And As The Bourbon/Rye Season Drones On. . . .

It's incredible how cool, bright and refreshing this spring has been. Very few temperatures in the 80's, not that many even in the 70's. With daytime highs mostly in the 60's and nights as far down as the 30's, I've been inspired to check out the El Cheapo's lately.

Yes, that's right, AmBack's very own Purveyor Of Stupidity, the one, the only . . .

The Great Dumboni, . . .

the self-serving, self-promoting, proudly arrogant Lord Of The Liquid From Kentuckie, The Earl Of Pomposity, with His Top Twenty and Five, . . .

:bigpuke:

has been drinkng the cheap stuff lately.

That's right, I bought a one liter bottle of regular Jim Beam at the local strip mall the other day.

mg: :dunno: :duh: mg:

They only had regular Wild Turkey 101, didn't see if they had the other proofs, Rebel Yell and Jim Beam. I've always been curious about Jim Beam. I'm not curious any more. It's actually not bad, obviously very young (four years) and unsophisticated, raw, grainy, spicy, weak but tasty at 80 proof and not badly priced at a walkout price of $18.39 for the liter. After checking my favorite web sites and other stores I see I did okay.

Oh, and my Top 25 won't be threatened.

:sm_angel:

Then last night I came home with a bottle of Old Forester 86 proof, really reaching this time. My walkout price was only $14.11 at Warehouse Wines downtown NYC for a one liter bottle. They have a good selection, and instead of Ten High I decided to go for Old Forester. There's no age statement. I was intrigued when I saw that Ten High is only three years old, but that will have to wait. I'm also very curious about Old Crow, but I wanted something that wasn't 80 proof, and they're rare in the world of El Cheapo bourbons.

My first tasting of Old Forester reminded me surprisingly of a dry cognac, with a young, spicy flavor, but it disappears almost as soon as it hits your mouth, vanishing with a tingle on your tongue. The flavor rounds out as it sits and each sip is a little better than the last. At the one hour fifteen minute after the pour mark, which is when I usually feel the best tasting sip comes, it came out with a little more boldness in the flavor, giving hope to future sips and tastings. Overall, it's a bit dry and short on the finish.

This foray into the world of El Cheapo bourbons is something that is proving to be very interesting. I am probably discovering something for the very first time, after "knowing" it for about six years. Since many people will never be able to make the sacrifices that I have to buy some of the bourbons and ryes that I've tasted, I'm really finding out what an awful lot of people have to drink when they go to the store for bourbon. I really can't complain so far, although when I do have the money I'd still rather go for my Top 25.

Not everything on my Top 25 is out of the common paycheck's price range, witness Knob Creek and a bunch of others. I am willing to make the sacrifice and buy a sixty dollar bourbon instead of a thirty, because I'll always justify it by missing a couple of meals. I'm also blessed enough to have the kind of hourly rate that when I do get work I can add to my finances more quickly than the average worker, and can justify certain purchases that way.

:sm_angel: :dunno: :sm_angel:

It's likely that my excursions into the "bottom of the barrel" :sm_angel: will not end here, so stay tuned to WBLF-6969.69, All Bloofy, All The Thyme Radio.

Early Times, anyone??? :sm_angel: :bolt: :bolt: :bolt:

I've tried Evan Williams Single Barrel, the '91 I believe, didn't like it. I have a problem with a lot of single barrel bourbons, too smooth, not much flavor. Not all, but a good deal of the ones I've tried. I've considered trying one of the dirt cheap Evan Williams' and still may.

That's on cigars, not bourbon. :cryinlaugh:

Hope you enjoyed that Knob Creek, dropzone. Two of my favorite places in NYC have it on sale right now for $19.99, a "walkout price" of $21.71, still the best bang for the buck bourbon on the market, in my opinion, still standing tall at No. 13 on my list.

I also KNOW what you mean about those 80 proof bourbons. Although there's one (Basil Hayden's, No. 17) I'll drink to the grave, below 100 proof is not as desirable, and below 90 is rare for me.

