Bourbon Hit List

[kickert]

I find the more bourbons I try the longer my list of things I want to try grows. So what is on your list of things you still want to try. Mostly duties? Limited releases? Expensive bourbons our of your price range?

Here is my list:

• Pappy Van Winkle 15
  
• William Larue Weller (BTAC)
  
• Eagle Rare 101
  
• Sazerac Rye 18 (BTAC)
  
• Pappy Van Winkle 23
  
• Four Roses Single Barrel
  
• Thomas Handy (BTAC)
  
• Bernheim Wheat Whiskey
  
• Old Rip Van Winkle 10
  
• Weller Centennial
  
• Four Roses Yellow Label
  
• Sazerac Rye (Saz Jr.)
  
• VS Old Fitzgerald
  
• Sam Houston
  
• Rebel Yell
  
• Ezra Brooks

[funknik]

I'm most interested in stuff that's hard-to-find and/or out of production....Weller Centennial is at the top of my hit list right now.

[Dr. François]

I'm starting to get more and more interested in the annual releases. I'm waiting for the new Birthday Bourbon to hit the shelves. I wish there were more moderate price-point choices like OFBB and EWSB. BTAC kills my bourbon budget for 3 months every time I buy a bottle!

I also like forbidden fruit. If you can't find it in Michigan, I want it. I stock up on JTS Brown and Ritt BIB whenever I see them outside MI.

[Virus_Of_Life]

I'm waiting for the new Birthday Bourbon to hit the shelves. I wish there were more moderate price-point choices like OFBB and EWSB. BTAC kills my bourbon budget for 3 months every time I buy a bottle!

I totally agree with you there Jeremy! The OFBB is a great price for what you get IMO. When the BTAC hit the hi $50s and sounds like this year pretty well broke $60 I get a lot more hesitant to go out and buy it! And I feel a little silly about the money I spent on the Four Roses 40/120 anniversary bottlings only to find myself returning to the regular single barrel and liking it better than both of them! Oh well live and learn.

Just to reiterate, I have yet to be disappointed by a recent bottling of OFBB especially at under $40!

[trx450]

Here's a few that i would like to try.Most of them still in production and a few that aren't.

• Pappy Van Winkle 15/20
  
• Elijah Craig 18
  
• Four Roses Anniversary
  
• Four Roses Mariage
  
• Eagle Rare 101....looked everywhere for this one and nothing yet.lol
  
• RI 1
  
• Very Special Old Fitzgerald
  
• National Distillers versions of Old Crow and Old Taylor

[mozilla]

I find the more bourbons I try the longer my list of things I want to try grows. So what is on your list of things you still want to try. Mostly duties? Limited releases? Expensive bourbons our of your price range?

Here is my list:

• Pappy Van Winkle 15
  
• William Larue Weller (BTAC)
  
• Eagle Rare 101
  
• Sazerac Rye 18 (BTAC)
  
• Pappy Van Winkle 23
  
• Four Roses Single Barrel
  
• Thomas Handy (BTAC)
  
• Bernheim Wheat Whiskey
  
• Old Rip Van Winkle 10
  
• Weller Centennial
  
• Four Roses Yellow Label
  
• Sazerac Rye (Saz Jr.)
  
• VS Old Fitzgerald
  
• Sam Houston
  
• Rebel Yell
  
• Ezra Brooks

The current Rebel Yell looks like bourbon colored water. Unless you can find some older bottles...I would skip this one. It tastes as bad as it looks. I think they must have messed up in the filtration process by stripping out the color and some of the flavor.

I would also say that Ezra Brooks is just about as good as Sam Houston. Not as good, but for the price difference EB might win out.

[chilidawg7]

I totally agree with you there Jeremy! The OFBB is a great price for what you get IMO...

Just to reiterate, I have yet to be disappointed by a recent bottling of OFBB especially at under $40!

Agreed! I found a little place about 45 minutes away from me that has bottles of OFBB for $21.99. I almost feel bad paying that much for 'em. Almost.

As for my hit list, it currently is made up of stuff I have never laid eyes on (or tried) here in the state of Florida and looks like this:

Rock Hill Farms

2008 BTAC Handy Sazerac

Wild Turkey Split Label

Any of those really old bottles I keep seeing you dusty hunters find!

