Good whisky/whiskey

[Eleven]

Lol wait a minute... You expect me to believe that you, bourbon afficionado that you are, hadn't tried an Old Fashioned prior to tonight? (And dammit; I knew there was a reason I meant to get oranges at the store yesterday!) I gotta get back to whisky... being in the Caribbean has put me on a rum kick.

 

I'm with her. The OF is a great drink.

 

Tonight, I had three bourbons-on-bourbons.

 

That, combined with a long, long two weeks, is why I'm home and posting on freaking SabreSpace at 930 instead of...aww, hell, I'd be home anyway because I don't like the late crew.

[Weave]

Lol wait a minute... You expect me to believe that you, bourbon afficionado that you are, hadn't tried an Old Fashioned prior to tonight? (And dammit; I knew there was a reason I meant to get oranges at the store yesterday!) I gotta get back to whisky... being in the Caribbean has put me on a rum kick.

I'm with her. The OF is a great drink.

 

Tonight, I had three bourbons-on-bourbons.

 

That, combined with a long, long two weeks, is why I'm home and posting on freaking SabreSpace at 930 instead of...aww, hell, I'd be home anyway because I don't like the late crew.

 

Yeah, believe it or not, my bourbon has always been in Manhattan form or straight up. Don't know what got into me but I was sittting on the barstool tonight and decided "Old Fashioned". Don't even know why. I'm not sure I'll ever orfder a Manhattan at a bar again. OMFG so good.

 

*full disclosure* I am sitting at home now, no oranges anywhere in sight, so it is Russel's Reserve straight up to finish the session

[Eleven]

Yeah, believe it or not, my bourbon has always been in Manhattan form or straight up. Don't know what got into me but I was sittting on the barstool tonight and decided "Old Fashioned". Don't even know why. I'm not sure I'll ever orfder a Manhattan at a bar again. OMFG so good.

 

*full disclosure* I am sitting at home now, no oranges anywhere in sight, so it is Russel's Reserve straight up to finish the session

 

Don't get me wrong, I greatly prefer the Manhattan (despite the name) over the Old Fashioned (awesome name), but to never have tried one?! Wow.

 

Well, now, you have.

 

I still like it just over rocks unless it's a celebration or something. Two Manhattans (with lower AC but that deadly mixture of whisky and rotten wine) will do to me what three Maker's-on-rocks will do.

[biodork]

 

 

 

Yeah, believe it or not, my bourbon has always been in Manhattan form or straight up. Don't know what got into me but I was sittting on the barstool tonight and decided "Old Fashioned". Don't even know why. I'm not sure I'll ever orfder a Manhattan at a bar again. OMFG so good.

 

*full disclosure* I am sitting at home now, no oranges anywhere in sight, so it is Russel's Reserve straight up to finish the session

 

Well to be fair, I haven't tried one yet for myself, but since I'm still somewhat of whisky noob that's not as surprising. I do need to try one, considering I've not been enamored of sweet vermouth.

[Weave]

Don't get me wrong, I greatly prefer the Manhattan (despite the name) over the Old Fashioned (awesome name), but to never have tried one?! Wow.

 

Well, now, you have.

 

I still like it just over rocks unless it's a celebration or something. Two Manhattans (with lower AC but that deadly mixture of whisky and rotten wine) will do to me what three Maker's-on-rocks will do.

 

Yeah. Other than a heat-of-the-Summer mojito or margarita, and the obligatory Spring Julep, I'm not a mixed drink guy. Never really occurred top me to try an Old Fashioned. I'm a fan now.

[SwampD]

Don't get me wrong, I greatly prefer the Manhattan (despite the name) over the Old Fashioned (awesome name), but to never have tried one?! Wow.

 

Well, now, you have.

 

I still like it just over rocks unless it's a celebration or something. Two Manhattans (with lower AC but that deadly mixture of whisky and rotten wine) will do to me what three Maker's-on-rocks will do.

[/remains quite in the background]

[Eleven]

[/remains quite in the background]

 

Well. Time to pop your cherry. After proper muddling, of course.

