Bourbon - 6 March 2009 - 7pm GMT

[Willie JJ]

Maybe I just have weird tastes.

[Dram fine idea]

Elijah Craig 12yo 47% - many thanks to Treacle Sponge (TS)

Nose Fruity, jam like, vanilla, slightly 'dense', sweet, very gentle and enticing indeed

Taste Jam, sugary, heavy/thick, juicy

Finish Medium length, tingly, then smooth

Comment Easy drinking, very enjoyable, delightful, I am in a good mood! Like an alcohol version of a barley sugar sweetie, yum yum.

[Dram fine idea]

Eagle Rare Single Barrel 10 yo 45% - thanks again TS

Nose Rather sweet, medium weight, easy, no nose prickle, maple syrup, honey, marmalade (took a while for the orange marmalade to reveal itself, well to me at least)

Taste Bitter, orange marmalade

Finish Medium length, satisfying, gentle tingling

Comment Very enjoyable, easy drinking and enough to think about at the same time, this one could also be dangerous

[mikeymad]

Geaorgia Moon Kentucky corn Whiskey 40% (thanks to Ras Mazunga for this one too)

Colour: Almost gin clear
Nose: Really new-makey, aniseed, licquorice and the scent of fresh cooked corn.
Palate: more of that aniseed and licquorice.
Finish: Fresh corn, buttery, spirity, fizzy and hot.
Comment: This may sound perverse, but, unrefined as this is, I like it. takes me back to my youth when I would drink any old rubbish just out of curiosity. But I can't say this is rubbish. It seems well made and fresh and has lots of charm. It's just incongrous amongst all the wonderful sugars and vanilla of the bourbon.

Very nice.. I got the same notes on the nose of that one... a buddy brought over a jar of it one day and left it....

cheers,

[Willie JJ]

Maybe I just have weird tastes.

I had a feeling you were going to like it Willie.

May I put forward a tentative theory that it has alcohol in it?

[Willie JJ]

Eagle Rare Single Barrel 10 yo 45%

Comment Very enjoyable, easy drinking and enough to think about at the same time, this one could also be dangerous

I couldn't agree more.

[mikeymad]

a buddy brought over a jar of it one day and left it....

cheers,

I don't blame him ...

are you sure he was a buddy?

hehe....

yep he is... 2 bottles of crap and one bottle of goodness... left them all... so I was happy either way... I feed the bad stuff to guests... So I guess I am the bad friend....

Some stuff is bad but still interesting...

Cheers,

[Willie JJ]

Yeah those are the kind of friends that I like too Mikey.

i had intended to do another one tonight, but I had to nip away and do something else for a while so i think I'll quit at this point and take it up again tomorrow.

Night all.

[Dram fine idea]

Woodford Reserve Kentucky Derby 133 45.2% - thanks to Willie

Nose Fruit, jam, vanilla, leather and almonds

Taste Smooth, gentle, fruit explosion, almonds, vanilla dryness creeps in, leather, then juicy and a menthol/minty note as well

Finish Medium to long, cough medicine?, menthol/mint, almonds, liquorice and leather

Comment This has really good depth and is more complex, superb!

[Dram fine idea]

Goodnight Willie, Nick

I'm going to wrap it up shortly with Blantons Gold and may well be back tomorrow evening to try a few others

Cheers
Steve

[Dram fine idea]

Blantons Gold barrel 245 51.5% - thanks to Willie

Nose Fruity, spicy, orange marmalade, honey, vanilla, almonds

Taste Deeper, sweet/juicy/fruity at sides of mouth, dry and slightly hot in the centre/back of the tongue, wow, this one is interesting

Finish Long, flavours continue, clean as a whistle, almonds, hints of cooling mint, and orange marmalade at the end

Comment A really challenging and rewarding dram

[Dram fine idea]

Goodnight Ras (and anyone else), time for me to go to bed, catch you later

[Wave]

Man, you guys are quite brave in tasting Georgia Moon! I remember drinking that swill about 20 years ago and even then I thought is was just a gimmick drink, kinda like whiskey's punk kid brother.

Cheers!

