Wishlist #1 - To try, before I buy...

[CorvallisCracker]

All of these are available at stores within an hour's drive:

BMH 14 $75 too disappointing?
PVW 20 $92 too woody?
Hirsch 16 GF $122 too metallic?
Midleton Very Rare (Irish) $125 too blended?
PVW 23 $220 too dangerous? (i.e., would my wife kill me?)

Decisions, decisions...

[TNbourbon]

At those prices, I'd have no problem whatsoever with either the Pappy 20, or Midleton Very Rare (which year, by the way? I have the 2006 open currently.). Both are of exceptional quality/flavor/enjoyment.

[ggilbertva]

I'll second the PVW 20 year. Again, I could have a bad bottle, but the Hirsch is expensive (~$170) and metallic to the taste.

[HighTower]

Go the Pappy 20, and one day you will pull the trigger on the 23.

Hirsch Gold Foil...if someone offered me a bottle for $50 I would spend my $50 on WT Kentucky Spirit.

Scott

[felthove]

All of these are available at stores within an hour's drive:

BMH 14 $75 too disappointing?
PVW 20 $92 too woody?
Hirsch 16 GF $122 too metallic?
Midleton Very Rare (Irish) $125 too blended?
PVW 23 $220 too dangerous? (i.e., would my wife kill me?)

Decisions, decisions...

If you can get PVW 15 buy two of those instead of the 20.

[NorCalBoozer]

I would also say Pappy 20. That is a pretty good price, especailly considering how much many bourbons have gone up.

I don't think it's too woody in the sense that it's overpowering. It's very smooth with notes of wood. An interesting contrast to Pappy 15.

Certainly a stop along the bourbon education trail that you will want to take so better to take it now before it goes up in price.

Greg

[New2Whiskey]

I would also say Pappy 20. That is a pretty good price, especailly considering how much many bourbons have gone up.

I don't think it's too woody in the sense that it's overpowering. It's very smooth with notes of wood. An interesting contrast to Pappy 15.

Certainly a stop along the bourbon education trail that you will want to take so better to take it now before it goes up in price.

Greg

Quick question for a layman with a tight budget. Will those above mentioned spirits.....will there be a significant amount of satisfaction over a $20 Buffalo Trance Bourbon? Honest responses requested.

[barturtle]

Quick question for a layman with a tight budget. Will those above mentioned spirits.....will there be a significant amount of satisfaction over a $20 Buffalo Trance Bourbon? Honest responses requested.

4x the satisfaction? No. High-end products always operate on a law of diminishing returns. A computer that is twice as fast cost 4x as much. Does this mean I think the Pappy is twice as good? Not really. Better? That depends on personal preference. Different? Yes. Worth trying? If you can afford it.

That probably doesn't help much.

How 'bout this: I probably buy 4x as much BT as Pappy 20. I enjoy both. But price dictates how much of each I buy. Would I miss Pappy if I couldn't have it again. Yes.

[Huegeb]

4x the satisfaction? No. High-end products always operate on a law of diminishing returns. A computer that is twice as fast cost 4x as much. Does this mean I think the Pappy is twice as good? Not really. Better? That depends on personal preference. Different? Yes. Worth trying? If you can afford it.

That probably doesn't help much.

How 'bout this: I probably buy 4x as much BT as Pappy 20. I enjoy both. But price dictates how much of each I buy. Would I miss Pappy if I couldn't have it again. Yes.

But the question now is, which bourbon would you more miss? The BT or the Pappy 20?

Geb

[NorCalBoozer]

I look at it in terms of bourbon knowledge. Is it worth the cost of 4 BT's to try a Pappy 20? IMHO, yes. Pappy is a premium, longer aged bourbon hand selected by one of the most highly regarded bottlers. It's not made in huge quantities so it's not all that easy to find.

But if there are a bunch of $20-$40 bourbons you also haven't tried, you might say that buying 2-4 other bourbons could give you a much more educating experience than a Pappy 20.

Pappy is one of those rare items that is both becoming rarer and more expensive so you might be kicking yourself for passing the opportunity now.

It's a tough choice but I think the odds are that you would think that Pappy 20 was worth it.

Greg

Quick question for a layman with a tight budget. Will those above mentioned spirits.....will there be a significant amount of satisfaction over a $20 Buffalo Trance Bourbon? Honest responses requested.