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Any Bourbon drinkers among us?

Melensdad

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Spent the day moving stone, dirt, and building more of the monumental garden that the lovely Mrs_Bob asked for as her Mother's Day gift. Its a series of raised beds, with crushed limestone paths between the beds. So now my body is sore, I'm sitting in a big leather chair relaxing and I'm going to reward myself with another bourbon comparison.



Tonight its the battle of the big boys. JIM BEAM'S Signature Craft -vs- JACK DANIEL'S Single Barrel. Yes I know that Jack Daniels is a "Tennessee Whiskey" but it also, by definition, qualifies as a bourbon.

Both are a dark rich amber in color, not light or golden but more brown. The shades of the two are nearly identical, if pressed I'd say that Jack Daniel's is only slightly darker.

Neither offers a sweet smell, and both offer up the smell of alcohol. The Jack Daniels offers up some spice in its aroma while the Jim Beam doesn't really seem to offer up too much!

The first sip of the Jim Beam Signature Craft left a little tingle on the lips but a smooth mellow flavor on my tongue and a slight burn only after swallowing and it hit bottom. The second sip was identical to the first, with the identical mild burn in the belly.

Shifting over to the Jack Daniels Single Barrel and my mouth was immediately assaulted with a harshness that did not exist in Beam's offering. Its just not a good drink. It burns on the way down and in the belly, its harsh in the mouth, it leaves an unpleasant tingle on the lips and inside of the mouth afterwards.

Back over to the Jim Beam Signature Craft for a final sip before adding ice and its definitely the easier of the two to drink.

So now dropping a single cube of ice into each glass.

The single cube is now about half melted into each of these bourbons. The Jim Beam Signature Craft mellows out a bit and the flavor is still fairly mild. The taste is good, not really sweet, but offers up a hint of sweetness and the burn, while still present has mellowed out a little bit and still only exists when the drink hits bottom. While the flavor is fairly mild, there does seem to be an elevation in something spicy on the tongue. The JIM BEAM Signature Craft is a pretty easy to drink bourbon with some nice flavors and is only hampered by the modest burn in the belly.

Switching over to the Jack Daniels Single Barrel and even after the dilution from the mostly melted ice cube its still a harsh flavored drink that smacks your mouth, its got more than a hint of spice, but the tingling in the mouth and the burn in the belly have diminished considerably with the addition of the melting ice cube. I definitely like the Jack Daniels better after the ice is melted into the drink but that is not to say that I really like this drink. I can say that I really don't like it. Its simply not worth whatever I paid for it. Its a bit better than my least favorite, the Journeyman Bourbon, that one is simply bad. This offering from Jack Daniels, despite its premium price, premium bottle and "Single Barrel" designation, it is just not very good.

Between the JIM BEAM "Signature Craft" and the JACK DANIELS Single Barrel I'd easily choose the Jim Beam product.


For whatever it might be worth, I'm suffering from a slight acid integestion this evening, so the burn in my belly from the alcohol may be more severe than on some other day.
 

Melensdad

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6 guys and 1 lady from my shooting group got together yesterday at the cigar lounge to try out some adult beverages. I posted my observations at the website we share. Rather than retyping the stuff here, I'm just going to copy/paste the observations from yesterday.

We had some homemade moonshine, some commercial moonshine and then we also had GENTLEMAN JACK, BEER BARREL, RIDGEMONT RESERVE 1792 and ANGLES ENVY.

The names won't look familiar, except for mine, because they are the screen names used at our shooting group website.

melensdad said:
Anyone want to come to the NWI INGO Clubhouse on Thursday for a Bourbon comparison test? Probably about noon?

Sadclownwp and I are going to be there. He is bringing Angel's Envy and I am bringing Beer Barrel. Both are unique in that after traditional aging in charred white oak casks, both are re-casked. The Angels Envy is re-casked in barrels from Port wine and the Beer Barrel is re-casked in barrels that formerly held Dragon's Milk Beer.

Lonehoosier is going to show up too! He's bringing a bottle too.

Bring something if you come.

melensdad said:
OK just my INITIAL take on these 4 bourbons...

RIDGEMONT RESERVE 1792 is a really nice, really smooth bourbon. The aroma picks up some oak and maybe some vanilla and is sweet. It has plenty of aroma too. The color is a rich amber, bordering on a brown amber. There is a definite tingle all through the mouth but its not a harsh tingle and there is no burn at all in the mouth, and no burn going down either. You notice a little bit of heat at the bottom, but not enough that I'd call it a burn.

The GENTLEMAN JACK, in comparison to the R.R.1792 has very little aroma in the glass, I had Sadclownwp take a couple deep inhales and he agreed that the aroma is very light. The color is also a bit lighter than the R.R.1792 as well, its more of a golden amber. In the mouth the JACK is harsher, it has a light tingle but it stays with you, especially on the back end of your mouth and has a mild burn on the way down. Even a minute after swallowing the drink your mouth is still feeling some of the tingle.

ANGLES ENVY and BEER BARREL are similar in that both are smoother and mildly sweeter. I prefer the BEER BARREL both neat and over ice, when compared to the ANGLES ENVY, but that is not to say that the ANGLES ENVY is not good. Its very good, very smooth, hints of sweetness and no burn.


lonehoosier said:
D2FE1704-4413-4F78-9682-AC4C1AC81607_zpsftsp4mz7.jpg

Thought I'd give a bit more complete follow up on these bourbons.

There were 7 INGO members today (Snap Dragon, IL Caveman, BradMedic, Lonehoosier, Andy219, Sadclownwp & myself) plus we had some of the "regulars" who stepped up and took one for the team, just to help us out.

First off I'll say that the Gentleman Jack was favored by Andy219 and Snap Dragon. Its very different from the other 3 and given how different it is, I think it lends itself to strong opinions, either FOR or AGAINST. With any Jack Daniels product I've ever tried, I either really like it, or I don't. So it is with this one. The people who liked it, thought it the best. The people who didn't like it, ranked it at the bottom. And it hits you with a full force of flavor and plenty of alcohol tingle in your mouth, spices of some sort, and even after the finish it lingers with you in the mouth. There is some burn on the way down but not an objectionable amount, it goes down smoother than you'd guess based on the sensation in your mouth. I liked this much better with cube of ice, mostly melted into it. It seemed to mellow out the flavors, reduce the mouth tingle and generally make it a more pleasant drink. That said, me, I'm just not a big fan of this one.

