LCBO Bourbons

[portwood]

I'd love to try RHF but not at that price...

+1
With the exception of the BTAC, I've set a bourbon price ceiling of $70.

[Zunak]

Picked up a second Pappy Van Winkle 15 and a Bernheim today. Paid waaaaay too much by the time I got them home. Thinking of getting a Elijah Craig 18 tomorrow. How much better than the EC 12 is it? Smithford....DBK..... anyone????

[Smithford]

EC18 is quite a bit better than EC12. It's also prone to mood swings, just like its younger brother. And they are magnified due to it's advanced age. But don't let that scare you. I think you will like it. You should grab some while you still can.

check this out

From Tuesday's post: "This is all the Elijah Craig 18 year old we have left, when these bottles are gone, that's it!"

[Card Player]

I'd love to try RHF but not at that price...

+1
With the exception of the BTAC, I've set a bourbon price ceiling of $70.

Ya...it is hard to justify when a good bourbon can be had $40-$50. Great bourbons (lotB and booker's) for $70. Spending more than $90+ seems steep. Well...if that GTS listing for $104 made it to the shelves many of us would of went for it.

[Zunak]

EC18 is quite a bit better than EC12. It's also prone to mood swings, just like its younger brother. And they are magnified due to it's advanced age. But don't let that scare you. I think you will like it. You should grab some while you still can.

check this out

From Tuesday's post: "This is all the Elijah Craig 18 year old we have left, when these bottles are gone, that's it!"

I saw that many bottles today. I'll get one tomorrow. Thanks

[Smithford]

I saw that many bottles today. I'll get one tomorrow. Thanks

Have fun with that! Let us know how it tastes.

[Zunak]

+1
With the exception of the BTAC, I've set a bourbon price ceiling of $70.

Ya...it is hard to justify when a good bourbon can be had $40-$50. Great bourbons (lotB and booker's) for $70. Spending more than $90+ seems steep. Well...if that GTS listing for $104 made it to the shelves many of us would of went for it.

No brainer on the Stagg. I saw it for more than $104 in the US and it sold out very quickly.

[dbk]

Apologies for my absence (though perhaps I wasn't missed... sniff... sniff...). Like others, I have been having quite a bit of trouble finding a way to read the posts on this board, let alone post, myself. I'm hoping this one will work.

The Rock Hill Farms price is indeed steep. In the US, RHF is about the same price as Blanton's Original (I've seen some stores price RHF as slightly more expensive, and some the opposite), uses the same mash bill and methods (single barrel, likely similar age and ABV, unique decanters and stoppers), and the brand is owned by the same company (Age International). Yet, RHF will cost $25 more than Blanton's Original at the LCBO. Amusingly (as I believe I've said before), this isn't out of keeping with LCBO pricing: they charge $10 more for the Blanton's Special Reserve than for the Original, despite the fact that the former is lower in ABV and quality than the latter.

I would not buy the RHF at this price, even though it's probably quite good stuff. Likewise, the Bernheim Wheat is remarkably overpriced, both in ON and in the US. It's completely anodyne. Save your money for a better deal on another day.

[Pudge72]

ROCK HILL FARMS SINGLE BARRELL BOURBON*
Anyone try this? Worth the price?

It's highly regarded on various bourbon sites (bourbonenthusiast.com, straightbourbon.com), and might be BTs best juice outside of the antique collection. It's strange that the Connosr rating is so low. As for the price, well I'll still be buying one even at $90. I've never been disappointed with anything from Buffalo Trace.

Also nice to see the usual LCBO spell checker in action.

I'm interested in the RHF as well, though not at $90...another one for a States trip! My cap on LCBO bourbon at this point is the $70 bar set by Bookers.

As for the Connosr rating, I wouldn't read too much into it as no one has written a review and only 16 are showing as having a bottle (the Connosr rating is a blend of scores from reviews and ratings that you can put on your cabinet (current or past) whiskies. I suspect the low rating is from one or two scores only .

'dbk'...great comment about the RHF vs. Blanton's pricing. I will likely get the Blanton's Original at some point up here.

[dbk]

'dbk'...great comment about the RHF vs. Blanton's pricing. I will likely get the Blanton's Original at some point up here.

Pudge, do yourself a favour and get that bottle of Blanton's Original, which is below your $70 Booker's cap. I like Booker's, but I would take the Blanton's over it any day. I can't imagine you'd regret it.

[bebdo]

http://www.vintages.com/events/bourbon_event.shtml?utm_source=EmailApril26&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=BourbonEvent

[portwood]

http://www.vintages.com/events/bourbon_event.shtml?utm_source=EmailApril26&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=BourbonEvent

Ummmmmm, very interesting. Great find!
Tempted, except for the crappy location (for me).

[Card Player]

http://www.vintages.com/events/bourbon_event.shtml?utm_source=EmailApril26&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=BourbonEvent

Nice lineup. Looks like lcbo has numbers for pvw and stagg on menu. If rhf is listed at $90, scary to think what lcbo will list pvw for if they get it in.

[mfurman]

Yes, it will be interesting. Seriously considering.

[Smithford]

Very interesting.

Last time Harlen Wheatley made a public appearance, the shit hit the fan. *

It would be worth attending just to see what interesting tidbits he might come out with.


* in bourbon geekdom, that is:
http://chuckcowdery.blogspot.ca/2012/04 ... being.html
Among other things, he claimed that the entire Van Winkle product line was all distilled by Buffalo Trace and none of it was Stitzel-Weller. Since then, he has retracted most of what he said. There's a 60 page thread over at straightbourbon.com. It's been filed away in a members-only area because the discussion got heated and turned into some mud-slinging. If you are a member there, search for the topic "mind = blown".

