FC/OT: Are you able to get Blanton’s?

step.eng69

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I usually celebrate a Penn State win with a neat Crown Royal. People have been stealing the Crown bags, so some state stores issue the bags now at check out. Crown has been my choise for the past 50 years.
I’m a bourbon guy, wheated, are my favorites. Also Glenmorangie Lasata & Glenfiddich 15 & 18 are scotch I enjoy.
My daughter & Son-I-L live in Alabama, the past Christmas Randy (SIL) brought home a bottle of Crown (made for Alabama), 103 proof. Haven’t tried it yet. Pic I took below…..



Another bourbon I enjoy is Makers 110
It’s not about the proof, it very favorable without a burn bit.
1678634939858.png
 

step.eng69

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When did Four Roses change from a bad blended whiskey to a trendy bourbon?
This not the same harsh Four Roses my grandfather’s shot & beer consisted after a work shift coming out of the coal mines in the ‘50’s & ‘60’s. When I turned 21 (1970), my grandmother gifted me a bottle, it was horrible.

As others have mentioned,
This 100 proof is wonderful sipping neat.

1678637109592.jpeg
“In February 2002, the Kirin Brewery Company, Ltd. purchased the Four Roses Bourbon brand trademark and production facilities. The new acquisition was named the Four Roses Distillery LLC. Shortly thereafter, Four Roses was once again sold in the United States and quickly earned the reputation of being one of the most notable names in the Bourbon world.

In August 2015, Jim Rutledge retired as Master Distiller and Brent Elliott, who had worked alongside Jim for 10 years, became the company’s new Master Distiller.

The people who work at the Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg, KY and at our warehouse facility in Cox’s Creek, KY continue the legacy that began with Paul Jones in 1888. Their passion for quality and pride in handcrafting an award winning Bourbon is evident in the smooth, mellow taste that has become the signature of the Four Roses Brand.
 
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step.eng69

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I understand but according to the Web site it wasnt even sold in the US during that period of time....

Even though Four Roses was the top selling Bourbon in the U.S. in the 30s, 40s and 50s, Seagram made the decision to discontinue the sale of Four Roses’ Kentucky Straight Bourbon in the United States, and Four Roses was moved to the rapidly growing European and Asian markets where it quickly became and still is a top-selling Bourbon in both Europe and Japan today.

In 1966, a young man named Jim Rutledge, who would later become one of the world’s most legendary Master Distillers, joined Seagram in the Louisville Plant’s Research and Development Department. In 1975, he was transferred to Corporate Headquarters in New York until 1992, when Jim asked to return home to Kentucky to help with the Four Roses brand. In 1995, he replaced Ova Haney as the Master Distiller. For the next several years, Jim worked tirelessly to return the Four Roses brand back to the States – a dream that would become a reality in hands of a new owner.
@manatree
Trust me Sluggo, my grandparents raised me and Four Roses was the shot. I read the history of the brand many yrs ago and the statement of not being sold in the 50’s & 60’s is wrong. That was the brand the coal miners drank.
 
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s1uggo72

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@manatree
Trust me Sluggo, my grandparents raised me and Four Roses was the shot. I read the history of the brand many yrs ago and the statement of not being sold in the 50’s & 60’s is wrong. That was the brand the coal miners drank.
I think we have it figured out Step. Their bourbon wasn’t sold but other whiskey were
 
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step.eng69

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Yeah, but not sold in the US at that time. Four Roses is a very desirable brand amongst bourbon snobs these days and was in its prime in the US.
It was the popular shot-drink of poor miners in the 50's & 60's.
 

step.eng69

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Yeah, but not sold in the US at that time. Four Roses is a very desirable brand amongst bourbon snobs these days and was in its prime in the US.
It was the popular shot-drink of poor miners in the 50's & 60's. It was
I think we have it figured out Step. Their bourbon wasn’t sold but other whiskey were
My grandfather would take me to the local bars for a soda & pretzels, Lol,
never heard any of the costumers order a "bourbon", just whiskey...Four Roses.
Actually, I don't believe bourbon became a popular whiskey until about the mid-'90s.
 

nittanyfan333

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I’m a bourbon guy, wheated, are my favorites. Also Glenmorangie Lasata & Glenfiddich 15 & 18 are scotch I enjoy.
My daughter & Son-I-L live in Alabama, the past Christmas Randy (SIL) brought home a bottle of Crown (made for Alabama), 103 proof. Haven’t tried it yet. Pic I took below…..



