"We Couldn't Believe What Won! | First Blind of the Year Shocker

[@slbdrinks]

Kurt favoring that bottle was a wild start to the year! Let us know your ideas for future blinds in the comments below, and we will use the one with the most thumbs up in our next episode of Friday Blind Day. Cheers! 🥃

[@ladnargnoll1400]

Wild Turkey 12, Weller 12, Knob Creek 12, 1792 12....battle of the 12 year old age stated.

[@312scooter]

EW12, JD12

[@trentsnider462]

@@ladnargnoll1400 I think this was sort of done

[@ladnargnoll1400]

@@trentsnider462 I thought they might have but it's still solid and who knows maybe their tastes changed...lol

[@ladnargnoll1400]

@@312scooter I thought about JD 12 but thought it would be the biggest standout.

[@trentsnider462]

@ladnargnoll1400 you had more shelfers. I think they threw in Pappy12 and it was last. Lol

[@nickp5511]

I’m liking a 12 year blind! 1792 12yr, Weller 12yr, Knob Creek 12yr, JD 12yr, and Wild Turkey 12yr! Cheers!

[@GRFlashback]

How about a double oak blind - Woodford Reserve, OF 1910, Elijah Craig toasted, Peerless, and Jim Beam Double Oak?

[@matto9491]

Throw in the sagamore DO, and it’s a 2-0 start to the year for sagamore

[@DustinGeese]

Pursuit DO better than all mentioned

[@misteraric]

Sagamore double oak is a must in this blind. Elijah Craig toasted rye, hard truth double oak.

[@misteraric]

@@matto9491definitely 2 - 0

[@ryoder6279]

Fox and Oden 2-oak

[@parkeroliver1061]

love that you're finally putting what you're drinking up on the screen. keep that up!

[@tomgensel4134]

A Redwood Empire Blind 🥃

[@Reubencadena66]

Blue note juke joint uncut and unfiltered, James e pepper decanter, green river full proof and bardstown origin series high wheat. Best shelf sitters.

[@ryangraham6393]

Trenton has the palate of a child when it comes to food, but with whiskey is an ace, I’m with Kurt. properly rendered steak fat is delicious.

[@juliusagh9038]

Pursuit United Double Oaked, Cedar Ridge Double Oaked, 2XO American, and Woodford Double Oaked.

[@wishfor420]

Would love to see a shelf blind. All the things someone new can get right off the shelf and maybe not cask strength. Makers Mark, Larceny, Jim Beam 7, and Wild Turkey.

[@boriskonyukhov1457]

This is a very good one

[@justinhernandez1219]

You guys need to do a Bakers 13, Widow Jane 13, Wild Turkey 13, Blue Run 13, and Russel's 13 blind!!! Battle of the 13's!!

[@b1gsteve251]

Bottom Shelf Bangers: VOB, JTS Brown, JW Dant, EW BIB! Sagamore CS is amazing. I bought a case at Binny’s because it’s on sale for $50. Fricken Pikesville is up to 60 bucks now. Great to see Kurt on the rye train! Cheers, y’all 🥃

[@chrisbowers4287]

Love EW BiB, the peanut note is bang on

[@Josh_P_1992]

You should do an end of year bracket of all the blind winners. Make it a week long series.

[@paulhendershot111]

Great job of picking the whiskey by Michelle and Kent. I have not had the chance to try any Still Austin yet but the other 3 bottles are outstanding.

[@timbuma3693]

I want to see some American Single Malts blinds!

[@WhiskyForBeginners]

I love Sagamore Spirit Cask Strength - and I'm not a rye guy. 🥃 11:24 I remember my first glass of Balcones Texas Pot Still Bourbon back in December of 2021. The nose was glorious, and I had to remind myself to take a sip. And the taste was just as wonderful.

