What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

Welcome to Our Forums. Once you've registered and logged in, you're primed to talk football, among other topics, with the sharpest and most experienced fantasy players on the internet.

Bourbon guys (5 Viewers)

DaBeers said:
While I am here:  how do most of you enjoy your bourbon - rocks or straight?    Being a novice to higher quality (over quantity) I tend to drink on the rocks, but trying to build up to straight.   

Recommendations appreciated
Click to expand...
First, call it "neat," not "straight." You'll sound less like a rookie :)

Second, no reason you can't drink it "neat with an ice back." Start out neat and see how you like it. After a few sips, add a cube and see what you think. Then add more ice to finish it if you'd like. Eventually you'll build up your tolerance for neat and may just prefer that, but I find I usually still like a little ice now and then.

Regarding recommendations, pretty much anything in this thread is pretty good. Just start trying some and see what you like.

 
Harry Manback said:
Just got some Blanton's...wow move over Buffalo Trace, new favorte.

Also picked up some Bookers, haven't tried it yet but yikes. It's like 130 proof, any thoughts on this vs Blanton's?
Click to expand...
Blantons is excellent if you're looking for a smooth drinker. I'm a HUGE fan of Blantons Straight From the Barrell (130pf or so, overseas only), or Gold (over 100pf, overseas only)... but bantons is a great easy drinker, IMO. 

I love Bookers as well. A great Beam profile, uncut/unfiltered and was great value at 50-60. With price increases now, perhaps less value but still good whiskey. 

Two different bourbons. Sweet Refined 90ish proof vs a bit younger, rougher uncut 130pf or so. Depends on what you're in the mood for. 

 
kutta said:
First, call it "neat," not "straight." You'll sound less like a rookie :)

Second, no reason you can't drink it "neat with an ice back." Start out neat and see how you like it. After a few sips, add a cube and see what you think. Then add more ice to finish it if you'd like. Eventually you'll build up your tolerance for neat and may just prefer that, but I find I usually still like a little ice now and then.

Regarding recommendations, pretty much anything in this thread is pretty good. Just start trying some and see what you like.
Click to expand...
Great advice here. :goodposting:

1) I used to enjoy bourbon with an ice cube (but never fully on the rocks...watered it down too much). 
2) Then I would add a cube for a min or two till it hit the proof I liked, then remove the cube. You can do this in reverse taking a sip neat, then adding a cube or drops of water until it hits your sweet spot. 
3) Now I GREATLY prefer my bourbon neat... even Barrel proof (120-140 proof) stuff. To me 80 proof whiskey with ice ends up tasting like dishwater with no flavor in a matter of minutes... but it took time for my palate to get to that point. 

 

 
[icon] said:
Blantons is excellent if you're looking for a smooth drinker. I'm a HUGE fan of Blantons Straight From the Barrell (130pf or so, overseas only), or Gold (over 100pf, overseas only)... but bantons is a great easy drinker, IMO. 

I love Bookers as well. A great Beam profile, uncut/unfiltered and was great value at 50-60. With price increases now, perhaps less value but still good whiskey. 

Two different bourbons. Sweet Refined 90ish proof vs a bit younger, rougher uncut 130pf or so. Depends on what you're in the mood for. 
Click to expand...
I was actually able to get Bookers at $44 at Wegmans in MA, and Blanton's at $48 at the same spot. I'm in love.

 
Harry Manback said:
I was actually able to get Bookers at $44 at Wegmans in MA, and Blanton's at $48 at the same spot. I'm in love.
Click to expand...
Excellent Prices. If you like Bookers, I'd grab another bottle or two as the prices are going up. $70-80MSRP now, and up to $100 before long.

I currently have 6 bottles of Bookers, one standard blantons and 1.5 bottles of Blantons straight from the barrel on hand. 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Harry Manback said:
Any reason why it's going up?
Click to expand...
"shortages"
Decreasing number of annual releases (From 6) and increasing price to $70-75, then reportedly higher. 

