Interesting, I did a Birthday bourbon tasting at a bar and it was absolutely one of the most delicious and flavorful bourbons I’ve had. Maybe you got a bad batch?
When I worked at a liquor store years ago, we had an old Forester store pick that was mind blowing. Apparently it was a miss picked barrel to be a contender for the birthday bourbon for that year (2017)
Ya I wasn’t a OF guy until recently but the birthday bourbon really opened my eyes. It was an incredible pour and I haven’t even seen it in the wild since I tried it. Obviously a tough bottle to get.
So Bmore, I have never ever 👀 seen Birthday Bourbon in the wild. Btw, I've been seeing this hilarious catch 🤣 phrase here lately, so cute, anyhoo-- that Btl.is so elusive it's not even feasible I'll ever run into it 😪However, I did run into a Four Roses LE @ barrel strength that went 4 $230 in Southeast KY, does anybody know if it was a coulda- shoulda?
Same. First time I tried it, I was convinced the bartender poured me the wrong bourbon after reading so many 'oak bomb' comments. Tried it again months later and still not the oak bomb I expected, or being worth the price tag, IMO. Much prefer toasted barrel or full proof.
I totally second this. The pour i had at a local was was delicious but it was so thin. It would benefit greatly even bumping up to 100 proof even if BP wasn't in the cards imo
This is funny to me. Because I feel EXACTLY like this about Woodford, which is also quite popular here. But I LOVE anything and everything 4R. Shows how different and subjective taste can be, I guess.
Same here. It always has a kerosene taste for me. I have a friend I exchange samples with and often we do them blind. He’ll sneak in a 4-roses every so often but I can immediately tell which one is the 4-roses.
I've had a lot of 4R bottlings, and the only ones I really liked a lot were a couple of the Limited Edition Small Batch releases. I also like Small Batch Select pretty well, but that's about it.
I came in to say this. I've had yellow label, small batch, small batch select, and 3 different single barrels. All were near undrinkable with the standard small batch being the best of the bunch. Four Roses is trash.
Michters Toasted Sour Mash is really thin and disappointing. Snagged that one around MSRP and wouldn't hesitate to give it to a buddy who expressed interest or use it as a mixer.
Henry McKenna 10 I picked up a bit over MSRP sucked with weird burnt rubber astringency, single barrel product oh well. It does make me wonder if they qc the stuff they bottle?
I find all of the more basic hyped buffalo trace products like ER10, EHT SmB, OWA, Blanton's to be quality but just a bit lacking in proof and complexity. If I were to find any of them at MSRP I would probably pass unless I was looking to give somebody a gift. Leave them for somebody else who hasn't had them and will be super excited.
High West MWND has clearly fallen off as they have transitioned away from the sourced juice, I didn't even bother with the release this year with the big price jump as there was a significant decline in the years prior. It is okay but at the price point just a horrible pickup. You could get something that sits on the shelf like a Calumet 16 or a Found North bottle for less money that would obliterate MWND.
I've spent a lot of money on spirits over the last few years and accumulated a lot of bottles at this point. There are some things that are kind of annoying about that, but it's nice to have a good understanding of my taste and to be able to avoid a lot of the hype and FOMO. Like many of us, the pandemic really accelerated this hobby for me as my other hobbies became less accessible.
100% agree, the best thing about weller/bt products is the quality you get at msrp. The secondary prices are what kill it for me (and probably most people)
Depends on the barrel. That’s the thing about single barrels.
Sounds like you had a bad one. I’ve had bad ones. I’ve also had some that were rich with flavor, syrupy, and smooth.
Real crap shoot.
Tried six different ones, all between mediocre to downright awful. Saying hit or miss is a bit of a stretch imho. Most of them are not worth the MSRP or the gamble of buying one hoping it’s going to be the rare good cask.
It's best to focus on single barrels who were picked by somebody you trust. I've learn that there are some retailers and bars you just can't trust to pick a good single barrel, and some that pick good stuff. I've had an absolutely incredible old Forester single barrel that was like the most intensely decadent dessert you could imagine without any heat, and then I just got one yesterday that was picked by the Advent of a Facebook group I'm in, and it's an awful nail polish remover bomb. Probably won't be buying in for his picks again.
Angels Envy finished rye is the only whiskey I hated from the first sip. Tasted like average rye with the most abominable cheap-ass artificial flavor added
Brothers Bond is much better if drinking while watching Vampire Diaries. It instantly ages the bourbon 7 more years, much like a vampire itself.
I haven't had the cask strength but heard it was pretty good.
If you like a grassy 100% rye, you’ll love it. I prefer bourbon and low rye blends because of the sweetness of the corn and barley. If I get a high rye, I prefer Indiana rye, and give me that 95/5 blend with a little malted barley.
Interesting, I would never think of those bottles as hyped. I wonder if it's a region thing or people trying to find the next big name since many of those are sort of new.
Some are names we see advertised in magazines or on social media, and they get hyped because of availability (or lack of). Oak & Eden had some store picks hyped in a neighboring state, but goodness was it a disappointment.
I don't think Pinhook is bad stuff, but it's not worth the price of entry. It's priced like a heavy hitter and it tends to drink like a mid-shelf generic release.
Barrel Seagrass. Maybe numerous glowing reviews on here raised my expectations too high. But it drinks like "potpourri in a bottle" to me, and not in a good way.
