Trader Joe's Kentucky Bourbon

I been so stuck on my standards (Bulleit, Wild Turkey, occasionally Rebel Yell) for so long I haven't ventured into anything new for quite some time.

This afternoon, I spotted this one at Trader Joe's. Octane level similar to Bulleit, but at the decent price to be expected of Trader Joe's.

OK, for the record:
As a general rule, I will try absolutely anything with a Trader Joe's label. They even market an edible pecan pie under their own name... that says something to me.
TJ may not be batting 1.000, but they are in the near .900's in my book. (I mean, they put out a pecan pie that is edible! Standard rule here: I avoid pecan pie like I avoid dogs, rap music and dental appointments.)
So yeah, put 'Trader Joe's' on the label and I'm a sucker for it every time...

Back to the posting at hand...

This stuff says 'Bourbon Square Distilling Company' (which does not google up) on the label. Rather generic sounding. Seems to me that a reputable distiller is attempting to mask their hand in this. (Par for the course with store labels. Really.)

A tad cautious... it's only $15, and placed right next to the Wild Turkey (for $3 more).

I came for Wild Turkey, I left with Trader Joe's. I liked the way it sat in the bottle... Very similar to Wild Turkey in color, vibe and aura, with an above-standard octane level to boot.
Yeah, I know.... 'vibe' and 'aura'... very emotionally of me.
My emotions said 'Grab this shit.'
So, I did.

On to the pour...

A strong alcohol sense in the nose, traces of caramel, some grassiness. It reminds me of Wild Turkey, and that's not a bad thing.

On the tongue it's smooth up front, rich and sweet with more caramel coming through, hints of oak and charred sugar... spicy, with a scratchy burn toward the back... ending with a spicy finish, but too short.

A few minutes later, the effects kick in... hard.
Damn.
The label says it's 90 proof, stronger than most, yet not as strong as some of my favorites... still... it hits quicker than expected, leaving me in a comfortable buzz that begs for more.

Overall: not a bad choice for the money. Go ahead and get you some.

Buffalo Trace White Dog

Moving this blog on to more important things once again...

It's been nearly thirty years (1983) since I last played with the white liquor and I do remember some of it: the main memory is my buddy's mother throwing us out of the kitchen, and then told to exit the premises entirely... after somebody struck a lighter to some spillage... creating a three-foot trail of flame along her kitchen counter...
She was not amused.
That time, the magic potion was a bottle of Everclear that we had purchased after crossing the Mexican border and brought back. 192 proof, or something like that...
wicked stuff...
and tasted accordingly.

We tried shots (which didn't go down very well) before we decided to mix it into beer. After three of those it was like having a piano dropped on my head from three floors up...
Yeah, I was over and done for the night.

I've avoided the white liquor ever since, til now...

'White Dog' is the name given to un-aged, straight-from-the-still American whiskey before it goes into the oak barrels where it is aged into that beautiful substance we call Bourbon.

There are a few varieties to choose from at my local liquor store. My curiosity was on high this time around and reached for the bottle of un-aged Buffalo Trace distillate.

I chose the Buffalo Trace variety for two reasons:
--First: Buffalo Trace is a reputably solid offering of bourbon.
--Second: It was at a proof (125) that I thought I could handle.

Not much at all to look at with this stuff being clearer than water.
I was expecting an aroma similar to rubbing alcohol, but instead I got a faint combination of alcohol and sugar.

The real test is the taste, which is kinda yucky and pungent to the pallet; a lingering kind of yuck that stays a while, several minutes, and then some.
Due to the surgical event of 2008, I don't always feel much back there, but damn... I was feeling this like it was 2007.
Slight corn sweetness up front, but nothing to get all 'whoo-hoo' about.

Most impressive are the effects: akin to the subtle massage of a ball ping hammer  to the forehead.

Unless you feel the need to truly appreciate what oak barrels over time will do to distillate, avoid the White Dog.

Johnny Drum

My eyes have been attracted to the old school labeling for some time. This time i decided to grab a bottle.

Try as I might, I can't seem to pull any aroma out of it. Shaking it up, swirl in the glass... it took some work and I finally got a whiff of vanilla. Not much else.

Light and watery in the mouth, weak taste of vanilla on the tongue. This is real smooth, delivering just a tickle of spiciness up front and a wimpy burn toward the back.

And then it's gone.

Pretty slim stuff.
And I wasted close to $20 on this bottle. This is bullshit.
I would expect something like this if I paid maybe 9-10 bucks, but damn... these bastards putting themselves on the same monetary plane as Wild Turkey or Jim Beam, et al should be a criminal offense.

I've been taken, and I don't like that one bit.

Henry McKenna Single Barrel

For a whiskey to be "bottled in bond" meant that the whiskey must be produced in the same distilling season by the same distiller at the same distillery.
Originally, it was seen a guarantee of quality. The idea was to create a set of criteria that only the most upstanding, highest-quality distillers could meet.

