What bourbon are you drinking now?

[Tallica]

Thanks to Ken Webber who swayed me in another thread , I have finally opened my one & only Eagle Rare 17 yr old which I bought 4 years ago on a Bourbon buying pilgrimage to Melbourne.

I'M glad I did , I don't think it will be too long before another bottle joins it on the bar.

This one has gone right to the top of the list, but will have to be carefully rationed until back up stock is obtained.

[jeff]

I love Eagle Rare 17yo, but there is none to be found anywhere I hope the next release will be much larger.

[Edward_call_me_Ed]

Hello All,

Tonight is a Buffalo Trace night. All Bourbon.

Started out with Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel. Lovely, sweet bourbon. Nice spice to it.

Next was Eagle Rare Single Barrel 10 year old. Not as sweet, fresh leathery nose. Again, nice spice.

Followed that with Eagle Rare 101 10 year old. Good bourbon at a good price. I hear that it will be discontinued, so if you like it you should stock up. I had thought that I preferred it to the Eagle Rare Single Barrel 10 year old, but after tonight's tasting, I am not so sure. I followed the Eagle Rare 101 10 year old with just a drop more of the Eagle Rare Single Barrel 10 year old. The Eagle Rare Single Barrel 10 year old wins hands down.

Now I am drinking some George T. Stagg Spring 2005. Wow! This is really growing on me. At first pour the high proof, 65.9% abv, makes the nose too strongly alcoholic. Burns my nose. I find myself blowing into the glass to dilute the fumes so I can smell it. Sip it a while and it becomes much more accessible, especially as the finger pour gets down to an eighth of a inch covering the bottom of the glass. Lots of rye spice without too much of the rye burn that some other high rye mash bills can give you. Honey sweetness comes through with lots of barrel character, leathery oak, with some vanilla, not much, perhaps some fruitiness, but I can't put my finger on what fruit. Obviously, from the order that I have stated I drank them in, I had quite a bit of alcohol before I got to the Stagg. That was intentional. Earlier forays into this bottle I had started with the Stagg and had had trouble with the high proof and the rye burn. With a few good pours to prepare my palate, (Numb isn't quite the word I want, but honesty requires at least a nod in that direction) and I find myself really enjoying this pour. In fact, I find I am tempted to start searching the web for more of this Elixir so that I can bunker dozens of bottles of it for the future. On second thought, I will just trust Buffalo Trace to continue to make superlative whiskey. Seems like a pretty safe bet.

Ed

[musher]

Hello All,

Tonight is a Buffalo Trace night. All Bourbon.

Hey, me too!!

I was looking for something to work around Eagle Rare 17, so I decided on Buffalo Trace, the aforementioned Eagle Rare 17 and Rock Hill Farms. I decided to save the RHF for the end, since it was the higher proof offering, and always very tasty, but I must say the ER17 was the highlight of the evening. So smooth, sweet and balanced. It almost makes one feel guilty to be able to have such enjoyment.

[Edward_call_me_Ed]

Those two are on my wish list. Not that I am complaining about what I have available! Thank you Buffalo Trace!

And, Betty Jo, don't worry, I will be giving Heaven Hill their turn soon.

Ed

[Chaz7]

I haven't found a bourbon better than ORVW 15yo to end with.

I haven't found a better one period.

How about the Pappy 20yr? It is nothing short of extrordinary. And, at 12yrs, Lot B is pretty fine as the least expensive of them all. I think that is one fine family, the Van WInkles that is!

[CrispyCritter]

Tonight's first pour: WTRR 101. I'm probably going to follow up with ORVW 15/107, as it's the only other bourbon I have open at the moment. I need to finish off something else before I open any other bottles...

[Chaz7]

I need to finish off something else before I open any other bottles...

You know, an open bottle ain't gonna spoil... Seriously, I have fun with multiple tastings, and just the vatiety makes it worth having all my bottles opened (except backstock).

[Geo]

First pour is Eagle Rare 101. As this bourbon will be discontued soon, I was sorry I opened the bottle. My second pour will be my old stand by... Old Weller Antique 107.

[gr8erdane]

I say open em ALL Russ unless you have one that you're saving for a special occasion.

Your money is wasted

If the bottle is untasted.

Let them fellers complete with each other for your affection while the others are still around to defend their place in your esteem.

[camduncan]

Last night we hosted a dozen or so friends for this years 3rd and deciding State of Origin Rugby League game between Australian states Queensland and New South Wales. It was the first 'big' gathering in the new bar and home theatre area

To celebrate (and later comiserate Queenslands loss of the game and therefore this years series), I started on a couple of Jim Beam & Cola cans, moved onto a couple of Fighting Cock & Cola cans, and followed up with several decent pours of Beams Choice over ice. To finish the night, I shared some of my treasured Pappy 15yo neat with a fellow bourbon drinker

Cosequently, I'm not drinking anything this morning except strong coffee The Aspro's are kicking in thankfully, and I have a strange craving for a Big Mac

[CrispyCritter]

Your money is wasted

If the bottle is untasted.

