Very nice California IPA. Tons of pine and pineapple but a nice malt balance. 
Very nice sherried Scotch. Highly recommend.
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Thats pretty cool to be involved in such a group. Is it cheaper by the barrel?
No, not cheaper. You pay retail price on the number of bottles in the barrel, but you can select the tastiest barrel of the selection presented to you or pass if you don’t think it’s meets the groups standards. The benefit being you can have something better than you can find off the shelf in most cases.
You have to be able to pay for it and everyone has to live up to their financial commitment on how many bottles they committed to as a barrel which holds 250 bottles max may vary between 6-12 grand depending on the bottle price, but rarely is a barrel that full after many years aging. The “Angels Share”
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I just noticed Suze under the bar at my local french place. Any other suggested drinks you’ve turned up ?
Tonight we made a La Tour Eiffel. Rinse flute with absinthe. Chill glass. 2.5 oz cognac, .5 oz Cointreau, .5 oz Suze, lemon twist garnish. Very good. But, both DH and I commented that the Suze is so herbal and bitter than a lot of people may not enjoy it. We do!
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Yeah you would definitely need a capable & committed group with those $ numbers. I used to do something similar with high end beef & shell fish but chasing down the cash became a PITA.
Luckily, no one is having to chase down anyone for payment. It’s a tight committed group. You live up to your commitments, period! There can be some horse trading done just prior to the product hitting the market place. But bottles must be purchased and paid for when they come due. If someone had to be chased down more than likely that would be the end of their participation. We all have a great time together and spend a great deal of time together online and in person but business is business and our reputation with all those involved in the three tier system must be preserved.
Sounds like you have a great group.
On another note, pecan is my favorite pie but I have never had a bourbon that tasted like it. Any suggestions off the shelf?
I’ve not tasted it in anything else but the Brown Forman based Willets which are not really available. Jack Rose In DC has a bunch of Willetts in their resturant bar if you ever get that way. Asked them if they have any 700/800 series bottles. Some which we split with them because we couldn’t get enough commitments at the time. Stupid, stupid, stupid, slap head.
I get a candied peanut thing in a private pick Knob Creek we recently did but have also tasted it in some of the Booker’s Single Barrels off the shelf. The 2015-01 in particular. If you run across one, get it. It’s a Beam thing but I don’t get in in an OTS 100 pf Knob.
Started the evening with Foeder Weisse :: Oak Fermented Berliner Weisse at Prairie Artisian Ales tasting room then went over to McNellies and had a glass of Omnipollo/Bruxton Yellow Belly. That was an amazing beer. It is an Imperial Stout brewed with peanut butter. 11%abv. It was drinking a dark chocolate peanut butter cup.
http://www.omnipollo.com/beer/yellow-belly
Piehole Pecan Whiskey
That sounds intriguing. Looks like they don’t sell it in my area, though. Where are you? I’m in Connecticut.
For us last night, Wyder’s dry pear cider with a taste-off of side shooters: Willett’s and Defiant. To be perfectly honest, I don’t really care for either the Willett’s (not at all pecan pie-ish a la Scubadoo’s most excellent sounding barrel) or Defiant, but the dry pear cider was delish. Not too sweet, almost more to the wine side in an pleasant way.
http://www.wyders.com/pear-cider/
Yes, but it’s a flavored product.
It’s kinda cool when these flavors occur naturally between the meager ingredients, charred wood and age
Of course, which is why I wish I could have what you’re having. What’s a great bourbon that picks up those notes without injecting candy sweetness? I’d love to try one.
Favs are Willetts, yet hard to find. But single barrel Four Roses are also a fav. Old Weller Antique is the best bang for the buck if you can find it for a wheated bourbon
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I’m in Tulsa, OK. Yes the pecan is a flavored product. I wouldn’t know how to get that flavor withhout help.
And Scubadoo97, I agree about the Four roses Single Barrel. Very easy to sip on without having to put out a lot of cash.
Along the lines of flavored (but not sweet), I picked up something local today I’d had my eye on: Pumpkin Spice Whiskey (yup, with an E) from Sons of Liberty in Rhode Island. Definitely not sweet at all, but spicy. Here’s some info, including a link to a video about how it’s made, which the guys in the package store explained, but quite as extensively):
http://www.solspirits.com/american-spirits-sol-seasonals-pumpkinspicewhiskey
I am in NJ & have not seen Piehole. Will keep it stored in my leaky brain though when we travel to other states. Thanks!
