View Full Version : Bourbon
Roguish Lawyer
07-18-2004, 17:46
Thought I'd share this article.
http://www.straightbourbon.com/history.html
The Spirits of Kentucky:
Small-Batch and Single-Barrel Bourbons Revive the Good Old Days of Whiskey
by Mark Vaughan
appeared in Cigar Aficionado, Autumn 1993.
Reprinted by permission of Mark Vaughan
On an afternoon in late spring, Booker Noe stands in the dimly lit passageway on the fourth story of a 20,000-barrel warehouse at the huge Jim Beam distillery in Clermont, Kentucky. Though rain from a sudden storm pounds down outside, inside the warehouse it is monastically quiet, the air heavy with the scent of musty wood and the caramel-and-alcohol aroma of aging Bourbon. "This is the part of the warehouse where Bourbon ages the best," says Noe, a grandson of the legendary Bourbon-maker Jim Beam, as he selects a barrel for drawing a sample. "I call the whiskey we draw from these barrels the center cut. It's like the heart of a watermelon, strong and flavorful."
Noe, a giant of a man with a slow, deliberate down-home style, takes a large mallet in one beefy hand and rests the other against the side of the nearest barrel. With three sharp whacks on the barrel's staves, Noe skillfully removes the two-inch-thick softwood plug, called a bung, that protrudes from the barrel. With a pop, the bung almost flies out. "There's pressure builds up in a whiskey barrel this time of year," explains Noe, who is a retired master distiller and a self-appointed "ambassador of Bourbon." "In winter, it's just the opposite, and you've got to get hold of the damn thing with something and give it a good pull."
Using a copper siphon, Noe draws a glassful of dark-amber liquid from the barrel. He holds it up in the dim light to check the color, sniffs at it twice and reverentially offers it. "Here, take a good snort of this. It's just what Bourbon was meant to be, the way our forefathers drank it. I kept telling the marketing boys that we ought to be putting this in bottles, and they finally listened to me." The Bourbon has a rich bouquet of smoky spice and the full sweet flavor of burnt caramel and oaky vanilla.
"That's Booker's," says Noe, referring to the label under which this particular whiskey will be bottled. "It goes into the bottle just as it comes out of the barrel, at about 125 proof, not cut or filtered. It's a sipping whiskey, just right for the back porch in the late afternoon."
Later, during that same warm day, Bill Samuels, a lanky talkative Kentuckian with a maverick's reputation in Bourbon circles, tours his Maker's Mark distillery. Nestled in a quiet hollow at the corners of Marion, Nelson, and Washington counties, Maker's Mark retains much of the charm of the old Burke's distillery, which Samuels's father, William Samuels Sr., bought in 1953 for $67,000. The purchase price included the 200-acre Spring Hill Farm, a farmhouse, and a cluster of aging buildings, some dating back to the early 1800s. Most distilleries have an industrial air about them, with 1930s-style, vertical metal architecture and paved parking lots, but not Maker's Mark. With its meticulously restored buildings and tastefully landscaped grounds, the look is distinctly nineteenth century. And the pace is geared to match: Maker's Mark limits production to 40 barrels a day--tiny compared to the industry average of nearly 600 barrels.
"Our philosophy has always been that rather than make a lot and pick out that which is really good from the bunch, we prefer to make a little bit and have it all come out right," says Samuels.
After the tour, Samuels arranges for a comparative tasting of premium Bourbons in the distillery's small conference room decorated with family memorabilia: the revolver of outlaw Frank James, a distant cousin by marriage; a photograph of great-great-grandfather T.W. Samuels, founder of the defunct T.W. Samuels distillery, just up the road in Deatsville; a letter from Ronald Reagan thanking Samuels for a bottle of Maker's Mark delivered to the president's hotel room on the eve of a debate with Walter Mondale in Louisville during the 1984 presidential campaign. ("Reagan was just awful against Mondale in that debate," jokes Samuels, a lifelong Republican. "I'm sure that bottle of Maker's had something to do with it.")
Lined up along a tasting counter are 14 Bourbons. Mostly single-barrel or small-batch, they include some of the finest premium Bourbon whiskeys available: Hancock's Reserve, Rock Hill Farms, Blanton's and Ancient Age 10 Year Old from Ancient Age; Elijah Craig and Evan Williams from Heaven Hill; Wild Turkey Rare Breed from Wild Turkey; Baker's 107, Knob Creek, Basil Hayden's and Booker's from Jim Beam; Old Forester from Brown-Forman; and Maker's Mark standard six-year-old and an experimental eight-year-old.
J. Bennie Miles, assistant vice-president for production at Maker's Mark, supervises tasting of the distillery's Bourbons throughout the aging process. A polite, soft-spoken native of nearby Bardstown, Kentucky, Miles has been at Maker's Mark for 27 years. "The best way to taste a bunch of Bourbons," explains Miles, "is to cut them all down to the same proof. Otherwise, you'll find that the higher proofs will be too hot compared to the lower ones, and your taste buds will get burned."
Miles picks up a glass of Hancock's Reserve and offers it along with some tasting instructions. "What you're looking for is any overaging, which gives it a bitter tannic taste; underaging, which leaves it grainy and sweet, and balance, which means the charcoal, alcohol and wood are all more or less right. Just take a little sip and let it hit the front of your lips, then back it around the tip of your tongue, roll it a little and spit it out."
Like most Kentuckians, Miles hesitates to criticize his neighbors. But he has definite preferences when searching for good Bourbon. Says Miles, "It should be clean, with a slight flavor of caramel, vanilla and charcoal, and a very light taste of wood."
Straight Kentucky Bourbon is to blended whiskey what a demarcated wine is to ordinary table wine. It takes its name from Bourbon county, Kentucky, once the major transshipment site for distilled spirits heading down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans. Barrels shipped from its ports were stamped with the county's name, and Bourbon and whiskey soon became synonymous. Today, 90 percent of all Bourbon is made in Kentucky, most of it in Jefferson, Franklin, Nelson, and Anderson counties, the heart of Bluegrass Country.
As with French-appellation wines, there are strict laws governing just what a Bourbon must be to be labeled as such. For example, at least 51 percent of the grain used in making the whiskey must be corn (most distillers use 65 to 75 percent corn). Bourbon must be aged for a minimum of two years in new, white oak barrels that have been charred. Nothing can be added at bottling to enhance flavor, add sweetness or alter color. Though technically Bourbon can be made anywhere, Kentucky is the only state allowed to put its name on the bottle. And as Kentucky distillers are quick to point out, Bourbon is not Bourbon unless the label says so.
