I also keep water and oyster crackers on hand during tastings.

Hey Guys, I got a bottle as a gift I can return, and based on my reading, I don't think it's a keeper. Hudson Baby Bourbon out of NY. It's 100% corn, and is 4 years old, but is aged in craft sized 3 gallon barrels. Anybody try this stuff. At $60, seems like a lot to pay for uniqueness that is likely pretty raw, but if I'm wrong and it's good, I'd like to know.

It tastes like pennies. Very metalic. That was 3 reviewers who drink whiskey regularly including myself. The bottles still 3/4 full too, 2 years now.

Hudson is garbage. Too young and bordering on undrinkable. Money is better spent on other things or just burned.

quote:

Originally posted by jigray3:
Hey Guys, I got a bottle as a gift I can return, and based on my reading, I don't think it's a keeper. Hudson Baby Bourbon out of NY. It's 100% corn, and is 4 years old, but is aged in craft sized 3 gallon barrels. Anybody try this stuff. At $60, seems like a lot to pay for uniqueness that is likely pretty raw, but if I'm wrong and it's good, I'd like to know.

Return it and buy a bottle of Blanton's and a bottle of Old Grandad 114 (OGD114). You'll get a lot more pleasure out of them, alone or together (vatted).

HTH,
"Point Blank" Frank
8-)

Anyone willing to part with a bottle of ETL or Rock Hill Farm?

Hudson went back. Thanks, guys, that was my suspicion. Now, what to buy, what to buy....?

Avoid Barrell Bourbon Batch #9. Wow that is not so great. not as bad as hudson but.. sheesh

I've never had any, but I was under the impression that Barrel Bourbon had a very good reputation. It's certainly priced that way. If this batch is as bad as you say, that could undo a lot of hard work.

I believe a few batches are good. Geeten said he had some bad ones and quit gambling on em.

After research i found every batch is different and of course sourced so theres no consistency.

quote:

Originally posted by Deqlyn:
I believe a few batches are good. Geeten said he had some bad ones and quit gambling on em.

Batch #005 was great, #006 was even better (both 8yr) - good thing I still have 3 #006s bunkered! #007 (5-1/2 yr) was ok but not worth the same $$$ as the older bottlings. Haven't tried the #008 (back to 8yr) or the #009 (13yr) yet, but won't buy until I do.

YMMV,
"Point Blank" Frank
8-)

Breaking Bourbon agrees with your assessment of BB #5 and #6, GeeTen. #6 is considered one of the best bourbons they've ever reviewed. it's hard to imagine a distiller letting go of juice that good to go out under someone else's label in today's climate.

quote:

Originally posted by jigray3:
it's hard to imagine a distiller letting go of juice that good to go out under someone else's label in today's climate.

Yeah, chances of someone sourcing amazing bourbon nowadays (hell, even simply better than average), to sell under most any other label, is razor thin at best... almost no incentive for the distilleries, no whiskey glut in ages, highest demand in perhaps forever, hardly any secrets in the industry anymore, a much more educated and informed customer base, stiff competition amongst premium brands...

I'm not saying never, but it's very unlikely.

I'm surprised very many folks even bother trying nowadays.

quote:

Originally posted by jigray3:
it's hard to imagine a distiller letting go of juice that good to go out under someone else's label in today's climate.

A limited number of barrels that are good to great but off profile just enough that there's no place for them in the distillery's existing lineup. Launching something new on a limited run doesn't make sense. They can vat into existing product or sell off.

quote:

Originally posted by berto:

quote:

Originally posted by jigray3:
it's hard to imagine a distiller letting go of juice that good to go out under someone else's label in today's climate.

A limited number of barrels that are good to great but off profile just enough that there's no place for them in the distillery's existing lineup. Launching something new on a limited run doesn't make sense. They can vat into existing product or sell off.

Interesting idea. Someone like Buffalo Trace has so many brands, it's hard to imagine they couldn't or wouldn't want to find a home for it. We do see unusual one offs periodically, the Knob Creek 2001 released this year comes to mind. For an NDP, a small release of 10 thousand bottles would require about 100 barrels assuming you average about 20 gallons of bourbon per barrel. That seems like a lot to give up by the distiller for a well aged premium product, but maybe it isn't. It also makes it increasingly difficult to be an NDP and maintain any sort of consistency, I would think.

quote:

Originally posted by jigray3:

Interesting idea. Someone like Buffalo Trace has so many brands, it's hard to imagine they couldn't or wouldn't want to find a home for it. We do see unusual one offs periodically, the Knob Creek 2001 released this year comes to mind. For an NDP, a small release of 10 thousand bottles would require about 100 barrels assuming you average about 20 gallons of bourbon per barrel. That seems like a lot to give up by the distiller for a well aged premium product, but maybe it isn't. It also makes it increasingly difficult to be an NDP and maintain any sort of consistency, I would think.

Standard barrel at cask strength usually yields 120-180 bottles given 8+ years (sometimes a bit more, occasionally a lot less). I don't think the batches of Barrell Bourbon are close to 10k bottles. Probably half at best and likely much less. Sure BT has a wealth of brands but which labels are positioned to take advantage of a 5k or 3k bottle run? Maybe EH Taylor but not much else. They can't go wildly off profile for any label without ruffling feathers. Same for the other majors. The folks with single barrel offerings have more leeway but only to a point. Single barrels certainly differ but they only stray so far. Eagle Rare needs to taste like Eagle Rare. I think the majors get stuck with stuff that just doesn't fit into a brand profile or marketing push for one reason or another and they either sit on the barrels for later, blend them into existing product, or move them out. Look at Orphan Barrel, it's nothing more than large scale leftovers that finally found a home. A few hundred barrels is a rounding error for the majors (Beam fills 500k/yr). I can buy a barrel for $5k-$8k and that's with everybody in the three tiers getting their cut. Fireball is doing near a billion in sales. Van Winkle and BTAC have caused runs on most of the BT/Saz middle shelf. The last thing they're worrying about is a few hundred off profile barrels they made back their money on as soon they sold them to an NDP.

Consistency is an issue for the NDP set which is one reason the Barrell Bourbon guy is doing well with different batches that can be any age and any mash bill. Why deal with keeping Noah's Mill in a relatively narrow ballpark when you can sell Batch X, Y, and Z as one offs?

Friend bought whoop and holler. Tried it tonight. Tastes like dickel for 82 proof its pretty sharp. And severely oaky as we all assumed. I think i got oak mites, lol.

OMG - is it winter already? High West Midwinter's Night Dram, Act 4 Scene 3 is IN ($65.99 OTD). YEA!!!!!

HWRR barrel finished in red wine casks (reminds some of the scent of fresh baked fruit cake) - perfect for sitting in front of a fire for the evening. Yummy.

HTH,
"Point Blank" Frank
8-)

That is a crazy good price for Midwinter's. Care to share where you found it?, if they ship I'd love one. I have a Port finished Rendezvous Rye that is amazing. High West just keeps putting out delicious whiskey. I hope this doesn't change after being bought out.

quote:

Originally posted by MO-Sig:
That is a crazy good price for Midwinter's. Care to share where you found it?, if they ship I'd love one.

Total Wine & More, Natick, MA. Sorry, tho'. No out of state shipping from that store.

F.
8-(