Whiskey Advocate made some waves with this year’s Top 20. It featured 7 bourbons with 5 of them placing the top 10 and 3 in the top 5 but most of all it was the choice of George Dickel Bottled in Bond as the number 1 whiskey of the year that ruffled so many internet feathers.
I think a lot of people don’t really understand what Whiskey Advocate is going for with the list, it’s not the best whiskies of the year, and I liked the Dickel Bottled in Bond Fall 2005 more than most folks seemed to but that choice still seemed crazy to me, especially given the other 4 bourbons in the top 10: Four Roses Small Batch Select(review forthcoming, Old Ezra 7, Heaven Hill 7 year Bottled in Bond and Woodford Reserve Batch Proof(also forthcoming).
I decided I would do a single blind tasting of these 5 bourbons and enlist my wife to add an unbiased source as well. I poured the glasses and labeled the bottoms and she ordered to ensure neither of us knew what was what. I guessed at what they were in addition to ranking them while she just ranked them. I didn’t take detailed notes during the tasting given I was making a video of it with her so the tasting notes are pretty light. The video of this blind tasting is on my Instagram page here.
Sample #1
My notes: Sweet, nutty and easy to drink
Her notes: Nice, light and sweet
Guess: Heaven Hill Bottled Bond
My ranking: 4
Her ranking: 3
Reveal: Heaven Hill Bottled Bond
Sample #2
My notes: Flavorful, sweet caramel, thick mouthfeel
Her notes: Rich, brown sugar
Guess: Woodford Reserve Batch Proof
My ranking: 3
Her ranking: 1
Reveal: Woodford Reserve Batch Proof
Sample #3
My notes: Minerality, Ovaltine
Her notes: Funky, peanuts, not for her
Guess: George Dickel Bottled in Bond
My ranking: 5
Her ranking: 5
Reveal: George Dickel Bottled in Bond
Sample #4
My notes: Great nose, sweet, spicy, fruity and maybe floral?
Her notes: Better than sample #3
Guess: Four Roses Small Batch Select
My ranking: 1
Her ranking: 2
Reveal: Four Roses Small Batch Select
Sample #5
My notes: Similar to #1 but more intense
Her notes: Harsher than #1, hot finish, maybe similar to #1
Guess: Old Ezra 7
My ranking: 2
Her ranking: 4
Reveal: Old Ezra 7
Rankings
Me
- Four Roses Small Batch Select
- Old Ezra 7
- Woodford Batch Proof
- Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond
- George Dickel Bottled in Bond
Her
- Woodford Batch Proof
- Four Roses Small Batch Select
- Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond
- Old Ezra 7
- Not drinking
- George Dickel Bottled in Bond
Conclusion
After this blind it seems even crazier to me that Dickel BiB was Whiskey Advocates top choice for 2019. I can see how the price hurt the Woodford but the Four Roses, Ezra and Heaven Hill are all clearly better whiskies, about as available and not far off in price. In my opinion one of them deserved the top bourbon spot.