the dalwhinnie distillers reserve is outstanding. the latter two choices are more value based. if someone can offer some stronger selections in the $20-30 range for small batch american bourbons and/or rye whiskies my eyes and ears are open.
if someone can offer some stronger selections in the $20-30 range for small batch american bourbons and/or rye whiskies my eyes and ears are open.
The Beam small batches are a good place to start. As was recently mentioned, Knob Creek starts in the mid-$20s:
Maker's Mark is also in that range, although I don't know if it qualifies as small batch. It's your best bet, though, if you're at a bar with a modest top shelf; Maker's is often the best bourbon they'll carry.
Stepping up into the $30s, check out Baker's:
The real skull crusher is Booker's:
at about 126-129 proof.
Then, there's Basil Hayden's, my personal favorite. It'll run you somewhere in the mid- to upper-$30s:
Those are all readily available all over the US. For the regionals, well, there's really only one region - Kentucky. I'm sure there's someone around here from the Kentucky area that has that raer bourbon knowledge for you.
I cannot tell a lie: on the rocks. all day. urr day. I drink a lot of Manhattans on the rocks too, but only a couple bars around diego make them with the proper bite. DStill recently hooked up a bottle of the for a car fix... twas good. then he ran through seven shots or so and slept on the floor.
When it comes to the whiskey/bourbon tip, with as much as myself and some of my associates put away, it doesn't make sense to buy the pricey stuff. Learn to love the rot gut! Fuck Jack Daniel's, btw. That shit is awful. Like Early Times bad.
I'm actually a little disturbed by my tolerance these days. I can put away four to five healthy shots of whiskey, each with a beer back and still remember everything. No puking either. Time to drink more[/b] , me thinks.
alas there were a few subtractions from the collection due to a heavy night of food & drink.
dollar_binI heartily endorse this product and/or event 2,326 Posts
bringin it back....
new addition to the family.
alas there were a few subtractions from the collection due to a heavy night of food & drink.
I luv the Lagavulin 16 year old in all it's peaty glory, too bad it went from being a $40 whiskey to a $70 whiskey (damn you, weak dollar!). That looks I might have to give it a try.
I'm actually a little disturbed by my tolerance these days. I can put away four to five healthy shots of whiskey, each with a beer back and still remember everything. No puking either. Time to drink more[/b] , me thinks.
here in wisco , thats a warmup
Question for the real whiskey heads, why does the macallan 12 seem so much nicer than the 18?
Question for the real whiskey heads, why does the macallan 12 seem so much nicer than the 18?
well, everything reaches a "peak of maturity" and essentially perches at a moment in time that for better or worse represents a culmination of all that it has ever been and and ever will be. and past this perfect balance i think you begin to exchange certain qualites for others, and not to say that this exchange can't necessarily produce positive or interesting qualities that have their own values. but for example, with an 18 year old whiskey you might gain some compounds that produce a more pronounced aroma of some sort, but maybe you end up losing that touch of sweetness that makes the 12 year more pleasing in the mouth. but in any case i'm with you. a lot of my favorite whiskies and wines are in the middle age range. with alchohol in particular you tend to see more austerity and often intruiging yet fleeting subtlties with age, in exchange for a loss of balance.
dollar_binI heartily endorse this product and/or event 2,326 Posts
Question for the real whiskey heads, why does the macallan 12 seem so much nicer than the 18?
well, everything reaches a "peak of maturity" and essentially perches at a moment in time that for better or worse represents a culmination of all that it has ever been and and ever will be. and past this perfect balance i think you begin to exchange certain qualites for others, and not to say that this exchange can't necessarily produce positive or interesting qualities that have their own values. but for example, with an 18 year old whiskey you might gain some compounds that produce a more pronounced aroma of some sort, but maybe you end up losing that touch of sweetness that makes the 12 year more pleasing in the mouth. but in any case i'm with you. a lot of my favorite whiskies and wines are in the middle age range. with alchohol in particular you tend to see more austerity and often intruiging yet fleeting subtlties with age, in exchange for a loss of balance.
sorry, i think i think too much about food.
I like the depth of your investigation. Hopefully you have a copy of Harold McGee's book.
Speaking just from experience, I find that the Mac 18 is super mellow, perhaps too smooth for some palates, whereas the 12 has more "interesting" flavor. The 18 is like a thief in the night, it sneaks into your mouth and then leaves almost as fast as arrives. I personally wouldn't kick the 18 out of bed for eating crackers, but I also quite like the 12, and in fact I'd say the price difference makes the 12 year old quite attractive.
I ordered "Three fingers of Glenlivet, please" once and the lady didn't know what I was talking about.
Then I cleaned my pince-nez spectacles and realigned my Derby hat.
dollar_binI heartily endorse this product and/or event 2,326 Posts
I ordered "Three fingers of Glenlivet, please" once and the lady didn't know what I was talking about.
Then I cleaned my pince-nez spectacles and realigned my Derby hat.
That reminds me of the time that I ordered "bourbon" in a local dive (Ron's Farmhouse, RIP) and the bartender didn't know what I was talking about--I had to ask for a specific brand otherwise she was lost.
Just kind of getting into the Scotch game (as in getting familar with it). I'm loving Glenfiddich 12, its as if I finally get what people are talking about smelling the different notes and all. When I first started, scotch was just scotch, "but it goes a little deeper than that." Watch there be a Sideways 2: This time it's Scotch
Constant jokes with that one. "Put a little Dickel in your mouth."
