Bourbon.

[Texasmade]

I've basically stopped buying and drinking bourbon and Scotch whisky now due to the stupid insane prices. It's difficult to find something good that's not overpriced.

 

[Piobaire]

I'm in the crowd that has pretty much stopped buying bourbon too. I think the last bottle I bought was in March as my "birthday bourbon" and it was a Booker bottling. Most of my bourbon drinking this year has been open/old stock or at my neighbors who collects Scotch and bourbon with a passion. I think I posted one of our recent extensive tastings back a few pages.

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

Smooth Ambler's Big Level is surprisingly good given its price point and given the fact that I don't normally like the wheated stuff, including PVW which I will drink from time to time just for the hell of it and to celebrate the fact that I at least had the foresight to load up on PVW when it was widely available,but didn't do the same with AMZN stock when it was sub $5/share.

Not bourbon, but I have never been disappointed with a George Dickel barrel pick, but I trust the person doing the picking, and I don't mind the sweetness of Tennessee whiskey, so you may not like it as much.

Booker's is still pretty consistently good year after year, and I second the comment about Knob Creek, especially a barrel pick from someone you know and respect. I have a barrel pick rye from an old friend of mine in TN, and I am drinking it a half ounce at a time, it's that good! I'm sure the mainline cask strength comes very close.

All should be easily found in the $50 range except for Booker's but for the extra 20 dollar bill, I think it's worth it.

Booker's is actually my 3rd favorite Bourbon right after GTS and WLW. It is consistently amazing anytime I have a snifter. However the new pricepoint is $20-$30 too much for a readily available Barrel Proof. I wish they would ditch that gaudy wooden presentation packaging and lower the price back down to $60-ish where it belongs. That's why I only have owned one bottle since 2015 and only buy snifters of it whenever I go for a cigar at a certain famous spot, it's $12 for a decent pour. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof may not be as good (to my palate at least) but the price is just right ($65).

 

[Biscotti]

I miss when I could go into any liquor store in town and pick up Elmer T. Lee.

 

[Bhowie]

I’m a big knob creek barrel guy. Had this yesterday

 

[Piobaire]

This is really good. Cost too much and it was just a holiday splurge.

 

[wojt]

Awesome, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do. P15 is my favorite of the Van Winkle fleet.



I'd be happy to, but note that the following picks are just one random internet guy's selections who is by no means credible in anyway. What appeals to my palette and the 'notes' I pick up on will vary from person to person.

Budget Picks (Sub $20)

• Very Old Barton - Bottled in bond (100 proof)
• Old Grand Dad - Bottled in bond (100 proof)

Daily Drivers ($20-$30)

• Buffalo Trace
• Elijah Craig
• Evan Williams Single Barrel
• Henry McKenna 10yr
• Larceny

All Purpose ($30-$40)

• Four Roses Single Barrel
• Eagle Rare 10yr
• Knob Creek Single Barrel
• E.H. Taylor Small Batch
• Willett Pot Still Reserve

Spendy by Worth It ($40-$65)

• Old Forester 1920
• Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (Series A,B, and C are all fantastic)
• Maker's Mark Cask Strength

Thanks again I ended up buying three bottles from that list. Some were actually hard to get in places lke Speck.

Four Roses single barrel was pretty amazing indeed. It’s my new favorite

 

[wojt]

This is really good. Cost too much and it was just a holiday splurge.

View attachment 1231253

Define too much

 

[gnatty8]

Define too much

And relative to tasting experience also, as I assume the “too much” means not worth the price..

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

I miss when I could go into any liquor store in town and pick up Elmer T. Lee.

Those must've been the days, however, like most Pappy products, even if that were true for today it wouldn't be the same stuff. With the trend of NAS forming in Kentucky, corners are being cut as supply and demand increases. I'm still sore about what Elijah Craig did to their small batch 12 year.

 

[Piobaire]

Define too much

And relative to tasting experience also, as I assume the “too much” means not worth the price..

It's really a quite elegant bottling with a lot of complexity, so as far as QPR, I was satisfied. It's very nice both straight and in a manhattan. If I remember the vermouth I used was Noilly Pratt as I thought something like Antica Formula might overpower it. I used some homemade aromatic bitters for the same reason.

Locally it cost me a little over a c-note, and while that's fine for a holiday splurge, it's just something I I'm finder harder and harder to justify anymore.

 

[LisaHird]

Alcohol makes it forget for a short time. Other than it are useless. Therefore forever water for me.

 

[budapest12]

Go away.

 

[ocooney]

Found this today. One of my favorites that is even remotely, if rarely, available

 

[Piobaire]