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Bourbon...

#621
2saddleslab said:
In Kentucky was say all bourbon is good bourbon. Somes just a little better than others. :smug: 🥃
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Good friend and fellow musician (and bourbon lover) from here in S FLorida is now living part of the year in Kentucky with his lady friend. She does Bourbon Trail tours. Nice gig!! He hates the cold, though.
 
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#622
I don't drink anywhere near as much as I used to, but these days my whiskeys at our home bar are regular white label Jim Beam and Basil Hayden.

Seeing the beginning of this thread, it's always fun looking at old posts with people that used to be prolific here.

A few notes- People talk about how "tequila makes them a mean drunk" and I always blew that off as some doofy excuse. Alcohol is alcohol... right? Jim Beam Devils Cut makes me a mean drunk. I don't think I've touched the stuff in like 10 years.

Somewhere around the time of this thread I was on vacation up north and got some white whisky. We got it just before we left and the whole drive home I couldn't wait to get home to try this white whisky. When we got home, we may not have even gotten all the bags out of the car- I popped the cap and this awful smell came out... but things can taste different than they smell... nope that stuff was terrible. At the time, our neighbors on either Side of us were in their early/mid 20s. We gave the stuff to one set of neighbors who enjoyed drinking... and then they gave it to the other neighbors. Apparently, it became a 'punishment' shot at drinking games. I've seen other white whiskeys and I'm pretty sure the stuff I got was either somehow slipped past quality control OR the brand (a small local brand from up north) had absolutely no idea what they were doing. I'm going with the latter.
 
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#623
friskinator said:
How does one train or develop a "palate" for detecting the differences between mediocre spirits and the good stuff? I mainly use it for cocktailing, so I don't keep nice stuff on hand unless it's gifted to me. I've done taste tests at home where I compare mid to low-grade next to pretty nice, and I can never pick out any differences. Is it all perception, or is there a real technique to it?
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Sip. Don't pound shots and make that burn face and go "smooth."

Take some recommendations from people here and other places on the internet. You'll find some stuff you'll agree with, some you don't. I don't like Makers, as much as I've tried to "get it"- I don't. Stuff doesn't have to be expensive to be good. I know a guy who loves Evan Williams- prefers it to pretty much anything. Stuff that is expensive might not be as good to you as less expensive stuff.

As with anything subjective- little stuff can make a difference for you- whether it's a cool bottle or label, what people tell you is cool... Heck, my favorite these days is Basil Hayden- for all I know that little metal band and the neat wood cork make the difference for me...
 
#624
The Golden Boy said:
Sip. Don't pound shots and make that burn face and go "smooth."

Take some recommendations from people here and other places on the internet. You'll find some stuff you'll agree with, some you don't. I don't like Makers, as much as I've tried to "get it"- I don't. Stuff doesn't have to be expensive to be good. I know a guy who loves Evan Williams- prefers it to pretty much anything. Stuff that is expensive might not be as good to you as less expensive stuff.

As with anything subjective- little stuff can make a difference for you- whether it's a cool bottle or label, what people tell you is cool... Heck, my favorite these days is Basil Hayden- for all I know that little metal band and the neat wood cork make the difference for me...
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Good advice. I bought a nice bottle of mezcal when I was in Mexico a couple years ago, and I can actually notice the difference with that compared to some off-the-shelf stuff I bought locally. I don't use it for cocktails at all, and it's definitely a sipper. But I've had a difficult time doing the same thing with bourbon.
 
#625
friskinator said:
How does one train or develop a "palate" for detecting the differences between mediocre spirits and the good stuff? I mainly use it for cocktailing, so I don't keep nice stuff on hand unless it's gifted to me. I've done taste tests at home where I compare mid to low-grade next to pretty nice, and I can never pick out any differences. Is it all perception, or is there a real technique to it?
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If you really want to dig into it, It helps to have a proper glass to drink from as well. I only use Glencairns myself, and there is science behind the value of using one to enjoy the whiskey properly. There are a few others out there as well, such as from NEAT, but I prefer to stick with the standard.
A real crystal Glencairn is the way to go, not the cheapie plastic or low quality glass ones out there.
I'd also suggest trying your bourbon neat, room temperature with no added water, ice, or anything else.
As mentioned, take the time to sip and enjoy the bourbon slowly. Don't pour too much, perhaps an ounce, or roughly the equivalent to the width of your finger. You'll also hear it called a dram. The amount of a dram is not an exact science, as it depends on regional variables, traditions, etc. If you keep it at or on the high side of an ounce, you'll be all set.

-Mike
 
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#626
Another interesting one to mention is Bakers. I always liked it a lot, like I always liked Bookers, but I really like the revamp of Bakers. Not sure what their trajectory is for it, but the one that was around for a while I thought was excellent. The newer one says something about high rye.
 
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#627
This is the Bakers I was really loving. It was around for quite a while. You might still be able to find it.



bakers-bourbon-floating-bottle.png
 
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#628
BklynKen said:
This is the Bakers I was really loving. It was around for quite a while. You might still be able to find it.



View attachment 7159490
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107 proof? Yow.


Several years ago I'd gotten some 114 proof stuff... maybe Old Grand Dad or something... It tasted SO good. But the burn. But after a couple of shots you're anesthetized to the burn... and anything else. Next thing you know, you're gulping it down like tap water and then you're face down on your friend's couch... Not one of my proudest moments. And I'm not a proud man.
 
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#630
So my favorites are all under the "Buffalo Trace" umbrella. Buffalo Trace, Weller, Eagle Rare 10 year, etc. They are always a challenge to find up here. I suppose the flooding won't help. Looking for some alternatives. Going to see "my guy" at the shop on Friday. He turned me on to Eagle Rare so hopefully he has some other ideas.
 
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#631
IMG_6446.jpeg

Came home with these today. Got the last bottle of Eagle Rare 10 year in town I think for $45. The Copper & Cask was $39. The Larceny was $33. My guy says they are great deals for 6 and 7 year old whiskey. Still have some Weller and Buffalo Trace in the cabinet. Some Crown for mixing when I want a Crown Diet. Excited to try the two new ones. Couple Crown BlackBerry’s as well for summer mixing.
 
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#634
Oh my. That must have been a treat. Cool deal you got to give it a try.
Knob Creek flies under the radar I've noticed, but I always felt like it was a solid offering. It's scarce up around these parts.

-Mike
 
#638
SteveC said:
So my favorites are all under the "Buffalo Trace" umbrella. Buffalo Trace, Weller, Eagle Rare 10 year, etc. They are always a challenge to find up here. I suppose the flooding won't help. Looking for some alternatives. Going to see "my guy" at the shop on Friday. He turned me on to Eagle Rare so hopefully he has some other ideas.
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Same. It's even a challenge finding those here in Bourbon country.:banghead:
 
#639
So I was out listening to jazz and having a drink or two this week. They had Buffalo Trace so I had that for a couple Old Fashioned's. I was talking with my server and the next table about different bourbons and whiskeys. He said they had something from a distillery in Utah of all places. High West. He gave me a shot on the house of their $30 bottle and it was really good. He said they also had their upper level bottle - Midwinter Night's Dram. $24 a pour. I said what the hell. It was REALLY good. So smooth going down. I highly reccommend it. I have no idea how hard it is to find or where it's been distributed, but it might be worth a look.
 

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