The finest bourbon I have tasted. Yet.

Far from the best, but I'm sipping on a bottle of Four Roses single barrel right now that has been going down just fine. Well worth the price, but this one was a gift. Otherwise I generally drink Woodford Reserve and Eagle Rare 10 year. As for the WR Double Oaked in Pinot Noir barrels, I didn't think you could call it bourbon, unless it is a new barrel? Any one want to explain?

I'll be spending thanksgiving at the parents place, and they are more into scotch, so looking forward to a change of pace there. It will be a nice couple of evenings in front of a fire for sure. Looking forward to it.

^^^
It's still aged in new oak then finished for a time in Pinot barrels. It's still bourbon.

What should a peasant like me get for $50 or under per bottle? Preferably under. I need a Scotch and a bourbon.

Depends on what you can get, Mike. But using klwines.com as a guide for CA prices, my bourbon choices would be Eagle Rare 10 yo, Blanton's, or John J. Bowman. Four Roses Single Barrel and Angel's Envy are good choices as well.

Scotch is trickier - depends on the peat preferences of the person drinking, lots or little. I'm a scotch jong, so I'll defer to someone who knows more. But it'd probably be hard to go wrong with Lagavulin or Laphroig.

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Originally Posted by telemike

What should a peasant like me get for $50 or under per bottle? Preferably under. I need a Scotch and a bourbon.

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Depends on pricing in your area. If you can find basil haden for that price go with that... 'cause if you're asking, it'll probably be a great bang for the buck around that price range as it's super smooth. If you want something that everyone will be impressed with get blanton's, but that's usually closer to the $60 range. If you can find Elmer T Lee, great great bang for the buck, just hard to find now.

I used to work at a bottle shop and I still get the 10% discount so that helps. Pretty sure we've got Basil Haden...

Basil Hayden's is definitely a good choice in that range, but go with Blanton's if it's not too much.

As far as Scotch goes, probably want to stick to a Highland or Speyside unless you know you like peat. Balvenie, Macallan, Glenmorangie, or Glenlivet are all good choices at all price points.

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Originally Posted by telemike

What should a peasant like me get for $50 or under per bottle? Preferably under. I need a Scotch and a bourbon.

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Elijah Craig 12y for the bourbon. And then for the Scotch, I'd just grab another bottle of bourbon.

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Originally Posted by Cruiser

... then for the Scotch, I'd just grab another bottle of bourbon.

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:fmicon:

I don't really drink either one too much. Wife likes them though. Found a bottle of Glenfiddich 12 year for $25 seemed like a good price and she likes it.

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Originally Posted by Vegetable Lasagna

Any of you Denver area liquor store people (just cruiser?) have the new laws whiskey yet? Looking to snag a batch 1 bottle.

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Got a couple of cases of that first batch this morning. I'm certainly impressed by it, particularly considering what a young whiskey it is. Spendy though at ~$70 with tax...

tag: telemike = whisky dick

God damn it!

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Originally Posted by MakersTeleMark

tag: telemike = whisky dick

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http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...3L._SX342_.jpg

I have feelings too you know Bob.

Never buy basil Hayden. Just get old grand dad 100 proof. Same stuff. Higher proof. Cheaper. Bottle doesn't look as nice though. Could get the ogd 114 which has a nice bottle and is a steal at roughly $23. All my opinions, obviously.

As for AD Laws, I had it at star bar a few weeks ago. Agreed it is good for its age, but I'd like it with some more time in the barrel. Should be really good around the 4-5 year mark. I picked up a bottle before trying it and am not sure if I want to open it. May just stash it away to sell in the future.

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Originally Posted by Cruiser

Elijah Craig 12y for the bourbon. And then for the Scotch, I'd just grab another bottle of bourbon.

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Agreed!

