Quoting Reagan, "I've Had It Up To My . . .

Keister" with unfiltered, barrel proof, "unique," "complex," "fascinating," "mysterious" and "tantalizing" new offerings in whiskey and rye. I mean, when you find yourself searching to review something, and it suddenly dawns on you that you're about to say . . .

"Entry of cream-style furniture polish, with a huge follow up of fiery Bunker C fuel oil, such as that used in the famous Union Pacific Gas Turbine freight locomotive. Slight hints of Mr. Clean or some other typical mop applied floor cleaner, with an extra long finish of spicy oak and burnt Uniroyal truck tires," . . .

then you might wish to call Houston, because we have a problem.

Or try this. This is a secret, very old, unfiltered, barrel proof rye offering I'm currently working on:

"Fiery entry of pure barrel char, followed by marinated red peppers heavily sprinkled with cayenne pepper." :shock: Okayyyyyyy.

What I mean by all that Bloofy Blather is that sure, if I'm sitting down to tell you what I think of a certain whiskey, like, ohhhhhh, say my current No. 13 bourbon, George T. Stagg 2002, which won Whiskey Of The Year, then I want to be objective. I want to tell you if it has one flavor or five. I want to tell you if the body is bold, medium or light. I want to tell you if the flavors are muted or vibrant. I'd also like to tell you that I like it.

Well, when it comes to doing impartial reviews, it can cause one to come into conflict with himself. Here's another example. So far, the new William Larue Weller, of which I only had last year's (2005) version, is another one of the ever more popular barrel proof, unfiltered offerings, as is the aforementioned George T. Stagg. But something that I've found in every bottle of William Larue Weller, which I've never had in any bottle of Stagg, is sure enough, evidence!!!

The evidence in the WLW is that it is indeed unfiltered, because when you even get to the point where there's still about two shots left in the bottle, you start to notice black powder in your glass. By the time you get to that last half shot or so, you've got about a tiny spoonful or three of that black powder in there. And believe me, you can taste the change!!!

Nice.

Then, I'm supposed to come here and tell you things about "unique" and "fascinating" and "novel" with a straight face, and happily place it in the No. 9 position on my Top 25 Bourbon List, which as you can see I've done.

Hey, evidence!!!

He really IS The Great Dumboni!!!

But what about MEEEEEEEEEEEE!?!?!?!?!!??!? That's what I'm left wondering sometimes. What THAT means is what about . . .

"delicious?" Is there anything out there that I can try and come back to tell the people, . . .

I've been through cyberspace and the asphalt jungle and I've come back with . . .

DELICIOUS bourbon!!! Sometimes I find myself doubting that can happen. And so, after seven years of drinking bourbon, I've come to the point where I've gone . . .

In Search Of, . . .

El Cheapos
Any and All New Releases
The Olde and Even Older
The Questionably Expensive
The Secrets I Can't Tell You . . .

but now, yes NOW, I sally forth, . . .

and just who is Sally?

Anyhow?

In Search Of . . .

Back To Basics.

And back to basics means to contract my willingness to spend big bucks to an even tighter level than I have over the past two years, which is very tight, and start eschewing each new release of certain "Big Name Collection" favorites, and just go for what I know. In other words, take a look at some of the long standing favorites on my own list, especially the cheaper ones, and buy those.

Take great care to be patient about each exciting new release of "a revolution in American Whiskey." Watch and wait for independent reviews, see if prices will come down somewhat. I've already become very good at these qualities, in other words "the game," but I found, with the 77th bourbon that I've tried in my 7 year career, DELICIOUS bourbon, and I'm drinking it right now.

This is, to be sure, one of those "Big Name Collection" bourbons, but I've never paid more than scant attention to it, except maybe to be tempted by a sale price once or twice. But this season, having gotten a bit tired of big name, high priced bottles of "wonderful notes of 93 Octane Citgo" along with "a red hot, cast iron poker shoved down my throat," I decided to check out the . . .

Old Forester Birthday Bourbon Collection. Each year is a different whiskey, something is different. No assembly line stuff here, they're looking for "unique" :shock: :roll: with each release. I saw a really low sale price on the latest release at Shoppers Vineyard, and jumped on it. What I got, and am getting, as we speak, is . . .

delicious bourbon. A disappointingly light-medium bodied bourbon nonetheless hits the mouth with a wonderful and perfectly balanced sweet oak awash in Frangelico and a background of cherry cordial. It then proceeds into a finish of green tea ice cream, backed by a spearmint-peppermint combination. The oak gets more pronounced and tangy with each sip as time progresses and the flavor develops. It never falls out of balance however, and from my first sip at 25 minutes after the pour, to my sixth at 1 hour and 45 minutes after the pour, with each tasting this has proven its value, in flavor and in your wallet.