[pkt77242]

Because of TS and Ganga talking about bourbon in the freezer I had to put a glass of 1792 RR in the freezer. Right after pulling it out, I couldn't nose much maybe rye, and caramel with a palate of rye and honey.
The finish remindes me of JD right out of the freezer (good old college days).

As it warms up caramel and toffe with some acidity. I prefer it at room temp but it is interesting to try it after being in the freezer.

Sean

[Ganga]

Well gentlemen, it was a most enjoyable weekend although for some reason I couldn't login on Sunday. Very good notes everyone! I find myself looking forward to experiencing some additional bourbon in the future.

It is also my understanding that several people intend to do some tasting this week so I suggest those interested check back in later.

Recall that blended whiskies will be on the menu for the first two weekends of April. Does someone have a suggestion for another tasting for sometime in the summer (June-August)? If so, put it forward.

[Willie JJ]

A. H. Hirsch Reserve 16yo 45.8% (thanks to Jobi for this one)

Colour: Brown sherry
Nose: Crystalised oranges, syrup, nutmeg, hint of musty wood, rye, gorgeous.
Palate: stewed oranges, cinnamon and oak, oak, oak. the thing is that for all the weight of wood it still retains a freshness because of the stunning citrus.
Finish: Now the oak is drying and the spice intense, yet the overall experience is mouthwatering, with juicy fruit to the end.
Comment: This is like a great old malt whisky 2-3 times this age. The way that the wood is all over the palate and finish, but yet hasn't mastered the spirit is lovely. Really glad to have tried this dram.

[Willie JJ]

Elijah craig 12yo 47% (thanks to Treacle Sponge for this one)

Colour: Mahogany
Nose: Sharp citrus, mealy, toffee, corn, linseed, dates.
Palate: Dates, raisins, bitter citrus, hard oak, like pencils.
Finish: More spicy wood. Massive spiciness. The intensity rises for ages.
Comment: Very drinkable, but it feels as if the wood has got on top of this a bit. The intensity of spice at the end makes it slightly daunting as a session dram.

[cathach]

Blanton's Gold 51.45% Barrel no. 245

Nose: Spicy, astringent

Palate: Quite odd and tart with a bit of cooking apple (??)

Finish: Again, very dry and tart

Comment: Very unusual, like drinking cider whiskey.

[cathach]

Old Overholt Rye Whiskey 40% 4yo

Nose: Linseed, and sweat

Palate: Almost pure menthol.

Finish: Sweet and clean

Weird, not what I would have expected from a non-barley grain.

[cathach]

Elijah Craig 18yo 45% 24-October-1989

Nose: Glue or some other solvent.

Palate: Somerwhere between liquorice and Toilet Duck

Finish: Very light and spearminty

Err...this is some really whack stuff.

[cathach]

Buffalo Trace 45% >9yo

Nose: Again a really artificial of food additive type smell, like a newly opened packet of jelly beans

Palate: Vanilla and coco, but bitter wood tones as well

Finish: Medium dry finish.

My favourite of the lot so far.

[cathach]

Georgia Moon Corn Whiskey <30 days old

Nose: It smells like a slurry pit.

Palate: Tastes like oily metallic vodka without the industrial ethic.

Finish: Thankfully brief.

How can you drink this (neat) and live?

[cathach]

Woodford Reserve 45.2% Kentucky Derby 133

Nose: Wood and citrus notes, with cocoa

Palate: Wood spice and herbal notes

Finish: Very pleasant and warming.

A redemption

[Ganga]

Georgia Moon Corn Whiskey <30 days old

How can you drink this (neat) and live?

ROTFLMAO!

I'm surprised people continue to try this following the first few reviews. It's almost like a competition. "Anything you can do, I can do better."

[Ras Mazunga]

Maybe a new made spirit tasting for the summer?

[Willie JJ]

Old Overholt Rye Whiskey 4yo 40% (thanks to Ras Mazunga for this one)

Colour: Chestnut
Nose: Lawn clippings, green tomatoes, cooked fruit and Madeira cake and toffee. An eclectic range of aromas, but very nice.
Palate: stewed apples, coarse sugar, little thin in the middle.
Finish: More sugar and then oak rushes in all spicy and keen, but then it fades to leave a lovely coating of icing sugar
Comment: This is delicious, but I'd like to try it at higher strength. Its overwatered at 40% I think.

