Old Grand Dad National versus Old Grand Dad Beam

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Old Grand Dad National versus Old Grand Dad Beam

Unread postby bourbonv » Sat Oct 22, 2005 2:18 pm

Yesterday while visiting John and Linda Lipman we tasted a Old Grand Dad Bottled-in-bond from a bottle from the 1950's (tax stamp faded and blurred but we think bottled 1958) against the modern product. Here is what I remember.

Color: The National version was darker and probably older.

Nose: The national had a nice pronounced caramel and clove spiciness with a hint of fruit. The Beam was very similar but not as pronounced or deep.

Taste: The National was very sweet with caramel and sweet spicey clove and apricots with just a hint of oak wood and smoke. The Beam was very similar with caramel and cloves but the fruit was just barely on the palate there was a little more oak wood.

Finish: They both had a very nice sweet caramel and spice finish that lingers for a short while.

I would say that Beam has done pretty well by this brand and the mash bill is probably the same, but they are cutting corners with a higher barrel proof and less age.

Mike Veach
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Unread postby BostonEnthusiast » Sat Oct 22, 2005 5:14 pm

Mike--

Coincidentally, I planned the exact matchup for my weekend taste-off! I just compared a tax-stamped 86 proof ND miniature from eBay ("Bottled for Transportation Companies") to a plastic 50ml of Beam 86 proof OGD.

The color of the Beam OGD is a light orange; the ND OGD a shade darker. On the nose, the modern OGD has a pronounced rye and black pepper spice. The older OGD has rye behind a fruit (not sure if apricot as you describe but could be) that I now associate with ND product -- I tasted a 1944 Old Crow at Koji's bar in Japan last month that was full of the same nose/flavor!

The older OGD was thicker and had a "round" mouthfeel before settling in the throat; the current version was felt on the palate and front of my tongue. Both versions had a similar longish dry finish.

After about 10 minutes and a splash of water, I got a hint of the fruit in the Beam nose; the ND OGD revealed a wave of butterscotch toffee. Neither has much corn nor wood.

Both are a sweet, not-complex bourbon, but to my taste buds I'd be hard-pressed to find a family resemblance between the two at 86 proof. I will definitely seek out more of the ND version!

(I've got sheets and sheets of tasting notes from side-by-side and semi-blind tastings that I need to turn into reviews for this site...)
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Unread postby gillmang » Sat Oct 22, 2005 7:16 pm

Thanks to Mike and BE for these reports. The descriptions of the ND OG is much like I remember it from the 70's and 80's. The ND Old Taylor (recently I acquired 2 litres in New York languishing in a small store) has the slight fruit note detected in the Grandad. The newbies aren't so bad but the weight of evidence seems the oldies were better..

Gary
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Unread postby Strayed » Sun Oct 23, 2005 10:39 pm

To reinforce what Mike, Boston, and Gary are saying, I feel that Jim Beam has made a special effort to preserve the integrity of the Old Grand Dad product, and they've been pretty much successful in doing that. Their version of Old Taylor is probably as honest as Heaven Hill or Barton would have done; and I can only image that their version of their old nemesis (and close competitor), Old Crow, must have been destroyed intentionally.

Mike, I'm sorry... we missed one. We have a bottle of ND Old Crow from the sixties or early seventies that we wanted to open with you and it completely got lost in the parade. It's still sealed; it can wait until next time.

Linn, if you ever get your sorry butt over here we have a glass of Woodford Four-Grain with your name on it. I'll bet you'll enjoy it, too. It's honest, copper-distilled American whiskey and deserves to be appreciated on its own terms. It's just too costly is all.
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Unread postby bourbonv » Wed Mar 29, 2006 10:26 am

Scratchline wanted to see a comparison of Old Grand Dad from National and Beam so I thought I would move this up for him. I will add that the 86 proof we drank when he was in town had a very fruity dark cherry or date nose and taste that combined with some carael and sweet spices such as clove and cinnamon for a great drink of bourbon. With the help of Jaason, John, JDKnaebel and Chuckmick, I finished off that bottle on Monday.

Mike Veach
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Unread postby scratchline » Wed Mar 29, 2006 1:12 pm

Mike, thanks for bumping this thread. I had somehow missed it. Sorry to hear that that ND OGD bottle is no more. But there's plenty more out here in Cali if you decide you want more. It's a very fine bourbon. I've been on the lookout for the old Old Crow, but so far have only been able to find it in 80 proof. Would love to find a bottle of the bonded.

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Unread postby bourbonv » Wed Mar 29, 2006 1:59 pm

My pleasure to bump this up for you.

I am sure I will find plenty of old bourbon, so don't feel bad. All bottles have a bottom. I am just glad I could share its contents with good friends.

Mike Veach
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Unread postby EllenJ » Sat Apr 01, 2006 12:27 am

There will be National Distillers' Old Grand Dad at the Gazebo on Saturday night at the KBF Sampler. Distinguished Gentleman Grand Dad and also silly, goofy Grandad.
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