BOTM, 3/06: Baker's

[Edward_call_me_Ed]

I am liking it a lot more tonight. Doesn't seem as thin as it did last night. Some vanilla, more brown sugar sweetness, some menthol and some licorice blending together. Nice. Very nice. I am not sure that it will make my 'always have some on hand' list. Then again, it might.

Ed

[elkdoggydog]

Just to clarify, do you mean "rubberiness" in the sense of lacking sturdiness, focus, or backbone, or in the more literal sense, as "tastes like rubber"? I ask only so I'll know what to keep in mind, assuming I can remember that long, the next time I have the opportunity to compare them.

I actually tasted a bit of rubber that night. I hadn't noticed it before with the ERSB, so it may have been strictly in comparison to the Baker's, which (at least for that bottle of ERSB, which was "hand-selected by Andronico's") had a much rounder flavor. It seemed that you could taste, not just feel, the high proof of the ERSB, and it seemed rubbery to me. It's the only whiskey I've had that experience with, so I should probably try another bottle of the stuff at some point.

I'm interested to see what you find if and when you do such a comparison. It's a fine way to spend an evening.

[Ambernecter]

Hey Ed!

It's like the old military intelliegence saying - "the only thing we know for sure is that we don't know anything for sure!"

Whiskey is a mood thing in my book. Sometimes it's the greatest thing in the world, sometimes it's almost a lodger, with my mind elsewhere.

Military intelligence. Surely an oxymoronic statment right there?

[blue lander]

I tried a glass of this at a bar last night, but it was after glasses of Old Grand-Dad 114, Wild Turkey, Bookers, Bulleit, and Knob Creek, so I didn't really get a good feel for it. My tastebuds were fried to hell, but it reminded me of a smoother, thinner version of Bookers. I'll definitely give it another try some day when I can properly taste it.

[jeff]

I'm sampling a bit of this tonight after at least a year without a taste. The nose is all leather and tobacco while the predominant flavor on the palate is maple. There is an "airy-ness" to the body that I am having dificulty discribing, but is quite pleasing to me. The finish is mint and cinnamon and it lingers for a while after the sip. This is my favorite Jim Beam whiskey for sure, and definitely in my top 10 overall. :yum:

[barturtle]

Alright, revisting this evening as I chat. Much better tonight: dry, spicy. Enjoyable, still not quite what I remember, but getting there. This might be a bottle that needs to be open for a while before it gets where I like it(I usually drink it in bars in Louisville, so it tends to be open with a pour spout in it for a while).

[Ambernecter]

Drank some Baker's in town last night with a couple of friends - one of them is a real wine buff.

He loved it and commented that he could taste plenty of white pepper and liquorice in there. Very nice stuff Baker's!

[Gillman]

Baker's has been available on occasion in our market but not lately, however I found a bottle in a local beer specialty bar and restaurant, Cafe Volo on Yonge Street. I tasted it after sampling a glass of a new beer, Church Key Biere de Garde which was really good. Because this beer was a little higher abv than normal (about 7.5%), the whiskey hit a palate not quite "fresh" but I think because of that I enjoyed it more. In the past, the unique spiciness of Baker's seemed a bit overwhelming; this time part of the character was "absorbed" by the palate being less sensitive than normal and the whiskey tasted really good. Putting it a different way, if I had, say, Maker's or even Elmer T. Lee after a solid first drink it might taste a little bland. The Baker's tasted full, rich, grainy (still not fruity, no Beam whiskey really has that today), full, satisfying. An excellent whiskey, I enjoyed it.

Gary

[barturtle]

Another Chat another visit, and this time it worked! I can't say it was complex or anything, but it was definitely not a disappointment...Mood, concentration on what I'm drinking? I don't know but it worked.

[Grant]

Baker's 750ml bottles are currently on sale in Virginia and in Montgomery County Maryland.

VA normal price : $42.45 sale price : $36.90

MD normal price : $33.66 sale price : $26.99

So VA's sale price is still higher than MD's normal price.

Needless to say that when I was in Maryland on business this week I visited a wine and liquor store.

I really like Baker's - and at $26.99 - I love it!

[BourbonJoe]

What are the names of the best stores (largest selection & best prices) in Montgomery County Maryland, and where are they located? Maybe it's time for an excursion.

Joe

[Grant]

What are the names of the best stores (largest selection & best prices) in Montgomery County Maryland, and where are they located? Maybe it's time for an excursion.

Joe

Retail Locations, Hours, and Directions:

http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dlrtmpl.asp?url=/Content/DLC/Liquor/Retail/locations.asp

Weekly Store Spirits Specials:

http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/Apps/DLC/Retail/spirits_specials.cfm

Make sure you call ahead to check inventory.

[Edward_call_me_Ed]

Tonight Baker's was just good. Not great, not bad. Blanton's (Silver and Gold) were the stars tonight. I had one good pour of Baker's and wasn't tempted to have another.

