Restaurant Bourbon List What Would You Get

[HoustonNit]

^Totally agree on Blanton's way over priced. Seen it at other places for half the price.

W12 relatively easy to find in Houston, I have three bottles.

Taylor BP and ECBP are hard to find leaning towards one of these.

Thinking about the OF1920 it's highly recommended. It's easily found here but thinking not a bad idea to try before buying.

Likely pass on the Bookers I can find it for $51 a bottle down the street.

[namadio]

Are they trying to insinuate how to order it based on the little icons with a glass being neat, 1 rock, on the rocks, etc.?  Vehemently disagree with those recommendations

[HoustonNit]

^Did not notice until you mentioned it. That's crazy imagine $300 on a glass of Pappy and it came with ice. Can't imagine spending on a glass of anything but would definitely flip if it came with ice.

[Kpiz]

Interesting that they have the Cyril Zangs cider. That's the first time I've seen it anywhere in the U.S. and it is supposed to be fantastic.

 

As for bourbon, the WT Diamond Anniversary is priced well compared to bottle price. I tend to prefer lower proof spirits while I'm eating (it's 91 proof), so that one may work well.

[DonutsNBourbon]

so anything on that list you've never had before?  I'd start from there and see.  I do like to go to places that have nice bourbon lists and try things I've never had before, especially if it's decently priced.  I know, you do run into Joe's problem of liking something you can never find again, but at least you would've gotten to try it.

 

if you're looking for best deals... ECBP, Booker's, EHTBP, ETL, 1792SB and OF1920 are probably the best values in my eyes.

[ebo]

Quote

Also do people really pay $297 for a pour of Pappy?  

Lol..... I wouldn't pay $297 for the bottle!

[jvd99]

Personally, I'd try the Bookers Rye.  For a sure thing, Balvenie 30 is one of the best things you'll ever drink IMO

[kwshannon]

CEHTBP, seems like a reasonable price, and would enjoy trying that after having the small batch.

[OldFitzWithTheGoldLabel]

Personally, I'd try the Bookers Rye.  For a sure thing, Balvenie 30 is one of the best things you'll ever drink IMO

I missed the Booker's Rye. For a high dollar pour, that is what I would get (although I could never see spending $80 for a pour of anything). A pour of Booker's Rye at the 21c here in town costs around $150 an ounce. If somebody wanted to buy me an expensive pour, I'd try that.

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[HoustonNit]

^Booker's is well outside my comfort zone for a buy.

[BottledInBond]

I boycott places that list false information. Sazerac is not a 6 year age stated rye but they list it as such.... I hate it when places do stuff like that

 

Personally I think OF1920 and RY10 are newer, somewhat unique, and generally highly regarded pours for somewhat decent prices. 

 

If if I was going to pony up for a splurge pour it would be Booker's Rye. I love the stuff, once it's gone it's gone, and it's way better than Pappy pricing. Regardless of pricing, it's a better beverage than any current vintage of Pappy hands down, IMHO.

 

How is Blantons $8 more for a 2OZ pour than Rock Hill Farms? That doesn't make sense to me. Nor does their OGD114 pricing, amongst other confusing items.

 

All that said, at least they make some nice pours available. I've certainly also seen worse pricing before across the board. 

[PaulO]

I say ECBP; a very tastey barrel proof pour you can make last.

I also like the idea of trying hard/impossible to find items (if price isn't crazy).

[Charlutz]

13 hours ago, BottledInBond said:

I boycott places that list false information. Sazerac is not a 6 year age stated rye but they list it as such.... I hate it when places do stuff like that

 

I don't feel it's so strongly off base. Definitely not false. While baby saz does not say 6 year on the label, the sazerac website says it's 6 years old. That's good enough for me to believe it.  BT has been extremely accurate in their labeling as we've seen with the removal of the eagle rare single barrel designation for a technicality. I trust BT and I don't knock the restaurant for trusting BT. 

