Bourbon

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(06-15-2021, 11:23 AM)MileHighGrowler Wrote: I used to balk at high-price bottles.  But I did the math once on a per-ounce cost of a good craft beer compared to an expensive bottle of whiskey.  What I realized was that the beer I was buying was comparable in price (based on my drink size) to a bottle of booze between $100-150.  Now I'm a sipper, not a slammer, but it definitely made me realize that $80 or $100 for "something special" wasn't really that crazy at the end of the day.  

I was in Cincy the past week visiting family and had some Sycamore small batch bourbon.  I'd never even heard of it till my brother pulled out the bottle.  Super cherry to me upfront on the first sip.  Like sucking on a maraschino cherry almost.  Really enjoyed that pour, and the price point is solid, too.  

Flying out of CVG yesterday (it was National Bourbon Day), they had some special release bottles at Cork n Bottle, but I was in a hurry with kids in tow and didn't linger, so I'm not sure what all was available or the pricing. 

Well said MHG, in the end it might be about even if I just switched. I do think I will change it up more and drink a little bourbon
here and there of the types you guys are suggesting. I am a sipper of Whiskey, always have been, not a slammer as that is a waste
in my eyes. I like to get into the taste and enjoy it. With the brewskies I can chug and it goes fast when you do this lol

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(06-15-2021, 06:10 PM)MileHighGrowler Wrote: Oh, and I forgot to mention earlier that Whiskey Tribe/Whiskey Vault is some great content.  You can learn a lot from those guys and they're much more approachable than many I've found in terms of reviews and info.  They're down in Austin and I'll be there for work next week.  Tried to get a little group together to do some whiskey tasting at their campus but no time on the calendar.  First time people are meeting at the office in 18 months and we've got too full of a slate of activities already :/ 

Yeah, the little bald dude also says he is a musician. I like these guys, THE WHISKEY EAGLE!!! LOL 

Too bad you didn't have the time to do that. Good stuff on the Whiskey Tribe/Vault.

[Donnyho]

Got a bottle of the new Kirkland Small Batch from Costco. It’s made by Barton 1792 and is $19.99 for a liter. I’m not expecting it to be fantastic, but I’m sure it’ll be at least decent.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(06-22-2021, 05:00 PM)Donnyho Wrote: Got a bottle of the new Kirkland Small Batch from Costco. It’s made by Barton 1792 and is $19.99 for a liter. I’m not expecting it to be fantastic, but I’m sure it’ll be at least decent.

Might give that a try lol

[Donnyho]

Picked up a 1792 Single Barrel & 1792 Bottled in Bond from the old Costco today.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

Scored some EH Taylor at Kroger the other day....quite a shock to luck out like that. Lately I've been into the Jameson Black Label. At around 30 bucks, it's pretty damn hard to beat.

[Jason_NC]

Bought a bottle of Angel's Envy a little while ago. Interesting.

[Donnyho]

(05-17-2021, 05:48 PM)Donnyho Wrote: So it’s not a bottle, but I booked a trip down on the bourbon trail for August. We were going to do it last September for my 40th, but for obvious reasons we couldn’t. 


Log Still Distillery is really trying to make a more unique distillery experience and one of the cooler things they currently have is a bed & breakfast and a cottage. We booked the cottage for the weekend (myself, my wife and two of our friends). The Maker’s Mark Whiskey Drop program includes a “private VIP tour and tasting”, so we’re going to get that in and we booked the Honey Spot Barrel Thieving experience at Bardstown Bourbon Company. Finishing up the day with dinner at The Kitchen at Bardstown Bourbon Company. Depending on time we might hit up Willett as well.

Should be a good time (and I’m hoping they’ll let us take a peek at the Whiskey Library )

Went on this trip over the weekend and it was a lot of fun. The tour at Maker’s ended up being a regular tour, but that’s not a big deal. We booked the “Whiskey connoisseur” experience at Heaven Hill and it was fantastic. We got to try Elijah Craig toasted barrel, Henry McKinna, Elijah Craig barrel proof and the new Parker's Heritage that releases next month (which is legitimately amazing). Then we went to the Honey Spot Barrel Thieving which was really interesting. 


When we were at dinner, I ordered a pour of a 1966 Heaven Hill from the Whiskey Library and it’s very high up on the “best bourbon I’ve ever had” list. Food was great and our server overheard someone say we were there for my birthday so we got free cake. Then we went to see the Whiskey Library. It is phenomenal. Legit amazing. I’m going to try to talk my wife into going down there next year and doing the “Taste of Whiskey History” where you do a flight of 3 bottles in the Library, starting at the low, low price of $250.


And the cottage at Log Still was fantastic. We didn’t know this, but we also got breakfast at the bed & breakfast that’s also on property. What they’re doing there is the future of bourbon tourism. It’s really cool and I can’t recommend it enough.

