Help Me Pick My Next Buy

[sku]

Hey all, I'm looking to buy a couple of new Bourbons that I haven't tried yet. I'd be interested in knowing, from the list below, which two you would put at the top of your list (and which specific expression). Thanks!

Ancient Age

Four Roses Single Barrel (or any other 4R)

Elmer T. Lee

Jefferson Reserve

Old Fitzgerald

Old Forester

Rock Hill Farms

AH Hirsch (worth the price?)

To give you some guidance, I'm sort of a rye-guy, but it's not absolutely essential. Some of my favorite Bourbons are BT, Elijah Craig 18 and Eagle Rare (both 10 and 17 yo); my daily pour is Woodford. I'm not a big fan of Weller or Blanton's.

Thanks!

[CorvallisCracker]

Elmer T. Lee

That's the next one I'm going to try.

Old Forester

The '07 Birthday Bourbon is fabulous.

AH Hirsch (worth the price?)

The current (gold foil) version is not, from what I read.

[spun_cookie]

Hey Sku... fun list to chose from.. here would be my order and comments:

* Old Forester - get the Birthday Bourbon 2007, one of my top bourbons... I cannot get enough

* Rock Hill Farms - Great bourbon. If you can get one of the Julio's it is amazing.. lots of Cherry, vanilla... best of the RHFs that I have had. All of the RHFs that I have had are very good (three at this point)....

* Four Roses Single Barrel (or any other 4R) - I do not recommend the Small Batch, I have been very disappointed with it, the SBs are OK, but not great, the 40th is my favorite of the line and the 120th is not bad, but just does not sing to me.

* Elmer T. Lee - Good 10 yr bourbon. Get a Single Barrel if you can and the Binny's is suppose to be very good. I had the Julio's SB and it was quite tasty

* Old Fitzgerald - Get the BIB and this is a good bourbon

Ancient Age - Not high price, not bad, not special

* Old Forester - The general 86 proof is good for the price, but nothing to write home about

* Jefferson Reserve - Have not found these to be good.

* AH Hirsch (worth the price?) - No, unless you get lucky to get one of the really good Gold Foils for $100, not worth the risk.

[sku]

Hmm, I've never seen the Birthday Bourbon where I am.

What is the Julio's for RHF?

[spun_cookie]

Rock Hill Farms, the Julios botteing... Amazing taste... But I think you shoudl try the Birthday bourbon first. Go to BevMo.com They can send it to you or have it sent to your local BevMo, if they do not have it in stock...

The RHFs may not float your boat of you do not care for the wheatears...

[ratcheer]

The RHFs may not float your boat of you do not care for the wheatears...

??

Rock Hill Farms is made from Buffalo Trace's high rye mashbill. IMHO, it has nothing in common with wheaters.

Of the bourbons listed in the OP, RHF would be my first choice.

Tim

[SBOmarc]

I agree with trying Rock Hill Farms for sure. I would also sample ETL, most likely a choice before RHF.

A value choice.

[spun_cookie]

Agreed, but for a high rye mashbill I find it very close to the Wellers... and he said he did not care for teh wellers... I would think the BDay 07 would be the number one choice...

[jburlowski]

From your list I would say:

• AHH 16 --- just becaue you should get at least a taste before this is gone forever. There will be lots of opinions about blue wax vs. gold wax vs, gold foil, etc. But this is all very very good whiskey.
  
• ETL --- always a delight and a great bargain to boot
  
• FR SB (or I would suggest my preference, the small batch). A taste profile different form the products of other distilleries
  
• RHF --- very nice, relatively-high rye recipe.

Followed by any of the others....

[melting]

I'd go with the Elmer T Lee and then the Rock Hill Farms. I am definately a rye guy also. My enjoyment has been breaks down lately at about 70 percent high rye, 10 percent wheaters and 20 percent scotch.

I would put the Old Forester at the very bottom of the list. I would put it at the bottom of any list as it ranks as the worst bourbon that I have ever purchased. It stands alone as the one bottle of whisky that I actually dumped down the kitchen sink.