 

 

[BottledInBond]

2 hours ago, Charlutz said:

 

I don't feel it's so strongly off base. Definitely not false. While baby saz does not say 6 year on the label, the sazerac website says it's 6 years old. That's good enough for me to believe it.  BT has been extremely accurate in their labeling as we've seen with the removal of the eagle rare single barrel designation for a technicality. I trust BT and I don't knock the restaurant for trusting BT. 

 

 

I don't want to sound harsh but I can't possibly disagree more with defense of Sazerac's labeling practices. They may label some products accurately but there are many deceptive practices they still use. They are currently dealing with a lawsuit over misleading labeling practices. And it's not just one product, its a whole bunch of them. The Old Charter line is specifically listed in the lawsuit but they also leave an 8 on Benchmark labels, they leave a 6 on Barton bottles, Ancient Ancient Age 10 Star, etc. and those are not age statements at all,  they are pretty clearly trying to trick unknowing consumers, in my opinion. When a company is broadly scandalous with labeling practices I can't help but question why the bottle doesn't have an age statement for the Sazerac Rye, there has to be a reason for that and they have earned an assumption of guilt until they get rid of all the other shenanigans. 

 

We we all want to bash Templeton for their labeling crap, including me, but people seem to give Sazerac brands a pass for some reason I don't understand. Rant over......

 

[flahute]

1 hour ago, BottledInBond said:

I don't want to sound harsh but I can't possibly disagree more with defense of Sazerac's labeling practices. They may label some products accurately but there are many deceptive practices they still use. They are currently dealing with a lawsuit over misleading labeling practices. And it's not just one product, its a whole bunch of them. The Old Charter line is specifically listed in the lawsuit but they also leave an 8 on Benchmark labels, they leave a 6 on Barton bottles, Ancient Ancient Age 10 Star, etc. and those are not age statements at all,  they are pretty clearly trying to trick unknowing consumers, in my opinion. When a company is broadly scandalous with labeling practices I can't help but question why the bottle doesn't have an age statement for the Sazerac Rye, there has to be a reason for that and they have earned an assumption of guilt until they get rid of all the other shenanigans. 

 

We we all want to bash Templeton for their labeling crap, including me, but people seem to give Sazerac brands a pass for some reason I don't understand. Rant over......

 

But should you be boycotting a bar that lists the whiskey as 6 years old because that's what the Sazerac website says it is? Your axe is more with BT it seems.

[Enoch]

I actually seldom order whiskey out unless it is a truly unique find (like the Pappy 17 year single barrel at West End tavern in Boulder...i mention it now because it is all gone) at a reasonable price ($18 for a 1.5 oz pour) because they rarely have anything I don't have, haven't already tried, or don't want to try. And often at a ridiculous mark-up (recently $40 for ETL...sh*t that's more than I pay for a bottle). I do sometimes get a Manhattan because I like to experience the different takes on this drink. But usually I get wine or beer (craft only).

[Enoch]

33 minutes ago, flahute said:

But should you be boycotting a bar that lists the whiskey as 6 years old because that's what the Sazerac website says it is? Your axe is more with BT it seems.

I agree but have found it is usually a case where they don't know any better and are using information from old menus. As I recall baby Saz used to say 6 years. I often point it out but usually find no one really cares unless it is a specific bourbon bar. As far as putting numbers on a bottle to mislead, they have been doing that for years. Beam's Choice went from 8 years old to Old No. 8 in the 70s and Wild Turkey did the same in the 90s. It's marketing, like reducing the amount of candy in a box but leaving it in the same size box. I do look at bottles carefully now when I know the are switching over. Been fooled more than once. JMHO

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[BottledInBond]

41 minutes ago, flahute said:

But should you be boycotting a bar that lists the whiskey as 6 years old because that's what the Sazerac website says it is? Your axe is more with BT it seems.

The boycott the restaurant comment was firmly tounge in cheek, which is why I continued my original post to comment on the original point of the thread (what I would get there. 

