Bourbon.

[gnatty8]

I'm with you on that preference. I've actually found about 20 years in oak is the max and then bourbon becomes bitter. I posted here somewhere about my Orphan Barrels and that the older they get the harder they are to drink.

Yeah, I was both shocked and disappointed when I came to this conclusion. I bought myself a bottle of the 23 year old for Christmas in 2012. It had been sitting atop the shelf at the liquor store 1/4 mile from my house on Kingston Pike in Knoxville, gathering dust right next to the 2 bottles of 20 year old I had not yet bought, lol. Priced at $249. That was more than I wanted to pay, but I loved the 15 and 20, so splurged. It was just too damn woody and oaky and you nailed it, bitter for me. It's like there was a sweet spot between 20 and 23 years that had been crossed over. I finished it, but never tempted to buy again. Pio, I actually remember you and I burning up this thread years ago in those good old days when those bottles were still widely available. Those were the ******* days.

 

[Girardian]

My experience with the 23 and 20 Pappy's are inverted -- I found the 20 to be *woodier* than the 23. These were tanked at different times, and barrels were cullled through, but the 23 has always been something I wish I'd purchased, even when it seemed "too expensive" at $250+.

However my bourbon sweet spot is about 15 years.

 

[venividivicibj]

However my bourbon sweet spot is about 15 years.

For scotch I like 15-18 as well. Anything over that, all I taste is the barrel.

 

[Piobaire]

The Forged Oak is nice but the Barterhouse is perfect. The Rhetoric was way too woody.

 

[Girardian]

For scotch I like 15-18 as well. Anything over that, all I taste is the barrel.

I should give a range on bourbon of 12-15 years. Aging for bourbons is always "comparatively longer" than for scotch (based on the average temp at which the spirits are aged). My scotch sweetspot is typically 15-18 years.

However, these days I buy mostly independent bottlings or single barrel offerings, those can be brilliant at a host of ages outside my range (including on the younger side). Lately, I've been loving a 20YO Highland Park (Old Particular Bottling).

Also, I should say that my favorite Rye is Handy, which is young.

As with wine -- older does not necessarily mean better.

 

[Piobaire]

Can't remember if I've posted this find before. Wild Turkey bottling just to highlight the fact they have Matthew McConaughey as a spokesman. It's filtered through both oak and mesquite, Texas mesquite mind you, charcoal. Very smooth and I've gotten a couple bottles for $30.

 

[Lizard23]

Can't remember if I've posted this find before. Wild Turkey bottling just to highlight the fact they have Matthew McConaughey as a spokesman. It's filtered through both oak and mesquite, Texas mesquite mind you, charcoal. Very smooth and I've gotten a couple bottles for $30.

View attachment 1365561

you have and i picked it up on your rec. very good but more like 40 bucks around here.

 

[heldentenor]

15 has always gotten my vote of the lot. I used to get an invite to the annual flight tasting hosted by my liquor store of choice when I lived in Minnie. Miss those events. ;(

You left town? Sorry we never got to hang.

 

[Dusty Heaters]

You left town? Sorry we never got to hang.

It was my fault for being such a flake. Sad to leave Minnie, loved my tour, but the mothership always calls us back home.

 

[gnatty8]

I should give a range on bourbon of 12-15 years. Aging for bourbons is always "comparatively longer" than for scotch (based on the average temp at which the spirits are aged). My scotch sweetspot is typically 15-18 years.

However, these days I buy mostly independent bottlings or single barrel offerings, those can be brilliant at a host of ages outside my range (including on the younger side). Lately, I've been loving a 20YO Highland Park (Old Particular Bottling).

Also, I should say that my favorite Rye is Handy, which is young.

As with wine -- older does not necessarily mean better.

Correct, not necessarily better, but in my experience, in my most cases, better. Don't like the Handy rye personally, but a fan of Willett which is also very young.

 

[Piobaire]

On sale for $30 so I stocked up.

 

[gnatty8]

On sale for $30 so I stocked up.

View attachment 1366182

That good huh? OK, I'll need to grab one of these next week..

 

[Krish the Fish]

magnus pick for my local group today. Can’t complain about 12+ year MGP!

 

[sfo423]

The empty Woodford Reserve caught my eye. The double oak is underappreciated (IMO) and you can get for ~$40. A VG deal!

On sale for $30 so I stocked up.

View attachment 1366182

 

[heldentenor]

View attachment 1381358
magnus pick for my local group today. Can’t complain about 12+ year MGP!

Ours comes in next week and I can't wait.