The Origine of the Species

Ever since my brother Jack bought me my first registered bottle of bourbon I have been a bourbon man. There is just something about the beautiful rich golden brown color and the sweet, butterscotchy taste of good bourbon that nothing else compares to. I never mix bourbon with anything (well, almost never); not soda, not water, not ice. I only drink it "neat" and I prefer it to just about any other alcohol.

My one exception to this "neat" rule is Turkey Gobblers, which has fast become a seasonal requirement at Casa del Keller. One shot Wild Turkey 101 in a champagne glass with a stick of cinnamon and the rest of the glass filled with unfiltered apple cider

I am always on the look out for a great, reasonably-priced bourbon. A month or so back I was at Albertson's getting groceries when I hit the liquor department with bourbon on the brain. That is when I found Origine. Just look at that bottle; it looks like the real deal, but I should have looked closer. What would normally be a barrel number is multiple still numbers. Had I looked closer I would have noticed that, but at $24 a bottle I knew it wouldn't be swill. Boy was I wrong.

This is the wost stuff I have ever tasted. That said I should let you know that my wife loves it. That is not said to disparage my wife's taste. There are two kinds of whiskey people in the world: those who love bourbon and those who love scotch. My wife has no love for bourbon, but much affection for scotch. I'm just he opposite and after a few sips of Origine it began to dawn on me that it didn't taste like bourbon at all, so I asked my wife to taste it. She declared it to be a fairly drinkable scotch; fine for her but not so great when you are looking for bourbon.

A quick trip on-line revealed that I was not the only bourbon lover who found Origine to be swill of the highest order. One reviewer said they only paid $12 for a bottle and thought it was still over-priced. Then I came upon the truth about Origine: it is the Albertson's house brand of bourbon. The label states this nowhere, for if it did, I doubt they would sell much of the stuff.

Next time out I'll tell you about a better bourbon experience I had more recently.