What if you could buy only one???

[Edward_call_me_Ed]

I am still not done thinking, but I did have an interesting thought. I might either Booker's or Stagg. Both of them are on my top shelf, and, while neither of them is my absolute favorite, their high proof would give me more range than a lower proof bourbon. My favorite proof, day in and day out is somewhere around 100, so most days I could cut my choice down to that. Some days 86 to 90 proof is what takes my fancy, and what the heck, some days I might want a glass of brown Zinfandel.

Other days I want a really high proof bourbon in my glass. If I choose Elmer T Lee, which may be my favorite pour, certainly one of the top five, I wouldn't be able to drink a 120 something proof bourbon ever again.

However, neither of these whiskeys has the powerful cinnamon note that I currently value the most. Stagg has it more than Booker's. Hmm. I have a bottle of Olde St Nick 20 that has a lot of cinnamon, it is 58% too. More expensive than the other two. But I don't think that expense is that big a factor for me. I buy whiskey much faster than I can drink it so I am spending more per month than I would be buying only what I can drink of a more expensive bourbon.
Ed

[BobA]

I too have given this some thought, and thought the same thing about Stagg and Booker's as you, ED. Then again, I believe that I've said in other threads that I'd probably miss OGD 114 most if it left the market, on its mix of proof, price, quality, and distinctive taste. If I was only buying one bourbon, I could afford Stagg, given my consumption; like you, exploratory purchasing outpaces my drinking. But then never to re-examine wheaters, or those drinks I like when I just want a simple pour, or when I want something oily, or dry? No RHF, or even OC 12?

I have made my decision. I refuse to accept the premise.

Bob

[Ghoste]

This is a tough one for me to answer. I'm a neophyte to actually tasting and with limited product available in Canada, there is just SOOO much I have yet to try. My collection can't even rightly be called that yet as it's just too small.
So, given my limited experience, I have to go with something that is nice but fairly simple. My two current favourites have been Beam Black and Wild Turkey Rare Breed. If it has to be only one of them, tonight, the nod will go to the Jim Beam Black.

[OneCubeOnly]

Hmmm...a 'desert island' bourbon but you have to pay for it? If I can have Montgomery County pricing, I'll go for Blanton's. If I have to pay retail, give me standard Buffalo Trace.

I guess I'm one of the rare folks who just doesn't get it with ETL.

[Edward_call_me_Ed]

Hi One Cube,
It is interesting to me that you really like Blanton's but don't care for ETL. To me they are very similar bourbons. Real family resemblance. I guess YMMV.

I know how you feel, I don't 'get' EWSB. I have had it in bars and bought a bottle while I was home. I didn't finish it, but I put a dent in the contents. Very nice. No wow for me. I really like the Even William's line, too. The black label is good. The 12 yo red label is excellent. I have had a 15 yo once in a bar, very good.

As for the ETL, how many times have you had it? Under what conditions? I have to drink at least a bottle for my opinion to begin to stabilize.
Ed

[BourbonJoe]

I guess YMMV.

Ed

YMMV ???
Joe

[Edward_call_me_Ed]

YMMV: Your Milage May Vary.
Ed

[RedVette]

But today, the pressure is ON. If you don't select one you will be denied ANY Bourbon.....

Then there is my answer. If I were limited to only one Bourbon, I am afraid that I would no longer be a Bourbon drinker. A major part of the enjoyment of Bourbon for me is the diversity of the product. I like finding rareties, I like finding bargains, I like drinking bad Bourbon so I have a benchmark to tell me what a good Bourbon should be. One Bourbon would be boring so I think I would just check out.

[musher]

I guess I'd have to end up where I started then, and choose Wild Turkey 101. It got the right balance of sweetness and spice that I would not grow tired of.

[OneCubeOnly]

It is interesting to me that you really like Blanton's but don't care for ETL. To me they are very similar bourbons. Real family resemblance. I guess YMMV.

I've heard ETL described as the "poor man's Blanton's" before, and I wouldn't even call it that. To me, ETL is a lot less esoteric, and in a whole different league. ETL has a bold punch of nutmeg/cinnamon which to me throws the balance off. I also find the sweetness a bit much.

I can understand the great following it has though...it's aged longer than Blanton's and definitely has a take-no-prisoners in-your-face boldness. It's just not for me I guess.

I know how you feel, I don't 'get' EWSB. I have had it in bars and bought a bottle while I was home. I didn't finish it, but I put a dent in the contents. Very nice. No wow for me. I really like the Even William's line, too. The black label is good. The 12 yo red label is excellent. I have had a 15 yo once in a bar, very good.

I'm very much the same way with EWSB, but probably for a different reason. I 'cut my teeth' so-to-speak into the Heaven Hill lineup with EC12, which I thoroughly enjoy. EWSB seems to have the same tastes but in different proportions, so it has always tasted slightly 'off' to my palate. I absolutely LOVED the 12yo Red Label that Koji brought (and we also tasted during the VIP HH tour).

As for the ETL, how many times have you had it? Under what conditions? I have to drink at least a bottle for my opinion to begin to stabilize.

I finished a whole bottle, but the final third went into ginger ale. For $16.99 I can't complain though!