What Are You Drinking Tonight, Winter'07/'08

[spun_cookie]

A little Stagg... 05, 06, & 07

[NickAtMartinis]

Ec 12..................

[Old Bill]

Beam Black has been working for me.

[Rughi]

Well, they're all wheated bourbon coming from the same distillery. But, that deosn't mean they're the same. They very well could be, but I would tend to think that VW and Weller would have different yeast strains with slightly different mash bills.

Well, what I've read here is that, since the Spring 2002 agreement that VW made with BT, Julian has hinted that he worked with BT to make the new VW juice as similar as they could to SW. Here are a few interesting posts I found:

107 proof

mashbill

entry proof

As far as yeast goes - I can't recall anyone ever even speculating about BT using a different yeast for VW products. That's a new one to me.

Roger

[NickAtMartinis]

Well, what I've read here is that, since the Spring 2002 agreement that VW made with BT, Julian has hinted that he worked with BT to make the new VW juice as similar as they could to SW. Here are a few interesting posts I found:

107 proof

mashbill

entry proof

As far as yeast goes - I can't recall anyone ever even speculating about BT using a different yeast for VW products. That's a new one to me.

Roger

Thanks for the insight, Roger. I was speculating about a different mash bill and yeast. Though, I figured it may be true - regarding the yeast - considering how conveted it seems to have been, and is, within each distillery. But I'm just a "rook" so you can fault me for conjecture.

[havok66]

feeling a little under the weather, need some sleep

william larue weller 64.95 that I've been saving, ought to do the trick.:22:

[TNbourbon]

... mashbill ...

Roger

Now, Roger, that's an interesting post (which I remember from its issue, but has more resonance today).

Significant, that: today's Weller S.R. from Frankfort (1998 + 7 years = 2005) may well be whiskey made to the original Stitzel-Weller recipe. And, though I've never asked Julian (you can be sure I will!) and am unaware that anyone else has, it would be no surprise to me if he inherited, through his dad, a jar or three of original yeast from which to propagate. Of course, all this also means there will be BT-distilled whiskey to S-W specifications available this year for ORVW 10yo bottlings. Noting the unbridgeable differences between the stills in Louisville and Frankfort, we may be on the cusp of a second coming, of a sort, of Stitzel-Weller wheat.

Exciting and intriguing, no?

[fogfrog]

At this minute, after having Wellers, 4 Roses, finishing my bottle of Elmer T.Lee..... (it was nearly empty anyway).... Old Fitz 1849, .... I am drinking Old Charter the Classic 90 12YO... soon to try Bulleit which I have yet to try.

[fogfrog]

OK, I did buy four bottles of bourbon today and I am trying the last which is Bulleit. I will say that it is good! (concilliatory) but .... it doesn't have something in it that I look for.... its surprisingly easy to drink... but doesn't leave all of those tasty jellybeans in my mouth that I was expecting... that I found in for example Four Roses Small Batch and Old Grandad 114... Old Charter 12 etc... but... Its ok! Its really ok.... Here in TN I think its cheaper than Jim Beam Black.... I moved here from Kansas. I think there, Bulleit cost more than Black. Now I am thinking you know, we have Jim Beam White 7YO which costs only a buck more than the 4YO.... I am going to try that again... I reckon Jim Beam 4YO is a burn at 1 dollar less than 7YO and that 7YO is a steal at one dollar more than the 4YO..... but I would think, even without tasting it for years, that Jim Beam white 7YO would shoot out beat out Bulleit big time.... and you'd save money to boot and feel like just as much of a real man.....

[Gillman]

Having sampled too many M&Ms this aft' (the confectionary, not bibulous kind) I wanted something dry for the pre-prandial.

I selected my blend of dry gins and poured some on the rocks with a splash of soda. Two kinds of bitters went in for a further drying element.

A nice bracing drink, the old pink gin of Empire, in fact. Gin has its charms and is completely different than whiskey.

Gary

[spun_cookie]

05-07 weller... amazing how different these three are...

[JeffRenner]

Saz Jr., a trophy from my trip down south last week. This is just such a smooth, tasty, drinkable, whiskey, that I wonder why it is such an anomoly. For roughly $20 bucks, this is a world class pour.

