so I'm partly copping this from the recent Tape Op interveiw with Will Oldham, but what's your favorite bourbon?
I discovered recently that sipping bourbon 'neat' while doing vocal overdubs really helps the throat and this has been confirmed by several really good singers I know.
I've always liked Makers Mark, but lately I've been enjoying Wild Turkey 101 a lot.
-n
bourbon
2I generally prefer my Irish Whiskeys but as far as bourbon goes, I would have to say Knob Creek or Bulliet Bourbon. Both are quite nice.
Last edited by Angry_Dragon_Archive on Wed Apr 28, 2004 3:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Better yet, eat the placenta!!!
bourbon
3n.c.
bless you on your recent discovery and bless you on your choice of
topic.
i enjoy the maker's mark when i'm at the neighborhood bar. in my opinion
the wild turkey 101 is the best value. there's also the old charter (it
has a yellow label) that is about the same price and, as far as what i
like, is just almost as good. you can't find it at your local grocery store
though.
my favorite of all time is booker's, but it's a little pricey at about $50 a
bottle. blanton's is a favorite as well.
if you're really interested in the bourbon, there's a bourbon festival every
year in bardstown, kentucky, at the end of september.
i've been once.
best,
brian
bless you on your recent discovery and bless you on your choice of
topic.
i enjoy the maker's mark when i'm at the neighborhood bar. in my opinion
the wild turkey 101 is the best value. there's also the old charter (it
has a yellow label) that is about the same price and, as far as what i
like, is just almost as good. you can't find it at your local grocery store
though.
my favorite of all time is booker's, but it's a little pricey at about $50 a
bottle. blanton's is a favorite as well.
if you're really interested in the bourbon, there's a bourbon festival every
year in bardstown, kentucky, at the end of september.
i've been once.
best,
brian
bourbon
6I agree that Maker's Mark is the standard to judge all Bourbons against, but I have found some that I think give Makers a run for the money.
Corner Creek - for around $20 a bottle this bourbon is great. It's relaxed and classy and easy to drink, that is until some snob tells you it's a blended bourbon and calls you a pussy. But, for the money, this bourbon is hard to beat.
Eagle Rare 10 Year- $20 gets you a bottle that looks like an add for the GOP. Once you get past the bald eagle and the patriotic rant on the back of the bottle, you will enjoy one of the best bargains in bourbon. Very complex and full bodied. The 17 year is supposed to be one of the best bourbons out there but it's $45.
Woodford Reserve- If you want to look like a gentleman spend the $24 to get a bottle of this stuff. Refined but intensely flavorful.
Bulliet Frontier Bourbon- I've only seen this once. I think it was $25. It was extra sweet and very relaxed. I would definitely get it again.
I've splurged a couple times and bought some of the $30+ bottles of bourbon, but it's wasted on me. Besides, what will you have to look forward to when your 60 and sitting on the porch if you turn into a bourbon snob at 30? There are some fantastic bourbons in the $20-25 range nowadays that will make you curse Jim Beam's name.
Corner Creek - for around $20 a bottle this bourbon is great. It's relaxed and classy and easy to drink, that is until some snob tells you it's a blended bourbon and calls you a pussy. But, for the money, this bourbon is hard to beat.
Eagle Rare 10 Year- $20 gets you a bottle that looks like an add for the GOP. Once you get past the bald eagle and the patriotic rant on the back of the bottle, you will enjoy one of the best bargains in bourbon. Very complex and full bodied. The 17 year is supposed to be one of the best bourbons out there but it's $45.
Woodford Reserve- If you want to look like a gentleman spend the $24 to get a bottle of this stuff. Refined but intensely flavorful.
Bulliet Frontier Bourbon- I've only seen this once. I think it was $25. It was extra sweet and very relaxed. I would definitely get it again.
I've splurged a couple times and bought some of the $30+ bottles of bourbon, but it's wasted on me. Besides, what will you have to look forward to when your 60 and sitting on the porch if you turn into a bourbon snob at 30? There are some fantastic bourbons in the $20-25 range nowadays that will make you curse Jim Beam's name.
bourbon
7I am in total and complete love with most anything the Van Winkle family sells. The 15-year Old Rip Van Winkle or the Van Winkle Reserve Rye (not bourbon, but fuckin' delicious in its own right) are my mainstays. I'll get Pappy Van Winkle when I have the extra cash on hand. Shit, i'd even go with the 10-year if I was really broke and desperate, but I try to be neither most of the time.
I've yet to try Bullit, but my whiskey-buddy speaks quite highly of it. Hopefully we can get some down here really soon.
I like the Maker's Mark distillery tour quite a bit, but I rarely buy their whiskey any more. It's fine, but not amazing, and if I'm going to drop coin on liquor, I figure I'll spend 25% more for something I like ten times as much. If I don't have the money for something better, I'll go with Wild Turkey 101 instead.
