Tag: Old Forester

Three Things of Five – 2019

Need a last minute Christmas gift? Here are five new whiskies for 2019 I’d recommend. Need something to listen to driving over the river and through the woods to or from Grandmother’s house? Here are five new albums I loved in 2019. Need something to watch while sitting around the house in a food coma? Here are five streaming ideas for you.

Top Five New Whiskies of 2019

I’ve selected five whiskies that were new releases in 2019 that would be great last minute Christmas gifts or excellent bottles to share at a New Year’s party. This list is comprised of whiskies that, if they are distributed in your market, should be very easy to find.

  1. Four Roses Small Batch Select ($55): Brent Elliott and the gang at Four Roses simply can’t miss. This is the first new permanent addition to the Four Roses lineup in a dozen years and it is outstanding. The only thing wrong with this one is I am currently out. So, if you are still wondering what you can get me for Christmas…
  2. Booker’s ($70): Including Booker’s is cheating somewhat, but my blog…my rules. Jim Beam releases four unique batches of Booker’s each year, so technically speaking Booker’s has four new whiskies each year (technically). Nevertheless, I love Booker’s and each of the four batches in 2019 were terrific. As a gift, Booker’s high proof deliciousness always fits.
  3. Old Forester Rye ($20): Old Fo outdid itself this year with the release of their first-ever rye whiskey. They very easily could have charged double the price, but, thankfully for us, they did not. In an age when most distilleries are contriving every excuse they can to raise prices, let’s give credit to Old Forester for bucking that trend. Plus, this is a very tasty rye whiskey that would be a welcome addition to any one’s cabinet.
  4. Wilderness Trail High Rye Bourbon ($70): Some outstanding whiskey is coming from Shane Baker and Pat Heist down in Danville, Kentucky. They introduced the third whiskey to their lineup (a bottled in bond, high rye Bourbon) in the Spring of this year and it is every bit as good as their wheated bottled in bond and their rye. Get on the Wilderness Trail before it gets too crowded.
  5. Legent ($35): This one may be a surprise addition to this list. This new product from Beam-Suntory is Bourbon finished in sherry and wine casks and then blended with more Bourbon. I am not typically a fan of finished whiskies, but I liked this one. More details on it can be found on my profile of Legent written for the ABV Network.

Top Five Albums of 2019

Music, even more so than whiskey, is a matter of individual preference. If you tell me a whiskey or two that you like, I can probably recommend several others you’ll enjoy. If you tell me a few musical artists you like, if I haven’t heard of any of them then I’m no help to you. Regardless, here are my favorite albums from the year. With Spotify and Apple Music it is really easy for you to give them a try.

Photo: Scott Willis Photography
  1. Trigger Hippy, “Full Circle and Then Some”. This rock/country/soul album is so easy and fun to listen to. Trigger Hippy is the brain child of Steve Gorman, founding member and drummer for The Black Crowes. I just saw them live last weekend which is an experience I’d highly recommend, too.
  2. The Raconteurs, “Help Us Stranger”. Of all the Jack White musical vehicles, The Raconteurs is probably my favorite. So, I had high expectations when this album dropped in 2019 after an eleven year wait. This album is musical genius from start to finish and the best Jack White associated album since The White Stripes “Elephant” (and that is saying a LOT).
  3. The Black Keys, “Let’s Rock”. I didn’t care much for The Black Keys 2014 release, “Turn Blue”. This new album, however, was a great comeback to me. It is a nice blending of modern Keys albums (“El Camino” and “Brothers”) and old-school Keys (“Thickfreakness” and “Magic Potion”).
  4. Rival Sons, “Feral Roots”. This is one of those bands that I like that I don’t get why they aren’t more popular. They have a funky-Led Zeppelin vibe. Vocally and musically this band is strong and Mike Miley may be the best drummer in rock music right now.
  5. Tedeschi Trucks Band, “Signs”. This is THE best live band in music today. There isn’t a close second. Their latest studio album, “Signs”, is still a showcase for their musical talent, but nothing like seeing them live. As Steve Gorman once told me: “Susan Tedeschi is the best singer and Derek Trucks is the best guitarist. It’s hardly fair to any other band out there”.

Five Things to Stream

I’m not putting the obvious on the list. You already know about “The Office”, “Parks and Rec” and “Friends”. So, here are a few other shows to check out (or revisit) if you haven’t already.

Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Georgetown University
  1. Mike Birbiglia, “The New One” (Netflix): Mike Birbiglia is a supremely talented stand-up comedian. His shows are both hilarious and extraordinarily well-crafted. The entire stand-up is the telling of one story with clever rabbit trails and funny tangents brilliantly woven into the tale.
  2. Dave Chappelle, “Sticks and Stones” (Netflix): This special from Chappelle was viewed controversially upon its release because he pulls no punches (to the left, to the right, to you, to me and to himself). It is a very crude brand of humor, which is why I have not watched it…twice. Still, this is not for the easily offended.
  3. “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (Hulu): I wasn’t a fan of Andy Samberg when he was on SNL, but I gave his sitcom a chance when it came out in 2013 and I am glad I did. Samberg is very funny in it and the writing is fresh and clever. Andre Braugher (who I loved in Homicide: Life on the Street) is surprisingly terrific as a comedic actor, too.
  4. “Fargo” (Hulu): The FX Series loosely based on the Coen Brothers movie of the same name is extremely well-written and a case study in character acting. There are three seasons available to stream and each is a unique story line unto itself. Season One is my favorite with stellar performances from Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman, Allison Tolman and Colin Hanks. Good news: in 2020, we have the release of Season Four to look forward to.
  5. “Seinfeld” (Hulu): As I was writing an article on “Festivus” I got sucked in to the Seinfeld world again. For a show about nothing, it has a lot of hilarious plot lines for us to enjoy.

I hope some of these recommendations help you enjoy time off from work or time spent with family during this holiday season. If you have any feedback or other suggestions, please share them with me. On behalf of me and my family I want to wish a very Merry Christmas to you and your family.

Kevin Rose

Bourbon Me Up, Scotty!

You remember Blockbuster Video, don’t you? Do you remember walking up and down the aisles trying to select a movie? You covered every inch of ground from New Releases to Comedies to Sci-Fi and back again. You see a movie that’s a “Tyler pick”. Tyler is the 35 year old behind the counter rewinding returned video tapes as a vocation. Sure. He seems qualified to recommend my movie. You’re reading the back of the case and trying to remember if the girl from “Cheers” is in a good Star Trek movie or a bad one. Tyler wouldn’t steer you wrong, would he?

Now we have streaming services. Should be easier, right? Wrong! First you have to decide which platform to browse: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Google Play, or on demand movies from your TV provider. There is no “Tyler” so you ask Alexa to recommend a movie and she suggests the Star Trek with Sherlock Holmes in it. That never seemed to make any sense. So, you just start scrolling and scrolling and scrolling (and scrolling and scrolling and…). You’re on your phone trying to find reviews and you’re not sure if a movie getting a lot of tomatoes is a good thing or a bad thing (whatever happened to the simplicity of “two thumbs up”?). 45 minutes later you’re watching Season 5 of The Office for about the hundredth time (and which Star Trek was Idris Elba in?).

So, what happens when you’re trying to choose a movie with other people? That is the Kobayashi Maru: The no-win scenario. You should just prepare to be assimilated because resistance is futile.

To Boldly Go

Now, you’re in your favorite liquor store and, logically, you want to buy Bourbon. You carefully scan each shelf. Then you scan again just in case you missed some hidden gem. You’re reading labels. You’re brain hurts from trying to figure out why Captain Kirk has a Bourbon. Pulling up reviews on your phone doesn’t help. The ascot guy says it is like “ashtray and bong water” (actual Fred Minnick review). Another guy says that same Bourbon is better than Pappy’s (I can’t find where someone actually said that about Kirk’s Bourbon, but there is some dope out there who says something is “better than Pappy’s” about everything).

Let’s add a couple other people to the decision making process. You and two friends are going in together to buy a bottle to share. You’ll need to agree on where to shop, price, brand, etc. While we’re at it, let’s make a blind tasting competition out of it.

This is what we did at The Bourbon Fellowship. I assigned three teams of three guys each. Each team went to a different liquor store with one rule: you had to pick a Bourbon. The team would have to agree on which store to visit, how much to pay and what brand to choose. Each of the three teams brought their carefully concealed bottle to The Wife who transferred a portion of each Bourbon to a color-coded flask.

Once each team had arrived at my house, everyone did a blind tasting of each Bourbon. After the blind tasting was completed everyone voted on which one they liked the best. The team who brought the winning bottle not only got all-important bragging rights, but took home the bottles submitted by the other two teams, too.

It was interesting to see what the three teams chose. Fortunately, no team brought Star Trek Bourbon (or whatever it is). The first team selected a Kroger store pick Smooth Ambler Old Scout. The second team decided on an Old Forester 1910. While the third team picked an Old Forester 1920! Jackie Zykan would be proud.

