Thanks to Pops and Steve for including me in this tasting! This was my first experience with 4 out of 5 of these bottles (I once bought a pour of GTS in a bar for way too much money) and they were all excellent. I'm not a pro taster like Steve and Pops so my tasting notes are generally terrible. Best I can usually do in a tasting is mumbling "I like whiskey" and this time was no exception. That said, I quite enjoyed each of these and would happily purchase any of them at MSRP (highly, highly unlikely I'll ever find them).
@cherylvalente-e8w26 күн бұрын
1.grandpas library 2. Gramma’s kitchen 3. Bullfight 4.S and M in a barrel 5.reincarnation
@dougslaymaker192126 күн бұрын
I find this Eagle Rare 17 year old appropriately named. The powerful nose is redolent of eagle feathers left in the rain for a few years. It reminded me of my chicken feathers gathering in the back yard; I presume a similar flavor profile. The nose was strong of earth and decay, of forest floor and feathers left out in the rain. The palate adds to these flavors with a medicinal, metallic tint one gets with rare meat, a bloody cut of horse flank steak in particular. The satisfying medicinal hint on the palate is reminiscent of eminent food writer Steve Coomes’ cologne. A bit incongruous but it brings personality to the discussion. There is the signature touch of spice in this pour, as though the feathers and flank steak had reclined for a spell in a field of rye. It makes for a raw satisfying pour. The finish is long and insistent with hints of woodfire and ash that amply complements the moldy medicinal tincture of the bloody midpalate. Just the thing for a damp evening around a campfire. William Larue Weller, being wheated as we all now, comes in smoother, with pronounced notes of tobacco smoke, leather, and drying tobacco, not so different from sitting next to Pops wrestling with a recalcitrant Padron at a recent summit. The struggle proves worth it, in the end. This Weller clocks in at a much higher proof (122) that is nearly incendiary with evocative ethanol notes reminiscent of a Bunsen burner aching for a flame. It calls to one. The honey, cinnamon, snickerdoodle apparent on the nose proceeds to flow onto the palate. The wheat and the age of this particular expression provide more mellow flavorings and accentuated viscosity that contrasts to others in the Weller lineup. There is a dustiness to this too, reminiscent of corn kernels being ground in a grinder designed for medicinal herb, a flavor concoction recently pointed out by the Bourbon and Banter cocktail editor, Erin Petrey. The foodies in the room will enjoy this pour, in particular. The finish is not as long as some others but it treats the toker to a pleasant high that cries for nothing so much as a crate of White Castle burgers. George T Stagg is another much-loved and powerful pour. The nose comes on strong, redolent of leather and salt, much like the white stained headband of a Texas cowman’s Stetson. Leather continues into the palate, with a chewiness of flavors that one gets when sucking on the leather belt. The minerality one finds here suggests the belt is heavily tooled, oily and sheen, with silver accents. These are complemented by hints of dried cherry, much like the plastic fruit falling out of a Texas Christmas fruitcake. It is not too much to find this chewiness sticking to the teeth as those desiccated fruits tend to do. The high proof on this one (136) comes off much less incendiary but retains a feisty volatility, a bit like George T Stagg himself, I am told. It continues to reflect the whiskey’s namesake into a finish that is powerful, spicy and irascible, and seemingly disinclined to leave. It is angry and unforgettable. I do not find the squishiness of marshmallows that some describe but I have heard there will be another chance to try it at an upcoming birthday. From there we go to the rye, a long-aged Sazerac, a drink that many are bonded too. It is bracing, like being tied up with leather, dotted with cigar ash, burned from a lit cigar on naked flesh. The nose brings herbaceous notes, here like dill forcefully stuffed up one’s nose. The bondage that this bottle brings to the party comes on strong at the start and continues through to a finish that renders one powerless before its charms and wiles. There will be no getting away from this. Jason seems nonplussed, begging for ever more proof, which some may find lacking at 90. That is to say, this Sazerac delivers like something from a much hotter blooded and explosive master. On the palate one finds the dill gets ramped up and is bunched with eucalyptus that shocks satisfyingly and not unlike the jolts of Vick’s VapoRub now being applied to sensitive parts. The finish lingers, “an experience like none of the others,” accordingly to the reviewing panel. I should hope so, given all that went into it. A lot of power in that crisp little package that one is unlikely to forget any time soon. The reviewers continued, in a whisper, “go for it if you can afford it and are ready for some more spice in your life.” Thomas H. Handy rounds out the tasting. The relatively high proof, at 127.2 widens Jason’s eyes in anticipation. Reviewers find this pour well-structured, sophisticated, and satisfying, even as she seems to bring fresh cut lumber, cowboy boots, and little else to cover other flavor areas. The blend of layered aromata on the nose are well-integrated and difficult to tease apart. While at times this reviewer prefers to be able to tease out the various flavors, this solid package is highly satisfying. The palate delivers a powerful grab at the throat as the fresh pine, recently-cut virgin wood, delivers with the punch of a well-aimed boot. This is another drink that refuses to back down even when one cries for mercy. The finish keeps coming, seeming never to end. One detects a hint of burnt wax. The restraint of the body, the finesse that demonstrates a master who knows how to handle the ropes, reveals a jouissance that is balanced by the firm backhand that smarts at the back of the head. Highly recommended but one wants to be cautious with this little number.