Few meet this requirement today, but that is not really much of an issue. There are few, if any, fly-by-night corner-cutting distillers out there, and the big boys on the block (that would be all of them) swap and trade barrels, or farm out distilling/aging operations among themselves without losing any of their quality controls.
Others distill in multiple locations, then bring the barrels to different sites for bottling/aging/co mingling.

"Single Barrel" means what it says: all the whiskey in this bottle came from the same single barrel, and fetch a premium price

In my hand is a bottle of Henry McKenna, Single Barrel, Bottled In Bond, aged 10 years, produced by Heaven Hill Distillery. The same people who also produced Fighting Cock from a couple months back.

Ten years is a long time to age, and you'd think I paid a premium for this, but I didn't. On sale with the BevMo card for about $25. On the label is listed the barrel number (#612) and barreling date (8/25/00). I have no idea if this is reliable, but it's an effective marketing gimmick.

Emanating a quick whiff of butterscotch the moment the cap released was a signal of a heavy corn character, but not so fast...
Pine, cedar and oak waft from the glass after it's poured, with an hint of fresh cut alfalfa. Fresh and earthy, it smells like Kentucky looks. A splash of water and some airing brings out the corn. The scent typical of a 100 proof bourbon stays hidden.

The dense, deep heat in the mouth is not at all discomforting. Strong rye spiciness accompanies a bit of cinnamon burn up front, with an oily balanced transitioning toward corn sweetness.

Vanilla and caramel smooths out the finish with another tickle of cinnamon, leaving soothing sweetness in it's wake.

Not bad at all, I like this one.
A few minutes, I'm feeling warm all over. It's not often that a couple ounces can make me sweat like this.
Excuse me while I step outside to cool off.

Four Roses And An Update

As the story goes...Paul Jones, Jr. had a case of lust for this particular southern chick. She responded to his proposal by wearing a bunch of roses to their next hook-up as a sign of her acceptance.

Jones later went on to name his bourbon "Four Roses" as a symbol of his love for her.

It's kinda stupid and sappy if you ask me... but whatever. It's likely bullshit anyway.

Smelling clean and sweet immediately on the pour, like Juicy Fruit gum to the nose. Pleasant and fruity, with that hint of citrus that stimulates the olfactory, providing good compliment to the oak and corn defaults that become vanilla/caramel as it opens. Closed, it's unique unto itself. Let it open, and it's just like any other. Keep it closed.

Let this one sit in the mouth for a bit... A mild rye spiciness up front blends easily toward toffee/caramel with hints of pear, apple and banana underneath. A mild burn you may not much notice.

Finishing long and sweet, like a buttered caramel apple, this is pretty good stuff. Perfect for after dinner, maybe having a smoke, relaxing with friends.

Normally about $23 or so at BevMo, but I got a $5 discount with my BevMo card.(Yes, I have a BevMo card, you can't be surprised by that.) Do the math you unfortunate Seattle dwellers... I got a nice bottle of good liquor for $17.
HaHaHaHaHaHa.......

Meanwhile on the medical front:
The Surgery is tomorrow at 8am.
I'll be in the hospital for a few days, might be back Sunday, maybe Saturday... who knows for sure.
I already know this one won't be as pleasant as my visit last December.
Doc advised that I would "experience considerably more discomfort" than last time.
That's Doctor Speak for "this shit's gonna hurt".
Che sarà, sarà.

See ya in a few.

Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve

Wild Turkey 101 is a good serviceable bourbon for drinking straight up, on the rocks, as a mixer... whatever your preference.
This time, I'm drinking the small batch, 10yr Russell's Reserve. It's the same recipe as the standard offering, or so I've been led to believe.
Only difference is that it's been sitting around in those charred oak barrels a whole lot longer. Like about... six years longer.

The difference is readily noticeable upon purchase. About $6 bucks noticeable. Doing the easy math, I'm reckoning that the rent space for one barrel of bourbon comes to about $250 per year, plus tax.

Hmm... I think I've just brainstormed a solution for the crisis of upside-down mortgages. Let's convert these homes to bourbon warehouses and in a few short years, all these properties would be paid for. It's freakin genius!

Anyway, on to the pour:
A deeper amber hue due to the longer aging, and like the original starts to open up with an ice cube, bringing forth scents of vanilla, caramel and oak. It's sweeter by comparison, not as leathery.

The same balanced attack, transitioning smoothly along the tongue with pepper, spice, caramel, hot cinnamon... culminating with a pleasing burn that doesn't overwhelm as the sweetness fades away. Maybe due to the lower proof (90 v 101?)

Surprisingly or not, just like the original, but smoother and more refined.
Those six extra years do pay off.

Yeah, you could still use it for a mixer because it retains the same character but that would be a waste of a good bourbon that was intended to stand alone.

About $25 round these parts.

