Hunting for rare bourbon is hard these days so many people have gravitated to single barrel selections as a way to combat it in the hopes of getting a stellar bourbon that is less expensive and more appealing. On this episode, we blind taste our way through a series of five comparisons where we try to see if a single barrel store pick can compete with past limited editions. We see if Weller CYPB, Booker’s Rye, 2016 Four Roses Single Barrel, and Elijah Craig 18 are worth the price. We also talk about flavors we prefer over others and how to create your own small batch limited edition bourbon as well. If you’ve done something like this before, drop us a comment with your results.

Show Notes:

• This week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about the return of bourbon.
• Is it worth waiting in line or camping out for bourbon?
• Tasting store picks vs. limited releases.
• Weller CYPB vs Weller 107 pick by Cork N Bottle
• Booker’s Rye vs Knob Creek Rye by Westport Whiskey and Wine
• 2016 Four Roses Limited Edition Single Barrel OESK vs North Atlanta Bourbon Society OESK
• Elijah Craig 18yr vs Elijah Craig Loch n Key
• Wild Turkey 17yr Decades vs Russell’s Reserve by Cork N Bottle
• How many barrel picks have you been on?
• Is there something on the flavor wheel that you don’t like to get out of a bourbon?
• Have you tried to create your own small batch before?

Transcription:

0:00
Hey everybody. If you have a bachelor’s degree and live anywhere in the United States, there’s now a way for you to take your bourbon education to the next level. The distilled spirits business certificate from the University of Louisville is an online program that can be completed in as little as 15 weeks and will prepare you for the business side of the spirits industry. It’s offered by the AA CSP accredited college of business. And this certificate was developed in partnership with industry experts to be one of a kind and it’s going to prepare you for your next adventure. Learn more about this online program at U of l.me. Slash pursue spirits

0:37
dry oak or the sweet Oh, I’m more of a circuit. Oh yeah, yeah, I mean, that’s what that’s my nickname. So they call me Coleman sweet. Oh

0:56
what’s up everybody? It is Episode 219 of

1:00
bourbon pursuit. I’m one of your host Kenny, and we don’t have a whole lot of news but it’s festival season. And for bourbon pursuit, we are fortunate that we are going to be at some of the most prestigious ones around. We had a blast last weekend at hometown rising and now we are headed into bourbon and beyond weekend, the whole bourbon pursuit team is going to be there. And we have different sessions throughout the entire weekend. So make sure you go and check out the schedule so you can be there. bourbon and beyond.com. Of course Fred’s gonna be there and he’s scattered everywhere. But Ryan kicks things off on Friday at 1230 with beer drinkers bourbon, and I have the final session on Friday at six o’clock pm called what is a master distiller. On Saturday, I kick off at 1225 with barrel finished versus traditional bourbon. And we’re going to be joined on stage by all the personalities that you’ve heard on the podcast before. So we would love to see you all there and please come say hi to us. There’s always going to be bourbon pursuit t shirts.

2:00
Hats available at the Fred MC merchant so make sure you take a second and stop by their last week mark 65 years as Jimmy Russell being an active master distiller and now he is considered the longest tenured master distiller around Happy Anniversary Jimmy from the whole bourbon pursuit team. Maker’s Mark is unveiling its first ever limited release bourbon that won’t require a special trip to Loreto Maker’s Mark wood finishing series 2019 new release, RC six will be available nationwide this fall. It marks the first of many upcoming whiskeys in the wood finishing series. As Maker’s Mark plans to release a new one for a limited time nationwide each year. You probably already know about maker’s 46 and the private barrel selection program that utilizes flavoring staves. This release was finished and secondary barrels containing 10 wouldn’t staves dubbed RC six the staves made from Virgin America.

3:00
Or season for a year and a half and then baked in a convection oven. Before being introduced to the cast drink bourbon, Maker’s Mark made 255 barrels, it’s bottled at 108.2 proof. And you’ll be able to find it nationwide in October with an MSRP of around $60. Not only is it festival season, but it’s also release season. And release season means all the crazies come out. And for today’s podcast, we look at really what that means because they’re going to be bourbon lotteries that happen around the nation folks are camping out in parking lots. And there’s a lot of hate around flippers and liquor store owners that are trying to get the most money out of these secondary values for these allocated Bourbons. So our goal in this episode was to see if we can help folks out there not feel the fo mo or the fear of missing out. We did our best to blindly set up samples of past limited edition Bourbons and compare them to single barrel private pics. The results are interesting, but the best part about this is that you can do this

3:59
At home, find a group of friends and get together and have a blind taste off and use some limited edition Bourbons versus some single barrels out there. Heck, if your taste buds prefer stag Junior over Big Boy George t stag, you’re going to save yourself a lot of headache and money in the process. But you can do this as well for things like ego or 17 versus just standard single Eagle rare store pics. And there’s a lot of them that spread the whole gamut of a lot of the big distilleries are out there. And if you ever get around to doing something like this, we would love to hear your results. Drop us a line on our Facebook page or mentioned us in your Instagram or your Twitter posts. All right, it’s time to dive into the good stuff. Let’s hear from Joe over a barrel bourbon. And then you’ve got Fred Minnick with above the char. Hi, Joe from barrell bourbon here. We’re always trying to push the envelope of blending whiskey in America. Find out more at barrell bourbon.com.

4:53
I’m Fred Minnick, and this is above the char want to take you back in time, a time and bourbon will

5:00
wasn’t cool when bourbon wasn’t selling when Julian Van Winkle had to trade bottles of 23 year old Pappy, just to get a magazine advertisement. I’m talking about the 1990s. In the 1990s there was a very important event that happened that would shape the bourbon economy for the next 20 or 30 years. And that is the Japanese market crashed. You see up until that point the Japanese market was the number one thing kind of keeping bourbon alive. You had brands being specifically developed for the Japanese such as Blanton’s Booker’s know as mill the entire small batch collection essentially anything that was a an ultra premium of that time was being sent to Japan because the Japanese absolutely loved and continue to love bourbon. When the market crashed. You saw how the company’s decided to deal with it. You had some

6:00
Who decided to put their efforts on domestic sales. So heaven Hill basically shifted their efforts to focus on the southeast and throughout the United States. Jim Beam really tried to double down and like places like New York and Chicago and San Francisco, they had really concentrated programs there and united distillers, now the CEO decided to sell. Up until that moment, they had actually been making more of their weeded bourbon to sell to Japan under the Rebel Yell label to compete with jack daniels. They had this excess of weeded bourbon and they decided to sell it and they also decided to sell their brands. They sold Rebel Yell eventually to the company that is now Lux go. They sold it old Fitzgerald to heaven Hill, and they sold Weller the Weller brand and the stocks and the archives to SAS racks.