[@leavellwall8856]

How about a blending challenge between the two of you each month? Have a set budget and see who can come up with the best type of blend. You could mix up the type each month between different varieties of whiskey. Do a double blind and see who's is best, then share the ratios so others can try it

[@MiHask34]

Wheated flight. Holladay Wheat Rickhouse; Makers Cask Strength; Castle & Key 7yr Cask Strength wheat; Bardstown Origin High Wheat; Weller A107

[@redwoodempirewhiskey]

Don't forget our Screaming Titan!

[@mattschmitt9924]

This is right up my alley. This gets all my votes.

[@BrandonF12]

Macallan 15, Glendronach 15, Balvenie 15, glenallachie 15

[@alecky1972]

And Springbank 15 or Kilkerran 16.

[@AJMikes]

Bottled-in-bond blind. Small vs large distilleries. Cedar Ridge, Starlight, Early Times, Heaven Hill.

[@mattschmitt9924]

Ben Holladay, Hard Truth, Dettling

[@adamheagel481]

Sagamore is a blend of 95/5 AND 52/43/5, those mashbills originally from MGP have been carried over to their own production. When I chatted with the distillers last, they said that most of their products end up around 4 parts 95/5 to 1 part 52/43/5. I live near the distillery and am super excited for their upcoming release of all MD distilled cask-strength bottling. The proof is expected to be around 123, and this time it will be age stated as 7-years-old. Definitely worth doing a review on when it releases!

[@popskull42]

Came here to say this in a far less informed way. And if my maths are mathing properly, that blend would make it about 86% rye.

[@adamheagel481]

@@popskull42 Can you tell I'm glad I live nearby and very very much enjoy their products?! 😅

[@Walmartz-ID]

Ribeyes are the best when seared and cooked properly!

[@marc3950]

You two together are a blast to watch. Trenton can take things off the rails at a moments notice. Great way to start the new year.

[@a.hagler3777]

12 YEAR BATTLE! : 1.) Jack 12 (any batch) 2.) Weller 12 (any batch) 3.) Old Fo Birthday 2024 4.) Bulleit 12 Rye (just to see if it can slay a highly sought bottle) Gotta’ say that @GRFlashback has a SOLID lineup though 💪💪🥃

[@FakingANerve]

I haven't dipped into my Sag Cask Strength bottle for a while... just poured some. Yeah, this makes sense. I'm not a huge rye guy, but this was favorite. It's so good!

[@BigPughBoy4]

- unknowingly drinking Sagamore Spirit -taste like honey -wishes Sagamore Spirit did a honey finish

[@jayhorvinski8337]

Great show guys. Love when you have fam n friends pick your blinds!!!

[@jimandcarole]

The SLB Sagamore pick (66) is probably my favorite SLB pick to date. Followed closely by Stranahan. Fun video!

[@GabrielLerma1029]

5 bottle Westward Blind: Pinot, Bonded, one of your favorite picks, Milestone 1, and Milestone 2.

[@SoSaMin1]

So I think you should do a Tennessee Rye Showdown with the following bottles: Uncle Nearest Straight Rye; Jack Daniels BONDED Rye Whiskey; George Dickel Rye Whiskey; Chattanooga Whiskey 99 Rye; Nelson Brothers Rye Whiskey; Prichard's Rye Whiskey

[@mchidley1]

Appreciate it when Trenton elaborates his exotic descriptions with more traditional terms. Helps me understand what the experience might be like

[@denniswheeler4872]

Looking forward to another great year watching SLB Basement Bourbon Bar. Thanks, great video.

[@DavidWaller123]

Favorite JT Meleck, Still Austin, Redwood Empire, Hard Truth and Frey Ranch blind

[@danielrummel4712]

Maker's The Heart Release, Maker's The Lost Recipe, Maker's BEP, Maker's 46 Cask Strength

[@wespowell8098]

Your best non allocated Bourbon vs Tequila Tears of Llorana. Expand your minds😮 love show ❤

[@TreyBergeron]

Would love to see some bourbon hunting videos or videos of you doing barrel picks. Some Vlogs would be nice to

[@andrewl8386]

Battle of the Rum Cask Finished whiskies!

