mickblueeyes

Yep, it is good stuff, aged 8 years. Scored well in the Bourbon Companion as well.

Good point about the geographic issues regarding regulation of rum. As I thought about it more and more I guess there are really only a handful of well regulated spirits that you can depend on exactly what the bottle says: Scotch, Bourbon, Cognac, Armagnac, Canadian whiskey. But what really got me thinking was I wonder what is really in some of the Vodkas, Gins, Brandies, Eau-de-vies and other beverages I enjoy so routinely. Those, too, have the issue of geography to contend with, as they can be made practically anywhere! You have given me much to think about Ed!

LMAO!

Ed, you have really opened my eyes in the rum department. I am going to get your books asap. I erroneously believed that rum was like some of my other favorites, Scotch and Bourbon, and stringently regulated by the government. I agree with you that the taste is all that matters, as long as you have honest people reviewing the spirit. I guess one good side of this realization is that when I have tasted products and passed it on to my customers, I have always utilized my own experience with the spirit. I don't copy other people's tasting notes or use distillery information for anything more than historical information, so I am not too distraught You are to Rum as Michael Jacskson is to beer and Scotch and I am excited about future topics in this forum! Thanks for your informative posts!

Exactly Kristin!

LOL! I must admit that my specialty lies with spirits. I only have had Veuve a couple times (admittedly at the tail end of several other bottles at a tasting) and I seem to remember liking it--Perhaps not! LMAO! Hopefully the other ones on the list are at least decent I do know I really like the Mountain Domes for 10 bucks! (7 bucks after discount )

I am a Pinot head. Burgundy is where it is at!

J.P. You are right about that Argyle! Forgot about that one. Very tasty indeed~!

Mountain Dome (regular or vintage--10 or 20, respectively) Roderer Anderson Valley Pommery Veuve Cliquot Tattinger (95 vintage is cheap or nonvintage)

Beautiful and very informative post Ed!

Thanks for your insight Ed! It is much appreciated!

Just to add one more thing, Rebel yell is simply a rebottling of Weller 7 summers old that is lower proof and only available south of the Mason-Dixon line.

Actually, I do have to disagree with you on one miniscule point Ron. According to "The Bourbon Companion," "In practice, the two Tennessee whiskeys on the market today [George Dickel and Jack Daniels] could be called bourbon since all of the bottlings conform to the rules and regulations that govern bourbon." It is Tennessee distillers that demand it be called "Tennessee whiskey" and not "Bourbon." Technically, they are bourbons. However, you are correct, Jack Daniels is terrible (and I am a TN boy) and only managed to score a whopping 76/100 in "The Bourbon Companion." George Dickel is far better and managed to squeeze out an 89/100. As far as Weller goes on a price vs. value scale it is superior bourbon. It can be had for about 12-15 bucks per .750, which is half of what most similar quality bourbons cost. It does get old quick though. I have found that it becomes bland to my palate much quicker than some other inexpensive bourbons (like Eagle Rare, Elijah Craig, Rebel Yell and Old Charter 12 yr). Weller has "A sweet honeyd nose with a nice balance of fruits and spices as the backdrop; the body is medium and the palate is buttery rich with notes of honey, berries, vanilla and a potpourri of spices that take a backseat; the finish is long and buttery. A great whiskey that's underappreciated in America. Sip it neat or on the rocks. 90 points"--Gary and Mardee Reagan. Drink up.

I just emailed them to ask the release date. Hope it is soon!

Oh and thanks for reiterating my point

Ron, the pure pot-stilled Woodford is scheduled for release this year! It should be fantastic!!!

Kentucky is NOT the only state that can have its name in front of bourbon for a point of orign and Canada does not manufacture a bourbon. They may make a CORN whiskey, but they cannot call anything bourbon. Bourbon is protected by international trademark law.

