What Bourbon Are You Drinking Spring 2025?

[Grady330]

Bombergers 2025, BT, Nashville Barrel . 3 different bourbons !!!!!

[flahute]

On 4/27/2025 at 1:27 PM, fosmith said:

I was at a party yesterday that had an open bar.  On the back shelf was a bottle of Knob Creek 18yr so I had a small pour.  I had never tried it but have heard many say that it's over oaked.  Well, not to my palate.  Yes, it's oaky but, it's sweet oak without any bitterness or astringency.  Absolutely delicious!  K&L has it in stock for $160 and, I have to say, I'm sorely tempted to pull the trigger.

 

BTW, they also had Evan Williams 18 yr which I also tried.  It paled in comparison to the KC.  To my palate, it was over oaked with a noticeably astringent and drying finish.  

I picked up a couple bottles when it first appeared here because I've always loved the extra aged Beam I've tried. For me it depends on what my palate is doing day to day. One day it's on the edge of being over oaked, the next it's like you described and one of the best bourbons I've had in some time.

[flahute]

On 4/27/2025 at 3:06 PM, MSB said:

Wouldn't call myself a Parrot Head but I do like Buffet.  Another musician that has passed on that I wish I would have seen in concert. 

I'm not a Buffet fan but somehow managed to see him twice in the late 80's/early 90's. I lived in Cincinnati at the time where he has a huge fan base and he'd play every summer at this open air amphitheater right by the Ohio River. My girlfriend at the time liked him so there I was but I must say he put on a great show.

[Phil T]

1 hour ago, flahute said:

I'm not a Buffet fan but somehow managed to see him twice in the late 80's/early 90's. I lived in Cincinnati at the time where he has a huge fan base and he'd play every summer at this open air amphitheater right by the Ohio River. My girlfriend at the time liked him so there I was but I must say he put on a great show.

My youngest son and his wife used to boat a lot on the Ohio River. They and their friends would anchor behind Riverbend and listen to concerts. I was with them a few times. A couple times it was for Buffet. I was never a fan either but it was fun being on the river.

[bayouredd]

1 hour ago, flahute said:

 For me it depends on what my palate is doing day to day. One day it's on the edge of being over oaked, the next it's like you described and one of the best bourbons I've had in some time.

 

The day to day thing is legit for me as well. I don't necessarily get it as over-oaked, but do get a skewed, 'huh" tasting. According to palate, if it's hitting, damn it's good; otherwise just not sure...

 

1 hour ago, flahute said:

I'm not a Buffet fan but somehow managed to see him twice in the late 80's/early 90's. I lived in Cincinnati at the time where he has a huge fan base and he'd play every summer at this open air amphitheater right by the Ohio River. My girlfriend at the time liked him so there I was but I must say he put on a great show.

 

He really is a pretty good musician, but is the crowd looking at the music or the party. He seemed to know if the crowd was a party group and really catered to that bunch. Those are the Parrot Heads; at least to me. I happen to think that his best song is Come Monday and that is pre-party animal...

 

24 minutes ago, Phil T said:

 I was never a fan either but it was fun being on the river.

 

And that is what he really catered to. Fun in it's own right but took away from how good he was as an artist...

[MSB]

As far as Buffett goes, he was a good musician and a great song writer ( if he wrote his own music, I do not know if he did or not. I assume he did). But what I liked and respected was that the music is just positive and good vibes. I don't know all his music but what i know, it was just fun, non political, and about living a good life smokin, drinkin and lovin on a boat. Lol

 

Sorta like listening to a banjo, it is hard to be sad listening to it.

[Double C's]

soaring with the eagle.

[MM818]

5 hours ago, bayouredd said:

 

The day to day thing is legit for me as well. I don't necessarily get it as over-oaked, but do get a skewed, 'huh" tasting. According to palate, if it's hitting, damn it's good; otherwise just not sure...

 

 

He really is a pretty good musician, but is the crowd looking at the music or the party. He seemed to know if the crowd was a party group and really catered to that bunch. Those are the Parrot Heads; at least to me. I happen to think that his best song is Come Monday and that is pre-party animal...

 

 

And that is what he really catered to. Fun in it's own right but took away from how good he was as an artist...

Jimmy and Come Monday are legends. I love the Letterman Show video. Watch that every now and again to get right. Remus 6 tonight. Fine bourbon! 

