Calumet 16 (or 15) is really a remarkable bottle. Perfectly follows the $10/year rule…and at least in its heyday was a shelfer (I haven’t paid attention of late). Poster-child for tasting some age.
Very interesting match up. I have only had the old Rip 12 year old VW and I definitely preferred the Calumet 16. So I'm not shocked with conclusion of this, but cool to see it done blind.
I just picked up the CF16 for 130, I already had a CF15 and liked it, I will have to compare them. I haven't opened my PVW 15 yet. Waiting for my retirement. I worry I won't like it. Cheers!
Calumet was $160 in my market when it was most hyped. I really enjoyed it. Seeing them now in the $125 range which I think is a buy for how good that stuff is. Cannot even fathom paying the 10x markup for pappy, pure insanity
My understanding is that Sam Houston 15 is blended is much smaller batches than Calumet. I personally prefer the Sam Houston releases compared to Calumet. However it’s all great Barton juice that can be found regularly at MSRP. I can find Calumet 15 regularly for $99. There’s also going to be a Calumet 17 and 18 I believe as I recall seeing the labels on the TTB website. I can’t wait for those.
My son in law gave me a bottle of Calumet 16 as a gift. I must say that it is good. Josh you are correct, I dont grab it all the time but when I do, it is great. Just goes to show that it is ALL in the marketing! Good Show guys, Stay Safe. On a side note, Nice watch Josh.
To me, the Pappys are a bit more refined with less rough edges. However, I can see that the “rough edges” I find could be something that makes them more interesting to drink.
Somedays you want pizza, somedays you want a hamburger, and as good as they both are, if you're in the mood for a hamburger then pizza absolutely will not do.
Sadly Cal 16 hasn’t been discounted in Ohio yet, it’s $160 here. I really like it, though I have to say I liked my first bottle better than my second. They had just enough of a difference that I could tell one from the other.
Of course I’ll never get a pappy so not something I’m to concerned with. I had a Calumet 15 wasn’t a bottle that blew me away. At best it was eeh to me it was a gift but I wouldn’t buy another one for what it cost and the 16 is no longer available in my area but it was priced out of my cap. Nice video as always. Enjoy!! 🥃🥃🥃
Funnily enough we’ve not loved the Calumet 15s we’ve tried but do enjoy the 16. Interesting that they seem to blend to different flavor profiles or perhaps it’s just the difference between batches.
I've seen Calumet 15 and 16 on the shelf recently, and the price has come down a little. I haven't gotten around to it yet - there is a lot of whisky out there, and my shelf is full. Pappy is way too hard to find and expensive, and even a pour at a bar is more than I want to spend. Last I checked, a pour of Pappy 15 at the local bar was more costly than an entire bottle of Calumet 16. Since I currently only have one bourbon older than 12 years (Knob Creek 18), maybe I should pick up a Calumet 15 or 16 and try to wedge it in somewhere on my overstuffed booze shelf. It will be easy to find and won't cost a bloody fortune.
@@stuffandwhiskey Whenever I see an expensive pour of something I'm curious about, this is the thought that comes to mind. I can get an entire bottle of something else that might well be just as good or better for less. Lately, Pappy has ranged from a bit under $200 for the 15 to well over $300 for the 23 for a 2-ounce pour at one of the local bars. That is more than I am willing to pay no matter how curious I am. Another example is Macallan 25, which I saw at a bar for around $400 for a pour. I got an entire bottle of anCnoc 24 for less than that, and anCnoc 24 has better specs (higher ABV, and non-chill filtered). A Macallan 25/anCnoc 24 blind comparison would certainly be interesting, but given the exorbitant cost of Macallan 25, I doubt I'll ever try it.
I had bottle of Pappy 15 about 6 years ago and was not impressed. I've had 2 different batches of Calumet 16 and love it. Can total see Calumet 16 beating Pappy 15.
We hear ya! That's why we do it blind though. Taste in the glass vs the price tag without knowing what we're drinking takes what they normally cost out of the equation.
Nice review! My Calumet 16 is a hot mess to me and over this last year it’s not any better :( my son has Pappy 15yr and it’s a butterscotch bomb and very viscous. Cheers!
