Friday, September 25, 2009

House Bourbon Challenge: Buffalo Trace vs Rebel Reserve

I have already done a house rye challenge.  That format was fine and dandy, because there are only a handful of rye whiskeys available.  Bourbon is another story.  I've declared Buffalo Trace as my house bourbon.  And like Thunderlips, it's taking on all challengers.  Today, I have found a worthy challenger.  Rebel Reserve.

Remember, your house liquor has to be good, and reasonably priced.  In other words, tastes good neat, but not so expensive that you feel guilty making a cocktail with it.

The reigning champion.  Sitting resplendently in my Washington DC shot glass. Buffalo Trace.

From the web: Light bronze in color with streaks of gold, Streaks? Are you serious? Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey bears a complex aroma of vanilla yes, mint Shit yes, that's what I've been tasting all this time!, and molasses nope, molasses are heavy, mint is light. Its taste is pleasantly sweet and contains notes of brown sugar no and spice yes that give way to oak yes and leather who are these people that taste leather?  What's your safe word?  The long and dry finish has significant depth. When enjoyed with water, flavors of toffee no, dark fruit RuPaul? and anise a little bit, but only because you said it first are revealed.


The challenger. In the United Federations of Planets shot glass, representing the possible future in which I can spend $3 less on a bottle of bourbon.  Rebel Reserve.


Too much crap on the web site to deal with.  I'll go with this bit of info.


Have you ever wondered what makes Rebel Yell such a great tasting bourbon whiskey?  Now that you mention it.  I have spent countless sleepless nights wondering how you hillbillies got it right.  In addition to selecting the choicest ingredients, using pure limestone-filtered water and patiently aging our whiskey in new charred white oak barrels just like every other bourbon, Rebel Yell is one of the few wheated bourbons on the market today.  Being a wheated bourbon means that Rebel Yell, uses wheat, rather than rye in the mashbill.  Wheat makes a softer, smoother spirit than rye.  Hold on.  No rye bashing on Two Parts Rye.  You can keep your softer, smoother wussy spirit.


The winner and reigning Two Parts Rye House Bourbon:  Buffalo Trace!

Buffalo Trace
Cost: $22.15
Grade: B
Cost Adjusted Grade: B+

Rebel Reserve:
Cost: $19.20
Grade: B
Cost Adjusted Grade: B+

I actually did taste them side by side.  And while the Rebel Reserve is good, it doesn't stand up to the Trace.

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