# Bourbon Drinkers, Advice Please **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** liquor-alcohol\ **Created:** [July 10, 2008, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bourbon-drinkers-advice-please/455924 "2008-07-10T01:40:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bourbon-drinkers-advice-please/455924/1 "2008-07-10T01:40:38Z")
I will be attending what appears to be [heaven](http://www.beerandbourbon.com/north-carolina/drink-menu) this Saturday. Having limited time, and needing to drive home responsibly, help me decide which libations to sample. Bourbons I have already tried are in bold. Which of the rest are worth a try? **Woodford Reserve Jack Daniels** Gentleman Jack **Maker’s Mark Jim Beam Black Jim Beam Rye** Basil Hayden **Knob Creek** Baker’s Booker’s **Wild Turkey 101** Wild Turkey Rare Breed Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Wild Turkey American Honey Russell Reserve Old Whisky River 1792 Ridgemont Reserve Jefferson’s Reserve Rock Hill Farm Single Barrel Fighting Cock Noah’s Mill Rowan’s Creek **Elijah Craig** Parker’s Heritage Kentucky Tavern Blanton’s Single Barrel **Evan Williams Single Barrel** Kentucky Gentleman George Dickel ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bourbon-drinkers-advice-please/455924/2 "2008-07-10T01:57:20Z")
I’m not well acquainted with the more obscure brands, but I am nitpicky when I’ve been drinking. Jack Daniel’s and George Dickel aren’t bourbons. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bourbon-drinkers-advice-please/455924/3 "2008-07-10T02:16:20Z")
**Woodford Reserve Jack Daniels** Gentleman Jack **Maker’s Mark Jim Beam Black Jim Beam Rye** Basil Hayden **Knob Creek** Baker’s Booker’s **Wild Turkey 101** Wild Turkey Rare Breed Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Wild Turkey American Honey Russell Reserve Old Whisky River 1792 Ridgemont Reserve Jefferson’s Reserve Rock Hill Farm Single Barrel Fighting Cock Noah’s Mill Rowan’s Creek **Elijah Craig** Parker’s Heritage Kentucky Tavern Blanton’s Single Barrel **Evan Williams Single Barrel** Kentucky Gentleman George Dickel No Buffalo Trace? No Weller Antique? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bourbon-drinkers-advice-please/455924/4 "2008-07-10T03:35:41Z")
Booker’s! Definitely Booker’s. (But be careful; it’s around 128 proof.) ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bourbon-drinkers-advice-please/455924/5 "2008-07-10T04:18:23Z")
While technically Tennessee Whiskey instead of Bourbon, I wouldn’t pass up a Gentleman Jack over such trivialness. I’ve enjoyed the Gentleman for many years. They kept the flavor of “Pedestrian Jack” and just smoothed it out. A glass and a couple of rocks is all you need 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bourbon-drinkers-advice-please/455924/6 "2008-07-10T06:15:51Z")
I wouldn’t pass these up: Gentleman Jack Booker’s 1792 Ridgemont Reserve I’ve tried most of what you tried. I haven’t tried the rest. Screw driving home and take a cab or something. Your going to have to pass up so much good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bourbon-drinkers-advice-please/455924/7 "2008-07-10T06:20:08Z")
I’ve got a bottle of Booker’s. Highly recommended (potent though). I’ve heard good things about the George Dickel also though have never tried it myself. ---
**Author:** ![Danalan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@Danalan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danalan)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bourbon-drinkers-advice-please/455924/8 "2008-07-10T06:43:01Z")
Bookers. The Basil Hayden is nice, and the Blanton’s Single Barrel is interesting. The George Dickel isn’t too bad either. But if I could afford it, I’d always have a bottle of Bookers around. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bourbon-drinkers-advice-please/455924/9 "2008-07-10T06:47:32Z")
George Dickel, although not bourbon, is a nice every day whiskey. I would be seriously disappointed that Buffalo Trace or Pappy VanWinkle aren’t included. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bourbon-drinkers-advice-please/455924/10 "2008-07-10T13:01:23Z")
Thanks everyone! It looks like Bookers will be first on my agenda. It’ll be interesting pacing myself between the bourbon, beer, BBQ and cigars… I can’t be too disappointed with the available options. I’ve been trying to find Buffalo Trace in the Charlotte area but haven’t had any luck. ---
**Author:** ![usar\_jag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f0a364/32.png) [@usar\_jag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usar_jag)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bourbon-drinkers-advice-please/455924/11 "2008-07-10T13:24:07Z")
You also need to put Blanton’s on your list… Enjoy! ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bourbon-drinkers-advice-please/455924/12 "2008-07-10T14:17:31Z")
Try them all and sleep in your car. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bourbon-drinkers-advice-please/455924/13 "2008-07-10T14:27:08Z")
[QUOTE=An Gadaí] Try them all and sleep in your car. [/QUOTE] Man after my own heart. 😃 The only one I would avoid on the list is Kentucky Tavern; somebody in my college fraternity bought some with company funds for a party once, and I advocated strongly at next Monday’s meeting that he be soundly beaten. If memory serves, it’s a blended whiskey so heavily cut with grain neutral spirits as to render it mere whiskey flavored alcohol. Truly awful stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bourbon-drinkers-advice-please/455924/14 "2008-07-10T15:17:33Z")
Rare Breed is a favorite of mine. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bourbon-drinkers-advice-please/455924/15 "2008-07-10T15:20:16Z")
**Jefferson’s Reserve** is hands down, by far, my favorite small batch bourbon. Un-freakin-believable. ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bourbon-drinkers-advice-please/455924/16 "2008-07-10T15:25:32Z")
I’m a big fan of Bulleit Bourbon’s Frontier Whiskey. (It’s a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey @ 90 proof.) And the bottle is right cool too. ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bourbon-drinkers-advice-please/455924/17 "2008-07-10T16:30:50Z")
I also like Blanton’s. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bourbon-drinkers-advice-please/455924/18 "2008-07-10T16:33:24Z")
No Kessler? It’s “smooth as silk”! Seriously though, I will also chime in and reccommend Blanton’s. It’s a fine bourbon. Booker’s is good too. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bourbon-drinkers-advice-please/455924/19 "2008-07-10T16:35:01Z")
I’m not one for drinking bourbon straight up (I’m a sissy-girl; I mix it with Diet Vanilla Coke). But hubby and I bought a bottle of Wild Turkey Rare Breed on a whim, and we keep it in the freezer. This, because he insists taste like that should not be watered down by ice, but should be enjoyed very, very cold. Every couple of weeks or so, he gets wild and freaky and takes a double shot, neat, in a rocks glass. He says he can taste a real difference between it and Wild Turkey 101, and he likes the Rare Breed better. Caution, though, it _is_ 108 proof. ---
**Author:** ![AlmondJoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@AlmondJoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlmondJoy)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bourbon-drinkers-advice-please/455924/20 "2008-07-10T16:37:02Z")
I tend to go with Maker’s Mark. But I have to say that Bourbon creams- the chocolate candies are my favorite thing. I have family in KT that sends them during the holidays. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bourbon-drinkers-advice-please/455924.md?page=2)