Bourbon/Whiskey/Whisky thread!

[MickintheHam]

Last night I had all of the adult members of the family together for dinner. I decided it was time to break out the Woodford Double Double 2016. I had two bottles I was hoarding waiting for the right time. Last night was it. What a great way to enjoy a great bourbon. To my surprise my son showed up with two fresh bottles of Woodford Double Double 2020 for me that he purchased last week. He showed me pictures of the line waiting to purchase. It was outside the distillery and down tHe road a long way. Fortunately, the line moved very quickly.

Now I have to have another occasion to break the seal on one of those babies. If any of you get to the Ham drop by and we’ll break the seal on another.

[bigsky]

Careful what you ask for...

[VirginiaCat]

Ok, interesting experience.

My BOD Chair also operates a large Insurance agency that serves the mental health, private day school, and transportation industries nationwide.

They do not spend a lot on marketing except...he buys a special reserve barrel of Woodford Reserve Each year that he goes to Woodford and tastes straight from several barrels each year with the Master Distiller. Then chooses the barrel to buy and bottle has his company's bourbon which he gives a bottle to each major client key employee. It is amazing the differences in tastes from one barrel to the next and one year to the other even from a major distillery like Woodford.

Anyway, with COVID, all those types of distillery tasting visits were canceled to the Master Distiller selected 3 barrels and send 3 small bottles for him to taste from and select this years barrel. Guess who he let do the tasting this year? THIS GUY!


I am attaching some pictures of the kit but here are some of my tasting notes. Remember, I tend to like a sweeter bourbon, not a heavier or spicier bourbon.

First, had a glass of Filtered and Reverse Osmosis water available for cleansing my palate and blending.
I used 3 tulip style stemless glasses.
I tasted each bottle separately first smelling and trying to pick up some flavor notes on the nose, then tasted straight, and finally by mixing with just a few drops of water.

It is very interesting how just a little water like that can change the straight taste profile..

Anyway:

Batch A
Nose: tobacco and oak forward with spice even on the nose
Straight Taste: Spicy and heat is very forward. Some burnt caramel, and very bold
Taste with drops of water: The few drops really mellowed the spice. I lost the burnt caramel taste with the water and it did not seem as complex.


Batch B
Nose: Much less forward and bold than batch A. Caramel dominates the nose but also some fruit
Straight Taste: Wow. This is great straight up. Very smooth with a touch of vanilla but mostly caramel forward. This was very enjoyable straight.
Taste with water: The water almost made it lose its character instead ot opening it up. Became fairly single noted and was not as interesting a flavor profile.

Batch C
Nose: Very light Nose, some lite toasted wood or nuts on the nose
Straight Taste: Vey light spice on the tongue. The Toasted nuts continued on the palate and was joined with some lite notes of vanilla and maybe coconut. Maybe a bit of floral?
Taste with Water: Flavor profile did not change much. Smoother as expected but same profile.

Conclusion Notes:

If I had to choose just one it may be Batch C. It is most well rounded. But if I was choosing one to simply sip on without water it would be Batch B. I am telling you, out of the bottle that one just grabbed me but did not overwhelm me.
Batch A was just too big for my palate. It was spicy and dry. Many like that, in fact, I am guessing most Bourbon lovers would choose Batch A.


Attachment 9939

Attachment 9938

[MickintheHam]

Careful what you ask for...

I owe you at least a couple of shots!

[Catfan73]

Ok, interesting experience.

My BOD Chair also operates a large Insurance agency that serves the mental health, private day school, and transportation industries nationwide.

They do not spend a lot on marketing except...he buys a special reserve barrel of Woodford Reserve Each year that he goes to Woodford and tastes straight from several barrels each year with the Master Distiller. Then chooses the barrel to buy and bottle has his company's bourbon which he gives a bottle to each major client key employee. It is amazing the differences in tastes from one barrel to the next and one year to the other even from a major distillery like Woodford.

Anyway, with COVID, all those types of distillery tasting visits were canceled to the Master Distiller selected 3 barrels and send 3 small bottles for him to taste from and select this years barrel. Guess who he let do the tasting this year? THIS GUY!


I am attaching some pictures of the kit but here are some of my tasting notes. Remember, I tend to like a sweeter bourbon, not a heavier or spicier bourbon.

First, had a glass of Filtered and Reverse Osmosis water available for cleansing my palate and blending.
I used 3 tulip style stemless glasses.
I tasted each bottle separately first smelling and trying to pick up some flavor notes on the nose, then tasted straight, and finally by mixing with just a few drops of water.

It is very interesting how just a little water like that can change the straight taste profile..

Anyway:

Batch A
Nose: tobacco and oak forward with spice even on the nose
Straight Taste: Spicy and heat is very forward. Some burnt caramel, and very bold
Taste with drops of water: The few drops really mellowed the spice. I lost the burnt caramel taste with the water and it did not seem as complex.


Batch B
Nose: Much less forward and bold than batch A. Caramel dominates the nose but also some fruit
Straight Taste: Wow. This is great straight up. Very smooth with a touch of vanilla but mostly caramel forward. This was very enjoyable straight.
Taste with water: The water almost made it lose its character instead ot opening it up. Became fairly single noted and was not as interesting a flavor profile.

Batch C
Nose: Very light Nose, some lite toasted wood or nuts on the nose
Straight Taste: Vey light spice on the tongue. The Toasted nuts continued on the palate and was joined with some lite notes of vanilla and maybe coconut. Maybe a bit of floral?
Taste with Water: Flavor profile did not change much. Smoother as expected but same profile.

Conclusion Notes:

If I had to choose just one it may be Batch C. It is most well rounded. But if I was choosing one to simply sip on without water it would be Batch B. I am telling you, out of the bottle that one just grabbed me but did not overwhelm me.
Batch A was just too big for my palate. It was spicy and dry. Many like that, in fact, I am guessing most Bourbon lovers would choose Batch A.


Attachment 9939

Attachment 9938

That’s pretty cool. Any idea what they charge him for a barrel? I would guess even with a pretty decent discount it would have to be $5,000 or so.

[VirginiaCat]

That’s pretty cool. Any idea what they charge him for a barrel? I would guess even with a pretty decent discount it would have to be $5,000 or so.

I think it is closer to $15K with his own special label on each bottle but it does include a full day with the Master Distiller and his team usually,.

[Catfan73]

Well no wonder they sent him that box!

[VirginiaCat]

Actually pretty cheap marketing budget