After a successful first tasting for the San Antonio Bourbon Club, the group met again on June 13 for our second sampling. The theme for the meeting was favorite bourbon or one you wanted to try for under $50.
This night featured some higher proof bourbons. Peter and Bradley couldn’t make the meeting, but David’s daughter Courtney was in town from Tennessee, and so he brought her along, giving him 2 entries into the tastings for the evening.
We started with David’s 1792 Bottled in Bond (100 proof) bottle. This had a strong finish, and we certainly could taste the coffee and black pepper there.
Next was Daniel’s George Dickel Bottled in Bond (100 proof) bottle. This was a favorite of the group after the tastings.
Up next was Chris’ Still Austin – The Musician (98.4 proof) bottle. This was an OK pour, with a bit more sweetness than expected.
Next was Dan’s Horse Soldier (87 proof) bottle. The group liked this one too. We could smell the popcorn in the nose.
Finally, we got to Courtney’s bottle of New Riff Single Barrel (112 proof). This was a strong bourbon, with a very strong herbal finish (dill & fennel). It was not liked by everyone in the group, and so it earned the Elijah Craig award of the night as the least favorite bourbon for night 2.
Night 1 Recap / Update
At the first meeting, we asked some questions about bourbon favorites, how we like it, etc.
The most popular house bourbons for the group are Weller and Makers Mark, followed by Knob Creek and Russel’s Reserve.
The most popular way to enjoy bourbon is with ice, in an Old Fashioned, or in a Manhattan.
What makes Bourbon bourbon?
- It must be made in the United States of America. It can be made in any state.
- It must be aged a minimum of 2 years. If aged less than 4 years, it must state the age on the bottle.
- It must be aged in NEW charred oak barrels. They cannot be used barrels.
- The mashbill (the list of grains that make the distillate) must be at least 51% corn. It can also use barley, wheat or rye, but must be mostly corn.
- It must be distilled no higher than 160 proof (80%), and it must be no more than 125 proof when put into the barrels to age.
- It must be a minimum of 80 proof (40% alcohol) when bottled.
- It cannot have any added colorings or flavorings.