Help for someone new.

[nickynick]

I have just started to move from beer to whiskey and I am enjoying it. Need some help though. Want to know what to try next. So outside of some JD and Jameson in college, until six months ago whiskey was new to me. I got started on the Macallan 12. I liked it a lot. But I realized it was a bit out my price range. Next I had a bottle of Crown Royal at my house that someone gave me a long time ago and I had never opened. I tried it, and it was ok. I wanted more and began to realize that bourbon might be my next step. I was able to pick-up a bottle of Woodford Resevre for only $23 in Chicago. I tried and liked it a great deal, very complex. I began to read more on Bourbon, and read a great deal about the Buffalo Trace lines. Which lead me to Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel. This was my favorite. Loved it. In trying to discover what I liked and didn't like I next tried Bushmill's Irish. This was ok, smooth, and sparked me enough to prehaps want to try some of the others in the Bushmills line. Last I have tried George A. Dickels no. 12. I liked this very much as well. Could see this being an everyday drinker.
So now I'm looking for help on where to go next. Also spending more then 34 or 35 dollars for a bottle would be a lot for me. Where else should I go in the Buffalo Trace line? What other bourbons are there to try for someone new. Thanks.

[ProofPositive]

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Bourbon! In terms of the Buffalo Trace (BT) family, and, not necessarily in any certain order:

1) Buffalo Trace - the distillery's flagship bottle and the second-best bang for around $20 on the market today (IMHO);

2) W.L. Weller 12yo - very good bottle from BT's wheat line and the best bang for around $20 on the market today (IMHO);

3) Eagle Rare 10yo Single Barrel - very good....worthy of this label's history, very affordable in the $25-30 range;

4) Lastly, if you are not afraid of a little heat....but, one with somewhat of a soft edge - try Old Weller Antique 107. It rivals anything BT produces from the wheat line and well worth the $20-25 cost.

In terms of outside the BT family (and again, not in any order), these are worth a try in my opinion:

Elijah Craig 12yo
Evan Williams Single Barrel 1995 (if you can find it),
AND,
Last but certainly not least by any stretch of the imagination, get a bottle of the ever-popular, legendary, good ole WILD TURKEY 101......you should be seasoned enough by now to give this one a shot without any fear.

There are many others out there from which to choose in the upper dollars range, but, these are some of the best under $30 IMHO.

[nor02lei]

I have just started to move from beer to whiskey and I am enjoying it. Need some help though. Want to know what to try next. So outside of some JD and Jameson in college, until six months ago whiskey was new to me. I got started on the Macallan 12. I liked it a lot. But I realized it was a bit out my price range. Next I had a bottle of Crown Royal at my house that someone gave me a long time ago and I had never opened. I tried it, and it was ok. I wanted more and began to realize that bourbon might be my next step. I was able to pick-up a bottle of Woodford Resevre for only $23 in Chicago. I tried and liked it a great deal, very complex. I began to read more on Bourbon, and read a great deal about the Buffalo Trace lines. Which lead me to Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel. This was my favorite. Loved it. In trying to discover what I liked and didn't like I next tried Bushmill's Irish. This was ok, smooth, and sparked me enough to prehaps want to try some of the others in the Bushmills line. Last I have tried George A. Dickels no. 12. I liked this very much as well. Could see this being an everyday drinker.
So now I'm looking for help on where to go next. Also spending more then 34 or 35 dollars for a bottle would be a lot for me. Where else should I go in the Buffalo Trace line? What other bourbons are there to try for someone new. Thanks.

Here is 3 real good pours outside the BT range for less than 20 buck. The 2 later I did learn to like visiting USA.
Wild Turkey 101
Old Forester 100 proof (partly from the same distillery as Woodford reserve)
Old Fitzgerald BIB 100 proof

Leif

[cowdery]

I concur with all of the above recommendations. I would add, just for some variety, Jim Beam black, Old Grand-Dad (bonded, if you can find it), Maker's Mark and Bulleit.

Personally, I rarely spend more than $25 for a bottle of bourbon. There are simply so many that I like that are in that price range, I see very little reason to spend more.

[TimmyBoston]

Welcome to our glorious spirit and welcome to SB.com. There are some real experts here with seemingly boundless knowledge (just not me ) You will really learn a lot, it's going to be one hell of ride.

[nickynick]

Picked up a bottle of the Eagle Rare 10 Year SB. Looking forward to tasting it. Let you all know soon. Thanks for all the suggestions.

[jburlowski]

I second the many great suggestions already made and add my welcome to the board!

[Big Chipper]

4) Lastly, if you are not afraid of a little heat....but, one with somewhat of a soft edge - try Old Weller Antique 107. It rivals anything BT produces from the wheat line and well worth the $20-25 cost.

You may want to cross the border into NC. My ABC stocks Weller Antique 107 at $16.95 and has it on sale every other month for $13.95 without fail.

[TimmyBoston]

The ER 10 is a very good bottling, I just had some last night in fact.

[nickynick]

Went out to dinner with some friends last night. Had the Macallan 12 again. Didn't not like it nearly as much as I remembered. Ordered a Knob Creek after that, and was much more what I was looking for. No more scotch, just bourbon. Going to have that Eagle Rare after work today.