# Bourbon, Whiskey News, and Covid



## noboundaries (Jan 28, 2021)

The Daily Beast: You'll Be Drinking this Whiskey in the Near Future.








						You’ll Be Drinking this Whiskey in the Near Future
					

These barrel innovations will create a whole new generation of North American whiskies that will be on store shelves in the next few years.



					www.thedailybeast.com
				




I'm a whisky, whiskey, brandy, and bourbon drinker, taking it neat or with an ice cube or two. $20-$50 is my favorite price range. Anything over that I put on my gift list. Got a bottle of Writer's Tears Double Oak this past Christmas that way. It's a decent Irish, but not worth $65. Maybe half that. 

I've mentioned in another thread how I'll take a spirit I don't care for when I open the bottle, and doctor it with other whiskies/brandies to turn it into something I enjoy drinking. I usually do it in the glass, but have no problem doctoring an entire bottle if it is that distasteful or lacking in flavor.

I decided to start doing this after reading how blenders at distilleries identify missing flavor elements and use other whiskies to get the flavor profile they desire. Some are selling the blending elements as stand-alones. Well, heck, it they can blend whiskies, why can't I with stuff in the cabinet I didn't care for.

Recently, I saw a YouTube video where a guy used his oven to dry and toast oak wood chips. He then put them in a jar and added an Everclear-like 95% ethyl alcohol, a bit of water, and a little brown sugar.  He sealed it up and a week later the clear liquor was amber brown.  He said it tasted like a 10-year aged whiskey (insert scoffs here).

Or maybe not! I haven't done it, but then I read the above article where distillers here in the US are experimenting with basically the same thing. Now, I'm curious.

All I've got in the cabinet right now is stuff I enjoy (complex, smooth, multilayered), except for one bottle of Costco blended Canadian whisky I use for BBQ sauces or a lemon-lime drink when the mood hits in the summer. It's decent enough to drink straight, kind of two dimensional with the spicy element. Might have to try the oak chip thing with a little of it, but a cleaner, flatter whiskey would probably be better. Might have to fortify some Bushmills with Everclear and try the toasted wood.

Feel free to beat me to the punch if interested after reading the article. Covid isolation has certainly created some interesting non-traditional  thinking.

Time for another sip,

Ray


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## BandCollector (Jan 28, 2021)

noboundaries


My son bought me a small oak barrel last Christmas which I filled with the cheapest bourbon I could find.   After the designated "aging" it was actually pretty good.  Nothing like a Woodford Reserve, but decent.  Picked up a hint of vanilla from the barrel.

John


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## noboundaries (Jan 28, 2021)

BandCollector said:


> noboundaries
> 
> 
> My son bought me a small oak barrel last Christmas which I filled with the cheapest bourbon I could find.   After the designated "aging" it was actually pretty good.  Nothing like a Woodford Reserve, but decent.  Picked up a hint of vanilla from the barrel.
> ...



Thanks, John. That's good to know.


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## hoity toit (Jan 28, 2021)

You would be suprised at what you can come up with that tastes great. I have used Jack Daniels wood chips for smoking before to flavor my moonshine. I char it some more with a torch and add it to large container. I might add that putting it in cheese cloth or a thin clean sock will keep the particles to a minimal but you can always strain it. Works for me great. Same goes with rum except I use a little Mexican vanilla and cinnamon stikx to make a Spiced rum like Cap Morgan or Sailor Jerry. Hope this helps you in you pursuit of happiness. 

HT


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## noboundaries (Jan 28, 2021)

hoity toit said:


> Jack Daniels wood chips


THAT'S A GREAT IDEA!


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## BrianGSDTexoma (Jul 1, 2021)

noboundaries said:


> I'm a whisky, whiskey, brandy, and bourbon drinker, taking it neat or with an ice cube or two. $20-$50


Our local distillery, Ironroot makes a great whiskey but getting where its hard to get a bottle anymore.  At $60 a bottle it also getting to expensive for a everyday kind of whiskey.  What are some of your suggestions?


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## mneeley490 (Jul 2, 2021)

I'm fortunate to live about 20 minutes away from the Woodinville Whiskey Co.  Their stuff (bourbon, rye, straight whiskey) is pretty good, and most of it is in the $40-$50 range.


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## bigfurmn (Jul 2, 2021)

Couple of very good distilleries in Minneapolis/St. Paul I've been to. A few years ago I got a 2 liter oak barrel at the state fair from a now (appearantly) defunked company. Loaded that with everything from whiskey to tequila, just soak in water for a few weeks in between. It's a very amazing little contraption.


