Whiskey drinker's thread

[MDPrompter]

Originally Posted by thedak

Nice drinker but nothing special.

No heat and not very complex.

Cracked mine tonight.

Really diggin it.

[MDPrompter]

Originally Posted by M. Steng

Been downing Bulliet Rye at an alarming rate during this quarantine. Might have to switch back to bourbon for a bit to mix it up.

I’ve been working on a 1.75 of weller special reserve. Not a huge fan of it anyway so mostly using in cocktails now. Definitely tired of it.

[thedak]

Originally Posted by mdmarvich

Cracked mine tonight.

Really diggin it.

[thedak]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...7f1ae466_c.jpg

[thedak]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f6db8e39_c.jpg

[neumdogg]

I need a reco for a bourbon. What is something that is like Blanton's? I love Blanton's but it's impossible to find. I also like Basil Hayden but trying to find something new.

Thoughts?

[Route_2]

Originally Posted by neumdogg

I need a reco for a bourbon. What is something that is like Blanton's? I love Blanton's but it's impossible to find. I also like Basil Hayden but trying to find something new.

Thoughts?

Ironically, I just watched this the other day. Not sure how accurate it is, but might be a good start.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6-kt5lVx1o

[neumdogg]

Originally Posted by Route_2

Ironically, I just watched this the other day. Not sure how accurate it is, but might be a good start.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6-kt5lVx1o

Dude this is awesome. Thanks.

[Tiduwho]

Enjoying one of the best Manhattans I've ever made right now.

2oz Knob Creek Rye
1oz Antica Formula Carpano Vermouth (A+ tier, doesn't get any better)
1 dash cherry bark vanilla chocolate bitters
1 dash Regans #6 orange bitters
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 Bada Bing cherry with a little juice splashed in

Cracked ice with a bar spoon --- stir about 30 times.
Serve up in a chilled cocktail glass.


This turned out so well I had to make a post about it.

[Route_2]

^nice, somehow I've never thought to combine various bitters in my Manhattans....

Where dak at? Thought there'd be an abundance of whiskey and cigar sessions during quarantine.

[Tiduwho]

Originally Posted by Route_2

^nice, somehow I've never thought to combine various bitters in my Manhattans....

Where dak at? Thought there'd be an abundance of whiskey and cigar sessions during quarantine.

A lot of cocktails combine two types:

Angostura + Peychauds (like in a Sazerac)

or

Angostura + Orange bitters (too many to count, but great in a Tom Collins)



I experiment with all kinds of bitters now. I have I think 10 different bottles or so. Like a spice cabinet.

[dmbfd15]

Spending the week at a small village in Lake Tahoe. Went in to the tiny liquor/cigar shop hoping to find a reasonably priced bottle of champagne. Came out with a bottle of bourbon that I would never be able to find at home. Cheers y’all.

https://imgur.com/gallery/Li4VQkE

[MDPrompter]

Found a bottle of Red Spot today at retail. Has anyone had it?

[dmbfd15]

Obtained a bottle of blanton’s just in time for Xmas. Very excited. Have only had 1 glass once. Paid like $20 over retail through my connection but that’s a small price compared to the local liquor store that is charging $1,000 for Blantons gold. Dallas has the absolute worst bourbon scene.

[TheLastPig]

Hey all,

Bourbon is finally starting to pique my interest after years of loving BBA stouts. Looking for some good starting point suggestions under the $75 mark, or even just of some starters I should try as a baseline. Im planning to grab some Basil Hayden's and Woodford Reserve just as my entry point now. Ive noticed I have liked barrel treatments with rye on stouts, but not sure if that will translate into bourbon itself. I would grab Buffalo Trace but its not available near me.

appreciate any info.

[YouNeverKnow25]

blanton's is a good starter at a good price IMO but that can be hard to find

not sure on price for Four Roses Single Barrel but that's a good one too IMO

[Antiramie]

Originally Posted by TheLastPig

Hey all,

Bourbon is finally starting to pique my interest after years of loving BBA stouts. Looking for some good starting point suggestions under the $75 mark, or even just of some starters I should try as a baseline. Im planning to grab some Basil Hayden's and Woodford Reserve just as my entry point now. Ive noticed I have liked barrel treatments with rye on stouts, but not sure if that will translate into bourbon itself. I would grab Buffalo Trace but its not available near me.

appreciate any info.

The two you mentioned are solid. Also would recommend:

Knob Creek
Four Roses Small Batch/Single Barrel
Maker's/Maker's 46
Eagle Rare
Elijah Craig Small Batch

[TheLastPig]

Originally Posted by YouNeverKnow25

blanton's is a good starter at a good price IMO but that can be hard to find

not sure on price for Four Roses Single Barrel but that's a good one too IMO

Yea from what Ive seen and heard Blanton's is very hard to come by around here. Do you know if they do drops on the Fine Wine & Good Spirits website like ive seen for others? I missed out on BT and some Eagle Rare recently on their site that needs to be shipped to your local store, they sell out fast.

[YouNeverKnow25]

Originally Posted by TheLastPig

Yea from what Ive seen and heard Blanton's is very hard to come by around here. Do you know if they do drops on the Fine Wine & Good Spirits website like ive seen for others? I missed out on BT and some Eagle Rare recently on their site that needs to be shipped to your local store, they sell out fast.