AT $50 it was an incredible value for uncut/unfiltered product. Releasing your stocks at 80 or 90pf instead of 125 proof stretches your stocks much further. The problem is that not only is demand increasing for bourbon, but the market for barrel proof bourbon is increasing dramatically as well. 

 

 
Forgot to update on my barrel aging experiment.... 

Forgot the Old Weller Antique 107 aging in the barrel after the superbowl and remembered around 25 days out. It was HEAVILY oaked at that point... not overdone yet, but it was pronounced. I enjoyed it but wondered about blending a bit of Weller 12 in to soften/sweeten it a touch.

2 parts 25day aged OWA107 + 1 part Weller 12 =  :shock: :wub:

Man it was good. Added a nice Oaky note and rounded the heat from the OWA, but the age/sweetness of the W12 filled out that dimension nicely. Overall it was fantastic whiskey and I look forward to doing another run. 

 
kutta said:
Second, no reason you can't drink it "neat with an ice back." Start out neat and see how you like it. After a few sips, add a cube and see what you think. Then add more ice to finish it if you'd like. Eventually you'll build up your tolerance for neat and may just prefer that, but I find I usually still like a little ice now and then.
Click to expand...
I thought this is how you rolled

https://shop.themacallan.com/ice-ball-maker

 
kutta said:
First, call it "neat," not "straight." You'll sound less like a rookie :)

Second, no reason you can't drink it "neat with an ice back." Start out neat and see how you like it. After a few sips, add a cube and see what you think. Then add more ice to finish it if you'd like. Eventually you'll build up your tolerance for neat and may just prefer that, but I find I usually still like a little ice now and then.

Regarding recommendations, pretty much anything in this thread is pretty good. Just start trying some and see what you like.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I knew this but at the time of my post I was in a rush....nonetheless I have learned my lesson ?  Besides, next to some of you guys, I am about as rook as it gets in here.   

In all seriousness, I have been scaling back on the ice.   Some bourbons I have already nixed the ice entirely- EH Taylor is one.    Still going ice with Eagle Rare but scaling back.   

 
Last edited by a moderator:
psychobillies said:
Grabbed 2 for $14.  Why not?  Thanks for the heads up.  

Also, many thanks to all of the contributors to this thread.  I've learned a ton.  I don't think I'd be enjoying this little hobby as much without knowing some of the stuff I've learned here.
Click to expand...
Also grabbed 2.  My brother has a couple skull tequila bottles he has collected from Mexico.  He'll love this to go with it.

 
The General said:
Bought one of those small aging barrels - similar to this - Going to make a barrel aged Manhattan.

Yesterday I "cured" the barrel, which was pretty much just rinsing it out a little, and then filling it with boiling water to allow the wood to expand and seal up any leaks. No leaks this morning so I'm ready to fill it with booze.

Don't want to go very high end with the ingredients in case it doesn't work.

Going with 2 L's of Four Roses Bourbon, 1 L Sweet Vermouth, 2 Oz Bitters. Think I may throw some coffee beans in there just because.

Says I'm supposed to taste every 2 weeks, should be done in a 2-3 months.
Click to expand...
It's finished. Super tasty, very easy process. Put about a third of it in a decanter and the rest in a growler. Probably probably have about 2.25 liters of pretty awesome Manhattan to drink.

Couple notes: The barrel was crap, the little spicket thing didn't really work after the first week, so I'll have to buy a new one. Was supposed to be able to reuse it a few times so a bit of a bummer. Probably will go with a 1 Liter barrel rather than the 3 Liter moving forward and buy some higher end stuff. 

Also will look into aging whiskey rather than just mixing cocktails.

 
Buzzbait said:
As a valentines day present my wife bought tix to a bourbon tasting at the end of the month. Should be fun!  :thumbup:

Bourbon Trail tasting
Click to expand...
Just thought I'd update on my experience with the Bourbon tasting event at Jungle Jim's.

Heavy hors d’oeuvres, live music and of course lot's of bourbons :yes: . I tried all of the following:

Angel's Envy
Elijah Craig Small Batch
Bulleit 10 year
Calumet
High West
Russell's Reserve 10 year
Woodford Double Oak
Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Rye
Stranahan's
Old Forester Birthday Bourbon

Of those the best IMO were the Old Forester Birthday Bourbon and Calumet. The best bargain bourbon was Russell's Reserve 10 year. Not too shabby for about $33.