7:00
Those are three companies who really wanted the bourbon and they really wanted to promote it. And as we all know, that particular whiskey was quite good and made an impression on anybody who ever tasted it. And I often wonder what would have happened if united distillers decided not to sell their whiskey and their labels to three companies who really did care about promoting bourbon? I’ve thought about that a lot. And I’ve come to the conclusion that I don’t think bourbon would have ever has been as hot as it is today. The reason why united distillers has always been a scotch centric company and they’ve never put much effort into American whiskey. The exception being bullet and you know, George decal is kind of like barely, barely gets any budget, you know, at least they’re now they’re, they’re paying attention to it, but that particular company has never really put a whole lot of focus on

8:00
American whiskey. So I look back on that time today as we celebrate bourbon Heritage Month. And we enjoy this incredible growth and all the fandom that we have in bourbon. I look back to the 1990s as the people who truly made the right decisions that got us to where we are today.

8:22
And that’s this week’s above the char. Hey, if you want to learn more about the history of bourbon, check out my book bourbon, the rise fall and rebirth of an American whiskey. Until next week. Cheers

8:37
Welcome back to the episode of bourbon pursuit the official podcast of bourbon, Kenny and Ryan here in our secondary recording studios in my basement if you’re watching the video you you may notice the background it looks familiar. And we have a new guest on today and I’m sure usually when people come here they’re always like, I can’t wait to see Kenny’s basement through all his bottles, bottles, bottles. I like upstairs studio better. We got more room.

9:00
On the dining room table, you were a little tight down here, but we’ll make it work. So you can see the bottles. Yeah, so when I was planning the basement I never really planned this to be like a recording space. But it kind of turned out that well now you have lights and the whole shebang. You know, it’s like, real deal. We’ll make it work. We’ll make it work in the cramped space. It’ll, that’s how to happen. But, you know, today, today’s topic really came as it was a good suggestion by our guests. Because when we think about the significance and what it really takes to go in chase after unicorns and limited edition releases, it’s becoming almost it’s been it’s difficult. Yeah, it’s very, very difficult. It’s either your, I don’t even do it. I just gave up on it. Like two or three years ago. It’s like no, not camping. Yeah, you’re either camping or you’re paying secondary prices, or, you know, CP and other people are kind of like, Oh, yeah, well, I’ve got a great relationship with the store manager. I buy everything there. And and that’s great. But sometimes you also need to take a step back and think like, Okay, well, I

10:00
If I just keep buying a bottle of bourbon every two weeks, and I keep buying a 12 pack of beer odds are I’m probably spending almost two months as well and I could just bought off a secondary and in my case my store relationship it caused me a probably about five to $600 in tickets to like concerts and football games and all that stuff per year so I need to add that tax on to my math whenever I’m like I’m getting these a cost Yeah, maybe not. Yeah, I was like that big man. We’ve a lot be actually cost you more than the second Yeah. No doubt. That’s definitely how it happens. But So with that, let’s go and introduce our guest today. So today we have Mikey Conrad Mikey, welcome to the show. Welcome. Glad to be here. Yes. beautiful, magnificent basement. Yeah. See, we like to hear that it’s all about the ambience. Right. That’s the town. So Mikey, you know, first off, thank you for coming up with this idea because this is this is great because we get to kind of look at more of the bourbon culture side of things here. We get to look at really what does it take to look at a

11:00
Very good store, pick somebody that is from a Baroque barrel selection group, or whether they’re stores that are very well known for it, versus chasing after those limited releases, which sometimes they’re pretty much the same exact thing as those barrel selections just either aged longer or selected by the master distiller for various reasons, something like that. So kind of what was your your reasoning behind bringing an idea like this? Yeah, I mean that the main reason is kind of already been hinted at, like, it just got really almost ridiculous to camp to spend time, energy effort, money into chasing things that you weren’t always sure if they were going to pan out to be what you think they’re going to be because of everyone else telling you that you got to get this bottle. It looks pretty, you know, whatever it may be. And so you know, you start to take store pics or single barrel pics from clubs or stores or bars and you’re like man says really

12:00
Good, this tastes better than you know the special release that came out. And so it really is just come to a simple like reality that time is something you don’t get back. And so for a guy who’s married, you know has three daughters. I’m like, Man Am I am I just spend too much time trying to always chasing bourbon. Yeah, man. I mean, come on. So Miss three genetics and glasses of the past.

12:25
I mean, that’s where some of the really practical I mean, thought came into play as like, really, like, how much time should I be spending and it’s like, man, there’s access to so many great stores in this area alone, Kentucky, Indiana, like man, there’s gotta be some a better way. So yeah, that’s what and Ryan always talks about opportunity costs. Being when you say yes to something you’re saying no to something else. Yeah, you definitely always gotta think of the opportunity costs. It’s that and then it’s also you know, in the value of your time, you know, Ryan being an entrepreneur and owning a few businesses. He he has this sort of level.

13:00
Thinking, because I go back and I think of like my 2014 days of camping in front of liquor barn and being like one of the first three people there and coming away with a 23 at the end of the day. Yeah, sure. It was fun. They were good times. And now if I think about it, like what I ever do that again, like, is my time more valuable than actually waiting in line? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, you gotta look at like your salary or what your earning potential is like as someone and and you’re like, all right, I just invested nine hours to get this bottle. And it’s, you know, 1300 1500 bucks, you’re like, wait a minute, I could have just done my regular job and you know, done a lot better. But you know, but it’s also fun to you got it. You can’t discount that there’s something in about going to the store going out for the hunt, hanging out with people to you know, get those bottles so that you can’t totally just make it a numbers thing, but it’s a Yeah, yeah. And nine hours is probably on the short end of the stick. Yeah, exactly. So it’s even lower cut, you know, or even bigger opportunity costs. So, so I’m going to talk you know, we’re going to talk a little more about these topics as we go but one of the

14:00
things that we’re doing today is we are going to be kind of going into a double blind here. And this is going to be store pics versus limited releases. And these are store pics that I’ve had access to that I’ve purchased as well as limited editions that I purchased. And honestly, I told my wife I said, Let’s set these up. We don’t want to know if this is an Elijah Craig pairing. If this is a four roses pairing, I don’t really know what it is. She really want to expose us. Oh, I mean, this is gonna make us look real bad. Yeah, okay. So so we’re going to not not only know what the brand name, the mash bill, whatever it is, but then inside of that we don’t know which one either one or two is the limited edition or is the store pick? Yeah, so we’re going to go through and we’re going to start off with our first one here. We were going through so we always know number one is on our left and number two is on our right. So we’ve got a lined up. So let’s go ahead and kind of start

15:00
The process of nosing through these and figuring out I know what it is. Oh yeah, just by that. You’re so fast, huh? Think it’s a well or one of seven. You think you’re going straight with the leader off the bat, huh? So I actually I have no idea I can I that was the first thing in my peripheral vision.

15:22
So I’ll give you some ideas of what we have up line today. So we’ve got on the store pick side we’ve got a Russell’s reserve from cork and bottle. We’ve got a knob Creek pick that was done to knob Creek right pick that was done by Westport whiskey and wine. We’ve got a nine year nine month OESK that was done by the North Atlanta bourbon society, which I chose that one because we’re pairing that against a Brent face bottle which was the 20 1614 year old SK in addition to that, you know, we already said we got a well or 107 which is also cork and bottle pick versus a Weller

16:00
After perfect bourbon, which was a sample sent by Matt q six So Matt thank you so much for sending that along and hopefully we don’t disappoint you here or hopefully hopefully we can yeah yeah

16:12
I really enjoyed the nose on this one I wasn’t in love with the taste or finish or anything about it Mona maybe it’s just cuz my first one

16:22
I’m kind of with you on that one. The nose is there but what taste might be a little weird Yeah, I mean we all profile on any of those on so they’re trying to register in my head so this is also kind of the the issue with some store pics too is that a lot of people and a lot of stores? They will they always go and they want to find something unique. Yep. And so they try to find that that off profile one and so that could be the one here that is that is the off profile side of things about you Mikey need to have a guests on me and my guess is going to be way off. That’s okay. It’s got my brain. Ivan land I totally just glanced over.

