Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire What are you sipping tonight? Maker's Mark here...

If you guys would just learn the difference between sipping whiskey and drinking whiskey there wouldn't be a problem. Basic bourbon, basic scotch and the like are fine for on the rocks with water or club soda or whatever. Just last night I enjoyed some Old Charter and spring water on the rocks. Famous Grouse fits this category fine, I enjoy it often in a nice scotch and soda.

It's when philistines drop ice cubes into something like Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye or Elmer T. Lee bourbon or Longmorn 15 year old single malt that I feel a disturbance in the force.

WORD.....

Truth !

I'm slow, but I was learnt how to do it.

I drink cheap or expense scotch/bourbon neat and room temp, to me it doesn't need water, ice or soft drinks mixed in, good tasting room temp burn! ; ]

Weather today is nice enough that I'm planning on enjoying it with scotch and a cigar - after I go to the gym.

I prefer to enjoy the whisky when I'm sipping, so I'm not likely to sip $9 Ancient Age neat.

Yep, by cheap i meant the bottle of Famous Grouse i was gifted, never tried AA, sipping Grouse right now.

I am not a snob of food or booze, so I'll stick with bottles about two shelves below what mathman buys, thank you.

That means Famous Grouse, Tullamore Dew, Jameson, Crown Royal, Chivas... On the rocks.

But no bourbon.

No snob here either, just prefer single malt to blended, Glenmorangie 10 year is fine, fine stuff, the Grouse is very smooth too.

Famous Grouse is in a zone where I find it nice enough to sip yet not so dear (flavor/complexity as well as price) as to be wasted when I want a "casual" drink.

There are others, like Old Forester 100 proof rye or Rittenhouse Bottled in Bond rye, which are relatively inexpensive but are simply too good to enjoy any way other than neat.

Ancient Age is a victim of the hot bourbon market. In the past before bourbon became trendy (and a lot of people with more money than sense got into the market) the Ancient Age brand had several higher end expressions which really did deserve to be called sipping whiskey. Now any barrels of the AA mashbill that are shaping up especially well during the aging process are set aside to be put into Blanton's bottles which draw a lot more money.

Old Charter has suffered similarly. The basic Old Charter used to be an eight year old and was a fine whisky for sipping. Now it's "Old No.8 Brand" though it still qualifies as a straight bourbon whiskey which means only it is at least two years old. There used to be several Old Charter variations which were excellent sipping whiskey.

I admit I'm chafed by the Johnny come lately buyers that have ruined the market for OG sippers like myself.

Not snobbery here. I enjoy regular Old Forester all the time. Sub $20 too. It's quite a value.

I ran out of beer in January and am on my last case of Canadian Mist. Headed to Anchorage Saturday and will charter the Bush Hawk from Nikinski for trip home,,the stores will be replenished!!

I have a couple of blended scotch whiskys that I bet you would enjoy more than many single malts.

When I sold my dad's place in Montana, I found a couple of old bottles of whiskey. One said something like van winkle on it and I don't think dad ever opened it. Nice wood box and all. I don't drink but may be something to try someday.

If you're teetotal and that whiskey is unopened and in good condition put it on the market and buy yourself a rifle with the proceeds.

Your kidding.

LOL. I was about to suggest exactly the same thing!!

Thanks for the history lesson mathman, obvious greenhorn here started with Glenmorange, really like it, simply havent tried enough brands to be versed in any, having Grouse right now, it's very smooth.

Full confession that may get me shot, went to Kansas a year and sometime ago to pick up an original Sharps buffalo rifle, after dinner of prim rib and potato, the old Man came out with a beautiful black wood with leather center serving tray, on it sat Pappy something 25 year reserve, [THAT] was the smoothest tasting alcohol my undeserving/unwashed redneck ass had been near, sounds stupid, but you could 'taste' money there.

A close friend of mine has an unopened bottle of the original run of Van Winkle Lot B 12 year old bourbon. Secondary market prices top $1000 for that stuff.