Whiskey - It's the water of life!

[Hippopatumus]

Add Bacardi with Malibu. Both are nasty.

 

[Blewberry Nausea]

Four lokos with red bull

 

[Takayuki Yagami]

Maker's is a perfectly fine whiskey. Their cask strengths, picks and stave bottles are particularly good.

I would generally ignore anyone who shit talks things like that. The only whiskey that's really fit to be insulted is the purposefully sub par stuff put out by scammer companies. Rebecca Creek, Bourbon 30, Mattingly, etc.

Oh, it’s perfectly fine. I’m mostly shitting on it for comedy, though it isn’t really to my taste at all. There are better wheaters in the price range anyway. Also, Bulliet Rye is mediocre. Spring for Rittenhouse or Old Forester 100. Preferably Rittenhouse.

 

[Boris Blank's glass eye]

Can I get an opinion on the current iteration of Knob Creek Small Batch 9yro?

Oh, it’s perfectly fine. I’m mostly shitting on it for comedy, though it isn’t really to my taste at all. There are better wheaters in the price range anyway. Also, Bulliet Rye is mediocre. Spring for Rittenhouse or Old Forester 100. Preferably Rittenhouse.

Isn't Bulleit Rye another one of those MGP 95% rye distillates?

 

[Takayuki Yagami]

Can I get an opinion on the current iteration of Knob Creek Small Batch 9yro?

Isn't Bulleit Rye another one of those MGP 95% rye distillates?

Yes. My brother got me a bottle for my birthday and I wasn’t impressed. As for Knob Creek, it’s fine. Did they change it recently or something? 9 year is their base label.

 

[Boris Blank's glass eye]

Yes. My brother got me a bottle for my birthday and I wasn’t impressed. As for Knob Creek, it’s fine. Did they change it recently or something? 9 year is their base label.

AFAIK Beam Suntory changed it from Small Batch 9 years old to Small Batch (NAS) in 2016 and changed it back in 2020.

I have a bourbon itch that's gonna need some scratching soon but my go-to store is almost out of pretty much everything, including Wild Turkey. I'm not really interested in plain Four Roses, Jim Beam, or Jack Daniel's, so my options are

• Four Roses Small Batch
• JD Gentleman Jack
• JD Single Barrel (90 proof)
• JD Red Dog Saloon
• JB Black Label (formerly 8 yro)
• JB Double Oak
• Knob Creek 9
• Redemption

Or I'll have to wait for a re-stock which may or may not be coming.

 

[Takayuki Yagami]

AFAIK Beam Suntory changed it from Small Batch 9 years old to Small Batch (NAS) in 2016 and changed it back in 2020.

I have a bourbon itch that's gonna need some scratching soon but my go-to store is almost out of pretty much everything, including Wild Turkey. I'm not really interested in plain Four Roses, Jim Beam, or Jack Daniel's, so my options are

• Four Roses Small Batch
• JD Gentleman Jack
• JD Single Barrel (90 proof)
• JD Red Dog Saloon
• JB Black Label (formerly 8 yro)
• JB Double Oak
• Knob Creek 9
• Redemption

Or I'll have to wait for a re-stock which may or may not be coming.

Four Roses Small Batch is almost certainly the best of those. JD is ass other than the single barrel (and that’s middling) and I’ve never had Redemption.

 

[Boris Blank's glass eye]

Four Roses Small Batch is almost certainly the best of those.

Thank you kindly.

 

[Hippopatumus]

Knob Creek 9y: 9/10
Four Roses Small Batch: 7/10 (extremely smooth though, which can be good or bad depending on your preference)
Bulleit Rye: 3/10
Bulleit: 4/10

 

[Splinters RCVD ✞]

For the seasoned Whisky-goers out there: what's up with the really expensive ones? Like Johnny Walker Blue Label, or something very high tier like Glenfarclas 40 Years? Are they overpriced and overhyped or are they worth their impressive prices?

 

[Alcoholism]

Glenfarclas 40 year is probably the most reasonably priced ultra premium whisky. Used to be under a grand.

Walker Blue has very old whiskies and whiskies from long dead and closed distilleries.

Age is one of the primary determining factor in whisky prices. Walker Blue has no age statement but is supposedly in the 20 - 30 age, mostly.

 

[Splinters RCVD ✞]

Glenfarclas 40 year is probably the most reasonably priced ultra premium whisky. Used to be under a grand.

Walker Blue has very old whiskies and whiskies from long dead and closed distilleries.

Age is one of the primary determining factor in whisky prices. Walker Blue has no age statement but is supposedly in the 20 - 30 age, mostly.

Will definitely keep an eye on Walker Blue. As for Glenfarclas, I got to try the 10 year old, and it is way too bitter for my tastes. Not bad, and the smoke is great, but it is otherwise too bitter for me. So I think I will be skipping the 40 year bottle.

 

[Boris Blank's glass eye]

Will definitely keep an eye on Walker Blue. As for Glenfarclas, I got to try the 10 year old, and it is way too bitter for my tastes. Not bad, and the smoke is great, but it is otherwise too bitter for me. So I think I will be skipping the 40 year bottle.

Try the (Glenfarclas) 15. It's the "whisky drinker's whisky", a wonderful sherry bomb. Assuming you're into that.

 

[Alcoholism]

'Farclas is unpeated. It does have a very strong malt profile, which turns some people off.

Honestly, if I were to buy anything Walker it would be Green first and foremost but that's all malt, no grain. After that the 18 or Gold. Blue is fine and good but too expensive in my opinion. Also, honestly, there's nothing wrong with Black Label either.

 

[Hippopatumus]

Current bourbons on deck. This isn't everything, just what I have on queue.

