Who's Drinkin'?????

kdstrick said:
I like you're style Texan... happy to share a State with a fella like you! :D

Question: Is the willet family reserve rye worth the $80? I do love their bourbon... never had the rye.

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Looks like it's time for a taste test!

The contestants are:

1. Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye (95.6 Proof)
2. Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye (2011ish, 128.6 Proof)
3. Willett Straight Rye Whiskey (110 Proof)
4. Sazerac Rye (90 Proof)
5. Rebel Yell Small Batch Rye (90 Proof)
6. Yellow Rose Straight Rye Whiskey (90 Proof)





Check back later for results.
 
JohnTheTexican said:


Looks like it's time for a taste test!

The contestants are:

1. Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye (95.6 Proof)
2. Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye (2011ish, 128.6 Proof)
3. Willett Straight Rye Whiskey (110 Proof)
4. Sazerac Rye (90 Proof)
5. Rebel Yell Small Batch Rye (90 Proof)
6. Yellow Rose Straight Rye Whiskey (90 Proof)





Check back later for results.
Click to expand...

Wow that's a beautiful collection. I have a bottle of that Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye but I've never tasted it. Of the rest I'd give it to the Sazerac barrel strength. That stuff is great.

You may want to add some of the High West Ryes. I especially enjoy the Rendezvous, but the taste may not be for everyone.
 
I originally had six selections because I only had 6 identical glasses. But the High West looked so lonely being the only Rye left on the shelf, so I found a similar glass. It just seemed wrong to leave it out. So here's the new lineup:




1. Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye (13YO, 95.6 Proof)

Suggested retail price: $80, but unavailable at that price. I didn't pay that much when I bought mine. Google says the market price now is about a thousand dollars a bottle. Insane.

Not much in the way of nose. Very smooth. Very little alcohol burn, despite the 95.6 proof. Nice nuttiness. A toasted coconut finish. Really outstanding. Adding a little water did nothing to improve this one. It should definitely be drunk neat.

Mrs. Texican rated this #1 by a lot. And she was absolutely right. Far and away the best.

2. Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye (2011ish, 128.6 Proof)

Perhaps $50 a bottle when I bought mine. Google says about $500 now, Also insane, and less justifiably so.

Not pleasant straight up. The alcohol burn overpowers everything. Better with a splash of water, but I'm still not tasting the "Christmas cake, allspice, coconut and clove" that I read about on the Buffalo Trace website.

Mrs. Texican rated this dead last. I don't know if I'd agree in absolute terms (I really don't like the High West), but certainly for the price.

3. Willett Straight Rye Whiskey (4YO, 110 Proof)

$42 at Spec's.

Smells nice. I think this one is not to be drunk neat. Mostly an alcohol burn with a flavor I don't find readily identifiable or particularly appealing. A rather bitter aftertaste. Also, the cork broke. A Glenmorangie cork made a suitable replacement.

Mrs. Texican liked this one a lot more than I did. She says it doesn't have that crazy aftertaste that the Thomas H. Handy has.

Mrs. Texican rated this a distant second, but reasonably ahead of #3.

4. Sazerac Rye (90 Proof)

$25 at Spec's.

I used to drink this like iced tea. Now it seems inoffensive and unimpressive.

Mrs. Texican rated this #5. She liked it better with a splash of water. Not as harsh as some of the others.

5. Rebel Yell Small Batch Rye (2YO, 90 Proof)

$22 at Specs.

Not bad straight up. Sweeter than the Willett. I liked this one. I did not think it was improved by a splash of water. This will be replacing Sazerac Rye as my go-to reasonably priced rye.

Mrs. Texican rated this #3, tied with Yellow Rose (but for significantly less money).

6. Yellow Rose Straight Rye Whiskey (90 Proof)

$40 at Specs.

Reasonably smooth, I guess, but nothing special. Even if it is "blended and bottled in Texas." I would pass on this one in favor of Sazerac Rye or Rebel Yell any day.

Mrs. Texican thought this one was smooth, but not as interesting as some of the others (particularly the Rebel Yell), and maybe a little flat on the palate. I didn't think a splash of water helped this one.

Mrs. Texican rated this #3, tied with Rebel Yell.


7. High West Whiskey Double Rye (92 Proof)

$35 at Spec's

For 92 proof, it sure has a lot of burn. I don't think water made it any better. I like this the least of all of them.

Mrs. Texican rated this rated this #5, tied with Sazerac Rye.



 
Interesting. I don't think I've ever heard anyone badmouth Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye. Of course I've never seen anyone drink it neat either; I've always had it with an ice cube.

As a side note, when alcohol is strong enough (like that barrel strength Sazerac) ice sinks in it.
 
I tried it with water and that didn't help much, so I tried adding ice. After the first ice cube melted, I added a second. As seen here;



I really want to like it, but it just doesn't seem to be getting any better. Perhaps I should be buying higher quality ice.

ETA: The first ice cube did indeed sink, for maybe half a minute or so.
 
Dagnabbit!

How could I have done a rye taste test and left out the one that James Murray (of "The Whisky Bible" fame) named the 2016 Whisky of the Year?

I saw this in Spec's (a Texas liquor store chain) a couple months ago and thought it looked interesting, so I picked up a bottle, which I brought home and forgot about. And then just minutes ago I saw an article about the 2016 edition of The Whisky Bible.



Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye (90 proof)

$30 at Specs.

Trying it straight up, I can't help but wonder what the fuss is about.

Mrs. Texican asked, "Did you add water? It tastes watered down."

I hadn't.

Then I added ice. It was better, but like Mrs. Texican said, it still tasted watered down.

It might be a good rye for people who don't really like whiskey and people who write whisky bibles, but I'd go for the Rebel Yell for more taste for less money.
 
Well, I don't have the high-dollar stuff, and I don't have photos, but I just finished off a bottle of Four Roses Single Barrel. I like it, it works for me. I might even rate it second to my favorite, Buffalo Trace Bourbon, the regular stuff. Unfortunately, that didn't finish me off, so now I'm finishing off a bottle of Jack Daniels Black Label. Like I said, no high-dollar stuff, but at least it's whiskey.
 
All Day IPA.

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Monkey Shoulder Blended Scotch Whisky here tonight. Surprisingly good, and I found it because of this thread, I believe.
 
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