The finest bourbon I have tasted. Yet.

[MattK.]

Sipping on some 2010 George T. Stagg as I type. I scored two bottles here in Charlotte last fall for $65 a pop. Might be the best money I spent all last year.

[OSECS]

Not to gay up a great thread, but How's the cake bread ?

[MattK.]

I am not much of a wine connoisseur but I like Cakebread's Cabernet a lot. My wife is more into wine and she seems to like it too. I really do not know enough about wine to compare it to anything.

[Chugachjed]

You seem to be in the minority...

http://bourbonbuzz.com/2011/04/21/bu...its-challenge/

Buffalo trace rated higher than Blantons? Unpossible. And minority or not that shit is too sweet.

[OSECS]

Buffalo trace rated higher than Blantons? Unpossible. And minority or not that shit is too sweet.

That must be some sweet bourbon. I think Blantons falls on the sweet side as it is.

[Chugachjed]

Blantons is sweet too but so much smoother.

[OSECS]

Blantons is sweet too but so much smoother.

Damn your talk of bourbon ...... I'm gonna have to get one now !!!

[OSECS]

Ahhhhhhhhhh. Tasty.

[Cruiser]

My evening's entertainment/homework:

[Meadow Skipper]

^ Nice. I missed that post. Results?

My question: is it okay to put a small splash in my Booker's? I mean that shit's like 127 proof. Makes a little easier for me to focus on the taste.

[Benny Profane]

I tried this one a few years ago, but, forgot about it until the other day when I saw it on the shelf for 35 bucks. Very good value. Sam Houston Very Small Batch. smooth.

[ICEHOCEY77]

PSA:

The purpose here is not to tell you about the Van Winkle whiskeys. It is to tell people who already know about Van Winkle whiskeys that the fall 2011 release will be in stores before 2011 expires -- barely. Probably just after Thanksgiving. Get friendly with your whiskey monger now.

That's official, from the Van Winkles.

You should know (and this isn't from-them official) that the chronic scarcity of Van Winkle whiskey is a deliberate business strategy, not that there's anything wrong with that. By keeping supply well below demand, the company reduces its selling cost and market risk to just about zero. Nobody pressures you on price when you're on allocation, so profits are protected and predictable. They actually do increase the supply, so their profits do grow, just not by much. It's a very unconventional and conservative business model, probably suitable only for small, family-run businesses.

To reflect a bit afield, the current state of things should have us all thinking about the point at which 'reasonable profits' slips over into 'unconscionable greed.' A company like Van Winkle shows that 'get as much as you can as fast as you can' is not the only way to be successful.

12345

[Benny Profane]

Dude, that pretty much works for all of the single malt makers in Scotland. They can only make so much and still be valid, and, with rich Chinese and Indian drunks coming on line, well, capitalism works.

[Art Shirk]

My evening's entertainment/homework:

Haven't read this thread through yet, but had black Maple Hill bourbon today at lunch at Cafe Presse and I think it is made by these folks. It made me feel happy.

[iceman]

@Benny: ^^just curious what you mean by "be valid"?

[Benny Profane]

Well, you know, once they start thinking of enlarging their operations, which, are essentially, a small distillery on the side of a stream with perfect water somewhere in Scotland, and, start mechanizing the operations, which are essentially the same way they have been doing it for 200+ years, then, poof, there goes quality. It's kinda like a very fine French country restaurant trying to become a "brand". But, it's already happened. The result is Dewars.

[BmillsSkier]

Commonlaw, Cafe Presse in SF? I've had some fun there, cool spot.

Black Maple Hill is some tasty bourbon indeed. Was turned on to it at Graham Elliot in Chicago this summer. It's their go-to bourbon.

[Cruiser]

^ Nice. I missed that post. Results?

My question: is it okay to put a small splash in my Booker's? I mean that shit's like 127 proof. Makes a little easier for me to focus on the taste.

We passed on those and ordered another group of 4 samples. That group was better and we found a nice one. Barrel proof on the winner was 144.6. Shit was the fire... We're expecting that barrel to hit the warehouse around the end of the month.

