Bourbon Suggestions?

[PhantomLamb]

I'm trying to make my way through various bourbons before moving over into ryes, any suggestions?  I've tried quite a few, not sure if it would be helpful listing them all?  I live in Pittsburgh which doesn't offer the best selection since we are a controlled state.  However, my work takes me to Louisville, KY just about every other month, right outside of Whisky Row.  Any thoughts/opinions are much appreciated!

 

Thanks,

[JCwhammie]

What bourbons do you enjoy? 

 

I’d start with the standards from the major distilleries: Elijah Craig, Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey 101, Four Roses Small Batch, Makers 46, Woodford Reserve, Knob Creek, Old Grand Dad BiB. 

People first getting into Bourbon tend to really like Angel’s Envy since it’s very easy to drink. I feel it’s overpriced for what it is. 

Once you try these and figure out what you really enjoy you can start branching out.  

[kevinbrink]

I agree with the comment above, what I will also add are two notes 1. Buying pours at bars and smaller sized bottles (50 ml, 200 ml, and 375 ml) are both good ways of trying more variety with less investment. 2. There have been many threads on here about this subject which you could find using the search box and searching for beginner bourbon, lots of good insight in those threads that should help you on your journey.

[Curtis Reed]

Wild Turkey 101, Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Four Roses Small Batch and Eagle Rare are a few really good bourbons for the money. I also like Old Forester Signature 100 proof but a lot of people don’t care for it so much. If you want to try a readily available inexpensive wheater, pick up a bottle of Larceny.


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[PhantomLamb]

26 minutes ago, JCwhammie said:

What bourbons do you enjoy? 

 

I’d start with the standards from the major distilleries: Elijah Craig, Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey 101, Four Roses Small Batch, Makers 46, Woodford Reserve, Knob Creek, Old Grand Dad BiB. 

People first getting into Bourbon tend to really like Angel’s Envy since it’s very easy to drink. I feel it’s overpriced for what it is. 

Once you try these and figure out what you really enjoy you can start branching out.  

I feel like this has been kind of difficult for me to answer as I still don't think my palate is as trained to pick up the different flavors in bourbon.  I've gone through all the major distillers (the ones you mentioned and a few others), I guess that's kind of why I'm confused on where to go next?  I lean heavily towards Old Forester Signature as my go to and all of the Jim Beam Small Batch are also favorites.  Not sure if this helps?  

[The Black Tot]

What kevinbrink said. Start with miniatures, and find the ones you like the best, then buy 750s of those.

 

All you have to do is concentrate and pay attention to what you're nosing and tasting, and your palate will train itself while you're not looking. The majority of the progress will happen in your first year or two.

 

After that year or two, try a bar pour or another miniature of the ones you thought you didn't like at the start.

[Curtis Reed]

35 minutes ago, PhantomLamb said:

I feel like this has been kind of difficult for me to answer as I still don't think my palate is as trained to pick up the different flavors in bourbon.  I've gone through all the major distillers (the ones you mentioned and a few others), I guess that's kind of why I'm confused on where to go next?  I lean heavily towards Old Forester Signature as my go to and all of the Jim Beam Small Batch are also favorites.  Not sure if this helps?  

If you have already tried most of those and want to move up, go to some higher proofs or barrel proofs. OF1920, ECBP, Bookers, WT Rate Breed, KCSB, and Stagg Jr (if you can find it)

Edited April 23, 2018 by Curtis Reed

[Marekv8]

My advice would be to walk into a bar and ask for a guy named Thomas H Handy and get it over with.

[PhantomLamb]

14 minutes ago, Curtis Reed said:

If you have already tried most of those and want to move up, go to some higher proofs or barrel proofs. OF1920, ECBP, Bookers, WT Rate Breed, KCSB, and Stagg Jr (if you can find it)

Booker's and OF1920 are also favorites.  I guess I'm just hunting for some other odds and ends of bourbon especially since I'm traveling through Kentucky a lot and PA selection is limited.

[Harry in WashDC]

34 minutes ago, Marekv8 said:

My advice would be to walk into a bar and ask for a guy named Thomas H Handy and get it over with.