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Originally Posted by Vegetable Lasagna

Never buy basil Hayden. Just get old grand dad 100 proof. Same stuff. Higher proof. Cheaper. Bottle doesn't look as nice though. Could get the ogd 114 which has a nice bottle and is a steal at roughly $23. All my opinions, obviously.

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Agree. Basil Hayden's is good but overpriced. I dig OGD 114...

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Originally Posted by telemike

What should a peasant like me get for $50 or under per bottle? Preferably under. I need a Scotch and a bourbon.

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I love the Russell's Reserve 10 year for bourbon.

Leupold Bros this holiday.

welp, I don't own any of these, but some have been mentioned here, at least the rye version.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/201...ike-the-others

http://recenteats.blogspot.ca/p/the-...hiskey.html#IN

I was in a bar the other week where the bar manager was trying to tell me that OGD and Rittenhouse Rye were top-shelf whiskies. I laughed at him. Sure they're tasty but don't charge me the same $$$ for something that costs $20/btl as something else that costs $50/btl. Guess their clientele either doesn't know or more likely doesn't care.

Haven't had a chance to buy the OGD114 yet. Def. on the short list.

Telemike: If you like Speyside Single Malts then both Glenrothes and Aberlour make some tasty ones for <$50.

For Bourbon I'd go with Baker's, Woodford Reserve, 4 Roses, or Angel's Envy.

pretty much a take down piece on Tempelton tonight on the CBS evening news. Pointing out how they are made in a huge factory and basically lie or (mislead would be a better term) on the bottle.

The whiskey bottlers have begun taking a page out of the wine makers'playbook. There's a huge market for wine from giant bulk tanks that is bottled and labeled to give the appearance of being from a lovely little small family estate when, in fact, it's just a farce. Chateau Cashflo...

In better news, Eagle Rare is now available in WA again. Which is good, since I gave my last bottle away fro Christmas. More expensive up here than in the south though. Good sipping stuff though.

On a different note, I bought the family a bottle of Buffalo Trace Bourbon Cream for Christmas, and its great for in front of a fire with eggnog after a day of skiing.

Wild Turkey, or Ezra Brooks if you're cheap. Johnny Walker Red for Scotch.

Sure they're not "high end" but they're tasty and that's why people like them.

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Originally Posted by AaronWright

Wild Turkey, or Ezra Brooks if you're cheap. Johnny Walker Red for Scotch.

Sure they're not "high end" but they're tasty and that's why people like them.

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I'll give you the Turkey recommendation for an entry-level Bourbon, but there's better blended Scotch than JW Red for less (White Horse or Famous Grouse. eg.) People usually buy stuff due to marketing, not because they're "good"... Proof: Jack Daniels and Jameson's.

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Originally Posted by Tippster

I'll give you the Turkey recommendation for an entry-level Bourbon, but there's better blended Scotch than JW Red for less (White Horse or Famous Grouse. eg.) People usually buy stuff due to marketing, not because they're "good"... Proof: Jack Daniels and Jameson's.

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I'll try the scotch recommendations. I think the subtleties of bourbon and scotch, whisky in general, are lost on a lot of people, even people with "good taste".

People liking Jack Daniels and Jameson's, I blame Lynrd Skynrd and Tommy Gavin.

And Frank Sinatra.

Picked up some Four Roses Small Batch for the holidays. Very impressed.

Tried some 1762 that was nice. A little like Knob Creek without the bite at the end.

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Originally Posted by Captain Awesome

I bought a bottle of Elijah Craig 12 a few weeks back... Wasn't that impressed. Is the 18 'better'? or just 'a stronger example of the same'? (i.e. "if you like the 12, the 18's even better... if you didn't like the 12, you'll like the 18 even less")

I just ordered a bottle of Stranahan's online today. I've never had more than 1 or 2 shots of that in a night (since bars here don't serve it, and i don't like to pay bar prices for whiskey, most times)... I hope it's as good as I remember...

