favorite bourbons?

ao125 said:

Oh man, they sell bourbon at Costco in WA state? The most we get at Costco in VA is mediocre beer and MD doesn't get squat for alcohol.

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krenshaw said:

try living in a state that you can only buy booze from state owned stores.. the price goes up even more

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This just went into effect in June. Previously if you wanted spirits you had to go to the state run store with mediocre selection and they wouldn't order anything in for you. The voters finally said that the guys making the rules and charging the taxes shouldn't be the guys also running the business and setting the prices.

So to get back at the voters for kicking them out of the business they imposed a 20.5% sales/sin tax. So while that bottle of Makers might be cheaper on the shelf than it was previously its now a buck more once they get it to the register and tack on the governor Chrissy Taxmores share.

The bonus that i can see at the moment is that it allows places like Costco to sell here in WA like they do in CA among others. It also brought in BevMo, a spirits, beer and wine retailer so our selection should be much better.

Bevmo had the Four Roses. Nice and smooth. I think i like it better than Gentleman Jack and at 39 bucks its comparable in price. I also saw the Rum thread and they mentioned Kracken, Bevmo had it so a bottle came home as well. Ill give it a try tomorrow.

I' a Mitchers fan myself, Pappy is pretty good to but the younger affordable stuff is a little sharp on the front end.

If I'm at a bar then it's woodsford, (that's generally the only whiskey that a bar consistently has on hand that's drinkable).

Makers is a mix of vodka and dog piss aged in a crappy barrel for a couple of weeks, I can't even smell that stuff without getting a headache. The only thing it's good for is striping a deck, in my opinion. Totally over priced over hyped garbage.

For a cheep drink early times actually isn't bad, as long as you drink it with ice.

Well, this thread FORCED me to check out the bourbon selection at my local liquor store. The only whiskey experience I have is Makers and Jameson's. Armed with all the names I'd read in this thead, i headed in determined to get hooked on bourbon. I settled on Blantons at 51 smackers. Halfway through my first glass, i'm happy with my purchase. Cant wait to try some others

mikeysab said:

Well, this thread FORCED me to check out the bourbon selection at my local liquor store. The only whiskey experience I have is Makers and Jameson's. Armed with all the names I'd read in this thead, i headed in determined to get hooked on bourbon. I settled on Blantons at 51 smackers. Halfway through my first glass, i'm happy with my purchase. Cant wait to try some others

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welcome to the wonderful world of bourbon

That's a lovely sight... {sniff}

I'm about to read through this thread after posting this, but I'm going to a Beer, Bourbon and BBQ festival tonight and need some quick advice from the connoisseurs. Here is a list of some of the bourbons available (there are obviously other spirits in there too). I'm not going to be able to try all of them so please give me suggestions on which I should concentrate on first. Reading through this thread is sure to help, but I thought you guys might be able to choose some good ones from this list before I head over there.

Evan Williams Black Label
Evan Williams Single barrel
Evan Williams Cherry Reserve
Evan Williams Honey Reserve
Elijah Craig 12yr
Elijah Craig 18yr
Bernheim
Buffalo Trace
1792 Ridgemont Reserve Small Batch
Eagle Rare Single Barrel
Blanton's Single Barrel
Benchmark
Firefly Bourbon
Firefly Vodka
Maker's Mark
Maker's 46
Red Stag Black Cherry
Red Stag Spiced
Red Stag Honey-Tea
Jim Beam 4yr
Jim Beam Black
Jim Beam Devil's Cut
Knob Creek
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Knob Creek Rye
Booker's
Baker's
Basil Hayden's
Pucker Sour Apple
Pucker Cherry Tease
Pucker Grape Gone Wild
Pucker Citrus
Pucker Lemonade
Pinnacle Atomic Hot
Pinnacle Peach
Pinnacle Key Lime
SkinnyGirl Island Coconut Vodka
SkinnyGirl Tangerine Vodka
SkinnyGirl Cucumber Vodka
SkinnyGirl Margarita
SkinnyGirl White Cranberry Cosmo
SkinnyGirl White Peach Margarita
SkinnyGirl Pina Colada
Old Grand Dad
Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey
Canadian Club Dock 57
Woodford Reserve
Woodford Reserve Double Oak
Jack Daniels Black Label
Jack Daniels Single Barrel
Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey
Early Times 354 Bourbon
Carolina Coast Rum
Broadslab Legacy Reserve
Broadslab Legacy Shine
St. Germaine
Rebel Yell
Pearl Wedding Cake Vodka
Pearl Citrus Vodka
Pearl Red Berry Vodka
Pearl Coconut Vodka
Veev Acai Spirit
Absolut Grapevine
Absolut Cherry Kran
Malibu Red
Jameson
Larceny


Thanks!

do you have to pay for them or is it once you are in you can try? there are some good names on there that are much more expensive than others, though that may be a good place to try all sorts of styles/prices..

def would have to have the higher end ones:
Blanton's Single Barrel
Woodford Reserve Double Oak
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Maker's Mark
Maker's 46
Booker's
Baker's
Basil Hayden's
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Buffalo Trace
1792 Ridgemont Reserve Small Batch
Eagle Rare Single Barrel

can't go wrong with any of those.. i've had all but but that double oak one which sounds interesting.. most if not all of those are in the >$30 bottle pricing so you could easily compare them with a standard Jack, Jim, or Evan

Krenshaw, thanks! The tastings are free and unlimited. At least until they run out or I black out. Buffalo Trace is my go-to cheap bourbon so I'm well familiar with that. I'll definitely check out your other suggestions first. I'm familiar with Maker's but it might be interesting to compare it to the 46.

