Bourbon

[Dechristo]

"According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, Maker’s Mark holds a 77% share of the U.S. fine bourbon market"

[KaskadskyjKozak]

"It is allegedly one of the favorite alcoholic beverages of Cuban president Fidel Castro..."

 

sometimes you scare me Dechristo...

 

the thought-process is too uncanny

 

[Dechristo]

"Today, Maker's Mark is owned by Lincolnshire, Illinois-based Fortune Brands, which acquired it from distillery giant UK-based Allied Domecq in 2005 (as well as Courvoisier cognac, Sauza tequila, Canadian Club whisky, Laphroaig single-malt Scotch and Clos du Bois wines) in a joint bid with French rival Pernod Ricard."

 

 

[KaskadskyjKozak]

"Today, Maker's Mark is owned by Lincolnshire, Illinois-based Fortune Brands, which acquired it from distillery giant UK-based Allied Domecq in 2005 (as well as Courvoisier cognac, Sauza tequila, Canadian Club whisky, Laphroaig single-malt Scotch and Clos du Bois wines) in a joint bid with French rival Pernod Ricard."

 

 

Tequila Sauza is tasty stuff for mixing...

[counterfeitfake]

Jack Daniels is nasty.

 

What is with people suggesting Irish whiskey in response to a request for a good bourbon?

 

Recommended on name if nothing else: Fighting Cock

[Dechristo]

"It is allegedly one of the favorite alcoholic beverages of Cuban president Fidel Castro..."

 

sometimes you scare me Dechristo...

 

the thought-process is too uncanny

 

I am a voice crying in the wilderness, "make straight the way of the Borg".

[enelson]

Jack Daniels is nasty.

 

What is with people suggesting Irish whiskey in response to a request for a good bourbon?

 

Recommended on name if nothing else: Fighting Cock

nothing else

[tvashtarkatena]

Tillamore Dew is a very smooth, inexpensive Irish Whiskey.

[Winter]

If you've been drinking JD, then you've got nowhere to go but up in the bourbon world. Start with Jim Beam, which is what you should've been drinking instead of JD. Then strap on a bottle of Wild Turkey and Wild Turkey 101. After that maybe step up to a fifth of Maker's Mark and then finish off the evening with some Knob Creek. If you survive all that, come back and ask about Scoth.

 

Well, I've already had a few fifths of Jim Beam... nasty stuff. I'll skip the low-end stuff and start with one of the other suggestions.

 

As for Scotch, well, I've only had the blended stuff. Currently polishing off some Johnnie Walker Black. When it's gone I intend to pick up some good quality, single malt stuff.

 

You just finished off a bottle of Jack Daniels and you're dissing Jim Beam? Apparently JD causes headuptheassitis as well as a nasty hangover.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

You just finished off a bottle of Jack Daniels and you're dissing Jim Beam? Apparently JD causes headuptheassitis as well as a nasty hangover.

 

Jim Beam is piss water (I'm talking about the white label here).

Edited December 15, 2006 by KaskadskyjKozak

[rob]

Knob Creek

[tvashtarkatena]

the NYT just did a piece on rye whiskeys (Jim Beam is one).

 

Their inexpensive favorites: Sazerac, Rittenhouse, and Old Overholt.

 

I'm going to try either Sazerac or Old Overholt this weekend, whichever one I can get my hands on locally.

 

[KaskadskyjKozak]

the NYT just did a piece on rye whiskeys (Jim Beam is one).

 

Their inexpensive favorites: Sazerac, Rittenhouse, and Old Overholt.

 

I'm going to try either Sazerac or Old Overholt this weekend, whichever one I can get my hands on locally.

 

Doesn't look like they sell these in WA:

 

http://www.liq.wa.gov/services/brandpicklist.asp

 

[billcoe]

I'm a Bourbon afficianto, which I differntiate from whisky, which may in fact only be filthy piss from Scotland or Ireland.

 

Bourbon is named because it came from the county named after the French monarchry in appreciation for their help in kicking the Brits asses. The notable thing of that county is the purity of the sweet water which flows out of the limestone caves.

 

So, most straight boubons, or Rye whiskies from anywhere in that vicinity (I'd include Tennesse even if not techniqly Bourbon) are pretty damn good. If you like it straight up, then lower proof would be more mellow and prefered.

 

Almost all of them mentioned earlier - surprisingly including the "Fighting Cock" are good, as are Van Winkles and Evan Williams. I'd also say that the old United Distillers Group Bourbons are all good, these include several variations of Wellers (including Rebel Yell), IW Harper (my fav), Old Fitzgeralds and a couple of versions of Geo. Dickels.

 

Ageing after @ 4-6 years is a marketing ploy and really doesn't do anything for flavor.

 

But thats me.

[Dechristo]

Ageing after @ 4-6 years is a marketing ploy and really doesn't do anything for flavor.

