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What bourbon are you drinking now?


jeff
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I am drinking W. L. Weller 12 Year Old (BevMo Handpicked ) neat. I really like the products from Buffalo Trace! Next week should bring me my first Van Winkle product! I can't wait! Wait, and now I'm drinking my tax stamp Ancient Age 86! Ahhh, good stuff!

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Tonight I was in the mood for a change -- something I haven't had lately, but something I was certain to enjoy.

Lo and behold, an unopened bottle of Rock Hill Farms came to hand. I'm sipping it now, and I find it a big step up compared to its near relative, Blanton's, which I had last night.

Whereas I find Blanton's meager to the nose, thin on the palate, and overly dry at the finish, Rock Hill Farms is the opposite at every phase. If anything, it may be a tiny bit too big and bold for my taste. I may try a little water in it someday -- but not tonight.

A former SB'er once remarked that anyone who doesn't like Blanton's doesn't like bourbon. I beg to differ. (I'm getting a feeling of deja vu here. Have I made this exact same comment before?) I'm certainly not saying Blanton's is a bad bourbon, but to my taste it is far from the paragon that some find it to be. Why should I spend over half a Ben Franklin for it (Arizona price) when Rock Hill Farms is available from out-of-state for a few bucks less? I've bought my last bottle of it, and I really mean it this time.

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield

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Last night, a pour of AAA 10 STAR, which I am really beginning to enjoy, a pour of Eagle Rare (like the SB better),and finally, a pour of the PVW Rye. Now the only Van Winkle product for me to conquer is the 23 year.

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Whereas I find Blanton's meager to the nose, thin on the palate, and overly dry at the finish, Rock Hill Farms is the opposite at every phase. If anything, it may be a tiny bit too big and bold for my taste. I may try a little water in it someday -- but not tonight.

Hey Dave, in the spirit of the right honorable Gillman, what if you add a finger of Blanton's to the Rock Hill to mellow it??? Sounds better than water (to me)

Ken

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Good thinking, Ken. smile.gif Better yet, make your own vatting of Blanton, Elmer T. Lee, Rock Hill Farms, you may come up withe the perfect balance.

Gary

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Good thinking, Ken. smile.gif Better yet, make your own vatting of Blanton, Elmer T. Lee, Rock Hill Farms, you may come up withe the perfect balance.

Gary

That's advanced level, Gary! yum.gif

Ken

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You underestimate. Complex things like this seem easy when you are the master... To the rest of us, these are the black (or at least grey) arts. I always enjoy peeking into your methodology, Gary.

Cheers,

Ken (PS- and rockets are just pointy ended tubes with engines!)

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... to fit the point of the post can make it easier to follow our sometimes free-wheeling discussions.

The reader who is interested in Old Weller, but not Rock Hill Farms, might skip over your post, to his loss.

Sometimes I find it useful to use a link when I have an overwhelming urge to explore a tangent, as in the present case in regard to one Robert Zimmerman .

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield

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That's good Rog, thanks. Hope you and Maia had good holidays. Still enjoying that Yellowstone, it's tops!

Gary

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  • 2 weeks later...

Okay, Sunday night I had two ( 2 ) shots of Ancient Ancient Age. I did not get drunk. I did not get a buzz. But this morning I had the worst hangover. What the hell!?!? This did happen once before though when I had two Coronas. If I'm going to have a hangover, at least let me drink like a fish!

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I'm having some Old Fitz 1849 from the mid '70's. Best old SW bourbon I've had. Better balanced than many VOF's etc from same or earlier periods. I get ripe fruits and just the right amount of oak from this 8yo. Produced just after the VW's sold the distillery and the new owners changed the age from 10yo to 8yo......but distilled under the old regime and old "formula". Wish this could be a regular pour.

Randy

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Tonight, Mike Wayne from the 1981 "Iowa Corn State" decanter crazy.gif

The label says Bardstown -- does anybody know whose bourbon this is?

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One of the joys of my bourbon experience so far is its ability to allow me to escape from the stultifying sameness of everyday life and enjoy the extraordinary number of wonderful bourbons available to me at a given time. But even within the context of that array of bibulous choices, there are special moments, and tonight presented one.