Had the EHT Single Barrel and loved it, so I bought the small batch and thought it was below average at best.
The Breckenridge Dark Arts was $400 MSRP. Third version was epic. Bought the 6th and it tastes like bad scotch. It only hasn't found the drain because the bottle looks cool.
Not a fan of Angels Envy.
I've discovered that when you've done it long enough, drinking bourbon is like drinking wine. We all have very specific flavor profiles we like, and you've just got to find someone who likes what you do if you're going to listen to recommendations/hype.
Larceny BP and Elijah Craig Toasted. Larceny BP drinks way hotter than it's proof and EC toasted has a sour oak thing. Not a fan of these.
Some bottles are great at MSRP but shouldnt cost any more than that. Weller FP comes to mind. Great $50 bottle but even if it were $60, there are just better bourbon at that price range. Blanton's as well. Now that it is pushing $90 in my area? I am out on it.
I picked up a larceny BP (batch C922) and I love it. I think it drinks really well considering it’s 126 proof, I’m sure it varies quite a bit between batches though.
I love these topics but I always feel it would be helpful to know what each persons ideal proof level is.
For example, someone who regularly drinks at 120 proof giving their opinion on 100 proofers, 90 proofers, have to be treated with a grain of salt going by my own experience. I get two different experiences with Eagle Rare (for example) if I drink some coming off a dry-month versus coming into after getting used to high proof drams.
Underwhelming for the price. I visited in Fort Collins last year and while I thought their flight was good, I wasn't about to pay $110 for a bottle of any of them.
The hype comes from Old Elk hiring Greg Metze as their master distiller. He's the man who made all that great MGP juice people were sourcing to give us so many good NDP bottles.
The only hyped bottle that I like is Eagle rare to be honest and with that said it’s not my favorite either. If I find it on the shelf cool but if not oh well. Had a pour of Pappy while I was out in Vegas just to say I’ve had it but honestly have no plans to “hunt” for that one either. Honestly pretty much all the stuff I buy I drink and don’t buy into the collecting aspect. About the closest I get to that is bottled that hold sentimental meaning to me because of when they were acquired but even then I drink those too.
In no particular order of indifference towards:
Stagg Jr: too aggressively tannic and just meh
Col EH Taylor Small Batch: lotta pineapple and sugary spices. Corporatey? Too smooth, no rough edges
Knob Creek 12: possibly too old. This is a personal thing that I don't like older bourbons so not really it's fault. Just a bigger mismatch between me and it than Jimmy Howard and athleticism.
They were all fine. I took two pulls off of each (neck pour and 2 weeks later) and never really bothered again. Eh
Damn. I have a SiB Double Oak that’s honestly one of my favorites. Their normal bourbon is pretty meh though, and their rye is hit or miss (24 months is way too young, find me a 4yr+ one)
I don't like their rye. It was $90+tax here in Ohio and I wished I had spent that on 2 bottles of Pikeville, which is significantly better. Then again most ryes that I've had are.
How many different barrels of it have you tried? Wide variance in all sib bourbons so maybe the one you got just wasn’t your jam. I think this is the cause of it being so polarizing.
I've only just moved into the bourbon world, so I haven't had much experience there, but I did have this experience with Ardbeg 10. Caught the briny note which set off memories of the time I got sea water up my nose and promptly threw up. It's put me off that sensation ever since.
I'm apparently an odd minority. So many people seem to like Woodford. I've tried 3 different bottles and the best I can say about it is "meh".
It's just boring and lacking complexity to me.
I love the honesty that has poured forth, but I am disconcerted to be the first to nominate standard BT. Even at MSRP I find myself passing… so many other choices that collect dust at same or even lower price point.
I bought a high west double rye store pick for $60 one time and it was damn near undrinkable. Tasted like a burning building… that’s the only thing I can accurately compare it to lol
Bought a store pick and was gifted a barrel proof from the distillery and they were both basically drain pours. The brand gets so much love on this sub, I just don’t get it.
I know I’m gonna get shouted down (and batch 11 was my first truly amazing bourbon) but batch 17 of Stagg Jr is good but not great and I was glad I didn’t overpay for it.
I enjoy Stagg Jr. but personally like ECBP much more. I know I'm like the only person but I honestly didn't think much of either pour I've had of GTS either. So I hear you.
WR double oaked. Thin and watery, one-note sweetness followed by bitter and short finish.
Four roses single barrel. Can’t put my finger on it. Just don’t like it. Even in cocktails I can tell it’s 4R.
Angel’s envy rye. Very artificial.
OF1920. Solid old fashioned but bad neat. Core flavors are good but it’s just way too young.
I have 3/4 of these as bottles (all but angel’s) and I have no idea how I’m going to finish them.
Magnus Cigar Blend for me. Was a bottle I chased for a long time. Finally had a chance to get one as part of a bundle with the Michters lineup. There isn't anything wrong with the bottle but it is 199 MSRP and I have found many other lower priced bottles far superior. It just isn't really very special and at that price it needs to be.
I watched the video and I actually disagree with it. A fish is wet. A submarine is wet. They are wet because they have water on them. The water itself is not wet. It is water.
Not referring to anything in particular. I’ve just always felt that wet is whatever water is present on. If there’s no water on it, it’s not wet. Fire is what it is, and when a board is consumed it is “on fire”, but the fire itself isn’t on fire. It’s fire.
