Bottom Shelf Bourbon Brackets 2015, Round 1: Fighting Cock vs. Benchmark

March 19, 2015 Eric Burke

Round 1a of the 2015 Bottom Shelf Bourbon Brackets features Number 1 seed Fighting Cock versus Number 4 seed Benchmark Old No. 8 Brand.

Fighting Cock is one of those bourbons that I passed over based solely on it’s frat boy name. I’ve read that it was supposed to be a competitor for Wild Turkey (the kickin’ chicken) with its a high proof and 6 year age. I have no doubt that’s the case, but I still can’t say the name without snickering. Which says more about me than the name, I guess. In any case this was a bourbon that was recommended to me numerous times last year when I called for entries, but it was always just outside the price range. Increased competition in this market has made it available in the contest’s price range, so here it is as a number one sed based on both stated age and proof.

Benchmark Old No. 8 Brand Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. If I told you this was a Sazerac product, would it surprise you that it used to be Benchmark 8 year old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey? Well, it is. And it was. I’m sure some people out there haven’t noticed the 5 year drop in age. People like the store I bought it from that still calls it “Benchmark 8YR” on the sales receipt. This looks to be one of the first bottles to receive Sazerac’s now infamous “Number Treatment.” It seems to have lost it’s age statement and gained it’s 8 in 2004. Strangely, it did gain an age statement of sorts in 2013-2014 by becoming young enough to drop below the 4 year old minimum for being truly NAS. In any case It was recommended last year and met the criteria so here it is as the number 4 seed based on that new age statement.

Fighting Cock

Purchase Info: Total Wine & More, Burnsville, MN $14.99 for a 750 mL

Stated Age: 6 years

ABV: 51.5%

Produced by: Heaven Hill

Nose: Green Apple, cinnamon, caramel, anise, bubble gum and vanilla.

Mouth: Hot and fruity with apple, cinnamon candy and a good hit of oak.

Finish: Hot and long. Mint, oak and cinnamon candy.

Thoughts: This is a much more complex bourbon than I was expecting. It deserves it’s name. This thing wants to fight. It’s hot and spicy, but that is balanced by a nice fruitiness. Adding water destroys it though as it becomes all about the dried corn.

Benchmark Old No. 8 Brand

Purchase Info: MGM Wine & Spirits, Burnsville, MN $13.49 for a 1L

Stated Age: At least 36 months

ABV: 40%

Produced by: Buffalo Trace

Nose: Toffee, dried fruit, a vitamin tablet, corn and faint cinnamon.

Mouth: Velvety. Hot. Mint, corn, oak and brown sugar.

Finish: Residual heat and mint. Nothing to write home about.

Thoughts: This was a surprise. Nice heat. A good complexity. It may only be three years old, but there is nothing to keep this from being a nice card playing bourbon. Adding water amps up the sweetness and turns it into a butterscotch bomb.

Winner: Fighting Cock. But this was a match-up primed for an upset. Benchmark was a real surprise. We were tasting blind and it was the first one we tasted. Based on its heat and a decent complexity, I honestly thought it had to be the Fighting Cock. It wasn’t, obviously. After tasting both whiskeys we agreed that, out of a Glencairn, the Fighting Cock was much better. But for the way my wife drinks whiskey (with a cube or two of ice) she actually thinks that the Benchmark is more her style. It's the better of the two after dilution. Personally I’ll stick with the Fighting Cock, but don’t be too surprised to see either of these in the stash in the future.

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Don't Know What You Got: Jim Beam Rye

March 12, 2015 Eric Burke

For a while after moving to Minnesota, I worked as a camera salesman at Circuit City, a big box electronic store. I worked there part-time for a little extra money during the fall and into the holidays. It was an ok job as part-time retail jobs go, but once I was offered a full-time position as a designer at a local ad agency, I left that job behind as quickly as I could.

Being a dedicated Amazon shopper, I didn’t really think about Circuit City again until I heard it was closing a few years later. By this point, I had moved on to yet another design job, but still sort of fondly remembered the time I spent there helping people to pick out gifts for their kids or parents. So I decided to stop in one more time before they were gone for good. The store was having a liquidation sale by this point, selling everything off the shelves for deep discounts and then selling the shelves. In a wonderful example of Minnesotan passive-aggressiveness, the store’s music system was playing Cinderella’s Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone) on an endless loop.

