How Many Different Bourbons Lately?

[doubleblank]

I have enjoyed bourbon for a long time but really caught the fever this year. So I decided to list the different bottles I've purchased and consumed over the last four months. I had no idea of the answer until I made the list as follows:

Kentucky Spirit

ER 17yo 2002

ER 10yo SB

EWSB 92

EWSB 93

EW 7yo

Ezra Brooks 15yo

EC 18yo

Weller Centenial

ORVW 10/107

RVW Special Reserve 12yo

RVW Rye 13yo

Pappy 20yo

BT

GT Stagg 2003 (half consumed)

ER 17yo 2003 (half consumed)

RR

Wheh!!! I didn't realize the breadth (and volume) I had consumed over four months. What a journey! Several observations 1) there are only two of them I wouldn't purchase again and even they weren't bad, just not to my liking and 2) the quality/price ratio for bourbons in general is very high. We are indeed very lucky.

My question is this....do most of you stick with a couple of favorites for your go-to bourbon....or do you keep a dozen bottles open like me and choose your drink each day based on the "moment" (ie outdoors/indoors, weather, having a cigar, company or solo, etc.) Just curious.

DoubleBlank

[B_Dub___Cigar_Ambassador]

I only have five bottles of bourbon going at the moment. I'm sure that will increase. To answer your question, I like to switch it up. Variety is the spice of life, and my bottles don't seem to get consumed very fast that way.

My favorite at the moment is the Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve 10yo. I pour it over a couple rocks to dillute and chill it just a tad. Maybe someday I'll get up the gumption to drink it neat.

I like to drink bourbon with my cigars, but lately I've been smoking a pipe too. I try to select a drink that I think will match the tobacco.

[jeff]

I like to keep a nice variety on hand at all times so I can choose something to fit my mood. Without counting I would guess I have about 30-35 bottles going at the moment, plus the unopened bottles that I have bunkered away for a rainy day. I built my bunker mostly one bottle at a time, usually a new bottle to reward a hard week's toils. I'll consume about half of it then start backing off a bit to conserve, then I'll move on to something else.

[OneCubeOnly]

These are the bottles I've drawn from within the last 4 months:

Buffalo Trace

Pappy 20

Woodford Reserve

Old Charter Proprietor's Reserve 13yo

Eagle Rare Single Barrel 10yo

Ancient Ancient Age 10yo

Old Forester 86

Elijah Craig 12yo

Booker's

A.H. Hirsch Reserve 16yo

Blanton's

Old Forester Birthday Bourbon '02

[Dave_in_Canada]

I open a new bottle and try it as soon as I can. Pours are free and generous to anyone willing to try, but when it gets down to about 1/3 then I HOARD it. Here's a list of my open bottles, in no particular order of course.

AH Hirsch 16

Van Winkle Reserve 12

ORVW 10yr 90

ORVW 10yr 107

ORVW 15 yr

WT 4yr

WT 101

WT Ky Spirit

WT RR

WT Rye (woops, not a bourbon)

ER 17

ER 10 single barrel

Blanton's

BT

Weller Antique

Weller Centennial

Wathens SB

EWSB '90

Elijah Craig 12

Bookers

JB Black

Knob Creek

OF 86

Maker's

not bad for a Canadian, eh?

[ratcheer]

I currently have a bunch of different ones, but I've been thinking of paring down to a favorite 4 or 5 and sticking with them. Maybe a couple of those would change on an ongoing basis.

Tim

[TNbourbon]

I currently have over 30 different bottlings in the house (not counting about 45 different full, tax-stamped collectible minis), but I only have five plus a rye open at the moment. And, many of the ones I have I also consider collectible, and won't open until I'm too poor to buy replacements (which might be any day!).

My 'bunker' includes:

All Van Winkles except the 23yo

A.H. Hirsch 16yo

Stagg '03

ER 17

ER SB

Sazerac rye 18yo

AAA 10yo

OFBB '02

OFBB Spring '03

Old Charter 7yo (old collectible)

Maker's Mark

Jim Beam Black 7yo 90-proof

Old Forester 86

Prichard's (a local TN product)

Weller SR 7 yo

Woodford's Reserve

Old Fitz BIB

Wild Turkey rye

Original Michter's Whiskey (an unopened pint ceramic jug and several 50 ml minis, both plastic and ceramic)

Four Roses blended whiskey

Old Fitz 12yo

Wild Turkey 12yo

Weller 12yo

In addition, I have about a 140-bottle wine assortment which includes an '83 Lafite Rothschild and '83 Chateau d'Yquem and some other goodies.

