Since my last update, my adventures have been nothing short of eventful. Let me walk you through some of the highlights.
Tokyo Disneyland Escapade
In the first week of November, we embarked on a family trip to Tokyo Disneyland. The two-day escapade was largely a success, thanks to the meticulously planned itinerary I put together. I intend on expanding more about this experience in another separate post, but for now just know it was a pricey affair. But hey, you don’t visit Disneyland and expect to pinch pennies.
Munich Business Trip
Mid-November had me jetting off to Munich for work. Most of my time was spent in the confines of a hotel for meetings, leaving little room for exploration. During a layover at London Heathrow, I stumbled upon a whiskey haven in the duty-free shop and snagged a JD SiB 100 proof for the journey.
- Stomach Flu Fiasco: The trip was going smoothly until I was struck down by what felt like food poisoning or a stomach bug. It was brutal. I missed a day of the meetup, confined to my hotel room, barely able to move. The silver lining? A hot bath that seemed to expedite my recovery.
- Post-Recovery in Munich: Thankfully, I bounced back and was able to salvage the remainder of the meetup, although not at my full throttle.
- Duty-Free Discoveries: On my way back, despite passing through Heathrow again, I skipped the duty-free, too worn out to bother. However, Bangkok’s airport presented some intriguing finds, most notably a couple expressions from Kentucky Owl. Despite their steep price and my internal debate, I decided to pass, opting to “try before I buy”. A lot of the reviews I was coming across indicated that it wasn’t bad, but perhaps not worth the asking price.
Local Whiskey Gems
The real highlight came later when I stumbled upon some unexpected treasures in my local area, far outweighing the allure of the Kentucky Owl expressions I so painstakingly pondered over buying back when I was in Bangkok’s international airport. It’s funny how sometimes the best finds are just around the corner.
In my latest escapade, I stumbled upon Michter’s Small Batch Sour Mash Whiskey, an elusive member of the core Michter’s lineup I had yet to encounter. I’ve had and tried all the other core lineup expressions, but not this one. So I was quite ecstatic to be able to finally pick it up and crack it open when I got home.
But the surprises didn’t end there. In the very same store, which had just opened its doors that day, I discovered a Willett 4yr cask strength rye. While it’s not the coveted purple top, this green-capped wonder was an unanticipated delight. It’s not often that such Willett bottles like these appear, so I didn’t hesitate to add it to my haul. Upon tasting, I realized it was, hands down, the best rye I’ve ever had. The distinct Willett character was there, a unique flavor note that I can’t quite articulate, but it unmistakably screamed “Willett.” This experience was so compelling, it drove me to my first online whiskey purchase to get a backup, breaking my long-held resistance. Hard to believe, I know. But this is what finally did me in.
Another intriguing find was the Templeton 10yr Rye. This one was a bit of a gamble, as I wasn’t too familiar with Templeton, especially their 10yr expression. The proof and price seemed just right, and it turned out to be a wise choice. I really dig it! However, my subsequent research into Templeton’s past controversies over whiskey origins left me in two minds. Despite their history, this bottle stands as one of the finest ryes I’ve sampled to date. It’s a conflict between the brand’s past and the quality of their current offering.
On a return visit to this newfound favorite store of mine, I had to do a double-take when I spotted Shenk’s Homestead Sour Mash Whiskey, the 2023 release, no less. It felt almost too good to be true, like a whiskey enthusiast’s dream materializing right before my eyes. Securing this bottle felt like capturing a unicorn, at least in these parts.
Recent Bottle Kills
- Fighting Cock
- x2 Baker’s Small Batch 7yr
- Old Grand Dad 114
- Old Ezra 12yr
- Blanton’s Single Barrel
- Blanton’s Takara Black
- Blanton’s Takara Red
Home Blends
Woodford Double Oaked Cock 🙂
The reasoning behind this pairing was quite simple – I wanted to proof up my WRDO. But with a higher proof bottle that’s also already nearing its end, but is also not something I’d have qualms about being blended. Fighting cock fit the bill perfectly. As far as how this will turn out… time will tell.
Blanton’s Mix #01: Gold + Original Single Barrel + Black
Call me blasphemous for doing this, but hey, isn’t experimentation the soul of science? The Blanton’s Original Single Barrel and the Takara Black were both teetering on their last legs, so I decided it was time to give them a dignified send-off. After mixing them both into the remaining Gold I had and letting them mingle for a couple of days, I must admit, the blend is a vast improvement over the Takara Black on its own. Does it surpass the Original Single Barrel? In terms of proof, definitely. The punch from the Gold really comes through, which is exactly what I was aiming for! In terms of palate, I’d say it’s a close match in quality. Overall, this blend turned out to be pretty decent.
Fresh Cork Pops & Latest Bottle Haul
- Templeton 10yr Rye
- Michter’s Sour Mash
- Michter’s SiB Straight Rye
- Baker’s SiB 7yr
- Baker’s Small Batch 7yr
- Willett 4yr SiB Rye
- Shenk’s Homestead 2023
As you might deduce from what you’ve read so far, this haul pretty much sums up my finds for the month. You might notice that in addition to my usual Baker’s Small Batch 7yr pickup, there is now a Baker’s Single Barrel 7yr, which I have put off for a while now. You may also see there’s a noticeable dent in it. Let that be indication of what I think – review and comparison queued up.
Signing off for now, but keep an eye out for more updates, in-depth reviews, and whiskey shenanigans. Cheers!
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