I knew your buddy was from the Chicagoland area after he talking about his first four bottles. Nice collection and I love that he opens every bottles. Cheers.
Spectacular selection of whiskies! Well done. I enjoyed this because you like what you like and that's what you gravitate towards but you're not afraid to try any other spirits. Too many drinkers get pigeon holed into only liking certain bottles and never explore the endless possibilities that's out there on the shelves. Huge kudos to this massive selection of open bottles.
Well done. Nice selection. I really enjoy these types of videos. Honest commentary about what you like and don't particularly care for. Thank you for sharing.
I've been searching for a RUclips channel that's in the Chicago area and you guys randomly popped up finally. I've been into whiskey for about a year and I don't have near The collection Alex does. Funny enough I hit up probably the same Costco and three Benny's that he goes to. Good to know it seems like there's a good community here in Chicago
Tomorrow marks my 2 year journey in whiskey and I have about the same amount of bottles as you. I'm interested in your top 3 4 roses recipes though. Cheers!
Although the recipe makes a difference, I actually think the barrel aging process determines the best bottles of Four Roses more than the recipe. I think each recipe has fantastic barrels and also mediocre ones. So unfortunately, it's just becomes a luck of the draw or word of mouth. I did the Four Roses 10 recipes tasting kit ($120) which is all of the recipes at 104 proof and prob 6-8 years. The top 3 in the blind for me was OESQ, OESO, and OESF. However, when I blinded my Single Barrel collection - barrel proof and ~10 years, my top 3 are OBSF, OBSK, and OESK, so go figure, right? On top of that, I have 3 different OESQ recipes, and they all taste quite different. I don't know what the best way is to pick a Four Roses single barrel, but let me take you through my current thinking process. There are 3 measures of age: actual age (years and months), proof (hotter environment produces higher proof), and level of the rickhouse (higher level has hotter temperatures - this is the second last number in the Four Roses code). If you want the best Four Roses single barrel, look for one that is 1) Greater than 120 proof 2) a "B" recipe, K's and Q's seem to be better than O's and V's 3) Higher age 4) Higher on the rickhouse floor. The top 2 recipes on my list are not coincidentally the highest proof, and my favorite recipe OBSF is 125 proof, 11y 1mo, and 5th fl (VW08-5E). The reason I say "B" recipe is I think the "B" recipes can tolerate higher proof before getting oaky more than the "E" recipes. But if you're looking for a fruity clean taste sweet with minimal oak (almost weller-like), then look for an "E" recipe (preferably K and Q), LOWER than 120 proof, and on the 1st or 2nd floor. I have an OESQ that is delicious at 105.2 10y 8 mo, and on the 1st floor. But I also have another OESQ that is 120.8 proof, 9Y 5m and fl 5 that is oak-y. Finally, regardless of the recipe, it's possible to have too much aging, so if you see a SB Barrel Strength that is greater than 125 proof, 11y and 6th fl, you're risking it may be too oak-y (I have an OBSO that could pass for a Booker's). So maybe you want something high in only 2 out of the 3 categories. However for the 100 proof single barrel, absolutely always go for the 6th floor. Anyways, that's my current theory.
Lots of love here, thank you guys for watching and leaving comments! Btw, if you want to watch us drink some of this whiskey and unprofessionally ramble on about it for 3 hours, you can watch our livestream in the live section on the Bourbon Chronicles main page. Thank you, Tim, this was a ton of fun to make!! Clarifications: when I said 1.25oz that's my total alcohol intake per day split between 4 whiskies! Well, maybe if I have a blind during lunch, I might have another one after dinner, so 2.5oz is possible. Corrections, apologies, Larceny and Wilderness Trail are wheated bourbons, not wheat whiskies. Also, every time I want to say Lincoln County Process, I end up saying Lincoln Town car. i don't know why. More clarifications/corrections... Three Floyd's is a beer brewery in Indiana, and has just started to make single malt. Early Times bottled in bond is my 2nd favorite bourbon at 100 proof or lower, but Heaven Hill 7y bottled in bond is my 3rd favorite. My favorite bourbon at 100 proof or lower is EH Taylor Small Batch. And I do actually like it better than the EH Taylor single barrel, because it is more sweet, of course. I meant to say that I like Scotch with Rum or Port finishes because they are such strong finishes. Sherry is too weak.
