What are your top 5 bourbons?

[dboland]

This may seem like a silly question as some are difficult to compare, tastes change, and rankings are often silly or useless. With that said, I am really interested in your thoughts, SB. What are your favorites, and why?

For clarification, when I say top five, I mean however YOU define it. For example, if you mean best regardless of price then that is fine. If your best means value per dollar, then use that in your criteria.

I would also encourage those of you (like myself) who are new or have less experience with premium or limited bottles to participate.

Here are mine:

1. 2014 Russell Reserve Small Batch Single Barrel ($50) - I love the mouth feel of this one, almost like taffy. After I finished it the first time I remember smelling the empty glass for several minutes and loved the fruity, floral aroma.

2. Four Roses Single Barrel OBSV ($35) - My FRSB collection is four recipes right now and I have only tried the standard OBSV. I love the cherry sweetness - reminds me a lot of the RRSB.

3. Wild Turkey 101 ($26) - I did a blind SBS with this and Blanton's and enjoyed the 101 a great deal more. Some things I have read lead me to believe there were some problems with WT stuff either currently or a while back but all of my 101 experiences have been very pleasant. It just seems so...classic. And American.

4. 2012 Booker's ($55) - My wife got this bottle as a gift and we nursed it to the end. It is extremely smooth for a 120+ proof whiskey and what it doesn't have in spiciness it definitely has in chewiness.

5. Ellijah Craig 12 ($23) - Among the 90 proofers I have tried, this one is my favorite neat. I revisited it recently and was pleasantly surprised at how the bottle opened up after a couple months.

[kjbeggs]

Best I've ever personally tasted (Cost/availability not being a factor)

1. Parker's Heritage 27 Year (The best whiskey to ever cross my lips, and it'll likely never happen again).

2. A.H. Hirsch 16 Year (Yes, it pretty much lives up to the hype)

3. Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year (Tastes even better knowing I paid retail)

4. George T Stagg (Some days I prefer it to just about anything)

5. Booker's 25th (Probably gets some subconscious points from knowing it was a one-time release)

Now, Top 5 that are fairly available (or sufficiently bunkered):

1. Elmer T Lee (Wish it was still as easy to find as it was a few years ago)

2. ECBP/ Elijah Craig 12 (Some days you want the extra kick, others you want that easy drinker that is easier to find on the shelf)

3. Smooth Ambler old Scout Single Barrel (Had an 8 year I really loved, but just got a 10 year that is phenomenal)

4. 4Roses Single Barrel (Currently drinking an OBSK, but not really a bad recipe in the bunch)

5. Larceny (Just an easy drinking bottle that's easy to find)

[Richnimrod]

Hmmmm, Not an easy question to answer. KJB took an interesting tack by giving it two ways.

I'll stick to a single definition. That being 'What do I drink the most?' In no particular order here the ones I reach for most often.....

SB Blend (60-40 OWA/W12)

Henry McKenna 10-year, BIB

Old Forester Signature

Booker's

Buffalo Trace

I could add another five pretty easily; but, I'll quit with these. :cool:

[DonutsNBourbon]

hmmm, this is a tough one, but I'll go with Rich on this and I'll go with the top 5 bourbons I drink most often:

1. Four Roses Single Barrel

2. Elijah Craig 12

3. Weller 12

4. Blanton's

5. Elmer T Lee

kinda buffalo trace/sazerac heavy line up here.

[BB Slim]

This may seem like a silly question as some are difficult to compare, tastes change, and rankings are often silly or useless. With that said, I am really interested in your thoughts, SB. What are your favorites, and why?

For clarification, when I say top five, I mean however YOU define it. For example, if you mean best regardless of price then that is fine. If your best means value per dollar, then use that in your criteria.

I would also encourage those of you (like myself) who are new or have less experience with premium or limited bottles to participate.

Here are mine:

1. 2014 Russell Reserve Small Batch Single Barrel ($50) - I love the mouth feel of this one, almost like taffy. After I finished it the first time I remember smelling the empty glass for several minutes and loved the fruity, floral aroma.

