What bourbon are you drinking now?

[EricABQ]

I'm toasting complete and total demise of my bracket with a little Pappy 15.

[Geo]

This evening....

one oz. pour of Old Weller Antique, then onto a short pour of Weller Larue, then a Bookers and topping it all off with 2 fingers of George T Stagg (fall '05)

[Gillman]

Tonight I had a number of whiskeys and other spirits but only about 1/4 ounce each, so as not to overdo it. I find even such a small amount (of each) satisfying. First, ND Old Grandad - 80 proof again but still rich and full. Second, Rare Breed - very nice but the steely ethanol overlay is quite evident. 80 is too low and 108 too high. Then, equally small amounts of a couple of my rum blends (rum in the sense of the distilled drink). Finally, one of my own blends such as I will bring for the Manhattans - this was really good, like a blended whiskey that tastes mostly of bourbon. With dinner, a Pilsener Urquel. This adds up to about 2 drinks, well maybe a bit more but it is the weekend.

Gary

[sc500mbsc]

Currently my daily drink is Knob Creek. I have Blantons which I love, however, my current bottle tastes a bit musty, is this a normal issue with Blantons. Am interested in discovering the more unique and boutique crafted bourbons.

Tom

[BourbonJoe]

Last night, a pour or two of Rittenhouse BIB Rye. This is some fine whiskey. One of Heaven Hills jewels.

Joe :usflag:

[SBOmarc]

A fresh bottle of Lot B. Mission Liquors in Pasadena for any SoCal shoppers. I love this stuff. First one neat, then with one cube.

[elkdoggydog]

A bit of ETL, following some OGD 114. Probably did them in the wrong order, but it's still tasting great tonight. I love both of these bourbons.

[TNbourbon]

I, too, am enjoying some OGD 114 -- from a strip-stamped, Batch 6 bottle gifted to me by some good area folks for whom I've provided some bourbon info, making it all the more notable and enjoyable. They also allowed me to purchase at a sellout price a Joseph Finch 15yo which had a cracked bottle but no whiskey loss, and threw in half a wooden-boxed set of fake-seal Ezra Brooks 7yo/90 proof in 200ml squares.

All that after I'd found a Lawrenceburg Pappy 20 (at a somewhat inflated, but acceptable, price) and a 1975 Benchmark American Legion "Fort Snelling" display set (at about 40% what the same set was across town) still on nearby shelves.

[doubleblank]

As many have noted here, some Weller's from Louisville have surfaced in the last 6 months. Mostly in liter sizes. So I decided to purchase a Weller Antique from Louisville from a store that tends to come across and sell some older bottlings. Anyway....its maple syrup on the nose and tongue with a dark cherries finish.... a lot like some SW's I've had lately. Good stuff.

Randy

[Gillman]

Blending in the glass of WT rye, Lot 40, ORVW Old Time Rye, and Hirsch 16. Added some Forty Creek Three Grain 50/50 when half way down. Rye city.

Gary

[CrispyCritter]

I'm currently finishing up with a pour of standard WT 101, following an earlier Laphroaig Cask Strength. The WT 101 is definitely robust enough to stand up to the peat from the earlier pour.

EDIT: I think the peat did have an effect though - the WT bourbon is tasting a lot like a rye right now.

[ProofPositive]

Also finishing up a regular octane WT101 followed by some Antique 107....great combo! Glad I don't go to work tomorrow!

[bluesbassdad]

Tonight once again I am sipping my recently acquired bottle of the BOTM, Baker's. It's still my favorite of the JB SBC (Hey! Another acronym!).

Even so, I'm not enjoying this bottle (total acquisition cost = $50) as well as the previous one (tac = ~$33), which was on sale at Binny's about three years ago. Ceteris paribus, a bargain always tastes better. Funny how that works, isn't it?

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield

[Jazzhead]

I'm trying my first bottle ever of Russell's Reserve, the 101 proof variety. Great stuff! I can read all the enthusiasm around here for Wild Turkey products - I have quite a world to discover.

[mythrenegade]

Tonight I am drinking Elijah Craig 12 year on the rocks.

After trying this based on the recommendations here I've made it my regular pour for a while. When this bottle gets low It will be back to Maker's Mark for me for a while until I find something new to try regularly.

Joel

[Virus_Of_Life]

Since I found a potential replacement bottle, and 1.75L one at that :grin: , I decided for what has not doubt become one of my favorites - Wild Turkey 8 year. GREAT STUFF! And a shame they don't make this anymore, when I pick up that 1.75 I'll have an open door for anyone passing through the area to stop in and give this a try if they have never had it...

[TNbourbon]

...Wild Turkey 8 year. GREAT STUFF! And a shame they don't make this anymore...

Oh, they make it! They just don't sell it in the U.S.

[Whiskey Willie]

The bourbon experience expands...I bought some KC and WT101 last weekend. The KC is strong and a bit tangy on the start while the WT101 has a strong finish.

[The Duke]

Over clear ice, 3 fingers of Wathens single barrel. The first few glasses (not all tonight but over the past week) didn't seem to agree with my taste buds but this time I gave it plenty of time to settle. With a bit of melt it was much better this time. I found it to have a buttery aftertaste. Very nice.

[CrispyCritter]

Now that I have a spare bottle on hand, I've revisited my already-opened Fall '05 Stagg, to follow up a pour of Cluny (a shockingly cheap yet surprisingly good blended Scotch).