On nothing more than a whim, I poured a deep draft (for me, that's 3-4 ounces) of a 'special' bourbon into a snifter to enjoy while reading a favorite author. When I speak of 'special' bourbons, I mean the Hirsch/Michter's, the Wild Turkey 12s, the Pappy 23, et al, that I may never enjoy again whenever my current supply expires. In this case, it has been a 1962-distilled, 1968-bottled Old Fitzgerald BIB from a Monticello decanter which is much livelier and dramatic in flavor than some Old Fitz BIB from 1958/1964 I shared at the Festival gazebo gatherings.

As I usually parcel out these bottlings parsimoniously, this was a rare opportunity to simply enjoy and ponder a fine old bourbon over a period of time. I fear its success might prompt me to attempt such a thing again. lol.gif.

Anyway, this BIB has a rich vanilla egress, but light like a marshmallow, not heavy like a vanilla-cream, chocolate-drop candy. There is almost no hint of alcohol throughout, either in the nose or on the palate. The vanilla is pure, and not extract, and steps lightly but firmly from entry to finish, where the heat arrives as minty, menthol candy instead of alcohol burn.

There is the slightest hint of that candy-apple, cherry 'redness' which I so value in the finest bourbons, and it melds into peppermint taffy at the end that coats the mouth and tongue forever, it seems.

A postscript: while this is a certain relative to the '58/'64 Old Fitz previously mentioned, it is also identifiably and remarkably different from it -- which, it seems, demonstrates just how much our bourbon is hostage to the quality of 'cycling' it receives during the seasons of its existence in barrel. Both of these 6yo BIBs came from well-intact decanters/bottles -- with only three summers, 1962-64, in common -- but the latter has an obviously fresher, livelier flavor profile than the earlier one. Quite remarkable, then, is the bourbon/distillery/distiller who can maintain a narrow flavor profile over time and the vagaries of climate, oak and serendipity.

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Well said, old boy!! I was transported to a wonderful place where incredible Bourbon's flow...... I have experienced the same emotions but never come near the level of expression you achieve.

Ken

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im going through my entire collection tonight (dont worry, its small enough so ill live through the night smilielol.gif ).

Iim starting off with a gross Ballantines just to get warmed up before i move on to the better bourbon that i have. Im guessing ill have .2 ounces of my OGD 114, WT 12, WT8, Knob, JB black, Bookers, Spring 05 Stagg, Blantons, Elijah Craig 18, Van Winkle Rye, Four Roses SB, and my Van Winkle 10.

Ive never done such an extensive tastingin one night, im filled with anticipation! falling.gif

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im going through my entire collection tonight (dont worry, its small enough so ill live through the night smilielol.gif ).

Iim starting off with a gross Ballantines just to get warmed up before i move on to the better bourbon that i have. Im guessing ill have .2 ounces of my OGD 114, WT 12, WT8, Knob, JB black, Bookers, Spring 05 Stagg, Blantons, Elijah Craig 18, Van Winkle Rye, Four Roses SB, and my Van Winkle 10.

Ive never done such an extensive tastingin one night, im filled with anticipation! falling.gif

.2 ounces?? Or 2 ounces?? .2 is pretty small!!!!

I understand. If I try more than 3-4 in a night (really tasting, not just havin' a pour) my buds are usually shot by the end. I read about these masters (Chuck and his ilk) who can handle 6-12 different Bourbons in a session and I'm just in awe. (well,,,, very impressed anyway). But then, that's how you win the Bourbon taste-off...

Ken

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Old Grand Dad BIB 100. This has been my EDP recently. Economics plays into my drinking but taste is never truly compromised. usflag.gif

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Conecuh Ridge, my supply is running low. anybody in B'ham know where to find some. abc is out, but heard some package store might have some.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Sampling from my very modest collection. Maker's, Knob Creek and a very recent gift of Rock Hill Farms. Not as tasty as my all time fav of Blanton's, but still excellent. I have an unopened bottle of Booker's...don't know if that proof number intimidates me or not. Any suggestions???

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