Hello from Wisconsin

[B3Nut]

Hi all,

Just a hello from a relative neophyte from the thankfully-thawing land of cheese, brats, and beer. Like many here, the time-honored or hackneyed (depending on your perspective) bourbon & coke was my gateway to bourbon...but then I discovered MM and KC and the pleasures of drinking neat, now I've got an itch to explore more. I have MM, KC, and EW black open on deck right now. I had Woodford Reserve (neat, of course!) last night at the gig...sipped on that all through the first set, stashing the glass in the top of my Leslie cabinet. I think I want a bottle of that next...second time I've had a pour of that. I don't think I could bring myself to mix that with anything...it's seductive and enchanting on its own...

So far I've had:

JBW, MM, KC, WR, WT101, EW black label, and Saz18 rye. Every time I go into an unfamiliar bar to play, I peruse the array looking for a bourbon I haven't tried yet. I can't believe how many bartenders are unfamiliar with the whole concept of "neat"...I regularly have to explain it. I asked for MM neat at one gig...ended up with a rocks glass almost full of it! Whooeeee was that ever a fun gig.

Ah well, enough babbling from me for now! Good bourbon and R&B...life is good.

Todd in Cheesecurdistan
www.blueolives.com

[sotnsipper]

I asked for MM neat at one gig...ended up with a rocks glass almost full of it!

If only every bartender was this generous!!!


Welcome to the board! You sound like you have the right idea going. Trying everything you can really helps to narrow down what you like in a bourbon. You can then determine if you like higher rye, wheat, or corn. What has been your favorite so far of all you have tried? If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask, we all like to help! Welcome again to the adventure!

[B3Nut]

So far, MM and WR are what I've liked the most with KC coming in pretty close too. Sometimes I like the sweet smoothness of MM (more wheat-heavy) and sometimes I'm in the mood for rye spiciness. The WR I had last night (second time I've had it...wow what a pour!) seemed to have a balance between the smoothness of MM with the spiciness I find in KC...if you can forgive my limited experience with these differing genres. I just know it had me smiling through the first set! I'll be adding a bottle of that to my stash next month, I think.

I've only had the WT101 once, and would like to visit that one again. Ditto the Saz18 rye, it was a "parting shot" from the bartender for the band, I really wanted to spend more time with it but we pretty much had to down the shots and scoot. Seemed too fine a whiskey to do "shots" with. Sad in a way, it had a very different flavor I would have liked to spend some time to get to know.

I guess I can blame my father-in-law in part...he introduced me to Scotch, and to Knob Creek (he is mainly a Scotch drinker.) He gave me my first bottle of MM, too, though I was still in mix-with-Coke mode at that time. Nearly always neat for me now with an occasional coke mixer or Old Fashioned. EW black (that bottle's almost gone!) has been good for the cocktails, though last night I made a sweet OF (Wisconsin style) with MM for a nightcap...that was very nice. (Wisconsin-style sweet OF's usually entail using 7-up instead of water, and pretty generous with the bitters. Normally they're made with brandy instead of bourbon in old Wisconsin supper clubs...apparently it's a 'sconnie tradition. )

Adventure is right! I'm having a good time!

[fishnbowljoe]

Todd, Welcome to the site. Keyboard player huh? I'm a semi-close neighbor to the south from Rockford. Your starting bourbons are the same as mine were. A lot of others have started with MM, KC, or WW, or a combo of those. Not a bad place to start. I do have to warn you though. You won't believe what's going to happen to you in the next year or so. Sit down, buckle up, and get ready to jam! It's a helluva ride. Might have to get up to see your group some weekend. Can't make it on Thursday. Recovering from Wednesday night bowling, getting ready for Friday night bowling. (and bourbon). Joe

[p_elliott]

Welcome Todd great sounds on your website might have to buy your CD. If you like the EW black label try the EWSB you won't be sorry. A couple others I think you might like from what you already like, because you like MM try Old Weller's Antique 107 and because you like WR try RR 1792 I think you'll like this better maybe, maybe not just a couple of suggestions. Any way post often, ask questions, give your opinions, make new friends, it's all good here. Get some nice whiskey glasses if your going to drink neat some Rideil whiskey glasses or Glencairn whiskey glasses they make a difference they really do. KC stillhouse web site has the best prices on the Rideil glasses check out the pariphinelia thread here for some sites to get some good prices on glencairn glasses.

[Josh]

Good to have you here! And good to know that somebody in Wisconsin likes bourbon! I hosted a tasting for friends in Fond-du-lac and it didn't go too well: http://www.straightbourbon.com/forum...ad.php?t=11565

Anyway, welcome!

[B3Nut]

Oh, there are bourbonians about in the enchanted land of coronary artery disease But it's true that 'sconnies often favor brandy and "umbrella drinks"...

And yes, some nice whisky glasses are on my must-get list...saw those glasses on KC's site, might just order those.

Thanks for the warm welcome and to p_elliott for the kind comments on the band's tunes!

I just got back from the place we played at Saturday night for a lunch break (Gray's Tied House in Verona)...the burgers are to *die* for. I'm just bummed we can't have booze during work hours, I'd have had another pour of that WR for dessert.

[funknik]

Todd, Welcome to the site!

Your starting bourbons are the same as mine were. A lot of others have started with MM, KC, or WW, or a combo of those. Not a bad place to start. I do have to warn you though. You won't believe what's going to happen to you in the next year or so.

Joe is soooooo right -- while you may still enjoy some of the pours you're loving now, this site will incite you to try a bunch of stuff you never even imagined existed. You have to hold onto your love for something you can find easily locally, because your soon-to-be new favorites may be hard-to-find, extinct or otherwise unobtainable. You are gonna have Fun!!! I look forward to your posts!

PS - it looks like you're doing some great work with those dogs -- keep it up!

[B3Nut]

Well, another weekend's gigging and a couple more bourbons sampled... At the Thursday jam, a bottle of JBB showed up on the bar back, so I tried a shot. It almost tasted like slightly-watered-down KC with less bite to me. It wasn't bad, but didn't exactly make angels dance on my tongue either. Ended that gig sipping the WT101 again...that one's growing on me. It just strikes me as a damn fine not-too-pricey sipping bourbon.

Played this afternoon at a new (to me) venue...I walked in, and ambled over to the bar to see what bourbons they had. Okay...we got Makers, Knob...hello, what's this? Bulleit! I'm still way green regarding describing tastes and tasting bourbon (lots of good notes on the subject around here, great resource!) but here goes...after setting up, I ordered a glass of Bulleit neat. Stuck the ol' honker in the glass and took a whiff. Little hint of cinnamon and spice in the nose...sipped...more spice and caramel. Now the finish...caramel and oak fade-out...hey where did that heat come from all of a sudden? It was like a delayed reprise of the spice, fading again into a mostly-oak flavor. I noticed that the oakiness on the finish was more prevalent the smaller the sip I took. Interesting! Toss another bottle onto the "Bourbons I Like" pile.

Right now, I'm winding down the evening with an Old Fashioned made with KC. No top-off of any kind, just sugar/water 1:1 in lieu of simple syrup, bitters, an orange peel, ice, and a cherry garnish. I'm digging it. After watching the Cocktail Spirit video on Old Fashioneds, I realized just how far wrong too many bartenders get it these days, at least around here. I really like this cocktail this way.

Hmm, I think I've babbled enough.

[kickert]

So for you is B3 an organ, a vitamin, a bomber, or a helicopter?