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mortre
03-13-2016, 06:14 PM
Recently I decided to move away from wine. I won't drink a bottle by myself and it just doesn't keep once opened. So I decided to try and switch to whiskey, no mixing required and it doesn't turn like wine.

I started on Eagle Rare bourbon, which was pretty good. Lot's of flavor, it's sweet and smells strongly of vanilla.

From there I tried Angel's Envy, even sweeter, but a lighter flavor. Super smooth and fruity. Seems watered down by comparison to the Eagle Rare though.

Last night night I tried Maker's Mark. It seems to come highly recommended on here, but I hated it. Light and sweet for just a second, but as soon as it started to move past the front of my tongue it went bad. Very rough, almost all ethanol with some gasoline thrown in. I even tried drowning the flavor with ginger ale but that didn't work either. Very reminiscent of the Jack Daniels I used to drink. That bottle will replace the Jim Beam that we use for BBQ sauce.

I think I am going to pick up a bottle of Four Roses Single Barrel on the way home from work tomorrow, but what are some other good ones to try? I'm not up to trying any more wheated bourbons for a while after last nights experience.

Taylor
03-13-2016, 06:44 PM
Try Knob Creek.

Clay M
03-13-2016, 06:52 PM
I always drank Scotch back in the day. Single Malt.
When I became a blues guitarist, I started drinking Jack Daniels straight or on the rocks.
I would get home from a gig and was so UP from playing that I couldn't sleep, so I drank whisky .

Now days I am older. I no longer play hard core blues.
I play jazz.
I no longer drink any liquor of any type.
I only drink Craft beer or wine.

I like the Cabs. I have been drinking Beringer's Founders Estate.

No whisky. I love it, but it runs my blood pressure into the sky.

Hickory
03-13-2016, 06:54 PM
Although I don't drink anymore, Black Velvet is a good sipping whiskey as is Royal Crown.

PbHurler
03-13-2016, 06:58 PM
My staple sipping bourbon is Wild Turkey, Kentucky Spirit. It's a single barrel type and it is very smooth IMO.
I usually enjoy it neat, but sometimes I'll add a touch of ice water if I really want to discern the flavors, depends on my mood. I like it.

163498

Maybe I shouldn't post this (lest you get the wrong idea about me) but, I've collected enough of the engraved turkey stoppers that I intend to use them for drawer & cabinet pulls on a new reloading room's cabinetry. :Bright idea:

Clay M
03-13-2016, 07:09 PM
My suggestion is to be very careful with whisky.
Like heroin I watched it kill a lot of my friends.


If I had it to do again, I wouldn't touch it.

mortre
03-13-2016, 07:22 PM
I no longer drink any liquor of any type.
I only drink Craft beer or wine.

I like the Cabs. I have been drinking Beringer's Founders Estate.

No whisky. I love it, but it runs my blood pressure into the sky.

I'm giving up on wine because I rarely drink more than a glass, and I've never managed to get a bottle that still tasted good the second night. So I would just end up dumping 1/2 a bottle down the sink in the morning. And I'm not paying $15-$25 a bottle to just dump half of it. As for the whiskey I don't drink more than 2oz, so I'm not so worried about the blood pressure.

Clay M
03-13-2016, 07:51 PM
I'm giving up on wine because I rarely drink more than a glass, and I've never managed to get a bottle that still tasted good the second night. So I would just end up dumping 1/2 a bottle down the sink in the morning. And I'm not paying $15-$25 a bottle to just dump half of it. As for the whiskey I don't drink more than 2oz, so I'm not so worried about the blood pressure.

Good, then you manage it wisely.

I do have a problem with my blood pressure if I drink more than a few drinks.
My Doctors advised me to leave it alone.
That is what I pay them for..as if I didn't know it already.:smile:

Kraschenbirn
03-13-2016, 07:51 PM
I've found Buffalo Trace a satisfactory companion to a good cigar. Smooth with a nice finish and not terribly overpriced.

Bill

Outpost75
03-13-2016, 07:59 PM
God invented whisky (no "e") so that the Irish would not rule the world.

Kilbeggan neat, water back. No more than a gill per day, unless being debriefed after contact with the enemy.

StolzerandSons
03-13-2016, 08:01 PM
These days I am a very light drinker, maybe one or two hard drinks a year with my wife and maybe a 6 pack of Beer for the whole summer. Back in my youth though I very much enjoyed 18 year old Macallan...I still keep a bottle around for that once in a while drink and because my sons both like it.

Wolfer
03-13-2016, 08:08 PM
I've never been what I call a drinking man but I do like a pull on the bottle on occasion. Any more I drink Southern comfort straight.
First drink is good and sweet, second drink is a little too sweet. Third drink is way too sweet. There is usually not a third and very rarely a fourth.

When I was younger and drank Jack Daniels the first might be a little rough. The second was smoother. The third went down like water and things went downhill from there.

376Steyr
03-13-2016, 08:10 PM
I'm fond of Bulleit brand bourbon, and their rye is good too. Price per bottle is quite reasonable, so if it isn't to your taste it isn't a financial disaster.

Taylor
03-13-2016, 08:26 PM
Back in the mountains a long time ago.

There was Kentucky Gentleman,Cream of Kentucky,Tom Moore and Kesler.

I was 20 years old before I new whiskey wasn't supposed to taste like that.:veryconfu

Clay M
03-13-2016, 08:28 PM
I use to love playing a telecaster and drinking Jack Daniels.
I think I liked it too much..

I could never go back to the old days.
My bass player is dead from too much hard living.

Don't want to go back..

I am happier now than I have ever been.

My family, my cats,and the grace of God.

Reg
03-13-2016, 08:34 PM
If you want to drink , do it with class.
Johnny Walker black on the rocks and just sip it.

JWT
03-13-2016, 08:41 PM
Good bourbon has gotten to be much more available in the last ten years. I have had the pleasure of trying a few that I would recommend.

Eagle Rare
Blanton's
Bib And Tucker
Virgil Kane
Clayton James
Jefferson
Old Medley

Life's to short for bad bourbon.

condorjohn
03-13-2016, 08:43 PM
I turned 71 two months ago. Always been a beer man until 6 months ago when I started testing different
bourbon brands. Tried several but always seem to go back to Evan Williams. Price is right and 90 proof.

Occasionally I splurge and get the special reserve, or whatever they call it.

Outpost75
03-13-2016, 08:45 PM
If you want to drink , do it with class.
Johnny Walker black on the rocks and just sip it.

JWB is a blend for the American export market and no Scot would admit drinking it.

While malt whiskys are an acquired taste there are a multitude of better choices for those who would educate their nose and pallate.

Markbo
03-13-2016, 09:01 PM
I have not had a drink of whiskey - or anything else - in over 20 years and I thank God every single day for that gift.

Mr_yeti
03-13-2016, 09:09 PM
try out baker's, its good for the stuff you can buy. Or find a shiner!

imashooter2
03-13-2016, 09:09 PM
I'm not much on bourbon whiskey. My drink is Jameson 12 year old.

tinsnips
03-13-2016, 09:16 PM
Try Winsor or Penelton

labradigger1
03-13-2016, 09:21 PM
Never been much of a Drinker since I about killed myself from alcohol poisoning when I was about 17. Nothing against it and I drink maybe a case of beer all summer long and enjoy about 3 bottles of crown royal in the winter months.
Ever since the episode when I was 17 I've never been drunk since, once I feel it coming on I'll stop. Kind of lucky I guess.

OptimusPanda
03-13-2016, 09:50 PM
My favorites are Buffalo Trace or Knob Creek (if I am drinking them neat), or Jim Beam black label (if I'm making Manhattans).

mortre
03-13-2016, 10:11 PM
My favorites are Buffalo Trace or Knob Creek (if I am drinking them neat), or Jim Beam black label (if I'm making Manhattans).
Neat is how I have been drinking them. Though I have thought of trying something like a Manhattan or Old Fashioned.

deep creek
03-13-2016, 10:14 PM
in 66-67 in vietnam we ran convoys from phang rang to cam rahn bay.once a week we had to get booze for the officers club. if we were out wed get a jerry can off a new jeep and when sarg went to get the officers booze wed knock the necks off any bottles and pour them into the can empty over the berm into graves registration never got caught.scotch ,bourbon gin vodka. we drank it like water,best stuff in the world. those days are gone but still bring a smile

bangerjim
03-13-2016, 10:17 PM
Never liked red wine. Or dry whites. Used to drink JB rocks everywhere & everytime. Then I got into beers. Good expensive beers. Imports and the like. Ales, darks, and such. None of this pilsner or lager stuff. None of this "light" carp either. My moto was "if you can see thru-it, scru-it."

Wines go bad.....beers go bad.....with age. I said to myself "self.....what does NOT go bad with age?". BOOZE!!!!!!

Now I am switching from beer to mixology. Am building up a VERY sizable cabinet of liqueurs and top shelf potable spirits that allow me to mix and make anything I can find. And there are tons of recepies out there!

barnonedrinks.com

Americancocktails.com

Just 2 of the sites that can keep one busy for a long time!

Key is to make samples in 1/4 sized drinks. That way you can enjoy sampling many without getting vershnickered. With a digital scale linked the iPad app I have, it is easy to make and scale drinks up and down.

Many of our friends are into fine wines. But they spend $25-60 on a bottle of vino and drink it at one setting! I spend the same on good hooch and it lasts.....well....as long as I want it to. Booze (most) never goes bad....only gets better with age.....if stored properly.