Another bourbon I enjoy is Makers 110
It’s not about the proof, it very favorable without a burn bit.
View attachment 317845

If you were able to get your hands on this year’s finishing series it was great. I prefer the BRT-02 over the 01, but both were very good. Like it better than the FAE from last year. This year’s BEP series should be tasty!
 

GrimReaper

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This not the same harsh Four Roses my grandfather’s shot & beer consisted after a work shift coming out of the coal mines in the ‘50’s & ‘60’s. When I turned 21 (1970), my grandmother gifted me a bottle, it was horrible.

As others have mentioned,
This 100 proof is wonderful sipping neat.

View attachment 317853
“In February 2002, the Kirin Brewery Company, Ltd. purchased the Four Roses Bourbon brand trademark and production facilities. The new acquisition was named the Four Roses Distillery LLC. Shortly thereafter, Four Roses was once again sold in the United States and quickly earned the reputation of being one of the most notable names in the Bourbon world.

In August 2015, Jim Rutledge retired as Master Distiller and Brent Elliott, who had worked alongside Jim for 10 years, became the company’s new Master Distiller.

The people who work at the Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg, KY and at our warehouse facility in Cox’s Creek, KY continue the legacy that began with Paul Jones in 1888. Their passion for quality and pride in handcrafting an award winning Bourbon is evident in the smooth, mellow taste that has become the signature of the Four Roses Brand.

@manatree
Trust me Sluggo, my grandparents raised me and Four Roses was the shot. I read the history of the brand many yrs ago and the statement of not being sold in the 50’s & 60’s is wrong. That was the brand the coal miners drank.

I think we have it figured out Step. Their bourbon wasn’t sold but other whiskey were

It was the popular shot-drink of poor miners in the 50's & 60's.

It was the popular shot-drink of poor miners in the 50's & 60's. It was

My grandfather would take me to the local bars for a soda & pretzels, Lol,
never heard any of the costumers order a "bourbon", just whiskey...Four Roses.
Actually, I don't believe bourbon became a popular whiskey until about the mid-'90s.
You are both correct. Four Roses always distilled bourbon. Seagrams bought the brand in the early '40s. For whatever reason, its bourbon was unavailable in the US (directed to the European market) for about 50 years. But its rotgut blended whiskey was. That's what Step remembers, as do I. It was my Dad's whiskey of choice. In 1995, they switched over to selling bourbon in the US.
 

Midnighter

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oh, you want me to create it? I did offer, but didn't see a response from you.

I'll post one either later today or tomorrow, as I have several things on my schedule late afternoon/early evening today

I have time to do one I think - if we overlap oh well… :cool:
 
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step.eng69

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It’s extremely difficult to get in VA and I saw a bottle in DC for $200 (Buffalo Trace was $70). WTF.
Midnighter and all, here's a good article on the difference between single and small batch bourbons........

@Midnighter
@rudedude
@WestSideLion
@nittanyfan333
@Nitwit
@ODShowtime
@Tom McAndrew


About the Site: https://thebourbonculture.com/about-us/

Link to the Site: https://thebourbonculture.com/whisk...ourbon-vs-single-barrel-whats-the-difference/

Portions of the article......

The thing about single barrels is that they started out as bourbon that was probably destined to end up in a (Small) Batch anyway. But when the trend of selling them started to heat up, everyone started to set aside barrels that they would sell individually.

This meant that the Master Taster’s out there (or just regular tasters) began to earmark barrels that stood out for their unique traits. Only the cream of the crop was used. But after a the bourbon boom really took off, so many distilleries found demand was outstripping their supply.

And just like that, the processes that were used to find one-of-a-kind barrels were watered down. This kind of thing happens to any hand-crafted product. When it becomes so popular, a decision has to be made to stay the course and leave money on the table or…
The first thing to go out the window was standards. Blanton’s was special because it used barrels that were aged in a metal warehouse for a very long time. It is well-known that bottles from 1991-1992 probably contain bourbon as old as 16 years.