17:01
But there is a big drop off on the back end of this thing. Yeah. The only thing I noticed up front when I first knows it was like some cherries and always get cherry out of like Weller’s. But

17:13
that’s the only reason why I said that.

17:16
I don’t know. Wow, this is actually pretty hard if I just tasted the second one.

17:22
The taste is a lot better than the SEC. Oh, yeah. The second one’s the first one. I’m going to go back to it because it was a little, like musty gonna, like funky? I don’t know. Yeah, a little bit. I mean, it kind of had that weird finish to it, but I’m like some like I said, that’s that’s one of those things where you know, you go into a store and that’s what they try to do they try to differentiate it by having some unique pick like that. They taste totally different, which is crazy, like did Laurin do these right? I hope

17:52
I can’t be 100% on that one. But I hope so.

17:57
Mikey, how many barrel pics Have you been on? I know you came with

18:00
On one. Yeah, I think, right around five, and maybe, maybe one or two more, but at least five. Yeah. Have you found to find those like off profile ones? Have you found them before, I have felt small profile ones. And my brains always go in toward the masses. Unless there happens to be a large group of folks that just wants something really off profile. But if that’s off profile can be off putting to someone that has an expectation of something that they want to, they want to sip or drink that’s, that’s within their, you know, their taste, right? And so we even at a place like New riff, like we, we got down to our two, we did them blind, and one was just significantly different. And my thinking was, man, guys, if we pick this one, people are going to think we’re crazy. Yeah, they’re not going to want to ever again, right, but the other one was just it was great, had a great nose, super sweet on the front, and this long lasting kind of sweet oak. And so we chose that one. So

19:00
But usually when that barrel picks I’m pretty simple like I have this very like Check. Check. Yes, yeah. Minus or check plus and yeah, if the nose on something is really weak I have a hard time putting it into the the check plus category but

19:15
I do like the nose on a second one a lot better than the first there’s Yeah, like everything about the second one better. So I’m not entirely sure what it is. Yeah, I’m gonna put my vote for two on this one. I agree as well. But I mean, we’ve had so Ryan lands he’s been on the show before he sent us a sample. A blind sample once Brian if you remember that. Yep. And we were we were dumbfounded by it. We were going through because we were like, is this a ride? Like it’s got this minty flavor. It’s like, totally, that means we couldn’t pin it down. And then he was like, No, just a nine year Buffalo Trace.

19:50
Like, yeah, we’re like, I didn’t expect that when we were thinking I was like, some will have families day, like eight years or something from MTV, you know? But it was

20:00
Buffalo Trace Oh yeah, it was a crazy one. So I think I got my vote in number two Yankee what’s your vote in? Yeah number two hands down all right all right so i think you won’t do the reveal I’m already on the guess oh how about just trade them off you guys can you guys can both do reveals about that so you’re real all right Mikey go ahead all right I’ll reveal all right so here we go here we go number a number a number

20:27
oh boy sorry guys a one number one is Weller craft your perfect bourbon OC at least now I new

20:39
stuff right

20:41
the craft your own bourbon you whoever crafted it did not

20:46
you screwed up

20:49
yeah, that’s I mean that kind of goes to show you right i mean we’re out of the gate we already just said that doesn’t work yeah, I mean and go me wrong like store pick one oh sevens like they trade upwards of

21:00
Like $100 now, but the crappy perfect bourbon i think is somewhere around 300 400. So you know, yeah, I mean, it was a limited release. It came in a fancy white label, but I’m just like, thrilled. I got it right on the nose. I was like, you should just leave now. Yeah, I’m done. See?

21:19
My drop word done? Well, let’s uh, let’s go ahead and refresh or reset here and he does dump dump bug it Here we go. Here’s a here’s a dump glass that you can use. Just go ahead and do that. All right. Have you done a 107 pic? I have not me either.

21:35
on the list though, I had the opportunity to do it. Which you know the Yeah, I mean, the honest weird thing about doing Yeah, we’re going to have a just a big ol Weller mix mix, right here. So we’ll just do that. We’ll save that one for later. Is it pretty similar to like doing a Buffalo Trace where you know, you get it’s 46 barrels and it’s very similar. I don’t need that here. So one

22:00
So when you do the when you do the well everyone oh seven pick. I mean, it’s there’s literally no difference than what you were doing with a Buffalo Trace or anything like that.

22:09
Except you have you have this high anticipation going into it. Yeah. Right because you’re like, we did it like we’re here like we’re getting the Mecca. Yeah. I mean, you think like, it’s going to be like crazy and like off the wall. Like you’re super excited for it like you get it takes more than a little Yeah. You got barely a taste there.

22:30
And then so and so we’re going to use it. So like I said, you go in like super, super amped for it. However,

22:38
when we did ours, I was actually sitting there with a few of the guys and I’m kind of like, it might be like one of the few times in my life where you’re like, like so crazy going into it. That you say

22:53
can we get some new barrels? Because life’s all about expectation? Nothing. No, yeah, nothing was like you

23:00
We’re over the moon about any of them. I mean, so it was just kind of like Well, I guess we’ll just choose one of these. Yeah, I mean, they were also kind of doing us a favor of giving this group that I’m in a 107 pick at the story behind it was this is all part of the the bourbon cartel as we’ve had on the show before doing a 1792 foolproof pick. And we are the team that was there chose the barrel and come to find out that barrel was already pre sold. And everybody had already left like guys came in from California for this all this other kind of stuff. And they were like, Oh, I’m so sorry. What can we do? What can we make it up for you? I don’t know exactly how you want no seven pick and they’re like, okay, let’s make it happen. Yeah. And I guess when that happens, you might get the the last barrels all the rejects right into the year. Yeah, it’s like when Eddie Russell was that the Russell’s pig and they’re like, well, operations is on air. Nevermind.

23:59
So we got

24:00
UV here. So with BO buddy. Oh, here we go again. So I feel like this is filling

24:10
or something logic correct maybe

24:13
behind you might be, you might have he’s got this he’s got his senses dialed in every night. Every night he goes home and just practice I actually do now ever since we’ve done pursuit series like I’ve kind of like trying to not take it seriously but really

24:30
put some effort into it. I can train my nose and palate. I don’t know. I mean, it’s I don’t know I enjoy it and you know, so I’ve really, I’ll probably with on this one so I don’t hide me up too much.

24:44
But I just know it’s like an alleged occurred to me up the gate. All right. I can tell you after the taste. I don’t think it’s Elijah Craig. Oh.

