I Batted a Thousand!

[Gillman]

Out at dinner tonight with some colleagues, I asked for a bourbon neat. I was brought a dark viscous-looking drink and set myself the task of determining the brand. I tasted and found it very good: rich, concentrated, heady. In the aftertaste was a familiar flavour and oddly perhaps I said to myself Old Grandad 114. I knew it couldn't be that because even in a good restaurant the choice here would be Beam White, Woodford, Knob Creek, Makers, maybe Wild Turkey, maybe Baker's, maybe Blanton. I announced to the waiter: Knob Creek, and nailed it! Too bad I wasn't as "on" at Bettye Jo's. What I found was, this whiskey tasted better to me than when I know what it is. This makes me think I could identify familiar bourbons from a relatively small group fairly well, at least on a semi-blind basis (which in effect this Toronto-test was).

Gary

[BourbonJoe]

I don't know Gary. In a blind tasting today I swear I was drinking one of the Wild Turkey offerings. It turned out to be Ancient Ancient Age. Just when you think you got 'em nailed you get nailed.

Joe

[wadewood]

I related this story once before. I was discussing bourbon with a friend on the way out for the night. He thought I would not be able to tell the difference between the house bar bourbon and any other. Upon arrival at restaurant bar he ordered two shots (while I was not around). He presented the drinks to me and challenged me to say which was what. I smelled the first one, handed it to him and said it was Jim Beam White and he could have it. I was right.

The higher end it drink was Woodford Reserve, which is not a favorite of mine, but is easy to tell from JB White.

How did I know first drink was JB white? It smelled young and harsh and the fact that it is pretty typical for a house brand bourbon.

[barturtle]

I've always thought that these two distilleries taste the most alike (a good thing, as I really like them both)

I once had a bartender challenge me to tell Forester Bond from Woodford, blind. Spent about 15 minutes sniffing, tasting, looking. Finally got it in my head which one I thought was it. I got it right. Bartender says "We close in two hours, your tabs' on me". As I lived across the street, I took advantage of his generousity and drank the Forester till close. I still say I couldn't get it right twice.