HGB3 Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 Okay, one more list, in no particular order:*Old Weller Antique, a whiskey that can be hard to get to know, but give it time to open up and you will find it has delicious oak and vanilla flavors with a smooth finish. Sweet fire.*Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, any year.*Old Forester 100 proof. Has chocolate overtones.*Elijah Craig 12 Year Old.*BlantonsEnjoy,Hank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelshare Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 *Old Weller Antique, a whiskey that can be hard to get to know, but give it time to open up and you will find it has delicious oak and vanilla flavors with a smooth finish. Sweet fire. Oh, yeah! Actually, OW Antique and I hit it off from the start!Tina & I both really like this one, and, in the USA anyway, it's a bargain in my opinion. Not sure if it fits Bamber's heavy/woody tastes, based on the preferences above. Regardless, I bet the Weller line (SR, Antique, Centennial, 12 year) would make for an interesting series of tastings if they are accessible.I've never had the 19 year. Maybe one day... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian12069 Posted June 12, 2004 Share Posted June 12, 2004 ok...definately in this order... 1. Rip Van Winkle 15 year...Nothing tastes like this...firey maple syrup! 2. Rip Van Winkle 10 year...just about as good as the 15 year... 3. Old Fitzgerald 1849...DAMN good stuff!!!...priced right too 4. Weller 12 year 5. Weller 7 year... also recieving votes...Rebel Yell, Woodford Reserve, Bookers 126 proof, ..... But I have to be honest with you...nothing in the world tastes like Van Winkle 15 year...yum yum yum.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeNell Posted June 12, 2004 Share Posted June 12, 2004 Van WinkleVan WinkleVan WinkleVan WinkleVan WinkleOK, is that fair? I guess you get my drift, though. If I have to be fair:1. Ezra Brooks 7 (107)2. Hirsch 163. Jefferson Very Old4. Booker's5. Elijah Craig 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgonano Posted June 12, 2004 Share Posted June 12, 2004 This is my current top five simply because the list represents the last five bottles I have consumed. Old Forester 100 -always have a few bottles on hand W.L. Weller 12 -very enjoyable, smooth wheater W.T. Russell's Reserve W.T. Rare Breed -both Wild Turkey bottlings were excellent Van Winkle 13 yr Rye -any JVW product would make the list Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tallica Posted June 14, 2004 Share Posted June 14, 2004 I am a recent convert from wine although I still drink some grape juice. My top five in value for money 1.Buffalo Trace 2.Wild Turkey 8 yr old 3.Jim Beam Black label 4.Bookers 5.EC 12YR OLD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelshare Posted June 14, 2004 Share Posted June 14, 2004 Just out of curiosity, can you tell us the approximate price of each of those brands in Australia?In VA, EC 12 is a great bargain. Depending on whether it's on sale, it runs about $13-15. Booker's, while a great bourbon, runs about $50. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camduncan Posted June 14, 2004 Share Posted June 14, 2004 I know the following prices, I'm sure Andrew can fill in the remainder... 1.Buffalo Trace ..I've never seen this one for sale here, and would really like to find some 2.Wild Turkey 8 yr old ..around $25-$40 AU 3.Jim Beam Black label ..around the $40 AU 4.Bookers ..anywhere from $78-98 AU 5.EC 12YR OLD ..$40 AU - only available from the one retail chain (which is currently out of stock Australia wide ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bamber Posted June 17, 2004 Author Share Posted June 17, 2004 Hi All, After much deliberation and reading your advice I have ordered (for my holiday in Cornwall): Wild Turkey Russell Reserve. Van Winkle 15YO (107 proof) Did actually see a bottle of WT 12YO on the web - same price as the Russell Reserve. Cannot wait B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_d Posted June 17, 2004 Share Posted June 17, 2004 So far I'm somewhat of a tyro, having up until 3 months ago been conditioned to douse bourbon with Coke, but lately:1. Bookers - sits you on your bum fast, powerful but smooth2. EVSB 93 - gentle and syrupy, vanilla/choc taste & nose3. WT 101 - Complex & a little bite, not too hot going down4. Heydens - quite subtle, mint in the nose, gentle wood5. Makers - average, add some port to a glass and its greatOne's I'll have to try: (and gettable in Aus)Elijah Craig 12 and 18Woodford ReserveKnob CreekEvan Single Barrel '94JD Single BarrelWild Turkey Rare Breed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tallica Posted June 17, 2004 Share Posted June 17, 2004 1. I import the buffalo Trace which boosts the price up to $37AU plus shipping DON'T ASK!! 