Bourbon - Your Favorite & Why ?

If there's some great foreign bourbons, I want to hear about them ! Originally Posted by Charlie Brown

Name one.

Forgive me if I skip the going politically anal with you Crock.

Try this one. I buy it by the case and keep it as a go to just for a night cap or whatever. It's priced way low but the flavor is mild but pleasing.

It's Kentucky Tavern !

I'll skip the going politically anal with you Crock.

Try this one. I buy it by the case and keep it as a go to just for a night cap or whatever. It's priced way low but the flavor is mild but pleasing.

It's Kentucky Tavern ! Originally Posted by Charlie Brown

Not sure why you keep bringing up politics.

I've had Kentucky Tavern. It's not horrible (most bourbons are like sex and pizza, even when they're bad, they're still good). As I've made clear, my preference is for wheated bourbons, but I love hearing about good bottom-shelf options!

Please share your fav foreign bourbons!

I remember seeing this a lot in bars & restaurants in North Carolina years ago after liquor could be sold in restaurants.

You could do the BYOB, brown bagging, about anywhere but not before 1978.

Not technically " bourbon ", it's processed in a similar fashion to Jack Daniels and thus has a hint of being a close relative, good stuff:

Buffalo Trace, Makers Mark, Kentucky Deluxe.

Ok, I was billshitting on that last one. We used to pour that in our beers back in college.

I also like the TX blended whiskey, but it’s not a true bourbon. It has a vanilla finish that’s really good.

Regarding bottom shelf Bourbon bargains, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Very Old Barton. It'll run you about $11 for 750ml and it's surprisingly good. No kidding.

It suffers from limited distribution but can occasionally be found in your better stocked liquor stores. I've currently got a few handles in the liquor cabinet.

Being a Scotch drinker (see the Scotch thread here in the Sandbox), I know next to nothing about bourbon (Hell, I didn't even know Maker's Mark WAS bourbon...).

I actually have had some though...I was at a convention with an open bar, and they didn't have any scotch (it was one of those 'mini-bars' where they set up the little table with a small assortment of liquors and some iced-down beer right there in the conference room). So, I asked the bartender what he would recommend out of his selections to drink in place of Scotch. He said Maker's Mark, so I got a glass.

The Maker's Mark was actually pretty good. So now y'all have opened my world up a little more (as well as my wallet, dammit...) . Now I'm gonna have to branch out and occasionally try a bourbon or two.

Bookers is really good and the price is great. Elijah Craig 18 or 23 year old if we’re talking premiums

Fellow Hobbyists, Please try Knob Creek 120 Proof Bourbon. It is a little pricey but it only takes a little. I like to mix it with a little 7 Up but recently discovered a drink at Outback Steakhouse called "Classic Rootbeer". It's Knob Creek with some Root Beer Syrup and soda. I mix it at home again with 7Up, Dekuyer Root Beer Syrup (Krogers) and Knob Creek 120 Proof. Have 2 of those and go see Terralynn for a massage, edging and HJ. It will make your entire week. Just FYI.

Fellow Hobbyists, Please try Knob Creek 120 Proof Bourbon. Originally Posted by Jesone

Knob Creek is good stuff. They actually make a maple product that is good. It has hints of maple, and, unlike other maple flavored whiskies, it doesn't taste like they just poured some syrup in it. If you want to try something new, this is a great choice.

Here's what we've got so far.

This is going to be totally suggestive at best because we all have our individual likes etc., but I'll try to rank these into 3 categories:

Top Shelf

Middle of The Road

Bottom Shelf

Top Shelf:
Pappy Van Winkle, Booker's & Bookers 120, Elijah Craig, Knob Creek & Knob Creek 120, my avatar chick

Middle of The Road:
Maker's Mark, Woodford Reserve, Rebecca Creek, Jack Daniels, George Dickle, Buffalo Trace, Rebel Yell

Bottom Shelf:
Weller, Crown Royal, Kentucky Tavern, Kentucky Deluxe

I haven't had Bulleit ( see it on the shelf often though ) or Very Old Barton and I'm not sure I could rank 'em.

Who's got additional Top Shelf experiences or other opinions ?

Not to be that guy but he can be a good foreign whiskey but I can’t be a good foreign for and bourbon because legally it has to be made in the USA to be called bourbon. Four roses single barrel is a very good bourbon as it is makers Mark 46, Elmer T Lee is a great bourbon, garrisons is the best Texas bourbon in my Opinion and our favorite bourbon is Blantons

Your Texas favorite and the Blantons. Good stuff !

Kinda surprised Jim Beam for bottom shelf or Wild Turkey for middle of the road hasn't been mentioned.

You are kinda " that guy " Xyz9999, just in a gentlemen's fashion.

See, maybe it's just me and knowing my circle of friends who are bourbon drinkers, but anyone who's a serious bourbon drinker knows the background and history of " bourbon ". If you don't and you're only slightly educated, you can read all you need to know in seconds just by doing mild research.

From above, you can tell I wasn't looking for strict HAS TO QUALIFY AS A BOURBON recommendations on bourbons. I've had a lot of blended whiskeys commonly referred to as bourbon that are great. I love Tennessee whiskeys, sour mash, etc.

I appreciate everyone's feedback. I now have about three I want to try I haven't tasted.

Cheers !

Blanton’s. Four Roses Single Barrell (can get at Fossil Creek Spirits off Preston and PGBT beside Taco Bell- saw a bottle of Bookers while there last time and was tempted), Weller, Elmer T Lee single barrel was really good, Buffalo Trace. I like Knob Creek as well. While not “Bourbon”, Knob Creek Rye was pretty good as something different.

Basil Hayden’s is a current favorite along with Woodford Reserve. I don’t care for heavy vanilla notes, so I don’t like TX Whiskey or Dickel. However, the recently issued TX Bourbon has a completely different character than the whiskey and I really enjoy it.

For bottom shelf I really like Very Old Barton. Same mash bill as 1792, just not aged as long.

I use Bulleit and Templeton Ryes for my Manhattans. Use Antica Vermouth and finish with a Luxardo cherry.