I can't live without 'em

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

All this bumpin' goin' on! You'd think someone was actually paying attention!

I have a handful of 'small batch' bourbons that I just can't live without.

1) - L&G Woodford Reserve -> roughly around eight or nine years old at 90+ proof -> It's candy. I gottat have at least one open at all times and one sealed ready to go. If I haven't told you already that's how I like my women.Wide open and ready! YES! YES!! YES!!!

2) - Wild Turkey's ten year old "Russell's Reserve'. One of the all time greatest Turkeys ever to be stuffed in a 101 proof bottle. Gotta have it!

3) - Knob Creek -> Beam Bourbon the way it was ment to be! Nine years old and 100 proof -> This is the good stuff!

4) - Virginia Gentleman 90 proof -> The 'Fox' -> Six years old -> This is the very best wheated bourbon on the market! Only $20 a bottle. Sure you can pay $150 to $200 a bottle for 20 & 23 year old Van Winkle. So what? The 'Fox' tastes better! Don't waste your money. Young; spanky, crisp and clean -> Buy The 'Fox'. You'll never regret it.

It's time to dance ->Pants Away!

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[ratcheer]

Okay, Linn, I resolve that among my next few purchases will be Russell's Reserve and Virginia Gentleman "The Fox". I already have WR and KC and I love them both.

I am disappointed that regular WT 101 is no longer 8 years old. I never would have noticed until you pointed it out. Do you know when it changed? I could have sworn I bought a bottle with the big "8" on it, last August. But my current bottle has no age statement that I can see. It is still very good, but it upsets me that they are backing off on the superior quality.

Tim

[bourbonmed]

Tim and Linn,

Regarding the absence of Wild Turkey 8y from the domestic market -- sure, it's easy to blame it on Japan's thirst for fine bourbon. But is that the ONLY reason we can't get it, along with the 12 yr old?

Could it be that many 'domestic' barrels which used to end up as 8 or 12 yr old are now going into a 10-year life cycle? In other words, are Russell's Reserve barrels cannibalizing the 8 and 12 yr barrels? Similarly, will there be less WT 12 made to make room for the newest ultra premium export, the WT 17?

While some of these birds are truly endangered species, I wouldn't be too concerned about the loss of the 8 yr old, as long as a better bird (Russell's) is flocking out of Lawrenceburg.

And speaking of endangered or extinct birds, say bye to WT's Kentucky Legend, Kentucky Tradition and Stampede. The duty free bottles are history. Watch for a new 106 proof WT breed, 'FREEDOM' coming to select airports and DFS this summer.

Omar

[MurphyDawg]

Yeah I have been reading up on ALL of the old posts on this here forum (and there sure are a lot of them) so you poor folks will have to be burdened with old news if I have a comment I just HAVE to make. . . . .sorry

as for your cant live withouts, the first 3 are on my "S**T to buy when I get some money" list with the Russell's reserve topping the list (mostly cause its the cheapest at the local store).... Havent heard much 'bout VA Gentalmen though. . . .

Do tell.

Tom (<font color=red>the Damn Yankee. . . . .</font color=red>)C

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Yes Tom, the 'Fox' is a great small batch wheated bourbon. Last spring I visited the A. Smith Bowman Distillery in Fredericksburg, Virginia and was given a personal tour by Master Distiller Joe Dangler. I wrote the whole thing up and sent it to Chuck Cowdery. He published it in his Bourbon Country Reader.

I really should post a tasting.

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[cowdery]

Believe it or not, it was nearly ten years ago that Wild Turkey took the age statement off the labels of its standard, 101 proof expression. Many people didn't notice because WT cleverly changed the words "8 years old" to "No. 8 brand," or some such meaningless statement that still had an 8 in it, of the same size and emphasis. Got to read those labels carefully.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://cowdery.home.netcom.com>--Chuck Cowdery</A>

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

I agree with you Omar. I'd rather have the 10 y.o. R's R any day. We also have to remember the warehouse that burned down a couple of years ago. Many thousands of barrels of great bourbon gone.

Most distilleries are not opperating at full capacity. It wouldn't be to difficult to increase production to meet projections of future demands.

I am looking forward to the day when bourbon overtakes the malt horror (sc**th)as the world's best selling whiskey.

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[bobbyc]

Another thing you have to consider is the tax . In Kentucky it's $4.00 per gallon due at the time the whiskey goes in the warehouse. There's 52 + - gallons per barrell $ 208.00 per barrell . doesn't sound like a lot. Beams warehouses in Clermont all hold 20,000 barrells each , that's over 4 million dollars tax for each one that's full. I guess this is partly why it's all moved from the distiller / farmer to big conglomorates. You need a wall street banker to be your money man. They could run the stills 3 shifts a day no problem, the grain, labor , power etc would be cheap compared to the tax bill. It becomes a matter of how deep are your pockets. It's unlikely any one will ever raise any of the old mills back up. The fact that Bill Samuels did is wonderful, it will probably never happen again. We'll all be crying over Stitzel Weller until it becomes a distant memory.

Bobby Cox

[cowdery]

The other reason it takes a big company to sell whiskey is the mosaic of state laws. Just getting distribution in all 50 states would be a monumental challenge for a small producer.

But the biggest bar probably is still the production cycle. Think of Labrot and Graham. That distillery has been operating for nearly six years and hasn't yet sold one drop of the whiskey it has produced.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://cowdery.home.netcom.com>--Chuck Cowdery</A>

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Hey Chuck even after L&G do start marketing that/thoes new bourbon(s) just how many years will it take them just to break even on their investment let alone make a real profit? Five or six more years?

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[cowdery]

Hard to say. For one thing, they are deriving some revenue from the site via tourism. Also, the Woodford Reserve distilled at Early Times is aging in Versailles. I don't know if they bottle there or not. The point is that B-F is a big company and it all gets mixed in together.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://cowdery.home.netcom.com>--Chuck Cowdery</A>

[ratcheer]

I bought my first bottle of Russell's Reserve, this morning, and I'm tasting it right now.

It is very good. More flavorful than the regular WT 101, but not quite so flavorful as the Rare Breed. But, it is only a few dollars less than Rare Breed (RR is $27, RB is $31 here at Alabama ABC, while regular WT 101 is $19).

Hmmmm. I'll have to sample it a few more times before I'm sure (heh heh).

I almost bought Va G "The Fox" ($20), too, but I just couldn't quite afford both at the same time. It came with a free bottle of Va G steak sauce. (???)

Tim

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Tim that sauce is great! Send your wife back to get it. Tell her that the bottle of the 'Fox' is free with each bottle of steak sauce purchsed! Either way you both win!

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[ratcheer]

My wife is just about ready to kill me, now, for buying so much bourbon. I haven't stopped, yet, but I'm slowing down.

Tim

[MurphyDawg]

I got my Russell's Reserve today. After the intitial tasting I think I like it better than Rare Breed, though neither are slouches. It is way smoother than I thought a 101 proof bourbon could be, very drinkable. The taste was rich and dark. Wood balanced with blackberries and raisins and some carmelyvanilla stuff underneath. I will do a real tasting someday but just wanted to mention that its surely a gem. If Kentucky Spirit is an improvement on this profile, I gotta get a bottle!!

TomC