Bourbon

UTfball68 said:
This is probably the worst part of bourbon in general. It became the hipster cool thing for some reason about 5 years ago. The fratboi scotch, if you will. Blantons is the perfect example for me, not the end all be all, but was a good pour at a decent price when you could find the bottles with dust on the boxes. Now every body has to have a bottle so it's allocated and $150+ in non-ABC states. Pappy is another great example, I personally think it's trash, but some how you can't touch even their taint water 10yr for under a few hundred, the 25yr is $10k+. So you end up going down the path of finding something you like and it becomes the "it" bottle...then you can't get it anymore and/or the price quadruples. Then it'll get frustrating because you're spending $50-100/bottle just find out you don't like what you just purchased. So I've come full circle and my dailies are $35 bottles and if I find something cool, great...
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That's why I love it when you come out and hang with us at the ranch. You bring bottles of heavenly goodness to try out so I don't make that mistake!!

Great example: Dave bought a bottle of bookers recently for $100 :eek: and wondered if he should open it. I told him I had an open bottle I purchased for about $35 in Mt Airy I'd GLADLY bring to AOP so he could sample. We opened that thing up friday night. I saw a few buzzards circling when they heard the cork pop :laughing: I poured some out for everyone to try. Then we cut it with water as I've heard a few of ya'll suggest. First a small cut, then more..to eventually 50%. It was horrible at any level. Even CUT by 50% it was still so potent that when I chucked my portion into the fire it bellowed out as if it were pure gasoline

Errbody hated it...except Lacy..she kinda liked it

I think we sent it home with her..but we got into Dave's old fashions after that so I can't remember :rockon:
 
Van-go said:
Do you follow Asheville ABC on Facebook?
If not, you should. They do announced drops and lotteries if you didn’t know that.
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Thanks for the tip. I have a ghost fb for such things (and marketplace), but other than that im not "on" facebook
 
UTfball68 said:
Sub-$150, I always have a bottle or 10 the following:

1) Clyde May's
2) Eagle Rare
3) Blanton's
4) Buffalo Trace
5) Penelope (white label)
6) Bibb & Tucker
7) Willett Pot Still
8) Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond
9) Henry McKenna Bottled in Bond
10) Blue Run (relatively new, but I think I like all their offerings)


All of those, you should be able to find relatively easily and are all under $100 in NC. Outside of NC, they may start pushing the $150 mark.
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Thanks
My current list i keep on my phone based on reviews research

Stagg Jr
Van Winkle
Remus
Colonel Taylor
Blantons
Weller
Noahs Mill
Basil Hayden
Penelope

Definitely got a few more to add to it now! Thank you!
 
ckruzer said:
Thanks
My current list i keep on my phone based on reviews research

Stagg Jr
Van Winkle
Remus
Colonel Taylor
Blantons
Weller
Noahs Mill
Basil Hayden
Penelope

Definitely got a few more to add to it now! Thank you!
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1) Noah’s Mill is my personal favorite cask strength. I always have 2-3 bottles, and I’m not a big cask strength guy. Belle Meade is another pretty good cask (I preferred their older bottling equipment at higher proof though).

2) Only reason to buy van winkle is to re-sell it. And I won’t even do that, unless its priced cheaply enough for me to make 30%. Do yourself a favor, find a bourbon bar that has Pappy…and spend the $1000 on a flight so you can say you tasted it.

3) Weller, IMO, is not worth the hype. I put it in the same category as BT. Somehow got a reputation as this mythical juice…and it’s just not to me.

4) Basil Hayden isn’t bad…but for some reason, I feel like it’s the light beer of bourbon. But their toasted offering is fairly decent.
 
ckruzer said:
The 10yr bottle?
Ill spend the $900 and order a bottle for the xp if it really is the end all be all real mccoy....
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No...I'm telling you to do the opposite. Don't buy in to the Pappy/Van Winkle hype. But if you just want to be able to say you tried pappy, there are places out there that will do a flight of 1-2oz pours of 10yr, 12yr, 15yr, 20yr, 23yr. Last time I did it was 5ish years ago and it was roughly $1000 for all 5.
 
ckruzer said:
Thanks
My current list i keep on my phone based on reviews research

Stagg Jr - Buffalo Trace
Van Winkle - Buffalo Trace
Remus - MGP (down the rabbit hole you go.....aka Midwest Grain Products not Ky (if that matters) and many many brands dont even make their own bourbon they just buy barrels from MGP with little to no input on mash bill or aging process and pour it in many different bottles)
Colonel Taylor - Buffal Trace
Blantons - Buffalo race
Weller - Buffalo Trace
Noahs Mill - Willet
Basil Hayden - Jim Beam
Penelope - MGP

Definitely got a few more to add to it now! Thank you!
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Not "picking on you" but just for education purposes.

I have a controversial opinion - but if you want to drink Basil Hayden - just save the money and buy a handle of beam. Its exactly the same.
 
Ron said:
Not "picking on you" but just for education purposes.

I have a controversial opinion - but if you want to drink Basil Hayden - just save the money and buy a handle of beam. Its exactly the same.
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i asked because i "am" a neophyte here lol
im not going to go full on fuller because my newbie list is 10/20/40/60/90 percent etc wrong lol

Noted on the basil hayden.

Is BT the original or did they just buy them all out?

If it tastes good it tastes good? If it makes your guests go "badass ive always wanted to try that" - goal succeeded?
 
Ok so for us peasants and newb’s what are some really good $40 - $50 bottles?
 
ghost said:
Ok so for us peasants and newb’s what are some really good $40 - $50 bottles?
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Early Times Bottled in bond
Coopers Craft 100
Evan Williams Bottled in Bond
Wild turkey 101
 
Van-go said:
Early Times Bottled in bond
Coopers Craft 100
Evan Williams Bottled in Bond
Wild turkey 101
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Great list.
I’d add in
Russel’s Reserve 10
Elijah Craig
Old Grandad 114
 
Ron said:
Great list.
I’d add in
Russel’s Reserve 10
Elijah Craig
Old Grandad 114
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Elijah Craig is my special. Haven’t seen the other two. That I recall.
 
20231027_054905.jpg
 
Ron said:
Is this someone’s personal collection or a bourbon bar somewhere?
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Personal collection. We all brought a few things
Did a blind tasting with GTS. 2016,17,18,19,20,22. They didn’t release one in 2021.

Here’s my results. The first 3 could have all been 1st. Incredible pours.

1. 2016
2. 2017
3. 2022
4. 2020
5. 2018
6. 2019
 
Van-go said:
Personal collection. We all brought a few things
Did a blind tasting with GTS. 2016,17,18,19,20,22. They didn’t release one in 2021.

Here’s my results. The first 3 could have all been 1st. Incredible pours.

1. 2016
2. 2017
3. 2022
4. 2020
5. 2018
6. 2019
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I’ve only had the 17 and the 19
17 probably ranks as the best bourbon I’ve ever tasted.
 
Ron said:
I’ve only had the 17 and the 19
17 probably ranks as the best bourbon I’ve ever tasted.
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That ‘17 is special. It’s definitely in my top 3 I’ve ever had.
 
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