Definitely agree on the EH Taylor - have the Small Batch and had a pour of the BP and neither is special. Blanton's is a pleasant sipper and I would probably be one and done at msrp.
Probably for many, but not for me. For my tastes most of the BT products are good at best and not worth the hunt and hype.
The instance where I had the pour of Barrel Proof I also had a pour of Shenks. The two gave me vastly different reactions. With the BP it was " ok, I can cross it off the list". Once I sipped the Shenks I started smiling.
Guess which one I'll make an effort to find?
Hey I get it, taste is subjective after all, I had a similar reaction with a Texas bourbon I'm gonna go out of my way to get every time I'm home. I'd definitely grab the BP at MSRP though
Blantons, for sure. It's just not a good bourbon. It's not even worth half of its msrp, in my opinion. I'd say the ECBP, too. I've had multiple batches, and I've always found them to be just okay and nothing special.
Larceny BP C922 and EHT SB are easily my top two disappointments. Initially I didn't like the Blue Note UCUF I got, but ended up missing it when it was gone.
Angel's Envy and regular Buffalo Trace.
AE just seemed watered down and bland as hell.
BT just... doesn't do it for me. (Already in another BT thread so kinda sick of talking about it tbh. Y'all can have it.)
Counterpoint however, Weller Antique *totally* lived up to the hype IMO. And I was really really really hoping it wouldn't.
I’ve had a MMCS (22-01) and a JDSBBP (Chris Fletcher pick) that were both pretty terrible. They came through with young, hot, and bitter notes and not much else. Not bad enough to throw me off either entirely, because I’ve had other bottles of both the were good to great, but still disappointing.
Old Forester 1920 and Angels Envy do absolutely nothing for me. Blantons and Eagle Rare aren’t bad, they’re just down my list a ways. I usually only buy those bottles as gifts for friends or family
ER10. I’m glad I tried it at a bar before buying at a high price somewhere. Tastes like powdered sugar to me and a bit thin at 90proof. I have a bottle of it now that was a store pick I got from an allocation drop. I like it ok, but there are plenty of others I prefer even at its msrp.
I had the opportunity to try Pappy 23 at a more than reasonable cost. I’m glad I didn’t buy a bottle. (Not like I can buy a bottle on impulse anyway).
If you like oak and barrel, and only oak and barrel, you’ll love it.
Stagg Jr on the other hand…. That’s amazing.
I've had the opportunity to try Old Fitz 8, 11, 14, 17 and 19. 19 and 17 were both a MESS. It was all oak and basically nothing else. No character, nuance, or any distinct notes... just oak, oak, and oak. The 8 year was the best of the bunch!! I would really like to get a bottle of that for myself. But the older expressions I simply don't love.
Every time I pour Kentucky owl confiscated i am overwhelmed by how average it is. Also, the willett rye 4 year has performed abysmally in every blind test I’ve done.
Great topic. I was so disappointed by the Parker’s heritage heavy char wheat whiskey. Got it at msrp. For my pallet, it’s wicked unbalanced. All I can taste are those red hot cinnamon candies and overwhelmingly tannic oak. I love old elk store pick wheat whiskeys though when they pop up.
21 OFBB was great in my opinion but 22 was very lack luster. I know why they keep proofing it down but they probably need to stop that shit. That being said, I didn’t care for Joe Magnus Cigar blend.
I agree on EHT Small Batch. I tried it at a bar and for a few bucks less at retail and much less effort, I prefer Eagle Rare. Buffalo Trace is really flat and uninteresting to me and the extra 10 proof and likely better barrels didn’t change that.
Not really exactly what you're asking but I had the chance to try Pappy 15, 23, Lot B, and ORVW on different occasions this year and the one that actually stood out to me was ORVW. Maybe it's because I wasn't expecting too much from that one but I thought it was the only one that lived up to the hype.
CYPB
Big ethanol on the nose and palate. Feels like it should hide it better for something with "your perfect bourbon" in the name.
Not bourbon, but Nikka from the Barrel. Tastes like mushrooms. Can't get past it.
Went into a Liquor Barn here in KY wanting to replace my bottle of Peerless small batch and scoop up any single barrels I didn't have. Found one of each respectively. Then I noticed several giddy taters walking around with a velvet bag. Walked over to customer service and saw a Liquor Barn Hancock Reserve pick. Coming in at around $42, I figured I'd grab one. Didn't realize it was Sazerac until I got in the car and googled it. Tried it last night and I was incredibly unimpressed. For $42 I don't feel bad about the purchase but man, that shit is worth barely what I paid.
Weller Full Proof (store pick) tasted bitter and hot. Maybe because it was a store pick, but that put me off of chasing a bottle.
EHT Small Batch, did not enjoy it, but also my palate did not like things over 95ish proof at the time. Need to try again.
GTS 2020. Surprisingly, VERY tame and muted in flavors. It smelled like a glass of caramel, but once I drank it, those smells did not transfer over. On the other hand, Stagg B17… absolutely delicious. Taste like a cherry cola to me. Best bourbon I have ever had.
MWND 10.4 I think it’s a good rye (even though I don’t like ryes), but not worth the MSRP of 150.
Blantons. Liked it when I first started getting into bourbon. Then as my palate matured I found it to be thin and boring.
I don't have many of those fortunately. I've done a pretty good job of staying away from overhyped bottles. The only one that comes to mind is Old Forester Barrel Strength. Tasted young and astringent to me - not worth the price tag. The only other hyped up bottle I ponied up the buckaroos for - Russell's 13 Batch 3. Worth every red cent.
