kbuzbee Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 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??? It did me the first time I tried it. I found it to be remakably drinkable for something of that proof. Be not afraid. Just sip slowly.Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNbourbon Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 ...I have an unopened bottle of Booker's...don't know if that proof number intimidates me or not. Any suggestions??? Open it and try it -- it's the only way to know how you feel about it. Personally, on the high-proof bottlings, I take two sips neat -- the first one to 'break in' the tongue (take it on the middle of the tongue and roll it around from there -- I find there's less burn), then the second to actually taste the bourbon. After that, I feel no guilt cutting it down to 100 proof or so and enjoying that way. Has the advantage of making a bottle last longer, too. Booker himself occasionally noted he drank it about 1:1 with water. And, welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbuzbee Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 I would think it holds up to the water pretty well, doesn't it??Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNbourbon Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 I would think it holds up to the water pretty well, doesn't it??I think so. With either Booker's or Stagg, I find no noticeable loss of flavor notes at lower proofs, though I generally keep it above 90. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobA Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Sure. Open that Booker's and start drinking it. Seriously, give it a little taste neat. If, after a few sips, the alcohol is just too much for you to enjoy the bourbon, add a little water. Or try it with ice. I get more out of bourbon when I take it neat, but however you enjoy it is how you should drink it. And, unless you have special plans for it, it's not doing any good in the bottle.Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobA Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Just went on a quick camping and fishing trip. Mostly beer drinkers, so as a lark I just brought a "yellow label" collection; Beam rye, Yellow Corn, and Old Charter 10. Weather got cool and the beer mostly stayed on ice. The OC is what got reduced the most, but I think there were takers for seconds of each.Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorCalBoozer Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 i usually drink mine neat(even Stagg), but I was a bit unsatisfied with the taste of my last bottle of Bookers......added some water and *wow* it really opened it up quite nicely. I found it much better with water than without. I would think it holds up to the water pretty well, doesn't it??I think so. With either Booker's or Stagg, I find no noticeable loss of flavor notes at lower proofs, though I generally keep it above 90. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBOmarc Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Drank the first one cut..added water on the second one. Wow...Booker's has some legs to it. Much smoother than I ever thought possible. Moving on, just bought a bottle of Van Winkle Special Reserve. Can someone tell me how much that goes for outside of SoCal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBOmarc Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Kept it until I thought I could appreciate it. My range of tastings is growing...this is fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barturtle Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 just bought a bottle of Van Winkle Special Reserve. Can someone tell me how much that goes for outside of SoCal? I've seen it range from $35 to $50. I know that's a wide range, but it includes KY, LA, AZ, IL and IN. The bottle closest to me (in LA) is $46. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBOmarc Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 The VW Special cost just 40 here. That is well south of Blanton's but just over Rock Hill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schlep Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Stagg hazmat. A couple of sips neat and the rest at around 110 proof. Takes the edge off of Monday. schlep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barturtle Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Old Rip 15yo, I sit it next to the vent on my laptop to get a little warmth in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrispyCritter Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 I'm finishing up a bottle of Spring Stagg (the 131.8 version) with a generous pour. Fortunately, I still have three more unopened ones in reserve! This last pour was almost black... most of the char has settled into the bottom of the glass as I've sipped it. Now it's time to decide what to open next. I'm leaning towards the Van Winkle Rye I bought a few weeks ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesbassdad Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 A newly opened bottle of Elmer T. Lee tonight. I don't remember whether I brought it with me from California or picked it up in Houston last September when I went to adopt Seth/Brewski. In either case I bought it sometime between one and two years ago.This bottle has the marvelous wax seal that required a four-step operation to open. First dislodge the end of the pull-tape. Figure out which direction to pull it. Pull until it dislodges -- when the seal is broken about 95% of the way around. Use pocket knife to cut through wax the rest of the way around. It was a very good move when BT decided to go with the gold foil seal.I'm enjoying it more than I remember from the previous bottle I had. Too bad ETL doesn't come with warehouse data, as most single barrel bottlings do. I'd buy another bottle that was a close neighbor to this one.The spicy notes are much less pronounced than I recall, but I do still get a touch of cinnamon -- this time with browned, high-shortening pie crust with sugar granules scattered on top.Strangely the aforementioned character begins with the nose, carries through to the palate and then dies at the finish, which is very dry.Yours truly,Dave Morefield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edward_call_me_Ed Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 I am having a pour of Old Charter 8 yr 80 proof.I like this, a bit mild to my palate, probably because of the low proof. Maybe a little cinnamon spice, but not much, the 13 yr old Proprietor's Reserve has a lot more. I like the PR 13 a lot more but there is a charming, sweet, corny taste to the OC 8 that is missing in the older whiskey.Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jspero Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 After I get home from work tonight, I'll be opening my bottle of Spring '05 Stagg to celebrate my 35th birthday. Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BourbonJoe Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Happy Birthday Jay!!! Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaz7 Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 I really enjoy different bourbons almost daily. Last Saturday Night I went to the Grizzley Rose in Denver, and had Kentucky Spirit. I saw the bottle there, but I asked the waitress and she said in 10 years she never saw that bottle! One bartender shook his head; he never heard of it either. Wonder how long that bottle had been sitting there (I did see him open it for the first time). I had it neat in a plastic disposable cup, with water back. High style indeed. It was interesting to say the least! Last night I had a pour of AAA 10YEAR (picked up in KY). Not bad at all for the money, although I've said before I may enjoy the 10STAR ever so slightly more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BourbonJoe Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 I had it neat in a plastic disposable cup And the best the Grizzly Rose could do was a plastic disposable cup? A lesser bar would have you drinking it from cupped hands. Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edward_call_me_Ed Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Hello Dave, I have had Elmer T Lee from two different barrels. The other night I tried them side by side. At least I think the first three bottles were from the same barrel, the second two definitely were. I wish that they were labeled so that I could be sure. However, this is probably the most reasonably priced single barrel that I have seen. I imagine that hand labeling the bottles would cost more and thereby raise the price. The first bottle was excellent, so much so that I went back the next day and cleared the shelf in order to get more of the same barrel. I drank two and saved one for later. A wonderful, sweet dessert bourbon with some cinnamon. A month or so later I bought another bottle and was treated to a quite different whiskey. Wow! The cinnamon was the dominant note, more so than in any other bourbon that I have tried. Again I went back the next day to clear the shelves. The powerful cinnamon makes it seem a little one dimensional, all the other flavors take a backseat to it, but all in all, I think it is one of the best whiskeys I have had to date. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gr8erdane Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 Or handed you the bottle and a towell to wipe the mouth of the bottle with after you take a slug.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gr8erdane Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 Happy 35th for sure! May the next 35 be full of wonderful memories and more wonderful bourbons! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaz7 Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 Or handed you the bottle and a towell to wipe the mouth of the bottle with after you take a slug.... The towel was optional. But still, you gotta admit, having Rare Breed, WTKS, and other fine pours all available to enjoy with choice "stemware" kinda puts a smile on your face. The downside seriously to the plastic disposable is not much nose at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edward_call_me_Ed Posted October 27, 2005 Share Posted October 27, 2005 Last night I had some stellar bourbon at my favorite bar! I had my first Pappy 20 followed by a couple of Old Rip 12 year old 105 proof, also a first for me. The 20 was lovely, light, sweet, fruity. The Old Rip was all of that with a little more cinnamon like spice. After that I wanted some thing with more rye edge to it, so I had a pour of Old Grand Dad 114.Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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