Therefore, some very fine American whiskeys aren't called Kentucky Bourbon. Many look the same, and some even taste very similar, depending on their production style. Jack Daniels, a Tennessee sour mash whiskey, however, is charcoal-filtered, which many experts say gives it a different character. But up to and after the charcoal filtering, the Jack Daniels's production is much the same as any other Bourbon. Gentleman Jack, a superpremium entry into the whiskey field, also doesn't carry a Kentucky Bourbon designation. George Dickel is another highly rated Tennessee whiskey.
[continued next post]
Roguish Lawyer
07-18-2004, 17:47
[continued]
If Bourbon is the appellation wine of American whiskeys, then single-barrel and small-batch Bourbons are the grand crus of Bourbons. These superpremium, high-cost spirits should not be confused with single-malt Scotch, which simply denotes a Scotch from a single distillery that has not been blended with neutral spirits or whiskeys from other distilleries. Since no Bourbon is blended, it would all qualify under Scottish law as single malt.
As the name implies, a single-barrel Bourbon, of which there are precious few, is a whiskey actually taken and bottled from one barrel. Small-batch Bourbons are whiskeys from a "batch" of barrels that have been mixed or mingled, as the distillers say, prior to bottling. For a common brand, the mingling batch could be as many as 200 barrels or more. In contrast, a mingle for a small batch might be 20 barrels or fewer.
"What you want to do with a small batch," says Jimmy Russell, master distiller at Wild Turkey and a 40-year veteran of Bourbon-making, "is take your very best barrels, the cream of the crop, and mingle them to match the standard you're trying to achieve. It takes a lot of time and patience to produce a good Bourbon."
On a tour of the Wild Turkey distillery in Lawrenceburg, Russell carefully explains the various Bourbon-making steps: "All Bourbon whiskey, I don't care if it's single-barrel, small-batch, or whatever, is distilled from a fermented mash of corn, barley and one other grain, usually rye. Your fermentation will take three to four days, depending on the temperature you keep the mash at. Here at Wild Turkey, we still use the old-fashioned, cypress fermenting tanks for most of our production; some are more than 100 years old. I guess you'd say we're kind of traditional in our approach.
"Once it's been fermented, it's ready to be distilled," continues Russell. "We use a double-distilling process in our whiskey-making, which is pretty much the industry standard now. The first time through the still, your whiskey is a little raw and harsh tasting. The second time through, it comes out more refined, with a taste of grain and sweetness, but clean on your palate. After that second distilling, you're ready to barrel. The whole process, from grinding the grains to barreling, takes about five days."
It is the variations in each step of the production process, handed down from master distiller to apprentice--often for generations--that give the different Bourbons their distinct flavors. Take the grain mix, for instance. One distiller uses 80 percent corn and 10 percent each of rye and barley malt, while another cuts the corn to 78 percent, increases the barley malt to 12 percent, and uses 10 percent rye. At Maker's Mark, the only distillery in Kentucky to vary from the traditional formula, wheat replaces rye altogether in the grain recipe.
"It was Dad's idea," explains Samuels. "He had a certain taste in mind from day one. So he fiddled around in the kitchen making bread to test the grain recipe until he got what he was looking for. He must have baked hundreds of loaves; we all thought he was crazy. But he finally found what he wanted, which meant taking out the rye and adding wheat to the mash."
The yeast culture used in the fermentation process is another important variable. Distillers are protective of their yeast; many use strains dating back a century or more that have been carefully nurtured. The Maker's Mark culture dates back to the original T.W. Samuels distillery founded in 1842. "We kept it in storage at a local bakery during the 13 years of Prohibition," says Samuels. At Brown-Forman's Early Times distillery, where two yeast cultures are used, one for Early Times and the other for Old Forester, the cultures "probably date back to some of the original strains," says Quality Control Specialist Brian M. Gregory. Adds Noe, "I keep my yeast formula under lock and key."
Asked whether there are any other elements that make Kentucky Bourbon different or better than other kinds of whiskeys, Noe doesn't hesitate. "The water," he says. "We've got limestone water here, and it's pretty much iron-free. That's why our horses are special, too. The limestone gets right up into their bones and makes good runners out of 'em."
The warehouses, however, serve as the final stage where the most distinctive characteristics are added to the whiskey. Bourbon takes its color and much of its flavor from the oak barrels in which it is aged. The process of charring barrels originated with Elijah Craig, an eighteenth-century minister and distiller from Georgetown, Kentucky. Craig "discovered" charring when several barrels he was preparing for transportation to market caught fire. The fire may have been set on purpose, in which case it is likely that Craig was trying to find a way to recycle barrels that had been used to ship dried fish. If the conflagration was an accident, it was probably caused by a fire in Craig's own cooperage.
"Either way," says Samuels, "being a good Scotsman, he didn't want to throw any barrels away. So he filled them with white lightning, and by the time he got it all downriver to market in New Orleans, with all the sloshing and such, the whiskey had this nice amber color and it had started to round out and soften a bit. And the people loved it."
Today, Bourbon barrels are charred to different degrees, ranked from one to four, depending on the depth of the bum. Single-barrel and small-batch Bourbons are usually aged in a three or four char barrel (moderate to heavy). The charring not only darkens the wood but also caramelizes some of the natural sugars in the oak.
During the aging process, the whiskey is said to "breathe" in the barrel, expanding into the wood over the hotter months and contracting out of it in the winter. Since color and flavor are transferred to the Bourbon while it is in the wood, summer is the most important time in the warehouse. Distillers often refer to it as the "aging" season. Naturally, the longer a Bourbon is aged, the more flavor it takes from the wood.
Gary Gayheart, master distiller at Ancient Age in Frankfort, explains it this way: "The barrels are totally filled with water-white whiskey when they come off the line, and after two years, you develop some color and you lose some volume [to evaporation]; six years, you've got a lot more color and you've lost about a third in volume. After ten years, you're getting really dark color, and about half the volume is gone."
"Down here," adds Russell, "we call the third you loose to evaporation 'the angels' third.' The old-timers say if the angels didn't take their share, the whiskey wouldn't be worth drinking."
[continued next post]
Roguish Lawyer
07-18-2004, 17:49
[final segment]
A Bourbon-aging warehouse is a large rectangular structure, eight or more stories high, built of traditional post-and-beam construction, sided and roofed with tin, with a neat row of small windows along each story. Inside, each floor is divided into three tiers of ricks, with each rick holding a row of barrels, extending broadside from a narrow passage down the center of the building.
Most distilleries prefer to build their warehouses on hilltops, so they are fully exposed to seasonal changes. With their massive size and stark lines, they can dominate the landscape for miles. "Folks around here say the whiskey is going to prison when we put it up to age," says Russell, standing before one of Wild Turkey's 23 Bourbon warehouses.
