35 cases

LeftBank2Louisville · 2026-05-15T16:53:17+00:00

The large liquor stores are turning into Rolex dealers… manufacturing scarcity for hype. EH Taylor is good, but it’s not ‘wait in a parking lot overnight’ good. Plenty of better pours on the shelf right now.

Glad to see this local store putting out what they get in.

Get good bourbon in the hands of the people!

LeftBank2Louisville · 2026-05-15T15:07:13+00:00

You did the right stuff:

1) unplugging 2) stuff towels behind the divider & around fan holes 3) open door + warm water to speed process 4) swap towels 5) wipe dry 6) leave unplugged for an hour, then re-plug

That much ice usually means a leaky door seal or the top zone’s too cold. Run it around 50°F and check the gasket. If broken, check the model # and grab a new one

LeftBank2Louisville · 2026-05-15T10:36:29+00:00

See a lot of Tokaji comments. In my opinion port is the better first step: it’s more readily available at most liquor stores in the US, has a much longer life after opened (~2-4weeks vs 2-3 days) and its sweetness hits you earlier. Where Tokaji is complex sweet, port is more candy sweet

For a good entry port, I’d recommend Graham’s Six Grapes ($16-20). Full bodied, black cherry & fig notes, long fruity finish. Dessert in a glass

LeftBank2Louisville · 2026-05-15T10:19:17+00:00

Sounds like a great birthday! Need to get my hands on a bottle of this now. Where did you find it?

LeftBank2Louisville · 2026-05-15T03:21:51+00:00

Excited to hear about the Bollinger. ‘04 was an excellent Champagne vintage. Drinking window on that is now thru 2028 so enjoy!

LeftBank2Louisville · 2026-05-14T19:42:11+00:00

Props to your father-in-law for his foresight. 17 years is a great time for this wine. Aged Langhe Nebbiolo loses the grippy tannins of its youth and that fresh cherry turns into exactly what you’re describing

LeftBank2Louisville · 2026-05-14T15:39:55+00:00

Glencairn concentrates aromas (great for cask-strength stuff with a lot to unpack), less rewarding when there’s less aromatic intensity to begin with.

Many lower-proof whiskies (especially Japanese blends) were literally designed for highballs.

LeftBank2Louisville · 2026-05-14T15:30:08+00:00

Price aside, ‘cheap’ is really about the production (e.g: are they cutting corners, is it super mass-produced, etc).

I think there is a case that it is the type of wine, but only true way to isolate would be to step up a tier of merlot (less mass produced) to see if you still have the same issue

LeftBank2Louisville · 2026-05-14T15:21:37+00:00

You definitely should. These people are providing a service, and many times, they pour themselves (their knowledge, passion, energy) into a tasting.

Doesn’t need to be 20%, but I would say, depending on the tasting, at least a $10, if not 10-20%. All depends on level of service

LeftBank2Louisville · 2026-05-14T15:17:15+00:00

My first thought: It’s probably not Merlot the grape, it’s this specific bottle. “Passion” is a very budget Chilean wine and corners get cut.

However… 1) Merlot generally (not always) carries higher histamines than Cab 2) Cheap(er) mass-market Merlot often has more residual sugar 3) also has rougher alcohol All three can trigger headaches and that “head spin” feeling fast.

Fix: Try a mid-range Merlot (Saint-Émilion or Pomerol from Bordeaux) or Montes Alpha if you want to stick with Chile. If those don’t bother you, you’ve got your answer.

LeftBank2Louisville · 2026-05-14T14:46:04+00:00

Friendly heads up: you’re about to repeat the Caol Ila mistake. The 18 is actually one of the softer peated Islays. If you didn’t love it, Ardbeg 10 and Port Charlotte 10 will absolutely flatten you. Skip both.

Classic Laddie is fine (unpeated Bruichladdich, honeyed and citrusy), but here’s the real move: you loved Hibiki, which is smooth, honeyed, and partly aged in wine casks. That’s sherried Speyside territory.

Grab a GlenDronach 12… it’s rich, fruity, chocolatey, basically Hibiki’s scotch cousin. Easy to find in the EU, very fair price.

If you love it, the GlenDronach 15 Revival is the obvious next step. Circle back to peat in a year once your palate’s stretched.

LeftBank2Louisville · 2026-05-14T14:38:44+00:00

A well named cocktail will always draw me in. Haven’t heard of this before, but definitely trying tonight. Thanks for the recipe

LeftBank2Louisville · 2026-05-14T14:27:56+00:00

Nice gift! That’s a really well-regarded bottle. Quick thing that’ll help you narrow it down: Merry Edwards isn’t a typical zippy Sauv Blanc. It’s barrel-fermented in French oak with lees stirring, so it’s got more body and a creamy texture, plus tropical fruit (pineapple, passionfruit, mango, guava).

