Just messing

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Just messing

Unread postby Mike » Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:10 pm

I like Buffalo Trace standard 'premium' bourbon. It is a low rye (more corn) BT recipe and is therefore pretty sweet. But it has a nice round flavor that is a bit reminiscent of pecan pie to me. Two ideas occurred to me. The first was what if I complemented this nice round sweetness with a little high rye bourbon of high quality, say some Wild Turkey Rare Breed, the result might be a more interesting bourbon. The second was what if I then compared the resulting (35 ml BT to 15 ml of WTRB) 95 proof bourbon and throwed it agin some high rye Buffalo Trace Rock Hill Farms at 100 proof, would some interesting results ensue.

'A THROWDOWN! A THROWDOWN!' Sez Barleycorn, me dog, amidst his backflips. 'I love a throwdown!' Sez he whilst pulling out his humonica (harmonica to humans) and starts in on 'Old Blue, You Good Dog, You!'

I sez, 'I read in the paper today that they outlawed giving bourbon to dogs'................ he put down his humonica and sez., 'You made that up!'

I sez, 'Maybe I did, and maybe I didn't. Whatcha gone do for me if I decide not to abide by that new ruling agin giving alkyhol to dogs?'

'Well', sez he, 'I'm gone lick all the plates before that go in the dishwasher.'

'Deal!' sez me.

So we have before us these here two bourbons, one a 95 proof combo of 35 ml of 90 proof Buffalo Trace low rye standard bourbon ($20 a bottle) vatted with 15 mil of 108.2 Barrel Proof Wild Turkey Rare Breed bourbon ($44 a bottle); the other, Rock Hill Farms, is a 100 proof high rye recipe bourbon from Buffalo Trace Distillery ($45 a bottle), which says Ancient Age Distillery on the bottle, but it is a BT product.

I now switch to a mode unliked by the Dog.

My expectation, not knowing for sure if that Buffalo Trace bourbon is the same recipe at 90 proof that is used in Old Charter at 100 proof (another BT bourbon), is in need of more information. A short comparison twixt the two (BT 90 proof and OC 100 proof) reveals striking similarities............ a soft rounded corn sweetness that makes for a very nice, even excellent, but not exceptional, bourbon. My opinion is that low rye (high corn) recipes do not tote the load across the whole mouth. Again, my opinion, wheat bourbons (wheat displacing a significant portion (but much less than most of) the corn in the mash recipe)), or rye bourbons (rye displacing a significant portion (but much less than most of) the corn in the mash recipe)), can carry that load. In the case of wheat bourbons an age of about 10 years minimum is needed while a higher rye bourbon can carry the flavors in fewer years. My palate, my experience......... may not accord with yours.

The Rock Hill Farms is a single barrel bourbon, the Rare Breed is a barrel proof bourbon, and the Buffalo Trace is one of that distillery's standard 'premium' brands. First off, Rock Hill Farms is about twice as expensive as Buffalo Trace. Whether that difference could ever be justified within your budget, or your judgment, is for you to decide. Second, Wild Turkey Rare Breed also sells in the $40 - $50 range, and, as we surely know, can stand on its own two feet (turkeys have two feet). Be that as it may, at times I find Wild Turkey bourbons in need of a mite of softening, at other times I do not.

The only source for a 'vatter' is the needs and desires of his/her own palate. The only solution is to follow one's 'instincts' and experience as to what may satisfy what the palate seems to be demanding.

If it suits you, consider this a game for BOURBONENTHUSIASTS. If you think it is trivial, then for you it would be....... for the benefit of those who are interested, pleases stand aside. There is no requirement for you to participate. But may I legitimately ask you, if not here, where else should I play these games?

Everyone is welcome here, especially those who take bourbon seriously, nicht wahr?

The 95 proof vatting produced a superb bourbon with the rounded sweetness of corn from the BT, a nice bit of warm spice to go with the leathery aroma from the RB, and a medium finish. The Rock Hill Farms high rye bourbon, which I find to be a superb bourbon, much superior to the regular Buffalo Trace because it engages the whole mouth. The limitations of high corn (low rye) whiskey are exposed (once again, for my palate), as the rye in RHFSB uses more of the palate.

Naught for it now, as Barleycorn points out, but to compare Wild Turkey Rare Breed agin Rock Hill Farms Single Barrel, at very similar price points head to head.

First rate whiskies both. It boils down to which do you prefer, the creamy sweetness and richness of the barrel (WTRB), or the wonderful round sweetness of corn (RHFSB). Both are high rye whiskies and take up the whole mouth. WTRB takes more of the barrel flavors because it goes into the barrel at lower proof and allows more of the barrel flavors to dissolve into the distillate over probably a roughly similar time in the barrel to the RHFSB). The RHFSB is probably (?) a somewhat lower rye recipe than WTRB, but about that I am not sure. Still, its sweetness, to my palate, is much more due to the corn than to the barrel.

I think it is fair to say that WTRB aims directly at the extraordinary palate of one Jimmy Russell, a master distiller of extraordinary talent and skill, one never to be exceeded. As to the MD of RHFSB, I leave that to some of our very knowledgeable BE savants to divulge.

I claim no other purpose for this post than for the entertainment of folks who enjoy bourbon. As always, differing opinions are welcomed. Please do me the courtesy of a reasonable defense of your contrary opinions. To disagree with opinions, as I suspect several knowledgeable BE folks can, and will, is well within the bounds of gentlemanly disagreement. To do otherwise is to play by a different set of rules........... do so if you wish.
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rage at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - Dylan Thomas
Mike
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Re: Just messing

Unread postby Wasatch » Thu Oct 03, 2013 5:55 pm

I'm also a fan of Buffalo Trace for $20-24 it's a steal.
Cheers!
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Re: Just messing

Unread postby RandyG » Fri Oct 04, 2013 8:34 am

Nice post Mike. I'm a big fan of both Rare Breed and Rock Hill Farms. I must count myself fortunate though, Rare Breed sells for just South of $35 around here. It is also the one that disappears from my cabinet the quickest. Given this fact, I really should buy it by the case and pay only $30 a bottle. I did have to pay for the RHF's though ($45 I think).

Cheers,
RG
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