"Rip Van Winkle that is massively overpriced" LOL
Exact same recipe between the two but my understanding is that they barrel slightly differently.
Personally, I don't care for the 23yo as much (except for bragging rights of course). I really do like the 20yo. Mind you, I would absolutely gladly sip one if offered though
If I am going to go in that territory though, Ill go for a Mccallan's 25yo. So buttery, vanilla smooth and perfect sweetness. Hell I remember getting costco versions of this for $200 a bottle. No more
With the right barrel hopping (changing barrels of different flavor) in the right geography (unlike Scotland with relatively consistent climate), the long age for bourbon is not needed IMO to reach its apogee.
I can't believe how expensive it is to get even Blantons down here. I started drinking it in NYC when it was $30 a bottle and there was plenty of it. Now of course, its more. The stores just dont have the volume I guess to get the allocations like my go to stores up there does.
Love the Monte you have there, though. I am going to assume since it fits in your glass, its a #2 and not the gran piramide?