The RIDGEMONT RESERVE 1792 is a bargain for what it brings to the table. Under $30 for the bottle it was the cheapest bottle at this showdown but it was smooth and tasty with a nice aroma and a sweet finish. I can easily see why people would like this bourbon, its easy to drink, either neat or with a cube of ice. The bit of burn I noted above in my earlier observations vanished when adding an ice cube and letting it melt into the drink. Nobody picked this one as the winner, but also nobody found it objectionable.

But I think its fair to say that the two stars of the show, and probably were a reasonable "TIE" were ANGLES ENVY and BEER BARREL. Most everyone liked BOTH of these two bourbons. Some liked one a bit better than the other, but I don't think either of them stood out as clearly superior over the other.

Both are similar in the way they are made, both are aged in the traditional charred oak casks, but then after the aging process, both are re-casked. In the case of the ANGELS ENVY the second aging is done in Port Wine barrels. Port wines are known to a hearty dark red wine that is generally sweet and often served as a dessert wine. There is no indication of how long its aged in the wine barrels, but I'd suspect its casked for a few months. With the BEER BARREL bourbon the process is the same, but the second casking is aged in beer barrels from New Holland Brewing's DRAGONS MILK beer and is aged for 3 to 4 months in those beer barrels. Each of these two bourbons picks up hints of the flavors and is simultaneously mellowed a bit by the second cask aging process and those characteristics seemed to add to the bourbon rather than covering up or overwhelming the traditional bourbon flavor.
 

Melensdad

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Relaxing after a long day and watching MONUMENTS MEN so I'm not going to do a 2 bourbon comparison, but rather I'm sitting with a small glass of WILD TURKEY FORGIVEN next to me. The glass is neat, not even an ice cube in sight. No reason to water this down and tame it, it may be WILD Turkey but its smooth and comfortable as your favorite pair of shoes.

Its a rich savory bourbon with a good bit of spice that rounds out the flavor. It does have some modest burn going down but its such a pleasant drink with wonderful complexity that moves from savory to spicy and the burn going down is more of a warming glow. I really like this drink. It hits your tongue with a nice savory, not sweet, sensation and there is nary a hint of mouth tingle. It moves to the back of the mouth and you pick up some peppery spices before it rolls down your throat with its mild warmth. There is no harshness in this drink. Just goodness.
 

Melensdad

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I'm beat up and sore from moving dirt and stone and building raised beds. So I'm sitting and resting. Got a short glass with a single shot of Traverse City Bourbon neat.

I'm got some mouth tingle today on the first sip but none after. And it seems a bit harsh going down with a little more burn than I remember from the first try at this bottle. The aroma is still nice and sweet. Its still goes into the mouth bringing some good flavors. But the burn going down is new. Doesn't burn at the bottom but it does offer a little heat when it hits the belly, its on the way to get there that it burns.

This is still a nice drink. Its not a stand out as one of the best, but its right in the middle of the pack of good bourbons. You won't go wrong if you see it on the shelf and buy a bottle, its a pretty easy to drink bourbon that offers enough taste to actually offer your mouth something to enjoy.

Perhaps I'm getting this burn because of the dinner of dry rubbed ribs I just finished off? Food tends to alter the flavors of things that come after it so I'm guessing that might be the issue tonight.
 

Melensdad

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Well I got up and did a 10 mile walk to raise money for Cancer Research. Melen walked with me but I lost her at the 6 mile water stop, given last years major back surgery, I was actually surprised she made it that far. The lovely Mrs_Bob was one of the walk organizers so she was unable to walk. We had a great turnout, easily a couple hundred people. Temps were 88 and the sun was hot, and at the 9.5 mile marker I almost quit. That is where the local Dairy Queen is located. Just a half mile from the finish line and it was calling to me. But I resisted and pushed forward.

So tonight I deserve a bourbon.

Pulled out the SPRING MILL BOURBON from Indianapolis and its tasting very good, going down very smooth, but for some reason tonight when it hits bottom its starting a fire in my belly. Maybe it is reacting to the Chinese food I had for dinner?

As I'm not doing a bourbon comparison tonight I went ahead and broke tradition by dropping 2, yes 2 ice cubes into the glass with my bourbon.

I like the flavor of this bourbon, especially neat. At the front of the mouth it is an excellent bourbon with savory richness when it hits your tongue. Moving to the back of the mouth it tends to be a bit harsher but it goes down very smoothly. On ice I tend to like it less, its muted in flavor yet smoother on the back of the tongue. But tonight I simply don't want to tolerate the burn in the belly. With some melted ice watering down the savory SPRING MILL the flavors seem sharper and spicier rather than smooth and savory but the burn is nearly non-existent. Its still a good bourbon.

SPRING MILL is one of the bourbons that I come back to when I want to enjoy a drink. Its not one of the best, but this one is better than most and its got some excellent flavors.

Oh below is my reward for walking. Each string bracelet signifies a different type of cancer. We got one for entering the walk. Then we picked up a different color bracelet for each mile. Plus we got one at the end so I have 12 on my wrist. Mile 5 was the bright pink one, for breast cancer. Not sure what each of the other colors signify. BTW, the blue thing to the left side of my wrist watch is a "Fitbit" fitness tracker, I have registered over 27,000 steps today, 22,000 of those were before noon! We have another cancer walk tomorrow, in Crown Point, but its only a 3 mile event.
 

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Melensdad

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Tonight, no special movie to watch, just kicking back with the dogs as the lovely Mrs_Bob and Melen have flown the coop for a trip to Albuquerque. So I've got a week of bachelorhood, with 4 dogs.

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Both of tonights bourbons are roughly $25/bottle, well under the $50/bottle self imposed limit.

