Thanks guys. Do the 15 and 20 year have the same demand or should I be able to find these on the shelf soon after the release?

Yes. They have the same demand. At many places they will go even more quickly.

I'm told follow Old Rip Van Winckle on Facebook as they will announce release dates.

I'd much rather get two 20-years + 1 15 year vs. 1 23-year.

quote:

---

Anyone have a good bourbon cocktail to recommend? I'm a little bored with drinking bourbon on the rocks, bourbon with gingerale, and Manhattans.

---

Bourbon Ball Martini

2 oz. whiskey or bourbon
1 oz. creme de cacao (dark)
1 oz. Frangelico

Pour ingredients in a brandy snifter. Swirl. Enjoy.

Thanks for the recommendations. I'll have to try some of these soon.

If you could only do one tour on the Bourbon trail, which would you pick? I am driving from Cincinnati to Nashville.

http://kybourbontrail.com/

I did the whole trail back in August. By far the best tour and tasting was Buffalo Trace which technically is not on the trail. The tour guy was a guy named Freddy Johnson, who's dad was the warehouse manager. His tasting was a 30 minute event. You get to walk in the hand bottling room where they bottle Blantons. Man, that room smelled of heaven.

On the trail itself Makers was the best, also hardest to get to. By far the worst was Jim Beam. Surprisingly, Heaven Hill did a nice long tasting. But they charge too.

nevermind.

it looks like they might have changed the law since I did the tours.

Beam was the only one that had samples when i went.



[This message has been edited by Duncan Idaho (edited 10/10/2012 7:05p).]

I guess the so-called Bourbon trail is just a marketing kick. Any distillery would really be an option since I've got time and flexibility. Buffalo Trace would be a good choice.

On one extreme, Maker's is pretty. Think a small napa vinyard


On the other extreme, Jim Beam looks like a paint factory.

About right. Jim Beam tastes like paint thinner.

Definitely Buffalo Trace.

Also, if you stop at Buffalo Trace, then Woodford is less than ten additional minutes out of your way.

Do you live in Cincinnati AttyAg?

[This message has been edited by GregZeppelin (edited 10/11/2012 4:28p).]

I ended up at Buffalo Trace. The tour lasted about an hour. As for tastings, they said to pick two of: their new vodka, white dog (I laughed at the people who chose that option - their eyes got really big), Buffalo Trace, and Eagle Rare. I had hoped for something unusual, but the only thing we got like that was an extra taste of their new Bourbon Cream at 30 proof. It wasn't awful if you like Bailey's.

I did see the Woodford signs, but I got into Cincinnati too late to do more than one tour. My loss. I'll have to do it again.

I'm just up here for a short trip, so no, I don't live in Cincinnati. I am driving back to Texas. I did pick up a couple of bottles I had not seen locally. The first was Larceny, 92 proof by John E. Fitzgerald. According to the store it is new. The second one is Henry McKenna 10 year old single barrel 100 proof. It is distilled by Heaven Hill. I am more interested in it than the former.

Good article in Whisky Advocate on non-distiller producers.

http://b11aa966d07db80e0bf7-88996b8d4658229723f59407ea4175a7.r3.cf2.rackcdn.com/2012/10/WhoMadeMyBourbon-WA-Fall-2012.pdf

I saw that link in the last Garrison Brothers email, good article.

My store said I might be able to get on his PVW waiting list in another 10 years, so it looks like I have already struck out there. Until then I have decided to lower my sights to the Antique Colection. I've just had the William Larue Weller before, but I am going to try to grab The Eagle Rare 17 and George T Stagg. I'm on the fence about the ryes.

If anyone does find and extra bottle of PVW 15 this year, I would really appreciate the chance to buy a bottle.

For any scotch fans, I picked up a bottle of Monkey Shoulder last week. It is a blend of 3 Grant and Sons single malts (Balvenie, Glenfidich, etc). At $25 a bottle, this stuff is spectacular. Smooth, rich vanilla flavor with a fairly short finish. Definitely worth a try if you see it.

quote:

---

I'm on the fence about the ryes.

