Sunday Afternoon Bourbon Society

Mr. Bourbean

It’s Rowan’s Creek Bourbon review time! Or, as we continued to call it throughout our last SABS meeting, Rowan Atkinson Bourbon. And we came up with many a comic scenario for Mr. Atkinson:

• Rowan Atkinson somehow ends up inside a barrel and has to drink his way out, with hilarious results

• Rowan Atkinson somehow ends up with a barrel on his head that he has to camouflage when his date comes over, with hilarious results

• Rowan Atkinson tinkers a little too much with the distillation tubes and bourbon begins to spray everywhere, with hilarious results

• Rowan Atkinson has to supervise a team that is comprised of a poor, short, dumb guy and a tall, rich, dumb guy, and he constantly insults them with lengthy metaphors, with hilarious results

• Rowan Atkinson…well, you get it.

Rowan’s Creek was not as hilarious, but I suppose that’s a good thing. It was sweeter than the rest, but still had a burn that hit you mostly in the mouth. I believe it was the big winner, and I would attribute that win to it’s smoothness that’s not so smooth you think you’re drinking cognac.

It’s sadly lacking in doo-dads, and the label is deliberately “rustic” (meaning, the typeface looks like bad handwriting), so it’s not the most attractive bottle. But, as we all know, sometimes doo-dads are just there to trick you…true beauty comes from within.

Leave a seat for Elijah (Craig)

So, I lost all the photos from my phone. I’m not sure what happened, but the only photo on there is of mmelia and samnash. That’s not bad or anything, but included in the lost photos is a photo of our results from last time.

So, I can’t be certain, but I think Elijah Craig was our second place bourbon - again, the results were super-close, so it really doesn’t matter much. Anyway, I really like Elijah Craig. I got it for mmelia a while ago for Christmas, and it’s become a favorite at our place. It’s spicy, without having too much of a burn, with strong notes of vanilla. It truly is a good winter holiday liquor - nice and warm without much fuss.

This is a serious bourbon - you will notice in my previous entry that the only doodad was a tag. Elijah Craig, much like the prophet, does not mess around with chintz.

mmelia:

oneweekonemix:

Mix # 6 Tracks 1—3

Theme: Songs to Play Loud in the Car With the Windows Down

1. Dinosaur Jr – Almost Ready

Ok, let’s kick things off right! In 2007, Dinosaur Jr released their first album in 10 years, and their first album with their original lineup in about 20 years. Usually a “reunion” album like this will fall into one of two categories: it will be a flat out embarrassment for everyone involved, or it will be a nice, if unremarkable addition to a band’s catalogue. But J Mascis and crew against all odds put out an album that stacks against anything else in the band’s discography. That almost never happens! I’m making this mix with spring in mind and since it’s a season of rebirth, I can’t think of a better way to start this off. Plus, there are few things better in life then just hearing J Masics fucking SHRED. This song has plenty of that.

2. The Modern Lovers – Roadrunner

Like I WASN’T going to put this song on here. Please. On the shortlist of my favorite songs ever, Jonathan Richman’s 1972 love letter to Massachusetts and the radio is the perfect driving song. Not really much more to add here, but I’m pretty sure it’s impossible to be in a bad mood while listening to this.

3. Sleater-Kinney – Step Aside

Now a song from three of my favorite ladies. One of my favorite things about Sleater-Kinney is just how loud they were. The guitar tone at 1:15 in this song is unreal and really lends itself to being played a volume that will some day to terrible things to my hearing. Also, with all the bullshit currently going on during this election year, I like to see this song as sort of an anthem. I’ll let Corin take it from here:

“disassemble your discrimination
when violence rules the world outside
and the headlines make me want to cry
it’s not the time to just keep quiet

speak up one time TO THE BEAT” 

—Michael 

Are you following the hot new tumblr One Week One Mix yet? Well, you should be because I’M up this week. Every week, a different writer picks a theme, makes a mix on Spotify and writes about their choices. Check it out, and if you’re interesting in going one week, email Jeff at oneweekonemix@gmail.com.

(Source: Spotify)

Fly like an Eagle Rare

At our last meeting, the results were incredibly close - only one point separated all the bourbons. So, though the Eagle Rare came in 3rd, it was a very narrow 3rd.

The Eagle Rare had a sweet, almost fruity smell. Though it was the least boozy, it tasted the most boozy. Still, it wasn’t harsh and didn’t have a strong burn. We drank it neat, of course, but I’ve had it in cocktails and it works really well with them - elevating them in a way that your run of the mill bottle can’t. Highland Kitchen in Somerville that makes a killer Rarely Eagle (bourbon, St. Germain, lemon juice, simple syrup, orange flower water) which is actually how I first came across this brand. And now that it’s getting warm again, I’ll have to start making them at home. 