[@SeeinHyrule]

I think Makers is becoming my go to. I've not had the really pricey ones but just got Lost Recipe 1 and it's fantastic, love the original and love 46 and they're all well priced.

[@MegaBubba2112]

Still Austin Tanager, Peerless Single Barrel, Pursuit United Double oak, and Blue Note Juke Joint uncut Unfiltered.

[@hillandable]

This blind was awesome. Best one in a while!

[@KeithCagle-t3n]

All great bottles - I love Sagamore

[@user-YouTuber22]

Would you guys be able to compare a fresh crack to a bottle that has been open for some time. I want more info on how long a bottle can be open and how time open effects whiskey.

[@greggalaviz-johnson6478]

Also interested if finished ones are affected more or less

[@michaeltobias7519]

Also interested in this. Articles seem to say drink opened bottles within 6 mos - 1 yr. And Kurt mentioned he has bottles for years. What is the “unofficial - official” SLB stance on this? Maybe it’s as simple as….drink ‘em till their gone !?!

[@robertv4673]

Love you guys! Happy New Year!

[@maxwellowens4640]

Let’s do this blind: peerless double oak, Woodford double oak, chicken cock double oak, 13 colony double oak. Or any double oak that fits!

[@livingfiction]

The makers mark 46 cask strength is an absolute banger. I'm on my second bottle in the last 3 months. Absolutely killer. Sometimes I'm in the mood for a rye though. I get it. No shade on the makers.

[@Eric__B]

Would love to see you revisit an old blind and see if results have changed!

[@wills8504]

Should do a distillery series. Blind each distillers core selections individually. Then blind the winners from each distillery to choose overall winner.

[@Simplifiers]

Love your content, and all of my whiskey-drinking friends tune in as well. We’re pretty much fed up with the “allocated” bourbon scene. How about an “alternative to allocated” evening where you use your knowledge to pair up the usual suspects with a more available product with a similar (or sometimes even better) flavor profile? The two of you could compete to find the best alternatives, chosen through a blind tasting.

[@ChrisSmith-ec6qp]

Happy New Year, gents. Recently, I got into bourbon and found my first "preferred" bottle today. A nice single barrel Michters. Looking forward to more content. Thanks for the information. Cheers.

[@MarkSorenson-hn6pg]

Great show. Happy New Year! Blind, just off the cuff not overthingking: OF 1897, Old Grand Dad Bottled in Bond, Early Times BiB (cant find it anymore), and...Blanton's. It would be a fun blind, 3, 100 proofs (at an affordable price) vs one 93 proof (mostly hard to find at MSRP). Thanks for the shows! I love watching!

[@chasesguitar]

Next Fridays blind: Stagg jr vs George T Stagg vs Weller Full Proof vs William Larue Weller

[@KillerChihuahua387]

Cask strength wheater blind. Makers 46 cs, Rebel small batch reserve, Bardstown origin high wheat and Weller 107.

[@KillerChihuahua387]

I didn't like my makers 46 cs on fresh crack either. After being open for a week or so I loved it. I don't have the 24-01 batch though

[@WoodBilly53]

Red corn, including Jimmy Red is used for cornbread, and traditionaly it is used for moonshine, that's the best shine, with Jimmy Red corn .

[@jeremegarland8242]

I have a bottle of Jimmy Red Original and it took 4 months for me to come back to but it's banging now.

[@mmg781]

I love the different tasting styles: Kurt: this tastes good. Trenton: the distiller washed his hands with Dove soap, liquid, not bar, when blending this!

[@Jtravis5858]

Wheated bourbons under $50. 1792 sweet wheat, makers mark, green river wheated, larceny

[@CinHotlanta]

I would suggest Old Elk wheated but I cannot remember what I paid for it

[@MrWayneJohn1]

What happened to your 'Guess the Price' contests? Bring those back, and add 'Guess the Brand'. Happy New Year to the best liquor channel on YT. 🎉

[@LVbibby]

Ribeye for the Win all the way Kurt is right Trenton will have to be worked on that is unfortunate; thanks for the video.