@@stuffandwhiskey it says Rack No W4006.09 and I’m about a 1/2” below the main label. I haven’t had a pour in about six months. I’m having a pour right now and the nose is really nice and it’s not bad (leaning towards good) on the pallet. It has finally gotten decent over the last year or my pallet has improved/changed. Cheers!
Enjoyed the "bonus footage" at the end. You had said the Calumet had some "special whiskey" qualities like flavor saturation but you only gave it one thumbs up. What was the main thing that held it back from two thumbs up?
We have an entire sample pool of hundreds of samples that I pour and label (the pool is so big and constantly rotating that I couldn’t remember matchups even if I wanted to) and Erin selects the sample pairs for the matchups at random (and she has no idea what’s in the pool at all). We’re totally in the dark and have no interest in knowing what we’re drinking as it’s more fun this way. We can’t help suspicion though if you’d rather believe we’re not being honest. To each their own. Appreciate you watching either way.
Dysentery? What is this, Oregon Trail? 😅 Given high age statement releases beyond 12 years tend to have such high prices, lower proof, and diminishing returns on flavor *cough* Elijah Craig 18 *cough*, I'm pretty happy with the Calumet 14, 15, and 16.
I never understand why producers drop the proof on older bourbons like EC18. IMO you need the proof even more for balance as you crank up the oak. Diluting it too much just makes it taste flat and weirdly tannic. (Older Scotch from the bigger brands often has the same issue. Proof balances wood!)
What's the deal with "undisclosed source"? Is Calumet (and any others that do this) just a bottler of some other distillery's whiskey? I get it when you do "blended" ones but a brand with some unknown source not so much.
Standard NDP (non-distilling producer) stuff. They source stock (in this case Barton 1792, although they haven’t said that on the record) and then blend these Calumet Farms releases with those stocks.
Different story, cause you can’t get a pappy 15 for $150. So if you had $1100, a more accurate cost on there, pretty sure it would have gotten 2 thumbs down.
Caramel is cooked white sugar while butter scotch is a cooked brown sugar and butter. Both delicious. Keep the whiskey flowing, cheers!
Erin’s descriptions make me LMAO !! You guys have the best chemistry!!
Thanks for the kind words! Cheers!
Erin and Trenton going over tasting notes would be Must See TV
Yes. Make this happen please
Calumet 16 (or 15) is really a remarkable bottle. Perfectly follows the $10/year rule…and at least in its heyday was a shelfer (I haven’t paid attention of late). Poster-child for tasting some age.
I have a 16 and it is a beauty
Very interesting match up. I have only had the old Rip 12 year old VW and I definitely preferred the Calumet 16. So I'm not shocked with conclusion of this, but cool to see it done blind.
I just picked up the CF16 for 130, I already had a CF15 and liked it, I will have to compare them. I haven't opened my PVW 15 yet. Waiting for my retirement. I worry I won't like it. Cheers!
Retirement is a great time to crack into it! Cheers to that!
You will love both the PVW and retirement. Been retired 6 months now and haven't looked back or missed anything.
Love this viewpoint....I definitely get totally different notes on the Calumet 16 but I still ll love this video
Calumet was $160 in my market when it was most hyped. I really enjoyed it. Seeing them now in the $125 range which I think is a buy for how good that stuff is. Cannot even fathom paying the 10x markup for pappy, pure insanity
My understanding is that Sam Houston 15 is blended is much smaller batches than Calumet. I personally prefer the Sam Houston releases compared to Calumet. However it’s all great Barton juice that can be found regularly at MSRP. I can find Calumet 15 regularly for $99. There’s also going to be a Calumet 17 and 18 I believe as I recall seeing the labels on the TTB website. I can’t wait for those.
I haven’t had either but once again an excellent comparison!
Closed up room full of books and papers sounds like vellichor to me. Awesome smell.
My son in law gave me a bottle of Calumet 16 as a gift. I must say that it is good. Josh you are correct, I dont grab it all the time but when I do, it is great. Just goes to
show that it is ALL in the marketing! Good Show guys, Stay Safe. On a side note, Nice watch Josh.
Yep...just picked up a Calumet 16 for $115 at a local liquor store...couldn't pass it up at that price
THat's a deal! Cheers!
