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Bourbon - whats the "best"

midwestzj

Red Skull Member
Joined
May 19, 2020
Member Number
140
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220
Loc
Colorado Springs
Have a buddy that came through huge helping me do a ton of work at my house saving me $5-7k. he likes bourbon and i want to get him a bottle that he normally wouldn't purchase. I'll spend up to $300 on a bottle if its worth the price. if there is something amazing out there for less, then i'll go that route. I don't drink bourbon so i have no idea what to get.

He likes Basil Hayden, woodford reserve and bourbons along those flavors
 
Didn't Blantons just release a few new things recently? I haven't ventured north of the $40-50 bottle range, so ymmv
 
Spend the $ and enlist him in a bourbon of the month club where he gets 3-5 minis a month for a few years.

Then he can choose what he likes.
 
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Pappy but good luck getting it, I second blantons it's not super top shelf but if you get him 2-3 bottles it would be appreciated by pretty much everyone that drinks bourbon imo. Johnny walker blue is also nice but in my opinion you are paying more for the label than the bourbon. Imo thats pretty much the way with 90% of spirits once you get above the $50 bottle. Maybe ask his wife if he has one or a friend of his. Good luck i've had a few friends that hive done things similar to me, always hard to find a way to pay them back.
 
Personally, I don't think expensive long aged bourbons are worth the $. I wouldn't buy a bourbon for $300. Old scotch I think is different. But Bourbon doesn't seem to age like scotch does.

Bookers is good. I like High West Campfire too, though it's not a bourbon.
 
How about getting him and wife a nice dinner reservation someplace they like?
With that out of the way slip him a c note so he can get what he wants/likes.

Hang onto that friend, people like that are hard to come by these days.

As for bourbon I like Garrison Brothers and Whistle Pig.
 
Pocahontas said:
Johnny walker blue is also nice but in my opinion you are paying more for the label than the bourbon.
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Not a bourbon :flipoff2:

Bookers is good, agreed there...the High West stuff never impressed me, it was decent but there are others I enjoy much more in that price range. Currently working through a bottle of Heaven's Door which I'm enjoying a lot.
 
vetteboy79 said:
Not a bourbon :flipoff2:

Bookers is good, agreed there...the High West stuff never impressed me, it was decent but there are others I enjoy much more in that price range. Currently working through a bottle of Heaven's Door which I'm enjoying a lot.
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Damn hit me, I should know that been on the tour enough. Thoese are the ones I usually give out as thank yous depending on the persons preference brand whore or not.

Tis all similar depending on the hollar it was made in but imo, i will probably get crucified for thay, but noone would be offended by getting either or in my experience. Knob creek is my go to cheap, easy to find and good to my pallet.
 
More importantly than the burban, the next couple times your buddy is working on a project for himself you ask him if he needs help, or better yet just stop over and help. He prolly like me someone who constantly gives out favors, and never asks for any in return.
 
Pocahontas said:
Damn hit me, I should know that been on the tour enough.

Tis all similar depending on the hollar it was made in
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The tour? Hollar?

Johnny Walker is from Kilmarnock, Scotland ya heathen...hence 'Scotch', apples & oranges for the point of discussion here :flipoff2:
 
Weller is my go to for the price around $50 here Blantons for a special occasion
 
vetteboy79 said:
The tour? Hollar?

Johnny Walker is from Kilmarnock, Scotland ya heathen...hence 'Scotch', apples & oranges for the point of discussion here :flipoff2:
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I honestly did not know that, thought it was whiskey from KY area. My grandfather always loved scotch but never drank it. I understand the difference between the two from area to difference in process. I guess when I'm shopping for others(usually send the wife) if I know they like a certain thing(scotch, whiskey, bourbon) I will get them that but they are all close enough to my pallets unless you are doing a tasting they are hard to tell apart. Although I did find it interesting that at the Buffalo trace distillery to be an accredited taster they have to identify each spirt correctly from white lighting to pappy.
 
If you could find a bottle, Blanton's Gold was interesting. It was "spicier" than normal Blanton's and I think is about $90-$100 here. Only way I had it was that my wife brought a bottle back from Germany.
 
Blanton's it good if you can find it. Eagle Rare is decent. Col E.H. Taylor is good. Woodford Reserve Double Oaked is good. There are older bottles of Basil Hayden that are supposed to be good but I haven't had it.
 
Very Old Barton 80proof is a very nice drink. Much better than a lot of pricey Bourbon. Four Roses is good. If you can find 12yo Elijah Craig it is a nice tipple.
 
What I like may be completely different than what he likes.

I enjoy Booker's.

I like the nasty spicy throat burn. Others like the super smooth. I think the smoother it is the more it tastes like vodka, and I'm not a fan. I want my brown liquor to have a very robust taste.


Right now I have some devil's cut and then about 8 different scotches in my cabinet.

Yet I'm sitting here drinking a bush light. :homer:

A gift card to the local liquor store is probably the best.
 
Eagle Rare is good, Weller Antique 107 is ok if you can find it for list, Ancient Age 10 star is good enough for the price I probably shouldn't recommend it, 4 roses small batch select is awesome, Stranahans is pretty good, AD Laws are pretty good, Balcones are solid.
 
Sceep said:
Spend the $ and enlist him in a bourbon of the month club where he gets 3-5 minis a month for a few years.

Then he can choose what he likes.
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That is a great idea.
 
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ThePanzerFuhrer said:
More importantly than the burban, the next couple times your buddy is working on a project for himself you ask him if he needs help, or better yet just stop over and help. He prolly like me someone who constantly gives out favors, and never asks for any in return.
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I do and will continue doing this either way. I've installed doors in his house, built a railing for their porch and a few other things. He's been in the landscaping world for a long time and i know nothing about retaining walls and such so he gives me his expertise and i help with woodworking.


I ended up getting Jerfferson's Reserve and a bottle of Bardstown. We'll see how he likes them.
 
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