TOWN BRANCH is a new bourbon, light honey color with a strong alcohol aroma. Its got 11 Silver, Gold and Platinum awards since 2012. That is good chunk of awards for such a new brand, so I have high hopes for this bourbon. I keep swirling it around in the glass, sniffing for the aroma, but only really getting strong scents of alcohol.

The ELIJAH CRAIG 12 year old bourbon is from one of the most long established brands. Its got a dark rich color, much darker than the TOWN BRANCH, and the aroma is a rich, savory aroma with complexity that almost covers up the alcohol.

Sipping the TOWN BRANCH gives you a dull flavor up front that changes a bit going back and then goes down smooth. Until it hits bottom. Start the countdown. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ….BURN! The second, and then the third sips of the TOWN BRANCH prove that this is a smooth in the mouth bourbon, and its smooth going down too. Not a hint of mouth tingle, no burn in the mouth, its just really smooth in the mouth. Neither the 2nd or 3rd sips mimic the initial burn from the 1st sip, but maybe my internal organs have all been charred beyond hope and there is nothing less to burn? A sip of water, a bit of a delay, and then a 4th sip of the TOWN BRANCH and it again proves itself to be smooth until it hits bottom. Its not as harsh as the 1st sip, but its there. Warm glowing burn, like a potbelly stove in the workshop in the winter. It keeps you warm, but get to close and its not a good experience.

After a good swig of water, switching over to the ELIJAH CRAIG 12, and just raising the glass to my nose that complex aroma hits you before the bourbon hits the lips. The flavors are TOTALLY different between these two bourbons, but the belly burn is similar! I like this ELIJAH CRAIG, its got some savory flavors and has a bit of a tingle on your tongue, with some peppery spices, but not in any way objectionable. It does however, have a burn in the belly.

Dropped a single cube of ice into each glass. Allowed each of them to melt a bit and I picked up the ELIJAH CRAIG 12 first. The aroma seems to have thinned out a bit, the complexity seems somewhat simple now, but the alcohol is still secondary. Taking a sip and the peppery spice comes through, the mouth tingle is gone, the burn is both DELAYED and also REDUCED to a far more pleasant level. The single cube of ice now completely melted, all the flavors have mellowed, there is still a bit of peppery spices, the burn is mellowed further. Too mellow in fact, its muted so much that the complexity has been simply watered down and is no longer interesting. The ELIJAH CRAIG 12 is good neat, its good with ice, but its not nearly as good when the ice cube is fully melted and its too diluted.

Back to the TOWN BRANCH and the ice is pretty well gone by the time I get to this glass. Its better! The burn in the belly is gone. The flavor has opened up a bit, there is a hint of pepper now, something that was absent earlier. This is now a very easy to drink bourbon lacking any sort of burn, no mouth tingle, with a mild, if nondescript flavor. The last of the TOWN BRANCH went down with that mildly peppery spice to it, smooth all the way, no burn in the belly. But not overly interesting in any way. Its not outstanding neat, its easy to drink after ice, but easy to drink doesn't make it interesting or exceptional in any way. I'm wondering how it won all those awards. Would I drink this again, sure. Its not bad. It just doesn't stand out. Probably better in mixed drinks than neat or over ice.

Back to the last sip of the ELIJAH CRAIG 12 and it confirms its the better of the two bourbons. There is a very mild, manageable burn at the bottom, there is a peppery spice in the mouth, there is some complexity in the flavors, and its smooth going down.
 

Melensdad

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I was out in the woods cutting up and dragging out 3 trees that fell over the winter and landed on a large spruce tree. They damaged the spruce and I wanted to salvage as much of the big spruce as possible so I made it my mission to cut up those fallen trees.

And now my body is sore, its early evening, and I've got nothing left to do but sit around with the dogs. So out comes the bourbon for another comparison.

I've picked 2 bourbons that don't really impress me. Neither is bad. But neither was really memorable as a stand out either.

TRAVERSE CITY BOURBON versus the new TOWN BRANCH BOURBON.

Both are a light amber/honey color, virtually identical. I suspect both are aged only a few years as bourbons tend to darken in the charred casks when stored for long periods of time.

To my nose, the TRAVERSE CITY has a sweet and somewhat complex aroma while again, the TOWN BRANCH really smells of alcohol over any other scent.

Sipping the TOWN BRANCH first and it is a repeat of my last trial. It hits bottom and BURNS with a fiery intensity that is simply not pleasant. Sad, because its smooth in the mouth and has a mellow, easy to drink, if somewhat nondescript flavor.

The TRAVERSE CITY has more flavor in the mouth and doesn't burn going down or hitting bottom, its clearly the easier to drink bourbon. I think I like this bourbon better each time I drink it. Its still not exceptional but its a solid middle-of-the-pack bourbon that borders on pretty darn good. It has a distinct peppery bite to it in the back of the mouth, and its warm in the belly but it really doesn't burn.

Another try at the TOWN BRANCH and its a repeat of the prior sips. Good in the mouth, goes down easily, but then sets fire to your guts when it settles in the belly.

Now for the tests with ice, 1 cube of ice dropped into each glass, and allowed to partially melt.

The TRAVERSE CITY is sipped first and the peppery flavors become a bit more apparent and I also notice a brief bit of a burn going down that transitions into a warm feeling in the stomach.

Switching to the TOWN BRANCH, with its fully melted ice cube and I pick up some spice in the mouth but its still nice and smooth, it goes down and then lights a fire in the belly, but it also quickly extinguishes the fire, so the heat is noticeable but short lived. Another sip and this time I don't really notice the heat in the gun until after a few second delay, but its still there and still noticed. One last sip and the glass is empty, but it repeats itself if the characteristic belly burn.

Back to the last of the TRAVERSE CITY and the spice kicks in as it transitions from the front to the back of the mouth. The burn is mellowed out, it was not much to begin with, but what there was has mellowed.

