Bourbons You'd Like to Try, or Try Again

[Gillman]

Here is my list:

- A Shively Old Yellowstone

- Benchmark as made by Seagram in the 70's or 80's

- Old Fitzgerald Supreme from ditto era

- OGD also from ditto

- Kentucky Tavern from ditto

- Maker's Mark from ditto (very rare and never appeared at Gazebo to my knowledge)

- Jack Daniels 90 proof from ditto and equally rare to my knowledge

- Beam's Choice in the bottle, ditto era again.

- Michter's Original Sour Mash 6 years old

In terms of current bottles, ones not long out of circulation or export-only:

- Wild Turkey 12 years old (any one)

- Evan Williams 15 years old

- Ezra Brooks 15 years old

- Parker's Heritage Cask-Strength

Gary

[scratchline]

How recently was Yellowstone being produced at Shively?

-Mike

[Gillman]

Oh not since the early 1980's I'd guess. It was a particular favourite of mine.

Gary

[scratchline]

It looks like I may actually make it for Bourbon Fest this year. If so, I'll make sure that you get some of that Yellowstone, Gary.

-Mike

[Gillman]

That is most kind of you, thank you, and I look forward to meeting you.

I find such lists interesting because while not a "best of" per se they tend to show the types of whiskey palate people like or return to for a variety of reasons. E.g., while I have enjoyed a pull of the rare (usually!) Fleischmann's Rye, I wouldn't call it a best of choice, but I find it a good and interesting whiskey. I'd be interested in other's lists based on what you like of course but also what you find interesting and why.

Gary

[scratchline]

I guess my short list would have to include the old recipe Old Crow. Both the BiB, which I've had and loved, and the 86 proof, which I've never tried. I'd also love to see what the Mount Vernon Rye was like mainly because it seemed to be such a ubiquitous brand once. And of course, the old Stitzel-Weller stuff because the best of it I've been lucky enough to try (thanks, Tim and Cliff) has been off the charts and because it's acquired such a legendary reputation.

Come to think of it, I'm not sure if the 86 proof Crow would predate the 60's recipe change, but I'd still like to try it.

-Mike

[BourbonJoe]

How recently was Yellowstone being produced at Shively?

-Mike

Not since 1985. I just finished an 85 Shively Yellowstone. Wonderful stuff.

Joe :usflag:

[mozilla]

I agree... Yellowstone products from Louisville were very smooth and fruity in profile. I have a little Yellowstone from the last days...and it is one of the best 86 proof bourbons I have had. Very well balanced and aged well beyond the minimums for a KSBW. After just having a sip...I can tell you that it is supremely well rounded producing some smoke, ......lost my train of thaught....got to go refresh my memory..BRB

medium full body....just a little bit of a bite, which is very satisfying. The nose presents some corn, but the taste is very robust and rye in style.

My bottle appears to be on that UD produced right before the plant closed in 1991...says, Distilled by Yellowstone.....fully aged. No mention of Mellow Mash.

[Gillman]

Very cool. For some reason I recall a "strawberry" palate. This was not the Mellow Mash version, but the regular 86 or 90.

Gary

[kickert]

My bourbon experiences have all been in the under-$30 range for the most part. That being said, I just looked on the Bourbon Bistros whiskey list to see what I would like to try. I have come up with the follow 3 pour flight:

• PVW 23
  
• EC18
  
• GTS
  
• Saz

[dukeofsandwich]

I'd like to get my hands on any of the older Willett releases, in particular a 4 year that was amazing. There's something about that Willett label that just gets me.

[gothbat]

I want to try something that has been aged for more than 23 years. I often hear that most have too much of a wood taste to them but I don't get that with the PVW23 expressions I've tried, in fact they're among my favorites, so I eagerly look forward to trying something in the 25 - 28 (oldest I've heard of) range that won't cost me $400 plus whatever shipping from somewhere like Japan will run me... Of the upcoming, super aged, releases I think I'll probably just go with the PHC and skip the Hirsch, the only PHC bottle I've had was excellent whereas the only Hirsch I've had wasn't worth the money (+ the whole humidor thing, I mean come on... ). I'm really looking forward to the next PHC release!

Another thing I want to try is something from before Prohibition (Anything really...). It's really just for novelty sake though, I have no expectations one way or the other on that one. If it was a brand that was still around in some form today it would be fun to compare to the current version and if it was something that no longer exists it would nonetheless be amusing, and possibly interesting, to try.

[Attila]

I eagerly look forward to trying something in the 25 - 28 (oldest I've heard of) range that won't cost me $400 plus whatever shipping from somewhere like Japan will run me.

The internet is a glorious thing. You guys interested in these bourbons need to get hooked up with two sites in Japan.

1) Rakuten (an online shopping mall kinda like Amazon). The link to their bourbon section is:

http://directory.rakuten.co.jp/rms/sd/directory/vc/s1tz402913/

2) Yahoo Auction. The link to bourbon auctions is:

http://list4.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/2084048381-category-leaf.html

Very Olde St. Nick 25 yrs retails for $216

Very Olde St. Nick 25 yrs retails for $200

Willet 24 yrs retails for $200.

Shipping to the States would probably cost $30 - 40 a bottle. All you would need to do is find a SB 'er to help you out with the shipping overseas part of the equation.

