What Bourbon Are You Drinking Spring 2025?

[ebo]

1 hour ago, Anwalt said:

 

Those are outright good, and especially good for the money. BBC did it right and waited for the 6 years. I presently favor the rye.

I haven't had the rye yet.  That will be the next one I try. I'm really liking the black label BiB.

[Richnimrod]

I 'switched' to a half-full bottle of  Rebel, Cask Strength, SB (120-pr.) in an effort to drink some low-fill bottles down.   I certainly couldn't 'drink it down' today; but I did put a dent in it.   

It's not a really complex pour; but, it is one of the 'sweetest' Bourbons I can ever remember tasting.   It's quite nice over a cube, or even neat.   

I had two pours.   One neat and a bigger pour over a cube.   That was "more than enough", if ya' know what I mean.    I'll work on this one for the next week or two.

[Kepler]

Doing a Sbs of a couple of different Maker's Mark Private Select picks.  Sometimes MM just hits the spot perfectly.

[fishnbowljoe]

We took a 45 minute drive today to see the buffalo at Nachusa Grasslands. We were in luck. The buffalo were out in the open for a change! So, guess what I'm drinking tonight ?

 

[Kepler]

 

Started the evening with Maker's Mark PS. Then went to EW12, taking inspiration from @NDN98 's post.  Good idea, as  that was fantastic. 

 

Now unwinding with good old simple HH6BiB.  Happy Memorial Day weekend to all you SB'ers.

[Kepler]

18 hours ago, aquavite said:

 

Well, let's put it this way. In January 2025, the only ECBP available that I saw was A124 and only at ABC Wine & Spirits, here in Tampa Bay,  I did get one.  But no other stores had B524 or C924, or any ECBP whatsoever. I get the feeling that, perhaps, these retailers don't want to participate in all the "hype" regarding these things and just get the easiest, cheapest thing (the "A" batches, if any ECBP) thinking that people won't know the difference and just buy what they present to them. Even the Elijah Craig website itself will ship it to you, but they don't guarantee the batch you will get.  I guess I'll have to look  harder.

 

In your experience, will stores who have the better batches be willing to ship it to on-line customers, or is it reserved for "in store" customers? 

 

How many different stores did you actually try?  Did you try any small local "Mom & pop" stores?    Your experience seems like common experiences when folks only shop at the "big box" retailers ...

[aquavite]

12 hours ago, Kepler said:

 

How many different stores did you actually try?  Did you try any small local "Mom & pop" stores?    Your experience seems like common experiences when folks only shop at the "big box" retailers ...

 

I've tried quite a few of them. All of the local stores in my area.. I'd have to venture out a bit farther to my county/region.  A bit difficult as I don't own a car,  right now.

 

 

[aquavite]

On 5/24/2025 at 1:42 PM, Richnimrod said:

FWIW, I haven't found that much difference among the (very) many ECBP's I've owned.   Now that's not to say there isn't some variation.   There absolutely is!   A couple of the early ones were pretty 'hot'.     But over the next number of years (I stopped seeking it out after about 2021 or '22) I found none that were poor in comparison to other brands or to each other.   Now, here again, I have little experience with those batches after '22.   A taste here and there is all.   But, I'd say the profile hasn't been that variable in any meaningful way.   I don't think one could assume every "A" batch would be 'only OK', while some other batch from later in the year would always be 'better'.    Take this with as many grains of salt required of course, as any persons palate will be different from anyone elses.

 

So, even though the B or C batches appear to be aged longer and are at marginally higher proofs,  all of that doesn't make much difference when it comes to ECBP's?

 

[Anwalt]

Loving the 15y - `7y Hardins Creeks. Beam aged goodness.

 

 

[markandrex]

Rainy and cool in the Bluegrass today, pour some Mck10 to kick off the evening.

[WhiskeyMaier7]

19 hours ago, fishnbowljoe said:

We took a 45 minute drive today to see the buffalo at Nachusa Grasslands. We were in luck. The buffalo were out in the open for a change! So, guess what I'm drinking tonight ?

 

Old elk!? Cheers

[markandrex]

I decided to move on to some Lot B after dinner.  

[Richnimrod]

5 hours ago, aquavite said:

 

So, even though the B or C batches appear to be aged longer and are at marginally higher proofs,  all of that doesn't make much difference when it comes to ECBP's?

