what will happen to the taste if I mix, ...

[DowntownD]

...say, the last 2oz from each bottle of BT-distilled bourbon I drink until I have a full 750ml bottle of this mixture? I guess, basically, it would just be mixing shots of:

- ETL SB

- GTS 07

- WLW 12

that's what I have now, and had I started last month the mixture would also contain shots of these:

- VW Lot B

- ER 10 SB

- PVW 15

would it taste bad?

just be a waste?

drinkable but strange/boring/average?

a good thing to do?

an amazing idea?

does it matter how long it sits mixed, how vigorously it's mixed (shaken vs stirred), glass vs whatever, cool & shady vs in the window?

surely I'm not the first to imagine such things, and since I know zip about actually mixing with any informed-thought behind it I'm guessing the BT bourbons would naturally go together decently.

am I crazy?

[CorvallisCracker]

...say, the last 2oz from each bottle of BT-distilled bourbon I drink until I have a full 750ml bottle of this mixture? I guess, basically, it would just be mixing shots of:

- ETL SB

- GTS 07

- WLW 12

that's what I have now, and had I started last month the mixture would also contain shots of these:

- VW Lot B

- ER 10 SB

- PVW 15

would it taste bad?

Probably not.

just be a waste?

Depends.

drinkable but strange/boring/average?

Only one way to find out.

a good thing to do?

See previous comment.

an amazing idea?

We've all done it.

does it matter how long it sits mixed, how vigorously it's mixed (shaken vs stirred), glass vs whatever, cool & shady vs in the window?

No, stirred, glass, don't ever leave any spirit (or wine or beer) sitting in direct sunlight.

surely I'm not the first to imagine such things, and since I know zip about actually mixing with any informed-thought behind it I'm guessing the BT bourbons would naturally go together decently.

That they all come from the same distiller is probably irrelevant.

am I crazy?

Possibly, but what does that have to do with it?

Vatting can be Fun. Often it's done to overcome some characteristic that you don't like in a particular bourbon. For example, a couple of weeks ago I bought some Old Ezra 7/101. I found it too tart. I vatted some with an equal amount of Weller Antique and the result was quite good.

Or you can be trying for a particular effect. I've been working my way toward the bottom of my last bottle of Hirsch 16 blue wax, and have been trying to come up with a vatting that was similar. My last try was to take two parts GTS '07 and one part water, then two parts of that to two parts of WT AS, one part PVW 15 and one part BMH 18 rye. It was close, so close I was tempted to dump it into the Hirsch bottle (but I didn't).

Before you go combining everything you've got, I'd do some experimental vattings of quantities less than 2oz from each bottle. Some will work and some won't.

PVW 15 and VW Lot B are really the same whiskey, just slightly different ages and proofs. Vatting just those two would be pretty safe, but will not likely be all that interesting.

Have fun!

[ACDetroit]

If you would like to learn from other's experience and you want to start Vatting? Search by members posts and read some of Mr. Gillman's stuff aka Gillman on the board.

He's been coined the Vatting King in the highest order! Hence the term Gillmanization!

I can also recommend 50% Weller 12 with 50% Wild Turkey Rare Breed ( I liked this one so much I made a 750ml of it.

Cheers and good luck!

Tony

[Gillman]

Thanks Tony, but really this is an age-old idea, I didn't invent it, just (perhaps) popularized it.

Vatting is as old as the hills, the people in the industry know all about it, and many merchant's bottlings are in fact combinations of different bourbons. (The current ORVW 13 year old rye is a combination of two ryes). The old "blend of straight whiskeys" (still in the regulations) was something similar.

Having tasting Tony's vatting he mentioned, I can say it is of the highest quality.

Gary

[Gillman]

In other words, the idea of vatting or mixing is completely valid. The results may be good, great, or so-so. Depends how you approach it.

Once you are familiar with the characteristics of what you are blending, you should be able to predict accurately the results.

Bourbon and rye are similar enough (due to mandated legal production requirements) that a combination will rarely be bad, and as I say often will be good or great.

Gary

[ACDetroit]

Thanks Tony, but really this is an age-old idea, I didn't invent it, just (perhaps) popularized it.

Having tasting Tony's vatting he mentioned, I can say it is of the highest quality.

Gary

Your welcome Gary, and thank you for the kind words! From a mix-ologist such as yourself it means a great deal!!

Tony

[TNbourbon]

To give another example, several of us were involved in the purchase of multiple barrels a while back of 13-1/2yo Old Fitzgerald/Stitzel-Weller wheated bourbon. While each was/is a fair treat, I found that equal-ratio vatting of the four resulted in something very much akin to ORVW 15/107, one of my all-time faves.

You really won't know until you try it, but if you've already enjoyed most of each bottle, why not?!

[DowntownD]

interesting and informative responses...

you guys are great, you know so much. your responses motivated me to jump so I washed out the ER 10 SB bottle then added two oz of:

- GTS 2007

- ETL SB (Binny's)

- WLW 12 (Binny's)

I'm going to let it sit for now until I have another interesting BT variety to add to it. If for no other reason than to amuse myself, I'm sticking to BT bourbons for this experiment.

[JamesW]

I have an ongoing vatting of bourbons I don't particularly care for that I actual enjoy more now (probably because it's different). I have a vatting containing EC18, WTRB, & JBB (equal parts). I like it better than any of these alone. The EC18 had too much wood but now it's been diluted with other younger offerings. In fact I like the hint of wood that has been left over.

I've got the bottle down to about half right now and I'm thinking I should either add the Woodford reserve I've got that will almost never see any attention again (unless a guest requests it) and/or add some of the 1/2 btle of Baker's I still have which is not anything to write home about either (tastes too much like a high proof Beam Black).

Either way, vatting is a great way to free up bar space and create a drinkable concoction that is better than the sum of its parts.

Cheers!

James