 

From Wiki: "Unlike most bourbons, Maker's Mark is not aged for any specific period of years; rather it is bottled and marketed when expert tasters agree that it is ready."

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Ageing after @ 4-6 years is a marketing ploy and really doesn't do anything for flavor.

 

From Wiki: "Unlike most bourbons, Maker's Mark is not aged for any specific period of years; rather it is bottled and marketed when expert tasters agree that it is ready."

 

Alright, you've convinced me to try MM!

 

VG 90 proof looks intriguing too though (Carl recommended VG)

 

 

[ryland_moore]

As a true southerner who was weened on bourbon, I would have to say that I like a lot of them, and it depends on what I am drinking. if I am drinking a sterotypical bourbon and ginger or mint julep, then it is fine to just use Maker's Mark. I would never rink Maker's Mark neat. If I want something light but flavorful them a George Dickel or Knob Creek is also very good. If you want to know what I will drink neat or just one cube, then I typically go for Bookers or Blanton's (single barrel - my favorite). Like a fine wine, Bourbon can really be enjoyed and paired for the occasion. Try looking around to see if there are any bourbon tasting clinics going on to find out what you really like. As long as you don't mix a good bourbon with anything, then you are fine. Kinda like drenching a high quality cut of meat with A-1. Most bourbons are great for mixing including Maker's Mark. One of my favorite mixers, and one definitely not meant to drink neat, unless taking shota and not out of college, is Evan Williams Green label. it is cheap and still has a decent taste. Most of all, enjoy it!

[Dechristo]

yeah, what he said

[tvashtarkatena]

One liquor store in W Seattle sells Rittenhouse. Several sell Old Overholt. Sazerac is not available. Too bad, that was their top pick for taste and value.

[Fairweather]

Drank whiskey on my 21st birthday. Lots of it. Woke up the next day in the ER with an IV in my arm and violently puking. I haven't had a drop since - 24 years and counting. My stomach turns if it is even offered. Whiskey is bad mojo.

[willstrickland]

Any recommendations out there? I want something smooth that you can drink straight but not so expensive it will break the bank, and you will not feel bad about mixing - say in a Manhattan.

 

If you enjoy the sweeter taste of something like JD, I'd recommend two that meet your listed criteria:

 

Maker's Mark - sweet, smooth, not too pricy. (And overrated IMO, but akin to a better JD)

 

Gentleman Jack - a smoother, slightly less sweet, more complex spirit put out by the JD folks. Charcoal mellowed twice, first prior to aging and then prior to bottling.

 

To get better than this, you're going to spend more money and get diminishing returns if you're using it for cocktails. If you're going to just sip it/drink it straight go up to:

 

Knob Creek (another sweeter bourbon, small batch, put out by the Beam people, lot of awards and whatnot, a little sweet for my taste). Probably the all around best of the Beam small batch stuff, and one of the best sweeter bourbons on the market.100 proof.

 

Basil Hayden (another Beam small batch), uses twice as much rye as normal bourbons (but it's not a pure rye whisky) which gives is a more peppery nose/taste, but this is still a mild, smooth, non threatening bourbon. Light finish, not too much "bite". 80 proof.

 

Wild Turkey Rare Breed..very complex, a blend of 6,8,12yr olds with notes of hot pepper, leather, tobacco, orange, toasted nuts. My personal favorite for sipping. A little hot on the palate for some at about 108 proof.

 

Bookers (yet another of the Beam small batches, this is uncut right out of the barrell, way stout at around 125 proof, fairly complex with big oak/smoky/tobacco notes...I'm not a fan of this, overrated IMO)

 

Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit. Slightly pricy, very complex, huge body and long finish. Richer, less peppery, very slightly sweeter and with a better finish than Rare Breed. 101 proof.

 

[tvashtarkatena]

We had a whiskey tasting/Xmas pahhhty Sat night.

 

Our non scientific conclusion:

 

Smoothest, lightest nose, sweetest: Pendleton Canadian blended

 

Also smooth but not sweet, interesting 'grassy' flavor, great value: Old Overholt rye

 

Less smooth, but smooth for an Irish whiskey: Tillamore Dew

 

Least smooth, strongest nose, hottest going down: Maker's Mark 100 pr bourbon

 

That is all.

[TREETOAD]

the tenth one had a sort of barfy aftertaste

[tvashtarkatena]

Thank god we had plenty of Session lager on hand for hydration.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Drank whiskey on my 21st birthday. Lots of it. Woke up the next day in the ER with an IV in my arm and violently puking. I haven't had a drop since - 24 years and counting. My stomach turns if it is even offered. Whiskey is bad mojo.

 

I used to have that problem with whiskey. One night I had around 11 shots of Southern Comfort, and finished the bottle off. I then made the fatal mistake of topping that off with a single shot of JD. Needless to say, I puked at some point after that, and it took a while before I'd touch the stuff again.