Sippin' Bourbon

[Robinson]

Okay, this is a terrible place to ask this question so I apologize in advance. PM me if you would rather not clutter this thread up. Google hasn't helped at all so I might as well ask the experts.

Does anyone else get a terrible neck ache from drinking bourbon? I'm not talking about a hangover from drinking too much but something that feels like an icepick stuck in the base of your skull? Because I get this and I didn't use to. I can have two normal size glasses and deal with it most of the next day. Often times it hits me while I'm drinking a glass of bourbon, or it will hit me in the middle of the night and I'll wake up with it. Yes, the easy answer is to not drink bourbon but at this point, I'm more curious about why this happens and if others experience something similar more than anything.

FWIW I drink a glass or two of beer once in a while and never have the same issue.

I get inflammation of my occipital nerve from alcohol when I'm not on a diuretic. It started about 12 years ago. If I feel it coming on and take ibuprofen right away it will usually help, otherwise it turns into a serious migraine. But the pain starts at the base of my skull on the left side. For some reason the mild diuretic I take daily prevents the problem.

[CS Tactical]

Grabbed some long-awaited Garrison Brothers Balmorhea and some Weller:

Attachment 33007

What do you think of the Garrison Brothers Balmorhea???

[SeriousStudent]

What do you think of the Garrison Brothers Balmorhea???

It's expensive, like all Garrison Brothers. It's good, the oak is a bit more subdued, and the caramel is very slight, and the vanilla come through on the nose and the palate. That's a profile I really like.

I have a little bit of unease at the price point, however. There are whiskeys that I like as much, which cost less. So it was kind of a nostalgia thing. I spent a lot of time near Balmorhea Texas as a youngster.

I do not think it overrated, or that is overpriced. I just think a lot of us make price/performance comparisons on many things. I hope that makes sense.

I still have the bottle. If you make it to Texas, I'll pour you a glass and you can decide for yourself.

[CS Tactical]

It's expensive, like all Garrison Brothers. It's good, the oak is a bit more subdued, and the caramel is very slight, and the vanilla come through on the nose and the palate. That's a profile I really like.

I have a little bit of unease at the price point, however. There are whiskeys that I like as much, which cost less. So it was kind of a nostalgia thing. I spent a lot of time near Balmorhea Texas as a youngster.

I do not think it overrated, or that is overpriced. I just think a lot of us make price/performance comparisons on many things. I hope that makes sense.

I still have the bottle. If you make it to Texas, I'll pour you a glass and you can decide for yourself.

Thank you, I may take you up on it

[Tom Fineis]

Picked up another bottle of McKenna B.I.B. which is a good thing since the other bottle went tits up last night.

Mind sharing what you parted with for it? Found a shop today that had one on the shelf but I got caught up in looking at other stuff and forgot the price. I *think* it was $65 but I could be wrong. Just curious what going rate is. He had decent prices on bottles I was more familiar with.

[blues]

Mind sharing what you parted with for it? Found a shop today that had one on the shelf but I got caught up in looking at other stuff and forgot the price. I *think* it was $65 but I could be wrong. Just curious what going rate is. He had decent prices on bottles I was more familiar with.

Not at all, Tom. $37.95 plus tax (NC sets the prices for ABC stores.)

[Tom Fineis]

Not at all, Tom. $37.95 plus tax (NC sets the prices for ABC stores.)

Yeesh. Michigan has a "minimum price" law, which means nothing is ever on sale(and is often driven up by demand), but our availability tends to be pretty good. I'm curious to try it, but there's a whole bunch of other bottles I'm interested in below sixty bucks. Thanks for the reply.

[RoyGBiv]

Mind sharing what you parted with for it? Found a shop today that had one on the shelf but I got caught up in looking at other stuff and forgot the price. I *think* it was $65 but I could be wrong. Just curious what going rate is. He had decent prices on bottles I was more familiar with.

The bottle I bought a month ago was at list price, $34.95.
I try to only do business with sellers who don't bilk me on allocated spirits.

Walked in to a store in Arizona last week. On the shelf was a handle of Weller 12 for $190, a 750mL of Antique for $120, Elmer T for $115 and 4 different EH Taylor's starting at an almost reasonable $60. The Elijah Craig small batch from the Total Wine down the road was perfectly fine.

[RoyGBiv]

Watching a little Live PD and enjoying some Old Barton Bottled in Bond before hitting the sack.

The regular Barton is meh, but the BiB is quite good, IMO. And moderately priced.

[csheehy]

Okay, this is a terrible place to ask this question so I apologize in advance. PM me if you would rather not clutter this thread up. Google hasn't helped at all so I might as well ask the experts.

Does anyone else get a terrible neck ache from drinking bourbon? I'm not talking about a hangover from drinking too much but something that feels like an icepick stuck in the base of your skull? Because I get this and I didn't use to. I can have two normal size glasses and deal with it most of the next day. Often times it hits me while I'm drinking a glass of bourbon, or it will hit me in the middle of the night and I'll wake up with it. Yes, the easy answer is to not drink bourbon but at this point, I'm more curious about why this happens and if others experience something similar more than anything.

FWIW I drink a glass or two of beer once in a while and never have the same issue.

Is this when drinking ANY bourbon?

Back around 1990 when Gentleman Jack came on the market I tried it a couple of times and it gave me a serious headache within the hour after having a couple of ounces neat. I've never tried it again. Figured there was some chemical or something that was created in whatever different process they use to produce the Gentleman Jack vs regular JD (which I've been drinking since I was 18).