Whiskey drinker's thread

[zajDmB1]

Originally Posted by jcc522

My first bourbon experience was stealing Wild Turkey from my parents liquor cabinet in high school. I've loved it ever since.



I reaaaalllllllyyyyyy need to start drinking Scotch.

Just go to a good whiskey bar and see if they have like a tasting flight with one from each region, see which you like best and just start from there.

[Carbon Copy]

Originally Posted by Greyants41367

Didn't backread, but Eagle Rare anyone?

me me me

[sheldonlevene]

Originally Posted by Carbon Copy

me me me

Ditto - big fan of most of the things Buffalo Trace puts out.

George T. Stagg is tops (though nearly impossible to find right now) as is Stagg Jr.

[jcc522]

Originally Posted by sheldonlevene

Ditto - big fan of most of the things Buffalo Trace puts out.

George T. Stagg is tops (though nearly impossible to find right now) as is Stagg Jr.

I wanted a heavy hitter last time I was at the store and looked at Stagg Jr. I ended up getting Booker's though. Hmmmmmm

[sheldonlevene]

Originally Posted by jcc522

I wanted a heavy hitter last time I was at the store and looked at Stagg Jr. I ended up getting Booker's though. Hmmmmmm

Doesn't get much heavier than either one. Stagg Jr. is typically bottled at like 134 proof. Booker's at 125 I want to say. Either is excellent with a couple drops of water or an ice cube.

[MDPrompter]

Love Stagg Jr....did a little blind taste test about a month ago. Here are the results in order. Stagg Jr was BY FAR the best quality/price ratio. I was shocked the Four Roses came in last...and it wasn't even close.

#1 2015 Angels Envy Cask Strength
#2 Stagg Jr
#3 EH Taylor Barrel Proof
#4 2014 Four Roses LE Single Barrel Barrel Strength

I've actually has some luck finding stagg jr in the St Louis/So Illinois area while visiting my family. 2 bottles over the last 18 months.

[MDPrompter]

Sippin on some Crown harvest rye now...maybe the best QPR ever. seriously. do yourselves a favor and invest the $27. awesome neat. Great with a cube and a twist of orange peel as well.

[sheldonlevene]

Originally Posted by mdmarvich

Love Stagg Jr....did a little blind taste test about a month ago. Here are the results in order. Stagg Jr was BY FAR the best quality/price ratio. I was shocked the Four Roses came in last...and it wasn't even close.

#1 2015 Angels Envy Cask Strength
#2 Stagg Jr
#3 EH Taylor Barrel Proof
#4 2014 Four Roses LE Single Barrel Barrel Strength

I've actually has some luck finding stagg jr in the St Louis/So Illinois area while visiting my family. 2 bottles over the last 18 months.

Have had 2 and 3 as well as variations on 1 and 4, what do the Four Roses and AE go for?

[MDPrompter]

Originally Posted by sheldonlevene

Have had 2 and 3 as well as variations on 1 and 4, what do the Four Roses and AE go for?

The AE cask is $175 retail. The Four roses was one of their fall special releases and was ~$75 retail. Both are really hard to find.

[sheldonlevene]

Originally Posted by mdmarvich

The AE cask is $175 retail. The Four roses was one of their fall special releases and was ~$75 retail. Both are really hard to find.

Yeah - I assumed. I think I've probably only tried a typical AE. Definitely wasn't cask strength because I remember not being blown away.

You ever try Garrison Brothers? It's in the same price range ($75-80) and comes out of Austin. Would be interesting to hear thoughts.

[MDPrompter]

Originally Posted by sheldonlevene

Yeah - I assumed. I think I've probably only tried a typical AE. Definitely wasn't cask strength because I remember not being blown away.

You ever try Garrison Brothers? It's in the same price range ($75-80) and comes out of Austin. Would be interesting to hear thoughts.

Never tried it - If I can get it here in OH, I'll pick up a bottle and let you know!

[Arby]

Ive got a birthday coming up, and thinking about treating myself to a bottle. Something nicer than normal*, but nothing too crazy. Maybe the $80-150 range?