[BenZoo2]

(08-31-2021, 07:08 PM)Donnyho Wrote: Went on this trip over the weekend and it was a lot of fun. The tour at Maker’s ended up being a regular tour, but that’s not a big deal. We booked the “Whiskey connoisseur” experience at Heaven Hill and it was fantastic. We got to try Elijah Craig toasted barrel, Henry McKinna, Elijah Craig barrel proof and the new Parker's Heritage that releases next month (which is legitimately amazing). Then we went to the Honey Spot Barrel Thieving which was really interesting. 


When we were at dinner, I ordered a pour of a 1966 Heaven Hill from the Whiskey Library and it’s very high up on the “best bourbon I’ve ever had” list. Food was great and our server overheard someone say we were there for my birthday so we got free cake. Then we went to see the Whiskey Library. It is phenomenal. Legit amazing. I’m going to try to talk my wife into going down there next year and doing the “Taste of Whiskey History” where you do a flight of 3 bottles in the Library, starting at the low, low price of $250.


And the cottage at Log Still was fantastic. We didn’t know this, but we also got breakfast at the bed & breakfast that’s also on property. What they’re doing there is the future of bourbon tourism. It’s really cool and I can’t recommend it enough.

Sounds like an awesome time.  Thanks for sharing.

[MileHighGrowler]

(08-31-2021, 07:08 PM)Donnyho Wrote: Went on this trip over the weekend and it was a lot of fun. The tour at Maker’s ended up being a regular tour, but that’s not a big deal. We booked the “Whiskey connoisseur” experience at Heaven Hill and it was fantastic. We got to try Elijah Craig toasted barrel, Henry McKinna, Elijah Craig barrel proof and the new Parker's Heritage that releases next month (which is legitimately amazing). Then we went to the Honey Spot Barrel Thieving which was really interesting. 


When we were at dinner, I ordered a pour of a 1966 Heaven Hill from the Whiskey Library and it’s very high up on the “best bourbon I’ve ever had” list. Food was great and our server overheard someone say we were there for my birthday so we got free cake. Then we went to see the Whiskey Library. It is phenomenal. Legit amazing. I’m going to try to talk my wife into going down there next year and doing the “Taste of Whiskey History” where you do a flight of 3 bottles in the Library, starting at the low, low price of $250.


And the cottage at Log Still was fantastic. We didn’t know this, but we also got breakfast at the bed & breakfast that’s also on property. What they’re doing there is the future of bourbon tourism. It’s really cool and I can’t recommend it enough.

That sounds like an absolutely perfect weekend!  How much did a pour of that '66 HH set you back, if you don't mind me asking?  Is it from '66, or just the name/recipe? 

[Donnyho]

(09-01-2021, 11:37 AM)MileHighGrowler Wrote: That sounds like an absolutely perfect weekend!  How much did a pour of that '66 HH set you back, if you don't mind me asking?  Is it from '66, or just the name/recipe? 

It was from '66 and was $55, which was on the cheap end of the Whiskey Library pours.  They also bring the bottle out to the table, which us cool.

[MileHighGrowler]

(09-01-2021, 01:50 PM)Donnyho Wrote: It was from '66 and was $55, which was on the cheap end of the Whiskey Library pours.  They also bring the bottle out to the table, which us cool.

That's super cool.  How do they protect those whiskeys that are that old and open for extended lengths of time?  Do they inject some CO2 in there or something to get rid of the oxygen?  Or just let it age with an ever-increasing headspace in the bottle?  

Until you'd posted a little bit ago about the Whiskey Library, I'd never heard of it.  And I'm so fascinated by it now! 

[BigPapaKain]

We talking good booze?

Bought my brother and his wife a bottle of Johnny Walker Blue for their wedding. They didn't want it. My SiL only asked I gave some to her father since he was a scotch drinker who never got to try Blue, and who am I to deny a bride on her wedding day? Needless to say, he and my step-dad followed me around all night hounding for that bottle.

And fwiw, I recently served as Man of Honor for my friend. Her and her husband got me a bottle of Johnny Walker White Walker as a wedding party gift. I have not cracked that one open yet.

Lagavulin tastes like the inside of a recently used fire pit that has stale beer caked into it.

That's all I got for scotch. Whiskey makes me an angry drunk except Jameson, but that particular liquor is my puke at the smell liquor that everyone seems to have after a bad night of drinking it. Apparently chugging it like it's water is bad for you.

On a day to day level, I'm a rum drinker. I prefer Captain Morgan Private Stock, but I haven't really drank that much since I started losing weight (sidenote: I'm down 110 pounds from my heaviest back in December of 19, go me).

[Donnyho]

(09-01-2021, 03:17 PM)MileHighGrowler Wrote: That's super cool.  How do they protect those whiskeys that are that old and open for extended lengths of time?  Do they inject some CO2 in there or something to get rid of the oxygen?  Or just let it age with an ever-increasing headspace in the bottle?  