All the votes are counted. The tribe has spoken. The judges have made their decision. The United Federation of Planets has made a proclamation. We’ll have the results…after this commercial break.

Actually, we don’t have commercials. However, if anyone is interested in sponsoring The Bourbon Fellowship blog, I am open to offers. You spell “million”, m-i-l….

Live Long and Drink Bourbon

The vote count was 4 to 3 to 2. Two votes came in for the Old Scout leaving the title between two Old Fo favorites. The campfire marshmallow sweetness of 1910 was not enough to overcome the classic, boldness of 1920. Old Forester 1920 was the winner. Gold and silver medals were a nice showing for Old Forester. Next time I may need to make a rule that you can’t choose a Bourbon with the word “old” in the name.

The guys enjoyed this event. They were serious about trying to pick the winner with their selection. The blind tasting aspect is always fun, too. This is something you could easily do with a group of your own. Or, it is also a good time to meet up with two or three friends and jointly pick a bottle and let that be what you sip on together that night.

Maybe there is a way to beat the Kobayashi Maru after all. You just have to be named Jackie Zy-Khan. 

Apologies: First, to Jackie Zykan for the bad pun with her name.  Second, to all of you for having to endure the ridiculous and contrived Star Trek references. As I was writing it fit naturally a couple of times so I just went with it. At any rate, the Bourbon teams is a good idea and I hope you get to try it with your friends.

Kevin Rose

Bourbon Draft Night

Happy Draft Night! Tonight begins the annual NFL Draft. You can cheer your team’s selections (or boo if you’re a Jet’s fan because that’s what Jets fans do). So as you watch Commissioner Goodell bro-hug massive linemen and pity that sad last player sitting alone in the green room, consider your own bourbon draft.

What do I mean by “bourbon draft”? What is that bottle (or bottles) that aren’t on your shelf (or shelves) that you’d like to have (or draft)? The rules are: 1. Be realistic: you can’t draft Pappy 23 because it is not realistically available.

2. No duplicates: if you already have Aaron Rodgers, you can’t draft Aaron Rodgers again. So, if you have Elmer T. Lee, you can’t draft Elmer T. Lee again (although I hear he has a heck of 40-yard dash time). Also, differentiating between different single barrel picks of the same brand doesn’t count. If you have a Russell’s Reserve single barrel already but you want the one with the big stupid sticker on it (or the other one with the big stupid sticker on it) that can’t be in the draft.

A glimpse inside my bourbon shelf (one of them). What do I need to draft?

3. Be current: The Cardinals can’t draft 2013 Peyton Manning. You can’t draft Cheesy Gold Foil Wild Turkey.

What is missing in my collection might be something completely different than what is missing in yours. So, a whiskey missing from my draft board doesn’t mean it’s something I don’t like. Maybe I already have it. Or…maybe I really don’t like it. Enough of the preliminaries. If you don’t understand just have another drink and enjoy the rest of the blog post anyway.

Round One: Old Forester 1920

The 1920 Prohibition Style was the third of four offerings in the Old Fo Whiskey Row Series and it is my favorite. I like that 115 proof. I had a bottle, but finished it off a few months ago. I need to find bench depth in this draft.

Round Two: Wilderness Trail Wheated Bourbon

I have never owned a bottle of the Wilderness Trail, but I’ve sampled it in a tasting room. I thought it was pretty interesting. I like that it is bottled in bond and being wheated adds more to the interest. On a side note, Wilderness Trail is having their Taste of Danville festival on Saturday, April 27. If you are in the area you should check it out. More information is included here.

Round Three: Wild Turkey 101 Rye

I am a big fan of Wild Turkey products. Full disclosure: Jimmy Russell thinks of me as a son. Fuller disclosure: That is not at all true. What is true is that I really enjoy Wild Turkey whiskey. As much of it as I drink I have never had the 101 Rye. That is a position of need that I hope to fill in the upcoming draft.

Round Four: Old Bardstown Bottled in Bond

This is one that I love to keep around. I think it is a wonderful bourbon and has that signature Willett flavor. Sadly, my last bottle of OBBiB retired after I threw the empty bottle in the trash. I think I can find a value pick to replace it in the draft.

Round Five: A Midwinter’s Night Dram

This is a bit of a reach on the rules as it can be difficult to find. It is a seasonal release, but if you invest in your scouting department you can find a bottle. I’ve only tasted it once or twice (and I don’t remember which Act or Scene expression I’ve had) but I really like this rye blend from High West. I’d like it to be on my special teams, which, in this case would be a Christmastime whiskey.