@@hbbumm I'm cheap. Just need them to be sturdy - Amazon Basics 5-shelf adjustable, they were only $45 on Prime Day. The bottles don't stand well on the wire racks so I buy cheap wood shelves from Menards and literally saw the corners off to fit on top of the wire racks.
Interesting to hear your take on scotch. I prefer scotch and hate bourbon for similar but opposite reasons to you. Everything spirit wise that’s not malted barely tastes just meh to me regardless of price.
Alex drinks at the same pace I do, and while his collection has an incredible amount of bottles, this is pretty inspiring to have a variety of them opened and categorized.
At first I wanted to not like this guy, but he quickly changed my mind. He reminds me of myself but times 20. I like trying different things more than I like sticking to one favorite. I had to quit collecting for this reason. Too many bottles sitting on my shelf. I loved that he said “you should try that.” Cool guy wanting to share his hobby.
I really like this guy. Most people you find with a collection like this acts like they are better than us little people that don't have such a collection. It seems like he is very humble and just like "oh yeah i like whiskey you want to see what I have?" then he just whips out this huge collection
That pick from evergreen of the NBC 7 year is so freakin good. The 8 is even better imo. Insanely delicious. I have them both. Fortunate to live here in the Louisville area.
Personally, I think it will last for the rest of your life. But you should test how you feel about the alcohol oxidizing. Try this experiment. Take a bottle of Buffalo Trace that is almost done and let it sit on your shelf for a year or two. Now do a blind with a new pour of Buffalo Trace. In almost every blind I've done, I've felt the oxidized bourbon was better! It was a little sweeter at the cost of some loss in proof. Also, I use argon gas wine preserver, you spray into the bottle, and the argon gas is heavier than oxygen, so it sits on the alcohol in the bottle and the whiskey stops oxidizing. I used to use the argon gas on all of my bottles, but then I discovered that I actually like my bourbon oxidized. So now, I only use it for bourbons that I think are "perfect" where they are at (my Staggs, a couple of my Four Roses SB, and a few other store picks). The rest, I'm happy knowing that the whiskey is getting sweeter with age. Nothing wrong with waiting for a good occasion to open your gts. But don't wait bc you think your bottle will spoil. I would use the argon gas on the gts. But definitely experiment with the argon gas before you use it. I, personally, can't detect a change in smell or taste after using it, but just make sure you can't either!
No. Tim is trying to get me to start one, but we'll see. If I do, I[m pretty sure the name will be something along the lines of "Nothing can be too sweet" 🤣
Most bourbons get better over time as they open up, some get worse. C923 was amazing at the neck pour and now is good but isn't as amazing as I remember. So even though I thought they were neck and neck, I'm withholding my final conclusion for another couple months to see if B524 can still hang with C923 after opening up.
Ok, I just did a blind tonight heads up and C923 did win over B524, it was sweeter, though B524 was spicier (prev blinds usually have 4). I'll try again in a few weeks and report back if things change back.
It took me 5 years of collecting to get any comprehension of what allocated whiskey was, once I caught on, it was game over for my budget for the last 2 years. California gets a ton of allocations so Stagg Jr, EhT SiB, EhT BP, etc... pops up every other week during allocation. My friend even scored a GTS at Bevmo last week. However, that's not the case with a lot of states so nonallocated makes more sense for most people. Edit: the title is a bit misleading though with the use of the word "insane" as most people who watch this, have some quite impressive collections. I think "large collection" would be more suitable in the context, so as not to mislead any more seasoned veterans in the whisky game. Great video nonetheless with many great bottles!
