelve year 1792 is pretty darn good Barton 12 yr whiskey for the price, I paid $50 for this one.  But it's too hard to find for the reward in taste, and I'm sure the price has gone up.

 

I agree on the 1792. I just added one to my collection. I paid more than double $50. At $10 per year, it was worth it to me but I wouldn’t spend more to replace it 

[rzelinka]

On 7/19/2025 at 3:48 PM, 0895 said:

The wife & I quickly knocked out this delicious store pick.   

 

 

Still one of my go to bourbons. I would like to add a 12 year at the higher proof but not at the current prices 

[FacePlant]

On 7/24/2025 at 3:37 PM, Kepler said:

This was a very underrated bottle when it was on the shelves.  Does anyone know if the new Nelson Brothers are anywhere near as good as these were? 

 

 

 

Very understated indeed Kepler. If you want to know what a "honey barrel" tastes like this small batch SCREAMS DELICIOUS. 

It's also the answer to VBT #770 (Now locked for additional guesses) 

[fishnbowljoe]

They say the only dumb question is the one you didn’t ask. With that being said….

 

Do any of y’all find it hard to get rid of certain empty bottles? Pictured below are my current empties. I have no problem sending the BT and MM to the big brown bin. I’m not sure about the ER and Blanton’s though. I have about 12 or 15 empties I’ve saved over the years for various reasons. I may add the ER and Blanton’s to those. Thoughts?

 

[Mattk]

2 hours ago, FacePlant said:

 

Very understated indeed Kepler. If you want to know what a "honey barrel" tastes like this small batch SCREAMS DELICIOUS. 

It's also the answer to VBT #770 (Now locked for additional guesses) 

So Kepler is on the hook to restart the vbts?

[Clueby]

Couple dead soldiers...

[Thomm]

3 hours ago, fishnbowljoe said:

They say the only dumb question is the one you didn’t ask. With that being said….

 

Do any of y’all find it hard to get rid of certain empty bottles? Pictured below are my current empties. I have no problem sending the BT and MM to the big brown bin. I’m not sure about the ER and Blanton’s though. I have about 12 or 15 empties I’ve saved over the years for various reasons. I may add the ER and Blanton’s to those. Thoughts?

 

I have a hard time parting with the Four Roses Single Barrel bottles.  Back when I could find one, John J. Bowman bottles seemed too lovely to just discard, although eventually that's what happened to them.  I did hang on to a few OF Prohibition Series bottles for a while.  Soaked off the labels and filled them with water and into the fridge with 'em.  They have a certain Old West cowboy appeal to them.

[Kepler]

4 hours ago, fishnbowljoe said:

...

Do any of y’all find it hard to get rid of certain empty bottles? Pictured below are my current empties. I have no problem sending the BT and MM to the big brown bin. I’m not sure about the ER and Blanton’s though. I have about 12 or 15 empties I’ve saved over the years for various reasons. I may add the ER and Blanton’s to those. Thoughts?

 

 

6 minutes ago, Thomm said:

I have a hard time parting with the Four Roses Single Barrel bottles.  Back when I could find one, John J. Bowman bottles seemed too lovely to just discard, although eventually that's what happened to them.  I did hang on to a few OF Prohibition Series bottles for a while.  Soaked off the labels and filled them with water and into the fridge with 'em.  They have a certain Old West cowboy appeal to them.

 

The only empties I've saved are BTAC and OF Birthday bottles, plus a few really rare things like 4R Elliot's Select, stuff like that.  

Everything else I am very happy to send to the trash/recycle bin, because I always need the shelf and bunker space.

 

And like you @Thomm I find some bottle shapes make good utility bottles for refilling after removing the label.  I like the OF "Whiskey Row" series bottles as well, plus the older Wild Turkey and current JB Old Tub bottles also have that same "old west" style too.  The small W.B. Saffell bottles are also great for refilling/decanting home blends when you don't need a full size bottle.