Decanter is an infinity bottle. Strongly recommend getting one going. I'm probably going to get a second one going for scotch as well.

I have not yet tried: the double oaked woodford, the "Artfully Aged" Basil Haydens that is lacking an age statement (lol), or the Yellowstone, but I am excited to try out all three. The rest are all very solid and I would recommend.

 

[Takayuki Yagami]

Knob Creek 9y: 9/10
Four Roses Small Batch: 7/10 (extremely smooth though, which can be good or bad depending on your preference)
Bulleit Rye: 3/10
Bulleit: 4/10

I was conflicted on which to bring up because both are good, but I went with the Four Roses because its single barrel is my preferred splurge bourbon.

 

[Boris Blank's glass eye]

Pierre Ferrand Ambré

A light, easily drinkable cognac. 40% ABV

Nose: vanilla, white grape, apples, apricots, faint citrus - lime or mandarine oranges, and a floral quality. Most of this translates to the palate, with the addition of ripe pears, fresh plums, and just a bit of almonds and caramel. Fresh and bright, it's lovely. Distilled on the lees from Ugni Blanc and Colombard wines, aged in a combination of traditional Limousin and not widely used sessile oak barrels.

Said to belong in the XO age range but bottled with a "1er Cru de Cognac" designation instead of any age category statement which refers to the very best micro-terroir of the Grande Champagne area. I read this mostly as a flex on the larger cognac houses which are forced to purchase eaux-de-vies from all over France.

Pierre Ferrand 10 Generations

Slightly stronger and a bit sharper but still light and easily drinkable. 46% ABV

Nose: sweet with a balance of sharp spices. Honey, apricot, fresh coconut, a bit of caramel and raisins. Freshly ground ginger, a dash of nutmeg, roses in full bloom, the faintest whiff of tobacco leaves. Lovely. The palate is slightly heavier - dried white fruits, candied ginger, toasted nuts, sweet muscat grape, floral, oak. Distilled on the lees from Ugni Blanc wines, aged in a 80%-20% combination of traditional Limousin barrels and used Sauternes casks.

Said to be in the Napoleon age range, bottled with a "1er Cru de Cognac" designation, so on and so forth. Neither of these are particularly expensive - Ambré costs quite a bit less than the usual VSOPs and 10 Generations costs a good €10 less, but that one comes in half liter bottles.

Pierre Ferrand Renegade Barrel N°3

As the third offering of the “renegade” series, this range embodies the creative and rebellious spirit of the Maison Ferrand. Its name, in fact, originates from a lively debate during which the Master Blender Alexander Gabriel was titled a “renegade” by his peers. It has since been a title he proudly claims and subsequently dedicates to this characterful range of Cognacs which explore the forgotten Cognac-making techniques and methods.

Not quite as light but just as good. 48,2% ABV
In fact this one can't even be legally called cognac so it's eau de vie de vin - a fancy name which translates to "brandy" with a lower case "b".

Nose: it has the same Ferrand character at its core dressed up in a new coat of Plantation rum. Tropical fruits, almonds, vanilla, brown sugar, and a sweet floral touch. These carry on to the palate with the addition of ripe quince, peach, nutmeg, cinnamon, a faint taste of freshly brewed medium roast coffee, and more intense oak. The biggest difference I'd say is in the finish - while the previous ones were just the continuation of the palate, this one goes off in a different direction. Freshly ground pepper, sweet licquorice candy, bitter coffee, and a touch of mint.

Maison Ferrand also owns the rum brand Plantation and heavily uses their old cognac barrels in their aging - now owner and Master Blender Alexandre Gabriel did the reverse and finished a nine year old cognac for an additional year in Jamaican rum barrels from Plantation. Allegedly rum barrel aging used to be fairly common with cognac around 1900 but it wasn't included in the post-WW2 AOC (Appellation d'origin controlée, not Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Oh Heavens no.) so this expression can't be called cognac under the current legislation.

Renegade Barrel N°1 was Sauternes and N°2 was Chestnut wood of all things. Must have sent the other Master Blenders into a seething rage.

Good stuff overall and it's quite a unique experience. Costs around twice as much as the Ambré.

As for the very much legal additives of sugar, caramel, and boisé - possibly, probably, I don't think so. Aside from the Renegade none of these come close to tasting as oaky as a usual "Big Four" VSOP and even the last one can be chalked up to the rum barrels.

I was conflicted on which to bring up because both are good, but I went with the Four Roses because its single barrel is my preferred splurge bourbon.

I managed to nab the last bottle of Four Roses Small Batch in stock, everything else interesting sold out. Redemption turned out to be distlled by MGP and I'd rather stay away from that stuff. I suspect the store is waiting for end of the USA-EU whiskey tariff war to finally take effect.

 

[Dread First]

I've never been a hard liquor man, but I will say that Gentleman Jack is the whiskey of choice for me if I'm gonna get tore up by a drinking game.

 

[Hippopatumus]

Picked these up today. I've been wanting to try Monkey Shoulder for a long time. the Whiskey Tribe guys rave about it. I saw the Laphroaig and then left and was telling the wife about it and she was like "you should go back for it."

 

[Takayuki Yagami]

View attachment 2957979

Picked these up today. I've been wanting to try Monkey Shoulder for a long time. the Whiskey Tribe guys rave about it. I saw the Laphroaig and then left and was telling the wife about it and she was like "you should go back for it."

Let us know how the 25 is. Have a Laphroaig 10 bottle that I got when I was trying to decide between it and Ardbeg 10 for an entry islay; but they were out of the Ardbeg. Like it but I think it still needed some of the edges filed down.

Monkey Shoulder works well for mixing. Very good in a highball, wasn’t wild about the Rob Roy, and haven’t done a Rusty Nail or Godfather yet.