24:52
I think it’s a rye. Oh, yeah. Because I had one Rive blind set in here. Maybe it’s like a

25:00
bourbon and then you get four roses and some of the different recipes you get some of like a minty profile to it as well so yeah there’s this earthy

25:10
earth you bite at the end

25:13
yeah it’s definitely like you said get the ride and it’s really standing out

25:20
we are more like a kind of peanut II nutty kind of, well, one of the things that threw in here I said there was a ride blind so there’s a problem is the rods that you did are like gateway rods. Yeah, well, I know I don’t know if their gateway rise because of the ride that I did. I did. I did a knob Creek Westport whiskey and what it was for what sports really known for a lot of good store pics. Chris has been on the show before from there. But I said what’s a good limited edition to pair this up with and there’s not I ok. I tried to be a smart consumer so I didn’t go out and buy like the knob Creek hundred and 30th or whatever it was. I came in the box. That was like

26:00
150 bucks, but I had these. These had a bottle of knob or a Booker’s rye sitting around. And so I said, well mean it’s still Jim Beam at the end of the day.

26:12
Both of them like art super dry, heavy on the taste. So let’s see if we can see if we can figure it out and blind. Hmm. I’m worried. Yeah, she’s like,

26:25
I’ll tell you a story because Booker’s right, I bought a few bottles of them. When I told myself I said, You know what, like, I have a lot of money sunk into these things because they came out at 303 50 retail. And I said, I said maybe when it hits 1000 What’s the perfect boogers raw? Is it cash flow? Its cash. Yeah, I mean, I think it’s like around 100 and hundred and 10 hundred and 20. Some most most of the Booker’s around 120 proof. So yeah, you could probably expect that now. I’m also it just seems like there’s a huge difference in the

27:00
First and second one. I don’t know. Maybe it’s just me. Yeah, you might be right. I’m getting more ethanol knows on this first one.

27:08
But which one do you enjoy more? And the first one that I’ll call like really

27:13
overpowers kind of everything for me there obviously, now that you said there’s a lot more ethanol on the nose,

27:20
like on the nose and the palate and just really just takes over well and you know, also I can’t be 100% of these are rise or not So, but the second one is so light,

27:34
and gullible. Is that word gullible? Not even close now, or do you think this could be I don’t love either one of them, but I like the second one better than the first like now that I’m tasting it. I don’t know if it is awry. I don’t think it’s a wrong at this. This might be the difference in the four roses. Yeah, because it could be the Brent face 14 year OESK versus the

27:57
the nine and a half year or nine nine

28:00
nine year nine months, North Atlanta Bourbons pick and I I chose both of those. I chose the North Atlanta one because the Brett face bottle was all OESK and this was one of the last store pics that I had that was also only OESK. Alright, so if you had to choose one where do you going with

28:25
I know hopefully their listeners I’m bored. Well

28:28
the comments going rolling around like I said, I don’t love both of them. I think if I had to pick I’ll pick two just cuz

28:37
like one just so I just get so much alcohol that I can’t really taste much else whereas to I can kind of get some

28:46
basic bourbon notes you know a little bit better. They’re both pretty underwhelming for me. Not underwhelming, but just very average number one has a bit more of a punch to me. Yeah. Which a lot of people think that

29:00
is hot or its heat. Yeah. I don’t typically mind it as much. However, number two definitely has a little more subdued. Little more oak. Yep. And I like my tannins. So I know he does. Like, yeah, he’s cheap for tenants.

29:19
Dry oak or the sweet. Oh, I’m more of a shadow. Yeah, I mean, that’s what that’s my nickname. So they called me come to sweet. Oh.

29:27
Alright, you want to reveal this one? Kenny. All right, I’ll reveal this one. So I’m on number two. Ryan. I’m number two as well, man it is it’s a close tie. But the ethanol knows on one. I yeah, I got I gotta go with to, to just got much more sweeter kind of reveal. All right, well, we kind of nailed that one. So this was the four rows. Okay.

29:49
Number two was the bread face bottle. It was the 14 year OESK barrel strength Limited Edition. And then the first one was the nine year nine months.

30:00
SK gotcha so in this particular instance the limit earliest when the limited release me yes so how about it? Alright, so let’s go ahead and dump them out and get ready for them the first one was a store pick right the Yes The first one was the store pick that’s correct grab another glass over there Ron if you can and will create our glass or dump glass over here. Mikey are the ones you’ve been on where the most memorable barrel pics or any stories from those two mean hopefully the one you went on with us but yeah you know no pressure

30:33
I mean Buffalo Trace is always on someone’s just picking a barrel there and doesn’t matter really what whiskey it is the set to get into a pickle Buffalo Trace it’s on everyone’s list right? So that one was great. I really as far as like tours go and overall barrel picking experience, man I mean castle and key. They they even though they don’t have anything on the market yet, like the ability to taste arrived or weeded and then lay it back.

31:00
down. I mean, the experience overall was really great there. So I feel like Yeah, it was. That was overall my best so far. And you know, Buffalo Trace was great as well. But out of the out of the few that I’ve done, castle and key was, was hands down my favorite. And usually I’ll try to point people toward a tour there for coming in from out of town, the castle and key I was kind of blown away with like, I’d seen it before the renovation and went, I knows time sensitive information. But last week, you know, last weekend did a pin hook pic with the breaking bourbon guys and man, that place is awesome. Like it is like the gardens are beautiful. Like all the architecture inside like it’s a great blend of like modern architecture with old architecture like I just

31:47
I mean, it comes with a steep price tag. I think they said their tours are like 30 bucks. Yeah, for an hour. But I mean, but I know that I mean it’s totally different. Like you could literally spend Well, we did spend six hours

32:00
If you wanted to you could spend all day there. I mean, it’s it’s a great beautiful location. Yeah. If you’re a history nerd like I am. So there is that kind of on beyond that adds to the experience. Yeah. I mean new riff they’re new, but man, they take care of you really well, there as well. So some of it is just, it’s just different. So that’s, that’s the reality of some of these pics. Like, some might not be better than the other but who’s our least favorite? Should we not say that we bought and again, bye bye. Yeah. My bad. No, don’t do that.

32:32
There’s really not some that are, like terrible, right? None are actually terrible.

32:38
I mean, the only ones that are terrible.

32:41
Maybe my opinion is terrible is that you don’t even actually go in the barrel pick. You just have the sample ship tonight. Yeah, like that’s just Yeah, I don’t know. I mean, obviously, geographic geography kind of plays a role in that. But yeah, it’s it’s not as exciting. Well, it’s just part of what it is though. There’s probably very few people that go on a barrel pick and walk away, saying

33:00
I wish I would have done that barrel pick.

33:03
Yeah, that’s that’s probably very true. So I just so we’re here at letter C Now I keep wanting to say the number c so letter C, and often knows like the nose right away like I’m like pulling number two, like way ahead of the pack here. Yeah.

