The bottled in bond version is actually pretty decent, IMO.
Yeah, I was just trying to think of a known, typically thought of as bottom-shelf whiskey brand that might be a funny answer to “lets pee in the barrel and see what happens!” I first thought of Wild Turkey, but Old Grand-Dad seemed funnier. Mostly just amusing myself, I’m sure.
For all I know, OGD may be a perfectly fine utility bourbon whiskey
That barn fire story is all fine and dandy except barrels are charred on the inside, not the outside.
From what I remember the one time I bought the regular Old Granddad, I was not impressed. But the bonded stuff was a good everyday whiskey (at least when I drank a bit more than I do now.) I’m struggling to think of a well-known bourbon/American whiskey that is truly horrific. Maybe Early Times? I remember it being cheap, but don’t remember ever having it, though.
Like I said, almost-certainly apocryphal.
That was the barrel they put old grand Dad’s body into to ship him home?
It is how barrels are made, the fire helps bend the wood into shape so it is waterproof (you don’t want to increase the angel’s share through dripping, evaporation is bad enough). Here is a tutorial, but be warned, it starts something like
For excellent results in making wooden barrels, the tree should be at least 100 years old.
[…]
Choose a very dry place with a humidity level below 15% and leave the staves there to dry. You should leave the staves there for a period not less than three years.