2. Four Roses Single Barrel OBSV ($35) - My FRSB collection is four recipes right now and I have only tried the standard OBSV. I love the cherry sweetness - reminds me a lot of the RRSB.

3. Wild Turkey 101 ($26) - I did a blind SBS with this and Blanton's and enjoyed the 101 a great deal more. Some things I have read lead me to believe there were some problems with WT stuff either currently or a while back but all of my 101 experiences have been very pleasant. It just seems so...classic. And American.

4. 2012 Booker's ($55) - My wife got this bottle as a gift and we nursed it to the end. It is extremely smooth for a 120+ proof whiskey and what it doesn't have in spiciness it definitely has in chewiness.

5. Ellijah Craig 12 ($23) - Among the 90 proofers I have tried, this one is my favorite neat. I revisited it recently and was pleasantly surprised at how the bottle opened up after a couple months.

There have been a number of threads here over the past few years that have been very similar. You may want to do a search and compare some of the replies over time. A couple I remember are: "what 5 are always in your rotation" and "what are your favorites at the $20, $30, $40 $50". From memory Ritt BIB, Four Roses Single Barrel, Old Grand Dad 114, Elmer T. Lee, Weller 12 & Antique, and Elijah Craig 12 have gotten the most frequent mentions. My current readily available five are:

Four Roses Single Barrel

John J. Bowman Single Barrel

Weller Antique

Wild Turkey Rare Breed

Elmer T Lee

[Jazz Nut]

I'll go with my top 5 easy to find bottles--bottles that I always have on hand and drink regularly, and in no particular order:

1. Wild Turkey 101--it's readily available, and I find it delicious--immediately identifiable. I also enjoy the Wild Turkey Rare Breed or Russell's Reserve. At any rate, I always have to have something open from Wild Turkey.

2. Elijah Craig 12 year, or ECBP---for me ECBP is a bit harder to find, but EC12 is always available. It's great when I want a little more age and oak in the bourbon.

3. Four Roses Store Selections---I always try to keep a few bunkered and a few open. Fun to do side-by-side comparisons. Plus you can't beat the quality.

4. Something bottled in bond, usually Evan Williams BIB.

5. Old Weller Antique 107. I love the stuff, and it's usually easy to find. Takes ice well.

[black mamba]

Not technically bourbon, but I suppose it's ok to include rye, so I will.

1) Pappy 20 yo from S-W, best by quite a large margin. I don't usually drink wheaters, but this is unparalleled. Thinking the great age must make the difference, I tried the 23 yo Pappy's, and it's just not as good. The first release of the Jefferson's Presidential 17 yo was similar, but lacked that special something that the Pappy 20 had. Now that Pappy is BT, there's no more other than in bunkers, and mine is empty. :cry:

2) 2010 Sazerac 18 yo. More of a bour-rye flavor compared to the baking spice bomb TH Handy from the Antique Collection, this was like Rittenhouse on steroids. Best balance of spice, fruit and sweetness I've ever had, plus that perfect amount of wood influence.

3) 2011 Pappy Family Reserve Rye 13 yo. This was so good, I scoured my whole area for these and came up with 3 bottles. Sadly, all gone now. More sweetness and wood, plus a pure rye bread flavor, not the baking spice of Handy or the balance of Sazerac 18, but just so much flavor.

4) Booker's Bourbon. My favorite of the ultra proof monsters, including Stagg and Stagg Jr. Great balance and just so much going on. A true party in your mouth. Best "on the rocks" bourbon of all time.

5) Tie for the two I always have on hand, EC 12 and OF Sig 100. Both still under $30 including tax where I live, and good enough for any and all occasions.

[fozzy71]

BourbonScout just did a 'top 10 obtainable' list on their instagram over the past 10 days - https://instagram.com/bourbonscout/

[Spade]

I'll stick with ones that can be easily found.

1) Henry McKenna 10 yr.

2) Four Roses Single Barrel (either a store select or the standard offering is fine by me).

3) Wild Turkey 101.

4) Knob Creek Single Barrel

5) Larceny (used to prefer OWA, but that's not always easy to come by now, and I've stopped worrying about Weller 12).