I just can't get past the musty, dank, earthy cellar taste. I've wondered if this was a bad patch with this and BT this past couple years-plus - maybe bad corks. But I just tried a tot again, and it's still there. Like licking the cellar wall.

And I so much want to like this. I loved the earlier BT bourbon before it took this turn.

Jeff

[JeffRenner]

Not so much what I'm drinking (although it's a wonderful Willett's 22 yo rye), but what I'm munching on while I'm drinking. Sun-dried Greek kalamata string figs. Really a subliminal combination for this rye or any rye or bourbon.

I do think that this may be a new combination.

Jeff

[NickAtMartinis]

EC 12 and PVW 15.

[Rughi]

...I just tried a tot again, and it's still there...

Jeff

Jeff,

You tried a taste of the same earthy bottle again - or a newly released bottle?

I haven't found the "earthen cellar" of 2 to 3 years ago in any recent releases that I've tasted.

If it gets you down, have some Willett Young Bourbon. It'll cure what ails ya.

Roger

[bigtoys]

Four Roses Yellow Label. Always have to remember to unscrew, not pull.

Jack Daniels Single Barrel--saw a nearly empty bottle way back in the cabinet and thought I'd revisit it.

[spun_cookie]

ended the "all is good and Weller" comparison night with the DB Prichard's... not a fan.. glad to see it gone... the synthetic cork should have been my first clue

[JeffRenner]

Jeff,

You tried a taste of the same earthy bottle again - or a newly released bottle?

I haven't found the "earthen cellar" of 2 to 3 years ago in any recent releases that I've tasted.

If it gets you down, have some Willett Young Bourbon. It'll cure what ails ya.

Roger

I haven't mustered the courage to try either the BT or the Saz 6 yo for the last year plus, since they both have had that dreaded cellar taste.

So, should I try again? And risk the licking the cellar floor effect again?

I can always retreat to the great pleasure of the Willett Young Bourbons.

Jeff

[jbaker]

For me last night, it started with Jean-Marc Pillot Bourgongne Rouge 2005 (a so-so Pinot Noir from a great vintage), then switched to PVW 20, followed by the killing pour of my George T. Stagg Fall 2007 (I think), then Four Roses SB, and finally FR Yellow label. A good night, but not enough sleep to recharge the ol' batteries.

[SBOmarc]

Last night was a first taste of Willet SB. I will need to have more than one but my very first impressions were favorable to say the least. A very noticable alcohol burn but in no way overwhelming at all. Given the 94 proof, reasonable to be sure. Spice, Spice and very sweet at the finish, one that I would have liked to have lasted a bit longer.

Followed that up with WLW '06. Both taken neat.

[NickAtMartinis]

Haven't decided yet. Maybe I'll crack open the Four Roses Single Barrel or Rock Hill Farms. Either that, or I'll stick to me most recent addicting pour of EC12. I'm really liking it very much.

For dinner, surf and turf. Two rib-eyes and a Strip with two lobsters on the grill. I'm not really sure how to "do in" the poor lobsters but I've got to take care of them before I put them on the grill. It's not going to be fun or easy.

Edit: So as not to appear too glutinous, the above dinner will be shared with my wife!:grin:

[TBoner]

Polished off a bottle of Beam OGD BIB. Now I'm sipping on 4RSB. This needs to be introduced to TX soon. I bought this bottle on vacation last spring, and I waited until recently to open it. I wish I'd done so sooner, and I look forward to the whole line arriving here in the near future.

I may have some Ardbeg 10 before the night is out. I'm becoming quite addicted.

[TNbourbon]

After a makeshift (as in, I had what I had on hand) cocktail, I discovered some 122.6-proof Parker's tucked away in a 'to save for later, and sharing' box, and poured 2-3 oz.

Again, I am convinced this was the best 'new' American whiskey of 2007.

[ggilbertva]

After a busy day, I did the unwind with some VOB BIB. I think this may be one of my lower shelf favorite pours.

[jbaker]

We had a farewell party tonight to wish me well on my move to VT. Lots of things were drank including Eau-de-vie of Douglas Fir from Clear Creek Distillery (OR), Peoples Pint Imperial Stout (MA, limited edition) and a bottle of Canadian Club that was tax stamped (and unopened prior) 1981! Tasty and smooth. The current CC should be ashamed. Great to have a chance to look back twenty some odd years into Canadian whisk(e)y history.