Ed

[BourbonJoe]

Retail Locations, Hours, and Directions:

http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dlrtmpl.asp?url=/Content/DLC/Liquor/Retail/locations.asp

Weekly Store Spirits Specials:

http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/Apps/DLC/Retail/spirits_specials.cfm

Make sure you call ahead to check inventory.

Thanks Grant.

Joe :usflag:

[pepcycle]

Sampled some Bakers on Wed at Pazzo's. I was there for pint nite, featuring Arcadia London Porter, which is made in Battle Creek. Not Bad.

OK, back to Bakers.

Great Nose with sweet light brown sugar, followed by smooth entry, balanced wood and light rye. Finish OK. Not bad.

Unusual side effect. I hallucinated that a 21 year old coed walked up to the bar and started a conversation.

I've since recovered but its still haunting.

[bluesbassdad]

Identifying a hallucination can be tricky. In this case, if she addressed you as "sir", then it was not a hallucination. :grin:

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield

[gr8erdane]

I concur with Dave, but have to ask...Since when is "Hey Old Timer, where's the John?" considered starting a conversation?:slappin: :stickpoke: :slappin:

[barturtle]

Actually I think there is a bit of a misleading comment in his story...it says the 21yo coed walked up and started a conversation, but it never said she started the conversation with HIM...apparently she walked up and started a conversation with the BAR:shocked:

[pepcycle]

I'm a little fuzzy on the details but I think she said, "Hey Old Fart, move your #$$ so I can get a drink"

Being partially deaf, I responded, "Your Place or Mine?"

Knowing my financial condition, she sympathized about my parents not being married.

It just went on from there.

You know how I cool I am with the women.

[bluesbassdad]

I finally broke down and ordered a bottle of Baker's from Hi Time. This is the first time I've ordered a single bottle from them.

I resisted the temptation to add a few more bottles to the order in order to reduce the cost of shipping per bottle. Their order screens made that easy by not divulging the shipping cost. Yesterday I received an invoice in the mail. The shipping cost was $12, which brought the total to $50. Arg!

There's nothing else I really need right now, at least until the next BOTM is announced. Nevertheless, I wish I'd ordered at least enough to get the shipping cost per bottle down to the range of what the Arizona sales tax would have cost me. (If SB.com management were to publish an advance list of BOTM's, I for one would cheer.)

Last night I opened it. The pull tab on the wax-sealed top worked perfectly and easily. Pulling the cork required greater effort than usual, and there was no "Puhthunk" sound when it finally came out. I have no idea what that means, but it's never happened before. Later, when I removed the cork a second time, it made the customary sound. Strange.

Is it my imagination, or does a freshly opened bottle release more aroma than one that's been opened previously? During the nosing and tasting that followed, the sensations never quite measured up to the wonderful first impression within seconds after opening.

The nose included maple, cinnamon and something sharper, maybe clove. Those same elements carried through to the palate and finish. In the course of drinking two generous pours, the sweeter, maple side seemed to wane in favor of the clove.

There was just enough alcohol bite to cause me to try adding water, a few drops at a time. By the time I had added enough to reduce the bite noticeably, I found that the flavor had become less satisfying. Not only was it too weak, but the distinctive elements weakened in relation to the generic bourbon taste profile.

With my second glass I withheld the water. The not-altogether-unpleasant bite returned and so did the flavors. I think Baker knew what he was doing when he determined the bottling proof of his namesake.

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield

[Ambernecter]

I'm a little fuzzy on the details but I think she said, "Hey Old Fart, move your #$$ so I can get a drink"

Being partially deaf, I responded, "Your Place or Mine?"

Knowing my financial condition, she sympathized about my parents not being married.

It just went on from there.

You know how I cool I am with the women.

I class myself as a guy who can tel the gags - but that is one funny/cool reply right there Ed!

Glad to hear you enjoyed a "toe curling" night!!

There is an old Army saying that sympathy needs to be looked up in the dictionary as it's the only place you'll find it - it's right there between sh*t and syphilis!

[AJ123]

Well, I've now sampled it on three different nights and my conclusions haven't changed much.

I never got the "bite" to go away, and I don't think the flavors are all that interesting as you add water.

Here's my theory: the corn part of the mash bill gets distilled and handled very nicely in this bourbon and yeilds wonderful flavor and some complexity, but the rye somehow retains a harshness that, for comparison, is smoothed in the rye found in Wild Turkey products and pleasing to me. I realize that's completely unscientific, but that's my taste reaction.

I found that this bourbon reminded me somewhat of the less expensive Tennesee whiskeys: JD#7 and George Dickel, although I liked it less than George Dickel.

Now I've got to figure out what to do with the 3/4 of the bottle remaining. May use it for mixed drinks.

[Grant]

I found that this bourbon reminded me somewhat of the less expensive Tennesee whiskeys: JD#7 and George Dickel, although I liked it less than George Dickel.

Now I've got to figure out what to do with the 3/4 of the bottle remaining. May use it for mixed drinks.

Too bad you don't live closer to me - I'd trade your 3/4 for a new bottle of GD.

[AJ123]

What's up for April?

[brian12069]

I was just thinking the same thing, what is up for April?