2.Wild Turkey 8 yr old goes for approx $38AU,if Cam can get it at $25AU hes doing pretty well but I would be surpised if its 8 yr old & not just the 101 3.Got a case of Black Label recently for $29AU, real bargain 4. Bookers I would agree with what Cam quotes in $78-$98AU but would not pay anything over $89AU 5.EC 12 YR old, sorry Cam but I could buy a case of it at several places near me at $36AU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNbourbon Posted June 17, 2004 Share Posted June 17, 2004 Either the Russell's Reserve was too dear, or the Wild Turkey 12yo a heckuva bargain. When you can still find it around here, the WT12 is just short of double the RR. I was sorely tempted just yesterday by a bottle at $52 U.S. (which would have been $57 after sales tax). Passed on it because that was about all I had in my pocket at the time, but with much regret. Russell Reserve is generally $25-$30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camduncan Posted June 17, 2004 Share Posted June 17, 2004 Welcome abord pete_d - it's great to see another Aussie posting here 2.Wild Turkey 8 yr old goes for approx $38AU,if Cam can get it at $25AU hes doing pretty well but I would be surpised if its 8 yr old & not just the 101 Whoops, my bad. That was a typo - should have been $35-40AU for Wild Turkey 5.EC 12 YR old, sorry Cam but I could buy a case of it at several places near me at $36AU I phoned several of my local Coles/Myer Liquorland stores, all where out of stock, and all had been told the supplier was waiting on more stock. Stores down your way must still have in on the shelves (dammit!) Those shops that I did speak to said it sells extremely quickly. Incidently, the Heaven Hill Manager in New Zealand said that we should pester our local Coles/Myer retailer Liquorland, Vintage Cellars & Theo's) to order the Elijah Craig 18yo. He's very keen to start exporting it to Australia.. Now, if only we could get one of the bigger retail chains to start importing Van Winkle... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_d Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 So that means the the Elijah Craig 18 at my local is an independant import. Now I'm not surprised it's going for $110. Out of curiosity, what's the difference between the Wild Turkey 101 and the 8 year old. I thought the 101 came in 8 or 12 year old blends.Cam, do I also take it that the Heaven-Hill imported was in New Zealand, and covers Australia as well? How the hell am I gonna get the EWSB 94? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrylovia Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 This is my first time here but these are my top 5. But of course limiting to the top 5 is hard1) Makers Mark is my favorite general pour2) Booksers is just awesome3) you can't go worng with Knob Creek4) Weller Centennial is the most unique bourbon out there5) Evan Williams Single Barrel any vintageplusAnything from Eagle Rare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bamber Posted June 18, 2004 Author Share Posted June 18, 2004 Either the Russell's Reserve was too dear, or the Wild Turkey 12yo a heckuva bargain. When you can still find it around here, the WT12 is just short of double the RR. I was sorely tempted just yesterday by a bottle at $52 U.S. (which would have been $57 after sales tax). Passed on it because that was about all I had in my pocket at the time, but with much regret. Russell Reserve is generally $25-$30. Actually the 12YO is £3 cheaper but its still £36 - about $60 I guess. You lucky Americans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
voigtman Posted June 19, 2004 Share Posted June 19, 2004 My bourbonic experience level is lower than that of many SB.comers, but, factoring that in, my top five to date are: Hirsch 16 gold foil (I have some gold wax ones as well, so they may be even better! ) Stagg 2003 (never got/tried the 2002 ) Elijah Craig 18 (which is normally $44 USD in my area, but I can get relatively nearby for only $29!! ) Van Winkle 15, 107 US proof Eagle Rare (any year) Honorable mentions: Pappy 20 Evan Williams SB 1991 (only one tried so far, but the 1994 is on my buy list) Ezra B 15 (the new 12 YO is now on my buy list, since the 15 is nowhere near my area and Binnys/Sams don't ship to most states in the USA ) Wild Turkey 12 Elijah Craig 12 (this is great and only $20 in my area!) Eagle Rare SB, 10 Buffalo Trace Hated: Maker's Mark, red wax Others: Old Grandad 114 (good, but I'd like to try the BIB, based on Chuck's intel on BIB bourbons) Basil Hayden's (OGD lite? Good, but why not just get OGD?) Cheers, Ed V. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camduncan Posted June 19, 2004 Share Posted June 19, 2004 Cam, do I also take it that the Heaven-Hill imported was in New Zealand, and covers Australia as well? How the hell am I gonna get the EWSB 94? It seems that Heaven Hill Distilleries New Zealand are an importing arm of Heaven Hill USA.. They then export a limited number of brands to Australia exclusively through Coles/Myer outlets. In Queensland, the retailer is Liquorland, New South Wales it's Theos, and I'm not sure of the other states. So that means the the Elijah Craig 18 at my local is an independant import. Now I'm not surprised it's going for $110. The reply I had from the General Manager of Heaven Hill NZ re EJ 18 was as follows - "Ask your Liquorland store if they are able to get Elijah Craig 18Year Old Single Barrel Bourbon. I am trying to get them to stock a small quantity as I have had several enquiries for this top product." Now, We've gone pretty far off-topic on this one, so I will stop here. Australian availability might be worth moving to its own post.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gillman Posted June 19, 2004 Share Posted June 19, 2004 Gents, good to see you are interested in Bourbon and not only that, good Bourbon. It seems like a number of fine products are obtainable in your patch, but not always without a little difficulty..I am curious whether Australia and New Zealand make their own whisky. If they do, how would you rate it? Does any of it compare to the best from Scotland (say, Macallan)? Is all of it blended?Finally, is any of it made in a style which one might call North American, approaching a Canadian or American palate, that is?Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratcheer Posted June 20, 2004 Share Posted June 20, 2004 I have tried to stay out of this fray, but I must wade in:1) Rock Hill Farms2) WT Rare Breed3) Old Grand Dad 1144) Blanton's5) Elijah Craig 12-yrThe reason I resisted is because I have trouble narrowing it down to five. There are several other wonderful bourbons that I could just as easily put on this list. But in my ABC control state, many are so hard to find as to be unobtainable. E.g., I had one drink of Pappy 20-yr in another city and it was awesome, but I can't get it, so why list it?Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camduncan Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 I am curious whether Australia and New Zealand make their own whisky. If they do, how would you rate it? Does any of it compare to the best from Scotland (say, Macallan)? Is all of it blended? I don't know of any Whiskey made from scratch here, although, I've been led to believe (and I could be wrong here...) that some of the Bourbons available in Australia are shipped in barrels and bottled here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gillman Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 Thanks, Australia makes many fine beers (I admire the Cooper's line especially) so with a tradition of mashing barley malt I thought some people may have tried to make whiskey from local materials (the way the Japanese have). I recall reading in Whisky Magazine that a whisky was available for a time in New Zealand called Laiderlaw or Laidlaw (I may not have the name quite right) but apparently they have closed down. It was a kind of experiment for a number of years but was not continued. No, I remember, Lammerlaw, I think that's the name. I saw in London once, and even here in Ontario, I think, a bottling by the Scots whisky merchant, Cadenhead. But as I say it seemed like a one-off and I am sure it was a scotch-style product, not made from a corn-based mash..Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWhiskeyViking Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 Dear CameronI believe there is actually a distillery in Tasmania. Our new crown princess Mary actually comes from there. Jim Murray has something listed in his Whisky Bible if I’m not mistaking.Regards from Denmark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musher Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 Jim Murray has something listed in his Whisky Bible if I’m not mistaking.There are a few listed in his Whiskey Bible, actually. <ul type="square"> [*]Bakery Hill Distillery (in North Bayswater on the outskirts of Melbourne) [*]Tasman Distillery [*]Lark Distillery [*]Tasmania Distillery (not sure how this is different than the one listed above, but they are listed separately) [*]Whisky Tasmania (Based in Burnie, have yet to bottle) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbutler Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 Every once in a while someone makes a posting along these lines. It makes for interesting reading if you juxtapose your choices of several years ago with those of today.As of today, bourbons I'm drinking in order of enjoyment:1. 2002 GTS2. 1982 OGD 1143. W.L. Weller 19 YO4. Four Roses Single Barrel5. Blanton's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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