Rock Hill Farms

[MurphyDawg]

Right On Dave! Thats Exactly what I was going to say. . . I have record to revisit here (an I have reread them while tasting the bourbon at hand) of almost all the whiskeys I have tried. Another reason this forum is such a GREAT resource to bourbon lovers.

TomC

[jeff]

Had my first taste of this the other night at Nicholson's. I am impressed with another quality bourbon from BT, but I must admit that to me the taste is identical to Eagle Rare 10yo SB. That is not a bad thing, but just the first time that I have experienced the situation. Maybe it is due to the high-corn mashbill, because I get a lot of "green" corn in both. Anyone else taste the similarities?

[bluesbassdad]

Jeff,

I had not noticed a similarity, but then it's been a few months since I've drunk RHF.

A few days ago, when I tipped my ERSB 10 for about the tenth time, I was struck by its cognac-like quality, whatever that means. (Perhaps the sweetness of corn more closely resembles grapes than it does rye.) I recall thinking, "This is the Macallan 12 of bourbons", meaning that it reminded me of the sherry influence that Mac is noted for. I also thought it similar to Buffalo Trace, which would be consistent with a similarity to RHF.

Now I'll have to have a few drops of my nearly empty bottle of RHF, which I have been saving for just such a necessity.

As an aside, I now have almost a case of assorted bourbon bottles, each with not more than two or three fingers left. My intent as I started my explorations a few months ago was to identify perhaps ten must-have bourbons, based on taste and value, and then not bother to replace the rest. I kept a little of each of the missed-it-by-that-much contenders, so I could give each of them one last chance.

When last I tasted RHF, I rated it very good, but not a great value at the price. Since then I have drunk a bottle each of WT101, Russell's Reserve, and Kentucky Spirit (and bought a new one or two of each of them), I've finished what may turn out to be my one and only bottle of Blantons, I've tasted Kentucky Pride, I've sampled George T. Stagg, and I've sampled Hirsch 20 year-old. With all of that palate-educating experience as a backdrop, It will be interesting to see whether RHF tastes even a little bit like I remember it.

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield

[ratcheer]

Dave,

When I tasted Eagle Rare SB I also noted a distinct similarity to cognac.

Tim

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Jeff did you perform a blind taste test between the two? To my palate Rock Hill Farms and Eagle Rare are very different flavor profiles. I buy Rock Hill Farms, but don't buy the Eagle Rare Single Barrel. I do like the 17 year old Eagle Rare very much and wish I could afford a case of that magic stuff. Ditto that for George T. Stagg.

[jeff]

No, and I guess I should the next time the oportunity presents itself. I had been drinking ERSB the night before. Ordered the RHF and based on my memory I thought I was drinking the same thing. Last night I was drinking a little BT and I could taste subtle similarities to the ERSB and RHF, so I guess it is just the similarities in the mashbill that made them seem the same on a different night in a different place

[bluesbassdad]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />

Anyone else taste the similarities?

[jeff]

Thanks for the notes Dave,

I am sure you're correct in your findings as I will discover soon I hope. I guess there is always the possibility that I got the wrong pour from the bar, as I was at Leslie's Christmas Party and wasn't paying attention. But I doubt it. I pick up strong similarities in all of the BT bourbons. They all have that subtle "green-corn" taste I have described. Some not so subtle. My glass of RHF followed a glass of Pappy 20yo, which was so different from bourbons that I have been drinking lately, that I might have picked up on the Mashbill notes more than I normally would have, and simply transposed the ERSB taste, which I had been drinking the night before, onto my palate. I need to taste RHF again with an unadulterated tongue. Maybe that well be my weekend project.

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Jeff I'm out of Roch Hill Farms at the moment, but do us all a favor and try this blind three way shootout - George T. Stagg; Rock Hill Farms, and Eagle Rare 17 year old. The single barrel version is good, but I think the 17 year old is much better and deffinately in the bourbon big leagues. Taster up! SteeeRike Bleeee!

[Ken Weber]

Jeff,

You have made an interesting observation. When I am in the tasting lab, sometimes I have a difficult time telling the difference between various single barrel brands. Other times the differences are as obvious as day and night. I guess sometimes my taster and sniffer are in high gear and other times my A game deserts me! But to provide some additional information. The Eagle Rare 10 year old Single Barrel comes from our BT #1 "rye mash" bourbon recipe, while Rock Hill Farms comes from BT #2.

