Final Placement For Fighting Cock and A New Top 25. . . .

B

Bloofington

Joined Sep 2003
9K Posts | 0+
Puerto Rico/NYC
Fighting Cock Bourbon - thanks to the Colonel, I've now had the pleasure of nearly a bottle's worth of tastings of this very low priced solid bourbon. Nice spicy oak, with apples and dried figs, a little bit of maple syrup, a crisp snappy taste. I just wish it had a longer finish. A worthy bottle of bourbon, clocking in at No. 21.


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. George T. Stagg 2002
9. Baker's
10. George T. Stagg 2003
11. Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 year old
12. Knob Creek
13. Pure Kentucky
14. Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve
15. Old Rip Van Winkle 15 year old
16. Basil Hayden’s
17. Henry McKenna 10 year old 100 proof bonded
18. Jefferson’s Reserve 15 year old
19. Wild Turkey Rare Breed
20. Blanton’s
21. Fighting Cock 103 proof 6 year old
22. Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 23 year old
23. W.L. Weller Special Reserve 7 year old 90 proof
24. Old Commonwealth
25. Elijah Craig 12 year old
 
I thought about this man profoundly over the past couple of days wondering, . . .

Oh where, oh where, has our Colonel gone,
Oh where, oh where can he be,

AND HERE HE IS!!!!!!!! :D

And I have just taken a shipment, and found out that the Old Potrero that I ordered, which goes by a slightly different name than the one I didn't want, is in fact that very same one, so it's $66 for something I didn't want, and no immediate way to get it to you. I have a feeling it's something that a guy who kills and butchers his own caribou would like this stuff. I thought it was the other Old Potrero but it's not. It's the same one.

The one I don't like. :evil: :evil: :evil:

But I AM glad to see The Colonel. :mrgreen:
 
For two weeks or so, I kept getting a message that this site was down. Naturally, I had my child come over. She fixed it in about eight seconds. Told her should be a bull rider.

So, I take it this is a Bourbon you'll be experimenting with futher?
 
Most definitely. The one you sent me adorns the shelf in my den as a memento, but there will be others in my future to be drunk. One of the best bang for the buck bourbons on the market and very tasty stuff.
 
As always, if it's not to be found near you, let me know. I'd be honored to set you up once again.
 
I notice my friend's Maker's Mark isn't even on the list. Maker's Mark: Rotgut? Or hype?
 
Well, first and foremost, one man's rotgut is another man's top shelf. Bloof's Top 25 is just that, my Top 25. If anyone out there looks at my Top 25 and thinks "this guy's the world's biggest idiot and know-nothing" because this, that and the other thing isn't on my list, then so be it.

But, since you are asking me I presume, no I don't think Maker's Mark is rotgut. I actually have a pretty good opinion of it, although even if I had a Top 40 it wouldn't be there, and I'm being serious. I just don't believe that it has a boldness of flavor, or type and complexity of flavors that I like in a bourbon. But remember, if Joe from down the block says "it's the best bourbon in the world and I've tried more than Bloof," then so be it.
 
nope, they're North Carolina rednecks. I didn't realize that was YOUR list, thought it was from a ah fagitaboutit! I did notice the Knob Creek, and Booker's. Now those two, oh yeah...good bourbon(The best I have ever had) I had to stop drinking bourbon about four years ago. I noticed that after two shots, I would get a very severe migraine type headache. Now if that happened with Tequila, oh man, life would suck, and forget about it happening with vodka, gin, Irish or Scotch.
 
Well, here's my top 20. There are several bourbons I have yet to try and others that I wouldn't purchase again, which doesn't mean they're bad but I won't put something on a "top" list if I won't buy it again. I also won't include out-of-circulation whiskies, but if I did the Wild Turkey 12 y.o. would definitely make the top 5.

1. Old Rip Van Winkle Special Reserve 'Lot B' 12 y.o. (bourbon nirvana)
2. Wathen's Single Barrel (surprised? balanced, smooth, and rich...just my gut reaction)
3. Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit (refined and old fashioned at the same time)
4. Old Rip Van Winkle 15 y.o. 107 (this might be higher but I gravitate towared whiskies in the 90-101 proof range)
5. Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel (definitely an after dinner style...sweet, cognac-like)
6. Weller Centennial 10 y.o. (though they're priced about the same, I call this the 'poor man's Van Winkle...taste profile is similar but not as refined...If you like ORVW but want something a little rougher around the edges...try this)
7. Old Charter Proprietor's Reserve 13 y.o. (much different from any of the above...less sweet, leather and browned/burnt butter)
8. Very Special Old Fitzgerald 12 y.o. (spicy for a wheater)
9. Ridgemont Reserve 1792 (early versions of this tasted like liquid oak...but recent bottles..MMMM. My brother and I try to pick out flavors when we taste bourbon, the tobacco of Wild Turkey, the dense caramel of ORVW, the citrus peel of E.T. Lee, the overt fruitiness of Knob Creek...you get the picture. When we tasted this, we both just said...it tastes like....well, like bourbon!! Very good bourbon!
10. Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve (bold, in-your-face, just-rode-into Tombstone-give-me-a-whiskey, bartender!!--type of bourbon).
11. Blanton's Single Barrel (great balance, a good aperitif whiskey)
12. Old Forester 100 proof (surprised again? admittedly this one gets bumped up 'cause IMHO, it's the best value in bourbon today and tastes much older than the 4 yrs. stated on the label). Full flavored without being harsh...which is hard to come by in a cheap bourbon. Also makes a mean egg nog.
13. Baker's 7 y.o. 107 (more complex than Knob Creek or Basil Hayden...has a fantastic aroma, a little harsh on the finish)
14. Wild Turkey Rare Breed (not quite as flavorful as Russell's Reserve, but close. I neglect this one in favor of RR and KY Spirit, but I don't think Wild Turkey is capable of making bad bourbon)
15. Buffalo Trace (very well balanced and with a slight earthy tone not found in other bourbons... I like it for a change of pace, others don't)
16. Knob Creek (very flavorful, fruity.....'juicy' bourbon, but a little lacking in complexity)
17. Very Old Barton 100 (another 'bourbon flavored' bourbon)
18. Woodford Reserve (good flavor, just a little too refined)
19. Ancient Ancient Age 10 y.o. (another great value, lots of caramel and oak....good to drink, but I also use it for cooking)
20. Old Grandad BIB (another 'change of pace' bourbon for me, Jim Beam's high rye bourbon recipe really shines in the 100 proof version)

