I listed Eagle Rare as my favorite bourbon upthread - not bad for an ignorant Brit, huh?
I like Old Forester a lot too, but I’ve only ever seen the 86 proof version in this country.
1792 Small Batch is carried by Waitrose, a top-end supermarket over here. £45 - so I’ll wait to see if they have it on offer any time soon.
The others from @Johnny_L.A 's post look like they’re very specialist in the UK.
j
Couldn’t you just shake the bottle up ahead of time and get rid of any first-few-oz difference?
This seems like a sort of enthusiast virtue-signal (or maybe dog-whistle?) to show by calling out a neck pour that they’re one of the cool kids, and not one of the unwashed masses.
I’ve got a botlte of the Old Forester 100, and it’s squarely in the same tier as WT 101 and OGD BiB. Great stuff for a modest price.
I was quite pleasantly surprised by the 100. Their other “specialty” bottlings (save Birthday) have left me unimpressed. But the 100 is tasty and affordable.
I recommend bourbon.
That was me weathering the pandemic. I decided that I wanted to be in lockdown with Stuff I Like.
So I turned my back on our family’s Clan MacAlpine, who distilled Scotch… that they then poured through a colander full of moss from the sheep meadow.
Instead, I said, hey, I’d rather just sip bourbon. And snuggle with a snifter of Woodford Reserve. So I bought a bottle, and one of Woodford Reserve Double Oaked.
Your “caramel-and-vanilla” comment is right on.
Just fyi, the double oaked is significantly sweeter and more desserty than standard. If you see that or toasted on a label you’ll likely get a similar profile. For my money the Woodford DO or Old Forrester 1910 are excellent and better + easier to find than Elijah Craig toasted.
I only discovered Bourbon a few months ago. Before that I was a confirmed wine drinker for maybe 50 years, but one day I bought a bottle of Jim Beam just to ck it out. Unlike all the other hard liquor I tried, Bourbon doesn’t need to be mixed w/ anything to cover up the taste.
After trying many of the more expensive brands, I actually prefer the bottom shelf Evan Williams. Usually mix it 1 to 3 or 1 to 4 w/ water, but neat it’s good too. Tasty stuff.
FYI - Bourbon-spiked Hazelnut cocoa is just the thing for “staring out the window at the falling snow on a Saturday morning.”
Good rum doesn’t need to be mixed with anyhting, and nor does good Scotch or good brandy/Cognac.
That sounds uncommonly pleasant. I’d amend to it to “falling rain” around here, as snow is uncommon around here, but otherwise spot on.
(tonight is tiki drinks for us; tomorrow night may be bourbon for me; probably OF 100 or maybe some Ben Halladay from Weston, MO)
I’ll be right over!
I got interested in tiki culture since my dad saw it firsthand serving on tiny Pacific islands during WW2.
I’m older now, and love a good tropical drink with unknown ingredients… as long as it’s in a tiki head with an umbrella (or a swizzle stick topped by a colorful monkey).
Do these count?
Depends.
Does anyone sell light saber swizzle sticks or teeny umbrellas with the Imperial crest as a logo to go with the mugs?
I’m no SW geek, but those mugs are cool.
Well, they do make these:
and these:
And ohh, light saber chopsticks!
Get yourself a copy of the “Smuggler’s Cove” book by Martin Cate, who owns and runs the bar of the same name in San Francisco. It’s probably the best overall reference to tiki drinks that I’ve found. It also goes into Tiki culture quite a bit as well as being a cocktail and rum book.
Easy Tiki and Beachbum Berry Remixed are also good, although the Kindle version of the latter stinks something awful- however they adapted it doesn’t let you zoom or change the font size.
I may have to buy that set for my birthday. I already have Chewie, Yoda, R2D2, Vader, Boba Fett and a Stormtrooper. Han and Greedo will keep balance to the Force.
Old Grand Dad (bonded) is my favorite affordable sipper. EH Taylor Small Batch is my favorite $$$ (that I’m willing to pay). My BIL gave me a bottle of Iron Fish Maple Barrel bourbon that’s pretty tasty.
Isn’t EHT Small Batch <$50 msrp?
It’s certainly not cheap, but enjoying a glass of Garrison Brothers Single Barrel out of Hye, TX. Complex would an understatement. Definitely putting a bow on a delightful evening.
The most overrated bourbons, according to beverage professionals:
- Bulleit
- Maker’s Mark
- Jim Beam
- Jack Daniel’s
- Blanton’s
- Basil Hayden
- W.L. Weller
- Pappy Van Winkle
Bulleit was mentioned four times. I know I’ve bought it before; but Bulleit, for me, is rye. I’m sure I liked Bulleit bourbon. I also like Maker’s Mark and Jack Daniels. I even like Trader Joe’s Tennesee Whiskey. I’m not a bourbon connoisseur. So sue me.