Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Evan Williams single barrel.

I’ve been called worse by better!

There’s a reference to an oak tree and a reed here, but I’m too busy enjoying this Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel (the one that isn’t available in the US) over both ice and ginger ale to go looking for it. For what I paid for these two bottles of it, and based on your assessment above, it falls squarely in the sipping only category.

Slainte you no taste havin' bastid!

To you, the same!

But, I have taste. Don’t get it wrong. It’s just that I can also understand how much a solid whiskey can contribute to a cocktail. I’m not yielding to this ostensible truth that to drink it any way but neat is somehow diminishing it.

To each his own. Enjoy it as you will. Just remember, there are several viable ways to skin a cat.

Now I’m on to this 18 year old Glenlivet I pulled from a barrel, myself, at the distillery, made into an Old Fashioned. Because, why not?

That was said in friendship, as I believe you appreciate, with a wink and a virtual clink of glasses.

I think our disagreement is a matter of degree. I quite enjoy Old Forester 100 proof rye neat. I can see it as an excellent addition to a cocktail calling for rye. I also have 18 year old Sazerac rye on my bar. Where I believe you and I differ is I do not believe the cocktail would be elevated enough by the difference to offset the loss of the enjoyment of the Sazerac served straight.

An Old Fashioned with malt whisky?

Why not? It beats the one I made with beer yesterday...

I haven't been to Glenlivet, only Glenturret .

Now you're screwing with me.

100% to all. Which brings it full-circle to my comment that it all remains too subjective to apply such rigid boundaries. If someone wants to make a Manhattan with Pappy, good for him! I’d rather him have, enjoy, and drink his Pappy any way he likes than chide him for his preferences. To each his own, and to me, more bourbon!

I just feel that the human palate is far too obscure for assertions involving guidelines. If you like it, do it. Full stop.

Correct.

Is that 18 year Sazerac from the BTAC?

I'm enough of an opinionated bastard in these matters that I'd tell Julian Van Winkle to his face that he's mistreating his namesake whiskey the way he drinks it. I'd shake his hand and do it with a smile, but I'd still do it.

It's in the tall. narrow bottle. I've had it for quite a while, it may have been from the Antique Collection though I don't see that on the label on quick examination.

You just cost me 15 seconds of my life. I’m not a sophisticated bourbon drinker like you twos so I had to google the name. Damn philistines…

And that’s your right!

Don’t you have some fish to not catch?

I’m jealous, regardless. Never seen anything but the plain Jane Sazerac rye up here.

It sits next to my similarly tall, narrow bottled unfiltered, uncut 143 proof George T. Stagg bourbon. You need to be ready when you sip that one neat.

Stagg, in any expression, is worth having. Stagg Jr. makes an incredible mint julep.

Christ. You’re a derbyphile too?