Single-barrel and small-batch Bourbons are aged for at least six years, some for as long as 12. Few spend longer than that in the barrel, because the oak will eventually overpower all other flavors. Heaven Hill in Bardstown does bottle a very rare edition Evan Williams 23-Year-Old, the entire production of which is sold in Japan. (No, you can't even get a taste, let alone a bottle, in the United States, mostly because quantities are extremely limited, and the Japanese are willing to spend close to $200 per bottle.)
"Buildings age whiskey in different ways," says Noe, "depending on their size, whether or not they've got side aisles [alternating air currents throughout the building], how tall they are, and what not. And the liquor will age differently in different parts of a warehouse. On the very top, it's hot and dry; on the very bottom, it's cool and damp. That's why you get better aging and the best whiskey in the center. It's not exposed to those extremes."
Traditionally, distilleries rotated barrels during aging, so that each spent a given time at the various temperature and humidity levels in the warehouse. But the practice has been largely abandoned due to the cost of maintaining the unused space needed for movement and the amount of labor involved. Only two, Maker's Mark and Wild Turkey, still rotate all their barrels, allowing for a more even aging process.
"All our new whiskey enters at the top and then is rotated down, depending on how it's aging and how the whiskey in the rest of the warehouse is aging," explains Samuels. "It represents a big cost, but it's the only way we can figure to get the quality we want out of all our product."
If there is one thing that seems to characterize all Bourbon makers, it is dedication to their craft. It takes decades to learn the fine art of distilling, and as a result, master distillers are a rare breed, men who have patiently learned their trade through long apprenticeships. Gayheart, for example, worked for more than 20 years under Ancient Age's master distiller emeritus Elmer T. Lee, who in turn learned the craft from his predecessor, Colonel Albert B. Blanton, who managed the distillery from 1912 to 1952. At Heaven Hill, master distiller Parker Beam took over from his father, Earl Beam, whose brother, Carl Beam, was master distiller at Jim Beam distillery for many years. Parker Beam is now training his son, Craig Beam, to take over at Heaven Hill.
"It's really kind of an exclusive club," says Russell. "We're all friends down here in the production end of things. Despite the fact that strictly speaking we're in competition, we've all got a lot of respect for each other. Our roots run deep in Kentucky."
So deep, in fact, that many Bourbon makers can trace their heritage to when Daniel Boone led the first party of settlers over the Appalachians into the Ohio River Valley. "In those days," says Samuels, a history buff who revels in the telling of Bourbon lore, "distilling was an adjunct to farming. Whiskey was a heck of lot easier to transport to market than corn, wheat, or rye. Every farmer had a still, and a barrel of whiskey was a kind of currency that could be traded for goods, livestock, or even land."
Samuels traces his own roots to Scottish emigrants who came to the New World via Ireland in 1712 and headed to Kentucky by way of Derry, Pennsylvania. His great, great, great, great-grandfather, Robert Samuels Jr., served as a captain under George Washington during the Revolution, and on furloughs home would supervise whiskey-making for the troops. It was Robert Samuels who first moved to Kentucky, and his grandson, T.W. Samuels, who began large-scale commercial distilling in 1842.
"That was when a lot of the farmer-distillers around here got the idea that they had it backwards, that the tail, farming, shouldn't be wagging the dog, whiskey-making," says Samuels. "After 1842, distilling became the driving force behind agriculture in this area, not the other way around."
Noe is another Bourbon maker whose roots run deep in Bluegrass Country. He went to live in his grandfather's house after the old man died and was a neighbor to the Samuelses on "Distillers' Row," a strip of stately homes on Third Street in Bardstown, all owned by distilling families. Noe traces his heritage to Jacob Beam, who came to Kentucky from Maryland in 1785. "My grandfather's father's father's father was in the business," says Noe, "and it's been passed down from generation to generation ever since."
According to Noe, Jim Beam went to work in his father's distillery in 1880 at 15, and was running the place by the turn of the century. "Prohibition came along in 1920," explains Noe, "and Jim decided he'd better get out of the business, said he didn't want to go to the penitentiary over a warehouse full of whiskey. So he sold the whole damn thing, farm, distillery and all to a bunch of bootleggers who made a fortune off it.
"Afterwards, he tried a number of different businesses, but didn't take to any of them. When Prohibition ended in 1933, Jim was nearly 70 years old. His son, my uncle Jeremiah Beam was 33 at the time, and granddad decided he wanted to get back in the business so he would be able to pass the Bourbon-making tradition on to the next generation. He went out and built a distillery, which he did in 100 days, from groundbreaking to firing up the still. Imagine doing that at the age of 70."
And, says Noe, who himself began working for Jim Beam at 21, "I guess I'm part of the tradition around here now."
During Prohibition, the Beams and the Samuelses, like most Kentucky distillers, are said to have kept a private stock of "sipping" whiskey hidden in the rafters of their family homes. Though Noe says he doesn't believe his grandfather made any Bourbon during Prohibition, Samuels claims that his grandfather and Jim Beam were caught together one moonless evening firing up a still and had to spend the night in jail.
"They weren't making whiskey to sell, because neither of them needed the money," insists Samuels. "What they were up to was replenishing their private stocks." In other words, what every good Bourbon man would have been doing at the time.
Roguish Lawyer
07-18-2004, 18:00
A tasting of some single-barrels. I drink them all on the rocks, personally.
http://www.straightbourbon.com/tasting/tasting0002.html
A Single Barrel Bourbon Tasting
This tasting appeard in:
"Kentucky Bourbon," by Mark Vaughan,
Wine Spectator, January 31, 1994.
Reprinted by permission of Mark Vaughan
These 10 single barrel, or small-batch, Bourbons were tasted blind by writer Mark Vaughan, Wine Spectator features editor Gordon Mott and Market Watch managing editor David Ross. Each was tasted straight and then cut with water. There is no guide except your own taste as to how much to cut. As a starting point, you might want to try equal parts Bourbon and water, although for many that will be too weak. In some cases, adding a couple of ice cubes is sufficient to smooth out the Bourbon.
Baker's 107
This is elegant and well-balanced on the palate with a clean finish that follows on round, smooth flavors of vanilla and caramel. Drink straight or over ice.
Basil Hayden's
A hard-hitting Bourbons with a dull brownish amber color. It has spice and wood aromas. A no-nonsense spirit that finishes a bit harsh, but still has solid caramel flavors. Drink straight.
Blanton's
A beautiful reddish amber color sparkles in the glass. An alluring spicy aroma of dried citrus and orange peel leads into a powerhouse of flavors that include cloves, burnt sugar and caramel. The finish is muted but well balanced. Drink straight.
