What is your favorite bourbon?

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Todd now that Buffalo Trace owns that brand I'm sure that they will continue to bottle whatever sells. Old Charter's sales volume may be small, but I'm willing to bet that they are steady. We'll just have to ask Ken Weber about it. One of the most impressive things about StraightBourbon.com is the number of direct resources available to the bourbon industry. If bourbonic knowledge is what you're after, StraightBourbon is the place to be.

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Pappy Van Winkle 20 (the new bottling)
for a more affordable everyday pour I really enjoy Russell's Reserve.

~Linda~
<A HREF="http://w3.one.net/~jeffelle/whiskey">http://w3.one.net/~jeffelle/whiskey</a>

[Creggor]

Hello, Linda. Nice to see another fan of the 20yr Pappy Vanwinkle Family Reserve. I have tried both the old and new and would give the nod to the new. I am so looking foward when Julian will have the new 23yr Pappy..Maybe another 2 yrs maybe little less. Then I believe all of Julians bourbons will be wheated. The 20yr is not something I can afford to drink everyday it's set aside for friends and special occasions. For a more affordable daily drink I enjoy the 13yr Vanwinkle Family Reserve Rye and 90 & 91 Evan Williams Single barrel. So many good bourbons to choose from. Take care Creggor.

[Ekki]

Hi folks,

and first of all greetings from Germany.

Well, unfortunately the availabilty of Kentucky straight bourbon & rye & Tennessee whiskey is rather limited over here (in contrast to Scotch whisky) so I probably won't be able to add any new ideas or 'exclusiveness' here. But since you asked for it... ;-)

So, right now I have to decide between Olde St. Nick Winter Rye (for its mellowness), Woodford Reserve (for 'overall performance') and Wild Turkey Rye.
My choice ? Wild Turkey Rye - great whiskey.

Best,
Ekki

[ratcheer]

Wild Turkey Rye? Sounds pretty exclusive, to me. Two of my favorites are W. T. 101 and W. T. Rare Breed. I can also get Russell's Reserve and Kentucky Spirit.

But I've never seen a W. T. Rye.

Cheers, Tim

[Blackkeno]

Are you crazy asking a question like this? Pick one! I've been up at night thinking about this post for days (not just thinking though). Seriously this evolved into one of the best threads on this great forum. It also gave me an excuse to try all my favorate bourbons at the same time! My favorate changed at least three times in the past two days--usually it was whatever I was drinking.

I am a big fan of Kentucky Spirit (2-19-98, barrel # 01, warehouse E, rick number 25) and thought this might be my number one. But I followed it with Hirsch 20 which evolved over an hour or so in a way I had not previously noticed. Hirsch edged out in front for depth and complexity.

On the other hand I'm partial to wheaters and so I also thought that Weller Centennial might take my top spot, but another wheater pulled out ahead.

Now I want to point out that I don't have Blantons, and I haven't opened my Hirsch 16 or Pappy 23 yet so they weren't in the running this time.

But now is where I lose all my credibility (did I ever have any?). My top bourbon is Maker's Mark Limited Edition (50.5% abv duty free). It has a fullness and complexity on the nose and palate that trumped by beloved Weller and even my recently hightened appreciation for Hirsch 20. It posesses all that I love in wheaters as well as a different type of sweetness that I found addictive. This is my favorate--as I'm typing this today. Who knows tomorrow?

[Ekki]

Hi Tim,

is it (exclusive) ?

Thought the 'Rye' was part of their standard product range.

http://www.wildturkeybourbon.com/flock/us.htm

I mean, you can't buy this whiskey at every kiosk over here but overall availabilty is good.
I also like the Rare Breed and the 101 is next on my shopping list. Btw, there was in interview with Jimmy Russell in the latest issue of Whisky Magazine. Obviously a great guy.

Best,
Ekki

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Ekki,
The WT rye isn't that widely available. I've only seen it in Kentucky. Oh! and Ekki rye is whiskey but it's not bourbon. The only bourbon you listed in your previous post was Woodford Reserve. An excellent bourbon and a great choice.

Jimmy Russell is a truely great man. One of the best things about going to the Bourbon Festival is you get to meet many of the master distillers. Two guys from Whisky Mag were handing out free copies of the issue with Jimmy on the cover. I got one and then my wife, Vickie, found Jimmy walking in front of Spaulding Hall and got got his autograph. We first meet Jimmy on a distillery tour at Wild Turkey two years ago.

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[Blackkeno]

I'm not sure if there is more than one version of WT Rye, but I picked up my bottle at a standard liquor store here in Las Vegas. In general, because of the wholesaler system (out of California) we don't have a great selection of spirits here in Nevada.

[rwilps]

As far as I know, there is only one version of WT rye (I checked their website just to make sure), and it is widely available in the Pennsylvania LCB stores. It's not priced or packaged as a premium product - it's lined up with WT 101 here. But now that you mention it, I'll have to get a bottle again - it will be interesting to stack it up against the really high-end ryes which are now becoming available.

Ralph Wilps