What are you drinking this moment?

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Sundays - Gotta Luv 'em! Started out with three generous pours of 10 year old Russell's Reserve. After a late evening diner of Vickie's famous southern fried chicken with salad greens; cucumbers and tomatos fresh from the garden came a Sazarac 18 year old rye => neat in my Glencairn glass. Great stuff. Very fruity with lots of florals. Oily and mouth filling you can really taste the malt along with some nugut and some very subtile rye bread nuances. Then on to a neat portion of 17 year old Eagle Rare. Strong cinamon notes both in the nose and on the palate. I'd never had this bottling before so I can't tell you much more than 'I Like It'! And now to cap off the night => 16 year old A.H. Hirsch. Great stuff, but is it worth $80 a bottle? Must be since I bought it! ps - smokin' Winstons as I'm all out of cigars.

[CL]

No problem in preferring one over the other. We all have our favorites.

I was commenting on the "save" part, but you answered that.

Good luck with getting things worked out so you can go.

[CL]

Neither the 18 year old nor the 12 year old have struck my fancy. I've only tried them both a couple times. I never have gone back to them to further dissect them, primarily, because there's so much other good stuff in the cabinet. One day, I may go back and give them another chance when I feel like learning (and not just mindlessly enjoying a good drink).

[MurphyDawg]

1) Woodford Reserve

2) A Close second is OF 86

3) OF 100

Tom (callin' em as I see 'em) C

[MurphyDawg]

Give the EC 12 a good long second look because it needs a while to grow on you. There is so much going on that at first taste it seems like there is not much going on. At first taste I did not like this one very much but now I reach for it quite often (a little less ofter recently cause I am running out! )

Tom (the Taster) C

[CL]

Running out?! Oh, my. Come on over and help me with mine.

[MurphyDawg]

I'm there, man

BLEEEEEEEEEEE!!

TomC

[bluesbassdad]

Evan Williams Single Barrel, 1992, barrel no. 034 -- and loving it! (A tip of the hat to Don Adams as Agent 86, Maxwell Smart.)

Which raises a question, to wit: When will my taste stop changing, if ever?

This bottle is over half gone, and I don't recall ever liking it very much. Today is different; it seems to fall neatly (pun intended) in the middle between EC12 and EC18, although a bit lighter than that suggests.

It has some of that Vicks Formula 44-like taste of the EC12, a hint of the raw woodiness of the EC18, and more than a hint of the char-sweet taste that I've come to love in several bourbons. The magnificence of this conflux registered on me for the first time this afternoon.

I am reminded of my experience with pipe tobacco, and to a lesser extent with cigars, many years ago. I started with cheap, mass produced stuff; I progressed to ever-stronger blends; I eventually settled on rather lighter, smoother blends, though still rich in flavor and slightly sweet from natural curing.

Could it be that Russell's Reserve will someday slowly lose my favor, as Balkan Sobranie pipe tobacco did so long ago, and as Jack Daniel's Gentleman Jack did recently? I cry at the thought. If the unthinkable happens, I hope Evan Williams Single Barrel is still around to console me. (Note to the master distiller: Don't feel that you have to add water on my account. I would be more than happy to handle that chore myself -- or not. )

This is my favorite Heaven Hill bourbon; I will definitely buy another bottle or more before this one is empty. The only problem is that I take much larger swallows than normal because of its gentler nature than some of my other favorites; hence the need for multiple additional bottles.

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield

[jeff]

In my quest to find the super-premium, yet under $10 a bottle bourbon I am trying a glass of Ten High. I actually had not intended to buy a bottle of bourbon, only wine, but when I saw it sitting there on the bottom shelf looking so sad and lonely, the humanitarian in me said "take him home, make him your's" I will agree with Lynn when I say that there is not a whole lot to say about this bourbon except it doesn't suck. The nose is kind of spicy with a little vanilla. Pretty much smells like bourbon. The taste is thin with a short finish. Still better than JB White though. The rest of this bottle will probably be given to Leslie for Sours, though I will probably try it again tomorrow to see if I feel the same.

[bluesbassdad]

Rebel Yell.

