Shelf rotation

Marcus Delaney

@delslabs

10Items

8Likes

Not chasing unicorns. Just what actually gets poured once the slides are read and the box scores are in. Think sub-$70, readily findable in Chicago, and good enough that a second pour is NBD. Call it my lab control set: same bottles, same results, year over year.

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Shelf rotation — 10 items
Name	Brand	Type	Proof	Age statement	Mash bill note	Price range (USD)	Best use	My take
1Buffalo Trace	Buffalo Trace	Straight bourbon	90	NAS (roughly 7–9 yrs)	Low-rye, classic house profile	$30–$40	Neat or rocks	Baseline bourbon. If this tastes off to me, I’m the variable, not the bottle.
2Elijah Craig Small Batch	Elijah Craig Small Batch	Straight bourbon	94	NAS (ex-12 yr, now blended younger)	Moderate rye, oak-forward	$30–$40	Neat, slow pour	Wood, spice, a little heat. Feels like a solid 7-inning start, not a no-hitter.
3Four Roses Single Barrel	Four Roses Single Barrel	Single barrel bourbon	100	NAS (typically 7–9 yrs)	High rye, one yeast, clean profile	$45–$60	Neat	Data nerd bottle. Barrel to barrel variance keeps it interesting, median result is excellent.
4Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond	Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond	Bottled-in-bond bourbon	100	4+ yrs (bonded)	Standard rye, corn-forward	$20–$25	Highball or old fashioned	Value outlier. QPR off the charts. This is the utility infielder that somehow posts 3 WAR.
5Old Forester 100	Old Forester 100	Straight bourbon	100	NAS	Brown-Forman high rye feel	$25–$35	Cocktails, especially Manhattans	Banana, brown sugar, some burn. Not subtle, but it cleans up in a mixed drink like a closer in a non-save situation.
6Maker’s Mark	Maker’s Mark	Wheated bourbon	90	NAS (often 6–8 yrs)	Wheated, soft and sweet	$30–$40	Rocks or simple cocktails	Soft, red-wax comfort pick. Zero sharp edges. League-average in every category, and that’s fine.
7Knob Creek 9 Year	Knob Creek 9 Year	Straight bourbon	100	9 years	Moderate rye, heavy oak and caramel	$40–$55	Neat on a cold night	Thick, oaky, borderline chewable. Feels like a doubleheader in extra innings—long, but satisfying.
8Woodford Reserve	Woodford Reserve	Straight bourbon	90.4	NAS	Triple-pot influence, balanced grain	$35–$45	Neat or in an old fashioned	Office-party safe. Nobody offended, some legitimately happy. Solid OBP, low highlight reel.
9Russell’s Reserve 10 Year	Russell’s Reserve 10 Year	Age-stated bourbon	90	10 years	High rye, classic Wild Turkey signature	$40–$55	Neat, late game	Oak, spice, a little vanilla. Veteran starter—stuff’s not flashy, command is.
101792 Full Proof	1792 Full Proof	Full-proof bourbon	125	NAS	High-rye-ish, dark and dense	$55–$70	Neat with water on the side	End-of-night bottle. Big stats, high volatility. Treat it like a relief ace: short outings only.

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