OT: National Bourbon Day.... What's your favorite pour?
Rittenhouse Rye is widely cited as excellent taste/$ ratio for Manhattans etc. I've been getting a lot of Larcency bourbon as gifts, it is OK but shines in taste/$ ratio (as little as $22/bottle).
Personally, I enjoy High West Rye.
I'm not a bourbon fan overall, but some people like High West Campfire (bourbon/rye blend).
I like high west for bourbon. But usually prefer rye or scotch. Bourbon is just a bit too sweet
The only HW product I can drink is Midwinter nights dram, American Prairie and campfire were as close to drain pour bottles as i've ever had.
Agree American Prairie isn't great, but you and I have difference of opinion on campfire. Have you tried their BouRye? I've found it to be pretty tasty(if WAY too expensive).
Buffalo Trace or Eagle Rare are my go-to's.
Basil Hayden if someone else is paying haha.
Anyone follow @bourboncharity on Instagram?
Pretty cool business he’s got going.
Low: Jim Beam Black
Middle: High West American Prairie Bourbon (if you like a bit of a smokey flavor, try Campfire)
High: Woodford Reserve Double Oaked
Special Occasion: Angel's Envy
Love the campfire
Really a big fan of Booker's and Baker's -usually with 1 rock and some orange bitters. Dangerous to have a second or third glass though (Both are 100+ proof)
Oh yeah..... Bookers is true barrel proof.... it can go 128+. When I pour anything barrel proof, the better half looks at me and says "you'll be snoring like a freight train tonight" LOL
hahah same boat! I am always instructed to sleep on the couch when i get into it.
Team Bullet here.
That's quite impressive, although I don't see any Basil Hayden. I can't believe no has mentioned Angel's Envy. That stuff is delicious.
That's more less the top shelf... There's a cabinet beneath that with mostly opened bottles. I don't have any Basil, and since that pic I've added some Old Fitzgerald, 9, 11 and 14 year, 4 Roses single barrel select, LE 2017 and 130th anniversary, Bookers 30th and a couple others.
When I my youngest turned 18 my obligation to supplement his mom's monthly income ended and my bourbon budget grew.
Never really tried bourbon, I've been more into scotch. What's the difference?
Basically, in taste bourbon is sweeter than scotch whisky. Bourbon is made in the US and is composed of at least 51% corn, I believe. Scotch whisky is made purely of malted (dried) barley in Scotland. The maturation period is much shorter for bourbon because of the higher temperatures, use of corn, and (I think) first-fill casks. This is part of the reason bourbon is overall cheaper than scotch whisky.
Thanks for the concise info! Also explains my taste propensity for scotch. Had a baddd experience with Southern Comfort years ago....
Southern Discomfort rings about a 40 year old bell...
Yeah. Got smashed on that shit one night after learning that Janis Joplin drank it on stage direct from the bottle.
Back in the day (when you could still carry some things into the stadium) we would buy a half gallon of cider on the way. Drink it down to top of label. Small bottle of Southern Comfort fit perfectly into the container. Warmth on a cool football Saturday.
SoCo is definitely not bourbon...all bourbon is whiskey but not all whiskey is bourbon. SoCo is whiskey.
Smokier, usually blended too vs. scotch being from a single barrel.
Most scotch is not from a single barrel. Same goes for bourbon. Single malt simply means scotch whisky produced at one distillery. They usually use several different casks within the distillery to get the taste they're looking for.
Most low bourbon is blended, small batch is basically a marketing ploy. There are more and more 'single barrel' offerings though. Obviously in a blended product flavor profiles will be more consistent, but single barrels aren't as varied as some will tell you.... Blantons has always been single barrel, yet the recipe, process and quality control are pretty tightly maintained.
Do a blind taste test with four pours of blantons from two different barrels and see how many people can identify one barrel from the other.
Good information, thanks. I'm pretty bourbon-ignorant.
In order:
1. Van Winkle Reserve (on the top shelf behind Pappy)
2. The Willet (I moved to it after I could not find VWR anymore, now its gone; fancy looking bottle made me think it was all flash, but what's inside is fantastic)
3. Uncle Nearest (new discovery), Four Roses Small Batch
4. High West American Prairie
5. Buffalo Trace for every day (preferably the special 11th Street Tap -- a liquor store in Portland that get's its own special pour)
6. Elijah Craig (dollar for dollar, one of the best values around)
Just tried Uncle Nearest last weekend... really good
Don't get it very often but Elmer T Lee.