[Willie JJ]

Wild Turkey 101 8yo, 50.5% (thanks to C57 for this one)

Colour: Chestnut
Nose: Sweet, vanilla, toffee, barley sugar and orange
Palate: Barley sugar and oak, sweet orange segments dusted with icing sugar.
Finish: Oaky and a little bitter. Still has the icing sugar though and there's an interplay between the spice and the sweetness as it goes on and on. Orange fruit sweeties at the end.
Comment: A very pleasant experience. No doubt about it. I can see where Nick gets that turpentine finish, but I thought the sweetness just made it ok.

[Willie JJ]

Cadenhead's Heaven Hill 15yo, 57.2% (thanks to jmrl for this one)

Colour: Chestnut (again)
Nose: Like sniffing icing sugar up your nose followed by a blast of orange juice. Underlying vanillins and some oak spice already. Mealy in the glass if you leave it for a minute.
Palate: Wow, huge citrus hit followed by a huge struggle between concentrated and massively sweetened barley sugar and oak spice. The barley sugar has the upper hand though.
Finish: It's all about the sweetness this one. Even the citrus elements are sweet with just an occasional tart note. The oak is there but you taste it through multiple layers of varnished on sugar. The strength gives it heat but it also gives it huge concentration of flavour.
Comment: A fascinating experience. If this is affordable and still available I might get one. My taste buds are being anaesthetised as I write though.

[Willie JJ]

Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 20yo, 45.2% (thanks to Mikeymad for this one)

Colour: Old oak
Nose: Prunes, raisins, oak, hint of rubber, cornmeal
Palate: Dates encrusted with demerara sugar. Pure fruit and sugar at this stage. I expected a lot of wood here but its not showing. Beautiful.
Finish: Sugar and spice and long lingering oak. Even here though the wood doesn't dominate. Excellent stuff.
Comment: Really good stuff. I wouldn't mind a bottle of this. A truly classy dram.

[Willie JJ]

Knob Creek small batch 9yo, 45.2% (thanks to Mikeymad for this one)

Colour: Russet
Nose: Big hit of fabric softener. Dusty oak. Really floral. Sugary.
Palate: Liquid sugar, then lots of oak.
Finish: The oak spice grows and grows, without ever getting too hot, or bitter.
Comment: Easy drinking stuff. Nice to have that floral change to the heavy sugar and fruit of many of the other bourbons.

[Willie JJ]

Sazerac rye 6yo, 45%, Beltramos, straight rye - single barrel #205 (thanks to Mikeymad for this one)

Colour: Deep copper
Nose: Hugely floral. Fragrant with perfume, fabric softener, barber's shops and lavender. Brilliant!
Palate: The perfume and lavender are all over it. I prefer it on the nose but it's still great.
Finish: Coconut, sugar crystals, wood spice, lavender. Long and lingering.
Comment: The most heavily perfumed whisk(e)y I have ever drunk. Quite an experience. I love it.

[Willie JJ]

Mikey seems to have selected some winners there Willie!

Yeah some great stuff Nick. Really enjoying these drams.

[Willie JJ]

Wild Turkey Rare Breed, 54.1% (thanks to Treacle Sponge for this one)

Colour: Auburn
Nose: Strong on the nose, brown sugar, butter, rye.
Palate: Like crunching on brown sugar crystals. Gorgeous.
Finish: Sizzles from the tip of the tongue to the rear and then heads back again. Slight bitterness, but works fine.
Comment: Bit hot and spicy towards the end, but a very enjoyable experience.

[mikeymad]

Nice notes Willie... need to get around to writing them up myself...

Glad you are having fun with them...

If I could buy another bottle of the Pappy for $90USD like I did... I would.

Oh BTW the Stagg will be at 72.4% (I didn't show that on the sample, Just in case)

Cheers,

[Ryguy]

I managed to write up some notes on a few bourbons last night. It went like this, EC12, GTS 2006, 2007 and 2008. Notes to follow.