Bottom-Shelf Brackets 2020: Round 1: Buffalo Trace vs. Old Forester 100 proof

March 31, 2020 Eric Burke

IMAGE: Old Forester 100 proof versus Buffalo Trace

Tonight we finish Round 1 of the 2020 BourbonGuy.com Bottom Shelf Brackets. Tonight’s competition is between Division 2 Number 2 seed Old Forester 100 proof and Number 3 seed Buffalo Trace. By a strange coincidence, this is a repeat matchup of last year. In that competition, Old Forester won. Let’s see if my taste buds (and the producers) are at all consistent from year to year.

So here we go. First up: the Pride of Louisville, the first Bottled Bourbon, let’s welcome to the stage: Old Forester 100 proof!

And their opponent is the Pride of Frankfort. The bourbon that’s so good they decided to name the distillery after it: Buffalo Trace!

We strive to have a clean competition so these were tasted blind in the following order. Tasting notes are from before the reveal and may be a little unusual since they were being tasted at the same time and may influence one another.

Whiskey 1 (Buffalo Trace)

Purchase Info: $24.99 for a 750 mL bottle, Total Wine, Burnsville, MN

Details: 45% ABV.

Nose: Dried mint leaves, vanilla sugar, cinnamon.

Mouth: Vanilla sugar, caramel, cinnamon, oak.

Finish: Medium length. Mint, cinnamon, oak.

Whiskey 2 (Old Forester 100 proof)

Purchase Info: $24.99 for a 750 mL bottle, Total Wine, Burnsville, MN

Details: 50% ABV.

Nose: Bubble gum, almond, citrus peel.

Mouth: Almond, cinnamon, clove, hint of orange.

Finish: Longer side of medium. Almond, cinnamon.

Pre-reveal Thoughts: Whiskey number one is sweeter and a bit of a cinnamon bomb. Whiskey number two is super enjoyable in a holistic way. The "heat" or "burn" is better which adds to the enjoyment of the product. Which ultimately is what decided this one. I like the flavor of whiskey one better and if it had the heat of whiskey two, it would be the clear winner. But it doesn't and this is close enough that I am weighting overall experience higher than just flavor. So whiskey two is the winner here.

Post-Reveal Thoughts: In another case of proof making the difference in a head to head matchup Old Forester 100 proof advances to Round 2, just like last year. Buffalo Trace put up a good fight in this one, but the Old Forester brought the heat and that made the experience more enjoyable.

Make your guesses and check back next time to see who comes out on top.

IMAGE: Round One is done: Old Forester 100 Proof advances!

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Bottom-Shelf Brackets 2020: Round 1: Elijah Craig vs. Maker's Mark

March 26, 2020 Eric Burke

IMAGE: Bottom-Shelf Brackets 2020. Round 1. Seed 2 Elijah Craig versus Seed 3 Maker’s Mark.

I’ve had suggestions that the first two rounds may have been unfair contests due to the difference in the proof of the contestants. Well, those concerns should be put to rest tonight as we feature a pair of contestants that are only 2% ABV different from one another. Round 1 of the 2020 BourbonGuy.com Bottom Shelf Brackets continues with Division 1 Number 2 seed Elijah Craig versus Number 3 seed Maker’s Mark.

First up, the formerly twelve-year-old release from Heaven Hill. Now non-age stated but claimed to be around eight years old. Named for the man that Heaven Hill’s marketing department claims is “the Father of Bourbon,” please welcome to the stage: Elijah Craig!!!

And their opponent, the bourbon that once advertised itself as “it tastes expensive because it is” but is now available in the sub $25 range. Please welcome one of my favorite bourbons: Maker’s Mark!!!

Whiskey 1 (Maker’s Mark)

Purchase Info: $19.99 for a 750 mL bottle, Blue Max, Burnsville, MN

Details: 45% ABV.

Nose: Spearmint, nutmeg, vanilla, caramel.

Mouth: Follows the nose with mint, nutmeg, vanilla, caramel.

Finish: Longer side of medium. Spearmint, caramel, nutmeg.

