Everybody has their own opinion and mine is that good bourbons shouldn't sit on a shelf collecting dust, they should be shared with equally good friends. With a recent acquisition of a sample of Old Fitzgerald 15 and an unopened bottle, let's go!. (Tasting takes place at 6:30pm Sept 13).

The lineup

Old Weller Antique 107

• Buffalo Trace Distillery
• 107 Proof
• $50 Retail
• NAS, believed to aged 6 to 8 years
• Sweet and unusual floral notes and coupled with vanilla. The taste is very well balanced with sweet fruit notes, strong vanilla undertone and sharp spicy tones, with a cinnamon finish.

Old Fitzgerald 15 Bottled in Bond

• Heaven Hill Distillery
• 100 Proof
• $150 Retail
• Aged 15 years
• 75% corn, 20% wheat, 5% malted barley
• Starts with the spices that were in the nose but becomes soft and gentle with honey and cake notes. Vanilla and oak follow with a delicious caramel tail.

Boone County Cask Strength Single Barrel

• Boone County (sourced from MGP)
• OHLQ pick BCW025
• 118 Proof
• $100 Retail
• Aged 7 years
• 51% corn, 45% wheat, 4% malted barley
• Mild nose and hints of vanilla and candied oak, sweet with slight caramel and butterscotch notes. Smooth finish.

Maker's Mark 46

• Maker's Mark
• 94 Proof
• $40 Retail
• NAS, around 6 years
• 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley
• Very intense flavors; a big crescendo of wood blending perfectly with deep, complex and rich notes of vanilla and caramel

Fiddler unison

• ASW Distillery
• 90 Proof
• Batch 4
• $40 Retail
• NAS, suspected 2 to 4 years
• Marriage of MGP wheated (51% corn, 45% wheat, 4% malted barley) and double pot still ASW high-malt (55% corn, 45% malts of rye, wheat, oats, and barley)
• Bursting with toffee, honey, and green apple, with wonderful baking spices on the finish