Revue De Bourbon

With people hanging out in the home more we are getting back to that friendly Mad Men question, “Can I pour you a drink?”  To properly entertain both others and ourselves here is a quick reference guide of essential bourbons to be stocked for the Home Bar.  

To hear more about these bourbons refer to each link for the Revue de Bourbon podcast, or visit www.RevueDeBourbon.com

 Four Roses – Four Roses offers three readily available varieties of very good bourbon appropriately priced.  All three options are worthy of purchase, but if choosing one go with Four Roses Small Batch. 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/rdb-four-roses-blind-challenge/id715796559?i=321474010&mt=2

 Barrel Proof – These type of bourbons are slightly harder to find.  Barrel proof/strength simply means it has not been diluted since leaving the barrel. We recommend Elijah Craig or Stagg.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/rdb-back-in-saddle-w-stagg/id715796559?i=316409051&mt=2

 Single Barrel – Some single barrel bourbons are more rare than others, if you do not choose the Four Roses we recommend Blanton’s.  Evan Williams is an excellent more affordable option.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/rdb-blantons/id715796559?i=245573711&mt=2

 Bottled-In-Bond – Good news, these are cheap, and wonderful for cocktails. We recommend Evan Williams (white label) or Old Grand-Dad. Make sure it says “Bottled-In-Bond” on the label.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/rdb-kentucky-derby-special!/id715796559?i=309769723&mt=2

 Rye – Of course this is not a bourbon, but we believe it’s important to have a Rye on hand.  A rye will offer you and your guests a nice alternative to bourbon, and it packs a bite!  Willet is our favorite but hard to find.  Bulleit is great and available.

Poor, Lower Middle Class Man's Pappy 

Many have heard of Poor Man's Pappy.  This is a mixture of bourbons to achieve something close to the highly sought after Pappy Van Winkle collection.  Pappy Van Winkle bourbon is not only hard to find but hard to justify buying at such an inflated price. Many bourbons have gone up in price, one being W.L. Weller, gaining attention due to its relation to Pappy Van Winkle, they are made by the same people at Buffalo Trace, same mash bill.  Because of this W.L. Weller prices have quadrupled in some markets making this more of a lower-middle class man's Pappy.

Here's what to do:

50/50 Blend - Half and half Old Weller Antique & W.L. Weller 12 yr. old. This is a nice blend making it 98.5 prooof.  Comparable to the Old Rip Van Winkle 10 yr.

Pappy Van Winkle Family - Shot by Shot

Can't find a bottle of Pappy?  You are not alone.  With the rising popularity of bourbon, this Buffalo Trace brand is leading the charge as the most sought after bottle everyone is talking about.  If you can find a bottle chances are it will take a lot of effort and the cost may leave you with a slight mental bitterness. 

We have a better suggestion, head to the bar.  While bar prices are going up, they offer something that doesn't exist..... availability.  For the price of one bottle on the secondary market you can taste the entire family, and probably save money while you're at it. 

We took our own advice and went to Manny & Merle in downtown Louisville. So here we go, a quick at-a-glance review of the latest Pappy Van Winkle releases....

10yr. - Good but typical, essentially the W.L. Weller Antique but more well     rounded

12yr. "Lot B"  - Least favorite of the bunch, toasted fruitiness but fleeting, doesn't have the complete finish

12yr. Rye - Beautiful liveliness, not the typical citrus like other ryes, rich and sharp woody spice, with a sugary finish, easy drinking for a rye

15yr. - One of the best bourbons going, cinnamon and cherry, plum body. Long finish of slight vanilla. What bourbon should be.

20yr. - Has a strange absence of flavor, completely smooth, typical honey, vanilla, and oak

23yr. - Many say the age works against itself, I disagree. Strong savory spice, creamy, and slight scotchiness. Fun to drink

Old Charter - Bourbon Review

After a recent first-time-taste of Old Charter 10yr., I was blown away at the quality. The Old Charter line uses the Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1, which is slightly lower in rye and shares the same recipe with Eagle Rare. I’m a fan of Old Charter 8yr., but the 10yr is better. The 10yr. has buttery, toffy, honey notes, without much of a bite. I found the almost extinct bourbon sitting beside Jack Daniels at a Tennessee O’Charley’s on a road trip, needless to say a pleasant surprise. The remaining Old Charter option is the 101. This bourbon I do not care for at all, carrying a bit of an artificial taste, although I know many who like it.

The difference between these three bourbons is significant, sadly the best of the bunch in no longer available. With the recent ‘bourbon shortage’ as stated by Buffalo Trace themselves, we are seeing age statements and entire bottles removed from production. It is assumed by some that the Old Charter 10yr. is headed toward the Eagle Rare, and Eagle Rare ditched their age statement. Draw your own conclusions.

— Congratulations to our Holiday Gift Recipient Bill Sloan!

Bill prefers a fine scotch in the evening whilst reading non-fiction hardcover books. Lately he has been wanting to broaden his whiskey horizons, and recently approached Revue de Bourbon for a bourbon or whiskey recommendation.  After some thought we came to the conclusion that bourbon may be too large of a jump, why not go for a new Tennessee Whiskey by George Dickel. This particular bottle was aged 9 years, 103 proof, and hand selected from a very small batch of barrels. 

Flavor profile is earthy, with hints of cherry and corn. The charcoal filter really shines in this bottle, which is mainly why we chose this for Bill who is coming from the scotch world.  The George Dickel Barrel Select is rich in flavor and color like a scotch. We believe this spirit is best enjoyed with water or on the rocks.  Look for it on store shelves this holiday season if you want something a little extra for that special someone, maybe they will even share it with you.