What bourbon are you drinking now?

[BobA]

Last night was OGD 114. I tried to get some of the specific fruits others have mentioned, but my palate is just not that sophisticated. No "dried banana" but did get "rich," "fruity," "caramel," and "really, really good."

Bob

[TNbourbon]

I'm resampling the 90-proof Van Winkle line tonight: began with some 'real' Stitzel-Weller 1969 Cabin Still 8yo from one of those hillbilly decanters; followed with some ORVW (Frankfort) 10/90; followed up with some Pappy (Lawrenceburg clear-glass; actually 90.4 proof) 20yo; and currently have some VWFRR "E" series in the glass. Alas, my Pappy 23s are recently retired, and my sole remaining Old Time 12yo rye is reserved for a Sampler rye lineup, or I'd have the gamut. As it is, I've completed the 'lifetime' gamut.

Julian, merit badges or anything?

[BourbonJoe]

Had a J.W. Dant from 1959 tonight. We just got drinking Pappy 20, Hirsch 16, Wt-12, etc. The Dant blew em' away.

Joe

[Frodo]

Thursday...

<u>Bookers</u>: Suprised by how complex it was. I've had Beam products before (Bakers, Basil Hayden & Knob Creek) and was disapointed - but may have to revisit them. Couldn't drink Bookers before, but this time, just added a bit of water.

<u>Blantons</u>: Just as I remembered it. Honey and oak. Uncomplicated but sublime! Usually have to add water to overstrength whiskies, but this one did just fine at 54%.

<u>Woodford Reserve</u>: Does not measure up to the other two IMO, but is a nice dram. Wouldn't say no to a pour, but would prefer buying Elmer T. Lee if it's with my own money (both are $40 at the LCBO).

[ProofPositive]

Gone back to the basics tonite....and, what many consider one of the best ever made - that good ole Wild Turkey 101. I may slow it down a bit toward the end and cap off the evening with a splash of JDGJ on the rocks. After all that, I still have to get up at 7 (CST) & go to work....less than 6 hours away!

[ratcheer]

That is wonderful. Today, J. W. Dant is a bottom shelfer, if you can find it at all. They had the BIB in the Alabama ABC until they started paring down the bourbon selection about two years ago. As I recall, it was around $11. And in reasonably priced states, it would be much less.

Tim

[NYtaster]

I've been going backwards through my WT family. I finished the RB and RR yesterday so I'm drinking the RR 101 tonight. I have been experimenting with different additions of water and ice lately. I think the RR is much better with just a splash of water, rather than my usual cube of ice. It figures that just as I find the best way to drink this, and in my opinion, making it much more ejoyable, it will be gone soon (at least the 101)!!!

Tim

[CrispyCritter]

I'm finishing off the last of my EC12 with a double pour... next time I go shopping for bourbon I'm going to pick up another bottle - I feel it's one of the better bang-for-the-buck whiskeys out there.

[Chaz7]

Wow. I was at a bar in Las Vegas, and did that bartender be smart. He told me when I asked what bourbons he had, I learnt from him Crown Royal, Seagram's Seven, and Cananadian club were his "bourbons"! Seriously though, I did find a bar (Nobhill) that had a decent selection. Listed under American Whiskeys (thank you), I had an Old Potrero Rye. It was very different, but enjoyable. But when I got home last night, it was a Wellers Antique 107. That was so good after the drought in Las Vegas.

[SBOmarc]

You were at The MGM, and CraftSteak is just down the hall with a Bourbon selection that would have made you weep openly and boasted for a long time. Next time search a bit harder and be patient. You were so close.....

[doubleblank]

If you were at Nob Hill, you were close to a good bourbon and scotch selection.....inside the MGM just around the corner at the bar in Craftsteak. Rob ("RedVette") and I had a VW 15/107 from Lawrenceburg on Saturday night, Jan 7th. They had many other great ones....but you never pass up a sure thing like VW 15/107. The bar at Delmonico's has the VW 15/107 too along with Hirsch 16, Pappy 20 and 23. There's a couple of bars in Vegas serving Hirsch 16 from the blue wax bottle.

Nob Hill does make a nice drink called the Cable Car..... a martini-like drink from rum with a sugared rim.

Randy

[Chaz7]

Thanks for the suggestion. I walked right past the Craftsteak, and I didn't even think about it. I was at Drai's the night before, but I was told only Maker's Mark and Jack. I googled Bourbon and Las Vegas, and the whiskey menu popped up on Nobhill. Next time, Craftsteak it is! So, is there a thread here with "where to go when in Las Vegas"? There should be.

[RedVette]

Q. What bourbon are you drinking now?

A. Stitzel Weller 13 year old Single Barrel

Thanks Randy, that is some mighty tasty stuff. The bottle says Weller, but the flavor is all Van Winkle. I would put it closest to Pappy 20/23. A marvelous bottle.

