What bourbon do you think is bad quality? Gut rot bourbon? WT101 story

[thunderhead357]

I'm a huge whiskey fan I'm younger in the hobby. I'm 31 but I got really into wild turkey back in 01 when I was in the army we drank a lot of whiskey. Anyways it's stilly number 1 mainly for the memories and just because I've enjoyed it for so long well now I'm at about 45+ bottles of whiskey most that isn't bourbon is a rye version from a bourbon like wild turkey and knob creek.

Anyways so I was talk with a customer at work who was a dr. He made a bourbon comment so I mentioned I love bourbon we talked pappy (nope never had it and never seen it) wellers blantons and so on he asked what my favorite was I told him wild turkey 101 he looked at me like a fool said that's nothing but gut rot whiskey and decided to leave

what's your opinion? Also sorry for errors I'm on my phone

[393foureyedfox]

I'm a huge whiskey fan I'm younger in the hobby. I'm 31 but I got really into wild turkey back in 01 when I was in the army we drank a lot of whiskey. Anyways it's stilly number 1 mainly for the memories and just because I've enjoyed it for so long well now I'm at about 45+ bottles of whiskey most that isn't bourbon is a rye version from a bourbon like wild turkey and knob creek.

Anyways so I was talk with a customer at work who was a dr. He made a bourbon comment so I mentioned I love bourbon we talked pappy (nope never had it and never seen it) wellers blantons and so on he asked what my favorite was I told him wild turkey 101 he looked at me like a fool said that's nothing but gut rot whiskey and decided to leave

what's your opinion? Also sorry for errors I'm on my phone

screw him. opinions are just that; if he's gonna turn up his nose at you and walk away, he's not worth your time. I despise Old Overholt, but if someone told me it was their favorite, it wouldnt change my impression of them, or my attitude toward them. Nothing at all wrong with WT101. That and KC are two very good regulars that can be had damn near anywhere, and at a good price. Enjoy what you like! Besides, he probably thinks pappy is best because thats what people told him....most people cant/wont think for themselves anymore.

[petrel800]

I'm a huge whiskey fan I'm younger in the hobby. I'm 31 but I got really into wild turkey back in 01 when I was in the army we drank a lot of whiskey. Anyways it's stilly number 1 mainly for the memories and just because I've enjoyed it for so long well now I'm at about 45+ bottles of whiskey most that isn't bourbon is a rye version from a bourbon like wild turkey and knob creek.

Anyways so I was talk with a customer at work who was a dr. He made a bourbon comment so I mentioned I love bourbon we talked pappy (nope never had it and never seen it) wellers blantons and so on he asked what my favorite was I told him wild turkey 101 he looked at me like a fool said that's nothing but gut rot whiskey and decided to leave

what's your opinion? Also sorry for errors I'm on my phone

Opinions are like A holes and it sounds like he was one . . .

[garbanzobean]

screw him. opinions are just that; if he's gonna turn up his nose at you and walk away, he's not worth your time. I despise Old Overholt, but if someone told me it was their favorite, it wouldnt change my impression of them, or my attitude toward them. Nothing at all wrong with WT101. That and KC are two very good regulars that can be had damn near anywhere, and at a good price. Enjoy what you like! Besides, he probably thinks pappy is best because thats what people told him....most people cant/wont think for themselves anymore.

Have to agree with fox. Maybe I'm cynical, but it kind of sounds kind of like he starting to fish to see if y'all had anything special behind the counter or could get him on a list for the fall. I fell into the limited release trap this fall, but have discovered that the majority of bourbons that I truly love cost less than $40, with most of those costing $30 or less. For instance, today I got way more excited when I saw Four Roses Single Barrel on sale for $30 than the bottle of Pappy Van Winkle 15 I saw sitting behind the shelf with a big fat $500 price tag below it.

[Harry in WashDC]

I know some people who only like expensive things - "You always and only get what you pay for" is their motto.

Well, I guess that's true: Unless you are getting it for free, you HAVE to pay for it. But that doesn't mean it's always good even if they think so.

FWIW, I finished off my last bottle of OWA last night and already decided tonight is WT101 night.

[flahute]

Agree with the others above.

I own and love a number of Pappy Van Winkle bottles as well as the BTAC bottles. However, WT101 ranks right up there as one of my favorites. There's nothing wrong with liking what you like simply because you like it. No qualifiers necessary.

