^for example?


just want to know what to avoid.

2/13/2014 8:27:53 PM

my local ABC store says that they don't sell ANY of the craft liquors from NC here, with the exception of Krupnikas.

I dutifully bought a bottle of Krupnikas - a Lithuanian liqour that's from spiced honey (and neutral grain spirits ) and it's ok. I like it mixed with hot tea, but I can't see myself drinking it any other way.

I wonder if Eleusis is talking about that Defiant Single Malt Whiskey. It doesn't look good to me. "Single Malt" is a dealbreaker for me - I don't want to try knockoff Scotch

2/14/2014 12:36:22 PM

pretty big fan of the High West ryes. And i like that they do some actual blending to create a new product vs. simply bottling sourced whiskey directly. Haven't tried the F.E.W. yet but might check it out. i typically pretty much stick to high west, rittenhouse, and jefferson's 10. i like whistle pig too, but couldn't justify the $70 price. that being said it's getting less and less expensive here in atlanta, so maybe soon it'll be down to something more reasonable (used to be in the mid $70s but i'm seeing it for low $60s now)

and i keep a bottle of Thomas Handy on the bar for shits and giggles, for sipping when i'm trying to feel particularly baller. pretty sure it doesn't make me baller though, at 125 proof it's just giving me an ulcer.

and jdman, i'll keep an eye out for the bookers release you mentioned, if i see it i'll PM you.

[Edited on February 14, 2014 at 2:06 PM. Reason : .]

2/14/2014 2:04:41 PM

^^I recently bought the Defiant single malt whiskey, the Blonde Whiskey, and the Troy and Sons Platinum moonshine. The Defiant tastes like a cheap scotch knockoff The Blonde Whiskey starts off smooth but finished with way too much fruit flavor for my taste; others may like it. The Troy and Sons Platinum moonshine was the epitome of smooth at first, but then it started to have this overly sweet finish. I think it'd be a great mixer, as there's almost no burn whatsoever. However, the only cocktail I tend to make is the occasional manhattan, and this doesn't seem appropriate for those.

I haven't had a whiskey sour in years, but I might make one with the moonshine this weekend and report back.

2/14/2014 3:08:31 PM

eleusis or anyone else that has had High West. Have you had this one?



Went to Southern Spirits today and after a 30 minute discussion of all things Whisk(e)y with the manager I came back with this one. He said it was his own personal bourbon of the year 2013 and that it's the one bottle he was recommending over anything else (and he had all the High West and tons of others)

Quote :

"This particular bourbon is a blend of LDI and Four Roses. The LDI is a 6 year bourbon comprised of 75% corn, 20% rye and 5% barley. The Four Roses is a 10 year bourbon made up of 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% barley malt"

looking very forward to opening it up

2/15/2014 4:05:47 PM

Also,

just wanted to throw a shout out to Southern Spirits. This one is off 521 just across the SC border and even though it feels smaller than both Frugal and State Line it will become my new go to. The guy I spoke with, Keith, was extremely knowledgeable and just wanted to talk spirits, not really seeming to care how high end or low end anyone was looking. Definitely a great resource. and their scotch selection was amazing.

2/15/2014 4:32:20 PM

Have a bottle of the 2013 William Larue Weller on its way to my house via fedex. YES. LAWD.

2/18/2014 2:38:19 PM

^friends in high places?

2/18/2014 3:17:10 PM

not really - a friend of mine found a package store in california that had a couple of bottles. he bought one and had them ship me another. $99, so not really marked much at all. apparently you can ship booze from CA to GA, I'll have to show ID and sign for it at the local Fedex store to pick it up though.

i have a bottle of the 2012 which wasn't terribly impressive, but have read reviews that imply that the 2013 is better. i have a buddy who bought a bottle of the 2010 and THAT was ridiculous, one of the best bourbons i've ever tasted.

2/19/2014 9:09:45 AM

can you ship from CA to NC? I've ordered beer direct from Oregon, but never California. I'm heading to LA in 2 weeks and was hoping to dive into a couple spots and see if I could find something worth having them send back to me.