[flahute]

6 hours ago, Phil T said:

My youngest son and his wife used to boat a lot on the Ohio River. They and their friends would anchor behind Riverbend and listen to concerts. I was with them a few times. A couple times it was for Buffet. I was never a fan either but it was fun being on the river.

That sounds like an amazing time!

[flahute]

5 hours ago, bayouredd said:

 

The day to day thing is legit for me as well. I don't necessarily get it as over-oaked, but do get a skewed, 'huh" tasting. According to palate, if it's hitting, damn it's good; otherwise just not sure...

 

 

He really is a pretty good musician, but is the crowd looking at the music or the party. He seemed to know if the crowd was a party group and really catered to that bunch. Those are the Parrot Heads; at least to me. I happen to think that his best song is Come Monday and that is pre-party animal...

 

 

And that is what he really catered to. Fun in it's own right but took away from how good he was as an artist...

Now that is interesting! I had no idea he'd read the crowd and adjust. That said, I'm 99.99% certain the Cincinnati crowd was 100% party lol.

[flahute]

3 hours ago, MSB said:

As far as Buffett goes, he was a good musician and a great song writer ( if he wrote his own music, I do not know if he did or not. I assume he did). But what I liked and respected was that the music is just positive and good vibes. I don't know all his music but what i know, it was just fun, non political, and about living a good life smokin, drinkin and lovin on a boat. Lol

 

Sorta like listening to a banjo, it is hard to be sad listening to it.

1000%. It was definitely very fun. I think because Cincinnati was such a Buffet town that it was so overplayed that I tired of it before I could ever appreciate it. Every single pool party I ever went to was all Buffet all the time. You could not escape it.

[rzelinka]

I was able to find Weller 12, Full Proof, CYPB, and Single Barrel this past weekend. The shop owner was unwilling to deal on the CYPB or Single Barrel but was willing to do so on the Full Proof and 12.

 

I am happy nonetheless with my two new Wellers. 

[FacePlant]

7 hours ago, rzelinka said:

I was able to find Weller 12, Full Proof, CYPB, and Single Barrel this past weekend. The shop owner was unwilling to deal on the CYPB or Single Barrel but was willing to do so on the Full Proof and 12.

 

I am happy nonetheless with my two new Wellers. 

 

Oh, you Texans and your Weller. The rest of the country thirsts. Joe I hear the weather in TX is better than ChiTown? Maybe the whiskey is better too?  

[markandrex]

A few pours of VOB100 last night.  

[rzelinka]

39 minutes ago, FacePlant said:

 

Oh, you Texans and your Weller. The rest of the country thirsts. Joe I hear the weather in TX is better than ChiTown? Maybe the whiskey is better too?  

Thank you for calling me a Texan. “I got here as fast as I could as people like to say.”
 

I was born in Chicago. Lived there for most of my life. I feel lucky that I was one who escaped. For years I missed Portillos, Garrett’s popcorn, Lou Malnatis, etc. we have all but Lou’s now here in Texas. I bet they’re not too far behind. 
 

I like the weather better here in south Texas. shoveling sunshine 11 months a year is great for me. We have 2 weeks of winter. Not winter in the Chicago sense. Maybe a few days in the 30s. Once winter is over, we are back in shorts and flip flops. 
 

I do enjoy Texas bourbon. Garrison Brothers and Still Austin get great taste profiles and the Texas heat tends to mature the juice faster. 

[fishnbowljoe]

2 hours ago, FacePlant said:

 

Oh, you Texans and your Weller. The rest of the country thirsts. Joe I hear the weather in TX is better than ChiTown? Maybe the whiskey is better too?  

 Older photos.

[Kepler]

On 4/29/2025 at 2:38 PM, flahute said:

I picked up a couple bottles when it first appeared here because I've always loved the extra aged Beam I've tried. For me it depends on what my palate is doing day to day. One day it's on the edge of being over oaked, the next it's like you described and one of the best bourbons I've had in some time.

Good feedback. But I would add that most of us are not always in the mood for a 18 year whiskey (of any kind).  That doesn't mean that KC18 isn't one of the very best hyper aged bourbons available at any price.  For me, any 18 yr bourbon is a mood pour. 

[MSB]

10 minutes ago, Kepler said:

Good feedback. But I would add that most of us are not always in the mood for a 18 year whiskey (of any kind).  That doesn't mean that KC18 isn't one of the very best hyper aged bourbons available at any price.  For me, any 18 yr bourbon is a mood pour. 

