Boys of Bourbon » Eric http://www.boysofbourbon.com The Definitive Bourbon Review Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:52:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Old Grand Dad | Rating 75 http://www.boysofbourbon.com/old-grand-dad-rating-75-2/ http://www.boysofbourbon.com/old-grand-dad-rating-75-2/#comments Thu, 18 Oct 2007 13:24:52 +0000 Eric http://blog.boysofbourbon.com/?p=18 Old Grand-dad bourbon is one that will make your eyes bulge out and you’ll exclaim “POHHEE!! “ My first taste, as in all my reviews, was made with a healthy portion of Old Grand-dad straight over ice. Now I love bourbon, you can’t stop me loving bourbon, but this one made me pucker up like I just swallowed a lime. It is not sour like a lime, but it provides a shock to the system. At 114 proof, its no wonder it packs quite the punch. There should be a warning label on the front that says, “Old Grand-dad should not be enjoyed near any open flames.” But let’s move past the fact that this jet fuel of a bourbon is hard to drink straight up on the rocks. After a few sips straight up, I cut the distilled pleasure with a splash of water. Wow, what a difference! Old Grand-dad comes alive with full flavors of smoke and caramel. Caramel, yep, that’s what I said. I sat and enjoyed a few glasses of the water cut bourbon while in the biggest little town in the Texas panhandle with two other bourbon connoisseurs. With friends or sitting in a blizzard by yourself, this is a good bourbon–just drink cautiously.
Price: $23/750mL
Rating:75

]]> http://www.boysofbourbon.com/old-grand-dad-rating-75-2/feed/ 0 Old Grand Dad | Rating 75 http://www.boysofbourbon.com/old-grand-dad-rating-75/ http://www.boysofbourbon.com/old-grand-dad-rating-75/#comments Thu, 18 Oct 2007 13:24:52 +0000 Eric http://blog.boysofbourbon.com/?p=18 Old Grand-dad bourbon is one that will make your eyes bulge out and you’ll exclaim “POHHEE!! “ My first taste, as in all my reviews, was made with a healthy portion of Old Grand-dad straight over ice. Now I love bourbon, you can’t stop me loving bourbon, but this one made me pucker up like I just swallowed a lime. It is not sour like a lime, but it provides a shock to the system. At 114 proof, its no wonder it packs quite the punch. There should be a warning label on the front that says, “Old Grand-dad should not be enjoyed near any open flames.” But let’s move past the fact that this jet fuel of a bourbon is hard to drink straight up on the rocks. After a few sips straight up, I cut the distilled pleasure with a splash of water. Wow, what a difference! Old Grand-dad comes alive with full flavors of smoke and caramel. Caramel, yep, that’s what I said. I sat and enjoyed a few glasses of the water cut bourbon while in the biggest little town in the Texas panhandle with two other bourbon connoisseurs. With friends or sitting in a blizzard by yourself, this is a good bourbon–just drink cautiously.
Price: $23/750mL
Rating:75

]]> http://www.boysofbourbon.com/old-grand-dad-rating-75/feed/ 0 Old Montana | Rating 40 http://www.boysofbourbon.com/review-old-montana-rating-40-2/ http://www.boysofbourbon.com/review-old-montana-rating-40-2/#comments Thu, 18 Oct 2007 13:20:24 +0000 Eric http://blog.boysofbourbon.com/?p=19 You have to ask yourself a question when you prepare to drink Old Montana. What comes to mind when I think of Montana? Images of the wild west filled with tough mountain men clad in leather and fur and miners with copper flakes under their fingernails. Bar fights and dusty saloons where most men would just as soon punch you as shake your hand. Well, bottle up those ideas in liquid form and you have Old Montana bourbon whiskey. A recent trip to the third largest state in the union inspired me to buy this bottle and give it a try–hey, when in Rome. I must elaborate a bit on the bottle. First of all, this bourbon is distilled in Kentucky (obviously) but bottled in San Jose, CA for Montana Distillers in Helena, MT. Yep, I was confused too. Also, the bottle proudly contains accurate one-liners including, “Spirit of the Wild,” and “Traditional Western American Whiskey.” I splashed the 80 proof amber liquid on top of some ice (which is readily available in the treasure state). Dust and oak might be the main ingredients in this one were my initial thoughts. No need to cut with water though, as 80 proof is manageable. I didn’t mix it with coke, but I think that might have helped. However, I got about half a bottle down while playing poker with new found Montana friends. In other words, you can enjoy it while not completely focusing on the fluid you are imbibing. 