Speaking of money, I paid a "walk-out price" of $37.32 for this bourbon, but if you can't find it on sale, I'd even pay $45-47 to walk out with a bottle of this, knowing now how good it is.

This bourbon is the Fall 2006 release of the Old Forester Birthday Bourbon Collection. It is 13 years and four months old, bottled at a very nice mark of 96 proof. Make sure you know which one you're getting, and for the price SV is still offering, you'll be kicking yourself if you treat yourself to a disappointing holiday gift in the $60-90 range, when you could have had two or three bottles of this.

If not for the fact that the body is a bit light at times, this delicious bourbon could have placed even higher. For the price, and its medium age range, this is fantastic bourbon and knocks an old favorite out of the Top Ten and off the shelf in my den. Old Forester Birthday Bourbon's Fall 2006 release clocks in at No. 10.

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 2005 121.9 proof
10. Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2006
11. Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 year, Lot B
12. George T. Stagg Fall 2005, 141.2 proof
13. The Classic Cask 18 year
14. George T. Stagg 2002, 137.6 proof
15. Baker's
16. George T. Stagg 2003, 142.7 proof
17. Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 year
18. Knob Creek
19. Pure Kentucky (original 12 year)
20. Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve (original 101 proof)
21. Old Rip Van Winkle 15 year
22. Sam Houston
23. The Classic Cask 17 year
24. George T. Stagg Spring 2005, 131.8 proof (Lot B)
25. Basil Hayden’s

Very interesting. I'll have to look that one up. Thanks for the tip. Didn't know they were allowed to use new oak in Scotland. I know they'd LIKE to, but they just can't get it.

Not sure which Evan Williams Single Barrel you have, because each year is a different release, and probably taken from different stocks, as to impart a "vintage" or "limited edition" aura to the line. I've only had one, years ago, I believe it was the 1991 edition, and didn't like it much. I personally have a tendency to not like single barrel bourbons, and anything below 90 proof, even many below 100 proof, don't give enough boldness of flavor on the palate to impress me.

Having said that, I was most impressed by the Evan Williams 1783 bourbon, a ten year old, 86 proof, dirt cheap whiskey that is wonderful, considering the price.

Objectively speaking, the gift you got comes from a well respected line. As I said above, I don't know what year you received, but if you like it, that's all that counts. That applies when it comes to cigars, whiskey, food, or anything else.

Actually, the Evan Williams you have, if it's the vintage single barrel version, couldn't possibly read 2006 on the label, so I'm curious. As for Knob Creek, yes, the "scratchy" nature of it which you refer to is not just due to the 100 proof, but probably a very high rye content, which provides the snap, tang, or spice flavor that certain bourbons have. There are some other bourbons of much higher proof which don't have that, in some cases due to the use of wheat as the second grain, rather than rye. In other cases, it could be due to more aging, as Knob Creek is only nine years old.

Okay, but the big number in the center of the label is 1996 then, right? That's the one to go by when it comes to the vintage of that line, the distillation year. The one you have is the latest release, although I believe it's still possible to find bottles as far back as the 1991 distillation, in some dusty corner of the country.

I have to leave the house in a few minutes, and will try to elaborate later, but some basics. Bourbon and Rye are two types of whiskey. There's also Irish Whiskey, Scotch Whiskey, Japanese Whiskey, Canadian Whiskey, American Whiskey, Tennessee Whiskey, etc. It's all about the percentage of grains according to law for each type, etc., along with distillation, aging and bottling processes.

Bourbon is made from a grain mixture of at least 51%, but not more than 80% corn, otherwise you'd have to call it corn liquor. Rye is made from at least 51% rye and up to 100% rye, although most contain a mixture of rye, corn and barley, as do most bourbons. Tennessee Whiskey is bourbon until it goes into the bottle, because it is not clean filtered like bourbon (no additives), but filtered through charcoal that has been infused with maple sugar, and therefore goes into the bottle as "Tennessee Whiskey."

In examining my previous reply, I wouldn't really have much else to say, because I'd be close to getting out of my league. The only thing I'm really qualified to add is that bourbon and rye must each be aged in new, charred oak barrels for at least two years.

When it comes to single malts, Vince, Cybrus, Capt, Hollow Point, CC, The Colonel and a few others could take over in providing additional information, because I've gone as far as my knowledge will take me. Outside of bourbon and rye, I'm pretty much :dunno: . Hope what I've put up has helped.