The American bourbon scene is very confusing. There are a few big distillers that sell to a plethora of bottlers. Everyone is trying to cash in on the "little independant" company vibe. Even Pappy Van Winkle (can't wait for your review), calls itself a distillery (Old Rip Van Winkle Distillers), but they're now bottling Buffalo Trace bourbon (except the 23 yo, which is still Stitzel-Weller). And, to make things more confusing, some "craft distillers" are also bottling/blending other whisky.
Any plans for a Jack Daniels Single Barrel review? I noticed you did a Gentleman Jack a while back with a mention to Old No. 7. I typically agree with you, but in regards to Jack, I actually like the Original better than the Gentleman. I find the twice charcoal filtering in the Gentleman, while removes more impurities, also removes some of the flavor. Anyway... would love to see you taste the Single Barrel ...and I'd still like to see you get your hands on 1792 Ridgemont Reserve
Ralfy, Excellent review and some Scottish truth at the end there! I like you are out of Glascow. Next time you go by the cathedral check out the Bobbie call box.. My Great, great grandfathers name is in there. Fox is the last name... Cheers cousin! Bruce
Ralfy, I noticed your comment about sour mash imparting a citrus flavor. How does that work? I thought sour mash was a consistency-related process of adding backset mash to subsequent batches, all at the fermentation stage rather than distillation. Can something that's akin to the "starter" process with sourdough bread really impart a flavor, post-distillation? Thanks!
For every little craft American distiller trying to do things the hard way with their own still, their own labor, their own spirits, there's ten more cash grabs who just buy (usually immature) stock from a factory, sell it on to the fashionable petite bourgeois with a fancy package, and quietly promise (if asked) that they'll start actually making their own stuff one day (maybe). It breaks my heart. KBD isn't even the worst culprit, as they've been around forever and still sell decent stuff.
If you can find another bottle of this or any other Willett product, it's no longer a sourced whiskey. They use their own distillate now. The new Rowan's Creek and the 4 year rye are excellent, though you shouldn't pass up Noah's Mill either. The new version of Rowan's Creek is very much a dessert whiskey. Chocolate, vanilla, caramel, coffee, and rye baking spice mainly.
You got to tell me where you got that jacket. Would love to get one. Also, in three weeks time I'll be either getting a bottle of Hibiki 21 or Yamazaki 18...leaning towards Hibiki. Whick would you get? Cheers.
Ralfy do you think that if Rowans 50+% AbV was lowered, to a place where any complexity would not be drown by such a nip. I know is not conventional but it may be just out of balance perhaps w/some nice wood.
hi Ralfy. Nice bourbon reviews. i got from a friend a bottle of Glenfarclas 21yo, what do you think about this single malt? what mark would you give it? thanks
Hey, what I suggest you do is get yourself a fairly cheap bottle of Bourbon, Scotch, Cognac, Rye, and whatever else interests you. Then what you do is carefully and slowly taste each one and see what you like. I'll tell you now that your tastes will probably change a lot in a few years. Mine did. You have a whole world of taste ahead of you, enjoy!
Ralfy, I noticed the same thing about the "bottling" of this bourbon a month or so ago. Know what? I didn't buy it. Cute name, 'Rowan's Creek', but not enough to make me part with my money. By the way, why do they call themselves distillers? What exactly are they distilling?
Mate, I just want to thank you for the amazing reviews. I do a lot of staff training in the bar I work at in NYC, and it's extremely helpful to hear your perspective on products and the whisky industry in general. Keep it up!
Good comments. Misinformation and point of distillation "sleight of hand" in the bourbon industry is indeed harmful to its reputation (and Chuck Cowdery has written about this many times), just as the same case can be made with NAS labelling (which provides NO age information) harming whisk(e)y in general. According to Wiki, bourbon that is labeled as "straight bourbon" that has been aged less than four years must be labeled with the duration of its aging. I don't know about other types.
