OT: [Weekend Drinking Thread] Really nice bourbon to buy for guests who love bourbon?

At shorts with some friends for the ugly Christmas sweater party and live music.

Jim Beam makes Bookers, Basil Hayden's, Bakers,and Knob Creek, and they're all good and available. Get them a single barrel edition (like Knob single barrel or Bookers) to make it special.

Last time I had Wild Turkey was in Ann Arbor as a senior.  Such evenings were promptly entitled by my associates as "wrestling with the big bird".  I am not surprised that the base bourbon has been downvoted on this thread.

it's all my FIL drinks, so it's the only thing in the house. But it's so nice to be back in Michigan!!!

Is my go to. Having some now, watching There Will Be Blood on amazon prime.

Henry McKenna.  10 year.  great bourbon and only goes for about $31. 

 

Plus no one has suggested any of the wheat based bourbons.  Bernheim 7 year is probably the easiest to find.  

Weller and Old Fitzgerald VS 12 year are both real finds. 

I’m more of a Scotch person than bourbon, but I just got a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle 23 that I found to be stupendous. On the Scotch side the Lagavulin 16 and Balvenie Doublewood 17 together cover a lot of bases.

Blanton's Signle Barrel ~$50

Booker's ~$80 (eventually going to $100)

Old Forester 1920 ~ $40

Four Roses Single Barrel (I personally like OESV) ~$60

Belle Meade Sherry Cask Finish ~$75

High West Midwinter's Night Dram (getting harder to find) ~$100

Any WIllett Family Estate Bourbon or Rye ~$40-$300+

Michter's Single Barrel 10yr/20yr ~$150/$600

Smooth Ambler Old Scout 7-10 yr ~$50-100

Elijah Craig 12yr (if you can find an old age-stated bottle) ~$35

Hard to find:

William Laure Weller (BTAC) ~$500+

Eagle Rare 17 (BTAC) ~ $450+

Sazerac 18 (BTAC) ~$700+

Booker's 25th Anniversary (2014) ~$450

Elijah Craig 18yr (script bottle) ~$350

Van Winkle Resere Rye (prior to 2013) ~$900+

Jefferson Presidential Select 17yr ~$800

 

Sazerac Rye

Great and goes for 27-30
Hard to find here in Ohio.

E.H. Taylor Small Batch
Around 42 again if you can find it.


Restaurants and Bars have the best luck. Usually a $8 dollar pour. Try them out. You’ll only be sorry they are so hard to find.

Bourbon fans, have a listen to this Criminal podcast on Pappy's. It's a good listen (and Criminal is one of the best podcast's out there). 

http://www.thisiscriminal.com/episode-40-pappy-4-1-2016/

I’m more of a scotch man. I have had Bulleit, which is ok. I might give one of these a try at some point. For those scotch drinkers out there, try to get a hold of Tomintoul 16 if you can find it. It is phenomenal. If you can’t, Tomatin 16 is good and so is Glenfiddich 12, both of which should be available.

Knob Creek single barrel 100 proof. Even the hint of creme broulee comes through. About as good a "sippin' Bourbon" as there is in the +/- $40.00 price range. Serve with a little water on the side or over ice. 

Eagle Rare is really good for the price. Angel’s Envy for the sweet tooth. Willett to impress with a (I think) hidden gem. Blanton’s for the win.

Pappy 23 year old

will be glad to get a bottle of Woodford Reserve. It won't bust your stones to either find or buy.

Just good sipping whiskey.

Angels Envy or the Eagle Rare work for me, both are more obtainable at the better stocked liquor stores around here lately.

Smoky with a Kerosene finishing note.

Actual scotch is a great one the wife brought back from Scotland this year: Port Askaig from Islay. Can't get it here

The other is Founders Dirty Bastard scotch ale.

Can't go wrong with them. Every year they do a special limited edition--they buy up a small batch, age it under conditions unique to to that batch. Thy do a fantastic job and once stocks are gone, that bourbon will never exist again, so it's great as a gift.

T Lee...