All in all a big  :thumbup:

 
Last edited by a moderator:
[icon] said:
2017 Bourbon Country trip offically booked.... 

Group of 7 guys (5 military, plus myself and another buddy) will be picking a barrel of ER on Monday March 13th. 3 of us (civilian buddy, pilot buddy, and myself) are heading up Friday to make a long weekend of it. Tentative plans are:

FRI: Depart memphis at 3-4ish and head to Bardstown (arriving around 9 or 10pm). Room booked at General Nelson Inn in the heart of town, short walk from all the bars/dining there. 

SAT: Wake up and be at Willett by open at 9:30am. Check gift shop out for limited WFE releases (will likely by limit of 2 of whatever they have) then touring the distillery. Next drop by Heaven Hill to check for any good limited releases, maybe do the tasting, then head down to Markers Mark for the tour/tasting/gift shop (prob grab some Makers 46 cask strength and dip it there). Stop by Willett one more time on the way back through Bardstown. 

From there head up to Louisville and The Brown Hotel to check in, then likely hit Doc Crows for dinner/whiskey, definitely hitting Haymarket, and basically pub crawling downtown Louisville for the night.

SUN: Wake up and maybe tour Michters or Evan Williams experience, then heading over to Woodford Reserve to tour it, then into Frankfort to meet up with the other 4 guys for a night on the town. Never been to Frankfort before. 

MON: Head over to Buffalo Trace for our 2+ hour hard hat tour, Barrel Pick, then Luncheon onsite. Leaving there we will swing back through bardstown for one last top at Willett before heading back to Memphis and hopefully home by dinner. 
 
Click to expand...
Leaving for this trip in a couple hours :banned:

Can't ####### wait... 

 
Megla said:
For those that enjoy Eagle Rare Sam's Club now carries it and is selling it for $24.95 a bottle.
Click to expand...
Maybe that explains the shortages reported on the board, which now appear to stretch into Central NJ, where, until reading about others here, I never had an issue with finding it stocked.

 
[icon] said:
I generally don't drink much Jeffersons stuff, given it's dubious origins and price point... but they reportedly have hit on a few winners with their "finished" line. 
Click to expand...
Good to know for the future. I knew I was overpaying but it sounded good. 

 
Went to a blind bourbon tasting event at a restaurant last night.  24 people tasted 10 bourbons and rated them all 1-10.

Have to admit around 6-7 I was getting a pretty good buzz going but a couple still stood out.  The bourbons were all in the 25-50 dollar range. After everyone voted #5 was the clear cut winner had had the most first and second place votes from the group and that was Elijah Craig.

#2 was Weller.  I had never had that before but that also got some first place vote as well. #3 was a Knob Creek Reserve.  Blind taste testing are cool because the most expensive one was a small batch that I can`t remember the name...it came in 8th. with no high votes from anyone.

 
Sipping on some Woodford Reserve Rye.. My future daughter in law picked me up a bottle for my birthday.  It's pretty damn good.   :thumbup:

 
Hi friends, first time poster and amateur lover of bourbon. Help a guy out?

I love me the Knob Creek given to me as a present. It's a bit strong, but I've come to appreciate the strength as part of the flavor. I only drink it neat.

Any other recommendations based on this? Same price range, if possible. I don't want to explain to the wife why I'm dropping more than $50 on a single bottle of booze.

Gracias.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
flysack said:
Hi friends, first time poster and amateur lover of bourbon. Help a guy out?

I love me the Knob Creek given to me as a present. It's a bit strong, but I've come to appreciate the strength as part of the flavor. I only drink it neat.

Any other recommendations based on this? Same price range, if possible. I don't want to explain to the wife why I'm dropping more than $50 on a single bottle of booze.

Gracias.
Click to expand...
I thought woodford was comparable to knob

 
flysack said:
Hi friends, first time poster and amateur lover of bourbon. Help a guy out?