Greatstuff Ralfy!! that's the 1st time I can remember that you spoke exactly from the heart no polish or bias! Its really good to see you get in the face of the ones who may be a little misguided in their approach to us little guys,the consumers & it doesn't matter be it Scotch Bourbon or whatever. Some of us, sure...shoot from the hip time to time but to call it what it is, is our only intention. Just to have seen it tonite, the passion, shows us you do care about the truth. Thankyou. Peace
As far as I know, here in New Zealand the only Bourbon we get bottled at less than 40 per cent is Woodstock, which is horrible. I know we don't get Beam or any of the big names like that watered down, but in Australia they get Beam at a lower strength (at least the white label).
Hello Ralfy q. In your experience what has been the most 'aromatic whiskey' that you've tasted you k ow the ones that really left an impression on you? Thanks Ralfy
Ralfy, some of your flavor descriptions are unclear to me. like, what is cinnamon rock, cola cubes, stewed tea, cherry stones etc? thanks. love your reviews and especially your rants on the industry!
I have really enjoyed your bourbon reviews. I am usually quite sceptical on reviews on line, however........I have enjoyed several of the bourbons that you have shared online, and find your opinions "spot on". good show Ralphy,
In case you were wondering Ralfy, present speculation is that KBD is bottling Heaven Hill bourbon. Since Heaven Hill uses the rather industrial Bernheim Distillery (original Heaven Hill distillery having burned down in 1996), it's likely they make more than they need so the surplus is sold off to KBD. Incidentally, the Bernheim distillery was built by UD when they still had an interest in American whiskey but they sold the place to Heaven Hill in 1999.
There's a whole bunch of older 100% ryes out there in the US, all from the same source and with pricing having no relation to the quality. Spoiler alert: so far as I can tell, they're all just independent bottlings of Alberta Premium stock. Which would be just fine, except for the pricing and the obfuscation. How's about a review of an older Alberta Premium rather than any of the fakers?
I'd be interested in hearing more from Ralfy too. The thing I enjoy most about his videos is when he starts to talk about the industry. The tasting notes are helpful, but I really enjoy the other stuff more.
I think the thing about Bourbon is that it is more about the recipe instead of the stills. The flavour of scotch comes overwhelmingly down to the stills at the distillery. I am sure Rowan's Creek has their own recipe while other Bourbons at the distillery have different recipes.
Right now, the craze in the bourbon community is single barrel cask-strength bourbon. It allows a wider variety of nuance between bottlings and allows the drinker to brign the proof down to taste by adding distilled water.
...seriously your UA-cam banner is greatstuff Ralfy! looks like sitting in the pub watching a soccer game on the wide-screen telly, resigned to the fact that your gonna loose a few quid on this match :)...
You're right it is important to differentiate, kind of like automobile companies. My favourite from Trace has to be George T. Stagg with most of their releases around 71% ABV. Kentucky Bourbon Distillers (KBD) or Willett has only fired up their own stills earlier this year. Also, there are not many commercial volume Bourbon/Rye whisky distillers in the US compared to say Scotland with their Scotch and Grain.
I agree that bottling the same spirit in different packages at different prices is not good. It's important to differentiate, IMO, that a lot of bourbons are distilled by the same company using **different mashbills specific to those brands.** A good example would be all the different bourbons from Buffalo Trace, who produce not only their namesake, but Van Winkle, Eagle Rare, W.L. Weller, etc.
They just don't distill it theirselves, but leave it to a couple of big distileries which have the infrastructure. For instance Pappy Van Winkle have their unique recipe, but it is distilled at buffalo Trace, and before that at Stitzel-Weller. And Whistle Pig rye whiskey isn't distilled at Whisle Pig farm either, just bottled there. And they are both top shelve whiskys as far as I'm concerned. So to me, they don't misinform, since they are all completely different spirits. Cheers
Love your reviews Ralfy, and I've learned a lot from your channel, but imho think you dropped the ball here when talking about independent bottlers having their spirit distilled somewhre else. It's not like they produce one volume of whiskey and then put different names on it. Each bottler, each brand has it's own mashbill, it's own yeast recipe, it's own degree of toasting/charring,...