ANYWAY. All that said, there was a serious lack of doo-dads on the bottle, and a serious surplus of pretention. I don’t even remember why, but in my notes, I call them braggarts, so I assume there’s a lot of “ooo, look at me, I’m a fancy bourbon that comes wrapped in tissue paper” on the label.

Now again, this is actually a very nice bourbon, and one third of our group voted it the best in the bunch, so it is definitely one to try out.

I will get to the SABS bourbons soon, but first, I must share a truly wonderful event that happened recently. You see, I got to, for FREE, sample the 20 year Pappy Van Winkle.

Pappy Van Winkle is almost a myth - you know the bourbon exists, but you’ve never actually seen it. You have to make friends with liquor store owners and get on waiting lists and probably bribe. It’s talked up as if it’s the nectar of the gods, which you can only imagine. You crave it, but only because it’s out of reach. And you are too cheap to spend that much money on one bottle and plus you don’t have the pedigree to have friends in the right places.

But then, out of the blue, you find out your boyfriend’s childhood friend knows a guy who knows a guy and sure he’ll bring it to dinner for you to try.

My friends…it was good. It was beyond good. I was worried it wouldn’t live up to the hype. I mean, how good can it be? How much better can it possibly be than the bourbons I’ve known and loved for years? Well, the answer is, a lot. Smooth but flavorful with (and I can’t believe I’m going to use this term) a satisfying mouthfeel. It tasted like money, in a wonderful way.

I’m still not sure I would buy a bottle, unless I find myself making more money than I know what to do with. But I am truly glad that someone who knows my boyfriend’s friend has enough money to give it as a gift. And I hope we get introduced.

Bourbon madness

Bourbon time! At our most recent meeting we sampled these fine varieties. Also, BUGLES! Guess what - they do not fit on your fingertips as easily as they did when you were ten. 

The scores were super close because all three bourbons (Eagle Rare, Elijah Craig, Rowen’s Creek) were all different from one another but all really tasty. It came down to personal preference.

I’ll post on individual bottles soon.

When Kentucky eyes are smiling

Henry McKinna Single Barrel Vintage is our next bourbon. I know what you’re thinking - that doesn’t sound like a bourbon! That sounds like a crappy Boston bar! And the thing is, it doesn’t really taste like a bourbon either. 

Legend has it (according to the bottle) that old Henry came to Kentucky from Ireland and “adapted” his recipe for Irish whiskey for America. Basically, he made thinly disguised Irish whiskey.

Henry McKinna is by no means bad, but it just tastes a lot like Irish whiskey. Despite this blog, I’m not totally up-to-date on what all makes bourbon bourbon besides Kentucky. I believe that it’s technically a bourbon, but just be aware if you purchase it, that it’s as close to Bushmills (that’s Protestant whiskey!) as it is to Maker’s.

Doo-Dads - Y’all, it was like a scrapbook exploded on the bottle. Felt! Bric-a-brac edges! Pressed pennies like the kind you get at museums! Hot glue!

I’ve been kissed by four roses on the gray

Four Roses Single Barrel

I would really like to create a whole parody with Four Roses and “Kissed by a Rose”, but I feel that episode of Community really took “Kissed by a Rose” to a whole new comedic level that I can’t even imagine reaching.

So, the Four Roses was good. I think Tom C has notes somewhere. But I feel there was no new ground forged here. Just a good bourbon.

Doo-dads: Check out that bottle stopper, y’all! That is some serious business. Plus, leather!

Tempted by the fruit of another

Temptation Bourbon was our final bourbon at our first meeting. While it’s not as fancy as the others, it’s a perfectly fine drink. This isn’t a bourbon you’re going to save for company, it’s one you’re going to keep as your go-to. Don’t go looking for subtlety, but it’s a solid base for mixed drinks and a good (but not great) option for an everyday on-the-rocks drink. For a little more than Jim Beam, you’ll have a bottle that looks nicer and a drink that’s smoother.

No doo-dads, nothing fancy. This is strictly utilitarian stuff, but utilitarian things are literally around for a reason.

Into the Wood(ford)s, it’s time to go!

BAM - Sondheim makes it into a post.

My parents brought this to our house once, and fellow SABS member, mmelia, and I were all stoked that they brought us fancy bourbon, but then they took it back! So, I always associate it with crushed dreams.

ANYWAY, Woodford is a stand-by classy bourbon, I think. This ranked highly at our first meeting, because it’s smooth and tasty. There’s nothing terribly exciting about it, but your bourbons don’t always need to be terribly exciting. Sometimes they just need to be delicious and consistent.

Doo-dads - None.