Lets hear your top 5

[Bamber]

I'm a long time Scotch drinker who has really got into American whiskey this last 12 months. Here is my top 5 (so far).

1. Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13YO - best whisky(ey) I have ever tasted

2. Sazerac 18YO rye

3. Buffalo Trace

4. Ancient Ancient Age 10YO

5. EC12YO

Don't like:

1. JB White label - strictly for guests.

2. Pikesvile (its ok)

Are other Van Winkle whiskies as good as the rye ?

Any recommendations - I like strong tastes.

Cheers,

B.

[cowdery]

You are a quick learner, Grasshopper. The only flaw I can find in your choices is that four of your five come from the same place, Buffalo Trace.

Everything with the name "Van Winkle" on it is, indeed, quite good.

This is not my "top 5" but some suggestions for products you should try, especially considering your preference for "strong tastes."

1. EC 18 y/o

2. Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve

3. Ezra B

4. Old Grand-Dad BIB or 114

5. Pure Kentucky XO (a little too much barrel for my taste, but many here like it and it is unquestionably flavorful.)

[Bamber]

Thanks,

I hope to get a bottle of the WT Russell Reserve in a couple of weeks.

Is that the black label Ezra b ?

Pappy Van Winkle is expensive over here - what's the best 'bang for your buck' ?

Cheers,

B.

[cowdery]

The labels might be different, but it's a 15-year-old, 99 proof.

Pappy is high everywhere, but here there are more moderately priced expressions. Look for the 15-year-old.

I guess I have a thing for 15-year-olds.

[TNbourbon]

Buffalo Trace has the largest stock of 'old' bourbon out there, and 'old' will get you lots of flavor. Another UK poster mentioned the availability of Eagle Rare 17yo, also a BT product. I'd certainly suggest that if you can get it.

2. Don't give up on Jim Beam -- try the black label, a close kin to Booker's;

3. George T. Stagg, if you can get it (yet another Buffalo Trace bottling);

4. Evan Williams Single Barrel (any year), if available;

5. Any Old Forester (but, especially, the 100-proof or Birthday Bourbons).

As Chuck said, this is not necessarily a 'Top 5', but a 'Suggestible 5'.

[jeff]

My top five as of today are as follows:

1. Black Maple Hill 16yo (new style)

2. George T Stagg 2002

3. Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2002

4. Pappy Van Winkle 20yo

5. Eagle Rare 17yo

This list is effective until midnight tonight, at which time I reserve the right to completely revise it to meet the every changing demands of my taste buds.

[angelshare]

Can you get WT 12 year there? I am less experienced than others here, but I would add that to the suggestions above based on your biases. We have about 375ml left from a bottle we have been savoring for over 2 years. Unless I am mistaken (correct me if I'm wrong so I can track some down while in Kentucky!!!), it is now for export only.

[Dave_in_Canada]

Bamber, as you're located in the UK, you're going to be seeing alot of posts here listing bourbons you'll never be able to find. I call that torture. So to reply to your original question "your top 5", here's my top 5, with number 1 being the most important.

5. Any bourbon that says "now that was worth the price"

4. Any bourbon you can find a good purpose for, whether it's taken neat, with an ice cube, a splash of water, or as a mixer in your favorite cocktail.

3. Any bourbon a friend buys you, regardless whether they know what your favorite brand is (and regardless whether it's a well bourbon)

2. Any bourbon your wife or signifant other can enjoy with you

1. Any bourbon you can enjoy in the company of good friends

Regardless of what you buy, enjoy!

[Paradox]

As of right now and in no particular order:

Eagle Rare 17yo

Evan Williams Single Barrel (Any Vintage)

AH Hirsch 16 and/or 20 yo

Old Rip Van Winkle 15yo

Sazerac 18yo

If you want to include something that is export only that I really like, include Wild Turkey Kentucky Legend, Single Barrel Barrel Proof.

[OneCubeOnly]

Here's my current all-time top-5:

1. Pappy 20

2. Old Forester Birthday Bourbon '02

3. A. H. Hirsch Reserve 16yo

4. Blanton's Single Barrel

5. Old Forester Birthday Bourbon Spring '03 (Yes--Spring over the Fall...I'm in a minority it seems!)

Note that this is a top-5 for *ME*, not necessarily an answer to your "big taste" question. Booker's, OGD 114, Stagg, WT Kentucky Spirit are all take-no-prisoner types. It's probably also not a coincidence that they're high-proof offerings.

Good luck in your search!

[bobbyc]

Unless I am mistaken (correct me if I'm wrong so I can track some down while in Kentucky!!!), it is now for export only.

Not even that any more, Jimmy Russell signed one for me about a year ago give or take and he told me then it was being discontinued overseas as well. A stray bottle shows up every now and then, I have never, as has been the luck of some here, to find someone glad to be rid of it and to sell it at a heavy discount.

It's rare and very good, always a good one to find.

[gr8erdane]

I'd have to say my top 5 are:

1. Pappy 20

2. Van Winkle Family Reserve Lot B

3. A H Hirsch 16

4. W L Weller 19

5. Black Maple Hills 14

These are all expressions I have in my collection. I have tasted others that could make it, but these are like my children, I have to dote on them.

[Bamber]

Thank you all for your advice

Seems the 15YO PVW is very popular - we can get that here about $80 a bottle - looks like a tasty investment.

I have bottles of the JB black and yellow label on the go at the moment and like them a lot (actually prefer yellow label). Also like Knob Creek - a JB product I believe.