Thank you for the recommendation! I've been hemming and hawing over my first birddog bottle and THAT one will be it! Sometimes I put off trying a new whiskey because I know if I don't like it, it will cloud my opinion of the distillery and I won't go back to it for awhile. Same reason I sometimes wait for new distilleries to release their first cask strength version.
@@alexanderlai9160 well to give you some info that may convince you to try Birddog they contract source from Bardstown Bourbon co. there flavored stuff is all at 80 proof instead of 70 and there standard bourbon is 4 yrs old and only msrp 24 bucks and is very good!
I've thought about this, and Tim asks me about it everytime I see him, haha! But I think the channel name has been decided because I always say this: Nothing Can Be Too Sweet
I decided I would buy Fireball at the same time I can find the new Fireball Small Batch aged for under $20. And then blind them, see which one I like better, not having tried either.
Thanks for the suggestion! Last week I got the 2023 Laphroaig Cairdeas in white port and madeira. I did like it more than the Lagavulin 16! At 104.6 proof, the Cairdeas had a nice hit of alcohol right at the moment where I might find the palette most objectionable. The finish was sweet with a touch of spice from the proof.
@@alexanderlai9160 for myself my favorite single malts have flavors coming from the distillate and casks in balance. That is where real complexity shines. It is true that the most expensive Scotch is very old. But that is because of economics and demand. Aging anything for 30 years will be crazy expensive. Demand because old age is prestigious. But personally I have many bottles that are under 15 years that are better than many 18-25 year. I will admit it took me much longer to like Single malt Scotch than Bourbon. Bourbon was more approachable and sweet. Don’t get me wrong. O absolutely still love a great Bourbon and drink it often. But after about 4 years I began favoring Scotch because of the wide variety of flavors and complexity. I simply get more surprised with what flavors I taste in Scotch than Bourbon. In general I avoid any Bourbon under 100 proof and Scotch under 92 proof. There is actually alot of Scotch that is cask strength on the market. Of course it all comes down to personal preference. But don’t be surprised that in 5 years you begin to really like other spirits like Scotch, single pot still Irish and Rum! Since you favor sweet you should really try some high quality Rums. Something high proof without additives. Foursquare exceptional casks or cask strength Hampden
My taste doesn't match Alex at all, but I love his angle and approach to whiskey. I also love the idea of this series, very cool. I look forward to seeing you do this with more people's collections
I said it went back and forth. I just did a blind tonight heads up and C923 did win over B524, it was sweeter, though B524 was spicier (prev blinds usually have 4). I'll try again in a few weeks and report back if things change back.
Are you, by chance, from the New England or east coast part of the country? My theory is that people from that part of the country don't like the minerals in the Midwest water....at least not as much as in their native area. I'm from Arizona, and I quite enjoy their offerings and others from that area. I don't, however, love the Pennsylvania area etc. Who knows? This is anecdotal, as I've only studied my groups out here ;)
@@mrfuriouser My theory is that the Traverse City bourbon is being aged in Michigan, a colder climate, so it's aging slower. I have store picks of both their bourbon and rye and they taste young to me. However, infusing it with cherries... that works pretty well for me!
2 years isn’t much experience. After 10 years Alex will realize sweetness isn’t the be all end all. He will appreciate more subtle and complex expressions. And that is when Scotch comes into the picture. Like a child who loves to eat only candy versus an adult who loves more variety and complexity in food
Possibly. But I'm turning 50 next year and still would love to eat only candy and my food is neither varied nor complex: bacon, steak, chicken, sausage, porkchops, cheese, and eggs.
Yes, I agree, but isn't it just INSANELY "super mid"? A lot of people online are arguing whether a bourbon is worth more than $100, and I kind of put my money where my mouth is and went, bought, and opened over 200 bottles, haha. By my calculation, that is over $10k in open bottles, and no BTAC, Willet, Michter's, to be seen. I'm not against those bottles at all, but I'm not going to blow my budget on them in the secondary vs experiencing what's on the market today. We're living in the golden age of bourbon and I intend to enjoy it. When it all comes crashing down, those BTAC bottles will survive and still be there waiting for me. I don't need to be in a hurry to get to them. Cheers!
