Sippin' Bourbon

engtaz

tratliff wrote: »

I picked up 2 BT 750ml and a Weller SR 1.75ml the other day.

I jealous. Not seeing any here. I was really wanting to to get some Wellers and or Blanton. I'm scared to drink my BT because once is gone

Jstas

Just an FYI for y'all.

Stopped at the booze store today. Grabbed a bottle of Eagle Rare. There were 6 of them on the shelf and another case on the wire rack on top. $35 a bottle. Not too bad.



Also, dude normally carries about a dozen Buffalo Trace products as well as numerous other Sazerac products and he was fully stocked in everything. Recent, too. No dust on the bottles.

So it's out there.

engtaz

very nice

Jstas

So, after giving Eagle Rare a second chance when it's not stacked against multiple competitors, it's not really bad. I still don't think it's worth the hype, though.

I got it on special for $34.99, normally $37.99. Woodford is about $45-$50 locally for the normal stuff. Double Oaked or other special Woodford is $60-$80. The Henry McKenna is about $35-$50 locally, just for price comparisons.

Eagle Rare is smooth and complex but, there's an overall corn sweetness that is good but it gets killed by a boozy burn on the end which is just a bit too sharp. The best way to describe this, I think, is "young".

It hasn't sat around long enough to mellow completely. That's part of it's own brand but I think that is what makes it not worth the hype.

It's about 90% of the way to, say, Woodford Reserve but, for about 70% of the price. It's a bargain and inexpensive enough that I wouldn't cry about using it as a mixer either.

Besides, with the hype surrounding it, you can keep it on the shelf and everyone will be impressed while you keep the real good stuff for yourself!

engtaz

Not a fan of Woodford reserve, burn to prominent.

shawn474

I have a neighbor who is into all the more expensive bottles of bourbon. We have been buying a few here and there to try over the course of the last few years. I am a lifelong crown and coke drinker but certainly enjoy a nice sipping bourbon on occasion.

For my money and taste, I still can’t justify spending so much for some of these limited runs or small batches.....I really like the buffalo trace products and they have excellent selections at just about every price point. The buffalo trace Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey is still my go to and for special occasions blantons is an incredible treat when you can find it

engtaz

im trying to get Wellers

muncybob

My brother-in-law is bringing me 2 bottles of Trace Saturday, gonna be riding the buffalo that night.

Jstas

Hey, you guys know about Caskers, right?

https://www.caskers.com/

Also, if you're looking for stuff from Weller, Caskers has a few but so does Total Wine. Here in NJ, I have to have something from Total Wine shipped to the store and go pick it up but their website is nation wide inventory. I've found stuff there and had it shipped to my closes Total Wine in Cherry Hill. Prices are bit higher for me because of NJ taxes than what the website says but, both Total Wine and Caskers have not been much higher (maybe a dollar or two) for most stuff than what I can find locally.

So if you're looking for something and can't find it easily, locally, check out those two.

voltz

I use Casker now & then...for awhile they wouldn't ship to my state! good for hard to find stuff and sometimes a lot cheaper then local on some stuff locally can save enough to cover shipping.. their back up due to demands and Covid..but they have some good stuff especially for you Scotch God's!

voltz

Bourbon's
For Bourbon's I would say there are 3 different types in general.

1. Normal bourbons's which are normally made of a mash bind of 70% Corn & 18 percent Rye & 10 percent Barley ( this does vary depending and the distillers choice!
(compared to Scotch or Irish Whisky's that ar 100 barley)
2. Rye whiskey which have to have over 50% Rye.. are lie 51% rye and 39 % corn and 10% barley..as a example only! some are maybe 60% rye some 95% rye!
3. the other is Wheated Bourbons's which have no RYE only replace the RYE with WHEAT!
the wheated Bourbons that most know are: Wellers, Pappy Van Winkle, Larceny, Makers Mark!

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the wheated bourbons are sweeter due to the lack of Rye! I myself prefer Rye and I'm a Rye bourbon fan!

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Wellers use to be my go many years ago but then it was a lot cheaper say around $14 ..but when I started trying more expensive Bourbons like Woodford's Reserve I found I didn't like Weller anymore but didn't know why..then I learn what was a Wheater and what wasa Rye bourbon etc..

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some famous wheated Borbons are...Wellers, Larceny, Makers Mark, Old Fitzgerald & Pappy Van Winkle!

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after trying many Bourbons I lost my Taste for Woodfords Reserve along with Four Roses after trying Knob creek and becoming a Jim Beam Snob (they make Knob Creek, Basil Hayden, Bookers & Bakers..named after Baker Beam!

