RkFast Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 (edited) My bro-in law kindly left me a bottle a Pappy Van Winkle he brought over for Thanksgiving. That stuff is like candy. Usually a Maker's or Dickel (not true bourbon, I know) man, myself. He also picked up a bottle of George Stagg. 140 proof. Woof. Discuss. Edited November 30, 2010 by RkFast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdog1960 Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 (edited) My bro-in law kindly left me a bottle a Pappy Van Winkle he brought over for Thanksgiving. That stuff is like candy. Usually a Maker's or Dickel (not true bourbon, I know) man, myself. He also picked up a bottle of George Stagg. 140 proof. Woof. Discuss. i'm partial to knob creek Edited November 30, 2010 by birdog1960 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartshan-83 Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 I first started drinking bourbon when I was 19 when I'd play Gin against my grandpa. He'd be sitting there sipping his Dewars like a old baller so I'd pour a glass of Knob Creek and try to be cool too. I remember it tasting like fire and my bright idea of adding more and more ice only served to make the drink last forever! I enjoy: - Knob Creek - Woodford Reserve - Maker's - Russell's Reserve - Booker's -- similiar to the Stagg RK just mentioned. It is a cask-strength bourbon from the Jim Beam family. Ranges from 120-130 proof or so. I bought a bottle for my dad several years ago at Christmas and we occasionally brought it out from time to time. It'll put hair on your chest. My favorite though is Evan Williams Single Barrel. If you've never tried this one, I strongly suggest you check it out. I used to think Knob Creek was real smooth, but side-by-side, the EW crushes it...and I still love Knob Creek. Every time I go to the liquor store I end up standing in the bourbon/whiskey section for 10 minutes or so just looking at the different types I'd like to try. I feel like I did when I was a kid in Toys 'R Us or something. I've heard good things about Four Roses and Elijah Craig. Anyone have opinions on them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 I would say my favorites are: Blanton's Single Barrel Knob Creek Woodford Reserve Buffalo Trace Buffalo Trace is an interesting choice as it is less expensive but IMO a very good bourbon. I've said in other threads if you are a real bourbon enthusiast you should visit the Kentucky Bourbon trail. Bourbon Trail It is a fun way to learn about the different distilleries, their philosophies and the process by which they create their bourbon. You can map out a side jog to jack Daniels (though a whiskey not a bourbon) as it is in the same region. BTW that reminds me - Gentleman Jack (a whiskey) is an excellent "sipping" drink also. I look forward to what you guys have to say about other choices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 My bro-in law kindly left me a bottle a Pappy Van Winkle he brought over for Thanksgiving. That stuff is like candy. Usually a Maker's or Dickel (not true bourbon, I know) man, myself. He also picked up a bottle of George Stagg. 140 proof. Woof. Discuss. I've never had Pappy VW. Van Winkle's Special Reserve (Lot B) is quite good though. Like Maker's Mark and Weller, Van Winkle is a wheated bourbon. I'm a George Dickel man, for the most part. Yes, it is not a bourbon but is certainly a close relative. Maker's Mark has been a long time favorite, too. It is like buying a small batch wheated bourbon at a regular bourbon price. Last night my bar was out of Dikel, so I drank Wild Turkey 101. Not bad, really. Bart's list is quite good, IMO. I might add Blantans and Basil Hayden to the mix. I really like that cask strength Bookers, To me Woodford Reserve is a bit overrated. Evan Williams entire line is good, IMO. Also, when funds are low, I will pick up either Evan Williams 90 or Ezra Brooks. Both deliver good value, and good taste. When I lived in California and shopped at the revered Trader Joe's, I would buy Knob Creek and/or Rebel Yell at very low prices. Knob Creek is far better of course, but Rebel Yell was very inexpensive at Joe's. I have yet to try the newer Four Roses reserve. Way back in the day, Four Roses was some nasty cheap stuff, if I recall correctly. But the new stuff gets good reviews. