Sippin' Bourbon

[RoyGBiv]

Installment #3 from the @Yung gift collection is a Hancock's President's Reserve single barrel, 88.9 proof.

After tasting, it's been interesting to read a few reviews of this Bourbon. Breakingbourbon didn't care for it at all. LINK. I would agree with Jordan and Breaking... that this one doesn't fit any other flavor profile I've tried out of Buffalo Trace. More oak and spice than the Weller and Blantons lines, way more spiciness than Buffalo Trace or ET Lee.

The nose is slightly oaky with a bit of cinnamon, maybe some cherry?. On the palate, neat, there's a surprising amount of alcohol given the relatively low proof. Lots of spiciness neat as well. After adding just a few chips of ice, the spiciness and alcohol mellowed and the cinnamon and oak came through nicely with a hint of tobacco. I didn't get much vanilla, nor any caramel, however. The finish lasted nicely and paired well with an inexpensive Fuente.

Overall, I liked it just fine, but, based simply on value for the price I would likely choose something else shopping for just myself.

Thanks again Yung!

I'm trying to hold on to the Blanton's sample until my BiL gets here in early May, but, my resolve is definitely weakening. I'm committed to holding onto the Stagg Jr until then for sure, but, the Blanton's might not make it.



ETA: I'm planning to re-use the sample bottle to pass along a sample of the Smokewagon to a young woman employee at TotalWine that has been fun to talk Bourbon with and has pointed me to some good choices. She mentioned wanting to try to Smokewagon but could not convince her managers to special order it... Paying it forward.

[Yung]

Yeah, Hancock's is definitely more about the label than it is about the liquid. I think of it as a good exercise in being familiar with Buffalo Trace's profile more than anything else. I like that maker of cigar more than I like that particular whiskey.

Thanks for keeping the sample chain going.

Did you guys hear that Barton (known for 1792/Ridgemont Reserve) will be taking over production of Early Times bottled in bond? Supposedly they will stick to the original recipe.

In other news, here's a picture of my latest acquisition. I'll give my notes of the neck pour later.

[O4L]

I thought I scored three liters of Weller 12, one bottle of Blanton's, one bottle of 1792 Single Barrel Select, one bottle of Templeton Rye, and one bottle of Larceny all for under $300 from a guy that decided he had too much bourbon.

He backed out of selling the Weller at the last minute so I bailed on the whole deal.

[RoyGBiv]

I thought I scored three liters of Weller 12, one bottle of Blanton's, one bottle of 1792 Single Barrel Select, one bottle of Templeton Rye, and one bottle of Larceny all for under $300 from a guy that decided he had too much bourbon.

He backed out of selling the Weller at the last minute so I bailed on the whole deal.

Helluva deal if it went through. 12 is a top pick for me.
While I certainly like the 1792 Small Batch and the Single Barrels just fine, absolutely worth their MSRP, the Full Proof is on another level, If you can find it. Larceny handles have disappeared here recently. Another great value.

[RoyGBiv]

Yeah, Hancock's is definitely more about the label than it is about the liquid. I think of it as a good exercise in being familiar with Buffalo Trace's profile more than anything else. I like that maker of cigar more than I like that particular whiskey.

Thanks for keeping the sample chain going.

Did you guys hear that Barton (known for 1792/Ridgemont Reserve) will be taking over production of Early Times bottled in bond? Supposedly they will stick to the original recipe.

In other news, here's a picture of my latest acquisition. I'll give my notes of the neck pour later.

When I handed the Smoke Wagon to her today she looked surprised, like maybe I was the first customer to do that. She double clutched on a hug, I thought. When I told her it came from a friend in AZ she told me she was from PHX and that she would press her father to find her some.

Paying forward is fun.

The color of that Bardstown is promising.

I hadn't heard about Barton and ET. Honestly, I didn't know that Barton was an HH brand.
I can see similarities between ET and VOB BIB's. Hopefully the quality carries over. Hopefully all of us ET BiB lovers get grandfathered in at current prices.

[Yung]

When I told her it came from a friend in AZ she told me she was from PHX and that she would press her father to find her some.

Paying forward is fun.

The color of that Bardstown is promising.

I hadn't heard about Barton and ET. Honestly, I didn't know that Barton was an HH brand.
I can see similarities between ET and VOB BIB's. Hopefully the quality carries over. Hopefully all of us ET BiB lovers get grandfathered in at current prices.

Yes, very fun. I wish liquor stores would sell Boston rounds at the counter or something. Maybe that's already a thing and I just haven't seen it yet.

Yeah, we're a bit spoiled for Smoke Wagon out here. I think this is pretty significant as they're trying to increase production and distro (I think you and I talked about how difficult Texas alone or Florida alone would be), and that sourced MGP stock that is older than five or six years is starting to dry up.

Now that I've had a few pours of Discovery 4, I'm thinking it is a mix between the best traits of Beam (i.e. that I find in Knob Creek picks or Doc Swinson's 15-Year batches), and Wild Turkey (i.e. in Rare Breed and Russell's Reserve picks). I was told that the third Kentucky in there is from Barton, but I'm not really familar enough with their flavor profile to notice it.

Looking at this press release when it mentions retaining the original mashbilI, I am curious if they'll also be able to use the same yeast strain as they did under Brown-Forman.

The similarities to VOB are a good point I hadn't thought of.

https://www.breakingbourbon.com/bour...-times-whiskey

[RoyGBiv]

Looking at this press release when it mentions retaining the original mashbilI, I am curious if they'll also be able to use the same yeast strain as they did under Brown-Forman.

The similarities to VOB are a good point I hadn't thought of.

https://www.breakingbourbon.com/bour...-times-whiskey

Thanks for the link. Makes more sense now.
Barton is a Sazerac brand and, apparently, HH sold ET to Sazerac.
I wonder if Bernie Lubbers (Brand ambassador for HH) is going to have to remove his BiB tattoo now?

[O4L]

Took some suggestions (and got a spare bottle of Rare Breed just in case). Will try Longbranch next.

Attachment 69568

Well...[emoji16]

[RoyGBiv]

Thanks for the link. Makes more sense now.
Barton is a Sazerac brand and, apparently, HH sold ET to Sazerac.
I wonder if Bernie Lubbers (Brand ambassador for HH) is going to have to remove his BiB tattoo now?

Ok, ok.... Something felt wrong about my quoted post, now I know what it was.
Now that I'm post-coffee, I've figured out that HH owns Evan Williams (and their BiB), not Early Times.

Bernie's tattoo is safe.

The lolz are on me.

[CWM11B]

...

Did you guys hear that Barton (known for 1792/Ridgemont Reserve) will be taking over production of Early Times bottled in bond? Supposedly they will stick to the original recipe...

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO please dont fuck with it, please dont fuck with it please dont fuck with it...

First JTS Brown is discontinued and now this? ET BIB is my current go to and favorite, and not super easy to get in NC. Fortunately, I know where there is a good supply in stock. Maybe I'll buy a case. Or two.