[garbanzobean]

Liking less expensive and more available bourbon just means that you're happier more of the time. Price can deviate pretty heavily from quality in the bourbon world, I'm sorry to say.

[thunderhead357]

Have to agree with fox. Maybe I'm cynical, but it kind of sounds kind of like he starting to fish to see if y'all had anything special behind the counter or could get him on a list for the fall. I fell into the limited release trap this fall, but have discovered that the majority of bourbons that I truly love cost less than $40, with most of those costing $30 or less. For instance, today I got way more excited when I saw Four Roses Single Barrel on sale for $30 than the bottle of Pappy Van Winkle 15 I saw sitting behind the shelf with a big fat $500 price tag below it.

I don't sell liquor.

[garbanzobean]

I don't sell liquor.

In that case, I have run out of excuses not to call your doctor acquaintance a tool.

[Richnimrod]

I don't sell liquor.

Me Neither. I wish I did!

As far as Yuckky Bourbons..... I never denigrate another man's (or woman's) efforts in the world.

Have I had a few I'd never buy again? Absolutely! ...But that's just my taste profile dictating a preference.

Others will have their preferences, and likely will disagree with mine. That's what makes for interesting discussions.

As to WT101; It's a fave of mine, and hard to beat for money. Very reliable and consistent. All: Just MHO.

[Tony Santana]

I may think someone else's musical choices, favorite movie, preferred beverage, etc. are crap, but everyone likes what they like, for whatever reason. Different strokes, right? Hell, I even have friends who are Bears fans.

[GaryT]

I have friends who can't believe I would drink WT101 neat, as they also think of it as "rot gut". I take solace in knowing that my bourbon collection is safe around these people If they think that is "too harsh", some others in my collection would absolutely make them turn colors! He may very well be an a$$hole, but there are lots of folks who just don't know. If he's just "shooting" WT101 and hasn't learned how to drink a whiskey, that's an understandable conclusion (which not to be the same kind of a-hole about "There is a right way to do this, and you're doing it wrong" . . . but there IS a difference between sipping and shooting - and it is unfortunate that some folks never learn the difference and deprive themselves of so much of the experience).

[mbroo5880i]

I believe most on this forum are going to be of like mind concerning WT101 as well as the perspective of enjoy what you like with no apologies.

On the subject of quality, I typically do not purchase or drink blended bourbon. I prefer straight bourbon or rye. I do view this as a quality preference.

[Ravensfire]

I have friends who can't believe I would drink WT101 neat, as they also think of it as "rot gut". I take solace in knowing that my bourbon collection is safe around these people If they think that is "too harsh", some others in my collection would absolutely make them turn colors! He may very well be an a$$hole, but there are lots of folks who just don't know. If he's just "shooting" WT101 and hasn't learned how to drink a whiskey, that's an understandable conclusion (which not to be the same kind of a-hole about "There is a right way to do this, and you're doing it wrong" . . . but there IS a difference between sipping and shooting - and it is unfortunate that some folks never learn the difference and deprive themselves of so much of the experience).

I used to play in a big volleyball tournament in a small town south of St. Louis. The afterparty was held in an Elks Lodge and the only hard liquor they had was WT101. So of course we were doing shots of it (while dehydrated from playing balll all day plus jello shots and who knows how much beer). oh yeah, we called it rotgut. Fast forward some years and now I'm enjoying bourbon neat and there is WT101 in my bar. My VB friends think its an homage to the old tourny but its something I pour from time to time. I think many people have a vision of WT from college days and won't change it. And most of them, if given some Pappy back then, would hav shot it down and called it rotgut.

[GaryT]

And most of them, if given some Pappy back then, would hav shot it down and called it rotgut.

[flaminiom]

I love 101. The fact it's cheap and relatively available makes me love it even more.

WT has a bad rep. When I first had it I expected it to be jet fuel and was shocked at how good it was. I don't know why, but that was the rep of the brand to me. Might be the cheap price. Maybe there's a pop culture reference somewhere. Or maybe it's just not "smooth" 80-proof whiskey flavored water.

[squire]

That's the sort of ignoramus who would praise Turkey 101 if you poured it in a Pappy bottle.

[mbroo5880i]

Much like Investing 101 which in one iteration states "buy low, sell high," Turkey 101 is "don't dis the bird." Not my number one pour (Four Roses or EWSB), but, if it is all that was available, I would be very happy. With all of the "interesting" pours I have in my bunker, I have a few friends who try them and then when I ask what they want a decent pour of they say "WT101." Nothing wrong with that. I like it, they like it.