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## Torch&Tone (Jul 3, 2021)

Interesting article, thanks for sharing. 

There's always a few small distillers looking to innovate (or take cheap shortcuts, depending on your perspective). One got a lot of press for putting their barrels on a barge, suggesting that the wave motion accelerated the aging process, which led to someone else aging _their_ barrels entirely underwater. Another one I remember was putting the distillate in a big steel pressure vessel with some charred oak sticks and cranking up the pressure. I think another tried something similar but basically in a washing machine to agitate it! All made bold claims ("days instead of years!"), but - other than some initial articles in the press - I haven't heard anything more about them, let alone actually tried the end result. I would be curious, though.

More on the at-home front, Everclear is great for making all kinds of flavored extracts (including personal favorite, limoncello). There are other ingredients that you can smoke in order to impart flavor and then use in a simple cocktail. I rather like smoking maple syrup, for pancakes/waffles and for bourbon/rum!

Also, I have a friend who picked up one of those little table-top barrels... and used it to age his homemade hot sauce! Since that's his passion more than booze, I don't think it was a waste at all.


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## bill1 (Jul 3, 2021)

BandCollector said:


> noboundaries
> 
> My son bought me a small oak barrel last Christmas which I filled with the cheapest bourbon I could find.   After the designated "aging" it was actually pretty good...


Same story...my fine son gave me one!  I top it off with Old Crow once a week and take about 4 shots from it in the meantime.  Any faster rate and the flavor improvement is just not there.  Mine is near 10 yo and I keep thinking I'm going to need to drain and re-char the barrel but it keeps working just fine.  Whether it's devil's share or angel's envy, I put in a lot more than I take out...so it's costing a bit more than the price of what I pay...but well worth it. 

My base bourbon has moved from Old Crow to Ezra Brooks (and I'm liking the $18/liter Kirland Small Batch) but I'm hesitant to change what I've been using in this old barrel.  Has anyone tried changing what they fill their barrels with?


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## bigfurmn (Jul 4, 2021)

I have  done whiskey, rum and tequila in mine. I just fill it with water for a few weeks to a month in between the different liquiors. I aged the rum for my dad as a gift and he really enjoyed it. The tequila was a crap shoot since I used the left overs from about four bottles. Some Patron and a couple I bought in Mexico. It turned out better than I could have imagined when I started. I sip that like a good whiskey now.


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## noboundaries (Jul 4, 2021)

This discussion, and the mention of tequila, reminded me a Super Bowl story. 2004, the infamous Janet Jackson half-time show.

Tequila had gone through a resurgence like whiskey is now. I was drinking anejo (aged) tequila at the time. The host knew that fact and handed me an unopened bottle of Don Julio 1942 tequila he was gifted by a client. I'd never tasted it, and was surprised it tasted like a fine scotch.

At the end of the party he gave me the bottle. I tried to refuse, but he insisted it would never be consumed because he hated tequila. I tried to tell him what I tasted but he said, "Take it or it's going down the drain." 

Turns out blanco (white, unaged) tequila is kind of like new whiskey when aged in charred oak. It pulls flavors from the wood. 

Man, I enjoyed sipping that bottle.


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## bigfurmn (Jul 5, 2021)

Had friend a while back gift me a bottle of Crown Royal XR Red Box. I thanked him and thought nothing of it , especially since his "ahole brother in law" got it for him. Then I looked up the price of the bottle. I tried to give it back but he wouldn't take it.


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## mneeley490 (Dec 26, 2021)

Texomakid's thread with the rib roast and Eagle Rare reminded me of what I've been drinking lately.

Recently I was fortunate enough to locate a rare bottle of Jim Beam 8 year, in a clear bowling pin bottle. A gentleman was selling it unopened on craigslist nearby for $50. He said his dad had bought it, and it had been sitting in a box in his basement for years. The gold lettering on the front was a bit worn, but otherwise pristine. The old tax stamp was still intact, so I researched it a bit, and found that it was made and sold some time between 1963 and 1972. I saw that some bottles had sold for $350-$800 at some auctions, but I had no intention of flipping it. Instead, I opened last month with with some good friends, and still take a shot off it now and then. It's darned good bourbon!


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## noboundaries (Dec 26, 2021)

I'm on an Islay scotch trend at the moment. I find scotch just more appealing to my palate. Islay scotches are an acquired taste. I like the heavy peat smoke on most of them.