The Bourbons available at Craftsteak were very good but I had all of them in my collection already. A great collection in my mind has things that I don't have, like The Makers Mark Lounge or the Seelbach in Louisville. The highlights at Craftsteak were the ORVW 15/107 and the Pappy 20, and they also had the whole small batch collection as well as WT RR 10 100.

What they did not have is 13 year old Stitzel Weller single barrel, and now I do.

Wow.

[T47]

I am enjoying Pappy Van Winkle’s 15YR. I really enjoy this Bourbon. Can someone tell me, is the 20YR worth almost twice the price? It is one of those bottles on my wish list, just curious?

[ProofPositive]

After experiencing the exhilirating surprise earlier in the evening of finding another bottle of the mid-1990s Limited Edition WT101-12 on dusty & forgotten shelf, I am enjoying a good double round of RR101 - first neat, second cut 3:1 with a splash of spring water.

[Edward_call_me_Ed]

Started with a pour of Old Fitz 1849 and then had several pours of AAA 10. Both were good but the AAA 10 shone.

Ed

[chasking]

Last night was Woodford Reserve, batch 133. I've generally considered this a not-bad-but-nothing-to-write-home-about bourbon. This time I found it generally pleasant, but again not remarkable. When first poured, I detected a butterscotch note on the nose that I had not noticed before. It doesn't seem to have much of a finish.

[Chaz7]

I am enjoying Pappy Van Winkle’s 15YR. I really enjoy this Bourbon. Can someone tell me, is the 20YR worth almost twice the price? It is one of those bottles on my wish list, just curious?

Tastings are subjective, but yes, it is definately worth the price. It is incredibly smooth, rich, and I think anyone here would say it's one of the very best bourbons at any price. Speaking of subjective opinions, The Beverage Tasting Institute scored it "100". No matter what your personal feelings are towards The BTI, how far off could they be? And, putting things in perspective, I don't believe you could find a single malt scotch of that caliber (all things considered) for less than $300.00!

[T47]

Well it is on my wish list, and I will now have to bump it up and start putting away my change! I have a Birthday coming up...sounds like a good way to treat myself! Thanks for sharing your opinion.

[TNbourbon]

I opened tonight the first of three older Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirits I bought at the same store, so I assume they are from the same batch -- an early one like the 'first' or 'second' label noted in this thread:

Kentucky Spirit label versions

The hand-written info is almost completely faded, and only close to readable on one of the bottles. I believe it says '95' (the first year!), and it is not the same label as the one show in the Regans' "The Bourbon Companion" from 1996, so that would jibe. It looks like the one next to 1995 on the Wild Turkey website's history wheel.

Anyway, I'm glad I opened it. It isn't as layered as, say, the 12yo, but is nonetheless full and robust both in nose and flavor. A little sweeter, perhaps, than most WT offerings, but still underpinned by the trademark leather-y spice.

I did a rare thing (for me), and poured the same bottle twice!

[ProofPositive]

I opened tonight the first of three older Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirits I bought at the same store, so I assume they are from the same batch -- an early one like the 'first' or 'second' label

Very interesting. I found 2 bottles of KS with the 2d variant label last weekend. Both were from the same barrel and I believe dated 01-21-01. From reading the thread, this would jibe with the right time frame. I had never seen an earlier bottle of KS until these. All I can ever recall seeing have been the variants 3 & 4....but, my recollections are not as clear as they once were.

[Edward_call_me_Ed]

WT 101. Long live Jimmy Russell!

Ed

[fogfrog]

Wild Turkey 101 with a bit of spring water. Hey, I just got this stuff and I like it! I just sent customer care at Wild Turkey an email and told them not to lower the proof because I figure buying a fifth is like getting a quart and I can have it near barrel strength if I want or add water.

[Gillman]

Of course: one of my own blends, but here I have outdone myself. This is only three whiskeys: Old Charter 12 years old, Old Grandad and Jim Beam Black Label. The proportions are about 5 parts Charter and equal parts the other two. It is truly remarkable how three whiskeys, each quite distinctive, can acquire a new character when blended. The blend is (and people know I like this) very soft, like a good brandy, with softly unrolling, complex flavors. The reason it works: the "extra" rye in the Grandad and Beam fills out the "lack" thereof in the Old Charter (since Charter is notably a low-rye bourbon). But I was also lucky in the particular proportions - sometimes a few drops either way changes, not so much the taste, but the texture and mouth feel.

This is another candidiate for Gazebo upcoming. I've made a whiskey (not really intentionally) with a quality worth many times what the components cost me.

Gary

[Edward_call_me_Ed]

The proportions are about 5 parts Charter and equal parts the other two.

Sounds interesting, but I am not sure I understand the proportions. And what OGD did you use?

Ed