Between these 2 bourbons I'd easily give the nod to the TRAVERSE CITY BOURBON over the TOWN BRANCH. So that is 2 different trials where the TOWN BRANCH ended up at the bottom. I still don't think it is a bad bourbon, but its not really a great value either. There are better bourbons in the same price range. Its flavor is somewhat nondescript and it has a distinctive burn that I suspect most will find objectionable. Dilute it down, mix it with something else and it may be fine, but in my simple 2 part trial I have to say its just not that good. Not horrible either.
 

Doc

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Love these reviews Bob. They are both entertaining and informative. Thank you sir. :tiphat: :clap: :clap:
 

Melensdad

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Love these reviews Bob. They are both entertaining and informative. Thank you sir. :tiphat: :clap: :clap:

I'm rather enjoying doing this. I'm keeping all my bottle choices under $50 each, so some very well known, well respected bourbons like Blandons (about $54/bottle) are just out of reach of this test.

But what I've found with cigars is that $20-$25 will buy me an amazing smoke, but many $6-$8 cigars are pretty lousy. And then you find that rare gem of a cigar, low priced but smokes well beyond its pedigree.

With this bourbon test I'm looking for those 'rare gems' in bottles. Many of my purchases are from smaller distillers, they, like craft breweries, are often trying to stake their claim. I often put up a small company product against a major distiller. Some of the small guys are very successfully making a mark.
 

loboloco

Well-known member
Hey Bob, I just tried an EVAN WILLIAMS small batch bottle. A little more mellow than Wild turkey. Give it a try, it is pretty good. Decently priced too.
 

Melensdad

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Hey Bob, I just tried an EVAN WILLIAMS small batch bottle. A little more mellow than Wild turkey. Give it a try, it is pretty good. Decently priced too.

My friendly liquor salesman & shooting companion told me to try it as well. He said it was just rated a 91 (I think a 91) and claims its very good.
 

Melensdad

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I know its a weeknight but I've got nothing else to do so I am breaking a rule and decided to pour a little bourbon from a bottle that breaks the $50 price range. JEFFERSON RESERVE is typically in the $53 to $55 price range, just a little bit over the self imposed $50 limit for the bourbons I've been comparing.

JEFFERSON RESERVE is often regarded as one of the better bourbons available, they make 3 common grades and the RESERVE is the highest grade. They also have a higher grade, called the Presidential Reserve, but that is not commonly found in many stores, and it costs a lot more.

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I've pulled out a bottle of WOODFORD RESERVE for this comparison. The two are very similar in color, a nice rich amber. In fact they look the same. Oh, they smell the same too! WOODFORD RESERVE is commonly considered one of the better mass market bourbons.

JEFFERSON RESERVE has big bold presence in the mouth, and you get some spice, some toffee and maybe some leather flavors. It doesn't tingle in the mouth, but it does give you some tingle as soon as it hits your throat and you get a bit of burn in your belly. Its not a lasting burn, but there is burn. This is a full bodied bourbon that is not for the timid, you know you are drinking bourbon when you are drinking JEFFERSON RESERVE.

Switching to the more common, but well respected WOODFORD RESERVE, is a semi-dry medium/full bodied bourbon with toffee, mocha, and white pepper flavors with a pronounced copper tang. Finishes with a sweet, charred barrel, brown, and metallic fade, this is another aggressive and spicy bourbon, with more of a belly burn.

Dropping ice cubes into each.

The JEFFERSON RESERVE calms down considerably and tastes awesome when opened up with some ice melted into the bourbon. The burn in the belly is tamed down, but not totally eliminated, the spices are actually highlighted and they enhance the overall flavors. The flavors seem to sharpen up and if you don't like a bit of peppery spice you won't like this but I think its excellent.

Switching to the WOODFORD RESERVE and the single cube is mostly melted. The flavors are muted and dulled down, the burn still exists and you pick up spice only at the very back of your mouth.

The clear winner here is the JEFFERSON RESERVE, so much so that there is no comparison, its THAT MUCH better, especially with the melted ice cube. But its also over budget, costing about $53 per bottle while the other bourbons in this thread are all under $50 per bottle and most are actually about $30 to $35. So you expect more from the JEFFERSON RESERVE, and it delivers more.
 

Melensdad

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FAVORITE BOURBON SHOWDOWN!
Just got home from a wake for my uncle. He was also the substitute grandfather for my daughter since my father died before my daughter was born. So its been a very long day. Rather than test out bourbons I don't know, I figured I'd take 2 that I really enjoy. I know I enjoy these, its not the day that I want to be critical or analyze various flavors. I just want to sit back and relax and reflect on the loss of a beloved uncle.

UNDER $50 Favorite: BEER BARREL BOURBON
-- versus --
OVER $50 Favorite: JEFFERSON RESERVE

I'm not going to give a full review because both have been mentioned in prior posts, with the JEFFERSON RESERVE just posted yesterday.

The BEER BARREL BOURBON is slightly cloudy in the glass, but a dark amber color. The JEFFERSON RESERVE is also a dark amber color, but without the little floating particles that you see in the doubled barreled BEER BARREL brand.

Sipping the BEER BARREL BOURBON first simply does not disappoint. Perhaps I've had too much acidic coffee while hanging out at the funeral home all day because I picked up some mouth tingle and some burn in this first sip … not detected in prior tastings. But I also picked up that wonderful flavor of this mid-$30's brand and I simply love it. A couple more sips confirms my love of this brand.

Switching to the JEFFERSON RESERVE and it was simply full of wonderful flavors, but I also noticed a bit of mouth tingle (again I'm blaming the coffee from earlier). And it still has the characteristic, but subtle burn that I expected. Again, I love this brand. Its rich, its complex, its wonderful. A couple more sips confirms my love of this brand.

"NEAT" sampling WINNER = "TIE"
Both are great, for different reasons, and both are sip worthy on a regular basis!


Adding a cube of ice to each. Allowing each to melt a bit.

Just like last time, the JEFFERSON RESERVE is amazing. The burn is tamed, the tingle is gone, the flavors sharpen up. The drink is bold and wonderful, even diluted down a bit. Again, I really love this brand.

