Whiskey Lovers

[Michael Scott]

so I know we have quite a few beer lovers around here, but what about whiskey lovers? of all the different liquors out there, I find none so perfectly crafted for slow and steady sipping, allowing for more appreciation of the taste vs. many other hard imbibements.

Right now I sadly can't afford $90-$120 bottles of bourbon, but I do like to drink something OTHER than "mixer" level whiskeys. for me I would say that right now I'm really digging

1. Four Roses Single Barrel
2. Henry McKenna 10 year bonded
3. Eagle Rare 10 year
4. Four Roses Small batch (milder and softer than it's spicier and heavier proofed Single barrel older brother)
5. Russel Reserve 10 year
6. Evan Williams Single Barrel (surprisingly good considering how low quality their black label is)


I'd love to try stuff like Weller antique, or Elmer T. Lee or the now defunct Elijah Craig 12 year (now replaced with the "small batch" which seems to be a much younger breed), but the Weller and Elmer T. Lee haven't been around Arizona for years and years

 

[Todd Anderson]

I'm a big bourbon fan...

I agree with you on Four Roses and Eagle Rare.

Others that I really enjoy:

1)High West "American Prairie"
2) Basil Hayden
3) Filibuster

and my all-time favorite: Blantons

Blantons can be had neat or on the rocks... absolutely flat-out phenomenal stuff! ;-)

 

[leecreek]

Had to give up the Whiskey. Drain Bramage ya know.......

 

[Michael Scott]

I'm a big bourbon fan...

I agree with you on Four Roses and Eagle Rare.

Others that I really enjoy:

1)High West "American Prairie"
2) Basil Hayden
3) Filibuster

and my all-time favorite: Blantons

Blantons can be had neat or on the rocks... absolutely flat-out phenomenal stuff! ;-)

1. I've seen that come up in online bourbon conversations more and more so I may have to try the High West. Reasonably priced too.
2. Basil Hayden is a great addition, but I always come back to the low 80 proof and wishing it had more heat to it. Something I don't feel with the 100+ proof bourbons
3. I've actually never even heard of Filibuster
4. As a bourban fanatic I'm embarrassed to say that I actually have never tried Blantons despite its legendary status. Probably due to the $65 price tag around here lol. But I really feel I NEED to try it out as it is the original "single barrel"

 

[Michael Scott]

and because it's cold as my ex wife's heart right now, I decided to warm my blood with a little 4 roses Single Barrel.

I hadn't bought any for about 6 months but with Todd and I mentioning it, got my heart pumping for a glass

 

[JBrax]

I’ve never been much of a whiskey fan. I do have some Martell XO cognac that I sip from time to time.

 

[tesseract]

I have been looking at scotch and whisky as an alternative (or compliment) to my favorite ales.

Eyes on.

 

[Michael Scott]

Tesseract... what's your desired "method" of drinking them? Are you going for mixed drinks like whiskey sours, old fashioneds and the like, or are you going for sipping? or third category... jack and coke style of mixing? each variation will dictate which one we recommend for your particular usage.

oh and @Todd Anderson .....have you tried Jefferson Reserve yet? they make another which is almost unbeatable at the price range

 

[tesseract]

I am interested in Scotch, neat or straight up.

 

[Michael Scott]

if you're newbing scotch, I'd start with McCallan 12 year. it's a great starting point and the best bang for your buck value to cost wise (though it isn't bargain basement pricing

others I would recommend to start out with is

1. Glenlivet 12 year
2. Balvenie Doublewood 12 year
3. Monkey shoulder (gets over looked a lot but it is a great scotch blend that is quite easy to drink)

 

[Mark C Flick]

I've never been able to find Four Roses around here but I'd love to try it. My go to list in no particular order;
Eagle Rare
Elijah Craig
Bulleit
Jim Beam
Stranahan's
I certainly lean more toward bourbon than other any other whiskey and prefer I my whiskey neat.