[Weave]

It occurred to me that, with an increasingly likely layoff period looming, I may have an extended time away from trying new and interesting whiskeys. Granted, I have enough whiskey bunkered away to ensure my saniity (if not my liver health) for up to a 6 nmonth layoff. Still, there is nothing quite like a new bourbon sampled on a favorite barstool. With that situation in mind, I made the effort to get to the watering hole last night. (no, it really didn't take any effort, and yes I would have likely been there anyway :P )

 

Much to my surprise, I found two new bottles on display. And so we're off.

 

First up is a brand new label. It is called Larceny and is made by the folks at Heaven Hill, makers of Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, and Rittenhouse Rye. It is a wheat based bourbon like Maker's Mark and my favorite go to, Weller's. I haven't seen it on store shelves yet but word on the interwebs is it's retailing for around $20 and is HH's shot at taking some of Maker's Mark's heafty market share. Reviews have been generally good and say it has a bigger flavor than Makers, closer to Makers 46 supposedly. And all have said it's a great buy at $20. Oh, and initial shipments went out with big rebates. Some folks are purchasing bottles with net prices under $5 after rebate :w00t:. And so, it was my first glass of the evening. Ordered neat of course. The nose was rich and sweet, a mix of brown sugar and vanilla. It is 92 proof but seems hotter than that on the nose. On the tongue the initial reaction is soft and smooth. Flavors are more subtle than say, Weller, but it's not hard to find them either. The aroma carriers over on the tongue. It's brown sugar and vanilla. It isn't sweet per say, but the flavors remind one of the not-quite-caramel you get from brown sugar. And there was the barest hint of cinnamon ala Red Hot Jawbreakers. But just a bare hint., The finish was different. It was a longer, more interesting finish than Makers, but at the end it took on an almost woody character. Some reviewers are calling it minty. I got more of a wood/straw thing on my palate. I found it a touch offputting. Your mileage may vary. I found that finish unbalanced the whiskey somewhat. It wasn't a bad pour but just didn't strike me a sbalanced as some. That finish probably did me in for this bourbon. I was inclined to sum it up negatively because of it, but that's probably unfair. 1. My impression of that finish seems to be a minority impression, and 2. You have to keep in mind what this bourbon is up against. It is at a price point that puts it among JD, JB, plain Wild Turkey, and plain Evan Williams. In my opinion it is a better, softer, subtler pour than any of those. Certainly a more interesting pour. It is priced below Elmer T Lee, JB Black, Evan Williams Single Barrel and 101 Turkey yet is probably a very comparable pour to any of them quality-wise. I'm not sure that Larceny can steal market share from Maker's Mark, but it's not a bad alternative to it. And it undercuts Makers price by a fair bit.

 

My second pour was another wheat based bourbon. But this one is legendary. It was Van Winkle Special Reserve. Also known as "Lot B". A 12 year old small batch bourbon. Made by the Buffalo Trace distillery, the lineup is infamous for being in short supply and high demand. They purposely keep volume low. And they ration distributors so the bottles are generally reserved for the "best customers" of a given wholesaler. Consequently prices for these whiskeys can get into the range of good to great Scotch in areas where it is sought after As far as I can tell western NY isn't one of those areas. Around here it goes for anywhere from $50-80 depending on supply. Again, I ordered mine neat. Nose was very sweet. Caramel, dates, prunes, vanilla, and and cinnamon show up. The mouthfeel on this whiskey is outrageous. Silky, smooth, can you describe a whiskey as having an unctuous mouthfeel? Shades of that gorgeous gelatin that forms on the fibers of pork shoulder lovingly slow smoked for half a day. It is slippery yet seems to coat the tongue. On the palate I get hints of butterscotch candy, caramel, cinnamon, butter, and an almost toasted pecans thing. And always that silky smooth melting ice cream mouthfeel. Down the hatch and you get a bit of heat to rough things up a touch and more of that cinnamon and a bare bit of tannin and black pepper for good measure. And then the finish kicks in. More butterscotch and a long reminder of ribbon candy and creme brulee. This is a seriously great whiskey. It's triple to quadruple the price of Larceny but man, oh man is this a complex and interesting pour.

