What bourbon did you purchase today? Winter/Spring '07

[Father&Son]

AAA 10 y/o

EW 1783 10 y/o

Highland Park 12 y/o (I know; not bourbon, but highly recommended by SB readers and on sale at VA ABC. $33.90.)

[cowdery]

Here's question for the archeologists out there. I had been reaching the bottom of my original dusty OT BIB. Distilled at DSP -19, bottled at DSP -14. No tax stamp or government warning, and with a UPC code on the label. These four pint bottles are clearly older, bearing tax stamps but no UPC code, and they bear the same distillery information - distilled at DSP -19, bottled at DSP - 14. But the newer bottle says Old Taylor Distillery, Frankfort, while the older bottles say Old Taylor Distiller, Frankfort and Louisville. Did Old Taylor at one point have a second distillery?

No Old Taylor was distilled at DSP-19 after 1972, and whiskey from 78, when that whiskey would have been sold, would have a real tax stamp on it. But I think when whiskey for Old Taylor was made at Old Crow, they were still able to call it DSP-19 because they were adjacent and, essentially, their DSPs were interchangeable. National had closed the bottling house at Old Crow by then, but they had bottling facilities in both Frankfort and Louisville. There had been a still at the Louisville site before Prohibition, but after repeal it was only used for warehousing and bottling.

The Louisville site was closed before the Frankfort facility, so it makes sense that the newer bottles would omit Louisville.

[Jazzhead]

Thanks for the information, Chuck. Here's a bit more I know. The four pint bottles say on the tax stamps that they were distilled in 1968 and bottled in 1976. So that's clearly from the original Old Taylor distillery. The newer bottle has "85" on the bottom, so assuming that's the bottling date and that the newer stuff is of a similar age, it would appear to have been distilled around '77 or '78. But that one's from the Old Crow distillery.

Funny thing is, I tried them both today and they taste and nose more or less the same. It surprises me that it's not the same whiskey, but I guess it just means that if the mashbill's the same, perhaps the physical place of distillation isn't as important.

So if DSP -19 (the place of distillation) is interchangably either Old Taylor or Old Crow, both of Frankfort, what is DSP -14 (the place of bottling)? Is that Louisville, but then why isn't Louisville listed on the label of the newer bottle but DSP-14 is?

[CrispyCritter]

I picked up a Jim Beam Black bottle, in the gift box with a flask. It's an open question as to whether said flask will ever be filled, but it could come in handy on occasion.

[cowdery]

DSP-14 is the Forks of Elkhorn Creek distillery that National called Old Grand-Dad and that Beam still uses for warehousing and bottling. It's in a completely different part of Frankfort.

It's my understanding that even when Taylor was operating the two distilleries (Taylor and Crow) were operated as if they were one. I'm not exactly sure how that would work, legally, or if what I was told is even true, but that's what I was told by the last master distiller at Crow.

[SBOmarc]

VW Lot B and 2 bottles of Weller 107.

[ggilbertva]

Negotiated a trade with a fellow SB'er and received these little gems in the mail today. Now I have to figure out when to open them.....

(Thanks Joe).

[CrispyCritter]

A backup bottle of ER101 (New Orleans version), and a bottle of Dickel #12.

[tango-papa]

Just back from a long weekend trip to Colorado and picked up one bottle of Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey, Batch #7.

Last week also found:

Two Eagle Rare 101's (New Orleans) with the "101" mid-neck label.

One Very Special Old Fitzgerald (L'ville).

Two Weller gold-veined BHC's still in the black velvet :cool: bag.

~tp

[TBoner]

Picked up a liter of ER101, New Orleans bottling.

Also a liter of Yellowstone 86-proof, tax-stripped, bottle date of 1984.

[jburlowski]

A friend dropped by and gave me a bottle of FR Single Barrel and a BMH 16. She said it was owed to me for a favor I did some time ago. Darned if I can remember, but I din't want to hurt her feelings and not accept....

[fog]

I purchased a bottle of Woodford Reserve batch 211.

This is my first sample of Woodford Reserve, and I liked it less than I expected, even after reading so many negative reviews here.

[Grain Brain]

Old Forrester Birthday Bourbon, 89/02. If I'm not mistaken, I believe this is the first bottling of this one.

[smokinjoe]

While traveling in the Nashville area this week, picked up 2 Ezra B 15's, ER 10yr 101, and a Saz Jr. The Ezra B has turned into one of my favorites. Chock full 'o butterscotch. Pure candy.

JOE

[TNbourbon]

While traveling in the Nashville area this week, picked up...

I've tried, Joe, but I just can't find it all!..:cool:

[smokinjoe]

I've tried, Joe, but I just can't find it all!..:cool:

Tim, you've found it all, but thankfully you leave some of the droppings for the rest of us!

