What are you drinking tonight? (Spring '07)

[Greg]

Tonight it's Evan Williams 1995 SB....just a great bourbon!!

[Virus_Of_Life]

Not Tonight, but last night had a couple pours of Hancock's Reserve at Kincaid's something or other on the Redondo Beach Pier. Its a shame this doesn't get more attention here, I found it to be really very pleasant. Given the nose showed me a lot more than the pallate delivered it was still mighty nice!

[ggilbertva]

Last night....a nice dram of Old Forester BIB.

[stoopsie]

Greg,

I think I am noticing a trend.:grin:

Howie

[Ambernecter]

Tonight it's a Woodford Reserve in my Reidel Bourbon glass.

There is little or no love for WR on this forum but it's individuality and dry finish is most agreeable this evening. I have not had any in about a year and while it's not in my top 10 I still quite like the stuff.

[mgilbertva]

Howie, I've been drinking that '83 Old Forester 86pf that rated low in our tasting (it came in last for me), but I've become addicted to it! Lighter in body, lots of honey and buttery maple and just a little spice. Perfect for warmer weather.

[HighTower]

It's getting colder Down Under, and I'm warming up tonight with a bottle of Maker's Mark.:drink:

Scott

[ggilbertva]

Greg,

I think I am noticing a trend.:grin:

Howie

Maybe so...I've been jumping back and forth between the Old Forester and the Old Fitzgerald BIB's. Both are excellent.

[Bob O.]

A pour of WTRB.

[cowdery]

Heaven Hill 10 BIB and JTS Brown BIB. Both really, really good. Very enjoyable. The HH shows more char, as you would expect. Another nice thing about BIBs is that they must say where distilled and both of these say DSP 31. If you're looking for some DSP 31 whiskey and are in or near Kentucky or the deeper South (where there tend to be more of the oddball HH brands on offer than in the North), you might want to look for these and other HH BIBs. Unless Heaven Hill has had some more labeling "mistakes," the BIB "distilled by" requirement is the only real guarantee you can get as to where a product was distlled.

[OscarV]

Michter's Single Barrel Straight Rye, Barrel No.4L3.

On the rocks, light and lively.

It is cooling me down, 85 degrees here today.

[tmas]

Howie, I've been drinking that '83 Old Forester 86pf that rated low in our tasting (it came in last for me), but I've become addicted to it! Lighter in body, lots of honey and buttery maple and just a little spice. Perfect for warmer weather.

Just curious Mark, how did you know that's an '83 bottle? I picked up a 1.75 L bottle of this a couple of weeks ago. It's the one and only time I've seen a bottle Forester around these parts. It was a dusty bottle with a butterscotch plastic covering around the cap. I couldn't find any date info on the bottle but it's got a nice dark color and it's pretty good especially for the $. Makes a great Julep.

Just wondered if anyone might know of any tip offs as to age, like label differences. Tom V

[SBOmarc]

Have been alternating pours of VW Lot B and Saz Jr.

[heatmiser]

Just wondered if anyone might know of any tip offs as to age, like label differences

Sometimes the tax strips on older bourbon (especially BIB) will tell you when it was distilled and bottled. Labels and distilleries can give you an idea on dates if you know what you are looking for. Also the bottles will sometimes have numbers on the bottom. You would be looking for a 2 digit number which would tell you when the bottle was made. You can usually assume that the contents were probably poured into the bottle within the next year from there. Hope this helps!!!

[jwrussell]

A generous pour of Eagle Rare 17...this is definately growing on me. This is the first time I've really focused on it. Followed by a pour of something much stronger...'06 Stagg. Might be the reason I'm having to really focus on typing right now.

[Picker22]

Had a pour of Eagle Rare SB 10yr. I'm really liking this one. it's moved up into the top 5 of my collection.

[CrispyCritter]

Tonight, a pour of G-series VWFRR, then a Glenlivet 12, and I'm finishing up with Bulleit.

[T47]

Started off with an Aberlour A'bunadh, and am finishing the nite off with a Bakers. Great contrasting flavors, overwhelming fruit then smooth vanilla.

[cowdery]

More DSP 31, in the form of EWSB 94.

[ggilbertva]

Heaven Hill 10 BIB and JTS Brown BIB. Both really, really good. Very enjoyable. The HH shows more char, as you would expect. Another nice thing about BIBs is that they must say where distilled and both of these say DSP 31. If you're looking for some DSP 31 whiskey and are in or near Kentucky or the deeper South (where there tend to be more of the oddball HH brands on offer than in the North), you might want to look for these and other HH BIBs. Unless Heaven Hill has had some more labeling "mistakes," the BIB "distilled by" requirement is the only real guarantee you can get as to where a product was distlled.

Chuck,

I found a bottle of JTS in DC about 2 weeks ago. I remembered it mentioned here in the forum but didn't know much about it. Glad to hear it's a worthwhile pour.

[ggilbertva]

Just curious Mark, how did you know that's an '83 bottle? I picked up a 1.75 L bottle of this a couple of weeks ago. It's the one and only time I've seen a bottle Forester around these parts. It was a dusty bottle with a butterscotch plastic covering around the cap. I couldn't find any date info on the bottle but it's got a nice dark color and it's pretty good especially for the $. Makes a great Julep.

Just wondered if anyone might know of any tip offs as to age, like label differences. Tom V

Tom,

The bottle in question has and "83" embossed on the bottom. The other three that I have indicate 83 and 80. Typically, bottles are not stored very long at a distillery so it's a pretty good bet that the date (if there is one) on the bottom of the bottle is the same year in which the bourbon went into the bottle.

[oldironstomach]

Cracked open a dusty Dant BIB last night, distilled spring '75 / bottled fall '79. Did all whiskeys have more depth decades ago? I mean, it's no competition for the Willett's layers-upon-layers, but most modern bourbons seem thin by comparison to this tasty four-year-old...caramel, bananas, and a good dose of cinnamon spicyness. A hint of astringency on the finish. Good honeyed-brown color; great legs in the glass, but no cloudy trail of fatty acids.

[ggilbertva]

Dave,

You've hit upon the same observation I had but thought it was my immature palate. In comparing older/newer bottlings, I find that the older bottles have more.....depth, even ones that are young in age. Even the color of some of these older bottles is deeper and richer than the current iterations. I'm not trying to make a broad statement related to all bourbons, but of those that I have the fortune of sitting in my bunker.

[tmas]

... the bottles will sometimes have numbers on the bottom. You would be looking for a 2 digit number which would tell you when the bottle was made. You can usually assume that the contents were probably poured into the bottle within the next year from there. Hope this helps!!!

Thanks for that info Jeff & Greg. I'll be checking out the bottom of my Forester bottle when I get home tonight, which will be just before I turn it bottoms up to make the wife & I a Julep! Tom V

[Bob O.]

A healthy pour of Buffalo Trace.