Horse left the barn, as I'm back from the store. I picked up Bookers and a sampler of Woodford. Haven't tried them yet. For scotch, I was spoiled by a customer, who had me try Macallan 18. I really liked it and the next month it jump $40 in price. The 15 and the 12 I don't care for. Glenlivet 18 is ok. I don't like a real smokey taste. Smooth is probably most important. So what bourbons do you recommend? Or scotch for that matter.

Some that have been recommended:
Blantons
Basil Hayden
Stagg

Blantons for sure.

Bang for the Buck is in Buffalo Trace.

Thanks. They were out of Blantons, so I grabbed Bookers.

I like Knob Creek too....very much like Buffalo Trace but more Oakey and Smokey...

Right now I have Booker's, Buffalo Trace, Garrison Bros Texas Straight Bourbon, and Bulleit on my shelf. Nothing wrong with Woodford and you have already have bottle to try. I really like Bookers but at 128 proof you don't get to enjoy very much at a sitting! Bulleit is my personal favorite. The Garrison Bros and Buffalo Trace have more flavor (spice? smoke? I'm no expert) but I just don't enjoy that aspect as much.
YMMV, drink what you enjoy.

I am partial to Basil Hayden, smooth and not as what I term peppery as some others. Really like Blantons too. Have a hard time getting Buffalo Trace, supply seems hit or miss. Taos Lightening is also good, but hard to locate. Their Rye seems available.

I get one from texas that is my fave...but they don't apparently feel right calling it bourbon.


Rebecca creek.

Try some Tennessee whisky.I like George Dickel #8 or #12.Both real smooth.

Blanton's can be outstanding, and in my experience it mostly has been. However, being a single barrel bottling it can vary, and I have come across bottles that were a bit of a let down. I haven't sampled new bottles in a while, so I can't say how it's holding up in the face of today's increased demand.

A delicious whiskey and an outstanding value is 12 year old W.L. Weller.

If you like something bigger bodied try Wild Turkey Rare Breed. Top level stuff at a mid level price.

Scotch wise you should give Glenfarclas a try. Not real easy to find though.

Basil Hayden when I drink bourbon.

Jeffersons

I like the flavor of Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve best of all. I do not like the flavor of Buffalo Trace. I've been drinkin' Breckinridge Bourbon for a little while and it's exceptionally good. Can't go wrong with Blanton's, Booker's, Bakers, or Basil Hayden's. I'll take Bulleit anytime though...it's the Zebco 33 of bourbon; it just 'works' anytime.

Old Granddad Bonded 101

and Single Barrel Jack Daniels.

My favorite scotch was Wilsons from New Zealand, but Seagrams shut them down.

Bakers

The Balvenie 12 Double Wood is my latest favorite for a reasonably priced scotch.

OK. Now confirmed. I'm a light weight. The Bookers is too "hot" for me. I should have looked at the proof before grabbing it. The friend who recommended it is a more experienced whiskey drinker.

I just grabbed some Basil Hayden's and will try this weekend

have a buddy that swears by Pendleton.....

but everytime he goes to a Cosco...thats sell spirits...

he gets this stuff.......

Crown Royal tastes much better to me.

Blanton's for the higher end; Makers for the everyday use; Makers 43 for the mid-range.

Nothing beats Pappy Van Winkle when you can get it & are willing to pay for it................

MM

I can believe that. The Kirkland scotch was Macallan.

Pendleton isn't Bourbon.

They're both sweetened Canadian Zippo fluid.

Pour a bit and gradually adjust the proof down with small additions of still spring water until it suits your palate. Do not use ice.

Yep I will cut Bookers on occasion when my palate doesn't agree with the strength.

Macallan isn't necessariy "The Macallan." The off brand bottlings of spirit stock Macallan sold to the trade may not have been subject to the same ageing and wood management regime as the "real" stuff.

Here is a good rule of thumb - if the name starts with a "B", you are probably good to go - Buffalo Trace, Bulleit, Blantons, Bookers, Bakers, Basil Hayden and Elmer T Lee and Eagle Rare ( E rhymes with B, so these are an exception, LOL).

Yes. Elmer was another recommended by s friend. Local stores don't have great selections.