I was a little sad to see it go, until I realized that the reason it was leaving was that it really wasn’t very good. Nobody went there anymore because there really was no reason to do so. Even the deeply discounted items were more expensive than Amazon’s regular price. So after spending a few minutes looking around, I left. I go to that building all the time now. It’s a Trader Joe’s and a Total Wine and it’s a block from where I work.

Recently it was announced that Jim Beam Rye (the yellow labeled one) was being discontinued. It was going to be replaced by Jim Beam Pre-Prohibition Style Rye. According to BeamSuntory PR, this is basically a new label and a higher proof.

Now, I never thought much about Jim Beam Rye. It was always there, in it’s faded looking yellow bottle. But I never really thought much about picking up a bottle. Once in a while I’d order it at a bar, but only if there wasn’t anything better.

It was relatively cheap. I liked other stuff better. And there we stood…until the discontinuation announcement. Suddenly I wanted to buy a bottle “for old times’ sake.” I drank that first pour and then I remembered why I never really wanted to buy it. It wasn’t very good. My guess is there weren’t a lot of people buying it because there was no reason to do so. People who knew better, knew better and those that didn’t wanted something that cost more and and came in a pretty bottle.

So don’t be sad that it's going away. Be happy that the repackaging comes with a proof bump, a name change and even a prettier bottle.

Jim Beam Rye (yellow label)

Purchase Info: $17.99, 750 mL, Total Wine & More, Burnsville, MN

Details: 40% ABV

Nose: pencil shavings, spearmint leaves, chamomile

Mouth: Thin. Grassy. Chamomile and mint with just a hint of a burn.

Finish: Slight lingering tingle in the mouth that fades quickly to be replaced by chamomile and a slight bitterness.

Thoughts: Meh. Just meh. It isn’t bad. In fact, if you love chamomile tea, you may love this. But much like chamomile, it isn’t very interesting and might even help you to sleep.

A nice reward for a job well done: Smooth Ambler Old Scout Rye

March 10, 2015 Eric Burke

Some days you just want a good whiskey. Something to relax with after a job well done. For me today is one of those days. My wife recently informed me that the washing machine wasn’t working. It wouldn’t advance through the cycles on its own. Though I know next to nothing about washing machines, we decided that it was worth it to pick up the offending part and give fixing it a shot.

I like fixing things. If it’s already broken, what’s the harm? The worst that can happen is that I still have something broken. So I pulled it out from the wall and took a look. The control area was accessed by removing three screws and sliding the front to one side until it popped free. After that it was just a matter of removing the old timer and plugging in the new one. Easy enough. I put everything back together and it worked. The machine advanced through the cycles just fine…except…

Why wasn’t the water stopping where it should? I shut the machine off and had myself a think. I seemed to remember that at one point my mother-in-law was house-sitting for us and had the washing machine break down. It wouldn’t agitate. The solution, once the repair guy got there, was to clean a hose leading from the pressure sensor to the bottom of the tub.

Well, I guess there is nothing more to do than take the front off and take a look at it. Coincidently enough, it was plugged with gunk. I guess there were two things wrong with it. After cleaning out the hose and getting all the gunk out, I reattached it and tried it out. Worked perfectly.

Now that deserves a nice whiskey. And boy did I choose a good one. I’ve sung the praises of Smooth Ambler before. I respect the hell out of those guys. They distill their own stuff, but they are also merchant bottlers. And unlike a lot of the more notorious companies out there doing this, they have no problem telling you this. It’s right on the bottle. It’s on the website. They’ll even tell you when you visit without being asked. Good whiskey sold by good people. Can’t think of a better whiskey with which to celebrate a job well done.

Smooth Ambler Old Scout Rye

Purchase info: Ace Spirits, 750 mL bottle, $36.99

Details: 49.5% ABV, 7 years old, Batch #38, Bottled on 6/6/14

Nose: Mint, dill, sweet cinnamon, vanilla and a hint of oak

Mouth: A nice heat. Black tea, mint, bubblegum, black pepper and cloves

Finish: Nice and long with a good warmth. Lingering black pepper, dill and baking spices

Thoughts: I love this one. It’s spicy, sweet and delicious. It’s a very nice MGPi Rye, and I tend to really like those (especially as they get in the 6+ year range). This batch is highly recommended.

