Bourbon, Rye and American Whiskey

BUDFORCE · 6 May 2018 at 19:20

Discuss.

I used to drink Scotch single malt, over the last 6 months or so, I'm converted, say what you will but honestly I think the American's do it better.

Drinking Wild Turkey today which ain't bad, but Bulleit mmm, Maker's Mark also, and Knob Creek.

Also got a bottle of Buffalo Trace.

**************************EDIT*****************************

So I decided to list the ones I have tried so far and rank them in order. This may be subject to further change

- the order takes price into account, I've tried a couple of expensive bottles I was not impressed with, Elijah Craig for example, plus the "premium versions" of Wild Turkey and Markers Mark are not worth the extra money. Best to worst. They are the basic versions, unless noted otherwise.

EDIT 2: Colour banded, although still in order I've tried to group them into 4 categories as well.You'll notice the odd one the colour is out of sinc, but that because its been put into that order with price factored in. Jack Daniels Single Barrel Select for example actually is pretty good, but definately not worth the £45 price tag. Hope that all makes sense, if not I dont care make your own bloody list

Jefferson's very small batch
Makers Mark
John B. Stetson
Woodford Reserve
1792 Small Batch
Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage
Bulleit
War Eagle
Pennypacker
Knob Creek
Woodford Reserve Double Oaked
Jack Daniels Gentleman Jack
Wild Turkey Longbranch
Jack Daniels Legacy Edition (all numbers/music edition)
Black Feather
Old Williamsburg
Whiskey Theif Bourbon
Buffalo Trace
Four Roses
Wild Turkey
Yellowstone Select
Fighting **** (male chicken)
Jack Daniels Single Barrel Select
Peaky Blinders Bourbon
Rebel Yell
Johnny Drum
Early Times Old Reserve
Henry McKenna
Daddy Rack
Eagle Rare
American Eagle 4 Year
James Cree's Cattle Ranch
Basil Hayden's
Four Roses Small Batch
Jack Daniel's Rye
Sazerac Rye
Bowsaw American Whiskey
G&W Private Stock
Tincup
Jack Daniels Bonded
Brough Brothers
Old Forrester
Ezra Brooks
Makers Mark 46
Bulleit Rye
Elijah Craig
Mellow Corn
WIld Turkey 101
Bulleit 10 year
Jack Daniels Master Distiller no 6
Louisville Kentucky Style
Benchmark McAfee's
Samuel Joe's
Kentucky's Old Reserve
Evan Williams Extra Aged (black bottle)
Jim Beam Double Oak
Jack Daniels
Jim Beam
Old Samuel
Missouri Ridge
Buffalo Trace White Dog Rye Mash

BUDFORCE · 7 May 2018 at 06:26

arctine said:
...Though OP really knows nothing about Bourbon outside of crap supermarkets looking at his samples.

Err ok, so what ones would you say are better?

BUDFORCE · 7 May 2018 at 10:52

Yea Woodfords and old Forrester are 2 I've not tried yet

BUDFORCE · 12 May 2018 at 12:36

NeverWinter said:
Buffalo Trace and Woodford Reserve. Lots of Rye's turning up in supermarkets now though.

I'm not actually a massive fan of the Rye versions, I prefer "regular".

Drinking Wild Turkey at the moment Tesco were doing it for £16 it's not bad at all for that money.

BUDFORCE · 14 May 2018 at 12:51

something daft already!! said:
Alcohol is the work of the devil and you are all going to hell.

I'll drink to that.

BUDFORCE · 27 Jun 2018 at 18:56

I've tried a few more, Woodford Reserve, very good stuff, got it in Tesco on offer for about £25.

Also tried Jack Daniel's - Gentleman Jack, actually not a bad one either I was hesitant about buying a bottle but it also was on offer. Actually pretty impressed by this one and prefer it to it's more expensive cousin, Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Select, which is normally £45 a bottle.

BUDFORCE · 3 Jul 2018 at 09:13

arctine said:
I’m not suggesting the whiskey is crap, I’m saying that the ones listed can all be found in crap supermarkets with limited variety.

What do you want me to suggest? For around 20 quid I find things like penny packer or rebel yell to be great with coke... for an old fashioned or neat I like Woodford reserve, Elijah Craig or 1792.

Got some Basil Hayden’s on the way now for example. Amazon is a surprisingly but welcome good source for Bourbon.

I'm gonna go through this list, already had Woodford Reserve, it is one of the better ones I've tried.

I've ordered a bottle of Pennypacker, although I don't mix with coke, I'll see how it holds up straight. My brother also picked up a bottle of black feather from the states, which, apparently ain't that great but you can't easily buy it here so well see.

But thanks for the suggestions I will go through them.

BUDFORCE · 4 Jul 2018 at 08:54

Yea I like scotch as well don't get me wrong, Old Pulteney, Glenlivet and Laphroaig, are some that come to mind.

Also love an Irish one called Connemara.

But, there are some dodgy single malt scotches, I can't remember the names, but relatively expensive (£30 ish) bottles and they have been horrible. I also really don't like (maybe controversially) Talisker.