I would usually end my review with that, but I must make a follow up with my second sampling of Old Montana. A weekend in a mountain town in the middle of Colorado seemed like a good place to finish my bottle of Old Montana. Again, I found myself sitting with friends around a poker table. I drank a few glasses cut with water over ice. It also got “accidentally” mixed with some Lemoncello and I agreed to drink it just so the whiskey didn’t go to waste–bad decision. The Old Montana kept me going well into the night, but when I laid down, my head wouldn’t stop spinning. I am not going to blame it all on the Old Montana, but I don’t think I’ll be enjoying another bottle for awhile. Contradictory to many of the things I’ve recently met in Montana, this bourbon is not one for your liquor cabinet.


Price: $13/750mL

Rating: 40

]]> http://www.boysofbourbon.com/review-old-montana-rating-40-2/feed/ 0 Old Montana | Rating 40 http://www.boysofbourbon.com/review-old-montana-rating-40/ http://www.boysofbourbon.com/review-old-montana-rating-40/#comments Thu, 18 Oct 2007 13:20:24 +0000 Eric http://blog.boysofbourbon.com/?p=19 You have to ask yourself a question when you prepare to drink Old Montana. What comes to mind when I think of Montana? Images of the wild west filled with tough mountain men clad in leather and fur and miners with copper flakes under their fingernails. Bar fights and dusty saloons where most men would just as soon punch you as shake your hand. Well, bottle up those ideas in liquid form and you have Old Montana bourbon whiskey. A recent trip to the third largest state in the union inspired me to buy this bottle and give it a try–hey, when in Rome. I must elaborate a bit on the bottle. First of all, this bourbon is distilled in Kentucky (obviously) but bottled in San Jose, CA for Montana Distillers in Helena, MT. Yep, I was confused too. Also, the bottle proudly contains accurate one-liners including, “Spirit of the Wild,” and “Traditional Western American Whiskey.” I splashed the 80 proof amber liquid on top of some ice (which is readily available in the treasure state). Dust and oak might be the main ingredients in this one were my initial thoughts. No need to cut with water though, as 80 proof is manageable. I didn’t mix it with coke, but I think that might have helped. However, I got about half a bottle down while playing poker with new found Montana friends. In other words, you can enjoy it while not completely focusing on the fluid you are imbibing. 

I would usually end my review with that, but I must make a follow up with my second sampling of Old Montana. A weekend in a mountain town in the middle of Colorado seemed like a good place to finish my bottle of Old Montana. Again, I found myself sitting with friends around a poker table. I drank a few glasses cut with water over ice. It also got “accidentally” mixed with some Lemoncello and I agreed to drink it just so the whiskey didn’t go to waste–bad decision. The Old Montana kept me going well into the night, but when I laid down, my head wouldn’t stop spinning. I am not going to blame it all on the Old Montana, but I don’t think I’ll be enjoying another bottle for awhile. Contradictory to many of the things I’ve recently met in Montana, this bourbon is not one for your liquor cabinet.


Price: $13/750mL

Rating: 40

]]> http://www.boysofbourbon.com/review-old-montana-rating-40/feed/ 0 1792 Ridgewood Reserve | Rating 80 http://www.boysofbourbon.com/review-1792-ridgewood-reserve-rating-80-2/ http://www.boysofbourbon.com/review-1792-ridgewood-reserve-rating-80-2/#comments Thu, 18 Oct 2007 13:08:39 +0000 Eric http://blog.boysofbourbon.com/?p=12 Brought to you by the Barton distilling company in Kentucky, 1792 Ridgewood Reserve is one whiskey that state should be proud of. There are two reasons people drink whiskey: 1) They love the taste and enjoy the explosion of flavor on their tongue with every sip. 2) They just want to get drunk so they think they are a whole lot cooler than they are when they are sober. If you don’t like the taste of whiskey and you just want to get bombed, buy a bottle of whiskey that comes in a plastic bottle with a screw top lid (See my fellow bourbon boy, Marc’s, reviews). However, if you do enjoy the taste of a good whiskey, try 1792 out. As I am more of a purist when it comes to whiskey, I always give the distilled liquid a chance by itself on the rocks. I was not disappointed as I poured a healthy portion of this whiskey on top of 3 chunks of ice and started sipping. This Kentucky whiskey is so velvety if it were socially acceptable I would drape myself in it. A seriously smooth flavor, you’ll be surprised as you are starting to pour your third glass and tell yourself, “Self, watch it or you are going to finish off the liter tonight.”