I am just about playing Taps for the bourbon/rye season, and as a matter of fact, I'm enjoying a Kahlua and Coke right now as we get intermittent thunderstorms, giving way to beautiful, soft falling, soaking country rains here today in Lower Dutchess County.

I'm not saying I won't drink any more bourbon or rye during the summer, but I can see with the sudden onset of tropical weather here in the Northeast, that my desire for that type of drink has suddenly left me, as it does when the summer really hits us full force.

For the record, after trying my 49th bourbon recently, namely Noah's Mill, which ended up at No. 18 on my list, I also bought a bunch more. With the cool, cool nights lasting well into early June, I also purchased the regular Jim Beam, Old Forester 86 proof, Bulleit Bourbon and Old Charter Proprietor's Reserve 13 year old. This makes 53 bourbons I have tried, and while at least two of those have no chance at my Top 25, it's been an interesting late season foray into the never ending world of bourbon.

As for the Kahlua, it's my ex-second wife's Vintage 2002. She makes some at holiday season every year, and I'm a recipient of one of the gift bottles she gives out. It's real nice, and would go well with a cigar on this day of country rain. Maybe after I have "breakfast." :wink:

Hey, what can I say? She gives me a bottle every year. She's been making it for around 25-30 years, and it's really good. She's been complaining that I haven't given her reviews. Well, I barely touched the 2002 bottle, and haven't touched the 2003 or 2004 bottles at all, so it was time. Kahlua and coke's actually pretty good, but the kahlua can be rather sweet, depending on the vintage, so it's an experiment finding the balance.

Surprises, surprises. Today was a good day in Pleasant Valley Sunday, U.S.A.

After going for another 12 1/2 months since it's last meal, my Burmese python finally ate today. The pet store didn't have any jumbo rats, just sub-sized "larges." They gave me a discount for volume and the fact that they were small for "larges." I bought eight of them. Feeding time at the last remaining reptile in The Bloofingtonian Reptile House is always a great time for a cigar, and something to drink.

We experienced quite a hot spell here in Fishkill recently, as did most of the rest of the Northeast. It began on June 5th and lasted through yesterday, ten days in which six were at 90 or above, and with levels of humidity that I hadn't seen in at least ten years. The dewpoint reached 78 on June 11th and I haven't seen many times when the dewpoint even reached 75 in this area. Although I have seen even higher few times in my life, indeed just about everybody's uncomfortable when that reading hits 70, so 78 was a killer.

And as I looked ahead at the long term forecast last week, it seemed as though a cool down of sorts was headed this way about tonight or tomorrow. Oh sure, a BIIIIIG COOL DOWN I thought. What's that mean, daytime highs of 85 and dewpoints of 72? Well, surprisingly, the weather had begun to change dramatically when I arrived home last night at the stroke of midnight. Today the humidity gradually declined as a stiff breeze blew in what had to be remnants of Hurricane Arlene. And indeed what an incredibly comfortable day it became!!!

So, after returning from the pet store with the eight rats and proceeding to light a Hemingway Classic as the event progressed, I suddenly had a taste for bourbon again!!! :thumbsup:

So, while the Classic burned, I had my second tasting of a recent purchase, Bulleit bourbon, a mysterious, fairly low priced new release which I got a hot tip on and a small taste of at Beekman Liquors a month or two ago. Not bad, sort of one dimensional, but crisp, high rye content I'd say, no age statement on the bottle, not a bad change of pace, especially considering the price. If you can find this cheap, treat yourself to a bottle. It's nothing to write home about, but it's nice for the price.

Well, the feeding went well, taking from 1955 hours when the first rat went in to 2250 hours for the last one to be fully gulped down. My baby actually appears to be looking around for more. This time I WILL get one more meal into this snake before the early cold sets in around here. That way it will only have to go seven or eight months until it's next meal. One year isn't really dangerous, but not recommended.