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RkFast Posted November 30, 2010 Author Share Posted November 30, 2010 This is where I want this discussion to go! Thanks for some good suggestions. I like Woodford, too. Its funny, for all these different bourbons of very good to high quality, I can still pour some good old Jack Daniels and enjoy it just the same. I guess that could be considered the Budweiser of whiskeys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 i'm partial to knob creek I've spent a bit of time in Louisville recently and toured the Beam facility. They didn't have anything that I like, but I do enjoy Knob Creek. The guide at the Beam facility spent some time talking about 'infused' bourbons. Theirs is cherry infused and not to my liking at all. She mentioned that Knob Creek does an Irish Cream infusion that she really enjoyed. I didn't have time to visit their distillery but a friend picked up a bottle for my wife. She really enjoys the stuff. <edit> Buffalo Trace does the Irish Cream infusion. Additional note interesting only to me...Once Beam sets their barrels in the barn they don't rotate them. When the make a batch they pull barrels from throughout the barn. I've seen presentations from other distilleries where they rotate the barrels up/down in the barn. The 'sweet spot' in a Beam barn is left for their top of the line label and it isn't mixed with barrels from other parts of the barn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartshan-83 Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 Its funny, for all these different bourbons of very good to high quality, I can still pour some good old Jack Daniels and enjoy it just the same. I guess that could be considered the Budweiser of whiskeys. Absolutely. I remember in high school, Jack Daniels was the thing everyone feared. When you are first starting to drink, whiskey is like drinking gasoline and JD was the flagship of the "Shots you hope no one suggests you do" club. Everything about it was badass...the square bottle, the all black label, the toxic fumes, the intense burn. But I think I have a fondness for it because of that. It felt like an accomplishment when I actually started to enjoy it. A nice stiff Jack and Coke is my standby bar order and is very hard to beat in my book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 This is where I want this discussion to go! Thanks for some good suggestions. I like Woodford, too. Its funny, for all these different bourbons of very good to high quality, I can still pour some good old Jack Daniels and enjoy it just the same. I guess that could be considered the Budweiser of whiskeys. Absolutely. I remember in high school, Jack Daniels was the thing everyone feared. When you are first starting to drink, whiskey is like drinking gasoline and JD was the flagship of the "Shots you hope no one suggests you do" club. Everything about it was badass...the square bottle, the all black label, the toxic fumes, the intense burn. But I think I have a fondness for it because of that. It felt like an accomplishment when I actually started to enjoy it. A nice stiff Jack and Coke is my standby bar order and is very hard to beat in my book. There was a time when Jack Daniels was pretty good. That was many years ago. The black label was 90 proof at the time. They changed to 86 proof and years later to 80 proof. I think, since most drink Jack with coke, they figured they could get away with it. Jack and coke? I always thought that was a Canadian thing, but it seems to be widespread. I guess I just don't get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdog1960 Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 There was a time when Jack Daniels was pretty good. That was many years ago. The black label was 90 proof at the time. They changed to 86 proof and years later to 80 proof. I think, since most drink Jack with coke, they figured they could get away with it. Jack and coke? I always thought that was a Canadian thing, but it seems to be widespread. I guess I just don't get it. my fishing buddies and i had a tradition of dickel and coke after a long day on the james river. we paid the owner of a canoe rental place a bottle of dickel to keep an old jon boat on his property to use when we came. he'd supply the coke and we'd all have one or two together. seemed a fair trade but i always felt we were wasting good bourbon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dib Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 my fishing buddies and i had a tradition of dickel and coke after a long day on the james river. we paid the owner of a canoe rental place a bottle of dickel to keep an old jon boat on his property to use when we came. he'd supply the coke and we'd all have one or two together. seemed a fair trade but i always felt we were wasting good bourbon. I drink beam and coke. Once on a vacation to Buffalo I ordered one, the bartender said: "You're not from around here are you?