Woodford Reserve I like ok, though I never buy more than a 375ml bottle. I like it for traveling or listening to the Anomoanan's records. It's also the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby!
Oh, another engineer told me he likes Maker's with a ton of ice, letting it melt together a little bit before sipping. I tried it once and liked it quite a bit.
I like whiskey!
Andy Cohen -- where the fahg is he? Nonno, come and edify us!
mb
I've yet to try Bullit, but my whiskey-buddy speaks quite highly of it. Hopefully we can get some down here really soon.
I like the Maker's Mark distillery tour quite a bit, but I rarely buy their whiskey any more. It's fine, but not amazing, and if I'm going to drop coin on liquor, I figure I'll spend 25% more for something I like ten times as much. If I don't have the money for something better, I'll go with Wild Turkey 101 instead.
Woodford Reserve I like ok, though I never buy more than a 375ml bottle. I like it for traveling or listening to the Anomoanan's records. It's also the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby!
Oh, another engineer told me he likes Maker's with a ton of ice, letting it melt together a little bit before sipping. I tried it once and liked it quite a bit.
I like whiskey!
Andy Cohen -- where the fahg is he? Nonno, come and edify us!
mb
bourbon
8OK, I got much more to say than this, but time is short. My prejudices: Smoothness = overrated; character = underrated
Let's start positive:
Best deals:
Old Forester -- Can be had regularly (at least in Chicago) for $10/bottle. Not real complex, but also very drinkable, none of the "off" flavors that mar Jim Beam White, Maker's Mark and a number of other more expensive bourbons.
Wild Turkey 101 -- A step into complexity-land for $15-18/bottle, depending on where bought. WT seems to have some sort of biker/weekend loser associations, but I think it's the highest quality product (and most consistent) in its price range. For me, if you drink it with an open mind, it's got more interesting corn and rye character than any number of more hyped bourbons that cost much more. Watch out not to get Wild Turkey 80 (Mild Turkey, Turk-ish, ha ha), a much-inferior product that is lower quality in addition to lower-proof. The distiller told me this himself (it's aged less and blended with cast-off lots that would go to 101 if they were up to snuff.)
Four Roses -- Unfortunately only available overseas and in Kentucky. They've claimed (at Bourbon-fest) for 2 years now that they are expanding their marketing here, but I have yet to see it happen. Anyway, this is what Maker's Mark is reputed to be - the perfect easy-drinking bourbon. Very smooth and mild (for a bourbon) with an extremely nice floral character. I think it costs around $17 in Kentucky, although I could be wrong (maybe it's more like $13). Even though I tend to like more rye-inflected bourbons, I would love to have this in the bar for when I'm not up for a challenge, but I still want to drink bourbon.
Honorable mention: Old Grand-dad. The cheaper Wellers, Rebel Yell. Others, I'm sure, but I'm going from memory here.
More Expensive:
Any of the higher-priced Wild Turkey products. Russell's reserve (~$21-24, a little milder and smoother than 101); Rare Breed (barrel proof); Kentucky Spirit (a man's drink, shitloads of flavor in this single-barrel, probably too much for most people, especially scotch or Irish whiskey drinkers.)
Jim Beam products -- Booker's (really great, but needs ice and is too easy to get drunk on ~125 proof); Bakers (coming to a new appreciation of this one, although it's overpriced at around $45). I'm not a big Knob Creek fan as it has a strange metallic taste to me, but I'm not against it, others don't seem to notice the off flavor. Its popularity is certainly better-deserved than Maker's Mark.
Blanton's - A little milder (in a good way) than a lot of single barrels. Still has complexity. Really classic, a must-try for any real bourbon fan. A bit expensive ($45-50 normally).
Van Winkle 13yr Rye -- Super deal at low-$20s. Won't be available much longer (VW is almost out). Probably my overall favorite whisky. As a non-bourbon-drinking friend (who nevertheless appreciates the VW rye) says, "an explosion of flavor in the mouth." The explosion is followed by a lot of complexity and nice sweetness, really well balanced. The 12yr VW rye is good too, but nowhere near the 13yr.
OK, getting tired of typing, many others that are good/great: Pappy Van Winkle 20yr; any age Hirsch; some versions of Elijah Craig, lots of others that I feel bad leaving out because I've forgotten them at the moment.
Worst deals:
Maker's Mark -- Odd rubbing-alcohol taste to me. Actually tastes like rubbing-alcohol in which that someone has dissolved brown sugar. No complexity, just alcohol and sweetness. Not smooth, just not a lot of flavor, giving the impression of smoothness. A bad deal at any price, but if it's getting people into checking out other bourbons, then that's a nice side-effect of its popularity.