My wife and kids got me 2 Islay scotches (Lagavulin 16 and Bruichladdich  Port Charlotte 10 Heavily Peated, plus one less smoky west Highlands scotch - Oban 14. I literally just got back from Christmas with them all. As soon as I get the car unloaded, the Lagavulin 16 will be the first I'll open.

Cheers! Or more accurately _Slàinte Mhath (pronounced Salan-cha-va)_


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## noboundaries (Dec 26, 2021)

BrianGSDTexoma said:


> Our local distillery, Ironroot makes a great whiskey but getting where its hard to get a bottle anymore.  At $60 a bottle it also getting to expensive for a everyday kind of whiskey.  *What are some of your suggestions?*


My sincerest apologies, Brian. I somehow missed your question. 

My favorite cheap drinking scotch is Trader Joe's Finlaggan Islay Single Malt. It has a light smoke influence and mildly complex flavor for $19.99, 750ml bottle, 40% ABV. It is a VERY easy pour. 

Another absolute favorite is Total Wine's Scarabus Islay Single Malt for $35, often on sale for $30. More smoke and complexity. 46% ABV. Long finish. It's been sold out locally in my area, but will probably be restocked in the Spring or Summer 2022.


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## JckDanls 07 (Dec 26, 2021)

I bought this special bicentennial bottle of Jack Daniels back in 1996... Back then being a dry county there was no taste testing at the end of the tour of the distillery ...  but they sold this commemorative  bottle for $65... Last I checked at auction it was going for $800-$900...  I still have it unopened...


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## uncle eddie (Dec 26, 2021)

I just got a bottle of Very Old Barton for Christmas.  $13.99 per bottle. Very hard to find in Missouri.  Scores are crazy high for all of them.  

Very smooth and tasty - neat.  Sipping some right now.  What a surprise!

Next trip to KY will be buying a case or two.


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## bigfurmn (Dec 26, 2021)

JckDanls 07 said:


> I bought this special bicentennial bottle of Jack Daniels back in 1996... Back then being a dry county there was no taste testing at the end of the tour of the distillery ...  but they sold this commemorative  bottle for $65... Last I checked at auction it was going for $800-$900...  I still have it unopened...
> 
> View attachment 520207
> 
> ...


Took that tour about 8 years ago. Great history lesson along with whiskey lesson. Although I mean if you need help drinking it I can find my way around a smoker.


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## PulledPorkSandwich (Dec 27, 2021)

noboundaries said:


> I'm on an Islay scotch trend at the moment. I find scotch just more appealing to my palate. Islay scotches are an acquired taste. I like the heavy peat smoke on most of them.
> 
> My wife and kids got me 2 Islay scotches (Lagavulin 16 and Bruichladdich  Port Charlotte 10 Heavily Peated, plus one less smoky west Highlands scotch - Oban 14. I literally just got back from Christmas with them all. As soon as I get the car unloaded, the Lagavulin 16 will be the first I'll open.
> 
> Cheers! Or more accurately _Slàinte Mhath (pronounced Salan-cha-va)_


I learned a bit about single-malt Scotch when I was travelling frequently to England on business about 25 years ago.  One of the British guys I worked with set up a Scotch tasting at the bar of the hotel we were staying at.  He set up bottles of Scotch from each of the 4 (or is it 5?) areas and we set about tasting from each.

I was immediately drawn to Islay malts, especially Lagavulin 16 initially.  Then I had a taste of Laphroaig 15 and thought it was even better than the Lagavulin.  If you try Laphroaig, steer well clear of their 10-year.  It's bad.  But the 15, I think, is excellent.  They also started selling an 18 a few years back that I enjoyed as well.

I like a wee dram of whiskey (whisky?) every night, but, unfortunately, at about $100 a bottle, both Laphroaig and Lagavulin are too expensive for my daily drink.  Instead, I'm drawn to decent but affordable rye whiskey, and occasionally some of the craft whiskeys from here in Texas.  I have a bottle of Balcones Brimstone in my cabinet right now.  

The idea of an oak barrel appeals to me!  I've never tried that.


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## Torch&Tone (Dec 27, 2021)

One of those rare times where it is socially acceptable to discuss one's preferences in 10- to 18-year-olds (and how much it costs to buy them!).


