I’ve tried to get into bourbon several times over the years- landed on Buffalo Trace first. Tried Four Roses Small Batch after that… I didn’t really get it- both of them tasted “off” to me and left a weird after taste.
I was ready to write off bourbon all together as just not for me, until I tried OF 110. This shit is delicious. I think I finally get it. It’s like all the best parts of a camp fire, without the weird aftertaste. I think I’m hooked.
Anyone have any insight into what it was about the first two I might not have liked?
Those 4R and BT expressions are pretty lower shelf entries. Not rut gut, of course, but far from high end. Try a Four Roses single barrel or Small Batch select, I like those far more than small batch. Heck, I like the basic yellow label above small batch.
Every palate is different. Don’t fell bad for not likening something popular. Find what you do like. I personally love 1910 as well.
Hard to tell because Buffalo trace and four roses are two very different mash bills.
The four roses small batch is their high rye bill with 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley.
Regular Buffalo trace is a very low rye bill with less than 10%. Hard to know exact numbers since they keep the mash bills a tight secret but it’s higher in corn and very low in rye.
Old forester 1910 is another medium-low rye mash bill with 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley.
Old forester may use lighter charred barrels than the other two but I’m not sure.
If you like the old forester though, Woodford reserve is also owned by them and uses the same mash bill.
OF uses a pretty standard #4 char.
So an update. I picked up WT Rare Breed and I think it’s my new favorite. Higher proof. It seemed like it had more viscosity than the others. It’s hard for to pinpoint exactly what I’m tasting, but it’s tasty. Even just based off the nose I knew I was going to like it.
It’s different enough from the 1910 that I don’t mind having both.
The FR bottle I have has been relegated to cocktails. I’ll eventually try one of the other options like a commenter suggested, but there are so many other distillers and bottles to try, who knows when I’ll come back to it.
Next time I’m drinking I’m going to make a conscious effort to get my thoughts down and start doing novice-level reviews.