The Bourbon Thread

[Mike_Grammer]

Just picked up and tried the Jefferson’s 18 yr presidential select—smells like a dream come true, with beautiful sugar-laced fruit, taste is authoritative for just 47%. Good stuff…not as good as Pappy’s 23 yr, but good stuff.

[S_Haller]

@Mike Grammer

Just picked up and tried the Jefferson’s 18 yr presidential select—smells like a dream come true, with beautiful sugar-laced fruit, taste is authoritative for just 47%. Good stuff…not as good as Pappy’s 23 yr, but good stuff.

A lot cheaper too.

[Z_Hu]

Had some George T stagg while waiting for a flight to arrive. 140 something proof yet so smooth and barely burned. Added some water and it actually got harsher.

[YacobovE]

@Mike Grammer

Just picked up and tried the Jefferson’s 18 yr presidential select—smells like a dream come true, with beautiful sugar-laced fruit, taste is authoritative for just 47%. Good stuff…not as good as Pappy’s 23 yr, but good stuff.

How do you compare this to Pappy 15 year? Do you think this bottling is worth $80-90?

[Tyler_Rico]

@YacobovE

@Mike Grammer

Just picked up and tried the Jefferson’s 18 yr presidential select—smells like a dream come true, with beautiful sugar-laced fruit, taste is authoritative for just 47%. Good stuff…not as good as Pappy’s 23 yr, but good stuff.

How do you compare this to Pappy 15 year? Do you think this bottling is worth $80-90?

IMO, it’s closer to pappy 20

I think it’s worth it but it comes down to batch #. Taste before you buy if at all possible.

[YacobovE]

@Tyler Rico

@YacobovE

@Mike Grammer

Just picked up and tried the Jefferson’s 18 yr presidential select—smells like a dream come true, with beautiful sugar-laced fruit, taste is authoritative for just 47%. Good stuff…not as good as Pappy’s 23 yr, but good stuff.

How do you compare this to Pappy 15 year? Do you think this bottling is worth $80-90?

IMO, it’s closer to pappy 20

I think it’s worth it but it comes down to batch #. Taste before you buy if at all possible.

Gotcha, don’t think I’ll have the option to taste. Do you have batch #s that are good (I bet this is a ridiculous request, but thought I’d ask anyways)? I’m planning to go to Brooklyn tonight to buy a couple bottles.

[YacobovE]

It’s batch #30 if that helps…

[Mike_Grammer]

Chuckle. Mine is batch 10 FWIW. I think a comparison to the Pappy’s 20 is valid—different presentations but equal in overall quality.

[YacobovE]

@Mike Grammer

Chuckle. Mine is batch 10 FWIW. I think a comparison to the Pappy’s 20 is valid—different presentations but equal in overall quality.

I’ve been reading that the Jefferson 18 yr lacks the same quality finish as the pappys, do you think that’s true?

[Tyler_Rico]

It’s known that the quality of the batches decreased as the batch numbers increased. Probably because they started to blend in sub par barrels once the stock dwindled.

All of the bottles I have are 6,10, and 14.

[s.nellessen]

re: the jefferson presidential,
do they change the “year” based on the batch? I have a 17 year, batch #5. Is it the same product, ie back then it was only 17 yrs old?

[YacobovE]

@s.nellessen

re: the jefferson presidential,
do they change the “year” based on the batch? I have a 17 year, batch #5. Is it the same product, ie back then it was only 17 yrs old?

Believe this was bottled a year ago…supposedly they have enough left to sell a 19 yr next year

[YacobovE]

@Tyler Rico

It’s known that the quality of the batches decreased as the batch numbers increased. Probably because they started to blend in sub par barrels once the stock dwindled.

All of the bottles I have are 6,10, and 14.

That’s very helpful! Thank you!

[jdietz]

@Nathan V.

Recent Bourbons:

Black Maple Hill: maybe the name is working on me, but it does have a sort of maple quality to it. This is big, smooth and rich and probably “sweeter” than other Bourbons I tend towards.

