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BourbonBinder

BourbonBinder

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Blind Bourbon Review #8
Sample designation: H
Glass Used: Glencairn
Served: Neat

Bourbon Name: Blanton's Straight From the Barrel (Barrel Proof)........Fo Sho!!!

Proof: 130.2
Age: 9 Years
Color: Deep Amber Gold
Legs in Glass: As long as a 7 FT Nigerian Basketball Player

Bouquet:
Sweet, a very good DESSERT bourbon. Maple Syrup, Chicken and Waffles (don't ask me how). An explosion of both sweetness and peppercorn spice. A very sneaky nose; it starts out very approachable in the glass then bites your nose off.

Primed Palate & Taste:
The initial sip would lead me to believe that this is indeed a Barrel Proof Bourbon...the 2nd sip would as well. A maple mouth coater, definitely a DESSERT bourbon. I picked up more chicken and waffles on the palate (I know I know what am I talking about?) But bear with me on this one. I recently ate a Chili's and for the 1st time I had Chicken & Waffles for dinner. It was the sweetest thing I had ever tried and felt more like dessert to me. It immediately came to mind when with this bourbon.

Mouthfeel:
Thick with a syrupy sweetness

Finish:
Long with a very heavy chew. Very similar in finish length to George T Stagg

Misc:
A VERY SOLID END TO A VERY FUN REVIEW. THANKS AGAIN @erjaq
 
erjaq

erjaq

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BourbonBinder said:
Unfortunately I over-exerted myself helping my twin brother move apartments yesterday (literally took 15 hours), so my senses were a bit exhausted. I chose not to taste Bourbon #8 but will be sampling it tonight.

Glad I was right about the lower proof (although I've been a lot closer than 7 Proofs). 115 is quite a high proof for a non-barrel strength Bourbon (or uncut/unfiltered). I can feel you on the intense oak nuance, Noah's Mill was very similar (and consistently very close in proof: 114.3). Like this Heavenhill 14, it mellowed out some. I actually got a strong dark chocolate note on it as well (Noah's Mill). Have you had that one yet @erjaq?
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Yep, I don't own any but have had it a few times and thought it was nice. That used to be made at Willett, the old bottles from that era are still floating around but go for ~$1000 or so on secondary.
 
erjaq

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BourbonBinder said:
I'm glad that you took to it and can enjoy your Bookers neat (the best way to enjoy it IMO).

I actually tried my Jefferson's Reserve in a square rocks glass at my lounge (they have a full kitchen with various spirits and plenty of different glassware). I figured it was a good starting ground (90.2 proof) and I'd be able to ease into it. I was actually a bit thrown off to be honest. For the first time since my introduction into bourbon over 2 years ago, (woodford reserve) and at the same time , using a glencairn, I found it to be not so enjoyable and quite harsh. I always figured one of the reasons I took to bourbon so much, was not only the taste & characteristics; but the glencairn itself and the way I was able to approach the whiskey. Since it blocked off my nose when drinking, I wasn't hit with those ethanol fumes like I experienced every time before I got into bourbon. When I had my Jefferson's I was hit with a strong (cough inducing) harsh aroma, that I have yet to experience in bourbon while using a glencairn :(. Any ideas?
Click to expand...
So I actually use the glencairn up to you 100 proof or so, rocks glass for anything above. I can't explain the dramatic difference you mention, but whichever way it tastes better is the way to do it.

I bought a set of these recently -- https://kybourbontrailshop.com/official-bourbon-tasting-glass.html -- and they seem to work well for everything.
 
erjaq

erjaq

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BourbonBinder said:
Blind Bourbon Review #8
Sample designation: H
Glass Used: Glencairn
Served: Neat

Bourbon Name: Blanton's Straight From the Barrel (Barrel Proof)........Fo Sho!!!

Proof: 130.2
Age: 9 Years
Color: Deep Amber Gold
Legs in Glass: As long as a 7 FT Nigerian Basketball Player

Bouquet:
Sweet, a very good DESSERT bourbon. Maple Syrup, Chicken and Waffles (don't ask me how). An explosion of both sweetness and peppercorn spice. A very sneaky nose; it starts out very approachable in the glass then bites your nose off.

