Top Ten American Whiskeys...One More Time

[TomH]

I guess this is the best place to make my first post.

First of all I would like to thank all of the posters on this board for their excellent information. I stumbled on it about a year ago and have been lurking ever since. After over 30 years of being primarily a scotch drinker, its been fun rediscovering bourbon. I've only had a few more than 10 over the year...but thanks to the advice I've received here, most of them have been excellent

(Like others, these are in no order)
1) GT Stagg (a search for info on this one is what led me to this board)
2) Sazarac
3) Booker
4) Blanton
5) ORVW 15/107
6) Black Maple Hill 21
7) Pappy 23
8) Elmer T Lee
9) William Larue Weller
10) Rock Hill Farms

possible future additions.....Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection

Tom

[RedVette]

AH Hirsch 16 Blue Wax
Bakers
Blantons Barrel Proof
Elmer T Lee
George T Stagg (Pick one)
ORVW 15/107
Pappy 23
Sazerac 18
Weller 12 Van Blankle
Rare Breed

Heavily weighted to Buffalo Trace and Stitzel Weller. There are 5 Bourbons in the wings that could substitute for the bottom 5 in this list without any trouble; I can't believe that I have list without Pappy 20 or 15.

[1holegrouper]

Couldn't argue with this list since I see non of these in North Carolina!

[TNbourbon]

In no particular order, as they come to mind:

• Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 23yo, Lawrenceburg rye-recipe
• Wild Turkey 12yo gold-foil label
• Evan Williams 15yo
• Rittenhouse 10yo BIB rye
• ORVW Old Time Rye 12yo/VWFRR 13yo (same rye, different age)
• ORVW 15/107
• Single-Barrel VW Lot B (Randy's 'Van Blankle')
• Heaven Hill/Rittenhouse 21yo rye (to be bottled; tasted at Festival)
• Original Michter's (Pennsylvania) Sour Mash Whiskey
• Wathen's Barrel 10, March 1997

All of these are whiskeys I've been able to taste through an entire bottle with the exception of the not-yet-bottled 21yo HH rye -- one taste was enough of that one to know I'll do whatever I can to enjoy an entire bottle of it.
There are a number of other 'tastes' I've had that might edge into this list had I been able to enjoy a whole bottle -- for examples, a strip-stamped Old Weller Antique 107 from a specific 375 bottle I found, or the Warehouse Z barrel sample offered during our Barton tour in September.
And, I'm sure I've forgotten something I'll have to edit in later.

[ProofPositive]

Since I’m still fairly new to this, I have a limited number of different brands to choose from

Well, here goes my cast and in no particular order:

WT Kentucky Spirit
VW Reserve Lot B
WT 12yo
Eagle Rare 101
WT Russell's Reserve 101
ORVW 15yo
Elijah Craig 12yo
Elmer T. Lee
WT 101 - Old No. 8
WLWeller Antique 107

Now, that being said, I have several that I have not managed to get opened as of yet which would no doubt displace some of the above selections. These include GT Stagg, WT Tribute, Pappy 15, and Pappy 23.

[CrispyCritter]

Some possible candidates, subject to change, no particular order:

• ORVW 15/107
• George T. Stagg (any version I've tried)
• WLW 12
• Sazerac Rye (18 or Jr.)
• Buffalo Trace
• WTRR 101
• VW Lot B
• WT Rye
• PVW 15
• VWFR Rye

[barturtle]

Looking back at my own list I can't believe that I made a list without having anything from BT #1-ER ,BT, GTS, OC. I'm also going to add IW Harper to that list as it was a sibling to OC before UDV sold OC off.

But which would I use and what would I bump?

I think I'd have to pick two: ER 101 and OC 13yo

getting bumped:Old Fitz 1849 and Bakers

Will this be the last revision to the list....?

[T47]

Being relatively new to all this, my list is probably much more basic. But here goes.

Pappy Van Winkle 15
Makers Mark
Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye
Buffalo Trace
WT Rare Breed
WT Russell’s Reserve 101
Elijah Craig 12
WT Rye
Evan Williams Single Barrel
Bulleit

There are only 4 more that I have even tasted I have lots to look forward to it would seem.

[BourbonJoe]

This is pretty close:

Pappy 23 (any iteration)
Pappy 20 (any iteration)
Wild Turkey Tribute
Rittenhouse BIB Rye
Wild Turkey Rye
ORVW 15-107
ORVW 10-107
Wathens
J.W. Dant 10-86 (from the '50's)
Wild Turkey 12-101

Give or take a couple.
Joe

[Barrel_Proof]

You may find the "Stationed at Cape Horn for a Year" thread from two years back interesting:

http://www.straightbourbon.com/forum...ead.php?t=2551