 

Interesting. I have only had a few 15ish+yr old bourbons. EC is one of them. I really loved the 1st couple pours out of 1 of the btls a couple yrs ago. After that, I wasn't that impressed. Not sure if it was my palate or what "changes" the air may have done to the flavor or as you said, I may need to learn more about myself and what my mind and palate want to drink on a particular night. 

I do find that my palate really enjoys the neck pour of most btls. Maybe that is the excitement of opening a btl or does it just taste better fresh from the btl rather than the subsequent pours. Idk.

 

One of the other 18yr old bourbons I have had is the KC 18yr. It is very good but I prefer the 12yr over it and the 15. I know, I know that that goes against the popular grain here but it is my opinion. Please dont stone me. I feel the 12yr is the sweet spot for KC. Or is it that I don't know what I don't know about myself.

[Kepler]

2 minutes ago, MSB said:

 

Interesting. I have only had a few 15ish+yr old bourbons. EC is one of them. I really loved the 1st couple pours out of 1 of the btls a couple yrs ago. After that, I wasn't that impressed. Not sure if it was my palate or what "changes" the air may have done to the flavor or as you said, I may need to learn more about myself and what my mind and palate want to drink on a particular night. 

I do find that my palate really enjoys the neck pour of most btls. Maybe that is the excitement of opening a btl or does it just taste better fresh from the btl rather than the subsequent pours. Idk.

 

One of the other 18yr old bourbons I have had is the KC 18yr. It is very good but I prefer the 12yr over it and the 15. I know, I know that that goes against the popular grain here but it is my opinion. Please dont stone me. I feel the 12yr is the sweet spot for KC. Or is it that I don't know what I don't know about myself.

I actually think most of us agree that KC12 is the sweet spot for Knob Creek.

 

But it's so difficult to get an 18 year bourbon right, when it happens, it justifiably gets a lot of kudos when it does.  KC18 is one that absolutely gets it right.  Unfortunately, for my palate EC18 does not. I'm not a fan of hyper aged Heaven Hill products in general.  I really enjoy Heaven Hill bourbons but 12 years is about as aged as I'll go with those.

 

 

 

[MSB]

1 minute ago, Kepler said:

I actually think most of us agree that KC12 is the sweet spot for Knob Creek.

 

But it's so difficult to get an 18 year bourbon right, when it happens, it justifiably gets a lot of kudos when it does.  KC18 is one that absolutely gets it right.  Unfortunately, for my palate EC18 does not. I'm not a fan of hyper aged Heaven Hill products in general.  I really enjoy Heaven Hill bourbons but 12 years is about as aged as I'll go with those.

 

 

 

Do you feel that way about Old Fitzgerald bibs? I absolutely loved the 15yr( owned and consumed this btl) and the 19yr?( i think that is what I had at the distillery).

I wish I could get the opportunity to purchase more of these special yearly releases. 

[Kepler]

3 minutes ago, MSB said:

Do you feel that way about Old Fitzgerald bibs? I absolutely loved the 15yr( owned and consumed this btl) and the 19yr?( i think that is what I had at the distillery).

I wish I could get the opportunity to purchase more of these special yearly releases. 

 

Well, the Old Fitz are wheated bourbons and wheated bourbons generally handle extra aging a lot better than standard rye-based bourbons.  So to answer your question, no, I don't have the same aversion to the Old Fitz line that I do to most HH bourbons.

[markandrex]

In for a glass of BBC D7 tonight to kick the evening off.

[MSB]

4 minutes ago, Kepler said:

 

Well, the Old Fitz are wheated bourbons and wheated bourbons generally handle extra aging a lot better than standard rye-based bourbons.  So to answer your question, no, I don't have the same aversion to the Old Fitz line that I do to most HH bourbons.

True that. 

 

I wasn't thinking of them as wheated. I was thinking of what you called hyper aged juice that i have had and not what mash bill it is. 

 

Thanks for correcting me.

[VWIndy]

1 hour ago, Kepler said:

 

Well, the Old Fitz are wheated bourbons and wheated bourbons generally handle extra aging a lot better than standard rye-based bourbons.  So to answer your question, no, I don't have the same aversion to the Old Fitz line that I do to most HH bourbons.

I have some hesitation saying this to someone from Kentucky (i.e. I went to college in Tenn.).  That comment is a nugget of bourbon wisdom Kepler.  

[fishnbowljoe]

I’m having a couple of pours of ER this evening. One for a friend.