If I added a rye to mix, it would be Rittenhouse. I always have at least one of these open at any moment — and I often will go for one of them even when I do have more expensive stuff on hand.

[BigRich]

Mine changes all the time. If I picked right now and used availability for a criteria I would say in no particular order:

RHF

Baker's

WT SBSmB

ECBP/12

4R SB

[dcbt]

Top five pours I've had in no particular order: PVW20, Lot B, ER17, Bookers 25th, and ETL.

Top five most consumed pours (lately) in no particular order: ETL, ECBP, Blantons, W12, and ER10.

First list tends to stay the same. Second list tends to change often.

[AnotherCigarGuy]

Today?

Col Taylor Sm Batch

OGD 114

McKenna BIB

All the 4 Roses at barrel strength

Stagg Jr.

But check back tomorrow. I'm sure it'll change.

[squire]

Of course I've developed some favorites over the years yet at this point in my journey I seek style rather than brand. I want a rye recipe Bourbon that is fully mature, 100 proof or better, with all it's flavor components in balance. I will choose dryness over sweetness, spicy floral over woodiness and mainly a seamless complexity overall. What I won't accept is underage under proof overpriced plonk from an undisclosed source. I really don't give a damn who's name or face is on the label except as a guarantee of origin.

Yes, there are some exciting new things on the market but I'm willing to wait on them to grow up. Putting a finish on a Bourbon doesn't really work unless the underlying whisky is good to begin with. I believe the principles of what make a good Bourbon, like the design of a good violin, were established a very long time ago and gimmicks aside no one has figured out a way to improve on the original.

[flahute]

^^^^Old Grand Dad!!

[Conquistador]

I thought about this for a long time before I realized the answer was staring at me every time I opened the door to my storage closet. I like these bourbons so much, that I socked them away by the case, which tells me they pretty much define my Top 5. These were purchased at retail, before things got out of hand regarding demand for a couple of these labels. I just got lucky, I guess.

1. Weller 12 Year Old (down to a case + a bottle, from the original 2 case purchase)

2. Elmer T. Lee (down to half a case...trying my hardest to make this last, since I fear I will not see this again at $25 per bottle)

3. Henry McKenna BIB (down to 5 bottles of this case of store-select single barrel; but even as a standard release, this is one of my favorites)

4. Old Heaven Hill BIB Gold Label (just a really solid bourbon; down to half a case, but again, I'm struggling to make this last since it is impossible for me to find this bourbon locally)

5. Elijah Craig 12 Year Old (essentially still a full case, since this was my most recent purchase, and consists of bottles from a fantastic store-select single barrel; but again, the standard release is great)

[dcbt]

Of course I've developed some favorites over the years yet at this point in my journey I seek style rather than brand. I want a rye recipe Bourbon that is fully mature, 100 proof or better, with all it's flavor components in balance. I will choose dryness over sweetness, spicy floral over woodiness and mainly a seamless complexity overall. What I won't accept is underage under proof overpriced plonk from an undisclosed source. I really don't give a damn who's name or face is on the label except as a guarantee of origin.

Yes, there are some exciting new things on the market but I'm willing to wait on them to grow up. Putting a finish on a Bourbon doesn't really work unless the underlying whisky is good to begin with. I believe the principles of what make a good Bourbon, like the design of a good violin, were established a very long time ago and gimmicks aside no one has figured out a way to improve on the original.

I had visions of Kevin Costner's Bull Durham speech while reading this.

[Golzee]

My top 5 would be:

RR10yr

OF Signature

WT101

Knob Creek

OGD114

[smokinjoe]

Of course My favorites are a very fluid thing, but these 5 seem to stand my test of time:

Buffalo Trace: The earthiness of this whiskey, and it's sheer drinkability keep me always reaching for it

Larceny: Solid #1 choice for a couple of years, now. My favorite wheater on the market

OGD114: feels like I'm splurging on a whiskey 3X it's actual price. Burnt corner of the brownie pan goodness

HH BIB 6yr: My "out of the fridge" bourbon

George T Stagg: when I want/need/DESERVE The King of whiskies.