2/19/2014 9:16:58 AM

I know you can ship wine CA to NC, not sure it would be any different.

2/19/2014 11:12:34 AM

If you have extra room in a checked bag you could try bringing it back that way. I'd probably only do that if the bottle would fit in those bubble-wrap wine pouches.

2/19/2014 11:20:38 AM

yeah, i've flown beer back from various states with plenty of success. i've got a good system with bubble wrap and gallon freezer bags. But some of these whiskey bottles offer a different challenge. If they'll ship back a bottle or two for less or equal to a checked baggage fee then i'll just let them deal with it.

2/19/2014 11:29:24 AM

http://www.lawhiskeysociety.com/stores_list_group.php?grouped=1&filter=&order=&asc=

good link for a list of decent wine/liquor shops in LA. i found a bottle Old Potrero rye whiskey in LA (I believe it's only distributed in CA) over new year's and brought it back. good stuff.

2/19/2014 1:55:20 PM

i need to get some new glasses. anyone got a nice set that didn't break the bank?

right now all i've got are several logo'd OF glasses and a couple Jameson glasses that came in a gift pack. they do the job, but i want something with a little more discernible taste.

2/19/2014 4:41:32 PM

^^ damn, johnnie walker blue for $150 out there? if that's an indication of their prices we're getting hosed in NC

2/19/2014 5:50:00 PM

^^ check out pier 1 or old time pottery, both have nice rocks glasses and snifters that are very reasonable...

2/19/2014 6:22:47 PM

Just to clear up a few things:

Quote :

"It is unlawful for any person who is an out-of-state retail or wholesale dealer in the business of selling alcoholic beverages to ship or cause to be shipped any alcoholic beverage directly to any North Carolina resident who does not hold a valid wholesaler’s permit under Article 11 of this Chapter."

http://abc.nc.gov/permits/importation.aspx

Now that doesn't mean that there aren't some businesses that will do it anyway. And ultimately, it seems more of a risk for the shipper than the buyer. BTW, there's an exception that allows wineries to ship wine directly to NC residents: http://abc.nc.gov/product/direct_shipper.aspx.

Also:

Quote :

"Please note, you can’t take alcoholic beverages with more than 70% alcohol content (140 proof), including 95% grain alcohol and 150 proof rum, in your checked luggage. You may take up to five liters of alcohol with alcohol content between 24% and 70% per person as checked luggage if it’s packaged in a sealable bottle or flask."

http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/alcoholic-beverages

Of course, the 5 liters that TSA will allow you to check is more than the 4 liters that NC will allow you bring from out-of-state (see the first link).

[Edited on February 19, 2014 at 7:05 PM. Reason : .]

2/19/2014 7:01:02 PM

Rye ratings so far.

Rittenhouse > Bulleit > Russell's Reserve > Wild Turkey > Jim Beam

All 4 before the last are all great to me. The Rittenhouse just blasts you in the face with spiciness unlike the others. Russell's is the easiest to sip and the Bulleit seems to have a really nice spicy/sweet thing going on. Wild Turkey if on a budget and can't get Rittenhouse.

2/22/2014 3:54:46 PM

Hope you get to try some higher end offerings, like Sazerac 6 and/or Whistlepig. I also have the a bottle of Michters single barrel rye sitting on my bar waiting for a tasting.

whoever it was in the this thread that mentioned State Line liquor - thanks for the tip. They had a helluva good selection, better than Frugal MacDugal and cheaper too. Finely got my hands on E.H. Taylor small batch woot!!!

BTW if any of you are in charlotte, they have the EH Taylor small batch and rye as of Saturday afternoon

2/25/2014 1:14:29 PM

picked this up to share at the office tomorrow during a little celebration

2/27/2014 8:54:39 PM

I'm actually starting to turn on the Rittenhouse. It's finish is too syrupy. The split second spice on the nose is really spicy. It just goes from spice to sweet too fast. I guess I should have trusted my instincts on how much I liked the Bulleit the first time I had it. I'm so new to this that I'm sure my tastes will keep changing. I need to get my hands on ^ and try some Jefferson's next.