Switching back to the BEER BARREL and I have to admit that the flavor is just not quite as good after the ice. Oh the flavors open up a bit but they also seem to thin out a bit too. Its still good, its very good, but it is no longer awesome.

"ICED" sampling WINNER = JEFFERSON RESERVE


"SHOWDOWN" winner = JEFFERSON RESERVE
Honorable Mention = BEER BARREL​


Maybe its not fair to compare these 2 bourbons. One is a premium traditional small batch bourbon, the other is a micro-distillery oddity that is second aged in used beer barrels. Both are excellent and both are worth the price. Want to enjoy a bourbon on a Saturday afternoon while attending to the BBQ, then the BEER BARREL is going to be my recommendation. Want to impress your new boss, or celebrate a promotion, or some other such thing, then the JEFFERSON RESERVE should probably be on your 'short list' of suitable choices.​
 

Melensdad

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Bourbon Ginger Cocktail

A great summer drink on a hot day. Like a Gin & Tonic, only better, and all grown up.
1 ounce bourbon
4 ounces ginger ale
1 lime wedge (or a bit of lime juice)
ice​
 

taffboy

New member
Never tried Bourbon is it like whisky.Stronger or milder can't drink whiskey drunk to much on my 21st birthday never touched it since.
 

Melensdad

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Never tried Bourbon is it like whisky.Stronger or milder can't drink whiskey drunk to much on my 21st birthday never touched it since.

All Bourbon is "Whiskey" or "Whisky"*
All Scotch is "Whisky"
Not all "Whiskey" or "Whisky" is Bourbon, nor is it all Scotch.

To be considered Bourbon it must contain at least 51% corn in the 'mash' mixture. The remaining 49% can be any combination of corn, rye, wheat, barley, etc. Also to be considered Bourbon it must be aged in NEW, fire charred, white oak barrels.

*Whiskey is generally the US spelling and is used by the vast majority of distillers here, but some distillers use the Scottish/English/Canadian spelling which eliminates the "e" and is therefore Whisky.
 

taffboy

New member
All Bourbon is "Whiskey" or "Whisky"*
All Scotch is "Whisky"
Not all "Whiskey" or "Whisky" is Bourbon, nor is it all Scotch.

To be considered Bourbon it must contain at least 51% corn in the 'mash' mixture. The remaining 49% can be any combination of corn, rye, wheat, barley, etc. Also to be considered Bourbon it must be aged in NEW, fire charred, white oak barrels.

*Whiskey is generally the US spelling and is used by the vast majority of distillers here, but some distillers use the Scottish/English/Canadian spelling which eliminates the "e" and is therefore Whisky.
Thank you:biggrin:
 

Melensdad

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Taking another stab at JOURNEYMAN BOURBON. This has historically been my least liked brand of the bunch.

Dispensing with a comparison, dispensing with my traditions, just poured about an ounce and a half into a glass, tossed in a single ice cube, let the cube melt down about half way, swirled it around, took a sip and its just nasty crap. It hits the front of the mouth with an off taste. Its harsh, it burns, and it tastes bad.

Save this stuff for your Mother-in-Law. Give it to her straight up. Or over ice. But don't mix it into a sugary sweet drink, a mint julep or some mixed concoction that will hide the awful flavor of this brand. Just serve it to her. Let her know what you think of her, without speaking a word.
 

Melensdad

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We sold a townhouse that we fixed up and flipped so I had to move a bunch of furniture today that was in the townhouse before the closing. I'm just a little bit sore after loading the truck, moving the furniture, and unloading the truck. Got home and poured a little nip of SWEET LUCY.

Unlike real bourbon, which by definition, must be no less than 80 proof, SWEET LUCY is only 70 proof. Its a liqueur, similar to Wild Turkey's American Honey or some of the other "flavored" bourbons. But what is different about SWEET LUCY is that it is harder to pin down to a specific flavor. So while Jack Daniels, Evan Williams, Wild Turkey, etc all make Honey, or Cherry, or whatever flavored bourbon liqueurs, the SWEET LUCY is a traditional drink from the south, which is based on various family recipes where fruit juices are mixed with bourbon.

imagejpg1_zps409fbef1.jpg

Personally I find SWEET LUCY a bit sweet too my palate. Its probably the wrong drink for an evening drink, its more suited to an afternoon BBQ during a party, or for sipping around the swimming pool, etc. Its got a semi-citrus, but very sweet, taste to it, and in the mouth its very syrupy and smooth. There is no burn in the throat or in the belly, nor is there any tingle in the mouth. Maybe you could call this a beginner's bourbon? But it really is not that, its more like a 'mixed bourbon drink' that comes pre-mixed in the bottle.

If you want something EASY to drink, if you favor syrupy sweet and smooth to harsh or spicy, if your drinking is often at the side of a pool, during parties or celebrations while having a BBQ, then this is probably a great drink to try. Its not a serious bourbon. But SWEET LUCY has its place on the shelf.
 

Melensdad

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Wife and I went to COSTCO today, saw this for $18.99. Normally I'd pass it by, but it had as sign listing its awards. That intrigued me. So I stopped and looked.

Evan Williams "SINGLE BARREL VINTAGE RESERVE"

WHISKEY OF THE YEAR - The Spirit Journal
DOMESTIC WHISKY OF THE YEAR - Malt Advocate
SPIRIT OF THE YEAR, BOURBON CATEGORY - Wine & Spirits Buying Guide
SPIRIT OF THE YEAR, AMERICAN WHISKEY CATEGORY - Food & Wine
TOP SPIRITS OF THE YEAR, BEST AMERICAN WHISKEY - Wine & Spirits Buying Guide

Looking forward to this evening and trying it. I did crack the seal for a sniff. The brief whiff I got was very promising.

Bottle says it was casked in 2004, so I'm guessing this is aged 9 to 10 years in charred oak.

1evanwmssinglebarrel_zpsd597bbfd.jpg
 

taffboy

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Wife and I went to COSTCO today, saw this for $18.99. Normally I'd pass it by, but it had as sign listing its awards. That intrigued me. So I stopped and looked.