Booker's
A runaway locomotive. A high-alcohol, barrel-proof spirit that is almost overpowering. It has a smoky, charcoal aroma that draws you into its sweet, hot world. It should be drunk cut with water, which exposes sweet and woody flavors through the long finish. Cut with water.
Elijah Craig
This has some sharp edges. It has a darkish amber color and a hot, licorice-like aroma. When cut with water, it softens a bit, with nut and spice flavors, but still has a sharp, slightly harsh finish. Cut with water.
Hancock's Reserve
With enticing aromas of licorice and dried apricots, this is a sophisticated, well-balanced spirit. There are malt flavors backed with overripe fruit that finishes clean and dry. Very smooth when cut. Cut with water.
Knob Creek
A deep reddish orange color reveals this powerful Bourbon's strong oaky character. It has some burnt caramel notes, but the wood dominates this spirit. Even cut, it doesn't lose much of its intensity but it is a bit easier on the palate. Cut with water.
Maker's Mark
This Bourbon's finesse and elegance shines through in its light reddish amber color. It is light on the palate with some easy spice flavors, and the aroma suggests light oak and a bit of smokiness. Drink straight or over ice.
Rock Hill Farms
A sophisticated Bourbon from its honey-amber hue to its sweet melange of candied fruit and honey aromas to its soft caramel and honey flavors that smooth out evenly on the finish. Drink straight.
Wild Turkey Rare Breed
A Bourbon that exemplifies exotic elegance. It has aromas of sweet summer flowers with a spicy clove and vanilla backbone. Sweet candy flavors finish off with smooth peppery and spicy notes. Drink straight.
Roguish Lawyer
07-18-2004, 18:28
My personal preferences among those I have sampled enough times to have a strong view (in order of preference):
Blanton's
Booker's
Knob Creek
Maker's Mark
Wild Turkey Rare Breed
Hancock's Reserve
Love the first two, do not care for the last two. The last is just terrible IMHO.
Have tried Baker's 107 and Basil Hayden's, but frankly don't remember them well enough to express an opinion.
Have not tried Elijah Craig or Rock Hill Farms.
AngelsSix
07-18-2004, 22:22
WOW, I fell like such a peasant.....LOL!! I have only had Jim Beam, Jack Daniels and Makers Mark. I need to get out more..........
The Reaper
07-19-2004, 05:38
RL Where does the 14 y/o Black Maple Hill stack up with the others, in your opinion?
I see that the article stated that overaging added tannic acids and bitterness to the whiskey, BTW.
Sounds like a nice tour could be built around distillery visits.
TR
Roguish Lawyer
07-19-2004, 11:54
Originally posted by The Reaper
RL Where does the 14 y/o Black Maple Hill stack up with the others, in your opinion?
I see that the article stated that overaging added tannic acids and bitterness to the whiskey, BTW.
Sounds like a nice tour could be built around distillery visits.
TR
It is in the same league with the Blanton's and Booker's, and perhaps better depending on your preferences. I think it may be a little smoother, but it has this very interesting sweet taste that may not appeal to everyone. I guess 14 years was not enough time to make it bitter!
I think the Black Maple Hill probably would appeal to Southern gentlemen, as it reminds me a little of a mint julep without the mint, or of that super sweet iced tea that you people drink. LOL It's not really that sweet, of course, but for bourbon it is incredibly sweet. Or at least this barrel is.
I never have cut Booker's down to the same proof as Blanton's. Perhaps I need to do that to see whether I still like the Blanton's better.
I have never been on a liquor distillery tour, but I intend to get to Kentucky for that and the Derby before I die.
Roycroft201
07-19-2004, 23:01
Great reading, RL. Thanks.
I went looking for a bottle of Saca's FC tonight. The local ABC didn't have it, so I bought a bottle of Blanton's. I'm not a bourbon drinker, but damn it was good. The article said drink it straight, but I had it over the rocks. Definitely tasted the wood barrel and the burnt sugar.
Sacamuelas
02-20-2005, 00:19
Good for you VSVO
Fightin' cock is for true southern boys only. Smooth as sandpaper as I like to say. Hahaha
But it will kick you in the ....... and make you T_U_F_F :D
-Saca out
Roguish Lawyer
07-25-2006, 11:22
This is good stuff.
Trip_Wire (RIP)
11-24-2006, 21:23
I'd like to revive this tread again to discuss Labrot & Graham's Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (90 Proof). I've been sipping on it lately and like it. Has anyone else tried it?
I usually drink Jack Daniels #7; however, I've been trying some Bourbons for a change. I tried Knob Hill, but didn't like it compared to the Woodford. I'm going to try Jim Beams Black next and compare it.
I also tried Black Velvet Reserve an 8 Year old Canadian Whiskey, that i liked better then the regular Black Velvet. Of course it's not a Bourbon, but still pretty good for sipping on the rocks as well.
This all started when I was looking for something in plastic bottles, for air travel now. So far I haven't found anything in plastic bottles that suit my taste. The closest thing so far has been Seagrams 7.
May be I'll pour the Woodford in empty Seagrams Seven bottles or water bottles.! :munchin
http://bluekitchen.net/woodford.html
I'd like to revive this tread again to discuss Labrot & Graham's Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (90 Proof). I've been sipping on it lately and like it. haven't tried it yet...but tonight, as my wife was preparing marinade for steaks, she decided to use Blanton's instead of JD07...:rolleyes:
i need to buy a celebratory bottle of something...i'm thinking about a good single malt and another bottle of Blanton's...
Roguish Lawyer
11-24-2006, 23:06
tonight, as my wife was preparing marinade for steaks, she decided to use Blanton's instead of JD07...:rolleyes:
And you're still married? :munchin
I'll have to try the Woodford Reserve. I've seen it in the store I go to.
And you're still married? i seem to recall that a certain barrister had a birthday party at his domicile and had his better stuff tapped by unknowing peasants...counsel, it happens to the best of us...she professes confusion, saying she thought the JD was the better stuff...and besides, she said, "the one with the horse looked better..."
but for certain feminine attributes, there'd be a bounty on them...:rolleyes:
mffjm8509
11-24-2006, 23:47
I do as well.
Accually, my wife has been planning a trip for the Makers Mark thoroughbreds and redheds weekend, hopfully to be completed in the next couple of years.
mp
I have never been on a liquor distillery tour, but I intend to get to Kentucky for that and the Derby before I die.
Trip_Wire (RIP)
11-25-2006, 12:51
And you're still married? :munchin
I'll have to try the Woodford Reserve. I've seen it in the store I go to.