As I don't know what you have tried already I have to ask the question as to whether you've tried Sazerac straight rye yet. The 6 year old is quite affordable at around $20.00. That should satisfy any rye urge that you may have.

Chris

[fishnbowljoe]

The only ones I have tried on your list are ETL, OF and 4RSB. I somewhat agree with melting about the OF. I don't care for it, but the 100 proof OF Signature is okay. Between the ETL and 4R, IMHO the ETL is good and the 4RSB is very good. Good luck on your choices. Joe

[HipFlask]

Hey all, I'm looking to buy a couple of new Bourbons that I haven't tried yet. I'd be interested in knowing, from the list below, which two you would put at the top of your list (and which specific expression). Thanks!

Ancient Age

Four Roses Single Barrel (or any other 4R)

Elmer T. Lee

Jefferson Reserve

Old Fitzgerald

Old Forester

Rock Hill Farms

AH Hirsch (worth the price?)

To give you some guidance, I'm sort of a rye-guy, but it's not absolutely essential. Some of my favorite Bourbons are BT, Elijah Craig 18 and Eagle Rare (both 10 and 17 yo); my daily pour is Woodford. I'm not a big fan of Weller or Blanton's.

Thanks!

From your list above I would go with RHF and FR1B. If possible I would pick up a ETL before I emptied out the RHF bottle just to do a little comparison. If you go with the Old Fitz get the BIB verison. Also BT and ER are both made by BT as is Weller and Blanton's, RHF, ETL, GTStagg and some day all of the Van Winkle line.

[sku]

As I don't know what you have tried already I have to ask the question as to whether you've tried Sazerac straight rye yet. The 6 year old is quite affordable at around $20.00. That should satisfy any rye urge that you may have.

Chris

Thanks Chris. I'm a big fan of Saz Rye, both Baby and 8 yo. Both great, but sometimes I want some Bourbon, and there are so many Bourbons out there I haven't tried that I wanted to get some group opinions. So thanks to everyone who replies. Very helpful info.

[sku]

From your list above I would go with RHF and FR1B. If possible I would pick up a ETL before I emptied out the RHF bottle just to do a little comparison. If you go with the Old Fitz get the BIB verison. Also BT and ER are both made by BT as is Weller and Blanton's, RHF, ETL, GTStagg and some day all of the Van Winkle line.

Yeah, I'm generally a fan of BT...even though I don't have the personal taste for Weller and Blanton's, I appreciate that they are well made, and I love BT, ER, Stagg and Saz. (I have some VW but haven't opened it yet).

[kitzg]

Your list

Ancient Age

Four Roses Single Barrel (or any other 4R)

Elmer T. Lee

Jefferson Reserve

Old Fitzgerald

Old Forester

Rock Hill Farms

1) buy them all over time

2) if you want AA try AAA -- the way bourbon used to be (and the personal favorite of the most recent past distiller at BT)

3) Old Fitz is another one my wife hated and I like, I am sure not nearly as good as when Pappy VW was in charge but still harkens back a bit to the old days (maybe I just enjoy the history)

4) RHF I love

ENJOY!

[kickert]

I am also a fan of ER (it probably is my favorite pour). That being said I just opened a bottle of ETL and absolutely loved it. Of the 20 or so bourbons I have tried, those two are battling for my top spot.

I would recommend picking up ETL even if it is not your next bourbon.

[shyster512]

If you don't drink a Hirsch in one form or another before it is gone, you will have missed a treat-and whether it is blue, gold or gold foil, you are talking about better, better, and best.

[drli]

Ancient Age:

I would only buy the AAA 10y

Four Roses Single Barrel (or any other 4R):

I like all the 4 roses bottlings in their price range. I really like the yellow in its price range, and dont really feel the black is worth its premium.

I like the small batch more so then the single barrel per price.

Elmer T. Lee:

really like this one.

Jefferson Reserve:

never tired.