Hello Ralfy! I got me the Bowmore 12yo today, and I noticed that you have reviewed the Tempest 10yo , but not the 12yo one. I'm sure you have had it though, and I thought maybe you'd like to share your opinion of it with us. I'm also starting my first Solera bottle soon. I got a bottle of Cardhu 12yo (great looking bottle, great whisky), and when I only have one or two drams left, I'm planning on filling up the bottle halfway with Lauder's, and then maybe add some Bowmore as well. Thoughts?
Ralfy, we love your vlogs. Keep 'em coming. Have to comment on the humor of a man in Scotland running short of water. A fine irony, that. Also, I feel a little guilty... whilst watching a Bourbon review, my mate was drinking Ardbeg and I was drinking Aberlour. We live close to Tenn.Shame on us. OTOH, hope you are planning some Balcones from Texas. Later...
The rye industry is particularly guilty of misleading provenance. A plethora of branded ryes all come from a single distillery in Indiana. Whistle Pig rye comes from a Canadian distillery, but their marketing does everything possible to hide that fact. The Whistle Pig bottling facility claims to have plans to distill their own spirit in the future, but they still don't have a distilling license. I like their rye, but their misleading methods leave a bad taste in my mouth.
KBD now distills their own spirits, but the distillery is new, so until it's been up and running for 7+ years, they have to source their product from elsewhere.
KBD actully ahs a new distillery in bardstown, but it has only been open for less than a year. they've been sourcing their bourbon thus far, and will continue to do so until their own distillery is up and running. It's very difficult for a new company to start in bobon, because unless they source product from another distiller, it will be 7+ years before they start to see any revenue on their own product, and that's just not financially feasible as a busines venture. KBD has bought their whiskies from 2 sources: LBD in Lawrenceburgh, Indiana, and Heaven Hill's Bernheim distillery in Louisville, KY. Any of the "Kentucky" products are made at Bernheim at the moment. It's not uncommon...distilling is very expensive...in order to start producign bourbon, a company has to lay out a lot of money to make it, then pay a lot of money to warehouse it, and then wait 7 years until they can start selling it and earning revenues. Many of the distillers produce under multiple names because they've either contracted with another company to do so (Buffalo Trace making Pappy Van Winkle, for instance), or they've purchased other existing labels and continueto make and sell them. Other distillers just use new names for new bourbons they release using new mash bills, aging locations, techniques, etc. There are a good number of newer distilleries that are coming on line or will be soon in Kentucky. Many of those producers have to sorce their bourbon elsewhere until that new distillate is aged long enough to bring to market.
Aussies are better off opting for Scotch over Bourbon. Plus...Aussie beer imported to the U.S. is not the same as the piss they drink Down Under. They adulterate it somehow, possibly with formaldehyde, and the flavor suffers. The consumer needs to get this information. And when I say consumer, I mean the writhing multitude of drinkers out there, not just the clever 'n' dashing viewers who watch Ralfy's vlogs.
I enjoy the review, but honestly that's a huge list of possible flavors for oak/corn/wheat/barley. It's good to see bourbon becoming A Thing, but the closer it gets to the pretentiousness of wine, the further you're getting from the corn. Bourbon/Whiskey seem to be on an inexorable trajectory toward wine silliness.
Interesting, never associated this with Elijah Craig, I found Rowan's Creek to be drier & spicier on the palate, even after adding a bit of water. Either way, Elijah Craig is a great one. I finally got my hands on some of the Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (at retail, no less!) and it is outstanding
Hey Ralfy! I love your channel Instant sub for me. I just turn 21 in July and was given some scotch whiskey called "Glen Ranoch" it has a deer on it and states it's a special reserve not sure if that matters. I would love if you could do a review of it because I can't find anything on it anywhere. Another suggestion would be St. George Bourbon whiskey from california.
