ORVW 18yo Blue Smoke

[doubleblank]

This is a bottling Julian has done several times for the Blue Smoke BBQ joint/bar in NYC. Thanks to a good friend here at SB, I have been enjoying some of the recently released version. So I thought I would post some impressions:

The color is right there in line with the Pappy 15's and 20's, but not as dark and reddish as Pappy 23. The nose has faint cotton candy.....making me think it could be SW whiskey. The tastes are initially sweet caramel and cotton candy again followed by wood making it presence known. The finish is medium length and fine but a little too dry for my tastes (I think the sweet spot for VW's products have always been between 10 and 15 yo). Reminds of the Pappy 23 finish. Another fine effort from Julian.

If you want a taste, come to my place or have a drink at the Blue Smoke.

Randy

[Gillman]

I know this whiskey quite well from visits to Blue Smoke in New York and agree fully with your notes. In fact, here is an example IMO of a whiskey quite similar to Hirsch 20. It is not 100% the same since for one thing Blue Smoke bourbon is wheat-recipe (surely) and Hirsch 20 was a rye-recipe bourbon; still, the effects of mashbill after 18 + years in the barrel become somewhat attenuated.

Gary

[camduncan]

Great notes Randy - thanks :cool: The dryness in the finish is interesting. I've not noticed this in my sb.com Pappy 23, and the one time I tried Pappy 20, it was to far into a tasting night to really appreciate it. Time to revisit these bottles I think.

We couldn't get into Blue Smoke whilst in New York, so this week we headed out to their namesake in Brisbane. The food was everything we expected, but (as expected) no Pappy 18. I did manage to secure a Bakers on ice as a poor substitute though :skep:

[doubleblank]

I agree with you on the finish of the SB.com Pappy 23's. They aren't dry at all compared to the standard Pappy 23. I haven't been to Blue Smoke yet myself, but hope to correct that later this summer when I visit Cliff and see an Astros-Mets game.

Randy

[bigtoys]

I had the Bluesmoke vW last fall and really enjoyed it, too. It'd be amazing to get a bottle. I ended up there because I was there for a conference and a friend who is a Pappy 20 fan was there on business and he said, "find a place with Pappy 20." I googled and ran into Bluesmoke--not Pappy 20 I told him, but their own special vW bottling.

The food was excellent, too; I had bbq brisket. Place was packed on a Wed night at 9:30--probably typical NYC. Can't wait to go back.

We were sitting at the bar and the bartender poured us some Four Roses to try. That was just before it became available in Illinois.

[cigarnv]

This is a bottling Julian has done several times for the Blue Smoke BBQ joint/bar in NYC. Thanks to a good friend here at SB, I have been enjoying some of the recently released version. So I thought I would post some impressions:

The color is right there in line with the Pappy 15's and 20's, but not as dark and reddish as Pappy 23. The nose has faint cotton candy.....making me think it could be SW whiskey. The tastes are initially sweet caramel and cotton candy again followed by wood making it presence known. The finish is medium length and fine but a little too dry for my tastes (I think the sweet spot for VW's products have always been between 10 and 15 yo). Reminds of the Pappy 23 finish. Another fine effort from Julian.

If you want a taste, come to my place or have a drink at the Blue Smoke.

Randy

Randy, given your tasting notes I think this may be of the same bottling that is/was sold by Park Ave. Liquors in NYC. I have picked up a few bottles over the years and find it quite good. I have attached a pic of the label.... do you think it is the same??

[Gillman]

Incidentally, the bottlings for the Blue Smoke label may vary. Cliff and I tasted some at the restaurant not too long ago that had a marked sweetness and only a little dryness in the finish. However, having had this brand 4 or 5 times, I would say Randy's take is more typical.

I haven't tried the 18 year old whiskey bottled for Park Avenue Liquors but it probably is quite similar to the Blue Smoke label.

Gary

[doubleblank]

The proof of the Blue Smoke is 92.6 as I recall and comes in a red labeled bottle. But you're probably right that other than proof, I'll bet they are very similar.

Randy

[bigtoys]

Here's the label. I couldn't resist when I was there.