The finest bourbon I have tasted. Yet.

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Originally Posted by akokskis

^^ Been loving the Bulleit rye lately.. any others that I should try out??

Also, just picked up some whiskey stones on Groupon... Good call or am I a fool?

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First of all - yes. You are in VT and currently VT stores are in the process of getting the Rittenhouse Rye, Old overholt rye, jefferson straight rye whiskey and a few others. Rittenhouse is a mixing rye. Makes a mean spicy and all together excellent old fashioned. Overholt - for it's price- is also a great mixing rye. Jeffersons is a good sipping rye.

Been hitting my High West Double rye recently. It's a blend of a young 2 year old rye and an 8 year old rye. Spicy at the start with a mellow finish. Not too much smoke. Peppered honey with like floral notes. Very nice indeed.

Not technically a bourbon and probably just for the WA mags but I got a bottle of this for Christmas and I was pleasantly surprised. For a whiskey is was very clean, smooth and somewhat sweet. I usually don't drink whiskey straight but this was very good neat or with an ice cube or two. If you like Basel Hayden's I would recommend trying it. I think it retails for about $40.

The craft distillery industry is taking off in WA and these guys are really known for their Vodka and Gin. I've had the gin and it was very good with an unusual spicy/peppery quality. Apparently Dry Fly is now also producing a bourbon but so far the state controlled liquor stores are not carrying it.

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Just got back from my local watering hole where I sampled a flight of Pappy - 10, 12 and 15. Damn, that 15 year was tasty. We did a little blind test, and I was able to identify it by smell alone. Also did a flight that included Eagle Rare 10 year single barrel, Elmer T. Lee 8 year single barrel, and Black Maple Hill 8 year. All were nice, but I think the Elmer was my favorite.

Made me realize that I'm lucky to have a bar with this kind of bourbon selection literally feet from my office door. The waitress looked like she was about 20, but was able to give a solid explanation of what differentiates bourbon from other whiskeys and why wheated bourbons are softer-tasting than, say, bourbons that use a lot of rye - good training for the staff for sure. Took a pic of the list for reference; came out a little blurry (as was everything after my two flights), but you get the idea:

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Dang. Thanks a treat Pegleg. Kinda cool that you can order flights like that. Next time you're over there you ought to order the William Larue Weller. It's a champ, and considering that it retails for about $80 a bottle they're not really overcharging for a glass at $14 IMO.

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Originally Posted by Cruiser

Dang. Thanks a treat Pegleg. Kinda cool that you can order flights like that. Next time you're over there you ought to order the William Larue Weller. It's a champ, and considering that it retails for about $80 a bottle they're not really overcharging for a glass at $14 IMO.

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Is there another Weller out there that isn't $800 a bottle ? I could swear I bought a bottle of something over Christmas that was a "Weller" and it wasn't near $80.

Yeah, there's a 7yo and a (fairly rare) 12yo that are much less expensive and thoroughly delicious. The William Larue Weller, part of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, is an uncut unfiltered cask strength ~13yo that is released occasionally in very limited quantities.

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Originally Posted by Cruiser

Yeah, there's a 7yo and a (fairly rare) 12yo that are much less expensive and thoroughly delicious. The William Larue Weller, part of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, is an uncut unfiltered cask strength ~13yo that is released occasionally in very limited quantities.

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I must have had the 7 yr or 12 stuff. I think I paid somewhere around $25 or $30 for my bottle. It did not last long as I remember.

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Originally Posted by Pegleg

Just got back from my local watering hole where I sampled a flight of Pappy - 10, 12 and 15. Damn, that 15 year was tasty. We did a little blind test, and I was able to identify it by smell alone. Also did a flight that included Eagle Rare 10 year single barrel, Elmer T. Lee 8 year single barrel, and Black Maple Hill 8 year. All were nice, but I think the Elmer was my favorite.

Made me realize that I'm lucky to have a bar with this kind of bourbon selection literally feet from my office door. The waitress looked like she was about 20, but was able to give a solid explanation of what differentiates bourbon from other whiskeys and why wheated bourbons are softer-tasting than, say, bourbons that use a lot of rye - good training for the staff for sure. Took a pic of the list for reference; came out a little blurry (as was everything after my two flights), but you get the idea:

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Where was this?

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Originally Posted by grskier

Where was this?

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Ha, I guess I didn't say. It was the West End Tavern in downtown Boulder (west end of Pearl Street). The food is good, not great, but the whiskey selection (including an equal number of scotches, as well as some ryes and a whole section of "American Whiskeys") is pretty awesome. And the strawberry bourbon milkshake I could drink every day.

I've been working my way through the 70+ bourbons and rye's at this great joint since the holidays. Awesome selection.

http://www.southernart.com/Bourbon_Bar.html

Also found a small variation on the old fashion that I picked up at another bar that I enjoy a lot more since it lets the spirit come through and doesn't let fruit overpower it. They called it the old-old fashion.

- In a rocks glass take a brown sugar cube and splash it with 4 dashes of "The Bitter Truth" original bitters. (Bitters company started by these two kickass bartenders in Munich at the Cortina Hotel http://the-bitter-truth.com/ highly recommend their stuff)

- muddle the bitters into the brown sugar cube until you have a sort of syrup in the glass or until the sugar is no longer granular

- add one of these 1" perfect ice cubes (mold found at Williams-Sonoma and also very worth it http://www.williams-sonoma.com/produ...ware-top-rated)

- add 2 oz of your favorite bourbon or rye and spin the ice with a bar spoon

- take a lemon peel, twist it to bring oils to the surface and light it then rim the glass with it and toss it in.

