My bottle of basil hayden's is almost empty, I know I love that on the rocks.... but would like to find another great sipping bourbon, I'll sift through the thread and figure something out, but anyone have something good to recommend?
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My bottle of basil hayden's is almost empty, I know I love that on the rocks.... but would like to find another great sipping bourbon, I'll sift through the thread and figure something out, but anyone have something good to recommend?
Quote:
Originally Posted by grskier
Russels Reserve by Wild Turkey, less expensive than Basil and very tasty. Actually Wild Turkey has a couple small batch offerings that are great sipping bourbons.
Blantons, very good, but dear in cost.
Knob Creek, good but a little harder flavor than the above offerings IMO
I'm an absolute Woodford Reserve slut, but will swear by that as an affordibly priced higer end bourbon. Also reccomend Eagle Rare. I prefer smooth carmel and vanilla notes so keep that in mind. I think if you like Basil you will definately enjoy these two. Woodford's Masters Collection is nice too if you want more depth and flavor in my opinion. (not to mention more $$$)Quote:
Originally Posted by grskier
I've never gone wrong with any (most) of the other suggestions in this thread of really high end stuff but I have to agree with Whipper, the Four Roses single barrel is truly nice as well.
Had a tasting of all of Hudson's offerings at NYC's WD-50 a couple months back including their "white" whiskey or unaged corn whiskey (which is the base of their "baby bourbon") and I found the baby bourbon disappointing. The 4 grain was nice, but the "New York Corn Whiskey" (white) was garbage. I've had better 'shine around here year-in, year-out than that crap.
+1 for all who mentioned that despite the law, there is something to be said about straight bourbon from Kentucky.
Why, thankee. I must retreat a little. I still like all that I mentioned, but there is something else. I really have different reactions to different bottles of the same type and year. I expect that when I feel one bourbon is somehow harsh one one day and another is smooth, then get the reverse results another day, it is my chemistry that day. Sometimes letting the bottle or glass breathe for many hours makes it better, sometimes not. And yet, on a given bourbon-tasting there is more unanimity on how a given bourbon tastes--I don't believe it's entirely groupthink. So.... I hope I have muddied the waters. Or barrels. Speculation: some people (= me) are more chemically challenged than others, and are moody imbibers.Quote:
Originally Posted by Arty50
BMills, it's funny that Woodford is not liked too much among my local besnotted pals. I had some basic WR a while back and didn't fancy it. But a WR special batch was first class. As above, I'll bet that if I buy a standard WR bottle, some days I'll love it and some days not. So I urge others and myself to take make recommendations with a pinch of salt. Wait! That's not wh
Everyone please be safe and moderate.
Their egg nog is awesome.Quote:
Originally Posted by irul&ublo
About 30 years ago I had a roommate who drank about 1/3rd of a 1.75 ltr bottle of Evan Williams on a bet. After he painted most of the walls with projectile Evan Williams barf, I can't even go near that stuff.Quote:
Originally Posted by irul&ublo
I recently started drinking Buffalo Trace and it's replaced Woodford Reserve as my favorite.
Same here, except I replaced Knobb Creek. Buffalo Trace is anywhere from $3-15 cheaper, and my worst hangover in recent memory was thanks to KC. Time to part ways for awhile.Quote:
Originally Posted by jibij
Buffalo Trace makes all these bourbons:
* Ancient Age — Buffalo Trace Distillery (a Sazerac brand), Frankfort
* Blanton's — Buffalo Trace Distillery (a Sazerac brand), Frankfort (single barrel)
* Buffalo Trace — Buffalo Trace Distillery (a Sazerac brand), Frankfort
* Eagle Rare — Buffalo Trace Distillery (a Sazerac brand), Frankfort (single barrel)
* Elmer T. Lee — Buffalo Trace Distillery (a Sazerac brand), Frankfort (single barrel)
* George T. Stagg — Buffalo Trace Distillery (a Sazerac brand), Frankfort (barrel proof, uncut, unfiltered)
* Hancock's President's Reserve — Buffalo Trace Distillery (a Sazerac brand), Frankfort (single single barrel)
* McAfee's Benchmark — Buffalo Trace Distillery (a Sazerac brand), Frankfort
* Old Charter — Buffalo Trace Distillery (a Sazerac brand), Frankfort
* Old Rip Van Winkle — Buffalo Trace Distillery (a Sazerac brand), Frankfort (wheated)
* Old Taylor — Buffalo Trace Distillery (a Sazerac brand), Clermont
* Pappy Van Winkle — Buffalo Trace Distillery (a Sazerac brand), Louisville (wheated)
* Rock Hill Farms Single-Barrel — Buffalo Trace Distillery (a Sazerac brand), Frankfort (single barrel)
* W.L. Weller — Buffalo Trace Distillery (a Sazerac brand), Frankfort (wheated)
Thanks for the suggestions....
Wow. I had no idea. I guess that kinda explains why I like Pappy Van Winkle, too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tippster
Eagle Rare is good stuff.
With that said and digressing, one of the guys brought Jack D's single barrel to the mountain, which was shared by all after shift. Good stuff.
Not really bourbon though is it ?? Still sour mash, and it gives major hangovers as well as a kick ass drunk I think.Quote:
Originally Posted by TNKen
Yes to Eagle Rare, all the small batch, Wild Turkey offerings are good I think.
Eagle Rare is not a Wild Turkey brand. You're thinking "Rare Breed."Quote:
Originally Posted by OSECS
Gotta get my grubby Paws on some Stagg. Hard to find around heah, for some reason.