Making fancy and layered drinks is half the fun!

Just enjoy all libations responsibly!!!!! John Barleycorn and Demon Rum can easily ensnare unsuspecting souls.

banger

Blackwater
03-13-2016, 10:19 PM
I'm no connoisseur of liquors, but I do like a drink now and then, and the only two I drink any more, and for the past several years are Myers Rum when I want something light and a little sweet and spicy, or Dickel 12-yr. old. The Dickel is a little like Irish whisky, if that makes any sense to you. Or at least that's what my palate tells me. People have vastly different palates when it comes to alcohol, it seems, and the "big secret" is to just find what suits YOUR palate.

I'm not much of a beer drinker, and the docs tell me I'm to avoid it because of the yeast in it now, but when it's really hot, a brew surely is one fine and refreshing drink, especially after a long day's fishing. I probably won't drink 3 this year though, because of the docs. In summer I personally like a Gin and tonic, with a little lime if it's around. Other than these 3, and a very rare beer, that's pretty much it for me. I'd LIKE to drink a little more than I do, but I keep trying to go by what the docs tell me. Darn! There sure are a lot they don't tell you about getting older!

OptimusPanda
03-13-2016, 10:20 PM
If you decide to try manhattans here's how I make mine: 3.5 parts jim beam black to 1 part martini and rossi sweet vermouth, a single drop of bitters if optional (half the time I skip it), stirred not shaken (if you use stronger whiskies you can shake without it getting as weak). Serve in an a old fashioned glass with a couple reusable ice cubes.

Teddy (punchie)
03-13-2016, 10:34 PM
Whiskey, Bourbon, are all to taste. Some I like, some is liken to lighter fluid. Wine is all okay, hard to get a nice tasting wine, taste better with food or snack. Beer is growing on me as I get older. Best mix I like is 2 shots Vodka and one Blackberry Brandy. All in the taste, but I like the taste of alcohol, but I can go for weeks , months without touching any. There has been a few times if it is liken to gasoline, it goes to a friend that may use it or down the drain.

smokeywolf
03-13-2016, 10:39 PM
Another vote for "Knob Creek". Quite a bit better than "Maker's Mark".

Also fancy The MACALLAN single malt.

When I have a cold I put a snifter of "Metaxa 7 star" in a pyrex measuring cup of hot water and warm it up, then sip it. Great on the throat, cuts the mucus and boy does it clear your sinuses.

Herb in Pa
03-13-2016, 10:47 PM
Give Booker;s a try............

varmintpopper
03-13-2016, 10:47 PM
I know not much about whiskies, But I do have a bottle of Black Label and one of Royle Crown around here somewhere.

Good Shooting

Lindy

trails4u
03-13-2016, 10:58 PM
High West is one of the ones that got my attention....and I drink way too much bourbon and whiskey. :) It's distilled in Utah of all places....but dang, it's good. Pricey....in fact I don't buy it, I just drink it when my FIL offers it, but holy smokes...it's probably the best I've had. Smokey, peppery.....and 1,000 other things going on with it that I can't quite figure out how to describe. But.....GOOD! If you're into sipping it neat, or on the rocks, I would seriously suggest giving it a try. If you're looking for something to mix....don't waste this stuff on that! BTW -- Someone mentioned Four Roses....also excellent. And my all time favorite for hunting camp....The Duke.

ghh3rd
03-13-2016, 10:59 PM
I can still taste the Boones Farm that I used to sneak into the dorm in '71 when I was 18 yrs old (urp!) Then drinking most of a bottle of Yago Sangria and sacrificing it to the porcelain throne cured me of drinking wine for the rest of my life :-)

dilly
03-13-2016, 11:05 PM
I'm pretty new to the whiskey scene, I really just started getting interested very recently. I liked the Knob Creek rye a lot though. I tried some Wild Turkey American Honey, and while I liked it at first, I wished I had gotten something without any honey type flavor by the time I had finally made it through the bottle. It became clear that it wasn't near the quality of that Knob Creek.

I wanted to try a scotch so I just got a bottle of The Glenlivet tonight. It's intense, but I think I'm going to learn to like it.

I drink no more than a couple ounces on a given night, and a bottle lasts me many months, so it will be a long time before I truly learn my own preferences probably.

725
03-13-2016, 11:05 PM
Buffalo Trace :)

Beagle333
03-13-2016, 11:07 PM
Knob Creek.

Outpost75
03-13-2016, 11:17 PM
I'm not much on bourbon whiskey. My drink is Jameson 12 year old.

If you like Jameson, you would be pleased with a similarly aged, pot still single malt Killbegan, Red Breast or Powers. May have trouble finding it, but if you find a cop bar in NYC and ask if there is a member of the Emerald Society who would oblige a visitor to introduce him to a proper whisky, given a polite and respectful introduction, they would feel.obligated to oblige.

mortre
03-13-2016, 11:25 PM
Wow, lot's of votes for knob creek and that one hadn't even made it on my radar. I did see redbreast 12 year at the local class six, but I want to get a better fill for bourbon before I start with Irish Whisky or scotch. But that may take quite a while as a bottle lasts me so long.

Rufus Krile
03-13-2016, 11:25 PM
Eagle Rare is really good... comes out of the Buffalo Trace distillery (whence cometh Pappy Van Winkel... the highest rated bourbon and most expensive @ $2600/btl) Jack Daniels and George Dickel are NOT bourbons but Tennessee poser whisky and may have caramel coloring added along with who knows what else. When I retired, I decided I needed another hobby which became small batch bourbons. Did some of the tours in Kentucky last summer and came away with some opinions that many might consider a bit bigoted. First, life is too short to drink bad whisky. I've lost too many friends for it to be coincidence... I must be getting older. Second, God gave man whisky as a reward for work. I've worked since I was 12yrs old... now I'm going to drink.

Back to your question about the various brands... What has been discussed so far (Eagle Rare and Buffalo Trace) all come from the Sazerac company... There really aren't that many distilleries out there, they just turn out different recipes for different labels. Some are absolutely huge. Heaven Hill barrels up north of 800 barrels per day of its various labels... no small batch stuff there. Right around the corner from them in Bardstown, KY is a little family owned 'craft' distillery named 'Willett' that barrels 18-20 barrels/day. This is the nectar you need to try. It's hand made by the family themselves and you can really taste the difference. 'Small batch' to other distillers means up to 35 bbls being blended for bottling being selected by computer from a given area of a 'rick house'... at Willet it's 3-4bbls selected by Evan Willet using a 'thief' (extraction tool) from 4 different parts of a rick house. Their family brand is 'Pot Still Special Reserve' and it ranges from 4 to 6+yrs old depending on what Evan has decided. Another of their brands is 'Noah's Mill' and it is from minimum 15yr old bbls.

Bourbon is aged in a NEW, never used, oak barrel that has been charred to a uniform depth.
It is a minimum of 2 yrs old, but if it is younger than 4 yrs old it must be so labeled.
It goes into the bbl between 117 and 125 proof and cannot be 'fortified' with grain spirits to achieve this level.
It can have NO coloration added to it. It is what it is...

Once they're done with the oak bbl it is often used for aging other whisky... sometimes scotch... and has a long useful life in others hands. Nothing wrong with that... I still LIKE the taste of Jack Daniels, but prefer bourbon. I don't even like Crown Royal (yet another 'whisky') but I keep it at the house for my friends of questionable taste. That sounds a bit snooty... maybe just one more little taste of Willett's...

Rufus Krile
03-13-2016, 11:28 PM
The previous pics are examples of rickhouses... the big white ones are Heaven Hill and the old brick one is Buffalo Trace... Do they look right to you?

edler7
03-13-2016, 11:33 PM
Maker's was good till the Japanese bought it. It changed after that.

I like Knob Creek or Bulleit , but Wild Turkey 101 still goes down mighty smooth to me.

Frank46
03-14-2016, 12:01 AM
Get some good slivivotz (spelling) and when younger used to sneak a few shots after being out all day shoveling snow for extra money. Warms you right up and sort of like a bomb when it gets to your stomach. I have a bunch of whiskey mostly Canadian club and Crown royal. To show you how much I drink the tax stamp on the Crown Royal is dated 1978. Frank

Bullwolf
03-14-2016, 12:05 AM
Recently I decided to move away from wine. I won't drink a bottle by myself and it just doesn't keep once opened. So I decided to try and switch to whiskey, no mixing required and it doesn't turn like wine.


Not the gourmet answer, but there's always wine in a box.

Brand name wine in a box was always popular with my family around the holidays for many of the same reasons you've listed above.

Then again, some of our best batches of red wine vinegar came from open wine left at room temperature.

If you find a nice whiskey is more to your tastes, there is nothing wrong with that either.


- Bullwolf

ol skool
03-14-2016, 12:12 AM
Bulleit. Good whiskey. Good price.

Oh, here's how you keep your wine good for a few days:
http://www.amazon.com/Vacu-Vin-Vacuum-Bottle-Stoppers/dp/B000GA3KCE

Uncle Jimbo
03-14-2016, 12:59 AM
Back in the day when I use to drink a lot, it was always Jack Daniel's. Don't drink much now days, but if I do I still will sip on a glass of Jack. and if you want to try a blend, VO is one of the best.

KYCaster
03-14-2016, 01:33 AM
Here in central KY you can't swing a dead cat without hitting three or four Bourbon experts. Most of them turn up their noses at anything that doesn't say "Single Barrel" or "Special Reserve" on the label and I've seen some of them resort to physical violence in defense of their current favorite.

