Never been a big bourbon or scotch guy, but I'm going to try and drink my way into one after getting a bottle of Woodford from my Secret Santa over the holidays. I did it with IPAs, maybe I can do it with bourbon!!

Anyone else start off like that? How did you move forward into the bourbon world? I think I'm going to skip mixers and just go straight to bourbon on the rocks, splash of water...then maybe wean myself down to neat in a few years.

[Edited on January 22, 2014 at 10:46 AM. Reason : .]

1/22/2014 10:46:29 AM

That's kind of what I did. There's also no shame in starting with a mid-range whiskey/bourbon and mixing ginger ale in decreasing increments. I found that it complements the flavor of the bourbon better than most other mixers. Once you've weaned yourself off of ginger ale do a splash of water.

To this day I still use a whiskey ball when I'm partaking. I feel no shame in that.

1/22/2014 11:01:31 AM

^agreed on all accounts.

i still make the occasional whiskey-ginger and love making Old Fashioneds at home too. They don't mask the bourbon flavors as much as accent them. Woodford is a quality bourbon that can be enjoyed straight and mixed.

i bought some round ice molds that i use on some of my mid-shelf bourbons and scotch. sometimes i just want a chilled drink and these keep it from getting watered down too quickly.,/]

1/22/2014 11:08:24 AM

Yeah...I also got one of those ice ball molds to go along with the bourbon. Since it seems I shouldn't waste the Woodford on ginger ale...what's a lower bourbon that can be recommended as my first step?

1/22/2014 11:13:01 AM

I did that except with lemon juice. I got a bottle of J&B and a bottle of lemon juice then a small bottle of JWB and switched to diluting that with water. Then a year later I ventured into Talisker and that was a whole different beast.

1/22/2014 11:13:48 AM

Makers is the best I've found with Ginger Ale and still is serviceable for a sipping whiskey

Also, this just a quirk I picked up from fucking around. If you've weaned yourself off of ginger ale and still can't quite managed straight sipping...try dropping in a sliver of crystalized ginger. Adds a hint of ginger and a little extra sweetness that could help you bridge the gap. I still do this with lower end whiskey to cut the harshness.

1/22/2014 11:16:09 AM

Quote :

"Since it seems I shouldn't waste the Woodford on ginger ale...what's a lower bourbon that can be recommended as my first step?"

eh, i wouldn't consider it wasting. I don't really find Woodford to be any more premium than a lot of others. But that's probably because in personal preference I really don't like Woodford.

but scroll back a handful of pages and read up. I'll stand by mine and others recommendations that Buffalo Trace is the best quality for dollar bourbon available. I use it for everything, including straight when not drinking my higher end stuff.

1/22/2014 11:19:54 AM

I haven't had much Woodford but I find Basil Hayden a very easy bourbon to drink neat, incredibly smooth.

When I wanted to get into the whiskey world I bought a bottle of scotch and drank it on the rocks or with a splash of water a few times a week and then went to neat. I found that once you take that first sip neat it might be a bit harsh but the next one is much smoother. Once you get past that it is pretty easy drinking and now I don't like it any other way with the exception of an old fashioned or manhattan.

1/22/2014 11:32:51 AM

^ I'm about 50/50 between drinking bourbon or rye neat and making manhattans or old fashioneds. That proportion shifts depending on if I have a jar of Luxardo cherries to put in the manhattans! Love those things.

For the cocktails, if I'm using bourbon I'll use Knob Creek, Old Weller 107 or Four Roses small batch; if I'm using rye i'll go to Rittenhouse 100 or Jefferson's 10 yr.

As for neat drinking, I always drink something neat the first time I try it. I normally add a small bit of ice if it's over 100 proof, but if its in the 90-100 range I'll just swig it straight. And if I end up not liking it, I can usually make it at least palatable in a cocktail and will do that to finish the bottle. That, or I'll serve it to friends when they come over

1/22/2014 1:31:10 PM

I'm of the opinion that even the best of bourbons and whiskies could use a splash of water. Just really helps to open up the bouquet of flavors in it. I might be in the minority there, but I've done some taste comparisons with various whiskies and I just find that some of the harsher alcohol flavors can numb the senses.

1/22/2014 11:48:27 PM

I'll put another vote out for Basil Hayden's as a very good bourbon to venture into drinking neat. It's just so much smoother and less harsh than some of the other bourbons out there. One of my favorites overall, too, as the flavor is just great and you don't get caught by any burn/harshness to get in the way of it.