2/27/2014 9:40:38 PM

I might have to get a bottle of that and try it myself

2/27/2014 10:12:33 PM

didn't spring for the 11yr which was $40 more but we'll see how it goes tomorrow

2/27/2014 10:17:50 PM

I'm not a huge Bulleit fan, though I think I prefer their rye over their straight bourbon.

I am really liking the Smooth Ambler as my "everyday" go-to rye

2/28/2014 9:36:20 AM

polished off a bottle of that last night with a couple home made old fashioneds.

might have to take another trip down to Southern Spirits for some cheap gas and a new bottle. Rowan's Creek maybe?

2/28/2014 9:58:10 AM

anyone familiar with the LA whiskey bar Seven Grand? I will be there next Wednesday night

and this...

http://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-japanese-whiskey-lounge-bar-jackalope-seven-grand-20140130,0,6972609.story#axzz2uf3hlfNz

2/28/2014 6:18:50 PM

I asked about this bottle a few pages back and didn't get much of a response.



Strong at 50.05%, caramels and vanillas, velvety coating the tongue and mouth and has a lingering finish, lots of toffee on the nose. For $35 I could see this one being a slow sipper staple in my cabinet for a long time to come.


Also have one of these coming my way...

3/3/2014 3:00:15 PM

The Rowan Creek wasn't very memorable for me, but I don't remember paying but $25 a fifth for it here in MD. I bought a bottle of the Noah's Mill at the same time, and I remember that one being much more enjoyable. I like higher proof bourbon though.

3/3/2014 3:06:27 PM

hmm, that's interesting. I haven't had the Noah's Mill yet, hoping to soon. What i really liked about the Rowan's Creek is the real balance of it. I think it's roughly aged 12 years, not too sweet but not overtly spicy either. Thought it was just a complete drink from front to back. That being said, I can tell my tastes and preferences are still evolving.

If you revisit it anytime soon let me know.

3/3/2014 3:11:36 PM

Have fun at Seven Grand. It's not the kind of place I would frequent regularly (partly because I don't live anywhere near downtown), but it's a pretty cool LA experience if you're traveling. I haven't been since Bar Jackalope opened; I would come check it out, but I'll actually be out of town for work on Wednesday night. Their price list is a bit odd for some releases. I'd say the sweet spot for price, rarity, and quality might be the Old Forester 2012 Birthday.

Hmm... I just looked at their site and found two menus with staggeringly different prices on them.

http://sevengrandbars.com/menus/SevenGrandDTLAWhiskeyMenu.pdf

http://213nightlife.com/menus/MenuSevenGrandWhiskey.pdf

Check out the differences for Pappy. O_o

3/3/2014 3:29:48 PM

Shadowrunner, i'll actually be spending the rest of the week and weekend in Malibu/Santa Monica. Any places you recommend there? Google searches point to The Daily Pint as a great spot for beer and whiskey.


also, those menus aren't strangely different. someone needs to do some edit review.

3/3/2014 3:32:23 PM

Seven Grand and Daily Pint are the two best bars in LA for whiskey, hands down. The Daily Pint also always has a good selection of beer, their single malt scotch selection is pretty extensive, and they have a price list at the bar if you ask for it. I've had occasions where they've been out of three releases in a row that I asked for; don't let that deter you because they've probably got at least 200 bottles, I think I just got unlucky. They have a lot more single malt scotches than Seven Grand, but their bourbon selection is definitely smaller. It's much more scotch-oriented. They also usually have a food truck outside that does decent philly cheesesteaks.

If you like burgers with a solid craft beer selection, other good spots are Library Alehouse and Father's Office, both in Santa Monica.

If you also go for Irish whiskey, the best place is Bar Food. It's technically West LA, but it's only like half a mile from Santa Monica.

[Edited on March 3, 2014 at 4:40 PM. Reason : I live in Santa Monica, if you can't tell... dunno as much about Malibu.]