The recent explosion of Bourbon's popularity has resulted in the proliferation of designer labels, most of which, in my not so humble opinion, are very little different from the company's leading brands.

And don't get me started on the "flavored" Bourbons! Bourbon is supposed to taste like whiskey, not peppermint or fruit or (ugh) peppers. I'd rather go down to Cannery Row and have a bottle of Old Tennis Shoe with Mack & the boys!

But......the OP says he prefers to have his whiskey neat........that means only two options....

Old Forrester (Bourbon) and Early Times (Kentucky Whiskey). No need to look any further. Try them....most people will agree.

I can recall two notable exceptions to my statement above.....neither of them available to the general public.

The first was given to me by a cousin of mine. It was in a recycled half gallon orange juice bottle, had a faint purplish color and he said he and his brother steamed it out of a discarded Jim Beam barrel. It didn't seem to be very potent.....could barely get a bead to stand on the surface* so I guessed it at 30 to 40 proof. I could tell it was Beam, but the nutty flavor was very subdued, and the lingering after taste of the real stuff was completely absent. I took it to a neighbor's house for a Sat. evening poker game and consumed most of the bottle during the course of the evening. It went down very smooth and didn't seem to have much effect on my equilibrium.
I woke up the next morning in my bath tub feeling fine without any trace of a hangover and with perfect recollection of everything that happened right up to the time I left the neighbor's house and got halfway home when the Earth decided to turn upside down and I had to lay down and grab handfuls of grass to keep from falling off. My former wife ("bless her heart") wasn't amused.....and to tell the truth, neither was I.

The other notable exception...........
............GOOD moonshine is a rare and wondrous thing. I've tasted home brewed corn liker from time to time, but was never impressed. I'd always heard of the fabled "Elixir of the Gods" that went down like pure spring water, but had never found anything remotely resembling that description until about five years ago.
I went to a friend's house for a Forth of July BBQ and as the evening waned and the young folks got out the fireworks, Steve brought out a quart Mason jar half full of a clear liquid and said, "Try this."
OMG.....this is what the legends were talking about! Mana from Heaven! Ambrosia from Mount Olympus! I've never tasted an alcoholic beverage to compare with it.
I asked him where I could get some of it. He said, "This is the last of it. The guy who made it died last month."
I'm sure there's a special place in Heaven for that man. And if Jesus ever feels the urge to perform another miracle at a wedding, I have no doubt that he'll use this gentleman's recipe.

Cheers
Jerry

* Alcohol content of spirits is measured in "proof", with the actual alcohol content equal to half the "proof". Thus "hunnert proof" equals 50% alcohol content. 80 proof = 40%, etc.
Take a simple alcohol, water mix and shake it up and little beads of liquid will form on the surface. (not to be confused with bubbles) The greater the alcohol content, the larger the beads and the longer they remain before breaking. It's very easy to see with 90% (180 proof) rubbing alcohol. For the 90% alcohol the beads will be about the size of #9 shot or a bit smaller and will stand for about a quarter of a second or so. Lesser alcohol content will result in smaller beads and less time to break. With a little practice you can get pretty close to the actual alcohol content.
The more impurities introduced, the less reliable the test, so it works fairly well with the clear liquors and less so with whiskey, scotch, etc.

bstone5
03-14-2016, 01:36 AM
Worked Offshore all over the world for a long time.

Game up drinking while in South Africa many years ago, still have a very small shot on November 10 to remember some people I served with in 1965, a lot of them came home for their funeral.

As a young man drank more than I should have but the offshore group usually drank a lot.

Good times back then but now age has caught up with me along with common health issues getting older includes.

KYCaster
03-14-2016, 02:00 AM
The previous pics are examples of rickhouses... the big white ones are Heaven Hill and the old brick one is Buffalo Trace... Do they look right to you?


Several years ago the Heaven Hill distillery burned. As the rickhouses collapsed and the whiskey spilled out, the Beech Fork river burned for a week or so. Bourbon lovers wept.

Couple years later the Wild Turkey distillery in Lawrenceburg burned and the Kentucky River was aflame for a few days.

Heaven Hill had their Bourbon made by a competitor in Louisville until their still was rebuilt in Bardstown.

Jerry

MaryB
03-14-2016, 02:16 AM
Not much of a booze drinker anymore but I get some moonshine that is pretty dang tasty now and then. Otherwise it is craft beers, ones I am now brewing myself!

Col4570
03-14-2016, 02:32 AM
I have a drop every night at bed time in hot water,it keeps the tubes clear.At Pres I have a Litre of Bells open,I vary the make,it could be Bells,Teachers,Grants, Famous Grouse,Haigs.There is a bit of a price war on at the supermarkets and some good prices can be had.I keep a Bottle of Malt for when there is a decent Western on the telly and sip the Malt neat.I would like to add that I never go overboard with whiskey as I did in my seagoing days.I tell the other half it is purely for medicinal purposes.

ozarkhillbilly49
03-14-2016, 03:21 AM
many years ago Jim beam was the best friend i had. 32 plus years sober and straight now. beam ain't bad. used to be reasonable in price to. mixes good if u want to use it like that.

Col4570
03-14-2016, 04:08 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqk3osxS4wQ

Mytmousemalibu
03-14-2016, 05:38 AM
Pendleton's 1910 Edition, that stuff is smoother than oiled glass! Tastes fantastic and reasonable price!

Went2kck
03-14-2016, 05:51 AM
Crown Royal XR was the best I still have a full one but they done make it any more. Seams the distillery has ben closed down. It was a rare treat as a bottle was 200.00 dollars. The special reserve is good to, any crown is good just some is a lot better.

Blackwater
03-14-2016, 06:36 AM
Mary hit on a real winner with the moonshine, BUT, the "good stuff" is the 1st run, or "high wine." That stuff, if it's made by someone who knows what they're doing, is the absolute best I've ever tasted. The pure stuff is about 190 proof, though, and most you get is closer to 100 or maybe 120 proof. Best way to drink it is straight if it's already been watered down. Now THAT stuff will put a smile on ANYBODY's face! But it's really hard to come by now, and most of the stuff that folks will sell you is the 2nd or subsequent runs off the original mash makin's. That stuff can taste a little musty, so don't judge good 'shine by that stuff.

One other tip, a friend turned me onto Evan Williams some years back, and it's one of the best bourbons I've ever drank. And it's pretty CHEAP, too! Doesn't make sense, I know, but .... give it a try. I know a few guys who keep the big name liquors for guests, but when they mix a drink to just set out on the porch by themselves and watch the sun go down and all the woodland creatures scurry to bed, they'll almost always go with ol' Evan. It's smooth, doesn't bite, and goes down really easy and makes ya' feel like you just gave yourself a warm fuzzy.

Tastes vary in alcohol, but these have been really well worth trying in my own experience. YMMV.

762 shooter
03-14-2016, 07:03 AM
Blantons or Woodford reserve.

I know of some moonshine that was artfully sculpted by a true master in Hendersonville NC. The artist recently passed and was a true loss to people who know and appreciate that particular illegal calling.

762

Char-Gar
03-14-2016, 08:13 AM
I am not a whisky snob. Table whisky is good enough for me. J.T.S. Brown on the rocks since 1963. The nuances of high end whisky are lost on me. Why pay money for something I can't taste.

For reasons, I don't fully understand, but greatly appreciate, i don't have an addictive personality. However until you know who you are, it is wise to approach whisky with caution. I have known a considerable number of people who have had real problems with the stuff.

Piedmont
03-14-2016, 08:40 AM
There are three bourbons I find highly satisfactory. The staple is Wild Turkey 101. I can get these at the local store in 1.75 L bottles making it even cheaper. Devil's Cut is a tad more expensive and equally good. It has a smoky taste. And for special occasions or after a financial windfall, Booker's is by far the best bourbon I have ever had (haven't been able to get George T. Stagg or Pappy Van Winkles here so maybe they are even better but they are also even more expensive). The Booker's is very high proof so needs plenty of diluting with water, but that just makes it last longer and it is delicious.

Mica_Hiebert
03-14-2016, 09:03 AM
I tried makers mark Bourbon and did not care for the strong taste have not tried any other corn whiskey. I seem to prefer Canadian whiskey, Pendleton usually but I will drink "8 seconds" if I am feeling frugal.

mortre
03-14-2016, 09:31 AM
For reasons, I don't fully understand, but greatly appreciate, i don't have an addictive personality. However until you know who you are, it is wise to approach whisky with caution. I have known a considerable number of people who have had real problems with the stuff.

Alcohol has never been a problem for me. But I actively avoid prescription pain pills these days. I was on them for a couple of years due to back problems, but they created their own problems. Now I avoid anything stronger than Tylenol. Worst of all was quiting smoking though, that took years of trying to finally break. I won't touch any tobacco products now. I haven't smoked in 5 years or so, but still have cravings almost daily.

Geezer in NH
03-14-2016, 09:48 AM
Another vote for Knob Creek.

Clay M
03-14-2016, 10:02 AM
Tobacco was very difficult for me to quit. I use to smoke pipes and cigars.
I quit about twenty two years ago. If I touch it again I would be right back on it.
I do have an addictive type personality , so I am aware of the problem.

shdwlkr
03-14-2016, 10:11 AM
Decades ago now I used to drink and drink well, then some drunk murdered my wife, refuse to do that to someone else. If you must drink do so without ending the life of anyone including yourself.

