DBMaster: thanks for the write ups and so far I like Bulleit. Have not tried Four Roses but may try that also. Thank you again
Lets talk about Bourbon
- Thread starter marine65
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Any time. This is my hobby. I never get wasted, yet, a lot of alcohol is consumed. My liver may be a casualty. I don't mess around with expensive bottles, generally. Once in a while I'll spring for something around $50, but usually it's $30 or less. For example, one of my stars is Mellow Corn, from Heaven Hill. It runs about $11 a bottle around here.
Originally Posted By: UG_Passat
I like my Bulleit 10 yr.
Some criticize it for being a too little mellowed out compared to the regular Bulleit.
Isn't that what happens with increased aging?
I like my Bulleit 10 yr.
Some criticize it for being a too little mellowed out compared to the regular Bulleit.
Isn't that what happens with increased aging?
Originally Posted By: camrydriver111
Originally Posted By: UG_Passat
I like my Bulleit 10 yr.
Some criticize it for being a too little mellowed out compared to the regular Bulleit.
Isn't that what happens with increased aging?
that, plus you get the increased influence of the interaction between the alcohol and the charred oak barrel.
Originally Posted By: UG_Passat
I like my Bulleit 10 yr.
Some criticize it for being a too little mellowed out compared to the regular Bulleit.
Isn't that what happens with increased aging?
that, plus you get the increased influence of the interaction between the alcohol and the charred oak barrel.
Actually, in the first couple of years in the barrel to oak notes (tannins) generally get picked up. After that the whiskey starts to pick up the caramel and vanilla flavors. If whiskey is left too long in a barrel it picks up too much from the wood. There's a fine balance. Also, depending upon the specific barrel, where it's located in the aging warehouse, and temperature and weather conditions play a role. No two barrels will ever be exactly the same. Don't buy your whiskey purely by age. It's not a really great indicator of anything except what you'll pay for it.
The oldest and most expensive bourbons (think Van Winkle) are generally wheated bourbons. They utilize wheat, rather than rye, as the minority flavoring grain. I read that, for some reason, wheated bourbons can take on more age without becoming too bitter and woody. More reasonable wheated bourbons are Maker's Mark, W.L. Weller (if you can find the 12 year old it's know as the "poor man's Pappy Van Winkle"), Larceny, and Rebel Yell.
The oldest and most expensive bourbons (think Van Winkle) are generally wheated bourbons. They utilize wheat, rather than rye, as the minority flavoring grain. I read that, for some reason, wheated bourbons can take on more age without becoming too bitter and woody. More reasonable wheated bourbons are Maker's Mark, W.L. Weller (if you can find the 12 year old it's know as the "poor man's Pappy Van Winkle"), Larceny, and Rebel Yell.
How is Maker's Mark on the totem pole?
Maker's Mark is good stuff. In fact, almost all straight bourbons are good stuff. The legal requirements make for decent whiskey. MM was purchased by Beam Global (now owned by the Japanese company Suntory) a number of years ago. It's a bourbon that uses wheat as its small flavoring grain, compared to rye for most bourbons. The most expensive bourbons on the market, the Van Winkles, are wheaters. The distillery practices barrel rotation in its aging warehouses. Since maturation tends to be different at different elevations in a multistory rickhouse, they rotate the barrels to different floors throughout the maturation. I recently tried Maker's 46 and really liked it. They add additional charred barrel wood on the inside of the barrel which gives it an interesting profile.
It seems like there are often those who will make unfair judgments about a whiskey's quality due to its popularity. I believe that there are excellent whiskies coming from all areas of the industry. Yes, there are some that are not that great, but overall we are living in a whiskey heyday at the moment.
Other wheated bourbons, from my memory, are Larceny, W.L. Weller, and Rebel Yell. Rebel Yell is known as Keith Richards' favorite. It's cheap, but surprisingly good, especially in its current expressions. Never be embarrassed for enjoying popular whiskey. For example, I may not like Jack Daniel's black label so much since they cut it to 80 proof (in the 90's), but it is still a well made product.
As I stated before, If anyone would like a recommendation, PM me with some details on what you currently like, along with a price range, and I may be able to steer you to something you can add to your personal portfolio. Trying new things is what it's all about.
It seems like there are often those who will make unfair judgments about a whiskey's quality due to its popularity. I believe that there are excellent whiskies coming from all areas of the industry. Yes, there are some that are not that great, but overall we are living in a whiskey heyday at the moment.
Other wheated bourbons, from my memory, are Larceny, W.L. Weller, and Rebel Yell. Rebel Yell is known as Keith Richards' favorite. It's cheap, but surprisingly good, especially in its current expressions. Never be embarrassed for enjoying popular whiskey. For example, I may not like Jack Daniel's black label so much since they cut it to 80 proof (in the 90's), but it is still a well made product.
