Most Overrated Bourbons?

[Clueby]

All you W12 haters can ship your bottles to me! I love the stuff.

I think its a better pour than most $35 bottles out there and even with some $50 bottles.  I've also tried some pretty expensive stuff that was terrible. 0895's assessment of EC18 is cracking me up too!

I really like ETL as well and have (recently) dropped $50 on a bottle nut just because if I want it to taste/drink, thats the price of admission. I agree there is other stuff better at that price..but its not the SAME. 

With all that being said, I'm not spending $100 on W12 or ETL or $300 on ORVW.

[Caskstrength]

Any Van Winkle.

 

Does not have anywhere near enough complexity to justify the price.

[musekatcher]

20 hours ago, flahute said:

It's always useful on threads like these to indicate if you think its overrated here or out in greater bourbonia. JB White was mentioned above. Nobody here goes on about that one.

 

 

I guess I look at sales, and price for everything available.   For the same or less money, I'd rather enjoy VOB, EWBIB, Benchmark, and maybe a couple others, than JB white.  But perhaps JB and JD don't belong, because those consumers aren't buying bourbon, but are buying utility grade whiskey (still very overpriced) without knowing it, and wouldn't dare be seen with a "cheaper" brand ;).   So I'll withdraw those, and submit OGDBIB and KCSB.  Both fine bourbons, but might fair better at fewer sheckles per fifth. 

[BDanner]

Three that I just don't get the hype over...

 

1. Eagle Rare 10

2. Smooth Ambler Old Scout 7yr

3. Bulleit

[kjbeggs]

Based on  retail prices (Pretty much anything going for crazy secondary prices could be mentioned here):

Willett Pot Still -I just don't get it

Angel's Envy -Meh (Though I do like the Cask Strength)

EC 21,23... (EC 12 was one of my favorite pours though)

 

I think Eagle Rare is kinda' average, though I've had some really great store picks.

Same with Bulleit, though I really like their Barrel strength offering. Don't really care for the 10 YO though.

I've had some phenomenal SAOS single barrel picks too, though their standard offerings just seem a little bland by comparison.

I really love ETL, so can't say it's overhyped, just too hard to find, and usually overpriced now.

 

 

 

[Dgriffin]

I would have to say BT, MM, and JB white label.

[dcbt]

I feel like we are confusing value with rating.  When something is over-rated (or under-rated, or properly rated, for that matter), price isn't the consideration.  (That would be value.)  Think about it - we say, "Tom Brady is overrated, it's all Belichick, every backup wins when Tom is out."  We DON"T say, "Tom Brady is overrated, he gets paid $14M when anyone could do that job."  Similarly, we say, "Keanu Reaves is overrated, he's easily the worst actor in the modern film era."  We don't say, "Keanu Reaves is overrated, he makes $14M per film, I could do better than him and I wouldn't ask for half that!"

 

So while there are a lot of thoughts about whether or not something is overpriced in this thread, I don't think that really get to the core of its 'rating.'  (Yes, I realize the OP did mention our underrated or value pours, though.)  But I guess to me, it seems if we are to be consistent, something is overrated if we think it's not nearly as good as everyone else thinks.  Not living up to the hype in other words, which some people HAVE identified in this thread.

Edited February 20, 2017 by dcbt

[flahute]

^^^^^^I would agree with this.

[musekatcher]

3 minutes ago, dcbt said:

I feel like we are confusing value with rating.  When something is over-rated (or under-rated, or properly rated, for that matter), price isn't the consideration.  (That would be value.)  Think about it - we say, "Tom Brady is overrated, it's all Belichick, every backup wins when Tom is out."  We DON"T say, "Tom Brady is overrated, he gets paid $14M when anyone could do that job."  Similarly, we say, "Keanu Reaves is overrated, he's easily the worst actor in the modern film era."  We don't say, "Keanu Reaves is overrated, he makes $14M per film, I could do better than him and I wouldn't ask for half that!"

 

So while there are a lot of thoughts about whether or not something is overpriced in this thread, I don't think that really get to the core of its 'rating.'  (Yes, I realize the OP did mention our underrated or value pours, though.)  But I guess to me, it seems if we are to be consistent, something is overrated if we think it's not nearly as good as everyone else thinks.  Not living up to the hype in other words, which some people HAVE identified in this thread.

 

I guess I feel the opposite, a $15 BIB can be under-rated, but at $40 the same stuff is over-rated, "rated" meaning measured by comparison.   But, to your point, there may be a general rating ignoring price that could point to some overrated products.  The worlds single largest selling whiskey sells an order of magnitude more than about any other American whiskey.   So its most likely over-rated thru wildly successful marketing, and not because its a superior product.   I think you are advocating a blind test rating, so you can't see what it is, nor what it costs. 

 

PS - your Keanu Reeves analogy is slightly flawed.  Guys don't go to movies to see him act.  And neither do gals. 

[garbanzobean]

Do we really have to define what overrated means?  Are the Malt Maniacs and Friends invading straightbourbon or something?  Regardless, I think it is fairly difficult to disassociate hype and cost in the present bourbon economy.  The more heavily hyped releases tend to get priced accordingly.  And maybe vice versa.

 

But fair enough, I'll bite.  I think ECBP tastes like a bunch of sugar cubes soaked in corn syrup and oak chips.  I don't understand why it is so strongly loved.  Conversely, Stagg Jr tastes like fresh mountain air and bourbon pecan brownies.  Which is a bit self-referential, because the brownies could be made with Stagg Jr.  The important thing is that this equation works out quite equitably for me, even if I am eventually going to fall into infinite reflections someday.

