Enjoyed a friends stash tonight, about half a bottle ea. of Black Maple Hill and experimental bottles from Buffalo Trace, one made from oats, one from rice.

All very smokey carmel-y. Made getting to the 6AM flight so much more pleasurable.

12/29/2012 5:09:29 AM

hot damn, blanton's is some good shit. smoothest bourbon i've ever tasted

1/1/2013 3:04:26 PM

Quote :

"Surprisingly I've had the best luck finding rarer stuff at the one around the Millbrook/Glenwood intersection."

Really? I've always been unimpressed with the bourbon selection at that one. I usually find the best selection at the flagship store on Sandy Forks.

1/1/2013 3:20:01 PM

Ordered a bottle of this years George Stagg and William Larue Weller last week from a store in Eureka, CA, for retail price. They arrived today, looking forward to sippin some good this weekend!

1/9/2013 2:05:52 PM

Quote :

"Breckenridge Bourbon Whiskey"

bought this when I was out in colorado a few weeks ago. i'm not impressed - but it's only aged 2 years right? Its ok, but I didn't think it was worth the hassle of flying it back in my checked bag. Now one of you will tell me I could get it in an NC ABC store

Elijah Craig 12 year is my go to. It's much cheaper here than it was back in Colorado, so that was a big bonus for relocating to NC. I got a bottle of eagle rare (I think) single barrel for Christmas and it's easily better than Elijah Craig.

1/10/2013 1:15:59 PM

Do you guys ever store your bourbon in a decanter? I got a nice one for Christmas, but I wasn't aware of the possible lead leaching from the crystal. The suggested method is to pour the liquor from the bottle into the crystal, use it for the evening, and than pour it back into the original bottle at the end of the night. That seems like a waste of time if that is the case.

1/13/2013 10:45:57 PM

Yeah, I wouldn't keep it in a lead crystal container for any longer than a few hours at a time. If you wanted to keep it in one indefinitely I'd just just a regular glass one, not lead crystal.

1/14/2013 8:23:53 AM

How old is it, is it vintage or antique? I thought the lead risk was only from older crystal?

1/14/2013 8:46:52 AM

Speaking of decanters, are there any good ones with a cork top rather than crystal? I got one for Christmas that I don't feel really secures the opening very well.

1/14/2013 9:46:57 AM

^ i had the same issue, so i simply put some scotch tape around the stopper so it fit a little tighter.

i don't often drink out of the decanters, but didn't realize there was a risk though! guess i should check and see what type of crystal/what vintage they are.

1/14/2013 10:13:39 AM

picked up a bottle of Noah's Mill on Friday, and had a couple glasses of Pappy 20yr from my bottle, as well as a glass of 15yr with dinner Friday night. Good bourbon weekend.



[Edited on January 14, 2013 at 10:20 AM. Reason : .]

1/14/2013 10:20:33 AM

So I admittedly know very little when it comes to bourbon. But I've decided that it's something that I need to know more about. I do like Maker's, but the consensus in here seems to be that there are better bourbons for the price. What might those be? I've seen a lot of names tossed around in here but I have the issue of not really knowing what any of them cost.

Also, for a slightly lower-priced bourbon for mixing, where ought I to turn? I do like the occasional manhattan, and adding good ginger ale is a fine way to drink bourbon but doesn't justify a $40+ bottle.

(BTW--since I can't seem to find Blenheim's anywhere around here--I love Dr. Brown's ginger ale as a mixer. It's one of the driest out there, which offsets the sweetness in the bourbon nicely.)

1/14/2013 11:49:38 AM

bulleit is my bulk bourbon, works great with ginger, is distilled by four roses... and you can get a 1.75L for ~$40.

the high rye in the mash bill plays well with ginger ale, to me.

1/14/2013 12:19:36 PM

second pshoes. bulleit is one of the best, most easily accessible, lower-shelf bourbons you can buy according to my taste buds. it's a fantastic gateway bourbon.

makers mark actually tastes terrible to me now.

[Edited on January 14, 2013 at 12:24 PM. Reason : .]

1/14/2013 12:24:00 PM

My current offerings include:

Bulleit (1.5L, mostly gone)
Old Pogue
Willett 9yr
Pappy Van Winkle 20yr
Pappy Van Winkle 23yr
Noah's Mill

I drink them all neat.

[Edited on January 14, 2013 at 12:58 PM. Reason : .]

1/14/2013 12:29:16 PM

for a next step for intro into bourbons i'd take eagle rare, 10 year... distilled by buffalo trace, and is very approachable in terms of a flavor profile. is a step up in price, but should still be <$30/ 750mL.

moving into sipping bourbons. not for mixing.