These days, Blanton’s has seen a big decline in quality. The average age of a barrel is 5 1/2 years and they don’t even care if they’re using barrels from Mash Bill #1 or #2. It’s even been rumored that Blanton’s barrels do not have to spend all their life aging in the legendary Warehouse H, they are rolled in and out after gaining the necessary exposure.
Four Roses Bourbon saw a huge demand for their single barrels too. Their Private Selection Single Barrel Program literally empties an entire rick of barrels and will feed them into their selection program one at a time.

Once that particular barrel is selected by a group, it’s hauled to the bottling line and the next barrel from that rick takes its place. It doesn’t matter if there are bad barrels in the batch because they will eventually get picked. The single barrel you bought in the store last week? There’s a good chance that multiple groups or stores passed over it.

Which one should you choose?​

There is no right or wrong answer with deciding to pick a single barrel bourbon or a small batch bourbon. I do have a suggestion for why you may want to pick one or another. I’d pick a single barrel if I was going to give it to someone as a gift.

The reason is because if the recipient is a fan of bourbon, they will understand that what you gave them is probably the only time they are going to get to experience the contents from that one barrel in their entire life.
 

WestSideLion

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Midnighter and all, here's a good article on the difference between single and small batch bourbons........

@Midnighter
@rudedude
@WestSideLion
@nittanyfan333
@Nitwit
@ODShowtime
@Tom McAndrew


About the Site: https://thebourbonculture.com/about-us/

Link to the Site: https://thebourbonculture.com/whisk...ourbon-vs-single-barrel-whats-the-difference/

Portions of the article......

The thing about single barrels is that they started out as bourbon that was probably destined to end up in a (Small) Batch anyway. But when the trend of selling them started to heat up, everyone started to set aside barrels that they would sell individually.

This meant that the Master Taster’s out there (or just regular tasters) began to earmark barrels that stood out for their unique traits. Only the cream of the crop was used. But after a the bourbon boom really took off, so many distilleries found demand was outstripping their supply.

And just like that, the processes that were used to find one-of-a-kind barrels were watered down. This kind of thing happens to any hand-crafted product. When it becomes so popular, a decision has to be made to stay the course and leave money on the table or…
The first thing to go out the window was standards. Blanton’s was special because it used barrels that were aged in a metal warehouse for a very long time. It is well-known that bottles from 1991-1992 probably contain bourbon as old as 16 years.

These days, Blanton’s has seen a big decline in quality. The average age of a barrel is 5 1/2 years and they don’t even care if they’re using barrels from Mash Bill #1 or #2. It’s even been rumored that Blanton’s barrels do not have to spend all their life aging in the legendary Warehouse H, they are rolled in and out after gaining the necessary exposure.
Four Roses Bourbon saw a huge demand for their single barrels too. Their Private Selection Single Barrel Program literally empties an entire rick of barrels and will feed them into their selection program one at a time.

Once that particular barrel is selected by a group, it’s hauled to the bottling line and the next barrel from that rick takes its place. It doesn’t matter if there are bad barrels in the batch because they will eventually get picked. The single barrel you bought in the store last week? There’s a good chance that multiple groups or stores passed over it.

Which one should you choose?​

There is no right or wrong answer with deciding to pick a single barrel bourbon or a small batch bourbon. I do have a suggestion for why you may want to pick one or another. I’d pick a single barrel if I was going to give it to someone as a gift.

The reason is because if the recipient is a fan of bourbon, they will understand that what you gave them is probably the only time they are going to get to experience the contents from that one barrel in their entire life.
I’m on record saying Blanton’s is grossly over priced right now. It’s swill for $150 or $200.

While Bourbon is generally over priced across the board, I’ve moved upscale for sipping whisky because I think there’s more value there. An example is Weller’s 12 Year. That’s not cheap, but it’s great stuff. I’d rather pay more for that.
 

LionJim

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I’m on record saying Blanton’s is grossly over priced right now. It’s swill for $150 or $200.

While Bourbon is generally over priced across the board, I’ve moved upscale for sipping whisky because I think there’s more value there. An example is Weller’s 12 Year. That’s not cheap, but it’s great stuff. I’d rather pay more for that.
In my experience, Woodford Reserve was as pricy as someone needed to go.
 

