What bourbon are you drinking now?

[fogfrog]

Elmer T. Lee I like this stuff. It was not cheap at 25 bucks. I will say it is good and easy to drink. It seems for me though to be missing something that I noticed say in the regular Evan Williams that I liked. Something is not there that I think it needs or rather that I need right now. I think its gonna be a while to be able to learn how to recognize all of those characteristics.

Me thinks my next bottle will be a cheaper bottle of something a little less refined with more taste like EWBlack, Jim Beam Black or Ezra Brooks 101.

I think this bourbon can be appreciated for what it is. Nevertheless, I am beginning to understand how there are things in bourbon that a person really likes.

But am also noticing from one sip to the next depending on how I am thinking, even within one glass of this Elmer T. Lee there are a lot of personalities.

Well, maybe the personalities are just reflections of what a person is looking for.

darn good bourbon!

But for some reason I am looking for a browner bourbon right now whatever that means, maybe more brown sugar, I don't know.

[TNbourbon]

...But for some reason I am looking for a browner bourbon right now whatever that means, maybe more brown sugar, I don't know.

Try the wheaters W.L. Weller Special Reserve (7 years old, 90 proof) or 12yo (also 90 proof). They will be under $15 and $20 per 750ml, respectively.

[Jazzhead]

I haven't tried Elmer T. Lee but I just bought a bottle - $24.99.

I have six open bottles at the moment. In order of preference, they are

1. Elijah Craig 12 year - this bottle is almost done - less than an ounce left. I've kept coming back as this is very harmonious and drinkable. At less than nineteen bucks a bottle, this is one of the best values I know of.

2. Eagle Rare - 10 year. I've just started in on this one. Perhaps a bit drier than most, it is very enjoyable stuff.

3. Bulleits - this one's going fast too, over half done. Another dry one, which is just fine by me.

4. Old Grand Dad BIB - 100 proof. Found this stuff on sale. It's an inoffensive pour, but lacks the complexity of the above four-named. Probably an excellent mixer.

5. Old Whiskey River - I like Heaven Hill whiskeys, when I'm in the mood for their distinctive sweetness, so I like this, but I don't see it as worth the price as compared with the EW Single Barrel. But it did come with a nifty Willie Nelson CD, containing a very loose Nelson concert performance possibly fueled by a complementary supply of the Bardstown bourbon.

6. Old Weller Antique 107 proof - I really try to see the good in almost everything, but it's tough with this stuff. Not my idea of good bourbon. Far too harsh. This bottle ain't getting much business.

- Kurt

[mrt]

This evening, I made a simple cool mix. Early Times Bourbon (2 oz.) poured on the rocks, filled with tonic water (with natural citrus aroma) and garnished with two slices of lime (the small green lemon, I mean). That was relly very good :yum:

[fogfrog]

I myself would like to buy more bottles so I can do tastings but catch some heat from the boss. If we had a bigger house with a bar and more cabinets, it might be easier. I would love to do some side by side tastings. So having 6 open bottles is enviable.

I am curious how long you have been tasting bourbon? I am new in that I just started again in November and before that really didn't drink bourbon, but tried it a few times.

There are a lot out there to try. The Higher Proof Wild Turkey's are in the liquor store where I live so I could buy them... but you know regular Wild Turkey is pretty darn good too. I don't know if its my taste buds but I had some of that Elmer T. Lee and then right after had some Wild Turkey and the Turkey definitely had just as much flavor I thought but it had a little more spiciness.

I don't know to what extent I'll go nuts buying various bourbons. After trying Elijah Craig and Evan Williams Single Barrel, I found my taste buds changed to the point that I really like Evan Williams Black Label. If they had the Red Label around here, I think I'd like that too. I am wondering if I can't just settle down and..... just drink this stuff as a regular pour... but you know maybe its true that variety is the spice of life and its cool to keep tasting them.

Recently I went on a business trip and picked up a half pint of Jack Daniels because actually I had never tried the stuff. I found it quite mellow... too mellow if that makes sense. When I started tasting I liked the mellowest stuff. Now I am finding that I like the 'less mellow' stuff if that makes any sense, and maybe thats why I like the Evan Williams Black Label.

As far as the Weller Antique, I'm curious if you might like it later. I notice its not the same stuff that TNBourbon discussed. I've seen the Weller even in our local store here and was curious about it.

This Elmer T. Lee around here is in a fancy square bottle with a wax thing on top. I couldn't get the thread to pull off, so had to take a knife and dig into the wax. I don't think they need to use fancy bottles and charge more for that baloney. I don't know if I'm such an afficianado that I need single barrel stuff. Heck, I used to love Schlitz. But I'll keep on trying this stuff. And I did find that the Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale I had on tap at a party once was superbly excellent.

So I guess a person does have to keep on trying stuff!

[Virus_Of_Life]

Finally opened a Sazerac "Jr." since it made it to California in the past couple days and actually in good numbers at one place.

I like this a lot so far! :yum:

[Jazzhead]

Hi fogfrog!

Yeah, down here in the basement - with a lot of old jazz records :cool: - is an old fifties oak bar that came with the place when we bought it. All kinds of storage space. Whiskey's just for sippin' (I always drink it straight), so it's great to be able to keep a bar's worth of choices open.

But I'll confess I'm a mere babe in the woods when it comes to good bourbon. It's been beer for most of my life, and I love a good Yuenglings or Straubs. Bourbon had always been an accompaniment to beer, and the only bourbon I knew the name of was Jack Daniels. Turns out that ain't even a bourbon! But for a year or so now I've rediscovered the pleasure of leasurely imbibing good alcohol without vast amounts of water, and there's nothing, it turns out, that hits the spot like good bourbon.

Sure was good to find this site!

I'm going to try the Old Weller with a bit of water - maybe with a single ice cube.

- Kurt

[T47]

Tonight is a late night for me...no work tomorrow and lots of pork butts to get ready for the BBQ tomorrow. I think a nice pour of WT RB will accompany the prep work just fine.

:toast:

I have always loved BBQ...Bourbon is new to me...but the two sure go well together!

[fogfrog]

Tonight I had some Jim Beam 7YO white label and now I am having Elmer T. Lee. I will say that Elmer T. Lee has a bit more taste than the Jim Beam White, but I wish I had a bottle of Evan Williams 7YO Black label (if it is 7 year old) to get the full bourbon taste. The Elmer T. Lee is really good and I had been eating peanuts which when I first tasted the Elmer T. Lee, it made it taste like bananas, but now that my 8 year old son brought me a fig newton, subsequent tastings have revealed its awesome taste.

[fogfrog]

Very Old Barton 6YO 86 proof. This stuff is good! I like it and it is cheap enough.