Caulmet 15 is $99 here, an even better deal.
@@sugarkitty4777Nah, I've had multiple batches of 16 and 15, $115 for the 16 is a steal. And I got my bottles of 15 for $95
@sugarkitty4777 where at? That's a score
New Jersey - all over, multiple stores and 20+ bottles available at a time. Not going away any time soon.
Very consistent! Erin said Cal 16 smelled like cardboard the other day.
I haven't had a Pappy yet that I've been blown away by. I usually prefer the Weller equivalent.
To me, the Pappys are a bit more refined with less rough edges. However, I can see that the “rough edges” I find could be something that makes them more interesting to drink.
I totally understand day to day things tasting or just hitting different. Many times my favorites just don’t hit…it is not bad, just not in the mood.
Somedays you want pizza, somedays you want a hamburger, and as good as they both are, if you're in the mood for a hamburger then pizza absolutely will not do.
I had a bottle of the Calumet 15 and it is a fantastic bottle. I got that bottle for 115.... Who needs to spend a couple of grand on a pappy 15
Sadly Cal 16 hasn’t been discounted in Ohio yet, it’s $160 here. I really like it, though I have to say I liked my first bottle better than my second. They had just enough of a difference that I could tell one from the other.
Honestly, Calumet 16 and Sam Houston 15 are not bottles I gravitate towards almost at all. They're collecting dust in my bar.
Of course I’ll never get a pappy so not something I’m to concerned with. I had a Calumet 15 wasn’t a bottle that blew me away. At best it was eeh to me it was a gift but I wouldn’t buy another one for what it cost and the 16 is no longer available in my area but it was priced out of my cap. Nice video as always. Enjoy!! 🥃🥃🥃
Funnily enough we’ve not loved the Calumet 15s we’ve tried but do enjoy the 16. Interesting that they seem to blend to different flavor profiles or perhaps it’s just the difference between batches.
I've seen Calumet 15 and 16 on the shelf recently, and the price has come down a little. I haven't gotten around to it yet - there is a lot of whisky out there, and my shelf is full. Pappy is way too hard to find and expensive, and even a pour at a bar is more than I want to spend. Last I checked, a pour of Pappy 15 at the local bar was more costly than an entire bottle of Calumet 16. Since I currently only have one bourbon older than 12 years (Knob Creek 18), maybe I should pick up a Calumet 15 or 16 and try to wedge it in somewhere on my overstuffed booze shelf. It will be easy to find and won't cost a bloody fortune.
Great point about a single pour of Pappy 15 being more costly than an entire bottle of Calumet 16!
@@stuffandwhiskey Whenever I see an expensive pour of something I'm curious about, this is the thought that comes to mind. I can get an entire bottle of something else that might well be just as good or better for less. Lately, Pappy has ranged from a bit under $200 for the 15 to well over $300 for the 23 for a 2-ounce pour at one of the local bars. That is more than I am willing to pay no matter how curious I am. Another example is Macallan 25, which I saw at a bar for around $400 for a pour. I got an entire bottle of anCnoc 24 for less than that, and anCnoc 24 has better specs (higher ABV, and non-chill filtered). A Macallan 25/anCnoc 24 blind comparison would certainly be interesting, but given the exorbitant cost of Macallan 25, I doubt I'll ever try it.
Calumet always wins this battle because I can go buy a bottle most anywhere for 140-160. Pappy, forget it. Unobtainable unless you are lucky or rich.
I had bottle of Pappy 15 about 6 years ago and was not impressed. I've had 2 different batches of Calumet 16 and love it. Can total see Calumet 16 beating Pappy 15.
Omg... i cant wait to find a Calumet 16 for $99. I'm gonna back it up a few times.
Good luck finding pappy at that price. Idk if it’s fair to judge on MSRP. The calumet isn’t bad for the price. Idk love the video though
You guys are kidding, in Australia they are both costing close to $1599.00, and you say you don’t want it for $150 😂
We hear ya! That's why we do it blind though. Taste in the glass vs the price tag without knowing what we're drinking takes what they normally cost out of the equation.