RobS
03-14-2016, 10:13 AM
Forty Creek is a nice whiskey. Barrel Select
http://www.fortycreekwhisky.com/Product%20pages/barrel_select.html

Nice caramel finish. Open the bottle, pour a glass and let it sit. I'm a water and whiskey guy and really enjoy this one.

flyingmonkey35
03-14-2016, 10:13 AM
Get a new hobby and make your own beer

jonp
03-14-2016, 10:15 AM
All whiskey and scotch tastes like medicine to me and bad stuff at that. Never acquired the taste.

Mica_Hiebert
03-14-2016, 10:37 AM
All whiskey and scotch tastes like medicine to me and bad stuff at that. Never acquired the taste.
I like my whisky but scotch tastes like turpentine to me.

fecmech
03-14-2016, 10:42 AM
I don't drink a lot but when I do it's VO up or on the rocks. I never could get into the wine thing at all, just don't care for the taste.

Taylor
03-14-2016, 11:02 AM
I like my whisky but scotch tastes like turpentine to me.

Comes from the same tree.

DougGuy
03-14-2016, 11:21 AM
It ALL starts as corn whiskey if you are drinking bourbon.

I fired Jim Beam after many years of me paying into their retirement funds, I was a musician too (bass player) and averaged 18-22 shots a nite when we played which was 4, 5 sometimes 6 nights a week, that went on for years and years. Funniest thing, I went to play the next gig and had to relearn half the night's material over again! Serious.. Was so used to getting in the "zone" and could play by remembering patterns my fingers made and without the alcohol, I couldn't do them.

Anyway, I found I liked good moonshine better than any of the store bought whiskeys, and could be happy giving that mason jar just a little "kiss" every time I went to the fridge for a beer.

Eventually all things must pass and so did my favorite social vice and I haven't drank anything since 2008. If I was to go back to the bottle, it would be a mason jar.

Char-Gar
03-14-2016, 11:29 AM
Tobacco was very difficult for me to quit. I use to smoke pipes and cigars.
I quit about twenty two years ago. If I touch it again I would be right back on it.
I do have an addictive type personality , so I am aware of the problem.

I know many folks who have the dickens of a time staying off tobacco. I smoked for about twelve years (1954 - 1966). While in Law School (1966) a fellow bet me a quarter I could not stop smoking. I quit cold turkey and never had a craving. I won the quarter. For some strange reason, I just don't seem to have addictions. It is not will power, strength of character or religious fervor, just some kind of biological quirk.

slim1836
03-14-2016, 11:32 AM
Blantons is very good sipping whiskey.

Slim

rockrat
03-14-2016, 11:33 AM
Never really cared for alcohol, saw what it did to families and used so much of it as solvents in Chemistry class, was almost buzzed once I got out of lab. After years of that, really can't stand the taste of alcohols, reminds me of class.
Don't mind a bottle of the hard ciders or the Henrys hard orange (like orange crush soda) every couple of weeks, but thats about it. Hate the taste of beer (hop bitterness, but I also hate cilantro in my mexican food), but wanted to be a brewmeister when I finished college. Was going to work for Coors, but life changed.
Watching the show on moonshining, guess its a good thing I didn't move to the Kentucky/Carolinas, as I could see me making small batches of the stuff, as the chemist part of me probably couldn't resist. Wouldn't drink it, just make it and probably give it away to friends.

Dad liked Seagrams and 7up.

marlin39a
03-14-2016, 11:53 AM
I like a glass of good wine now and then. I always replace the pulled cork with a plastic, locking stopper. It seals the bottle perfectly, and keeps the wine very well.

bangerjim
03-14-2016, 12:35 PM
All whiskey and scotch tastes like medicine to me and bad stuff at that. Never acquired the taste.

If you wish to ingest alcoholic beverages, try custom mixed drinks like I am into now. No sharp cutting alcohol edges. The liqueurs are the flavor-makers and the booze takes backstage in the battle for your taste buds. Many of the liqueurs I use are 40-80 proof, yet blend nicely with other items to create very pleasing and satifying beverages without that horrible straight whisky/vodka/gin/rum/scotch edge I do not prefer in my home bar-made luscious liquid libations. And can, in rather small quantites, "get you there"!

The only hooch I drink straight out of the bottle neat is some 25 year old single malt I have and a nice 12 year aged dark rum. Also certain brands of "Old Tom" style gins are tollerable. That gin is totally different (sweeter and not realy edgy) than the horrible Londry Dry style that is so popular today with the modern cocktail crowd. Old Tom is the style of gin that got England thru the 18th & 19th century!

Clay M
03-14-2016, 01:29 PM
I like a glass of good wine now and then. I always replace the pulled cork with a plastic, locking stopper. It seals the bottle perfectly, and keeps the wine very well.

I always drink wine within 24- 48 hours of pulling the cork.
My wife and I usually split a bottle. That amounts to about two glasses a piece.

bangerjim
03-14-2016, 01:41 PM
There is a device that my friends use that pulls a vacuum on the bottle with a special stopper. They claim it preserves the "taste". So why all the fuss of letting a wine breathe or spending $$ on those silly wine aerators?

Never understood wine (whine) people at all.

reloader28
03-14-2016, 02:06 PM
Get a new hobby and make your own beer

This one. If you have time to drink it, you have time to make it.
I dont care if its beer, wine or whiskey, home made alcohol tastes so much better than even top shelf stuff.

I'm another vote for Knob Creek. Even better than that is Woodford Reserve.

Wine can go bad pretty fast after contact with air and turns into vinegar.

smokeywolf
03-14-2016, 02:31 PM
This thread has me thinking of W.C. Fields. When asked why he had such a strong aversion to water he said, "Godfrey Daniels, never touch the stuff! Don't you know that fish [have intercourse] (he used a 4 letter word) in it?"

The master comedian also said, "I remember once, traveling through Afghanistan, we lost our corkscrew and were forced to survive on food and water alone."

captbligh
03-14-2016, 04:10 PM
Maybe not readily available, but Total Wine and More carries a nice bourbon called "Two Stars" that is reasonably priced and for my taste as enjoyable as Knob Creek which was my previous go-to bourbon. Knob Creek Rye is still my favorite rye that I've found.

Being an old fighter pilot who did his utmost to live up to the "fighter pilot mystique" of heavy drinking after hours and chasing women at all hours, I've drank my share of whisky and whiskey. I've finally stopped that craziness. Been faithful to the lovely wife for nearly 40 years and cut way back on alcohol. Being in your late 60's will do that to you.

bradh
03-14-2016, 04:41 PM
Really surprised no one has mentioned "Crown Royal Black", 3 or 6
dollars more then CR but I enjoy it. Someone gave my son a bottle
of CR XR which now costs $160 and not worth it.

johniv
03-14-2016, 04:49 PM
Most of the straight bourbon is alright , for cheap as someone mentioned here Even Williams black label wont break the bank , and is a good drink straight. I cant afford good Scotch, but do like Lafroiag (sp) 10 year old. As for blended whisky , life is too short to drink that stuff.

Clay M
03-14-2016, 06:11 PM
I am listening to the song Green Zone by Jim Weider,and also Roy Buchanan.The Telecaster
reminds me of the old days, but I no longer have a thirst for whisky.

Nowadays I like a Les Paul, and Marshall amps, or a Fender tweed amp.

farmerjim
03-14-2016, 06:21 PM
I like all single malts.
If you want to solve your leftover wine problem
Get a set of seal a meal wine corks. When you have drunk what you want put the cork in the bottle and pull a vacuum on it. This removes all the oxygen that combines to give opened wine that bitter oxidized taste. As the only wine drinker in the house, I do this all the time.

nagantguy
03-14-2016, 06:36 PM
GEORGE DICKEL Tennessee whisky, yellow lable is more mellow, aged longer, black lable is similar in age and strength to Jack, but Dickel is cold filtered to neutralize the bitter fatty acids, very smooth. Best is George Dickel barrel select, made in small batches double cold filtered and just wonderfully rich smooth and mellow! Bought a bottle on my honey moon, allow myself one bottle a year. It's to be savored and enjoyed slowly neat on on the rocks in the company of good friends or by yourself reflecting on this funny thing called life.

blackthorn
03-14-2016, 06:58 PM
Years ago---last minute shop at liquor store for bottle of Southern Comfort to take to the hunting camp. Sorry all out of that brand. Looked at the selection of Bourbon---settled on a bottle of Kentucky Tavern. At camp after a long day in the cold---opened the bottle, poured for three of us---ughhh worst tasting stuff! That bottle went to camp for three years and never dropped in level! About midway through the fourth year I had it, about one AM, my neighbor (who drank A LOT) knocked on my door and asked if I had any booze he could buy. I gifted him that Kentucky Tavern. I do not drink much anymore and haven't since I turned 21 (over 50 years ago). After we had my two boys I promised my ex. I would cut back on drinking (and I did). Could not afford it anyway. I still have a full bottle of whisky I won in a raffle at the Labour Council meeting in 1984. Back then booze raffles were still politically correct. I do have the occasional beer, glass of wine or shot of hard liquor but not often. When I was growing up, my buddies Dad had a still and he made whisky that was smoother and more tasty than store bought (cheaper too).

brassrat
03-14-2016, 08:03 PM
Not a whiskey but Midnight Moon mason jar shine is some good fruity goodness. I have some, 90 proof, raspberry open now. Tastes like a brandy, at first, but better. Several flavors and proofs. Titos vodka, straight, is something else, like water also great watered down.

mortre
03-14-2016, 08:05 PM
There is a device that my friends use that pulls a vacuum on the bottle with a special stopper. They claim it preserves the "taste". So why all the fuss of letting a wine breathe or spending $$ on those silly wine aerators?

