Impromptu Bourbon Tasting

For an experiment that I will write about in a future post, I found myself in need of a drinkable yet inexpensive bourbon. My go to is usually Buffalo Trace but, with the closest liquor store being the ghetto liquor store, not that all of the liquor stores run by North Carolina are barren wasteland of mediocre swill, I found myself staring down a shelf with none to be found. So on a whim I decided not to soldier onto a different store and try some of the lesser bourbons available that have been recommended to me. Armed with the promises of one friend and one complete stranger, I picked up a bottle of Ancient Age and a bottle of Old Crow. The following tasting ensued.

I still had a little Buffalo left in a bottle, which made for a good comparison, as I drink it fairly regularly. The First up was the Old Crow; this is the cheap bourbon of choice for Will Gordon, writer of the Serious Eats Blog "Drinking from the Bottom Shelf", a hilarious blog about alcoholism. I found it a little on the sweet side with a decidedly peanut butter character to it, not unlikable or undrinkable and for $7.50 an out right steal. Ancient Age, which I have been dogged to try by my friend Mr.Ozark, was next up and fully delivered on its sour mash billing. It was quite sour actually and, like the OC, a bit one dimensional. At $14.00 I'm not sure it's worth twice the OC. We'll find out when I start making cocktails with them (a post for another time). Last came the Buffalo Trace, which I can usually pick up for around $20.00. BT is miles ahead of both of the other two in complexity, but had a mineral-y taste when compared with them. All had a pretty good nose of vanilla and oak, with the OC, again, being a tad on the sweet side. For sipping I would probably stick with something other than any of these, like the Woodford Reserve Double Oak I have in the cabinet now. However, as I mix with the other two I may find that I can save a couple of bucks. Look for that post in the near future. Next post will be my week at the DNC.

A Sia Saide

Quinn