Ancient Ancient Age 10 Year via @lushwine

(Fun fact: I’m writing this while Prohibition, the new PBS special, plays on the TV!)

I first heard of Ancient Ancient Age after reading a review by David Wondrich in Esquire.  He raved about Ancient Ancient Age 10 Star.

Binny’s, Chicago’s booze superstore, sells Ancient Age — but not Ancient Ancient.  Lisa is pretty sure we had it at one of our visits to Longman & Eagle.  That may be true, but it’s sometimes hard to remember what all you sample there.  $3 whiskeys have that effect.

Anyway, I stumbled across Ancient Ancient Age 10-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey at Lush Wine and Spirits while we lived temporarily in Roscoe Village.  Lush has been a great reason to live in Roscoe Village for years.  I miss it, and we only lived there for a month.  They have a great selection of wine and spirits.  The selection isn’t huge — it’s precise and delicious.  And they serve snacks.  They do not, however, serve cigars.  And this whiskey wants one.

But the story of this Bourbon is value.  It’s <$30 and smoother than most at this price point.  I may prefer Bulleit Bourbon, but that may be because of the awesome name (we should do a head-to-head tasting). Bulleit is usually a few dollars more.  They’re both Bourbons, and their burn has a little sweetness to it.

The Ancient Ancient Age is good, but I find myself wanting that great peat-smoke flavor found in the Old Malt Cask Ardbeg 1992.  That peaty flavor is going to be tough to track down for $30.