[thunderhead357]

I love 101. The fact it's cheap and relatively available makes me love it even more.

WT has a bad rep. When I first had it I expected it to be jet fuel and was shocked at how good it was. I don't know why, but that was the rep of the brand to me. Might be the cheap price. Maybe there's a pop culture reference somewhere. Or maybe it's just not "smooth" 80-proof whiskey flavored water.

[garbanzobean]

Why hy does it have a bad rap? Honestly this was the first whiskey snob I've met. Usually it's I don't drink the hard stuff lol

Because people in college do shots with it until they make themselves sick, and it doesn't cost an obscene amount of money per bottle and is easy to find.

[B.B. Babington]

there are lots of bourbon snobs that have no appreciation for what's actually in the bottle. if it's hard to get and costs more, it must be better, right?

[smknjoe]

I love 101. The fact it's cheap and relatively available makes me love it even more.

WT has a bad rep. When I first had it I expected it to be jet fuel and was shocked at how good it was. I don't know why, but that was the rep of the brand to me. Might be the cheap price. Maybe there's a pop culture reference somewhere. Or maybe it's just not "smooth" 80-proof whiskey flavored water.

Why hy does it have a bad rap? Honestly this was the first whiskey snob I've met. Usually it's I don't drink the hard stuff lol

It does have a bad reputation and I'm not sure why, but I'd venture to guess that some of it may be because of the higher than "normal" proof. Sort of like Barcardi 151 or Everclear are for getting trashed "on the cheap"...so is WT101? Most casual drinkers would probably think that Beam or Maker's were of far superior quality. One of my brothers used to be a bartender and he thinks of it as rot gut, but his drink of choice was Jose Cuervo gold chased with Coors light, so...

It's priced in the low $20's around here along with Maker's, BT, EC12, Weller 12, etc. So, I don't see how it could be considered cheap really.

It used to be considered a quality pour though. My father was a Dr. and if he drank bourbon it was WT101.

Just curious, in what context did this client walk out? I'm trying to think of a professional setting where this would not be incredibly rude, or was this a casual encounter?

Edited June 22, 2014 by smknjoe

[Quantum]

Most casual drinkers would probably think that Beam or Maker's were of far superior quality.

Before I started enjoying bourbon, I always thought of WT 101 as a solid, medium quality pour. The proof and name might have made me think it was a little less refined, but not rotgut swill. I might not have hung out with enough classy people, but I considered it better than Beam, but maybe just a hair below Makers.

[393foureyedfox]

my first experience with WT101 was in my early 20's, at the end of a semester, a classmate gave the Military History professor a bottle of WT101....to which the professor seemed exceedingly happy to receive, which I interpreted as 'it must be some good stuff', but I didnt drink at the time...it was just the impression I got. Fast-forward 15 years, I am getting into bourbon but I tended to stay away from WT products, as I thought the 'give em the bird' slogan was lame and a bit redneck-ish ( not unlike the impression you get of that red white and blue beer company). Going to a family reunion last year, I realized I forgot to bring anything along to drink, so I stopped off along the way to pick up something new in a 200ml size bottle, and there weren't a lot of choices, so I grabbed a WT101, and gave it a try. I thought it was decent, but nothing remarkable. Earlier this year, I was out for lunch and wanted a bourbon, and this seemed like the best choice of what they had, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, neat. I've had a bottle here ever since. So, there is my around-the-world assessment of WT impressions over the years.

[thunderhead357]

It does have a bad reputation and I'm not sure why, but I'd venture to guess that some of it may be because of the higher than "normal" proof. Sort of like Barcardi 151 or Everclear are for getting trashed "on the cheap"...so is WT101? Most casual drinkers would probably think that Beam or Maker's were of far superior quality. One of my brothers used to be a bartender and he thinks of it as rot gut, but his drink of choice was Jose Cuervo gold chased with Coors light, so...

It's priced in the low $20's around here along with Maker's, BT, EC12, Weller 12, etc. So, I don't see how it could be considered cheap really.

It used to be considered a quality pour though. My father was a Dr. and if he drank bourbon it was WT101.

Just curious, in what context did this client walk out? I'm trying to think of a professional setting where this would not be incredibly rude, or was this a casual encounter?