Bourbon

[youthathletics]

Fresh Crack Friday evening.....really enjoyed this:

Where do you find these crazy bourbons? Where do you live again? I moved from Annapolis to Greenville, SC three years ago and the bourbon scene is good down here but we don't have oddballs like Lee W. Sinclair. I am going down to Athens, GA in a couple of weeks to do business and bourbon hunt. I will report back.

BTW, great bourbon cocktail if you aren't averse to bitter.

PAPER PLANE

1 oz bourbon
1 oz Aperol
1 oz Amaro de Nonino
1 oz lemon juice

Shake and serve in a coupe or "Nick and Nora" glass.

About 2-3 years ago I had enough of chasing all the staples I use to to get regularly. My go to for a long time was Elmer T. Lee, sat on damned near every shelf...now, its impossible and you have to best friends with the store owner or spend a ton of cash, if they even get one....so, I stopped buying anything from Buffalo Trace, unless I found it for MSPR, which is never unless my son finds it at NEX for me.

I started looking for boutique distillers and bottles that were priced appropriately, and not afraid to try something I knew nothing about. I believe Afan may have turned my eye to "Spirits of French LIck" who make the Lee Sinclair.

There is a nice offering in SC that I also enjoy.... Anita's Choice, from Burnt Church, in Bluffton, SC. The Anita's Choice is the only thing I have had from them, no clue what their other offerings are like. THe Johnny Fever, looks promising ... https://burntchurchdistillery.com/spirits/johnny-fever/

I am not much of a cocktail drinker, and when I do, I often make:

Tom Ford not sure if this the proper name.

2 oz bourbon or rye
1 oz Carpano Antiqa Formula (sweeter citrus leaning vermouth)
couple dashes of (orange bitters) or your choice.
cut a small piece of orange peel, express oil in glass, wipe rim and drop it in the rocks glass.

I live near Annapolis, so as you know, stores are plentiful of new offerings.

Good luck hunting.....

[get it to x]

Fresh Crack Friday evening.....really enjoyed this:

Where do you find these crazy bourbons? Where do you live again? I moved from Annapolis to Greenville, SC three years ago and the bourbon scene is good down here but we don't have oddballs like Lee W. Sinclair. I am going down to Athens, GA in a couple of weeks to do business and bourbon hunt. I will report back.

BTW, great bourbon cocktail if you aren't averse to bitter.

PAPER PLANE

1 oz bourbon
1 oz Aperol
1 oz Amaro de Nonino
1 oz lemon juice

Shake and serve in a coupe or "Nick and Nora" glass.

About 2-3 years ago I had enough of chasing all the staples I use to to get regularly. My go to for a long time was Elmer T. Lee, sat on damned near every shelf...now, its impossible and you have to best friends with the store owner or spend a ton of cash, if they even get one....so, I stopped buying anything from Buffalo Trace, unless I found it for MSPR, which is never unless my son finds it at NEX for me.

I started looking for boutique distillers and bottles that were priced appropriately, and not afraid to try something I knew nothing about. I believe Afan may have turned my eye to "Spirits of French LIck" who make the Lee Sinclair.

There is a nice offering in SC that I also enjoy.... Anita's Choice, from Burnt Church, in Bluffton, SC. The Anita's Choice is the only thing I have had from them, no clue what their other offerings are like. THe Johnny Fever, looks promising ... https://burntchurchdistillery.com/spirits/johnny-fever/

I am not much of a cocktail drinker, and when I do, I often make:

Tom Ford not sure if this the proper name.

2 oz bourbon or rye
1 oz Carpano Antiqa Formula (sweeter citrus leaning vermouth)
couple dashes of (orange bitters) or your choice.
cut a small piece of orange peel, express oil in glass, wipe rim and drop it in the rocks glass.

I live near Annapolis, so as you know, stores are plentiful of new offerings.

Good luck hunting.....

Somewhat red-faced, I need to admit I was a vodka guy until I moved here. Tom Ford looks to be another riff on a Manhattan. I like a Black Manhattan, substituting Averna for the Carpano Antica. Orange and Old Fashioned bitters and a Luxardo cherry.

