A big thank you to the bourbon guys

[scottmandue]

On a recent thread I asked about American whiskey and got some great suggestions.
I did get a great bottle of something I liked a lot, (Somebody & Somebody reserve) it came in a tombstone shaped bottle.

Had my house bagged for termites and moved in with my parents for two days. Now don't get me wrong I love mom and dad and heck at forty eight I'm lucky to have them still around. However it is a little strange sleeping in the same bedroom you had in sixth grade.

It is surprising (or maybe not) how relaxing a few slurps of good Bourbon can relax you. I was drinking in my room after lights out and this stuff was sweet and had no nasty aftertaste, didn't even need a water back.

Thanks guys!

[kach22i]

I bought a bottle of this stuff.



Kind of wish I tried a few more, nothing smooth about it but it has a lot of personality.

[Rodeo]

Originally posted by scottmandue
I did get a great bottle of something I liked a lot, (Somebody & Somebody reserve) it came in a tombstone shaped bottle.

Woodford Reserve

Yum yum

[scottmandue]

Yep, that's the one.

My parents aren't tea totalers but they are Conservative Christians so I thought seeing me drink straight Bourbon might freak them out a little.
I snuck the bottle and a small water glass into my room (oddly reminiscent of me sneaking a shot glass and a bottle of wild turkey into the very same room in my late teens).

Still can't believe it was so smooth I didn't need to chase it with anything.

[Shuie]

I dont know if this won the 'Bourbon of the Year' award again this September or not. Im sure it did, there is nothing out there better than this stuff. This would be the 4th year in a row if its true and no other label has ever won the award consecutively.

The best bourbon on the planet:

[scottmandue]

Oh thanks Shuie... yet another thing for me to try.

This board is a bad influence!

[Rodeo]

Shuie, how much? Is it "Evan Williams?" Can't read the bottle too well

[cstreit]

That's their ad? Why mess up a good Bourbon with ICE?! :0

[dtw]

Evan Williams, no kidding Shuie?? I used to drink that stuff in high school...of course, that was the bottom shelf stuff, not the single barrel. We used to call it Cousin, since it was the cousin of Jack Daniels but much cheaper.

These days the Woodford is my current favorite. I had a thing of this Breyer's caramel swirl ice cream and got to thinking. Served up a bowl of the ice cream and poured a generous splash of the Woodford on it. Some of you may cry sacrilege, but it was delicious. Then again, I've been known to pour a bit of Guinness over cookies'n'cream....

[gassy]

I would be doing (my Ambassador status) a disservice if I didn't mention Maker's Mark in a bourbon thread.
Chris, you're right, a good bourbon ad should show it neat.

[Shuie]

Rodeo, Im guessing you are asking about the price? Its about $25 a bottle and should be available in any store that sells any of the single barrel stuff.

Thast the spirit, Chris! I actually drink it with ice, but nothing else. No water! People from Kentucky drink it right from the barrel

Dave, it blows Woodford out of the water. There is nothing wrong with Woodford Reserve, but this stuff is better.

Funny. I had a similar reaction when I heard it won 'Bourbon Of The Year' the first time; that it was bottom shelf. The black label 7 yr 90 proof EW is rough. The green label 6yr is terrible. At $7 and $9 for a fifth, you cant really have high expectations. The 10yr is not the same stuff.

Dont be fooled by 12yr or 18yr Bourbons either. Its not like Scotch, 10yr is optimal for a Bourbon. Anything Ive ever tasted that was in a barrel for longer than 10yrs started to taste like it was in a barrel. You shouldnt taste the barrel

Warning: Make sure you have access to good supply of the Evan Williams 10yr before you try it side by side with your current favorite Bourbon. Once you taste it, you wont drink anything else. Bourbon, by nature, is harsh and hard to drink. The Evan Williams is almost like sipping Brandy. You know its bourbon from the smell and the flavor, but gone from the taste is the harshness you are used to. Its actually smooth and easy to drink.

[Shuie]

Originally posted by gassy
I would be doing (my Ambassador status) a disservice if I didn't mention Maker's Mark in a bourbon thread.
Chris, you're right, a good bourbon ad should show it neat.

Nothing wrong with Maker's either. However, IIRC, Makers Mark is not technically a Bourbon. Its Wheat Whisky, meaning Wheat makes up at least 51% of the components in the mash. Bourbon has to be 51% corn by definition. JP, can you confirm that Maker's is a 'wheat whisky' and not a Bourbon?

[dtw]

Maker's and Knob Creek are two of my staples when I'm drinking American. Great stuff.

Sherman, I'm going to keep an eye out for the EW next time I'm at the liquor store. Another nice bottle I just picked up is Eagle Rare. Smooth and very flavorful, I highly recommend.

[gassy]

Maker's is a wheated bourbon sold at 90 proof with no age claim. Nice website:

http://www.makersmark.com/AgeCheck.aspx?redir=%2fDefault.aspx

[gassy]

dtw--
I just tried Eagle Rare too. I loved it. Really nice.

[Shuie]

Originally posted by gassy
Nice website

That is a great website. Bill Samuels Jr. has always been a step ahead of everyone else in the whisky business when it comesto stuff like this. To say that he is a marketing genius would be the understatement of the decade.

[scottmandue]

Oh crap.... just talked to the fumigator and I can't get back into my house until tomorrow... and I finished the Woodford Reserve last night.

Guess I will be dropping by the liquor store on my way back to my parents.

[highwaystar]

Took a tour of Makers Mark while on vacation last July in Kentucky. Place is well off the beaten path but worth the effort to visit. I learned a lot about bourbon and even got to stick my finger in the fermentation vat and taste! Mmmm.

Whole place smells good too.

[lm6y]

O.K. Guys, you have piqued my interest. I have never been a whiskey drinker. The smell as the glass came to my nose triggered the gag reflex. I haven't tried any whiskey in at least 15 years.

I have noticed though, that my tastes are changing with age. I like things now that used to gross me out.

I don't drink much anymore (except occasional parties), so what I do drink has to be good. I traded Bud Light for Michelob, and a few of the Samuel Adams varieties. I will never have a discriminating pallette, but I would like to try "new" old things.

To get to the point, what type of Bourbon would you recomend to someone who is revisiting this drink. I may not like it still, but I'm willing to try it again. A guy at work insists I try Booker's, and I am up for any suggestions you guys have. It has to be flavorful, and some thing to drink after a long day, or special occasions to unwind. Like I said, I'm not a big drinker anymore, so it will be for enjoyment, instead of the buzz........

Point me in the right direction, as the members on this board never cease to amaze me with their broad knowledge.

[greglepore]

Bookers is good, but pretty strong flavors. Try Knob Creek. Excellent whiskey, and easy on a rook.