Good point! Hmmm... what should I open?

~~~ wavy lines ~~~

<u>Family Room</u>

You are in a family room. A bottle of bourbon and a Glencairn glass rest upon a shelf.

> take bottle and glass

Bottle: Taken.

Glass: Taken.

> examine bottle

You are holding a bottle of Buffalo Trace bourbon. A sticker on the bottle indicates that that this was from a cask selected by Binny's.

> open bottle

You undo the foil wrapping around the cork, and then remove the cork. You hear a quiet *pop*.

> fill glass

*Gloop* *gloop* *gloop* *gloop* *gloop*!

You fill your glass with five gloops of whiskey.

> drink

Wow! You first experience a blast of sweetness, with a bit of spice in the background. The sweetness fades a bit, and the spice comes out in front, before trailing off to a dry finish.

> drink

You enjoy some more of this fine bourbon.

> drink

Mmmmm, this is good stuff!

> drink

Your coordination seems to be suffering a bit after drinking this, and earlier drams of Aberlour 10yo.

> west

You stagger west into a corridor.

<u>Corridor</u>

It is now pitch dark. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.

> south

You have walked right into the slavering fangs of a lurking grue!

*** You have died ***

You have scored 89 points out of a possible 100. Would you like to play again?

~~~ wavy lines ~~~

Hmmm... I think I better turn on some lights first.

[monte]

I say open em ALL Russ unless you have one that you're saving for a special occasion.

Your money is wasted

If the bottle is untasted.

Thanks for the inspiration Dane!

I decided to crack open a dimpled Old Forester BIB (bottled in '92) and I'm so glad that I did. This whiskey is a good bit more fruity, floral and rich than a current BIB bottle. I bought it on a whim, partly so I could open the dimpled OF BIB bottle I got last month, but I'm glad I did.

The current OF BIB isn't horrible by any means, but it's a little more peppery and a little less fruity. I don't know how much variation they have, but I assume their dump size is pretty darn large. Can anyone guess as to why there'd be variation over the years in a brand like this? Subtle 'still tuning'? Aging issues? It's not that the two aren't close, but they are definitely different.

Cheers,

-monte-

[jeff]

Man, I remember when Zork was the height of gaming technology. If games were still that simple I might play more

[Gillman]

Probably production methods at the time were slightly different (possibly the yeast, in particular, or maybe there was more wood than stainless being used in the fermenting systemat the time, which might have imparted certain qualities to the ferment that carried into the distilled drink). I also believe whiskey can age in the bottle, that aldehydes for example can convert slowly to esters and other fragrant compounds. Finally, the best of OF may now go into the vatting that makes up Woodford Reserve, leaving less overall quality to go into the OF bottles. I too have noticed a peppery quality in the current OF. It may be, too, a situation of some or all of the above. Recently I saw that dimpled old OF bonded in New York and I am sorry now I didn't pick it up. It was in a store called Hong's way up on Broadway or Columbus (I am pretty sure it is on Broadway around 102nd street). Very nice owner there who had also some of the UDV select bottles that were issued as a group some years ago including the Dickel Single Barrel and 15 year old Old Harper. These items are set aside a bit, on his top shelf. Plus he had a 12 year old Old Fitzgerald.

I'm sorry too I didn't make it to Lenell's in B'klyn, I've been trying to get there for a while but the timing never works out since I only get to Manhattan occasionally and for a short time. I'll try again on the next trip.

From the stores I was able to see, most have limited selections and very little of the dusty corner variety.

I did see one Stagg there (I didn't check which one), at the first store, it is on a corner, on Amsterdam as you walk up from where those streets start near the bottom of Central Park).

By the way Mr. Hong also had some old-fashioned-looking 6 year old Old Harper which, I now realise, may have been a National Distillers bottling. It is just so hard to buy anything there when, (i) it is around 90 degress F. and you don't feel like carrying anything, (ii) you are limited in what you can bring back to Canada duty free.

The one thing I did pick up was a disappointment, it was the new 90 proof Old Potrero Straight Rye Whiskey. According to Jackson's new book, Whiskey, it is aged 3 years. When I bought it I forgot that and thought it was aged at least 4 (forgetting the word straight guarantees at least two years only). The price was around 60 dollars. This straight rye has a strong flavor of unrefined whiskey, which of course all the Potrero ryes have had since inception. It is a taste I find hard to come to terms with, although I don't doubt that whiskey like this was sold in the 1800's and earlier. Writers on whiskey use words like mint, grassy, floral, candy-like to describe the odor and flavor but to me that is being charitable. I wish Anchor would let the whiskey age longer before sale, e.g., I think such whiskey at 6-8 years old would be much better since further aging would convert some of the feisty "new make" flavor into estery smoother qualities. I realise that is not the whiskey the company wants to make, and fair enough. I want to like what they do make, but haven't found a way, as yet.