[Kismet]

Good news everyone - Leopold's is offering home delivery of their products

"We’re thrilled to be able to offer U.S. home delivery to most states with the exception of AK, HI, MI, MS, TN, and UT.
Please be aware before purchasing: THESE ORDERS ARE NOT FULFILLED BY LEOPOLD BROS OR SHIPPED FROM THE DISTILLERY.
All orders are processed, packaged, and shipped by Accelpay and all customer service issues must be addressed via their online portal.
We are happy to help with any questions or concerns before you place an order. Email us at [email protected]"

https://www.leopoldbros.com/us-delivery

[DMac]

Accelpay? This needs to be called, QUICKER LIQUOR, with the logo
being youth sitting out back by the fire with a glass of bourbon and
Dobie (not doobie) lying by his feet.

[44WeWantMore]

Or a moonshine hotrod? Something like these: https://www.motortrend.com/features/moo ... on/photos/

[get it to x]

Or a moonshine hotrod? Something like these: https://www.motortrend.com/features/moo ... on/photos/

Even at my advanced age (67), the only moonshine I have seen has a flavor added, such as banana pudding or butter pecan. I mean, we've all had grape and grain. Close enough.

Went to Athens GA for a business meeting. Found Eagle Rare for $51.99 before tax, limit of 2. Buffalo Trace 1.75 L for $49.99

[youthathletics]

Or a moonshine hotrod? Something like these: https://www.motortrend.com/features/moo ... on/photos/

Even at my advanced age (67), the only moonshine I have seen has a flavor added, such as banana pudding or butter pecan. I mean, we've all had grape and grain. Close enough.

Went to Athens GA for a business meeting. Found Eagle Rare for $51.99 before tax, limit of 2. Buffalo Trace 1.75 L for $49.99

Happy you found the ER in the wild for a price not too overpriced. I can recall purchasing it at MSPR in 2019/2020 for $27...but then again, everything has gone up in price.

[AOD]

Or a moonshine hotrod? Something like these: https://www.motortrend.com/features/moo ... on/photos/

Even at my advanced age (67), the only moonshine I have seen has a flavor added, such as banana pudding or butter pecan. I mean, we've all had grape and grain. Close enough.

Went to Athens GA for a business meeting. Found Eagle Rare for $51.99 before tax, limit of 2. Buffalo Trace 1.75 L for $49.99

Happy you found the ER in the wild for a price not too overpriced. I can recall purchasing it at MSPR in 2019/2020 for $27...but then again, everything has gone up in price.

Last time I visited the Irvine CA Target (the one in the Spectrum Center) in the fall of 2023, BT was $19.99 and ER was $32.99 (but with a one bottle limit on ER).

[get it to x]

Or a moonshine hotrod? Something like these: https://www.motortrend.com/features/moo ... on/photos/

Even at my advanced age (67), the only moonshine I have seen has a flavor added, such as banana pudding or butter pecan. I mean, we've all had grape and grain. Close enough.

Went to Athens GA for a business meeting. Found Eagle Rare for $51.99 before tax, limit of 2. Buffalo Trace 1.75 L for $49.99

Happy you found the ER in the wild for a price not too overpriced. I can recall purchasing it at MSPR in 2019/2020 for $27...but then again, everything has gone up in price.

Last time I visited the Irvine CA Target (the one in the Spectrum Center) in the fall of 2023, BT was $19.99 and ER was $32.99 (but with a one bottle limit on ER).

I missed my last stop (GPS said 9 miles, 55 minutes ). They apparently had Eagle Rare store picks.

[youthathletics]

You crushed it, afan!

On my second pour, neat, and ohhh it’s complex/confusing in a great way. As a rye fan, you’ll often drink a rye that wants to a bourbon, and bourbon that leans as a rye….this is a wonderful combination.

The nose is refreshingly clean, not that high ether smell and not traditional sweet bourbon that so many chase; just clean whiskey with a hint of some kind fruit that’s not approaching peak ripe….can’t place it. Reminiscent of a high-end Irish whiskey, but that far.

Palette, I get a stone fruit, but not cherry, more like a peach/apricot and a tang/zest. Then the spice really kicks in as you chew it and let it rest, which I assume comes from the 3 chamber rye finish. The first sip is certainty hotter and quicker to kick in. Then, on the back end, you get that oily linger that coats, which subtly connects the initial nosing and taste; putting a bow on the gift.

The oil, which is often missing or lost in most bourbon, lingers in this bottle, and offers you a reward of time well spent maturing, until you tilt the glass once again; putting a bow on this gift.