:toast:

JOE

[Gillman]

Am travelling in Florida and picked EWSB 1997 (from Jim Beam's still that is), Old Whiskey River (only had this once years back and liked the sweetness), Bulleit (looking a little paler in the bottle than I remember, there must be slight variations), and Vintage Hallmark St. James Vatted Malt, 25 years old, only $39.00. The latter is "signed" by Wallace Milroy, the gentleman who used to own famed Soho, London whisky shop Milroy's. A good example of a complex, sherry-oriented dram and what the Scots can do at the upper end of the aging register. Also, it illustrates the great values U.S. liqour stores can offer, in Canada we only start at this price for single malts and they come fairly young and uncomplex. The Vatted Malt 25 has a big plummy sherried taste with good smoke and caramel. I got this in one of the chains, can't recall the name now (I think it had a 6 in it, or 67).

Looking forward to the EWSB to see if the Beam still does anything different to the series.

Choice here seems quite limited. I dropped into a few "liquor store cash cheque" places of which a number do not allow access behind a wooden gate, you have to order by brand from the small booth in front. In one such place, I was told they had "Beam, Jack and well bourbon but you won't want that". I could see there more brands than that including an old-looking Dickel but it was too difficult to explain what I was after. There might be better luck in small towns outside the big urban areas, but I won't have time.

In one sense though I liked what I saw, in that Florida retains the older bourbon tradition Chuck mentioned of an active lower shelf line, I saw lots of Ten High, AA, regular HH, Forester 86, Tom Sims, etc. This is still a market for "bourbon" as opposed to small batch, single barrel and the like.

Gary

[Barrel_Proof]

This past Sunday after the ETLee distribution party, I introduced TNbourbon to Party Mart in Louisville after a leisurely drive through Oldham County. At our second stop, at LB, I picked up an Old Charter 10yo 86 to trade with another forum member. As many of you know, OC holds a special place in my memory, as it was a standby pour at the Gun Club in Beloit, Wisconsin during my college days. Today, the family and I will take a drive to Cherry Hill, NJ to meet Jazzhead and complete the trade.

[luv2hunt]

Taking out the Cruiser Cliff?! But Anna wants to go to KY!

Dawn

[Barrel_Proof]

Cruiser packed. We are off!

[Gillman]

These are not purchases but bottles left with relatives here two years ago and sampled on this trip.

One was a 12 year old Ezra Brooks 101 proof bought in the Islands. I found it rough at the time and blended it with some Weller 12.

Two years later I am sampling the result and it is really good. The Weller has tamed the EB but allowed some of of its chestnut-like richness to come through. A simple but good 4 grain vatting.

The other bottle was a 1980 Seagram 7 half-gallon that I opened two years ago, took a small taste of, sealed up and tried again on this trip. It is very good, mild, sweetish but with a steely rye undertone. Neither whisky suffered from being held in a cupboard in a (mostly) warm room for two years.

Gary

[Gillman]

The paler-colored Bulleit bought in Fort Lauderdale is tasting great! It has less of the intense peppermint than some bottles have but is a good example of smooth, quality medium-aged whiskey. This would make a great Mint Julep (I find dark tannic bourbons don't) but also is very drinkable on its own. I really like bourbons that combine distillery (grain, yeast) flavors with the best the barrel can give it.

I also passed by Abbey on 16th street just west of Alton in South Beach. This small, wood-panelled beer bar specialises in strong craft beers made in Melbourne, Florida and they do a great job. 10% abv beers seem at odds with the climate and pale lager culture here, but the beers go nicely in the evening when it cools down.

Gary

[Gillman]

And tasting now the Old Whiskey River bought on this trip. Now, I like it. It has a noticeable oily consistency and taste against some decent barrel effects. It is for those who like the taste of young bourbon where the grain values are not covered over by prolonged aging. A good whiskey and probably similar to some bourbon that was popular 100 years ago (when much straight whiskey was sold at 2-4 years of age). This too would make a fine bourbon cocktail. The HH markers (for young HH whiskey) are all over it, IMO.

Gary

[Grain Brain]

I dug Old Whiskey River well enough. I haven't had it since it debuted, but I recall being pleased by it.

Today I got some National Distillers Old Crow bottle date of 89, ND OGD 114, ND OGD BiB, Heaven Hill Old Style Bourbon bottle date of 89, and a Louisville Weller Antique 107 from 94.

[HighTower]

Got 3 bottles of Fighting Cock 6yo 103 proof yesterday. Supplier is deleting FC, so it could be a while before we see it on our shores again.

Did a bit of homework and found one store on the Gold Coast who seemed to have the last of it; Cam and I cleaned them out! Can't wait to try it!

Scott