[@jasonwalk4257]

A small batch blind - 1792, Kirkland, Members Mark and Very Old Barton.

[@henrikskriver5107]

How about a Willet blind Johnny drum,Pure Kentucky,Rowans Creek,Noahs mill 😃

[@MrJhill76]

Cedar Ridge double oaked, Woodford preserve double oaked, hard Truth bourbon, Frey Ranch uncut bourbon

[@trentsnider462]

Proofed down single barrels: 1792, 4R, Blantons, Baker's 7

[@dunnjustin124]

The still Austin red corn is fantastic I’ve been nursing that bottle because I only found one of them

[@dave-vf7sm]

Hey guys I’m a new subscriber to your channel, loving the content and I have started my collection by ordering a bottle of BLANTONS GOLD and MAKERS MARK 46. My usual off the shelf bottles are makers mark, buffalo trace or Woodford reserve . Happy new year and keep pouring and posting 🥃

[@johngirlando]

Honestly, Kurt, none of us had any idea with our first cigar. 15 years later, many of us enjoy a cigar with our whiskey (or vice-versa). Cheers!

[@lazygoodan]

I'm amazed the Still Austin Red Corn BIB was last!! That was one of my favorite bottles of 2024. Very different, but very nice.

[@breakinghues2751]

I was too but then again everything in this blind is delicious

[@elieisenberg4266]

I would love to see an Old Forester comparing 1910, 1920, 1897 Bottled in Bond and one other (maybe the 1870 or Single Barrel Cask Strength or the 117 Series )

[@johnmckisson5724]

Sagamore's mash bill is a 'blend' of the 95/5 mash along with a second mash consisting of 51% rye plus an undisclosed combination of corn and barley. They mention this during the distillery tour. 2024 was my rye exploration year and it was eye-opening. Old Overholt 114 was a highlight (great bang for the buck), and if you do get around to visiting Sagamore's distillery, I'd recommend also trying to find time to visit the Baltimore Spirits Company (searching by their name brings up their web site right away) on the other side of town. Their basic mash bill is 95 rye/5 malted rye, making it a single-grain product and a close relative to the burgeoning American single malt trend. While 'complex' isn't necessarily the word to describe it, it definitely is something you need to spend extra time with to figure out. I instantly liked their basic offering, though, while their cask strength and toasted barrel offerings took some time to grow on me. P.S. I am in no way affiliated with that distillery, I only toured it recently and sharing my thoughts.

[@dmcdougal241]

Yep. Sagamore uses MGP but to the best of my memory MGP contract distills for them, so it wouldn't have to exclusively be the 95/5.

[@dneuens]

@@dmcdougal241 They had used MGP but are going through their stocks as their own distillate increases and matures. I actually prefer their own stuff. Get a 6 or 7 year BIB from them if you can find it. Great stuff.

[@nickp5511]

Nice blind! Over my 2 plus year journey I’ve been a Sagamore fan from the start! I have 9 different offerings so far with the Manhattan finished coming next week hopefully! Cheers!

[@jtf2dan]

Sagamore Cask Strength Rye for the WIN!!! Its the only bottle I could pick off the shelf in Canada in the last few years!

[@robertthomas8237]

Penelope Cask, Good Times cigar batch, Heaven Hill GTG rye, and the surprise budget bourbon...Benchmark Full proof

[@MaryS-go8dl]

Great blind!

[@dansmallwood2409]

The Sagamore Rye was the first rye I really really liked.

[@50muskyhunter]

You can get rib cap steaks from Costco. The just take the rib cap from a bunch of steaks and put a string around to keep together. Grilled. Awesome 😊

[@3percentmick705]

That Grizzly Beast has been my absolute favorite lately.