Old Fitzgerald:

like the 1842 as a value play. good for the price, never had anyother offering.

Old Forester:

good value play. never tired any of the other offerings except the BIB which tasted the same to me as the standard 86P.

Rock Hill Farms:

never tired.

AH Hirsch (worth the price?):

tried it at $39.99... would think again if having to try it at $189. It is very good but at that price I would pass. I would buy a bottle of Stagg for $60... and have better bourbon.

[mozilla]

Ancient Age:

I would only buy the AAA 10y...

Elmer T. Lee:

really like this one.

Old Fitzgerald:

like the 1842 as a value play. good for the price, never had anyother offering.

Old Forester:

good value play. never tired any of the other offerings except the BIB which tasted the same to me as the standard 86P.

Rock Hill Farms:

never tired.

I have been trying to debunk the myth that there is something wrong with other AA and AAA labels. I have tasted the 10 Star and the AA Bib....they are both very good bourbons. Sure neither are aged 10 years......but neither is Old Weller or Makers Mark.....so don't sweat AA not being either. Also, it is the same distillate as ETL and RHF...which are not 10 years old either. The 10 year is actually a little low on proof(86) in my opinion...the Bib and the 10 Star(90) have a little fuller kick than the 10 year.

The Fitz is actually an 1849.

Lastly, Old Forester 86 and 100 are similar, but IMHO, do not taste the same. The 100 has alot more going on and most of it in the barrel range of flavors.

[ratcheer]

When I drank AAA many years ago, it was always 90-proof. Everyone keeps diluting their whiskey. :smiley_acbt:

Tim

[mozilla]

Tim,

was that the 10 year or the 10 star at 90 proof? Do you remember which came first, year or star?

Thanks.

[drli]

I have been trying to debunk the myth that there is something wrong with other AA and AAA labels. I have tasted the 10 Star and the AA Bib....they are both very good bourbons. Sure neither are aged 10 years......but neither is Old Weller or Makers Mark.....so don't sweat AA not being either. Also, it is the same distillate as ETL and RHF...which are not 10 years old either. The 10 year is actually a little low on proof(86) in my opinion...the Bib and the 10 Star(90) have a little fuller kick than the 10 year.

The Fitz is actually an 1849.

Lastly, Old Forester 86 and 100 are similar, but IMHO, do not taste the same. The 100 has alot more going on and most of it in the barrel range of flavors.

I got my opinion about the AA, AAA star, and AAA 10y from my father. He always liked the 10y. He has been drinking bourbon since before I was born, so I sometimes listen to him on things like this. He told me that he picked up a bottle of AA (I think non-BIB) not that long ago and he said it was still bad.. rot-gut were his words... I guess he likes the AAA 10y, the most. All I have ever tried has been the AAA 10y per what he has told me.

i really like the current Evan Williams Black, and that is now young....

I also agree that good bourbon doesnt need to be aged for say 10y, 15y, 20y, 25y, or 30y.... when it's ready.. its ready, who cares if it is divisible by say 5, I say drink it.

sorry, couldnt remember the exact year of the fritz.... dont currently have a bottle on hand. but i should of checked it 1st.

I actually didnt get the same for the old forester vs the bib.... for the price I would buy the reg 86P, i think it is over the top of the 100P.

[sku]

Thanks to everyone who weighed in on this. Based on everyone's recommendations, I picked up:

Four Roses Single Barrel

Old Forester 2007 Birthday Bourbon

Rock Hill Farms

AH Hirsch 16 yo (single barrel)

Of the four, I think Hirsch was my favorite, followed by Four Roses. I liekd RHF and OFBB but not as much as some of the folks on the thread.

I did some reviews which can be found here: http://recenteats.blogspot.com/search/label/Bourbon

Anyway, thanks again for all of the suggestions. I will definitely come back to the group when I get ready to do my next bottle buys.

[OscarV]

Was availability a major reason?

[sku]

Was availability a major reason?

Sorry, a major reason for what?