It’s true that @alexanderlai9160 visits 3 Binny’s a day! Saw him @ the parking lot of the Lincoln Park Binny’s today! Cool guy. Guessing you do LP, Lakeview and South Loop? I’ll see you around!
Good to meet you! I do LP, downtown, and South Loop. On the weekend, I've been adding Lincolnwood, Glencoe, Highland Park, Woodman's Buffalo Grove, and Woodman's Kenosha, haha.
@@alexanderlai9160 Wow! Seems like west burbs get all the good drops. Never had any luck in South Loop even though their clearance section is awesome. Surprised you don’t hit Lakeview since it’s less than 10min away.
He's been at it less than 2 years but has infinitely more knowledge than folks who've been chasing unicorns for 10. Well done sir.
Funny how we see things differently. I see a guy who went way overboard. Very opinionated for drinking whiskey for 1.5 years.
I knew your buddy was from the Chicagoland area after he talking about his first four bottles. Nice collection and I love that he opens every bottles. Cheers.
Spectacular selection of whiskies! Well done. I enjoyed this because you like what you like and that's what you gravitate towards but you're not afraid to try any other spirits. Too many drinkers get pigeon holed into only liking certain bottles and never explore the endless possibilities that's out there on the shelves. Huge kudos to this massive selection of open bottles.
Well done. Nice selection. I really enjoy these types of videos. Honest commentary about what you like and don't particularly care for. Thank you for sharing.
Amazing collection and many very attainable! Thanks for sharing
Bro is def not married
Smart man
😂😂
🤣🤣🤣
Moral of the story, no heffer to tell you no
Love your collection. Very eclectic. So many hitters you have. Enjoy
I've been searching for a RUclips channel that's in the Chicago area and you guys randomly popped up finally. I've been into whiskey for about a year and I don't have near The collection Alex does. Funny enough I hit up probably the same Costco and three Benny's that he goes to. Good to know it seems like there's a good community here in Chicago
Yeah I’ve been encouraging him to start his own channel!
The best thing is that the bottle may be dusty but the liquor is clean. Props to the Grateful Dead for that glorious line. Great collection
Never heard that line, but now I'm going to use it!
Love the inside look at Alex's collection. Mighty impressive sir. 🥃🥃
Oh yeah. Very great video.
Tomorrow marks my 2 year journey in whiskey and I have about the same amount of bottles as you. I'm interested in your top 3 4 roses recipes though. Cheers!
Although the recipe makes a difference, I actually think the barrel aging process determines the best bottles of Four Roses more than the recipe. I think each recipe has fantastic barrels and also mediocre ones. So unfortunately, it's just becomes a luck of the draw or word of mouth. I did the Four Roses 10 recipes tasting kit ($120) which is all of the recipes at 104 proof and prob 6-8 years. The top 3 in the blind for me was OESQ, OESO, and OESF. However, when I blinded my Single Barrel collection - barrel proof and ~10 years, my top 3 are OBSF, OBSK, and OESK, so go figure, right? On top of that, I have 3 different OESQ recipes, and they all taste quite different. I don't know what the best way is to pick a Four Roses single barrel, but let me take you through my current thinking process. There are 3 measures of age: actual age (years and months), proof (hotter environment produces higher proof), and level of the rickhouse (higher level has hotter temperatures - this is the second last number in the Four Roses code). If you want the best Four Roses single barrel, look for one that is 1) Greater than 120 proof 2) a "B" recipe, K's and Q's seem to be better than O's and V's 3) Higher age 4) Higher on the rickhouse floor. The top 2 recipes on my list are not coincidentally the highest proof, and my favorite recipe OBSF is 125 proof, 11y 1mo, and 5th fl (VW08-5E). The reason I say "B" recipe is I think the "B" recipes can tolerate higher proof before getting oaky more than the "E" recipes. But if you're looking for a fruity clean taste sweet with minimal oak (almost weller-like), then look for an "E" recipe (preferably K and Q), LOWER than 120 proof, and on the 1st or 2nd floor. I have an OESQ that is delicious at 105.2 10y 8 mo, and on the 1st floor. But I also have another OESQ that is 120.8 proof, 9Y 5m and fl 5 that is oak-y. Finally, regardless of the recipe, it's possible to have too much aging, so if you see a SB Barrel Strength that is greater than 125 proof, 11y and 6th fl, you're risking it may be too oak-y (I have an OBSO that could pass for a Booker's). So maybe you want something high in only 2 out of the 3 categories. However for the 100 proof single barrel, absolutely always go for the 6th floor. Anyways, that's my current theory.