I thought about cutting Bookers, do will try that as well

For my budget and taste;

1) Elija Craig

2) Bulliet.....Burbon or Rye...both are good...

3) Dickel #12

4) Wild Turkey 101


Try putting a splash of water in that Bookers if it's to hot for you....
I know it's not manley but I'll admit to doing that with almost everything I drink....


Oops...Mathman beat me to it....

Shoulda known....

Agreed. I can go with those anytime.

That's funny....when I first started drinking hard liquor out of something other than the bottle I thought Crown on the rocks was really something....
Nowdays I can't stand the stuff.....

Oh yeah, Elija Craig, good stuff. Another "E" for the list. Stick with B and E.

My budget favorites

Basil Hayden is my favorite bourbon. Very smooth.

1792 (Ridgemont Reserve).

Turkey 101, Knob Creek, Maker's Mark, and Eagle Rare sit in the cabinet, currently. Also have tried Buffalo Trace and Woodford.

Dad likes the Woodford best; for me its Knob Creek and Eagle Rare.

Granted, I won't discriminate against any of the others in my cabinet.

Thankfully there are lots of decent bourbons to try. The fun part is sampling them and figuring out if you like wheated bourbons, high or low rye bourbons and what age you typically like.

For a beginner, I would suggest you try a nice wheated bourbon like Maker's Mark, WL Wellers Special Reserve or Wellers Antique 107 or Larceny. All pretty smooth and sweet.

Don't give up on your Bookers yet. There is nothing wrong with adding a couple teaspoons of water (or more) to your taste to cut the heat. Also, let it sit for 10 min. before you drink it.

Other readily available and affordable good bourbons to try in no particular order:

Four Roses Small Batch, Four Roses Single Barrel, Jim Beam Single Barrel, Evan William Single Barrel, Russell's Reserve, Henry McKenna, Elijah Craig 12 yr., Eagle Rare 10 yr. Bulleit and Bulleit 10yr., Rowan's Creek, Noah's Mill and Michter's Small Batch. That's a good start. At times, some may be hard to find. Like now, I can't seem to find any of the Weller products out there. I just finished off a bottle of Four Roses Small Batch and really enjoyed it. I'm now working on an Evan Williams Single Barrel 2006 and enjoying it too.

I would recommend staying away from the pricey craft distillery products as they are mostly just ok, tend to be young, and a poor value. The only one I've liked was the Hillrock Solera Aged Bourbon and it was very pricey. Again, add water if it's too hot or just to see how it changes the flavors. Start with a couple drops all the way to 2-3 teaspoons of water for the real high proof stuff. For my taste, bourbon in the 90 proof range is about perfect and 8-10 years of age, when you can find a bourbon with an age statement anymore. They are getting fewer and fewer.

Another vote for Knob Creek!

Yea....I probably should have put WT 101 above Dickel too.....matter of fact....it really doesn't even belong on a list of Burbons but I think it's a darn good value so I had to give it an honorable mention.....

Rittenhouse Bonded Rye's another good value.....

Elijah Craig 12yr old is my standard along with Blanton's. Better yet is Elijah Craig 18 yr, and Elijah Craig 21 yr old. However, nothing compares to Pappy Van Winkle 23 year old!

Pour yourself three fingers, light an Oliva Serie V, and enjoy the weekend.

405wcf

Thanks 405wcf. Already had the sticks ready. Might try a Series V though!

I like the Jim Beam bourbons starting with the Black Label and going from there.

The white label is fine for mixing.

Fan of the Wild Turkey bourbons as well.

Remember this packaging? I believe it's what put me onto good sipping whiskey many years ago.

W.L. Weller's is the best value bourbon out there. About $16-18 if you can find it.

I still like my Old Fitzgerald. I fear that Heaven Hill is going to stop making the product.
It is not widely distributed any more. I will be in Virginia in July, and can swing into Kentucky. Called a few stores in Eastern KY, and located some product. I'll pick that up, and a case should last me the rest of my life.
I don't drink much anymore.

High test bourbon bourbon should be cut with water, aka bourbon and branch. I like Woodford Reserve. That is bourbon, as opposed to the syruped stuff like Maker's Mark. If you just want smooth and are not stuck on a purist's bourbon, try Clyde May's. It's bourbon distilled in KY, but they flavour it for green apple and call it Alabama whiskey. it's only about 45 proof. Goes down so smooth you have to watch it.

