I prefer to drink it neat however depends on the proof for some of these 130 proof it's like gasoline. If it's a high proof I will use a cube to bring it down.
All things Bourbon
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Last: 10 days ago by curmudgeon.zen
I went to my local store this weekend to pick up some Eagle Rare.
Spot was empty.
I grabbed a bottle of Elijah Craig instead, and at the counter I asked (just to be sure) if they had any Eagle Rare in the back that hadn't been put out yet -- because in years past it was ALWAYS on the shelf.
Lady said they hadn't gotten a shipment of ER since like November or so.
Anyone know the deal with that? Regional shortage, etc.?
Spot was empty.
I grabbed a bottle of Elijah Craig instead, and at the counter I asked (just to be sure) if they had any Eagle Rare in the back that hadn't been put out yet -- because in years past it was ALWAYS on the shelf.
Lady said they hadn't gotten a shipment of ER since like November or so.
Anyone know the deal with that? Regional shortage, etc.?
If you're in NC that's odd, because we get a lot of it normally. It's been on the shelf in most of my normal spots. ER has been the one Buffalo Trace product that we get a lot of compared to other states. Allocation is hard to understand sometimes, hard to know when and why we get certain things. If they aren't getting it anymore, that would be a shift.
Just a guy on the sunshine squad.
Picked up a bottle of David Nicholson Reserve and a bottle of The Clover single barrel. I've never heard of them but my lady at the local ABC store said buy them. Any reviews?
I've had David Nicholson 1843, which is high wheat bourbon, but never the Reserve. They are made by Luxco, makers of Old Ezra and Rebel Yell. They normally do contract distilling at other distilleries. Never had the Clover. Looking online, the ones I see are 10 Year sourced from Tennessee, which pretty much can only be Dickel juice. I'm a big fan of Dickel, so I would probably like that one.
Just a guy on the sunshine squad.
Did basil Hayden followed by Jefferson's ocean tonight. Really really enjoyed the JO... May be in my top 2 now.
I havent had a bourbon in 2 weeks and I'm suffering from withdrawals.... I've got a bottle of Proper 12 that was given to me and I'm super surprised at how smooth it is. Maybe he gave it to me watered down because it was a half bottle. He didnt like it.
We're all Red on the inside. Some of us are just Blue in the face, and they're sick.
I don't drink much Irish whiskey, but I tend to find it almost watery when compared to the boldness of bourbon.
Just a guy on the sunshine squad.
Just opened four roses small batch select. To me, not sure it's worth the extra money. Might need to delve farther into bottle.
Thinking of getting some Jefferson's Ocean soon, haven't had it. Any reviews?
I personally think the Oceans is a silly premise, though I do applaud them for thinking outside the box. I've only tried a couple of the voyages, and didn't think they were bad, but I wouldn't have bought the bottle. The other Jefferson's I've had, other that one of the presidential bottles several years ago, is just ok bourbon. It's my personal opinion that nothing replaces many years in a barrel undergoing changes with the seasons. Small barrels, motion, sound waves, etc. can make bourbon that looks the part, but when it comes to taste, you can't shortcut time. With that said, I know some folks that really like the Oceans bottles, and so I wouldn't ever tell someone not to get one.
Just a guy on the sunshine squad.
I like the Ocean but somethings just as well that are less expensive.but it is still top shelf in my book. Bourbon has become more marketing now and therefore harder to know what might be good or not. I have a tendency to stick with the classics and less toward the newer brands. One thing about alcohol is it is just like the opposite sex; some thing s you like and some you don't but you get off in the end.
Seems there was an article in the last week that I did not read about aging and suspect claims. Anybody have a link?
Seems there was an article in the last week that I did not read about aging and suspect claims. Anybody have a link?
I wasn't into the concept more than I had just heard it was good bourbon and wanted to try something new. What would you recommend instead? Tried two new kinds my last trip and both were okay but nothing spectacular.
Blanton's and Eagle Rare two of my go to's
Blanton's and Eagle Rare two of my go to's
I think you should try the Jeffersons. It won't be bad. Lots of people like it, it's just not one I buy, for several reasons, but I'm just a random dude on the internet. You may love it, and that's the cool part about bourbon.
One thing I do sometimes is pick something off the top shelf and the bottom shelf in the same trip and compare. Comparing is one of my favorite things with bourbon at this point. Do it blind, and decide if the extra marketing, nice label, or cool story is worth the extra money. Sometimes it is, many times it isn't. Funny enough to me, I'm more impressed by a solid bottom shelfer than I am an amazing top shelfer, and I say that as someone that spends thousands of dollars on bourbon every year.
One thing I do sometimes is pick something off the top shelf and the bottom shelf in the same trip and compare. Comparing is one of my favorite things with bourbon at this point. Do it blind, and decide if the extra marketing, nice label, or cool story is worth the extra money. Sometimes it is, many times it isn't. Funny enough to me, I'm more impressed by a solid bottom shelfer than I am an amazing top shelfer, and I say that as someone that spends thousands of dollars on bourbon every year.
