StraightBourbon Six (Final Five 'n a Rye)

[Jazzhead]

I see that some of the bourbon v-loggers on YouTube have been having fun nominating their Final Five -  the only five bourbons one really needs,  broken down into five fundamental categories:

 

- Daily drinker

- Bottle to impress a guest

- Good mixer

- Friday night pour

-  Special occasion, break-out-that-holy-bottle pour

 

I thought this would be a good game for the group,   so what's your FInal Five?   Plus,  throw in a rye because, well, just 'cuz and because it makes for good alliteration -  your StraightBourbon Six.

 

Here's mine:

 

DAILY DRINKER:   I love MGP's high rye bourbon for its classic vanilla and tobacco pipe flavors,  and the stores are suddenly awash in reasonably-priced iterations at daily-drinker prices.  Make mine a Straight Ambler Old Scout,  currently on sale at the Pennsy state stores for thirty bucks.   

 

IMPRESS A GUEST:   The one single barrel expression I care most about is the one that carries the tale that it's been picked by Jimmy or Eddie just for me -   Wlid Turkey Kentucky Spirit.   They're not all honey barrels,  but a lot of 'em are,  and I can't resist the allure of finding the perfect one.   

 

GOOD MIXER:   I think a rye is needed for best mixing results,  and what's more obvious for this duty than a rye that's got proof,  flavor,  dirt cheapness and,  cocktails aside. is perfectly sippable all by its lonesome?    WIld Turkey Rye 101

 

FRIDAY NIGHT POUR:    On Friday night when I'm listening to jazz the ticket to conjuring up 52nd Street in the forties is the curated,  barrel proof goodness of Booker's.   Currently open is Donohue's Batch,  bursting with flavor aged to that six-to-seven-year sweetspot of bourbon perfection.    

 

SPECIAL OCCASION POUR:    On a true special occasion I'd bring out an old dusty,  but I can't think of a better bourbon I've had this year than Smoke Wagon Uncut and Unfiltered.   I've got two bottles bunkered,  and one of them will be on my Thanksgiving table.  

 

BONUS RYE:   Pikesville,  the best thing that Heaven Hill does.   

[geclbxf]

Here's mine:

 

DAILY DRINKER:   Yellowstone 93.   At $30 it is very versatile.   Neat, on ice in the summer, or as a mixer, have not had a family member or guest ever turn down a second pour.   Most importantly, you can find it!

 

IMPRESS A GUEST:   Peerless - the  new double oaked.   Slightly on the pricier side, but it delivers a different  experience with the extra layer of woddiness and goodness.   Does great in a side by side or vertical too.

 

GOOD MIXER:   EC rye - they have really done this right!   Love it every time we have used it in a plethora of drinks.

 

FRIDAY NIGHT POUR:    Turn on the country music, and hit the OLD FO barrel proof picks.   

 

SPECIAL OCCASION POUR:    Booker's 30th.   Has to be a real special occasion pour - LOL.   Runner up would be Four Roses limited edition 30th anniversary.

 

BONUS RYE:   Just picked up a store pick in Indiana of a French Lick rye - orange curaco finish.   Oh wow is it good!

 

Somehow I ended up craft heavy, not a bad thing.   Also no BT (not deliberate) - just happened!   I'll let my tater friends chase the BT - just leave these things on the shelf for me!

[Jazzhead]

Solid picks.    Peerless bourbon is excellent;  the Double Oak hasn't been spotted in these parts yet.  I have a Woodinville Barrel Pick that I blind-tasted with a Bookers the other night and preferred.   

 

I only tried the Yellowstone standard bourbon once but enjoyed it;   it had peanut brittle notes that had me guessing Beam, although i am sure it is HH juice.   

 

 

[flahute]

DAILY DRINKER: OF100

 

BOTTLE TO IMPRESS A GUEST: Four Roses Single Barrel (standard version)

 

GOOD MIXER: Wild Turkey 101 (love this in cocktails and it doubles as a daily drinker)

 

FRIDAY NIGHT POUR: Tie - Russell's Reserve Single Barrel / Elijah Craig Barrel Proof

 

SPECIAL OCCASION: George T Stagg (The King)

 

BONUS RYE: Russell's Reserve Single Barrel Rye

[Kjbarth]

DAILY DRINKER: WT101

IMPRESS A GUEST: FR SiBS

MIXER: FRYL

FRIDAY NIGHT: WTRB

SPECIAL OCCASION: RR13

RYE: WTRB Rye

[mbroo5880i]

4 hours ago, flahute said:

DAILY DRINKER: OF100

 

BOTTLE TO IMPRESS A GUEST: Four Roses Single Barrel (standard version)

 

GOOD MIXER: Wild Turkey 101 (love this in cocktails and it doubles as a daily drinker)

 

FRIDAY NIGHT POUR: Tie - Russell's Reserve Single Barrel / Elijah Craig Barrel Proof

 

SPECIAL OCCASION: George T Stagg (The King)

 

BONUS RYE: Russell's Reserve Single Barrel Rye

 

I could try to come up with my own list but this one is pretty much where it would end up.  Just to be contrary or different, I could pick a less expensive rye - Pikesville or WTR 101. 