[Frodo]

Well, I saw that you can order the 17yr Eagle Rare if you go. Plus Harlan Wheatly was one of the best masterclass presenters I've seen (along with John Hall and John Glaser).

[portwood]

http://www.vintages.com/events/bourbon_event.shtml?utm_source=EmailApril26&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=BourbonEvent

Ummmmmm, very interesting. Great find!
Tempted, except for the crappy location (for me).

Enquired about the availability of the listed products in-store or by order after the event.
Was told that attendees have first dibs. If anything remains, it can be ordered and/or stocked in-store.
They would not give me quantities available but did say they are expecting to sell 80 tickets.

Therefore, I would expect the Stagg, Pappy 20, Eagle Rare 17, and WL Weller 12, to be snapped up during the evening. I wouldn't mind buying a couple of these but $125 + $75 taxi as the ticket of entry seems prohibitive for this punter! Not drinking anything on the night to be able to drive home in order to save the taxi fare would be torture and a significant tax to pay on top of the already hefty mark-ups.

[Smithford]

Enquired about the availability of the listed products in-store or by order after the event.
Was told that attendees have first dibs. If anything remains, it can be ordered and/or stocked in-store.

Just to flush that out a bit, I will relay what the Vintages rep told me on the phone.

They can't actually confirm at this point which whiskies will be available. The list of products at the link under "Reception" and "Dinner" are the bottles that they expect/hope to be available for tasting at the event, and also ordering that night. The list under "For Ordering Only" are the bottles they will not have for tasting, but expect/hope to be available for ordering, in addition to the ones that were available for tasting. It's all subject to change at this point and based on logistics, product testing, etc... can't be confirmed until as late as a week before the event (at which point it will be long sold out).

As Portwood noted, any product left over after the event will be made available to the public first through Vintages catalog ordering, then the dregs (if any) will show up in stores at some undetermined date in the future. But that's all irrelevant anyway. Nothing will be left, because I will be buying it all.

As for food, it will most likely be from the venue's catering menu. The rep did say that they do their best to cater to vegetarians and food allergies. Which works well for me since my woman and I are both veg.

It's expensive. But I'm going. I would kick myself if Stagg, Pappy, Taylor and Weller were all available to me just a short streetcar ride down the road and I didn't take advantage.

[portwood]

It's expensive. But I'm going. I would kick myself if Stagg, Pappy, Taylor and Weller were all available to me just a short streetcar ride down the road and I didn't take advantage.

Thanks for the additional information.
If I were "a short streetcar ride down the road" I would also attend.

[Card Player]

Thx for the additional info...might see what I have planned and see if I can make it.

[Card Player]

New listing on lcbo site; BLANTON'S GOLD LABEL BOURBON (SAZARAC COMPANY)
VINTAGES 595603 | 750 mL bottle

Price: $ 99.95

Made in: Kentucky, USA
By: Sazarac Company Inc.

I havent tried this one...really like the SB. This one is $35 more than the SB.

[bebdo]

FR Single Barrel has finally shown up in other store besides Summerhill. Picked up one this afternoon in Mississauga - and have already opened it!
Nose : cherry coke and acetone are predominant - but it's pleasant not something you want to pour down the drain!
Palate: Quite smooth for a 50%abv - the cherry coke flavor carries on to the palate. There's rye in there for sure - don't know how to explain this, but it differs from the corn heavy regular bourbons. Wood (drying) notes after you swallow - no vanilla though. Finished the first pour already - going to get some more ... just to complete this review A few drops of water - ummm - won't recommend it - I prefer it neat.
Finish: Lingers on for a bit. A few sips of water later there's still that cherry coke flavor hanging around.
Let it sit in the glass for a bit and can already see it revealing a bit more. mmmm I'm liking this more than I did 10 min ago. Also like the bottle -
Recommended.

[portwood]

FR Single Barrel has finally shown up in other store besides Summerhill. Picked up one this afternoon in Mississauga - and have already opened it!
Nose : cherry coke and acetone are predominant - but it's pleasant not something you want to pour down the drain!
Palate: Quite smooth for a 50%abv - the cherry coke flavor carries on to the palate. There's rye in there for sure - don't know how to explain this, but it differs from the corn heavy regular bourbons. Wood (drying) notes after you swallow - no vanilla though. Finished the first pour already - going to get some more ... just to complete this review A few drops of water - ummm - won't recommend it - I prefer it neat.
Finish: Lingers on for a bit. A few sips of water later there's still that cherry coke flavor hanging around.
Let it sit in the glass for a bit and can already see it revealing a bit more. mmmm I'm liking this more than I did 10 min ago. Also like the bottle -
Recommended.

Good to hear you like it.
Can you give us the barrel #?

[bebdo]

Good to hear you like it.
Can you give us the barrel #?

FR Single Barrel # 12-3E

I have the Evan Williams open as well. The EW is very different from FRSB - prefer it's taste profile buts it's watery comparatively - should have been bottled at higher abv in my opinion. Although I recommend both of these, for me they are not everyday drams - good for a change from scotch. Right now I'm drinking Islay Mist 8 - which I picked up couple of days ago based on a review. For $30 it's amazing value - (although kind of one dimensional - lots of burnt rubber smoke - which I like) - will pick up a few for regular drinking. It's similar to Black Bottle.

[Smithford]

Love the Islay Mist. It's ruined me for all other blended scotch.