And after the bartender stops laughing and gets up off the floor, say "No, thanks" when he offers you Michter's at $15 a 2 ounce shot.

[Harry in WashDC]

27 minutes ago, PhantomLamb said:

Booker's and OF1920 are also favorites.  I guess I'm just hunting for some other odds and ends of bourbon especially since I'm traveling through Kentucky a lot and PA selection is limited.

Here's a thing to try -- When it's late at night and you are trapped, alone, in yet one more hotel room, break out your Booker's AND your KC, and pour about an ounce of each in separate glasses from the bathroom.  Let them sit about five minutes.  Sip one (SMALL SIP) and think about what you are tasting.  Sip the other (SMALL SIP) and think about what you are tasting AND what's the same and what's different.  Hotter?  Sweeter?  Woodier? Spicier?  Fruitier?  Don't try to figure out if it's say, more lemony than orangy or WHAT kind of wood your are tasting.  The NEXT night, while it is still raining, pick the one you liked best from the first night and do the same comparison with a new bourbon you aren't familiar with.  Try to remember the sames and the differences.  Do this side by side comparison whenever you remember to.  It even works if you drink one bourbon for a week or so then switch to another - memory is a wonderful thing.  As TBT said, this journey to sort of automatically teasing out the sames and the differences takes awhile to develop.  The nice thing about practice with bourbon instead of, say, practice with the piano, is: bourbon practice has immediate benefits.

[rjg1701]

Before crossing the line into proper rye whiskey, rye forward bourbons may be a good introduction. 

 

Wild Turkey 101 is a rye heavy recipe that is very friendly for beginners.  Ancient Age is young and a little harsh, but the most readily available expression of Buffalo Trace Mashbill #2 (rye heavy).   Old Grand-dad is a favorite rye heavy bourbon, most here will recommend the Bottled-in-Bond expression. 

Two 'light' rye whiskey options are Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye and the relatively new Jack Daniel's Rye.

 

[Jav]

I think Rittenhouse Rye BIB also uses a barely legal rye recipe (51% rye).  And It's a fantastic rye whiskey at a great price point (usually around $24 around me).

[Mako254]

2 minutes ago, Harry in WashDC said:

Here's a thing to try -- When it's late at night and you are trapped, alone, in yet one more hotel room, break out your Booker's AND your KC, and pour about an ounce of each in separate glasses from the bathroom.  Let them sit about five minutes.  Sip one (SMALL SIP) and think about what you are tasting.  Sip the other (SMALL SIP) and think about what you are tasting AND what's the same and what's different.  Hotter?  Sweeter?  Woodier? Spicier?  Fruitier?  Don't try to figure out if it's say, more lemony than orangy or WHAT kind of wood your are tasting.  The NEXT night, while it is still raining, pick the one you liked best from the first night and do the same comparison with a new bourbon you aren't familiar with.  Try to remember the sames and the differences.  Do this side by side comparison whenever you remember to.  It even works if you drink one bourbon for a week or so then switch to another - memory is a wonderful thing.  As TBT said, this journey to sort of automatically teasing out the sames and the differences takes awhile to develop.  The nice thing about practice with bourbon instead of, say, practice with the piano, is: bourbon practice has immediate benefits.

1.  Phantom, welcome aboard. A great bunch of folks here that are willing to share. I enjoy it. 

 

2. If you have tried 1920 and Bookers AND like barrel proof AND you want something on the rye side, I’d highly recommend Four Roses single barrel if you haven’t already. Four Roses utilizes 10 recipes and releases about 50 barrels a month at cask strength. These are a real treat. 

 

3. Harry, I believe that is called ‘pair wise comparison’ and I used in my days as a BBQ judge. I haven’t done that with bourbon before but will start now. 

[PhantomLamb]

8 minutes ago, Mako254 said:

1.  Phantom, welcome aboard. A great bunch of folks here that are willing to share. I enjoy it. 

 

2. If you have tried 1920 and Bookers AND like barrel proof AND you want something on the rye side, I’d highly recommend Four Roses single barrel if you haven’t already. Four Roses utilizes 10 recipes and releases about 50 barrels a month at cask strength. These are a real treat. 

