Oh man, I pulled off a SWEET little moochy deal yesterday. I'm not saying I'm a mooch on par with Rex, of course. But I did okay for myself. And I learned something cool about whiskey.
I was walking by the Fang & Feather when I noticed people gathering. Maddison was handing out flights of whiskey. Daniel and Emma were preparing for a presentation. This was a fancy tasting of some sort. Does my, "Your money is no good here, Gordon" agreement include tastings like these?
I don't know. But I slid into an empty seat and acted like I belonged there. Daniel walked by and stopped. His head turned and we made eye contact. I shrugged. He smiled. So I knew I was good to go.
And this was such a cool tasting. We got to try some Eleanor bourbon and Boosh rye that had been finished in stock ale barrels from the Eccentric Brewing company in Midland. A couple of guys from the brewery were there, and they brought some of the ale so we could compare it to the whiskeys finished in their barrels.
I've had a lot of whiskey that was aged or finished in speciality casks, and I've always wondered just how much that finishing really changes things. Oh it changes things. I can tell you both Eleanor and Boosh were profoundly changed by the four months they spent in these stock ale barrels. Changed for the better? I thought so, and so did everyone there. And that's what I learned. Finishing is not just marketing hype. It really changes the whiskey and turns it into a unique product.
If you'd like to try these whiskeys, the stock ale finished Eleanor and Boosh will probably be released about the time you get this newsletter. There will only be a couple hundred bottles, and those will go quickly. But they will be keeping some on hand for tastings. So drop by the F&F and you can try a flight for comparison. And if you do, ask for me. I'm around and would love to share a dram with you
~ A Magnificent Bastard
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