Noah’s Mill: maybe my favorite current Bourbon. Needs a bit of ice or cool water as it is barrel strength. Has real intensity and broadness on the palate. Finishes dry.

Rowan’s Creek: this is drier than the Black Maple Hill, but not quite as dry as Noah’s Mill. It is also in the middle in terms of the types of flavors with a bit of dark sugar notes. A very good value, IMO.

Van Winkle 12 yr: this was OK. In a way, I may have liked it more than the 20 yr, but that could be the weight of expectation. Seems better balanced and not too much corn-influenced.

Pappy Van Winkle 20 yr: much too expensive for what’s in the glass, IMO. Has a kind of out of balance bourbon-ness (corn influence) that has mostly put me off. Not worth the money.

Four Roses Single Barrel: this was OK, but I really didn’t get that into it. Had a real prominent corn influence that I’m not partial to.

William Larue Weller: whoa, this was really different from the others I’ve been drinking lately. I gather that this is a “wheated” Bourbon. Really exotic flavor profile with lots of fruits and nuts. Very heady and requires a good dose of ice/water. Interesting, but I couldn’t do this every day.

Corner Creek: this shows an almost salty Islay lite flavor. When I googled this it seemed to be dissed on the Bourbon geek boreds, but I think that is a mistake. It is a Whisky drinkers Bourbon and a good value. Needs a bit of ice/water to smooth it out.

Bourbon is a new thing for me, I’ve never really been a fan, but a friend recently introduced me to Noah’s Mill and Black Maple Hill and I went from there. I am mostly a Whisky drinker if that helps interpret my notes.

I’m sipping the Noah’s Mill now. … 114.3 proof! A bit more bite than the 12 year old 90.4 proof Van Winkle that was as smooth as could be.

[Mike_Grammer]

Need to stiffen that backbone, Jimmy—my sadly dwindling bottle of Barton 13 yr Two Bobs checks in at 127.4 proof. that’s a drink that will put somethin’ in your spine

Nathan, very helpful notes. I, too, came from single malt background and am gaining appreciation for good bourbon now. I do/did like Pappy’s 20 but as you say, probably not…quite…worth the tariff. The 23 is amazing, but damned little of it now. Your notes on the Corner Creek are very clear to me, as a fancier of the Islay/smokies.

[Tim_Thomas]

So what is the difference in these two bottles. The tag on the 17 y/o reads “Batch 7 bottle 308 Distilled from wheat in the fall of 1991, aged in Stitzel-Weller barrels”. The 18 y/o is "Batch 9 Bottle 2211 Distilled from wheat in the fall of 1991, aged in Stitzel-Weller barrels. Previous posts in this thread contain a note from K&L that their bottles contain some of the last of the Sitzel-Weller bourbon. Are these the same?
By the way, opened a Pappy 23 last night and tasted it next to an 18 year Jefferson’s Presidential and a Pappy 20. All three were great but I must say the Pappy 23 really takes bourbon to another level.

[Tyler_Rico]

mclain and kyne bought a bunch of the 91 stitzel weller juice a few years back. SW stopped distilling/closed in 92’ so this was the tail end of their production. Released the 17 in 08’ and the 18 in 09’ with some more of the 18yr trickling in over the past year or so. Same juice just different age statements.

[Mike_Grammer]

It’s been a couple years since I tried the Pappy’s 20, Edan, so hard for me to recall comparative finishes. The Jefferson’s has enough for me to like it.

Tim…agreed…

[YacobovE]

Just tried Hillrock Solera Aged Bourbon today…46.3% alcohol…strong nose, but one of the smoothest palates I’ve ever had on a bourbon

[Kris_Patten]

Thoughts on the following:

Templeton Rye
EH Taylor Rye and Barrel Proof
Parkers Heritage Cognac
Woodford Masters Collection Four Wood