Jim Beam Devil's Cut

As whiskey ages in oak barrels a small amount is lost to evaporation. This is called the Angel's Share. That which is trapped within the barrel wood is what Jim Beam is calling the Devil's Cut.
(Normally, Angel's Share applies to all the whiskey lost during aging through evaporation and absorption, but hey... Beam has a new gimmick and isn't beyond redefining age-old words to suit it's marketing endeavors.)

According the the web site, this trapped product is extracted from the wood through some process or another (it's not really that important 'how', is it?) and blended with 6yr bourbon.
So, what Beam is marketing amounts to bourbon flavored with... yeah, you guessed it! Bourbon.
It's all too gimmicky for me, and I suspect it's mostly a bullshit way to sell $15 bourbon for $25.

Enough talk from me, let's get to the pour shall we?

More rusty in color than usual Beam, with scents of oak, nuts and cinnamon/nutmeg.

Sits lightly on the tongue, remotely tickles with cinnamon and spice, buttery yet not overly sweet. Heavy oak influence (which I like) but not as heavy as I was expecting.
Strong pepper and spice burn front and back with some scraping/stabbing rear heat as it goes down. Woeful lack of regional transition.

Finish is easy enough, mellow and warm, not overly impressive. Compared to the initial introduction I expected a longer, stronger, more masculine finish.

I actually like it better than standard Jim Beam, but I never liked standard Jim Beam (it reminds me of iced tea, southern style, which I don't like anyway) so what's that tell you?

Overall: Disappointing. It's manly enough at first glance, but don't take it to the rodeo.

Bulleit

Claiming itself 'Frontier Whiskey', packaged in a medicine bottle with cork stopper...

My mind flashes to William Munny (from Unforgiven, and if you're cool like me you don't need the movie reference) liquoring up before his killing spree.

... It needs to awaken for a minute or two before complex scents of vanilla-nutmeg and fruited-leather come through. Successive pourings bring forth butter and corn, some oak.
Initial experience is rough. Abrasive and obnoxious. Not for boys. The rear burn and peppery tingle up front overwhelms whatever is sitting on the tongue, going down with a boot kick to the throat...
...smoothing out into a pleasant finish; now you want another pour. Chest hair is getting thicker and your testes have dropped an additional 1/2 inch.
Again, you want yet another pour 'cause it's tasting reeeeaaaaal good.

It grows on you. After several pours, I'm liking it very much and feeling every bit of that.
$20 at Trader Joe's.
Add some strut to yer swagger, 'cause this shit's for real.
(as I stagger my swagger to the sofa for a nap...)

Old Forester

Sweet vanilla scent combines with oak. Around the edges, a little nutmeg. It's rather inviting.
Smooth and creamy, brown sugar and caramel on the tongue. Pepper and spice is strong up front, with a very mild burn in back where I prefer a little more balance. A dry easy finish, if short, a little more of the oak comes through.
It's even smoother with an ice cube.

Can't remember what I paid... somewhere tween $10-13 at BevMo. It's actually a good bourbon for the price. Definitely more subtle and complex than Evan Williams, which is in the same budget category.
I like it.

I'm come to fully believe that marketing has more to do with the price of a bourbon than it's taste and quality, just like with beer and coffee. If you can convince enough consumers that your product is a cut above, they will pay the extra $5-10 a bottle 'cause 98% of them wouldn't know the difference anyway.
That said... for me, Wild Turkey is still the baseline standard that all others are compared to.

Being off work for a while has left a lot more time for sleeping it off, so I'll be back at the liquor store more often. Come to think of it, I see another pilgrimage in the very near future... like tomorrow.

Evan Williams

Oakish and grassy scent followed with a little sugary char, after which the alcohol comes through.
A wash of vanilla on the tongue mixed with oak. Void of many complexities or subtleties, it's a traditionally generic taste: a full 'bourbon' flavor with a rugged finish.
Blue collar, it gets the job done without shame nor want. What you'd expect from an everyday swigging bourbon.
I would imagine that if you were using it for a marinade or for cooking, then you found the right one. A good mixer,too.

About $12-13 at BevMo. It'd put it next to Rebel Yell on the shelf. Similar in class, with a different character. If you're on a budget, pick this one.

Fighting Cock

Rich amber red in color. Hints of vanilla, oak and leather in the nose. Nothing overpowering. Alcohol presence is minimally noticeable.

Smooth and thick vanilla on the tongue, rich and creamy, not complex. With an easy pleasing burn towards the back. It really needs an ice cube to open it up a little so the flavors bloom. With ice, it's earthier. You can taste the oak.
A smooth finish, on the dry side. Only a little vanilla-caramel lingers.

Overall, a pleasant drink. I imagine a sipper would be left wanting for a little more. I'm a three fingers type of drinker.
At 103 proof,Fighting Cock is carrying some pretty large spurs and is one of the stronger bourbons on the shelf. Not a bad dose for the money. About $16 and some change at BevMo.
And you will feel three fingers worth.