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I've tried it every year it's been available. I like it. It's a big bold bourbon with a pretty hot finish. I'll pour a couple of fingers with a single ice cube and wait until the ice melts to sip.Quote:
Originally Posted by OregonDead
Some of the reviews aren't that great, but for $50 it's much better than anything else I've tried in that prices range.
BTW if you haven't tried EH Taylor small batch, IMO it's an excellent choice.
This would drive me to shoplift $$$$
https://dekanta.com/product-category...leries-closed/
HFS!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Dhelihiker
Tried some George T. Stagg this weekend for the first time. 148 proof. Wow!!!!! Smooth stuff. Of course at $700 a bottle, it should be.
Found out my brother got me a bottle of Elmer T Lee. Its been awhile since I've had it or found it.
I've been buying the $20 bottle of Four Roses. Really like it as highball bourbon. Anyone tried the single barrel or small batch (too lazy to comb through 39 pages)?
Both are good solid sippers if you like spice in your bourbon. And they have escaped the craze given their quality.
Also worth noting the single barrel store picks can be very very good. They have 10 different mashbills, aged different amount of time, and vary quite a bit from batch to batch. Have a wonderful OBSF recipe aged nearly 12 years, 120ish proof, and was 60$. And there are a few cases at the liquor store. None of this antique collection allocation shit.
I recently had another pour of the Weller special reserve I have open, why this stuff is flying off shelves is beyond me.
What are people's recommendations for a cheaper sipping bourbon? I'm thinking $30 give or take. In the past the spot was filled by Costco's Kirkland bourbon (which tasted to me a lot like Woodford Reserve) and was like $22 for a liter. They discontinued it though and I don't like the current version as much. Even earlier than that I had Buffalo Trace as my everyday bourbon that I could drink straight or use in cocktails when people were around, but I've been drinking too much Scotch lately and now it tastes too sweet for me.
Any recommendations outside the standards?
Four Roses Small Batch is my go to daily drinker. Usually can be had for between 28 and 32 a bottle.Quote:
Originally Posted by MarcusBrody
GTS is fantastic. Place in JH poured me 1oz all night for $10 each.Quote:
Originally Posted by TNKen
Prefer it to any other bourbon. Sooooo smooooth and delicious!
Three bottles of Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond.
Henry McKenna 10 yr BiB
Evan Williams Single Barrel(especially if you can find older bottles)
American Prairie by High West is right around 30$
Russell's Reserve (or Wild Turkey 101)
Rebel Yell 10 year(hard to find) or small batch(easy to find)
Eagle Rare
EW Single Barrel is my go to in that price range.
<$30 good stuff: Elijah Craig small batch, Rittenhouse rye, Maker's Mark, Woodford Reserve, Eagle Rare (barely less), Sazerac 6 yo rye (barely), Crown Royal Northern Harvest rye.
Four Roses Single Barrel is stellar.
I know I mentioned it upthread but I was traveling this week and I always make a point to check out liquor stores where I go to see if there's any gems in there. I was surprised to see that the BT shortage was more widespread than I thought. Two shops told me they don't expect to get any more Eagle Rare in for a long time, at least until more barrels hit the 10 year mark. Sucks, that's a very affordable, very tasty 10 year Kentucky bourbon for not a lot of cash.
My bet is that's the next formerly easy-accessible bottle to suddenly jump in price.
x2Quote:
Originally Posted by Skistack
This broke-ass kid has noticed the lack of Buffalo Trace recently. While in MD for the holidaze I had to go to the liquor store on the out of the way side of town, 4 others I tried were out. I thought about buying two bottles at the state store in MT, they were out a month ago. I don't care for most bourbons and the $25 bottle of BT is in my price range.Quote:
Originally Posted by BmillsSkier
Not bourbon, but this is the best whiskey I have ever had. I helped finish a bottle around a fire outside St. George, the cask strength went down smooth and kicked my ass. I usually prefer a rye.
https://www.theliquorstorejacksonhol...key-w5749677p6
Knob Creek is gud to me.
I've been really enjoying plain old cheap bulleit lately as a neat sippin' whiskey. I have a few higher priced bottles on my shelf that aren't hitting quite the same spot.
Tried some Maker's Mark Cask Strength at 112 proof this weekend. Neat. Was a little hot, with quite a bit of harshness on the back end. Not impressed. Maybe dilute with a rock or two.
I recently asked someone with extensive bourbon knowledge to share his recommendations (at about <$35).
If you're looking for more 'oomph' in terms of flavor, but didn't mind the profile of Weller, you might try to locate Old Weller Antique. It's the same whiskey, but bottled at 107 proof instead of 90. I find it's far superior in terms of balance and flavor. Unfortunately, it's also hard to find in most areas, though it should be $35 or under. Eagle Rare is a disappointment these days to me. Now that it's no longer single barrel, it tastes muted, and nothign seems to pop off the palate.
In terms of wheated bourbons in the same price range, the options aren't as great as they used to be. I enjoy Larceny a lot, from Heaven Hill. Plain old Maker's Mark is a solid bourbon, pretty much on par with Weller. And if you really want to get into a lighter, sweeter bottle, try Bernheim Wheat Whiskey from Heaven Hill. Not technically a borubon, since it's 51% wheat in the mashbill, but it's light on the palate and at 7 years old has plenty of barrel flavors.
I can't argue with Blanton's as your favorite thus far, nor with Buffalo Trace. Neither are wheaters, obviously, but they're two of my go-tos. If you ever find Elmer T. Lee, give that a try. it's the same mash bill as Blanton's.