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That Stranahans is great stuff but you gotta try Tincup. The guy that started Stranahans got it up to $50/bottle and then sold the company. Smart move. Then he started Tincup which is half the price and I like it a little better. Also made in Denver.

I just had some Wyoming Whiskey in Jackson Hole last night and it's pretty damn good too.

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Originally Posted by Skistack

Picked up some Four Roses Small Batch for the holidays. Very impressed.

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I had Four Roses Single Barrel 100 proof over the holidays. We did a Irish whiskey/bourbon/Scotch tasting and that was one of the 7 I tried. My favorite was a Bushmills 12 year single malt that my mother got from the Distillery in Ireland. Four Roses was my second favorite.

I also got a bottle of Knob Creek small batch 100 proof, which is pretty good.

Bushmills is a fine drink, but if you like Irish Whiskey then try some Redbreast, Tyrconnell, or Middleton's next time.

Found a Tennessee Whiskey I'd like to try - might have to take a ride out to Total Beverage in MD to buy a bottle:

http://www.totalwine.com/_static/web...25357750_3.jpg

Yeah, it says "Bourbon" on the label, but it's not from Kentucky.

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Originally Posted by Tippster

Yeah, it says "Bourbon" on the label, but it's not from Kentucky.

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Bourbon doesn't need to be made in Kentucky, unless that is a personal belief of yours. Just the U.S.

http://www.bourbonguy.com/blog/2013/7/28/bourbon-myths

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Originally Posted by Turnem

The guy that started Stranahans got it up to $50/bottle and then sold the company. Smart move. Then he started Tincup which is half the price and I like it a little better. Also made in Denver.

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Not quite the truth. It was always $60 as far back as I can remember. Proximo has actually lowered the price slightly. Also, tincup is definitely not made in denver.

http://redwhiteandbourbon.com/2013/1...rican-whiskey/

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Originally Posted by Tippster

Bushmills is a fine drink, but if you like Irish Whiskey then try some Redbreast, Tyrconnell, or Middleton's next time.

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Tyrconnel rocks, especially at the 30-35 dollar price you can sometimes find it priced. The deli/liquor store at the bottom of the Killington access road is one of the few places you can find it. That's an excellent and fairly priced establishment.

Bourdain did a show from Dublin recently, which consisted basically of drinking a lot, pub hopping. Food sucked. Anyway, he was standing in some bar with maybe 60 Irish whiskeys on the shelves, and I didn't recognize one. Time for a trip. Air Lingus stops over there on the way to the continent. Maybe a day or two.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tippster

Found a Tennessee Whiskey I'd like to try - might have to take a ride out to Total Beverage in MD to buy a bottle:

http://www.totalwine.com/_static/web...25357750_3.jpg

Yeah, it says "Bourbon" on the label, but it's not from Kentucky.

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A lot of really good mixologists here in town use that as their well bourbon, they say the price and the flavor profile works well in drinks where you're not looking for the specific bourbon notes. To me it's good in drinks, meh on it's own as a bourbon.

Stranahans.... ugh. Tasted like it was aged in Home Depot, raw, uncharred oak.

New to drinking whiskey regularly. Least favorite I've tried is knob creek maple, favorite would be bulliet 10 yr bourbon and the Woodford double Oaked. I personally like dickel #12 better than stranahans. I matching these with cigars while hot tubbing, fucking relaxing!


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The Blanton's Gold Edition is fantastic. Much better than the regular Blanton (which is pretty good). I don't really know what's the difference ( besides the higher alchol content and the marketing blurb - "hand selectioned from the best casks by our master distillers..."). But it's an excellent whisky, not just a great bourbon.
I've tasted 3 bottles, each one was sllghtly different, but great in its own right.

Now, the bottle is ridiculous....

I read that High West Bourye (not to be confused with the younger Son of Bourye) is coming available for the first time in years. I loved it when I tried it in Utah a few years back, but haven't been able to find it since. Jump on it.