Talkin’ Bourbon

It's totally uncool, but as a bourbon drinker who got fed up with chasing unicorn bottles, I've switched entirely to good brandy. 

There are tons of independent distilleries in Cognac and Armangac making liquor that blows the f---ing pants off of whisky/whiskey at 2x the price.   There's tons of stylistic variation and some of the stuff is almost laughably cheap for what you're getting. 

I buy from arguably the best small Cognac producer, Navarre.  The average age of the spirit is 50yo.   For years it was $200/btl.  Last year they hiked the price to . . . $225.  Nothing less than $500 touches this quality from Japan/Kentucky/Scotland.

Get further off the beaten path and there are even more astounding bargains.  A producer I really like is Jean Fillioux.   I got some of their 30 y/o Cognac on sale for  . . . $65.  So let me tell you how it compares to Blantons.  It makes Blantons taste like gasoline.

The downside of Cognac/Armangac is that it gets rough pretty quickly below $50.  And crappy liquor stores only carry the big brand Cognacs that are loaded with flavoring and coloring.  But if you can go to the $50-$100 range and you have a decent wine store near you - even a Total Wine, doesn't need to be anything fancy - it's much much more fun to drink brandy than bourbon.  Just my $0.02.

Virginia has several good distilleries. It's been a while, but I liked Catoctin Creek rye in the past. https://catoctincreekdistilling.com/products

So many bourbon/ryes to choose from.

Personally I have ten bottles of different Elijah Craig barrel proof. A 12 year barrel proof for $60-$70. Not everyone's jam but it's my favorite.

Rare Breed, Four Roses SB, 1792 Full Proof are good values.

Tonight I had Weller Special Reserve, Weller 107, Willett 4 year rye, Knob Creek Single Barrel Select Rye, and Sam Houston 14. 

Cheers everyone ?

You’re all wrong ;) Evan Williams is the best everyday sipping budget bourbon and it’s not even close. As for the the good stuff, local distilleries are where it’s at. For example, Hillrock Estates Distillery has one of the best bourbons I’ve ever had and by far the best Rye I’ve ever had. Distillery’s are the new breweries and it’s fantastic. ?

Bourbon, If you're taking the tour of the Bourbon Trail some must stops...jmo...

Lexington, Ky side, Buffalo Trace ( Blantons, Weller, BT, Eagle Rare, EH Taylor)  all good selections but limit one bottle and a different selection each day.  BT is solid my go to is Eagle Rare here.   If you have the time sign up for a tour or tasting, usually booked out but lots of no shows and cancellations you can typically get in same day..  If you get a tasting with Freddie even better, if you don't know then look up Neat on Hulu...  worth the watch....

Woodford, just good bourbon, smooth.. beautiful drive and great distillery best bar imo.

Four Roses, excellent boubon, like the single barrel best! 

While you're on this side stop at Castle and Key, new distiller in the old EH Taylor Castle distillery.  Bourbon is getting there, not long enough to be aged properly yet but good place to visit. 

Louisville side,

Heaven Hill and Makers Mark are the best stops so far.  Good bourbon at both and good tours. Makers Mark was open just had to wear a mask, not sure how it is this year.  Makers Mark has a large property with paved paths to walk around and they offer good tours as well as you can buy a bottle to dip in the wax yourself at the gift shop.  

Stetzel-Weller Distillery is a good stop here.  IE Bulleitt Bourbon. IW Harper imo very under rated, didn't like the Bulleit as much. 

Gift shops all over Louisville for Evan Williams, Elija Craig, Old Forester, Angel Envy and others. 

Really wanted to go to Bardstown for Willet, Bardstown and a few others but everything was closed the Sunday we went last summer.   Really wanted to get to some of the distilleries in Bardstown we missed and likely will hit them this spring. 

Personal Favs, Knob Creek, Woodford, Weller, Eagle Rare.. 

Eagle Rare for best bang for the $$.  Woodford Reserve/Angels Envy for most overrated.  My favorites are Blantons and Woodford Reserve Double Oaked.

Elmer T. Lee was my go-to value bourbon for years, but I haven't been able to find it anywhere in a long, long time. Likewise for Willet and some other old favorites. Don't know wtf happened to distribution of some of these brands. 

Best for the $$: Old Forester 100
(HMs: WT 101, Fighting Cock, Jim Beam Old Tub, Old Granddad b-i-b/100, RIP Heaven Hill 6-year green label)

My favorite/go-to: Weller Special Reserve (green label) - I would also include it in best for the $$$ because it's relatively cheap for how good it is, but it's so damned hard to find.
(HMs: Woodford Reserve, 1792 small batch, Four Roses small batch/single barrel, Wilderness Trail small batch)

Underrated: Wilderness Trail - I can usually find the small batch or single barrel for under $50, and it's one of my favorite bottles.

Honestly, there's so many lanes you can pick, though. Some of my others that I enjoy that aren't "standard straight bourbon" in terms of taste:

WT Longbranch (see past the Matthew McConaughey and enjoy the smokiness)
David Nicholson 100 (most like an Islay Scotch in a bourbon that I've ever tasted)
Angel's Envy (nice richness from the port wine finish, though definitely overhyped a bit; The Burning Chair offers the same finish for slightly less $)
 

My favorites are Jefferson’s Ocean and Jefferson’s Presidential Select. 

Is it strange that I still won't spend money on Maker's 13 years after this? 

https://www.mgoblog.com/content/need-whiskey-boycott

Best Bourbon for the $$: Eagle Rare, hard to find.

Most Underrated Bourbon: Bardstown, now selling Fusion #4. Great way to develop an appreciation for the mashbill, since they print it on the bottle, and create new recipes with each series they blend.

Most Overhyped: Bulleit

Colonel Taylor and Makers Mark are smooth,Henry McKenna smooth.

They say Pappy and Elmer T are overpriced?

I would suggest any of you Bourbon fans to head over to r/Bourbon on Reddit. You can sign up for their mailing list and they can get you into some different bottle shares. Unfortunately some of the distributors do not deliver to Michigan, but if you have friends in other states they can usually help.

I dont really have much skin in the game but I became intrigued with Bourbon after watching a documentary on Hulu. I think its called "Bourbon"

My go to is Buffalo Trace - its cheap and easy to get here. Wild Turkey 101 is also good for the price. I've splurged on some more expensive bottles - and int he end I find myself going back to Buffalo Trace and WT101.

My favorite beer is New Hollands Dragons Milk, which is a bourbon barrel beer. They beer barrel Bourbon is a nice change of pace and I find myself ordering that at restaurants for my dessert drink. 

For the money (assuming msrp) it's hard to beat Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, Willett rye, and Eagle Rare and EHTaylor single barrel.

Underrated? Historically it's probably the knob creek store picks that seem to be gone now.  Now? I'd probably go with Old Scout.  Some of their bottlings I've had have been terrific and can still be found on a lot of shelves.

Most overhyped - for me it's most of the rare wheaters.  Old Fitzgerald and pappy products just don't command even their msrp prices in my mind.  Too sweet.  I do like Rebel Yell 10 and Old Weller Antique 107 though (especially a store pick I tried).