What are you drinking tonight? (Fall '07)

[ACDetroit]

Well tonight I opened one of my BHC VSOF 12yr. and this is my first dance with this bottle. I waited way to long it is truely wonderful.

[whiskeyhatch]

EW 1783. Picked up a few bottles for $10.50. (Now there's a value.) It's still very hot here. As soon as it finally cools, I will be grabbing for some Islay Scotch. Can't wait!

[robbyvirus]

I just tapped into a bottle of Sazerac Rye 18yo from 2004 that I haven't had a sip from in maybe a year or so. Man, I'd forgotten how good this stuff is. Can't wait to try the 2007!

[ACDetroit]

Robby I'm jealous! I totally forgot I have 2 2004 Saz's stashed in the bunker!

Tonight is a healthy pour of some PVW 15yr. in Reidel Bourbon Glass, this might have been purchased in 04 as well. I can't get enough of this stuff either! I may need to go have a smoke after this one!

[mulbish]

well, I been meaning to get me some EC18yo to experience the bourbon of the month, but the only poke store I been in of late is the wallyworld grocery down the way. So, I gave in and got me some Buffalo Trace. ummm...good, nice on a bit of ice and a splash. actually, the wife has a cold and I wanted to sooth her throat...what..for real...I got her some nice tea, lemon, & honey. as well as a bottle of bourbon. I'm only thinking of my dear wife, here. My little irish lass was in need.

well, ok it's one last little smidgen, and then it's off to bed, 'cause i have to be up in 6 hrs.

[HipFlask]

I started off with Buff trace. Yum good stuff new daily pour. Then for comparison's sake Elmer T. Next PVW lot B. And since somebody else was inspired by Eagle River Wi. Wild Turkey RR 90 since I don't have any Eagle Rare.. Just goofin... buying next trip to the store!

[SBOmarc]

Buffalo Trace, ETL, RHF, Blanton's

Is that a flight?

[whiskeyhatch]

Old Charter Classic 90, BT, JBB and HH Old Style Bourbon. At least tonight, these are in descending order of preference.

[HighTower]

Weller 12, 06 WLW & ETL

Yum!

Scott

[Gillman]

Courvoisier VSOP bought around 1990, a gift.

A very interesting drink, quite rounded and full-bodied and evidently the result of a complex mingling.

Who will produce a VSOP of American straight whiskey? This would be something interesting to do perhaps as a group exercise.

Only a group could likely come up with the diversity and amounts required of the straights, for one thing.

For the base, we would need something relatively rounded and not too assertive, maybe Weller 12. Maybe plan on a spreadsheet from 10-20 additions of different ages and types, allowing e.g., 20% of the final to be whiskeys over 15 years of age, 10% being straight rye and so forth.

I think the result could be just as good as fine Cognac.

Gary

[mozilla]

Last night I finished my first bottle of Hill & Hill 80 pf, then on to Old Fitz Bib and JTS Brown BiB, both current. The H&H beat both for all around flavor. If it was a Bib, it would be out of sight!

[Rughi]

Last night I finished my first bottle of Hill & Hill 80 pf, then on to Old Fitz Bib and JTS Brown BiB, both current. The H&H beat both for all around flavor. If it was a Bib, it would be out of sight!

Jeff,

You are my kind of guy.

While others fixate on clearing shelves of anything SW, there are unsung gems like ND Hill and Hill that'll really satisfy.

National Distillers produced many great lower and mid-shelfers to which boutique current releases should be proud to measure up. And the flagship ND products, Taylor and Grand Dad, just might not have an equal today.

Roger

[Gillman]

I agree, Roger. And what I find intriguing too is that, as you have noted, the particular maple/peanut brittle character of NDOT appears not to precede the 1970's/80's. I wonder if it emerged due to longer-than-normal aging times of the era (due to overstocks).

Gary

[mozilla]

Gary,

Did I read your post right? OT and OGD didn't taste the same before the 70's/80's. How does it compare? Lighter, thinner? Heavier, thicker?

Thanks for the taste comparrison.

[Gillman]

Jeff, I was referring to a comment by Roger Hodges some months ago that the taste I mentioned of National Distillers Old Taylor in the late 70's and 80's did not characterise samples from earlier decades. Roger earlier had done a masterful, multi-decades tasting of Old Taylor's, I believe as part of one of the West Coast study groups (associated originally with Doug Philips). I have tasted only a couple of OT's from before the 70's. I am not sure they were 100% perfect, but even apart from that they seemed not to disclose the maple/peanut brittle character of the 70's and 80's. Tim Sousley kindly (as always) made a couple of these available for me to try. He also kindly gave me a half-pint of a 1960's OT BIB and it was good but thinner I would say than the 70's and 80's examples and with less of the character from that time (which makes me wonder if in part at least the 1980's maple/peanut brittle character derived from mingling different ages and barrel lots).