Really enjoyed this video. Fantastic tip on the Redwood Empire home mix. Also great tip on the 4R bottle vs vodka; will experiment with that.
Love to see humble enthusiasts profiled. Great piece 👌🏼🥃🥃
Man, only 2 years? I started this year, I can't see having this much by the end of next year, but only time will tell. Love it.
Great, diverse collection! Lotsa good stuff in there for less than 2 years of hunting.
Bro spent well over $10,000 in a year and a half of bourbon hunting! Wow. I thought I had a problem 😂
Weeeellll over $10k.
lol🤣
@@mustangw8ford415 I swear it’s wild bro 😂 I get tight when I see a bottle over $150
I did that in 6 months easily
I'm well on my way to do that.
Lots of love here, thank you guys for watching and leaving comments! Btw, if you want to watch us drink some of this whiskey and unprofessionally ramble on about it for 3 hours, you can watch our livestream in the live section on the Bourbon Chronicles main page. Thank you, Tim, this was a ton of fun to make!! Clarifications: when I said 1.25oz that's my total alcohol intake per day split between 4 whiskies! Well, maybe if I have a blind during lunch, I might have another one after dinner, so 2.5oz is possible. Corrections, apologies, Larceny and Wilderness Trail are wheated bourbons, not wheat whiskies. Also, every time I want to say Lincoln County Process, I end up saying Lincoln Town car. i don't know why. More clarifications/corrections... Three Floyd's is a beer brewery in Indiana, and has just started to make single malt. Early Times bottled in bond is my 2nd favorite bourbon at 100 proof or lower, but Heaven Hill 7y bottled in bond is my 3rd favorite. My favorite bourbon at 100 proof or lower is EH Taylor Small Batch. And I do actually like it better than the EH Taylor single barrel, because it is more sweet, of course. I meant to say that I like Scotch with Rum or Port finishes because they are such strong finishes. Sherry is too weak.
Hahaha 😂
Great collection! What shelves are you using?
@@hbbumm I'm cheap. Just need them to be sturdy - Amazon Basics 5-shelf adjustable, they were only $45 on Prime Day. The bottles don't stand well on the wire racks so I buy cheap wood shelves from Menards and literally saw the corners off to fit on top of the wire racks.
@@hbbumm amazon basics with wood shelves on top from menards that I cut the corners off with a saw in order to make it fit.
Have you tried the Kavalan Solist ex-bourbon or Vinho Barrique, seems like it will be the scotch that will convert you...
Interesting to hear your take on scotch. I prefer scotch and hate bourbon for similar but opposite reasons to you. Everything spirit wise that’s not malted barely tastes just meh to me regardless of price.
Whenever you think you have an obsessive addiction problem, take heart and remember this guy's out there.
Stagg lover here also. Thanks for the video
Wow, big props to Alex! I don't tell my friends I prefer sweeter bourbon/whiskey hahaha. I would love to have a collection like this!
Cool video im hooked! Great collection bro
Great video, we a share 2 year bourbon journey. He has a great collection and a wealth of knowledge! Cheer’s
Impressive and varied collection!! I started with single malt scotch and got into bourbon this year but my wife keeps me on a budget 😂
Love the heaven hill bottled in bond. Comes around every now and then in the allocated list. I pick it up chance I get.
