Ancient Age 90 First Tasting

I've lived my entire life within the borders of Kentucky but, I've never ventured into the world of Ancient Age.  I decided it was as good a time as any recently and so I picked up a bottle at my local liquor store that apparently has a rule that requires them to hire only the rudest people to work behind the counter.

I went with the 90 proof because, these days, 90 seems to be the bourbon standard that 80 proof once was.  It's hard to tell by this blog but, I've actually had bourbons in the past that I thought were horrible but, this one isn't one of them.  Yes, it's young, at 36 months in the barrel and that means not much complexity but, I don't always want a lot of complexity especially on a warm day.

It reminded me of Jim Beam quite a bit; that sort of clean rye forward flavor that would a great cocktail whiskey. I have a feeling I'm going to enjoy this bottle either neat or on the rocks thank you very much.

Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch

This is my second go round with Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch and I'm pleased to say, I loved it as much the second time as I did the first.  My overarching view of 1783 is that it's Evan Williams Black with just a little rounding out on the edges.  By that I mean, both are 86 proof and both are Evan Williams but, it seems the small batch barrels have been selected for their smoothness as much as their flavor profile.

I'm going to make this a relatively short post because, I'm going to get some Evan Williams Black and do a side by side taste comparison.  The 1783 is exceptional, in my opinion, and has a fantastic rye forward bourbon flavor that I really enjoy and I think a lot of bourbon enthusiasts would as well.

By the way, this 1.75 liter bottles cost me 26 bucks plus tax at the Danville, KY Liquor Barn!!!!

Wilderness Trace in Danville, KY: First Visit

Wilderness Trace is my fist excursion onto the Kentucky Bourbon Craft Tour and, as it turned out, it was a fabulous way to get introduced.  The distillery is located in an attractively understated building on Roy Arnold Avenue in Danville.  When I say "in Danville" I'm not exaggerating; it's just barely outside downtown and well within the city limits.  It's kind of neat visiting a place that's part of small town Kentucky and I hope this trend continues so we'll have a nice mix of rural and urban distilleries.

I was fortunate to be the only member of the tour conducted by the very enthusiastic Jerod Smith (who happens to be from my hometown) so I got special attention (including a taste of the latest white dog batch) and I got to pound a bung hole plug into a barrel that had just been filled as we reached the production room.

I also got to sample their Blue Heron Vodka and their rum that's aged in used Four Roses barrels.  I'm not a big vodka or rum fan but, both were pretty darn good and I wouldn't mind having either in my liquor pantry.

My takeaway was that these guys aren't going to cut corners and that they're interested in producing an excellent product.  My first visit won't be my last and I can't wait to sample the first finished bourbon product from Wilderness Trace that should arrive around four years from now.  keep up the good work guys!

Wild Turkey 101, A Revisit To a True Classic

It had been awhile since I'd made my way down Wild Turkey Way just off Dirty Bird Boulevard so, when perusing the bourbon section at Liquor Barn in Danville, my eyes were captured by the distinctive Wild Turkey logo and before I could say Jimmy Russell, I was enjoying a nice tumbler of Turkey in my study at home.

I wasn't disappointed at all with my re-acquaintance with the high octane bourbon but, I was surprised.  I wasn't disappointed because, from the first sip the robust and complex flavors were just as good as I remembered but, as the tasting came fairly close behind my initial sampling of Evan Williams 100 proof Bottled in Bond, I was surprised to find I actually liked the EWBIB better than the WT101.

Both bourbons have a similar rye forward flavor profile and both are just absolutely full of everything a bourbon should be but, the Evan Williams BIB has a distinctive earthiness

Old Blowhard and Barterhouse Kentucky Bourbon Releses from Stitzel-Weller Warehouses, The 'Orphan Barrel' Series

I've got to hand it to Diageo, they've struck when the iron is red hot.  The spirits giant came across some old barrels of bourbon that's been quietly aging in the mythical Stitzel-Weller warehouses in Kentucky for 20 to 26 years and turned them into what's sure to be the latest must have additions to many a bourbon aficionado's collection.  They even came up with the catchy phrase "orphan barrel" to let us know just how special Old Blowhard and Barterhouse really are.  Once again I have to wonder why I didn't go into the bourbon making business when I was a wee lad.

I hate to admit this but, I had no idea that any of the near mythic Stitzel-Weller warehouses still existed and, to my even greater shame, I don't know where they are.  Perhaps this is an opportunity to do some investigative reporting.

The term "Orphan Barrel" denotes that these older barrels have been somewhat overlooked when being transferred from one warehouse to another presumably when an acquisition of some sort took place or when conditions dictated they're relocation.  Given the popularity of bourbon these days, I'm surprised there are any barrels that haven't been earmarked for some kind of bourbon before now.

I read about all this in Lexington KY's Herald-Leader and was surprised to find a Diageo representative revealed the mash-bill of the whiskeys.  According to Master of Whisky, Ewan Morgan, both bourbons are made up of 86 percent corn, 8 percent barley and 6 percent rye.  I wonder if another producer might copy this recipe for a copycat release down the road?

It looks like pretty limited release runs for these bourbons but, if I manage to get a sip or two, I'll let you know.

Very Old Barton 100 Proof "Bottled in Bond" Six Year Old Bourbon

Continuing on my venture into rye heavy bourbons, VOB BIB, the "White Label" Very Old Barton, fits the bill nicely.  This 100 proof Goliath is made in Bardstown, KY where they produce the premium Ridgemont Reserve that's really a smooth and elegant whiskey that's not as expensive as most in the premium category.  I've heard, from sources that shall remain nameless, Very Old Barton Bottled in Bond is the foundation bourbon that Ridgemont is derived from.  Ridgemont is aged a couple of years longer than VOB and released at a lower proof (80 proof if I remember correctly).

I think of Ridgemont as a Mazda Miata experience; very nice but not fireworks.  VOB BIB on the other hand makes me think of someone that has a lot of attitude and a lot of muscle to back it up but can also be a heck of a lot of fun to hang out with and won't take all your money.  Yes, as always, I'm looking for a bargain and this beast might be the all time bourbon buy you can find anywhere.  I picked up a 1.75 liter bottle at the Liquor Barn in Danville, KY last week for under twenty-five American dollars and I honestly think it has more flavor and spicy goodness than a lot of bourbons I've sampled that cost two and even three times as much.

If you like a full throttle, full flavored, rye heavy bourbon that won't make you spend your mortgage money, I think you'll like the Six Year Old, Very Old Barton, Bottled in Bond.

Old Charter 8 Year Old from Buffalo Trace Distillery

I had somehow forgotten just how good this bourbon from the fine folks at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, KY is.  I've got a pretty good memory, especially when it comes to exceptional bourbon, so I put my forgetfulness down to the amount of truly good bourbons on the market these days.

From the first sip, I recalled all the flavors that cascade out of this 80 proof gem of a whiskey.  While sipping, I took a look at Buffalo Trace's website to see what they had to say about Old Charter.  They used balance as a keyword as far as flavor's concerned but, I'm not sure I agree and I'm not saying that as a negative.  I get a good dose of rye and oak that predominates the flavor profile with a little vanilla on the finish and I absolutely love it.

Old Charter also has a 10 year old release as well as a 101 proof and I'm anxious to give both a try.

Oh yeah.  I got my 750 ml bottle for under twenty bucks at The Liquor Barn on Harrodsburgh  Road in Lexington, KY, an absolute steal for a bourbon that, in my opinion, stacks up well against Buffalo Trace's signature bourbon.