[fishnbowljoe]

Daily drinker: Tie between BT and Weller SR

Bottle to impress a guest: ER

Good mixer: Since I rarely if ever use bourbon as a mixer, I’m gonna go with my HH BIB Blend

Friday night pour: For now and while it lasts, my 2021 Weller Blend

Special occasion pour: WLW

Bonus Rye: The only rye I have Is a 1.75 of Fleishman’s. I bought it for another member here, but ……

 

Biba! Joe

[flahute]

2 hours ago, mbroo5880i said:

 

I could try to come up with my own list but this one is pretty much where it would end up.  Just to be contrary or different, I could pick a less expensive rye - Pikesville or WTR 101. 

Pikesville was definitely in contention here.

[TBoner]

DAILY DRINKER: Wild Turkey 101

IMPRESS A GUEST: Maker's Mark Cask Strength (gotta have a wheater on hand anyway, right?)

MIXER: Old Grand-Dad BIB (which doubles as a daily drinker for me)

FRIDAY NIGHT: Wild Turkey Rare Breed

SPECIAL OCCASION: Russell's Reserve Single Barrel

RYE: Wild Turkey Rye

 

What can I say? I have low-mid-shelf tastes.

[Jazzhead]

On 11/23/2021 at 9:19 PM, TBoner said:

DAILY DRINKER: Wild Turkey 101

IMPRESS A GUEST: Maker's Mark Cask Strength (gotta have a wheater on hand anyway, right?)

MIXER: Old Grand-Dad BIB (which doubles as a daily drinker for me)

FRIDAY NIGHT: Wild Turkey Rare Breed

SPECIAL OCCASION: Russell's Reserve Single Barrel

RYE: Wild Turkey Rye

 

What can I say? I have low-mid-shelf tastes.

All perfect choices for the purposes cited.   Can't go wrong with Turkey.

[CardsandBourbon]

DAILY DRINKER: Elijah Craig.  Nuff said.

IMPRESS A GUEST: PVW 15.  I have bottles that I think are better, but I am trying to impress someone.

MIXER: OF 100 Proof.

FRIDAY NIGHT: Heaven Hill BIB.  Still have two bottles left so yeah, I would reserve them for a Friday night pour.

SPECIAL OCCASION: Old Fitzgerald 11 y.o. BIB  EXCEPTION:  On Tuesday my wife is retiring and some of you will remember that she has a bottle of 15 y.o. Old Ezra 101 that was distilled in 1966 and bottled in 1981.  She told me we couldn't open it until she retired.  I will definitely report back on Wednesday.

RYE: OF BIB Rye

[Saul_cooperstein]

Daily Drinker: OGD BIB

Impress a Guest: Pappy 15

Mixer: WT101

Friday Night: ECBP or Pikesville 

Special Occasion: THH 

Super Special Occasion: Willett 24 Rye 

[fishnbowljoe]

8 minutes ago, CardsandBourbon said:

EXCEPTION:  On Tuesday my wife is retiring and some of you will remember that she has a bottle of 15 y.o. Old Ezra 101 that was distilled in 1966 and bottled in 1981.  She told me we couldn't open it until she retired.  I will definitely report back on Wednesday.

Congrats to your wife. You too Kevin. Best to you both.
 

Yes, please report back on Wednesday, and If possible include a couple of pics.
 

Biba! Joe

[Shizzy]

DAILY DRINKER: Wild Turkey 101

IMPRESS A GUEST: Four Roses Small Batch Select

MIXER: Old Grand Dad Bottled in Bond

FRIDAY NIGHT: Four Roses Private Select Barrel Strength Single Barrel (preferably a K from the 6th tier)

SPECIAL OCCASION: Jack Daniel's 2020 Limited Barrel Proof Single Barrel Rye

BONUS SPECIAL RYE:  Kentucky Owl Batch 1

[hughewil]

DAILY DRINKER: Wild Turkey 101.  Best value in bourbon

IMPRESS A GUEST: WT RB

MIXER: Rittenhouse Rye BiB 

fRYEday NIGHT: Pikesville

SPECIAL OCCASION: Russel Reserve Private Barrel Selection 

RYE: Old Pepper Distillery Single Barrel Rye

 

I like rye.