Whiskey 2 (Elijah Craig)

Purchase Info: $21.98 for a 750 mL bottle, Ace Spirits, Hopkins, MN

Details: 47% ABV.

Nose: Oak, cinnamon, strawberry candy.

Mouth: Cinnamon, oak, butterscotch.

Finish: Medium length. Cinnamon, old-fashioned strawberry candy.

Pre-reveal Thoughts: I really like both of these. A lot. I am going to have to be super nit-picky in order to come up with a winner. There is a very slight sharp "punky" oak note to number two that number one does not have. Even this isn't so much of a flaw as a preference. And I prefer number one by a very slight margin.

Post-Reveal Thoughts: Close one tonight. Had to really nit-pick to choose a winner. And picking that nit lead to an upset. Number three seed Maker’s Mark advances over Number two seed Elijah Craig.

IMAGE: Bottom-Shelf Brackets 2020. MAker’s Mark Advances!

Bottom-Shelf Brackets 2020: Round 1: Knob Creek vs. Very Old Barton 86 proof

March 24, 2020 Eric Burke

IMAGE: Knob Creek vs Very Old Barton 86 proof tonight in the Bottom-Shelf Bourbon Brackets

Tonight we get a fun one, at least for me. Round 1 of the 2020 BourbonGuy.com Bottom Shelf Brackets continues with Division 2 Number 1 seed Knob Creek versus Number 4 seed Very Old Barton 86 proof. This is fun for a couple of reasons. First, this is the first time Knob Creek has been in the competition and it only got the number one seed on the basis of a coin flip. Secondly, it is going up against a former Bottom-Shelf Champion in Very Old Barton.

So here we go. First up, the formerly (and soon to be again) nine-year-old founding member of the Jim Beam Small Batch Collection. Named for the river that Abe Lincoln grew up next to, please welcome to the stage: Knob Creek!

And their opponent is the most widely distributed release in the Very Old Barton family. Winner of the 2016 edition of the Bottom-Shelf Brackets, please welcome one of my favorite inexpensive bourbons: Very Old Barton 86 proof!

Whiskey 1 (Knob Creek Bourbon)

Purchase Info: $24.98 for a 750 mL bottle, Ace Spirits, Hopkins, MN

Details: 50% ABV.

Nose: Toffee, crisp apple, nutmeg.

Mouth: Spicy and warm. Caramel apple, baking spice, vanilla.

Finish: Medium length. Cinnamon, oak, anise.

Whiskey 2 (Very Old Barton 86 proof)

Purchase Info: $16.99 for a 1L bottle, Viking Liquor Barrel, Prior Lake, MN

Details: 43% ABV.

Nose: Mint, cotton candy, oak.

Mouth: Cinnamon, nutmeg, mint, oak.

Finish: Medium length. Vanilla, cinnamon, hints of oak.

Pre-reveal Thoughts: I like the flavor on #2 slightly more than on #1. But #1 has a better mouth experience due to higher heat. This is much closer than our typical 1 vs 4 matchup. In the end, I think Whiskey #1 is more pleasurable, even though I had to spend way more time than I expected to find out.

Post-Reveal Thoughts: Close one tonight folks. And it might have been even closer if the proofs were equivalent. Knob Creek wins and is moving on to Round 2. The last time Very Old Barton was in the competition, they won it all. Will Knob Creek do the same? Only time will tell.

IMAGE: Bracket results: Knob Creek Advances.

Bottom-Shelf Brackets 2020: Round 1: Wild Turkey 101 vs. Four Roses

March 19, 2020 Eric Burke

IMAGE: Close-up shots of the front label of Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon and Four roses Bourbon

The time is finally here! Let’s get down to the competitions. Round 1 of the 2020 BourbonGuy.com Bottom Shelf Brackets opens with Division 1 Number 1 seed Wild Turkey 101 versus Number 4 seed Four Roses.