You are correct in your statement that both appear to have a high corn content. While I can not divulge the percentage used, I can say that they are within 8 points of each other. The next time we have the Straighbourbon Gang over, I will conduct a grid tasting. The first sample is our Rain Vodka, made from 100% organically grown corn. Talk about corn sweetness! The interesting point is that this corn sweetness is also present in our bourbons (though to a lesser degree). As the bourbon ages, this sweetness is diminished and becomes one of several layers making up the taste profile. The barrels also contribute a sweetness in the form of vanilla and caramel. The bottom line is that several components contribute to the sweetness of a bourbon. Our goal is to balance this flavor attribute with the right amount of oak, char, smokiness, and other contributing factors.

RHF is generally a bit younger than ERSB and it is pulled from different warehouse locations. So there is a similarity between the bourbons, but there should also be distinct differences.

Ken

[jeff]

Ken,

I need to do a side-by-side comparison and I think I would recognize the differences. IMHO all of the Buffalo Trace bourbons have simlar style; and I like it Except for AAA. To me it seems to have a different taste profile than the other BT offerings. Tell me, why is it so hard to find the AAA 107 proof bottling here in Lexington? Is this still being produced?

[bluesbassdad]

Discussion seems to be on the wane right now, what with many of our most active participants preparing to depart their homes for the 2003 Bourbon Festival in Bardstown. Consequently, I decided to meander through old threads this morning, and this one caught my interest.

Could it be that the aforementioned grid tasting (I'm not quite sure what that means) will occur during the special StraightBourbon.com event at Buffalo Trace? I will eagerly await reports on that outing.

BTW, in this or some related thread I said that I probably wouldn't replace my first bottle of Rock Hill Farms, considering the price. I lied.

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield

[kitzg]

Well it was a good lie, Dave, since Rock Hill Farms is one of our (Jo and my) favorites. She even had me got buy one of the "old" bottles with the little chain around it and now she wants to save it and not drink it like our signed bottles.

A grid tasting does mean placemats with little cirles so you can mark each bourbon and compare straight rye whiskey with rye mashbill bourbon with wheated bourbon etc. That's what they did when we were at BT last year.

I am sorry to be missing the BT tasting this year

but I am very grateful to BT for hosting JO and I for about four hours earlier this Spring . I'll catch up with our group on Saturday

[WEG3]

Well having heard good things about this pour , I found a decanter of RHF at a local bottle shop . In a weak moment I bought a bottle of Pappy 20yr , and this bottle of RHF. I found it to be very much like ORVW 10yr , 107 , but thinner and abit warmer in finish , a good change but not good enough to replace my much be loved ORVW 107...

Bill G.

[bluesbassdad]

Bill,

I've read posts that mention different proofs for RHF, and BIB or not. Just out of curiousity, what proof is your bottle?

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield

[WEG3]

It is the decanter with 3 scenes of horses in gold and ectchings, label on back 100 proof ...

bill g

[bluesbassdad]

Sounds like both the bottles I've owned.

Others have spoken of a lower proof version and a BIB bottling.

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield

[ratcheer]

I have only ever seen the BIB RHF.

Tim

[kitzg]

Dave, I've bought all of my Rock Hill Farms in Kentucky and it's all 100 proof. The older bottle has a gold chain around the neck and the neck band states "Bottled in Bond." The newer bottle has the engraved horses and while 100 proof does not carry the neck band -- but does state BIB on the outside box.

The distillery told me some time ago that a few years ago they ran out of bourbon for RHF. The took the pause while waiting to change the package. My wife, Jo, likes the old package so well we stopped at stores in KY until we found it and I bought a bottle for her. Now she keeps it as a collector and won't drink from that bottle.

Yet, just yesterday (9/20) I had a pour of RHF at Xavier's restaurant and bar in the basement of Spalding Hall, Bardstown. (Spalding Hall is the center of the Bourbon Festival.) They were pouring from the old bottle with the chain. So it is not a fast mover there.

I've never seen a RHF that was not 100 proof.

[brendaj]

Greg,

Doesn't the new packaging have a stopper that can double as a shot dispenser? At the GAZEBO the other night, someone (whoever you are, please forgive me...I had alot of fun... ) on the forum told me the new stopper will hold a shot.

My bottle is older also. But, the one I saw at Toddy's a couple of days ago has a hollow top.

Bj

[MurphyDawg]

I know I mentioned the stopper to someone, So it mighta been me!

TomC

[WEG3]

Yes the stopper is hollow and I guess you can use it as a shot measure if you have to , ...but who measures ? My eyes still work ,,,,and that old clip of W.d. Fields and 3 fingers _>

Bill G.

[brendaj]

Bill,

and that old clip of W.d. Fields and 3 fingers

Booker Noe once said, "a real gentleman never pours more than 2 fingers of Bourbon in his glass at one time. It's lucky I have such fat fingers."

Bj

[WEG3]

LOL

Would you believe me the the bottom of the glass is one finger thick ?

no? ,,, did not think so ..lol

Bill G.