Re: The Bourbon Thread!!
 

Steph and I are planning a trip to Mammoth Cave for next spring. We figured while in that area we'd hit some distilleries. The town of Bardstown seems promising as a location as it's not too far out of our way and there are 11 or so distilleries within 16 miles of it.

So, has anyone toured some of the distilleries around Bardstown? Are there any that are must-sees and others that are not worth the time?

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Can’t remember if Makers is in that area, but I did that tour and it was very good. That was probably 20 years ago though, so your mileage may vary.

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Yep, they're one of them.

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Unfortunately, I wasn't into bourbon yet when I was at UofL in 2000. We did do the Maker's tour in Louisville proper. I enjoyed it.

Bob, one of those bottles I sampled was bottle finished with an Amburana stave. I liked it a lot, but others I know don't care for anything Amburana.

Good da at Binny's yesterday!

https://i.imgur.com/mkkEmBS.jpg

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Decided to hit up a few stores after my doc appt. The one store I slightly overpaid for Blantons and Weller, has Weller SR ($99), 107 ($149), 12yr ($449) on the shelf, as well as 10yr Old Rip ($1299) and Pappy ($1799). They had other overpriced stuff (ER, EHT SB, Bookers, Willet Pot Still). There are new owners that decided to flex their other stores overpriced stuff around here. Good luck with that.

Another store had Russell 13 for $300. Apparently it’s selling as they were down to 3 bottles.

One store had a Russell’s Single Barrel that looked interesting. $65-70 iirc.

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So it’s a bourbon Friday afternoon.

Wet my palate with some Coppercraft. Now doing a comparison of Wilderness Trail BiB vs the Family Reserve (at 110 proof and nearly 6 years aged). Might have to see if the store I got the FR has anymore.

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Those RR picks can be great, Bob. The RR13s I've had (batches 2 & 3) are outstanding, but not 275-325 dollar outstanding. I traded for mine.

Got a Barrell Bourbon private blend from Whiskey Raiders' savant blender, T8KE. Hoping it's better than the last private blend I took a chance on.

https://i.imgur.com/HhOYSk2.jpg

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I’ll have to see if they have a sample bottle, before dropping the cash on it. I doubt it, but you never know unless you ask.

Cracked open the Benchmark single barrel I snagged last week. Surprisingly good.

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I opened up the K.Luke last night and damn, it's a tasty bourbon. I'm going to Maisano's later on this week and I might have to grab another bottle.

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I hit Maisano's and picked up four cask strength owner's picks. I also grabbed two bottles of OGD114 because it's the first time I've seen it in over six months or so.

https://i.imgur.com/eGghVeZ.jpg

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Looks like a nice lineup James! OGD114 has been hit-and-miss again up here. We are starting to find it on a more regular basis again.

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Hey James, is that Old Elk store pick a sour mash by chance?

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If it is they don't mention it anywhere on the label.

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Nice haul James! Curious to hear your thoughts on the Old Scout and Old Elk picks.

It was a good day at Binny's, they released Stagg 22B and 23A, Blanton's Straight From the Barrel and Blanton's Gold. Catch was you could only take one of the four. I grabbed the SFTB and floored i to the next nearest Binny's, where I grabbed Stagg 22B. It was $60 and the secondary market for it around here is $250, so I saved a pretty penny.

https://i.imgur.com/junlpFI.jpg

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Tom any plans to open the Blantons SFTB any time soon? They show up in Florida from time to time but I want to know if it’s really worth it or not before buying. Also by chance what was Binnys price on it?

As for Old Elk store picks, I really haven’t had a bad one of their bourbons. I’m not a big fan typically of finished bourbons, but even their stuff is pretty good. Recently I had the chance to participate in a barrel pick of a sour mash from Old Elk and it was hard to narrow down the choices, as there really wasn’t a bad one, but our group ended up with a unanimous favorite and it turned out to be a high proof barrel too!

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Nice scores there Tom.

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Mike, the Blanton's SFTB was $149. I will open it in the next few days and let you know. I'm hoping it will be everything that Blanton's is not.:tu

I don't think I've tried any version of Old Elk. I'm sure they have some on the bar at Garfield's, I'll give one a whirl.

With all the great hauls you've had lately Bob, that's big praise! :)

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I've had two owner's picks that were cask strength and really enjoyed them. However, I've never had the "regular" Old Elk so have no idea how it is. It gets decent reviews.