---

Don't sleep on the two ryes in the BTAC. Murray's whiskey bible rated the 2012 Thomas Handy Sazerac his whiskey of the year, giving it a score of 97.5 out of 100, which ties the highest score he's ever given.

quantum-

which is "your" store? PVW should be shipped in the next week of so. On their website it mentions that the costco's might be getting some. I asked the last time I went and it is first come first serve, no list.

Village Liquor at Westview and Wirt. The owner is an ag, and he is a serious scotch guy. He marks up hard to find stuff like crazy, but he has a great scotch and bourbon selection.

^ best scotch and rare whiskey selection in town.

Horrible experience today. Patient figured out what I like to drink. Brought me a bottle of Blantons. Boss saw it and made me give it back.

For anyone interested in Van Winkle, I think I'll be able to get quite a few bottles in November. I'm going to buy all that I can, and I'll try to sell a few on here. I won't jack up the price- just a small convenience fee .

Proudaggie,

I'd like a bottle of PVW 20 and George T. Stagg if you can get them. My email is in my profile.

Put me down for any bottle (except a 23) if you have any available, proudaggie.

I would reaalllly like a chance to buy a bottle of the PVW 15.

I'll take a 15 or a 20 if you think you'll be able to get this much.

I have a client that collect rare bourbons and sat down for a sampling with him one day. Some ran up to $500 per bottle. That said still think Basil Haydens is the best money can buy.

Wyo,

Have you tried Blantons, Angel's Envy, or Noah's Mill?

Basil is really good, but you might want to try the ones I mentioned.

Those are great suggestions. 4 Roses Single Barrel and Rowan's Creek are a couple more of my readily available favorites. Bookers is also pretty solid.

I really like Basil Hayden and ginger ale, but it's one of those things I can rarely justify mixing at that price.

Speaking of overpriced, I picked up a bottle of the TX blended whiskey from Firestone and Robertson in Fort Worth, $37. Initial taste was pretty unremarkable. After I added a little ice and let it open up, I felt like I got mouth raped by vanilla. Mixing a little with Coke basically tasted like vanilla Coke. Mixing it with ginger ale tasted like carbonated vanilla extract. I happen to love vanilla, so I will enjoy the rest of the bottle. If they drop the price to around $24, I would consider it an alternative to vanilla rum. As a blended whiskey, Rebecca Creek blows it out of the water.

I'll keep your requests in mind & try my best to stock up. Shipment might start getting to CO in 2 weeks or less.

I was given a bottle of Knob Creek 9 year old single barrel reserve. I know someone earlier recommended it. Good call on this!

The Specs in CS has 6 bottles of Stagg. Correction "had" 6 , now has 5

They are in a back room if you ask. They also had a couple of the WLW and THandy. No Eagle 17 though

Specs at Wirt and I-10 has all of them except the Sazerac 18.

I stopped at the shady little liquor store around the corner from my house, and they had a bottle of George T Stagg on top of the bourbon display. I grabbed that, and as I was asking the lady at the counter about the rest, I noticed a bottle of Thomas H Handy rye on a dusty shelf behind some other bottles. She said it probably came in last Spring, so I imagine it is the 2011 (forgot to check the proof on the 2012 at specs to compare). I stopped at Specs, and they had all 4 at $73 each.

I am going to try my wife's post shopping trip technique "Look honey, I saved almost $6 by picking up two of them at the shady little store!".



[This message has been edited by Quantum ace (edited 10/20/2012 5:01p).]

When I touched the bourbon trail in August 2011 they could offer 1 oz. of their product.

I didn't have enough time, but I did make it to Austin Nichols. They give you 1/2 oz. of two selections. I heard comments that others gave 1/3 oz. of three selections.

I did notice during tasting that I was the only taster who enjoyed the bourbon. The rest of the crowd slammed it and moved on. I ended up getting to chat with two beautiful tour guides and one of the bigwigs...

At the time I was wearing my heather charcoal gray "Texas Aggies" t-shirt. One of the guides commented that the majority of their product ships to Texas... I quickly replied, "Not anymore, I moved to Oklahoma!" ...they got a kick out of it.