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At skips house last get together we broke out all of skips years worth of stash we kept leaving at his House...me & Dennis & Todd are big bourbon heads but some newbies like Jeff/Indyhawg ask which is best? that is selective at best.. Dennis Fav is Eljiah Craig, mine Is Knob creek, Todds I 'm not sure I'll let him chime in..

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I told Jeff what I like and why I don't like Woodfords as much anymore or Four Roses..but after Jeff tried many he felt he like 4 Roses the Best :

See that is what is important here ..we all different taste and you have to find what you prefer... there is no right or wrong only what you prefer

PSOVLSK

Good write up Daryl. I wish I could have been at Skips to help you guys put a dent in the stash. Would have been a lot of fun to taste a variety of bourbons and hearing other people’s opinions.

I used to get Knob Creek pretty often, but I haven’t had any in about 5 years. I think I quite buying it when I discovered TX whiskey and I also started buying different brands just to have a variety. I may need to give it another go.

Guess I’m not a big wheated fan. I don’t particularly care for Weller’s, Makers Mark, or Larceny and those are probably the only ones I’ve tried.

I did have several glasses of Four Roses at my nephews wedding last August and I quite enjoyed it.

voltz

Paul, we did have a great time sippin some good Whiskeys,, we killed many bottles ..like Colonel E.H. Taylor, 1792, knob creek etc.. and some TX I think also.
even had some Red Breast 12 Irish whisky.

ZLTFUL

Unfortunately, I didn't think to buy multiple bottles of what turned out to be my favorite bourbon ever.
Barterhouse 20yo by Orphan Barrel Whiskey Co. I paid $46.99 for the bottle I had but now, if you can even find it, it sells for well over $100 a bottle.

Their premise is that they find and buy "orphaned" distillery warehouse stock.
They previously only did American whiskeys but they recently added a 26yo single malt Scotch to their lineup that I am very curious about but it is north of $450 a bottle.

They also have a 25yo bourbon called Rhetoric that I would love to try but it is also north of $400 a bottle.

Some day, when I am more committed to bourbon...

voltz

I got the "Orphan boy" Forged Oak which was a 15 year bottle..was so excellent I looked for another but it was near $200.. they had the Rhetoric 21 at the time for $125 but I passed on it..when I went back it was gone and now is sold online for $$$$

Really good Stuff..but I would recommend "Barrel Bourbon" over it I have batch 16, 17, 18, 19, 19 newyear, 20, 20 newyear, 21 & 22 now 23 is out...

https://www.barrellbourbon.com/

they are like Compass box for Scotch whisky's..they buy barrel and mix their own stuff...the last few years the have won all the awards for best Bourbons..

engtaz

Caskers shipped hurts the pocket book plus descriptions aren't good about letting you know the size bottles

muncybob

Yep, everybody has their own taste and nobody can say what is the best just a nobody can say how you should drink your whiskey. The best way to drink it is how you like it. I used to go on the rocks all the time but my tastes have changed and now it's neat all the way. I need to try a neat pour that's been refrigerated some time.
I also find that, for the most part, I prefer a whisky that's in the 10 to 12 year age range over the 15 to 20 variety. ...or maybe it's because I'm cheap?

Jstas

muncybob wrote: »

I need to try a neat pour that's been refrigerated some time.

Alternatively, throw your glass in the freezer for a little bit before you pour yourself a dram. Will work the same as ice for chilling but not add any water if you want it neat.

Also, most experts I've heard/read said that whiskeys hit a sweet spot from 10-15 years. After that the spirit starts losing aspects from the mash load used to make it and collects more profiles from the aging container. That's why stuff that's in the 18-25 year range and older often has a musty, swampy, oaky nose/body and ends up being more dry. Also, with extremely long aging you end losing as much as 30% of your casked product to evaporation and leakage so you end up with a more concentrated product that has stronger flavors that may not be everyone's tastes. Many people I know who have gone for the extreme aged stuff have been disappointed because of that.

The only one I've had that's been stellar at 20 or more years of aging has been Pappy Van Winkle. Otherwise, stuff like Elijah Craig 18 is significantly better than the 23.

engtaz

Tried Eagle Rare for the 1st time. no ice or water drops. Half way thru the glass bite went away and a very smooth bourbon came out. Very good. I have not had another bourbon do that.

Jstas

Picked up a bottle of Breckenridge today.

Never had it. Had plenty of beers aged in their barrels but never have what was in the barrels before the beer.