What was your "gateway" bourbon?

[Dr. François]

Excellent posts, everyone!

At 100 replies, I thought I would re-post the original question:

In the concerned parent world, gateway substances are those "that supposedly lead to abuse of other substances" (link). While I do not mean to make light of drug abuse, I had an interesting thought.

What was your gateway bourbon?

What was the bourbon that really grabbed you for the first time? What was that bottle that let you know that you really, really wanted more of this substance? Please note: this is not just the first bourbon you tried or purchased consistently, but the first bourbon you loved.

Bonus points: is this still a favorite pour or yours, or have you outgrown it?

[funknik]

Knob Creek.

I bought a bottle for the Kentucky Derby and after a few mint juleps I was hooked. I eventually dropped the mint & ice and fell in love with this bourbon. I will definitely still have this bourbon out at the bar, but I rarely buy a bottle ("always welcome, rarely sought out") because I feel that there are more interesting things to have around when KC is readily available everywhere.

[Jono]

Buffalo Trace.....I was not much of a bourbon drinker prior to a trip to KY about 8 years ago.....silly me.

[ThomasW]

Johnny Drum 12 year was the bourbon that really got me seriously interested. It's still good, but there are so many more who are much better.

[kickert]

The wine manager at my local liquor store always spoke highly of 1792, so when my wife needed a bourbon for some bread pudding, that is what I picked up. At the time I thought it was smooth, but since trying many more I would not neccesarily describe it with that word. However, that got me started.

[polyamnesia]

Wild Turkey 101...then again when i found a WT101 dusty...!

still a favorite for sure

[BengalMan]

The first bourbon that I actually drank on the rocks that really got me hooked was Woodford Reserve. From there I fell head first down the slippery slope.

[sailor22]

My first whisky infatuation was with JD and Coke as a student.

The first Bourbon that I was interested in drinking neet was Blantons - but I found it only occasionally interesting.

I bought a bottle of Van Winkle Family Reserve Lot B on a recommendation and that was my Gateway to so many good Bourbons. It is still one of my all time favorites.

I Lot B and FR SmallBatch as Bourbons I give new whiskey drinkers - I think the lack of any real buuurrrnn in those two make them easier for beginners while still giving them a hint of some of the tastes available.

After Lot B I was onto PDB, EC12, E.T. Lee, and all the Van Winkles - all with a couple of ice cubes. After that I was well and truly thru through gateway. I'm back to mostly neet.

[Wilber]

The first bourbon I payed any attention to was Acient Age, but have not bought a bottle since experencing AAA 10, read good things here, Yummy stuff. The first bourbon I really fell in love with was RY and I still keep a bottle around, though it is lasting a lot longer than before. Been sampling some different brands and found a few new friends WSR is wonderful.

[GOCOUGS2002]

Maker's and Woodford got me started...I still haven't found a "favorite" per se and I like it that way; makes it easier to convince the wife that I have to keep searching...not sure I will tell her if I ever find it:lol:

[chefmel]

But the real turning point for me - my gateway moment, if you will - was walking into a rickhouse at the Labrot & Graham distillery and inhaling one of the most gorgeous and divine scents I've ever experienced. Angel's share indeed! That was about four years ago.

I know what you mean there - I had the same experience last august when I stepped into a rickhouse at HH! I could have spent all day there!

My gateway bourbon was back in the late 1970's and the bourbon was Old Ezra Brooks. I think it was 100 proof and 10yr old. It was packaged in a wooden box and was great stuff. Before that it was mostly JBW mixed with coke. I don't think the Old Ezra is made any more although I did try an Ezra B SB last summer. Not bad, but not as good as the old ezra!

Mark

[ionz149]

Well my first habitual sipper was JDSB, but my first bourbon that made me want to see what other bourbons had to offer was Woodford Reserve. I liked it because it was affordable and good enough to where if you buy it in the ghetto people act like your buying the nice stuff. After like 5 bottles I started lurking around here and the beginners list was the end of it.

[Buffalo Bill]

My late father was a Beam Collector from back in the 60's and belonged to the New England Beam Club. As a kid I went to several shows with him... then I turned 18 when it was legal in Massachusetts to drink at that age. "The Massachusetts Miracle!" I still have a few miniatures here of the Beam given out to club members, along with the Beam Pot and ceramic shot glasses dating back to the late 70's. Although, I enjoyed the flavor of Jack Daniel's back then too, but the day I had a Maker's Mark was the day I began looking around at up-scale bourbon; early 80's. I loved Maker's back in the day... 90's went to Scotch... until I had a bottle of Woodford's, and then a bottle OFBB. Those were the days of reckoning for me. Next came the Pappy. BB

[Hondo]

I would have to say that mine was Early Times... back when it was still Bourbon in the Louisville area.

Then Beam (or someone) started making a premixed Jim Beam and Cola canned drink. I loved these... when everyone else had a cooler full of beer, I had a cooler full of the Beam and Cola drinks. Then I started drinking JBW neat all the time. Funny thing... it just seemed better back in the early eighties.

[JeffJ]

I got hooked when my wife introduced me to bourbon via VOB and OF BIB.

Haven't looked back since.

[Buffalo Bill]

I would have to say that mine was Early Times... back when it was still Bourbon in the Louisville area.

Then I started drinking JBW neat all the time. Funny thing... it just seemed better back in the early eighties.

Why is it that most everything seems better from years before? Sometimes I question myself in that regard due to my own palette and taste changing, although I do remember with accuracy when it comes to olfactory and taste. Things were definitely different then in terms of manufacturing on a number of levels. Most things don't remain the same, especially with companies trying to conserve and cheapen nowadays. One thing is for certain, they can fool the public some of the time, but when it comes to whiskey pretty much none of the time. People will still know... BB

[fishnbowljoe]

I know I have posted this before, but what the heck. My first bourbon was Yellowstone. I had it when I was a teenager and didn't really know what bourbon was. My actual gateway bourbon was, the same as so many others, Makers Mark. Still a good pour. Not the best I have by any means, but I always have some on hand. Joe

[Hondo]

Why is it that most everything seems better from years before? Sometimes I question myself in that regard due to my own palette and taste changing, although I do remember with accuracy when it comes to olfactory and taste. Things were definitely different then in terms of manufacturing on a number of levels. Most things don't remain the same, especially with companies trying to conserve and cheapen nowadays. One thing is for certain, they can fool the public some of the time, but when it comes to whiskey pretty much none of the time. People will still know... BB

[JamesW]

For years I enjoyed Makers Mark and Knob Creek but it was Woodford Reserve that caught my attention and started the love affair.

Me too. I'd had Makers, EC18, Beam Black but when I hit the Woodford Reserve I got hooked. Funny thing is I don't keep it in my bar and would never buy another bottle when I compare to all the others I've grown to love.