Gary

[Edward_call_me_Ed]

By the way, today is my son Joe's second birthday. I got him a Red Flyer Retro Tricycle. Last year it was bongo drums. Everybody join me in raising a glass to Joe!

In my glass I now have the first pour of a new bottle of Blanton's Gold. It is very good. I can't say just how good because my wife made me something rather spicy for dinner so that is kind of masking the nose taste and finish. Before dinner I had a pour from a new bottle of Olde St Nick 8 year old. Nice whiskey. Lots of vanilla with a grassy freshness I don't find anywhere else.

Life is pretty good!

Ed

[Chaz7]

I say open em ALL Russ unless you have one that you're saving for a special occasion.

Your money is wasted

If the bottle is untasted.

Let them fellers complete with each other for your affection while the others are still around to defend their place in your esteem.

Nicely put, Dane. I am having a blast moving from bottle to bottle. Tuesday, I started with a little PVW 12yr Lot B, and my second was Old Grand Dad 114. Again, the OGD surprised me. I love the Van Winkles, but I like those pleasant surprises. Another thing about doing a taster of two (maybe three)is to see how they play off each other. The Pappy, I think, added to the OGD 114. It allowed my to pick up more flavors over the alchohol.

[musher]

I find that every few months, I need to start finishing off some bottles and reducing the numbers that I have opened. I just start to get overwhelmed with choices, and don't know where to begin. So I work on finishing off the opened bottles and wait a while before opening up a replacement bottle from the bunker.

After a while of having a select few open, I find myself ready to start opening up more bottles and once again revel in the variety!

[CrispyCritter]

Continuing in the "open more bottles" theme, I started out with the Hirsch 16 gold-foil bottle, and then finished up by opening up my OGD 114.

Both of these turned out to be quite good, with the Hirsch being a very mellow yet full-bodied dram, and the 114 having a more aggressive spiciness; is Hirsch a wheater?

The 114 didn't burn my throat, but maybe it has been fireproofed from previous experiences with Stagg and cask-strength Scotches. For me at least, it's definitely in my top bang-for-the-buck bracket...

[Gillman]

Correction to my last: when I said 6 year old Old Harper I meant, 6 year old Old Taylor.

Gary

[Gillman]

The Hirsch has more rye content than the OGD 114 but the latter is more spicy. I think this is partly because rye shows itself differently in different drinks, but also, the Hirsch is much older than the OGD so the Hirsch's rye undertone is more muted by barrel tones than the OGD's. By the way, I too just opened a (batch 1) OGD 114. I've had bottles before from the same batch: they differ quite a bit, the one I just opened was more smoky and charred in flavor than the others but not nearly as much of course as the Hirsch 16.

Gary

[Edward_call_me_Ed]

The Old Grand Dad 114 does burn my throat. It is not just the high proof. For the most part I prefer whiskey/whisky to be in the 100 proof range, much under that and it seems pretty thin. The first pour of Stagg can be a bit rough for my throat, but not the second. Booker's is fine, Glenfarclas 105 (60% abv) is very smooth and the Olde St Nick 20 year old at 58% abv is like silk. The couple of other cask strength whiskies I have had a bars or on tours have been no problem either. The only reason I haven't had more cask strength whiskies is that the price is pretty much double that of the regular bottling, sometimes more. I almost forgot WT Rare Breed. That is an easy drinking Barrel Proof Bourbon. Not too high of an abv as such things go.

OGD 114 burns even with a liberal splash of water. Too bad as I like the nose and the taste. I even like the finish if I can separate it from the burn. I poured myself a little bit just now and it burns. As an experiment I have just cut it by about 50% and the burn is still there. Let me be clear and say that I think this is just me, not the whiskey. Dry wines burn as badly or worse. On the other hand, I am pretty sure that I have a different bottling than you do in the States. I know that when I posted a picture of my label a while back I was told it was different from what was available in the States.

Ed

[Isoflex]

Interesting, I too am just finishing a glass of OGD 114!! It is a small world. I am enjoying the OGD, it is the first bottle I have had of it. It is a very good value. Cheers.

[TNbourbon]

...is Hirsch a wheater?..

The Hirsch, as you read on the bottle (and perhaps elsewhere), is the remaining distillate from the defunct Bomberger/Michter's Distillery in Pennsylvania. The most commonly attributed mashbill they made was 50% corn, 38% rye, 12% malted barley. I doubt they ever made a wheater. If the Hirsch is, indeed, the commonly-presumed Michter's mashbill, the regulatory folks winked a little at the 'bourbon' label.

[RedVette]

Just finished a bottle of Bulleit, by pouring the last half a shot. Nice. Then got a full drink of Bakers, wow. The Bakers is so much more Bourbon, it commands attention. Gonna think about this one for a while. To b e continued.