You might try a spicier option and go with something with a higher rye percentage. Four Roses Small Batch is a great buy at $30ish, and has a lot of floral notes. And I almost hate to say it, but Elijah Craig is still a good buy. I have sort of avoided it since they dropped the age statement, but it's a quality whiskey.
There are plenty more to try for various types of bourbon. the 10 year Bonded Henry McKenna is a steal at $30 for a 10 year old 100 proof bourbon, but you need to like barrel notes, as it has them in spades. Four Roses Single Barrel is a good 100 proofer as well.
Thus....here's his list:
Old Weller Antique
Larceny from Heaven Hill
Bernheim Wheat Whiskey from Heaven Hill
Elmer T. Lee
Four Rose Small Batch
Elijah Craig
Bonded Henry McKenna 10 yr
Four Roses Single Barrel
Get ready for new heights in bourbon pricing. Old Rip Van Winkle 25 released in April.
http://www.bizjournals.com/louisvill...-released.html
Would 10x that be a fair estimate for re-sell? With only 710 bottles....every (rich) collector would die for one.Quote:
Originally Posted by BmillsSkier
Just a reminder for those that have forgotten:
Woodford Double Oaked is about as pleasing as it gets in the bourbon world.
Y'know, Four Roses Single Barrel has come to be my go-to/favored daily pour. Fine stuff that I look forward to at ~5 pm.
Just came here to post this. I had my first taste this weekend and thought...WOW...what a fantastic bourbon.Quote:
Originally Posted by BmillsSkier
Saw a giant dick move at the liquor store this weekend.
The Buffalo Trace shortage seems to be hitting home a little more around me. I'll admit, I pretty much stick to one or two stores as I don't feel like driving all over town and for the rarer finds I get to The Party Source in KY and Liquor Barn in TN enough to tide me over; so maybe it's not as bad as it seems.
That said, I've noticed that Eagle Rare is the latest to get snagged up all the fucking time. Word must have got out among every hoarding dork that it's the one of the last affordable 10 year old bourbons. I walk into the LLS on Friday and see the employee stocking the shelf with a case of ER and there's a guy standing off to his left. I think sweet, I've been out of ER for a month or so and haven't seen it on the shelf, I'm going to get one of those and walk on over to his right.
As soon as the employee placed the last bottle on the shelf and moved his stocking cart on to the next task this ass puts his cart right in front of the bourbon like a damned barricade and two-hand grabs all 12 bottles as fast as he can.
I walk up and say, "having a party or run a restaurant?"
"Nah" the guy says, "I'm loading up. This stuff is going to be like gold soon enough!"
I look at him like he's and ass and say, "you think I might be able to get one of those? I was waiting as the guy stocked them same as you."
This fucking dork looks at me and says, "sure, you can buy one in the parking lot!"
I shook my head glaring in the most disapproving manner possible at this snaggle-toothed cheesedick as he sat there expecting me to respond. Grabbed some Woodford and headed to the counter.
Jerk.
I don't think ER is 10 yr old.....as I think they removed that date from all labeling (I may be wrong). IIRC, that is something that has pissed off long-time ER drinkers.Quote:
Originally Posted by BmillsSkier
I'm impressed that you didn't grab a bottle of Jim Beam and break it over his head.Quote:
Originally Posted by BmillsSkier
Picked up a bottle of the latest Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, haven't opened it yet. Was travelling and in Boston was surprised that so much bourbon was on the shelf. Had several bottles of EH Taylor barrel proof, stagg Jr, and old Weller antiwue. Grabbed a bottle of OWA since it is a nice easy drinker and wasn't marked up.
Have a sample of George T Stagg I got in a trade from 2014 --can't wait to open it up.
How much did they want for that OWA?
It was 30$, which is about 5$ of where I usually find it. Old label too, so I can claim its a DUSTY and sell on Craigslist of course.
Lets say you had a $500 budget to buy 5-7 bottles, what would you buy?
Bwah! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by CantDog
That depends entirely on what I could find and my mood. For instance, if I came across 5 bottles of High West Midwinter Night's Dram, I'd use it buy them all.Quote:
Originally Posted by neufox47
If I was headed in to my LLS on a usual day looking to stock the cabinet I'd get some High West Rendezvous Rye, Four Roses Single Barrel OBSK, some Blanton's, some Booker's, some E H Taylor cask strength, some Masterson's rye, some Eagle Rare, maybe some Weller if they had any, or Whistlepig...
Try Japanese. Hibiki Harmony and Nikka Coffee.Quote:
Originally Posted by neufox47
Went into my LLS to pick up a bottle of Weller. Just the regular, green label one. Nothing on the shelf. Guy says all of a sudden they aren't getting it consistently, and if they do get it, will only be a few cases. Damnit. I'm bummed. That has been my go-to for tasty and affordable. They used to have a ton on the shelf. Next time I see it I'm grabbing a handful. Now to find something to replace it as my daily, 'cheaper but good' option.
Had a family get together for earlier tonight and the hosts are bourbon drinkers rather than scotch drinkers so a had a pour of Eagle Rare. I've got to agree with several of the other posts about Eagle Rare in that it is a pretty good drink. My first taste had a lot of pepper spice and hint of sweetness with a decent alcohol burn and smoother finish. After that I got an earthy flavor, which was a pretty big contrast from the scotch I prefer, which has more of a sea or salt water flavor.
Speaking of Bourbon drinkers, Sean Brock, is off the sauce. Good for him.
You saw the NYT article too? I was really surprised.Quote:
Originally Posted by Beer Drinker
He's arguably my favorite big time chef and I hope it works for him.
By the way, who gets his insane bourbon collection!?!
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/07/0...ww.google.com/