What is your favorite bourbon?

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

OK Folks

It is simple enough. Just what is your favorite bourbon? Take it down any way you like. Screen it. Segregate it any way you'd like to. You've only got one choice. What is it?

My choice for the verrry best bourbon on the planet is and remains to this very day Wild Turkey Kentuckey Spirit - dumped on 11-12-98 from barrel Number One stored in rickhouse E on rick number 2.

I said it. It's the truth. You can believe it.

Now you tell me - What's the very best bourbon you've ever tasted? No hemmin' or hawin'. One bottling and one bottling only. What is it? You've got one shot and one shot only.

What is it? Any distillery. Any brand. Any Year. Any proof. Have at it.

Your Great Grand Ma wears Army Boots!

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Linn,

This is an easy one for me. I have said before, and I will say again, that the all time best bourbon I have ever drank is Very Xtra Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond, distilled in 1968 and bottled in 1983. This bourbon was heaven on earth, the nectar of the gods, the one bourbon I would love to drink every day if I could find it. At 15 years old it was perfect. Julian's father had a great product in 1968 but this bottling was one for the record books. I know you don't care for wheated bourbons, but you would have loved this one.

Mike Veach

[johnrobe]

Whichever one happens to be in my glass at the moment. (sorry, I couldn't resist)

I would have to vote for Blanton's with the caveat that there are still so many bourbons that I haven't tried!! To be honest I've never purchased a bottle of Blanton's but a college buddy of mine, who also lived in Dallas, would always offer it when I visited. And you can be sure, I never refused. I normally have an aversion to spending more than $30 for a 750ml bottle of bourbon. Maybe that's part of why I enjoyed it so, it was a rare treat.

JR

[ratcheer]

This is too hard of a question, but...

The very best I ever tasted was the one and only drink I ever had of Blanton. I believe it was in 1988.

I can't wait until I can try it again. I plan to buy myself a bottle for Christmas. It is pretty far out of my price range, but I'm going to bite the bullet and do it (I hope).

Cheers, Tim

[Hedmans Brorsa]

Obviously my range is somewhat limited compared to some of you fellas. I have, for instance, tasted several Wild Turkeys but not the Kentucky Spirit (But believe me, I will).

Anyway, from the 30 or so bourbons that I´ve had the opportunity to taste, I would opt for Old Rip van Winkle, 15 year old, 107 proof. With all due respect to Linn, I have to raise some objections to his tasting notes, especially concerning his assessments of the nose and finish. But that´s another story...

Best wishes,

H.B.

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Good Hedmans I'm glad you have a different take on Old Rip. That's exactly what I think the tasting sections of this forum are for. So that others will comment on the subject bourbon. Of course everyone will experiance a bourbon differently from someone else. Go ahead and post your results on the Old Rip thread. I hope others will do the same. By comparing notes in this fashion we all grow.

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Tim & JR,

Niether one of you has any Blanton's in the house?! Egads! Do buy some just as soon as you can. I've found that Blanton's has about the best barrel to barrel consistancy of any single barrel offering. I keep three full bottles on hand at all times. I always buy more whenever it's on sale. I will usually open a bottle and empty it the same day. I have no self control at all when it comes to Blanton's,because it's just that damn good! Rock On!

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

I believe ya Mike! I like Old Rip 15 y.o. just fine and think that everyone should have a bottle. Does that even come close to the Xtra Old Fitz? Should you ever come by another bottle (and I betting you will) save me a taste would ya?

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[johnrobe]

It's because I like Blanton's that I'm really eager to try Elmer T. Lee SB. I'm hoping that it will be almost, if not equally as good and a bit more affordable. Isn't it pretty much the same whiskey (mashbill, age, water, yeast) , just from a different part of the barrelhouse?

[tdelling]

Best Bourbon Ever:

Tim Dellinger's home vatted "Old No. 12"

mix according to the following approximate recipe:

47% Elijah Craig Single Barrel 18 YO (barreled 9-13-82, Barrel No. 449)

47% Old Rip Van Winkle 15 YO ( #L273)

6% Wild Turkey Rare Breed (batch WT-01-99)

The woody backdrop of ECSB18, the charm of Old Rip 15, and light overtones

of rye from WT. The best bourbon I've ever had.

(I finished off my Old Rip 13 YO Rye before I starting "home vatting", but I

suspect that the chocolate notes in the 13YO rye would make it a great

ingredient to toy with.)

Tim

[Creggor]

Hello Linn, Your asing me to name only one.. That's not fair it's just darn right mean. As you know I have in stock and have tried most all the good and some not so good Bourbons. But if you told me tonight would be my last night on this earth and I could only take one bottle to help me thru the night I would have to take a bottle of 20yr Vanwinkle Pappy Family Reserve.. I know they make a old (Rye) and a new (wheat) I would take 1/2 bottle of each. and That still only equals one bottle..The thought of not have any more of these is enough to kill me all by itself. 16 & 20Yr Hirsch, 90 & 91 Evan Williams Single barrel, 12 & 13yr Vanwinkle Ryes, 15 yr and 23yr Vanwinkles, Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit, Rare Breed, Russells Reserve, Knob creek, Jeffersons Reserve, Bookers, Bakers, Eagle Rare 17yr, Sazerac Rye, 19yr Weller, 10yr Weller Centenial, Old Charter Proprietors Reserve, Blantons, Very Special 12yr Old Fitzgerald, 14yr & 16yr Black maple Hills, Rock Hill Farms, 12YR Wild Turkey, Elijah craig 12yr Single barrel Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel, Woodfords Reserve, Pure Kentucky XO Small Batch. Buffalo Trace, Just a side note. I just acquired the 1991 Evan Williams Single barrel today. I have to work from 5/10 tonight so will not be able to try it until I get home so it's possible that I may like this one the best. But for now it's Julian's 20yr Vanwinkle Family Reserve. Linn I will let you know how I like the 91 Evan Williams as you told me you like the 91 better than the 90. For the Money $20 +- a little I feel that 90 Evan Williams is the best bang for the buck on the market today. So if the 91 is indeed equal or better I will be getting more soon. Sorry for being so long winded on your simple question. Creggor..