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Tom I hope that SFTB is tasty!

Before Greg Metze left as the master distiller at MGP he blended between 50,000 - 100,000 barrels that were all designated for Old Elk as propriatary mash bills and Old Elk purchased all of those barrels for their current distillate. Metze is the distiller for OE and while they expect to be using the sourced barrels for quite a while, they are also working on their own distillates and experimental barrels. They currently have 18 different selections (iirc) and their store picks encompass many of those options, blends, and finishes. As for a bottle I think you'd enjoy, their 8 wheated bourbon is pretty killer!

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https://i.imgur.com/Qtno65Q.png

Yesterdays pick-ups; Eagle Rare (one I keep on-hand for cocktails), Jack Single Barrel Barrel Proof Rye 136.1 proof, and Bombergers 2023 Small Batch 108 proof.

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Nice pickups, Mike. :tu

James, hoping one of the stores that consistently make good picks does an unfinished Old Elk.

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I'll be bringing to Shack some hopefully tasty bottles for the connaisseurs among the group, including Stitzel-Weller juice.

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Hugh you're nuts! Hope to see those cape socks too!

I went out and did a Garrison Brothers tasting last night, it was a disappointment! The Balmorhea was okay, but all eight of their blends are the same mash, and most are low proof and oversweet! It's a skip for me in the future!

There were some nice pickup's I got yesterday though.

https://i.imgur.com/z8plCIe.png
EC Toasted (I wish EC would do a toasted barrel proof), local 1792 Full Proof TW store pick (it's amazing), and I grabbed the Shenks 2023 Homestead (92 proof) we'll see how that one is eventually!

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Mike, I've loved just about every 1782 FP pick I've had. Curious to hear about yours.

Hugh, you are a madman! :D

Opened the SFTB last night. Thumbs up for me, tastes like Elmer T. Lee on steroids, great flavor with 128 proof kick. On the palate I got notes of orange peel, raisins, honey and cider donuts. Crazy interesting.

https://i.imgur.com/AWAcjso.jpg

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I need to stop by my local store to see if they got any of their picks in. Besides a 1792FP, they’re getting EC, Four Roses, Russel’s, and an 8 year Pinigree.

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Nice catch. I keep missing the Stagg drops here, but it seems they are getting put out every other month. I still have a couple of B13-16 bottles in my collection.

Fulfilled a local guy's wish for a couple of black cap Early Times last week. I think I still have a case of it. Grabbed a EHT SmB this week, but honestly, I haven't been hunting too much lately. -(P

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Friday night pours. EHT SB, EC BP 922 and Michters SB. Not sure if I’ll try something else. Still need to crack open the Smokewagon I got recently.

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Couple of my favorite Booker's for Friday night.

https://i.imgur.com/Z0oTjyz.jpg

Bob, the Russell's pick I got last week is fire. Hopefully yours is too when they come out.

Tony, that Stagg 15 is one of my favorites, enjoy that one! :al

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Lots of great pickups in here, hell of a day Tom. I've been trying to kill off bottles to make a little room before buying any more, I was about at capacity there for a minute but cleared out a little breathing room

Dang... Sounds like a good time

:sad

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Indeed, Ben, I don't have days at retail like that very often.

Peter helped you clear any space lately? :D

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My local B&M got their EC store pick in. Snagged a bottle.

https://i.imgur.com/INZ5a0F.jpg

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Hope it's tasty, Bob! :al :dr

Located a backup bottle of Binny's RR pick, too good not to grab another.

https://i.imgur.com/me78qSR.jpg

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The general consensus amongst my turkey fiends is that we're in the golden age of WT picks right now, they're starting to skew younger (8 years) but if you can get a good 9-10 year pick it's likely going to be delicious

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Cracked open the EC BP. Holy shite! Maple syrup, marshmallow, oak, vanilla, cotton candy. Doesn’t drink like nearly 130 proof, but then you feel it about 5 minutes later.

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Good to know! Thanks Ben!

Nice, Bob!

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Stopped by a local store to look for the Russell’s single barrel. Found this too. Needless to say both came home with me.

https://i.imgur.com/waJDdyg.jpg

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Nice grab!

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Nice finds Bob! The RR10 SiB and that ECBP store pick I'm sure will both be great!

