Bourbon & Rye | Page 17 | The Boneyard

Bourbon & Rye

AreBee1969 said:
I love Bourbon but have never been much of a Rye fan. When in NOLA I embraced the local and enjoyed a Sazerac Cocktail or twenty. I'm nearly done with my second bottle since I got back in early December and about to restock. I have wondered if a better Rye would improve upon the cocktail or if it's sacrilege to substitute the eponymous liquor. Also, the $30-$35 price point is near where I stop for mixing booze, so would it be wasteful? Thoughts?
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Angels Envy Rye...pushing $80!

But if you're curious...yellow...
 
Did an extended weekend trip up to Kentucky to hit up some of the Bourbon Trail distilleries back in April.
Buffalo Trace was a no go. They release tour availability one month at a time and those slots fill up almost instantly. And with the flood damage, no walk ups to the visitor center or gift shop.
We did hit up Jim Beam, Four Roses, Wild Turkey, Heaven Hill, and Castle and Key. Castle and Key was a walk up all the others had paid tours.
What a blast!!! Each distillery has slightly different on site processes and the tours were slightly different.
Got to meet Jimmy Russell at Wild Turkwy and he was signing bottles for free. Wild Turkey Rare Breed is a gem.
Heaven Hill allowed you bottle and label your own bourbon. I picked Larceny, Mrs Diesel went Elijah Craig Single Barrel. You label and sign your own bottle. Only cost $15 more than the same bottle off the shelf.
Four Roses tasting tour included Four samples of their Single Barrel Select. All four were delicious.
Jim Beam tour took us in the rickhouse and we popped the bung and "stole" the Bourbon right from the barrel. Three samples from five year barrels from three different floors in the rickhouse. Took home a bottle of Booker's from the gift shop.
Five distilleries amd six tours later, 26 bottles bought total.
Did a steak dinner at Malone's steakhouse near Lexington. That was a phenomenal experience too.
Right now, I'm enjoying this delight of a bottle.

I'd highly recommend doing the Bourbon tour for any Bourbon lover. We saw Bachelor parties, wedding parties, birthday groups, HS reunions, etc.

If Buffalo Trace is a must, that is the tail that wags the dog. Tours are tough while they recover.

20250501_193826.jpg
 
I'm in Jacksonville, Fl for the weekend for work.
Brought this along to be my roommate.

Drinks smooth for a 112 proof rye, but you catch the heat on the finish and it lingers nicely.
20250515_201028.jpg
 
Ten Mile is relatively close and I hope they do well, but the price does not match the product these days - yet. The stuff they’re selling now is still aging and those bottles might justify the price tag when they come to market, but it’s still really new for $100 retail. (Actually sells for about $75 locally. Still high.)

If you gotta cross the border, it’s probably not in the top 5 places I’d send you
 
The harshest old fashioned I have had in the past year had Litchfield bourbon in it. It was a drain pour.
 
Was given a bottle of Uncle Nearest 1856 last weekend. A quick search says no mentions in this thread.

All sourced whiskey (most likely from Dickel) and a cool back story. Any thoughts on it?
 
AreBee1969 said:
Was given a bottle of Uncle Nearest 1856 last weekend. A quick search says no mentions in this thread.

All sourced whiskey (most likely from Dickel) and a cool back story. Any thoughts on it?
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That is the older one. Crack it open and let us know.
 
Tried some Heaven Hill Grain to Glass last night at a friend's house.
Neat story behind it. Heaven Hill is still family owned and they teamed up with a family own grain company and a Kentucky farm to grow, harvest, and distill the Bourbon.
They use an Indiana corn, Beck family grain, a hybrid labeled 6225, and grow it at the Heaven Hill distillery rickhouses in Bardstown, KY and at Peterson farms in Kentucky.
It's then distilled and bottled at Heaven Hill. Bottled barrel strength at 107 proof. Definitely has some heat because of 35% rye, but is smooth and drinkable neat.

Dilemma is it's $100. At that price you van get many offering that are more mature than a 6 year bourbon. 2025 is the second yearly release.

But, if you are getting someone a gift and you want something off the beaten path, the flavor and the story are something a bourbon drinker should appreciate.

www.breakingbourbon.com

Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Bourbon (2025) Review | Breaking Bourbon

A nod to family businesses and to whiskey enthusiasts, the second edition of Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Bourbon continues the journey that the inaugural edition kicked off. Review and tasting notes for Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Bourbon (2025).
www.breakingbourbon.com www.breakingbourbon.com
 
Chin Diesel said:
Tried some Heaven Hill Grain to Glass last night at a friend's house.
Neat story behind it. Heaven Hill is still family owned and they teamed up with a family own grain company and a Kentucky farm to grow, harvest, and distill the Bourbon.
They use an Indiana corn, Beck family grain, a hybrid labeled 6225, and grow it at the Heaven Hill distillery rickhouses in Bardstown, KY and at Peterson farms in Kentucky.
It's then distilled and bottled at Heaven Hill. Bottled barrel strength at 107 proof. Definitely has some heat because of 35% rye, but is smooth and drinkable neat.

Dilemma is it's $100. At that price you van get many offering that are more mature than a 6 year bourbon. 2025 is the second yearly release.

