Best Mixing Bourbon

[fogfrog]

I know this sounds like a goofy post in a place where people drink bourbon for the taste of the bourbon but it occurred to me there might be some reason why some of the cheaper brands are used for what they are used for.

Right now I only have two bottles in stock in my home one being Old Crow and the other being Evan Williams Black Label. My intention is to get some Jim Beam Black label next but working with what I have now, I had been adding diet sprite to the Evan Williams and it was damn good. Today I thought, why not 'not throw away' the Old Crow I bought (dirt cheap) and mix IT with the Diet Sprite.

Well, I will say the drink it makes is quite awesome. None of the Undesirables of the Old Crow are evident when it is mixed with some Sprite! If a person is going to drink Bourbon and Sprite, Old Crow is an awesome Bourbon!

Now I am curious about others who MIX their bourbon.

I recognize that when I tasted the 7YO beam it was pretty darn good on the rocks. I thought bourbon was something I'd begin to drink.

Now I am finding that drinking Cheaper Bourbon when adding to Sprite could actually be PREFERABLE to drinking the more expensive stuff.

So I ask you, if you were to make mixed drinks with Bourbon, which Bourbon would be the best?

Thanks,

Paul

[bobbyc]

So I ask you, if you were to make mixed drinks with Bourbon, which Bourbon would be the best?

Indeed and why stop there, I'd say if a flavored mixer is in the mix so to speak why not get a blend of some sort.I think Ky Tavern would be good here, I enjoyed some of it neat a few weeks back.

[camduncan]

Jim Beam White Label and coke.

[brian12069]

This is an interesting post. I like to drink my bourbon neat. Having said that, anything that I don't enjoy neat becomes my mixing bourbon. The bottom bourbons are great for Manhattans, can be mixed with Coke for friends and are GREAT for marinades and cooking!

[pbrian]

The bottom bourbons are great for Manhattans...

I'm a firm believer that the best products are made by using the best ingredients. About 50% of my bourbon consumption is via Manhattans and to me, the bourbon used makes a big difference in the final product. I'm not advocating using the priciest ones out there, but a good ~$20 bottle of bourbon (I'm using EC 12 yo right now with happy results) makes a better Manhattan made with Old Crow and the like. I know you probably don't disagree with that last statement. I guess I'm just saying that bottom bourbons don't make great Manhattans. They make passable Manhattans. Great Manhattans are made with great ingredients. And while I'm on the subject, toss those grocery store maraschino cherries and try the Michter's ones. Again, substituting a better product for an inferior one will just make the final product better.

[pepcycle]

I'm with you!!!
I'll have to make you Bananas Stephen Foster with Rock Hill Farms!!!
Good Bourbon makes great cocktails and great recipes.
Add VWFR to your next saute of mushrooms. Put Sazerac in your Sazerac. Put EWSB in your Eggnog.
Heck, you spent the money already.
Enjoy it.



Digressing: How many of you spend $30 for a bottle of wine consumed at one meal or 5 bucks for microbrewed beer at pub? I get a lot more mileage from a premium bourbon.

[ratcheer]

Just to answer your questions, I occasionally spend $30 or more on a single bottle of wine (probably only once or twice per year). I don't recall ever having spent $5 for a beer. Well, maybe at a Major League Baseball game where a Coke was just as expensive.

Tim

[brian12069]

I'm a firm believer that the best products are made by using the best ingredients. About 50% of my bourbon consumption is via Manhattans and to me, the bourbon used makes a big difference in the final product. I'm not advocating using the priciest ones out there, but a good ~$20 bottle of bourbon (I'm using EC 12 yo right now with happy results) makes a better Manhattan made with Old Crow and the like. I know you probably don't disagree with that last statement. I guess I'm just saying that bottom bourbons don't make great Manhattans. They make passable Manhattans. Great Manhattans are made with great ingredients. And while I'm on the subject, toss those grocery store maraschino cherries and try the Michter's ones. Again, substituting a better product for an inferior one will just make the final product better.

I guess the key here is 50% of your bourbon consumption is via Manhattans. I would say thats a very high percentage on this board, your 50% into Manhattans and 50% into bourbon. A lot of times if I make a Manhattan it is because I'm trying to get rid of a cheaper bourbon! I usually can't tell much of a difference and enjoy them made with almost any bourbon.

[fogfrog]

What is a flavored mixer? Would that be like Vanilla Diet Coke?

[bobbyc]

What is a flavored mixer?

I guess it could be argued that water has taste properties, but for this I meant anything other than water.