Poll: Top 5 Whiskeys

[Speedy_John]

John, here's one more vote for the Knob Creek. I finished off my latest bottle of this wonderful whisky the other night, and it never fails to satisfy. May I also suggest several other whiskies that are in the same general price range ($20-$25)--Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve, Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage 1990, and Woodford's Reserve. All three give you a big bang for your buck.

SJ

[jbutler]

Damn, so many John's around here it's starting to feel like a brothel!

All joking aside, I guess I just don't understand the fascination you guys have with Knob Creek. That stuff tastes just like Jim Beam white label with the proof pumped up to me (yes Linn, I've actually consumed it.) I guess the fancy packaging gets it in this case.

Reminds me of a cartoon I saw in National Lampoon when I was a kid. A man sits at a table, aghast at what has been proffered by the waiter. The waiter says "It's a fried telephone book; we gave it a fancy french name, and you ordered it." Seems a fitting simile to me.

Cheers,

Jim Butler

Straightbourbon.com

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

<font color=green>I like it.</font color=green> <font color=red>You don't.</font color=red> <font color=yellow>That's the beauty of bourbon Jim. We are all children of the corn.</font color=yellow>

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

I took your advise and bought the Knob Creek. While I was at the liquor store I bought an Evan Williams single barrel 1988 vintage. That was before I saw this post. We must have mind melded. Anyway I got home and promply sampled each. This was just a quick taste I really like the Evan Williams alot. Very smooth. I like the Knob Creek too but not as much. I will have to sample more this evening.

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Basil Hayden was designed to appeal to the people who drink blended whiskey or Canadian. Need I say more? Brown Vodka man, it's brown vodka.

Mike Veach

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Here's my $.02: (Favorite Bourbons)

1) Van Winkle 15 yo 107 proof

2) A. H. Hirsh 16 yo

3) W.L. Weller "Centennial" 10 yo 100 proof

4) Van Winkle 13 yo Rye

5) Sazerac Rye

(Honorable Mentions:

VSO Fitz 12yo,

Charter Oak Proprietor's Reserve 13yo,

Russell's Reserve 10yo)

My Favorite Value-Priced Bourbons:

Knob Creek

WT Rare Breed

Old Granddad

*Old* Beam Black-Label *8yo*

Old Overholt

WT 101 proof

Evan Williams 7yo

Old Ezra 7yo 101 proof

Old Forester (w/ a splash of spring water)

Special Note: Some batches of Booker's and Blanton's have been mindblowingly good!

DJR

[cowdery]

I too have fond memories of the old Beam's Black Label, 8 year old. It was essentially a 90 proof Booker's at a fraction of the price.

--Chuck Cowdery

[Creggor]

Hello, Again. I have been absent the past couple weeks form this form have been spending more time to my stocks rather than to my Bourbons. Well today is my 53rd Birthday and of all the Bourbons I have to choose from i chose the 16yr Hirsch. Tried it again tonight. Tried it first neat and loved it more than any other to date. Its really a wonderfull drink. My son in law matt also liked it but Matt's skills kinda revolve around my saying i like the stuff. Any how after trying many of the best Bourbons available today I have once again refined my 5 top favorites. They are in no particular order.

1. 16yr Hirsch

2. 90 Evan Williams

3. 13yr Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye

4. Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit

5. 15yr Vanwinkle 107 proof

Please note I have not tried my 20yr Hirsch and 20 & 23 yr Pappy Vanwinkle. Saving the 20yr Pappy for my first grandchild this summer and the 23yr Pappy if and when my son gets married or my first granddaughter is born. The grandchild due this summer June 10th is a boy and the 20yr pappy is set aside for this special occasion. So many good Bourbons really hard to just choose top 5. I did really like the 16yr Hirsch tonight. Creggor. I must also give a special mention to Bookers. neat it's a real Bourbonic adventure. Creggor.

[ratcheer]

Per Linn's suggestion, I am re-opening this thread.

Since I started seriously tasting, I have only tried about ten or eleven bourbons. I listed Blanton as my single favorite in his thread, but I'm not including it here because it has been so long (about 14 years) since I tasted it.

Anyway, here are my top 5:

1) Wild Turkey Rare Breed

2) Knob Creek

3) Woodford Reserve

4) Elijah Craig 12 year old

5) Wild Turkey 101

Hard to eliminate, but somebody had to be sixth: Old Forester 100 proof. And the Evan Williams 1991 Single Barrel is very good, too.

Cheers, Tim

[Creggor]

Hello, Tim & Linn. last night on Linn's board about your favorite all time bourbon I again mentioned my top 5 and suggested we see what the top five are again of other fourm members. I wrote mine of my birthday April 14th and looked at the top five I had mentioned last night. Not quite sure what I had previously wrote I was supprised to see the same 5 as before. I might add that the 91 Evan Williams is just as good or better than the 90 version. I did not include my all time favorite 20yr New version Vanwinkle Pappy Family Reserve. As much as I would like to drink it everyday I can not afford to do so and I feel it would take away from that special feeling I get when I do have some and or offer it to friends.

Creggor.

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

That's a pretty good list you've got there Tim. I've reviewed my own list, and now have a newer cheaper version. I've removed all single barrel bottlings. They should have their own list.

In order of deliciousness:

1) Labrot & Graham's Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select

2) Jim Beam's Knob Creek

3) Wild Turkey's Russell's Reserve

4) Old Charter Proprietor's Reserve 13 year old

5) Virginia Gentleman 90 proof 'The Fox'

All of the above costs less than $30 per bottle, but they are all high quality small batch bourbons that are surpassed only by the very best single barrels.