 

My my personal preference is that stores and bars not list an age statement for a product that does not have an age statement on the actual bottle. I don't think this place is trying to be shady. But yeah I certainly have some opinions on BT's labeling practices.......

[flahute]

13 minutes ago, Enoch said:

I actually seldom order whiskey out unless it is a truly unique find (like the Pappy 17 year single barrel at West End tavern in Boulder...i mention it now because it is all gone) at a reasonable price ($18 for a 1.5 oz pour) because they rarely have anything I don't have, haven't already tried, or don't want to try. And often at a ridiculous mark-up (recently $40 for ETL...sh*t that's more than I pay for a bottle). I do sometimes get a Manhattan because I like to experience the different takes on this drink. But usually I get wine or beer (craft only).

I'm with you. My home bar is better stocked than most bars in town so like you I have no reason to overpay for something unless it's truly unique or one of the few I don't have or have very little of. Even then, I look for relative values such as the Van Winkle Rye for the $20something a pour I found a while back.

If I'm out and there's nothing special but I'm feeling like a pour I'll go basic such as Knob Creek, BT, or WT101. Whichever has the single digit price.

[kevinbrink]

I would think my most common pours when I'm out have been KCSB or Bookers based mostly on the fact that most places don't gouge on Beam products. The plus is I don't buy every batch of Bookers so like KCSB usually it's in at least some small way not something I have at home.

[OldFitzWithTheGoldLabel]

When I get pours at restaurants, I generally order something that is either difficult to find, from a bottle that is priced higher than I would ever pay for a full bottle, or a very good deal compared to other pours on the menu.

The last two restaurant pours I had were 1792 FP (with a fried shrimp po' boy) and Very Special Old Fitzgerald 12 year (with filet mignon). I also got a Manhattan made with CEHT (although I don't think the CEHT shined through enough).

If there are some bourbons on the list that you can't find in stores and you are comfortable with the price, I'd try one or two or three. I look forward to reading (and maybe seeing) what you pick to drink (and to eat too, as I love looking at food porn).

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Edited March 18, 2017 by OldFitzWithTheGoldLabel

[Clueby]

I get nervous when I get above that $15-$20 per pour price that I'm actually getting what the bottle label says. Too many stories of Pappy bottles being refilled with OWA or W12, etc.  I've witnessed some bottles that never seem to change level over long periods of time.

Sorry to be a debbie downer on what sounds like a really good night out!

[HoustonNit]

Well everyone this thread ended up being way more active than I anticipated. I ended up going with ETL to start off. Was going to end the meal with a barrel strength EC or CEHT. I ended up going with the Rebel Yell 10, interesting timing as it looks thee might of been a new release. Really like the ETL even more than I thought. I actually ended up at a bar for a night cap that had Blanton's for half the price of this place. It would be nice to have them SBS but felt like the ETL was very similar to Blanton's but much better.

Meal was great much better than anticipated, best that we've had in years since our favorite restaurant closed.

We sat at there raw bar, the head chef/ part owner/ bourbon nerd was there most of the time we there I had a few words with him. He has four bourbon distributors. I might of had too much and told him I didn't like his other restaurant, not smart thing to say to a guy who looks like a retired right guard. Really liked him and his staff, they weren't uptight or trying to be cool or whatever like a lot of these places and most important food was awesome.

[JoeTerp]

19 hours ago, Clueby said:

I get nervous when I get above that $15-$20 per pour price that I'm actually getting what the bottle label says. Too many stories of Pappy bottles being refilled with OWA or W12, etc.  I've witnessed some bottles that never seem to change level over long periods of time.

Sorry to be a debbie downer on what sounds like a really good night out!

Well if they're charging $300 a pour I wouldn't expect the full level to change all that much. 

 

I do do get your point though. You always have to trust that you're getting what you pay for. 

Edited March 19, 2017 by JoeTerp

[HoustonNit]

Forgot to post a pic of the bar.