But, if you are getting someone a gift and you want something off the beaten path, the flavor and the story are something a bourbon drinker should appreciate.

www.breakingbourbon.com

Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Bourbon (2025) Review | Breaking Bourbon

A nod to family businesses and to whiskey enthusiasts, the second edition of Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Bourbon continues the journey that the inaugural edition kicked off. Review and tasting notes for Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Bourbon (2025).
www.breakingbourbon.com www.breakingbourbon.com
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Tried one of them at a restaurant with a big bourbon list. Price was surprisingly reasonable for $100 bottle. I thought it was really very good. If it was $75 I'd probably pick up a bottle. Just tough at that price.
 
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HuskyHawk said:
Tried one of them at a restaurant with a big bourbon list. Price was surprisingly reasonably for $100 bottle. I thought it was really very good. If it was $75 I'd probably pick up a bottle. Just tough at that price.
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Agree at $75 it would be more tempting to keep in stock.
 
I'm putting the finishing touches on this tonight.
Jim Beam Single Barrel. 108 proof.
You should be able to get t a fifth for about $40.

This is easy drinking neat or on the rocks. I sure as hell ain't making Beam and Coke with this.

Nothing crazy on the profile but it does what it is supposed to do.

I'll be buying more of this and keeping it in stock.

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HuskyHawk said:
That is the older one. Crack it open and let us know.
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I really liked the Uncle Nearest 1856. Drinks smoother than 100 proof. I went in thinking there might be a resemblance to Jack because of the charcoal filtering and yeah, maybe some of the same sweet notes as Jack, but that may have been just my head. I dropped a bit of water in it on my third night and it opened up nicely. Lots of soft spice and caramel. Went really well one night with a medium-full bodied cigar too (Ferio Tego Summa).
 
Chin Diesel said:
I'm putting the finishing touches on this tonight.
Jim Beam Single Barrel. 108 proof.
You should be able to get t a fifth for about $40.

This is easy drinking neat or on the rocks. I sure as hell ain't making Beam and Coke with this.

Nothing crazy on the profile but it does what it is supposed to do.

I'll be buying more of this and keeping it in stock.

View attachment 110424
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Do you get any Beam peanut or peanut brittle notes from it? I may need to grab one of these. My go to ~$40 bottle is Four Roses single barrel or Knob Creek (also Beam).
 
HuskyHawk said:
Do you get any Beam peanut or peanut brittle notes from it? I may need to grab one of these. My go to ~$40 bottle is Four Roses single barrel or Knob Creek (also Beam).
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I don’t have a distinct peanut flavor in my memory bank. It was a good sip and my lasting memory is I'd have no problems serving it to a guest neat or on the rocks. Definitely more of a sipping bourbon than a cocktail mixer.
 
Special occasion Saturday so split this with a friend. Long held distinction as the worst BTAC offering but he likes smooth lower proof bourbons. It’s is good, quite a bit more wood than regular Eagle Rare. This is the 2016. 17 year old Eagle Rare.

IMG_5215.jpeg
 
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Our resident self proclaimed beer expert @Fishy is fond of American Single Malts so I offer up these two in competition with Westland and Westward.

Clermont Steep is 5 years old, 94 proof from Kentucky. It’s on the bourbon side of the single malt profile. I think they used some new charred oak. Not really “craft” as it from Beam/Suntory. It’s ok, but not something I’d get again.

Short Path is from Everett MA. 100% New England malted barley, 90 proof. Younger at 2+ years. This is more Scotch like and I prefer it despite the age. Softer profile. Still hard to justify compared to actual Scotch at $50 a bottle.

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Well, been to Bermuda more than a few times as my wife worked in the reinsurance industry. Found that most of those companies were founded by Kentucky businessmen so despite having to put up with UK nonsense talk, you do get to try a good amount of high quality Whiskey and Bourbon. It really helps put up with the U Kentucky BS.
 
HuskyHawk said:
Special occasion Saturday so split this with a friend. Long held distinction as the worst BTAC offering but he likes smooth lower proof bourbons. It’s is good, quite a bit more wood than regular Eagle Rare. This is the 2016. 17 year old Eagle Rare.

View attachment 110968
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Getting more of the oak and barrel flavor should be expected for a 17 year, no?
 
Chin Diesel said:
Getting more of the oak and barrel flavor should be expected for a 17 year, no?
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Sure. But I think the relatively low proof robs it of what it could otherwise be. George T. Stagg, one of the other BTAC releases, just crushes this. Likewise the Sazerac 18 isn't as good as Thomas Handy.
 
HuskyHawk said:
Our resident self proclaimed beer expert @Fishy is fond of American Single Malts so I offer up these two in competition with Westland and Westward.

Clermont Steep is 5 years old, 94 proof from Kentucky. It’s on the bourbon side of the single malt profile. I think they used some new charred oak. Not really “craft” as it from Beam/Suntory. It’s ok, but not something I’d get again.

Short Path is from Everett MA. 100% New England malted barley, 90 proof. Younger at 2+ years. This is more Scotch like and I prefer it despite the age. Softer profile. Still hard to justify compared to actual Scotch at $50 a bottle.

View attachment 110972
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Price is really going to be an issue for those smaller distilleries.

They have a number they need to keep the lights on and that number represents a leap of faith to anyone looking to buy. There’s a small distillery around here - I think it’s called Ten Mile - and they basically say that they need to sell at x to justify making it.

Totally get it, but their x is more than I want to commit to something that I do not know anything about. Another distillery here - Vale Fox - sold a very good London dry gin and a few pleasant celeb collabs with Jeffrey Dean Morgan while waiting on their own single malt to come to market.

It came to market at $165. Instant brand death.
 
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