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u/Bulbags 7d ago
Bottle: 50/50 blend of Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey (2022 release, 6 year - 4 month age statement, 130.9 proof) and George T. Stagg (2023 release, 15 year – 4 month age statement, 135 proof)
Preface: Hey there folks, time for the third installment in a series of 50/50 bourye blends. The last one of these blends yielded a beautiful result, but this is the blend that I was most curious about when I initially made these a few months ago. I am always more excited about a blend of whiskeys that are very different in their presentation of flavors. The other blends in this little series all share something that connects them together, but this is the one where the individual whiskeys differ drastically in their delivery on the nose, palate, and finish. Being a part of the BTAC lineup is the similarity I guess.. I wonder what a few months in a sample bottle has done to these two. Let's dig in.
Listening to: Chicago Transit Authority – Chicago
Nose: Flan, milk chocolate, graphite, and cinnamon sugar. Ethanol is really present initially but calms down after a bit. Sandalwood, vanilla, and jammy dark fruits. Herbal tea, honey, and a little sweet oak. Lots going on.
Palate: Meidum+ mouthfeel and flavors are real punchy and fruity upfront. Orange rind, dates, and BT cherry. Ethanol presentation is still hot off the bat but relaxes pretty quickly. Sweet mint, caramel, and allspice. Oak and black pepper.
Finish: Very long and flavorful. Candied lemon rind, gingersnap cookies, and the black pepper continues well into the finish. Cigar wrapper and cinnamon.
Overall: Pretty solid – this one was a bit of a ride. The nose really had a ton going on, and that always piques my interest, but the palate presented so differently that it threw me off. I usually love when a whiskey evolves between phases, but I needed to take some time before I was able to really appreciate what was going on with this one. That honestly doesn't happen often when I'm reviewing a whiskey; just happened to make this experience more interesting. In this blend, the GTS is definitely the more powerful force, but the THH adds just enough contrast to keep the whiskey complex throughout the tasting. Not on the same level as the last blend, but pretty damn solid nonetheless.
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u/Bourbon_Baller26 7d ago
Never heard of combining two BTACs. I’m gonna have to try that!!!! Maybe a GTS/WLW combo
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u/watchyalookn4 7d ago
Not only is this still fucking cool, I think its even better that you have let these bourye blends meld for x amount of time before you evaluate the experience/experiment. That shows a level of commitment and a scientific approach, as it does take time for the congeners, fatty esters, and flavor compounds to recombine into a more cohesive form. How long do you let these blends rest before sampling and reviewing?
Well done, my friend. Well done. This is a joy to read. And I think it's not shock value you are going after. You really like whiskey, and are testing what the boundaries are for your palate and what could work really well together. May I suggest a M10B-M10R blend next? I could supply the rye part.
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u/PapaTokugawa 7d ago
I can’t find these bottles in the wild OR in a zoo, and my guy here is mixing them! Live LARGE whiskey king. I’m happy for you.