I did try a splash of water with a glass, but I would not recommend it. Sometimes a splash of water can bring out flavor, but I felt like it just diluted the taste of this one. If anything, just letting your ice melt a bit should soften it up enough for you. It comes in a pretty basic bottle with a neat tag on the back that tells you how long it was aged (this whiskey is aged 8 years) and who inspected it before it was put in the bottle. Not that it really matter if someone actually inspected it, but its nice to think there is a little bit of a personal touch that goes into each bottle. I guess that “personal touch” as well as the wonderful flavor make this whiskey a little pricey. It runs about $60 per liter.
I would normally encourage people to indulge in as much good whiskey as they want, such as polishing off a bottle in an evening. However, we are the boys of bourbon not the men of fancy whiskey who wipe their butts with Benjamin Franklins. Therefore, at $60 a bottle, I recommend sipping on a few glasses nice and slow and enjoy the flavor. After a few glasses, you can switch over to the “rotgut” brands and you probably won’t be able to tell the difference. By that time you’ll be telling girls that you are a producer and if they let you touch them on the thigh, you’ll make them a star. Point is, enjoy 1792 down to the last drop.

On a scale from one to ten, I will give it an 8. It gets points for its smoothness and general good taste, but it damn sure better be good for that much money. Bottoms up!

Proof: 93.7

]]> http://www.boysofbourbon.com/review-1792-ridgewood-reserve-rating-80-2/feed/ 6 1792 Ridgewood Reserve | Rating 80 http://www.boysofbourbon.com/review-1792-ridgewood-reserve-rating-80/ http://www.boysofbourbon.com/review-1792-ridgewood-reserve-rating-80/#comments Thu, 18 Oct 2007 13:08:39 +0000 Eric http://blog.boysofbourbon.com/?p=12 Brought to you by the Barton distilling company in Kentucky, 1792 Ridgewood Reserve is one whiskey that state should be proud of. There are two reasons people drink whiskey: 1) They love the taste and enjoy the explosion of flavor on their tongue with every sip. 2) They just want to get drunk so they think they are a whole lot cooler than they are when they are sober. If you don’t like the taste of whiskey and you just want to get bombed, buy a bottle of whiskey that comes in a plastic bottle with a screw top lid (See my fellow bourbon boy, Marc’s, reviews). However, if you do enjoy the taste of a good whiskey, try 1792 out. As I am more of a purist when it comes to whiskey, I always give the distilled liquid a chance by itself on the rocks. I was not disappointed as I poured a healthy portion of this whiskey on top of 3 chunks of ice and started sipping. This Kentucky whiskey is so velvety if it were socially acceptable I would drape myself in it. A seriously smooth flavor, you’ll be surprised as you are starting to pour your third glass and tell yourself, “Self, watch it or you are going to finish off the liter tonight.”

I did try a splash of water with a glass, but I would not recommend it. Sometimes a splash of water can bring out flavor, but I felt like it just diluted the taste of this one. If anything, just letting your ice melt a bit should soften it up enough for you. It comes in a pretty basic bottle with a neat tag on the back that tells you how long it was aged (this whiskey is aged 8 years) and who inspected it before it was put in the bottle. Not that it really matter if someone actually inspected it, but its nice to think there is a little bit of a personal touch that goes into each bottle. I guess that “personal touch” as well as the wonderful flavor make this whiskey a little pricey. It runs about $60 per liter.
I would normally encourage people to indulge in as much good whiskey as they want, such as polishing off a bottle in an evening. However, we are the boys of bourbon not the men of fancy whiskey who wipe their butts with Benjamin Franklins. Therefore, at $60 a bottle, I recommend sipping on a few glasses nice and slow and enjoy the flavor. After a few glasses, you can switch over to the “rotgut” brands and you probably won’t be able to tell the difference. By that time you’ll be telling girls that you are a producer and if they let you touch them on the thigh, you’ll make them a star. Point is, enjoy 1792 down to the last drop.

On a scale from one to ten, I will give it an 8. It gets points for its smoothness and general good taste, but it damn sure better be good for that much money. Bottoms up!

Proof: 93.7

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