Evan Williams "SINGLE BARREL VINTAGE RESERVE"

WHISKEY OF THE YEAR - The Spirit Journal
DOMESTIC WHISKY OF THE YEAR - Malt Advocate
SPIRIT OF THE YEAR, BOURBON CATEGORY - Wine & Spirits Buying Guide
SPIRIT OF THE YEAR, AMERICAN WHISKEY CATEGORY - Food & Wine
TOP SPIRITS OF THE YEAR, BEST AMERICAN WHISKEY - Wine & Spirits Buying Guide

Looking forward to this evening and trying it. I did crack the seal for a sniff. The brief whiff I got was very promising. R

Bottle says it was casked in 2004, so I'm guessing this is aged 9 to 10 years in charred oak.

1evanwmssinglebarrel_zpsd597bbfd.jpg
That sounds like a Welsh whiskey with a name like that hope you enjoy it.
 

Melensdad

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Tonight is EVAN WILLIAMS 1783 versus the new EVAN WILLIAMS SINGLE BARREL VINTAGE RESERVE. One distillery, two bourbons.

These two bourbons are identical in color, both are a nice rich brown amber.

The 1783 is 'ok' if a bit thin in both aroma and flavor. Its got some mouth tingle and some burn in the belly. The flavor, before the tingle starts, is pretty mild and not particularly complex in any noticeable way.

The SINGLE BARREL VINTAGE RESERVE, referred to as "single barrel" from now on, hits your mouth and immediately you get mouth tingle, it has some peppery spice, but that is overwhelmed by the tingle and that translates to a substantial burn as it goes down. When it hits bottom, the burn continues in the belly. Another sip, more burn. I do not like this bourbon straight. Switching back to the 1783 and the simplicity of flavor returns but the intense burn is also gone and most of the mouth tingle is also gone, so it is a much easier to drink bourbon than the SINGLE BARREL offering from Evan Williams.

Dropping a single ice cube in each and allowing them to mostly melt.

Water it down a little bit and all of a sudden the SINGLE BARREL is tamed down like into a pleasant drink. Its burn is all but gone, the mouth tingle is eliminated, there is plenty of peppery taste, with a hint of sweetness on the tip of the tongue. This has changed from a drink that I disliked straight to a drink that I can easily enjoy over rocks. In fact I like it very much.

The 1783 with a melted cube didn't change much but was just a bit more watered down. A bit thinner in flavor. Its mild burn still exists and its pepper flavors are enhanced.

Basically I'd say the 1783 is generally a good mixer, its inexpensive and unremarkable. Want a Mint Julep or any other drink and this would be a fine choice that won't break your budget.

Now the Evan Williams SINGLE BARREL VINTAGE RESERVE is an interesting bourbon. Its cheap, at $18.99 a bottle at Costco. Its harsh and miserable to drink straight with some severe mouth tingle, throat burn which is followed by a fire in the belly. But when you water it down a bit well that is when the magic happens. The flavors become subtle, the tingle vanishes completely, there is no burn in the throat and the belly is only lightly warmed. Its a very good drink once its been lightly diluted with a cube or two of ice. What was bad is now good, perhaps very good. If you like your bourbon 'neat' then this is not your bourbon … unless you also like it harsh with substantial burn. But if you like it with a bit of ice, or a bit of water, then this is a great value. At $19 a bottle its hard to pass up, I presume there is a similar variant that is available at stores that are not named COSTCO but I don't know the price. Its certainly cheap enough, and it would probably make a good mixer bourbon, it makes a good bourbon over ice, but honestly I can NOT recommend it straight, its just too harsh.
 

Melensdad

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For tonight I've decided to come back to the brand new EVAN WILLIAMS SINGLE BARREL VINTAGE RESERVE and pair it up to one of my all time favorites, the WILD TURKEY FORGIVEN. And just to be clear, the offering from Wild Turkey is not a true bourbon, its a bourbon blended with rye, apparently by mistake, but when tasted, the distiller said the mistake was 'forgiven' and hence the name.

Colors of both drinks are a dark rich amber. The SINGLE BARREL offers a more complex aroma than the FORGIVEN but the scents are not easily identifiable.

No need to repeat everything I wrote yesterday about the SINGLE BARREL yesterday. Its the same today.

But the FORGIVEN, if you need a reminder, is a wonderful drink neat. It has some burn but its not objectionable. Its got a great rich flavor although to the nose it is not as complex as the SINGLE BARREL. Still, given the option, when drinking it neat, there is only one choice between these two, and that choice is the FORGIVEN.

So speeding up to the second half of the comparison I've dropped ice into each glass.

With the single ice cube melted into the FORGIVEN the flavors have become sharper and notes of pepper are present. The burn is still present too, but again, its still not objectionable. This is just a darn good drink, and with ice its crisp and sharp flavored but not at all harsh in the mouth and only a bit warming in the belly.

Switching to the SINGLE BARREL and the single cube has completely melted but today I didn't drink as much before I placed the cube in the glass so today we have a somewhat less diluted solution. Even though it is stronger than yesterday its still very good slightly diluted. Oh the burn is there, and it hits pretty hard. I'd prefer a bit more water mixed with this brand. But the flavors are very very good, complex, changing from front to back of mouth, none being objectionable. This is a very very good bourbon when diluted a bit.

Honestly I don't know which bourbon I like better. WILD TURKEY FORGIVEN is awesome straight and pretty darn good with ice. Clearly I prefer it straight. EVAN WILLIAMS SINGLE BARREL VINTAGE RESEVE is still an undrinkable beast served up straight but when lightly diluted with an ice cube its an excellent bourbon. Does it end up near the top of my list of "Best Bourbons Under $50" well yes its "near" the top, but no its not at the top. I think, overall, the "FORGIVEN" is a bit better because its much better neat, even if its not as good with ice. So I'd have to say that the FORGIVEN beats out the SINGLE BARREL but I'd also have to admit that the FORGIVEN is not a true bourbon but rather is a bourbon blend, which makes it a whiskey, by definition.