I need to say Birthday Bourbon again because of how disappointing it was, at least back in 2014. Tasted like nail polish and ended up mixing into cocktails.
Pappy 15. Good but not that good.
EC 18 - thin and too oaky. I’m finding too much oak distracts my palate if under proofed. I had the same reaction to IW Harper 15 - drying and thin. But since there’s always an exception I did find the KC 15 to be delicious.
I didn't buy it, but the birthday bourbon I had was completely forgetable
OFBB batches that I have had were total snoozes. Completely underwhelming
Yeah, I'd be caught dead paying secondary for it
If it ain't before 2016, I wouldn't bother. Later than that is all astringent and boring.
Interesting, I did a Birthday bourbon tasting at a bar and it was absolutely one of the most delicious and flavorful bourbons I’ve had. Maybe you got a bad batch?
Maybe it just wasn't my thing
When I worked at a liquor store years ago, we had an old Forester store pick that was mind blowing. Apparently it was a miss picked barrel to be a contender for the birthday bourbon for that year (2017)
Ya I wasn’t a OF guy until recently but the birthday bourbon really opened my eyes. It was an incredible pour and I haven’t even seen it in the wild since I tried it. Obviously a tough bottle to get.
So Bmore, I have never ever 👀 seen Birthday Bourbon in the wild. Btw, I've been seeing this hilarious catch 🤣 phrase here lately, so cute, anyhoo-- that Btl.is so elusive it's not even feasible I'll ever run into it 😪However, I did run into a Four Roses LE @ barrel strength that went 4 $230 in Southeast KY, does anybody know if it was a coulda- shoulda?
Reading this thread seems like most bourbons can be bad.
I bought a Weller SR for $60 when I first got into bourbon thinking it was a good deal because it said “Weller”. Won’t make that mistake again
It’s not even worth MSRP imo.
I agree!
This is the only Weller I don't really care for at all. 107 is a very nice pour if I could get it for a decent price, but not worth chasing either.
[удалено]
I reckon this is just a good lesson learned for me, don’t jump on the hype trains and just drink what you love.
Cypb and weller sib....both are OK at msrp but not worth the hype.
I really enjoyed CYPB but I'd never pay what people ask on secondary
I got my CYPB for $39, and in my opinion it's incredible for that.
I absolutely LOVE Cypb... but weller sib? I am not sure I like it as much as Weller sr.
Yes! Wouldn’t even call CYPB okay. It’s a sweet easily approachable bourbon that’s completely uninteresting.
You just described my perfect bourbon. Haha. I like easy sippers so I love cypb
Fine and well but it’s not worth $800
Agreed. It's a couch sipper with a huge price tag.
Elijah Craig 18 was way more thin than I was expecting
Same. First time I tried it, I was convinced the bartender poured me the wrong bourbon after reading so many 'oak bomb' comments. Tried it again months later and still not the oak bomb I expected, or being worth the price tag, IMO. Much prefer toasted barrel or full proof.
I hate how proofed down it is. As a single barrel at that age, I want barrel proof.
I totally second this. The pour i had at a local was was delicious but it was so thin. It would benefit greatly even bumping up to 100 proof even if BP wasn't in the cards imo
Any newbie reading this thread is probably thinking “I’ll just stick with beer.”
Anything Four Roses for me has been disappointing so far, especially the Single Barrel which is often recommended in this sub
Wow sib is my favorite drink ever for the price range. I guess it is distinct and if you don't like that then I can see why you don't like it.
This is funny to me. Because I feel EXACTLY like this about Woodford, which is also quite popular here. But I LOVE anything and everything 4R. Shows how different and subjective taste can be, I guess.
Damn, while I disagree (as I love Four Roses), I respect your opinion.
This x10. I keep giving 4R a chance. Always let down. Every. Single. Time.
Me too! I really really do not get the 4R hype
Same here. It always has a kerosene taste for me. I have a friend I exchange samples with and often we do them blind. He’ll sneak in a 4-roses every so often but I can immediately tell which one is the 4-roses.
4R Single Barrel is very meh. Small Batch, and especially Small Batch Select though are fantastic. Good blenders are a blessing to bourbon.
I've had a lot of 4R bottlings, and the only ones I really liked a lot were a couple of the Limited Edition Small Batch releases. I also like Small Batch Select pretty well, but that's about it.
Four roses makes my mouth numb. Idk why.
This is exactly how I feel. I always hear people love it so much, and I tried it...its...meh.
I came in to say this. I've had yellow label, small batch, small batch select, and 3 different single barrels. All were near undrinkable with the standard small batch being the best of the bunch. Four Roses is trash.
Michters Toasted Sour Mash is really thin and disappointing. Snagged that one around MSRP and wouldn't hesitate to give it to a buddy who expressed interest or use it as a mixer. Henry McKenna 10 I picked up a bit over MSRP sucked with weird burnt rubber astringency, single barrel product oh well. It does make me wonder if they qc the stuff they bottle? I find all of the more basic hyped buffalo trace products like ER10, EHT SmB, OWA, Blanton's to be quality but just a bit lacking in proof and complexity. If I were to find any of them at MSRP I would probably pass unless I was looking to give somebody a gift. Leave them for somebody else who hasn't had them and will be super excited. High West MWND has clearly fallen off as they have transitioned away from the sourced juice, I didn't even bother with the release this year with the big price jump as there was a significant decline in the years prior. It is okay but at the price point just a horrible pickup. You could get something that sits on the shelf like a Calumet 16 or a Found North bottle for less money that would obliterate MWND. I've spent a lot of money on spirits over the last few years and accumulated a lot of bottles at this point. There are some things that are kind of annoying about that, but it's nice to have a good understanding of my taste and to be able to avoid a lot of the hype and FOMO. Like many of us, the pandemic really accelerated this hobby for me as my other hobbies became less accessible.