Russell's Reserve Small Batch 10 year old bourbon

March 5, 2015 Eric Burke

Ever been to the Wild Turkey website? If you haven’t, it’s ok. It doesn’t look like they’ve been there for a while either. Videos are missing, the store is practically empty with only three items for sale and Eddie Russell has the wrong title. But it does have a few redeeming qualities. The main one being the featuring of Jimmy Russell.

Jimmy Russell is the Master Distiller at Wild Turkey. He’s been working there for 60 years. At this point, it’s easy to say that Jimmy Russell is Wild Turkey. I had the pleasure of chatting with Mr. Russell this fall while visiting Kentucky. We talked for about 15 minutes and I have to say that I’ve yet to meet a nicer person. He gave us all of his attention for as long as we wanted.

Russell’s Reserve was introduced in 1998 to celebrate Mr. Russell’s 45 anniversary with the company. It was a limited release at first, but eventually became a permanent part of the Wild Turkey line, spawning two further extensions in the Rye and Single Barrel versions. I’ve overlooked it for a long time, only having purchased it once before. It’s 90 proof, spicy and delicious.

Russell’s Reserve Small Batch

Purchase Info: $32.99 for a 750 mL at Marketplace Liquors, Savage, MN

Details: 10 years old, 45% ABV.

Nose: Mint, dried corn, apple blossoms, dried grass, deep underneath is some caramel

Mouth: Spicy and dry. Predominate oak and mint followed by dried corn, brown sugar clove and black pepper.

Finish: Warm in the chest and mouth with lingering oak and mint.

Thoughts: Jimmy Russell has stated publicly that he doesn't like older bourbons and if he’s drinking Wild Turkey I can see why. Wild Turkey seems to show more oak than other bourbons of a similar age so it would be easy to go too far. Especially for someone like me who tends to not like as strong of a sharp oak flavor. Beyond the oak, this shows fairly typical bourbon flavors: sweet balanced with spiciness and mint. It's a nice bourbon, though I think I like the Wild Turkey Rare Breed and 101 expressions a bit better.

Rittenhouse Rye v. Rittenhouse Rye (DSP KY 354 v. DSP KY 1)

February 26, 2015 Eric Burke

You don't need to be a bourbon fan for very long before you hear about the Heaven Hill fire. And for good reason, it took one of the biggest producers of Bourbon and almost knocked them out of the space. The fire destroyed warehouses and even the distillery. If you've seen it, you know that the footage is heartbreaking to watch. But the stories, the stories are just the opposite. They tell the uplifting tale of competitors coming together to help. Sure, it's possible that there may have been money involved. But in any other business, how many competitors would be willing to help out even with selling inventory or renting time on machines, etc. Most of them would be happier to help out by picking up the customer base instead.

One of the legacies of the Heaven Hill fire is that for many years Brown-Forman was the contract producer of Heaven Hill's Rittenhouse Bottled-in-Bond Rye. We know this because of one of the benefits of buying bottled-in-bond whiskey. You need to have the actual distillery on the label. You'll find it listed as D.S.P. (Distilled Spirits Plant) a couple of letters and a number. In the case of Rittenhouse, up until recently it said D.S.P KY 354. Brown-Forman. Within the last year or so, the label changed and it now says D.S.P. KY 1, the Bernheim distillery owned by Heaven Hill.

Since the source of the whiskey has switched, and I had recently finished a bottle of the old and opened a bottle of the new, I figured it was time to do a blind head-to-head comparison.

Rittenhouse (D.S.P. KY 354) vs. Rittenhouse (D.S.P. KY 1)

Purchase info: 354 at Blue Max, Burnsville, MN. 1 at Cellars Wine and Spirits, Eagan, MN

Details: each 50% ABV, 354 produced at Brown-Forman distillery, Louisville, KY, 1 produced at Bernheim distillery, Louisville, KY.

Rye A:

Nose: Big hit of alcohol initially. After that settles down it’s muted. Sweet toffee, cinnamon and ginger predominate. Grassy. Rye Bread.