33:21
They’re both the both noses are far better than the ones from the last rounds. Like on the these two. So we’re tasting right now trying to figure out exactly I know where we are. Right? We are. We are easily and Eliza Craig land. Yeah, this is totally worked on. I gave that spiel about how I’m taking seriously, I’m failing pursuit series. That’s okay. But I mean, this is a work in progress. So, you know, the life of Craig brain in itself, like I’m a huge fan of it. Oh, yeah, they’re, they’re doing it. They’re doing a lot of good things in regards of not only putting out what people have been asking for for years, which was a very

34:00
Proof release, you know, they brought out should I say reintroduce the 18 and 23 year expressions A few years ago, the only thing that you can’t find anymore is the 21 year expression. But you know, honestly out of those older expressions and by the way i can tell you OA you can totally tell right just first said what each one is. Yeah, so I can tell you exactly the comparison here what we’re looking at and ones and Elijah Craig 18 year another is an Elijah Craig store pick that was done by the lock and key society so lock Oh, I thought you were saying the first class logic Craig. I’m like, No, it’s not. A second one is why I don’t know. I don’t know. Yeah, but I’m just saying. I’m just saying the lineup and so anybody that’s unfamiliar lock and key is based out of Julio up a New England. They’re a pretty big player in that that store pic world. They’ve been doing it for years and years and years. I’ve actually got an old store pick. I’m down. I think my last job

35:00
of one of the the last ever Bernheim we store pics that were ever available. Heaven Hill what opened up to doing your own Evan Williams your own Bernheim, your own header mechanic all that sort of stuff then they kind of put the handcuffs on you to is definitely got to be the 18 and one is the

35:21
it’s that eight to 12 year like Elijah Craig got the nutty toffee candy bar notes like stuff I enjoy so I’m definitely like one year program pick to the Hollywood pick two. But you know when I was when I was talking to Mikey about this and we were talking about store pics versus limited releases I actually thought I didn’t do it but I thought about doing it because it’s not actually technically a store pick or store release. But I said what if we did an Elijah Craig barrel proof versus like a nine year like will it family estate? Oh, yeah, I was like that one actually might be that would be pretty comparable. Well, obviously it is comparable.

35:59
It’s the same exact

36:00
Liquid but both of these are really good Actually, I prefer one just because it’s kind of got some of the sweeter not your candy bar kind of notes that I like. But that’s just preference and I think number one, it’s pretty easy to see that the 94 proof plan Oh yeah. And that’s I think that’s also evolving on both of them. They’re both very light. Well, I mean, Mikey, like, tell me about this like, what would what in the market would change if heaven Hill opened up a logic Craig program and they just said, Yeah, put it a barrel proof. Yeah, I mean, you’re going to get a wider range. I think of a first off people wanting Elijah Craig. Because it is it is very

36:44
I don’t want this I don’t want us to use the word delicate but I will use the word LB feels very delicate. When you put it next to the the UCLA team. There’s a lot more depth to it. I think there could be a lot more depth to a single barrel pic of alleged credible

37:00
Proof if they would just open that up I guess it just depends on your consumer so like if you’re you know the the first one like for what I think it’s going to appeal to more of a almost a common but i mean you know like you know it’s just because it’s it’s not the it’s not the enthusiast in mind here it’s very approachable very enjoyable but like get to you’re definitely gonna get like you said more complexity depth

37:28
to might be more off putting to like a common consumer I’d say common but like, you know, or new consumer but I don’t know depends on your consumer but I want the barrel proof because it’s logical. Operators are always home runs like I’ve never had a bad one. Can’t say I’ve ever had one. Well, I mean, there’s the mean. So you know, Mike Sahni personally so you know that there’s a lot that actually goes into making sure that an electric guard barrel proof isn’t just a mistake, either right? Like Like they, they choose barrels specifically that go in

38:00
into it

38:02
which is a little bit different you know we’ve we’ve talked to the people that haven’t Hill and when you talk about Elijah Craig 23 or when you try to find 23 year old barrels, it’s actually very very hard. Yeah, and end up dumping a lot of them into like, just Edwin’s Black Label because it’s so it’s so it’s undrinkable. Yes. It’s the oak is just overpowered. There’s a bank on that point, right? There’s, there’s Law of Diminishing Returns without like, you know, can and somebody went the good thing I learned to catch lucky with the Pinot guy, because I was like, so how do you? You know, you have a really good barrel it say like 12 to 14 years. Like do you bottle dinner? Do you let it age? Do you know to keep will I keep improving? And he’s like, No, he’s like, Do you want something that’s going to age you need something that’s really soft, elegant, sweet at that age, because the folks really at 15 1617 is really going to start to overpower it. If it’s already ready, you know, does that make sense? Oh, no, it makes sense. And so that that was kind of an

39:00
Lighting because we talked about, you know, US buying some 14 year and sitting on it for three to four years. But we were like, how do you This one’s really great. Should we just because it’s so great we hang on to it or should we look for something that’s will do better with age? And that was kind of good advice. Yeah. And it’s always a it’s always a costly mistake if it never works.

39:21
Well, we’ll just bottle it anyway.

39:24
No, okay, so let’s go ahead let’s reveal this one because I think I think this one yeah, is as bad as it sounds like I knew the bottles I chose them going into it. However, I let my wife figure out exactly what we should do. However, I thought we had Yeah, it’s it’s I mean, we want to live correct tangent for

39:44
a bit funny. It feels like not Brussels.

39:48
It would have been funny, but yeah, this one’s too easy. The locking key and see Tuesday 18 years. Oh, yeah. Alright, so good work. So I mean, but the thing is, is like I don’t mind

40:00
lock and key one like you’re right like it’s totally like a good drinkable bourbon. Yeah, for an average consumer that just wants to get into it. However,

40:10
I don’t know if a lot of the electric barrel pics are speaking to the the enthusiastic market yeah maybe they’ll keep going it’s still fun it’s still fun to go you know you talk to people from like bourbon Crusaders and they come out with a lot of good pics too. And the thing is, is though it’s just kind of like I just wish they didn’t take it down in 94 proof you know there’s there’s something about when you cross under that hundred threshold that I don’t know Mikey, have you found anything underneath 100 that you’re like, Hey, you know, like I can do this every single day like there’s one there’s one bottle and Brandon I do and I did this in the blind. So that’s how I know. But maybe I don’t know the proof. Exactly. But George Remus. I tend to like I like that bottle.

40:59
Not a fan of

41:00
why they chose George Remus of all people But anyways, you’re part of the ground

41:07
and stuff is not necessary someone to model your life after. But But Remus Yeah, I love I love that bottle. I love the bourbon in it. I think it might be 90 proof. Yeah, typically under 100 proof like, like, you have to get into some dusty. He’s like, okay, dads, and I mean, and we’re like,

41:27
you know, like Victor’s 20s or something, you know, because they’re 94 proof or they actually might be right I don’t know I’ve got one back there but I don’t feel like getting up and looking at it. And so we’re handing everything to Ryan do not mix see one and see two together like because

41:44
ECA teams just too good. I like it like it. Yeah. For me, for me. I love Elijah Craig a team when I am I’m sitting in the basement, and it’s late at night. And like, I can’t do like a barrel proof. Like it’s just it’s just like

42:00
I’m not able to go to sleep at night if I if I got that back in the bottle well who knows I’ve got it’s a long day ahead of us still so yeah, you know I liked 18 I mean it for me the tags really sit and kind of dry and just like on the in which it kind of sits there and lingers for a bit and I’m like hi go away please

42:20
see not me I mean I’m Mike What about you like Do you like tannins? Because I like I said I like a lot of rich oak complexity complexity that what those really bring into it. I mean, that’s it for me when you when you get a lot of oak that means that the barrel is doing something like tremendous and that’s that’s really what I get out of it. Yeah, I I’m a fan of the sweet oak if you can give me a finish with a sweet oak and like a dried cherry name that just last four days. Yeah, I mean, sign me up. Sign me up. Not a fan of the dry. Oh because much. I feel like it’s got my get your lip smacking back and forth.

