Yeah it was absolutely absurd.

Lovely black and gold label, though.

quote:

Originally posted by jigray3:
two bottles of Michter's

A friend and I went to Georgetown, KY last fall and figured on the way back that we should buy some good Kentucky bourbon while we were there. We stopped in to liquor store that looked for all the world like it was closed... but the door was unlocked, so we cruised in.

We spent about 45 minutes in there, talking with the owner about various bottles and I ended up coming home with a bottle of Michter's, ostensibly as a gift for my brother (who lived/worked in KY for a while). That bottle never made it into my brother's hands... and I fully enjoyed sipping its contents over a few weeks' time.

I'm all sorts of happy that I can get it in the local ABC stores.

I'm relatively nekulturny when it comes to bourbon. I'd kinda tried a few of the less expensive options. I bought some Maker's Mark, Larceny, Evan Williams single barrel, and Knob Creek.and I like Maker's pretty well, but my favorite so far has been Evan Williams Single Barrel 2009. It hits just right for me.

I realize that reading on the interwebs can get me moving the wrong direction, but the reading I've done is that EWSB09 is a good beginner bourbon. What are other options that have a similar taste, but maybe a step further along the flavor palate for me to try? Been told Elijah Craig, Jefferson's, and Woodford Reserve. Thoughts?

quote:

Originally posted by slabsides45:
I'm relatively nekulturny when it comes to bourbon. I'd kinda tried a few of the less expensive options. I bought some Maker's Mark, Larceny, Evan Williams single barrel, and Knob Creek.and I like Maker's pretty well, but my favorite so far has been Evan Williams Single Barrel 2009. It hits just right for me.

I realize that reading on the interwebs can get me moving the wrong direction, but the reading I've done is that EWSB09 is a good beginner bourbon. What are other options that have a similar taste, but maybe a step further along the flavor palate for me to try? Been told Elijah Craig, Jefferson's, and Woodford Reserve. Thoughts?

There are only a handful of physical Distilleries who make the vast, vast majority of all Bourbon.

Heaven Hill in Kentucky is one of the majors. Evan Williams is a Heaven Hill product. If you like Evan Williams, try Henry McKenna 10yo or Elijah Craig. That's their other two notably good brands. The bulk of their lineup are lower tier products but these three are popular and good.

Woodford Reserve, conversely, comes from a separate smaller Distillery and they only make Woodford Bourbon and Rye. I like Woodfood, myself, and it's quite popular in Bourbon circles.

Jefferson, on the other hand, is okay. They only distill 25% of their own whiskey and even that is recent. Up until an acquisition they bought all of their whiskey from other producers and were bottling only. I avoid it, but it's not bad, just not stand out enough to buy to me. ymmv

Thanks, 46and2. Anything besides these that you'd recommend as worth trying with a neophyte palate?

quote:

Originally posted by slabsides45:
Thanks, 46and2. Anything besides these that you'd recommend as worth trying with a neophyte palate?

Here's a list of some good intro level stuff that should be relatively easy to find. Some are even available in mini airplane sized bottles so you won't be stuck with a large bottle if ya hate it.

Buffalo Trace
Wild Turkey 101
Four Roses small batch OR single barrel
Bulleit
Woodford
Old Grandad
Eagle Rare

If you want to venture into rye, and you should, try these:

Old Forester
Bulleit
Sazerac
Rittenhouse
Pikesville
High West double rye

Picked up some Elijah Craig small batch and some Woodford today at lunch. Then, because hey, I liked it, I got another bottle of Evan Williams single barrel (alas, not the 2009, but the 2011). So I might need a couch to sleep on tonight if the wife sees I bought 3 bottles of bourbon in a day, with a 3/4 bottle of Larceny at the house.

quote:

Originally posted by slabsides45:
Picked up some Elijah Craig small batch and some Woodford today at lunch. Then, because hey, I liked it, I got another bottle of Evan Williams single barrel (alas, not the 2009, but the 2011). So I might need a couch to sleep on tonight if the wife sees I bought 3 bottles of bourbon in a day, with a 3/4 bottle of Larceny at the house.

