OT: National Bourbon Day.... What's your favorite pour?
Four Roses is my go to. At $20/bottle you really can't beat it.
Just toured Four Roses bottling plant last month. I'm a fan. Their single barrel is money.
I used to buy Four Roses single barrel at grocery stores no problem (e.g., Meijer in Ann Arbor). Now I can't find it anywhere, ever. What the hell happened?
the bourbon craze.... hopefully rum becomes the new best thing since sliced bread, then some of the bourbon that used to sit on shelves everywhere will start showing back up instead of being allocated. Weller 12, Elmer T Lee are a couple good examples.
I really like Four Roses single barrel, too. It's always at my local liquor store here. Maybe they can ship it to you!
That pic is amazing, Buffalo Trace for me
We were just in Louisville over Memorial Day weekend. My wife is the bourbon drinker in the family (I do rum). Her current favorite is Old Harper. She also likes Blanton's and Four Roses Barrel Select. We brought home some Michter's Rye (lower shelf on the left) but missed their bourbon because it wasn't ready yet (to be released on 6/22, I think). She also likes Old Forester (middle shelf). Nice selection & happy sipping!
You just reminded me that I have some Blanton’s on my bar. Good stuff
Someone had to remind you of that?
I kind of inherited a bourbon collection from my brother in law, he lived with me for a while after his divorce and left behind some good stuff.
The stores here never have Blantons. Some bars have it for anywhere from $15 to $20 a shot. At $15 it's a steql.
Four Roses Small Batch is my benchmark for best quality/price. New Holland Beer Barrel Bourbon is really good too. I think Blanton's is better than both, but it's about twice as expensive. Beyond that, I'm usually going to go with Scotch or something similar.
I tried the beer barrel bourbon and quickly relegated it to the cocktail mixer only class, granted this was a couple of years ago, has it gotten better?
No. It's terrible. And NH should be ashamed.
Four Roses Single Barrel > Small Batch
Woodford Reserve. A little spendy but the difference between it and a $20 bottle is real. Angel's Envy is the go to for special occasions. If you say rye is better than bourbon we can't be friends.
rye is better than bourbon
YES. Especially angels envy rye v bourbon. They age that nectar in Rum Barrels. It’s glorious
OK Z. I'm with you on the Angels Envy rye. But make a point to try Basil Hayden Dark Rye. It's aged in Port wine casks. It's is so smooth...?
Tell you what - Someone gave me a bottle of Belle Meade a couple months ago, and it was some damn good and smooth bourbon, at a little higher price point.
My "go to" for the last year has been Buffalo Trace - grandson of Pappy's. Best bourbon at its price point - period...
.jpg)
Basil Hayden’s
Eagle Rare, Buffalo Trace, Clyde Mays, and Elijah Craig for me.
Must be a personal taste thing, because I love Buffalo Trace, but was not impressed at all with Elijah Craig when I bought it about 8 months ago. May have to try again...
Some bottles do seem to change after being opened for a while. I was not a fan of Michter's bourbon when I first opened it, but gave it a try a couple months later and found it much better.
Lately, I've noticed by bottles don't last more than a couple of days, much less a couple of months. Must be the humidity around my bar area...
That's why I keep so many opened at once... its a little trick my liver and I came up with.
My ECBP is better after a couple months after opening.
George T. Stagg - I found it abandoned and covered with dust 6 months after release in a random Indian Bodega in NYC and paid $75.
Heard very good things about Stagg Jr.
I like barrel proof bourbon, but Stagg Jr. isnt' a favorite of mine. Elijah Craig barrel proof & Wild Turkey Rare Breed are pretty easy to find and very good. Bookers is too, but pricy. Knob Creek 120 is a popular one for single barrel store picks. Superfine wine and liquor on Haggerty in Canton had a barrel pick KC120 last year that was almost 14 years aged, it was incredible.
Really, why is that? I’ve never had so I’m going off of what I’ve read.
i mostly drink my bourbon neat, some barrel proof i'll add a cube or a couple drops of water. Jr is too hot, the burn over powers and I don't get any depth of flavor. To me, its pretty much burn up front with nothing to follow.
Henry McKenna 10 Year Single Barrel. But it's getting harder to find since it won Best in Show at SFWSC!
My favorite bourbon is Marijuana
Isn't there something called Mags Bennett's Bourbon Infused Reefer?
Angel's envy, Bulleit, Smooth Ambler, Pinhook, Belle Meade, OKI, Old Carter, Redemption and a ton of others are all actually distilled by MGP in Indiana. Most are high rye bourbon, or rye whiskey. Some are contract products, where MGP is actually producing the product to the end brands specifications. Many others just taste barrels of MGP's aged product, buy the ones they like and bottle it under their own label.
MGP produces some really good stuff, and a lot of 'generic grade' whiskey as well. As crazy as the bourbon market is right now, you could buy a 1/2 dozen barrels, make a cool label with a great story, call it "limited release" "single barrel select" and sell it for $150/bottle.
Jim Beam Red Stag. It's cheap & it's cherry!
Love Angels’s envy but for special occasions it’s Col EH Taylor single barrel bottled in bond! Taylor’s Rye is also a favorite! Heaven’s Door 10 year bourbon also great. Too many choices...
Impressive bar!
For regular sipping - Buffalo Trace, it's cheap-ish and is damn near my favorite no matter the price point.
For special occasions: Belle Meade Madeira Cask finish
For a mix: Campfire from High West Distillery is an interesting mix of Bourbon, Scotch, and Rye.
I just had the Campfire from High West last weekend, I didn't get much bourbon profile from it. I'd say it's comparable to Johnnie Walker Black. It was pretty decent, but I'm glad I didn't splurge for a whole bottle like I had considered so many times.
It's got a good mix of sweet and smoky in my opinion and I dig it(much more than JWB) but everyone has different tastes.
Don’t choose to go the Rye route as often, but Michters Rye if I do.
The toasted barrel rye was outstanding. The barrel proof is very good too.
Over this way in Iowa area, Templeton Rye is really good. It's a tad on the pricey side, but worth it IMO. Not sure it's for sale in Michigan yet, but they're expanding it's distribution.
It should be, we get it in Tennessee. Four year not as expensive of a bottle. Honestly, I wasn't super impressed, but I'm not as much into Rye's.
My eye is always on the look out for McKenna’s and EW Taylor. Haven’t found yet, but anticipating.
McKenna is hard to find now. Good, but not great bourbon.
Henry McKenna's 10 year single barrel is really good. I like the complexity of it. Just won the SF spirits champ for all whiskies. Only $35 but because of that, it's hard to find at the moment.
Another really complex affordable one I like is Nikka Whisky from the Barrel. It's Japanese, and I think both Bourbon and Scotch lovers will like. Flavors just bloom out of it. One of my favs I've bought in the last few years. $65 I think.
I can't find the nikka anywhere
I found it at Total Wine & More. Not sure if there’s one near you. But I’m in Boston.