WestSideLion

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Our Food and Bev guy at the club introduced me to Redwood Empire Pipe Dream Bourbon Whiskey.
It is from Sonoma so I assume it is aged in wine casks - it did have a bit of a sweeter taste to it. But really smooth and enjoyable.
We have that as a staple out here, ro. I tend to be a traditionalist with Bourbon. If it ain’t from Kentucky, then I ain’t feeling lucky.
 

step.eng69

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Our Food and Bev guy at the club introduced me to Redwood Empire Pipe Dream Bourbon Whiskey.
It is from Sonoma so I assume it is aged in wine casks - it did have a bit of a sweeter taste to it. But really smooth and enjoyable.
Enjoy ro,
This new bourbon world is very interesting to say the least.
I enjoy Evan Williams as an everyday drink, and have many top of the line bourbons If we need a special celebration in the family.
 
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wbcbus

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I had a fun tasting at a client’s house last night. Can’t remember everything we tried but:

Chickencock 20 year rye
Weller’s Full Proof
Jefferson Reserve “Very Old”
Knob Creek 15 year

He’d just finished his bottle of Pappy 23, so didn’t get to try it.
 

pioneerlion83

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Some big love to my BIL in Louisville . Just gave me a fifth of Blanton’s and also Blanton’s Gold . Never heard of the Gold cause it largely ships to the UK .

The Blantons Gold is a 103 proof release. Never ever seen it in any store. Had a nice pour once from a friend...very very good. More of the caramel, vanilla and other sweet notes than the standard 93 proof Blantons.
Buffalo Trace also sells a "from the barrel" release...I've never seen that.

Of course now, you really really really owe your brother-in-law... 😎
 
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nittanyfan333

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I’m on record saying Blanton’s is grossly over priced right now. It’s swill for $150 or $200.

While Bourbon is generally over priced across the board, I’ve moved upscale for sipping whisky because I think there’s more value there. An example is Weller’s 12 Year. That’s not cheap, but it’s great stuff. I’d rather pay more for that.

I think anyone that knows anything about bourbon (that doesn’t make a 7-figure salary) agrees that Blantons at secondary is a joke. Same for pretty much EVERY bourbon at secondary prices. But Blantons at retail? I’d absolutely pay 56$ for a bottle of Blantons. Same for eagle rare at 35$. This is all why I’ve switched to russels 10/single barrel or heaven hill BIB. GREAT pours that can be found at almost every store everywhere at retail. I’ll break out the allocated stuff for friends and that’s about it.
 

WestSideLion

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I think anyone that knows anything about bourbon (that doesn’t make a 7-figure salary) agrees that Blantons at secondary is a joke. Same for pretty much EVERY bourbon at secondary prices. But Blantons at retail? I’d absolutely pay 56$ for a bottle of Blantons. Same for eagle rare at 35$. This is all why I’ve switched to russels 10/single barrel or heaven hill BIB. GREAT pours that can be found at almost every store everywhere at retail. I’ll break out the allocated stuff for friends and that’s about it.
I agree that Blanton’s at $60 is good value. It’s at 2 or 3 times that where things go south.

I used to drink Blanton’s as my primary 10-12 years ago when I could walk into my local spirits shop and buy it for $50.
 

Midnighter

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I know this is a thread about bourbon, but I - like my pal @laKavosiey-st lion - also like a little gin from time to time. Pin-up girl Dita Von Teese is co-owner of a new gin company, Sweet Gwendoline. Believe it’s online order only at the moment but unique in that it’s cut with white wine; made in France, bottled in New Orleans…



 
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nittanyfan333

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I know this is a thread about bourbon, but I - like my pal @laKavosiey-st lion - also like a little gin from time to time. Pin-up girl Dita Avon Teese is co-owner of a new gin company, Sweet Gwendoline. Believe it’s online order only at the moment but unique in that it’s cut with white wine; made in France, bottled in New Orleans…






😉
 

laKavosiey-st lion

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I know this is a thread about bourbon, but I - like my pal @laKavosiey-st lion - also like a little gin from time to time. Pin-up girl Dita Von Teese is co-owner of a new gin company, Sweet Gwendoline. Believe it’s online order only at the moment but unique in that it’s cut with white wine; made in France, bottled in New Orleans…



I worry it won’t olive
 
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