Bourbon

BrianGreen

BrianGreen

SSG Brian Green
Joined
Apr 5, 2008
Location
Kings Mountain
What is the General “go to” bourbon for some of y’all?

I love Eagle Rare, but it is real hard to find. Haven’t had the chance to pick up a bottle of Blanton’s yet

I like Larceny, Elijah Craig, Four Roses.

Currently on a bottle of Jefferson’s and it seems Ok.

What is the next one I should try?
 
Buffalo Trace is a great go-to, and can get it most places.
I know it's not for the purists, but I don't mind admitting I like the Knob Creek maple. Yeah, it's sweet.

Woodford reserve, Bakers.
If ya got time to burn, get opinions from @UTfball68
 
Woodford Reserve or Evan Williams Single Barrel are on the shelf. I can't say what all else I've even tried but I'm an equal opportunity whisk(e)y appreciator.

I use Evan Williams or American Honey for mixing. I'm out of Evan because I use it for cooking, too...
 
Willett makes a good bourbon that doesnt get mentioned often.
 
Only had Blantons once, it was great. Buffalo Trace was great and the last time I snagged a bottle, it went to @CasterTroy.

When you guys mention Four Roses, I’m assuming you mean single barrel? Because someone else highly recommended Four Roses to me, I grabbed regular not the single, and it was the worst. Instant headache after a few sips and it was flat out awful. I was then told I HAD to get single barrel. But I’ll be honest, the chances of me buying that again are slim to none.

Jim Beam Extra Aged is fine for me, and I’m gonna tell on myself and lose my man card here...

I really enjoy Jim Beam vanilla mixed with ginger ale.
 
Depends what you’re after and what flavors you prefer. Most ‘top shelf’ stuff you see at bars is readily available at the ABC stores. I wouldn’t personally call those ‘top shelf’ though...but I’m well beyond bourbon snob at this point. I will still keep the typical Jack and Makers around for parties or getting shit faced. I’m a wheat base guy, if the label even hints at anything Rye, I won’t buy it. Bottles like Buffalo Trace and Blantons used to be readily available...but are damn good pours for the money, so everyone started buying them, now you’ll be lucky to hear hush tones of quarterly releases of either...and you’ll be even luckier if your entire county gets more than a half dozen of either. Beyond that, when I walk in to ABC stores for a common bourbon, I’ll grab a bottle of Eagle Rare as a mixer (weekend bourbon coffee for me). Not a bourbon but a malted whiskey I’ve recently picked up and liked as a mixer is a local bottle called Rua. Clyde Mays makes is a good mixer and it’s not a bad drink neat either. Woodford Reserve and Michter’s are others I’d put in the same category. Jefferson’s Reserve Very Old Very Small Batch is a good drinker...be careful here, they have several variations, some more expensive than others, and I don’t particularly care for them. Those last 4 are pours for people that ‘like bourbon’ where their favorite isn’t Makers Mark or Knob Creek, can all appreciate. From there, the not so commons or have to buy online. I’m in love with Noah’s Mill, it’s a cask strength and has my preferred flavor profile. From there, anything I see with the names Willett, Weller, Orphan Barrel or Blood Oath on it, buy it. Chances are, you’ll never see them in an ABC store, but if you run across them out of state or online, expect to pay $150ish...if you can’t find it there, go to the secondary market and they’ll be $2-300ish. Most of what I listed are sweeter bourbons with caramel, vanilla, some cinnamon notes. If you’re more in to leather/tobacco, the IW Harper line is a pretty good one. If you’re in to floral fruit notes, you’re on your own. And just because I always put this disclaimer on bourbon recommendations...Pappy is overrated, and it’s not worth more than ABC retail prices...unless you want it for the novelty and have a few grand burning a hole in your pocket. If you’re interested in collecting/drinking higher end bourbon, buying entire bottles to see if you like something can get mighty expensive. Find a bourbon bar and taste test...depending on what you’re testing could be anywhere from $5-200 for a 1-2oz pour. There are also ‘bourbon of the month/quarter’ clubs that’ll curate boxes based on your preferred flavor profiles...but usually just send 3oz testers, but some of them do send entire bottles. It’s really not a bad set up until reach the point of their price cap on what they’re willing to send...good for a beginner, not so much for someone that’s already done a lot of taste testing. These are what I keep stocked in my bourbon cabinet at all times (there’s usually a bottle of Bib & Tucker in there too) that I personally like and don’t mind spending the money on:

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junkxj said:
Pappy 10 year is decent, 15 year is better.....
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I had 10 year Pappy in Vegas when a vendor treated me to it. Unfortunately I’d already had a few other beverages, and when he handed it to me it was on the rocks in a plastic cup (it was snuck into the black tie event we were at). It was still good, but I hated that I had the chance to try such fine Bourbon and it was watered down in a plastic cup. Still good though!
 
My dad gifted himself into the Scotch tasting club at the PR here in Raleigh and gets a big kick out of $150-200 pours. I might have to tag along sometime... :lol:
 
77GreenMachine said:
Only had Blantons once, it was great. Buffalo Trace was great and the last time I snagged a bottle, it went to @CasterTroy.

When you guys mention Four Roses, I’m assuming you mean single barrel? Because someone else highly recommended Four Roses to me, I grabbed regular not the single, and it was the worst. Instant headache after a few sips and it was flat out awful. I was then told I HAD to get single barrel. But I’ll be honest, the chances of me buying that again are slim to none.

Jim Beam Extra Aged is fine for me, and I’m gonna tell on myself and lose my man card here...

I really enjoy Jim Beam vanilla mixed with ginger ale.
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If it makes you feel any better, there are guys that I respect their bourbon opinion that swear by Four Roses...I can’t stand the stuff, kept buying different bottles thinking I was getting the ‘wrong one’, similar to Jefferson’s. But I think I’d rather lick a white dog turd than drink Four Roses.

Also...if your bourbon needs flavor or ice, you’re drinking the wrong shit my man. That said, I have started experimenting with splashes of ‘volcanic filtered’ water...some ‘experts’ say it greatly increases the flavor notes. I can’t really tell a difference except now my bourbon tastes watered down. Maybe my pallet isn’t refined enough.
 
Yea, all of the above.

But for real, I'm not sipping that stuff on the regular. If I'm dipping in the brown...Benchmark ftmfw (because tight-ass)
 
I'm getting into bourbon myself and I like Jefferson blended for everyday. Angels Envy was mentioned and I like that a lot too but seems limited in releases, when i do find it i buy it for my boss. Me and a friend bought a bottle of Woodford Reserve for a host house we went to, polished off that bottle of woodford the same night, always was a good pour. Our host pulled our four Rose's, it was horrible even after polishing off the woodford.

Just a splash of tepid water is the way I drink my bourbon.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
 
CasterTroy said:
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If you haven’t tried the EHT yet, I’d be interested in hearing your opinion when you do. I was on the hunt for a bottle for a long time, finally came across one in Florida a couple years back. Wasn’t what I was expecting, heartier than what I typically go for. Always Keep a bottle in the cabinet now, but drink it infrequently enough, I have remind myself why I like it from time to time.
 
UTfball68 said:
If you haven’t tried the EHT yet, I’d be interested in hearing your opinion when you do
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Hearty....very good description

Not one I would keep in my collection, but very glad I experienced it. Wouldn't go on a hard target search for it, but if I stumbled across it again like I did the last time I would buy again
 
Scotch distillers say you always add some water because it brings the flavor to the front. I say they're not wrong but I also don't really care how anyone else drinks it. It's something to be enjoyed, not to be used as a measuring stick. ;)
 
Jim Beam Devils Cut, Old Forester 1920, Four Roses was ok.
 
Old nick
Basil Hayden
Bob and Tucker
Lonerider
Anything by buffalo trace
Widow jane (if your can find it)


Word is they make benchmark 8 which is decent for the price
 
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