Are Special Releases ACTUALLY SPECIAL? | Baker's 7 Year Single Barrel vs Hardin's Creek Jacob's Well

[@Lawnshrooms]

Those single barrels can vary so wildly. I have a Bakers that I absolutely love and there’s no sourness or aspartame notes. It’s like an elevated Knob Creek 9.

[@brennanfrawley1140]

Just like you said, live and die by the single barrel. The KC single barrel I have is one of the best bottles I've ever tasted. The two bottles of Bakers I've had were wildly different. One was very hot, but super sweet on the finish. The other one was really woody, like licking a 2x4 and then sour. Lol

[@canudigit5565]

Same here, I have one that’s 8 yrs, 2 mos, and it’s one of the best bourbons on my shelf

[@soyner]

Baker's 7 is one of my top 5. I don't get a sour note like your bottle tho. Almost a muted coffee hint on mine. I ended up with the bottle on a whim and it surprised me quite a lot.

[@CPGumby]

I like Baker's 7 a lot more than I thought I would (and should, given the age statement, proof, and price compared to a Knob Creek 9yr single barrel select), but I enjoy that Jim Beam nuttiness. Never gotten much of a sour note, but then blind tastings can be telling. Costco near me had them for $50 a few weeks back and even though I have a back-up already, I just had to get another! I would love to get my hands on a Hardin's Creek someday...

[@briancopple4238]

I bought a bottle of Baker seven a couple of months ago, and when I cracked it, it definitely had a sourness to it. I did not think it was very good, but I will revisit it at some point.

[@WhiskyForBeginners]

8:13 "$150 doll hairs..." I ❤it. 😍 9:02 If the $10 per year rule really was the case, my Bluff Springs would be at least $40, instead of the $25 it actually costs. A bottle of Knob Creek 9 would be $90. But the prices don't match, at least not on ordinary, everyday bottles. Maybe it kicks in only when a bourbon ages 10 or 12 or 15 years, or more - the angel's share for those barrels will be so large that in order to recoup the cost of making the whisky, plus make a profit, the distiller will have to charge considerably more per bottle.

[@Nole1992]

My Bakers was 8 year 10 month old and was fantastic. I did go and buy another bottle of the exact same just to eliminate the chance of getting a bad bottle

[@superman6338]

I have had a few great bottles of Bakers 7 ... An 8 yr 6 month and an 8 yr 11 month... I actually blinded them multiple times and it came out on top

[@Pirate_Henry_Avery]

I just opened my first Baker's 7 last night and I don't get any of those flavors on my bottle. Mostly some vanilla and cinnamon on my palette. It's similar in taste to Makers or Weller 107 to me. In fact i intend to throw those 3 in a blind.

[@stuffandwhiskey]

Single barrels can vary (as can batches over time). That’ll be a fun blind!

[@tfrogginhfroggin]

So surprised, my bakers 7 is really good. Wonder if it is a single barrel issue. Would be interesting to photo the details on the bottle

[@stuffandwhiskey]

Single barrels can vary pretty wildly for sure. Thanks for watching!

[@tomfranchetti6138]

Erin looked genuinely pissed that she participated in this video, pouring her samples in Josh's Glens.😂😂

[@Robert.Sheard]

I hate that your Baker's 7 was sour. I'm still on my first bottle of it, which I have loved (and I have a backup). It's $60 in my market, so it's a buy for me. I've never tried Hardin's Creek. I'm eager to try the Baker's 13, if I see one.

[@nickp5511]

That’s a bummer that your bottle is sour:( I finished a 7yr 2 month bottle that was delicious! I opened my 8yr 9 month bottle and it’s great! I ordered three more bottles that are 8yr 2 months and I’m looking forward to getting into them also! I get peanut, vanilla, caramel, sweetness, very nice pours.

[@WhiskeyBank]

Great video. You guys do too good of a job on these blinds and it's a lot of fun watching it!

[@stuffandwhiskey]

Always appreciate you watching and commenting! Cheers!

[@gfrank9772]

I wouldn’t write off Bakers given the variations of singles barrels. They’re a lot of people that really enjoy Bakers as an underrated release compared to Bookers and Knob Creek.