Jim Beam White -- Not actually that bad a deal, but it's got some pretty strange mustiness to me that makes it hard to understand why anyone would buy this for $13 pr whatever it costs when they could get Wild Turkey, Old Forester or whatever else for about the same price. I don't actually mind drinking this if nothing else is available, and it kicks ass on Maker's Mark.
Let's start positive:
Best deals:
Old Forester -- Can be had regularly (at least in Chicago) for $10/bottle. Not real complex, but also very drinkable, none of the "off" flavors that mar Jim Beam White, Maker's Mark and a number of other more expensive bourbons.
Wild Turkey 101 -- A step into complexity-land for $15-18/bottle, depending on where bought. WT seems to have some sort of biker/weekend loser associations, but I think it's the highest quality product (and most consistent) in its price range. For me, if you drink it with an open mind, it's got more interesting corn and rye character than any number of more hyped bourbons that cost much more. Watch out not to get Wild Turkey 80 (Mild Turkey, Turk-ish, ha ha), a much-inferior product that is lower quality in addition to lower-proof. The distiller told me this himself (it's aged less and blended with cast-off lots that would go to 101 if they were up to snuff.)
Four Roses -- Unfortunately only available overseas and in Kentucky. They've claimed (at Bourbon-fest) for 2 years now that they are expanding their marketing here, but I have yet to see it happen. Anyway, this is what Maker's Mark is reputed to be - the perfect easy-drinking bourbon. Very smooth and mild (for a bourbon) with an extremely nice floral character. I think it costs around $17 in Kentucky, although I could be wrong (maybe it's more like $13). Even though I tend to like more rye-inflected bourbons, I would love to have this in the bar for when I'm not up for a challenge, but I still want to drink bourbon.
Honorable mention: Old Grand-dad. The cheaper Wellers, Rebel Yell. Others, I'm sure, but I'm going from memory here.
More Expensive:
Any of the higher-priced Wild Turkey products. Russell's reserve (~$21-24, a little milder and smoother than 101); Rare Breed (barrel proof); Kentucky Spirit (a man's drink, shitloads of flavor in this single-barrel, probably too much for most people, especially scotch or Irish whiskey drinkers.)
Jim Beam products -- Booker's (really great, but needs ice and is too easy to get drunk on ~125 proof); Bakers (coming to a new appreciation of this one, although it's overpriced at around $45). I'm not a big Knob Creek fan as it has a strange metallic taste to me, but I'm not against it, others don't seem to notice the off flavor. Its popularity is certainly better-deserved than Maker's Mark.
Blanton's - A little milder (in a good way) than a lot of single barrels. Still has complexity. Really classic, a must-try for any real bourbon fan. A bit expensive ($45-50 normally).
Van Winkle 13yr Rye -- Super deal at low-$20s. Won't be available much longer (VW is almost out). Probably my overall favorite whisky. As a non-bourbon-drinking friend (who nevertheless appreciates the VW rye) says, "an explosion of flavor in the mouth." The explosion is followed by a lot of complexity and nice sweetness, really well balanced. The 12yr VW rye is good too, but nowhere near the 13yr.
OK, getting tired of typing, many others that are good/great: Pappy Van Winkle 20yr; any age Hirsch; some versions of Elijah Craig, lots of others that I feel bad leaving out because I've forgotten them at the moment.
Worst deals:
Maker's Mark -- Odd rubbing-alcohol taste to me. Actually tastes like rubbing-alcohol in which that someone has dissolved brown sugar. No complexity, just alcohol and sweetness. Not smooth, just not a lot of flavor, giving the impression of smoothness. A bad deal at any price, but if it's getting people into checking out other bourbons, then that's a nice side-effect of its popularity.
Jim Beam White -- Not actually that bad a deal, but it's got some pretty strange mustiness to me that makes it hard to understand why anyone would buy this for $13 pr whatever it costs when they could get Wild Turkey, Old Forester or whatever else for about the same price. I don't actually mind drinking this if nothing else is available, and it kicks ass on Maker's Mark.
bourbon
10George Dickel!
Actually, I think that's imitation Jack Daniels, technically not bourbon!
Dickel!
The last time I drank the Dickel I ended up hiding in the beach dunes from the cops. I was 26 fucking years old. hanging out with Yalies. hiding from the goddamned cops.
Dickel!
I also got into a wrestling match and frightened some uptight medical students.
Dickels, you taste like shit, but you make fire in the belly!
Actually, I think that's imitation Jack Daniels, technically not bourbon!
Dickel!
The last time I drank the Dickel I ended up hiding in the beach dunes from the cops. I was 26 fucking years old. hanging out with Yalies. hiding from the goddamned cops.
Dickel!
I also got into a wrestling match and frightened some uptight medical students.
Dickels, you taste like shit, but you make fire in the belly!
George