I like:
Maker's
Jefferson's
Knob Creek Single Barrel
WL Weller

Any of these would be my pick.
Elijah Craig 12yr
Elijah Craig 18yr
Blanton's Single Barrel
Knob Creek
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Booker's
Maker's Mark
Maker's 46

These pique my interest however since i have never had them. Please report back after sampling.

Knob Creek Rye
Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey

Make sure you have a DD and try as many as you can :rockin:

static said:

Any of these would be my pick.
Elijah Craig 12yr
Elijah Craig 18yr
Blanton's Single Barrel
Knob Creek
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Booker's
Maker's Mark
Maker's 46

These pique my interest however since i have never had them. Please report back after sampling.

Knob Creek Rye
Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey

Make sure you have a DD and try as many as you can :rockin:

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Cool, I'll add them to my list. I'm not sure how coherent my tasting notes (or memory) will be though! And my wife is pregnant. I've got an automatic DD for the next 6 months!

Elijah Craig 18 yr.
Elijah Craig 12 yr.
Makers Mark
Knob Creek
Gentleman Jack

being unlimited go to Booker's and Baker's first.. they are bother over $50 per bottle..

Colorado has a great one called Stranahan's. VERY smooth. I am a big fan of Turkey though. Barrel proof is the only thing allowed at my inlaws and it grew on me quickly.

Thought this was pretty cool.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC37FBB415C9053F6

Anyone regularly pair bourbon with a cigar?

Since I'm still pretty new to bourbons I haden't tried it until tonight, but, this macanudo Jamaica 1988 and bulliet is a heavenly combo.

I like a nice Acid Toast with 3 fingers over a pair of small rocks.

i know that's common to say, but are people really pouring 3 fingers?

in the glasses I have, that'd be like a 1/4 bottle.

i usually pour 2 fingers in my old fashioned glasses

Depends on what I'm drinking. Most of the time its a shot and a beer. If I'm having a nice cigar, I'll drop a couple of cubes and fill my glass to...oh I don't know... about there.

i guess with some ice it's different, have some displacement.

i always hear the "3 fingers" thing and my mind goes....that is a lot of booze in one glass....

I'll admit there are times that I think geez that's a lot of booze. And that's not a regular occurrence, I couldn't afford it if it was. I have some 8oz square tumblers that I use for pouring a glass over ice and some really heavy shot glasses for the day to day shot and a beer.

krenshaw said:

anybody that knows any that make something similar in the PA area? would love to try something like that

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Wouldn't it be cool to be able to order it online and have it shipped right to your door?

Also, how cool would it be to walk into the liquor store of your choice and ask them to special order something for you, or, *gasp* maybe even start stocking your favorite bottle?

Ahh to dream. NoLCB


P.S. I shed a tear last year when the state de-listed my daily pour, which was actually quite the deal in it's then handle-only, bottom shelf availability. One would think that I would have been a bit more excited when it recently made a re-appearance in fifth only format. However, the top shelf price bump that came with it have made it hard for me ad my good buddy to re-start our relationship.

speaking of the "PA List", do you have any updates on the raid that was conducted ~2 years ago?

Stranahan's is a really good whiskey although it's not a bourbon. Still it's really good.

Baker's is swill in my opinion, bad cuts or no cuts and over oaked.

Of the whole thread there are only 5 or 6 whiskeys listed that are worth drinking. That's why I stick with beer.

Johnny Drum ($27 for a 750ml)
Four Roses Single Barrel ($34 for a 750ml)

Semi-resurrecting this thread to say I bought a bottle of Elijah Craig 12 year on Saturday. My first venture into Bourbon (using it in a brew), as i'm more of an Irish Whiskey/Scotch kind of guy. Its very good, and I can pull out good oak and vanilla, and taste the sweetness. Good bourbon.

Craig is some good stuff. Look into the 4 Roses. My new favorite. Welcome to the wonderful world of bourbon.

Maker's Mark was the first bourbon I liked...very smooth. Just recently I was watching some YT videos of a guy reviewing bourbon that inspired me to buy a Booker's and an Evan Williams single barrel. I liked them both with the Booker's being really hot from all of the alcohol. Great with some water and ice though...a lot of flavor. I think I'm up for trying soothing new. Good thread. Now to decide what to try next.

Seein as how I'm from the bourbon state I kinda like all of them.

I just recently bought four roses small batch (not single). I'm really enjoying it. I'm going to grab a different bottle every time to find my absolute favorite.

Also whats good is Ranger Creek .36, its a brewstillery in san antonio. Little pricy but good and their flag ship whiskey should be out soon or beginning of next year. This was a small barrel release.

DisturbdChemist said:

I just recently bought four roses small batch (not single). I'm really enjoying it. I'm going to grab a different bottle every time to find my absolute favorite.

Also whats good is Ranger Creek .36, its a brewstillery in san antonio. Little pricy but good and their flag ship whiskey should be out soon or beginning of next year. This was a small barrel release.

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The Four Roses Small Batch has become my go-to lately for Manhattans. I find it to have a nice slightly smoky flavor that really rounds out the drink.