Whew, making that list made me thirsty.

[SteelerFan]

I currently have 18 different bottles of Bourbon/Rye

open. About 1/2 will be a one time only purchase.

My current favorites, in no particular order:

Stagg

VWFRRye/13y

Ezra B/15Y

OGD/ 114

A.H. Hirsch/16y

OFBB

Weller Cent.

[bluesbassdad]

I'll estimate that I have 30-40 bottles open right now, a few more than that, counting rye and barley products. I select from them based on my mood, influenced slightly by the cost/rarity of a particular bottle and how much is left. (It takes a lot to get me to uncork the Hirsch 20 y/o or the Sam's or Park Ave. special bottlings from Van Winkle.)

I have most of the ones on your list, except for the ER 17 and the Pappy 20, neither of which I've had the pleasure of trying, plus a few more. Lately I've been on a Turkey streak. Over the least week-plus it's been WT101, RR, or RB almost every day. (One night recently I started thinking maybe I was drinking too much. I poured an Islay malt -- got through the whole evening on only one pour. ) Before that, it was mainly Jim Beam -- black lable, KC and Booker's -- with an occasional ER SB, Hirsch (VW) 13 y/o rye and Buffalo Trace.

On a side note, I did some arithmetic based on your consumption and arrived at about three drinks/day as the average. That's what I'd guess I average, and yet it seems like I hardly ever empty a bottle (although I can recall a few times when I've emptied two or three in a sort span).

Counting unopened bottles, and adding in the non-bourbon bottlings, I have about 60 bottles in various states of fullness. I had thought that was several years' supply for me. I'm mildly shocked to realize that it's only about a year's worth.

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield

[SSBourbon1]

The only bottles I have not yet openned in my collection are

Pappy 23yr

AH Hirsch 20 yr

Distiller's Master Piece 20 year (I know there is some debate on this one)

ER 17 yr

I have about 35 other bottles open. I just go with with what the mood is for the night and pour a drink. I have not yet decided on a favorite because the ones I really like are the very expensive ones that I know I'll likely never get again caus I like to get the bottles. I hope that this doesn't sound like heresy but I have some bottle that I won't take a drink from for several months, not because I don't like them, just cause I don't get around to it. Some bottles I have had for several years cause I keep finding new ones.

[ratcheer]

I don't have many open, right now. Let's see: Blanton's, Kentucky Spirit, Old Forester Birthday, Old Grand Dad 114, OGD 86, and Rare Breed. I think that's all.

Unopened in the "bunker", I have several bottles of OFBB, one Kentucky Spirit, one Rare Breed, one WT101, and one OGD 86. If I actually dug in, I might find one or two other goodies.

Not near as much as most of y'all, but a lot more than my wife would like to see.

Tim

[Black85L98]

I keep six to ten bottles on hand. I change it up as I buy when I'm out of state. I try to make sure I have EC 12YO, Ancient Age, WT and OF the others go slower and cost more. Stag, OFBB, EWSB, ERSB, OGD 114, BT. I started to collect once and decided it would be a shame if I got hit by a truck and my wifes new friend would drink all my bourbon. All my replacement is going to get is a bunch of open bottles and I hope most of them are damn near empty.

[bobbyc]

All my replacement is going to get is a bunch of open bottles and I hope most of them are damn near empty

What about the 'Vette? Do you have a collection of Craftsman tools?

Lets hope you both make it to a ripe old age, Rick!

<font color="red"> Good God Give Peter Frampton Some </font>

[Buckky]

In no particular order since Jan '03:

