The Bourbon - and other spirits - Thread (was: @ Myronwemissyinz)

Re: @ Myronwemissyinz

Life's too short to drink bad beer too. And you are certainly a demanding man when it comes to your beer.

I've heard good things about that brand. But I can't do IPAs. I don't have the taste for hops, and IPAs are loaded with the stuff. But for guys that like it, there's nothing better.

 

Resurrecting this thread (and quoting this post as it is a good launching point).

So I finished off my first bottle of Buffalo Trace a couple weeks ago (Liquor store around here finally stocked it a few months ago).

I was going to have a "bachelor night" tonight (wife and kids all out. House to myself). So I went down to the liquor store to get another bottle of bourbon and maybe something else if it caught my eye. Boy howdy, the bourbon shelf has EXPLODED with new (to the store at least) brands. And high end ones at that. Nothing approaching the 20 year old, $120 a bottle single malt scotch they had there in terms of price, but pushing $50 is pretty steep to my way of thinking.

I grabbed a bottle of Trace and a bottle of this German Apple liqueur I hadn't seen since way back in my USAF days... bought that for old time's sake.

I go to place the Trace in the cabinet and had to shift a couple bottles. What's this? All the way in the back was my old bottle of Eagle Rare. Only 2-3 ounces left. I thought I had killed it last winter. Hey! Great time to do a taste comparison (or any other excuse to drink. heh).

Now, I don't have the most delicate palate out there. So some of the complexities and "notes" that people talk about are lost on me. I have also never, not once, EVER thought a bourbon or any other whiskey tasted "sweet." It boggles my mind when people talk about the sweetness as I don't get it. Tastes fine, but never sweet.

My limited thoughts on comparison: Eagle Rare is a little mellower and darker (I swear I taste cocoa or dark chocolate) but also drier. Buffalo Trace is a tad more bold. Brighter with more floral or tobacco notes, a hint more rye and a longer finish. I can't speak to sweetness as, again, I never taste it. BUT, frankly, if you blindfolded me and had me drink one or the other out of the blue, I'm not sure I could tell you which was which. It took several tastings to work out any differences. They're pretty close on first and second sip.

Which brings me to PJ's lament. As I'm looking at the bottles I realized something: They're made by the same distillery! LOL A quick visit to their website, and sure as **** they make them both (and several other brands or names). In fact, both BT and ER use the same mash recipe. They're just cooked and aged a little different. So if they have Trace, tell them Rare is made by the same folks and why don't they have it?

For a cheaper bourbon (anything under $25 is cheap - in price that is - IMO), both are really, really good. I do like Knob Creek too. That has a different character to it than the Trace brands, if a little more harsh going down.

 

There's a drink I never could acquire a taste for. Even a better than average Scotch tastes like liquid fire to me. Pity. I wish I could like it. Well, then again, maybe that's a good thing. I don't exactly have a high quality scotch budget.

 

That's the one. (Berentzen's)

Not very strong, but tastes great.

 

Was at my liquor store just last week. 4 months ago, they were well stocked with Trace. None to be had now. But they did have about 10 bottles of Rare available.

In the late spring and summer, I'm more of a rum and tequila guy anyway.

And why JB? Knob Creek or Makers can't be that much more. Hell, I'd go with good ol' Jack before Jim.

 

Yes. We established a long time ago that Jack isn't bourbon. I'm just saying I'd prefer that to Jim. But then again, IDK that I ever had JB Black.

Going back to Buffalo Trace Distillery not being able to keep up with demand: It's not surprising. The hype they've earned over the past several years was bound to increase demand. And the process being what it is, production was going to eventually lag compared to demand... for a while anyway. Might take a couple years even, but they'll eventually meet it.

(It doesn't hurt having your brand featured in movies and TV either. I distinctly recall seeing both Trace and Rare in "Justified." Fairly certain I saw Trace in an episode of Sons of Anarchy. And most recently, "Grudge Match" with Sly Stallone and DeNiro had a scene where a guy was unpacking a couple cases of the stuff).

You can even catch a glimpse in the trailer:

[video=youtube;1bQSOBJCPQE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bQSOBJCPQE[/video]

Sorry, Myron. You sang its praises too long. the secret is out and now demand is high.

 

Well, as I've said, this time of year I'm more interested in tequila and rum for the hard stuff.

But when the weather gets cooler/cold and my preferences point back to bourbon and vodka, IF Trace is still hard to come by, I might give Woodford Reserve a try. Failing that, I might take you up on your suggestion and try Black. Never hurts to try something new. Hell, I've already gone through 5 new rums in the last 5 weeks. Funny thing is, I liked them all. That doesn't help when you're trying to find "your brand." Then again, they all have some distinction in flavor or character, and I'd have a different use for a few of them.

 

I need a job like that. Alas, I wouldn't be very good at it.

I haven't had Oakheart yet. Mostly because I just don't really buy Bacardi anymore, so I'm a tad skeptical of them. I may try it next time I go for a spiced rum, but Kraken has suited my needs there fairly well. And Captain Morgan Private Stock is worth its price. Normal Captain is good, I've just grown a little tired of it. Sailor Jerry is decent - with a bit more vanilla than other spiced rums. But compared to Kraken, it lacks (excuse the expression) balls. (And most spiced rums are best used as mixers. They tend to be a bit too much for drinking neat).