That said, I added a second ice cube to the remainder of the Evan Williams Single Barrel and I'm enjoying the heck out of it.
 

Melensdad

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I scored a very rare bottle of JEFFERSON OCEAN. It is very rare, very small batch, very unique. Most liquor stores can't get this, the bottles are allocated. One of the stores in my county got 6 bottles . . . they would only sell me 1.

There were 62 barrels of roughly 8 year old bourbon that were put onto a ship and sent around the world. Normal bourbon is aged in barrels that sit in a warehouse for years without movement. These did that. Jefferson sourced 62 barrels of bourbon aged 6-8 years and then put them on a container ship for another 6 months where the barrels sloshed, rocked and rolled with the waves across the oceans visiting a total of 31 ports and making their way across the equator four times. The theory is that this constant movement of the liquid in the barrels ages (matures) the whiskey faster because more of the liquid is in contact with the wood more often.

I will tell you, it smells awesome!

1_zpsae7c8f63.jpg
 

Melensdad

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Poured myself about 2 ounces of JEFFERSON OCEAN, Aged At Sea bourbon tonight.

The aroma is complex, with hints of vanilla, honey, maybe a bit of oak too? And the color is a nice rich dark amber.

The first sips on the tongue are smooth and rich. Its got a savory caramel flavor that transitions into a spicy finish. This is the first bourbon that I've had that has any hints of salt in the flavor. It goes down without any burn but does leave you with a mild bit of warmth. After the bourbon is down you get a bit of mouth tingle. This is really good stuff. Really really good stuff. As you bring up the glass you smell the very special aroma that is different than other bourbons I've tried, it gives you a prelude to the goodness that will come when the glass reaches your lips.

I wanted to say putting casks on a ship was nothing more than a marketing gimmick and that Jefferson’s Ocean tasted like regular bourbon, that there were no hints of salt or brine and that it’s trip around the world on an oceanic research vessel was all waste of time… but I can’t. It was not a waste of time, it was not a mistake and its not a marketing gimmick.

Some kind of magic happens during that journey around the would, with the waves sloshing that bourbon against those charred oak barrels.

31 sea ports, north and south across the equator 4 times with the temperature and humidity changing with each latitude. And the ever present motion of the waves.

No, this stuff is special. Its beyond really good, its excellent.

After dropping a single ice cube and letting it melt down I take another sip. I can't believe it but this may have actually gotten better. The flavors are not diluted, the mouth tingle is tamed, and the its still just damn good.

Overall this is some seriously tasty bourbon. Rich and deep in character starting at the nose and surging through the finish there are strongly defined bourbon notes blending with some uniquely briny characteristics. I have found a new favorite.
 

Melensdad

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OH MY GOODNESS OH MY GOODNESS we have a battle tonight. The TITANS are battling the GODS with this match up.

JEFFERSON RESERVE versus JEFFERSON OCEAN.

Both of these bourbons hover at/near the top of my favorite list just about every single day, both are awesome, the RESERVE is a bargain at about $50 and the OCEAN is a bargain at roughly $80, albeit it a more expensive bargain.

It should be noted that the folks behind JEFFERSON don't actually distill their bourbons, they buy them and then blend, continue to age, or otherwise alter them in some way. And they are masters at doing so.

Upon first sniff, the OCEAN hints at briny and savory complexity without any alcohol harshness on the nose. RESERVE does give off some alcohol but is also complex to the nose with a mixture of flavors.

Sipping the OCEAN is a treat, it goes in sweet and savory at the front, you do pick up hints of salt. But it finishes off peppery at the back of the mouth and goes down smoothly with a warming glow, not a burn, at the bottom. Its just so damn good.

Tipping back the RESERVE and it too is something to savor. A bit less savory at the front, not quite the complexity of the OCEAN, add in a slight bit of mouth tingle on the finish with a peppery finish and a bit more of a hint of burn. Its just so darn good.

Clearly I have a favorite between these two bourbon when drinking them neat and its name is OCEAN.

There was a bit more bourbon in each glass after my 'neat' sampling than normal so I dropped slightly larger ice cubes into each than I normally do, trying to keep the proportions consistent. Letting the ice cubes in each glass melt a bit I picked up the JEFFERSON OCEAN first and the peppery flavors became more noticeable and moved up front. Switching to the JEFFERSON RESERVE and it has smoothed out a bit more with the addition of the melting ice cube.

Damn these are both good.

TITANS versus GODS. The RESERVE is clearly the lesser drink, the Titan in this fight, but its not lesser by much and the price is about half of that of the OCEAN so its clearly the value pick. The OCEAN is an astonishing good bourbon and is worth every penny of the nearly $85 (with tax) I paid for the bottle, heck I may go and try to get another bottle if they will sell it to me.



VERDICT of this showdown:
UNDECIDED​
Or maybe too good to decide and I just need to drink more of these 2 bourbons.
A lot more.
Often.
Even if in moderation.
 

Melensdad

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Well, after sleeping on it last night I have come to a decision about the battle royale between JEFFERSON RESERVE and JEFFERSON OCEAN

The answer is that OCEAN is the more serious bourbon, best when drinking alone by a fire pit and contemplating the world, searching the skies for an elusive comet or planet or with a good buddy and discussing some life changing event, perhaps a celebration or even a toast to a departed loved one. Its too special for most times. Its a serious drink, maybe even a somber drink, but its not one for parties where people may not appreciate its subtle flavors and its certainly waisted if used as a mixer.

The RESERVE is great when you are all alone, but probably would be better to celebrate with a group of friends, perhaps the last night at fish camp, or a toast to a graduate, even to a wedding, when you are with a groups of people. Use it as a 'mixer' and you will get someone to tell you that you are an idiot, but it would probably make a hell of a Whiskey Sour, or an Old Fashioned. Just don't mess it up with fruits and froth.
 