[cowdery]

Very Very Old Fitzgerald, made Fall 1963, bottled Fall 1976, consumed Fall 1996.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://cowdery.home.netcom.com>--Chuck Cowdery</A>

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Chuck,

A very good choice. I have had some of the 63 distillation at 8 YO and it too was very good.

Mike Veach

[vasshopper]

Very Very Old Fitzgerald 100* 12yr made in 68 and bottled in 80 and did have 9 bottles but alas, now i have only 4 left. it is very very good and life is good--den

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Best one there is:

Jefferson reserve Bottle 1447 of 2400. Batch #5.

There is no comparison

[ratcheer]

It is entirely a matter of price. The regular price at the AL ABC is $45 and I have never seen it on sale.

For that money, I can get regularly priced bottles of Rare Breed and Elijah Craig 12 YO. It is such a stretch for me to consider $45 for a bottle of whiskey, no matter how good it is. Like I said, though, I'm going to try to get myself to buy a bottle for Christmas.

Of course, I also want to try Kentucky Spirit. It is only $46 per bottle!

Tim

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

I hear ya Tim. Do what I do. Tell yourself that your worth it and buy both! You'll be glad that you did.

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[Forbes]

This is a tough question in that there are many fine products out there. If I would name one it would be Old Charter Proprietors Reserve. This was probably the first super-premium bourbon I tried and have been a fan ever since.

I also enjoy Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit, Blantons, and Jefferson Reserve when I feel like a bourbon a cut above the normal.

On my Christmas list this year are to try the Van Winkle products. I have never tried them except for a sip at the gazebo at this years Bourbon Festival and I was diffentially intrigued.

Todd

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Now that is a most interesting choice, Todd. I like Old Charter Proprietor's Reserve quite a bit myself. The 12 year old 'Classic 90' is also very good and half the price of OCP'sR. I would never have thought that any of 'The Bourbon Heritage Collection' bottlings would have been chosen. Good for you! This just goes to show what a truely diverse band of brothers we Bourbonians really are, and that there is no one right answer.

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[Forbes]

Linn,

With the breakup of the 'The Bourbon Heritage Collection', I am not sure if our local liquor stores will continue to carry the Old Charter Proprietor's Reserve. So I have been drinking it pretty sparingly. I know I purchased the last couple of bottles at my local store about a month and half ago and they filled the spot with a different bourbon. I will look for the 'Classic 90' and give it a try.

I have found that our area does not seem to have the selection of some other areas of the country. I have watched for a couple of bourbons suggested by other users and some I can find and some I can not. I know I picked up a bottle of Elmer T. Lee in Bardstown, but can not find it up here. I haven't had any luck finding the Van Winkle products up here either.

Todd

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Todd now that Buffalo Trace owns that brand I'm sure that they will continue to bottle whatever sells. Old Charter's sales volume may be small, but I'm willing to bet that they are steady. We'll just have to ask Ken Weber about it. One of the most impressive things about StraightBourbon.com is the number of direct resources available to the bourbon industry. If bourbonic knowledge is what you're after, StraightBourbon is the place to be.

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Pappy Van Winkle 20 (the new bottling)

for a more affordable everyday pour I really enjoy Russell's Reserve.

~Linda~

<A HREF="http://w3.one.net/~jeffelle/whiskey">http://w3.one.net/~jeffelle/whiskey</a>

[Creggor]

Hello, Linda. Nice to see another fan of the 20yr Pappy Vanwinkle Family Reserve. I have tried both the old and new and would give the nod to the new. I am so looking foward when Julian will have the new 23yr Pappy..Maybe another 2 yrs maybe little less. Then I believe all of Julians bourbons will be wheated. The 20yr is not something I can afford to drink everyday it's set aside for friends and special occasions. For a more affordable daily drink I enjoy the 13yr Vanwinkle Family Reserve Rye and 90 & 91 Evan Williams Single barrel. So many good bourbons to choose from. Take care Creggor.

[Ekki]

Hi folks,

and first of all greetings from Germany.

Well, unfortunately the availabilty of Kentucky straight bourbon & rye & Tennessee whiskey is rather limited over here (in contrast to Scotch whisky) so I probably won't be able to add any new ideas or 'exclusiveness' here. But since you asked for it... ;-)

So, right now I have to decide between Olde St. Nick Winter Rye (for its mellowness), Woodford Reserve (for 'overall performance') and Wild Turkey Rye.

My choice ? Wild Turkey Rye - great whiskey.

Best,

Ekki

[ratcheer]

Wild Turkey Rye? Sounds pretty exclusive, to me. Two of my favorites are W. T. 101 and W. T. Rare Breed. I can also get Russell's Reserve and Kentucky Spirit.

But I've never seen a W. T. Rye.

Cheers, Tim