I like bourbon. In fact, bourbaon is the only kind of whiskey I’ll drink. I like Wild Turkey,Jim Beam,& Old Crow. On saturday I bought some real cheap stuff ($5.49 a liter in Waukesha, WI.) called “Kentucky Tavern” and found it to be even smoother than Jim Beam. Not bad at all.
I do not like Ezera Brooks bourbon (it has a funny after taste).
With these opinions of mine in mind (Jim Beam, Wild Turkey,Old Crow, Kentucky Tavern : Good:), Ezera Brooks:Bad :mad: ) can any of yougive me some opinions on bourbon? I’m especially looking for reviews of CHEAP bourbon, but reviews of any bourbon are appreciated.
I used to swear by Maker’s Mark, which is still damn fine bourbon, but the latest addition to my stash is Rock Hill Farms 100 proof. It ain’t cheap, tho…A 750ml bottle will set you back about $40.
I haven’t had Wild Turkey (80 proof, at least), Jim Beam, or Old Crow in years, altho Wild Turkey Rare Breed is good.
JW Dant: Cheap, hundred proof, neat or rocks. The everyday choice imho.
Rebel Yell: Not as cheap, eighty proof, lighter. Great juleps or shots. Or in the grandstands from a flask.
Jack Daniels Black: A little more expensive, husky, 90 proof. Some won’t have any other.
Wild Turkey 101: the best this side of $35 a bottle. Ambrosia for the twisted. Hunter S. Thompson’s personal embalming fluid for 35 years. Keep a pint in your freezer next to the stoli.
The best bourbon, IMHO, is the kind that never leaves the bottle. I’ve never been able to develop a taste for it. Scotch, now that’s a completely different story. Except that there really isn’t a good AND cheap Scotch. Cheap Scotch tastes, well, cheap.
Still, I have friends who do like bourbon and since I’m trying to be a good host and stock an adequate bar, I’ll keep an eye on this thread.
Makers Mark is great stuff. Nice and smooth, with just enough of the “bourbon bite” that draws us back to the divine amber liquid. Jim Beam is the bar bourbon around my house, however.
As for good CHEAP bourbon, it depends. Mixed with Coke, in an Old-Fashhioned, or even with OJ (couldn’t find the vodka for screwdrivers one brunch and it turned out pretty damn good)I find that you can put, say Wild Turkey, Jack, Jim, or Virgina Gentleman in the same category.
Straight, however, or with ice, I have to say that about as low on the food chain I’ll go is Old Forrester. Go into any decent liquor store (here in DC and Northern Virginia are especially good for bourbon) and you’ll have a decent range.
Some of the Jack and Jim knockoffs are quite good, almost up to the original, and cost mush less.
If you’re looking for “the good stuff”?
Blantons, Knob Creek (also comes in a 100 proof version, as does The Bird-Wild Turkey), Jefferson’s Reserve (made, IIRC, in Monticello, VA), George Dickel. All good brands and not that expensive.
First of all, let us end this discussion of Jack Daniels as fine bourbon. It is great stuff, but if it ain’t from Kentucky, it ain’t bourbon. Jack, I shouldn’t have to point out, is made in Tennessee.
Maker’s Mark is by far the best of the mid-priced bourbons. (A fifth around here runs $16 or so.) It is smooth enough to drink on the rocks, yet cheap enough that you don’t feel bad about mixing it.
Kentucky Tavern is my favorite cheapo bourbon. It was our house wine back in college. It isn’t much of a sippin’ whiskey, but mix it with Coke (or an Ale-8-One, if you can get your hands on some of that) and it goes down just right.
The only premium bourbons that I’ve tried were Woodford Reserve and Knob Creek. Both were great, but I probably wouldn’t pay the price difference between them and Maker’s.
You guys are missing the point. pk wants a good inexpensive bourbon, and he’s from Milwaukee, which means less than $15 a bottle. With these guidelines in mind, let me propose Old Fitzgerald. I am a bourbon drinker and I think it’s respectable. You can pick up a fifth at Otto’s for around 10 bucks. Hell, I live in Milwaukee too, let’s have a mini-dopefest and drink away these traffic and weather blues.
Dr J, Kentucky is not part of the criteria for being a bourbon. All Bourbons are whiskeys, but not all whiskeys are bourbons. A whiskey is a “Bourbon” when it contains 51% or more corn in the mash. A “Rye” contains 51% rye in the mash. I will say that some of the finest does come from Kentucky, but Jack Daniel’s does make Bourbon.
don’t even bother with the 80 proof Turkey, not even close in my book. Makers is a close equivelant for the price, and if I want to spent some money, I’ll get a bottle of Basil Hayden, or Knob Creek. As far as an inexpensive drink, I was at a freinds house the other night and had some Evan Williams on the rocks and was moderatley impressed, as in better than Jack black. But everyones taste varies to some degree.
Sorry, Sn-man, but you’re just wrong…DoctorJ was correct. Tennessee whiskey is excellent whiskey, and it is primarily corn, but it is NOT Bourbon.
(That said, I really really like Tennessee whiskey. JD is great stuff, and I think George Dickel’s Tennessee Whiskey is even better: smoother, and a slightly lower proof, so you can enjoy more of it before you fall over.)
My house brand of Bourbon is Heaven Hill. Slightly less expensive than Jim Beam, much less sweet.
When I’m feeling flush, I also keep Maker’s Mark around.
PS: What IS it with you Southerners and your Coca-Cola? Bourbon and Coke? Oy Gevalt.
Sorry Uke, but bourbon is made ANYWHERE in the United States and must contain between 51% and 79% corn in the mash. I will give you that Jack is NOT a Kentucky Bourbon. There are various names that whiskeys can be called and there are very specific rules for naming them. The following site can be used for reference. I am going to try to find the exact United States federal law site to include, but here is a start.
[Code of Federal Regulations][Title 27, Volume 1, Parts 1 to 199][Revised as of April 1, 2000]From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access[CITE: 27CFR5][Page 46-74] TITLE 27–ALCOHOL, TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND FIREARMS CHAPTER I–BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND FIREARMS, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY PART 5–LABELING AND ADVERTISING OF DISTILLED SPIRITS http://www.atf.treas.gov/regulations/27cfr5.html
This one sums it up without all of the verbiage http://www.comptons.com/encyclopedia/ARTICLES/0100/01093632_A.html
For my taste buds there is only Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky (86 Proof). When I left the deep south for St. Louis I encountered some problems finding the stuff, but it is not too costly, in the $15 bucks a bottle range. I will drive to Kentucky if I really start to have trouble finding it. For all you historians out there, the label plainly indicates it is America’s first bottled Bourbon (Est. 1870) for what that is worth.
Beer is fine for pizza, Old Forester for everything else.
Uke, you crack me up. I’d love a drop. I’m a whiskey man myself. Now if you’re feeling generous, I’ll take a spot after the drop. Then maybe we can get down to “sippin” from a three finger glass. I’ll offer you a cigar to go with it, but I quit smoking a year and a half ago so I can’t join you.
PK likes bourbon
I’d love a drop. I’m a whiskey man myself. Now if you’re feeling generous, I’ll take a spot after the drop. Then maybe we can get down to “sippin” from a three finger glass. I’ll offer you a cigar to go with it, but I quit smoking a year and a half ago so I can’t join you.