George T. Stagg - * * *

Another selection from Buffalo Trace distillery's 2007 Antique Collection, this is maybe the highest-proof bourbon I've ever tasted (131.8). And what a bargain!

I can add an almost equal part water to this one and still have a superb, strong whiskey, on par with the 3-star-ish Weller bourbons reviewed elsewhere on this site. This one is less sweet, more fiery, and more "serious" than the others but dang ... add that water and BOOM! Liquid campfire.

Sazerac Rye 18 Year - * * * * 1/2

GOOOOAAAALLLL !!!!

Here is the 2nd whiskey to get 4.5 stars (highest rating here), matching my benchmark bourbon, the W. L. Weller 19 year. Holy crap this is good. And it comes from Buffalo Trace Distillery, the same folks who brought us that Weller. I see a pattern here.

Upon opening the new bottle, I gave a sip to my girlfriend (a chef who appreciates but doesn't enjoy whiskey). Her eyes got all sparkly: "ooo, that is goooood!" We immediately researched the cocktail for which this Rye is named (said by many to be the best cocktail ever... we haven't purchased the Peychaud's Bitters yet but cheated a bit and added a few drops of the recently-released Absinthe Verte from St. George Spirits and ... amazing.

This rye is a party in a bottle. A party where giggly, fun, cute Hooters waitresses show up after getting off work and start drinking mimosas. It is like kissing your first crush. It just makes ya smile.

I love you Buffalo Trace. And I pledge to faithfully purchase your yearly antique collection, from where magnificent things such as this come.

Vintage Bourbon 23 Year - * * or * * * *

You know how bourbon reviews can be like wine reviews where they just rattle off a bunch of things that have the same COLOR of the drink in question but no real link to the taste? Like this review posted by someone on bourbonenthusiast.com: "Nose: Molasses, dark chocolate, coffee, pecan pie filling, dark fruit maybe plum, some alcohol, a little wet wood but no mustiness. Taste: Plum, molasses spice cookie, cinnamon toast." Give me a freakin' break. You couldn't place the dark fruit ("maybe plum"?) but nailed pecan pie filling? And it smelled like wet wood (not the musty kind!) but tasted like cinnamon toast? I'm waiting to see "burnt Cheez-It" cuz hey, that's brown too!

Anyway, I bought the Vintage Bourbon (most horrible name for a bourbon) 23 Year because of its description on the price tag at Beverages & More. It had the most un-bourbon-like description I had ever seen, written possibly by the staff at the store. The exact wording eludes my memory, but I recall it mentioning tobacco, old leather, and oil (I got the distinct impression they meant used motor oil) and being thick & chewy.

Guess what: it tastes EXACTLY like that. My first sip sparked a vision of some crazed Distiller stirring a cauldron of alcohol and leather seat-cushions from a couch that spent 50 years in the back room of an auto mechanic's shop where on weekends it hosted long nights of smoking and card playing.

Do I want to taste that? No, I don't. But it was like a bad accident: Did I really just taste a chair right out of The Godfather? .... sip ... yes I did. 2 stars.

So here's a $100+ bottle of bourbon, clearly masterfully created, with an inescapable allure, which is pleasing in spite of and possibly because of its perfectly rendered distastefulness. What to do ...

Add a splash to the Van Winkle 12: oooo! Interesting!
Add a splash to the $13 Corner Creek: hmmm! That's a whole new deal right there!

You know how adding salt brings out food's hidden flavors? The Vintage Bourbon 23 Year is bourbon-salt. It turns your collection of 10 bourbons into 20. And THAT is a nice way to make $100+ bottel last quite a while. 4 stars for adding so mch to my enjoyment of my other bourbons!

Corner Creek Reserve - * * 1/2

This bourbon was a steal at $24 when I first came across it. Now it is on sale at Trader Joe's for $13 and for that it gets an extra 1/2 star just because it is so freakin' incredible that something this good costs so little. It is velvety, and definitely on the low end of the alcohol content spectrum (88 proof). There ain't nothing wrong with this one, and it feels so good in the mouth. Solid. Solid. Solid.

Upcoming reviews...

• Sazerac Rye 18 yr (2007 release) & the classic Sazerac cocktail
• Vintage Bourbon 23 year
• William Larue Weller 2007 release
• St George Single Malty Whiskey
• Corner Creek Reserve

W. L. Weller 12 Year - * * *

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice! Slippery mouth feel, with a bite that seems higher than 90 proof. Complex flavors similar to the Weller 19 Year, but not as well-rounded, make this the slightly more chaotic & messy-haired little brother to that best-of-the-best bourbon. Priced less than $30 it is the best bang for the buck. 45% alc (90 proof).

Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year - * * *

This was my default bourbon for a few weeks, which surprised me because there wasn't anything that stood out about it. No dominant flavors. Not too smooth, not too sharp. It is one of the most neutral bourbons I've tasted. And yet there is something very nice about it. Still a mystery!

W. L. Weller Special Reserve - *

The Makers' Mark of Weller's line, and it is better than Maker's. This is a soft velvety bourbon. Not as much vanilla as Maker's, with more alcohol and wood character. 45% alc (90 proof) aged 7 years.

W. L. Weller Centennial - * * 1/2

Second best bourbon for the money (the Toyota Camry of bourbon?). Only $30 and kicks the ass of many up to $50. The lesser-expensive Weller 12 is the #1 value in my book. Both are perfect "go to" bourbons for after-work unwinding. At 50% alcohol (100 proof) this one's kind of a "Booker's light".

Black Maple Hill 11 Yr - * * 1/2

One or two primary flavors that are good, but not great. Main flavor is sweet & syrupy but also kind of "grassy" or "woody" which is not my preference (if yours, then you'd probably give this 4 stars). Very smooth, not much bite. This is a timid bourbon but very good. Bring it out in mixed company. 47.5 % alc (95 proof).