This is a battle of Lawrenceburg, Kentucky’s favorite sons. First up is the flagship product of the Wild Turkey distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, and tonight’s favorite. It is a two-time winner of the Bottom-Shelf Bracket contest in 2017 and 2019, winning both times it has appeared. Please welcome to the stage: Wild Turkey 101!

And their opponent is the entry-level release at the cross-town Four Roses distillery. Coming in a whopping 21° proof deficit. Please welcome fan-favorite mixer and wearer of the beige label: Four Roses Bourbon!

Whiskey 1 (Four Roses Bourbon)

Purchase Info: $19.99 for a 750 mL bottle, Total Wine, Burnsville, MN

Details: 40% ABV.

Nose: Spearmint Candy, Cinnamon.

Mouth: Cinnamon, Caramel, hints of generic fruit.

Finish: Gentle and short. caramel and cinnamon.

Whiskey 2 (Wild Turkey 101)

Purchase Info: $18.49 for a 750 mL bottle, Total Wine, Burnsville, MN

Details: 50.5% ABV.

Nose: Brown sugar, caramel, a yeasty smell kinda like fresh-baked bread.

Mouth: Warm in the mouth with toffee and cinnamon.

Finish: Medium length. Warm cinnamon and nutmeg.

Pre-reveal Thoughts: Whiskey 1 has a cooler and thinner mouthfeel than whiskey 2. Guessing that the relative proof is showing its hand here. The flavor profiles are much more similar than I had expected but whiskey 2 is the clear winner.

Post-Reveal Thoughts: No upset tonight folks. The higher seed (and higher proof) wins in this one. Wild Turkey 101 wins the Battle of Lawrenceburg and is moving on to Round 2.

IMAGE: The Brackets so far: Wild Turkey 101 advances.

7th Annual BourbonGuy.com Bottom-Shelf Brackets: The Not-So-Bottom-Shelf Edition

March 17, 2020 Eric Burke

IMAGE: 8 bottles of Bourbon face off. Four Roses, Maker’s Mark, Elijah Craig, Wild Turkey 101, Knob Creek, Old Forester 100 proof, Buffalo Trace and Very Old Barton 86 proof

So, wow. A lot has happened in the last few weeks, huh?

A couple of weeks ago, I got the bright idea that I wanted to up the level of competition this year on the Bottom-Shelf Brackets. At the time it wasn’t for any real reason, I just thought it might be fun. Over the previous six years, we’ve explored the best of worst that bourbon has to offer. And, if we are being honest, some of the worst of the worst as well. This year, I had the idea to do something a little different.

In the past, I’ve had a definition of “bottom-shelf” that ranged from $15-$18 (or under) per 750, $20-$24 per liter and $35 per 1.75 liter. That definition got me a lot of entries by Heaven Hill and Jim Beam but only a couple from any other distilleries. I had one year where half of the entrants were Jim Beam products and another where half were from Heaven Hill. So this year I decided to limit each distillery to one entrant.

Of course, not all distilleries have products that meet the definitions that I had defined for “Bottom-Shelf.” So what was I to do? Well, for this year, I’ve decided to throw out any pretense that this is a competition between “bottom-shelf” bourbons. But that doesn’t mean that I’m going to go all-in and jump to the top of the price point. I mean, this is still a contest about being frugal.

That and I have to buy all of these things and I am still a freelancer…

So, here are the new rules:

One entry per distillery
Purchased for under $25. No matter the size. No matter if it was on sale.
Available in the Twin Cities metro area.

That’s it. As a general guideline, I tried to find the “best” offering from each distillery at the price point. Once I purchased all the entrants, I needed to seed them into brackets. For that, I usually use proof and stated age, but since all of these are non-age stated, I went by proof and then flipped a coin when two were the same proof. In order to maintain balanced divisions, I alternated which division chooses first, so Division One got to chose first on the first round, but Division Two got to choose first on the second round, then One on the third and back to Two on the fourth.