I like Jack because of the charcoal filtering. I also don't compare it to Kentucky Straight Bourbons because both are good in their own rights. I have many different bottles of bourbons in my collection. Jim never was a friend of mine. But Jack ... he and I go way back.
You see when u have Alchemy on your side u have the benefit of both chemistry & all the smoke and mirrors u can fit N2 a barrel. thro n a measur of Madison Ave and u got yorsrlf a short term success. "get it now b4 its gon!" a special 1-off bottling, on &on (ad nauzym). Iv tasted sum old stuf that frankly wasn't worth a dime. &a mor than a few of these ol bottles reside in collectors cabs. Hype and Alchemy....at their finest! that's it!!!
Ralfy : when you are done reviewing Bourbon's., malt mension for Passport scotch whiskey. very simple and quality scotch for the money. I will love to hear your opinion.
Nice review, Ralfy. I'd stick with Elijah Craig. Most likely the same juice with an age statement and cheaper! But even that says "bottled by the Elijah Craig Distillery" when it's bottled by Heaven Hill. The plethora of DBAs that each distillery or independent bottler has does make it challenging to get past all the smoke and mirrors. More transparency is always welcome. But if I feel uncomfortable about not knowing where a bourbon comes from, I just don't buy it. Too much good juice out there!
Ralfy, you are spot on with your take on where bourbons are bottled. I can't agree with you more; distillers should be more honest and straight forward. Thanks for the review.
The American bourbon scene is very confusing. There are a few big distillers that sell to a plethora of bottlers. Everyone is trying to cash in on the "little independant" company vibe. Even Pappy Van Winkle (can't wait for your review), calls itself a distillery (Old Rip Van Winkle Distillers), but they're now bottling Buffalo Trace bourbon (except the 23 yo, which is still Stitzel-Weller). And, to make things more confusing, some "craft distillers" are also bottling/blending other whisky.
Any plans for a Jack Daniels Single Barrel review? I noticed you did a Gentleman Jack a while back with a mention to Old No. 7. I typically agree with you, but in regards to Jack, I actually like the Original better than the Gentleman. I find the twice charcoal filtering in the Gentleman, while removes more impurities, also removes some of the flavor. Anyway... would love to see you taste the Single Barrel
...and I'd still like to see you get your hands on 1792 Ridgemont Reserve
Ralfy,
Excellent review and some Scottish truth at the end there!
I like you are out of Glascow. Next time you go by the cathedral check out the Bobbie call box..
My Great, great grandfathers name is in there. Fox is the last name...
Cheers cousin!
Bruce
Ralfy, I noticed your comment about sour mash imparting a citrus flavor. How does that work? I thought sour mash was a consistency-related process of adding backset mash to subsequent batches, all at the fermentation stage rather than distillation. Can something that's akin to the "starter" process with sourdough bread really impart a flavor, post-distillation? Thanks!
For every little craft American distiller trying to do things the hard way with their own still, their own labor, their own spirits, there's ten more cash grabs who just buy (usually immature) stock from a factory, sell it on to the fashionable petite bourgeois with a fancy package, and quietly promise (if asked) that they'll start actually making their own stuff one day (maybe). It breaks my heart. KBD isn't even the worst culprit, as they've been around forever and still sell decent stuff.
If you can find another bottle of this or any other Willett product, it's no longer a sourced whiskey. They use their own distillate now. The new Rowan's Creek and the 4 year rye are excellent, though you shouldn't pass up Noah's Mill either. The new version of Rowan's Creek is very much a dessert whiskey. Chocolate, vanilla, caramel, coffee, and rye baking spice mainly.
You got to tell me where you got that jacket. Would love to get one. Also, in three weeks time I'll be either getting a bottle of Hibiki 21 or Yamazaki 18...leaning towards Hibiki. Whick would you get? Cheers.
Are the videos purposely being posted out of order? This is the newest video, but I just watched you review Willets and it's labeled review number 391
Ralfy do you think that if Rowans 50+% AbV was lowered, to a place where any complexity would not be drown by such a nip.
