Buffalo Trace Bourbon Cream

Usually, the only things I like added to bourbon are water or ice but, I have been known to enjoy a coffee or two with a little Bailey's Irish added to it, so, when I spotted Buffalo Trace's version of a coffee kicker at the Liquor Barn in Danville, KY, I had to give it a try.

Of course, being from Kentucky, I'm partial to just about any whiskey made in my home state and I'd choose the Buffalo Trace eleven times out of ten.  I'd like to think that's an impartial opinion but, I have no way of knowing.  If I knew someone from Ireland, I'd let him or her give this one a try and see how he or she felt about it.  At any rate, if you like Bailey's you'll like this fine product from Frankfort as well.  I think the 750 ml bottle pictured cost around 20 bucks and it's 15% abv.  If the budget allows one or the other, go with a nice straight bourbon but, if you've got the means and you'd like to kick your coffee up a notch, give Buffalo Trace's Bourbon Cream a try.

Tastings: Evan Williams Bottled in Bond

I think I'd seen Evan Williams BIB before at Liquor Barn in Lexington, KY but, I really didn't feel moved to get any because it was usually on or near the bottom shelf and, for some reason, the white label didn't really appeal to me that much.  I guess there is something to be said about marketing and branding after all or, maybe I just have some deep sub conscience thing about white labels.  At  any rate, the white label appeals to me quite a lot since I actually tasted what was actually inside the bottle.

The reason I decided to try it was due, in large part, to Jason Pyle's Sour Mash Manifesto review of EWBIB I came across on Youtube.  If you're a boubon enthusiast or just getting acquainted with it, check out Jason's Sour Mash Manifesto blog as well as his wonderful Youtube reviews.  So, I owe you a drink if we should ever cross paths Jason.  Another factor that made the purchase that much easier was, it's an absolute steal at 15.99 per 750 ml and that's at a high priced liquor store; I'd guess the price at my favorite Liquor Barn would be at an even lower price point.

Well, you might be asking, how did it taste?

I must say Jason was spot on with his review.  At 100 proof it's a big, bold whiskey that has a lot of forward sweetness that's closely followed the full flavor profile that's always prominent in a good whiskey; lots of vanilla, oak char and a little earthy spiciness to top it all off.  It's got a looooong finish and it's got plenty of 100 proof heat but not enough to be off putting.  It's as if the alcohol is a part of the flavor instead of masking it as sometimes happens in a high proof bourbon.  As you can tell, I'm a fan and I plan to have this one on hand to share any friends and enthusiasts that might drop in.

This particular bourbon seems to be somewhat scarce or maybe I've overlooked it in the past.  If you run across any on your bourbon excursions,be sure and take a bottle home with you.

Tastings: Evan Williams Black 86 proof

I'm fairly positive Evan Williams is another bourbon I drank on occasion many years ago when mobile phones were still science fiction and the internet was a kind of secret military thing.  I'm also fairly certain I only drank it when it was mixed with a cola of some kind.  It still makes me a little sad that I missed all those nuances that bourbon's really all about by diluting it with something other than water or ice but, as I think of it, a bourbon and coke at a football game was pretty righteous at the time.  I am thankful, however, that with the inescapable passage of time, I've acquired some wisdom as it applies to the enjoyment of one of man's best endeavors.

My last tasting of the 86 proof wonder from Heaven Hill's stable of whiskeys was last night, a sharp cold night in the twenties.  Prior to last night's tasting, my last sampling of E.W. was at a crowded bar in Lexington last fall and it was a completely different tasting experience.  I'm becoming more and more convinced that the environment and maybe time of year in which whiskey or whisky is imbibed has a direct impact on its taste.

The drink I had in Lexington has a very earthy undertone I hadn't noticed before in Evan Williams and it was also missing in the sample I had last night as well.  Both drinks were excellent examples of an excellent bourbon but, they were definitely different.   Now the variables should be minimal because I drank both neat but, I don't remember how similar other things like what and when I had eaten before drinking.  In the future I'm going to have a more controlled lead up to drinking (like having a couple of crackers ten minutes before sampling) to see what impact different seasons of the year and different environments have on the bourbons I drink.  I'd have to think that a bourbon like Evan Williams would be a good one to use because it's been made for a long time in large quantities with the goal of uniformity.

Looks like I've got a lot of work to do.  I'll keep you updated on my progress.  

Tastings: Four Roses Small Batch

A couple of good friends and fellow bourbon lovers have been telling me of their fondness for Four Roses Small Batch and one of them went as far as to declare it his current favorite bourbon.  Whenever I hear accolades about a certain bourbon, it's only a matter of time before I give it my full attention.  When I came across a 750 ml bottle at my local drug store for an amazing special price of $24.99, I knew it was time to try it out.

As I've said before, I don't give a new to me bourbon a final grade until I try it at least twice and in at least two different times of year.  The reason I do this is, I'm becoming more and more convinced that bourbons and whiskeys taste different in different environments and different seasons.  My first taste of FRSB came in the dead of an especially crappy Kentucky winter and I think that had some effect on my interpretation.  That said, I can honestly say FRSB is a very solid bourbon especially at the price I paid but, given my friends build up it was just a little below super bourbon status but, I'm looking forward to spring to see how some warm weather and blossoms might change my attitude.  Don't get me wrong, if this is all I had to drink any time of the year, I'd be more than happy.

My brief synopsis is, it's got a great nose that's almost like a perfume aroma and it's got a fairly long finish after a good chewy mouth feel that's got elements of char under some rye spice and vanilla flavors that were just a little less complex than I was expecting.  Still, it's a fantastic bourbon for the price point.

I'm not usually into packaging all that much but, I've got to say, they really knocked it out of the park on this one.  A nice heavy glass bottle that has a raised glass four roses in the cut out part of the label and, it's all topped off with a nice big cork and wood stopper on top.  It's a masterpiece of understated class.

The label declares FRSB is a blend of four selected bourbons and it's 90 proof.  If you like bourbon you'll appreciate what's inside the bottle as well as what's on the outside.