As I stated before, If anyone would like a recommendation, PM me with some details on what you currently like, along with a price range, and I may be able to steer you to something you can add to your personal portfolio. Trying new things is what it's all about.
I prefer Ezra Brooks for my standard drink. Low price and very drinkable. My wife always gets me a bottle of Knob Creek for Christmas. Old Granddad is horrendous. But I work with an old pipe fitter and that is all he drinks.
Luxco is the current owner of the Ezra Brooks brand and they broke ground only a couple of months ago on their own distillery in Bardstown. It has been contract distilled for years. It is actually very good stuff. It uses a charcoal filtration process similar to Jack Daniel. As I think I stated earlier, there are very few "bad" bourbons out there. Score one for America! Knob Creek and Old Granddad are both brands owned and made by Beam/Suntory. Basil Hayden, from the Beam Small Batch Collection, is basically the same juice as OGD. OGD comes in 80 proof, 100 proof, and 114 proof expressions. It's an occasional indulgence for me as I am not overly fond of high rye bourbons. That's what you're calling "horrendous." It's high quality bourbon, just very fruity and spicy from the increased rye content in the mash bill.
The spirit you like best is the BEST spirit for you!
The spirit you like best is the BEST spirit for you!
Originally Posted By: mr_boring
I can never see Rebel Yell without thinking of Steve King's ' The Stand'....
I read the book and saw the TV mini-series, but do not remember the reference to Rebel Yell. Darn it! It is currently a highly improved wheated bourbon that comes in a coupe of expressions. The reserve is quite decent. Never be put off by price with American whiskey. A few short years ago, Whisky Advocate magazine rated Evan Williams (standard black label) and Very Old Barton (100 prrof) as top value whiskies. VOB is one of the whiskies I use in regular rotation. Since the high rating it went up in price from around $11 to $16 around here, but it's still a bargain.
I can never see Rebel Yell without thinking of Steve King's ' The Stand'....
I read the book and saw the TV mini-series, but do not remember the reference to Rebel Yell. Darn it! It is currently a highly improved wheated bourbon that comes in a coupe of expressions. The reserve is quite decent. Never be put off by price with American whiskey. A few short years ago, Whisky Advocate magazine rated Evan Williams (standard black label) and Very Old Barton (100 prrof) as top value whiskies. VOB is one of the whiskies I use in regular rotation. Since the high rating it went up in price from around $11 to $16 around here, but it's still a bargain.
I was in the liquor store yesterday and saw something that reminded me to inform y'all of something. The term "straight bourbon" has a legal meaning. For one, it means that it was barrel aged for AT LEAST two years. If the bourbon was aged for at least two years, but less than four it is supposed to have an age statement on the label. I noticed a product that proclaimed it was from a micro distillery, but in small print on the back label it said "Distilled in Kentucky." Since the micro distillery was not in Kentucky it means that they purchased their whiskey and slapped their own label on it. It also just said "Bourbon" on the label which means it was aged less than two years. Age doesn't mean everything, but it does mean something. You can sometimes get a good result with less than two years of aging, but that's a rarity. Usually, you end up with juice that has too much wood flavor and lacking the big caramel and vanilla notes. Hey, some like that. I'm just saying that reading labels and researching is important because a lot of these micro whiskies sell for a pretty penny.
I like Evan Williams Black
The Turkey is an excellent bourbon. Jimmy Russell is the longest tenured master distiller in the world and that one's his baby. I have tried many bourbons and American whiskies and Booker's is in my top two. (the other is George Dickel No. 12).
You may not get out much, but your taste is spot on! Of course, there's a bourbon for just about any whiskey fan and there are VERY few "bad" bourbons. We are living in a whiskey heyday right now.
You may not get out much, but your taste is spot on! Of course, there's a bourbon for just about any whiskey fan and there are VERY few "bad" bourbons. We are living in a whiskey heyday right now.
Originally Posted By: dblshock
Been working on the Buffalo Trace and as a treat Colonel Taylor both by Sazerac probably same mash bil.
Good call.
BT Mash Bills
Been working on the Buffalo Trace and as a treat Colonel Taylor both by Sazerac probably same mash bil.
Good call.
BT Mash Bills
Originally Posted By: DBMaster
Originally Posted By: dblshock
Been working on the Buffalo Trace and as a treat Colonel Taylor both by Sazerac probably same mash bil.
Good call.
BT Mash Bills
Odd I didn't see 1792 in their BT family.
Originally Posted By: dblshock
Been working on the Buffalo Trace and as a treat Colonel Taylor both by Sazerac probably same mash bil.
Good call.
BT Mash Bills
Odd I didn't see 1792 in their BT family.