LOL. One page back berto informed us that he has approximately 335 bottles on the shelves.

You're nowhere close to sick yet.

quote:

Originally posted by slabsides45:
Picked up some Elijah Craig small batch and some Woodford today at lunch. Then, because hey, I liked it, I got another bottle of Evan Williams single barrel (alas, not the 2009, but the 2011). So I might need a couch to sleep on tonight if the wife sees I bought 3 bottles of bourbon in a day, with a 3/4 bottle of Larceny at the house.

Some folks' ideas of extravagence are mighty personal. My father chastised me for being wasteful when I gave him a bottle of whiskey for Father's Day and he had not yet finished the bottle from Christmas. I'm pretty sure that my parents have at least half a mil in the bank.

Seems that the inventory turnover at that store is pretty slow. About the oldest 'age statement' that I have seen on an EWSiB is nine years. IMO nine years is when the EWSiB hits the flavor. So that bottle may have sat for a few years. The Evan Williams 1783 tastes above its price.

A few suggestions,
Bernheim Wheat Whiskey (Heaven Hill)
1783 (Heaven Hill)
Old Grand Dad (Beam)
Redemption High Rye Bourbon (MPG contract distilled)
Old Forester Rye (Brown-Foreman)
1792 (Sazeric/ Buffalo Trace)

I bought the EWSB '09 and the '11 at different stores, and just got the 2011 bottle yesterday, but that '09 sat in my pantry for almost 2 years before it was uncorked.

I've seen several references to the Bernheim Wheat, which I understand to not be a bourbon but to still be a good indicator for a newbie of whether they'll appreciate a wheated bourbon.

After asking for recommendations, I went home last night, got out a glass, and opened... The Evan Williams. Just like the taste. Promised myself I'd do a taste off between the Elijah Craig and the EW tonight.

Today is 1792 Day at Casa de vthoky.

Cracked open the Elijah Craig small batch. Yes.


Yes.

Just cracked a bottle of High West Rendezvous Rye. 1st impression is very good.

quote:

Originally posted by YellowJacket:

quote:

Originally posted by slabsides45:
Picked up some Elijah Craig small batch and some Woodford today at lunch. Then, because hey, I liked it, I got another bottle of Evan Williams single barrel (alas, not the 2009, but the 2011). So I might need a couch to sleep on tonight if the wife sees I bought 3 bottles of bourbon in a day, with a 3/4 bottle of Larceny at the house.

LOL. One page back berto informed us that he has approximately 335 bottles on the shelves.

You're nowhere close to sick yet.

Oh, my friend, it has nothing to do with sickness, and everything to do with a good Baptist wife who's very UN-understanding about the need for more bourbon. Okay, well maybe it IS a sickness, but I feel fine, really.

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:
Today is 1792 Day at Casa de vthoky.

Hard to go wrong with that one!!! Me likey a lot.

I've always been a bourbon guy but I venture out when I find something interesting for a good value.

This is good whisky. I would say it is a cross between rye, and scotch.

The 1792 BiB tonight. Maybe I will buy a bottle of the regular 1792. The ET BiB is definitely a repeat buy.

The Sazerac Co bought new propetty in Indiana.

https://www.newmillcapital.com...-the-sazerac-company

I'm thinking I'm playing little league ball here, and some of y'all are in The Show....

quote:

Originally posted by slabsides45:
I'm thinking I'm playing little league ball here, and some of y'all are in The Show....

There are times when I think stopping at Turkey and Makers would have been a wise choice. Like when the liquor store emails me reminders that I have orders taking up space and I need to come get my bottles. I think I only have three bottles at the store right now. There have been times when I had 2-3 cases and required a hand truck.