It cost me $8.99 at Trader Joe's, which is the cheapest buy I've made so far. TJ's also has WT101 for $13.99 and Knob Creek for $19.99; so I assume that their price on Rebel Yell beats the general market by a buck or two. A normal price might be more like $10.99, which is about what I recall paying for Benchmark and Virginia Gentleman red label.

Even at the higher price this would be a good buy. I like it about as well as Maker's Mark. It's not as fruity-sweet in the nose or on the tongue, but it's still spicy-sweet and quite pleasant. The finish is sweet, gently tingly, and persistent. It lacks the intriquing component of Maker Mark's finish that I can neither describe nor identify. (All I can say is that it is unique in my limited experience.) Please don't laugh at this; the drink that Rebel Yell most reminds me of is VW Family Reserve 13 y/o rye (which I have drunk on only one occasion, three glasses worth), although Rebel Yell's presence is more subdued at every turn.

I poured about three ounces of Rebel Yell into an old-fashioned glass, planning to take a couple of sips neat before adding ice. I like the flavor so well (at least I do this afternoon) that I kept putting off adding the ice, and it's almost all gone now. Maybe being poor (How's the market doing today, anyway?) wouldn't be as bad as I've thought.

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield

[jeff]

Wild Turkey 80, trying to clear some space on the shelf for what I might bring home this weekend

[MurphyDawg]

Polished Off the George Dickel & Old Ezra 7 Year (about one shot left in each) in an effort to clear liquor cabinet space for the spoils of this weekend!!

TOM C

[bobbyc]

Now that's thinking ahead optimistically!

[jeff]

After leaving the bourbon auction empty handed I decided to make a trip to the Liquor Barn and try the OF 100. I have to say that I agree with you that this bourbon is superior to the 86 proof version. I do think that I prefer WR a wee bit more, but this bourbon will find a regular spot in my cabinet.

[MurphyDawg]

They hadn't set up the auction by the time I left Bardstown today (around 1 pm), did they have anything interesting there??

TomC

[jeff]

Nothing particularly exciting. The usual signed bottles, export-only stuff, and baskets filled with many different bottlings. There was a bottle of 23yo Pappy, a 20yo Pappy, Distiller's Masterpiece, signed Booker's etc... Really not as much as last year

[ratcheer]

Right now, I am drinking Wild Turkey 101 on the rocks. It is still surprisingly good, even compared against all the high-end bourbons I have had the pleasure to drink, lately.

Tim

[bobbyc]

To celebrate my good fortune in finding some Old Forester Birthday Bourbon I made a pour of OF 86 . I guess the proper thing to do would have been to pour some of the Birthday stuff............

[brendaj]

So Bobby...ol' buddy...my pal... Howz bout telling me where you got that? I'd love to have a bottle myself...

Beej

[MurphyDawg]

Nah. . .OF 86 is plenty good enough

TomC

[Jono]

I splurged and picked up K Spirit and EC 12 the other night..I could not resist..opened both and had a small sampling..both were good. Tonight..KS..a full, smooth, complex, delicious bourbon. I stretch my normal volume and pour the EC12 for another comparison..the quick tasting felt a little "sharper" than the KS.

[jeff]

I will agree with you that OF86 is a fine drink, but the 100 proof is blowing me away. I can't believe this bourbon only goes for $13.99 here in Lexington. It easily stands up to some of the premium $20+ bourbons I have sampled. As of this moment, 7:52pm EST 9/29/2002, I raise my glass and declare Old Forrester 100 proof my FAVORITE bourbon I am, however interested in the Birthday bourbon. I will look again tomorrow wilst I purchase my bourbons for the blind test.

[ratcheer]

That is certainly a nice bourbon to choose as your favorite. I ALWAYS keep a bottle on hand. It has one of the best flavor profiles and its always enjoyable. Its just icing on the cake that its also inexpensive.

Tim

[texascarl]

Tonite, 2 oz of Old Charter 12 year "The Classic" and one oz of Old Fitz 1849.

[MurphyDawg]

"The Classic 90" is some good stuff .

Tonight I cracked the seal on my Elmer T Lee SB for the first time, and boy am I glad I did!!

TomC