Never understood wine (whine) people at all.
I've tried one of those from our vacuum sealer, but it didn't seem to work that well.

Geezer in NH
03-14-2016, 08:29 PM
Gee maybe former or recovering alcoholics should have an AA forum or do not open threads asking questions.

Some do not have the problem or care about yours.

Sorry so many neg answers on alcohol on here.

quilbilly
03-14-2016, 08:43 PM
A couple years back I happened upon a bartenders guide at a garage sale for a pittance. My wife any I decided to try all those drinks we had heard so much over the years whether it was with the whiskies (bourbon scotch, rye, blended, etc.) gin, vodka, rum and others once or twice a week when not in the mood for wine. It has been great fun and a great hobby. Moderation in all things (except boolit casting of course) is the key.

Minerat
03-14-2016, 09:36 PM
I can still taste the Boones Farm that I used to sneak into the dorm in '71 when I was 18 yrs old (urp!) Then drinking most of a bottle of Yago Sangria and sacrificing it to the porcelain throne cured me of drinking wine for the rest of my life :-)

Our mix was boones farm with peppermint schnopps sic and beer chasers. It resulted in to much Coors flue and after the second time I quit that stuff (the Boones Farm). Now a little Wild Turkey 101 in a glass of ice tea (not the sweet stuff) is kinda nice.

Herb in Pa
03-14-2016, 10:44 PM
gee maybe former or recovering alcoholics should have an aa forum or do not open threads asking questions.

Some do not have the problem or care about yours.

Sorry so many neg answers on alcohol on here.


amen brother!!!!!!!!!!

bangerjim
03-14-2016, 11:08 PM
A couple years back I happened upon a bartenders guide at a garage sale for a pittance. My wife any I decided to try all those drinks we had heard so much over the years whether it was with the whiskies (bourbon scotch, rye, blended, etc.) gin, vodka, rum and others once or twice a week when not in the mood for wine. It has been great fun and a great hobby. Moderation in all things (except boolit casting of course) is the key.

A well-stocked home bar will take a lot more than what you mentioned above. I had all that already. Now I am investing in different liqueurs to make drinks with those basic alcohols. So far, I have acquired over 20 (and counting) different types and flavors. At 25-35 dollars a bottle, it adds up, but since you only use anywhere from a quarter ounce to an ounce at a time, those bottles will last us years! Unlike wine which is gone in one sitting.

Happy mixing!

MaryB
03-15-2016, 02:30 AM
Doing just that, setting up to brew again after a 30 year pause. I shared a microbrewery with a friend, we were doing close to 30 kegs a month for family. Then I moved to far away to brew every weekend and stopped.

I have been doing some 1 gallon batches while I set back up and decide what I want to brew in larger quantities. My new 15 gallon mash kettle:

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/maryalanab/IMG_20160315_0122364951_zps855auz6c.jpg

I wasn't going to do 5 gallon batches but aside from lifting kettles a 1 gallon batch is almost as much work! And I am setting up a corner of the garage to brew in and will use the engine cherry picker to lift full kettles!


This one. If you have time to drink it, you have time to make it.
I dont care if its beer, wine or whiskey, home made alcohol tastes so much better than even top shelf stuff.

I'm another vote for Knob Creek. Even better than that is Woodford Reserve.

Wine can go bad pretty fast after contact with air and turns into vinegar.

gandydancer
03-15-2016, 03:05 AM
I drank Balentine whiskey for years & many Beers. I quite all Booze of all kinds over ten years ago, And that's when my health started going to Hell in a hand basket and I have never been the same sense.

DW475
03-15-2016, 03:06 AM
Woodford Reserve or Jameson when it's time to kick back by the fire!

smokeywolf
03-15-2016, 06:55 AM
I'm sippin' one of the cheaper single malt scotches right now, Glenlivet 12 year old. It's OK, but I prefer the sherried single malts, like The Macallan or Glenmorangie.

Lloyd Smale
03-15-2016, 07:55 AM
when I was young I drank a lot of segrams VO. I still keep a bottle in the cupboard and maybe a couple times a year have a shot. theres also a mason jar of something or other in there:bigsmyl2:

mortre
03-15-2016, 10:31 AM
Gee maybe former or recovering alcoholics should have an AA forum or do not open threads asking questions.

Some do not have the problem or care about yours.

Sorry so many neg answers on alcohol on here.
I saw a few "I don't touch it anymore, but this is what I used to drink". But not so much anti-alcohol. Either way I didn't find those posts insulting or judgmental. I wouldn't get worked up about it, just be glad it's all stayed civil.

Rufus Krile
03-15-2016, 12:34 PM
I saw a few "I don't touch it anymore, but this is what I used to drink". But not so much anti-alcohol. Either way I didn't find those posts insulting or judgmental. I wouldn't get worked up about it, just be glad it's all stayed civil.
This thread could also drift off into the 'Obvious Signs of a Mis-Spent Youth' rant... which, admit it, could be amusing.

bangerjim
03-15-2016, 12:52 PM
Alcohol in any form can be and is enjoyed by millions......in moderation. Some still live in the temperance-era thought process about it. Not EVERYBODY that allows licquer to touch their lips turns into a raging dependent abusive drunk for life. It is a medical fact that a drink or two a few times a week atually is beneficial to over-all health. Beers, wines, and grain alcohols have been found to be (in moderation, of course) not nearly as bad as preached from the pulpits of old and actually are beneficial. New studies come out almost ever week.

ANYTHING, even water, used in excess can be detrimental to health.

Just drink (and eat) sensibly and in moderation. And enjoy life in the manner you choose!

We are all fellow travelers to the grave. The path you use........is yours to choose. And not to push viewpoints and demean others' choices.

CHEERS!

bangerjim

Clay M
03-15-2016, 01:27 PM
This thread could also drift off into the 'Obvious Signs of a Mis-Spent Youth' rant... which, admit it, could be amusing.

I enjoyed my youth. Lets just say I was very lucky to have grown up it the best time imaginable.
My dad gave me work to do as a kid so I could afford to buy guns..

shdwlkr
03-15-2016, 05:58 PM
Some here think that those of us who no longer drink are some how less thans, well if you read my original post on this thread you will understand very well why I no longer drink alcohol. Now when I was drinking it went something like this 1 gallon of old grand dad 100 prof, case of wine and a few cases of beer each week, drank the old grand dad straight up room temp 16 ounces, beer liked guineas was like molasses and won many bets from those that didn't know how to drink room temp beer. Now the smell of it brings back bad memories and nope don't care if you drink or not your choice, just don't drink and drive is all I ask. Yes I did help a few leo's get some of those who were to stupid to not get behind the wheel when they were way passed safe to be on the road.

On one construction job my boss bet me he could drink me under the table, well several bottles of whiskey later I drove home and he had to be taken home, no don't remember a thing about the drive except being leaned up against my truck at the bar and waking up the next morning not knowing where I was and dad giving me a lecture on when to stop drinking.

I am part Native American, German, Irish and that makes for a very bad mix when it comes to alcohol. Military service didn't help the drinking either or smoking. Glad I got rid of both those health issues a long time ago.

To all of you that can still drink alcohol next time your are someplace that has the stuff, order and old grand dad 100 proof and drink it for me and remember all those I know who are now no longer here so I don't have to think about it and how much I didn't remember as much as I do.

snowwolfe
03-15-2016, 09:30 PM
Good heavens. I cant believe the number of people who posted so many responses to questions the OP never asked.

Onto whiskey. Knob Creek is good stuff as is Pentleton. But my winner hands down is Russels Reserve (bourbon). The highest compliment I can pass on is that anyone who shared a drink with me at my house has went out and purchased a bottle of it. I prefer to drink it straight and sip it. And with every mouth full you pick up tastes and smell or caramel and vanilla among others. It has a lingering after taste that is just superb. My wife would never drink whiskey straight and it has now become her preferred drink.

A bottle will generally last us about 6 months so the price ($32) is easy to swallow:)

JWFilips
03-15-2016, 09:50 PM
It is really amazing how hot a thread this is! Speaks loads about us!

If you want a good "non wimp" drinkable Bourbon & Not a Some "mellow big bucks stuff" Try EZERA BROOKS it lets you know you are drinking Bourbon ! And that is a good thing + it is cheap!

justashooter
03-15-2016, 11:36 PM
if you must drink bourbon...

why not try rye?

163690

Rufus Krile
03-16-2016, 12:08 AM
Good heavens. I cant believe the number of people who posted so many responses to questions the OP never asked.

Onto whiskey. Knob Creek is good stuff as is Pentleton. But my winner hands down is Russels Reserve (bourbon). The highest compliment I can pass on is that anyone who shared a drink with me at my house has went out and purchased a bottle of it. I prefer to drink it straight and sip it. And with every mouth full you pick up tastes and smell or caramel and vanilla among others. It has a lingering after taste that is just superb. My wife would never drink whiskey straight and it has now become her preferred drink.