43:00
And just makes you thirsty. Not a big fan of the drive but the sweet Oh yeah, it doesn’t make you feel like oh man you can you can almost taste the process. Yeah a little bit so I’m with you on that one and that’s what I mean I’m a fan of just open general because it definitely is more of an overpowering flavor like up. I’ll put it to you guys is like is there is there something on the flavor wheel right i mean we’ve all seen before that that you don’t like to get out of a bourbon.

43:33
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43:58
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44:00
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45:00
Your first box

45:04
I’ll put it to you guys is like is there is there something on the flavor wheel right i mean we’ve all seen before that that you don’t like to get out of a bourbon. I mean for me definitely like some people some people are like oh I don’t like like orange zest or orange peel or whatever No, I mean honestly I like freer freer whiskies I really like

45:25
like I’m with you know we’re talking the barrel guys I really like when you get those like great notes and just too much because very off putting for me, like like he said, he gets dry and you’re smacking your lips and like trying to get some moisture back into your

45:42
region, you know, but

45:45
other than that, I mean, I obviously I hate young stuff like where you just get green forward, you know, grassy or like, where it’s like hey are you know, we I won’t name any names, but we’ve had, we’ve had

46:00
You know, that’s just very off putting for me. I agree. I agree. It’s the last thing you want to do is sit there and expect something and then all of a sudden, it’s like, Did I just mow my grass a second video? And that’s in my mouth? Yep. Yeah, for sure. Alright, so now we’re on letter D. So, you all won that one. Right? Well, I mean, I should say you all, like I said, I’m a nice person. Yeah, I think like I said, I’m just a fan of of what they do there. However, you know, that’s the limited release, you know, so limited releases up to two one. Well, that’s a hard one, though, because it’s because it wasn’t the same proof. It wasn’t, you know, yeah. You can get in the gift shop almost every day. Right. Exactly. So no, not this isn’t limited to Maryland, Maryland. Okay, that’s a hard one. Yeah. And, and, you know, there’s it To be honest, like there’s a lot of things that we thought about that we couldn’t do today. So, we looked at the the potential of doing an old forester single barrel versus an old forester birthday.

47:00
But I would have been a good one. Yeah, problem is, we haven’t been on old forester.

47:05
And I guess we need to probably line that up. But the other thing it was like, just weren’t thinking ahead of time enough to be able I sounds like a little like, let’s go ahead and get it. And then the other one was looking at

47:20
Oh, gosh, I’m like looking at the bar thinking, Oh, yeah, we’re looking at doing like a and this is not even a store pic versus limited release. But this is like a Sazerac rye versus a Thomas h handy. Yeah, it’s like the proof

47:33
is me too crazy. Like you go you’ll be able to pick it out like well that’s and that’s the problem is that like to do any of these with the the antique collection actually be pretty difficult to do. Because you could do a stag where’s the stag Jr. Maybe? That was about as close as you could probably get. But you know, when you look at Eagle rare 17 versus regular Eagle rare, I think you’re gonna hit the same exact problem that you saw at the Elijah Craig. It’s just gonna be

48:00
Rich of depth of the oak. The same thing was Sazerac, 18 and Sasha cry, it’s just going to be the richness and depth, I mean, you’re going to hit that same problem no matter where you go.

48:12
So there is there is a reason why they make limited releases. It’s just trying to find some of those limited releases that matched sort of the either the same proof or profile or age that I think that you really need to try to find and get out of this.

48:27
I love the nose on both of these. Actually.

48:31
That’s pretty common with Russell’s, which I think this is I don’t think so. The other thing is the Russell’s, or anything. It’s raw, I guess, right? I mean, I haven’t tasted it yet. But it’s only because I know.

48:43
Because, you know, right now see, I need to stop it. Okay.

48:50
So far? Yeah, we’ve been pretty good. So Mike, you all kind of point this question over to you because I know that there’s a lot of people out there. Travis Hill. He’s been Oh yeah, for totally rock and

49:00
Yeah, there you go. And there’s a lot of people out there that try to make their own four roses. Limited Edition small batch. I mean have you have you looked at creating your own kind of like small batch out of like different store pics or anything like that before I’ve not done it with great strategic content to create a certain brand or for the lease I have done the you know, the classic blend bottle or simple call infinity bottle. It was infinity until I tasted it and liked it. Then I stopped and then they became my blend because I stopped putting things in it. Yeah, so people would people tasted like this is great. And I give it out. And you had a record of it out like Exactly, yeah, regret it. Yeah, I do keep your record but I yeah, I lost it. But yeah, I would give it my dog always doing like bottle shares and things like that. Get people assemble, get everything done what it was, and they were like, this is really good. What is it like? It’s actually just a blend of like 17 different two outs for else and things that were time, but I’ve never done it intentionally. I haven’t

50:00
guys that’s tried you know the the poor man’s Pappy and have tried to recreate the the Al young with the blends that they think will work but sometimes it’s

50:09
in there

50:11
there is something to it. You know, there was there was a blind taste in that Blake from bourbon or hosted years ago that I was a part of as well as a few other people. And oddly enough, like he sent six samples and we had to rank each sample kind of like flavors and everything notes and everything that we’re getting out of it.

50:31
And, and it was it was it was so climatic at the very end because it was all happening. You know, he sent the samples we submitted him. And then at the very end, you know, we all got on YouTube or Google Hangouts and promoted on YouTube and we all got on there and come to find out the variant. The number one bourbon we all love was a exactly what you said a poor man’s Pappy that was mixed in a ninja blender.

51:01
Me and I don’t know if it has something to say about aeration. I don’t have the something to say about anything else but it’s this like, Yeah, he literally threw in a ninja blender. Yeah. And that’s what one out of like, six different Bourbons. So it’s crazy it kind of goes to show that you can

51:18
can always just think that the most limited things are going to be the best things. Yeah, I’ll probably be adding a ninja blender to my Amazon wish list here Yo, I have they are fantastic. My quick smoothies and movies and bourbon What else? What else you want to mix just don’t mix the smoothies with the barber. Alright, so for me I already know like what this is I can smell it. I can taste it. So two is going to be it for me. tues definitely, I mean, I’m torn one would be a great everyday drinker. It’s got a lot of complex like great it’s a great poor but to is like, to me is like really like something special. Like

52:00
That I would want out of a limited release or like a store pick, you know, something special. Like, that’s I really like to so I they’re both really good I already I mean, I can just buy the nose and it tastes like already know what they are. So my camera on a push over to you is to worth like $950 more right now.

52:20
That’s a great question.

