So, I switched it to Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond, a very widely distributed bourbon from Heaven Hill. Dont drink and drive. It is aged at least 4 years in a bonded warehouse and is bottled at 100 proof in a trademark square, white label bottle. Press Esc to cancel. Like plain Rebel Yell for the polical incorrectness of it. Unfortunately, the surging popularity of bourbon has made most any wheater over 6 years old nearly impossible to find. In my past blind tastings, Old Grand-Dad did not fare well. The juice is the same stuff that goes into Woodford, although this entry is blended with different barrels for an end product thats a great, basic bourbon at a great price. Buffalo Trace vs Old Forester 86 Comparison . Learn how your comment data is processed. If you find it, buy it. Produced by a respected distiller (Wild Turkey)? On the flip side, expensive bourbon isnt always as refined as it seems. I dont collect, so secondary value is so worthless a determination to me that I couldnt even tell you a ballpark value of most bottles. Makes it easy to see why some newbies often cant tell the difference between some of these bourbons, right? As it turns out, it came in my top 10. Thanks in advance. Either way, I W Harper is a brand in transition and one well worth watching. Although it is more expensive at $88 per bottle, it is a far better value than the $30 NAS version. That lower entry proof lends to more flavor from the mash bill (corn, rye and malted barley). With time, the spirit may seem more balanced. In 1870, George Garvin Brown, founder of Old Forester, created the first bottled bourbon. Still, theyre a lot closer to being the same thing than any amount of advertising would lead you to believe. In bourbon's growth, consumers have paid the price for its popularity. Nice article Bill. Weller CYPB, Weller Full Proof, Redemption Wheated, Wilderness Trail Wheated Mash Bill etc, would all be added. Weve already talked about how Weller and Pappy are the same wheated bourbon, so lets give Heaven Hills wheated bourbons some love. Wild Turkey also has the same mash bill as Jim Beam and the same barrel char. Had a shot in Kentucky a few years back when it was introduced. The whiskey sells for around $25. Over time, the Yellow Label bottle has changed with the label losing the yellow color. Boy, was I wrong! This whiskey is also BIB and is bottled at 50% ABV. This juice is hand-selected to be small batched to match a six-year-old age profile. Theyll tell you everything there is to know about their whiskey they dont hide the mash bill, the distillation proof. It was very, very nice bourbon, he says, wistfully. Take heed, though, since it somewhat controversially took home Best in Show, Whiskey at San Francisco World Spirits Competition a few years ago its been harder to come by, and more expensive than it used to be. The barrels that go into each batch are aged anywhere from 6 to 10 years. Nice to see it make your list. Its bottled at 115 proof for this distillery, thats the perfect proof, Minnick says. On the palate, the whiskey is smooth and sweet, with vanilla and caramel and a little dried fruit. If God gave birth to a bourbon child, this is what it would taste like, Minnick says. Distiller Score: 88. And in Division Two we have Old Forester Signature 100 proof up against Wild Turkey 101. Minnick has a unique use for one of bourbons classic names. Now, she's struck out on her own, and in the tail-end of 2022 she debuted her first independent effort a tribute to her hometown of Birmingham, Alabama put out by the city's upstart distillery, Dread River. A 100-proof blend of 2017 and 2019 bourbons, Major's mix which is the first in Dread River's new Master Series has tasting notes of cherry, apples, oak and light vanilla. But Evan Williams is a value brand. Maker's Mark Cask Strength vs Weller Full Proof . Distiller Score: 86. First released in 2021, Dickel 8-Year Bourbon is the company's first official foray into bourbon whiskey, and it's a value-driven powerhouse. At a minimum, bourbon must be 80 proof (or 40 percent alcohol), with its mash never allowed to exceed 160 proof (or 80 percent alcohol). Theres a light, floral fruitiness upfront with a wisp of tobacco, flourishes of mint, and plenty of vanilla. Sour Mash: A fermentation technique used by almost all bourbon distillers that employs pre-fermented mash from a previous distilling in a new mash. It is based on a mash bill of 77% corn, 10% rye and 13% malted barley. Flavor Profile: Rich & Spicy Case in point is the original wheated bourbon, Wellers signature 12-year bourbon. Neither is particularly better than the other. Flavor Profile: Sweet & Rich Weller Special Reserve, 12 Year Wheated Bourbon Blind Tasting: Weller 12 vs. Old Fitz 12 vs. Van Winkle 12, Four Gate Whiskey Announces Release 15.1, 15.2, & 15.3: The Bluegrass Trilogy, Old Forester 21st Release of Annual Birthday Bourbon, Press Release: Old Foresters Next Release in the 117 SeriesFeatures a Blend of Barrels Aged Solely in Warehouse K, William Larue Weller (Buffalo Trace Antique Collection), Rebel Yell Single Barrel 10 Year (added October 2016). ABV: 40% Maybe I should have bought two cases. The bourbon is believed to be approximately 6 YO. On the nose, there is a creamy sweetness, along with cinnamon, vanilla and a little bit of charred wood. ABV: 40% A rich leather note, along with some pepper, emerges at the end and lingers. All the Makers versions, and Larceny should sate your wheater crave. Each release represents a historical