Apart from that, I recall reading on the other board not long ago a report of a tasting of a bonded OT from the 1950's which the taster said was phenomenal. He focused on the aspect of a port-like taste and in that case the whiskey was rich and full.

I believe the character of OT was always good but did differ depending on e.g., whether it was Castle-produced and (especially) how long it was aged, but also whether it was Bonded or not. Jackson as I said made a point in his 1988 book that NDOT in the 80's was aged for years beyond its age statement, so that may have explained the character of that time.

Roger may wish to elaborate and perhaps re-post his report of that tasting (a fine post, well worth finding. Just to do that kind of exercise, let alone with a whiskey as storied as OT, was surely an amazing experience.

Gary

[mozilla]

Thanks Gary....I'll do a search for the post. Very interesting hypothesis to search up on.

[Gillman]

I have a cold and whisky (Scotch) as a specific seems in order. Toss two ounces of one of my Scotch-Irish whiskey blends into the glass. Sample neat. Not quite right. Add some vodka for display, better but not there yet. Add some Glendronach to pick up the fruity notes. Well, we're getting there, but gee, this is 4 ounces high now, I can't keep "adjusting"! What to do... I add about 3 ounces of Perrier. Now, it is really good, the water displays the complex components, the secrets of the old U.K. "whiskey-soda" unlock. I add rocks as a final flourish.

Gary

[TNbourbon]

...Who will produce a VSOP of American straight whiskey? This would be something interesting to do perhaps as a group exercise...Gary

Gary, if you can round them all up at one place and the same time, try vatting in equal parts (for starters, anyway) the five members of the BTAC -- which includes rye and wheated bourbons and straight ryes, and some variety of ages.

I have it in the glass right now (at its natural c. 117 proof -- I may dilute here shortly), and it is cognac-y, at least to me in my limited experience with fine cognac. Much fruit and blossom (from the rye), as well as some spicy sweetness (from the barrel aging and wheat). Clean, but dry, finish. I love the nose, with its combination of fruit, spice and candy/toffee sweetness.

Wish you were here, Gary, to advise and improve.

[Gillman]

Thanks Tim, that sounds great, I don't think it needs improvement, excellent idea, one day I will try it with you.

Gary

[mgilbertva]

I had a chance to try an '05 BTAC, the WLW.

Surprisingly pour. I know several people here are not fans, and I can report they had good reason.

The nose is excellent. The taste starts out very nice: rich wheater without the burn you get with the '06. However, this is followed in two or three seconds by a chalky, metallic, mineral-like bitterness, almost like it was made with crappy tap water. The finish is long and bitter as well. Adding a splash of bottled water attenuates some of the unpleasantness, but not enough.

I'm hoping that giving it a chance to air for a few weeks (or months) will help dissipate some of the bitterness, so I'll leave it for a few weeks and try again.

[ILLfarmboy]

I started tonight with pre-supper Baby Saz Old Fashioned while I decided what to fix. After some grilled salmon and baby Lima beans I poured a snifter of Handy, just as I was finishing that a friend dropped by to ask about taking down a CB tower and a Moon Raker antennae. He's more of a scotch man. So we both had a pour or two of JW Green while discussing the how and when. Needles to say I'm done for the night.:skep:

[TBoner]

A 2:1:1:1 vatting of Rittenhouse BIB, Beam Rye, OGD 114, and Old Bardstown 101. I had the latter trio in a 1:1:2 vatting last night, and it was terrific. This is obviously more rye-driven, and a spicier, less everyday type of pour (I love rye, but the dram I made last night could be in perpetual rotation for most any American whiskey lover).

[bigtoys]

A buddy came over since a bunch of our wives are out for a birthday dinner. Mixed up a couple of Knob Creek Manhattans--almost forgot the bitters. He followed it up with a little Stagg. Hope he drives carefully.

[HipFlask]

Well today i started to search for Flieschman's American Whiskey for a friend and I came across this New Glarus Brewery's Bourbon Barrel Bock. A very limited specaility beer. And that is what I am drinking tonight. Of coarse a couple Guiness's after work where the prelude. Some night's are just made for beer. life is good!

[HighTower]

I got some new strings for my bass today (damn those things ain't cheap!). While I tuned it, I enjoyed RR90, EWSB 95, Rock Hill Farms and then some Buffalo Trace. She's finally tuned, and so am I!:slappin:

Scott