Stagg

Weller Centennial

VanWinkle Rye 13

Elmer T. Lee

Blanton's

Old Forester 86

Old Forester 100

Ancient Ancient Age 10 Year

Ancient Ancient Age 10 Star

Buffalo Trace

McAfee's Benchmark

Sazarac Rye 18

WT 80

WT 101

Rare Breed

Maker's Mark

Jim Beam Black

Evan Williams 7

Evan Williams SB 90

Elijah Craig

Booker's

Basil Hayden's

Baker's

Knob Creek

Jim Beam Rye

Kentucky Tavern

Jack Daniels 7

Gentleman Jack

George Dickel 12

Bulleit

Woodford Reserve

Old Fitzgerald 1849

Old Grand Dad

Some of these have been pints or even half pints...I frequently buy small the first time if the reviews here on SB have been mixed. Only one I would never buy again...the Ky Tavern, and it was a "gift"...several others were "thin", and while not frequent purchases I would gladly take in a pinch....but of all of these, I could buy only the Buffalo Trace whiskeys and be a happy man. (well, add Woodford and Old Forester)....the ones I have not tried and can't wait to taste are any Birthday Bourbon, ER17, Weller 12, VOB, 1792,Kentucky Spirit and any additional VanWinkle...a mighty strong list in itself.(apparently I have missed my chance for Weller 18)

[bobbyc]

A trip to Ky might yield a Weller Antique Collection. No idea where to look , High rent side of some town. It's nice, others here like it more than I do. When I had the chance I only bunkered 1 bottle , so I have 1-1/2, if I never get any more of that. I wouldn't leave Stagg or Birthday Bourbon in the store for it. For what it's worth $0.02.

<font color="brown"> Good God Give Ray Price Some </font>

[gr8erdane]

I just can't imagine bunkering bottles myself. I'm like a kid coming home from the toy store in that once the door shuts in the house, I just have to open it up. Currently I have on my bar's shelves:

Pappy Van Winkle 20 yr

Hirsch 16 yr

Bookers

Woodford Reserve

Jefferson Reserve

Rock Hill Farms

Blantons

Wathens

Elmer T Lee

Knob Creek

WT101

ORVW 10/90

Buffalo Trace

Old Whiskey River

Peter Jakes

WT RB

Each has a place and time, and only a couple are less than half full. As far as I'm concerned, when they put me in the ground, I'm leaving all my stock to three friends. Two of them get to split the bourbon, the third gets everything else (mainly because he ran over my dog).

[Buckky]

How could I forget that Hirsch 16 was one I have had!! and Wathen's is one I want to definately try. Ezra 15 also interests me as well.

[doubleblank]

Your arthmetic is dead on.....I probably average two drinks a day....some of the consumption was with my bourbon lovin friends. One other note....when I have two pours in an evening, I usually have two different bourbons. I'm not sure why, but I seem to enjoy comparing the two bourbons to each other. Last night it was EB15yo followed by the 2003 ER17yo (which is my current, if expensive, favorite).

Regarding bunkering, I have set back some EWSB 93 for comaring to the 94 when released, same for the 2002 ER17yo. I have a Black Maple Hills 14yo I haven't opened...guess I'm waiting for the Texans to get to the Super Bowl LOL. Anyway....it seems most of us like to drink a variety of bourbons and we don't focus on a couple of favorites.

DoubleBlank

[jeff]

and yet it seems like I hardly ever empty a bottle

Dave, there was a while when I was thinking the exact same thing, almost like my bottles were bottomless. But then the time came when I looked out across my collection only to discover I had about 15 bottles with only 1 or 2 drinks left in them. That was a bad day for my wallet

[Blackkeno]

Is "Prichards" a Tennessee whisky, a blend (based on Tennessee whisky?), or a bourbon?

[TNbourbon]

I've had a little trouble coming by info about the Prichards' bourbon -- the producer only distills rum (from Louisiana sugar cane molasses) and went into business on that basis. My understanding is he buys bourbon stock already in barrels. He calls his bourbon (NOT Tennessee whiskey) 'double barreled' because he rebarrels it after dilution from barrel proof for a time before bottling. It is bottled at 90 proof at nine years old.

The distillery is located in Kelso, Tennessee, a little 'wide-spot-in-the-road' community in rural mid-southern Tennessee, not many miles north of Huntsville, Ala.

Its website looks like it hasn't been updated for a while, and only discusses his rum, but is mildly interesting.

Prichards' Distillery

[Black85L98]

All my replacement is going to get is a bunch of open bottles and I hope most of them are damn near empty

What about the 'Vette? Do you have a collection of Craftsman tools?

Lets hope you both make it to a ripe old age, Rick!

<font color="red"> Good God Give Peter Frampton Some </font>

Crap, never thought of that stuff. Pool table, Guns, Bass Boat and lots of books too, think he would wear my suits?

Hope I'm here for a few more good years.

Please do give Frampton some. Put me back in my 73 Pontiac Sprint with my 8 track and Jensen Triax speakers. I'm in ............ Click, Click .............. you you're in me.