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Bourbon - whats the "best"

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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There is another retaining wall that needs to be built so this idea will stay on the list.
 
Pocahontas said:
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.
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It's not that big a deal JW ages in re-used ex-bourbon casks, and uses them multiple times, but it's blended from grain and malt whiskey. That malt gives even blended scotch a bit of a kick.

American bourbons are aged in charred casks one time, the flavors are mostly soaked out in the first age for that strong bourbon taste. The one-time aging in a fresh barrel gives grain bourbons their kick.

So JW is blended with malted, soaked in casks that have already has bourbon in them, and made by Scottish people in Scotland instead of Scots-Irish people in hilly Appalachia.

They are not after all that dissimilar, of course, as the bourbon distillers would have used Scotch as a reference for what they were trying to accomplish in America after getting beaten up in our first Civil War by George Washington. Malting in Scotland, one-time charred barrels in America.

Whiskey snobs will have a fucking coniption fit over my post but it's 100% accurate. If you were coming at it w/o readiing, you nailed it IMO. You are literally tasting how they add flavor to the whiskeys, and why they're not that different.
 
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xWhatever Bourbon of the month club would be my first recommendation.
Blantons would be next for something a little smoother and a good all around bourbon. Hard to find at times though. Elmer T Lee is right up there with Blantons but is even harder to find. Same Mashbill, barrels and close in process (Elmer is aged slightly longer), just different warehouses (building made with different material metal vs wood or brick, it matters).
Bookers is a really good choice if he is a bourbon drinker that appreciates a little burn (126 proof). This used to be my go to until I found Blantons and after that Jim Beam sold out to Japan.
Other good sippers.. Angle's Envy, Elijah Craig 12, Rabbit Hole, any Four Roses (the pricier the better here, but all good)
 
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Eric said:
Makers is a great swilling bourbon! :smokin:
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this is what i drink.


I am not sure I really need to know what is better. I don't think I can afford it, and I don't miss or crave what I have never had.
 
I can't make you spend $300 on one bottle, you're not paying for flavor at that point.

But here's what's very good and isn't cheap, to me. If you want cheaper stuff that tastes great, well that's a different list.

1) Woodford Double Oaked (waaaaay better than the regular stuff)
2) If you can find a bottle of Michter's Toasted you could spend some real money. This is one of the best in the last 10 years IMHO. It came out of nowhere, I drank mine in 3 days, and thought the secret was all mine :(
3) Weller 107 (lots of this around, just have to look, many small single barrel bottlings for stores)
4) WL Weller 12, if you can find it, spendy, holy shit it's good.

I wouldn't do a bourbon of the month club. Seems like shit of the month to me. These (there are others) show that you at least took the time to figure it out.
 
if your buddy is 'in' to bourbons... he would dig a bottle of blade and bow... it is 300.00, but he'd bust it out for special and really enjoy it.
 
We can get Blade and Bow for $70/bottle. Not sure where that's $300.

Blantons and Willett are both in the $70 range, and are excellent options if you can find them.

Pappy is also excellent (I prefer the 20 year), but is likely out of the price range.

In the $300 and excellent range, I'd be looking for a Willett special reserve or special release. They do a few each year, and they're well worth the price.
 
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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Excellent idea. Liquors are very subject to individual taste. OP, you could get him a very highly reviewed bottle and he might hate it. I found that to be true while I was still drinking.
 
Spiritof76 said:
We can get Blade and Bow for $70/bottle. Not sure where that's $300.

Blantons and Willett are both in the $70 range, and are excellent options if you can find them.

Pappy is also excellent (I prefer the 20 year), but is likely out of the price range.

In the $300 and excellent range, I'd be looking for a Willett special reserve or special release. They do a few each year, and they're well worth the price.
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my mistake, I meant the blade and bow 22. the last time I saw it, it was 300.
 
Spiritof76 said:
We can get Blade and Bow for $70/bottle. Not sure where that's $300.

Blantons and Willett are both in the $70 range, and are excellent options if you can find them.

Pappy is also excellent (I prefer the 20 year), but is likely out of the price range.

In the $300 and excellent range, I'd be looking for a Willett special reserve or special release. They do a few each year, and they're well worth the price.
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23 yr family reserve has an MSRP of $299.99...

https://www.oldripvanwinkle.com/whiskey/family-reserve-23-year/
 
He seems to have similar taste to mine and here are my fav's when I can get the: Weller, Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, EH Taylor, Widow Jane, Old Forester 1910, Angels Envy, Blantons, Belle Meade Reserve. The great state of North Carolina has state run liquor stores so the pickens are slim so I can't help you on pricing as it is all over the place. In regards to the bourbon of the month club, do not sign him up for Flaviar. Never heard anything good about it
 
Woodford or Booker's are my go to for the better stuff. The Booker's Cask Strength is excellent if you can get your hands on a bottle.
Haven't bought it, but having tried it the Jefferson Ocean is worth the $100 for a bottle.
 
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