It's time for a bourbon thread

I discovered Knob Creek a couple of years ago and have been a big fan of that ever since. I also second (third?) the Woodford Reserve recommendation.

If that’s the measuring stick, then my favourite is Jim Beam. A bottle of that from the tax free shop and the aftermath of an australian wedding with me as the best man netted me my wife.
We both still like it - it’s the only non single malt in the house (well that and sometimes a bottle of Famous Grouse, an really good fairpriced unpretentious blended scotch)

My drinking preference:

  1. Marker’s Mark
  2. Knob Creek
  3. Woodford Reserve

I have a friend who switches 1 & 2 around and we tend to argue about it when we drink. But he calls it, “one of those issues upon which gentlemen can disagree.”


Extreme Q

I went out and bought some 1792 Ridgemont Reserve. I was going to try the Woodford, but the 1792 was on sale. Having just finished my first glass of it, I can honestly say I prefer Maker’s for a regular drink sort of Bourbon, but I imagine this 1792 stuff would pair better with a good cigar.

It’s definitely got its own flavor… I’d almost characterize it as spicy. While distinctive and interesting, I think I would find its flavor overwhelming if I had a second or third glass of it right now. I guess I’d call it a sipping bourbon… .which I guess you’re supposed to do with all of them… but I’ll tell you what, I can drink prodigious amounts of Maker’s in a very short time due to its smoothness.

Ryan: Did you dilute it properly first or did you drink it straight?

straight… I take it you’re of the ‘mix it with water first’ camp?

here’s my admittedly unrefined whiskey history:

  1. thought Jamesons on ice was the bees knees (I still enjoy it)
  2. my friend offered me some fancy single malt scotch… when I asked for ice he snorted and refused to serve me the scotch unless I drank it ‘properly’ – no ice, no dilution – just slowly sipped: as far as single malted scotches go, I think he was right… the good stuff is heavenly all by itself
  3. discovered I like my Makers’ without ice too
  4. today: after trying the 1792 and seeing your response, I’m considering doing a re-tasting on ice or mixed with water… not tonight though – I just had a big nasty bacon onion burger from the local drive through and washed it down with a fat chocolate milkshake… not exactly the stomach contents I want to add liquor to

Ironically I just got the Ridgemont 1792 today as well. I agree 100% with your characterization of it as spicy. There’s almost a hint of cinnamon to it.

I’m enjoying it with a bit of ice. Strictly speaking you’re technically supposed to dilute it with water (down to about 30% alcohol by volume). I think the ice cuts it just enough.

ha… probably because we both live in WA and GUM… er… the WA State Liquor Monopoly decided to put it on sale in all of its stores.

Anyhow… I’ll try it on ice tomorrow evening.

It was that, and i’m rounding out my bourbon collection - this was one of the few you can get in this state that I don’t yet have.

I have to start getting my folks on the east coast to send me stuff. :\

Not to hijack my own thread, but having a brother who flies for the airforce - generally in Germany – has been great for my collection since our in-state selection is so limited. I’m think of having him get me some absinthe on his next trip since I’ve always been curious about the green faerie.

Absinthe is overrated. I’m convinced that most of the stories about hallucinations and whatnot are purely psychosomatic.

One thing I’ve been wanting to get ahold of is a bottle of Armdale vodka (vodka’s my other weakness). Needless to say despite the fine selection of vodkas in this state, I can’t find Armdale anywhere.

JD

Absinthe is basically licorice flavored alcohol death. It isn’t particularly more alcoholic than other mixed drinks or anything, but the very strong licorice flavor disguises it really well. All of the legends concerning it’s hallucinogenic effects and whatnot were probably rooted in truth way back in the day when people mixed and matched their own forest herbs into it, but nowadays it’s mostly made by respectable distillers and whatnot. At least, that’s the impression I get.

Of the ways it is served, I prefer poured slowly over a sugar cube into a highball sized glass, then pounded like a cowboy doing a shot of whiskey. But I don’t much care for licorice.

Sorry to have carried on the hijacking.

Yeah I’m seen the mythos of absinthe thoroughly debunked several times. There’s this show called The Thirsty Traveler on the Fine Living network that I’m absolutely enthralled with. Think Rick Steves Europe but instead of a pasty nerd host you have a scrappy alcoholic host. Each show tours a different place while he samples and then walks you through the history/brewing techniques of the local drinks. So far every episode has made me want to try the drink with the exception of the one where he went to Peru (or Ecuador? I don’t recall) and got really sick from some kind of fermented milk/sewer water crap the tribals in the hills drink.

Yes. The vast bulk of whisky aficionadoes recommend cutting with water (in some cases ice – ice is just much harder to control the dilution) otherwise the alcohol is overpowering. Drinking Booker Noe’s straight doesn’t really do much but kill the bacteria in your mouth (and probably your intestine as well). Cut it, and it’s a different drink altogether.

To be fair Booker’s is a pretty extreme example. Like I said, the recommended strength for drinking bourbon is around 30% abv; most bourbon out of the bottle is in the 40% range (booker’s is up at 60%).

I actually find I enjoy it both ways. Needless to say cutting it with water takes some of the bite away. I also find that adding some ice often results in a different experience - as the drink cools it seems like some flavors become more prominent.

A few drops of pure spring water releases a lot of flavour and anything cask strength (which it looks like that Booker’s is) should be dilluted first - anything above 43-45% is really to strong to enjoy straight (speaking purely from malt experience).

The problem with “best of” threads is that some things have a clear “best”, and some things don’t. No offense, but after living in Kentucky my whole life, I’ve probably had more varieties of bourbon than even a dedicated west coast drinker, and it’s all in what you like. Woodford is tasty, but it’s middle of the pack among the premiums. Maker’s is preferred by those who like their whiskeys sweeter and softer, but I’m not a fan. Blanton’s, one of the older superpremiums that is made in Frankfort by Ancient Age, is a damn delicious whiskey all around.

However, when I want something for drinking as opposed to getting drunk, I always go to Turkey 101. For those who like a sharper, more complex taste, Turkey is hard to beat, and the distillery is next to the curviest bridge in America. Or the world, I can’t remember. Another extremely underrated whiskey is George Dickel, which is a fine sipper from Tennessee.

Heaven Hill, I’m afraid to say, is rotgut. No problem if you like it, but I wouldn’t tout the fact around those in the know.

And, for a bit of LJ, my mother used to coordinate jobs for the retarded kids in my High School, one job being the making of the little pewter horsey on top of the Blanton’s bottle. For an encore LJ, I rappelled down the cliff behind the Ancient Age distillery once, and got kicked out of the Old Crow distillery for mountain biking.

H.

1792 Ridgemont Reserve update. I just had a glass with two ice cubes. I like to make my ice from purified water so none of the tapwater-phobes need worry that I polluted my drink with cholorine and flouride, etc.

Anyhow, I found it immensely more enjoyable. It retained the rich variety of flavor but didn’t make me wince like it did in its undiluted form.

Mellowing out the flavor a bit made it even easier for me to detect the specific flavors in the bourbon. I’ll agree with Jeff that it definitely has a faint note of cinamon-like flavor. In the end, I don’t regret the purchase but it sure isn’t going to become my go-to bourbon.

Arise!

Bourbon + WoW = BG glory and hot ears!

Casting another vote for Wild Turkey Rare Breed. I’m not that big on bourbon as a general rule, but it’s incredibly smooth.