Yeah, break your cask strength stuff with a touch of water if you want it turbo or a bit more water if you're looking for a nice supple after-dinner sipper. No harm in a splash of branch water to soften things up. At 127 proof it'll numb up your taste buds to the point that all the nuance will be lost anyway. That's not to say that I don't like a little taste of the full strength hookachaka from time to time though...

[Art Shirk]

Commonlaw, Cafe Presse in SF? I've had some fun there, cool spot.

Black Maple Hill is some tasty bourbon indeed. Was turned on to it at Graham Elliot in Chicago this summer. It's their go-to bourbon.

No, Seattle, but I have been to the SF one a few times (actually Cafe de la Presse) and it is pretty similar in food and atmosphere as I recall.
Both fun spots.

[ColoMike]

Cruiser interested to hear when that bourbon hits your shelves. Will have to make another visit to your shop.

I know this is bourbon thread, but the rye discussion has caused me to check that out as well. I have to say that the Russell Reserve Rye is very very nice. Price is pretty good and the taste is top shelf. This thread is sucking money out of my pocket.

[Pegleg]

^^^ I've suddenly found myself becoming a rye man as well. I like bourbon better for sipping straight, but in almost every cocktail where I used to use bourbon I'm discovering I like rye better. It's leaner and it just seems to mix better. So far I'm doing manhattans, vieux carres, sazeracs, and old fashioneds with rye (Rittenhouse 100 or Bulleit) and liking the trend. The only bourbon cocktail that I'm sticking with bourbon for right now is the boulevardier - the astringency of the Campari seems to balance well with the richness of bourbon.

Anyone wanna should out some other ryes worth checking? My local bar uses R1 but it's expensive and I can't say I'm a huge fan. The bartender at Modis (in Breckenridge) was all about Michter's, but I haven't seen that in the stores around here.

[Rontele]

^^^ I've suddenly found myself becoming a rye man as well. I like bourbon better for sipping straight, but in almost every cocktail where I used to use bourbon I'm discovering I like rye better. It's leaner and it just seems to mix better. So far I'm doing manhattans, vieux carres, sazeracs, and old fashioneds with rye (Rittenhouse 100 or Bulleit) and liking the trend. The only bourbon cocktail that I'm sticking with bourbon for right now is the boulevardier - the astringency of the Campari seems to balance well with the richness of bourbon.

Anyone wanna should out some other ryes worth checking? My local bar uses R1 but it's expensive and I can't say I'm a huge fan. The bartender at Modis (in Breckenridge) was all about Michter's, but I haven't seen that in the stores around here.

Michter's is my favorite hands down. You should be able to find it easily in Colorado. Also like High West.

[Pegleg]

Michter's is my favorite hands down. You should be able to find it easily in Colorado.

I'll have to look again. Usually Liquor Mart in Boulder and Superior Liquors in Superior are pretty good, but the rye selection at both is terrible.

Which of the High Wests do you like? I noticed that they had a couple of ryes, along with an unusual unaged (clear) whiskey and a combination bourbon and rye ("bourye").

[Rontele]

I'll have to look again. Usually Liquor Mart in Boulder and Superior Liquors in Superior are pretty good, but the rye selection at both is terrible.

Which of the High Wests do you like? I noticed that they had a couple of ryes, along with an unusual unaged (clear) whiskey and a combination bourbon and rye ("bourye").

Let me know if you have trouble finding it and I'll pick you up a bottle locally and figure out a way to get it to you. I like the High West double rye. its a blend of a 2 year and 18 year rye (with some corn). Really good stuff.

Right now in my eyes, Michters has no equal. It is so smooth and displays every reason why I love rye more than bourbon.

[Arty50]

My rye selection currently consists of a bottle of Templeton and a bottle Old Portrero 19th Century. I like both a lot. I can't compare to Michters since I haven't had that in a long while, but I do remember liking it quite a bit. I highly recommend both of the bottles in my cabinet though.

FYI, Old Portrero is brought to us by the fine folks that make Anchor Steam. The rye is quite good and their Junipero gin is pretty darn nice too. Oh and they make some damn fine beer too.