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## bill ace 350 (Dec 27, 2021)

$9.99 at the Class VI


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## sawhorseray (Dec 27, 2021)

I got this bottle of Barrell Dovetail for Xmas. It's aged in a few different types of barrels, at 124 proof also increditably smooth. The finish on the whisky is right up there with the bottles of 21-23 year-old single malt scotch that are kept for special occasions, this is the best Kentucky sippin' whisky I've ever tasted, one of 2502 bottles. RAY


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## BBQ Bird (Dec 27, 2021)

mneeley490 said:


> I'm fortunate to live about 20 minutes away from the Woodinville Whiskey Co.  Their stuff (bourbon, rye, straight whiskey) is pretty good, and most of it is in the $40-$50 range.


I'm in the Puget Sound area, also.  The port finished bourbon from Woodinville Whiskey is one of my favorites.  Even though Angel's Envy started the trend of barrel finishing bourbons, Woodinville's version is much better (in my opinion).  

I've become much more of a scotch drinker, and Westland in Seattle is doing some amazing things in the American Single Malt area.


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## BBQ Bird (Dec 27, 2021)

noboundaries said:


> I'm on an Islay scotch trend at the moment. I find scotch just more appealing to my palate. Islay scotches are an acquired taste. I like the heavy peat smoke on most of them.
> 
> My wife and kids got me 2 Islay scotches (Lagavulin 16 and Bruichladdich  Port Charlotte 10 Heavily Peated, plus one less smoky west Highlands scotch - Oban 14. I literally just got back from Christmas with them all. As soon as I get the car unloaded, the Lagavulin 16 will be the first I'll open.
> 
> Cheers! Or more accurately _Slàinte Mhath (pronounced Salan-cha-va)_


I've been moving into the peated scotch realm myself.  I started with just lightly peated versions like Highland Park, then a little more peat like Oban and Talisker.  Now I'm really into peated and sherried and I'm just loving the Talisker Distillers Edition  and Ardbeg Uigeadail.  Never had any of the heavily peated Port Charlotte or Octomores.  Not sure if I'm there yet.

Westland Distillery makes a Peated version of their American Single Malt, and often have limited edition releases that head into the heavily peated range.


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## BBQ Bird (Dec 27, 2021)

noboundaries said:


> My sincerest apologies, Brian. I somehow missed your question.
> 
> My favorite cheap drinking scotch is Trader Joe's Finlaggan Islay Single Malt. It has a light smoke influence and mildly complex flavor for $19.99, 750ml bottle, 40% ABV. It is a VERY easy pour.
> 
> Another absolute favorite is Total Wine's Scarabus Islay Single Malt for $35, often on sale for $30. More smoke and complexity. 46% ABV. Long finish. It's been sold out locally in my area, but will probably be restocked in the Spring or Summer 2022.


I second the recommendation for Finlaggen.  To me, it's like BBQ ribs in a bottle.  Most online whiskey forums believe it's a young Caol Isla (probably around 6 years old).  Definitely one of the best deals available.

Never had Scarabus, but have heard good things about it.


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## noboundaries (Dec 27, 2021)

BBQ Bird said:


> Never had any of the heavily peated Port Charlotte or Octomores.



I've now sampled the three scotches I mentioned above. I don't have the ability to taste the things I watch Daniel and Rex find on YouTube's Whisk(e)y Vault, but I know what I like. I can smell and taste the smoke, like a subtle sweetness, and taste the difference between an aged high ABV bite and a lower ABV column grain alcohol bite (which I despise). 

The Lagavulin 16 (43% ABV) was awesome. It had a muted smoke and barrel flavor and a lasting richness that I've never tasted before in another scotch. I absolutely kept it on my "family put this on my gift list" list.

The Oban 14 (43% ABV) was also fantastic. The subtle smoke just enhanced all the other complex flavors. It too is staying on my gift list. 

The first Port Charlotte (50% ABV) neck pour I had last night left me underwhelmed. I tried it again just now, and wow, totally different. The smoke is more pronounced, but it reminded of that perfect sense of accomplishment when you whiff your hand through TBS and smell all the smoke elements you want to taste from the meat in the smoker. I immediately put it back on my gift list after taking it off last night.

I had purchased Ardbeg 10 (46% ABV) for myself for our anniversary. The smoke is more pronounced, and I really loved the whisky, but at a price point of $20-$25 more than the Scarabus (46%ABV), and not a HUGE difference in flavor, I would rather buy the Scarabus when it is stocked again.