I love me the Knob Creek given to me as a present. It's a bit strong, but I've come to appreciate the strength as part of the flavor. I only drink it neat.

Any other recommendations based on this? Same price range, if possible. I don't want to explain to the wife why I'm dropping more than $50 on a single bottle of booze.

Gracias.
Click to expand...
Knob Creek 100 was a little too hot for me too. Our price points are similar too. With those in common, some of the other stuff I've really liked are the Evan Williams single barrel, Eagle Rare, 1792, and Bernheim's (this one is a wheat whiskey).

I don't drink regularly, so my experience is limited, but that's this cheapskate's take on some value bourbons.

 
:blackdot:

I've finally started to appreciate the subtleties of the good stuff but still have the cost conscious wife like others. Will be glad to read through others' suggestions. 

 
Jayded said:
:blackdot:

I've finally started to appreciate the subtleties of the good stuff but still have the cost conscious wife like others. Will be glad to read through others' suggestions. 
Click to expand...
There have been a few suggestions that repeat throughout this thread.  Try some (or better yet! all!) of those repeated suggestions.  Icon is a wealth of knowledge on bourbon. Read his posts. Sample bourbon. Enjoy. 

 
Just returned for a few days up in Bourbon Country.  Had a great time and big thanks to [icon] for his assistance.  He was a huge planning help.

Day 1 - Got to Buffalo Trace around 1:30 for their Hard Hat tour. This was a great, genuine, and comprehensive tour. Everything about the place felt very authentic. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and down to earth without much of a prepared presentation feel.  Beautiful grounds and quaint facility. Didn't buy anything in the gift shop because they had nothing I couldn't get back home. On to Wild Turkey.  Nice tour albeit very scripted and corporate, beautiful views out of their new tasting room of the river and the old RR bridge. Campari has spent a bunch of money on this place. Jimmy Russell hanging out in the gift shop was the highlight here.  82 years old and one of the legendary Master Distillers. Super nice guy. Nothing that excited me in their gift shop. Spent the night at the Woodford Inn in Versailles (Ver-Sales).  Cool little place, good restaurant and bar.  Very friendly people that run it.  Kind of like a bigger B&B but less creepy than a B&B. Not much else in the town. The local specialty other than bourbon and horses seems to be a dish called "Hot Brown".  I decided to save that one for Dentist.

Day 2 - Woodford Reserve.  Just a short distance from Woodford Inn and a beautiful drive through horse country. Apparently, the epicenter of Horse Racing as an astonishing number of derby winners come from this area, including American Pharoah. Woodford was a nice stop.  Definitely the most upscale feeling of any of the distilleries. But also beautiful and the only one we saw with a working barrel run.  There's something cool about seeing those barrels come rolling out of the stillhouse under gravity only, following the tracks to the rickhouse. But the tour and experience does have a very polished feel to it.  Bought a bottle of Double Double Oaked, only available at the distillery they said.

On to Four Roses.  Fun tasting, but closed for tours due to construction.  A few private selections in their gift shop but none of the mashbill/yeast combo I like from Four Roses.  Frankly, Four Roses has never been one of my favorites but I left the tasting with a new appreciation for their products.  Drove on down to Makers.  Makers was the initial reason I decided to do this trip.  Many years ago I had joined their "Ambassadors" club and they put my name on a barrel.  Each year since they have sent me neat little Christmas gifts (Ugly Christmas Bottle Sweater, earmuffs for bottle, bottle scarf, bottle santa hat, etc.).  Well, they recently sent me a Willy Wonka style golden ticket that my barrel was ready; come to the distillery and get some bottles made from my barrel. Basically, the long con.  We toured Makers and I came away with the impression that while they may have become more "Beamified" since the acquisition they still do their own thing and of the distilleries we visited I got the sense they were the only ones really innovating outside of mash bill and height/age.  Their secondary aging/stave program is pretty interesting.  The new aging room they have blasted into the side of the cliff was amazing.  They are currently allowing local bars and restaurants to come in and customize a barrel after it has already been aged into bourbon by adding various staves to the barrel and doing an additional 9-week cold aging.  They plan to roll this out nationally, then to ambassadors, then to the general public. It's basically the same process they use to make 46.  I enjoy 46 and I love Maker's cask strength so I was very excited to find a bottle of Maker's Private Select that is basically cask strength 46 in the gift shop.  Bought that and my long con customized bottles. 

