Favorite Distiller?

[jsrudd]

There hasn't been a topic like this for a while (and I'm not sure if there has ever been a poll) and so I thought I would ask: Which of the large distillers is your favorite? Please vote using the above poll and feel free to comment as to why you picked a certain distillery. 

 

This is not a question of which distillery do you think is current releasing the best bourbon, but which one is your favorite. Reasons for a distiller being your favorite could include: (i) the tour is really good, (ii) you've been drinking a particular bourbon for a long time, (iii) you like the history, (iv) you believe that the current bourbon the distillery is releasing is the best, or (v) you liked a certain ad-campaign (e.g., "Give 'em the Bird!"). 

 

As you can see, I didn't include bottlers in this poll. I don't have any good reason for this. If you want to include bottlers, make your own poll. 

 

I'd also like to anticipate a few comments: 

• I know Maker's Mark is owned by Beam, but I thought I would separate it out because maintains a distinct identity.
• I know Brown-Form has a lot of distilleries, but I don't think there would be enough votes for any particular distillery of Brown-Forman to break them out. If you like Early Times, JD or Woodford (or are really excited about the new Old Forester Distillery) then vote for B-F.
• I also know that Diageo owns George Dickel, but, if I put Diageo, no one would vote for it and someone might vote for George Dickel. 

 

As for my vote, I'm voting for Wild Turkey because I absolutely love their older stuff (and the current bottles aren't too bad either). I also really respect Jimmy Russel's devotion to making bourbon the right way even with all the ownership changes. 

[Paddy]

Well it's been a few months, but here's the most recent thread...

 

https://www.straightbourbon.com/community/topic/23763-2015-distillery-of-the-year/#comment-493854

 

P. S. I'm voting for MGP!

[jsrudd]

3 minutes ago, Paddy said:

Well it's been a few months, but here's the most recent thread...

 

https://www.straightbourbon.com/community/topic/23763-2015-distillery-of-the-year/#comment-493854

 

P. S. I'm voting for MGP!

 

Thanks, for the link. I guess not much has changed in a few months! In any event, maybe a poll will get more people to participate. 

 

[chuckhammer]

I cast the first vote for Buffalo Trace, it appears.  On average, to my palate and nose, they are currently producing the best product.  On average.

 

There are so many releases from other distilleries that are great it's hard to commit to one.

[flahute]

1 hour ago, Paddy said:

Well it's been a few months, but here's the most recent thread...

 

https://www.straightbourbon.com/community/topic/23763-2015-distillery-of-the-year/#comment-493854

 

P. S. I'm voting for MGP!

Thanks for reviving this thread! Funny to go back and read my comments. Most of them still apply, but I've since then I've bought a WTMK and decided I really like it (so WT is looking better to me) and Beam certainly did decide to come out with some LE's and use that older KC though the pricing was a turnoff. 

I'm still loving 4R. There's still enough in the pipeline to keep quality at the typical high level for me.

[Richnimrod]

An interesting and related question might be 'favorite distiller' (meaning actual person, such as Eddie Russell, Jim Rutledge, et al), which is what I thought you meant before I accessed this thread.

[flahute]

3 hours ago, Richnimrod said:

An interesting and related question might be 'favorite distiller' (meaning actual person, such as Eddie Russell, Jim Rutledge, et al), which is what I thought you meant before I accessed this thread.

Ha! We think alike. I was getting ready to type in my answer of Jim Rutledge before opening the thread.

[Louisiana]

I Picked Buffalo Trace.

 

Just Real Good Stuff.

[GaryT]

This was a tough one - but I decided to base it on which distillery do I have the most bottles from (figuring my wallet has voted, right?), and landed on Four Roses.  And I can't argue with that result.  

[ethangsmith]

Beam tops the list for me with Heaven Hill, Four Roses, and Maker's Mark coming in a close second. Everything else is pretty far down the list anymore. Why Beam? Beam Black, Knob Creek, and Old Grand Dad top my list!

[squire]

Can't say that I have a favorite distiller, just favorite whiskys.

[flahute]

9 minutes ago, squire said:

Can't say that I have a favorite distiller, just favorite whiskys.

Whoever the current distiller at Beam is (the actual guy making Old Grand Dad) has to be in the running for you.

[Harry in WashDC]

3 hours ago, squire said:

Can't say that I have a favorite distiller, just favorite whiskys.

Thinking only majors here -

 

Steve (AKA Flahute) said it first.  My most consumed is OGD BIB, so that Beam person . . .

 

After reading my comments on Paddy's old thread, I think I won't change my pick of Beam/Suntory.  Of all the offerings out there, the OGD, Beam small batch selections (particularly the KCs), and Beam BIB and even JB Rye 90 hit warm spots all over me.  OTOH, HH's offerings (particularly VOB BIB6, Ritt, and Pikesville Rye 110 - not to mention EW86) are a close second (and if we could get HH BIB6yr here, . . .).  And, I didn't even get to the Jimmy/Eddie show which is well represented in my bunker.  4R?  Why bother comparing - just drink it.

 

So, like Squire, . . . 

[ethangsmith]

Very Old Barton is a product of Barton, which is owned by Sazerac. So if you like VOB (Who doesn't?), you've got at least one Sazerac/Buffalo Trace favorite in your fold.

[squire]

4 hours ago, flahute said:

Whoever the current distiller at Beam is (the actual guy making Old Grand Dad) has to be in the running for you.

