[POLL] One single family of bourbon

[CL]

I am not normally a fan of trying to name the best bourbons, your favorite bourbons, your desertted island bourbons, etc. But, of course, it's different when I have my own idea.

Let's say your significant other told you to get rid of the bunker. She/he are tired of the kids going barefoot and having holes in their underwear.

You protest and are able to get him/her to agree to you having one type of whiskey. You smile because you know that the two most often mentioned "types" of whiskey here at SB.com have several delicious bottlings.

So which one would you choose?

[melting]

If that's the case then the Wild Turkey wins hands down. Their most expensive offering is way cheaper than the cheapest offering from VW. The fact that Wild Turkey can be purchased at any liquor store, while VW is available in only two in the state of Massachusetts is also a major factor.

I must admit on taste that it's not much different. I enjoy WT101 as my regular pour and at $28.99 for 1.5L it's a steal. Rare Breed for $25.99 is excellent and that's the cost for a low end VW product.

Chris

[barturtle]

Interesting...this could be chosen not just on which one you prefer but which one you have the most of...I think in either case it'll be a dead heat for me.

However in this theoretical situation, selling the VW sure would help get us out of the poor house quicker than selling the WT, but on the other hand the WT could be much more easily replaced (I'm assuming she would let me get a bottle to drink from time to time).

Ah the joys of being single...

[bluesbassdad]

Chuck,

Can it be that you posted this poll in 2003, and no one responded until 2006?

No matter.

Cost considerations aside, I would unhesitatingly go with . . . [hesitation] . . .

What I mean to say is . . . er . . . ah . . .

Now I see why no one responded for three years. I'll think it over and get back to you. :grin: Check back sometime in 2009.

Edited to add: Oh, I see now. Lots of folks voted, but no one posted a reply until today. Even that is a little strange, though.

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield

[barturtle]

Funny, I didn't catch that. See what new users turn up-they can bring life back to a long dead thread, making us realize just what we've been missing

[T47]

I had to go with VW. I of course had to throw price and availability right out the window for this thread. Just too much great flavor in each bottle for me to let it go. Maybe it's not going to put shoes on the kid's feet, or take care of the holes in the underwear...But hey, daddies gotta be happy too right...

[ratcheer]

Wild Turkey for me.

Tim

[melting]

Who really needs shoes. My grandfather said he had to walk to school each day in sub zero weather with 4 ft. snow drifts. Uphill each way no less. Going without shoes would be easy compared to that battle.

Chris

[gothbat]

It’s a tough call and I’m not really sure which family I like better than the other in terms of taste but I would have to go with the WT because of it’s wide availability, good price, and great taste. The main factor is the availability though.

[jspero]

For me it VW all the way. I like WT products well enough to keep some on hand, but I LOVE every VW product I've tried.

Jay

[MikeDS]

It’s a tough call and I’m not really sure which family I like better than the other in terms of taste but I would have to go with the WT because of it’s wide availability, good price, and great taste. The main factor is the availability though.

I 2nd

[JDutton]

I have to say WT for now. Availability is a real factor for me. I've only just recently been able to get my hands on any VW products and haven't tasted them enough to decide how much I like them yet.

Jeff

[Bamber]

Wild Turkey for consistency. Van Winkle Rye is probably the best whisk(e)y I've ever tasted though.

[scopenut]

VW for me, no question.

Love every type they make, even though it's fairly hard to get here in S. FL (just picked up 3 10/107's over the weekend, probably won't find any more locally for quite a while).

-Kevin

[Chaz7]

Well, this is of course opinionated; but isn't this like asking do you prefer to drive Mercedes or Hyundai? VW is more expensive (not always-the most expensive VW @$68.00 is less than the most expensive WT @79.95), but isn't their offering broader? Starting under $25.00 we have ORVW 10, then ORVW 10yr 107 proof, then the Pappy's (Ooh BoY-my faves regardless). So, even after 3 years of dormancy, I'm glad to see this post. VW is consistant as well; more so than WT?

[Pappy's Friend]

Given my screen handle, is there any reason for me to comment further???

[Bamber]

Well, this is of course opinionated; but isn't this like asking do you prefer to drive Mercedes or Hyundai? VW is more expensive (not always-the most expensive VW @$68.00 is less than the most expensive WT @79.95), but isn't their offering broader? Starting under $25.00 we have ORVW 10, then ORVW 10yr 107 proof, then the Pappy's (Ooh BoY-my faves regardless). So, even after 3 years of dormancy, I'm glad to see this post. VW is consistant as well; more so than WT?

I think it is more like comparing Mini Cooper and Mercedes.

I know this is heresy, but to me Van Winkle is little more than a brand, now that they are part of BT (just as Mini Coopers are just a type of BMW, now).

I love tha Van Winkle line up, especially the 10yo 107 and the 13yo rye, but honestly I think at this time Wild Turkey is more important. Wild Turkey is a thriving evolving product, with its own distillery. Van Winkle bourbons will essentially become wheated BT expressions. Delicious, no doubt, but somehow less desirable.

Maybe this is because I am coming at this from a Scotch drinker's perspective, but for me the distillery where the new make is produced is what truly defines a whisk(e)y. Ardbeg is Ardbeg is Ardbeg whether it is an OB, Cadenheads, Signatory or whatever bottling.

[Chaz7]

I love tha Van Winkle line up, especially the 10yo 107 and the 13yo rye, but honestly I think at this time Wild Turkey is more important. Wild Turkey is a thriving evolving product, with its own distillery. Van Winkle bourbons will essentially become wheated BT expressions. Delicious, no doubt, but somehow less desirable.

Interesting take. So for you, is it not so much taste as it is distillery? I know VW is BT; but to have fun w/ your BMW analogy, wouldn't VW be like Jaguar when they were owned by Ford? As far as WT goes, I just had a glass of Rare Breed last night. I like the ORVW 10 yo 107 better as far as taste.

[nor02lei]

I just had a glass of Rare Breed last night. I like the ORVW 10 yo 107 better as far as taste.

I also like the ORVW 10 yo 107 better than WTRB. Still I voted for Turkey…..

Leif

[Bamber]

Interesting take. So for you, is it not so much taste as it is distillery? I know VW is BT; but to have fun w/ your BMW analogy, wouldn't VW be like Jaguar when they were owned by Ford? As far as WT goes, I just had a glass of Rare Breed last night. I like the ORVW 10 yo 107 better as far as taste.

Sure - that would also be a valid analogy. However it is all about taste for me. I prefer WT. It's not that I don't rate VW, because I do. WT just happens to be my favourite of the moment.

[Big Chipper]

Every Van Winkle product is perfection.

[schlep]

I'm going with option #3......getting rid of the significant other.

schlep

[TimmyBoston]

My vote surprised me. I voted for Wild Turkey. At first my instinct was to go Van Winkle, but with the exception Lot B I'd say I preferof Wild Turkey with every product. But I still definately love Van Winkle

[Ambernecter]

Van Winkle by a country mile.

This in no way detracts from my LOVE of all things WT but rather illustrates, just how superb every Van Winkle product is, that I have tried to date. I've had them all (not as much Pappy 20 + 23 as I'd like!) and I dunno how they get it so right all the time.

[dave ziegler]

My all time Favorite Bourbon was Old Hickory I always thought it was The Best!

Dave Z