A bottle will generally last us about 6 months so the price ($32) is easy to swallow:)
I'll second the vote on Russell's... it's a 10yr old from the folks that bring you Wild Turkey and is priced about like Buffalo Trace and some of the other top shelf bourbons. It is every bit the equal of Woodford in my book. Like the fellow said..."You can't swing a cat without..." Everyone has their own likes and dislikes. I grew up on Henry McKenna but can now afford a bit better.

Echo
03-16-2016, 05:52 AM
I STRONGLY RECOMMEND Kirkland Premium Small Batch Bourbon, from Costco. 103 proof, and Smoooth! I often have a drink (2-3 oz) near bedtime.
But my usual drink is Bombay Sapphire gin. 94 proof, and the best gin made, IMHO. I read dick Marcinko's book 'Shadow warrior', about his experiences as a Seal, and he drank Bombay gin. Then we went to a wedding, and the bar gin at the reception was Bombay! I told the bartender to put 3 ice cubes in an Old Fashioned glass, add a Queen cocktail olive, and fill it w/Bombay. He did. I decided not to finish my fourth one, as I had stairs to climb going back to the room. Later I heard about Bombay Sapphire, and switched to that. I call my drink a Smoteroo Hotv - Sapphire Martini On ThE Rocks, One Olive - HOld The Vermouth.
But try the Costco bourbon. It's dang good. And cheap.

kingstrider
03-16-2016, 06:23 AM
I'm a Kentucky native so am somewhat picky with my bourbons. Woodford Reserve and Blanton's are two of my favorites, though there are many others such as Basil Hayden's, Four Roses, Buffalo Trace etc. The small batch bourbons are really good though they can get pricy, same as good Scotch. My wife and I belong to a small dinner club where it is hosted by a different couple each month. Somehow we got wrangled into doing a Kentucky Derby dinner so I'll be making a lot of mint juleps that day.

bangerjim
03-16-2016, 01:33 PM
I STRONGLY RECOMMEND Kirkland Premium Small Batch Bourbon, from Costco. 103 proof, and Smoooth! I often have a drink (2-3 oz) near bedtime.
But my usual drink is Bombay Sapphire gin. 94 proof, and the best gin made, IMHO. I read dick Marcinko's book 'Shadow warrior', about his experiences as a Seal, and he drank Bombay gin. Then we went to a wedding, and the bar gin at the reception was Bombay! I told the bartender to put 3 ice cubes in an Old Fashioned glass, add a Queen cocktail olive, and fill it w/Bombay. He did. I decided not to finish my fourth one, as I had stairs to climb going back to the room. Later I heard about Bombay Sapphire, and switched to that. I call my drink a Smoteroo Hotv - Sapphire Martini On ThE Rocks, One Olive - HOld The Vermouth.
But try the Costco bourbon. It's dang good. And cheap.

Kirkland SBB is good. Had it at a friend's house. Not sure who makes it for Costco.

I am not a gin drinker, but have you ever tried one of the brands of "Old Tom" style gins? Made again today (after being all but extinct for many decades) by a few distillers, some here in the US. It was the gin that people guzzled by the gallon back in the 18th and 19th centuries in England. I always wondered how they drank gin like water....now I know! A bit sweeter and smoother than that horrible "Dry Gin" most people are familiar with today. Even smoother than Bombay Sapphire (my standard when gin is called for). Check it out. Not easy to find in some locations. Total Wine & More has a couple brands in my area.

Echo
03-16-2016, 06:54 PM
Jim, I was shopping @ Costco about 3 months ago, and found they had Sapphire on sale for $5 off! Normally $31/40-pounder, only $26, so I bought 4! Back a couple weeks later, and it was still on sale, so I bought 2 more! Am fixed for Sapphire for a few months...

Mica_Hiebert
03-16-2016, 10:42 PM
So scared to buy Kirkland brand whiskeys! I'd hate to have to get rid of a half gallon of something if I don't like it.

mortre
03-17-2016, 01:35 AM
I'm pretty surprised how long this thread has made it, and it will take me years to get through all the suggestions. Knob Creek will top the short list, it seems to have garnered the most suggestions.

I still have not made it to the store to buy the four roses, but I did get to try a small glass of Stagg Jr. Wow is all I can say, lot's of alcohol and flavor. I ended up watering it down, at over 130 proof it numbed the mouth pretty quick. But surprisingly drinkable straight, especially considering I'd never considered drinking straight liquor until a few months ago.

Col4570
03-17-2016, 02:50 AM
In this life everything in moderation seems to be a comfortable formula.Obviously if a person is crawling along the gutter then he/she has had too much to drink.A drink every now and then does no harm a nice glass of beer to wash away the days toil or a shot of spirit when wheezing have good effect.Its when the drinker is Permenently "Three Sheets To The Wind" that their life may go haywire.Certainly drink and Guns are a bad combination that could bring on the "Whoops Now Look What You Have Made Me Do" syndrome.

Rufus Krile
03-17-2016, 02:49 PM
Everyone must know their limits... I no longer will stay in the same room with an open bottle of tequila due to some enthusiastic overtraining in my youth. I had to give it up because it was too hard on my clothes... I kept losing them.

Geezer in NH
03-17-2016, 04:31 PM
Hitler did not drink tequila, said it made him mean.:drinks:

Powder Burn
03-17-2016, 05:00 PM
Knob Creek seems to be the favorite around the campground. My tastes have changed to brandy when I get the urge. I think it's either the meds have changed my taste buds or possibly those Wisconsin Packer fans.

Char-Gar
03-17-2016, 05:26 PM
Hitler did not drink tequila, said it made him mean.:drinks:

There is bad Tiquila and good Tiquila. Here is the good stuff...

Char-Gar
03-17-2016, 05:29 PM
How here is the best Scotch Whisky of all time. It is 120 proof, so a wee dram is all you need.

Char-Gar
03-17-2016, 05:31 PM
For a truly guilty pleasure, I submit;

LUBEDUDE
03-17-2016, 06:07 PM
I can still taste the Boones Farm that I used to sneak into the dorm in '71 when I was 18 yrs old (urp!) Then drinking most of a bottle of Yago Sangria and sacrificing it to the porcelain throne cured me of drinking wine for the rest of my life :-)

My story too! And, similar time period and age!

But with beer as well. Can't even stand the smell of wine or beer.

Don't care for the hard stuff, I just don't like the taste of any alcohol------

except for Moonshine for some reason. The more the jet fuel taste, the better.

I rarely drink it. Two jars in the gun safe for 5 years are half full. I have two adult daughters in AA, so I keep it locked up so as to not cause a "Trigger" for them.

DoubleAdobe
03-17-2016, 07:13 PM
There is bad Tiquila and good Tiquila. Here is the good stuff...

Herradurra is tasty stuff, maybe too tasty.
Cazadores Reposado is purty good as well.

bangerjim
03-17-2016, 07:15 PM
There is bad Tiquila and good Tiquila. Here is the good stuff...

If you want some good sippin' hooch and want it tequila based, try Almendrado on the rocks! Smooth as glass. It is a tequila liqueur with hints of Amaretto taste but waaaaay better in my book.


banger

bangerjim
03-17-2016, 07:17 PM
For a truly guilty pleasure, I submit;

It is truly amazing how well dark chocolate and alcohol go together. A good solid ale and dark are amazing also.

But, then, chocolate goes well with just about everything I know!!!!!!!!![smilie=l:

snowwolfe
03-17-2016, 07:25 PM
Try some good chocolate while sipping on a top quality Port. Superb combination:)

JWT
03-18-2016, 10:33 PM
How here is the best Scotch Whisky of all time. It is 120 proof, so a wee dram is all you need.

One of my favorites as well.

TXGunNut
03-18-2016, 11:41 PM
I've been a fan of Scots whiskey for quite some time but these days even the finer single malts often disagree with my physiology. My dad was an Evan Williams fan and I kept a bottle around for him in his final years. I still do, he's been gone nearly eight years but I still have to replace that bottle now and then. These days "we're" enjoying the "1783" version of Evan Williams. He kept Jack Daniels around for special occasions but I'm partial to his standard. Guess I'm just a tightass like my daddy, lol.
I do enjoy several small batch bourbons like Angel's Envy now and then but I was truly impressed during a trip to Cody last year to discover Wyoming Whiskey. It's not a smooth, polished bourbon but it's very sippable small batch whiskey with just a hint of the wild beauty that defines Wyoming. Yes, I smuggled a few bottles back to Texas with me.
Like many here, I can't drink like I used to. Probably just as well. My wine cooler is full of fine wines and my cabinet full of good whiskey. Seems a shame I don't get to enjoy them very often but I enjoy them more that way.

kenyerian
03-19-2016, 12:20 AM
For those of you who like Moonshine New Straitsville Ohio has a legal Still operating making Straitsville Special Shine. If you do face book here's a link https://www.facebook.com/Straitsvillespecialmoonshine

StolzerandSons
03-19-2016, 12:26 AM
I'll have to heavily disagree with you about Wyoming Whiskey, it's over priced rotgut that went on the market way to soon because the investors wanted their money back and didn't want to wait for it to age properly. My older Brother lives in Thermopolis Wyoming and I've been to Kirby and taken the tour of Wyoming Whiskey...the only think worth paying good money for in Kirby Wyoming is the burgers at Butch's Place.

TXGunNut
03-19-2016, 12:32 AM
Tequila? Several years ago I stumbled across a bottle of Sauza tequila my dad brought back from Mexico at least 40 years ago. I'm pretty sure they've forgotten how to make tequila that smooth. Thank goodness he either forgot about it or didn't like it. I'm keeping the last couple of shots for a VERY special occasion.
Years ago the last of the bootleggers around here were still making 'shine now and then, just for old times sake. If you knew them you could buy the good stuff, everyone else got the "sellin' whiskey" which was pretty rough. Good 'shine is some of the best whiskey made but I doubt much is made today.