Mouth: Cinnamon, brown sugar, oak tannins, cayenne, citrus and rye bread

Finish: long and warm. As the warmth fades it is replaced by a lingering sweetness.

Thoughts: Meh. This is hot, as is to be expected from a 100 proof whiskey, but the flavor and nose seem sort of muted. Especially when compared to Rye B. Hopefully A is the old one…

Rye B:

Nose: Savory. Cilantro, wet rock, caramel and bubblegum.

Mouth: Sweet caramel/toffee, savory grassiness, slight smokiness.

Finish: Medium finish. Sweet. Cinnamon and other baking spices linger.

Thoughts: This is a rye that mimics a bourbon. As it is assumed to be a barely legal rye, that is to be expected. It’s full flavored and round in the mouth. Sweet. Not too hot even with water. I like it. It's certainly the nicer of the two.

Comparison thoughts:

So it turns out that rye A was the new Heaven Hill produced Rittenhouse and that Rye B was the Brown-Forman version. As such, I plan to see if I can find an old bottle of the BF version still hanging around somewhere. It’s a whiskey that has a nice enough mouthfeel that it is suitable for drinking neat. Though in past reviews of it, I’ve recommended saving it for cocktails so there is that.

The Heaven Hill version tastes more of the rye than the Brown-Forman version, but it is hot. Very hot. It’s a rye that I’ve been happy enough with in cocktails, but wouldn’t want in a glencairn again.

One thing that I did realize after this head to head is that Brown-Forman can make a decent rye. It kinda makes me excited to see what the upcoming Woodford Rye will be like even though it will probably be an entirely different mashbill.

Looking at Old Forester (86 proof)

February 24, 2015 Eric Burke

Old Forester is getting quite the love from producer Brown-Forman these days. It started a few years ago when the labels got a branding refresh. This past fall, when visiting the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, I noticed that the "Woodford Reserve Booth" at the Sampler was now double-branded, sharing equal billing with Old Forester. Then there is the planned Whiskey Row distillery/visitor space in Louisville. And of course, how could we forget the Whiskey Row series of bourbons? The Original Batch 1870 is already out and the Bottled in Bond 1897 has had a label approval. I even saw an Old Forester branded ready-to-drink cocktail while trolling the COLA site. This one for a Mint Julep.

So with all this love for the brand and all the new products on the horizon, it is only fitting that we would want to take a look back at what's already out. Make sure we are up to date on where we're at before we move into the brave new future.

Brown-Forman has been making Old Forester for about 140 years now. It's gone though numerous expressions before settling in at an entry-level expression of 86 proof, a 100 proof "Signature" expression, a single barrel program, and the yearly Birthday Bourbon release (some would toss the Woodford Reserve expression in there as well since they share a mash bill and at least a partial distillation site) before adding the brand extensions listed above.

The 100 proof is described by the company website as "spicier and more robust." I described it as "hot and bitter." The single barrels I've had have all been good, but wildly different. Some being fruity and others spicy. This year's Birthday Bourbon was something special being fruity, spicy, and creamy all at the same time. But what about the 86 proof? Let's find out.

Old Forester (86 proof)

Purchase info: $19.99 for 750 mL at Ace Spirits, Hopkins MN

Details: 43% ABV

Nose: A delicate collection of the typical bourbon notes of vanilla, caramel, and oak. Plus some floral green apple, and allspice.

Mouth: Delicate and floral. Brown sugar, honey, nutmeg, and hints of oak.

Finish: Baking spices and floral notes linger with a gentle heat.

Thoughts: This is a well put-together bourbon. It is delicate, but tasty, with just enough heat. A good value as an everyday sipper. My wife claims this is one of her favorite bourbons to nose because it has all the notes she looks for but it doesn’t overpower with alcohol.

So far, the evidence I've tasted has led me to the conclusion that in general, I like Old Forester/Woodford Reserve at less than 100 proof. I like the 86 quite a bit as a everyday bourbon that you don't need to feel bad about using up too quickly. I liked the Single Barrels at their 90 proof. I seem to remember liking Woodford at just over 90 and I really liked the 97 proof Birthday Bourbon this year. The 100 proof Signature is the outlier.