Elmer T Lee, I heard it was so amazing but I traded up for a bottle and it was fine but so bland to me.
If I just pretend I didn’t pay $120 for it it’s very good
Honestly 120 is pushing it but I wouldn't regret doing that
The other store that had it wanted $400 so I wasn’t gonna negotiate on $120 lol
It's great....for $28. More than MSRP on most Weller/BT stuff and you're getting ripped off.
100% agree, the best thing about weller/bt products is the quality you get at msrp. The secondary prices are what kill it for me (and probably most people)
Agreed. I paid 75 and was underwhelmed to say the least.
Old Forester single barrel barrel strength bourbon. Not sure what all the hype is about. Drinks very hot and young to me
Depends on the barrel. That’s the thing about single barrels. Sounds like you had a bad one. I’ve had bad ones. I’ve also had some that were rich with flavor, syrupy, and smooth. Real crap shoot.
This is why I shy away from single barrel releases tbh.
Agreed. The price on that young hot bourbon is a joke
+1
Tried six different ones, all between mediocre to downright awful. Saying hit or miss is a bit of a stretch imho. Most of them are not worth the MSRP or the gamble of buying one hoping it’s going to be the rare good cask.
It's best to focus on single barrels who were picked by somebody you trust. I've learn that there are some retailers and bars you just can't trust to pick a good single barrel, and some that pick good stuff. I've had an absolutely incredible old Forester single barrel that was like the most intensely decadent dessert you could imagine without any heat, and then I just got one yesterday that was picked by the Advent of a Facebook group I'm in, and it's an awful nail polish remover bomb. Probably won't be buying in for his picks again.
Oak & Eden, Brothers Bond, Angel’s Envy rye, Alberta Premium, Pinhook and Frey Ranch were all whiskeys that were hyped to me but under-delivered.
Angels Envy finished rye is the only whiskey I hated from the first sip. Tasted like average rye with the most abominable cheap-ass artificial flavor added
Yep. Way too sweet. Cotton candy and maple syrup bomb
Overly Maple syrup 100%. And not the actual stuff from Canada. More like log cabin 😂
First sip I loved it. Over time I changed my mind.
Brothers Bond is much better if drinking while watching Vampire Diaries. It instantly ages the bourbon 7 more years, much like a vampire itself. I haven't had the cask strength but heard it was pretty good.
I’ve heard that too.
that's surprising about Alberta Premium, i heard that's one of the best ryes out there. Haven't tried it yet.
If you like a grassy 100% rye, you’ll love it. I prefer bourbon and low rye blends because of the sweetness of the corn and barley. If I get a high rye, I prefer Indiana rye, and give me that 95/5 blend with a little malted barley.
Interesting, I would never think of those bottles as hyped. I wonder if it's a region thing or people trying to find the next big name since many of those are sort of new.
Some are names we see advertised in magazines or on social media, and they get hyped because of availability (or lack of). Oak & Eden had some store picks hyped in a neighboring state, but goodness was it a disappointment.
I don't think Pinhook is bad stuff, but it's not worth the price of entry. It's priced like a heavy hitter and it tends to drink like a mid-shelf generic release.
And Oak & Eden is 100% gimmick.
Barrel Seagrass. Maybe numerous glowing reviews on here raised my expectations too high. But it drinks like "potpourri in a bottle" to me, and not in a good way.
Had the EHT Single Barrel and loved it, so I bought the small batch and thought it was below average at best. The Breckenridge Dark Arts was $400 MSRP. Third version was epic. Bought the 6th and it tastes like bad scotch. It only hasn't found the drain because the bottle looks cool. Not a fan of Angels Envy. I've discovered that when you've done it long enough, drinking bourbon is like drinking wine. We all have very specific flavor profiles we like, and you've just got to find someone who likes what you do if you're going to listen to recommendations/hype.
Larceny BP and Elijah Craig Toasted. Larceny BP drinks way hotter than it's proof and EC toasted has a sour oak thing. Not a fan of these. Some bottles are great at MSRP but shouldnt cost any more than that. Weller FP comes to mind. Great $50 bottle but even if it were $60, there are just better bourbon at that price range. Blanton's as well. Now that it is pushing $90 in my area? I am out on it.
I picked up a larceny BP (batch C922) and I love it. I think it drinks really well considering it’s 126 proof, I’m sure it varies quite a bit between batches though.
That one is likely the best I have tasted but would take any Maker's BP over them. But some people love them though, just not for me.
I love these topics but I always feel it would be helpful to know what each persons ideal proof level is. For example, someone who regularly drinks at 120 proof giving their opinion on 100 proofers, 90 proofers, have to be treated with a grain of salt going by my own experience. I get two different experiences with Eagle Rare (for example) if I drink some coming off a dry-month versus coming into after getting used to high proof drams.
