Friday Evening Pour, Old Grand-Dad 114

It's empty--as OGD 114 usually is in my house.

Old Grand-Dad 114 is a favorite of bourbon enthusiasts.  It comes from Jim Beam, but it is a high rye mash bill--the same one that produces Basil Hayden's.  The big difference between these two bourbons is that OGD 114 is younger and a heck of a lot cheaper.  Basil Hayden's is typically in the $40 range and OGD 114 can be had for a little over $20.  OGD 114 was one of the Committee's August picks.  I've had several bottles of this guy and I have really enjoyed it in the past.

Nose: Cinnamon spice, very rye forward--so much so that this could pass for a straight rye. I get some grassy-ness and a hint of mint.  After I put a small amount of water in it, some sweeter notes came through.

Taste: A blast of spice on entry with a full bodied mouth feel.  It's hot though, so I added some water.  There's loads of spice in this bourbon and the small amount of water helped bring them out and cool off the heat.  The water really brings out some pleasant sweetness I did not detect initially.

Finish: It burned going down a little on the first sip but after adding water this guy played a little nice.  I got some nice  leftover pin pricks on my tongue that lingered a good while.

Overall I recommend adding an ice cube or a drop or two of water to round this guy out.  I rate this an 85, and at about $22, it is a heck of a deal.  Here are a couple reviews from friends of the Committee.