So, I replaced the cage clips, put the baby to bed and had a pint of Haagen Dazs Triple Chocolate while I praised and thanked The Lord for a great day in many ways, and now I'm on to another bourbon. :sm_angel: This one is Old Charter Proprietor's Reserve 13 year old. It's 90 proof and one I've been curious about for a couple of years. The walkout price of $40.09 from Astor Wines was about as good as it gets whether it's web sites or stores, and the jury is out on the flavor. It's interesting, but seems a little flat, dry or something's missing. I'll get back to you on this, but it's just nice that . . .

bourbon "season" just seems to keep on keepin' on.

:dunno: :thumbsup:

mg: mg: :dunno: :bolt:

WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE???

Nights with the temperature going down as low as the mid-50's, furnace kicking on, and most recently, continued tastings of Old Forester, Bulleit, and Old Charter Proprietor's reserve.

:dunno: :dunno: :dunno:

Hey, aren't those BOURBONS? Bourbon in JULY?

mg: mg: :flush:

Well, I DID say we had a few unusually cool nights around here lately. And THAT means there's NOTHING wrong with this picture.

:sm_angel: :sm_angel: :sm_angel:

Here's what the current lists look like as the season begins. Hey, speaking of the beginning of the season, it's the fourth quarter, and I haven't poured me a glass of bourbon yet. mg:

Top 25 Bourbon List

1. A.H. Hirsch Reserve 16 year old
2. Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 20 year old
3. The Classic Cask Single Batch 20 year old
4. Booker's True Barrel
5. W.L. Weller Wheated 19 year old
6. Distiller's Masterpiece I - Cognac Finish
7. Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 year old
8. The Classic Cask Single Batch 18 year old
9. George T. Stagg 2002
10. Baker's
11. George T. Stagg 2003
12. Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 year old
13. Knob Creek
14. Pure Kentucky
15. Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve
16. Old Rip Van Winkle 15 year old
17. Basil Hayden’s
18. Noah’s Mill
19. Henry McKenna 10 year old bonded
20. Rowan’s Creek
21. Jefferson’s Reserve 15 year old
22. Wild Turkey Rare Breed
23. Blanton’s
24. Kentucky Vintage
25. Fighting Cock 6 year old


Top 10 Rye List

1. The Classic Cask Single Batch 22 year old
2. Van Winkle Family Reserve 13 year old
3. The Classic Cask Single Batch 21 year old
4. Sazerac 18 year old
5. Old Potrero Straight Rye Whiskey
6. Black Maple Hill 18 year old
7. Old Overholt
8. Jim Beam Rye
9. Wild Turkey Rye
10. Hirsch Reserve 13 year old

Great to hear from you, Rick. Are you sure it was 25 year old Pappy's or the new 23 that's about to be released? I didn't like the last release of the 23. It tasted like $200 a bottle, 95.6 proof root beer, although I hear this new release is really good. I'm not going to spend the money to find out. The world will have to keep on turning without my input on that one. :mrgreen: Also, in your list you didn't show the age on the Eagle Rare, 10 or 17?

That was certainly a great trip you took, and I agree with what you told Jimmy Russell. I have it on good advice from our own Whiskey Dogg Detective that the new 90 proof Russell's Reserve is a dog. I have no intention of trying it, but my new favorite web site has the old 101 proof really cheap, so I'm going to stock up on that while it's available.

If you scroll down and take a look at my post about LeNell's, unless you've already done so, according to an e-mail I just received from them, they are having a release party for the new Bernheim Wheat Whiskey on October 2nd. I am curious enough to try a bottle and may buy one the next time I am there.

As for Black Maple Hill, I have tried the 14 and 16 a few years ago, didn't like them, won't spend the money on any of their products again, with the possible exception of their rye, which as you can see is on my list. It's okay, but overpriced, like all their stuff.

Been thinking about you a lot, had a crazy busy summer. Dealing with a major plumbing problem in the house right now, more stress, less time on my hands. I hope all's well and I'll try to keep in better touch.