What are you drinking tonight, Summer '08

[TBoner]

It's Sunday, so I'm having a couple of luxurious pours. The first is Handy 2007, neat, as beautiful an American whiskey as any I've tasted.

The second is a homemade Scotch vatting. I did equal parts Laphroaig (independent bottling at 92 proof and 11 years old), Bowmore 12, and Talisker 10 for peat and pepper. I added another equivalent part of a peaty bottling of Glen Garioch 8 to bring some autumn leaves and campfire smoke to the party. Finally, an equal portion again of Highland Park 12 to augment the salty and peaty components of the blend and add a touch of honey-heather sweetness. The result is an autumn campfire built from damp old wood that burns quite smokily with honey graham cracker S'mores in the background, just barely. I will be making a larger portion of this vatting.

Regards,

[ACDetroit]

Trying to do some work in the garage today with little luck, late start and very little interest would be the big factors here. A nice 2 finger pour of Evan Williams 7 year old 90 proof with a cube to cool me off. The Molasses in this stuff is thick and tasty. The neck on this bottle has the 200th anniversary on it which I see the current release has the 225th.

Yes the old bottle beats the new one but I like the new as well.

Cheers!

Tony

[ratcheer]

Tim, sounds fantastic. I await a report on the results. By the way, it sounds like a sauce that would do well with a touch of bourbon in it, too...

Regards,

"Fantastic" would be a pretty good description. Thank you. I thought about adding some bourbon to it, but it makes my wife roll her eyes.

Tim

[PhilsFan]

Almost done with my pour of FR 120th while watching the Phils and Padres on ESPN. Getting ready to pour Weller 12.

-Joe

[fishnbowljoe]

Started with a pour of Rittenhouse Rye 80 proof. Moved on to a pour of Ezra B 12 yr 99 proof. Joe

[callmeox]

Rittenhouse BIB and something else, depending on my mood.

[callmeox]

Rittenhouse BIB and something else, depending on my mood.

My mood steered me toward Weller SR and then WTKS

[JamesW]

Last night I returned home from many weeks on the road drinking scotch to enjoy some Julio's Weller and then some good 'ole Pappy 15.

[Josh]

Last night I drank Early Times neat out of my Woodford Reserve glass, because I thought it was hysterically funny. This was probably due to the WR I had already been drinking out of that same glass.

[OscarV]

Glad to be finally home today.

Way to hot and humid.

So if you were here you'd hear the sounds of ice tinkling the glass and splahes of Wild Turkey 101.

[jeff]

AAA 10yo :yum:

See my tasting here.

[Gillman]

(I'll have to revisit Triple A. After a stellar early career (80's-early 90's), it went through a bad patch IMO, being rather thin and feisty, but that was 5 years ago and I haven't tried it since. I will buy one on the forthcoming trip to KY based on the very good reports coming in. Whiskey can definitely go through palatic stages).

Tonight, in my wide-bodied EW glass: a Jos. Fleischmann 1885 all-straight whiskey blend. The formula calls for two bourbons in equal measure and a smidgeon of rye whiskey. I used Warehouse, a self-descriptive bottling from Rhode Island and WT 101 8 years old for the bourbons, and for the rye I used Beam Black, which is rather rye-like and fills that role very well.

The result is remarkably good. I tasted it before the Beam Black was added and it was a bit fiery and out of balance. The very small addition of Beam Black was like giving a pacifier to a baby. The result is glycerine smooth, very flavourful, very enjoyable. The main notes are caramel, warehouse wood and apples with faint anise in the background. It actually tastes a lot like Knob Creek, except better.

Here's one to Jos. Fleischmann, wherever you are.

Gary

[TNbourbon]

...Tonight, in my wide-bodied EW glass: a Jos. Fleischmann 1885 all-straight whiskey blend. The formula calls for two bourbons in equal measure and a smidgeon of rye whiskey. I used Warehouse, a self-descriptive bottling from Rhode Island and WT 101 8 years old for the bourbons, and for the rye I used Beam Black, which is rather rye-like and fills that role very well.

The result is remarkably good...

Gary

Now, that intrigued, so where to start??!