Where as other than the really cheap ones, I've not hit a bad bottle of bourbon yet.

BUDFORCE · 9 Jul 2018 at 20:44

Well just been drinking the Pennypacker.

It's actually a really nice bourbon, if I was going to be critical, its a little bland, it's smooth, drinks really well, but there is just not much too it.

But that is being critical, overall its pretty good and perfectly fine to drink straight.

I think I might pick up a bottle of Rebel Yell next. They do a small batch which is only a couple of quid over the regular.

BUDFORCE · 12 Jul 2018 at 19:30

Ok tried the rebel yell, it's okay, but imo it's very similar to wild turkey or buffalo trace, which I can pick up in Tesco cheaper.

I'm not sure how quick I will get to some of the others they are like £35 bottles, to me, that is not regular drinking spending, and for special occasions only.

BUDFORCE · 30 Jul 2018 at 08:21

Tried Evan Williams extra aged, wasn't great, it was ok but can get a much better bottle for the money.

BUDFORCE · 30 Jul 2018 at 14:05

beachBOYken said:
Has Bourbon pricing increased recently due to these recent trade wars, I just noticed a bottle of Blanton's Gold I purchased for £54 2-3 months back has increased to £74 from the same place.

In reply to this, I generally just judge prices by what I see in Tesco.

Funnily enough, the first few weeks after the import tax thing was announced, they had some really great deals across the range, including Wild Turkey down to £15 (normally £23) and the Jim Beam Double Oak at £11!

But for the last week nothing has been on offer.

Knob Creek on Amazon is £25 at the moment, about the only good deal I could find.

BUDFORCE · 20 Aug 2018 at 12:06

I tried the 4 roses small batch, it's okay, but personally prefer some others at the same/slightly lower price bracket.

My 2 favourites so far are Woodford Reserve and believe it or not, Pennypacker.

Both very different, but Pennypacker although being basic, is also very easy to drink.

BUDFORCE · 29 Aug 2018 at 16:00

Tried one called Black Feather, been drinking it this week, came from America (as in my brother brought a bottle back), pretty good actually, it's a bourbon whiskey but not Kentucky Straight as such as I believe it's made in Texas.

BUDFORCE · 9 Sep 2018 at 22:05

Okay tried Elijah Craig small batch today.

Honestly not all that impressed. I appreciate it kicks in at 47% abv, but it's got a burn to it. Compared with Knob Creek at 50% which you think will get you initially, then kindly smoothens out quickly, this one keeps on punishing.

Don't get me wrong it's pretty good Kentucky Straight, certainly not cheap tasting, and it's got some good flavours going, it's just a bit overpowering.

I got it on offer, but for it's regular current price of approx £35, I can think of many others I would go for first, prefer drinking them, and save some cash on the side.

I have some more to try, but I've got through quite a few now, and to date, I think my favourites are Woodforde Reserve and Pennypacker.

Pennypacker is an odd one, because its really plain and simple, yet you can just drink it so easy.

BUDFORCE · 5 Nov 2018 at 14:22

Woodford Reserve is solid. Tesco are (or were as of Sat) doing Jack Daniel's "Gentlemen Jack" for £20 a bottle which is a steal as it's normally £35.

Pennypacker is a good one for £25 from Amazon, very simple sour mash.

At the moment I'm drinking Wild Turkey/Gentleman Jack as they are both of very good offers at Tesco.

One thing I've found having now tried a ton of different bourbons is that the rarer more expensive ones are not necessarily better.

BUDFORCE · 7 Jan 2019 at 18:46

Added a few more to the list:

Evan Williams (regular) - absolute dog ****, avoid
Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage - hard to believe it comes from the same place, compared to how much better it is over the regular version, probably not the top tier of Bourbons I've tried, but worth a go, or a bottle if on offer
Eagle Rare - this is everything it's cracked up to be

BUDFORCE · 31 Jul 2019 at 19:58

Another one to add to the list of ones I have had, 1792 Small Batch Bourbon, expensive at around £35 a bottle normally, I got it on offer, for once a more expensive bottle that was actually really good.

I still, dont think its worth the extra, particularly when Woodforde Reserve has been on offer ofter the last few weeks from Tesco/Amazon at £20 a bottle, its a no brainer.

Also my early post from Jan was trying Eagle Rare at a pub, I did eventually get a bottle, and actually.... little overrated in my opinion, not worth the price tag. Infact most more expensive bottles Ive tried, other than the afore mentioned 1792 have been dissapointing.

EDIT, Oh I also tried "Tin Cup" american whiskey, although technically not a Bourbon, was basically Bourbon, the Mrs didnt like this one it was slightly harsher at first but I quite enjoyed it.

BUDFORCE · 28 Aug 2019 at 21:41

Tried Old Forrester, really nice flavour just a bit of a burn, not bad at all for an £18 bottle though.

BUDFORCE · 2 Sep 2019 at 20:30

beachBOYken said:
Anyone tried any of the Michter's US*1 ?

Was thinking of trying Michter's American whisky or the Sour Mash.

No I have not.

£50 bottle though.... little out of my price range. If it were me personally I'd go sour mash. If you do try it let us know.