Have not seen the WT 12YO - the Russell Reserve is 10YO - but I will keep an eye out for it.

As for the availability of good American Whisky here - well you have to go to specialist shops and it is *much* more expensive than in the US, but I still think it is generally better value than Scotch when you compare the quality of the product.

Finally Stagg - I searched long and hard for a bottle of that and managed to get some about 3 months ago (2003 version). I know I'm going to like it but I had to pay * way over the odds for it * - I'm saving it for a very special occasion

Cheers

B.

Oh yeh - DaveM - I'm afraid most of my friends are 'Scotch snobs' and ironically seem to think Jack Daniel's is the beginning and end of Bourbon (its nice enough). My girlfriend is a convert however - her favourite is Fighting Cock.

Its all Good

[camduncan]

Of the Bourbons I've tried, I'd have to rate my top 5 as (in no particular order) -

1. Bookers

2. Elijah Craig 12yo

3. Woodford Reserve

4. Wild Turkey Rare Breed

5. not sure yet....

Of course, Jim Beam and Cola cans or bottles are always a convenient BBQ favourite

Bamber, it seems you probably have similar problems to us here in Australia - that of finding good bourbons, and when you do find a good one, being able to afford it without mortgaging the house

(I did manage to find the Australian Heaven Hill distributor though, so have found some more brands to enjoy over the next few months. Sadly, the Heaven Hill brand itself is absent. It isn't exported to Australia )

[Gillman]

Here are my all-time top five bourbons. I'll pretend ORVW rye is bourbon for this exercise since it is so bourbon-like. Also, I'll give a one or two word description to try to sum up each drink's virtues:

1) ORVW 13 year old Family Reserve Rye (especially earlier bottlings) - complexity

2) Russell's Reserve 10 year old - rich char

3) certain bottlings of Birthday Bourbon - luscious flavor

4) Very Old Barton 86 proof - fine balance

5) EW 1994 Single barrel - liquid silk

Honorable mention: Blanton's, whose characteristics include most of the descriptors above.

Gary

[cowdery]

Sadly, the Heaven Hill brand itself is absent. It isn't exported to Australia

Don't feel too bad. It isn't exported to Illinois either.

[Dave_in_Canada]

Sadly, the Heaven Hill brand itself is absent. It isn't exported to Australia

Don't feel too bad. It isn't exported to Illinois either.

NONE of the bourbons made by Heaven Hill are available in this part of Canada. I have to mail order my favourite, EC 12.

[Bob]

I'm a somewhat "reformed" Single Malt Scotch guy myself, and although I still enjoy SMS, I've become a "converted" bourbon fan. Although it's hard to name my current favorite 5 bourbons, I'll give it a shot...

Numero Uno: George T Stagg - Gotta love this monster bourbon!

2: Hirsch 16 Year Old - it should have been against the law for them to close down the Michter's distillery in PA!

3: Very Very Old Fitzgerald: although I haven't had this very often, it is one fine drink!

4: Old Charter's Proprietors Reserve: I haven't had an opportunity to try the Buffalo Trace version, but I really like this one out of Louisville!

5: Old Rip Van Winkle 12.5 Year Old, 107 Proof: I love both the 10 and 15 Year Old versions, and couldn't pick one, so I'll call it the 12.5!

If I could add a few more, I'd say Old Forester Birthday Bourbons, Evan Williams Single Barrels, Eagle Rare 17 Year Old, Buffalo Trace, and Van Winkle 13 Year Old Rye!

Bob

[SteelerFan]

Here's my 5 at the moment.

VWFR rye 13 yo.

Ezra B 15 yo.

OGD 114

Hirsch 16 yo.

Stagg 2003

I like Rye

[camduncan]

NONE of the bourbons made by Heaven Hill are available in this part of Canada. I have to mail order my favourite, EC 12

Locally, we get a good share of the brands made by Heaven Hill, but not Heaven Hill itself. Apparently the supplier stopped importing it...

[doubleblank]

Here are my top choices in no particular order. I'll always have one of these open and one (at least) in reserve.

Rock Hill Farms

Old Rip Van Winkle 10yo/107 proof

Wathens

A H Hirsch 16yo

Black Maple Hill 14yo

The following are always close to cracking into the top 5.....Stagg, EW Single Barrels, Blanton's and Rare Breed.

Randy B.

[SSBourbon1]

It's been a while since I have gotten on here to read the posts. Moved to North Carolina a short while ago and finally got my bourbons unpacked (don't tell anyone that I crossed over from Virginia to NC with a whole lot of bourbon) Anyway, been having time to relax finally and realize that my tastes are heading to the higher proffs right now over all. My top five today are:

Old Granddad 114

WT Rare Breed\

ORVW 20 year

Weller Centenial 10 year

ORVW 15 year

[cas]

My list isn't particularly different from those posted so far:

GT Stagg

12 yr Wild Turkey

15 yr ORVW

12 yr ORVW

12 Elijah Craig

Blantons could be squeezed on there as well.

Craig

[wadewood]

OK, I will play:

Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit

Elijah Craig

Rock Hills Farm

Eagle Rare 17 YO

George T. Stagg

[Black85L98]

This game is so hard.

#1 Stagg

#2 Eagle Rare SB

#3 OGD 114/EC 12YO (tie)

#5 Old Weller 107

Not in the top 5 today but could be next week

Old forester Birthday Bourbon

Any of Wild Turkey's even the 80 proof

Old Ezra

You know most bourbon is good, you have to reach way down to find bad bourbon. I guess that is one of the things I like best about it.