[gothbat]

Thanks for sharing the links, those prices seem a lot more in line with what I was expecting and would be willing to pay; I'll have a closer look at them with babelfish later on. I figured that the ones I saw for sale, on ebay (always from the same guy for the same price), had to be available elsewhere for a better price but didn't know where to look. Definitely something to look into after I try PHC! Also, good examples, 25 yr Very Olde St. Nick was actually one of the ones I was thinking of when I typed that! :]

[Attila]

Definitely something to look into after I try PHC!

Sorry to be a tard, but what is PHC?

Oh yeah, and my 2nd reference to VOSN (at $200) above was supposed to be for the 24 yr old, not the 25 yr old twice in a row.

[gothbat]

what is PHC?

It's Parker's Heritage Collection, from Heaven Hill, the upcoming one is going to be a 27 year old bottling! :] I've been getting my info about this one from this thread, there's even a link to some notes from John Hansell that sound pretty promising!

[Attila]

It's Parker's Heritage Collection, from Heaven Hill, the upcoming one is going to be a 27 year old bottling! :] I've been getting my info about this one from this thread, there's even a link to some notes from John Hansell that sound pretty promising!

Thanks for the link. An interesting read. Good night.

- David

[TBoner]

I'd like to try several things:

BIB Old Crow from ND as discussed upthread

WT 101 8-yo

ND OT BIB

VVOF, of course, any issue, I'm not picky :grin:

Any Willett or LeNell's rye (I have the first Willett, so any of the others)

Things I'd like to try again:

WLW 2006

Stagg 2006

Pappy 23

Louisville Old Charter 12 (I've had good and bad bottles; like to find a good one again)

Ultimately, though, I've tasted many "holy grail" bottles and things I never would've imagined: WT12 gold foil, ND OGD BIB, S-W Old Fitz BIB, WT Tribute, WTKS pewter top, a couple of 20yo bourbons bottled in the mid-70s...heck, even Handy 2007 ranks among the best things I've ever tasted, and I have two full bottles in the queue, so I can't really complain about the things I haven't tasted.

Regards,

[55bill]

Keeping it simple and at the low to mid-shelf price point, I still want to sample some Old Forester Signature 100.

[ratcheer]

There are so many bourbons I cannot obtain in my state, my list could be a mile long.

But, at the top of my conscious list is Wild Turkey 12-year old.

Tim

[CorvallisCracker]

Out of production:

- Old Ezra 15/101 (square bottle, in a box)

was it really as woody as I remember?

- Very Very Old Fitzgerald

- Benchmark as made by Seagram in the 70's or 80's

I had Benchmark on my 1988 list of recommended bourbons, but I sure don't remember it tasting like rum, so I'd want to try that.

Current production, but not available around here:

- 4R SB 120th

- William Larue Weller (BTAC)

- Thomas Handy rye (BTAC)

- ER 17 (BTAC)

a recent release, because I want to see if it's improved since I first tried it some years ago

- VWFRR 13yo

Current production, available locally but just haven't gotten around to buying any:

- PVW 20

- RHF

[fishnbowljoe]

I'm still somewhat of a rookie when it comes to bourbon. I've tried so much, but there is still a lot out there that I have yet to try. I guess my answer would be, anything at the gazebo. But seriously,:bs: ER 101, and the BTAC ER and Weller, and Weller Centennial are bourbons I would like to try. Any of the older, out of production bourbons I could try, would be a big +++++. I am curious as to what was, in the world of bourbon. Joe

[Gillman]

Scott, what was your 1988 list, and its genesis?

Gary

[TNbourbon]

There is but one bourbon I know of (there may well be many that I simply don't know exist) that I wish to taste, and never have: so far, the Very Very Old Fitzgerald 12yo has escaped me. I've had some best-ever 8yo cousins -- under both Very Old Fitzgerald and W.L. Weller BIB labels -- but have never even seen a 'live' empty of the 12yo.

Those VOF and Weller BIBS would be among those I would like to taste again -- and I plan to open, with high hopes, a 1950-ish 7yo Weller version in a couple of weeks during a weekend of SB.com sociability.

Others that will always be a pleasure to see again include gold-foil Wild Turkey 12yo; the original, rye-recipe Pappy 23yo; 2006 William Larue Weller (of which I still have a single bottle); Doug's first Willett rye; Old Rip Van Winkle Old Time Rye 12yo; a birthyear (1957) OGD BIB; a Four Roses straight rye blend from the '40s. Others too numerous to mention, but probably gone forever.

And, one I wish y'all had gotten to taste was a mid-'90s, sub-$10 Kentucky Deluxe BIB I recently opened for a VBT round. I've never gone through a 750ml bottle as fast as I did that one. It didn't last 5 days! Which goes to show you never know what gems you may have on your local shelves until/unless you turn the cap or pop the cork.

Just drink it!:yum:

[barturtle]

Well, I've been quite fortunate (many thanks to the guys around here) in the things I have gotten to taste, so my want to try list tends towards export bottles:

WT 17yo

ER 15yo SB

Van Winkle 1985 (I believe that was the year)

Dickel 11yo (this seems to predate the BHC)

VOB 12yo (I've seen a decanter so I know it existed)

To try again:

WT 14yo

Twisted Spoke 16yo

Van Blankle

Saz 18 2000

ORVW 7yo 107

...there's probably more (I know there are) but I can't think of them right now...