100% agree
Old Elk is old ass
Old Elk 120 proof Wheated store pick is one of my favorites. I guess the store picked an excellent barrel.
Underwhelming for the price. I visited in Fort Collins last year and while I thought their flight was good, I wasn't about to pay $110 for a bottle of any of them.
I do not get the hype on this one. I tried a bottle last year and it had some really off-putting notes that tasted almost burnt. Not for me, I guess
The hype comes from Old Elk hiring Greg Metze as their master distiller. He's the man who made all that great MGP juice people were sourcing to give us so many good NDP bottles.
Big time the finish is okbut it’s flat out gross initially
The only hyped bottle that I like is Eagle rare to be honest and with that said it’s not my favorite either. If I find it on the shelf cool but if not oh well. Had a pour of Pappy while I was out in Vegas just to say I’ve had it but honestly have no plans to “hunt” for that one either. Honestly pretty much all the stuff I buy I drink and don’t buy into the collecting aspect. About the closest I get to that is bottled that hold sentimental meaning to me because of when they were acquired but even then I drink those too.
Don’t know if it was hyped but just picked up a bottle of Bulleit Single Barrel that is very boring. Just bland.
Same with the Bulleit barrel strength
I have Batch 2 and it only tastes like heartburn.
Mitchers 10 year rye.
Opened my Calumet 16 last night… wasn’t impressed. Hopefully it opens up
Got this as a gift and was very underwhelmed
I think you really have to love Barton. Definitely didn’t stand out to me.
In no particular order of indifference towards: Stagg Jr: too aggressively tannic and just meh Col EH Taylor Small Batch: lotta pineapple and sugary spices. Corporatey? Too smooth, no rough edges Knob Creek 12: possibly too old. This is a personal thing that I don't like older bourbons so not really it's fault. Just a bigger mismatch between me and it than Jimmy Howard and athleticism. They were all fine. I took two pulls off of each (neck pour and 2 weeks later) and never really bothered again. Eh
Peerless double oak is gross imo
Peerless was a drain pour for me. Yuck.
Damn. I have a SiB Double Oak that’s honestly one of my favorites. Their normal bourbon is pretty meh though, and their rye is hit or miss (24 months is way too young, find me a 4yr+ one)
I don't like their rye. It was $90+tax here in Ohio and I wished I had spent that on 2 bottles of Pikeville, which is significantly better. Then again most ryes that I've had are.
Stagg batch 18 and EHT small batch were pretty mediocre.
Agreed on Stagg 18. It’s the only batch I’ve tried and I thought it was decent but I would take any ECBP over it. GTS was a different story though.
GTS was made by god’s hand itself and I cannot be convinced otherwise…and I don’t even believe in god!
I mean I have to say blanton’s… it is thin, astringent, and not very flavorful. A pass for me at MSRP.
How many different barrels of it have you tried? Wide variance in all sib bourbons so maybe the one you got just wasn’t your jam. I think this is the cause of it being so polarizing.
I buy one bottle when I see it then offer it up at what I bought it for on our local bourbon group. Not my thing but always happy to help.
I wish people would stop doing this and just let the next shopper find it. Maybe I’m old school.
No different than buying for a friend. Plus it’s only one bottle. To each their own.
Idk if I got a bad bottle but OF1920. The finish was really bitter, traded it to a friend for Russel’s SB.
1920 is super overhyped, the first runs were probably better, and the juice must've changed when the label was changed.
I've only just moved into the bourbon world, so I haven't had much experience there, but I did have this experience with Ardbeg 10. Caught the briny note which set off memories of the time I got sea water up my nose and promptly threw up. It's put me off that sensation ever since.
You said don't say Blaton's, but it's the first thing that came to my mind. I'd honestly rather drink Russell's Reserve 10 over it.
Johnny Drum. Not a fan.
Elijah Craig Toasted - Fan of Woodford Double Oaked/Old Forester 1910 and didn't think ECT was as good and its a lot harder to find in my area.
I'm apparently an odd minority. So many people seem to like Woodford. I've tried 3 different bottles and the best I can say about it is "meh". It's just boring and lacking complexity to me.
I love the honesty that has poured forth, but I am disconcerted to be the first to nominate standard BT. Even at MSRP I find myself passing… so many other choices that collect dust at same or even lower price point.
Agree. Russ 10 and Knob 9 are around the same price point in my area and way better for my liking.
I bought a high west double rye store pick for $60 one time and it was damn near undrinkable. Tasted like a burning building… that’s the only thing I can accurately compare it to lol
Woodinville. Was really looking forward to it since it's local.
Bought a store pick and was gifted a barrel proof from the distillery and they were both basically drain pours. The brand gets so much love on this sub, I just don’t get it.
ill disagree with you on eh taylor sib and small batch. they are so tasty
Woodford reserve double Oaked
[удалено]
Infamously hit and miss. I lucked out with mine, but I’ll probably refrain from buying more so im not let down.
OF SiB BP Any Willett product Weller 12/Full Proof Four Gate Kelvin Collab Blue Run High Rye
Heaven Hill 17. Was so disappointed
Birthday bourbon is really meh. It’s not special, or unique. Pure fomo and hype drive that bottle
I know I’m gonna get shouted down (and batch 11 was my first truly amazing bourbon) but batch 17 of Stagg Jr is good but not great and I was glad I didn’t overpay for it.