Natty Light Strawberry Lemonade
I only became a bourbon lover within the last 5 or 6 years, so I've got lots to try yet. For a chunk of time I was all about Woodford Reserve, which I still love, but of late I really enjoy Elijah Craig. And someone just gave me a fifth of it as a gift. Woohoo!
+1 for the Old Scout.
not a common one but one of my favorites.
big fan of Garrison Brothers out of TX. You definitely pay for the quality with that one though
nice work with the Pappy, still haven’t had a chance to give it a taste
Smooth Ambler Old Scout 10 year and Single barrel are two of my favorites... both were MGP sourced and they basically ran out of aged product, so they're discontinued, which SUCKS.... I managed to bunker 12 bottles of 10 year before they disappeared. SA sourced some juice from Dickel, they're selling it as Single Barrel Select 13 year. Stay away from that shit... they should have left it in TN.
There is one thing Dickel is good for and that is the pickle my Dickel Pickleback shots at The Stage on Broadway in Nashville. There is no other reason to drink it.
Thanks for the info! I met the smooth ambler guy at a fest and rallied to him for a while. Didn’t realize they sourced, but he had some really interesting stuff to say about how they aged it. It’s been a few years, so I don’t remember the details but the outside of the barn where they store he barrrels is painted black so it absorbs a bunch of heat. I can’t remember if he said that helps keep the temperature regulated or if it helps the temperature swing about a bit. Either way loved the stuff
another sourced bourbon that I really like was Grass Widow, not sure where they source from probably same place, but they are a Detroit outfit.
SA is producing a lot of theirown stuff now, Big Level is a wheated bourbon they distilled, it's trash. Hopefully their product gets better aged.
Black barrels would cause wider temp swings, basically accelerating the 'aging'
That rock hill farms in your picture makes me jealous. My favorite bourbon and I can't get it anywhere.
Blantons, ET Lee and Rock Hill are all three the same mash bill and all three single barrel, they vary in proof and age. We did a blind of the three between four guys and ETL was #1 for 3 guys and Blantons was #1 for the 4th. RH scored lowest of the 3. ETLee is, in my opinion, the best bottle out there for under $50. I'd take ETL over Weller 12 year.
My favorites:
Bourbon - Blanton's
Irish - Green Spot
Canadian - Caribou Crossing
Drink it in.
Detroit City Distilleries Butcher's Cut Bourbon
That stuff showed up at deer camp last year. its pretty good, just very young. I'm sure they are aging some for later bottling, I'm betting it will be substantially better.
I liked Bulleit Rye, and then I read that a good "upgrade" for Bulleit Rye was Whistlepig. I usually keep a bottle of Whistlepig for sipping at home, and a bottle of either Bulleit or Michter's for sipping/mixing.
Also, I'm in Texas so Balcones has some really, really solid stuff. I'm not sure how widely they distribute. I'll occasionally buy a bottle for home, but more frequently its my go-to if I want a small pour of whiskey out at a bar/restaurant.
Still enjoy Baby Blue from Balcones but their stuff has dropped off a bit since they gave Chip Tate the boot.
I had a bottle of Balcone's Brimstone and while I enjoyed it, holy moly, it's like drinking a campfire. It's interesting but you have to know what you're getting into.
The Baby Blue just never quite tasted right to me, not sure what the issue was.
I'm a bit biased (its the company I work for) but I love Heaven's Door:
In the Royal Oak area, small distilleries opening everywhere. Best "new" bourbon I've found is at Motor City Gas. Real cool place, great drinks
I like the weller you got in there. Also Old Fitzgerald VS 12 year.
Seventeen Twelve Bourbon
made in NC
Open at home in order of best to least best :
Elijah craig barrel proof, blantons, Stagg Jr., eagle rare, WT masters keep, Russell reserve, WT101, OF 1920 prohibition style, four roses single barrel, whistlepig rye.
If you haven't tried Wild Turkey Rare Breed, give that a go.... 114 proof and very tasty.
$: Old Bardstown
$$: Michter's US1
$$$: Elijiah Craig BP