It seems like every rum maker and their sister makes a spice rum anymore, and now "dark" or "black" spiced rums are all the rage. But bottom shelf rum is still bottom shelf no matter how you dress it up (I'm looking at you, Admiral Nelson and Calico Jack).

 

I did a double take on that thinking, "I only pay about $23-24 for Trace." Then I realized you're a more serious bourbon drinker than I and you go for the BIG bottles.

 

Since I'm on a rum kick, I thought I'd give a few thoughts on some of my more liked brands.

First a disclaimer:

If you're going to just use it to mix with Coke, anything will do really. No need to read further. Coke is the great equalizer. Yes, even with Coke, some rums are better than others, but rum and coke is like pizza (or sex) - even when it's bad, it's still pretty good.

Still reading? Time to begin the journey. One I'm only setting out on myself recently (barely dabbled in the past). For years, I only saw rum as a mixer. It's a great mixer to be sure. But done right, it can take its place as a good sipper right along with whiskey (of any variety), brandy/cognac, what have you. Some rums are pretty good shooters too, if not so much in the sipping department.

And rums can be as wildly different as wine or beer. Some are sweeter, some very, very dry. Some have been flavored, blended or spiced, some are unaltered. Some are young and carry a rough edge, some are aged well and have depth along with a smoother finish. Some have very little heat, others burn HOT. And despite that, each type has a use. If I was building a personal bar, I couldn't have just 1 or 2 bottles of rum. There's too much variety. And variety is the spice of life.

What's the best rum? I don't recall the reviewer, but I'll quote him anyway. "The rum in my glass." I don't get caught up in the arguments some purists have about whether a rum has been altered. Does it smell and taste like rum? Was it made from sugar cane and/or molasses? Then it's rum. Individual tastes vary.

That said, I'm throwing out the bottom shelf rums right off the bat. Good in a pinch to mix with coke, but they have little value otherwise. I'm looking at you: Calico Jacks, Admiral Nelsons most Bacardis, Malibus, and various other rums that are usually priced under $20 a bottle. You DO get what you pay for (to a point).

We're looking for rums that can be had neat, or with a splash of water or on ice. Or at the most, with maybe a splash of lime. If they serve well in standard rum drinks, so much the better.

That said, we want to be able to actually afford our rums as well, so you won't see me talking about 25 year old rums, or other high end pricier ones. We'll try to keep it limited to rums that can be had for under $50 a bottle - preferably cheaper.

Mount Gay Extra Old - From the oldest distillery in the Americas. This is the first "high end" rum I ever had, and I was amazed how much I had been missing. It made all of the cheap rums I was drinking seem like paint thinner. Aged in oak whiskey barrels. It's on the drier side. The nose is gorgeous especially once allowed to breathe. To the tongue, there's a hint of sweetness but the finish is drier with just the right amount of heat. It lets you know it's there, but it doesn't overpower you. Almost perfect for any application. To my mind, this is the rum all others are measured by. Is it the best? Probably not. It's not even my favorite. But it is the standard. If I ever get that man cave bar I always wanted, this will always be in stock.

Appleton Estate VX: GREAT for rum and cokes. Great for any rum drink. A bit on the wild side for sipping though. It does shine on the rocks with a splash of lime. I believe this one is aged in Jack Daniels barrels. So it may be the one for those with whiskey tastes.

Pyrat XO: Maybe the coolest bottle of any rum. I hesitate to list it though as to me... it doesn't taste like rum. It tastes more like apricot brandy mixed with Grand Marnier and just a hint of rum. Obviously, this one is heavily flavored. That said, I like it. It's a very good sipper neat. It shines on the rocks. It just doens't have that "rummy" sensation. Other than the bottle...

El Dorado 15 year old: Oh... this one is a luxury. Close your eyes. Imagine you're a sailor or pirate out at sea. The day is ending, and you have your ration of rum. You take a drink and relax, the rum is just what you needed. How does it smell? How does it taste? You don't have to imagine anymore. That's what's in this bottle. Simply perfect.

10 Cane: This is the unruly, brash, young kid of rums. Very peppery finish. A good amount of heat. I don't recommend drinking this straight. But mixed? It brings a lot of character to the table.

Zaya Gran Reserva: Delicious. Sweet from start to finish. Very smooth. Heavy vanilla. Some Caribbean spice and brown sugar/molasses. A little woody with hints of cocoa. You could almost call this a desert rum. Should only be had neat. Excellent sipper. It would be a waste to mix this one.

Ron Zacapa: Without a doubt, the SWEETEST rum I've ever tasted. This is almost in liqueur territory. Slightly thick and smoooooooth. Very little, if any heat going down. It goes down so easy, I'd say beware or you could overdo it... except the sweetness becomes cloying after a few. It's expensive. It's worth the expense. Not a bottle you'll go through in a night. More of a finish the day type rum.

Just thought I'd add these to the ones I talked about earlier.

 

I talked about Sailor Jerry in a previous post.

 

Have fun with fleet week. I'm stuck working today.

I'm not a big mojito guy. Never cared for them. Might be the mint. Don't get me wrong. I like mint. It just overpowers most drinks for me.