What are you drinking tonight? (Spring '07)

[whiskeyhatch]

While sipping a wonderful pour of HH BIB, I thought that I recognized a taste of char that I find very apparant in EC 18yo. You know, that tar taste that oddly tastes wonderful. Has anyone else noticed this? After that, Old Charter 12 yo with just a trickle of spring water. Delicious.

[HighTower]

Took the day off from work and spent it with my wife celebrating 21 years of marriage.

Congratulations Greg, to you and your wife, that's quite an achievement!:toast:

Scott

[bulkfryer]

Tonight It's going to be a little Woodford Reserve and a Bone in Ribeye.

[Frodo]

The last of my Old Weller 7yr 107 proof.

Nose: Summery bourbon, not the usual orange or tea leaves in the nose. A bit of water opens it up with light oak and toffee coming to the fore.

Taste: Too "hot" for me at 107 proof. Oak is less dominant that I suspected, but becomes more noticable with floral notes when I added water.

Aftertaste: Med-short. Tapers off gracefully.

Impression: A workmanlike pour. Good balance with a quiet personality. More assertive than Makers Mark, but that's not saying much.

[Gillman]

Good notes, Chris. I think what you are detecting essentially is the wheat-recipe nature of this whiskey. Good as it is, it does not have the "fullness" associated with a rye-recipe bourbon. To achieve that in a wheater, you need a more prolonged age, e.g., the 12 or 15 years (or more) the ORVW bourbons have (even the 10 is excellent - 3 further years really does make a difference).

This is why, I think, the Weller 107 goes out at 107 proof: the extra proof helps to fill it out, adds complexity.

Gary

[CrispyCritter]

I'm also starting out with Weller 107 tonight - not sure what I'll have next.

[cmg]

Drinking my first PVW 20 Year tonight. It's excellent, as expected. It does cost about two times as much as the PVW 15, and I'm not sure that the PVW 20 is two times as good as the PVW 15. More tasting is required :cool:

[SBOmarc]

Lot B followed by Saz Jr. Last bourbon for a week. Going to Cabo Saturday and they are whiskey challenged, to say the least.

Mexican Beers and Aguave Cactus juice...Mas Tequila!!!!

[bigtoys]

Just back from a friend's house and two generous glasses of PVW 20.

Sometimes, I wonder why I even have any other bourbon.

cmg said:

Drinking my first PVW 20 Year tonight. It's excellent, as expected. It does cost about two times as much as the PVW 15, and I'm not sure that the PVW 20 is two times as good as the PVW 15. More tasting is required

GOOD ATTITUDE! It's worth having a bottle of 20 around, although the 15 is quite good. The 23 yr old is another jump up and pretty strong, but hopefully you'll get to try it.

[TNbourbon]

...Sometimes, I wonder why I even have any other bourbon...

A point to ponder. I've now had enough wonderful, better-than-average, decent, and ordinary (did I mention yet that I think Woodford Reserve Four Grain is execrable) bourbon and American whiskey to pretty much know what I like.

It certainly bears pondering whether I wouldn't be better off paying a premium for a 'favorite' than having a multitude of lesser-priced bottles sitting open.

Okay, talked me into it -- I'm going to consider that very thing while I empty the 25-30 bottles I currently have open:grin: . Maybe this time next year, I'll just have one.

[barturtle]

execrable...another word to look up...yup just what I thought it meant...I agree

[Frodo]

This is why, I think, the Weller 107 goes out at 107 proof: the extra proof helps to fill it out, adds complexity.

Gary

This makes sence Gary.

[cmg]

I'll be tasting 3 ryes tonight:

(1) BMH 18 Year Rye

(2) Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye

(3) Rittenhouse BIB

Out of the above 3 ryes, the BMH is my favorite, with the Van Winkle Rye coming in a close second. However, the Rittenhouse BIB is an outstanding value at $12...and it would still be a fine value at twice the price. Sadly, my stash of Wild Turkey rye is gone. I'll need to replace that soon.

[Gillman]

Tonight was kind of a mixed bag. Some Blanton Special Reserve, very nice, soft and rich if a little lower in proof than I like. Some Mountain Rock from Kittling Ridge to which I added some Three Grain from the same house (maybe 7:3) which made it perfect - rich and sherryish but with evident steely rye and other grain notes behind.