[@DaveH8905]

Knob Single Barrel makes every single other bottle from that distillery seem like a comparatively bad deal.

[@stuffandwhiskey]

100% truth!

[@p.daniels165]

I picked up a bottle of Baker’s 7, 7yrs 8mos. It was just OK and far from tasting like something special. Keep up the great videos 👍🏾

[@MarkO-ni3qc]

Check your bottle of Baker’s 7. I’m going to try a pour tonight and see if I get anything sour. I’ve never noticed that before, but I do get an incredible amount of cherry. I’m pretty fond of it. The HC 15 doesn’t sound good. I might try that at a bar first. Cheers!

[@NathanielEssex]

Hardins creek was in my top 10 last year. Different strokes is true

[@IzzosPlace]

Fun video as always!

[@MrMBBM]

Baker’s 7 is about $75 in Oregon, and I always look at it in the store because on paper it sounds really good, but $75 is too much to just try a bourbon I don’t know. I always say “someday “. However, at about 2:12 in this video, right after Josh says “it’s fascinating “ the way Erin says “yeah “ completely cured me of ever wanting to pay that kind of money for this whiskey 😂.

[@schins67]

Not really a fan of Beam"s nutty profile but this Baker's is pretty good. I do get a beer-like taste funkiness. Paid $65 and dont regret it as it is unique

[@WhiskeyBusinessFL]

Fun matchup. Loved the thumbnail, too.

[@eviltrain24]

7 year for $70... people talk about $10 for every year in the scotch space as well. but I'm not sold on this rubric as there are too many good pours that can be had for less. And of course, there are a fair number of NAS bottles in scotch with wildly varying prices. Besides, if I accept that $/year pneumonic, I kinda feel like I'm letting the marketing team win, which has zero influence on quality.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

Oh man the Baker's bottle I have is good. I would not say it's great, but ($57.00 in my area) this Single barrel variation hits me the right way. The age on my bottle is 8 years 7 months. Barreled 02-1014. What was yours?

[@stuffandwhiskey]

Had to remember to check back at home. Ours is a 7y 7m 05-2014 bottle. Tasting it now. It’s not great. Pretty astringent, bitter, and a tinge sour.

[@axegekko6477]

Would age help with Baker's? Saw a 8y-11m at Maryland Farms when usually I see them in low 7s.

[@stuffandwhiskey]

Hard to say. It’s really more about the single barrel than the age. There’s some funky single barrels out there at high age and some younger ones that shine, but generally speaking, we’d lean toward age helping *usually.*

[@josephvelez5685]

My first baker 7 was like a cinnamon vodka. Super disappointing. I’m willing to buy one more, maybe next year just for the benefit of the doubt

[@renepirolt]

Couldn't agree more with Erin on the Baker's 7! Bought a bottle two weeks ago and of course overpaid...just because I had high hopes. Absolutely terrible! I'll use it for whiskey and Cokes, if anything.

[@stuffandwhiskey]

Always a bummer when a pricier bottle disappoints.

[@renepirolt]

Indeed it is!

[@bullseye0112]

I love it Erin looks like she is fit to be tied. Erin is ready to whoop some butt😂. There's no way on God's green earth I would spend that much money on either one of those if Erin is put off that much from their flavor. Skip it!

[@brantleymasters435]

Digging the videos. But wish people would stop trying to lend credence to the inaccurate $10/year thing. IMO ultimately the primary metric consumers should measure whiskey value by is quality - which your double blinds demonstrate well I think. Cheers for that. I just cringe every time I hear someone try to make me feel better about a subpar whiskey I spent money on cuz years bro.

[@terrencemcdermott5840]

I’m a big fan of Bakers 7. Granted it is a SiB but I think overall it is good whiskey at a good price and is overlooked A LOT. I do have a question or two for you both though. Do you eat the same thing before you film? I know you batch film as well, so curious if you have a specific order that you taste in? IE head to heads before world whiskeys or vice versa? Etc?

[@stuffandwhiskey]

Josh here. I’m very strict about what I eat, when I eat, and warm up with (which of course checks out as a whiskey nerd). Erin just lives her life (which checks out as the non-nerdy social sipper).

[@IdiosyncraticPat]

Baker's 7 is not worthy.