[kjbeggs]

That's a good list Joe.

Amid the chaos that is the current Bourbon market, I find comfort in the fact that we have a fairly new, quality pour like Larceny that didn't hit with a premium price, and an old standby like OGD114 can still be found for under $20

[JvW]

New to the Bourbon Community and therefore limited to what I have tried (and in my bunker)...

1. Stagg JR

2. Noah's Mill

3. Baker's

4. Booker's

5. Weller Antique 107

[Harry in WashDC]

I buy these whether I need to or not: Buffalo Trace, Very Old Barton Bonded, Old Weller Antique, Old Grand Dad Bonded, and Wild Turkey 101.

My top 5 all-time include Lot B, George T. Stagg (which I hunt for even though I'm not a hunter), Four Roses Barrel Selects (especially OESQ/OESO/OBSO's), and Manhattans made with pre-1970 Old Overholt bonded (yeah, a rye and in a cocktail, but I still remember them after all these years).

EDIT - Oh, yeah, about Joe' list which includes Larceny. I could live with his list, too. I could also live with Squire's approach - soak off all the labels and then drink what tastes good that particular tasting.

Edited July 7, 2015 by Harry in WashDC

[tanstaafl2]

Like others have noted it tends to be a very fluid list! There are plenty of every day drinkers that have already been mentioned that are excellent but the ones that stick in my mind tend to be special selections of one sort of another. I suppose going with my feelings at this moment in no definitive order it would be:

1. The SB.com Heaven Hill Select wheated bourbon finished in the cognac casks that produced the cognac finished PHC (which I also really like!). I still am leaning toward #1 over #2 although both are excellent!

2. Just about any Four Roses Barrel Proof bottling. An OESF from the gift shop from a year or two ago still sticks out in my mind but they are all pretty darn good!

3. Four Roses LE small batch 2013. I know the 2014 tends to get most of the praise but that 2013 was pretty darn good as well!

4. The Highway to Hell bottle (Barrel 666) of Smooth Ambler Old Scout I got to help pick for a local store. Sadly I don't have much of this one left.

5. The SB.com blend at about 60% OWA to 40% W12. OK that is two bourbons but you only need a percentage of each so that is basically just one and a great example of where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts (which by the way are already pretty good by themselves!).

[camduncan]

Like others my tastes are fluid, but if I had to pick a regular pour top 5 (based on availability here in Australia), in no particular order:

1. Makers Mark 46

2. Elijah Craig 12

3. Knob Creek

4. Blanton's

5. Elmer T Lee

If I was going with my all time top 5, it'd look something like this (on no order):

1. Bookers 25th

2. SB.com HH Select (barrel 1)

3. SB.com Pappy 23 barrel select

4. KBS/Fourth Barrel Weller 12

5. Any Old Taylor from ND Distillers (liquid gold!)

[flahute]

A bunch of my colleagues, knowing I'm a bourbon geek, asked me to put together a top ten list of my favorites. That list was comprised of bourbons they could actually go out and buy which is appropriate since the LE's are not guaranteed.

The top five was: 4R Small Batch, KCSB, EC12, 4R Single Barrel, and WTRB.

Because I had the luxury of 10, and because I'm in the 4R cult, I had 2 of their products in the top five. If I was limited to 5, I'd drop one of the 4R and insert OGD114.

If I'm going with top 5 of anything:

George T Stagg - as Joe said, the king of whiskies and my absolute favorite.

WLW

ECBP

4R 125th

4R Private Selection Single Barrel - various offerings

[fishnbowljoe]

As others have alluded, this, and any type of "What's Your Favorite" topic is pretty much fluid and/or subjective. I've responded in these types of threads before, with truthful, but what might seem like slightly offhanded, or sarcastic replies. :skep:

"What's Your Favorite Glass?" - The one in my hand. :grin:

"What's Your Favorite Bourbon?" - The one in my glass.

See where I'm going with this? :crazy:

But seriously folks, and FWIW, I do have one all time favorite. The 2007 BTAC WLW is right up there at the top of my list. :bigeyes: If I had a list. :slappin:

Cheers! Joe