Great content, would love to see more!
I had the JD TBASM. I loved it, one of my favorites for sure!
Alex likes a lot of things he doesn't like. Lol Nice collection.
This is a banger of a video
Alex drinks at the same pace I do, and while his collection has an incredible amount of bottles, this is pretty inspiring to have a variety of them opened and categorized.
PM! I’d love to send your buddy a purple top or something fun. I’ve been super blessed and would love to share. Can also throw in 2oz of 96 OFC.
Been at it 10 years. My collection is outgrowing my home.
At first I wanted to not like this guy, but he quickly changed my mind. He reminds me of myself but times 20. I like trying different things more than I like sticking to one favorite. I had to quit collecting for this reason. Too many bottles sitting on my shelf. I loved that he said “you should try that.” Cool guy wanting to share his hobby.
B524 better than C923 is very interesting. C923 is one of my all time favorites. Amazing collection though
This guy Alex starts out first 5 min I got this bottle " I don't like this" hahha love it. He's seasoned
In two years the man has a whole liquor store at his house 😂😂😂
I really like this guy. Most people you find with a collection like this acts like they are better than us little people that don't have such a collection. It seems like he is very humble and just like "oh yeah i like whiskey you want to see what I have?" then he just whips out this huge collection
Yeah absolutely. He didn’t get angry at my ridiculous questions lol
That pick from evergreen of the NBC 7 year is so freakin good. The 8 is even better imo. Insanely delicious. I have them both. Fortunate to live here in the Louisville area.
We are thinking of doing a barrel pick with NBC next. They have 9 yr rye and that bourbon. Any suggestions for the serial numbers we should look for?
Which barrel # is your 8 year? If it is still there next week, I'll pick it up! Or look for it at their bar.
Daaaannnngg he’s got a crazy variety of open bottles.
I like this kind of breakdown. Only thing I'd add is trying to mention a general price for each one.
Well if you ever find it you’ll know the price
@@fredgrebner526 I’ve found them all. It’s just good to know pricing in different areas.
He makes me want to crack my gts. Honestly, how long can you hold onto a bottle?
Personally, I think it will last for the rest of your life. But you should test how you feel about the alcohol oxidizing. Try this experiment. Take a bottle of Buffalo Trace that is almost done and let it sit on your shelf for a year or two. Now do a blind with a new pour of Buffalo Trace. In almost every blind I've done, I've felt the oxidized bourbon was better! It was a little sweeter at the cost of some loss in proof. Also, I use argon gas wine preserver, you spray into the bottle, and the argon gas is heavier than oxygen, so it sits on the alcohol in the bottle and the whiskey stops oxidizing. I used to use the argon gas on all of my bottles, but then I discovered that I actually like my bourbon oxidized. So now, I only use it for bourbons that I think are "perfect" where they are at (my Staggs, a couple of my Four Roses SB, and a few other store picks). The rest, I'm happy knowing that the whiskey is getting sweeter with age. Nothing wrong with waiting for a good occasion to open your gts. But don't wait bc you think your bottle will spoil. I would use the argon gas on the gts. But definitely experiment with the argon gas before you use it. I, personally, can't detect a change in smell or taste after using it, but just make sure you can't either!
Love the collection, more w/Alex videos :)
Nice collection, but his pallet is way different than mine
Didn’t realize Tom Segura was a fan of
Bourbon.
Does he have a channel?
No. Tim is trying to get me to start one, but we'll see. If I do, I[m pretty sure the name will be something along the lines of "Nothing can be too sweet" 🤣
B524 is neck in neck with C923??? wow thats high praise
Most bourbons get better over time as they open up, some get worse. C923 was amazing at the neck pour and now is good but isn't as amazing as I remember. So even though I thought they were neck and neck, I'm withholding my final conclusion for another couple months to see if B524 can still hang with C923 after opening up.
@@alexanderlai9160 OKIE DOKIE 👍
Ok, I just did a blind tonight heads up and C923 did win over B524, it was sweeter, though B524 was spicier (prev blinds usually have 4). I'll try again in a few weeks and report back if things change back.