Blanton's Cask Strength

Blanton's Gold

Blanton's Super Gold

Now I'm getting thirsty.

[kickert]

Okay.... I will take Rebel Yell off and add 4 Roses 40/120/Mirage

[Dr. François]

Okay.... I will take Rebel Yell off and add 4 Roses 40/120/Mirage

Don't knock the 'Yell. I think it is one of the better 80 proof bourbons on the market! Worth a try, even if only to decide you don't like it. A bottle costs the same as three drinks at a cheap bar, so it's definitely worth the experience.

[mozilla]

Jeremy,

I was really shocked when I saw how lightly colored the most recent bottling is of RY. I will admit to buying more than one of many different years of RY, but this most recent one is super light in color. I actually let the distributer know in case it was a mistake. Though, every place I see it now...they are all the light colored one. The first place I noticed it...they had both the new and old. The difference was amazing.

[chefnash51]

great topic

I will break this into two list. One are ones I can find but can't put the dough down on right now.. the other, are ones I have never seen before.

If $ was no object:

Sazerac 18

Any hirsch

Pappy 23

EC18

Have never seen

WT Split Label

Russel Reserve 101

VWFRR

Weller Centennial

ER 17

OFBB

OF BIB

Weller 12

VSOF

i'm sure there's more that will come to mind.

[ggilbertva]

My hit list actually shrank as I found more are more dusty bottles. The ones that allude me are:

Old Crow BIB

James E Pepper

KY Tavern (earlier expressions)

Currently on my to get list:

Repeal

Mariage

BTEC

I'm dusty hunting next week so we'll see what I find.

[Dramiel McHinson]

Jeremy,

I was really shocked when I saw how lightly colored the most recent bottling is of RY. I will admit to buying more than one of many different years of RY, but this most recent one is super light in color. I actually let the distributer know in case it was a mistake. Though, every place I see it now...they are all the light colored one. The first place I noticed it...they had both the new and old. The difference was amazing.

This is heart breaking to read. The Rebel has fallen far from grace. I tried it back in the early 70's and since I didn't know any better, I liked it. In 2006 I bought a bottle out of nostalgia and poured a drink. All I can say is it excited my gag reflex. I put it back on the shelf and tried it a couple of nights ago and it tasted like W.L. Weller Special Reserve. I tried it again tonight and it had completely lost that off taste from the first pour and now is sweet and light like WL Weller or Makers Mark. A two year rest did wonders for it.

I only paid $12 for it. Still, it isn't going to compete with the favorites and letting an open bottle rest for two years to get it right probably doesn't make sense. I'll still be glad to drink it cause its paid for with 2006 dollars and it currently don't taste bad at all.

If its undergone a further slide, then this one is the last one for me.:cry:

[Josh]

Well, here are mine, excluding hopeless dusties & stuff I own already but haven't opened. These are to taste, not necessarily to buy:

Non-hopeless dusties:

ND era OGD, Crow, Taylor BiB's

Medley Era Wathen's

Jacob's Well (I had it years ago, but I would like to try it again)

Current Bourbons:

RHF

EB (any expression)

4R Mariage

EC 18

OFBB

Noah's Whatever

Hirsch

Parker's Heritage

Sam Houston

JB 7 y/o

PVW 12 Lot B

PVW 20 y/o

VSOFitz

OFBB

WT Kentucky and American Spirits

Other American whiskeys:

WTRR Rye

Old Portero

Cascade Hollow (current)

Stranahans (or whatever, the CO stuff)

I'm sure I'll think of some more.

[kickert]

Well I put out a bunch of hits, and I just took down one of my targets. I picked up a bottle of Ezra Brooks 90. Here are my brief notes:

Very big up front with lingering alcohol bite. Slightly oily with an earthy flavor a few seconds into the tasting

If you are looking for a big bourbon for low cost, this is your pour.

I also spent my day painting at my brother's house and requested to be paid in Weller Cent. I hope I can take anoterh one of my targets out this weekend.