Even with my experience having had three different versions of Stagg, it still amazes me how easy it is to drink, given it's extremely high proof. Of course, it requires small sips, but, when you don't overdo it, the heat is more reminiscent of spice than of alcohol, and it doesn't burn on its way down.

This is all the more surprising, having had a run-in with Bacardi 151 way back when!

[JeffRenner]

I think this is the first time I've posted to this particular thread, other than to comment on another post.

I normally work for about 1-1/4 to 1-3/4 hours each evening making bread dough for the next day (I have a small wholesale artisanal French bread bakery just off the house), and don't often have the energy to be analytical about what I have for a night cap, but this evening I didn't need to make much dough for tomorrow, so I decided to think about what was in my glass and write a bit about it.

So, anyway, I decided to revisit Elijah Craig 12-yo for the first time in perhaps six months. I was ambivalent about this whiskey in the past, as is the general opinion of it on this forum. But I decided to try the "corked" bottle (2003) I had on hand as it no longer seemed to have that musty, damp earthen cellar aroma that it had when I first opened it more than a year ago. (HH sent me a check to replace it.)

Indeed, that nasty off-aroma has entirely dissipated, and, what's more, I am no longer ambivalent about this bourbon. I find it to be wonderful. It has that HH house aromatic character - menthol/eucalyptus/wintergreen (dare I say teaberry? ), with sweet orange peel and brown sugar. The palate follows the nose, with honey and dried fruit as well, and some dry, bitter oak for contrast and balance. The finish again is in keeping with the nose and palate - very together with no surprises. (Sometimes you seem to get jerked around from nose to palate to finish with different impressions.)

This is really better than I remembered. Is it because it's been open for 18 months?

As a matter of fact, I find it to be exquisite. It has moved into my top few bourbons. (Do I need to return the replacement check to HH?)

So I tried a 2004 bottling that was nearly empty, and it was so similar (depsite their being small batches) that I can't tell the difference. A testimony to the skill of the master distiller and his choice of barrels - or to my inability to distinguish!).

Then I decided to compare and contrast it to HH Very Old Rare 10-yo BiB because of a previous post by Gary Gillman, who said:

I have never come to terms really with Heaven Hill's bonded 10 year old ... in my view it does not show the house characteristics to their best.

I agree that it has nowhere near the finesse and balance of the EC12, but I like it for its straightforward, assertive character. Where EC12 dances, this marches.

Again, it has the menthol etc. (though more subdued) with those dried fruits of the EC12, but with a bit more oiliness. Done wrong, this could be plodding, but rather it is solid and confident. (Oh, hell, I hate these kinds of anthropomorphic descriptors, but I seem to be into them this evening!:blush: )

But there is no question that this is my favorite $10 bourbon. Favorite $10 spirit, period.

If I try to pin these impressions down further, I'll just end pouring more than I want, so I'll cut it off now while I think I'm ahead and go to bed.

Cheers from Ann Arbor

Jeff

[Gillman]

All good points, Jeff. It is hard to account for the changes, or seeming changes, in a particular bottle. In some cases the whiskey seems to improve, in others to decline, in yet others to the stay the same. I can understand your frank appreciation of the bonded 10 years Heaven Hill. Jim Murray admires it too and I think its confident, brash character appeals to many. And it is certainly an excellent value. But EC 12 is better in my view, for the reasons you also noted. Against the opinion of some on the board, I admire EC 18 year old the most of the Heaven Hill range. It has a rich old-timey bourbon character. It would be interesting to try a HH/EC in the range of 15 years or so. To my knowledge that bracket is not offered by the company.

Gary

[Virus_Of_Life]

Oh, they make it! They just don't sell it in the U.S.

I did not realize that! I thought both the 12 and the 8 year were no longer produced...

Anyway tonite it was Sazerac Jr, loved it when I first tasted it, but tonite for some reason it seemed a little empty or watery on the tongue, still good later but the frist taste just seemed watery and weak. Then for kicks I just had the urge to drop in an ice cube and man did that bring alive the flavors! Amazing, maybe the watery mouth feel was just my palate's way of telling me I needed to add an ice cube to this - something I rarely do.

Sazerac with ice cube was wonerful, all the great flavors of my spice rack with a touch of yeasty bread. Buffalo Trace amazes me!...

I have to go get more of this next payday!!!

[jeff]

Ah Wathens, now there's some good stuff. I prefer the older bottlings but the newer stuff if very very good. I think I have an idea for April's BOTM. :yum:

[Edward_call_me_Ed]

Even with my experience having had three different versions of Stagg, it still amazes me how easy it is to drink, given it's extremely high proof. Of course, it requires small sips, but, when you don't overdo it, the heat is more reminiscent of spice than of alcohol, and it doesn't burn on its way down.

Hi Crispy,

You have said this before and many others have said the same. However, I find the Stagg Spring 05 (Which is the only Stagg I have had. I am half way through my third and last bottle.) very difficult to drink. I wonder why that is. I often enjoy high proof bourbon and other high proof spirits, too. Stagg usually burns, and burns badly, unless cut to wishy washy proof. Once in a while I have a pour and it is the perfect whiskey. Then on another occasion, one time later the same night, it is molten lead poured down my throat.

Time to try it again. Well, the stars are in the proper alignment and it is going down smoothly. In fact, it is wonderful! But so many times I have had to cut it down to about 70 proof just to get it down with out pain...

Ed