My friends came up with the "Poopy Dick" shot: Grey Poupon and Dickel Whiskey.
Yeah get dickeled. That stuff has fueled some really stupid shit.
Jack Daniel's Red Breast Bushmill's Coal Filtered Tyreconnel>Jameson Jim Beam Coal Filtered
I am not much of a rocks person. Whiskey and a sidecar of ginger ale. Just something to sip on so it doesn't turn into 6 shots in 45 minutes, not beer.
Comments
the dalwhinnie distillers reserve is outstanding. the latter two choices are more value based. if someone can offer some stronger selections in the $20-30 range for small batch american bourbons and/or rye whiskies my eyes and ears are open.
The Beam small batches are a good place to start. As was recently mentioned, Knob Creek starts in the mid-$20s:
Maker's Mark is also in that range, although I don't know if it qualifies as small batch. It's your best bet, though, if you're at a bar with a modest top shelf; Maker's is often the best bourbon they'll carry.
Stepping up into the $30s, check out Baker's:
The real skull crusher is Booker's:
at about 126-129 proof.
Then, there's Basil Hayden's, my personal favorite. It'll run you somewhere in the mid- to upper-$30s:
Those are all readily available all over the US. For the regionals, well, there's really only one region - Kentucky. I'm sure there's someone around here from the Kentucky area that has that raer bourbon knowledge for you.
The cask srength is the last word! OHMYGOSH that is so good. No drinking it neat, though.
Just got a bottle of this last week. Really nice to sip on after work. I don't know much about scotch but I am looking forward to trying more of them.
I was just about to post a what is in your home bar thread. I'll save it for another time though.
Wild Turkey
Jim Beam
Oban
Highland Park
Teachers
Old Grandad.
on the rocks. all day. urr day.
I drink a lot of Manhattans on the rocks too, but only a couple bars around diego make them with the proper bite.
DStill recently hooked up a bottle of the
for a car fix... twas good. then he ran through seven shots or so and slept on the floor.
When it comes to the whiskey/bourbon tip, with as much as myself and some of my associates put away, it doesn't make sense to buy the pricey stuff. Learn to love the rot gut!
Fuck Jack Daniel's, btw. That shit is awful. Like Early Times bad.
It's like butta ...
here in wisco , thats a warmup
new addition to the family.
alas there were a few subtractions from the collection due to a heavy night of food & drink.
I luv the Lagavulin 16 year old in all it's peaty glory, too bad it went from being a $40 whiskey to a $70 whiskey (damn you, weak dollar!). That looks
Question for the real whiskey heads, why does the macallan 12 seem so much nicer than the 18?
well, everything reaches a "peak of maturity" and essentially perches at a moment in time that for better or worse represents a culmination of all that it has ever been and and ever will be. and past this perfect balance i think you begin to exchange certain qualites for others, and not to say that this exchange can't necessarily produce positive or interesting qualities that have their own values. but for example, with an 18 year old whiskey you might gain some compounds that produce a more pronounced aroma of some sort, but maybe you end up losing that touch of sweetness that makes the 12 year more pleasing in the mouth.
but in any case i'm with you. a lot of my favorite whiskies and wines are in the middle age range. with alchohol in particular you tend to see more austerity and often intruiging yet fleeting subtlties with age, in exchange for a loss of balance.
sorry, i think i think too much about food.
I like the depth of your investigation. Hopefully you have a copy of Harold McGee's book.
Speaking just from experience, I find that the Mac 18 is super mellow, perhaps too smooth for some palates, whereas the 12 has more "interesting" flavor. The 18 is like a thief in the night, it sneaks into your mouth and then leaves almost as fast as arrives. I personally wouldn't kick the 18 out of bed for eating crackers, but I also quite like the 12, and in fact I'd say the price difference makes the 12 year old quite attractive.
Jamesons
Glenlivit
and
Knob Creek
the later does weird things to me where I don't remember what happens that night...even in small amounts Dangerous stuff
And had a FANTASTIC 1959 Glenfiddich at my new favorite place in the world: the Whiskeybar down the road. (Fejmelba: hit me up).
Wait for it...
Thanks guys, nice analysis.
What'd you think I was gonna say, ayo?
Constant jokes with that one. "Put a little Dickel in your mouth."
My friends came up with the "Poopy Dick" shot: Grey Poupon and Dickel Whiskey.
+
the cheese thread
=
"I'll have three fingers of Glenlivet with a little bit of pepper...and some cheese."
Ha ha, perhaps I should have used the word palate instead.
Then I cleaned my pince-nez spectacles and realigned my Derby hat.
That reminds me of the time that I ordered "bourbon" in a local dive (Ron's Farmhouse, RIP) and the bartender didn't know what I was talking about--I had to ask for a specific brand otherwise she was lost.
Yeah get dickeled. That stuff has fueled some really stupid shit.
Jack Daniel's
Red Breast
Bushmill's Coal Filtered
Tyreconnel>Jameson
Jim Beam Coal Filtered
I am not much of a rocks person. Whiskey and a sidecar of ginger ale. Just something to sip on so it doesn't turn into 6 shots in 45 minutes, not beer.