So let’s meet the competition in this “Not-So-Bottom-Shelf” Bracket, shall we? It should come as no surprise that I was able to find entrants from Jim Beam, Heaven Hill, Wild Turkey, and Barton 1792. Each of these has produced winners in the past. In fact, some of those past winners are represented this year in Division Two, number four seed Very Old Barton 86 proof and Division One, number one seed Wild Turkey 101 proof. But I was a bit shocked to find that the Heaven Hill entry was Division One, number two seed Elijah Craig and that the Jim Beam entry was Division Two, number one seed Knob Creek. Though I’ve been able to find Knob Creek for about $25 for a while now, so it really shouldn’t have been that surprising. Rounding out the rest of our entrants from Division One are number three seed Makers Mark and number four seed Four Roses. In Division Two are number two seed Old Forester 100 proof and number three seed Buffalo Trace.

I can’t wait for this one. It should be fun!

George Dickel No. 12

March 12, 2020 Eric Burke

IMAGE: Front label of George Dickel Number 12 Tennessee Whiskey. 90 proof, non-age stated.

Last month I did an audit of all of the posts I’ve done in the last eight years of doing this site and I realized that there’s one glaring omission. Dickel. It turns out that I’ve really only done a couple of Dickel releases. The 9- and 14-year-old private barrels from back in the day, the Dickel number 8, and Dickel Tabasco.

I did the Tabasco version before I did the number 12, the Barrel Select, or the rye. The Tabasco! Now to be fair they sent me the Tabasco Dickel, but still. For shame!

Well, I’m going to right at least one of those wrongs tonight. (Another will be coming soonish since I have it in the closet ready to go.)

George Dickel No. 12

Purchase Info: $25.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Blue Max in Burnsville, MN

Price per Drink (50 mL): $1.73

Details: Non-age stated. 45% ABV

Nose: Cinnamon, orange peel, and chewable vitamins.

Mouth: Caramel, vanilla, spice. Has a nice heat to it.

Finish: Medium length with lingering notes cinnamon, mint and chewable vitamins.

Thoughts: I can not believe that with as much whiskey as I buy for this site, I've never had this before. I've been missing out! If you like, or can at least get past, the chewable vitamin notes (which I personally enjoy) then this is a very tasty "everyday" whiskey. And one that I need to start grabbing more often.

New Richmond Rye Cask Strength

March 10, 2020 Eric Burke

IMAGE: Two glasses of New Richmond Rye and the bottle sitting on the flame table.

Way back in 2012, I stumbled upon a semi-local distillery. At the time, the Minnesota tax system was set up so that only the largest distilleries could afford a license. And so, aspiring craft distillers jumped the border in order to pay a license fee that was about 1/30th the size. So when I say semi-local, think about an hour and a half away. And this particular distiller paid homage to that border jumping by naming his first whiskey “Border Bourbon.” I reviewed it back in 2012, but there really isn’t much point in linking you to that since in the intervening seven and a half years, that young bourbon has grown up into a fully mature one. The website says four years old, the branded shelf-talker said five years old. So It’s somewhere in there.

But I’m not here to talk about the bourbon from 45th Parallel Distillery. No, when I stopped off to check out a couple of cross-border liquor stores recently, I noticed that there was a Cask Strength version of their rye on the shelf. I’d had exactly one bottle of their rye and wasn’t impressed with it to ever review it. It was just too young for me at the time. Well, guess what? This guy has grown up too. And seeing a 120 proof version on top of it made me think it was just about time to give this semi-local product another look.

New Richmond Rye Cask Strength

Purchase Info: $59.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Chicone’s Liquor Mart, Hudson, WI

Price per Drink (50mL): $4.00

Details: Non-age stated (over 4 years old). 60% ABV.

Nose: Mint, vanilla bean ice cream, and cedar.

Mouth: Hot and Spicy. Mint, vanilla, cedar, and cinnamon.

Finish: Long and warm. Notes of mint, cinnamon, and cedar.

Thoughts: I’m very glad that I stopped to stretch my legs on my way back from Wisconsin. I’ve even more glad that on a whim I decided that a liquor store was the appropriate place to do so. I grabbed this during a fit of nostalgic curiosity and I am glad I did. It is quite good (and quite drinkable neat despite being 120° proof). Heck, even my wife who doesn’t like rye as much agrees that this one is going on the "special shelf" so we don’t go through it too quickly.