Good! I'll be interested in your report! Have you tried the Jim Beam Black?
Roguish Lawyer
11-25-2006, 14:15
Good! I'll be interested in your report! Have you tried the Jim Beam Black?
Not yet, but I like their single barrels.
Roguish Lawyer
11-25-2006, 14:17
i seem to recall that a certain barrister had a birthday party at his domicile and had his better stuff tapped by unknowing peasants...counsel, it happens to the best of us...she professes confusion, saying she thought the JD was the better stuff...and besides, she said, "the one with the horse looked better..."
but for certain feminine attributes, there'd be a bounty on them...:rolleyes:
LOL, you got me! Although at least they drank the stuff . . .
jasonglh
11-25-2006, 20:54
My favorite for years has been Makers Mark but a close 2nd choice is Ridgemont Reserve 1792 followed by Elijah Craig and Knob Creek all in that order. Its all my grandfathers fault for giving me spoonfuls of honey and shots of Old Crow as a cough remedy. I seem to recall him having a coughing spell almost every evening.......;)
One up One down
11-27-2006, 13:29
Has anyone ever tried Four Roses Single Barrel? I'm not sure how, but a restaraunt I used to work at had a bottle of it. It was heaven if I remember correctly. I've tried to find it again, but last time I checked it was only available in Japan.
Down here I'm relegated to what I can get at the PX and what visitors can occasionally smuggle me. Thankfully I just got my Maker's Mark down here, other than that I've had Jack Daniel's Single Barrel which was also a great drink.
The PFC
Being from Kentucky, I do the Bourbon Trail pilgrimage once a year.
http://www.kybourbon.com/english/pages/trail.html
As with the Middle East, there are several locations one can and must pay homage to whilst in the area.
Within 15 miles of Loretto, KY, home of Maker's Mark, is also the Jim Beam distillery and Heaven Hill's Bourbon Heritage center.
An hour's drive east to Frankfort, Ky will avail one's self of the mysteries of the Buffalo Trace distilleries.
And heading towards Lexington, along the Kentucky River, is the Mecca of sites, the Labrot and Graham Distillery for Woodford Reserve.
Then heading south, the Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg beckons with it's siren song, as well as the Wild Turkey distillery.
PSYOP Rob
11-29-2006, 07:15
The Heaven Hill Tour is very good, nice little tasting session at the end also. EW vintage is great stuff, I am dying to try the 23 yr old. If you are in Louisville, the Galt House Hotel has a bar called Jockey Silks that has a huge selection of fine bourbons and will set up tastings for you. Good times!
Good! I'll be interested in your report! Have you tried the Jim Beam Black?bought a bottle of JB Black over Thanksgiving...had a glass last night...honestly, i wasn't very impressed...i had no qualms at all in drinking the remainder (after the first sip or two) into a tumbler with cola...it seemed to lack body and was a bit medicinal in taste...at least, to my uncultured palate...
A favorite of mine, that is no longer available near me, is Old Grand Dad. Over the rocks is pretty good.
Trip_Wire (RIP)
12-04-2006, 22:13
[QUOTE=lksteve]bought a bottle of JB Black over Thanksgiving...had a glass last night...honestly, i wasn't very impressed...i had no qualms at all in drinking the remainder (after the first sip or two) into a tumbler with cola...it seemed to lack body and was a bit medicinal in taste...at least, to my uncultured palate...[/QUOTE
( I notice it is a 'Sour Mash' based wiskey, which could account for medicinal taste, although I like JD's #7)
Yeah! I agree with you! I bought a bottle and am trying to drink it. I like the Woodford reserve much better. I also tried a shot of Maker's Mark at a bar the other night, I liked it too!
:lifter :D
kachingchingpow
12-11-2006, 08:13
Can someone explain to me what flavors distinguish a sour mashed whiskey? I'm a bourbon and whiskey fan. I don't really have a preference over sour mashed or not. I'm not sure I can taste a difference. JD comes to mind as a sour mash that I like, and from what I've read, pretty much every distiller is using a sour mash these days for QC purposes... whether advertised or not. I know I'm not a fan of certain whiskey's, but given that most are using a sour mash, I don't think that sour mash turns me off.
Sweetbriar
12-17-2006, 21:34
Because of this thread I thought I'd try to learn to like whisky... so far I've got Maker's Mark, Gentleman Jack and Jameson's in the cabinet now. Maker's Mark has it's virtues, but I really don't care for the Gentleman Jack. Letting them breathe a bit first seems to be critical and a little chilled creek water is helpful. (I mean a clear mountain creek, not what y'all might have in the ditch out back.)
Knowing that I like other spirits neat, I thought this would be going better than it is. Maybe I should be putting molasses on my biscuits in the morning to get used to the burned oak flavour. Suggestions on which one to try next?
Roguish Lawyer
12-17-2006, 22:40
I tried Woodford's Reserve the other day. Liked it.
Letting them breathe a bit first seems to be critical and a little chilled creek water is helpful. (I mean a clear mountain creek, not what y'all might have in the ditch out back.)?when you say "letting them breathe", i suppose that means drinking the beverage in a glass, rather than directly out of the bottle/jug/mason jar....
Knowing that I like other spirits neat, I thought this would be going better than it is. Maybe I should be putting molasses on my biscuits in the morning to get used to the burned oak flavour. Suggestions on which one to try next?if you don't like burned oak, single malt scotch, with its strong peat flavor won't work...there's no law saying you have to like whisky...of the list you've tried, the Jameson's would be my preference, followed by the Maker's Mark...if you are determined, i'd try Blanton's...RL has me interested in the Woodsford's Reserve...
Trip_Wire (RIP)
12-18-2006, 13:34
lksteve:
By all means try that Labrot & Graham Woodford Reserve. IMHO it is a very good Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. (90 Proof)
I'm going to use Maker's Mark for my every day type drink and keep a bottle of Woodford for special occasions.
I usually, have a drink every day before dinner (After 1700.) I usually have JD #7 or a Bourbon of some kind on the rocks. :D :munchin
Greetings, if I may add to the list? Though I am not a Bourbon drinker, I have family that is, and they recently switched to Bulleit Bourbon, a 90 proof Kentucky Straight. (They were Makers Mark fans.)
I tried it, and actually liked it...though it packs a punch. :)
http://www.bulleitbourbon.com/pdfs/KY_Bourbon_Family_Legacy.pdf
kachingchingpow
12-19-2006, 14:58
Best taste for the $$$ IMHO.
Though I am not a Bourbon drinker, I have family that is, and they recently switched to Bulleit Bourbon, a 90 proof Kentucky Straight.
