Tasting X

The big "X". This will probably be our last tasting for awhile: John's baby is due in a month. He thinks he will be able to get away. But I am pretty doubtful.

Attending: John, Ryan, Marya and Fuggles!

As usual, we did this as blind as possible. John and I brought four unknowns. Marya poured. Then I mixed them up. Then for no really good reason, we put them in smell order. We didn't know what anything was until it was all over.

The Lineup

• Blanton's Original Single Barrel [2] (Blackwell's pick [3]) (R)
• Blanton's Straight from the Barrel [4] (J)
• Buffalo Trace [5] (D&M pick [6]) (J)
• Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection Wheated 12 Rear Floor 9 [7] (J)
• Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Straight Rye Bottled-in-Bond [8] (J)
• Four Roses Single Barrel Private Selection (BevMo OBSO 11y) [9] (R)
• High West Double Rye Manhattan Barrel Finish [10] (Astors [11]) (R)
• Smooth Ambler Old Scout Single Barrel Bourbon - 11 Years [12] (R)

Pre-Taster

We always have a known "starter" whiskey to open up the palate. John usually brings it.

• Maker's Mark Cask Strength [13]

We revisted one of the few and notorious bad bourbons we've had. John has always thought my bottle might have been "skunked," so he brought a new one to compare. The results: mildly inconclusive...his bottle might be slightly better, but still not worth the money...

Round One

Ryan BTEC [7] Blanton's [2] Old Scout 11 [12] Blanton's SftB [4]

Marya Old Scout 11 [12] Blanton's SftB [4] BTEC [7] Blanton's [2]

John Old Scout 11 [12] BTEC [7] Blanton's [2] Blanton's SftB [4]

Old Scout 11 [12] and BTEC [7] moved on.

There was nothing bad in this round, but nothing really WOWed us, either.

Round Two

Ryan Buffalo Trace [5] Four Roses SB PS [9] Double Rye Manhattan [10] Taylor Rye [8]

Marya Buffalo Trace [5] Four Roses SB PS [9] Taylor Rye [8] Double Rye Manhattan [10]

John Buffalo Trace [5] Four Roses SB PS [9] Double Rye Manhattan [10] Taylor Rye [8]

Buffalo Trace [5] and Four Roses SB PS [9] moved on.

The two winners really stood out in this round. The battle for the bottom was more contested. Marya really did not like the Double Rye: "I hope this is not one of yours."

Winner's Round

Ryan Old Scout 11 [12] Four Roses SB PS [9] Buffalo Trace [5] BTEC [7]

Marya Four Roses SB PS [9] Old Scout 11 [12] BTEC [7] Buffalo Trace [5]

John Four Roses SB PS [9] Old Scout 11 [12] Buffalo Trace [5] BTEC [7]

The top three were pretty close.

The Winner

Four Roses by a point. Smooth Ambler close behind.

Summary

John choose a theme...four Buffalo Trace products with different mash bills: #1, #2, Rye and Experimental Wheat. Crafty. I played it safe and brought stuff I knew was in our wheelhouse: I'm still scarred from being shut-out a few tastings ago. What started as just getting to know bourbon, turned into a mild competition. Also, I can only have so many "mixer" bourbons. Especially, when I prefer gin cocktails.

The surprise is the Buffalo Trace (D&M pick). Clearly, for $22, it can compete with things 3 times it's price. It is a clear no-brainer bargain.

Unfortunately, we have now tried all four of the regular E.H. Taylor products and they are all over-priced and mediocre.