3/3/2014 4:40:08 PM

got some russell's reserve small batch since it was on sale for $30 this month at ABC. Is it pretty decent?

3/3/2014 4:49:17 PM

finally bit the bullet and bought some four roses single barrel. pretty good overall, but i think i didn't let it breathe enough as it seemed a little harsh initially, but seemed to settle down after 10 minutes in the glass

3/5/2014 6:22:51 PM

^ four roses is great. i keep a bottle of four roses single barrel and one of elmer T. lee (single barrel from buffalo trace) on the shelf at all times. as jules from Pulp Fiction would say: "that's a tasty damn bourbon!"

was in bowling green, ky this week for work and picked up a bottle of George Dickel 9-year at the Liquor Barn for $45. haven't cracked it yet, but i'm sure i will this weekend! also bought a bottle of a barrel proof four roses for my coworker (i've got two already). if any of y'all are ever in kentucky, the Liquor Barn and/or Party Source are large format liquor store chains that carry great selections. and both will have "store selected" single barrels from different distilleries. the Liquor Barn in bowling green has about 50-60 bottles of a 10 year barrel proof four roses single barrel - 10 years, 115 proof, about $50 a bottle. that's about a $15 upcharge from the standard singe barrel, but you get an extra 15 proof and 2-3 years aging. so not too bad a deal.

3/6/2014 9:21:18 AM

Just sat next to Julian Van Winkle III (his grandfather is "Pappy") and Dale Degroff while they talked bourbon and cocktails. Way out of my league.

3/6/2014 3:19:45 PM

Picked this up today while I was in Charlotte. Will report back this weekend.

3/6/2014 9:48:00 PM

So does the Four Roses Yellow Label have more a rye kick to it? Strange that I could only find the small batch.

3/8/2014 11:05:55 AM

neighbor let me try some of his baker's last night. pretty tasty stuff, although i'm not sure i'd go out of my way for it

3/8/2014 2:51:40 PM

It's friday! What bourbon y'all gonna be drankin' this weekend? I've got some Evan Williams single barrel that's gonna get torn down. and perhaps some more of that George Dickel i got last month.

3/28/2014 9:49:19 AM

I had a 6 oz pour from my bottle of Pappy 23 last weekend for my birthday. can't wait to pass the bar next year and enjoy more of it over whatever the weekend I get my results are.

3/28/2014 9:53:57 AM

I think this would be a great weekend to crack open my Black Maple Hill. It's one of the best bourbons for the price.

3/28/2014 10:38:22 AM

I'm going to raid the local liquor store before heading back to NC for a week at the beach. I foresee Michters Sour Mash, Few Rye, and Breckenridge in my future.

3/28/2014 12:28:41 PM

cool. i'm glad i'm not the only one crackin' a few bottles this weekend. enjoy yourselves, fellas.

3/28/2014 1:00:51 PM

I was in Louisiana last week for business, and I found a great place called Avenue Pub in New Orleans. Over 200 whiskeys, including a lot of the highly-sought-after releases. They have Limited Edition Four Roses (Small Batch and Single Barrel), Stagg, some Pappy, Black Maple Hill, and all of the Buffalo Trace Single Oak Project releases. Their food menu is typical bar food but pretty good for that. So if any of you visit New Orleans, definitely check it out.

3/28/2014 2:42:40 PM

i made 3 old fashioneds and passed out a 11 last night.


drinking when your sad sucks

3/28/2014 2:51:36 PM

Anyone recommend a specific vermouth for Manhattans? It really makes a difference. I've tried Carpano but it is a little too overpowering and unavailable around here. So far I would rate it like.

Dubonnet = Boissiere
Noilly Prat
Cinzano (tastes like coca cola in a bad way)

3/29/2014 11:40:10 AM

I use gallo from lowes food, it seems to do alright (though I admittedly have very little to compare it to)

3/29/2014 2:48:36 PM

I'm a Taurus so I can't help nitpicking the way every little thing tastes or nitpicking everything in general.

3/29/2014 2:56:45 PM