One more point: the nose on the Scarabus (Total Wine $30-$35) is EXACTLY the same as the $20 Finlaggan from TJ's. Both are store brands and probably from Caol Ila. My sense is they are the same whisky with TJ's cut to 40% ABV, though TJ's is sweeter. 

I've got enough whisky to last me a while. I may try Laphroig 10 when I empty a bottle in a few months, but the "love it or hate it" comments have moved it far down my buy list.


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## mneeley490 (Dec 27, 2021)

Not sure If I mentioned this somewhere else here, but I went to Kentucky last September. One of the places I visited was Sparta with some distant cousins and their business, the Neeley Family Distillery. Of course I loaded up on the stuff for the trip home, it's quite tasty.  I'd put it in the upper-mid range of bourbons.


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## noboundaries (Dec 27, 2021)

I absolutely LOVE that label. Talk about information. It answers every question one could have.


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## bill1 (Dec 28, 2021)

mneeley490 said:


> Not sure If I mentioned this somewhere else here, but I went to Kentucky last September. One of the places I visited was Sparta with some distant cousins...


And to think we have a Neeley on our forum!  
That one checks all the boxes for me:  it's from KY (or TN), it's at least 100proof, and it's a high-wheat bill.  
Wish I could get their stuff in CA...very hard finding a high-wheat/low-rye bourbon here for a reasonable price.  Would you mind if I asked what that bottle cost you, without the "cousin discount"?  I really suspect that's some high-end stuff...and not because of the label (although Ray's comments are spot on).  
But the thing about KY, is that the corner liquor stores are full of unheard of bourbons in the $15-25 range that are simply great.  I'm sure CA, TX, and IN can do many things well but making bourbon just isn't one of them...although they sure know how to put high prices on poor-to-mediocre product.  
Sorry if I offend with the strong opinions, but this is bourbon we're talking about!


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## daspyknows (Dec 28, 2021)

mneeley490 said:


> Texomakid's thread with the rib roast and Eagle Rare reminded me of what I've been drinking lately.
> 
> Recently I was fortunate enough to locate a rare bottle of Jim Beam 8 year, in a clear bowling pin bottle. A gentleman was selling it unopened on craigslist nearby for $50. He said his dad had bought it, and it had been sitting in a box in his basement for years. The gold lettering on the front was a bit worn, but otherwise pristine. The old tax stamp was still intact, so I researched it a bit, and found that it was made and sold some time between 1963 and 1972. I saw that some bottles had sold for $350-$800 at some auctions, but I had no intention of flipping it. Instead, I opened last month with with some good friends, and still take a shot off it now and then. It's darned good bourbon!




About 20 years ago bought 4 bottles of pre world war 1 calvados (apple brandy) from an estate sale in UK for $400 in 1999.  The bottles are "old glass".  I would post a picture but not home now.    Wasn't sure what to expect and the cork of the first bottle turned to dust.  After filtering it was phenomenal.  I still have one bottle left.  Considering a 50 year old bottle runs $500 and up now it was the deal of the century.  I am jealous because a 60 year old bottle of Jim Beam must be fabulous.


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## Plinsc (Sep 28, 2022)

Here’s an option for oaking your bottles:

Description
Premium, Fire-Toasted Oak Cubes from Stavin
Medium + Toast American Oak will impart flavors of campfire, vanilla, roasted coffee and butterscotch.
These fire-toasted oak cubes are as close as you can come to the full range of flavors you would get from aging your beer in a full sized barrel, unlike convection-toased cubes.
The difference is that convection toasted cubes are made by cutting the stave to size, then passing the small cubes through a toasting chamber. Stavin fire-toasts their staves whole, just like they would when making a barrel, and then cuts them down to size. The result is a gradation of toasting from the surface through to the center of the cube, where each different toast level represents a different flavor set that the oak will give your beer. The result is a much more complex and natural profile; by comparison convection toasted cubes taste one dimensional.
Oak cubes also release their flavor into your beer more slowly than chips, giving you more control over the final degree of impact in your beer. You should plan on an extended aging period of 1-6 months when using cubes. This longer contact time again promotes flavor complexity by allowing all the flavors of the oak and your beer to marry.
Recommended Dosage is 2 oz per 5 gallons for impact equivalent to aging in a brand new oak barrel.






__





						American Oak Cubes (Stavin) - Medium Plus Toast | MoreBeer
					

Premium, fire-toasted oak cubes from Stavin. Free shipping over $59.




					www.morebeer.com


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