[@anthonyavila4027]

How about a blind of the second shelf behind you that in view like the wild turkey masters keeps or Russell's bottles ,the four roses against each other or as individual distillery that could be interesting.

[@MrBeezer05]

love this show mr,beezer05

[@michaeltobias7519]

Holladay Soft Red Wheat Rickhouse, 2XO Sneakerhead, Penelope Architect, Widow Jane Decadence….bottles opened over the holidays, and very different

[@lukepecher9017]

Double oak blind between pursuit and peerless would be interesting. Pursuit double oak Pursuit double oak rye Peerless Double oak Peerless Rye double oak

[@hollymair1832]

States that touch Lake Michigan Craft Distilleries. New Holland Origin Small Batch, Hard Truth Sweet Mash Bourbon, Whiskey Acres Blue Popcorn, Driftless Glen Single Barrel or Small Batch.

[@jadedave-c5n]

I was curious about this new relabel of 46 CS! Gifted it, but I haven't had a sip of it yet :( Maybe I'll mooch some later, since... I did buy it 🤔 Batch 02 I believe? Great video as always! 4 unique whiskeys that are different categories within bourbon/rye. Wheat, rye, four grain. Rye reigns supreme!

[@honker1307]

Good morning SLB family.

[@chadbeckstrom3627]

Sagamore is my favorite Rye! Love the cask strength and the 9 year. Also love MM 46 cask. Does the French oak influence consider it "finished"?

[@EJH4197]

10-yr ryes! Knob Creek, Bulleit, Overholt, redemption, Templeton, Michters, etc

[@jimrubino7300]

Hey guys I think it would be great if you did a blind of your favorite bourbon, whiskey or rye from Indiana! We have some great juice coming from our state time to show it off.

[@manitobuckles]

Can't wait to watch! Love ya, SLB! Happy New Year from Winnipeg! 🥃🥃🥃🥃

[@50muskyhunter]

You can get prime ribcap steak at Costco. They just take the rib cap from a bunch of steaks and roll them together and then tie. Grilled. Awesome 😊

[@mikehintenach2503]

Sagamore Ryes are blends of a high rye and low rye mash bills.

[@raharmonnelson7537]

I found the Sagamore Rum cask finished.... i need to go get it.... 21:38

[@CharleyCarey]

The Sagamore is actually a blend of straight high-rye and low-rye mash bills aged 4 to 7 years

[@dneuens]

Yes, 95/5 and 51% rye, at least the MGP distillate. Not sure if their own distillate is a composite mashbill or if they do the same mash and blend like before. FWIW, I actually prefer Sagamore's own distillate.

[@jeromelewis9487]

Now I have to go buy a bottle of Sagamore rye to try it out 😊

[@sman6000]

I’m thinking either a MGP 95/5 Rye lineup with bottles like the newer Bulleit and Sagamore. Or, ECBP vs. Larceny BP

[@keithbertrand8843]

Texas blind. Garrison brothers. Still Austin. Milam and green. Copper shot.

[@pepegon-zals7606]

Idk if I got a bad bottle of Sag cask strength but mine is 100% burnt rubber. I LOVE all my other Sag’s tho, 9 year, double oak, 7 year, two picks all have that honeyed sweetness

[@requashrequash8827]

Sag 8 year, Sag 9 year, Little book 8, redwood empire haystack needle rye.

[@mikehintenach2503]

Sagamore Ryes are blends of high rye and low rye mash bills. its not just 95/5 mash

[@travissmith1303]

Stagg Jr, Old Forester Single barrel barrel strength, Elijah Craig Barell Proof, Rare Breed

[@ericmalmstrom9943]

Blind a single barrel and a high-proof batch from two different distillers. Such as OF Single barrel + 1920 and EC Private Barrel + C924. See if one distiller beats the other,

[@shawnconnors5705]

Grab 8 bottles (roughly around the same proof) only pour 4. See if you can guess the bottle/juice in each glass