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Nice grabs. I love ECBP's but had to stop buying picks because I had too damn many. I've only found a few single barrels that are better than the recent batches, although I haven't tried B523 yet which is the first to dip below 12 years aged stated, but certainly will as soon as the stores here catch up. We're usually a couple releases behind, I tend to ship them in when a new batch starts coming out but I've been trying to be good :r

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Great pick up Bob, hope that one is a winner. :tu

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Ok, I spent way too much money I don’t really have this afternoon. This might be a long one.

Hanging with my best friend Dave last night. He likes bourbon, but not an aficionado. He’d rather drink it mixed than neat. Not judging, to each his own. Last night we went for tacos. After, I suggested we hit up a local bar that was supposed to have a bourbon I wanted to try (RD One Amburana finished). Nope, but the had almost all the BT line, plus Bookers. Had a pour of Bookers 22-02. It was ok, but there was something on the mid palate that I wasn’t a fan of. Then followed up with the Stagg Jr (delicious). Back at his house I tried a distillers select from a local distillery that was surprisingly good. I think it’s MGP they finish.

Fast forward to this morning. He’s got the day off and we go grab breakfast. I had gotten a text from another friend that a store in Ann Arbor has Bookers 22-01 and 23-01. Call them, they’re gone. Damn. Well, we had to go that way since we’re headed to his cottage to pick up his boat cover to take in for repair. But first we stop by another local store to see if they have Blantons. He’s been looking for one. Sure enough they do. Nice! Then we head towards his cottage but first we stop at Total Wine to see what they have. Heard the truck with BT stuff is there, but still needs to be unloaded. Another hour or so. We head to his cottage, grab the cover and drop it off. We’ll hit up TW on the way back and if we get lucky then cool.

We get to the store and cases of BT is set out, but nothing else. Ask a worker if that’s all they got. He’s like, “yea, that’s it”. Well shite. Buddy goes to look at the cigars while I go use the pisser. I come out to to see him looking around. We both had the same idea to find the guy we talked to a couple hours earlier. We see him pushing a cart towards the checkout, followed by a few people. On the cart I see more BT, plus ER, a few EHT SB, Saz Rye and Old Fitz Bib and Weller. Hot damn!

We’re 5/6 in line. Missed out on the Weller, but I scored the OF, EHT, ER and a baby Blantons. He got the last OF, ER and baby Blantons. The guy behind us really wanted the OF. Even gave me his phone number as he heard me say I might buy to trade. As we’re talking to him about trades, mention I’m looking for RD One Amburana finished. He texts another store a few miles away that has it in stock. Off to that store we go.

Cracked open the RD One. Wow! It is like Cinnamon Toast Crunch in liquid form.

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Hell of a day Bob! Was it the Old Fitz decanter? The new 10 year? I'm curious how it is, I've tried a few and they range3 from pretty good to outstanding, the 17 year is truly a special pour

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Yes, spring 23, 10 y/o in the decanter. I can’t decide if I’m going to open it or sell/trade it.

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Very cool. If I was closer I'd try to dig out a couple bottles that might interest you, but shipping those decanters can be a real pain in the ass :r

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Sounds like a great day, Bob!

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It was kinda funny. I mean I’m familiar with OF, but don’t know anything about this Bib release. But seeing there was only the two 3 ct. cases on the cart, I knew it was something special. At least allocated. I was surprised my buddy grabbed the last one knowing he’s not a huge bourbon guy.

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You guys both hit home runs, I had to win mine in a lottery. Secondary pricing only really got crazy for the higher aged ones, I think they need the extra oak influence otherwise they can be too soft and sweet like a fruity bubble gum. I'd say go ahead and open it up to see if you like it, but you can probably get 2-3 other decent bottles for it depending on how badly somebody else wants it

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Yea, a quick google search boggles the mind what some of those other releases are getting.

Re: The Bourbon Thread!!
 

From experience, TW employees tend to be liars. There is an hate/hate relationship with many of them in DFW and several of the bourbon groups I am in. They will say "that all of it", then sit on the good stuff in the back, either to put out later or save for their buddies. I don't mind if they put it out later, that at least gives people a fair chance at allocated stuff. Sometimes they would sneer at the people that line up at opening to be the first to get allocated bourbons. Once before, John and i saw it first hand when the manager tried to hide the ER at 8pm on a Saturday night. I suspected he was wanting to buy it for himself (why else wait so late to put it out?), but we grabbed three and told the other behind us how good ER was and they grabbed the rest. -(P