I tried it, and actually liked it...though it packs a punch. well, there's another one to add to my growing list...
Trip_Wire (RIP)
12-20-2006, 12:35
Yesterday, I bought and tried a bottle of 12 Year old Elijah Craig Kentucky Bourbon @ 94 Proof! I liked it; however, I'd rank it just below the Woodford Reserve. The taste sort of grows on you. I think that the taste improved for me as the ice melted a little and added some water to the drink. I usually try to let the ice melt, a little before sipping it. Pretty bottle, short and squattie. :D :munchin
Roguish Lawyer
12-20-2006, 15:18
Yesterday, I bought and tried a bottle of 12 Year old Elijah Craig Kentucky Bourbon @ 94 Proof! I liked it; however, I'd rank it just below the Woodford Reserve. The taste sort of grows on you. I think that the taste improved for me as the ice melted a little and added some water to the drink. I usually try to let the ice melt, a little before sipping it. Pretty bottle, short and squattie. :D :munchin
There is discussion of the EC in other threads. I have found the quality to vary radically (and unacceptably) from bottle to bottle. TR was unfortunate enough to sample a bad bottle of the stuff.
There is discussion of the EC in other threads. I have found the quality to vary radically (and unacceptably) from bottle to bottle. TR was unfortunate enough to sample a bad bottle of the stuff.
Greetings RL: You and The TR should try Bulleit Bourbon. I would almost stake my rep on it! It really is good. :)
Holly
Roguish Lawyer
12-20-2006, 16:00
Greetings RL: You and The TR should try Bulleit Bourbon. I would almost stake my rep on it! It really is good. :)
Holly
OK, TR, you heard the woman!
Where have you been, Holly?!
There is discussion of the EC in other threads. I have found the quality to vary radically (and unacceptably) from bottle to bottle. i thought that was the 18 year old stuff...or am i having a senior moment....?:confused:
Roguish Lawyer
12-20-2006, 18:11
i thought that was the 18 year old stuff...or am i having a senior moment....?:confused:
Oh yeah, I guess that's right . . .
The Reaper
12-20-2006, 21:59
OK, TR, you heard the woman!
Where have you been, Holly?!
Roger on both counts.
Hope that all is well.
TR
OK, TR, you heard the woman!
Where have you been, Holly?!
RL, TR,
Greetings gentlemen,
I have been sampling Bourbon!
I hope You both try the Bulleit...it IS good.
Holly:o
Roguish Lawyer
12-26-2006, 17:52
I have been sampling Bourbon!
Atta girl! :)
The Reaper
12-26-2006, 17:55
RL, TR,
Greetings gentlemen,
I have been sampling Bourbon!
Holly:o
For 18 months?
That must have been some REALLY good bourbon!:D
TR
For 18 months?
That must have been some REALLY good bourbon!:D
TR
TR, Yes Sir, it was. If I use the search button, I know I can probobly find Your favorite, so I will not ask again. ;)
Holly
Roguish Lawyer
12-27-2006, 13:59
Since bourbon is best sampled without rum mixed in, I have split the rum posts into a new thread. :lifter
Roguish Lawyer
08-23-2007, 16:54
I wonder if this whiskey is as good as the price is extravagant. Made in California. :lifter
http://www.missionliquor.com/Store/Qstore/Qstore.cgi?CMD=011&PROD=1155770506&PNAME=Charbay+Double+Barrel+Release+One+Whiskey+12 9.4+Proof+750ml
The Reaper
08-23-2007, 17:50
I wonder if this whiskey is as good as the price is extravagant. Made in California. :lifter
http://www.missionliquor.com/Store/Qstore/Qstore.cgi?CMD=011&PROD=1155770506&PNAME=Charbay+Double+Barrel+Release+One+Whiskey+12 9.4+Proof+750ml
But it is a flavored whiskey, NOT a bourbon.
Looks like hype with an equally hyped price to me.
TR
Roguish Lawyer
08-23-2007, 18:07
But it is a flavored whiskey, NOT a bourbon.
Looks like hype with an equally hyped price to me.
TR
It is not "flavored" in the traditional sense -- they are adding some hops. I have made an inquiry to see if a bottle can be procured at a better price. The website I linked you to also sells the 23 y/o PVW for more than $200, which is above market. I am thinking this stuff might be found somewhere for about half the price listed above.
The guy at my usual store says that the vodka they make is extremely popular.
Ever hear the phrase, "don't knock it til you try it?" :munchin
I wonder if this whiskey is as good as the price is extravagant. Made in California. i dunno, but if you're buyin',. i'm drinkin'...;)
I wonder if this whiskey is as good as the price is extravagant. Made in California. :lifter
http://www.missionliquor.com/Store/Qstore/Qstore.cgi?CMD=011&PROD=1155770506&PNAME=Charbay+Double+Barrel+Release+One+Whiskey+12 9.4+Proof+750ml
If it was made in California it can not be a good Bourbon:cool:
Trip_Wire (RIP)
08-24-2007, 12:26
If it was made in California it can not be a good Bourbon:cool:
I agree! I'll stick with my made in Kentucky Woodford Reserve! :lifter
I have made an inquiry to see if a bottle can be procured at a better price.
The website I linked you to also sells the 23 y/o PVW for more than $200, which is above market. I am thinking this stuff might be found somewhere for about half the price listed above.
Greetings RL!:)
I can find out for You, if You are interested...Please let me know, as am happy to be of help!
Holly
Roguish Lawyer
08-24-2007, 18:43
Greetings RL!:)
I can find out for You, if You are interested...Please let me know, as am happy to be of help!
Holly
The store quoted me $315 -- too rich for my blood.
Holly, do you have alcohol connections? :munchin
The store quoted me $315 -- too rich for my blood.
Holly, do you have alcohol connections? :munchin
RL,
Greetings...Sorry to be so late in responding, have been traveling!
My old mentor owned a liquor store that I worked at while attending school. He has since passed away, but some of the old crew is still there! lifter
It is a possibility to get a discounted price, but will have to do some checkin in.
Will let You know if I can come up with anything.
Take care,
Holly
I agree! I'll stick with my made in Kentucky Woodford Reserve! :lifter
I am a Kentucky boy and grew up on Bourbon.
Woodford Reserve is OK.
Here is my list for the ones I like. Been drinking them for 30+ years. Used to go to bars and take bets on if I could pick what ever Bourbon they set up. If not I pay, If I got them I drink for free. Only paid 1 time over the years. It is getting harder as all these new ones come out.