@craigcarlson449326 күн бұрын
Love it!
@ShanePoppy27 күн бұрын
Loved your review today . I'm sure they are all very good . Have never been able to try any of them personally.
@gregb541627 күн бұрын
Eagle Rare- hints of bald eagle feathers Handy - smooth like silk. Slides down your throat like a deer on ice WLW- fresh fruit cake with a hint of mincemeat pie 😂 GTS - packs a punch like a heavy weight, well maybe not like the last heavyweight match. But still hits hard and hangs on. Sazerac - kick it up a notch with some heavy spice as if Meat Church himself had seasoned it.
@FrankMann-wn4pt16 күн бұрын
ER- Old Birds Nest Weller - Cow Pies Stag - Barn Saz - Bad Urine Sample Handy - Ben Gay
@sladesearight428727 күн бұрын
My own quick/comical take on the 2024 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection… George T. Stagg: Cardamom, Marzipan, and whatever other spices you’ve never used in your life. Packs a much harder punch than either Paul or Tyson (although not quite as hard as Taylor or Serrano). William Larue Weller: Smooth, very smooth (cuz that’s what we say about all wheated bourbons). I’m convinced that this is the $19.99 Weller Special Reserve in an Antique Collection Bottle. Marketing genius! Eagle Rare 17: Now that ‘regular’ Eagle Rare is showing up on store shelves again (somewhere, I’m reading…not in Central Texas), I feel like there is some false advertising at play…is it still rare? Adding to my in-depth analysis, this Antique Collection version is 7 years older, and therefore automatically better, than the standard version. You’re welcome for the inside scoop! Thomas H. Handy: This one is a ready-made joke at any whiskey tasting…but no one ever makes the joke. It’s way past time we cast fear of cancellation aside and loudly proclaim that everyone’s day would be a little bit better with a Handy. Sazerac 18: Baking spices, caramel, vanilla, toffee, oak, and always one wild card…let’s go with freshly cut hay. Feel free to add whatever additional made-up notes you might have…it really doesn’t matter! Even if you say “I’m getting a bit of dirty socks in that pour,” someone will inevitably agree. It’s science! On a less satirical note, I have only seen these bottles on a shelf a few times in my life…all in Washington D.C. stores at significantly higher secondary prices. Like most of you out there, I gave up all hope of ever finding these bottles at reasonable (much less MSRP) prices years ago. Having said that, I’m thankful for the lotteries (looking at you @VirginiaABC) and various charity raffles that are out there to provide us with some chances, albeit slight, at scoring a bottle. Whether you get one of these Antique Collection bottles or not, remember that all (or at least most) whiskey is great when enjoyed with others. The most important tasting note is, and always has been, the people you share a pour with. Cheers/Salud/Prost!
@dlucy123127 күн бұрын
Eagle Rare17: Nose - dirty Glencairn Palate - eagle’s gleek Finish - death of a rotten fish GTS : Nose - hillbilly stench Palate - used limewater bath water Finish - KY hug WLW : Nose - soft winter wheat Palate : Best Weller 12 barrels Finish : more please Saz18: Nose - Whistle Pig 10 Palate - dried out grass field Finish: Crown Royal Handy: Nose - Ass Palate- gas Finish -grass; nobody rides for free
@eddiestreet103726 күн бұрын
George T. Stagg Nose: Like walking into a lumberjack’s sweet shop-notes of dark cherries, sawdust, and an absurd amount of vanilla. There’s a faint waft of leather, as if the bottle was aging in a cowboy’s saddlebag. Palate: Starts with a warm hug from maple syrup, then transitions to a bold slap of black pepper and charred oak. Imagine drinking a campfire, but in the best way possible. Finish: Relentlessly long, like a midwestern goodbye. Just when you think it’s over, you’re hit with cocoa powder and a sneaky kiss of licorice. William Larue Weller Nose: Straight-up dessert. Think crème brûlée torched by a flamboyant chef, with hints of caramel popcorn and a whisper of cinnamon. Somewhere in there is a rogue banana foster, flipping tables. Palate: Sweet but spicy, like a romantic comedy with a surprise bar fight. Starts with honey and toffee, but then jalapeño says, “I’m here, too!” An oaky backbone keeps it grounded. Finish: A rich, buttery goodbye, like buttered toast at 2 a.m. after a night out. Warm, comforting, and slightly regretful (because now you want more). Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Nose: Smells like someone dared to mix Christmas and Mardi Gras-ripe plums, candied orange peel, and clove-studded ham. There’s also a dash of herbal chaos, like walking into a spice shop with no plan. Palate: Pure fireworks. Starts with rye spice punching you in the face (gently), followed by licorice and a surprising dollop of apricot jam. Black tea sneaks in, like an introvert at a party. Finish: Quick but intense, leaving behind a trail of black pepper, anise, and “was that dill pickle brine?” Yes. Yes, it was. Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old Nose: Majestic and refined, like it showed up in a tuxedo. Dried fruits (apricots and dates) mingle with polished oak and just a touch of pipe tobacco. Somewhere in the back, a distant orchard applauds. Palate: Starts with candied pecans and dark honey, then pivots to leather and cigar box vibes. It’s like sipping an old library-if libraries tasted delicious. Finish: Long and elegant, like a ballroom dance you didn’t want to end. Subtle whispers of dark chocolate and espresso leave you feeling a bit fancier than you are. Sazerac Rye 18-Year-Old Nose: A rye lover’s dream. Imagine rye bread baked in a meadow full of lavender, fennel, and thyme. There’s a citrus zest in there that says, “Let’s party!” Palate: Like a spicy tango: bold rye spice, orange marmalade, and a faint hint of spearmint. A touch of toasted marshmallow keeps it from getting too serious. Finish: Dry, earthy, and persistent, like your friend who won’t stop talking about their new air fryer. Hints of oak and cinnamon stay long enough to ask if you’ve tried this “bourbon thing” before.
@danrichardson347027 күн бұрын
Tasting notes: Eagle Rare- high flying nose, aged eyrie wood, long feather dander finish. W.L. Weller-leather belt, wheat chaff on nose with long finish best at bottom of bottle. Stagg- chocolate covered cinnamon cherry cough drop smashed by an oak stave soaked in listerene . Sazerac - lovely mouthfeel, spices on the nose and smooth finish which could be a relief from the previous 3 whiskeys. Thomas Handy- last sample , very spicey on the nose, nice mouth feel, great bottle for the spicier all around handyman,
@jamesknudsen340625 күн бұрын
Buckle up, here we go: Eagle Rare 17: Who thought using eagles to make bourbon was a good idea? It’s a symbol of America for Heavens sake. Plus what’s it supposed to taste like? Mouse pellets and chicken McNuggets? By the way, I like my Eagle medium well. Willian Larue Weller: Oh, fancy! What does Larue mean anyway? Is it French for “loser street”? Why don’t they just be honest and call it what it is, Wannabe Pappy. Tastes like a mix of Special Reserve and Antique 107. George T. Stagg: So what’s the “T” stand for Tease? This is the Only Fans of whiskey, the only way to enjoy it is through videos on the internet. I bet it tastes like it’s been around the block a few times. Handy: Now they’re not even trying with the name any more. Of course it’s the lowest of proof so it not even like the real thing. Tastes like loneliness and regret. Sazerac: what the heck is a Sazerac? Sounds like a drug for a skin condition that a bunch of homely people sing about during like 20 commercials while watching NFL and my team blows another chance to win through dumb call or terrible officiating…. Sorry got a little distracted. Probably taste like liniment and stale peppermint candy.
@deanosmarhebert425827 күн бұрын
Tasting notes: Eagle Rare: The nose is complex, with a whisper of orange peel, followed by honey and leather. Good leather, like that first rush of air when you open the door of a store selling only the finest coats and handbags, not leather like your old baseball glove from college that’s been sitting in a box in the basement for twenty-five years. Thomas Handy: A collage of fall flavors. This rye whiskey offers a subtle hint of fruit cake, followed by cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. The perfect addition to your holiday egg nog. Pairs well with apple pie. Sazerac: The granddaddy of the BTAC line, this 18-year old rye comes in at 90 proof, which, frankly, is way too low. It’s more than half water! Yet it reveals an aura of chocolate, a suggestion of marshmallow, a dusting of graham cracker, and a faintest whiff of smoke, as though someone one point seven miles upwind was making a s’more over an open fire. Stagg: This hyper-aged punch-in-the-face delivers bold oak, like a crisp fall day spent cutting and splitting firewood with your dad, then putting a pinch of oak sawdust between your cheek and gum because you’re a grown man, but your dad forbids you chewing tobacco. It has a long finish reminiscent of dank basement, fallen leaves on the forest floor, and a real oak cork, the kind of cork that God intended, not one of these newfangled synthetic stoppers they put in bottles nowadays. W.L. Weller: Echoes of candy corn on the nose, followed by a hike up a mountain on a brisk day, with a hint of salted caramel, like that time you bought candy at the beach and dropped it in the surf, then wrested it from Poseidon’s grip, reclaiming your prize and simultaneously angering an ancient God who was never able to taste whiskey this good, mainly because Greece fell to the Romans about a thousand years before whiskey was invented, and bourbon came along about 800 years after that.