 

Dropping back two wheat bourbons made for a good comparison. There is so much difference in these two whiskeys. Both are soft and smooth, but the similarities ends there. Where Larceny is subtle and a bit unbalanced, VWSR was robust, brought out a symphony of reactions from the taste buds, and the play of sweet and spice was amazingly balanced.

 

And now for my second dose of ibuprophen this morning. :P

[nobody]

 

First up is a brand new label. It is called Larceny

 

My second pour was another wheat based bourbon. But this one is legendary. It was Van Winkle Special Reserve.

 

Woohoo - I actually sampled Larceny a day before you! I won't try to wax poetic like you can with the details but will add as you mentioned about Heaven Hill - it is hard to beat the price of their offerings with the quality they offer. I'm sure I would agree that the Van Winkle was far superior - maybe I'll get to try it someday.

[biodork]

Ah, weave... I'm not sure I'll ever develop the ability to discern all the wonderfully nuanced flavors you describe in your tasting notes, but reading them is always enjoyable and makes me want to go try some new bourbon. I sincerely hope things work out for you in your job search, but I can't help but think your calling may be elsewhere.

[Weave]

Woohoo - I actually sampled Larceny a day before you! I won't try to wax poetic like you can with the details but will add as you mentioned about Heaven Hill - it is hard to beat the price of their offerings with the quality they offer. I'm sure I would agree that the Van Winkle was far superior - maybe I'll get to try it someday.

 

D'oh! You could have had all the glory by posting about it yesterday!

 

Ah, weave... I'm not sure I'll ever develop the ability to discern all the wonderfully nuanced flavors you describe in your tasting notes, but reading them is always enjoyable and makes me want to go try some new bourbon. I sincerely hope things work out for you in your job search, but I can't help but think your calling may be elsewhere.

 

Unfortunately there isn't much in the way of money to be made spewing flowery bullshyt about food and booze on the internet. :blush:

[Hank]

Question for the whiskey enthusiasts. My boss gave me a bottle of 10 year old Glenmorangie. Perhaps I'm just not sophisticated enough, but I don't enjoy it. Is this supposed to be the good stuff? Or did my boss give me some cheap shite?

 

What I do enjoy is something really sweet, disaronno. Is there something similar in the scotch world?

[drnkirishone]

I might of asked this before but i'll be damned if I can find it. Any suggestions for a irish whiskey? I have tried Jameson and Tullamore Dew (Tullamore is better). Looking for suggestions for another to try. Or if someone has a out of the box (not irish whiskey) that they think would be good for a Tullamore/Jameson drinker.

[Eleven]

Question for the whiskey enthusiasts. My boss gave me a bottle of 10 year old Glenmorangie. Perhaps I'm just not sophisticated enough, but I don't enjoy it. Is this supposed to be the good stuff? Or did my boss give me some cheap shite?

 

What I do enjoy is something really sweet, disaronno. Is there something similar in the scotch world?

 

That's a nice bottle and not cheap shite. It may be that you just don't like Scotch. I don't; the peat taste gets to me.

 

But you may be in luck: there is something sweet in the Scotch world. Drambuie is a Scotch-based liqueur. At 80 proof, it still packs a punch. I've never tried it, but you might want to.

[biodork]

I might of asked this before but i'll be damned if I can find it. Any suggestions for a irish whiskey? I have tried Jameson and Tullamore Dew (Tullamore is better). Looking for suggestions for another to try. Or if someone has a out of the box (not irish whiskey) that they think would be good for a Tullamore/Jameson drinker.

 

I'm sure there are better / more qualified people to answer this, but my friend's husband loves Feckin. I personally haven't sampled much in the way of Irish whiskey just yet, but it's on the to-do list.

[Hank]

 

 

That's a nice bottle and not cheap shite. It may be that you just don't like Scotch. I don't; the peat taste gets to me.