[Edited on January 14, 2013 at 12:35 PM. Reason : e]

1/14/2013 12:34:27 PM

y'all should branch out more, try that Breckenridge Bourbon

1/14/2013 12:51:12 PM

^ hell, i'll give it a shot!

on the topic of mixing, the "level" of bourbon i'll mix with is different for different cocktails. for a manhattan, i have no problem using something like a four roses single barrel or jefferson's reserve rye. IMO, if you're not going heavy on the vermouth (which I don't like to do), i'm doing the cocktail a disservice by not using some good stuff in it. for one of my other favorite whiskey cocktails, "the horses neck", i do use less expensive rye. it's rye whiskey, ginger beer, and heavy dashes of peychaud and angostura bitters - it's tasty as hell, but the ginger beer and bitters kinda take over.

to be clear, though, there definitely are some bottles that i would never mix, even in a manhattan. pappy, george stagg, parkers heritage, etc - some things truly are only meant to be sipped neat! and this thread always makes me thirsty...

[Edited on January 14, 2013 at 2:30 PM. Reason : .]

1/14/2013 2:25:52 PM

was in Raleigh this weekend and went by Foundation downtown. it's kind of pretentious, but they do have a great bourbon selection there. i had 1 oz pours of the 2010 Parkers Heritage and 2012 Eagle Rare 17, neither of which I've tried before. Both were good, but then I followed up with some Stagg, and man, it blew them away. That's awesome stuff.

They have bottles of the 2008, 2011, and 2012 Parker's at Foundation as well. If you've ever there, I think it's worth giving the 2011 a shot if you've never tried it. They finished the bourbon in cognac barrels for the 2011 version, and it is a tasty tasty after dinner bourbon.

[Edited on January 21, 2013 at 2:01 PM. Reason : .]

1/21/2013 2:00:05 PM

I'm at the point now where my go-to is either Eagle Rare or Woodford Reserve (preferred). I picked up some Jack Daniels (i know i know, its not bourbon) the other day and it just isn't good

The road to snobdom is paved with good intentions

1/21/2013 2:18:35 PM

Enjoying some Four Roses small batch 2012 limited edition. Found an extra bottle while in Kentucky last week for work, this is really good stuff.

1/27/2013 6:37:38 PM

looks like Makers Mark reversed their decision to lower the ABV in order to meet production demands. wise decision.

2/17/2013 1:39:10 PM

I gotta give another vote for the Woodford Reserve

2/17/2013 8:05:43 PM

ranking a few recent tastings in the $25-$35 range:

Eagle Rare 10yr (9.3 out of 10)
Woodford Reserve (9.0 out of 10)
Bulleit (8.8 out of 10)
Elijah Craig 12yr (8.2 out of 10)

Was pretty disappointed with the Elijah Craig after all the good things I've heard about it, maybe I got a bad batch but the taste was just not very pleasant and it was sort of harsh compared to the others. Eagle Rare and Woodford were both pretty smooth with a nice flavor. No complaints on the Bulleit. Might try Elijah Craig one last time before I write it off.

[Edited on February 18, 2013 at 9:11 AM. Reason : /]

2/18/2013 9:10:58 AM

never tried the Elijah Craig 12 year, but had a bottle of the 18 year a few years back and it was phenomenal. IIRC, they suspended continued release of 18 year for reasons I forget now.

2/18/2013 10:39:48 AM

^ yeah, they began offering a 20 year last year, but stopped the 18 year. Basically, the 20 year which they charge $100+ for today is the same bourbon as the 18 year they were selling for $45 two years ago

however, i did read that they plan on bringing the 18 year back at some point, hopefully it'll be back in the mid-$40s range!

2/18/2013 3:32:10 PM

Dancing Pines
Breckenridge
Bulleit
Jameson...if I'm camping or on a cold wintery hike

2/18/2013 4:50:29 PM

I always thought the 12 year Elijah Craig wasn't any better than Evan Williams. The 18 year was drinkable, but it was overpriced.

2/18/2013 6:27:02 PM

2/21/2013 9:31:26 AM

My cousin is opening a distillery in Kentucky, Wilderness Trace Distillery, where they will make Bourbon, Vodka, and a seasonal Rye Whiskey. They are working with the former head distiller from Woodford Reserve to create the taste profile.

Recent Article about the opening of the distillery and their goals for each of their products: http://tinyurl.com/apk3ah6

2/22/2013 3:56:03 PM

Got some Noah's Mill yesterday, real good stuff

Definitely has a kick to it neat at 114 proof

3/2/2013 9:25:39 AM

Picked up some Woodford Reserve double oaked. Different from other bourbons, but smooth and still delish.

3/2/2013 12:52:43 PM

Anyone know when Pappy is released and how to find a place that will get some? I really want to get some more now that my Lot B is almost empty, it was by far my favorite bourbon I have had and I want to try their others.

Also, tried some Stranahans in Colorado (work out there M-Th) and it was real solid. I had a few drinks prior to it so I am sure my palate was a bit muted but I really enjoyed it. Might buy a bottle or two and bring it back with me one day I don't care about checking a bag.

3/2/2013 1:22:20 PM

agree with a lot of the opinions on this page.

Bulleit is delicious and a great value for the price. Definitely my go to.

Woodford Reserve i like a lot it has a great flavor/finish but i think bulleit is a better value for the price differential.

Elijah Craig 12 isn't bad, but not a very good value imo.


