[Robert]

Just finishing up a fifth of Paddy Irish Whiskey. Skip this one, it has an odd plastic off aroma and flavor and lacks complexity. Not worth your time.

In Ireland,  aficionados seem to find that a brown paper bag improves its drinkability.   

[69franx]

Mike D what are your thoughts on these? Early birthday gift and the Belle Meade was suggested by a Bourbon Bar owner here in greater Cincinnati. Just wondering if you've tried either, or anyone else? I've seen the Russell's but never even heard of the Belle Meade

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[MDixon]

People seem to love the BM. I haven't had the one you have, but the reviews seem very good.

The RR I could have sworn I had, but have no notes on it. IIRC it has a Wild Turkey vibe and so if you like WT you will like RR.

[69franx]

Thanx Mike, we have cracked the RR and am enjoying it..

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[MDixon]

I joined a secondary market Bourbon group. Based on what I am seeing if I do ever score any of the boutique Bourbons I will sell them as opposed to drinking and take a portion of the sale price to go to the bar and taste them.

[69franx]

That's a helluva plan!

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[MDixon]

Pappy 23, should I ever get selected for one with on of the ABC board lotteries, will cost no more than $270+tx

It is currently selling for $1,800 to $2,000. With a minimum profit of $1,500 I can buy a crapload of Bourbon and still spend the $ to taste it at a bar if I wanted to do so.

Of course what I might do is see if I could set up a trade for a Colonel EH Taylor Warehouse Surviving Bourbon. They are not making it anymore and it is fetching $1,500+.

It's sure fun to speculate on what you would do. The reality is it will most likely never happen.

[MDixon]

Finished off an Old Pulteney 12 Year Single Malt tonight. This is another skip. It was a $40 bottle with a hint of peat and an alcoholic bone dry finish. Not a fan.

[MDixon]

Finishing off a fifth of Connemara Peated Irish Whiskey. After two trips to Ireland this takes me back every time. It has the sweetness which is a hallmark of Irish Whiskey and peat which reminds me of the aroma out of the chimneys in Ireland during cool weather. It's crazy beautiful.

[ethinson]

I went to the store to look for something inexpensive enough that I wouldn't feel bad using it for baking (bourbon pecan pie) and soaking cocoa nibs for a homebrew, but also nice enough that I could still drink it.  A couple things caught my eye and what I ended up grabbing was Old Grand-Dad 100 proof bottled in bond.  I'm pretty sure it's been talked about on here which is probably why I recognized it.

It's really good.  Super smooth, heavy vanilla aroma, light cinnamon spice from the rye.  Easy to drink neat, even smoother with a small chip of ice.  Not much heat or burn for being 50%.  I'd argue it's much better than Jim Beam even though OGD is "made by Jim Beam". 

It's $24/750ml here in Oregon, so not dirt cheap but also not top shelf.  It's in the same price range as Buffalo Trace, Bulleit Rye, Evan Williams Green Label, Makers Mark, Old Forester 100 proof and a few others.  I'd say it's likely better than most of those, except the Bulleit Rye which is one of my all time favorites.  It's funny now to scan the price list and see Bulliet the same price as Evan Williams.  I wouldn't pay half that for EW.

Based on store placement, you'd think it wasn't very popular.  It was on the shelf one up from the bottom, and right on the edge between whiskey and rum.  It was almost "hidden".  Although, when I had it in my hand one of the people working at the store asked if I needed help and then said "That's a good choice right there".  They were right.

[yso191]

My go to bourbon is Wild Turkey 101.  Seriously tasty and ~$25.

[Robert]

I've  recently had the same experience as ethinson with OGD BIB.  Store placement makes you think they're ashamed of it,  but  very nice, as described.   Could become a regular choice, though my go to has also always been Wild Turkey 101.  OGD a bit lighter touch, woodier, less oily to me.  Both a lot of rye. Both in the same price range in OH, although if you blink around here prices change.  Nice to have alternatives.

[MDixon]

OGD Bonded is great stuff. My "bottom shelf" list goes like this in terms of cost:
Virgin Bourbon
Evan Williams Bottled In Bond
Old Grandad Bonded
etc.

In fact I've been buying old bottles on OGD Bonded on the secondary market. Haven't cracked any yet.

Recently picked up 8 of the 9 Game Of Thrones Scotches. It will be awhile before they come up in the queue.

[tumarkin]

thanks for the heads-up on the GoT whisky. I'd somehow missed that. am I right in thinking that the one bottle you didn't pick up was the White Walker? or am I projecting my own bias? putting whisky in the freezer is just wrong. while I'm down with the belief that there's no 'wrong' way to drink whisky, that's just going too far.

really like the art work on the labels. very clean and classy. looks like most of the series are NAS whiskies, but fairly reasonably priced - given the high sticker price of good scotch. Diageo's done a good job with this series. Here's a link for those (like me) that weren't aware of the  GoT whisky series -

https://blog.distiller.com/game-of-thrones-scotch-whiskies/

[MDixon]

I have a White Walker and found it odd to be suggested to put in the freezer. My plan was to try a drink and then put in the freezer and try a drink and see if I even like it that way.




FWIW - we store our Vodka in the freezer because we are always using it to mix with.