But as noted ^ above, there's nothing wrong with drinking good bourbon or scotch with a splash of water. I'll usually do the single ice cube method, and let it start to melt before I start sipping. Helps to use a small ice cube here otherwise there can be too much water by the time it melts fully.

1/23/2014 1:39:16 AM

just make sure your ice comes from good water!

1/23/2014 8:19:30 AM

Whiskey Ball. I'll use the water from my Brita. I usually have to use smaller pours since it takes up a good part of a rocks glass, but it takes forever to melt. Easier to control content of the ice, and can get 2-3 pours out of one ball.

1/23/2014 9:51:21 AM

Finally got a bottle of the 2013 Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch.



[Edited on January 24, 2014 at 11:06 AM. Reason : ]

1/24/2014 11:05:22 AM

What would you guys compare four roses to?

1/24/2014 11:33:13 AM

^^ enjoy!

[Edited on January 24, 2014 at 11:38 AM. Reason : .]

1/24/2014 11:38:24 AM

So I have determined I like "high rye" bourbon. Knob Creek isn't listed as high rye but seems to have a really spicy taste that I like. I just tried Buffalo Trace and really like it but it could be a little spicier. I need to try Basil Hayden. Any recommendations?

1/24/2014 12:51:11 PM

Buffalo Trace mainly uses two mash bills. #1 which is a low rye and #2 which is a higher rye.

Buffalo Trace label is actually low rye Mash Bill #1. Other #1's include Eagle Rare and George T Stagg.

If you want some higher rye options you can try Basil Hayden, Bulleit, Four Roses Single Barrel and two higher ends from BT. Blanton's and Rock Hill Farms(both Mashbill #2)

1/24/2014 1:18:40 PM

For some reason I just can't get excited about Buffalo Trace on its own. It's a fine mixer, but by itself, not really a fan. Basil Hayden, on the other hand, may be my favorite bourbon that I've tried so far.

However I like Eagle Rare quite a bit too. So I suppose, for me, it's not all about the rye.

(And for that matter I thought Blanton's was supposed to be more "wheaty"?)

1/24/2014 3:19:44 PM

Other than Pappy, which I don't even count since it is so hard to get, Basil Hayden is my favorite so far. It is just so smooth and tasty but I keep trying other things because I hate sticking with one kind.

I had some Texas whiskey not too long ago and I was not a fan at all. I mean, it would be fine mixed but it was too harsh without the flavor to go along with it. I am sure this is a poor sample size but I will stick with bourbon for now.

1/24/2014 3:48:26 PM

just picked up a couple of bottles of Michter's US-1 Sour Mash. It's in stock (for now) at all Carrboro/Chapel Hill ABC stores if anyone else is looking for a boutique bottle in NC.

I'd rather get a hold of their 10 year bourbon, but I'll take the US1 SM Looking forward to trying it tonight.

1/24/2014 4:27:03 PM

anyone ever tried (or heard of) breckenridge special release bourbon? i don't think it's available in NC, but i subscribe to a bourbon site that said it scored higher than pappy 23 at some spirits competition. i'd be interested in trying it if it's available in VA or SC

[Edited on January 25, 2014 at 2:53 PM. Reason : .]

1/25/2014 2:52:44 PM

Opened both the Michter's US-1 Sour Mash whiskey and my Elijah Craig 21 year last night with some family friends. The Michter's was very smooth with some carmel notes. Very drinkable.

The Elijah Craig 21 year was on par with the Pappy that I've had in the past. It is absolutely the best bourbon I have in my collection. Does anyone else here have a bottle of the 18 year Elijah Craig? I'd be interested in tasting them side by side.

1/26/2014 10:26:49 AM

Quote :

"So I have determined I like "high rye" bourbon. Knob Creek isn't listed as high rye but seems to have a really spicy taste that I like. I just tried Buffalo Trace and really like it but it could be a little spicier. I need to try Basil Hayden. Any recommendations?"

george dickel rye has a 95% rye mash bill...it's charcoal filtered like tennessee whisky and is downright tasty

1/27/2014 10:13:23 AM

Quote :

"anyone ever tried (or heard of) breckenridge special release bourbon? i don't think it's available in NC, but i subscribe to a bourbon site that said it scored higher than pappy 23 at some spirits competition. "

It's available in MD. It's good, but it's nowhere near Pappy 23. I went back to the store I bought my last bottle of Pappy 23 from to see if they had any more, and the clerk tried to tell me that the Breckenridge was better. Not sure what's propagating that statement, but the two bourbons aren't anything alike. Pappy smells incredible and has this unique vanilla caramel cream finish with very little burn, while Breckenridge has a distinct peppery burn after it's initial sweetness. I'd liken Breckenridge to something more like Blantons in initial taste and aroma with the nice strong finish of Bulleit, and it's worth the $45 price tag.