Stayed at General Nelson Inn.  It's OK, but probably better suited for a guy's trip.  Getting a little long in the tooth but of the local hotels appears to be the best option.  There are some good Airbnb opportunities in town, including a flat above the local taproom.  Ate dinner at a great little restaurant called The Rickhouse that was hidden away under the local museum.

Day 3 featuring Barton, Heaven Hill, Willett, Jim Beam, and Four Roses part two coming up in the next installment.

 
Day 3 began at Barton.  They weren't on the list but since they were so close to our hotel we decided to stop in.  Wound up going for a tour with a very knowledgeable and super nice tour guide.  I felt that this place was more modern and industrial than the others and they didn't attempt to put much polish on it.  Like Buffalo Trace it felt very genuine.  I really enjoyed the tour.  It turns out they are also owned by Sazerac and don't charge for their tours. Not a huge fan of their Bourbons.  We sampled Very Old Barton, 1792, and a chocolate Bourbon Cream.  1792 (previously known as Ridgemont Reserve) was pretty good but the chocolate bourbon cream was excellent and unusual.  Basically chocolate milk loaded with bourbon. Bought a bottle of that.

Next stop was Willett.  Bad planning here, we hit them on a Saturday and their tours were already booked.  Hadn't considered that potential. Looks like a cool little place basically neighboring Heaven Hill.  They did do a quick tasting for us.  My favorite was the Old Bardstown BIB so I picked up one of those.

Went next door to Heaven Hill and opted to do their $20 "bourbon connoisseur tasting"; a tasting of their 5 top shelf bourbons + a "mystery" 25-year-old bourbon.  I have to admit I was pretty intrigued by this.  Turns out it was trickery.  They served us a "bad bourbon" that was 25 years old to demonstrate that not all old bourbon is good bourbon.  It wasn't terrible...in fact, up front it was nice, but it had a lingering bitterness that was very unpleasant. But I enjoyed the McKenna 10 year and the Elijah Craig 12 year very much.  The EC12 was sold out so couldn't buy that but I did pick up a bottle of the 10 year McKenna BIB.  On a lark, I also picked up a bottle of "Mellow Corn" in their gift shop.  This is an 80% corn mash bill but I'd never seen anything like it and it was cheap and unique.  Researching it some post-purchase it seems to be somewhat trendy now.  Should at least be interesting to try. I also enjoyed Heaven Hill's mini-museum they have set up.  Great for killing time waiting for our tasting.

Lunch at Old Talbott Tavern.  Great piece of history and really cool building.  Food was pretty good but not great.  Service was a little on the slow side.  

Stopped at Four Roses Cox Creek bottling facility on the way to Jim Beam.  They actually had two bottles of the Private Selection with the mash bill and yeast I really like (OSEO) so scored one of them.

Last stop, Jim Beam.  What can I say, it's a huge place.  They do scale down the tour and only show the experimental distillery which has a bit more appeal but as one would expect this place was slick and polished. Huuuge gift shop and the tasting room was fully automated, complete with chip cards and electronic pouring machines. I used to drink a fair amount of Knob Creek and always enjoyed it but this time during the tasting I picked up a distinct bitterness on the front of everything.  Booker's, Basil Hayden's, Bakers, several varieties of Knob, and JBB.  My BIL tasted the same thing.  I'm thinking it may have something to do with the fact that they use a darker char (#4) on their barrels than everyone else or maybe it was something in their pouring system.

Dinner at Mammy's.  Again, good but not great but fun place.

Flew out Sunday from Nashville.  Planned to stop at Hattie B's for lunch but the place had a line at least 50 deep.  So went over to Monel's a cool old soul food place that still serves family style.  Good food and fun experience.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 4 (members: 0, guests: 4)
Top