As far as single barrels go - I like all of the bottlings from Buffalo Trace; Blanton's, Elmer T. Lee, Rock Hill Farms, and Hancock's President's Reserve. All delicious in every way. Add to that Wild Turkey's Kentucky Spirit; Heaven Hill's Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage 1991, and Charles Medley's fabulous Wathen's Single Barrel and there you have the very best bourbons available on the market today.

Am I cheating or what?

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[ratcheer]

So, I guess after I manage to acquire Blanton, Kentucky Spirit, Rock Hill Farms, and Elmer T. Lee, I need to squeeze van Winkle Pappy Family Reserve onto my wish list.

Whew. This is going to be fun!

Tim

[Creggor]

Hello, Linn. Just curious. Have your tried 16yr Hirsch and 17yr Eagle Rare..Every bit as good or better than most on your list. Just my opinion Take care Creggor.

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Yes I have Creggor. Thanks to Chris & Kris Giammarco I got my first taste of the 16 year old Hirsch at the special tasting event at Buffalo Trace. It is gloriously good bourbon. Is it worth $80 a bottle? I haven't bought one. It's also difficult to get. None of the liquor stores I visited in Kentucky had any. This is why it is not on my list. All of the bourbons on my list are widely available and easily affordable. There is an exception in the Virginia Gentleman 'Fox' in that it does have limited distribution. But I do like it very much, especially when it's on sale for $17!

I've had both the Eagle Rare 17 year old and also the 10 year old single barrel. It's not bad, but the all of the bourbons on my list are better.

I might as well speak to the Van Winkle's while I'm at it. They do not appear on my list for many of the same reasons - price & availablity. What I have tasted I do like. I bought a bottle of the 15 year old Old Rip and it is good. I just happen to like the six year old Fox better. It's crisp and clean and young and plucky! Good flavor and good character - in this case younger is better!

Creggor it is all too easy to fall into the older is better trap and also the more expensive it is the better it must be bugaboo.

Always think for yourself. Does it taste good to you and is it worth the price paid? When you answer yes to both of these questions then you have a bourbon that you can enjoy no matter what anyone else may say.

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[jbutler]

Linn,

I forgot to mention it, but I noticed last weekend that my local Beverages & More is now carrying "the fox" for $21.99.

Cheers,

Jim Butler

Straightbourbon.com

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

That IS good news Jim! Buy it and tell yourself 'Merry Christmas' then I'll just keep the bottle that I was going to send you as a present! I know that its not fair, but I will send you a Christmas card anyway!

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[Marvin]

Henry - My five top bourbons in order Wild Turkey Russell Reserve, Ezra B, Old Charter proprietors reserve, Knob Creek, Old Fitzgerald. This was really a hard decision to make as tomorrow my pallet may change. I consider all bourbon the nectar of the gods, except one - and you be the judge- I bet John Lipman knows.

[broray]

Hey Linn whats up with the yellow type you cannot read it

The Man from Missouri

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Ray the original forum software was quite a bit different when that post was written. There was no way for me to know that it was going to be unreadable, and no editing ability to change it afterwards. The new version of the 'threadsfree' software is much improved. Also, as you can see, I <font color=red>rarely</font color=red> use colored text anymore.

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[texascarl]

This has been one of the most informative threads for me to read, I thought I'd post my top 5 bourbons/rye to keep it going.

Blanton's

Russell's Reserve

Knob Creek

Evan Williams Single Barrel '91

Sazerac 18 year old Rye

This is a fine forum, I've learned a lot here over the past month or so reading these posts. A mighty friendly bastion of bourbonia. Thanks, y'all for the useful info.

[ratcheer]

That is a fine list, Carl.

I've never tried the Russell's Reserve (yet), but my top choice is Rare Breed, also from W.T.

I've also never tried (or even seen) the Sazerac rye.

And Blanton's, Knob Creek, and EWSB '91 are also among my top favorites.

Thanks, Tim

[bobbyc]

This could easily become my favorite web site . I've been reading posts and getting up to speed the last few days. My favorites are , in no particular order after the Wathens,

Wathens

Ezra sb 15YO

10YOVanWinkle 107Proof

Woodford Reserve

Elijah Craig

Old Taylor

Well thats 6 actually there are more . I have some older bottlings of the Taylor , as yet unopened from National. I do like the Beam version of it . My 22 year old son has a thing for Wild Turkey I used to tell him there are better Bourbons out there, I was doing some tasting with a friend and there was a half 750 ml of it he left behind so we got into that . It is very good . I have a good collection going I tend to be slow about opening sealed bottles and then once they are open finishing them rather quickly (for me anyway) . All that I have open at the present time is the 10yo 107Van Winkle the Ezra sb and a bottle of Kentucky Pride with an advertised age of 10 years but if you do the math on the Bottled date minus the Distilled date it is 13 years old . I found one at Old Ky Home Liquors in Bardstown and 2 more at liquor outlet.

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

OK Bobby C. Where were you during the last Bourbon Festival? Your user profile is like totaly blanked out. Would you like to tell us something of yourself? We are all honest folk here and we like to know just who it is we're a-talkin' to.

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[Dave]

Top 3 Bourbons+2 Tennessee Whiskys:

1. Maker's Mark

2. Knob Creek

3. Old Forester

4. Dickel No. 12

5. Jack Daniels Old No. 7 Black Label

I am relatively new to Bourbons and TN Whiskys so my list is very basic. As time goes by I hope to make amends and add some new names.

Dave

[bobbyc]

Linn, I am remiss for not putting much there I have been reading the posts and hadn't got around to it . There's a little info about me there now . As for the Bourbon festival, I was there. I worked at the Bourbon Festival Commitee Tent. I had Sam Cecil autograph his first edition of his book , he told me a really funny story about my grandfather when they both worked for Bill Samuels at Deatsville .