@SteveCoomes-d8x27 күн бұрын
Man, we're rude guests if we wanted to embarrass our host who cooked our fabulous steaks!
@jasonfiehler563226 күн бұрын
That's ok, anyone who brings BTAC to my place can say whatever they want.
@CathyBorden-s6r26 күн бұрын
I tried saving some of my LaRue Weller bottles, but failed badly. I used to get them when they first started being popular but lost my connection. So sad.
@fedup27327 күн бұрын
Non tasting tasting notes: ER17 - pigeon eggs, 2x4 and baking spices. WLW - marshmallows, cinnamon and an empty bank account. Stagg - a freshly lit campfire, ludens cherry and my father's belt. Saz18 - beignets, lemon with a strong smokey aftertaste. And finally, the Handy - cinnamon, anise and freshly cut plywood
@cherylvalente-e8w26 күн бұрын
Non tasting notes Close your eyes and think….. 1.grandpa’s library 2.Grandma’s kitchen 3.Bullfight 4.S&M in a barrel 5. Reincarnation
@ahagstad17 күн бұрын
Notes of zucchini blossoms and spice of rutabaga followed by a tartness of iron as if sucking on a cut. Flavor lingers like the cheap alcohol found in my underaged child’s closet.
@RR-ee3tt25 күн бұрын
1. Regal Awe inspiring Rustic Eagley 2. Wellery Exquisite Lucious Liquid gold Enigmatic Robusta 3. Slap in the face Terrific Avalanche of flavor Gratifying Gimme more 4. Spicy meatball Ambrosial Zowwy 5. Handy Agreeable Nougat Delectable Yes please
@andrewmiller292227 күн бұрын
Fake tasting notes ◦ Eagle rare 17: freedom and fire pepper in a glass with a disappointing finish that takes flight rapidly despite feather tales that linger in the Glen ◦ GTS: have you ever been smacked by a wizard? Drank a glass of buttermilk and fire ants? Well I haven’t, but the pungent anger of this dram makes one able to sympathize. ◦ Handy: blood, sweat, and tears on the nose, with college reefer spicy on the initial taste. Basic white girl spice leads to a fine finish. ◦ Saz: sass fills the glass with funkiliscious mushroom and pine that reeks of an IPA without the dad bod. Fruitcake coats the yapper but dies out to a 5-alarm chili that guy in the vounteer fire department always brings to potlucks. ◦ WLW: blended honeysuckle with Oikos Greek yogurt coat the pallet with the tinge of wheatful sweetness. Try licking the dirt of America’s Heartland for a less-elegant glimpse of this pour.
@shives00727 күн бұрын
I'm lazy. That contest is too much work Someone who would really appreciate them will jump in.
@BourbonBarry7 күн бұрын
Jealous!
@ascentia9727 күн бұрын
"The 2024 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection: A Boozy Time Capsule for the Discerning (or Desperately Dehydrated) Drinker Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old Bourbon: I feel like I just stepped into a time machine and emerged in the year 2007. This bourbon is so old, it's eligible for an AARP membership. One sip and my joints started creaking in solidarity. But hey, at least it pairs well with Metamucil and Lawrence Welk reruns. George T. Stagg Bourbon: This bourbon hits you like a rhinoceros stampeding through a china shop. It's so intense, I think I just grew a ZZ Top-worthy beard after the first gulp. Fair warning: keep a fire extinguisher handy, because this bad boy is guaranteed to light your tastebuds ablaze. Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey: Imagine taking a sip of spicy, peppery liquid fire, and then immediately chasing it with a shot of liquid nitrogen. That's the rollercoaster ride your palate is in for with this rye. Brace yourself for a whiplash-inducing flavor profile that'll leave you wondering, "Was that worth it?" (Spoiler alert: it was.) Sazerac 18-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey: If the Sazerac 18 were a person, it would be that eccentric great-uncle who shows up to family gatherings, regales you with stories from the Prohibition era, and then disappears for another decade. Mysterious, complex, and probably a little bit crazy - but you can't help but be captivated. William Larue Weller Bourbon: This bourbon is the liquid equivalent of finding a vintage sports car in your grandpa's barn: it's a rare, sought-after treasure that's been meticulously preserved over the years. One sip and you'll be transported to a bygone era of big hair, shoulder pads, and questionable fashion choices. Just don't spill any on your parachute pants. In conclusion, the 2024 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection is a time-traveling tasting experience that'll have you feeling nostalgic, bewildered, and potentially a little tipsy. Proceed with caution, and make sure you've got a designated driver on standby. Cheers to another year of rare, hard-to-find bourbons that are definitely worth the hype... or are they?"