- Enjoy, repeat several times as needed.

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Originally Posted by Pegleg

Ha, I guess I didn't say. It was the West End Tavern in downtown Boulder (west end of Pearl Street). The food is good, not great, but the whiskey selection (including an equal number of scotches, as well as some ryes and a whole section of "American Whiskeys") is pretty awesome. And the strawberry bourbon milkshake I could drink every day.

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I've partied there countless times, never knew they had a selection. One of my best friends used to live on Mapleton Hill and we'd walk down there and whoop it up. I'll have to check it out next time my wife and I head down to the front range.

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Originally Posted by BmillsSkier

I've been working my way through the 70+ bourbons and rye's at this great joint since the holidays. Awesome selection.

http://www.southernart.com/Bourbon_Bar.html

Also found a small variation on the old fashion that I picked up at another bar that I enjoy a lot more since it lets the spirit come through and doesn't let fruit overpower it. They called it the old-old fashion.

- In a rocks glass take a brown sugar cube and splash it with 4 dashes of "The Bitter Truth" original bitters. (Bitters company started by these two kickass bartenders in Munich at the Cortina Hotel http://the-bitter-truth.com/ highly recommend their stuff)

- muddle the bitters into the brown sugar cube until you have a sort of syrup in the glass or until the sugar is no longer granular

- add one of these 1" perfect ice cubes (mold found at Williams-Sonoma and also very worth it http://www.williams-sonoma.com/produ...ware-top-rated)

- add 2 oz of your favorite bourbon or rye and spin the ice with a bar spoon

- take a lemon peel, twist it to bring oils to the surface and light it then rim the glass with it and toss it in.

- Enjoy, repeat several times as needed.

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Except for the brown sugar, that's basically just a real old fashioned, close to the original recipe - the fruity version with soda is a more recent evolution (abomination?). If you can get Fee Brother's Whiskey Barrel-Aged Bitters, those are even better in it (IMHO). And personally, I prefer a large square ice cube; I don't like how the round one rolls around in the glass, personally. Damn fine cocktail for sure.

Pegleg thanks for the heads up re West End. Will have to visit the next time I am in the PRB. x2 re Cruiser's call for the William Larue Weller. Nice bourbon and has a lot going on with it. Also like the 12yo and antique Weller. The 12yo is a pretty good deal for a 1L if you can find it.

Cruiser, what do you think of the antique collection of the Eagle Rare? According to the letter they issue with it, they only pulled 24 barrels of it this year. Any good?

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Originally Posted by Pegleg

Except for the brown sugar, that's basically just a real old fashioned, close to the original recipe - the fruity version with soda is a more recent evolution (abomination?). If you can get Fee Brother's Whiskey Barrel-Aged Bitters, those are even better in it (IMHO). And personally, I prefer a large square ice cube; I don't like how the round one rolls around in the glass, personally. Damn fine cocktail for sure.

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WS sells the large square cubes too. I find the small 1" squares tend to work pretty nicely too. I picked up the baseball ice molds from MOMA a couple years ago and those work well with just a straight pour of bourbon.

Fee Brother's is some good bitters too. I've only tried their orange and celery bitters in drinks so far, I'll have to try the barrel aged for sure.

That menu is wrong. Jefferson's Reserve Presedential Select is a 18 year.

I hate this thread. Pouring 3 fingers over some cubes now of Russels Reserve 10yr old. For less than $30 it's hard to beat.

Had some of the Jefferson's 18 earlier tonight. Good stuff!

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Originally Posted by Bobby Stainless

That menu is wrong. Jefferson's Reserve Presedential Select is a 18 year.

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There really is a 17 year old! We sold the last bottle of it today out of our store. So from now on its only 18 year old. I've never had it, but the guy who bought it claimed it was a tad less woody than the 18 year old.

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Originally Posted by Pegleg

Just got back from my local watering hole
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the west end tavern does have a pretty damn good list. ive been stopping in there after work with a few coworkers a bunch lately myself.

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Originally Posted by OSECS

I hate this thread. Pouring 3 fingers over some cubes now of Russels Reserve 10yr old. For less than $30 it's hard to beat.

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Dang, I paid $36 for a bottle today. Pretty good. My last bottle was Makers 46 this Russell's Reserve has better mouthfeel and has a more rounded flavor and the nose is like pure vanilla. Pretty good stuff.

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Originally Posted by Chugachjed

Dang, I paid $36 for a bottle today. Pretty good. My last bottle was Makers 46 this Russell's Reserve has better mouthfeel and has a more rounded flavor and the nose is like pure vanilla. Pretty good stuff.

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Yep, I stumbled onto this stuff a few years ago when it was a little cheaper. Still a bargain for the quality of the pour. Definitely on the sweet side of bourbons but very very smooth.

Figured some of the bourbon drinkers here would get a kick out of this one:



I do love a good, bourbon based, craft cocktail as much as the next guy, but some of this is just spot on funny.

I don't know if this one has been mentioned in here, but I just got a bottle of High West Double Rye as a token of, er, appreciation from a good friend. Very nice stuff. From good old Park City, Utah.

i love bourbon

Ezra Brooks 23.50 For the 1/2 gallon, on my way to fine.