Ah, no comment.

[Harry in WashDC]

19 hours ago, ethangsmith said:

Very Old Barton is a product of Barton, which is owned by Sazerac. So if you like VOB (Who doesn't?), you've got at least one Sazerac/Buffalo Trace favorite in your fold.

What was I thinking????  OF COURSE it is!  THX for keeping me straight.

[b1gcountry]

My favorite distiller is nate. He used to make moonshine in his garage and brisket in his backyard. He gave me more samples than I cared to drink. Straight from the still is not the way any alcohol should be tasted. It burned my upper lip. Literally. Like drinking way too hot coffee. I don't know how he did it.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

[jsrudd]

I want to highlight that the question doesn't ask you to vote on which distillery is making the best bourbon. Instead, it asks which is your favorite distillery (which could be the one that you think is making the best bourbon, but doesn't have to be).   

 

On 6/25/2016 at 10:04 PM, Richnimrod said:

An interesting and related question might be 'favorite distiller' (meaning actual person, such as Eddie Russell, Jim Rutledge, et al), which is what I thought you meant before I accessed this thread.

 

Yeah, that would be interesting. As I said in my previous post, one of the reasons I voted for WT is because I like Jimmy Russel. 

[Richnimrod]

1 hour ago, jsrudd said:

I want to highlight that the question doesn't ask you to vote on which distillery is making the best bourbon. Instead, it asks which is your favorite distillery (which could be the one that you think is making the best bourbon, but doesn't have to be).   

 

 

Yeah, that would be interesting. As I said in my previous post, one of the reasons I voted for WT is because I like Jimmy Russel. 

You and me both, among a great many folx I'm sure, jsrudd.    He's such an unaffected, down-to-earth guy.     ...Not to mention a fountain of information about the distilling of Bourbon... Good Bourbon!

The man is a treasure, and his baby boy, Eddie is a fine and friendly dude, as well; though he's only just beginning..... HA!

[PaulO]

I voted for Heaven Hill.  I like all their bonded whiskies.  I think ECBP and Pikesville are superb.

My next vote would go to Beam for: OGD BIB, OGD 114, and KCSB.  

[tanstaafl2]

Not sure I have a strong favorite at present as the industry continues to deal with ongoing growing pains so I tend to lean towards my past favorite of 4R for the moment until and if the change in management suggests it is having a negative impact.

 

I understand the rationale as you explained it for the grouping you chose but I think if you are including Dickel I would probably have separated JD out from B-F. It is massive, they have their own master distiller and it is pretty well separated geographically as well. It generally seems to operate as a nearly separate entity, perhaps even more so than Beam/Suntory and MM. It wouldn't be my pick though and I doubt B-F is a common top choice in this group, with or without JD. Indeed it currently is in a tie for the bottom with Dickel and MM, with a solid 0% of the votes.

[ken_mays]

I probably drink the most Beam and HH products.

[garbanzobean]

6 hours ago, tanstaafl2 said:

Not sure I have a strong favorite at present as the industry continues to deal with ongoing growing pains so I tend to lean towards my past favorite of 4R for the moment until and if the change in management suggests it is having a negative impact.

 

I understand the rationale as you explained it for the grouping you chose but I think if you are including Dickel I would probably have separated JD out from B-F. It is massive, they have their own master distiller and it is pretty well separated geographically as well. It generally seems to operate as a nearly separate entity, perhaps even more so than Beam/Suntory and MM. It wouldn't be my pick though and I doubt B-F is a common top choice in this group, with or without JD. Indeed it currently is in a tie for the bottom with Dickel and MM, with a solid 0% of the votes.

I sort of default to Four Roses because their SB and yellow label expressions are just about my favorite bourbons, but I like Heaven Hill quite a bit as well.  HH has my favorite budget friendly picks, for sure.  I was tempted to vote B-F because their Old Forester lineup holds a dear place in my heart, but Woodford and JD just aren't my thing.  I seem to have lost my taste for Beam distillate of late.  BT and WT seem to release some of my favorites, but I am becoming fairly picky about which expressions of theirs I will buy and am always a bit hesitant to try anything new from them.  I need to try WTs newer RR Rye expression, though.  Based on how good the 101 is, I am not too likely to be disappointed there.

[jsrudd]

8 hours ago, tanstaafl2 said:

I understand the rationale as you explained it for the grouping you chose but I think if you are including Dickel I would probably have separated JD out from B-F. It is massive, they have their own master distiller and it is pretty well separated geographically as well. It generally seems to operate as a nearly separate entity, perhaps even more so than Beam/Suntory and MM. It wouldn't be my pick though and I doubt B-F is a common top choice in this group, with or without JD. Indeed it currently is in a tie for the bottom with Dickel and MM, with a solid 0% of the votes.

I went through the same thought process, but ultimately decided no one was going to vote for JD and so it didn't really matter. I thought someone might vote for B-F, but I guess not. 

[mbroo5880i]

I voted for Heaven Hill because that is where most of my $ are going these days.  I think ECBP, HKM10, EC, Larceny, Pikesville, and Ritt BIB are all excellent whiskies. 

 

I could make a case for BT if their products were more readily available and more reasonably priced.  I especially like GTS, CEHT, ER10, Blanton's and the wheated bourbons, except WSR.

 

Each major distiller has a product or two that I really enjoy.