TXGunNut
03-19-2016, 12:36 AM
I'll have to heavily disagree with you about Wyoming Whiskey, it's over priced rotgut that went on the market way to soon because the investors wanted their money back and didn't want to wait for it to age properly. My older Brother lives in Thermopolis Wyoming and I've been to Kirby and taken the tour of Wyoming Whiskey...the only think worth paying good money for in Kirby Wyoming is the burgers at Butch's Place.


Yes, I heard about the early batches. Recent stuff is pretty good. It was a bit overpriced but I found it in a little liquor store on the main drag of Cody after a loooong drive from Raton. May have to stop in for a burger this summer, thanks.

AK Caster
03-19-2016, 11:26 AM
Has anyone tried Wild Turkey 17? Gets good reviews but I have yet to try it.

bangerjim
03-19-2016, 02:22 PM
Has anyone tried Wild Turkey 17? Gets good reviews but I have yet to try it.


WT??????????? Homey don't play dat game!

They do make a decent honey liqueur. I have a bottle of WT that is going on 28 years old. That is what I think of it. Mabe will have to blow the thick dust off it and crack it open and see if olde age has been kind to it!

banger

mortre
03-19-2016, 09:04 PM
I picked up a bottle of Four Roses single barrel today. It does taste pretty darn good, but they are pretty proud of it. After sales (20.5%) and liter ($3.77 per liter) tax it cost me almost $60 out the door.

bangerjim
03-19-2016, 11:58 PM
That is the reason there is so much rot-gut hooch in the stores! Many cannot afford good stuff (or could not tell the difference if it hit them on the head!).

Enjoy what you can afford. I think nothing of spending 40-60 a bottle for many of the top shelf liqueurs I enjoy.

smokeywolf
03-20-2016, 12:31 AM
Picked up a bottle of Kirkland 16 year old single malt scotch today. It's pretty good. I still prefer the sherried single malts, but this bottle will likely be gone in 12 to 24 months. I drink a variety of whiskies, but generally go through the equivalent of a bottle of whisky in about 8 months.

Char-Gar
03-20-2016, 02:19 PM
Tequila? Several years ago I stumbled across a bottle of Sauza tequila my dad brought back from Mexico at least 40 years ago. I'm pretty sure they've forgotten how to make tequila that smooth. Thank goodness he either forgot about it or didn't like it. I'm keeping the last couple of shots for a VERY special occasion.
Years ago the last of the bootleggers around here were still making 'shine now and then, just for old times sake. If you knew them you could buy the good stuff, everyone else got the "sellin' whiskey" which was pretty rough. Good 'shine is some of the best whiskey made but I doubt much is made today.

The making and selling of Tiquila is now very, very big business as Americans and people all over the world have acquired a taste for the Mexican fire water. However all to few people understand the stuff.

In the days of old there were two different kinds of Tiquila, the "mixto" which means "mixed" and was the stuff most tourists came in contacts with. It is 51% Blue Agave and the other 49% is sugar cane. This was the basic Jose Cuervo that folks came to associate with Tiquila. It was rot gut, and gave people bad hangover and this is the stuff that caused most folks to think badly of Tiquila. Mexican's are not stupid enough to drink that stuff, but reserve it for sale to tourists and people looking for a cheap drunk.

The real Tiquila is made from 100% Blue Agave and is made in the state of Jalisco. There are three levels of the stuff with pricing going up with each level. 1. Plata or silver..this has never seen the inside of a barrel but is sold without any kind of aging. 2. Reposada or rested...this is placed in oak barrels for about 4 months to rest. 3. Anejo or aged...this kept in oak barrels for no more than two years. Tiquila does not age well and get undrinkable after about two years. It just does not like barrel ageing.

The more this stuff is aged, the more it picks up the agave flavor. I can't stand either Reposada or Anejo, as it has too much of that greasy agave flavor. It is awful stuff.

I much prefer the Plata as it has the tradtional bright flavor with a peppery finish. This is the traditonal Tiquila of Mexico. The good stuff starts with Hornitos by Sauza and move on to Don Julio, Patron and Herradura (Horseshoe). I tend to favor Herradura, but think highly of the others as well. Hornitos is the cheapest of the lot.

In recent years it has become popular to put out some triple distilled boutique Tequilas made for the American taste. This stuff is very very smooth and women can drink it straight up. But in my opinion they have distilled all the character out of it. I won't touch the stuff, preferring the traditional Mexican Platas above.

Many people like to keep Plata in the freezer and drink it straight out of the bottle and straight out of the freezer, chasing it with whatever suits their fancy. This is very good stuff, but beware, it is so smooth and easy, you can drink to much before it hits you.

Good Tiquila is very good drinking licquor. However, in my house, it is reserved for those special days when I want to take a trip back in time to when I was young and limber and jump a five stand fence. I will pour two shots of good traditional Plata and chase it with ice water. I do not go back for seconds.

Tiquila can be a good friend or a bad enemy. The difference starts with knowing something about the stuff and keeping everything in perspective and moderation. Drinking Tiquila is kinda like snake handling, it is safe enough if you know what you are doing and pay attention. Be stupid or careless and there will be a price to pay.

P.S. Sauza is a brand that distills and markets about a half dozen different Tiquilas. My Step-Son like Tres Generaciones (3 Generations) and I keep him supplied with it. I like Hornitos by the same company.

bangerjim
03-20-2016, 04:57 PM
Good (important word there) hooch should not need to be from the freezer. Most, if not all foods, taste better on the pallet at 50 and above degrees. When you take alcohol to below 32F, you are killing the flavor factors. Your tongue cannot enjoy the nuances of the distiller's masterpiece.

Many drink vodka out of the freezer. Vodka is total garbage anyway and there is nothing to the taste but raw cutting ethanol anyway! My biased feelings on straight vodka. It all tastes like paint thinner of some kind...warm or cold. Mixes great (only to bump up the alcohol level) in cocktails where other top shelf liqueurs take over the driver's seat on taste.

Tequila is said to give the worst hang over of any other spirit around. Never tested it, as I do not like it enough to drink that much of it straight to find out. Maybe only an ounce in a nice cocktail once in a while.

And I never could understand the "shooters" mentality for any kind of booze. What a waste of flavor. One must sip good spirits and enjoy the nose and taste rather than chugging it right down. That shooter stuff was reserved for my college days many many moon ago.

"With time comes wisdom, Grasshopper."

banger

doc1876
03-21-2016, 03:58 PM
no, I have not read all of this, which is unusual for me, but I have been Job hunting again, So that being said,
Old Weller, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky, 107 proof is verrrry smooth, A little hard to find, but worth it, and usually less expensive than say, Jack.

MaryB
03-22-2016, 12:48 AM
Temperature carries over into drinking ales, I keep my beer fridge at 42, below that the flavors get muted. Now a lager from the ice chest on hot day is fine cold. Not a lot of complex flavors going on there.

trapper9260
03-22-2016, 05:42 AM
Years ago I use to drink alot of whiskey mainly WT 101 ,then got to the point it was not worth to buy and all the beers . then time have past and went and make some wine and some beer also make some marrow whiskey.That is good enough for me. I do not need to distill it.So it all works out for drink alittle before bed and that is good enough for me.I do not drink like I have when I was in the navy years ago. I am glad I am not anymore.

1bluehorse
03-22-2016, 01:10 PM
I like Whiskey, Bourban, (with the exceptions of Jack Danials, Black Velvet, (Busch beer of Whiskeys) and Wild Turkey 101...(that stuff will run a butane lighter) Brandy is like cheap whiskey with a bit of lighter fluid added. Tequila is a good parts cleaner if you run out of brake cleaner. Scotch (no matter the brand, cost, or how many "malts" it has) tastes like some type of alcohol that was aged with someones dirty wool socks left in the barrel. Gin is, well, not sure what Gin is, but it tastes like fermented pine needles....burns with a nice blue flame. But I will tell you this, if we were to meet and you offered any of these to me, I'd drink it with ya....maybe not the Scotch. Brands that I really like are Pendleton and Bulleit Bourban. Also a bottle of Southern Comfort in your saddlebags is a nice item if you're up high on a cold day and the "cowboy coffee" is a bit thick. But it's not really for "drinkin"......:-P

David2011
03-23-2016, 11:51 PM
Lots of refined tastes here. Would love to sit down at my bar or yours with any of you!

David

smokeywolf
03-24-2016, 12:02 AM
Used to be an outfit in SoCal called Brookside Winery. You could go to one of these places and sit down and taste pretty much any wine or brandy they carried. The brandy was pretty dog-goned nice. always carried a flask of it in my saddle bags. Came in real handy one time when my partner and I got caught in a blizzard up in the Tehachapi Mountains.

fivefang
03-24-2016, 12:34 AM
Condorjohn, Yes Evan Williams is a decent Bourbon, I like it straight, south of the Palm Beaches,I was able to get some "Wray & Nephew" " Jamaicain Rum, guaranteed over proof, but here next to Death-Valley,Evan Williasms & Miller Bier is fine, I'l be 82 next month

dbarry1
03-24-2016, 04:41 AM
I drank mainly bourbon over the years but have come to really enjoy Jameson. Nice earthy finish.