 

In my experience, it's more random than you seem to suggest.   ...Or, maybe I just never paid that much attention to the proofs.   ...And, the age had always been twelve years, I thought.   In any case, I think trying to predict whether you'll like a particular edition of ECBP has to be more of 'taste-first-and-decide' than trying to predict from past years "order" of them.   Even if they have been older or higher proof in a given year's later editions than the 'earlier' one. 

This is based upon only my admittedly poor old memory, so there's that.

[aquavite]

1 hour ago, Richnimrod said:

In my experience, it's more random than you seem to suggest.   ...Or, maybe I just never paid that much attention to the proofs.   ...And, the age had always been twelve years, I thought.   In any case, I think trying to predict whether you'll like a particular edition of ECBP has to be more of 'taste-first-and-decide' than trying to predict from past years "order" of them.   Even if they have been older or higher proof in a given year's later editions than the 'earlier' one. 

This is based upon only my admittedly poor old memory, so there's that.

Well, again, let's put it this way.  I can taste the difference between my A124 (10yr, 9mo at 119 Proof),   vs. my 1792 Full proof at 125.   One can definitely taste the barrel in the ECBP. But the 1792 is much smoother in general taste (far less "barrelly") but you feel the proof heat. Not sure if that's because 1792 isn't aged as long.  I'm just wondering if a B or C batch of ECBP will taste more smooth/hot like the 1792, or will it be all about the barrel, still? Not that that's bad, I just don't know what to expect.      

[Kepler]

7 hours ago, aquavite said:

 

I've tried quite a few of them. All of the local stores in my area.. I'd have to venture out a bit farther to my county/region.  A bit difficult as I don't own a car,  right now.

 

 

Hmm, well I don't know why then.  Sounds like you are doing everything right.  In my experience a store that carries one batch will usually also have each batch as they are released.  The big exception is when one particular batch gets super high praise by some influential reviewer (like the A923 batch did) then good luck finding it because the flippers and hoarders snatch them all up.  But that's not the normal case.  Good luck in your search!

[Kepler]

I'm having some OF Birthday bourbon, this one is the 2018 vintage at 101 proof.  I like it.

[Wedelstaedt]

Sipping on Bardstown Origins6 yr  BiB wheater.   Nice. 
 

Cheers

[Richnimrod]

7 hours ago, aquavite said:

Well, again, let's put it this way.  I can taste the difference between my A124 (10yr, 9mo at 119 Proof),   vs. my 1792 Full proof at 125.   One can definitely taste the barrel in the ECBP. But the 1792 is much smoother in general taste (far less "barrelly") but you feel the proof heat. Not sure if that's because 1792 isn't aged as long.  I'm just wondering if a B or C batch of ECBP will taste more smooth/hot like the 1792, or will it be all about the barrel, still? Not that that's bad, I just don't know what to expect.      

Well.   Not knowing what to expect is pretty much normal, in my experience anyway.   One further note: comparing or even contrasting two similar proof whiskeys from the same distillery MAY be at least a little bit informative.   But, doing that same study between two Bourbons from two different distilleries that have no common production or aging warehouses just seems useless.   While 1792  Full Proof from Barton and ECBP from Heaven Hill are each from companies in/near Bardstown (I believe HH distillery is Bernheim; not actually in B'town), I think that is the only thing they have in common.    Different facilities, different decision-makers, different water (?), different mashbills, different yeasts, different rickhouses; I think all will lead to very few similarities that can offer a basis for drawing conclusions in advance of tasting.    Just my take on the question, of course.   Others may have insights to offer.

[ebo]

This evening is a couple of pours of Green River Full Proof with my brother. We are both very much enjoying this Bourbon on a super nice weather Memorial day evening.

[rzelinka]

On 5/24/2025 at 3:21 PM, natedawg said:

I was given a bottle of regular Bulleit for Christmas. I just opened it, not a fan. Maybe it will get better 

It’s better in an old fashioned or a manhattan 

[rzelinka]

5 hours ago, ebo said:

This evening is a couple of pours of Green River Full Proof with my brother. We are both very much enjoying this Bourbon on a super nice weather Memorial day evening.

Fewer better at that price point. Enjoy 

[MSB]

16 hours ago, ebo said:

This evening is a couple of pours of Green River Full Proof with my brother. We are both very much enjoying this Bourbon on a super nice weather Memorial day evening.

I have had a couple btls of their SiB FP that were very very good. Hard to find at least in my area and travels.

[Anwalt]

Ole faithful.