Neat Sippers

[Gillman]

I suppose all bourbon and rye should sip neat well, but it doesn't.

Some needs cocktail treatment; some is okay on the rocks; some needs blending.

Of the bourbons tried in recent months, I find the following particularly good for neat sipping:

- current KC

- Bulleit

- Old Forester 100 proof

- Old Weller 107 proof (formerly called Antique).

Which bourbon/straight rye do you like particularly for neat sampling?

Gary

[CrispyCritter]

Among recent bottles,
Weller 107 and Larue
Rittenhouse BIB
Any Sazerac rye
ETL
Eagle Rare, whether it's 10/90, 10/101, or 17/90
Stagg
VSOF

Of course, the BTAC Barrel Proof Trio requires slow sips...

[straightwhiskeyruffneck]

i like higher proof expresions, like OGD 100, booker's, stagg and weller 107. i pretty much drink all my whiskey straight, but i'll have the occasional manhatten when i'm out. usually with knob creek because everyone has it. but knob is also good straight or on the rocks

[TNbourbon]

I sip everything neat at least once or twice, Gary, to gauge it, but I'll also mix almost everything (I don't mix Pappy 20 or 23 -- though I DID Gillmanize small portions of the first two Pappy 23 issues a couple of times to good effect). In a case or two, ones I sip most often neat are because they don't mix well, I find.
All that said, among those most exclusively enjoyed straight from the bottle, are:

• Elmer T. Lee
• Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit
• Four Roses Single Barrel

[full_proof]

The ones I enjoy neat / never mix are:

VWFRR
WTRB
Bookers
ER 101
OGD 114

The ones I may drink neat and may mix:

MM
WT 80
OF86

The one I've not enjoyed neat (three tries ) and always mix:

Fighting Cock

[Virus_Of_Life]

EVERYTHING

... Ok I'll say a little more than that, when don't I? Yeah I know I am typically long winded.

I don't like many drinks mixed and find very few that make the spirit, especially when talking about bourbon or rye, taste better. Given I have never had a manhattan nor an old fashioned or any other mixed drink with bourbon or rye. I think bourbon and coke is terrible, both the bourbon and the coke taste better alone IMHO, captain morgan is another story however. If I crave a mixed drink it is usually a margarita.

I will on occasion, especially to high proof pours, add a little water.

[Hedmans Brorsa]

I
Some needs cocktail treatment; some is okay on the rocks; some needs blending.
Gary

Not meaning to disjoint your interesting thread, Gary. I would be much more interested, though, in which bourbons people cannot stand neat.

I drink ´em all neat without problems but then again, I took to whiskey immediately at a relatively young age so maybe I am not representative.

I should also add, perhaps, that I´ve never had the pleasure (?) of trying stuff like Ten High or Colonel Lee.

[Ubertaster]

The higher proofs I usually drink with an ice cube and ponder the cube at the bottom of the glass until it melts. My favorite drinking neat is Sazarac Jr.

bj

[JeffRenner]

All that said, among those most exclusively enjoyed straight from the bottle, are...

I'm ashamed to admit that I occasionally do this too, but most of the time I use a glass.

Jeff

[JeffRenner]

I have never had a manhattan nor an old fashioned or any other mixed drink with bourbon or rye.

Christian, you really owe it to yourself to try a manhattan. It is really an exquisite drink.

I don't care for most cocktails, preferring bourbon and rye straight (actually often with water or sometimes ice), but a well made manhattan is a big exception.

A while back I posted that I had made the best manhattan I could remember having. It may well have been that the planets were in an auspicious alighment, but maybe not. It was about one part Old Forester 100, one part Wild Turkey rye, one part Boissiere sweet vermouth, a couple-three dashes of Angostura bitters, well shaken (you need to dilute as well as chill when you're using 100/101 proof whiskey), and served up with a cherry in a well chilled crystal cocktail glass.

Hope you'll try one and report back.

Jeff