Any recommendations?


*Normal is Woodford Reserve, JW Black, Bulleit Rye, Knob Creek, Makers sometimes

[jcc522]

Originally Posted by Arby

Ive got a birthday coming up, and thinking about treating myself to a bottle. Something nicer than normal*, but nothing too crazy. Maybe the $80-150 range?


Any recommendations?


*Normal is Woodford Reserve, JW Black, Bulleit Rye, Knob Creek, Makers sometimes

Blanton's

[sheldonlevene]

Originally Posted by Arby

Ive got a birthday coming up, and thinking about treating myself to a bottle. Something nicer than normal*, but nothing too crazy. Maybe the $80-150 range?


Any recommendations?


*Normal is Woodford Reserve, JW Black, Bulleit Rye, Knob Creek, Makers sometimes

You into scotch at all?

[jcc522]

Originally Posted by zajDmB1

Just go to a good whiskey bar and see if they have like a tasting flight with one from each region, see which you like best and just start from there.

My normal bar only serves American spirits. The best bar I like which has a bunch of Scotch is too far to visit without a driver

I'm going here in September: https://media.timeout.com/images/101511225/image.jpg

[sheldonlevene]

Originally Posted by jcc522

My normal bar only serves American spirits. The best bar I like which has a bunch of Scotch is too far to visit without a driver

I'm going here in September: https://media.timeout.com/images/101511225/image.jpg

It's bad that I tried to zoom in and discern the bottles right?

[M. Steng]

Originally Posted by jcc522

My normal bar only serves American spirits. The best bar I like which has a bunch of Scotch is too far to visit without a driver

I'm going here in September: https://media.timeout.com/images/101511225/image.jpg

Jack Rose, Washington DC?

If so, I went there in June when I was in town for a wedding. It's awesome. Their cocktails are very good, but yeah, the whiskey selection is jawdropping. I sampled a few and was impressed with all of them. The bartenders there actually know a fair deal about each one, which is surprising considering there's like 4000+ different bottles there. I just asked the guy to pick 3 of his favorites since I couldn't possibly know which to go to outside of ones I'd already tried.

[jcc522]

Originally Posted by M. Steng

Jack Rose, Washington DC?

If so, I went there in June when I was in town for a wedding. It's awesome. Their cocktails are very good, but yeah, the whiskey selection is jawdropping. I sampled a few and was impressed with all of them. The bartenders there actually know a fair deal about each one, which is surprising considering there's like 4000+ different bottles there. I just asked the guy to pick 3 of his favorites since I couldn't possibly know which to go to outside of ones I'd already tried.

Yup. Never been before, what day/time did you go? I think I'm gonna have to on a Friday which sucks because I'm sure it will be slammed.

[M. Steng]

Originally Posted by jcc522

Yup. Never been before, what day/time did you go? I think I'm gonna have to on a Friday which sucks because I'm sure it will be slammed.

I went on a Friday night to go out, and yeah it was pretty busy but not too packed. The upstairs bar is open-air, so it was nice to get fresh air even though it was a little crowded. We got there at probably around 8 oclock so the dinner crowd was still going and we got a seat at the downstairs bar for a little bit, which is when I shot the shit with the bartender. But around 9 it started getting pretty busy so I just switched to cocktails.

It really is a cool bar. Be prepared to spend a little bit if you're gonna sample and you're planning on catching a good buzz. Cocktails were $13 which wasn't too bad considering the clientele and the scene.

[Carbon Copy]

Originally Posted by jcc522

My normal bar only serves American spirits.

Shocking.

[mposey34]

Originally Posted by Arby

Ive got a birthday coming up, and thinking about treating myself to a bottle. Something nicer than normal*, but nothing too crazy. Maybe the $80-150 range?


Any recommendations?


*Normal is Woodford Reserve, JW Black, Bulleit Rye, Knob Creek, Makers sometimes

Blanton's
EH Taylor Single Barrel or Barrel Proof
Angel's Envy

[Arby]

Originally Posted by sheldonlevene

You into scotch at all?

