What's Your Favorite Bourbon?

Gle8,

Congrats on your efforts - I didn't realize that was an option in PA.


Mark,

Thanks for the heads up! Already on it. Got it a week ago and really enjoying it. I think I may like the experimentals slightly better but at a fifth of the price Bib and Tucker a no brainer - I'm going to stock up. Also, I'm sadly coming around to conceding that the Noah's Mill run may be over.

Regards,

Art S.

 

Just noticed this thread; the first spirit my dad let me drink was Old Forester. Not to be a wise guy but today my favorite bourbon is a whisky called scotch. Reminds me that many years ago I was in Honolulu-Waikiki on long weekend liberty from NAS Alameda and it was Derby Day. Went into the bar at the Princess Kaiulani Hotel to watch the Derby on TV, bartender asked what'll you have and I said well, it's Derby Day so how about a mint julep, only I'd like it if you could conjure it up with scotch instead of Kentucky bourbon. He said, don't know why not and I had the first scotch julep ever served on the island of Oahu.

 

Art, what makes you say that? A change in quality, or availability?

 

Change in quality. My last bottle was very grassy and earthy. Not bad, but not great. It was definitely not the high quality bourbon I had come to expect.



Mark

 

That's too bad. Noah's was one of my go-to's... although I still have a couple of bottles left in a case I bought in 2013, so perhaps that's before the change.

I'm also interested in the earthy/grassy comment, as I've read the same notes are in the Bib and Tucker 6yo. After seeing your kudos I looked into it with hopes of picking up a bottle locally to try. I'll have to try it out.

 

That's interesting, I can detect the earthy/grassy note in the Bib, but it's not strong at all. I get maple syrup, vanilla, caramel, and leather more than anything.


Mark

 

Just spent an evening at 'Whiskey Live' Events Calendar 2015 - Whisky Live - World Whisk(e)y Tasting and Sampling Shows at Chelsea Pier in NYC two weeks back. Hundreds of venders each sporting their best stuff.

For 3-4 years now, Bourbon has been all the rage; my cabinet is full of dozens of varieties, and I've enjoyed them thoroughly.

However. Walking through aisle after aisle at Whiskey Live, sampling everything from Whiskeys of Japan, France and Nepal, through the great distilleries of Kentucky and Scotland, and the plethora of micro-distilleries cropping up domestically: Is it heresy to wonder if the Bourbon craze isn't a bit of mass hypnosis? By that I mean: compared with Scotch, either single malt or blended, Bourbon just seems less differentiated, less distingushed from it's peers. Scotch just seems to have so much more variety and range, even within a distillery.

Nothing wrong with that per se, it's just that in an evening of tasting 50 different whiskeys, the booths I wanted to return to were all Scotch, not Bourbon...

 

Found something special today!




Mark
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If it's the one in the pic, that bottle is sure making the rounds!

 

Trying to steal my picture? I'm going to sue your sorry butt for copyright infringement, theft of whatever, loss of intimacy with the wife and anything else people want to suggest. same side picture, held with left hand, just a little of the wrist is visible...
Ps you have good taste
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/143695363-post587.html

 

Ha! That's hilarious!




Mark

 

Just wanted to update this regarding Noah's Mill; we picked up another bottle yesterday, and it's excellent.



Mark

 

Just wanted to update this regarding Noah's Mill; we picked up another bottle yesterday, and it's excellent.



Mark

 

Oh good! I'll try another bottle and if its good I'll stock up.

BTW, have you tried Larceny? I've heard its cheap and good but haven't tried it yet. Also, how is the Elijah Craig 23-Year-Old Single Barrel?

Regards,

Art S.

 

Angel's Envy is very good.

 

italiafan,

It seems to rate well but its a young (4 - 6 year) rye that gets 'post processed' in port barrels. How does it compare to Noah's Mill or Bib and Tucker which are similar in price or cheaper?

Regards,

Art S.

 

Here's todays Caskers review of Angels Envy.

https://www.caskers.com/angel-s-envy-kentucky-straight-bourbon/?utm_source=Caskers+Members&utm_campaign=e1e98c2ed1-AE&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9cb813dba9-e1e98c2ed1-20007541

 

I haven't had Larceny yet, but it's on the list to try.

I also haven't had a chance to try to the EC23. Long story, but the bottle is at my parents house in Las Vegas waiting for me. I'll be getting my hands on it next week and will update once I've had some.

I like Angel's Envy, but I don't love it. I'd take Noah's or Bib and Tucker over it any day. Note, I have not yet had their single barrel, only the standard bottle.


Mark

 

I really like Larceny. It drinks like a bourbon twice the price... perfect to keep in a decanter.

 

I'm not a huge bourbon drinker, but have visited several of the distilleries during trips between here and elsewhere. If you are looking for a bourbon tourist experience, my top pick would be the Buffalo Trace tour.

While they are all similar, and will offer some samples at the end, the Buffalo Trace tour just seemed more enjoyable, maybe because our tour guide did a great job. The much smaller facility at Maker's Mark is also nice and certainly left a big impression with their huge 12 foot tall vats of mash cooking in plain view!

Jim Beam has a newer tourist facility, so it's like visiting a Harley Dealer's gift shop or the big Bud brewery in St Louis, with tons of souvenirs, as well as a nice tour too.

 

I really like Pappy 20, but it's on the pricey side for more than those special occasions. Can anyone recommend a really close alternative?

 

I'm probably going to like Beam a little more after this commercial:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_Vk5iloGrw[/ame]

(Forget how hot and successful she is for a second: she's always come across as super cool, which I absolutely love.)

 

It's a good time for bourbons. +1 on Noah's Mill, Bib & Tucker, Four Roses Single Barrel, Black Maple Hill, Widow Jane (hard to come by for us California folk)

I've also enjoyed Elijah Craig, George T. Stagg, Pure Kentucky, Bulliett, Blanton's...and look forward to Jefferson's Ocean ( is it worth the hype and expense?)

Coming from expensive a scotches then expensive tequilas, bourbon was a refreshing price point... That's not gonna last.

 

This thread up in the bourbon aisle at my best meat, beer, wine, liquor shop. They had Angels Envy. Very good!

 

I need to slow down. My collection keeps growing.
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