I know is not conventional but it may be just out of balance perhaps w/some nice wood.
hi Ralfy. Nice bourbon reviews.
i got from a friend a bottle of Glenfarclas 21yo, what do you think about this single malt?
what mark would you give it?
thanks
Hey, what I suggest you do is get yourself a fairly cheap bottle of Bourbon, Scotch, Cognac, Rye, and whatever else interests you. Then what you do is carefully and slowly taste each one and see what you like. I'll tell you now that your tastes will probably change a lot in a few years. Mine did. You have a whole world of taste ahead of you, enjoy!
Ralfy, I noticed the same thing about the "bottling" of this bourbon a month or so ago. Know what? I didn't buy it. Cute name, 'Rowan's Creek', but not enough to make me part with my money. By the way, why do they call themselves distillers? What exactly are they distilling?
Mate, I just want to thank you for the amazing reviews. I do a lot of staff training in the bar I work at in NYC, and it's extremely helpful to hear your perspective on products and the whisky industry in general. Keep it up!
Good comments. Misinformation and point of distillation "sleight of hand" in the bourbon industry is indeed harmful to its reputation (and Chuck Cowdery has written about this many times), just as the same case can be made with NAS labelling (which provides NO age information) harming whisk(e)y in general.
According to Wiki, bourbon that is labeled as "straight bourbon" that has been aged less than four years must be labeled with the duration of its aging. I don't know about other types.
Greatstuff Ralfy!!
that's the 1st time I can remember that you spoke exactly from the heart no polish or bias! Its really good to see you get in the face of the ones who may be a little misguided in their approach to us little guys,the consumers & it doesn't matter be it Scotch Bourbon or whatever. Some of us, sure...shoot from the hip time to time but to call it what it is, is our only intention. Just to have seen it tonite, the passion, shows us you do care about the truth. Thankyou.
Peace
Do any of the scotch whisky distillers employ a "sour mash" process, or is each batch of mash created with "new" yeast?
As far as I know, here in New Zealand the only Bourbon we get bottled at less than 40 per cent is Woodstock, which is horrible. I know we don't get Beam or any of the big names like that watered down, but in Australia they get Beam at a lower strength (at least the white label).
Hello Ralfy q. In your experience what has been the most 'aromatic whiskey' that you've tasted you k ow the ones that really left an impression on you?
Thanks Ralfy
Ralfy, some of your flavor descriptions are unclear to me. like, what is cinnamon rock, cola cubes, stewed tea, cherry stones etc? thanks. love your reviews and especially your rants on the industry!
You should give Jim Beam black label a shot. Many people enjoy it more than Jack Daniels.
Oh well. No worries. Out of order whiskey reviews are better than no review.
I have really enjoyed your bourbon reviews.
I am usually quite sceptical on reviews on line, however........I have enjoyed several of the bourbons that you have shared online, and find your opinions "spot on".
good show Ralphy,
In case you were wondering Ralfy, present speculation is that KBD is bottling Heaven Hill bourbon. Since Heaven Hill uses the rather industrial Bernheim Distillery (original Heaven Hill distillery having burned down in 1996), it's likely they make more than they need so the surplus is sold off to KBD. Incidentally, the Bernheim distillery was built by UD when they still had an interest in American whiskey but they sold the place to Heaven Hill in 1999.
There's a whole bunch of older 100% ryes out there in the US, all from the same source and with pricing having no relation to the quality. Spoiler alert: so far as I can tell, they're all just independent bottlings of Alberta Premium stock. Which would be just fine, except for the pricing and the obfuscation. How's about a review of an older Alberta Premium rather than any of the fakers?
I'd be interested in hearing more from Ralfy too. The thing I enjoy most about his videos is when he starts to talk about the industry. The tasting notes are helpful, but I really enjoy the other stuff more.
I think the thing about Bourbon is that it is more about the recipe instead of the stills. The flavour of scotch comes overwhelmingly down to the stills at the distillery. I am sure Rowan's Creek has their own recipe while other Bourbons at the distillery have different recipes.