I think they actually put blanton's in the lottery sometimes now.

as for me I just happen across it sometimes, I never keep up with it enough to know the ins/outs of procurement.

[Route_2]

In addition to the BH and WR I would look at (assuming availability) Four Roses Small Batch, Wild Turkey (no joke), Elijah Craig Barrel Select, Russell's Single Barrel. Some (usually easy to get staples to get you started).

For ryes some good starts that I enjoy would be Michter's, Templeton, Russell's (6 year), Rittenhouse, Old Forester.

The lists can go on and on and opinions will differ, but you should be able to pick up a few of these bottles locally and test out which flavor profiles you prefer.

Some decent YouTube channels were they do whiskey/bourbon reviews may help too:

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheMashandDrum/videos
https://www.youtube.com/c/WhiskeyTribe/videos
https://www.youtube.com/c/WhiskeyVault/videos

[Antiramie]

Originally Posted by YouNeverKnow25

I think they actually put blanton's in the lottery sometimes now.

as for me I just happen across it sometimes, I never keep up with it enough to know the ins/outs of procurement.

I think it's just dumb luck and knowing what days and times to hit up liquor stores (or knowing people who work in the biz). Someone said a nearby store got 7 bottles in last week. I'm sure they were gone before word even got around to me.

Even still, TLP said he was looking for bourbon under $75, and the cheapest you can find Blantons here is $85/90. Maybe he's willing to make an exception for it *shrugs*

[M. Steng]

"Under $75" seems like a huge ceiling for "just starting out" and honestly unless you're willing to spend like $300+ per bottle, you're not going to see a huge improvement between a $35 bottle compared to like a $60-75 bottle.

Bulliet bourbon and rye are my go-to's, I probably do a bottle of those each per month.

Special "splurge" type whiskeys for me are the Eagle Rares, Russell's, Woodford's, etc.

[YouNeverKnow25]

doesn't cost anywhere near that in PA

[Antiramie]

Originally Posted by M. Steng

"Under $75" seems like a huge ceiling for "just starting out" and honestly unless you're willing to spend like $300+ per bottle, you're not going to see a huge improvement between a $35 bottle compared to like a $60-75 bottle.

Bulliet bourbon and rye are my go-to's, I probably do a bottle of those each per month.

Special "splurge" type whiskeys for me are the Eagle Rares, Russell's, Woodford's, etc.

Agree on the price/value comment. But sometimes I'll spend $60 on a bourbon just to try something different...not necessarily because I think it will be "better".

[Antiramie]

Originally Posted by YouNeverKnow25

doesn't cost anywhere near that in PA

What's it going for up there?

[YouNeverKnow25]

last bottle I paid for was 60...that was a couple years ago but no way it's over 75 now.

[M. Steng]

Originally Posted by Antiramie

Agree on the price/value comment. But sometimes I'll spend $60 on a bourbon just to try something different...not necessarily because I think it will be "better".

Right, I'm not in disagreement. Sometimes half of my choice is how cool the bottle will look on my bar display

Most of the time it's a cost/taste value judgment though. I used to work at a whiskey-themed bar here in town nearly a decade ago and was exposed to and had an opportunity to sample many different types of whiskeys at all imaginable price points. On a 750 ml per bottle basis, anything above $28 will generally be decent, you'll get a slight bump in quality in the $35 range, and then basically everything up until $100+ per bottle is pretty similar. After you cross that threshold you're usually getting into the stuff that's been aged for a long ass time.

[Antiramie]

Originally Posted by M. Steng

Right, I'm not in disagreement. Sometimes half of my choice is how cool the bottle will look on my bar display

Most of the time it's a cost/taste value judgment though. I used to work at a whiskey-themed bar here in town nearly a decade ago and was exposed to and had an opportunity to sample many different types of whiskeys at all imaginable price points. On a 750 ml per bottle basis, anything above $28 will generally be decent, you'll get a slight bump in quality in the $35 range, and then basically everything up until $100+ per bottle is pretty similar. After you cross that threshold you're usually getting into the stuff that's been aged for a long ass time.

Yea same with wine. Anything over $20-25 is rarely worth the difference in price, unless I'm buying for a special occasion, going off a recommendation, or like the look of the label

[M. Steng]

Originally Posted by Antiramie

Yea same with wine. Anything over $20-25 is rarely worth the difference in price, unless I'm buying for a special occasion, going off a recommendation, or like the look of the label

My wife is notoriously cheap when it comes to wine. She happily drinks $9-11 bottles of Malbec and is absolutely satisfied. The "special occasions" are where I'll splurge for like a $15 bottle for her

I do have to say though, some of the $15 bottles of Malbec I've gotten over the years are pretty damn good. I'm not a huge wine drinker and they always seem pretty good to me

[TheLastPig]

Originally Posted by M. Steng

"Under $75" seems like a huge ceiling for "just starting out" and honestly unless you're willing to spend like $300+ per bottle, you're not going to see a huge improvement between a $35 bottle compared to like a $60-75 bottle.

Bulliet bourbon and rye are my go-to's, I probably do a bottle of those each per month.

Special "splurge" type whiskeys for me are the Eagle Rares, Russell's, Woodford's, etc.

I guess im just saying Id maybe spend around 75 if I knew it was a worthwhile bottle. Wasnt planning that as an actual starting point, im looking mostly at $25-40 bottles realistically it seems.