I've read that the Breckenridge is only barreled for 2 years, so in a few years they may have some really nice products on the market with the subtle flavors that only aging can bring. I will definitely try them.

[Edited on January 27, 2014 at 12:07 PM. Reason : .]

1/27/2014 12:06:29 PM

Cracking into the Stetson tonight...will report back.

1/28/2014 6:45:56 PM

is there any interest among posters in this thread for a bottle trade? I happened to pick up several bottles of Sazerac 6-year Rye this week and I'm hoping to trade for something similar that I struggle to find in NC.

1/29/2014 10:38:31 AM

Yea I think I'm switching to Rye for now. Gonna try Rittenhouse and Dickel this weekend. My liver.

2/4/2014 10:14:50 AM

The Stetson was pretty disappointing by the way. Harsh, no depth of flavor. Would not buy again.

2/4/2014 10:18:13 AM

looking at the NC ABC pricing list for this quarter I noticed a few new additions. anyone seen or tried these?

Hirsch Small Batch Reserve
Hooker's House Bourbon (Sonoma, CA)
Caribou Crossing (this appears to be single batch "Canadian" whisky made by Buffalo Trace)


i'm actually kind of interested in this..
http://www.canadianwhisky.org/reviews/caribou-crossing-single-barrel-40-alc-vol-80-proof.html
[Edited on February 4, 2014 at 11:41 AM. Reason : add]

2/4/2014 11:36:02 AM

I'll second being underwhelmed by Stetson. I would take eagle rare any day of the week...hell probably even buffalo trace

2/4/2014 5:30:11 PM

Quote :

"Has anyone ever tried the Smooth Ambler Old Scout Straight Bourbon? The older guy who works at my local ABC store recommended it to me a couple weeks ago when I was eyeballing the bourbon section. Priced in the $30 to $35 range so it certainly shouldn't be swill, but wanted to see if anyone has a firsthand report.""

picked one of these up tonight and none of the new additions i posted ^^above^^ have not made it to the shelf yet. This is the 7 year, bottled in december of 13. It's a high rye (36%) bourbon out of West Virginia (though from reading, the bourbon itself is actually sourced from Indiana. Story is, a new distillery so WV born barrels are still several years of aging until ready.) But for $33 this is a steal. Definitely an option for those seeking that higher rye content.

I just realized that most all of my bourbons are of the high rye variety. woops



I definitely plan to pick up a bottle of that Caribou Crossing when it makes to the shelf.

2/4/2014 9:27:42 PM

do any of yall find yourselves passing over more expensive varieties of jim beam, henry mckenna, etc because they make bottom-shelf swill as well? i'm kinda curious about some of the single barrel versions that are $40+, but i can't make myself pull the trigger because of the name on the bottle

2/7/2014 6:20:33 AM

Was having a drink with a buddy of mine who works at one of the nicest restaurants in town and we were talking about bourbon. He said his restaurant got in a bunch of Pappy last month (every version) and that they quickly sold all of it. The best part was that they had a blind tasting with Pappy, Knob Creek, and a couple other bourbons, and that almost every single employee...from the servers to the kitchen to the wine sommeliers...picked Knob Creek as their preferred bourbon. Just thought it was a pretty interesting story. And these aren't your part-time restaurant employees either...all of these guys are professional, life time job type guys....they know their shit.

2/7/2014 7:43:25 AM

^Interesting...very interesting. I'll have to pick up a bottle of Knob Creek the next time I'm in the ABC store as I've not actually had it yet. I still feel like I've tried comparatively few brands, but I feel like bourbon, especially right now, is one of those fields where there's something new every time I look.

At the moment, favorites would still be Basil Hayden to drink neat, or Blanton's over ice or with a splash of water.

