The finest bourbon I have tasted. Yet.

[Rontele]

D

Thanks for the review. Now about that bourbon... Four Flowers Bourbon ? Never heard of it, but it sounds like a bourbon marketed to lesbians ?

Maybe its named something else? Don't have it in front of me. Was rec'd a few pages back in this thread and the shopkeep at the local liquor store said he really liked it.

[Rontele]

Its Four Roses. Going to pour me a glass when the Hawks-Canucks game comes on.

[OSECS]

Its Four Roses. Going to pour me a glass when the Hawks-Canucks game comes on.

Still sounds strange. Bourbons are supposed to have stag or creek or old crow in the title. Not "4 plaid flannel gals in a Subaru bourbon". Obviously just pullin your leg a little.

[lemmycaution]

of the bigger brands i always go for knob creek. well balanced 'n good.

the black maple creek is good also, bookers, blantons, even bulleit (pretty good for its price point)

there is a place in brooklyn that specializes in bourbons up to 100$/shot. if anyone is interested- you can download the bourbon menu with the link for some ideas on what to look for- they are pretty serious about it.

[MakersTeleMark]

Tippster tells of a place in that area of a big bourbon bar that offers many earthly bourbon delights for the sipping.

This ^^^

Good times.

http://bourbondc.com/bourbon_gp_menu.pdf

[schuss]

Not quite as good, but this place has bombass food too:
http://www.citizenpub.com/menus/whiskey/

[truth]

Any rec'ds for Rye? Seems like there is a shortage of rye right now.

http://www.highwest.com/index.php/spirits/bourye

http://www.highwest.com/index.php/sp...rendezvous-rye

http://www.highwest.com/index.php/spirits/double-rye

[Arty50]

On the rye tangent...

Templeton Rye and Old Potrero Single Malt Straight Rye are both really yummy.

[Rontele]

Look what showed up just in time for the bachelor party I am hosting next week.

[Cruiser]

^^^ Nice!

[Meadow Skipper]

We order samples from the distillery. They pull 4 to 6 barrels out of circulation and grab 200ml of each one. Then they mail them to us. We (the owner, the beer buyer, and me) taste though them and then compare notes on our favorites. Then we contact the distillery and they bottle our barrel off for us. The quantity we get varies based on the "Angel's Share", but it's typically between 11 and 19 cases (12pks). Bottle cost is usually a couple of bucks less per bottle than the regular wholesale cost. As an added bonus they send us the empty barrel which we take to Golden City brewery who makes a special imperial stout and ages it off in our barrels for about 6 months before bottling it under a special label that we had commissioned.

In the last 60 days I've had 8 barrel samples of Breckenridge whiskey, 6 Buffalo Trace, 4 Eagle Rare, 4 Blantons, and 4 Bernheim's wheat. I'm not getting rich doing what I do, but the fringe benefits are nice...

My LLS just told me that they're getting into the barrel program with Buffalo Trace. Sounds pretty cool. I'm looking forward to trying it.

[Tippster]

Look what showed up just in time for the bachelor party I am hosting next week.

If anyone does shots with that you are obligated to kick them in the nuts until they puke it back up and then they have to snort it off the floor.

[Rontele]

No shots.

[Tippster]

I upped the ante. That thar's no swillin' whiskey.

[Rontele]

Had some Basil Hayden's this weekend. Really good, balanced bourbon. Also had some Ri rye. Again, very well balanced.

[mtnreed]

Basil Hayden seems to be drink of choice this winter for me. I have bottles of 1792, Gentleman Jack, High West and others - yet as Rontele states - the Basil is sweet and smooth...

Now Im thirsty and heading to the cabinet...wife will need to cook for herself tonight (oh well).

[Cruiser]

Had a killer Sazerac before dinner tonight. 5pt Rittenouse Rye, 1pt Pernod Absinthe, 3 shakes Peychaud's Bitters, 1tbsp Agave nectar, shaken and served up in a small rocks glass with a lemon twist. It put me in just the right mood to cook dinner.

@ Skipper: Ask the LLS owner if they plan to sample the public on the barrel they selected. If your area allows in-store tasting it could be a fun way to try out their barrel before buying a bottle. Regardless, you ought to find the single barrel stuff to be a bit more spicy and intense than the regular ones. It's a hell of a good value at ~$20/bottle for a single barrel 7(ish)yo Bourbon.

[Meadow Skipper]

@ Skipper: Ask the LLS owner if they plan to sample the public on the barrel they selected. If your area allows in-store tasting it could be a fun way to try out their barrel before buying a bottle. Regardless, you ought to find the single barrel stuff to be a bit more spicy and intense than the regular ones. It's a hell of a good value at ~$20/bottle for a single barrel 7(ish)yo Bourbon.

I'll do that. When they told me that I started in on how they should have a tasting - they hold wine and beer tastings. They're moving their store right now so they're a little distracted but I'll stay on it.

[OSECS]

Had some Basil Hayden's this weekend. Really good, balanced bourbon. Also had some Ri rye. Again, very well balanced.

So what do you compare the pappy to, taste wise ?? How does it compare to the Basil? Never had it, and now my prurient interests are calling.

[Loon]

Well the 12 yr old stuff is listed at around $20 retail so here in Va. it would be around $30-$35. The 18 year old single barrel stuff is around $50 retail so $60-65 or so here in Va. So considering the distance, that's probably not too terribly out of line in Japan (guessing you're getting the 12 yr. old stuff). The main thing is, does it do it for you taste wise ? If so then it's worth it if you got the cash and takes you to your happy place.

I think the Mags in the No. Virginia area should have a bourbon get together. Tippster tells of a place in that area of a big bourbon bar that offers many earthly bourbon delights for the sipping.

Its the 18yo stuff and I think its the best burboun I have ever tasted. Had some Blantons over the weekend and personally think its inferior to the Elijah Craig 18, cool bottle though.

[Edgnar]

I had my first try of the Elijah Craig 12 last week. Thats some good bourbon. First time I've tried just drinking the stuff straight with some ice. New world out there. Gotta thank a friend for opening my eyes after my first experience drinking good scotch. I'm a bourbon man, but the idea that you could drink it straight (and enjoy it) with just some ice is/was something new to me.

[Rontele]

So what do you compare the pappy to, taste wise ?? How does it compare to the Basil? Never had it, and now my prurient interests are calling.

Haven't tried the Pappy 15 year yet. The Basil Hayden is a bit sweeter than say the Van Winkle special reserve 12, which I think is pretty darn dry for a Bourbon.

[Meadow Skipper]

I find the Basil Hayden very nicely made and smooth, but kind of mild. I like a little more complexity and punch from bourbon, but if someone's pouring BH I'll gladly take it. I haven't tried Corner Creek, is it similar?

Thanks to this thread, I picked up some Buffalo Trace for my daily pour, taking a break from Woodford Reserve. Pretty nice, it really grows on you.

[OSECS]

I had my first try of the Elijah Craig 12 last week. Thats some good bourbon. First time I've tried just drinking the stuff straight with some ice. New world out there. Gotta thank a friend for opening my eyes after my first experience drinking good scotch. I'm a bourbon man, but the idea that you could drink it straight (and enjoy it) with just some ice is/was something new to me.

3 fingers (of bourbon) and 2 large ice cubes, puts a smile on my face.

[Rontele]

Meadow Skipper,

I think that is a spot on assessment of Basil Hayden's. Really smooth and mild. I would say that the Corner Creek is less mild; more raw tasting with a longer, stronger finish.