[Jazzhead]

Forgot I'd started this thread.   Looking back,  I'd substitute Rittenhouse BIB for the Wild Turkey Rye.   Best rye for the price,  right up there with OF Rye,  which is rara avis in these parts.   

[GeeTen]

11 hours ago, Jazzhead said:

Forgot I'd started this thread.   Looking back,  I'd substitute Rittenhouse BIB for the Wild Turkey Rye.   Best rye for the price,  right up there with OF Rye,  which is rara avis in these parts.   

 

I see what you did there - nice.  Catholic school linguistics finnally paying off - "rare bird" indeed.  Well played my man.  

 

[Harry in WashDC]

On 11/21/2021 at 7:16 AM, Jazzhead said:

Here's mine:

 

DAILY DRINKER:   I love MGP's high rye bourbon for its classic vanilla and tobacco pipe flavors,  and the stores are suddenly awash in reasonably-priced iterations at daily-drinker prices.  Make mine a Straight Ambler Old Scout,  currently on sale at the Pennsy state stores for thirty bucks.   

 

IMPRESS A GUEST:   The one single barrel expression I care most about is the one that carries the tale that it's been picked by Jimmy or Eddie just for me -   Wlid Turkey Kentucky Spirit.   They're not all honey barrels,  but a lot of 'em are,  and I can't resist the allure of finding the perfect one.   

 

GOOD MIXER:   I think a rye is needed for best mixing results,  and what's more obvious for this duty than a rye that's got proof,  flavor,  dirt cheapness and,  cocktails aside. is perfectly sippable all by its lonesome?    WIld Turkey Rye 101

 

FRIDAY NIGHT POUR:    On Friday night when I'm listening to jazz the ticket to conjuring up 52nd Street in the forties is the curated,  barrel proof goodness of Booker's.   Currently open is Donohue's Batch,  bursting with flavor aged to that six-to-seven-year sweetspot of bourbon perfection.    

 

SPECIAL OCCASION POUR:    On a true special occasion I'd bring out an old dusty,  but I can't think of a better bourbon I've had this year than Smoke Wagon Uncut and Unfiltered.   I've got two bottles bunkered,  and one of them will be on my Thanksgiving table.  

 

BONUS RYE:   Pikesville,  the best thing that Heaven Hill does.   

Can't believe I missed this thread until today.

 

DAILY DRINKER: OGD BIB although WT KSBW 101 is close

IMPRESS A GUEST: a bourbon drinker GTS, a scotch drinker 4R SiB Select (with a side of water)

GOOD MIXER: WT KSBW 101 or a rye like a "bonus rye"

FRIDAY NIGHT POUR: ER 10yr, a dusty like OE 107 7yr, an odd duck like Virgin 101, SB blend, etc.

SPECIAL OCCASION POUR:  GTS or a dusty

BONUS RYE: Tossup - Ritt, OF 100 Rye, OO BIB Rye, WT Rye 101

[TunnelTiger]

Daily drinker: OF100

Impress a guest: Pappy

Good mixer: EWBiB

Friday night pour: KC9

Special occasion pour: OFBB 2012/13

Bonus rye: WT101 rye

[steven s]

daily: WT101, 1783, OF100, ER, KC9

impressive: Blantons, Pappy

mixer: WT101 Rye

friday: RRSiB, ECBP, Stagg jr, EHT, W107/12, JDSBBP, good MGP

special occasion: WLW, Pappy something, GTS, WT Decades

rye: Pikesville, OF Rye

 

BONUS: 

 

sleeper bottle: Bulleit Blenders Select

 

Edited May 10, 2022 by steven s

[JakeySnakes]

Some how missed this one too. Below pertains to recent habits, what's open:

 

DAILY DRINKER: OGD BIB, JW Dant, EW 1783, WT 101

IMPRESS A GUEST: EC BP (Bourbon Drinker), Blantons

GOOD MIXER: WT 101

FRIDAY NIGHT POUR: CEHT SmB, ER, Whatever store pick I have on hand

SPECIAL OCCASION POUR: 1792 12yr, Stagg Jr.

BONUS RYE: Baby Saz

 

BONUS:

SLEEPER: MM 101