Bulldogger
03-24-2016, 08:27 AM
I bought a Colorado whisky called Tin Cup last night and enjoyed it very much. Just a little bite and smooth enough.
BDGR

daengmei
03-24-2016, 09:28 AM
I grew up in the coal fields of southern WV and drank everything. Became a soldier and still everything. Two tours in Germany and more of everything. Best taste for me then was Courvoisier V.S.O.P. Cognac. (I hope I'm remembering that right. It came in the Class VI store with a stand to look like a cannon.) Last decade almost nothing, beer becomes a skunk if I buy some. I was recently offered a drink of Knob Creek....I gotta say that's a winner!

shdwlkr
03-24-2016, 09:57 AM
was or is there a whiskey made by dickels I think that is how you spell it? thanks for the answers

mortre
03-24-2016, 11:45 AM
was or is there a whiskey made by dickels I think that is how you spell it? thanks for the answers
George Dickel makes Tennessee Whiskey. Had a buddy in college that drank it, but I never tried it.

Char-Gar
03-24-2016, 02:08 PM
George Dickel makes Tennessee Whiskey. Had a buddy in college that drank it, but I never tried it.

The best thing I can say for Dicklel is that it is considerably better than the other Tennessee Whiskey (Jack Daniels).

Kentucky became the center for whiskey distilling because of the water there. If Tennessee had better water, it would be made there. I have always contented that the distillers in Tennessee charcoal filter their product because of inferior water.

There are several people trying to distill whiskey in Texas but it is swill. I say that as a Texan. Not everything is better in Texas and whiskey is one of the inferior products that come from Texas.

Water is the essence of good whiskey/whisky and there is no way around that. All the secret recipes and distilling hocus-pocus won't make good whiskey/whisky, if they start with inferior water.

mortre
03-25-2016, 12:07 AM
The best thing I can say for Dicklel is that it is considerably better than the other Tennessee Whiskey (Jack Daniels).

Kentucky became the center for whiskey distilling because of the water there. If Tennessee had better water, it would be made there. I have always contented that the distillers in Tennessee charcoal filter their product because of inferior water.

There are several people trying to distill whiskey in Texas but it is swill. I say that as a Texan. Not everything is better in Texas and whiskey is one of the inferior products that come from Texas.

Water is the essence of good whiskey/whisky and there is no way around that. All the secret recipes and distilling hocus-pocus won't make good whiskey/whisky, if they start with inferior water.
My dad has always been a fan of Jack Daniels, but I always mixed it with coke. He'll drink in on ice. I'm hoping the next time he visits I'll be able to introduce him to a better alternative. Unfortunately we don't see each other often. He still lives in TN, but I moved to WA state 15 years ago. That's an expensive plane trip these days.

Rufus Krile
03-25-2016, 01:44 PM
The best thing I can say for Dicklel is that it is considerably better than the other Tennessee Whiskey (Jack Daniels).

Kentucky became the center for whiskey distilling because of the water there. If Tennessee had better water, it would be made there. I have always contented that the distillers in Tennessee charcoal filter their product because of inferior water.

There are several people trying to distill whiskey in Texas but it is swill. I say that as a Texan. Not everything is better in Texas and whiskey is one of the inferior products that come from Texas.

Water is the essence of good whiskey/whisky and there is no way around that. All the secret recipes and distilling hocus-pocus won't make good whiskey/whisky, if they start with inferior water.


Yeah... what CharGar said. There's one made at Hye, TX named 'Garrison Brothers' that only aspires to being swill. They charge $80/bottle and there are some long-haired yuppie Austin commie types that actually buy it because it's made locally. They're also real big on 'Tito's' vodka that is supposed to be the nectar of the gods. I'll never know. Real bourbon comes from Kentucky. Thanks, Kentucky.

Char-Gar
03-25-2016, 02:30 PM
Yeah... what CharGar said. There's one made at Hye, TX named 'Garrison Brothers' that only aspires to being swill. They charge $80/bottle and there are some long-haired yuppie Austin commie types that actually buy it because it's made locally. They're also real big on 'Tito's' vodka that is supposed to be the nectar of the gods. I'll never know. Real bourbon comes from Kentucky. Thanks, Kentucky.


I bought a bottle of Garrison Brothers when it came on the market a few years back at $90.00 a pop. It sat around the house for a few years before I finally poured most of it down the drain. I could not give it away after somebody has a taste.

Char-Gar
03-25-2016, 02:44 PM
I bought a Colorado whisky called Tin Cup last night and enjoyed it very much. Just a little bite and smooth enough.
BDGR

The bite can be taken out of any distilled spirits by running it through a "column still" several times. What you get is no bite (smooth) spirits without character, complexity or really much flavor.

Really good whisky is made in a copper pot still. It will have a bite, but will also have very complex flavors and a long finish. It seems that folks today don't want distilled spirits that taste like distilled spirits. Just another example of the wimpification of America.

stinjie
03-25-2016, 09:34 PM
Well mortre,you've found a very popular "recreation" amongst us boolit casters here.For about the past 10 years,I've made one evening a week"bourbon night".Savoring a great bourbon,ones with complex flavors is very welcoming.The Four Roses you mention is just beautiful.Other preferences are Woodford Reserve,Black Label Jim Beam,Knob Creek ,Jefferson.But the favorite is Wild Turkey 101.It's flavors are big,long lasting and all over the place.Cheers(responsibly).

dave524
03-25-2016, 09:36 PM
I support my local economy , it is good whisky as well

http://www.fortycreekwhisky.com/products.html

doc1876
03-26-2016, 12:55 PM
Never did like Dickels or Jack for that matter. Also a side note, if God had intended for coke ( or whatever) to be in whiskey, he would have put it there.

AK Caster
03-26-2016, 02:22 PM
Never did like Dickels or Jack for that matter. Also a side note, if God had intended for coke ( or whatever) to be in whiskey, he would have put it there.

Didn't realize god ran his own distillery:)

Mtnfolk75
03-26-2016, 02:24 PM
In my younger sea faring days I was a Seagram's Gin consumer, usually with Grapefruit or Orange Juice ( Never could stomach Tonic .... :-( ). After that 8 year period I started on Jack Black Water By, then kids & life started and I mainly drank cheap beer ..... :bigsmyl2:

About four months or so back I sampled Pendleton on the recommendation of Sheriff Jim Wilson, the gun writer. I liked it and have sipped a snoot about twice a week since, pretty good stuff in my 62 year old book. BTW, in my youth I got plowed on Southern Comfort & got beat and robbed in my drunken stupor, can't even take a whiff of that sugary **** now without losing my dinner ...... :oops:

montana_charlie
03-26-2016, 02:41 PM
I still keep a bottle around for that once in a while drink.
That is me, too.
And ... because I only have a drink a couple of times per year ... now I can afford Chivas Regal!

mortre
04-21-2016, 01:02 AM
Thank you everyone for the suggestions, and I've been making use of the 50ml airplane bottles for cheap sampling of different bourbons.

I can say that I didn't like the Knob Creek. It started well, but still has that "Jim Beam" after taste that I don't like. I didn't like Elijah Craig either, kind of a not quite bitter in it that I didn't like. On the up side, I did like Wild Turkey 101 and Rare Breed. I liked the Rare Breed enough that I bought a full size bottle. I've also found a local store that has plenty of Elmer T Lee I would like to try at some point, but it's $55 out the door. Might be a while.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

Lloyd Smale
04-21-2016, 07:48 AM
I prefer the home made kind myself. Done right nothing is smoother.

atlas366
04-21-2016, 08:46 AM
I'm fond of Bulleit brand bourbon, and their rye is good too. Price per bottle is quite reasonable, so if it isn't to your taste it isn't a financial disaster.

Bulleit rye is my keep on hand whiskey. I found that bourbon is too sweet for my tastes and I've since switched fully over to rye whiskey. Templeton rye is worth a shot too, though more expensive.

kenyerian
04-21-2016, 08:55 AM
I had a shot of Maker's Mark Tuesday night. I had forgotten just how smooth it was. It has been years since I have had anything but Jack but they were out so I had to make do with what was available. Just might have to get a bottle and see if it is as good as that drink tasted or if I was just really thirsty.

Rufus Krile
04-21-2016, 02:21 PM
Thank you everyone for the suggestions, and I've been making use of the 50ml airplane bottles for cheap sampling of different bourbons.

I can say that I didn't like the Knob Creek. It started well, but still has that "Jim Beam" after taste that I don't like. I didn't like Elijah Craig either, kind of a not quite bitter in it that I didn't like. On the up side, I did like Wild Turkey 101 and Rare Breed. I liked the Rare Breed enough that I bought a full size bottle. I've also found a local store that has plenty of Elmer T Lee I would like to try at some point, but it's $55 out the door. Might be a while.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
Priced between 'Rare Breed' and 'Wild Turkey' is 'Russells Reserve'... a 10yr old from the same distillery. Really good.

mortre
04-21-2016, 03:31 PM
Priced between 'Rare Breed' and 'Wild Turkey' is 'Russells Reserve'... a 10yr old from the same distillery. Really good.
I've been looking for it, but it doesn't seem to be carried in the Class Six's on post. And once WA takes their cuts, Russell's Reserve off post is about $5 more expensive than the Rare Breed at the Class Six.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

Captain O
04-23-2016, 06:58 PM
All this talk is making me thirsty. Captain Orange Juice AWAY!​ (I don't drink alcohol). :razz: :bigsmyl2: