A few months back I wrote about blending or vatting bourbons. In that post I combined different bourbons to see how they tasted together. While that post was about experimenting this post is about taking those experiments and selecting a “house” bourbon. This is your daily drinker, what you give to guests and the bourbon that defines your taste. It’s a big decision!
Heaven Hill continues to pump out new batches of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof on a quarterly or tri-annually basis. This release is the standard 12 years and weighs in at 139.8 proof. That makes it the second highest in the ECBP line up and misses “Hazmat” status by only 2/10 of a point.
For more information about the ECBP releases read here…
In 2015 Jim Beam added a cool new feature to the Booker’s bottle. First, they simplified the batch numbers by making it simply the year and batch number (2015-01). Second, each batch would have a symbol which represented the Booker brand. Everything from Booker’s dog to his rocking chair. I like this idea and was excited to see the new batches on the shelf. It’s not a limited or special release but Booker’s is so consistently good I don’t think it matters.
While this release is no surprise, this is the first time I’ve seen an official price. Depending on quality $75 seems pretty reasonable. It’s definitely pushing the limit of what I would pay but still within range of a quality barrel proof whiskey. While barrel proof bourbons are getting released left and right barrel proof ryes have lagged behind. I would love to see a solid barrel proof rye on the shelf. However, like most “limited” releases, I’m sure it won’t sit on shelves for long.
One of my favorite releases every fall is the Small Batch Limited Edition from Four Roses. They combine recipes from their 10 different mash bills for the release. Here’s the recipes Four Roses is using for the 2015 Small Batch:
OBSK – 16 year
OBSV – 11 year
OESK – 15 year
If you follow bourbon on any social media outlet I’m sure you’ve found yourself jealous of another Bourbonr’s bottles that they found “in the wild”. This is bourbon slang for “sitting on a shelf and I paid retail or close to it”. If you’re like me you probably wondered “how did they find that!” and curse the poor selection of bourbon at your local stores. I’ve been fairly successful at hunting bourbon over the years, and while it has become increasingly more difficult, I wanted to share some of the tips and tricks I use on my bourbon hunts.
Pairings can often be intimidating. Figuring out what flavors work together is often more trial and error than anything else. Pairing a bourbon with a cigar is about matching flavors. Eric over at Stogies on the Rocks has a great rundown on how to pair bourbons with cigars. I suggest relying on what you know. For me that’s bourbon.
Today we received a reminder that fall bourbon releases will be here before we know it. Old Forester received approval for their annual Old Forester Birthday Bourbon Release. If you remember, the 2014 OFBB included an increased price tag. My guess is the 2015 OFBB release will be closer to the $60 mark. While on taste alone Birthday Bourbon isn’t one of my favorites, I do love how they change the label colors every year. It gives collectors something to get excited about.
This is the final major distillery of the Bourbonr mash bill breakdowns. Wild Turkey mash bills are simple. One bourbon (75/13/12 corn/rye/barley) and one rye (37/51/12 corn/rye/barley) with most likely the same yeast strand for each. What’s interesting is how they’re able to produce different flavor profiles with age and warehouse location as their only variables. I’ve also heard that Wild Turkey takes wider cuts during the distillation process which increases the spiciness of their whiskey.
If you remember back in the summer Buffalo Trace received label approval for EH Taylor Cured Oak and Seasoned Wood. I asked brand manager Kris Comstock about these releases but only received a “just wait” response. It seems official now that BT is moving forward with the release. Several distributors have already received their shipments so I’d be on the lookout or at least start asking your local store. This has just made the spring bourbon hunt more interesting!