Small batch is another Bourbon misconception that Gary and Mardee Reagan clear up in thier book "The Bourbon Companion" "This term has been the source of much confusion since most bourbon lovers believe that "small batch" denotes whiskey that has been distilled in small quantities. But that isn't true. In fact, small batch whiskies are the result of another side of the distiller's craft altogether. The term was introduced in the late 1980's by the Jim Beam Brands Company, and, according to them, the term applies to "rare and exceptional bourbons married from a cross-section of barrels in the rack house." " This is simply a new term for the age old process used by every distiller to blend whiskies maturing at different rates, from the top of the warehouse (hotter) to the bottom of the warehouse (cooler),in order to acheive consistency.

Bourbon can be made anywhere in the U.S. The only requirements on boubon are: 1. 51% corn. 2. Made in USA (by international trademark agreement) 3. Comes off the still at no greater than 80% abv 4. Aged in new charred oak barrels (cannot be reused and do not have to be American Oak contrary to popular belief) for a minimum of two years. If it is less than four years old, the age must appear on the label. Additionally, Crown Royal is in abundance at any liquor store you visit in the US. Crown Royal is not Bourbon, nor is it called bourbon, nor is it even made with the same ingredients as bourbon. It is blended whiskey. Canadian whiskies are based on rye recipes, which was popular during Prohibition, but governmental regulations allow for the additon of any amount of "grain neutral spirits" as long as it is on the label and they also allow for the addition of up to 9% "natural flavorings." Two perfect examples of the above are McCormick whiskey which has 80% grain neutral spirits and 20% "straight whiskey" (a whiskey eau-de-vie, if you will LOL), and Black Velvet which contains distilled orange juice. Many, if not most or all, blended Canadian whiskies contain "natural flavorings" which can include wine, caramel and *shiver* distilled orange juice. However, there are some fantastic 100% rye and pure grain Canadian whiskies that are very pleasant. Tangle Ridge, Forty Creek, Gooderham and Worts, Wiser, Pike Creek and Lot 40 are all examples of beautiful Canadian whiskies. Hope this helps clear things up a bit.

I agree with you. I personally dislike government interference in most things. You have made several very good points. So, here is a question, where can we find out the TRUE contents of rums of this nature? Is it in your book? I feel kind of betrayed right now, as I am in the liquor business and I have unintentionally mislead my customers. Does your book contain the appropriate information regarding these rums? Thanks for any help.-

The Weller 19 yr, Sazerac 18 yr and Eagle Rare 17 year are fantastic bourbons and can be had for around 40 bucks a bottle.

That is a good question that I don't have the answer too. I had assumed that begian whites were wheat beers, but I guess they don't have to be!

Here is some good information about German Wheat beers lifted from beerhunter.com "The German term for "white" beer, implying a pale brew made from wheat. In the north, a special renown is enjoyed by Berliner Weisse, a style in its own right. A different style of Weissbier is made in the south, with a more conventional alcohol content (usually a little over 5 percent by volume), a higher proportion of wheat (at least 50 percent) and a yeast (again top-fermenting) that produces a tart, fruity, spicy palate, sometimes with notes of cooking apples and cloves. Often, instead of Weissbier, the southerners prefer the term Weizen (a similar-sounding word but it means, quite simply "wheat"). If the beer is sedimented with yeast, it may be prefixed Hefe-. Southern wheat beers are also produced in dark versions (these Dunkel Weizen brews have a delicious complex of fruitiness and maltiness), and in Export and Bock strengths. Weizenbock is sometimes served as a Christmas beer." Dark Wheat beer is readily available and much more full flavored than "white" beers. Aventinus is a fantastic dark wheat doppelbock and Julius Echter Dunkel is another good choice.

I agree completely, but if what Ed says is indeed fact, the ATF should be informed. Every bit of historical/production information in my journal entry came from the bottle and their website. Intentionally misleading the consumer is a big faux pas IMO and needs to be addressed. The ATF is very strict about importation violations with regard to alcohol.

Yikes! You would think that the ATF would have serious issues with the deliberate mislabeling of a bottle! I mean, is this not a federal crime? It would be one thing if they mislead about thier history, but to blatently lie about how the rum is produced??