 

3. Harry, I believe that is called ‘pair wise comparison’ and I used in my days as a BBQ judge. I haven’t done that with bourbon before but will start now. 

1. Thanks!

2. I actually have a bottle, it's wonderful.  

3. I've done that before but don't think I was able to accurately pick out the differences as much as I would have liked.

 

Thanks,

[Charlutz]

27 minutes ago, rjg1701 said:

Wild Turkey 101 is a rye heavy recipe that is very friendly for beginners.  Ancient Age is young and a little harsh, but the most readily available expression of Buffalo Trace Mashbill #2 (rye heavy).   

 

 

Except that neither of those mashbills are rye heavy. I’ll give you that WT has a strong taste of rye, but the mashbill is a relatively low 13% rye. As for BT mash no 2. they don’t publicly release mashbill info but it’s estimated to be 12-15% rye. And it doesn’t taste very rye like, at least to me. I believe it’s referred to as high rye only in comparison to BT no. 1 which is believed to be <10%. It would be like calling Four Roses E recipes at 20% “low rye.”

 

I didn’t do an exhaustive search but here’s a quick reference. http://bourbonr.com/blog/mash-bill-break/ 

 

I’m still relatively new to this hobby and will defer if an actual knowledgeable person can do better than my google.  

[rjg1701]

I mention Wild Turkey as either the label or the website specifically mentions extra rye for the flavor.  

 

Regarding BT Mash Bill #2, yes, it is only the high rye recipe in comparison to Mash Bill #1. In most cases unless a distiller has only one recipe (or MGP/4 Roses who have many), they will have a regular bourbon and a high rye bourbon, and the term would be used colloquially to describe in comparison to the same distiller's other products.  I probably misspoke with the word 'heavy'.

[Harry in WashDC]

5 hours ago, PhantomLamb said:

1. Thanks!

2. I actually have a bottle, it's wonderful.  

3. I've done that before but don't think I was able to accurately pick out the differences as much as I would have liked.

 

Thanks,

RE: #3 - Never give up.  Experience is not gained overnight.  Plus, if you keep practicing, you get to drink lots of good bourbon - win win win.  OTOH, we each have different palates.  So if you find something you like but can't figure out "why", don't over-analyze; just enjoy.  The "why" will come eventually, maybe.  And if it doesn't, well, I can think of worse things than enjoying something and never knowing "why" I enjoy it.

 

ASIDE - Watching "Vera" on PBS.  Forgive the philosophy; I'm sipping on JB BIB neat, and the bottom of this bottle (open three weeks) is wonderful.

[PhantomLamb]

One thing I have found that helped is letting it sit for about 10-15 before drinking.  It takes some of the edge off.  Also, I've tried to warm the glass with my hands to get it to room temp.  To me, call me crazy, it opens the whisky up quite a bit and brings different profiles to each sip.  Maybe I'm drinking too much...

[Eggman]

Howdy,

 

 My favorite mid-shelf Bourbon is Old Forester signature ($28 + TT&L in my area). It's a 100 proof Bourbon with fantastic Rye spice.

[Kane]

On 4/23/2018 at 1:48 PM, PhantomLamb said:

I live in Pittsburgh which doesn't offer the best selection since we are a controlled state.

Pittsburgh you say... You are blessed with an awesome speakeasy. Head to Acacia (South Side) and sample as many half pours as you can at very sane prices.

[PhantomLamb]

21 hours ago, Kane said:

Pittsburgh you say... You are blessed with an awesome speakeasy. Head to Acacia (South Side) and sample as many half pours as you can at very sane prices.

Will check it out, thanks for the suggestion!  We have been getting a lot of good eats/microbreweries lately.  It's a cool place.

[Old Hippie]

For a change of pace try a Michter's Unblended American. I know there are some who don't care for the brand and that's fine but the unblended American is a neat whiskey. Instead of aging in new oak, the distillate goes into wet barrels right after they dump the Bourbon and the 10 yr Bourbon. Eliminates some of the oak and oak spice flavors.