52:23
What is that? Because that’s that’s ultimately I mean, I’ll tell you what if if it’s reversed in the reveal, I will I’ll just go ahead and wrap it up. I’ll put my card like listen bourbon pursuit over my case the was 15 point proof difference, you know, between the wanting to

52:42
which kind of gives you a hint, but yeah, it’d be funny though if they are reversed. Hey, is the

52:49
question, but I think it has an easy answer. And there’s no price difference wise, there’s no way

52:56
if you want something that’s simple, and there’s there’s nothing

53:00
off putting about this, right? To me, there’s nothing like putting at all. But this one does have the number two has a lot more depth character. And the proof differences, definitely evident.

53:15
Especially on the back end it just stick in there to your tongue in a good way. I mean, at this point, there’s, there’s a lesson to be learned here. Right? I mean, we’re, we’re four or five deep. And I think we’ve already noticed that when it comes to special releases that the age the age is the important part. You know, the age adds a level of complexity and characteristic to it that you necessarily won’t get anywhere else. Yeah. So far, we were dumbfounded by one, right. Yeah, having a

53:45
Weller 107 pick that actually beat out the Weller craft your own perfect bourbon. From then on. It’s been really a difference in age. Yep. From there, I mean, it’s Yeah, it’s hard to replicate well, and that’s why I mean,

54:00
With like NGP you know people go crazy with like the 1012 for it. It’s more has to do with age like the age age whiskey is great like these Tennessee age whiskeys are fantastic. Like Kentucky age stuff it has to do with age like it’s not necessarily the magic pill, the Jews, whatever, it’s when you get to that 10 to 14 year range it there’s magical, you know happens right there and it’s it is it is what it is. Alright, so I’m going to go ahead and do the reveal. Because I can’t wait anymore. Yeah, that’s exactly what we thought it was. So D one was the knob Creek from Westport whiskey and wine in D two was the but they didn’t try. They did a great job on do you want I mean, that’s a sore pic for me. Yes. And that’s what I mean. That’s, that’s the thing that we talked about the whole entire time is that you can get that for what 60 bucks versus 950. You know, it’s I mean, even if you were if you were even on top of it, even when it was 450

55:00
Yeah to even get your hands on it so and this was years ago so it was definitely a tough way to to make it happen so again this is one we’re not going to mix yeah do not do not mix these guys after the show is over y’all we are going to be probably just celebrating with the rest of the stuff we like to drink covers. Yeah the leftovers right. So the best of the all infinity bottles if you will. So Mikey, ending on a lot says elimination we have Russell’s we

55:33
can i can tell you right now because I was a part of it. We’re pouring out letter E. And we do with letter E like I already know what it is versus the brand. However, these guys don’t know what it what it is. So I’m going to go ahead and just kind of reserve my comments for absolutely everything and just let them figure it out. So you know as we as we start going down this path though. What do you

56:00
You found like the most interesting well so far I mean the three three limited releases have one versus the store pics wishes Do you think it’s a Do you think it’s an oversight on our part that maybe we didn’t choose the best comparisons because as I mentioned earlier like it’s it’s age versus a lot of stuff some I don’t know though because I mean it store pictures still getting really good pores I mean, but think about it like think about other brands like I mean look at the shelf like is there anything else that like we missed going into this like think of like, like I said, we already talked about old for certain for suburbia urban bag would be the bag and stag it’s Junior would probably be a good one as well. Like I said you could do like you could do a 7092 full proof versus like a Kentucky alpha later. Oh, cuz cuz you you think that’s where it comes from? I think so. So that’s your that’s your excuse guess? Yeah, I think so. But I was way off on Sunday.

57:00
These guys have them. So, but yeah, I mean, other than that, I mean, because you got some MGP stuff, but like, they’re all there. There’s such a wide range like from person. It’s hard and it’s not often there’s not like a ton of everyday offerings with MGP. Well, we had talked about this beforehand. I’ve tried to figure out like, Is there a single and that’s that’s an I guess that’s the problem when you get when you get to what we can do this but it might kick us in the teeth like a pursuit series versus

57:31
decal, you know.

57:34
We’re not well, just kidding. Well,

57:37
it doesn’t exist. Yeah. So that’s the other thing. Yeah. But the other the other part of it was ready barrel, I guess. Barrel versus procedure. They do a lot of blending. Yeah. So that’s not a true comparison. So I mean, it’s it’s an Indiana country, I think the will it will it versus Elijah Craig barrel proof would be a good one because just to get it out there.

58:00
Yep, I mean, who knows, but I mean, when I look at it like I, it would have been good to do like a regular Booker’s versus I mean, Booker’s I didn’t want to open up a book or 25th for this I was sorry just be honest with you, I’m not going to achieve f4 but I mean, that versus Booker’s 30th or something like that like Booker’s vs Booker’s because at the same exact, you know, the end of the day, like each one of those is very good in its own right. However, like the the proof points are can be a whole lot of difference. Yeah. When you get to that high improved and you’re in the hundred and 25 230 130 proof. Yeah. Who knows if your your your your taste buds in your flavor profile can actually discern a lot of stuff that’s actually happening at that level. Yeah, right. Actually. Oh my gosh, like I’m tasting these I’m knows the side by side. I don’t think I can tell the difference now. So now we’re doing a wild turkey comparison. Russell’s reserve versus the 17 year decades for

59:00
Nice. And I mean on first on first knows, like, there’s no difference. There’s no discernible difference whatsoever. The first one?

59:12
I don’t know, they’re pretty close. I was like, the first one may have a little more alcohol, but I don’t know. That’s they’re pretty similar. You mean and this is and this also goes back into each conversation right? I mean like when we talk about age like 17 years you expect to have a lot more depth on the complexity a lot more more of this sort of stuff. However, we’ve we’ve seen the praises of Russell’s reserve for years. It’s one of the best single barrel pics that you can get out there today. You know, me and the best I can I’m one of the not been altered and pick yet I’m turkey pick y’all man, but you’re the one actually brought today’s pic. I didn’t know. So I’m getting I mean, maybe it’s because I do get a little more ethanol on the first one. And then I go straight to the second one. The smells a little sweeter. Yep, I’m totally getting a little sweeter on the second one.

1:00:00
But they are very very close. I love both of them. I knew that was was like I mean Russell’s are one of those things you can just knows all day. Both these are fantastic. I mean it, it’s actually very good number one is really good.

1:00:15
It’s actually very hard to find a discernible difference. I mean, there’s a little bit of difference in the taste, but it’s not so much that you’re like, Okay, this is this is a difference of $100 right here like it’s it’s it’s very, very different. tues got I don’t know I like the mouth feel have to like it’s got and it’s got more like a little more sugary brown sugary, kind of syrupy kind of texture to it. One is very good, but two is kind of more I don’t know just real rich and sugary to me like syrupy like they’re they’re pretty damn close are very close. I mean for something that’s almost like a mean it’s not it’s not a decade’s worth of difference, but I mean, you’re looking at at least six to nine years. Right of what you see between

1:01:00
Some of the older reserved pics from Russell’s versus the decades releases so I’m going to go with two but not that much. They’re they’re pretty close tues oily on the panel I don’t know you kind of want to yeah two is got a longer lasting finish the nose is sweeter

1:01:20
sounds like for you it’s a landslide one this is a yeah for me it’s a landslide too so too Alright, so Ryan there go ahead and reveal the last one we have today.

