Bourbon Wish List

[SteveZZZ]

I'm a fairly new bourbon drinker, and fairly new to quality alcohol in general. I developed a taste for scotch over the summer, and that led to an interest in bourbon as well... whiskey? whisky? Awww, I'll try it all. So anyways, I have access to a great selection of scotch, and my collection is getting very respectable... Bourbon, on the other hand, isn't quite so common here in Arizona, and even worse, Sam's won't ship to me. I can get my hands on the basics... Beam, Wild Turkey, Maker's, Blanton's and a few others I can't think of the names of at the moment. So far I've got the Knob Creek, Blanton's, and Booker's. I love all 3 of them, but I'm afraid after my next trip to the liquor store I'll be almost out of options here.

Stuff that I haven't found out here includes Buffalo Trace, ORVW anything, Stagg, Birthday Bourbon, and many others... I'm a pretty good customer at my local liquor store, and the owner knows me now, so I'd like to come up with a wish list of things for him to try and track down for me, and for the stuff he can't get (ORVW is apparently unavailable in this state for sure), I'll need to get a little more creative in tracking down. I dont mind spending a little more (or occasinally, a lot more) for a nice bottle, since I do go through it fairly slowly. Instead, I'm more interested in getting a solid collection with as large a varitey as possible. Quality is much more of a concern than quantity, but I dont want to end up with a few bottles so expensive I'm afraid to drink them. Pappy and Distiller's Masterpiece are on the list, I need to fill in the stuff I'll drink on a normal day first.

I've read a lot of threads on here in the last month or so, and seen a lot of discussion... but I'm not good with tasting descriptions, and even if I were, I don't really know exactly what I like. I know with my scotch and tequila, I really appreciate variety, and cant see myself drinking the same thing, or even similar things. So with that said, what are the SB.com top 10-15 bourbons, covering all price ranges, that I need to track down? I would prefer to stick to the premium bourbons, as opposed to getting something of lower quality just to have it. As I learned with scotch, I just dont drink the cheap stuff. And for the stuff I cant get locally, what's the best way to get my hands on it? Thanks in advance to everyone who can reply and help me out.

Steve

[Gillman]

I have found Sportman's Fine Wines and Liquors on East Camelback Road, Scottsdale (not sure if quite in Scottsdale but certainly Phoenix) to have a fine selection of bourbons and straight ryes. I am quite sure I saw ORVW ryes there last year, and much else. When you walk in, turn to the right, the wall at the end has these products. Not the selection of Sam's perhaps, but they carry a high number of premium whiskeys, quite impressive.

Gary

[MurphyDawg]

As I learned with scotch, I just dont drink the cheap stuff.

I don't know about "cheap" per se but there are several great bourbons in the $11-$20 range that I think you would be losing out on if you didnt at least try a few of:

1) Old Forester in either the 86-100 proofs

2) Old Ezra 7 year 107 proof

3) if you can find Ancient Ancient Age 10 Year get ahold of it

4)Very Old Barton, the higher the proof the better

5) Old Grand Dad Bottled in Bond

6) Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond

7)WL Weller 7 year 107 proof

now that said there are quite a vew widely available premium bottlings... My faves include:

1) Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit (or Russells Reserve for that matter.

2)Old Rip Van Winkle 10 year 107 proof

3) the new barton 1792 Ridgewood Reserve is great

4) I like Woodford Reserve Distillers Select a LOT

5) WL Weller Centennial (10 Year 100 proof)

6) anything in the Evan williams Single Barrel Vintage series would do nicely.

And if you want the highest end, the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (Weller 19, Eagle Rare 17, Sazerac Rye 18, George T Stagg 15) is the way to go.

Hope that helps, if you get a chance search some of the older threads in this forum, there are many great suggestions and their reasonings already posted. . .

Tom (your friendly neighborhood moderator) C

[SteveZZZ]

So today was my favorite monthly holiday... Liquor Store Day! In addition to the holiday beers which are just beginning to arrive, and a nice bottle of sippin' rum, I brought home Elijah Craig 12yo, Woodford Reserve, Evan Williams Single Barrel '92, Maker's Mark, Wild Turkey Russel's Reserve, and Eagle Rare Single Barrel... Gotta eat some lunch, then I may just devote the rest of my day to picking favorites.

Steve

[ratcheer]

You made some great choices. Sounds like you're going to have a lot of serious fun.

Tim

[Black85L98]

Great job! I think you will find one in the bunch you will fall in love with.

Let us know what you think of them.

[SteveZZZ]

Hard to really pick favorites yet... I don't usually get a feel for a whiskey until the second or third glass of it. The EC12 seemed a little rough to me, but was still enjoyable. I picked up a really weird flavor in the Eagle Rare.... not entirely unpleasant, just strange. I'm not sure what it is. Maker's Mark was drinkable but boring... Sweet and thin. I guess its something I'll keep around, only $19 or so for me, and I like the red wax. The rest just get filed under a generic "good" category until I have time to explore them a little more.

Steve

[BOURBONDRINKER]

If you can possibly get it,Van Winkle 12 yr. lot B. This has become my favorite premium bottling thus far.

[CL]

I hadn't had the VW 12yo until this past summer. I was very impressed. It immediately jumped into my must have category and it has become the first premium I reach for when I want to have a premium pour (compared to daily and special occasion pours). A poor man's Pappy!

[SteveZZZ]

If Pappy is this good, I'm gonna grab a whole case next time I find it... WT12 became my instant favorite bourbon.

Steve

[CL]

Pappy is over $80/bottle. Better bring some bucks if you want a case. VW 12 yo is in the low $30s/bottle.

[SteveZZZ]

If Pappy is as good as WT12 its worth $80 easy... although a case might be a little excessive I guess. Unless I find a place to get it around here, it might be better to stock up.

Steve