I hope you love all three of them. Those three in general are what I stick too (unless I drive up to Kentucky, I’ll grab JW Dant (which is basically the same as Evan Williams just cheaper) or Heaven Hill 6 year 90 proof which is the best bang for your buck but exclusive to Kentucky)
If I had to rank those three: OGD, VOB, EW. But since they are so good all three find a mix in my rotation, with Very Old Barton 100 being dominate because it’s way cheaper than Old Grand Dad BIB. That’s just my taste buds though, so don’t let any reviewers biased your taste, just enjoy it however you like and let us know your thoughts, time permitting.
One final thing and I will leave you alone, have you tried any wheated bourbons: Makers Mark, Weller, Rebel Yell, Old Fitzgerald, etc…? Not telling you to run out and buy some, just genuinely curious as I’d recommend you try a wheated bourbon next and if you gave me a price range, me and some others could likely help. And yeah, Weller has gone crazy. Place in town wants 400 for Weller Full Proof that has an MSRP of 50.
I would add Larceny to that list. It’s quite soft and smooth. Soft like Stollies Elite vodka.
If you find some with the rebate tag it’s a crazy good deal. $45 for 1.75L and $20 rebate.
Thanks. I’ve tried almost everything thanks to friends/tastings, including Pappy and a couple of different Wellers, but I have yet to really be able to tell one decent whisky from another. Usually a proof difference is more obvious than anything else so I have to be careful to match the proof as closely as I can with water when trying to taste test.
I’ve believed that I prefer rye to bourbon for a few years, but it’s one of those things that just developed without really being tested. At this stage I like scotch, bourbon and rye. Wheated, high-rye and the different types of scotch are outside of my fine tuning also, but hopefully I’ll get there.
Then you most definitely have experienced far more than me and I’ll aspire to do the same. As far as tasting notes, I see reviews where tasting notes state, it tastes like fresh chocolate, leather, some floral notes, boiled peanuts from the gas station and hint of Flintstone vitamins at the end. I must have a deficient palate, because I taste bourbon and I either say, wow, that it good, totally going to love this bottle. Or I’ll say, dear God, did someone swap this out with Mellow Corn? Well jokes on them, I’m gonna finish it anyway.
As far as rye is concerned, I love it in an old fashioned, but not a fan of it neat.
Not to anyone particular, but keep notes. I had notebooks for each when I learned to drink from beer and wine to vodka, to tequila, to whiskey (or whisky) to scotch. I literally hated all of it until I didn’t, if that makes sense.
Learn to chew your drink. Let the flavors move around your whole tongue and literally chew a bit with a nice mouthful. Hold and note whats happening. From the 1st presence on the tip of your tongue to a mouthful. You can aerate/slurp like you do with wine or ramen too to release flavors. Letting the drink rest in your mouth will change flavors just warming up and this is where many of the flavors will show up. It takes a second or several. Swallow slowly and let the drink change as you swallow more. More flavors. You will find a small sip will taste completely different from a large one too. Have fun and experiment!
Don’t smoke or eat any greasy food if you’re wanting to really find all a drink has to offer. I’ve found for myself. If I eat Captain D’s, I hated everything I drank that night, even hours later. Don’t smoke cigs, but I know it’s a palate killer.
I never imagined I would be able to taste what many ‘pro’ tasters had noted. I was wrong. Just took practice and drinking!
Also, this showed up today. Someone sent me by surprise. Serendipitous to this thread.
I really appreciate the feedback and will try my best to get some flavor notes.
I also don’t want to come across as the “I always have something to say about what was mentioned” guy, but my best friend is related to Popcorn Sutton. He lives in Kentucky. He has been distilling for a while now playing with his own recipes rather than going OG like his kin (which I genuinely believe Popcorn would approve of the want to innovate.). He of course makes galloons of standard shine which he states is extremely easy, but has also been messing around with Brandy and whiskey.
It’s just a pastime in his garage, but he has talent. I always ask the direct relation and he states, second cousins on both sides.
My enjoyment of the Rittenhouse is actually what made me pick this one up! I’ve been looking forward to grabbing it for awhile… should be pretty potent and come through nicely in a Manhattan at 110 proof. I’ll let ya know how I like it!
I have way to much to say on anything I’ve had a passion for. It’s life for me. Otherwise, it’s just existing, which is a normal part of life too. I’m sure it may not look it, but I keep a lot to myself.
I’ve always meant to do some distilling! Even the smaller stove top ones are supposed to turn out good licker.
Siete Leguas was a favorite tequila of mine!
That’s the weird part with tequila. They (books and store professionals) start you out on Anejo, then you end up on blanco to taste the purity of what you were drinking aged Reposado or Anejo.
Just a word of caution, if you buy any commercial distilling products, I’ve read that the companies by law have to provide your name to the government. From what I’ve read it goes back to prohibition laws, so that they can keep track of who’s distilling. And if they wanted to check on you and found you were “producing too much” you could face fines and/or jail time.
I was looking into it for quite awhile and after much research decided it wasn’t worth it, unless I sourced and built everything my self. Would never make that much, or sell it, but still just the fact it could happen wasn’t worth it.
It’s quite funny now, 26 years later, how back then these 4 were referred too as ‘ultra premium’. Of course you need to know the other parts of booze history and how Grey Goose opened the door with their OMG a $30 dollar a bottle vodka!
Boots in the air Popcorn!!!