Some Bud Lite (I like to check into the macro brewers once in a while, it was okay, good to chase the whiskey anyway). Some Hoegaarden from InBev, freshly brought in via their Labatt network, a killer beer: lovely grainy orangey taste, kind of a beer Old-Fashioned you might say. Proof that big brewers can make great beer when they want to.

Some French rose wine from Minervois.

I like rose in the summer. Once I had some Finger Lakes Catawba (I think I mentioned this before, Chuck commented on it) on a rise over Keuka Lake, it was at a local fair, I think to support the volunteer fire department there. We walked up the hill in the dark and it was pitch black coming down. They had some rides, antique cars, the fire vehicles, fried dough and red hots stands, and live music. Cold Genny and the cold pink wine, coulda stayed up there forever.

I love America.

Gary

[jburlowski]

Had some Hirsch 16 followed by ORVW 15. The latter seemed raw and harsh compared to the former.

[heatmiser]

Had some friends over for a BBQ last night and watch the Padres beat up on the Red Sox :grin:

After dinner we started into some old 1970's whiskies. First off was Old Taylor 86 proof, then Old Grand Dad BIB and finished with Old Overholt (distilled in PA). It was tough to decide which was best as they were all incredible and nothing like what is available today.

We finished the evening off with a few Stitzel-Weller bourbons. First was the WL Weller Centennial from BHC and then the PVW15. Both were very good but my vote went to the vintage whiskies. I don't know what ND was doing with OT and OGD back then but they hit a home run in my book!

[CrispyCritter]

I'm starting out with Four Roses Single Barrel - the bottle is showing severe signs of evaporation. :drink:

I'm thinking Weller 107 for the nightcap...

[robbyvirus]

Just poured myself a glass of Bernheim Wheat Whiskey, on ice. Haven't had it in awhile, and I'd forgotten how much I liked the stuff. A nice change of pace from bourbon every now and then.

[adirondack]

By virtue of trying something that I have never attempted (and searching out a good value), tonight is my first experience with Old Whiskey River.

Though I did not have high expectations, nonetheless, I was very disappointed, and wound up mixing a few 'little colonels'.

[OscarV]

Elmer T Lee Single Barrel, wax top.

I finally opened it last week, ETL I would say is very different from other single barrels I've had.

What I mean is that it seems to be thin, I saw once someone said it had a "narrow range".

I understand this statement, but I think it is very flavorful.

I have been drinking it neat, haven't tried it on the rocks yet, but I think it will hold it's own on ice.

[NickAtMartinis]

Right now I'm drinking Old Weller Antique and it's mighty good stuff.

I opened my WT Tribute a couple days ago and was very unimpressed by it.

[heatmiser]

Oscar - if this is your first taste of ETL I would recommend trying a different bottle of (ie. Binny's version). The last thing I would call ETL is thin based upon my experience with the few bottles I have consumed that were purchased at Hi Times, Beverages & More and Binny's.

[mgilbertva]

I opened my WT Tribute a couple days ago and was very unimpressed by it.

Ouch, that's some expensive and hard-to-find unimpression.

Elmer T Lee Single Barrel, wax top.

I finally opened it last week, ETL I would say is very different from other single barrels I've had.

What I mean is that it seems to be thin, I saw once someone said it had a "narrow range".

I have to agree with heatmiser, the "honey barrels" are very nice. I bought some bottles of hand-picked ETL from Schneider's in Washington D.C. and liked it very much. However, they just raised the price to $40 - ouch! :bigeyes: Not sure I like it that much...

Hmm. That would be a good thread to start - people's experience with hand-picked/honey barrels vs. standard releases.

[NickAtMartinis]

Ouch, that's some expensive and hard-to-find unimpression.

Tell me about it. I knew going into buying it that WT is rye bourbon, but the flavor to me was just not to my liking. I paid $75 for it so I'll try it again.

[mgilbertva]

On the potentially positive side I have had many bourbons I did not like or didn't impress me. Then I've tried them on a different day and had a totally different reaction. It wouldn't surprise me if you that kind of experience with the Tribute.