Primed Palate & Taste:
The initial sip would lead me to believe that this is indeed a Barrel Proof Bourbon...the 2nd sip would as well. A maple mouth coater, definitely a DESSERT bourbon. I picked up more chicken and waffles on the palate (I know I know what am I talking about?) But bear with me on this one. I recently ate a Chili's and for the 1st time I had Chicken & Waffles for dinner. It was the sweetest thing I had ever tried and felt more like dessert to me. It immediately came to mind when with this bourbon.

Mouthfeel:
Thick with a syrupy sweetness

Finish:
Long with a very heavy chew. Very similar in finish length to George T Stagg

Misc:
A VERY SOLID END TO A VERY FUN REVIEW. THANKS AGAIN @erjaq
Click to expand...
Nope, not Blanton's, although I can maybe see why you would say that. This is from Barrell, who are relatively new on the scene and have been getting good press. Their batch 11 bourbon just won some awards at the San Francisco spirits tasting a while back. The one you had was barrel #7C10, which is exclusively available at some store in NYC. It's 9 years old, and the proof is 128.3 (again, pretty close -- nice work).

This is going to sound weird, but the note that I get from this stuff is Flintstone's vitamins. I know that sounds odd, and it's not necessarily unpleasant, but I get this from all Barrell bourbons. I've tasted it in other stuff, too. There's also a smoky component, sometimes I think of bacon. This one is not in my regular rotation, but I do go back to it from time to time, and I enjoy it when I do.

Anyway, so thanks for playing, this was a lot of fun!

EDIT: this one can still be purchased online: https://grainvine.com/products/barrell-bourbon-batch-7c10
 
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BourbonBinder

BourbonBinder

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erjaq said:
Yep, I don't own any but have had it a few times and thought it was nice. That used to be made at Willett, the old bottles from that era are still floating around but go for ~$1000 or so on secondary.
Click to expand...
Yeah I noticed that when recording my personal review in my 33 Books (https://www.33books.com/products/33-whiskeys). It was confusing to me who the actual distiller was.
 
BourbonBinder

BourbonBinder

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erjaq said:
So I actually use the glencairn up to you 100 proof or so, rocks glass for anything above. I can't explain the dramatic difference you mention, but whichever way it tastes better is the way to do it.

I bought a set of these recently -- https://kybourbontrailshop.com/official-bourbon-tasting-glass.html -- and they seem to work well for everything.
Click to expand...
I hear ya. Nosing is one thing but when I go to taste it for some reason my sinus reacts that way, I need a glass that blocks off my Snoz when drinking lol. Does that glass you mentioned above provide that, or is it as open as a rocks glass?

You could tell i'm still an amateur, I went to oxygenate the bourbon in a square rocks glass and guess what happened? Bourbon all over me...thankfully cheap bourbon, but still I got some weird looks at my lounge, as i'm usually looked at there as the Bourbon connoisseur (I usually bring a tasting kit with me)
 
BourbonBinder

BourbonBinder

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erjaq said:
Nope, not Blanton's, although I can maybe see why you would say that. This is from Barrell, who are relatively new on the scene and have been getting good press. Their batch 11 bourbon just won some awards at the San Francisco spirits tasting a while back. The one you had was barrel #7C10, which is exclusively available at some store in NYC. It's 9 years old, and the proof is 128.3 (again, pretty close -- nice work).

This is going to sound weird, but the note that I get from this stuff is Flintstone's vitamins. I know that sounds odd, and it's not necessarily unpleasant, but I get this from all Barrell bourbons. I've tasted it in other stuff, too. There's also a smoky component, sometimes I think of bacon. This one is not in my regular rotation, but I do go back to it from time to time, and I enjoy it when I do.

Anyway, so thanks for playing, this was a lot of fun!

EDIT: this one can still be purchased online: https://grainvine.com/products/barrell-bourbon-batch-7c10
Click to expand...
LOL if you could see me now, i'm literally popping up my collar like The Fonz. Thanks man. I was finally spot on with the age and pretty close with the proof (as you said). I'll try not jumping the shark on this one. Also that's crazy that you said "bacon"...cause you know what tastes great on bacon? MAPLE SYRUP!!

I wonder knowing what i know now, will I still taste that Chicken & Waffles note. Looking forward to it. Flintstone's vitamins; I'll have to try and remember what those tasted like, as I'm sure being 32 I had them growing up. I think I may have seen that bourbon posted on this thread before, either way I'll have to be on the look out for it. I still think this is one of the best (and maybe first) dessert bourbons I've ever tasted.
 
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