Right now, the craze in the bourbon community is single barrel cask-strength bourbon. It allows a wider variety of nuance between bottlings and allows the drinker to brign the proof down to taste by adding distilled water.
I love the banner on your youtube channel page. Pretty awesome.
Thanks ralfy always so much to learn from you. Ever thought of putting all this information in a book?
...seriously your UA-cam banner is greatstuff Ralfy!
looks like sitting in the pub watching a soccer game on the wide-screen telly, resigned to the fact that your gonna loose a few quid on this match :)...
Excellent stuff as always Ralfie.!! Keep it up.
You're right it is important to differentiate, kind of like automobile companies.
My favourite from Trace has to be George T. Stagg with most of their releases around 71% ABV. Kentucky Bourbon Distillers (KBD) or Willett has only fired up their own stills earlier this year.
Also, there are not many commercial volume Bourbon/Rye whisky distillers in the US compared to say Scotland with their Scotch and Grain.
Ralfy, check your review numbering, 389, 391, 390 1/2 etc, not exactly chronological :)
I agree that bottling the same spirit in different packages at different prices is not good.
It's important to differentiate, IMO, that a lot of bourbons are distilled by the same company using **different mashbills specific to those brands.** A good example would be all the different bourbons from Buffalo Trace, who produce not only their namesake, but Van Winkle, Eagle Rare, W.L. Weller, etc.
Hey ralfy how about a review of where your from and what pubs you frequent and introducing locals?
You using a different mic, or camera for your last few reviews? Sound quality has improved.
They just don't distill it theirselves, but leave it to a couple of big distileries which have the infrastructure. For instance Pappy Van Winkle have their unique recipe, but it is distilled at buffalo Trace, and before that at Stitzel-Weller. And Whistle Pig rye whiskey isn't distilled at Whisle Pig farm either, just bottled there. And they are both top shelve whiskys as far as I'm concerned. So to me, they don't misinform, since they are all completely different spirits. Cheers
Love your reviews Ralfy, and I've learned a lot from your channel, but imho think you dropped the ball here when talking about independent bottlers having their spirit distilled somewhre else. It's not like they produce one volume of whiskey and then put different names on it. Each bottler, each brand has it's own mashbill, it's own yeast recipe, it's own degree of toasting/charring,...
Hello Ralfy! I got me the Bowmore 12yo today, and I noticed that you have reviewed the Tempest 10yo , but not the 12yo one. I'm sure you have had it though, and I thought maybe you'd like to share your opinion of it with us.
I'm also starting my first Solera bottle soon. I got a bottle of Cardhu 12yo (great looking bottle, great whisky), and when I only have one or two drams left, I'm planning on filling up the bottle halfway with Lauder's, and then maybe add some Bowmore as well.
Thoughts?
Ralfy, we love your vlogs. Keep 'em coming. Have to comment on the humor of a man in Scotland running short of water. A fine irony, that. Also, I feel a little guilty... whilst watching a Bourbon review, my mate was drinking Ardbeg and I was drinking Aberlour. We live close to Tenn.Shame on us. OTOH, hope you are planning some Balcones from Texas. Later...
The rye industry is particularly guilty of misleading provenance. A plethora of branded ryes all come from a single distillery in Indiana. Whistle Pig rye comes from a Canadian distillery, but their marketing does everything possible to hide that fact. The Whistle Pig bottling facility claims to have plans to distill their own spirit in the future, but they still don't have a distilling license. I like their rye, but their misleading methods leave a bad taste in my mouth.
KBD now distills their own spirits, but the distillery is new, so until it's been up and running for 7+ years, they have to source their product from elsewhere.
KBD actully ahs a new distillery in bardstown, but it has only been open for less than a year. they've been sourcing their bourbon thus far, and will continue to do so until their own distillery is up and running. It's very difficult for a new company to start in bobon, because unless they source product from another distiller, it will be 7+ years before they start to see any revenue on their own product, and that's just not financially feasible as a busines venture.
