Epic Bourbon + Big Time Rye

Ah, memories.  Can't live with them, can't live without them.  Let's harken back to the dog days of last summer with its outdoor BBQ and sipping American Whiskey on the back porch.

* FLIGHT ONE *

Expression 1
 Orphan Barrel Barterhouse 20 Year Old

Bottle No. 36989

Background: Basically, Orphan Barrel from Diageo positions itself as a brand that rescues forgotten, abandoned whisk(e)y with a heart of gold and then graciously bottles it for the eager consumer.  The line debuted in 2014 with Old Blowhard 26 Year bourbon as well as this expression.  The former was a one-time offering, but the Barterhouse 20 came out periodically until about 2017-ish.  It is believed to be spirit distilled from the last incarnation of the Bernheim Distillery.

Stats:  Alcohol By Volume (ABV) = 45.1%.  Mash Bill: 75% corn + an even balance of rye and malted barley.

Tasting Notes: With the 'creative' marketing, expectations were low.  However,  this is a well-balanced, spicy and sweet bourbon.  Love the butterscotch notes.  Factor in that suggested retail was around $100 and it's a no brainer... if you can still find it.

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Pour?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

Expression 2
 Elijah Craig 23 Year Old

Barrel #124

Background:  In 1996, a tremendous fire at Heaven Hill destroyed many bourbon warehouses as well as the distillery itself.  From 1996-99, the company basically outsourced their new make spirit from Old Forester and Jim Beam.  Additionally, they chose not to rebuild their distillery in Bardstown.  Instead, the aforementioned modern Bernheim Distillery in Louisville was acquired in 1999.  Aging and bottling in Bardstown was never interrupted, however.

Stats: Barreled 03-30-90. ABV = 45%
.  Mash Bill: 78% corn with even balance of rye and malted barley.

Tasting Notes: What you're looking at here is much sought-after 'Pre-Fire' whiskey. And while it has a strong, pleasant corn nose, the taste is thin on sweetness and complexity.  Woodier notes, as expected, from the age.  Money is probably better spent on the Elijah Craig 18 Year.

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	NO

Expression 3
 Hirsch Selection 28 Year Old

Background: One of the best bourbons I'll probably never taste is the AH Hirsch 16 Year.  Same goes for the 20 Year.  Both of those legendary whiskies were distilled in 1974 at the old Michter's Distillery in Pennsylvania, utilizing a comparatively unique mash bill.  This 28 Year Old is completely unrelated, however.  The only thing in common is the Hirsch name.  This bourbon hails from Bardstown, Kentucky.  So, Willett or Heaven Hill or Barton or ??

Stats: ABV = 43.4%.  
 Mash Bill: unknown

Tasting Notes: Definitely woody on the taste and light on sweetness.  Overall thin and a little oily.  The finish does yield some nice spice on the tip of the tongue, but bourbon really shouldn't be aged this long.  An interesting experience, but not essential.  

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	NO

Expression 4
 George Dickel Bottled in Bond 13 Year Old

 

Background: The other Tennessee whisky that began operations in 1878, just a few years after Jack Daniels. Closed due to Prohibition and didn't re-open until 1958, albeit in a new location.  For years Dickel has been known for their No. 8 and No. 12 expressions. Note: those are recipes, not age statements.  This is their very first bottled-in-bond release.

Stats: 2005 Vintage. ABV = 50%. 
 Mash Bill: 84% corn with a relatively even balance of rye and malted barley.

Tasting Notes: Nose is cotton candy cake batter.  Nice mouthfeel with taste of suble butterscotch.  Impressive age statement and love the high proof.  Originally retail was around $40, but that will probably jump since it won Whisky Advocate's Whiskey of the Year.

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

* FLIGHT TWO *

Expression 1
  Old Forester Rye

1 Liter Bottling

Background: Old Forester is the only distillery that produced whiskey before, during, and after Prohibition.  Until this release in 2019, they hadn't produced a rye in over 40 years.  The recipe comes from Normandy Rye, a brand that parent company Brown-Forman purchased in 1940.

Stats: ABV = 50%.
 Mash Bill: 65% rye / 20% malted barley / 15% corn.

Tasting Notes: Much anticipated and did not disappoint.  Truth be told, I purchased this expression well in advance of this particular event.  By the time the actual tasting was held, I had already gone through two bottles.  It was that good.  For what I have to assume is a younger No Age Statement (NAS) rye, the mash bill is what must have done it for me.  Younger spirit + low rye + more malted barley than corn = delicious daily drinker.

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

Expression 2
   Thomas H Handy Sazerac Rye

Limited to ~14000 Bottles

Background: Antoine Peychaud created the very first cocktail, dubbed The Sazerac, in the mid-1800s in New Orleans. It became so popular that a local bar named itself after the intoxicating concoction.  Later, Mr. TH Handy purchased said bar and eventually grew that into the Sazerac Company we know today.  One of their distilleries, Buffalo Trace, has been producing this rye as part of their annual limited edition Antique Collection since 2006. 

Stats:  2011 Vintage. Bottled 2017. ABV = 63.6%.
  Mash Bill: 51% rye / 10% malted barley / 39% corn.  Non-Chill Filtered.

Tasting Notes: Expectations ran high again as this won Jim Murray's 2019 Rye of The Year.  He wasn't wrong.  Big and bold. Rich and Oily.  Complex.  Nice mouth feel.  Boom!

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

Expression 3
Re:Find Single Barrel Rye

Lot 2 Batch No. 6

Background: A distillery in central California producing vodka, gin, and world class rye...whaaat?  Collaborating with craft beer brewers to create a unique mash bill, they age the spirit in quarter casks.  A regular 46.5% ABV edition is in general distribution, but cask strength expressions like this one are exclusive to Wade's Wines in northwest Los Angeles County.

Stats: 2017 Release. ABV = 64.3%. Mash Bill: rye / malted barley / wheat.

Tasting Notes: Sweet on the nose, but not on taste where dense dark chocolate permeates. A drop or two of water helps open it up, but not necessarily required.  Sandwiched between two heavy hitting ryes, Re:Find definitely held its own and then some!

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

Expression 4
 Booker's Rye 13 Year Old

"Big Time Batch"
Bottle No. 4182

Background: Another whiskey of the year from Jim Murray.  This was the first, and only (so far), rye to be released from the Booker's lineup. Considered Booker Noe's swan song as this was some of the last spirit he filled a barrel with before passing in 2004.

Stats: Bottled 2016. ABV = 68.1%. Mash Bill: Undisclosed.

Tasting Notes: Reminds me of a hazmat edition of George T Stagg where the alcohol content is very high, but instead of ethanol on the nose, all you get is richness in aroma.  The taste is so smooth at this ABV, it's uncanny.  Complex spice and citrus.  Big flavor! Caps off with a long lingering finish.  The only setback is the price which was $300 at release and 2x-3x that after being proclaimed Best Whiskey by Murray.

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

[Tasting conducted with the Sneaky Trips Tasting Group which consists of Whisk(e)y Enthusiasts ranging from Beginner to Advanced.  Tastings are held monthly and are usually 8 Expressions based on a particular theme.]