#1 Wild Turkey Tribute 50yr Anniversary (15yrs)
Wild Turkey Rare Breed
Wild Turkey Rare Barrel
Wild Turkey 101 Note: 86 proof not on the list
Woodford Reserve
Makers Mark
Buffalo Trace
There are a few more but by the time I go through the bar I will not be able to type.:p
Bourbon should be savored and only consumed on the rocks. OK if you have to drive use a little 7up to keep your sugar level high to make it home (Oh that is what I do here in the US I just sit on the porch and drink with the neighbors. Shoot a few animals dumb enough to stray into our sights. Love being able to shoot in any direction and the bullet will fall on my land.
Women Love Wild Turkey 101 with 7up. It really sneaks up on them.
Trip_Wire (RIP)
08-27-2007, 20:48
SF_BHT:
My second choice is Maker's Mark.
I used to be a Jack Daniels drinker, until I got hooked on Woodford Reserve. I can still take that, if I have none of the other two around! :eek: :D
Roguish Lawyer
08-27-2007, 22:28
I am a Kentucky boy and grew up on Bourbon.
Woodford Reserve is OK.
Here is my list for the ones I like. Been drinking them for 30+ years. Used to go to bars and take bets on if I could pick what ever Bourbon they set up. If not I pay, If I got them I drink for free. Only paid 1 time over the years. It is getting harder as all these new ones come out.
#1 Wild Turkey Tribute 50yr Anniversary (15yrs)
Wild Turkey Rare Breed
Wild Turkey Rare Barrel
Wild Turkey 101 Note: 86 proof not on the list
Woodford Reserve
Makers Mark
Buffalo Trace
There are a few more but by the time I go through the bar I will not be able to type.:p
Bourbon should be savored and only consumed on the rocks. OK if you have to drive use a little 7up to keep your sugar level high to make it home (Oh that is what I do here in the US I just sit on the porch and drink with the neighbors. Shoot a few animals dumb enough to stray into our sights. Love being able to shoot in any direction and the bullet will fall on my land.
Women Love Wild Turkey 101 with 7up. It really sneaks up on them.
You've just made my "I want to party with THAT guy" list. ;)
SF_BHT:
My second choice is Maker's Mark.
I used to be a Jack Daniels drinker, until I got hooked on Woodford Reserve. I can still take that, if I have none of the other two around! :eek: :D
My Problem is down south here all any one has is Scotch (JW) and you can get Jack Daniels (Sour Mash not straight bourbon) or Jim Bean (TT Bourbon). I have to bring good quality stuff in on all my trips back and forth. I also get friends to mail me the good stuff in. I have had to stock pile Wild Turkey 101 here and when I get below 5 cases I call for a resupply. You never know when a snake might bite you and you need medicine.
When I go out I drink JD in most countries because they have no Idea what Bourbon really is. I have over the years converted many a Latino here to Bourbon. The problem I ma the only place to get it. Lots of bums here. You thought that a team guy that smoked or dipped was a bum They are armatures to the locals here. Now the women that I have given a taste to and liked it my door is always open.:D
kachingchingpow
08-28-2007, 07:44
Bourbon should be savored and only consumed on the rocks. OK if you have to drive use a little 7up to keep your sugar level high to make it home (Oh that is what I do here in the US I just sit on the porch and drink with the neighbors. Shoot a few animals dumb enough to stray into our sights. Love being able to shoot in any direction and the bullet will fall on my land.
Women Love Wild Turkey 101 with 7up. It really sneaks up on them.
Big WT fan here as well. In fact I'm a little chapped that they've watered down the Russells Reserve from 101 to 90 and repackaged it. For quite a while it was considered a sleeper, and one of the best values on the market as far as a 10yo product goes.
Can't be Sprite either... something about the dryer flavor of 7up. Sometimes we put a waft of sour in with it to cut the sweet even more. Tumbler full of that is our go-to drink around hunting camp.
Usually, I celebrate with Glen Livet Scotch, and commiserate with Jack Daniels. After reading on here about PVW, I went to buy some and after my eyebrows settled from looking at the price, I chose a bottle of Basil Hayden's and really enjoyed it. It's smooth like a good scotch with a little bit of a carmel taste. Now, if I can just add a little to that savings and procure one of those Chris Reeves PS knives...
Sweetbriar
09-20-2008, 16:37
Recent posts here make me think I need to try the Wild Turkey. Maker's Mark was the only bourbon I much cared for out of the ones I tried. I didn't want to be a quitter, so I thought I should try sneaking up on whiskey via Scotch hoping my genealogy might help me along, so I tried Glenlivet today. I can see its virtues. Will try some more this evening at bedtime.
Edit: Just saw the Scotch thread. But since I live in bourbon country I feel it's my patriotic duty to learn at least one bourbon that I really like.
Recent posts here make me think I need to try the Wild Turkey.
IMHO, Wild Turkey 101 is very smooth, goes down well either on the rocks or with a mixer, and is best sampled while in the company of a QP.;)
Definately worth a try Sweetbriar.
Holly
Roguish Lawyer
11-01-2012, 11:12
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6667949/pappy-van-winkle
DIYPatriot
11-01-2012, 12:41
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6667949/pappy-van-winkle
From that article:
"You have to prove to me that you know what you're talking about before I will sell you a bottle."
I love that line. I've never had this bourbon or heard of it, but you've raised my interest (as I love a good bourbon).
Maker’s Mark cutting alcohol volume in its bourbon
(http://dailycaller.com/2013/02/12/makers-mark-cutting-alcohol-volume-in-its-bourbon/)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The producer of Maker’s Mark bourbon is cutting — likely permanently — the amount of alcohol in each bottle to stretch every drop of the famous Kentucky whiskey. The alcohol volume is being lowered from its historic level of 45 percent to 42 percent — or 90 proof to 84 proof.
The brand known for its square bottles sealed in red wax has struggled to keep up with demand that more than doubled the past seven years. Distribution has been squeezed and the popular premium brand has had to curtail shipments to some overseas markets.
“Over the last 100-plus days, there are many, many instances across lot of different cities where bars, restaurants, package stores have run low, run out,” Rob Samuels, chief operating officer for Maker’s Mark and grandson of the brand’s founder, said Monday.
“Given the surge in demand outstripping supply, what we’ve decided to do very carefully is to slightly reduce the alcohol volume.”
The recipe and production process will stay the same, except “a touch more water” will be added when the whiskey comes out of the barrel for bottling, Samuels said. The brand’s bourbon is made at its distillery near the small town of Loretto, 45 miles south of Louisville.
While I am partial to scotch, when I do drink bourbon, it is usually Makers. I am curious to see how this plays out...