 

[Todd Anderson]

Mike - High West AP is legit... Blantons is on a different level. So delicious and tasty! Single Barrel (the one with the horse mounted on the cork.

You’ll recognize it from the hotel bar in John Wick.

It’s super duper tough to buy around the DC area.... restricted supply. The state stores sell out the morning they receive a few bottles... there’s one place in DC that will have it hidden. If you spend enough it magically becomes available.

I say give it a shot once. It’s good enough that you can enjoy it neat. Mega smooth

 

[Michael Scott]

Excellent. Neat or with whisky cubes is the way I drink bourbon. Stinks that it's in such short supply near you. I can find it at Fry's/Kroger's on the shelf pretty much all day long. The bottle is so unique that I can almost always notice it. Just saw three bottles on the shelf when I went out this weekend and grabbed some four roses small batch and old Grand dad 114 (love my four roses).

I'll have to save my sheckles and grab one. How does it compare to Booker's?

 

[mechman]

For bourbon I go with Colonel EH Taylor. I don't bother with anything else anymore.

Scotch in no particular order:

• Glenlivet (15)
• Glenfiddich (15)
• Macallan (any)
• Shieldag (18)
• Grangestone (18)
• Glenmorangie (any)

When in doubt, I go with a highland or a speyside. I avoid the nasty, peaty tasting lowland scotch.

 

[Mark C Flick]

What? You don't enjoy a snoot full of Laphroaig? That's definitely an acquired taste.

 

[Michael Scott]

lol, I actually like a good aged Scotch with a dose of peat in it. Not as bad as Laphroaig though... that's a bit "acquired" as Mark said.

 

[Todd Anderson]

Excellent. Neat or with whisky cubes is the way I drink bourbon. Stinks that it's in such short supply near you. I can find it at Fry's/Kroger's on the shelf pretty much all day long. The bottle is so unique that I can almost always notice it. Just saw three bottles on the shelf when I went out this weekend and grabbed some four roses small batch and old Grand dad 114 (love my four roses).

I'll have to save my sheckles and grab one. How does it compare to Booker's?

Ridiculous! It also costs closer to $80 here. That could be taxes (which are high for alcohol in MD).

 

[Michael Scott]

Ridiculous! It also costs closer to $80 here. That could be taxes (which are high for alcohol in MD).

ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww, I thought the $59.99-$64.99 down here wasn't that great. My buddy in minnesota picks it up for $49.99

 

[Todd Anderson]

WHAT?

We're getting seriously ripped off.

 

[Michael Scott]

lol, I know, I felt sucker punched looking what he pays. it seems that Minnesota has SUPER cheap booze comparatively. I buy 4 roses single barrel for $39.99 at total wine, the total wine there is $34.99. I pay $37.49 for a bottle of Henry McKenna 10 year BiB... he gets it for $24.99. $32 for 4 roses small batch, $25.99 for him. the list goes on and on.

 

[Todd Anderson]

Obviously there's some artificial demand going on here... plus tax. DC is only about 8 miles away (as the crow files)... significantly cheaper on taxes (as is Virginia), but Blantons is tough to find anywhere. Must be a regional distribution thing.

 

[Michael Scott]

yup, has to be. It's kind of why I can't get Elmer T. Lee, or Weller 12 year over here. You east coasters can get it, but I try and buy a bottle and I have to hunt it down like nobodies business .

 

[lcaillo]

Suntory Hibiki

 

[mechman]

What? You don't enjoy a snoot full of Laphroaig? That's definitely an acquired taste.

Someone recommended that one to me in the past. That is definitely where my anti-dirt scotch campaign started! Why pay $40-50 for dirt when it's free in my garden?

 

[mechman]

Suntory Hibiki

I've been wanting to try Japanese whiskey for quite some time but I always forget about it as I'm roaming the aisles at Total Wine. I know that they do have a selection there, I just keep forgetting about it.