# I'm trying Bourbon tonight for the first time. Any advice? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** liquor-alcohol\ **Created:** [January 6, 2018, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trying-bourbon-tonight-for-the-first-time-any-advice/806005 "2018-01-06T22:50:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trying-bourbon-tonight-for-the-first-time-any-advice/806005/41 "2018-01-08T21:00:59Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Even Booker Noe took his bourbon with a splash. The added bit of water opens the nose and lets you enjoy the aromas more. As does Julian Van Winkle! ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trying-bourbon-tonight-for-the-first-time-any-advice/806005/42 "2018-01-08T21:36:27Z")
Very interesting–thanks for the articles, y’all! ---
**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:** [January 9, 2018, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trying-bourbon-tonight-for-the-first-time-any-advice/806005/43 "2018-01-09T00:15:33Z")
Now that the OP has tried straight bourbon and not fled screaming into the wilderness, it’s time to start **exploring**. Try comparing a high rye and a wheated bourbon side by side. Rye - Old Granddad Bonded, Four Roses Single Barrel, Basil Hayden Wheat - Maker’s Mark, W. L. Weller Then you can try a Jim Beam/Knob Creek comparison, which is the exact same mash bill just aged and blended differently. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2018, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trying-bourbon-tonight-for-the-first-time-any-advice/806005/44 "2018-01-09T00:32:50Z")
I may need drive my Chevy to the levy in order to do that! ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2018, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trying-bourbon-tonight-for-the-first-time-any-advice/806005/45 "2018-01-09T01:01:22Z")
I sure hope this won’t be the day that you die. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Yorkshire\_Pudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/59ef9b/32.png) [@Yorkshire\_Pudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorkshire_Pudding)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2018, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trying-bourbon-tonight-for-the-first-time-any-advice/806005/46 "2018-01-09T10:19:50Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Now that the OP has tried straight bourbon and not fled screaming into the wilderness, it’s time to start **exploring**. Try comparing a high rye and a wheated bourbon side by side. > > Rye - Old Granddad Bonded, Four Roses Single Barrel, Basil Hayden > > Wheat - Maker’s Mark, W. L. Weller > > Then you can try a Jim Beam/Knob Creek comparison, which is the exact same mash bill just aged and blended differently. I’ve found Basil Hayden to taste as light as its colour would suggest. Not at all unpleasant, don’t get me wrong, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it for getting a feel for rye-heavy bourbon: it’s not really heavy on anything! I’ve often had Bulleit in the collection; rye’s pretty high on the agenda with that one, and the flavour gives you a bit more to get your teeth into. ---
**Author:** ![Yorkshire\_Pudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/59ef9b/32.png) [@Yorkshire\_Pudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorkshire_Pudding)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2018, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trying-bourbon-tonight-for-the-first-time-any-advice/806005/47 "2018-01-09T10:39:54Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > This whiskey is aged only in the finest radial tire carcasses, and probably peed in by some opossum. Honestly…if you can’t keep opossums out of the tyres in your bourbon-ageing pit, how can we take you at all seriously? You probably don’t strain it through a sock to get the cigar butts out either, do you? Some people… > [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > Four Roses Small Batch is my go to, and it comes in an elegant bottle with an easy-to-grasp cork as well. You know, just in case your dexterity starts to degrade as the evening goes along. Pro-tip: pop a teat on the bottle while your hand-eye co-ordination is still up to scratch, and you can slurp it down happily all night. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2018, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trying-bourbon-tonight-for-the-first-time-any-advice/806005/48 "2018-01-09T16:30:08Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I may need drive my Chevy to the levy in order to do that! No need: high rye bourbons are not the same as rye whiskeys! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trying-bourbon-tonight-for-the-first-time-any-advice/806005.md?page=2)