I like bourbon threads. Cause I live here in KY.
So let me start by saying most of what we're told about water is just bunk. Unless the proof is "barrel strength", its already got some water added. What do you think they use to cut the proof? Well, it ain't what comes out of a cow and splatters on the rocks. Might not be tap water, but I'm not sure. Also not sure it matters.
So a couple of whisky stories. First was about 15 years ago. My buddies were more fortunate than me and decided to go to Daytona for speed week. They were coming from up nawth and heading down I75. They stopped at a big liquor store right across the water border from Ohio. They're known for excess spending, among other things. The Dentist in our group insisted they stop and go into Cork'n Bottle. Being a bit of a braggart, he asked the clerk type guy what the best booze he had was. Turned out the "clerk" was also one of the owners, the one who parked the red Ferrari across the street. They guy walked over and took as bottle of the shelf, saying you won't find any better than this. It was a bottle of A H Hirsch. Google it some time.
So off they went to Flerida. Got their room and looked at the ocean. Then tired as they were, they decided to sip it. Really good. To shorten the story, the bottle didn't survive the night. So their next day, they went to every bottle store they could find. No one had even heard of the stuff. So they did the logical thing, they called me on the phone and asked nicely to buy them a couple of bottles. Knowing the store, I drove down. Saw the Ferrari out front and found the guy. He led me over to the shelf, but the stuff had gone from $54.95 to $59.95.. So I asked what I had to do to get Monday's price. He said simple, buy a case. So I did. That case has been all over the place, with me even giving a bottle to our famous Charlie Sherrill. He put it up but I think it was a sister who came to visit. As with my buddies, that bottle also didn't survive the night. They even went looking for some in Naw Oleans. No joy.
Big story and you can even spend $7 for a book titled "The Best Bourbon you'll never taste". Yes, part of that case survives in my gun safe to this day. The locator services finds it all the time now for about $1700 a bottle.
I've got 3 unopened bottles and one we've been working on for the last 15 years.
I collect booze.
Then a few years ago we were at a gun show. My table pard had along his cherished bottle of Pappy. He'd kind of arranged to sell it to another crooked dealer for $400, but the guy welched and would only pay $200. So he offered it to me for the $400. I'm a sucker and bought it. Its 20 year Pappy that his son's chipped in for his birthday back in 1997. He doesn't drink bourbon and figured he could buy a bunch of his Canadian for what he got. That one is unopened, down in the gun room too.
I've got lots of booze, and I'm particularly interested in the Jefferson Ocean mentioned above. If my current bottle of Jeffersons ever dies, it'll be the next one I open. The story being the sloshing action of waves on ocean going ships speeds up the aging process. Doesn't add a bunch to the price, just doubles ocean freight charges.
There's folks who claim to be experts on Whisky. I read what they say, but don't believe it all. It might be their favorite, but probably won't be mine.