The Reaper
02-12-2013, 19:30
Maker’s Mark cutting alcohol volume in its bourbon
(http://dailycaller.com/2013/02/12/makers-mark-cutting-alcohol-volume-in-its-bourbon/)
While I am partial to scotch, when I do drink bourbon, it is usually Makers. I am curious to see how this plays out...
Bet they don't cut the price to match.
TR
I got the same info....
I have heard from the family back home this is not going down well in KY.......
I just set aside a bottle just incase this does happen for my collection.
Bet they don't cut the price to match.
TR
The price per bottle has been going up in my area, my last liquor store run had it at $3 more than the last time I bought a bottle(about 6 months ago). Small supply and larger demand. What I have been told is that Makers Mark is a mainstay in most bourbon collections, much like a (IMO) Glenlivet 15 is to a scotch collection.
My .02
I am a Kentucky boy and grew up on Bourbon.
Bourbon should be savored and only consumed on the rocks. OK if you have to drive use a little 7up to keep your sugar level high to make it home (Oh that is what I do here in the US I just sit on the porch and drink with the neighbors. Shoot a few animals dumb enough to stray into our sights. Love being able to shoot in any direction and the bullet will fall on my land.
Women Love Wild Turkey 101 with 7up. It really sneaks up on them.
NO! NO! No! Bourbon should only be consumed neat. :D
I have to laugh at people griping about Maker's cutting it's proof (adding water) when they cut their's by drinking it on the rocks or with water, cola, etc.
I got the same info....
I have heard from the family back home this is not going down well in KY.......
I just set aside a bottle just incase this does happen for my collection.
I set aside a few cases.....:D
Bet they don't cut the price to match.
TR
TR Sir is spot on as usual!
Must just say though that, well if Your day is Hell, and you really need to unwind, (after saving the world like QP's,) just spend the extra dollar or two and indulge on Bulliet Burbon!:o
Am still single, but someday when I greet my one and only when He walks thru the door...it willbe with a nice shot of Burbon!:D
Holly
ECUPirate09
02-17-2013, 12:48
You spoke. We listened.
Dear Friends,
Since we announced our decision last week to reduce the alcohol content (ABV) of Maker’s Mark in response to supply constraints, we have heard many concerns and questions from our ambassadors and brand fans. We’re humbled by your overwhelming response and passion for Maker’s Mark. While we thought we were doing what’s right, this is your brand – and you told us in large numbers to change our decision.
You spoke. We listened. And we’re sincerely sorry we let you down.
So effective immediately, we are reversing our decision to lower the ABV of Maker’s Mark, and resuming production at 45% alcohol by volume (90 proof). Just like we’ve made it since the very beginning.
The unanticipated dramatic growth rate of Maker’s Mark is a good problem to have, and we appreciate some of you telling us you’d even put up with occasional shortages. We promise we'll deal with them as best we can, as we work to expand capacity at the distillery.
Your trust, loyalty and passion are what’s most important. We realize we can’t lose sight of that. Thanks for your honesty and for reminding us what makes Maker’s Mark, and its fans, so special.
We’ll set about getting back to bottling the handcrafted bourbon that our father/grandfather, Bill Samuels, Sr. created. Same recipe. Same production process. Same product.
As always, we will continue to let you know first about developments at the distillery. In the meantime please keep telling us what’s on your mind and come down and visit us at the distillery. It means a lot to us.
Sincerely,
Rob Samuels Bill Samuels, Jr
Chief Operating Officer Chairman Emeritus
rob@makersmark.com bill@makersmark.com
The right move, IMO.
I thought they would relook their decision..... Great news....
Why is my little voice saying, "Publicity stunt"?
Well played, Beam, Inc. Well played. :D
Not Beam but Makers Mark...........
Family owned and run......... They are in a little draw and every one that works there are locals...... I am sure it is what they said it is........
I swore Maker's Mark was owned by Beam, Inc. Possibly they went out on their own again.
Good for them. Even the hundreds of years old Scottish whiskys have been taken over by bigger corporations these days.
I just checked and the family runs it but you were right that They are part of Beam Inc sine 2011.
Guess I better stay current on my investments......and my drinks
The Samuels still have a daily hand in the buisness......
It is one of my standard drinks with about 10 other brands in Ky........
This is what I got from Rob Samuels when I wrote him e other day.
Bryan,
Strong brands like Maker’s Mark belong to the brand’s fans, and one should never underestimate the passion for a brand like this.
We didn’t expect everyone would like this move, but we obviously underestimated the passion for the product just the way it was. We’re humbled by the overwhelming response and extremely grateful for everyone who took the time and made the effort to talk to us, most importantly our Ambassadors like you.
Cheers to you!
Rob
--
Rob Samuels
Chief Operating Officer
Maker’s Mark Distillery
3350 Burks Spring Road
Loretto, KY, 40037
TrapLine
02-18-2013, 20:28
Growing up in close proximity to our Northern border seems to have made a Canadian Whiskey fan out of me. That said, I just opened a bottle of Woodford and am enjoying it.
Rob_Frey
02-19-2013, 14:48
Growing up in close proximity to our Northern border seems to have made a Canadian Whiskey fan out of me. That said, I just opened a bottle of Woodford and am enjoying it.
Speaking of Canadian Whiskey, a friend brought a bottle of "Forty Creek" over last week, that is really smooth!
longrange1947
02-19-2013, 17:22
I usually drink Knob Creek though I also keep Woolford Reserve, just bought a new bottle, handy.
Anyone try "Devil's Cut". Interesting flavor and finish.
lovemycountry
02-19-2013, 18:38
I usually drink Knob Creek though I also keep Woolford Reserve, just bought a new bottle, handy.
Anyone try "Devil's Cut". Interesting flavor and finish.
Knob Creek is my neighborhood Bonfire favorite....introduced by a Ct. hunter and Yankee Fan turned NH resident...still likes the hated Yanks though.
LMC
I was very happy to hear of Maker's change of heart in regards to the proof of their bourbon. I can't say I have a favorite bourbon as I honestly enjoy them all.
Currently I am enjoying a glass of Woodford Reserve Double Oaked. Very comparable to Maker's 46.
bassbuckeye
07-08-2013, 19:29
Have really enjoyed Basil Hayden's recently....believe its a Beam small batch. I married a Kentucky girl whose dad introduced me to bourbon 11 years ago and he always gets me something good at Christmas.
twistedsquid
07-08-2013, 20:53
I've been enjoying Buffalo Trace. Nice and full on the palette with a sweet, slightly smoky finish. And at 20 bucks a 750.
Two that I've recently enjoyed and will probably become staples for me have been Bulleit Bourbon (red label) and 1835 Texas Bourbon. Both good neat or on the rocks. The 1835 is pretty dang good in an Old Fashioned, as well. :lifter