So even though Old Forester is an old brand, the future looks bright. I'm excited to try the 90 proof 1870 when I can get my hands on it and the Bottled-in-Bond 1897 when it appears.

Review: Knob Creek Rye

February 19, 2015 Eric Burke

In my life, I’ve had two amazing Manhattans. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had a bunch of good ones, but amazing ones seem to be rare. For the first, I was out with some friends from work, the boss was there, so it turned into a brainstorming session. The drink was made with Booker’s. It was rich, well balanced and wonderful. Wonderful in spite of working after hours.

The second was just the opposite. I was out with a friend. We work together, but it’s a rare treat to be out having a drink with him. We were having a beer while chatting. I ordered some food. He did the same. It was good. About halfway through my Mac and Cheese, I noticed a cocktail menu nearby. After looking, I ordered a Manhattan. The bartender asked what whiskey I wanted in it. I looked up at the shelf and told him.

“Nice,” he said. Even though I already knew it was a good choice, I still felt slightly better about it when the bartender agreed. It is really amazing what a little affirmation from a stranger will do.

So we sat there, chatting. My friend with his beer and me with my Manhattan. We did the normal things. Bitched about work. Told gossip. Talked about our kids. it was fun. One of the nicest times I’ve had out with a friend.

Good conversation, good company, rich Mac and Cheese and a drink. To be honest, that drink would have been good even if it had been made with Cabin Still. The fact that I chose Knob Creek Rye just bumped it into the amazing realm. Good company will raise a mediocre drink to good and a good one to amazing.

Knob Creek Rye

Purchase Info: $31.99 for a 750 mL at Total Wine, Burnsville, MN

Details: 50% ABV, “patiently aged”

Nose: Dried Apricot, black pepper, clove, cherry, almond, and strong oak with a touch of vanilla.

Mouth: Dry and spicy. Black pepper, mint, cherry and almonds mix with herbal oaky notes.

Finish: Dry with mint, cherry/almonds, herbs and occasional brief flashes of pickle.

Thoughts: I’m conflicted. I want to say I like this a lot, because I do. But I’m thinking I like it better in a cocktail than on its own. When neat, it is almost too herbal. But as a part of a cocktail that exact same flavor works extremely well. Especially when mixed with a vermouth other herbal infused liqueur.

An every day favorite: Wild Turkey 101 proof bourbon

February 10, 2015 Eric Burke

Want to make a friend who doesn’t drink bourbon wonder what you’re up to? Walk up to the bar with him and after he places his order, order a Wild Turkey. For good or ill, Wild Turkey has a reputation. A reputation as the drink of choice for those who care more about getting fucked up than for good taste.

Maybe it harkens back to being the drink of choice for Hunter S. Thompson (kids, ask your parents). Maybe it's the numerous appearances in the hands of tough guys on tv and in the movies going back 40 years or more. Or maybe it’s just that as many other bourbon brands were dropping their proof to 86 or 80, Wild Turkey sat firm at 101. It’s a reputation that those who sell Wild Turkey have been happy to exploit with advertising campaigns such as the infamous “Give ‘em the Bird” campaign from a few years ago.

But all that said, there’s a little secret hiding behind that reputation. And that's that it’s largely undeserved. Wild Turkey might be the softest, most complex bourbon you can find in it’s proof and price range. It’s sweet, spicy and well aged. It’s a damn good bourbon. And as it was one of the first that I purchased as I started my bourbon journey, it’s partially responsible for turning me on to bourbon in the first place.

Wild Turkey 101 proof Bourbon

Purchase Info: $21.99 for a 750mL at Ace Spirits, Hopkins, MN

Details: 50.5% ABV

Nose: Citrus oils, bubble gum, brown sugar, allspice.

Mouth: Velvety mouthfeel. Sweet. Caramel, ginger, citrus and a nice bit of oak.

Finish: Long and warm. Sweet ginger and a lively tingle dance across the tongue after you swallow.

Thoughts: You’d be hard pressed to find a more complex bourbon for under $25 than the 101 proof version of Wild Turkey. It’s sweet, spicy and full flavored with a nice nose and a lovely finish. It’s proof and price make it versatile enough to hold it’s own in a cocktail or while cooking and tasty enough that you can enjoy it neat as well. This is one of my every day favorites and I try to always have one on the shelf.

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