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cugalabanza Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 I was at a concert recently and had a Kentucky Gentleman and coke, because that was their well whiskey. Not bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 Jack and coke? I always thought that was a Canadian thing, but it seems to be widespread. I guess I just don't get it. When I fly if I drink on the airplane - I usually have Jack and diet coke. I guess it is just a matter of taste - to me it's ok. Personally, I hate "sugary" mixed drinks. While in this thread I think it is important to say that there is a defined difference between whiskey and bourbon. What is interesting is that all bourbons are whiskey and only some whiskey qualifies as bourbon. A good explanation can be found here: Bourbon FAQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bills_fan Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 Mmmmm...Bourbon. Here's one for you guys to try...made by NY's first distillery since prohibition. Absolutely fantastic. My favorite is the Baby Bourbon. Its tricky to find in local liquor stores, the brand will really expand now that Wm Grant bought it. The guys were pretty open to traveling to have tastings. http://tuthilltown.com/ http://tuthilltown.com/category/products Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartshan-83 Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 There was a time when Jack Daniels was pretty good. That was many years ago. The black label was 90 proof at the time. They changed to 86 proof and years later to 80 proof. I think, since most drink Jack with coke, they figured they could get away with it. Jack and coke? I always thought that was a Canadian thing, but it seems to be widespread. I guess I just don't get it. Funny story...a few years back, right after they switched from 86 to 80 I suppose, I was skiing with some friends in New Hampshire and we stopped in a liquor store to pick up a handle of Jack for the weekend. So I bring it up to the counter and the guy just looks at me and shakes his head. I asked him if there was a problem (I figured he thought we were underage). He says: "You still want that after that sneaky sh** they just pulled on us??" I had no idea what he was talking about, but he was more than happy to oblige. He launched into this 5 minute rant about how the Jack Daniels brand didn't mean anything anymore and how they had just lowered the alcohol 3% under the cover of night hoping no one would notice. It was like listening to a Baltimore Colts fan talk about the midnight mayflower trucks. I've never seen someone take a change in booze so personally. Anyway, I agreed with him that it sucked and paid and quickly and left before he could maybe decide life wasn't worth living anymore and should take us with him. When I fly if I drink on the airplane - I usually have Jack and diet coke. I guess it is just a matter of taste - to me it's ok. Personally, I hate "sugary" mixed drinks. To your (and Dean's) point, I don't really know why I like it so much. I think, like many drinks and foods, it's probably more nostalgia than actual substance. It reminds me of high school parties and college tailgates. I like the smell the Jack and coke (or diet as I've too begun to prefer less sugary drinks) make when they combine. I'm sure I'll look back on this one day and wonder why I felt the need to sweeten up my booze. But everyone goes through those taste changes I think. Even my grandpa sitting there sipping his Dewars like I talked about in my first post asked me why the hell I was drinking hard liquor. I told him I wanted to be a pimp like him. He said "BLECHHH I didn't even touch that stuff until I was 40! Drink beer!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 Mmmmm...Bourbon. Here's one for you guys to try...made by NY's first distillery since prohibition. Absolutely fantastic. My favorite is the Baby Bourbon. Its tricky to find in local liquor stores, the brand will really expand now that Wm Grant bought it. The guys were pretty open to traveling to have tastings. http://tuthilltown.com/ http://tuthilltown.com/category/products Where do you buy it? They have no retail location anywhere near Dallas. They also do not list Buffalo as a city where they retail. I'm not sure what the legalities are but they do have online options for purchase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bills_fan Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 Where do you buy it? They have no retail location anywhere near Dallas. They also do not list Buffalo as a city where they retail. I'm not sure what the legalities are but they do have online options for purchase. Try these online distributors. http://tuthilltown.com/where-to-buy/online-retailers-of-tuthilltown-spirits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 A couple of questions not yet asked or answered - assume you are drinking a good Bourbon: How do you like it - neat, on the rocks, with water, without, some other mixer? . Do you care what kind of glass it is in? ________________________________________________________________________________________________ As for me I like it on the rocks (cold) and a tumbler is fine. Some will say it should be served neat and in a brandy snifter to get maximum impact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 Not sure if this has been mentioned. Bulleit. I also like Knob Creek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 You can all keep your Bourbon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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