 

But you may be in luck: there is something sweet in the Scotch world. Drambuie is a Scotch-based liqueur. At 80 proof, it still packs a punch. I've never tried it, but you might want to.

 

Thank you, I'll give it a shot.

[Weave]

I might of asked this before but i'll be damned if I can find it. Any suggestions for a irish whiskey? I have tried Jameson and Tullamore Dew (Tullamore is better). Looking for suggestions for another to try. Or if someone has a out of the box (not irish whiskey) that they think would be good for a Tullamore/Jameson drinker.

 

I haven't dug very deeply into Irish whsiskey but Bushmill's Black Bush is in an approachable price point and has a good rep from what I've heard. Redbreast is usually highly regarded. Depending on your budget, Tyrconnell has a great reputation too but the price really starts to creep up here.

[nobody]

But you may be in luck: there is something sweet in the Scotch world. Drambuie is a Scotch-based liqueur. At 80 proof, it still packs a punch. I've never tried it, but you might want to.

 

Wow - I've forgotten about drambuie. Good old rusty nail. Great christmas time drink.

[SDS]

 

I'm sure there are better / more qualified people to answer this, but my friend's husband loves Feckin.

 

Am I supposed to let this one go?

[biodork]

Am I supposed to let this one go?

 

:lol: :P

[MattPie]

That's a nice bottle and not cheap shite. It may be that you just don't like Scotch. I don't; the peat taste gets to me.

 

But you may be in luck: there is something sweet in the Scotch world. Drambuie is a Scotch-based liqueur. At 80 proof, it still packs a punch. I've never tried it, but you might want to.

 

IMHO, Drambuie isn't something you'd drink on it's own. I've done it, it's really sweet and a little syrupy. As someone mentioned, the Rusty Nail (50/50 with whiskey) is awesome. I'm not sure I'd use a nice Scotch with it since the Drambuie may overpower the Scotch, but the peaty note may be interesting. I think I know what I'll be trying later tonight. I've always done it before with whatever Irish or Canadian whiskey I've had on-hand.

 

I haven't dug very deeply into Irish whsiskey but Bushmill's Black Bush is in an approachable price point and has a good rep from what I've heard. Redbreast is usually highly regarded. Depending on your budget, Tyrconnell has a great reputation too but the price really starts to creep up here.

 

Michael Collins Single Malt Irish Whiskey is nice. It's like a less-intense Scotch.

[Eleven]

IMHO, Drambuie isn't something you'd drink on it's own. I've done it, it's really sweet and a little syrupy.

 

I agree with you, but Hank likes Disaronno, which is also sweet and a little syrupy. He might like it on its own over some ice.

[spndnchz]

It occurred to me that, with an increasingly likely layoff period looming, I may have an extended time away from trying new and interesting whiskeys. Granted, I have enough whiskey bunkered away to ensure my saniity (if not my liver health) for up to a 6 nmonth layoff. Still, there is nothing quite like a new bourbon sampled on a favorite barstool. With that situation in mind, I made the effort to get to the watering hole last night. (no, it really didn't take any effort, and yes I would have likely been there anyway :P )

 

Much to my surprise, I found two new bottles on display. And so we're off.

 

First up is a brand new label. It is called Larceny...

 

Bf got a bottle of Larceny the other day .75ML with a $10 rebate so it was like $15 after rebate. I tried some and I'll agree with the u-turn it takes from start to finish. Start out with the brown sugar you mention and ends with the cinnamon jaw breaker.

 

Meh. I still like sugary tequila.

[Weave]

Bf got a bottle of Larceny the other day .75ML with a $10 rebate so it was like $15 after rebate. I tried some and I'll agree with the u-turn it takes from start to finish. Start out with the brown sugar you mention and ends with the cinnamon jaw breaker.

 

Meh. I still like sugary tequila.

 

So I'm not completely full of shyt, eh?

 

 

OK, don't answer that.

[spndnchz]

So I'm not completely full of shyt, eh?

 

 

OK, don't answer that.

 

Had some "leathery undertones" too. But I guess that's whiskey.