Bourbon and rock n roll


Any bourbon aficciandos out there? My bartender/musician/audio enthusiast buddy and I had a recent sampling of 3 bourbons. Four roses single barrel, makers, and old heaven hill. Price points 30, 20, and 10. Four roses is a big, bold, assertive bourbon with a prenounced spicy mid pallete, and a long finish. I liked this better than my friend did. It has an old school " frontier" profile but in a very refined manner. Makers was by far the sweetest, most caramel Apple flavour of the bunch with good smokey accents. However, it did lack the big spice profile of 4 roses, although it was smoother with a shorter finish. On the budget end, OHH retained the smooth qualities of MM, but it too lacked the spice componet. The nose was drier than MM, but still retained a nice smokey wood aroma. It was much closer to MM in composition, and for 10 bones one is getting a quality 8 yr bourbon for a great price. I preferred the Roses overall, with MM and OHH going kneck to kneck, with a mid 80s, B grade rating. Any other favorites? Turn up the Allman Brothers and rock my friends
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Hirsch 16 year.

Most Pappy Van Winkle's, especially the 20 and 23 years (I think those are the years - too much bourbon years ago pickled the brain).
Evan Williams Green. I notice that it has a nice, lingering "gets you ____ed up" profile with hints of grain and alcohol.
You and I are kindred spirits. I recently picked up a 1.5 liter oak barrel off of EBay for $30. I kept sherry in it for 6 weeks- turning the barrel once a week. I now am making a giant batch of Manhattans. I used Evan Williams Green, Carpano Arturia vermouth, and Angostura bitters. I am going to age them for 6 weeks and am hoping the cocktails will pick up on the oak and sherry. I got the idea from an article in the NYT last Summer. Rather than pay $14 for a designer Manhattan at the St. Regis, I am going to make them at home. As far as accompaning tunes for the libations, I recommend the Allman Brothers Live From Jazzfest 2010 cd, Chuck Leavell's new blues disc, and Kevn Kinney's latest.
I'm a fan of Black Maple Hill, and Hudson Baby Bourbon. They are a little hard to find in bars/restaurants but not too rare in stores. Blantons too, which is easier to come by.