Uncle Nearest 1856

March 5, 2020 Eric Burke

There are times when my love of history gets the better of me and everything gets put on the shelf to satiate my curiosity. See I picked this bottle up a couple of weekends ago thinking that as I was running short on things to write about, I might as well pick up one that I’d walked past a couple of times and give it a shot.

I knew that it was named after the first Master Distiller of Jack Daniel’s (and the guy who taught him how to make whiskey). I also knew that Nathan “Nearest” Green was a slave and had been left out of the official story somewhere along the way. I knew all of this because I read it in an article by Clay Risen in the New York Times back in 2016 (though later I learned that the name “Nearis” that he used was incorrect). If you go read that article…stay away from the comments, the racists came out in force for that one…I think I need a bath now.

But by picking up the bottle, I was reminded of the story and decided to see what I could find that had been learned in the intervening years. I read articles, listened to podcasts and watched videos. I learned that Fawn Weaver, credited as “an African-American real estate investor and author” by the New York Times had also read that article. Unlike me, she read it and noticed the things that were missing and decided to go on a quest to find the missing pieces of the story. Pieces like the fact that Nathan Green was not Jack Daniel’s slave, there is no record he owned any and that Jack was friends with Nathan’s son, giving him pride of place right next to him in a company photo.

Along the way, Ms. Wever helped to convince Brown-Forman to follow through on their decision to start giving Nathan Green his rightful place in their history books. Quoting the New York Times from the article above on why the company needed the push:

The company had intended to recognize Green’s role as master distiller last year as part of its 150th anniversary celebration, Mr. McCallum said, but decided to put off any changes amid the racially charged run-up to the 2016 election. “I thought we would be accused of making a big deal about it for commercial gain.”

It’s on their website and in the tour scripts now. I guess it’s a case of better late than never. Not that I blame them. These days you can get in trouble from one side for bringing it up and being “politically correct” and from the other side for ever leaving it out in the first place. It really could have been seen as a no-win situation. Luckily they got a little push and jumped at the chance to do the right thing.

And the Uncle Nearest brand of whiskey? Well Fawn Weaver, with input from Nathan Green’s descendants, decided that the best way to honor the man was to put his name on a bottle. CBSNews says that “Some of the proceeds from the whiskey's sales go into a foundation designed to ensure that each of Green's descendants get a college education. So far, 10 of them have graduated from college.”

If you have 10 minutes or so, I’d recommend checking out the video below (the Vimeo settings won’t let me embed it, but just click on the image to go to the Vimeo page). It is beautifully written and shot. It has Jeffery Wright in it (dude’s a National Treasure). It’s also a much more involved version of the story above that includes more details than I could include here. It may be a long advertisement, but if the story is true and they bring the receipts, does it matter?

Uncle Nearest 1856

Purchase Info: $49.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Blue Max, Burnsville, MN

Price per Drink (50ml): $3.33

Details: 50% ABV

Nose: Dry oak, wintergreen, brown sugar, nutmeg

Mouth: Honey, Flintstone's Vitamins, hot baking spices

Finish: Warm and medium length. Notes of caramel, honey, chewable vitamins and baking spice.

Thoughts: This is pretty good. It has strong mineral notes, and since it is sourced from somewhere in Tennessee, my guess there is at least some Dickel in there. I like it. I’d recommend it.

Blog

Whiskey 1 (Buffalo Trace)

Whiskey 2 (Old Forester 100 proof)

Whiskey 1 (Maker’s Mark)

Whiskey 2 (Elijah Craig)

Whiskey 1 (Knob Creek Bourbon)

Whiskey 2 (Very Old Barton 86 proof)

Whiskey 1 (Four Roses Bourbon)

Whiskey 2 (Wild Turkey 101)

George Dickel No. 12

New Richmond Rye Cask Strength

Uncle Nearest 1856