Melensdad

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Tomorrow a friend is bringing me a bottle of TEMPERANCE TRADER Barrel Strength Bourbon. Its a 'high rye' bourbon and, being a barrel strength, its also high alcohol so it may need to be diluted a bit to be drinkable neat. Its also an Indiana bourbon, distilled in Lawrenceburg, but then shipped to Portland, Oregon's Bull Run Distilling Company for finishing, it is a fairly common practice for bourbons to be sourced and bought, then aged, altered or blended under another brand name. Probably one of the very best known is Jefferson, which sells some astounding bourbons.

High rye tends to be a bit more peppery than wheated bourbons, which tend to be a bit sweeter and, or mellower. Makers Mark is probably the best known of the wheated bourbons and Pappy Van Winkle, arguably the best bourbon available is a whetted bourbon. But generally rye bourbons are more common than wheated bourbons.
 

Melensdad

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Had several friends stop by the cigar lounge and had several bourbons to taste and share.

TEMPERANCE TRADERS, distilled in Indiana, finished in Portland, OR.
JOURNEYMAN, distilled in Indiana, finished in Three Oaks, MI.
JEFFERSON RESERVE, origins unknown.

First off it was a universal belief among all those who tried all 3 bourbons that the JOURNEYMAN bourbon is harsh. Some people were kind and said it was drinkable, but that was about the highest compliment. Basically it was not well received by anyone and nobody actually thought it was good, or even marginal.

TEMPERANCE TRADERS was generally considered to be very good. This bourbon had not been previously reviewed. It is a "barrel proof" bourbon so each shipment will be a slightly different proof, and that proof will be noted on the bottles. Generally "barrel proof" bourbons will be between 110 and 120 proof.

I think 1 person chose TEMPERANCE TRADERS as the best of the 3 bourbons, if that person didn't consider it the best, he certainly was very complimentary of the brand. But overall, everyone liked it, nobody disliked it. Despite it being a much higher proof, it was not harsh, nor did it have substantial alcohol aroma, nor did it have substantial alcohol burn. People noted tones of almond, vanilla and caramel in the flavor. People noted it was sweet at the front and that it didn't finish harsh or overly spicy. It is a "high rye" with 25% rye in the mash, but didn't have the high spice that many find in high rye blends, possibly because its also 65% corn? It was honestly a very smooth bourbon that, despite being over 110 proof, could be sipped neat. Adding a few drops of water tamed down anything that anyone found objectionable (and there wasn't much to find objectionable). So letting a single ice cube melt a bit would be advised to anyone who might choose to mellow it. At $39.99 a bottle it is certainly priced very nicely for what it delivers.

JEFFERSON RESERVE was very well received by everyone and with 1 possible exception it was clearly the top choice of all the testers as their bourbon of choice in this test. As this has been previously reviewed, no further comments necessary.


---------------------- and then -------------------​


A few days after the above testing I flew down to New Orleans for the weekend, stayed at the Windsor Court Hotel (I highly recommend this hotel if you go to NOLA).

If you stay on the club level floors they provide a complimentary bar. Among many other things, they stocked 3 bourbons: Makers Mark, Jim Beam (white) and Jack Daniels (which is legally a bourbon by definition). I'm not a fan of Beam white label and JD, while technically a bourbon, is a bit harsh to my taste.

So while I was down there I was drinking free Makers Mark bourbon. Really hard to complain about Makers Mark. Reasonably priced and easy to drink. Its a "wheated" bourbon, as I mentioned previously and that cuts down the peppery sharpness that is found in the "rye" bourbons. All bourbons have no less than 51% corn, but after that the second ingredient is typically either rye or wheat. Makers Mark is the most common wheated bourbon, Jim Beam is probably the most common with rye bourbon.
 

Melensdad

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WOODFORD RESERVE versus MAKERS MARK

I'm not generally a big fan of the major brand bourbons but they didn't get to be big sellers by producing junk and honestly some of them are pretty darn good, despite the fact that I'd prefer to find a micro-distiller who crafts their products in small batches. Still, it makes sense, in a thread like this to throw up a couple big brands and see what they are, how they compare. And with these 2 brands we are comparing apples to oranges because they are very different bourbons.


WOODFORD RESERVE hits your nose with a punch of vanilla, some spice, some oak and a bit of alcohol, its complex to the nose and gives you, what you hope, is a prelude of what is to come. With the MAKERS MARK the aroma is more of alcohol than anything else, it overpowers the background aromas; it contains none of the complexity of the WOODFORD RESERVE since the alcohol just overwhelms. Based on aroma alone, the clear choice would be the WOODRFORD RESERVER, it simply smells wonderful.

But when it comes to flavors, the MAKERS MARK scores with nice soft tones. Its a little sweet on the front and when it finishes it stays smooth. There is a little burn on the way down but not much, and the burn is gone before it hits your belly. Straight up the MAKERS MARK is a bourbon that has some upfront sweetness and is mellow enough for drinking straight up in the evenings.

Switching over to the WOODFORD RESERVE and its a much different type of bourbon, rougher around the edges, with some strong oak flavor on the finish that can be somewhat acerbic. This is a drink that finishes strong and bold. Its not as sweet at the front, its got a mild burn going down but, as with MAKERS MARK its not a strong burn.

Adding a single cube of ice to each and letting both melt down a little bit I pick up the MAKERS MARK first. Not that it needed to tame down, but the melted cube certainly eliminated the mild burn as it went down. But while the burn was all but gone, it seemed to pick up a little sharpness and peppery spice at the back of the mouth on the finish. What was a great easy to drink bourbon is even easier to drink on the rocks (or in this case, with just a single cube).

Switching to the WOODFORD RESERVE and the melted ice cube, the finish has less oak but still seems acerbic and spicy and the mild burn remains. I don't think the ice tamed this drink, it may have altered it, but its not tamed down any.

WINNER of this match up is easy. Its MAKERS MARK. I think its better straight up and I think its better with ice. So no split decision, no hard choices. I'm not saying the WOODFORD RESERVE is a bad bourbon, its not, but its not a bourbon that that I'm particularly fond of nor is it to my tastes, which tend to favor a smoother softer bourbon. If you like WOODFORD RESERVE then you probably also like JACK DANIELS. I'm not a JACK fan either.
 
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