1:01:30
haha what do you think?

1:01:34
Well it sounds like it sounds like you’re gonna toss balls with sounds like well so two is actually the CFPB pick Oh

1:01:44
decades There we go. So yet another chance where we get the final store pick Yes, you do single barrels making a comeback. I mean, when we look at the results from today, I mean it’s three to two but it’s not it’s not a it just said a landslide victory. I mean, it’s it’s something that is it’s a

1:02:00
It’s almost comparable, if you can find that, that one little place that does really good things, versus somebody that just, I don’t know just accepts it or finds the barrels at the store and does whatever. There’s there’s actually validity to the, to the that. By the way, this was all for science. Yeah. So make sure that everybody knows is all today, but it’s all subjective and we don’t matter. Yes, that’s also very true. And you cannot buy any of these anywhere. So it’s it’s it’s all it’s all gone. So yeah, I mean, the first two I mean, we’re really like, you know, with the

1:02:40
the CYLB. I mean, I was amazed at how bad that was. Like, I just did not like it at all. Well, not bad. Not a bad for the money. Ryan we get a lot of stuff. Yeah, yeah, it’s not bad. We know what bad whiskey I guess I was just after revealing it. I was like, pretty disappointed. And if anything,

1:03:00
I feel like what it does is helps people see to not fall into the trap of fo mo to fall in trap of hype because the fact that CYPB is for 500 bucks and you can get a single barrel pick a low WA for 150 or if you’re lucky enough good at retail 60 bucks it’s like man chase chasing one that tastes better yeah and so and it should bring some validity to those who are still into those who are blending because Ed lie is a blender and he picked this barrel at turkey so there is some validity even to like hey they they’re getting paid lots of money every year to do this professionally. So let’s end even if you go to a liquor bar party source or cork and bottle they have tasting bars Yeah, so you can taste these things before you get into all the gotta have it because there’s a line well maybe you don’t even like the bottle that you’re standing line for. Yeah, it’s hate tastings before you before you buy them but I mean there’s there’s some psychology there to the line thing. Oh for sure. I mean every everybody thinks that like

1:04:00
We’ve all been there. We’ve been in the morning, and then all of a sudden, there’s somebody that walks up be like, online for. I know, like

1:04:10
there’s, there’s, there’s a there’s a group mentality to it, right? Yeah, for sure. It’s not fun, but it’s reality and what it is, it’s animal spirits, you know, we’re all we all just follow the herd, you know, so.

1:04:23
But I mean, for today, I’m actually very pleased to kind of see the results because coming away with at least two out of the five that weren’t limited releases, give some justification. Yeah, well, and we’re thinking today into what I mean, when you’re doing store pics. It’s really based on who’s going who’s picking what they like and whatnot so like, you know, find a store or find someone that kind of meets your what you like, and you know, that’s, you can find stuff that’s just as good as the big price tag Islam releases. It’s not even that I mean, we had we had some unfair

1:05:00
competition to. Right mean, if you think about it, like the logic reg. Yeah. 18 year versus like a nine to a 12 year? Yep. It’s not it’s not a fair competition. So when we think of which I preferred the nine to two, I know

1:05:17
a lot of people from you and your side to main, but you know, well, I’m a tandem person like that. Yeah, like, but that is that is not a fair comparison. So, we’d love to hear from other people. Maybe we’ll, we’ll revisit this again in a year or two. And if you think that there are other Bourbons out there that fit the either the the mash bill the proof and the age statement that you can compare against, then you know, we should we should probably look at it again. I mean, could well is Blanton’s in like Buffalo Trace similar magical or they just they’re they’re different. They’re definitely different Matadors Elmer and buffalo or what’s Elmer trying to I’m trying to get I’m trying to

1:06:00
Marla and Blanton’s are in the same Nashville. Two Gods one is Buffalo Trace Eagle rare in if we had an eagle rare rare double, whatever. 17

1:06:15
Yeah, but yeah, I don’t think anybody will have that much funding for science.

1:06:20
I think on the the mark right now is hovering 9000. So he’s, yeah, that’s, that’s not going to happen. Now. Those are trophies. They’re not getting drunk. Yep. But Mikey, I want to say thank you so much for honestly, bringing this idea to us because this was, like I said, it’s it’s fascinating to go through and do this not only to test our strengths or test our knowledge. You know, I know Ryan is gonna go back home tonight and he’s gonna be like, all right, I gotta go ahead and I’m gonna, I’m gonna pull the spoon of peanut butter my nose and just make sure I know what peanut butter smells. Yeah, easy, easy, easy to really take this seriously, for sure. You got to Yep, get my color wheel out.

1:07:00
My flavor wheel but I mean it was it was actually a really good not only just like I said different experience for us but I think for our listeners as well to kind of see like what else is out there like what can you experience and to not take everything at you know what what the label says Inaki cut off at the height because that’s the problem with all of us we get caught up in the one thing we could just thought I was like Weller 107 versus like Pappy 15 or well or 12 versus Pappy 20 because of the boat the same person is more age, man. It’s true and bigger price tag, you know, a lot bigger price tag. We’ll do it next time I guess. So we got something for the next round. So make sure you all stick around for that. So Mikey, before we close out here, if there’s any way that people want to know more about you, I mean, do you have any social handles that people want to know about you or anything like that? Sure. Yeah, I’m on all most of the social medias and book faces and all those fun things. Yeah, but uh, yeah, so I do have a group and I

1:08:00
called sacred suppers we sip great whiskey for a greater purpose so we’re on Facebook Instagram you can find us there yeah like I said I’m on Facebook so and Instagram as well under my handle Mikey Conrad We do lots of charity work with our group charity we fund and help with barrel pics is called the arena project so check out their website by a nice thing for the charity there read more about what we’re doing there. But that’s kind of what you know I’m in the game for is less than other people and and yeah and good whiskey with them and sharing fun stories. And so yeah, pleasure to be here today to do this and taste some great whiskey with you guys. Well, thank you so much for being here. And I’m actually a take a moment just to say like, I’m very happy to see that you know, the runner project and just everything that happens with inside of the whiskey world is actually very good in regards of donating bottles, raising money, like there’s a lot of stuff that happens with inside of board.

1:09:00
of everything that happens here. So, you know, cheers to you and cheers everybody else that that raises money for good causes, but people don’t need a bottle of

1:09:11
Pappy 10, right.

1:09:14
They want to, they want to put it to a better cause like that’s Yeah, that’s awesome. It’s a great way to make it happen. So choose you for that for for making it happen. So, Ryan, I’ll go ahead and let you close it out. Yeah, thanks for this awesome ideas, a lot of fun. I had a great time. Definitely need to go back and work on my skills. You know, so I can

1:09:34
be at home then. But, uh, no, this was fun. And I want to do this again. This was great. And, you know, if you like what you hear, let us know, if you don’t like what you hear, let us know.

1:09:47
Give us more ideas because we don’t always have the best ones. And so yeah, just keep, keep giving us feedback and comments. We’d love them. So yeah, with that, we’ll see you next time.

1:10:11
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