First a heads up to anyone who likes whistlepig. The guys investors who own 50% are trying to take control of the company. A few bloomberg articles on it. You May stock up if you like it.

Second those two 4 roses SBs arent mine but ill get to try em. OESQ 61.3% and OBSK 54.1% Store select barrel by hitimeswine.net

Also bought that sweet polish vodka Debowa. No idea if its good but looks cool as hell. The bottle does not come out of the wood. The copper stop screws off.

Those Four Roses expressions sound good.

My favorite 4R so far was the 100th Anniversary, a few years back, and single barrels plus barrel strength when accompanied by it being 10yo or older are pretty fantastic, IMO. That 100th was 17yo and change, IIRC. I wish I had a case or two of it.

Do those two bottles you have there have age statements?

Yes. Oesq is 8 yrs 10 months

Obsk is 8 years 4 months.

Can be gotten here 69.99. No ties to the store.

https://www.hitimewine.net/cat.../?cat=0&q=Four+roses

Nice. Thanks.

Just picked up Belle meade 9 yr single barrel. Supposedly good. 109.4 proof.

A little surprised to 6 bottles of Stagg Jr on the shelf last night... I've still got 1/2 a bottle so I didn't buy. Also nice to see a steady supply of MMCS. I just picked up a bottle of Eagle Rare as it had been my go-to and I decided to give it a rest for the last 8 or 10 months.

My store got a case of Stagg Jr and they had plenty for a few weeks then it was gone.

They did get Sazerac Rye, but I've seen the price go from 25.99 - 29.99 - 32.99 over the last year.

Just sampled the Woodford Reserve Rye, pretty good. I'll need to pick up some Knob Creek Rye to compare...

Wow weller 12 just hit kansas and its gone. Only top stores getting 4-12 bottles

BTAC looking good for this year.

Looking forward to more WLWeller, Handy, and Stagg (Sr.) this year.

quote:

Originally posted by GA Gator:
They did get Sazerac Rye, but I've seen the price go from 25.99 - 29.99 - 32.99 over the last year.

I like it a lot, and was paying ~$18 just a few years ago, then $22, but at nearly $30 I skip it for more interesting ones, which is a shame.

Seems they may be tapping the weller 12 stock for a more profitable WLW. WLW was up 3k bottles from last year. 25 bucks vs 81, i know what decision id make as buffalo trace to ride this wave b4 it crashes.

Still new to this.

So I really enjoyed the Four Roses, almost done with the bottle. Next looking to try Eagle Rare or maybe Knob Creek.

I did not like Elijah Craig, nor Maker's Mark.

I found plain Jack Daniels to be perfectly acceptable, interestingly enough. Not at all terrible. Haven't tried Beam Black yet for a basic inexpensive drink.

quote:

Originally posted by rekstrom:
Still new to this.

So I really enjoyed the Four Roses, almost done with the bottle. Next looking to try Eagle Rare or maybe Knob Creek.

I did not like Elijah Craig, nor Maker's Mark.

I found plain Jack Daniels to be perfectly acceptable, interestingly enough. Not at all terrible. Haven't tried Beam Black yet for a basic inexpensive drink.

I'm another who does not like Maker's in any expression. It isn't bad, it's just boring, bland. Acceptable for mixing drinks if that's your thing. I like EC, at least the 12 year old, haven't tried the standard bottling, though I see it on shelves. We rarely get any Four Roses up here in Alaska, but one we do get that is (IMO) worth a try if you see it, is the Old Forester single barrel. It's similar in taste profile to Woodford (which is to be expected I think, given the parentage of both), but without the slightly odd metallic tang I sometimes get with Woodford (the distiller's select, not the Double Oaked, which is, along with Blanton's, to my taste buds the finest readily available bourbon being produced today).

quote:

Originally posted by rekstrom:
Still new to this.

So I really enjoyed the Four Roses, almost done with the bottle. Next looking to try Eagle Rare or maybe Knob Creek.

I did not like Elijah Craig, nor Maker's Mark.

I found plain Jack Daniels to be perfectly acceptable, interestingly enough. Not at all terrible. Haven't tried Beam Black yet for a basic inexpensive drink.

Based on what you've written, you may like the Knob Creek better than the Eagle Rare.

Elijah Craig and Makers are in the more subtle, smooth camp, like Eagle Rare. Knob Creek is a bit more sharp, and (loosely speaking) closer to Four Roses and Jack. Again, those are loose comparisons, but that my ten cents... You may also like Old Grand Dad 114 (which is also a Beam product. It's higher rye, like Four Roses, and a good value as well).

^^^^ thanks 46and2, will take a look.

Found a bottle of Stranahans Black Diamond!

quote:

Originally posted by 46and2:

quote:

Originally posted by rekstrom:
Still new to this.

So I really enjoyed the Four Roses, almost done with the bottle. Next looking to try Eagle Rare or maybe Knob Creek.

I did not like Elijah Craig, nor Maker's Mark.


I found plain Jack Daniels to be perfectly acceptable, interestingly enough. Not at all terrible. Haven't tried Beam Black yet for a basic inexpensive drink.

Based on what you've written, you may like the Knob Creek better than the Eagle Rare.

Elijah Craig and Makers are in the more subtle, smooth camp, like Eagle Rare. Knob Creek is a bit more sharp, and (loosely speaking) closer to Four Roses and Jack. Again, those are loose comparisons, but that my ten cents... You may also like Old Grand Dad 114 (which is also a Beam product. It's higher rye, like Four Roses, and a good value as well).

You might also like some of the Wild Turkey offerings, their "101" is a decent budget bourbon,and their cask strength "Rare Breed" I find excellent at around the $44 mark. I was really impressed by their tour and tasting last month. Their Russel's Reserve 6 year Rye is exceptional for the price as well (I found it on sale at my local Winn Dixie for $22!)

I find the Wheaters like Makers Mark (Use wheat in place of Rye) to be too bland myself, but if anyone likes them, Larceny by Heaven Hill to me is much better than Makers at a lower price point.

Heaven Hill has a wheater now (Larceny)?

(I had to go look it up)

So Heaven Hill (the company, whose home and Distillery are in Bardstown, and who makes Elijah Craig and others) also own Bernheim (whose Distillery is in Louisville), and apparently Bernheim makes a small batch wheater (Larceny) for the last few years. which I'd somehow missed, and supposedly it's pretty good. Very interesting. I had no idea.

Thanks...

.......

And I agree about Wild Turkey, both the 101 and Rare Breed. I like them both, but stock Rare Breed in my home bar, and one of my favorite bourbons ever is a Japan only release of the 101 that's 15yr (regular 101 we get is a blend of 4/8/10/12/dash of 15yr, or thereabout. I'd buy the 15yr 101 by the case if I could get it easily. It's fantastic, IMO.

I won 2 bottles of Michter's Barrel Proof Rye in the VA lottery. I might have passed on the opportunity, but I really enjoy barrel proofs and barrel proof rye's aren't very common. First pour impression is it's really very, very good. I am generally skeptical of NDP produced products, however their Master Distiller Willie Pratt, a.k.a "Dr. No", has a reputation for being very selective, and it seems his reputation is well earned.

This is my second experience with Michter's, the first being the 10 YO single barrel, also impressive. That said, like many of you, I am having a harder and harder time justifying the cost of these bottles. The rye is $80.00, and I have to decide whether it's worth picking up the second bottle, when they currently have Pikesville on the shelf at $50.00.

Question for you guys: anybody ever have a bourbon morph from something they didn't care for to something they really like. I have a bottle of Knob Creek Single Barrel that changed dramatically over about 6 weeks.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: jigray3,