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There are actually THREE store picks dropping today. Woodford Reserve, Redemption High-Rye Bourbon, and Old Forester Barrel Proof.
Links: Mom's Barrel - Woodford Reserve 5 Years 6 Months
For the first time, Woodford has changed how they do these Personal Selections. The first time I did it, I was handed a blended whiskey and said it's this or nothing. It was tasty and unique, but they couldn't tell me anything about where the barrels came from, how old they were, when it was bottled. All the stuff you and I really want to know.
So this year they really changed things. I was given three single barrel samples and asked to combine them into a unique selection. They still would not do a Barrel Proof (or Batch Proof) option, but this was unique and interesting, so I decided to go for it.
The first barrel I chose was tasted at 132.2 proof, and the barrel filled on 3/19/2015. This was all sweetness, all the time. Like, make your teeth hurt sweet. Creamy vanilla up front, with toasted brown sugar and juicy cherry finish.
The second barrel I chose was tasted at 133.7 proof, and the barrel filled on 3/19/2015. This barrel was chewy, lots of wood tannins in my gums. Nothing but head and spicy cinnamon, but also finished with cardamom.
Combined together, the flavors were of fresh navel orange, lemon zest with a dark blackberry mid-palette. The finish was a combination of spicy cinnamon and toasted brown sugar. One of my staff said that it was like a warm hug you could taste.
The other options I was given had some different dates and ricks, but they were not a flavor profile I enjoyed.
The name came from the fact that I tasted it on my mother's birthday. Happy birthday mom!
Weird Shape - Redemption High-Rye Bourbon
I wish I were as cool as that Flamingo.
Redemption High-Rye Bourbon "Weird Shape" is an MGP sourced barrel pick, aged 5 Years and 2 Months. High Rye means that this is their 36% Rye recipe, and I tasted it at 105 Proof, which is what the final bottling was. This barrel was chosen on September 24th.
I almost passed on this barrel, but it grabbed me by just how good it was for the price. There are not a lot of sub $50 store picks in the world and this just hit the "yeah... yeah that's tasty" button.
There's not a lot of flash. There's your typical chocolate and coffee that comes through here for me, with some rye spice and smoky notes in the finish.
The name came as a mistake, as the best ones do, but I loved the image and the concept of a whiskey that's a weird shape that it stuck with me. Not the greatest story in the world, but sometimes that just how it works.
Gotham Barrel - Old Forester Barrel Proof
This barrel will NOT have a tater sticker on it. When I sell bottles that were sold to a group, I do not double sticker and I do not use their sticker. You want the tater sticker, you tater it up as part of the group.
This barrel was picked by the Gotham Barrel Club on August 5th. The barrel is from Old Forester and is their first Single Barrel Barrel Proof offering in NY. The barrel was aged 4 Years and 4 months and was bottled at 126.6 proof. There are 30 bottles for sale. I am going to limit to 3 bottles per person.
On the nose, sweet caramel, apple peel, tropical fruits with boozy, powerful esters. Initial taste knocked my down. Heat is up front and long. After a little time, I get more of the fruit coming through, but this one is still spice driven. Cinnamon follows the attack, but the lingering flavor is spiced tropical fruit.
SINGLE BARREL STORE PICKS: - RELEASES 11/20 - Smooth Ambler Old Scout "No End in Sight" (MGP) 4 Years 10 Months - $69.99
- WhistlePig Rye 10 Year "Sweet Pig" Aged 12 Years - $TBD
- Clyde May's "New Job" - $TBD
- Knob Creek
- New Riff
- Hillrock Barrel Proof Rye Sauternes Finish (December)
- Eagle Rare (December)
- Buffalo Trace (December)
- 1792 Full Proof (December)
All single barrel picks (including the Doctor's Are Us) will have triple tickets for the PVW raffle.
For those that are new, orders over $200 (before tax) ship for free. If you are out of NY State, simply put your order in for in-store pickup and put the address you'd like it shipped to in the special instructions.
Regards, Rob Bralow | 