[Whiskeythink.com]

One's rating can be related to both price & taste. I would rate VOB BIB highly because the taste to value ratio is high. But its also not a bourbon that is hyped. Possibly because its too inexpensive for the percieved tastemakers to holler about, possibly because it may be less available, possibly because its not sexy, or maybe because it doesnt drink like many $50 bottles. Its also not overpriced. So I feel theres a difference between over-rated, over-hyped, and over-priced. Pappy is a bourbon that may be accurately rated but over-hyped & over-priced, whereas WT101 is a bourbon that is accurately rated, but under-hyped & under-priced.

[JTaylor]

1 hour ago, garbanzobean said:

Do we really have to define what overrated means?  Are the Malt Maniacs and Friends invading straightbourbon or something?  Regardless, I think it is fairly difficult to disassociate hype and cost in the present bourbon economy.  The more heavily hyped releases tend to get priced accordingly.  And maybe vice versa.

 

But fair enough, I'll bite.  I think ECBP tastes like a bunch of sugar cubes soaked in corn syrup and oak chips.  I don't understand why it is so strongly loved.  Conversely, Stagg Jr tastes like fresh mountain air and bourbon pecan brownies.  Which is a bit self-referential, because the brownies could be made with Stagg Jr.  The important thing is that this equation works out quite equitably for me, even if I am eventually going to fall into infinite reflections someday.

 

Well there are several ways to "Rate" a bourbon, Taste is one, and Value is yet another (deliciousness vs. cost), but I suppose you could rate bourbon by the artistic beauty of the bottle or label, or whatever... The OP didn't really state which variable we were supposed to be judging "overratedness" by but overrated implies a subjective value which leaves price out. In my list I just considered the amount of hype certain bourbons have garnered, and shared which ones (In my mind) don't live up to the hype. 

[Nm0369]

The standard 7yr/10yr offerings from SAOS.  Not enough bang for my buck at $40/$60.  

[smokinjoe]

1 hour ago, Whiskeythink.com said:

One's rating can be related to both price & taste. I would rate VOB BIB highly because the taste to value ratio is high. But its also not a bourbon that is hyped. Possibly because its too inexpensive for the percieved tastemakers to holler about, possibly because it may be less available, possibly because its not sexy, or maybe because it doesnt drink like many $50 bottles. Its also not overpriced. So I feel theres a difference between over-rated, over-hyped, and over-priced. Pappy is a bourbon that may be accurately rated but over-hyped & over-priced, whereas WT101 is a bourbon that is accurately rated, but under-hyped & under-priced.

Putting it in place and context, I would suggest that VOB BIB is hyped here, on SB.  

[flahute]

4 hours ago, garbanzobean said:

Do we really have to define what overrated means?  

I think you kinda do when JB White and MM are listed as the same answer to the question that also results in Van Winkles And WFE releases.

Though the OP didn't define it clearly in his question, it's readily apparent by his choices what criteria he was using.

Now everyone's context is different so the guys choosing JBW and MM may have very good reasons. To me they are the answer to a different question. 

[0895]

6 hours ago, garbanzobean said:

Do we really have to define what overrated means?

 

I think it would be more fun not to.

Who cares.

I never took this as a serious thread.... just sitting back (with a glass) and enjoying all the answers.

It has been very interesting to see how different we all are.

[Kepler]

For me, how to define these kinds of fun "list" questions can be left open to individual interpretation.  Define overrated however it makes sense to you. I agree with 0895 basically. 

Reading over the responses, lots of great opinions, and good, points made on all sides.

 

[garbanzobean]

Just so we are clear, I'm with you guys.  Why take our own opinions too seriously?  For some a high price makes something overrated.  For others, listening to us SBers wax poetic makes a bourbon overrated.  Marketing departments p*ss in many of our cornflakes, it seems.  For yet others, Jim Murray defines overrated on an annual basis.  Personally I have to be careful not to roll my eyes too hard when Ralfy gets going about American whiskey, or gives a really high rating to a whiskey from a distillery he likes when it is clear that what he likes is the distillery and less so the whiskey.

Edited February 21, 2017 by garbanzobean

[Wedelstaedt]

I like these thought provoking lists. 

Once I start making up a list, I go down the rabbit hole, so to speak. 

 

Anyway,  here is my list. 

 

No no order here really. 

 

#1 RR 10yr/90 proof, rather have WT101.

 

#2 OGD 114

 

#3   The assumed superiority of store barrel picks. Many are good, a few can be awesome, but many are worse than the off the shelf bottle.  Just because a person runs a LS, doesn't make them a sensory specialist. 

 

I know I cheated on #3, but it is my list. ;-))

 

 

[JTaylor]

Reading this makes me think of Bill Clinton requesting the definition of the word "Is" 

[Richnimrod]

1 hour ago, JTaylor said:

Reading this makes me think of Bill Clinton requesting the definition of the word "Is" 

...Or asking if he might have another dampened cigar.    That experience just has to define 'overrated', no?

[jvd99]

It all depends on what the definition of "is," is 

[Guest]

9 hours ago, Wedelstaedt said:

#3   The assumed superiority of store barrel picks. Many are good, a few can be awesome, but many are worse than the off the shelf bottle.  Just because a person runs a LS, doesn't make them a sensory specialist. 

 

I know I cheated on #3, but it is my list. ;-))

 

 

Completely agree with this!  Unless you know the person who made the pick -- or you ARE the person who made the pick...  

[MTNBourbon]

For me, the BTAC lineup, especially at the prices they go for. Some more, MM, Angel's Envy.

[BDanner]

23 hours ago, BDanner said:

Three that I just don't get the hype over...

 

1. Eagle Rare 10

2. Smooth Ambler Old Scout 7yr

3. Bulleit

I was taking the original post to mean something that everyone seems to enjoy and post about that you just find "okay". Hence, my list.