2/7/2014 9:18:09 AM

^^ they must've had a pretty darn good barrel of knob creek! let them know i've got some bottles of knob creek i'll gladly swap with them for any pappy 20 they have left

^^^ i hear you! but the truth is most of the top shelf bourbons share a mashbill/warehouse with lower shelf counterparts (like Basil Hayden's and Old Granddad). so the single barrel/aged longer versions of Evan Williams, Jim Beam, etc are gonna be very similar to some of the other brands that are on the top shelf, but typically priced in the $20-$30 range rather than the $30-$50 range. but i totally agree that there's an emotional factor that makes paying $40 for Basil Hayden's seem like a better purchase than if it were labeled "Old Granddad 8 year". the Evan Williams single barrel, Old Forester 100 proof, and Old Weller Antique are all pretty darn great and worth buying.

2/7/2014 9:57:22 AM

how'd they do the tasting? I love knob creek, but my problem with it is that it's so strong that it deadens your taste buds for a while after you drink it. I wouldn't know if I was drinking evan Williams or talisker after knob creek, especially if they were drinking the 120 proof single barrel version.

[Edited on February 7, 2014 at 11:14 AM. Reason : Knob Creek is one of my favorites, except for that godawful maple shit they're making now.]

2/7/2014 11:14:13 AM

I'll ask him next time I see him and get back to you. He wasn't trying to down Pappy too much, we were just having a good discussion over "hype" with beer and liquor while drinking a Hopslam.

2/7/2014 1:01:52 PM

Gee whiz. Anyone know where to find Rittenhouse in Raleigh? I called several ABC Stores (cameron village, 2 in cary, falls of the neuse) and no dice. I did find Dickel Rye at one in Cary.

Bulleit got me started on this rye kick ... it was a cocktail at Neptunes. I can't drop $40 on a fifth of that though especially since Dickel sources the same rye.

2/7/2014 2:54:11 PM

Quote :

"Gee whiz. Anyone know where to find Rittenhouse in Raleigh? I called several ABC Stores (cameron village, 2 in cary, falls of the neuse) and no dice. I did find Dickel Rye at one in Cary."

if the one on sandy forks doesn't have it, i'd assume none of them do

you can find dickel at the one on olympia (tryon/wilmington, near garner), too, if that's closer

2/7/2014 2:59:21 PM

I'm starting to like being in a state that has private liquor stores. They have something different to try every time I go in there.

2/7/2014 10:07:59 PM

Rittenhouse is in stock at Orange County store #2 in chapel hill btw

2/8/2014 4:22:25 PM

Road trip. I might have an interview out that way soon.

So the Dickel Rye is too sweet probably because of the Lincoln County Process. It is certainly a great alternative to Jack Daniels in my limited opinion. The rye notes are just not as evident to me. Wild Turkey Rye has more of the taste I'm looking for on the cheap. Too bad the 101 is nowhere to be found.

2/8/2014 7:20:15 PM

how about Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve Rye?

2/8/2014 7:28:17 PM

Might get that soon for a special occasion. $40 at the store. I've heard it is really good according to this dude named Geoff.

http://www.drinkspirits.com/whiskey/best-rye-whiskey/

2/8/2014 8:49:13 PM

Read a few articles the other day about budget bourbons...most of them highly recommended Ol' Fitzgerald as a tasty wheater that compares very favorably to Makers. Anybody seen it around Raleigh? The two stores I have been to recently didn't have it. Was just curious about it and wanted to give it a try. Currently my favorite bottom shelf when in a pinch is Rebel Yell.

2/9/2014 9:58:54 AM

it's not on the ABC's official price list which leads me to believe it's not carried in this state.

2/9/2014 1:23:04 PM

I like that bourbon porn eleusis I'm a big fan of Whistlepig and the Michters offering I found here in NC (the sour mash whiskey) I've heard bad initial reviews of F.E.W. and everything out of High West, but those initial reviews can be off kilter as the brand gets it's legs under it...

Sorry to keep posting about hard to find bottles for us in NC, but is anyone else interested in the 25th Anniversary Bookers Release? I've only had Bookers once at a bar, and I wasn't crazy about it, but this special release is aged 10 years, and I've heard good things.

2/13/2014 3:57:26 PM

that Smooth Ambler Old Scout did not last long in this snow storm

2/13/2014 4:39:15 PM

I think the FEW and High West bourbons are excellent; don't know why anyone would negatively review them.

On the other hand, I recently purchased some whiskeys from the NC section of the ABC store and have been very disappointed in all of them. I was expecting craft bourbon and got poorly made knockoff scotch.

2/13/2014 5:56:23 PM