For smoking I like Scotch. Glenfiddich and Johnny Walker Black are reliably good enough without breaking the bank.

Another vote here for Eagle Rare. I've been stocking up on it. Great value for a 10-yr old at about $26-$28/bottle.

Blanton's also gets my vote, but hard to find here.

Henry Mckenna, Eagle Rare, Buffalo Trace are some I like and would gladly recommend. My wife gave me some Old Forester and it's pretty good also.

OP, do yourself a favor and pick up a bottle of eagle rare. An absolute fantastic bourbon for the money. I've found many bottles better than bourbon that costs twice what it does.

One that has yet to be mentioned that really is good to me is Bib & Tucker. I don't share it with very many.

I didn't care for Buffalo trace at all.

For general have on hand type whiskey I like Makers Mark, Makers 46 even better, Knob Creek, Woodford Reserve. Bookers and Old Grandad are very good, as was the papered Old Forrester.

Scotch for me is Balvenie Double Wood, Dalwhinnie 15, typically but Balvenie 21 Port Wood is my splurge.

I'm different here - I do use ice, not poured over ice but a cube or 2 depending on size. To me, just the right amount of water added and not enough ice to make it cold, just cool.

I bought some of the whiskey rocks a while back - guess I should give them a try and just add spring water to taste. At least I'd look more sophisticated that way... haha!

SNORK!!!!

FYI Costco's Kirkland Bourbon is made by Buffalo Trace.

Good traditional bourbons generally come from the middle floors of the warehouse and are aged 7-9 years. That includes Buffalo Trace, Weller Reserve and Weller Antique.

Eagle Rare 10 has won more double gold medals than any other 10 yr old Bourbon.

Blantons is only 6 yrs old and tastes like it to me. Elmer T Lee (same mash bill) is slightly older and much better tasting.

Stagg Jr. Is the same mash bill as Buffalo Trace and Eagle Rare but is aged a minimum of 12 years and bottled at barrel proof. My current bottle is 129.7 proof and I can open it up with a little water to my taste. Wonderful Bourbon.

Buffalo Trace, Brown Forman (Woodford Reserve, Old Forester) and Heaven Hill are all American owned. All the rest of the Kentucky distilleries are foreign owned.

Yes, I work for Buffalo Trace and I'm proud of it. Two of my ancestors owned distilleries in Anderson and Mercer Counties in the 19th century and my dad printed all of Jim Beam's labels from the 1940s through the 1970s.

Everyone's palate is different. The Bourbon you like is the Bourbon you like. Keep tasting!

Don't chill the spirit.

Spring water lessens the intensity, ice ruins the flavor. Get with it man!

Tag. Bookers for me.

Lots of good info here, thanks for posting. Buffaloe Trace is a great tour if you have some time.

Wild Turkey 101 is my everyday bourbon. For special occasions, I like Wild Turkey's Rare Breed.

I'm Irish.


Do you think it really matters to me?

Kinda funny sometimes reading about the 'proper' way to drink ones own whiskey. It comes up in every thread about whiskey. Some folks make a 'ceremony' outta drinkin' a glass of whiskey...just as some folks make a 'ceremony' outta cleaning a gun. If that's what they wanna do...that's their choice. Seems like a fella oughta drink his own whiskey the way 'he' likes it.

And there's the decline of Western Civilization.

Are you drinking Old Crow? Usher's Green Stripe?

Truest statement in the entire thread..............

MM

If that was the worst thing we had to worry causing it.... Haha!

I was talking to a Scot one time, big scotch drinker. Asked him how you were supposed to drink scotch... His answer... However the F$&@ you want!

From what I observed when I visited, most Scots don't have the knowledge/appreciation of Scotch you'd expect.

This is all you need.

And Blanton doesn't impress me too much.

Wild turkey rare breed. 112 proof. Very smooth

Ron

Thank you for your service.

I could drink with you, if you'd allow it.


Which reminds me, I need to take a jug to the cabin this weekend.

I've tried most all of them, but keep going back to Bulleit.

it's like women, what one guy likes the other guy doesn't

glad for all the choices, well in whiskey anyway