Favorite Whiskey?

Anybody have any input on the Little Book Chapter 2 “Noe Simple Task”? Saw a bottle or two over the weekend... Think they were $150, which seems to be about $50 over MSRP.

Also saw a boxed bottle of Blood Oath that looked pretty interesting @ $150.

Just not quite sure I’m sold on the $100+ bottles of blended whiskeys.

 

Yep I'm also digging the Four Roses SB that I picked up on Saturday.

 

Got my ECBP, that's a spicy meatball! Gonna let it sit for a week or so and revisit. Store said that they're gonna put it on their regular order rotation.

Found this at Target this weekend and couldn't pass it up. Not a bad smell at all, generic woody masculine scent. Don't even pick up a hint of the bourbon, which is fine.

 

A Bourbon smell at times, might get you unwanted attention.

 

Exactly why I was happy that it didn't smell like I'd been on a bender for an entire day!

 

I have it. A couple of bottles, actually. I've cracked it open and had a few pours out of it.

I'll preface with saying that I really liked Chapter 1 and by also saying that Chapter 2 isn't even remotely close to the same type of whiskey as Chapter 1. This isn't like Booker's where each batch is a minor result variation based on the same basic recipe.

For Chapter 2, the biggest thing I was concerned about was the inclusion of Canadian whiskey. Generally speaking, I don't much care for the dominant profile in most Canadian whiskies. It's like cedar or something that smells better than it tastes.

That said, Chapter 2 uses a bit of a 40 year old Canadian whiskey and, while that Canadian taste is still there, it isn't as bold and gives way to a more floral, earthy note. The Kentucky straight rye is the dominant flavor and well executed.

Chapter 2 is one of the more unique and complex whiskies I've had. It is very, very layered - in a good way. $150? No. Don't spend that. If you can find one for $100, it's worth a pickup, provided you like a little adventure in a glass every now and then and don't mind that a few of your dollars were spent to get the box and unique story that accompanies the bottle.

Edit: I also want to add that I wouldn't get discouraged in the least from buying a nice, properly done blended whiskey. There is a difference between whiskies that use cheap grain whiskey in their blend as fillers and whiskies that blend proper whiskey to make a unique finished product. I'm a HUGE Compass Box fan and all of that is blended malts. I went halves on a bottle of Compass Box Circus with my brother - $300 for a 'blended' malt. It is absolutely exquisite. High West Bourye, Yippe Ki Yay, Campfire, etc. are blends of different whiskies. Booker's is a blend of different barrels. Mind you it's the same distillate, but the barrels each yield a slightly different result.

 

This weekend’s haul

 

That Russell's Reserve 10 is in my top 5.

 

I have not opened it yet, but was highly recommended by a colleague. Couldn't not try it for $30

 

Me too. But I am a sucker for all of Russell's handywork.

 

I've been wanting to try 1792 Sweet Wheat but having a hell of a time finding it locally in Nebraska. I will be in Atlanta this week, anyone know if it is available in the North ATL area? or know of somewhere online it can be found?

 

Drank about half of this bottle this weekend, good stuff!

 

Stumbled upon this thread and very happy that I did. Might not be my #1 favorite, but high on the list is Talisker 10. When not in a peaty mood, Breckenridge Bourbon and Auchentoshan 12 are quite good.

 

Stopped in at the booze shop on my way home on Friday. They're finally starting to get some more variety on the less expensive end of the bourbon shelf, and I'm liking it!

 

You're lucky. We get BT products only on allocation. At most 3-4 times a year and then it doesn't last a day.

 

I stop in there more often than I'd like to admit, and these last couple of weeks are the first time that they've had Eagle Rare actually in stock, and they've never had Buffalo Trace at all (not even a spot on the shelf). I'm looking forward to what they bring in going forward; for years it's just been the standard cheap/midgrade/expensive stuff from the 'big names'

 

I have to correct myself. 3 times out of 4 they will have Eagle Rare. But BT or Blanton's I've only seen twice in a year. I can now and then get 1792.
Weller, The Colonel, Elmer T, Stag Sr. or Jr. give it up. Never happening.
I don't count Benchmark No8 or Ancient Age. Which are from BT.

 

Hell, you're doing better than mine. Usually it's just Evan Willaims/Jim Beam/Jack Daniels/Wild Turkey etc for the lower end and then Whistlepig/Bulleit/Woodford/Maker's for the middle/upper range. Not a lot of options, and all name brands, almost nothing from the smaller labels. Meanwhile there's a whole damn wall of stupid flavored vodkas, lol. I'm crossing my fingers that this recent variety means that they're going to try to start cycling some of the more 'boutique' stuff through too.

 

Those flavored Vodkas are good for keeping you warm on those cold Maine nights. Heaven know a 128 proof bottle of Booker's won't.

 

I think it's probably because it's a college town, to be honest. Lots of flavored vodkas and cheap rums.