Estate Sale Bourbons

[Veach]

A couple of months ago I acquired several bottles of bourbon from an estate sale. These bourbons are from the 1960's up to the early 1980's. I thought I would share some tasting notes here. I am doing these tasting notes for a couple of reasons. The first is that bourbon of this age range is still out there and can be found so I thought people might be interested in what to expect from a bottle purchased at such a sale. The other is to let people compare these notes with the modern product taste profile. It is interesting on how this has changed in many cases.

The first I will taste tonight is Cabin Still in the Bobwhite decanter bottle, bottled for Christmas 1968. It is 90 proof and 5 year old bourbon.

Color: Light Amber

Nose: Corn, vanilla with a hint of honey and flowers. Very sweet aroma.

Taste: Sweet corn and caramel with just a hint of oak. A very pleasant warmness going down.

Finish: Dry oak with a hint of caramel that lingers in the back of the throat.

Notes: This is real Van Winkle controlled, Stitzel-Weller bourbon at its best. This whiskey reminds people that the Van Winkles placed a sign in fron of the distillery, which is still there today, that reads "We make fine bourbon here; At a profit if we can, at a loss if we must, but always fine bourbon". The Cabin Still being bottled today is not even in the same class as this older expression of this brand.

Mike Veach

[Veach]

The second bourbon from the sale I will be tasting is a Beam's Choice, 8 YO 90 proof bottled in 1974. It is in a deacanter that has a starburst pattern and has been painted (yes I said painted, only from Beam will you find such quality of decanter) red with gold swirls.

Color: Dark straw. Too light to call amber but still some red to it.

Nose: Honey and spice, maybe nutmeg, with a little vanilla.

Taste: Corn sweetness with a little oak and toffe.

Finish: Smooth and dry with a hint of wood.

Notes: The surprising thing about this whiskey is how similar it is to the modern product expression. Beam has done an excellent job with keeping true to their taste profile over the last 28 years.

[Veach]

The third of the bourbon from this estate sale is a 1974 bottle of Very Old Barton 90 proof 8YO.

Color: Amber

Nose: Oak, caramel and a little fruit like ripe pear with a hint of leather.

Taste: Caramel with ripe fruit, apples with a hint of wild cherry. Oak dryness in the back of the mouth with a very thick mouth feel that lingers into the finish.

Finish: Oak and sweet corn with just a hint of caramel.

Notes: This is a very complex bourbon that is a real deal for the price. High quality with a reasonable price even in todays market.