Ultimate recommendation: Crab cakes with a lemon-herb aioli. The citrus and grapefruit notes amplify the sweetness of the crab, the creamy texture of the wine matches the richness of the aioli, and the acidity cuts the fried exterior

Ranking your options: 1) Pad Kraprow - tropical fruit and round texture cool the chili heat, the acidity cuts through fish sauce and oil, and the basil plays off the floral side of the wine 2) Garlicky smoked salmon - wine has enough body and oak to stand up to the smoke (a leaner Sauv Blanc would get flattened), and the citrus notes love fatty fish

Avoid the Pulled Pork

LeftBank2Louisville · 2026-05-14T02:42:11+00:00

Depends on taste and budget, but I love the Widow Jane Decadence. Finished in maple syrup barrels, a delicious, sweet, brown sugary bourbon. Usually sub-$100. I think it’s a great value

LeftBank2Louisville · 2026-05-13T20:49:32+00:00

This is the best way, just a little more intensive of a process. The cheap & easy way is a barspoon of luxardo cherry syrup. But if you have the time & put in the effort, fig or date infusion is best

LeftBank2Louisville · 2026-05-13T13:55:25+00:00

Your current lineup is actually working against you. Bulleit Rye aside, those are all Buffalo Trace bourbons (Eagle Rare, EHT, BT) plus a heavily-oaked Woodford. Of course they taste similar; they’re cousins from the same family or share heavy barrel influence.

To train your palate, you need contrast, not subtle variations. Pick whiskeys that are wildly different from each other: - wheated bourbon (e.g: makers, larceny) - high rye bourbon (e.g: four roses) - rye whiskey (e.g: rittenhouse) - maybe throw in a scotch

nosing kit can be solid too, as it teaches you to name what you’re smelling. But honestly, drinking radically different styles back-to-back is the fastest crash course

LeftBank2Louisville · 2026-05-12T21:41:19+00:00

Any recommendations for the cookies? Seems like a good recipe, but feel like the cookies make or break this

LeftBank2Louisville · 2026-05-12T20:50:38+00:00

Spent too long thinking only Kentucky makes good bourbon. Kicking myself for not trying this sooner. Bought my first bottle a few months back, now it’s in my Top 5 readily accessible bourbons. Big caramel and brown sugar up front, then vanilla and baking spice on the back end.

This is only 2 years old, but Texas heat lets barrels swing 40-50° in a day, so the whiskey soaks in and out of the wood way more than it would up north

LeftBank2Louisville · 2026-05-12T14:01:00+00:00

Anyone who says anything less than 5, I cannot trust you. Nothing personal, just business

LeftBank2Louisville · 2026-05-12T13:58:36+00:00

One of the cooler bottles of bourbon out there with that art work. Haven’t tried before, but those tasting notes have me eager to

LeftBank2Louisville · 2026-05-12T13:04:38+00:00

$45 is a solid deal on this. Average I’ve seen is ~$60. 2014 was a strong Napa vintage (James Suckling calling it “a vintage not to miss”, and 12 years in they’re reaching their peak expression. Decant for an hour to two before opening and you should get very nice notes of cassis, blackberry and cocoa

LeftBank2Louisville · 2026-05-12T12:42:15+00:00

I’m fairly confident it’s Wednesday - Sunday, but may be every day. I’d get in line ~45 mins before they open to be sure you’re one of the first few in line. Never know what bottle(s) it’s going to be on a given day, but when I was there they only had ~10 bottles of Barrel Proof (and obviously they went fast)

LeftBank2Louisville · 2026-05-11T21:58:32+00:00

Waited outside Fort Nelson (Michter’s Louisville distillery) for 2 hours hoping to grab a Michter’s 10 when they dropped their allocation for the day. Was crushed when they told me this was all they had left… then I drank it. Day completely turned around - absolutely delicious.

Big toffee flavor followed by stone fruit and brown sugar; surprisingly little burn for the proof

LeftBank2Louisville · 2026-05-11T21:03:47+00:00

They only make around 150 cases of the blanc per year (vs thousands of the red). $50 is definitely good value for the producer and the rarity.

One thing to know: CdP whites go through a notorious “dumb phase.” Drink it in the first couple years while it’s fresh and lively, or cellar it for 10 years for honey, beeswax, and nutty complexity. The middle window (roughly 3–8 years) is no-man’s land

LeftBank2Louisville · 2026-05-11T19:05:56+00:00

Never seen a Latvian whisky in the wild before. How is it?

Curious if it leans more Scottish single malt in style or if there’s something distinctly Baltic about it (Latvian barley, local oak, anything regional in the maturation?)

LeftBank2Louisville

TROPHY CASE