Man, i bought two Henry McKenna 10's about two months ago because they were on sale for like $5 off. Worst purchase ever. It tastes like SHIT and it wasn't cheap. Anyone ever had it? I think it was like $25 with the sale price. Terrible. Still have a little left that I'm going to wait until I'm wasted to drink.

3/2/2013 5:47:28 PM

I like Jefferson's, Four Roses

3/2/2013 6:41:52 PM

I've been on that Basil Hayden kick lately.

good shit.

3/3/2013 12:37:34 AM

new Evan Williams Single Barrel is available now, the "2003" edition. Got a bottle last week while in Kentucky for work, it's pretty good. Had a glass neat and another manhattaned. Definitely recommend it for $24/bottle. Great value!

Also bought a 21 yo Willet bottling. it is extremely delicious. unfortunately, it was NOT $24/bottle. but it's my birthday this week, screw it.

3/4/2013 5:35:18 PM

Just had some Blanton's for the first time last night. Really good stuff. First time I've branched out into the $50 range and it was definitely worth it. Very smooth on the front end and has a really nice aftertaste to it, slightly on the sweet side. Favorite one so far. Updated rankings from best to worst along with prices:

Blanton's $50
Buffalo Trace $25
Eagle Rare 10yr $30
Woodford Reserve $35
Maker's Mark $30
Bulleit $30
Elijah Craig 12yr $25

Elijah Craig is still the only bad one I've had so far.

3/5/2013 7:39:13 PM

Just to chime in on the entry level bourbon discussion:

I didn't like Woodford Reserve. I've only tried one bottle, so take it FWIW. It was strong flavored, almost sharp.

I'm neutral on Bulleit, but after all the love, I'll pick up a bottle this weekend and reintroduce my tastebuds.

Elijah Craig 12 year is my standard. I really like it, so again, maybe I have bad taste.

I was given a bottle of Eagle Rare single barrel for christmas and loved it. I'm going to try to pick up some Stagg or Pappy this weekend as well, to try to find a bottle to give in return for this guys birthday.

3/28/2013 10:16:06 PM

spooner: If you're ever back in Kentucky and find another bottle of Four Roses 2012 Limited Edition Small Batch, I would happily paypal you to ship it out to me in California.

3/28/2013 10:49:47 PM

^ man, i would! unfortunately, though, i was in bowling green again a couple of weeks ago, and that store (Wino Depot) was sold out. they literally had about 8-9 bottles in late January, but they were all gone by mid-March. they did have some of the 2012 LE single barrel left, but none of the LE small batch the owner told me that he gets a good allotment of Four Roses from his distributor, so when the 2013 LE single barrel hits the shelves this spring i'll be looking for it there.

on a more positive note, came across some Pappy 15 this weekend while in Houston. happy easter indeed!

4/1/2013 1:28:21 PM

where did you find pappy in houston?

because i live in houston.

[Edited on April 1, 2013 at 5:04 PM. Reason : other than at like, anvil.. wanting to purchase a bottle.]

4/1/2013 5:03:49 PM

I would pay a nice finder's fee for a bottle of Pappy. I can't find it anywhere here in NC or VA.

4/2/2013 5:41:51 PM

The 2013 LE single barrel should come in May; I talked to the spirits buyer at one of the better shops here in LA and he thinks he should get a few bottles in, but I'll be curious to hear your thoughts if you try it first. It seems like they really knocked it out the park last year on the LE small batch, so I hope they'll have similar success with this year's LE's.

4/2/2013 5:57:30 PM

^^ call various ABC county boards and get on their lists for when it comes out

it's actually not super hard to get a bottle of Pappy (10 year, 15 year, 20 year, at least)

if you want 23 year, you'll have to be pretty high up on those lists

4/2/2013 6:56:07 PM

Anyone tried Corner Creek?

4/2/2013 7:34:02 PM

Quote :

"I can't find it anywhere here in NC or VA."

i don't think it's ever available in NC. but i know a few people who have been able to get on waitlists in VA and got a bottle.

4/3/2013 9:09:36 AM

You can no longer get on a waitlist in VA for Pappy. All the ABC stores that I go to tell me that most of them have had a waitlist for 2-3 years and that no new names will be added.

That being said, last year, I was on two waitlists in VA (one in Lynchburg and one in the middle of nowhere)...but no luck.

My offer still stands....a handsome reward if you are willing to buy a bottle or two for me.

4/3/2013 8:03:02 PM

Quote :

"i don't think it's ever available in NC. but i know a few people who have been able to get on waitlists in VA and got a bottle."

Of course it's available in NC - that's how we got a few bottles this past cycle

it's really not hard to get on NC ABC county wait lists if you really want to

[Edited on April 4, 2013 at 10:36 AM. Reason : including some more out-of-the-way counties... we scooped some up from Angier, for example]

4/4/2013 10:35:15 AM

I would pay a finder's fee as well for a bottle of Pappy's. A good friend of mine wants some, and his 40th is coming up.

4/13/2013 9:04:34 PM