Good cheap bourbon: Bulleit.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tippster
Yep thanks Tip, Buffalo Trace is the distillery, and it's the 10 yr. old stuff I've had.
Get your ass up here and we'll hit up "Bourbon" in Glover Park.
Probably gonna be passin' thru sometime in the next month or two. Going to Baltimore for some CAD training classes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tippster
Eagle Rare is very good indeed.
I just "stumbled" onto some Eagle Rare 17 over Christmas.
Even better! Hard to find however.
It's hard to find everywhere. I've only seen it in one liquor store, and I snatched that sucker up right away. They're now out too. Thankfully, I've been nursing my bottle.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tippster
"Well do I remember the time I first stumbled across a bottle of the Devil's brew: I stumbled several days thereafter."Quote:
Originally Posted by amatog
-W.C. Fields
Not a bourbon expert, but I have become fond of Michter's US #1 Small Batch Bourbon.Quote:
Originally Posted by grskier
http://www.bevmo.com/Media/Images/Pr...Full/68397.jpg
A client of ours :):fm:Quote:
Originally Posted by Tippster
Got a bottle of Jack Daniels Single Barrel for X-mas. Tasty.
i have to say thaBlantons is by far my favorite so far as wellQuote:
Originally Posted by surrender_monkey
I did the tour of this place one time and it's pretty incredible how they all come from basically the same mash and process. They just select the best barrels for the high-end, combined with the aging differences.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tippster
Kentucky is apparently so well-suited for making bourbon because of the typical daily temperature fluctuations that move the bourbon in and out of the wood. Barrels on the outside of the building are exposed to the most temp extremes, but the innermost don't get very much. Buffalo Trace leaves the barrels in-place for their aging process, and usually the best are somewhere in-between. Maker's rotates their barrels through the aging process so it's more uniform.
One little bottling room rotates through and handles all the labels. They were bottling a batch of Blanton's for a Japan shipment while I was in there; apparently it's huge over there.
They can only use their barrels once and ship some to Scotland for scotch aging, and some to tabasco for sauce aging.
They also make a vodka, Rain (in the teardrop bottle) on the same equipment.
It's called Buffalo Trace because the operation is on the site of a historical Buffalo river crossing. It's the oldest still-operating distillery in Kentucky, but it's gone through a few names.
Tasting the room temp bourbons and vodka was a little rough, but the smell of the air around there's amazing.
Woodford's is across the street.
http://stk.tetongravity.com/forums/a...1&d=1293844036
Eagle Rare is a gift for a buddy, but I bet we open it tonight.
Drank too much Bulleit last night sitting around a firepit with friends. The New Year is starting a bit fuzzy.
Good shit Rontele. Started with a large pour of PVW 20, courtesy of the bottle from Pops for x-mas and now getting shitt-tay on some sazerac manhattans. Cheers.
Any good online booze dealers?! nobody has the Pappy up here.
My go to when the Old Forester runs out. Has a very distinctive flavor but is just fine for mixing.Quote:
Originally Posted by irul&ublo
I looked for a bit but has anyone mentioned Basil Hayden's? I've been on a quest to sample Bourbons for years and Hayden's is one of my fave's.
EDIT: just noticed BH has been mentioned in this fine thread.
I didn't know it was possible for the Old Forester to run out. Aren't you sponsored by them?Quote:
Originally Posted by str8line
You got me. It flows like a mountain spring. But when friends like you are around the spring sometimes has trouble keeping up with our thirst. Course, I need to stay on top of my game and try other product every now and then too.Quote:
Originally Posted by irul&ublo
I was in a shop last night that wanted $220 for the Van Winkle 23 year. Too steep for my blood. Got a bottle of Buffalo Trace. Really like it. Probably more than Eagle Rare. This may be my go-to Bourbon for non-celebratory pours.
^^^ IIRC that 23yo wholesales for something like $175/bottle. It's absurd.
So I finally, finally, whipped my card out and tasted the Pappy 20 this evening.
Yes, it is worth 100 bucks a bottle. An awesome whisky. But, the Elijah 18 is very very close at half the price.
The bar owner agrees that the 20 is slightly better than the 23. Go figure. I ain't dropping 40 bucks for a shot to compare.
I've had both and would take 2+ bottles of the 20-yr over one bottle of the 23 any day of the week.
I picked up a bottle of Makers 46 last week and think it's pretty good for the price. BH is better but about $10 more.
Not quite bourbon, but I just found out that I have a bottle of Templeton Rye coming my way. Can't wait to try it.
Drank too much Bourbon over the past few days on my trip to Louisville, but it was great. Never got to the 23 Yr Old Pappy, but tried lots of others, and found that my favorites were some of the younger 10-12 year olds (that sounds very un-PC!).
In fact, some of my favorites included Van Winkle 12 year, Eagle Rare single barrel, and some of the more common bourbons, Maker's 46, and Woodfords.
Just got another bottle of the Van Winkle 12 in the mail. Pretty stoked as I put a good dent in my current bottle this last weekend. Also, really enjoyed some Stranahans (I know, its not a Bourbon) and Buffalo Trace is slowly surpassing Eagle Rare as my go to, non-celebratory sipping Bourbon.
Still need to get my hands on a bottle of the Old Rip Van Winkle 20 year.
The Peruvian serves BH for $6 a pour. I agree... it's tasty stuff.Quote:
Originally Posted by str8line
A nice little treat I only do if I've kept my hands out front all day... ::wink:
A favorite of mine is Uncle Bob's. Unfortunately, available only in limited quantities to a select few.