quote:

Originally posted by GrumpyBiker:
Bookers. It's around $65-70 and it's amazing.
I like Basil Hayden's & Bakers but Bookers is my all time favorite.






Of course if you can get it in your area, Willett is nice as well.

You need protection for all that bourbon, just like in the food pictures.

^ I think Grumpy Biker has one AR for each bottle of Bourbon he has.

My budget is under $100.00.

quote:

Originally posted by shoevb:
My budget is under $100.00.

I live in the heart of Bourbon country. Let me know if I can act as a middleman and get something for you and ship it to you.

quote:

Originally posted by shoevb:
My budget is under $100.00.

That's plenty. There are loads of good Bourbons for around $60 or less. Your biggest challenge is dealing with limited selection offered by the VA state stores. jigray3 is well acquainted with that pain. See his post for what's available based on the other recommendations that have been made here in this thread.

quote:

I live in the heart of Bourbon country. Let me know if I can act as a middleman and get something for you and ship it to you.

I don't give a damn, personally, but this is probably illegal. Be careful making such offers in public venues, and be sure it's legal on the sending and receiving end, and the carrier. It's a convoluted mess.

quote:

Originally posted by 46and2:

quote:

Originally posted by shoevb:
My budget is under $100.00.

That's plenty. There are loads of good Bourbons for around $60 or less. Your biggest challenge is dealing with limited selection offered by the VA state stores. jigray3 is well acquainted with that pain. See his post for what's available based on the other recommendations that have been made here in this thread.

quote:

I live in the heart of Bourbon country. Let me know if I can act as a middleman and get something for you and ship it to you.

I don't give a damn, personally, but this is probably illegal. Be careful making such offers in public venues, and be sure it's legal on the sending and receiving end, and the carrier. It's a convoluted mess.

Good point and thanks for the heads up.

quote:

Originally posted by shoevb:
My budget is under $100.00.

$100 should be able to get you some decent bottles. Problem will be finding them without hitting the secondary market, in which case $100 won't be enough.

Personally, I'd stay away from most of the craft distillery offerings unless you know he likes them. Stay with the bigger, known distilleries to ensure consistent quality: Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, Maker's Mark, Jim Beam.

From what others have said, the Buffalo Trace options will be hard to find in your area. If you were to find a Blanton's, Rock Hill Farms, Elmer T. Lee, E.H. Taylor, or Weller 12 year, those would be great options.

Beam products should be relatively easy to find. In my opinion, the order of preference is Booker's > Baker's > Basil Hadin's. Our local Costco had a pallet full of Booker's at $60 recently, which is one heck of a deal. Beam also has their Signature Craft series.

From Maker's Mark the Cask Strength or their Private Select which runs around $70 around here. A lot of stores have their own "store pick" of the Private Select, but those can be hit or miss.

From Heaven Hill the Elijah Craig barrel proof is very good. Although not a bourbon, their Pikesville Rye is very good at $54.

It would be best to find out discreetly what he likes and try to get that. As you can see from the various responses, there are a lot of different bourbons to satisfy a lot of different tastes. What I like and what someone else likes can be completely different. For instance, several people mentioned Four Roses and Willett. I personally don't like anything from either of those distilleries. But there are a LOT of bourbons that I do like, and sometimes it depends on my mood. Trying different ones to see what you do and don't like is also part of the fun.

In looking at jigray3's post regarding what's available in VA, and the various recommendations made so far, I suggest either Booker's (it's Barrel Proof, Unfiltered, and comes in a cool wood box), or a handpicked 4 Roses Single Barrel, for something sort of rare and fancy. Both will be less than $100.

It's not high dollar but I love 1792 as well.
I could be given a 1/2 gallon of it and feel very well appreciated!

I just got my winter shipment of Willett & 1792.
(Only to find out 1792 is finally available in Ohio)

But no matter what you get him it's a gift.
As long as thought and effort was put into it and it's not some Jim Neam white label you'll be good.

Grumpy that willett pot still has really gone down hill since they quit sourcing from heavenhill. Used to be my go to but now I cant even touch it.

Makers Cask Strength is an excellent "upgrade" bottle. Not sure how easy it is to find around you, but it's pretty available here in Atlanta. Otherwise, I would go with a Barrel Pick Four Roses or Blanton's.

Whether or not he likes it, or any other bottle you get him, is a total craps shoot, of course.

Many very good bourbons listed here, and some of them are favorites of mine. Elijah Craig, Knob Creek, 1792, and Woodford Ridge are all found in my back-bar. It would be hard to go wrong with any of these.......the price is reasonable also(not cheap, but reasonable).

Pike Creek
Angel’s Envy
Knob Creek
Crown Royal Reserve

I am listing what is available in VA

My current go to bourbon is Bulleit barrel strength.

Bulleit 10 Year Bourbon is my next choice.

Elijah Craig Small Batch Barrel Proof Bourbon would be my next choice in VA

1792 is good, so is Woodward reserve. Basil Hayden is a light summer bourbon for me.

Here are VA choices

https://www.abc.virginia.gov/p...rch?sort%3Drelevancy

I love Knob Creek Smoked Maple on special occasions.
I can't afford the pricey stuff, my go to Bourbon is Jim Beam Black. It's extra aged and quite good for the price.

VA ABC will be holding lotteries for EH Taylor Barrel Proof (160 bottles), Abraham Bowman Sweet 16 (150 bottles), and Thomas Handy Straight Rye (70 bottles), all worth owning. Odds are likely to be pretty long, but a helluva gift if you won. Lotteries open 9/5, but for VA residents only. Sorry guys.

Old Crow.

I'm tired of fancy.

quote:

Originally posted by jigray3:
VA ABC will be holding lotteries for EH Taylor Barrel Proof (160 bottles), Abraham Bowman Sweet 16 (150 bottles), and Thomas Handy Straight Rye (70 bottles), all worth owning. Odds are likely to be pretty long, but a helluva gift if you won. Lotteries open 9/5, but for VA residents only. Sorry guys.

The EH Taylor Barrel Proof and the Thomas Handy Rye are two of my absolute favorites.

Big fan, since day one.

My "new" bourbon--as I like to switch up my staple every now and then--is now Knob Creek, the 100 proof bottle. I picked up a bottle on my way up to the Andirondacks last Wednesday and finished the bottle in three nights. I'm a fan. I'll have a bottle in my home bar after my next trip to the liquor store, that I promise you.

Bookers is a Great gift, but be aware it is a high proof bourbon, usually over 120 proof. That being said, it is great, is a small batch product that presents well as a gift as Bookers is in its own wooden box.