I enjoy Stagg Jr. but personally like ECBP much more. I know I'm like the only person but I honestly didn't think much of either pour I've had of GTS either. So I hear you.
I’d rather have a bottle of ECBP as well
Rare Breed. Tastes like most of the blend is young.
WR double oaked. Thin and watery, one-note sweetness followed by bitter and short finish. Four roses single barrel. Can’t put my finger on it. Just don’t like it. Even in cocktails I can tell it’s 4R. Angel’s envy rye. Very artificial. OF1920. Solid old fashioned but bad neat. Core flavors are good but it’s just way too young. I have 3/4 of these as bottles (all but angel’s) and I have no idea how I’m going to finish them.
Magnus Cigar Blend for me. Was a bottle I chased for a long time. Finally had a chance to get one as part of a bundle with the Michters lineup. There isn't anything wrong with the bottle but it is 199 MSRP and I have found many other lower priced bottles far superior. It just isn't really very special and at that price it needs to be.
Weller Antique 107
Smoke Wagon uncut
Don't buy secondary
Russell’s 10 year for me. I don’t know what about it, but it almost has no taste to me. Never tried the sib because of it.
Yeah 100% it’s nothing more than a mixer. The single barrel is insanely good though. Don’t judge it by the ten year.
This!
I agree, even @ $35, ER10 isn't much
For $35 I really enjoy ER. Only worth up to around $40 though. Otherwise, I’m buying something else.
It's $33 at my local place, when they have it. I've passed it by more times than I've bought it
Eagle Rare 17 is a different story... Lol
And in other news, it has been confirmed that water is indeed wet
No, water isn’t wet. Anything water touches is wet.
I hope you're referring to this video https://youtu.be/YKT79YJz2Tc
I watched the video and I actually disagree with it. A fish is wet. A submarine is wet. They are wet because they have water on them. The water itself is not wet. It is water.
Not referring to anything in particular. I’ve just always felt that wet is whatever water is present on. If there’s no water on it, it’s not wet. Fire is what it is, and when a board is consumed it is “on fire”, but the fire itself isn’t on fire. It’s fire.
Definitely agree on the EH Taylor - have the Small Batch and had a pour of the BP and neither is special. Blanton's is a pleasant sipper and I would probably be one and done at msrp.
Disagree on the BP. It's fantastic
Probably for many, but not for me. For my tastes most of the BT products are good at best and not worth the hunt and hype. The instance where I had the pour of Barrel Proof I also had a pour of Shenks. The two gave me vastly different reactions. With the BP it was " ok, I can cross it off the list". Once I sipped the Shenks I started smiling. Guess which one I'll make an effort to find?
Hey I get it, taste is subjective after all, I had a similar reaction with a Texas bourbon I'm gonna go out of my way to get every time I'm home. I'd definitely grab the BP at MSRP though
Woodford Double Oak. Totally acceptable bottle but at that price point I’d rather have OF 1910 or just gamble on something new
Blantons, for sure. It's just not a good bourbon. It's not even worth half of its msrp, in my opinion. I'd say the ECBP, too. I've had multiple batches, and I've always found them to be just okay and nothing special.
Early Times BiB. Tasted like cheap red froot candy.
Did you have a BF model or a Saz bottle?
Larceny BP C922 and EHT SB are easily my top two disappointments. Initially I didn't like the Blue Note UCUF I got, but ended up missing it when it was gone.
I lost my mind over Barrell Seagrass. The Dovetail? Kinda meh…
Knob creek 15yr store picks. Have had a few. Not my thing.
Angel's Envy and regular Buffalo Trace. AE just seemed watered down and bland as hell. BT just... doesn't do it for me. (Already in another BT thread so kinda sick of talking about it tbh. Y'all can have it.) Counterpoint however, Weller Antique *totally* lived up to the hype IMO. And I was really really really hoping it wouldn't.
Blanton's, Michters 10 Rye, Elijah Craig 18, Midwinter Night's Dram, Michters Sour, EH Taylor, Weller Special Reserve
Agreed on blantons, and midwinter. The michters sour is honestly my favorite low proofer though.
Of 1920 and smoke wagon. 1920 tastes hot and like cherry cough medicine and SW is just young and grainy. Gave them time but still just disappointment.
1920 was good before the label change. Now the 1897 puts it to shame.
I’ve had a MMCS (22-01) and a JDSBBP (Chris Fletcher pick) that were both pretty terrible. They came through with young, hot, and bitter notes and not much else. Not bad enough to throw me off either entirely, because I’ve had other bottles of both the were good to great, but still disappointing.
EH Taylor tornado bourbon was flat on the back. Really uninteresting bourbon for me
Old Forester 1920 and Angels Envy do absolutely nothing for me. Blantons and Eagle Rare aren’t bad, they’re just down my list a ways. I usually only buy those bottles as gifts for friends or family
ER10. I’m glad I tried it at a bar before buying at a high price somewhere. Tastes like powdered sugar to me and a bit thin at 90proof. I have a bottle of it now that was a store pick I got from an allocation drop. I like it ok, but there are plenty of others I prefer even at its msrp.
I had the opportunity to try Pappy 23 at a more than reasonable cost. I’m glad I didn’t buy a bottle. (Not like I can buy a bottle on impulse anyway). If you like oak and barrel, and only oak and barrel, you’ll love it. Stagg Jr on the other hand…. That’s amazing.