I hope you enjoy the NFL Draft tonight and this weekend. Even if you don’t if you have any ideas what would be in your Bourbon Draft be sure to let me know. Share this blog and get opinions from your friends, too.

Kevin Rose

The Whiskey Masters

We’ve all laid awake at night pondering the universal question: If you were a whiskey what would you be?

As you watch an early morning version of The Masters today, here are some thoughts on which whiskey each of the guys on the leader board might be.

Francisco Molinari – Old Forester

Molinari is like Old Forester. He has added many things to his skill set. He completely revamped his putting stroke and changed his swing to give him more power off the tee. He was already very good, but these changes have made him one of the greats in the game today.

Old Forester has done the same. They added the 1920 and 1910 to the Whiskey Row Series, brought back President’s Choice and introduced a new rye. All things that take the brand to the next level.

Tiger Woods – Four Roses

Tiger was done. He was shamed. He was hurt. His game was an embarrassment. He had fallen to 1,199th in the world. Many thought he’d never play again. Forget about winning a tournament and a major seemed an impossibility. Yet, here we are. The red-shirted one may be wearing a green jacket before the day is over.

Four Roses was done. It was horrible. It had given up on quality. It was an embarrassment. The distillery was on the verge of shutting down for good. Yet, here we are. Jim Rutledge brought the brand back from the scrap heap to height of glory most thought was impossible. Within a few days, Four Roses (with Brent Elliott now at the helm) will be introducing a highly-anticipated new small batch bourbon to the whiskey public.

Tony Finau – New Riff

Tony Finau is somewhat of a new kid on the block. If you are a casual golf fan you may not know who he is. If you do follow the game you know what he is capable of and you wouldn’t be at all surprised to see him win today. Even if he doesn’t, you’re confident he’ll be winning a major very soon and everybody will know who he is then.

Finau is like New Riff. New Riff is new brand on the bourbon shelf. If you are a casual bourbon fan you may not know New Riff. If you are a student of the bourbon game, you know about New Riff and you know how good it is. Before long it will be winning lots of awards and everybody will know about New Riff then.

Brooks Koepka – Henry McKenna 10 Year

True golf fans have been enjoying Brooks Koepka’s game for years. He was golf’s best kept secret. Then a year or two ago he started winning all the big events (3 majors in less than 2 years). Now Brooks Koepka is one of the hottest golfers in the game.

This is a similar story to Henry McKenna 10 Year. The bourbon fan knew about this best-kept secret of the whiskey world. Then it started winning awards and now, as the hottest brand in bourbon, it can’t stay on the shelves.

Webb Simpson – Wild Turkey 101

Webb is steady. Predictable. Consistent. He may not be the first golfer that comes to mind and he may not win all the tournaments, but you can’t help but admire his longevity and reliability.

Wild Turkey 101 is that steady, predictable and consistent player in the bourbon world. You can’t really remember when WT101 wasn’t around and you can always count on a solid performance…just like Webb Simpson.

Ian Poulter – Whistle Pig Rye

Poulter is brash and flashy with a lot of spice. Sometimes that brash makes us forget that he’s a pretty darn good golfer, too (especially during The Ryder Cup, but I don’t want to talk about that).

Poulter is the Whistle Pig Rye of the golf world. Whistle Pig’s brand is also brash and flashy. And a 100% rye is going to bring a lot of spice to your glass. One taste of that rye will help you remember that it’s a pretty darn good whiskey, too.

I hope you enjoy The Masters today and have a little fun with it as I’ve tried to do with this blog. Please share it with your friends who enjoy golf or whiskey or both! And if you know what kind of whiskey you’d be, feel free to leave that in the comments.

Kevin Rose

Elite in Louisville

What is elite?  If you’re a football fan you’ve heard the debates of is Joe Flacco elite? Is Matt Ryan elite? Is Eli Manning elite?

The answers are: No. Maybe.  And only against the Patriots.

The South Regional of the NCAA Basketball Tournament is in Louisville this weekend.  Fans from Tennessee (go Vols!), Virginia, Purdue and Oregon (editor’s note: Oregon is not located anywhere near the “south”) will soon be descending on Louisville. The Regional is made up of Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight matchups to determine who goes to the Final Four.  That’s a lot of numbers and I was told there would be no math.

The Bourbon Fellowship had a great time during our group tour at Old Forester.

I live in Louisville and as a public service to any that may be visiting this weekend for the South Regional (or maybe you’re just here to visit your great-Aunt Edna) here are the Elite 8 restaurants and the Elite 8 things to do while you’re visiting.