Surprising lack of allocated bottles.
He never pays over MSRP and shops mostly Binnys
It took me 5 years of collecting to get any comprehension of what allocated whiskey was, once I caught on, it was game over for my budget for the last 2 years. California gets a ton of allocations so Stagg Jr, EhT SiB, EhT BP, etc... pops up every other week during allocation. My friend even scored a GTS at Bevmo last week. However, that's not the case with a lot of states so nonallocated makes more sense for most people.
Edit: the title is a bit misleading though with the use of the word "insane" as most people who watch this, have some quite impressive collections. I think "large collection" would be more suitable in the context, so as not to mislead any more seasoned veterans in the whisky game. Great video nonetheless with many great bottles!
@@thebourbonchronicles same
just my 2 cents: Birddog blackkberry so much better then Crown blackberry and much cheaper!
Thank you for the recommendation! I've been hemming and hawing over my first birddog bottle and THAT one will be it! Sometimes I put off trying a new whiskey because I know if I don't like it, it will cloud my opinion of the distillery and I won't go back to it for awhile. Same reason I sometimes wait for new distilleries to release their first cask strength version.
@@alexanderlai9160 well to give you some info that may convince you to try Birddog they contract source from Bardstown Bourbon co. there flavored stuff is all at 80 proof instead of 70 and there standard bourbon is 4 yrs old and only msrp 24 bucks and is very good!
He should start a channel called The Whiskey Hoarder. Love how curious his collection is and that everything is open!
I've thought about this, and Tim asks me about it everytime I see him, haha! But I think the channel name has been decided because I always say this: Nothing Can Be Too Sweet
“I don’t like scotch because of the malt taste”….. proceeds to show us $1,000 worth of scotch. lol. Jk. That’s a great collection! I’m jealous.
There’s a pretty unknown whiskey that’s hit or miss…. Heard of Fireball?
I decided I would buy Fireball at the same time I can find the new Fireball Small Batch aged for under $20. And then blind them, see which one I like better, not having tried either.
Has Alex had Laphroaig Lore? It's actually a bit more syrupy sweet than the Lagavulin 16...
Thanks for the suggestion! Last week I got the 2023 Laphroaig Cairdeas in white port and madeira. I did like it more than the Lagavulin 16! At 104.6 proof, the Cairdeas had a nice hit of alcohol right at the moment where I might find the palette most objectionable. The finish was sweet with a touch of spice from the proof.
Tell me you not married without telling me you not married
Dang look at all those dusty bottles... At least he drinks his collection
That's pretty funny, I never noticed. I have one of those big fluffy dusters I should use on my bottle collection!
I always find it odd when someone loved Bourbon but can’t stand single malt. Very strange
Bourbon can be sweet and oaky, single malt can taste metallic or copperish from my experience
@@thebourbonchronicles cheap blended Scotch can taste metallic
@@alexanderlai9160 for myself my favorite single malts have flavors coming from the distillate and casks in balance. That is where real complexity shines. It is true that the most expensive Scotch is very old. But that is because of economics and demand. Aging anything for 30 years will be crazy expensive. Demand because old age is prestigious. But personally I have many bottles that are under 15 years that are better than many 18-25 year. I will admit it took me much longer to like Single malt Scotch than Bourbon. Bourbon was more approachable and sweet. Don’t get me wrong. O absolutely still love a great Bourbon and drink it often. But after about 4 years I began favoring Scotch because of the wide variety of flavors and complexity. I simply get more surprised with what flavors I taste in Scotch than Bourbon. In general I avoid any Bourbon under 100 proof and Scotch under 92 proof. There is actually alot of Scotch that is cask strength on the market. Of course it all comes down to personal preference. But don’t be surprised that in 5 years you begin to really like other spirits like Scotch, single pot still Irish and Rum! Since you favor sweet you should really try some high quality Rums. Something high proof without additives. Foursquare exceptional casks or cask strength Hampden
Having so many open bottles....no fear of them going bad after a couple 2-3 years?