Nice review! My Calumet 16 is a hot mess to me and over this last year it’s not any better :( my son has Pappy 15yr and it’s a butterscotch bomb and very viscous. Cheers!
Out of curiosity, what batch of Calumet 16 do you have? We’ve tried 4005 through 4008 and they do vary, just as Pappy batches do each year.
@@stuffandwhiskey it says
Rack No W4006.09 and I’m about a 1/2” below the main label. I haven’t had a pour in about six months. I’m having a pour right now and the nose is really nice and it’s not bad (leaning towards good) on the pallet. It has finally gotten decent over the last year or my pallet has improved/changed. Cheers!
WHISKEY CHEERS 😎
Enjoyed the "bonus footage" at the end.
You had said the Calumet had some "special whiskey" qualities like flavor saturation but you only gave it one thumbs up. What was the main thing that held it back from two thumbs up?
Flavor profile and proof point preferences. Just not the profile either of us reach for all the time, and we do prefer slightly more proof as well.
I agree with Erin. Justin’s Pappy is GOOD Pappy! 🥃😁
😊
I really want to enjoy your video, but suspicious :)
Who prepared for the glasses by the way?
We have an entire sample pool of hundreds of samples that I pour and label (the pool is so big and constantly rotating that I couldn’t remember matchups even if I wanted to) and Erin selects the sample pairs for the matchups at random (and she has no idea what’s in the pool at all). We’re totally in the dark and have no interest in knowing what we’re drinking as it’s more fun this way. We can’t help suspicion though if you’d rather believe we’re not being honest. To each their own. Appreciate you watching either way.
@@stuffandwhiskey that makes sense to me absolutely :)
There’s always a moment in these videos where she seems to get so annoyed with him 😂. Love the videos.
😂😂 that’s just real married life.
@@stuffandwhiskey preaching to the choir 😅. Keep killing it. 🍻
Is it 'known' that Calumet is sourced from Barton?
Yep! They don’t disclose that officially but everyone knows.
Calumet is undisclosed?
Could've sworn it's old Barton juice.
It is
It is, but they don’t technically disclose that.
I don’t know why Calumet 15/16 sits on the shelf. Good for is though!
Sam Houston is same distiller, yes? I like that one, too, but never see it.
Same source, yes. I think the Sam Houston brand is no more and it’s all Calumet now. Sourced high aged Barton 1792.
I was gifted a bottle of Calumet 15. Didn’t do much for me TBPH.
Opening seconds…
😂😂😂
Dysentery? What is this, Oregon Trail? 😅
Given high age statement releases beyond 12 years tend to have such high prices, lower proof, and diminishing returns on flavor *cough* Elijah Craig 18 *cough*, I'm pretty happy with the Calumet 14, 15, and 16.
I never understand why producers drop the proof on older bourbons like EC18. IMO you need the proof even more for balance as you crank up the oak. Diluting it too much just makes it taste flat and weirdly tannic. (Older Scotch from the bigger brands often has the same issue. Proof balances wood!)
What's the deal with "undisclosed source"? Is Calumet (and any others that do this) just a bottler of some other distillery's whiskey? I get it when you do "blended" ones but a brand with some unknown source not so much.
Standard NDP (non-distilling producer) stuff. They source stock (in this case Barton 1792, although they haven’t said that on the record) and then blend these Calumet Farms releases with those stocks.
@@stuffandwhiskey Thanks for the info! I now know more than I did and I like that!
I see Calumet 16 for more like 130 all the time in Nebraska. A little better value.
Different story, cause you can’t get a pappy 15 for $150. So if you had $1100, a more accurate cost on there, pretty sure it would have gotten 2 thumbs down.
Digging that cardigan and I don't know why. Highlands scotch vibe.
Handmade by Erin herself!
lol.. you will NEVER find a Pappy 15 at MSRP.. unless there is a major turn in nobody buying bourbon for whatever reason.
Lottery wins or vested store relationships are really the only way for sure.
Caramel is made from white sugar.
Butterscotch is made from brown sugar.
Werther's Original is a brand of caramel and butter confectionary. They are delicious.
The T-shirt is Suspect.
How so? I take it you’re not an 80s kid who grew up playing Oregon Trail on old Macintosh computers.