Scotch is not out of the question but I can't say I have much experience with it

[Arby]

Originally Posted by jcc522

Blanton's

Originally Posted by mposey34

Blanton's
EH Taylor Single Barrel or Barrel Proof
Angel's Envy

Thanks - I'll look into these

[jcc522]

Originally Posted by M. Steng

I went on a Friday night to go out, and yeah it was pretty busy but not too packed. The upstairs bar is open-air, so it was nice to get fresh air even though it was a little crowded. We got there at probably around 8 oclock so the dinner crowd was still going and we got a seat at the downstairs bar for a little bit, which is when I shot the shit with the bartender. But around 9 it started getting pretty busy so I just switched to cocktails.

It really is a cool bar. Be prepared to spend a little bit if you're gonna sample and you're planning on catching a good buzz. Cocktails were $13 which wasn't too bad considering the clientele and the scene.

Good to hear it isn't a zoo. We're going to Baltimore that night so we should be outa there by 7pm or so.

[M. Steng]

Originally Posted by jcc522

Good to hear it isn't a zoo. We're going to Baltimore that night so we should be outa there by 7pm or so.

Oh then yeah, you should be just fine. I think they open at 4 or 5 so if you get there right around open then you'll have enough time and personal space to enjoy some samplings.

[sheldonlevene]

Originally Posted by Arby

Scotch is not out of the question but I can't say I have much experience with it

Well - all of the suggestions so far are good bottles of bourbon, but won't put you in that price range if you really want to treat yourself.

Balvenie 17 yo Doublewood is worth the $$ in my opinion, and not a peaty undrinkable bev. You won't confuse it for bourbon, but it's very accessible.

http://scotchnoob.com/2012/10/08/the...ar-doublewood/

[zajDmB1]

Originally Posted by jcc522

My normal bar only serves American spirits. The best bar I like which has a bunch of Scotch is too far to visit without a driver

I'm going here in September: https://media.timeout.com/images/101511225/image.jpg

Nice! Never been there, but know about the place. And yea, they'll definitely know their shit, so I'm sure if you said "I love 'X' Bourbon the best, and want to get into scotch, can I have some samples" they'd know exactly what to give you.

Or just ask for one from each region, which, while nowadays they are a little more diversified within regions because of distilling science being so advanced, there's still a general relative taste among them.

Very generally speaking, Islays are smokier/peatier, speysides are fruit-earthier, highlands are nut-earthier, lowlands are floral-earthier, islands are sea-air-ier.

There's also Campbelltown which is just three distilleries but I've only had a Springbank 12 which is easily my least favorite scotch I've ever had.

[sheldonlevene]

Originally Posted by zajDmB1

Nice! Never been there, but know about the place. And yea, they'll definitely know their shit, so I'm sure if you said "I love 'X' Bourbon the best, and want to get into scotch, can I have some samples" they'd know exactly what to give you.

Or just ask for one from each region, which, while nowadays they are a little more diversified within regions because of distilling science being so advanced, there's still a general relative taste among them.

Very generally speaking, Islays are smokier/peatier, speysides are fruit-earthier, highlands are nut-earthier, lowlands are floral-earthier, islands are sea-air-ier.

There's also Campbelltown which is just three distilleries but I've only had a Springbank 12 which is easily my least favorite scotch I've ever had.

because at the end of the day it's still scotch

[Arby]

Originally Posted by sheldonlevene

Well - all of the suggestions so far are good bottles of bourbon, but won't put you in that price range if you really want to treat yourself.

Balvenie 17 yo Doublewood is worth the $$ in my opinion, and not a peaty undrinkable bev. You won't confuse it for bourbon, but it's very accessible.

http://scotchnoob.com/2012/10/08/the...ar-doublewood/

Thanks! I'll look into this one as well.

[mposey34]

Originally Posted by sheldonlevene

Well - all of the suggestions so far are good bottles of bourbon, but won't put you in that price range if you really want to treat yourself.

in that price range I'd buy a bottle of Angel's Envy and a bottle of Four Roses Single Barrel and call it a day