If we were to include Tennessee whiskies, Jack Daniels Single Barrel (though I don't care for their other products) and George Dickel No. 12 would climb into the bottom half of the list. I enjoy the smokiness and simple sugar / marshmallow-like sweetness that sets TN whiskies apart, but then I'm probably being biased. :lol:

Bloofington, I too have the Old Potrero (the younger version) and I use it when I periodically need to clean my briar pipes. :D
 
Niiiiiiice list. :D

Just for the record, the Top 25 contained in this thread is not my latest. That Top 25 can be found in the thread entitled "Jim Beam Black and ANOTHER New Top 25."

I love your list Tennesseelonewolf, because it confirms some things about mine and gives me opportunities to open up my horizons, because some of your items are those I have wondered about but haven't pulled the trigger on yet because I'm waiting for more opinions. I think you just gave me the impetus. As for your No. 1, it's my No. 7 but if Martian's came here and said "explain to us, . . . bourbon" I'd say start with this, this is perfect and perfectly classic bourbon. As you said about some others, some bourbons just taste like bourbon. :sm_angel:
 
Of your top 6, I've only tried the Booker's, so who knows...they might be tops in my list too. I steer away from the really high proof stuff though. 90 - 101 proof is the sweet spot for my tastes. A lot of folks rave about Stagg but I have no plans to try it. But that's the great thing about the times we live in, so many good bourbons....a true bourbon golden age, the Pax Bourbona!! :lol:

FWIW, my understanding is that Old Commonwealth is exactly the same whiskey as Old Rip Van Winkle 10 y.o. 107, just packaged differently for select markets. I heard that Julian Van Winkle's recent relationship with the Buffalo Trace distillery has spelled the demise of the Old Commonwealth label.
 
Yes, I bought Old Commonwealth as a discontinued item, and after what I've learned from my Whiskey Sensei and my own nose, I would believe what you said. Old Commonwealth is 107 proof and if memory serves me correctly, I believe the bottle said at least 10 years old. I've never had the Old Rip 10 year old.

I've been really intrigued lately by this Ridgemont Reserve 1792 and after seeing it on your list, I may pull the trigger on my next shopping mission. I've also been curious about your Nos. 7, 8, and 12 and in light of them being on your list and your tasting notes I may go for these before another year goes by as well.

By the way, it's no longer on my Top 25, but if I had a Top 30 it would be, and that's OG114. No, that's not some kid from South Central LA with 114 "caps" on his resume, it's Old Grandad 114 proof. I liked this unique flavored bourbon very much when I had it. It has the distinct flavor of alfalfa. Is it possible that they use alfalfa as one of the small grains in the mash bill? It was very nice stuff, good bang for the buck.
 
It was my understanding that the Van Winkle family bought the Old Commonwealth set up but I´m don´t believe anything was ever produced there. It was for storage from what I believe I heard.

Are you sure you guys aren´t mixing up Old Weller and Van Winkle which are said to be the exact same - different ages at different strengths with different emphasis on barrel selections but the same wheat recipe + whiskey.

This would settle it... Van Winkle is still a wheated bourbon (except for the FR Rye 13). Was Old Commonwealth a wheated product? That I don´t know but just assumed it was a Rye formula. If so, it would seem impossible for these two to be confused as interchangable. No?
 
Well, last night I went through the archives just out of curiosity and discovered a lot of interesting old reviews of mine starting about a year ago when I first started posting on this site. Old Commonwealth was 107 proof, at least ten years old and on its label billed as a "small batch" bourbon. You can read my tasting notes and see if you can discern anything, but with only that bottle to go by, and it being almost a year ago I can't really answer your questions in an educated fashion. You'd certainly know more than me when it comes to actual goings on.
 
But was it intimated anywhere that Old Commonwealth was a whisperer of wheat? I can't speak to the contrary because I don't know much if anything about O. Common...
 
straight from the source.....

April, 2003
Here's some info on two of my brands.

Old Commonwealth is indeed history. Binney's in Chicago has the only inventory left. But don't dispare, ORVW 10-year 107 proof is the same whiskey.
The Twisted Spoke label is owned by Mitch Einhorn who owns the Twisted Spoke restaurant in Chicago. He sells this whiskey by the drink & the bottle.I sell a little bit here in Kentucky because of the interest in Harley-Davidson. Mitch gets a commission on sales outside of his restaurant. The whiskey is the same recipe as all my other bourbons. I'm not sure what the future of this brand is. I'll keep you posted.
Julian (Van Winkle)
Click to expand...

http://www.straightbourbon.com/ubbthreads-6.5/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=12935&page=&fpart=2&vc=1

Cheers!
 
Thank you for the information. Very helpful. Looking forward to when I have more time so I can read your review of Arrogant Bastard.
 
Oh, one more thing. Binny's ain't got no more. After I bought mine last year some time they took it down. They're not listing it any more.
 
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