[funknik]

Well I put out a bunch of hits, and I just took down one of my targets. I picked up a bottle of Ezra Brooks 90. Here are my brief notes:

Very big up front with lingering alcohol bite. Slightly oily with an earthy flavor a few seconds into the tasting

If you are looking for a big bourbon for low cost, this is your pour.

I also spent my day painting at my brother's house and requested to be paid in Weller Cent. I hope I can take anoterh one of my targets out this weekend.

There you go, Ben, way to get creative! I hope you nab the Weller!

[boss302]

* Eagle Rare 10-year Single Barrel

* Blanton's Single Barrel (easy to find, and always enjoyable)

* Ezra B. 12-year Single Barrel (that unique butterscotch note just doesn't show up in anything else)

* Russells' Reserve 10-year

* Evan Williams Black Label (my "go-to" bourbon)

* Sazerac Rye

* Baker's 7-year (Jim Beam's best bourbon, IMHO)

* Basil Hayden's 8-year (Old Grand Dad is still one of my favorites, and this takes it to the next level)

* Wild Turkey 101 (more bourbon for the money)

[Blitz]

Good thread.

First, here's where I've been:

• Buffalo Trace - Like a lot
  
• Knob Creek - Love it. Regular pour for me.
  
• Rittenhouse 100 BIB - My first Rye. Jury still out
  
• Woodford Reserve - unremarkable
  
• Evan Williams 1998 - Liked it okay, not memorable
  
• Makers Mark - solid
  
• Pappy Van Winkle 20 - Love it, but not as regular pour

Here is where I want to go:

• Old Grand Dad 114
  
• Eagle Rare 10
  
• Elija Craig 12
  
• Four Roses SB
  
• Pappy 15
  
• Bookers
  
• Wild Turkey Rare Breed

Am I on the right path? Any redundant choices? thanks for your input.

[EricABQ]

Elmer Lee is the one Bourbon I'm most anxious to try. It's not available here in New Mexico, so I have to keep an eye out for it when I travel, but haven't found one yet. From all the notes I've read on it, it sounds like something I'd like a lot.

[NYtaster]

I have tried most of what available up here in the great white north.

So stuff I'd love to try someday

WT Tribute - anything WT is a favorite

Weller Centennial

Pappy 23 - I can find it, costs a fortune

Four Roses Single Barrel

Eagle Rare 17 YO

The KY Bourbon Festival

[Buffalo Bill]

I recently (this past weekend) tried a new bottling of Sam Houston that is impressive for a $30 pour. However, I had to be patient with it. Once opened it didn't begin to show until the third day, then it came together like a symphony. Full of caramel, rye bread, and cereal grain with a syrupy maple and butter-rum sensibility. At first I was reluctant, then it really impressed me. Give it a shot - but look for the latest bottling. BB

[polyamnesia]

... * Ezra B. 12-year Single Barrel (that unique butterscotch note just doesn't show up in anything else)...

i agree....this is my inauguration pour today (inadvertently...i wanted it to be WT RYE but it was out of stock!)...

glad to return to this again...second time around THIS time is even better.

see my BE review...(azoth_melusina)

i am amazed and excited by this balance of spicey kick and sweetness. perfect proof. and aging.

[Stones]

Have been thinking about this for a while now and have been meaning to make up this list.

Here's what i've been savouring:

• VW10yo 107 - incredible!
  
• WT RR 101 - love it.
  
• EC12 - insanely tasty when i find a good batch
  
• Woodford Reserve - i've had better
  
• Evan Williams 1997 - lacking strength
  
• Blantons Special Reserve - love the musty taste that others don't

Here's what i'd like to be experiencing:

• Buffalo Trace – 9 Year Old
  
• Elmer T. Lee – Single Barrel
  
• W. L. Weller Centennial
  
• RVW Blue Smoke
  
• VWFR 18yo
  
• Rock Hill Farms

[The Boozer]

Have seen very few comments about Ezra B SB. Glad that a few people have tried it. Avaialble but tough to find in my state (MI). Did pick up a bottle yesterday and was planning on opening it tonight.

TJ

PS: I may drink the whole bottle since my wife is going to make me sit through a chic -flick with her tonight. :bigeyes: :slappin: :bigeyes: :slappin: :drinking:

[Hondo]

I have two that I want to try in the near future.

EC 18

Lot B