Nice collection 👌🏼& actually popping bottles 💯
Gonna be hunting for a new liver at the end of this rainbow.
My taste doesn't match Alex at all, but I love his angle and approach to whiskey. I also love the idea of this series, very cool. I look forward to seeing you do this with more people's collections
Working on it!
Man this is next t pain full
ECBP B524 better than C923 - no way!!!!
I said it went back and forth. I just did a blind tonight heads up and C923 did win over B524, it was sweeter, though B524 was spicier (prev blinds usually have 4). I'll try again in a few weeks and report back if things change back.
Any scotch whiskey
If you look at all the stuff piled up behind Alex, Alex has mental issues
That’s it I’m done. Why wouldn’t anybody listen to your bottles?
Thumbnail trap. That’s not a good representation of what I saw.
Just a little humor. It also stated "years of daily hunting" and it's only been 2!
No definitely not married
wow
I dont see the nice liquor room
Not a fan of anything traverse city!
Are you, by chance, from the New England or east coast part of the country? My theory is that people from that part of the country don't like the minerals in the Midwest water....at least not as much as in their native area. I'm from Arizona, and I quite enjoy their offerings and others from that area. I don't, however, love the Pennsylvania area etc. Who knows? This is anecdotal, as I've only studied my groups out here ;)
@@mrfuriouser My theory is that the Traverse City bourbon is being aged in Michigan, a colder climate, so it's aging slower. I have store picks of both their bourbon and rye and they taste young to me. However, infusing it with cherries... that works pretty well for me!
your focus is so short. scary xD
Do sleep under it
Oh man..terrible review
2 years isn’t much experience. After 10 years Alex will realize sweetness isn’t the be all end all. He will appreciate more subtle and complex expressions. And that is when Scotch comes into the picture. Like a child who loves to eat only candy versus an adult who loves more variety and complexity in food
Possibly. But I'm turning 50 next year and still would love to eat only candy and my food is neither varied nor complex: bacon, steak, chicken, sausage, porkchops, cheese, and eggs.
@@alexanderlai9160 bacon, steak, ect is complex. Basically you have a mature palate.
Oh my. I showed my wife his collection and she asked if he was single. Lol.
I think he is!
@@thebourbonchronicles I will tell her.
Yes, single. That bourbon collection is in my bedroom. I believe a wife would have vetoed that decision.
That collection is super mid. Cant really call this "Insane" I'm sorry to be negative but it is what it is.
Well it’s insane compared to what I have
Yes, I agree, but isn't it just INSANELY "super mid"? A lot of people online are arguing whether a bourbon is worth more than $100, and I kind of put my money where my mouth is and went, bought, and opened over 200 bottles, haha. By my calculation, that is over $10k in open bottles, and no BTAC, Willet, Michter's, to be seen. I'm not against those bottles at all, but I'm not going to blow my budget on them in the secondary vs experiencing what's on the market today. We're living in the golden age of bourbon and I intend to enjoy it. When it all comes crashing down, those BTAC bottles will survive and still be there waiting for me. I don't need to be in a hurry to get to them. Cheers!
Definitely give up reviewing bourbon and like pick up on tequila or vodka or anything holy macaroni don’t know why this is so painful..oooooof..ah
It’s true that @alexanderlai9160 visits 3 Binny’s a day! Saw him @ the parking lot of the Lincoln Park Binny’s today! Cool guy. Guessing you do LP, Lakeview and South Loop? I’ll see you around!
Good to meet you! I do LP, downtown, and South Loop. On the weekend, I've been adding Lincolnwood, Glencoe, Highland Park, Woodman's Buffalo Grove, and Woodman's Kenosha, haha.
@@alexanderlai9160 Wow! Seems like west burbs get all the good drops. Never had any luck in South Loop even though their clearance section is awesome. Surprised you don’t hit Lakeview since it’s less than 10min away.