Well, I have too much 'crap' around here in various guises, stored in assorted minis and 200ml bottles saved from sampling stuff I didn't want to buy in full, or have winnowed down to a sampling -- so, I mixed:

• equal parts (1 oz.) Old Crow 86 proof from a chessman decanter (10yo, distilled in 1959 and bottled in 1969), and 1970 Old Fitz Prime 7/86.8;
  
• then, I tipped up a remaining mini of Doug Philips' original Willett 22yo rye bottling, tipping it back as soon as the splash hit the glass (Is that a 'smidgeon', Gary?);
  
• stirred, then sampled.
  

It's a wonderful color and nose: almost orange/red, with rich vanilla covering a hint of violets in scent. The violets (lavender?) come through first on the palate, after an opening melange. Wow, the 'rye-ness' really comes through over the wheat, but it remains nonetheless sweet. Plenty of wood here, but it covers up nothing -- I even sense a bit of berry here, but not the ultimate cherry. Blueberry, perhaps. If anything, it reminds me a bit of the Parker's HC already released (and that's not a knock!).

Some of us sampled a Four Roses straight-rye blend from the '40s that set a standard for the quality of this sort of thing. The lesson, it seems, is not to be timid in enjoying your whiskey -- it's not at all uncommon to blend, or 'marry' (if you find that term less offensive), a concoction the equal or better of its component parts if you only dare.

Go ahead, dare!

[TBoner]

I'm not so daring tonight, but the experiments sound terrific, guys.

I had a small pour of Teacher's while cooking dinner, and now I'm having some Charter 101 with an ice cube. First ice I've used with whiskey in a while, and it's very nice. Budget pours tonight...

Regards,

[Gillman]

Indeed, Tim S., well done! Somewhere in the universe Jos. Fleischmann is (I'll borrow a favorite Michael Jackson phrase), "suffused with joy at the zeal and devotion his subjects bring to the pursuit of his interests".

Gary

[JamesW]

Pappy 15!

fill fill fill fill fill

[ACDetroit]

Sarah my 2 year old sneezed in my face while carrying her this weekend, I now have her cold and it will be a stiff pour of Nyquil tonight since I did not get any sleep last night. Then it's off to bed.

Tony

[Slob]

Watching the Mets win, listening to Lenny and the Piss Poor Boys, and drinking Wild Turkey 101.

[PhilsFan]

I'm watching another episode of The Closer (I love Kyra Sedgwick) and just finishing off a pour of Weller 12 from the bottle I purchased today.

It's the Weller 12 with the older white label as opposed to the newer version black label 12. I do like the older one better, and it doesn't have the bitter aftertaste I got from the black label version. I'd still have to give the nod to Centennial and Antique as my favorite Wellers.

-Joe

[StraightBoston]

Emerald and I started with VBT#139 (not guessed yet) and then a S-W flight from the 60's through the 2000's: 1973 Cabin Still, 80's Rebel Yell, 1972 Old Fitz Prime, 80's Old Weller Antique, 1969 Old Fitz BIB, 2002 ORVW 15/107. Plus a sip or two of 1991 EC18, and GTS 2004.

[birdman1099]

Emerald and I started with VBT#139 (not guessed yet) and then a S-W flight from the 60's through the 2000's: 1973 Cabin Still, 80's Rebel Yell, 1972 Old Fitz Prime, 80's Old Weller Antique, 1969 Old Fitz BIB, 2002 ORVW 15/107. Plus a sip or two of 1991 EC18, and GTS 2004.

Sounds like a great time fellas !!!!

Pappy 23 and Old Charter fromj 1995 for me !!! (pales in comparison)

[spun_cookie]

Sounds like a great time fellas !!!!

Pappy 23 and Old Charter fromj 1995 for me !!! (pales in comparison)

That was a graet start... that continued even deeper into the bourbon history of the world :skep:

[gblick]

It's the Weller 12 with the older white label as opposed to the newer version black label 12. I do like the older one better, and it doesn't have the bitter aftertaste I got from the black label version. I'd still have to give the nod to Centennial and Antique as my favorite Wellers.

Cool, I'm glad I didn't steer you wrong. I too prefer the Centennial and Antique over the 12yo. I thinks it's the bolder flavor of the higher proof that I've become accustomed to (or rather spoiled on).

[JamesW]

Started with a Partida Anejo margarita made with agave nectar... amazing. Now I'm enjoying some ORVW 10/107.

[fishnbowljoe]

JB Black and Coke. One of those nights. Joe