As Record Lows Hit Dutchess County, New York . . .

Joined Sep 2003
9K Posts | 0+
Puerto Rico/NYC
shortly after being hit by record highs, there's a new kid in town, and his name . . .

is Sam Houston. Actually, the bourbon named after the famous Texas Governor. The neck tag actually has a nice little educative piece of history about the man himself, and what's in the bottle is pretty special. It's the first time in a while that a bourbon costing me this little has made me sit up and take notice.

Bold flavor, smooth but rich body, strong, sweet yellow corn notes, and the spice that usually comes from a strong rye presence in the mash bill mark this ten year old, 90 proof offering from the McLain and Kyne Distillery.

This bourbon actually helped me to understand Knob Creek a little better, or is that something guys like me who review whiskey are supposed to say to sound mysterious and sophisticated?

:roll: :cryinlaugh: :dunno: :help: :pumpkin:

This whiskey is very similar to Knob Creek in that it has a beautiful balance of the sweet or perhaps in this case, semi-sweet, and spice that mark a whiskey of complex and mature flavor profile. Sip after sip, tasting after tasting, no matter what the conditions, this bourbon justifies much more than the price I paid, although perhaps not what some out there are charging.

It is with all my tastings in mind, leaving very little of the bottle left, that I hereby place Sam Houston 10 year old, 90 proof bourbon at the very impressive No. 21 spot on my list. In a rare summertime change in the Bloofy Bourbon List, Sam Houston has stood tall in the saddle. Although not good enough to bang heads with the monotonous, but rich, thick and heavy bodied Old Rip 15 year old (especially an "un-chill filtered" bottle), it beats out the relatively weak flavored Classic Cask 17 year old.

I have been curious about this bourbon for years, if for no other reason than its name. I am curious no more, and I am indeed a very happy bourbon sippin' man. How Binny's manages to charge only $19.99 + shipping is beyond me, as no one else charges less than $29.99, but I would actually pay the latter price, which works out to a "walk-out price" of about $35. I paid $24 and change. Don't pay more than $35 to walk-out with this one, but don't miss it either, if you can afford to get it.

This is impressive, a sophisticated bottle of bourbon for a working class man, or a fine go to bourbon for the somewhat middle class that can afford it a bit more often.

Top 25 Bourbon List

1. A.H. Hirsch Reserve 16 year
2. Vintage 23 year
3. Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 20 year
4. The Classic Cask 20 year
5. Vintage 21 year
6. Booker's
7. W.L. Weller 19 year
8. Distiller's Masterpiece I - Cognac Finish
9. William Larue Weller 121.9 proof
10. Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 year, Lot B
11. George T. Stagg Fall 2005, 141.2 proof
12. The Classic Cask 18 year
13. George T. Stagg 2002, 137.6 proof
14. Baker's
15. George T. Stagg 2003, 142.7 proof
16. Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 year
17. Knob Creek
18. Pure Kentucky
19. Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve (original 101 proof)
20. Old Rip Van Winkle 15 year
21. Sam Houston
22. The Classic Cask 17 year
23. George T. Stagg Spring 2005, 131.8 proof
24. Basil Hayden’s
25. Noah’s Mill