year for the distillery. There is also a Russel Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon that is bottled at 55% ABV, and is matured in barrels that have been toasted to a #4 alligator char. The 10 YO sells for around $35 per bottle, while the single barrel expression sells for around $55. Really enjoyed reading it and appreciated your message. ABV: 50% If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Wheat as the secondary grain provides a bit of a subtle, yet noticeable contrast to the traditional rye component of standard bourbons. It's made up of whiskeys from Indiana, Tennessee and Kentucky, with ages ranging from 4 to 16 years old. He has contributed frequently to our bourbon coverage over the years and is someone we regard as a friend. If you are interested in exploring the lesser known brands however, and in the process learning a little more about the lore and history of classic bourbon brands, then this list is a good place to start. Elijah Craig Small Batch came in sixth. A slice of citrus arrives to lighten everything up on the short end. This is an easy drinking whiskey with a classic bourbon nose and taste and a smooth mouthfeel. This is the Bottled-In-Bond version of Old Grand-Dad Bourbon, meaning it was all distilled in the same calendar year. It has a suggested MSRP of $150, and Reserve Bar is your best bet for snagging a bottle.Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon: Every year for the past eight years, Texas-based distillery Garrison Brothers has released their fan-favorite Cowboy Bourbon: an uncut and unfiltered straight bourbon thats produced in limited numbers. He has written multiple books on bourbon, has served as a judge at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and the World Whiskey Awards, is the founder of Bourbon+ magazine, was the former lead American whiskey reviewer at Whiskey Advocate, hosts The Fred Minnick Show podcast (about bourbon) and is the Bourbon Authority for the Kentucky Derby Museum. The history of Old Forester bourbon is as rich and colourful as the company and family that have been producing it for almost 150 years. Yet, it always sort of baffles me when people go on about Evan Williams (which is the same mash bill as Elijah Craig at Heaven Hill) but not this. Every product is carefully selected by our editors. 1870 Original Batch is also blended by Marianne Barnes, the protg of Brown-Forman's master Mouth: Caramel, black tea, vanilla, clove and cinnamon. Of course, its pretty good, too. Hey Bill, what are the best wheated bourbons I can buy?. Distillery: Heaven Hill Distillery, Louisville, KY Evan Williams Bottled in Bond We relied on one of the most-esteemed bourbon experts in America, Fred Minnick. Its a little smoother and feels softer on the palate. Regular Four Roses (formerly called Yellow Label), Old Forester 100 Proof (formerly called Signature), Wild Turkey 101, Jim Beam Black Label, Larceny Bourbon, Maker's Mark, and Buffalo Trace. For 2022, the rugged western whiskey is a blend of 8- and 9-year-old barrels from the distillery and clocks in at a whopping 134.8 proof. Average Price: $40. brands are now allocated and outside of the consumer's reach. Larceny Bourbon ABV: 46% Distillery: Heaven Hill Distillery, Louisville, KY Average Price: $26 The Whiskey: This is the exact same juice that's just aged a little less. Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac Company) Weller Special reserve has much in common with its more famous cousins, but sells, at least officially, at an average price of around $30a fraction of the cost of the Pappy expressions. 72 percent corn, 18 percent rye, ten percent malted barley. Old Forester does a slightly better job filling it in comparison. With all the easily available wheaters around, it really makes little sense to go through the Herculean effort and expense to obtain the limited editions. Distiller Score: 88. Sazerac 18 typically demands the highest price in the Buffalo Antique Collection line. But this victory goes to the sister product of Henry McKenna 10-year-old, which won Best Whisky and Best Bourbon at San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and will compete against McKenna for my Best American Whiskey December 20. Black Label Extra-Aged is bottled at 43% ABV. They can range from okay to excellent.. If you come across its charged, barrel-proof older sibling, be sure to pick up a bottle, too.. This is a side by side comparison review of the Old Forester 1920 and 1910, both are part of their Whiskey Row series. While there's no age statement on the bottle, it's believed that Double Oaked is aged for at least six years. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Larceny is a bourbon produced by the Heaven Hill distillery made from a mash bill that is 20 percent wheat. Charles is a 50-year veteran of the Kentucky distilling industry and his familys history is closely intertwined with Kentucky bourbon. George T Stagg (Some days I prefer it to just about anything) 5. He is a native of Louisville, KY in the heart of Bourbon Country. Along with Old Overholt Rye, Old Grand-Dad falls under The Olds family of whiskeys released by Jim Beam. They find themselves waiting in line and participating in lotteries for the likes of Weller Antique, which once collected dust on the shelf. In this blind tasting, I picked up a cornbread note and thought it to be too young to make my Top 5. At times our old standbys can be tough to findand when we do, they are triple the standard price.
old forester vs larceny