Just a guy on the sunshine squad.
Elijah Craig this evening.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
Cheers! EC is a good one. EC18 is my favorite bourbon that's still in production. I've got a few private barrel picks of EC that are in the 11-12 year range that I'm nursing along because they are so good that I don't want them to go.
Just a guy on the sunshine squad.
decided to open the Ocean tonight,,,, yes, I bought the hype but not a bad pour.
burnbarn said:
decided to open the Ocean tonight,,,, yes, I bought the hype but not a bad pour.
Thoughts?
Also to whoever got the EC, that's a good one as well
Well. Not a bad pour. Ocean is hyped but not a bad bourbon. Little pricey but a nice diversion.
Knob Creek 12 year has arrived in NC, at least down here. The WB store had a ton of it. I got a bottle when it was first released in another state. Some of the bourbon communities have poo pooed it because it's more expensive and perhaps not quite as good as some of the private barrel selections that are out there. For a while knob Creek has made 13-15 year old barrels available for private picks, and they are universally loved, for good reason, the ones I have are amazing. But it's unfair to compare a really available product to a single, hand selected barrel in my opinion. The KC12 is $60, and I think it's very good, and I think the price is in line with other similar products. I would recommend picking one up.
Just a guy on the sunshine squad.
Finally pulled the cork on my Four Roses SB last night. Impression was good with one ball of ice. Pretty sweet to me but also has a good "punch" that I like from bourbon. Idk what the mashbill is for this but it tastes very rye-ish for some reason.
It appears my hypocrisy knows no bounds.
Both of their mash bills are high rye, and maybe it's the different yeast strains, but their stuff is pretty different from most everyone. In the yellow label or small batch products it doesn't necessarily come through as much, but in the single barrels, particularly if it's the 35% rye one, it's very unique. I tend to not be into the high rye stuff, but I have had a few private selected single barrels of theirs over the years, and they are always interesting. Not always in a way that I like, but I do like that they do things differently, and how open they are about what's in the bottle. Some places treat the mash bill like it's some sort of guarded secret, but the lettering system 4R has is pretty neat.
Just a guy on the sunshine squad.
Don't mind me asking, what's the proof on the Knob Creek 12? Thanks
100
Just a guy on the sunshine squad.
sold out at Cameron Village on Tues... next time perhaps.
Did get an I.W. Harper 15 year however.. guys said it was the 1st time they had had it. $79.
Did get an I.W. Harper 15 year however.. guys said it was the 1st time they had had it. $79.
I think everyone should own an IWH15, even if you don't like the bourbon, because it's such a beautiful bottle.
Just a guy on the sunshine squad.
That was the first thing the Mrs said..'Nice bottle'.
I've got a nice little small batch bourbon cabinet for basil hayden, baker's, booker's and knob creek. Enjoy them all, but love the Blanton's that I got recently.Jaywolf27 said:
Bulleit is awesome and not expensive. Basil Hayden doesn't get enough love. That's a high quality product.
I really enjoy Basil Hayden for the price and bookers 8 year is one I'll pick if they got it at the bar
We're all Red on the inside. Some of us are just Blue in the face, and they're sick.
Opened up a bottle of Colonel Taylor small batch tonight. Really nice.
Thanks to you guys I've got another bottle of Buffalo Trace, old Forrester 1910, and larceny on the way. Stay at home ain't so bad after all.
Thanks to you guys I've got another bottle of Buffalo Trace, old Forrester 1910, and larceny on the way. Stay at home ain't so bad after all.
Nice. Col Taylor is a favorite. If you have them, a good flight for tasting is Buffalo Trace>Col EH>Eagle Rare. Same mash bill for all three, only real difference being age with BT the youngest and ER the oldest. It's a good flight for picking up the changes from additional barrel time.
The John Bowman single barrel is a good pickup if you see it. I had a bottle previously about four years ago that was just ok, but the latest bottle I picked up is very close to Blanton's, at least how Blanton's tastes now (which is not the same as it used to be, as I've talked about before in this thread). The Bowman stuff is distilled at Buffalo Trace and then shipped to Virginia to be distilled again and aged there so they can say it's made in Virgina. I've never had the small batch, but I did have one of their wine barrel finished ones that I wasn't a big fan of. But this single barrel is pretty close to Blanton's.
Got some Coopers today. Gonna see how that is
3 oz Four roses small batch with 1 oz simple syrup, 4 shakes orange bitters, 4 shakes ag bitters, bada Bing cherry, and orange slice with big cube of ice... Man that's really good tonight. Brats soaking in beer, maple syrup and mustard, burgers salted and peppered. BGE ready to go.
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