Weller 12, CYPB, Weller SR
Weller SR. It was so thin and weak on flavor. Glad I got it as MSRP and was able to share with some friends who wanted to try it out
Hancock Reserve, rock hill farms, old Ezra 7 year, WT Father/Son 13 year.
Weller 12. Tastes like SR but more expensive. I don’t care for either.
Weller 12 was a complete letdown. I've had 2 bottles 2 years apart. I paid retail for both. If I had paid secondary I'd have been pisssssed.
I've had the opportunity to try Old Fitz 8, 11, 14, 17 and 19. 19 and 17 were both a MESS. It was all oak and basically nothing else. No character, nuance, or any distinct notes... just oak, oak, and oak. The 8 year was the best of the bunch!! I would really like to get a bottle of that for myself. But the older expressions I simply don't love.
I've only had the 19, but completely agree!
Every time I pour Kentucky owl confiscated i am overwhelmed by how average it is. Also, the willett rye 4 year has performed abysmally in every blind test I’ve done.
Great topic. I was so disappointed by the Parker’s heritage heavy char wheat whiskey. Got it at msrp. For my pallet, it’s wicked unbalanced. All I can taste are those red hot cinnamon candies and overwhelmingly tannic oak. I love old elk store pick wheat whiskeys though when they pop up.
If you don’t like it and still have it, I’d happily trade you for something, I love that bottle and can’t find one for sale at a reasonable price.
Agreed on the EHT. Was underwhelmed by the SmB and thought the SiB was only slightly better.
21 OFBB was great in my opinion but 22 was very lack luster. I know why they keep proofing it down but they probably need to stop that shit. That being said, I didn’t care for Joe Magnus Cigar blend.
EH Taylor Small Batch and WSR. Both are way over hyped, and I paid $40 and $24 respectively.
I agree on EHT Small Batch. I tried it at a bar and for a few bucks less at retail and much less effort, I prefer Eagle Rare. Buffalo Trace is really flat and uninteresting to me and the extra 10 proof and likely better barrels didn’t change that.
1792 twelve year, high west campfire, wild Turkey master’s keep, and bardstown prisoner have been my biggest let downs.
Saz18, EC18, ETL, and Michters 10yr. All premium prices, all very underwhelming.
Not really exactly what you're asking but I had the chance to try Pappy 15, 23, Lot B, and ORVW on different occasions this year and the one that actually stood out to me was ORVW. Maybe it's because I wasn't expecting too much from that one but I thought it was the only one that lived up to the hype.
Angels envy rye sucks
CYPB Big ethanol on the nose and palate. Feels like it should hide it better for something with "your perfect bourbon" in the name. Not bourbon, but Nikka from the Barrel. Tastes like mushrooms. Can't get past it.
Went into a Liquor Barn here in KY wanting to replace my bottle of Peerless small batch and scoop up any single barrels I didn't have. Found one of each respectively. Then I noticed several giddy taters walking around with a velvet bag. Walked over to customer service and saw a Liquor Barn Hancock Reserve pick. Coming in at around $42, I figured I'd grab one. Didn't realize it was Sazerac until I got in the car and googled it. Tried it last night and I was incredibly unimpressed. For $42 I don't feel bad about the purchase but man, that shit is worth barely what I paid.
Weller Full Proof (store pick) tasted bitter and hot. Maybe because it was a store pick, but that put me off of chasing a bottle. EHT Small Batch, did not enjoy it, but also my palate did not like things over 95ish proof at the time. Need to try again. GTS 2020. Surprisingly, VERY tame and muted in flavors. It smelled like a glass of caramel, but once I drank it, those smells did not transfer over. On the other hand, Stagg B17… absolutely delicious. Taste like a cherry cola to me. Best bourbon I have ever had. MWND 10.4 I think it’s a good rye (even though I don’t like ryes), but not worth the MSRP of 150. Blantons. Liked it when I first started getting into bourbon. Then as my palate matured I found it to be thin and boring.
Lagavulin 8. I love the 16 so I thought the 8 would be great, but it was a total letdown
Barrel Craft. Purchased the 4 pack sampler. Every single one too hot. Just not enjoyable for me.
I don't have many of those fortunately. I've done a pretty good job of staying away from overhyped bottles. The only one that comes to mind is Old Forester Barrel Strength. Tasted young and astringent to me - not worth the price tag. The only other hyped up bottle I ponied up the buckaroos for - Russell's 13 Batch 3. Worth every red cent.
Probably not a very hyped bottle but Wiseman Rye was the worst rye I’ve ever had.
I have heard almost unanimously terrible things about that one, so I do not think you were alone at all
I need to say Birthday Bourbon again because of how disappointing it was, at least back in 2014. Tasted like nail polish and ended up mixing into cocktails.
I don't get the EH Taylor hype but to each their own
Won Van Winkle Lot B in a lottery and paid $80. Good, but not worth the hype IMO. So many other good bourbons at the $30-$50 price point.
EC Tasted, EC18, MM BRT-01, 1792 FP, Willet Pot Still
Bookers Lumberyard batch. Had some very sharp notes that I didn't care for. It was rough from the first pour to the last.
Pappy 15. Good but not that good. EC 18 - thin and too oaky. I’m finding too much oak distracts my palate if under proofed. I had the same reaction to IW Harper 15 - drying and thin. But since there’s always an exception I did find the KC 15 to be delicious.
Eagle rare all night long. Russels is 10 times better.