Elite 8 Restaurants

Some of these will be downtown and near the arena.  Some may be a short drive away.  These are all great restaurants in all aspects.  However, all will also have wonderful bourbon offerings (except one because nothing is perfect).

Doc Crows: At Doc Crows you’ll find everything from barbecue sandwiches to top of the line steak.  So you can eat on a budget or you can splurge a bit.  The bourbon list is extensive and don’t forget to save room for the bread pudding.

Merle’s Whiskey Kitchen: Merle’s is recently expanded and features live music.  Tacos and hot chicken are the top features on the menu.  Any pour of whiskey can be made a double for $2 (whether it’s a Jim Beam or a Pappy’s).

Down One Bourbon Bar: Here you’ll find salads, unique sandwiches and smothered biscuits (you’ll need to see it).  The bourbon list is solid at prices that won’t cause sticker shock.

Jeff Ruby’s: This is THE place for a special night out.  The steaks are the best in town and the service is unparalleled.  These things do come at a price, however, but this place is worth it.  They offer an impressive whiskey list and the prices are reasonable given the upscale nature of the restaurant. 

Feast: What’s the best barbecue in Louisville?  That’s a tough question.  What’s the best barbecue in the downtown area?  That’s easy: Feast.  Pulled pork, brisket or ribs…you cannot go wrong.  Be sure to order the tots and the bourbon slushie!

Silver Dollar: This is a bourbon bar’s bourbon bar located just a short drive from downtown.  I can just sit and endlessly turn through the whiskey menu.  It is has so many unique offerings.  They really know their stuff here.  The food is outstanding, too.  You’ll find everything from burgers to catfish to chicken and waffles.  You won’t be disappointed.

River House: My favorite restaurant in Louisville is River House.  It is a short five minute drive from downtown, but the Uber there will be worth it.  Seafood and the raw bar are features of River House, but the steaks, chicken and pasta are making me drool right now thinking about it.  If the weather is nice they have a beautiful patio with views of the river.  Bourbon isn’t the main thing here, but you’ll easily find something you’ll love to sip on as you watch the river flow.

Mmmm…donuts.

North Lime Donuts: What do you need for breakfast after having one or ten too many the night before? Well, donuts, of course!  The best donut place in town is North Lime.  They’ve only been in town for a short time and it is a few minutes from downtown, but for the love of a funnel cake donut…it is worth it. Sorry, no bourbon served here.  Hopefully, that is in the business plan.

Elite 8 Things to Do

Four bourbon things:

The heart of Whiskey Row

Old Forester Distillery: The opening of the Old Forester Distillery was an important piece to the revival of Whiskey Row.  The tour of this traditional brand’s ultra-modern distillery is very impressive.  If you go, tell Drew I said “hey”.

Peerless Distillery: Technically, Peerless isn’t selling bourbon yet.  They do have some award winning rye, however.  The tour is a lot of fun, too.  Try to go on Saturday and hear the introduction to the tour delivered by Peerless owner, Corky Taylor.

Michter’s Distillery: This is the newest addition to Louisville’s downtown distillery lineup.  To be honest, I haven’t taken the tour, but I’ve been in the gift shop and it looks great (and they occasionally stock the shelves with some difficult to find bottles of bourbon and rye).   A friend told me the tour was “kinda boozy”, so that’s a strong recommendation.

Other distilleries: This is cheating a bit to group all of these and count them as one but, again…I was told there would be no math.  Any iconic bourbon distillery is going to be within an hour drive of Louisville.  If it’s a pretty day, the drive will be pleasant and the distilleries are beautiful properties in their own right.  Go here for more info on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

Four non-bourbon things:

Kentucky Science Center: You brought the kids with you to the Sweet Sixteen?  What were you thinking! I mean that is seriously dumb.  If you made this mistake you can make the best of it by going to the Kentucky Science Center.  They have lots of great activities to keep your little crumb cruncher entertained.

Louisville Slugger Museum: Everybody needs a personalized bat.  This is where you get one.  The tour is a lot of fun, too.

Kentucky Derby Museum: There isn’t any racing going on at Churchill right now, but you can relive the Kentucky Derby here.  “The Greatest Race” exhibit is worth the price of admission by itself.

Stevie Ray’s Blues Bar: This downtown blues bar is a great way to spend an evening. The music is always good. The service is friendly. The bourbon is cheap. Count me in!

If you have any questions or need other suggestions, just tweet at me.  I hope you have a good time, especially if you’re a Vols fan!

Hopefully, this helps visitors for the South Regional or anytime. Maybe it will remind a local of a place to visit that they had forgotten. We’ll be back to the regularly scheduled program tomorrow. Cheers!

Kevin