Favorite Bourbon
- Thread starter onepixel
- Start date
freddyfender
Uma ma-ma
We went last year, completely new tour, still enjoyable. You can buy a total of two bottles at their "gift shop", but I don't think they serve any whiskey to drink on premises. Could be wrong, tho............Grainger49 said:
Dusty Chalk
Born-again Nihilist
My favourite bourbon? The kind that someone else is buying. 
Russellc said:
But, of course, the point of a single barrel Bourbon is that it isn't blended. All other Bourbons are blended to achieve a given taste. With single barrel, you get what came out.
spartanmanor
Lunatic Member
jimfet said:
Russellc
Addicted Member
By definition, it would not be blended, yes. But it is also a much smaller scale production, with a lot more time and control. Usually, each barrel is not only continually tasted until a certain point of perfection, but the barrels are also rotated around the barrel house so each one gets to spend a similar amount of time in the various locations. Even amonst single barrels, there is some difference depending on the particular distillary and which whiskey. considerable more trouble may be spent with a twenty year old bottle of specialy stuff, like pappy van winkle than say L&G's Woodford reserve. Basically what you are saying about the lack of blending is correct. Sorry to be hypertechnical, but I was born in Kentucky and am a little "over the top" (otherwise known as "NUTS")Grainger49 said:
about Bourbon. What can I say? I am about to enjoy a little Buffalo Trace, darn good for the 19.00 price, although not a single barrel. They of course, are responsible for Blantons Single Barrel bourbon, and Hancock reserve as well. Their informational flyer which I picked up while in Kentucky this week states that the barreled whiskey is placed in "centuries old warehouses, that allow for the alternating cooling and warming
of the four season". They maintain that the best barrels are those that are in the middle floors, where they are subjected to the largest temperature changes during the year, resulting in full maturity and balanced taste, and from only these barrels is whiskey taken for Buffalo Trace. Whether or not they blend them, they do not state, but surely they do, otherwise as you point out, it would be single barrel, right? I would think only the cheapest Bourbon would use such methods ( blending whatever they have to achieve a consistent product) and should be labled as such. While B.T. is no doubt blended, it is only from these certain select barrels at least.
Cheers,
Russellc
pmsummer
simul justus et peccator
Russellc said:
1) That's the first time I've heard anyone brag about un-air conditioned warehouses!
2) In Scots whiskeys and Canadians, blending is done to PERFECT the taste and achieve consistency. I prefer single malt/vats Scotch and single-barrel Bourbons, but I respect those who like consistency, and are willing to pay for it (we're not talking McDonald's).
Russellc
Addicted Member
Bourbon is not aged in air conditioned warehouses, most of the fine distillerys use warehouse built long before anyone knew what freon was.pmsummer said:
Blending is the less expensive way to achieve consistency, and many times works better than the single barrel method, (in terms of consistency) but it is a LESS EXPENSIVE way to do it, and requires MUCH less attention to detail. Minor mistakes are blended away for CONSISTENCY, something that can not always be obtained with a handmade single barrel process. Winerys do this as well. Look at the bottle of several different vintage years of a top shelf California cab...some years are almost all cab, some years will or may have varying amounts of Cab Franc or Merlot added because of inconsistencies in the various harvests. Others bottle what is there, leading to huge price differences for various different vintages. As I am sure most have seen, just because a bourbon is single barrel or a cigar is cuban doesnt mean it is really the "best" one, there are examples of poor result in all catagories. These mistakes would be thrown out, or sold to lesser brands to use in their blending to "perfection". Associating blending with perfection is similar to saying a cigar is machine rolled to achieve PERFECT consistency, and in fact it can, but there is something to appreciate in a hand rolled one, which most all expensive cigars exclusively are, despite the occasional dud in the box.
What bourbon do you know of that is aged in airconditioned warehouses? Having been all through Kentucky and its famous bourbon trail, I have never seen an airconditioned one.
Cheers,
Russellc
Russellc
Addicted Member
My Lennox unit is stored outside in the extremes of midwestern heat right now!pmsummer said:Me either... it just sounds very funny.
"We've conditioned our Lennox heat-pumps for the extremes of the Midwest Climate by storing them in un-airconditioned warehouses."
an excellent unit to be sure. Kept my multi tube house hold nice and cool through this murdrous summer of 100+ days....my bill never even hit 100 bucks!
Very quiet too, but kind of a large package.
I would HATE to have the job of moving all those barrels around the warehouse this summer, that's for sure! Being the guy that went around tasting them might not be so bad, but I'm told they spit it out....but I bet an accidental swallow happens now and then.
If you think thats funny, you should read the Four Roses distillery info. They claim be the "only distillery" to use a single floor warehouse, for an "undisturbed" aging process. They distill 10 different bourbon flavors to ensure a consistent blended product.....then state that "no other distillery takes these extra steps".... and finish with a note that "no other bourbon is Four Roses" No wonder it hasnt been sold in this country, although I have heard from another here that it is going to be made available in Kentucky....Next I wonder if it will be distilled in China. None of this Bourbon has ever passed my lips. Who knows it may be rather tasty, I really cant say.
Russellc
Russell, go to the first page, go down to the sixth post.
You and I are on the same page.
You and I are on the same page.
