my new liquor snob joke ( made it myself ) ~
you know you're an overpaid drunk when ... you'll only drink from a Glencairn glass.
And such was my sad fate aforenight. If I'd known it meant drinking ancient bourbon in Little Tokyo with adorable asian ingenues, I'd have become a semi-professional alcoholic much sooner in life.
So began the Southern California Whiskey Society Sunday circa Jan. 2013. 11 bourbons, new vs old side by side shoot out, 4 tax stamps ( pre 1984 ) with one faux, a 100% Stitzel Weller distilled line up plus the latest Pappy van Winkle 20yr, itself a blend and the only match up where the new trumped the old.
SW juice, for the uninitiated, is a product the factory for which closed for good in 1992, two long decades past.
Hence, it's a spirit to be imbibed nevermore when extant troves are exhausted, and exhaust was fitting flavor profile for much of the newer versions of the labels compared. Exceptions were Rebel Yell and aforementioned PvW20, a nice surprise that so sought after a brand, priced exorbitantly to match, has risen despite loss of legacy.
That bright prospect speaks well and volumes of the rapid increase in standards held by ever more discerning bibblers moderne.
Re the attending contingent, for once I was silent, rather than my usual yammer, for I was among luminaries and professional spirits merchants on all sides, whose opine was a font of wisdom slaking my eager ear.
E.g. Mme MT re the prodigious vanilla component in the new PvW20 edition, an obvious prominent note I'd missed altogether in assessing other criteria.
And the star atop the yule tree was the ever illuminating master CU, the paler one with the honeyed drawl, not the tocayo squire of MT & L, which gallant honor drove my dark heart to envious fury despite the sincere regard those damsels directed my way.
For readers seeking manna gleaned from newly minted members' remains, cf.
http://www.facebook.com/events/390174201076901.
Do bring your own water, as well as supplemental glassware, as the house tap is a tad oystery.
To host Far East, kudos for a job well done with great flexibility, and a bar shelf nonpareil meriting many more visits. Its peruse intimated delectable mysteries yet unknown to me, inciting tantalizing anticipation. E.g. Widow Jane !?*
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Is this at 7G SD yet ? http://www.harrisonbourbon.com/governors_reserve.html
Spotted it's plain younger sister at the de facto home court of the SCWC http://www.southerncaliforniawhiskeyclub.com/ Sunday 4.14.13 while there for the 7 expression Sazerac 18 vertical, a test of the new norm for holding back the tide of time against overaged bourbon via the figleaf of steel tanks as justifying the arrest of increased age statement for copious quantities of remaining reserves.
Bottom line, 2006 Sz18 is the "same" as 2012 Sz18 despite being transferred from oak barrel to single mega tank to multiple modest tanks (post 2007 release), each annum losing more than 1% of the original volume to angel's share regardless of tanked stockpile.
... I won't be buying a single dram of it after sampling the septet presented. Consensus of those attending favored the 2002 expression.
Instead of the Harrison, I launched my evening dance card with Widow Jane, spotted at the prior SCWC soiree and in no need of reprise.
I challenge BW & crew to secure a specimen of the following prior to ( or in tandem with, if need be ) 7G LA doing so : http://www.harrisonbourbon.com/grouseland.html
I promise to pay for one pour in support of that goal.
cf re Sazerac 18
7.10.08 http://www.whiskyadvocateblog.com/2008/01/10/inside-scoop-sazerac-rye-18-year-old/
10.18.12 follow up http://www.thirstysouth.com/2012/10/18/review-2012-sazerac-18-rye/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sazerac
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Off the Rocks ~ NorCal outfit dipping their toe here in Tijuas norte 4.17.13.
Clamor louder for a foot to be brought down to stay.
http://offtherockswhisky.com/events-whiskyexperience/
I was several days late in reading the K&L Wine Whisk(e)y News email,
but I had 30 or 40 minutes to kill before going back to work after lunch, so I opened it.
And saw they were dropping eleven different bottles of high grade in Little Tokyo that night.
I had already honed my transit process to the area with two previous Southern California Whiskey Club forays to Far Bar a block further on 1st St, so I knew I could pull it off.
So it began. At noon, I learned of the event. By 12:20pm, I had confirmation emails for event admission and train ticket. At 12:50, I told my boss face to face I wouldn't be coming back to work that afternoon. By 1:30pm, I was fully groomed for polite company. I made the 2:46pm train north to Union Station with a quarter hour to spare which I passed discussing gin with a fellow passenger.
I disembarked approx. 20 minutes before the event start and arrived with minutes to spare, greeted effusively at the door by one of the OTR duo who immediately knew of my order when I cursorily mumbled that I'd purchase online at noon.
Charmed doesn't begin to describe the fortuitous glory of WE 130417, the first OTR event in SoCal.
Mention is merited by the unceasing and unstinting gourmand fusion nibbles of a half dozen stripes by host location Spice Table, all first rate & novel in composition.
OTR presentations
Bruichladdich 1984 Golder Still ( 2008 release ) 23yr
{ definitely best of the night, but
I got in trouble because, without permission or even asking for such,
I opened the sealed bottle for a light pour when
two Men in matching Black suits egged me on to do so
as I fondled it trying to read the label's gold foil lettering on gold matte background.
Binny's $300 http://www.binnys.com/spirits/Bruichladdich_Golder_Still_160690.html
orig. $150 K&L http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1095779 }
http://www.bruichladdich.com/the-whisky/classic-whisky/rare-bruichladdich/golder-still-whisky
Compass Box Peat Monster
{ peat = yuck }
http://www.compassboxwhisky.com/the-peat-monster.php
JVS Imports (C.Uhde) presentations
Blackadder raw cask Blairfindy (Glenfarclass) 23yr
{ second best of the night, light peat and good big caramel/butterscotch/vanilla/dried fruit flavor; trying to get a bottle from impresario at two bills plus }
http://www.blackadder.nu/newidx.php?page=productbf&site=INT
Blackadder Raw Cask Smoking Islay
http://www.blackadder.nu/newidx.php?page=productsi&site=INT
Kilchoman Machir Bay
Kilchoman Single Bourbon Cask
Kilchoman 100% Islay 2nd Edition
brand representative presentations
Glenmorangie Original
{ used as primary element in Blood and Sand cocktails incl Cherry Heering, very scrumptious }
Glenmorangie Extremely Rare 18 Years Old
{ msrp $130 }
Ardbeg Corryvreckan
{ 100+ ppm. The horror of it all }
Glenmorangie Quarter Century
{ third best of the night. msrp $325 }
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130425
http://www.southerncaliforniawhiskeyclub.com/#!events/c24tf
David Stirk, Creative Whisky Company
http://www.creativewhisky.co.uk/
'00, Aberlour 12 year, 55.7%
'00, Ardmore 12 year, 56.3%
'97, Clynelish 15 year, 53.5%
'95, Mortlach 17 year, 53.3%
'92, Glen Grant 20 year, 55.7%'88, Littlemill 24 year, 49.8%
'01, Bowmore 11 Year, 53.6%