KBD has bought their whiskies from 2 sources: LBD in Lawrenceburgh, Indiana, and Heaven Hill's Bernheim distillery in Louisville, KY. Any of the "Kentucky" products are made at Bernheim at the moment.
It's not uncommon...distilling is very expensive...in order to start producign bourbon, a company has to lay out a lot of money to make it, then pay a lot of money to warehouse it, and then wait 7 years until they can start selling it and earning revenues.
Many of the distillers produce under multiple names because they've either contracted with another company to do so (Buffalo Trace making Pappy Van Winkle, for instance), or they've purchased other existing labels and continueto make and sell them.
Other distillers just use new names for new bourbons they release using new mash bills, aging locations, techniques, etc. There are a good number of newer distilleries that are coming on line or will be soon in Kentucky. Many of those producers have to sorce their bourbon elsewhere until that new distillate is aged long enough to bring to market.
Aussies are better off opting for Scotch over Bourbon. Plus...Aussie beer imported to the U.S. is not the same as the piss they drink Down Under. They adulterate it somehow, possibly with formaldehyde, and the flavor suffers. The consumer needs to get this information. And when I say consumer, I mean the writhing multitude of drinkers out there, not just the clever 'n' dashing viewers who watch Ralfy's vlogs.
I enjoy the review, but honestly that's a huge list of possible flavors for oak/corn/wheat/barley. It's good to see bourbon becoming A Thing, but the closer it gets to the pretentiousness of wine, the further you're getting from the corn. Bourbon/Whiskey seem to be on an inexorable trajectory toward wine silliness.
Interesting, never associated this with Elijah Craig, I found Rowan's Creek to be drier & spicier on the palate, even after adding a bit of water.
Either way, Elijah Craig is a great one. I finally got my hands on some of the Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (at retail, no less!) and it is outstanding
Hey Ralfy! I love your channel Instant sub for me. I just turn 21 in July and was given some scotch whiskey called "Glen Ranoch" it has a deer on it and states it's a special reserve not sure if that matters. I would love if you could do a review of it because I can't find anything on it anywhere. Another suggestion would be St. George Bourbon whiskey from california.
Yor certainly ryt Ralfy!! "Perception is Reality" n jus putting on a different hat w ea. brand is deceiving @ best
I like Jack because of the charcoal filtering. I also don't compare it to Kentucky Straight Bourbons because both are good in their own rights. I have many different bottles of bourbons in my collection. Jim never was a friend of mine. But Jack ... he and I go way back.
You see when u have Alchemy on your side u have the benefit of both chemistry & all the smoke and mirrors u can fit N2 a barrel. thro n a measur of Madison Ave and u got yorsrlf a short term success. "get it now b4 its gon!" a special 1-off bottling, on &on (ad nauzym). Iv tasted sum old stuf that frankly wasn't worth a dime. &a mor than a few of these ol bottles reside in collectors cabs. Hype and Alchemy....at their finest!
that's it!!!
Ralfy : when you are done reviewing Bourbon's., malt mension for Passport scotch whiskey. very simple and quality scotch for the money. I will love to hear your opinion.
Nice review, Ralfy. I'd stick with Elijah Craig. Most likely the same juice with an age statement and cheaper! But even that says "bottled by the Elijah Craig Distillery" when it's bottled by Heaven Hill. The plethora of DBAs that each distillery or independent bottler has does make it challenging to get past all the smoke and mirrors. More transparency is always welcome. But if I feel uncomfortable about not knowing where a bourbon comes from, I just don't buy it. Too much good juice out there!
Willet products are all similar. I just was there 2 days ago. Fair whiskey but not outstanding.
WOODFORD reserve!!!!!!!!!!!!!
37% is a joke......
Hey Ralfy, thanks for the great reviews. How can we viewers donate a little to help you accumulate more to review. Thanks
Ralfy, you are spot on with your take on where bourbons are bottled. I can't agree with you more; distillers should be more honest and straight forward. Thanks for the review.
Smart man your and love the videos!