[a fan]

You crushed it, afan!

On my second pour, neat, and ohhh it’s complex/confusing in a great way. As a rye fan, you’ll often drink a rye that wants to a bourbon, and bourbon that leans as a rye….this is a wonderful combination.

The nose is refreshingly clean, not that high ether smell and not traditional sweet bourbon that so many chase; just clean whiskey with a hint of some kind fruit that’s not approaching peak ripe….can’t place it. Reminiscent of a high-end Irish whiskey, but that far.

Palette, I get a stone fruit, but not cherry, more like a peach/apricot and a tang/zest. Then the spice really kicks in as you chew it and let it rest, which I assume comes from the 3 chamber rye finish. The first sip is certainty hotter and quicker to kick in. Then, on the back end, you get that oily linger that coats, which subtly connects the initial nosing and taste; putting a bow on the gift.

The oil, which is often missing or lost in most bourbon, lingers in this bottle, and offers you a reward of time well spent maturing, until you tilt the glass once again; putting a bow on this gift.

You have a fine palate, my man. As you may guess, we run gas chromatography on our whiskies and brandies....mostly to check for things like Ethyl Carbamate, a carcinogen.

But your tasting notes are spot on..and I can tell that by looking at the GC results. The yeasts I use don't produce the stereotypical Kentucky Bourbon dark cherry/raspberry note that all distilleries have save Beam. Beam's yeast produces iso amyl acetate...which is why Beam's stuff that uses that yeast tastes like banana custard.

The Kentucky note is iso butyl acetate....essentially the dark cherry note.

So yes, the yeasts I use produce green apple, pear, peach, and I think (think) the note you're missing is orange marmalade. It's in all our whiskies, and is from a spontaneous secondary fermentation.

It's been funny watching comments on our whiskies.....we are the very definition of a Cult Brand. Those who get what I'm doing LOVE us, and are thrilled to have something different.

Those who don't? Think it's the worst whiskey ever because it doesn't taste exactly like mass produced whiskies, "therefore" it's bad. They don't understand that we've been making spirits for 25 years now, and that MOST of our fans come from the cocktail world, where they are well versed in ALL spirits...and as a result have MUCH broader palates. This means that they pick up more subtle notes that are lost on what the industry calls "taters" or "Bourbon Bros".....who have had the Bourbon hobby for all of ten minutes, yet are delighted to tell the world that they are experts.

They don't understand that if I make whiskies exactly like the big producers (a very easy thing to do), they'd never buy more than one bottle from us, because why buy something that tastes exactly like the big producers stuff, yet is $30 more a bottle?

So I have to sit back and deal with the criticism. Part of the job, welcome to show business!

[DMac]

You have a fine pallet, my man.

I bet he says that to all the boys, youth, specially the ones with a bottle of Leopold's.

You need to name one of your spirits Rebel Whiskey, a fan.
We make it Leopold way 'round these parts.

[Kismet]

Hey Todd - when are you going to try your hand at Malört??

https://www.chicagomag.com/city-life/ma ... s-amazing/

"Malort tastes like fertilizer except it doesn't grow on you."

[a fan]

Hey Todd - when are you going to try your hand at Malört??

https://www.chicagomag.com/city-life/ma ... s-amazing/

"Malort tastes like fertilizer except it doesn't grow on you."

Ha! pass.

Some good news for NOVA folks.....we got several spirits listed in the Virginia stores after a long hiatus:

8 year old Bourbon
Maraschino
Michigan Tart cherry Liqueur
Leopold's Small Batch Gin
...and for some weird reason...our Absinthe.

[youthathletics]

Hey Todd - when are you going to try your hand at Malört??

https://www.chicagomag.com/city-life/ma ... s-amazing/

"Malort tastes like fertilizer except it doesn't grow on you."

Ha! pass.

Some good news for NOVA folks.....we got several spirits listed in the Virginia stores after a long hiatus:

8 year old Bourbon
Maraschino
Michigan Tart cherry Liqueur
Leopold's Small Batch Gin
...and for some weird reason...our Absinthe.

Nice....how'd the pear experiment turnout? And I am curious...what is the story on the Orange Cordial (intriguing) for....is it a sipper type liqueur, a digestive or more of a mixer for a spritzer?