Until you'd posted a little bit ago about the Whiskey Library, I'd never heard of it.  And I'm so fascinated by it now! 

Hmmm, I don’t know. I would assume they just let nature take its course, but I really don’t know.

And if you can make it down there I highly recommend it. If you eat at the restaurant your server will take you to the Library as long as there’s not a big group already in there or a private tasting going on. And for how good the food is, it’s not super expensive. The bill for 2 of us was like $116, but that included the $55 Heaven Hill and the cocktail my wife got. 

[MileHighGrowler]

(09-01-2021, 06:57 PM)Donnyho Wrote: Hmmm, I don’t know. I would assume they just let nature take its course, but I really don’t know.

And if you can make it down there I highly recommend it. If you eat at the restaurant your server will take you to the Library as long as there’s not a big group already in there or a private tasting going on. And for how good the food is, it’s not super expensive. The bill for 2 of us was like $116, but that included the $55 Heaven Hill and the cocktail my wife got. 

Super awesome.  Love it.  Definitely adding it to my list to visit at some point.  Thanks for sharing!

[Sled21]

(09-01-2021, 03:17 PM)MileHighGrowler Wrote: That's super cool.  How do they protect those whiskeys that are that old and open for extended lengths of time?  Do they inject some CO2 in there or something to get rid of the oxygen?  Or just let it age with an ever-increasing headspace in the bottle?  

Until you'd posted a little bit ago about the Whiskey Library, I'd never heard of it.  And I'm so fascinated by it now! 

Whiskey does not age in a bottle. All you have to do is have a tight lid to keep the alcohol from evaporating, and a whiskey that has been in a glass bottle for 100 years will be the same as it was when it was poured in.

[MileHighGrowler]

(09-02-2021, 07:59 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Whiskey does not age in a bottle. All you have to do is have a tight lid to keep the alcohol from evaporating, and a whiskey that has been in a glass bottle for 100 years will be the same as it was when it was poured in.

It doesn't age, but I'd have to think having oxygen in it would make a difference, especially if it's a half empty bottle sitting for 50 years.  Maybe it doesn't.  I'm not a big believer in the "neck pour" theory that says the spirit tastes completely once the first pour is out and it's been introduced to some level of oxygen, but I think an opened bottle on the shelf for a long time doesn't necessarily taste the same as once that's just been opened.  If it's true that the oxygen has no additional effect regardless of how long the bottle has been opened and on the shelf, that's pretty cool! 

[Sled21]

(09-02-2021, 11:20 AM)MileHighGrowler Wrote: It doesn't age, but I'd have to think having oxygen in it would make a difference, especially if it's a half empty bottle sitting for 50 years.  Maybe it doesn't.  I'm not a big believer in the "neck pour" theory that says the spirit tastes completely once the first pour is out and it's been introduced to some level of oxygen, but I think an opened bottle on the shelf for a long time doesn't necessarily taste the same as once that's just been opened.  If it's true that the oxygen has no additional effect regardless of how long the bottle has been opened and on the shelf, that's pretty cool! 

Well think about it, when it goes through the bottlingh line, they just pour it in and cork it. They don't vacuum seal it. I've had bottles that I kept half full for many years without any change to the taste. One that comes to mind was a bottle of Pappy 23 that my wife got me for my 50th birthday. I opened it, had a drink, then set it on the shelf. I only drank from that bottle on my birthday each year after that, and poured a round for close friends to toast a dear friend that past away. Bottle lasted 10 years, I finished it on my 60th birthday. Tasted the same as it did on the day I opened it. (and btw I prefer the 20)

[MileHighGrowler]

(09-02-2021, 01:54 PM)Sled21 Wrote: Well think about it, when it goes through the bottlingh line, they just pour it in and cork it. They don't vacuum seal it. I've had bottles that I kept half full for many years without any change to the taste. One that comes to mind was a bottle of Pappy 23 that my wife got me for my 50th birthday. I opened it, had a drink, then set it on the shelf. I only drank from that bottle on my birthday each year after that, and poured a round for close friends to toast a dear friend that past away. Bottle lasted 10 years, I finished it on my 60th birthday. Tasted the same as it did on the day I opened it. (and btw I prefer the 20)

No, I don't think they purge the headspace when bottling because it's so minimal.  In reading around on the subject (because I was feeling nerdy) it does appear there's the possibility of proof changes over time as the alcohol escapes just a little each time the bottle is opened.  But any test that I've seen done is one people looking at bottles opened for weeks, months, or a few years.  100 years just seems a different ballgame to me, but perhaps it makes no difference at all.  Either way, definitely would love to make a trip out there someday.  I've got a friend moving to the Louisville area early next year and I definitely plan to visit! 

[jfkbengals]

Got my birthday gifts yesterday so I could enjoy them last night.

Calumet 12 year Single Rack Black
Reverend
Joseph Magnus Triple Cask

All three were delicious...