Bourbon, Rye and American Whiskey

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Mellow Corn:

Anything but mellow, kicks in at 50% abv, to be fair the flavour isn't bad, it isn't cheap tasting, but it's sure got a burn.

From what I can tell it's cheap and cheerful over in the US here your paying for rarity and import.

I've tried it, I've tried worse, but I'd never get it again.

 

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@beachBOYken

Everything I've tried is on the first post of this thread. I think the only one was bulleit rye which probably wasn't the best example, but I preferred a regular.

I do have a bottle of Basil Haydens lined up, but I'm saying that until Christmas.

 

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@jpaul and @BUDFORCE Eagle Rare 10 is £23 today. I like Woodford Reserve ( for cocktails), is that worth a go?

I can't see it is, this on Amazon?

Well worth a go at £23, I think it's overpriced generally, but it is good just no way worth the £36 or whatever they normally want for it.

 

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If you have a Tesco clubcard Makers Mark is £20 a bottle right now.

It's why its top of my list, its a really nice bourbon, yes some are better, but none that you can get for £20.

 

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Buffalo Trace seems very highly regarded amongst the cheaper bourbons.

It's good, I'd say second tier. Markers Mark, Woodford etc is better, but its certainly not bad for £19.

Yes Makers is still a safe pair of hands as a xmas gift, for my relations
Another rye possibility
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bulleit-Bourbon-Rye-Whiskey-70/dp/B00CPZLSGI £27

I've tried that one, in all honesty I'd say Regular Bulleit is better. But of course taste is subjective.

 

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Tried a new one which is now on the list - Bowsaw American Whiskey.

Considering it is currently £35 on Amazon I'd say its no way worth that, I got it for £24 I think, even at that price, it's average at best. It's okay but not one I would get again.

 

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Tried the Basil Haydens ........honestly I think its overrated. Its nice, but definitely not worth it's price tag. It's a little plain.

One to add to the list I suppose.

 

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A bit late for a reply on this but duty in the Uk is based upon ABV, so if they want to keep it really cheap they need to keep the ABV to the minimum, ie 40%. Bumping it up to 45% would add just under £2 in duty and vat, which at the price range it is in is a pretty big % increase.

I had never considered that for Bourbon, I knew that was the case, why all those supermarket cheap lagers like stella and budweiser etc became less strong Stella used to be 5.3% abv, Budweiser 5% abv etc - but its accross the board with most of them. But I hadnt really thought about spirits like that I guess it makes sense.

Just got into bourbon in the past 6 months. Ranking of those I've drank

Woodford
Bullet
(Cheating but the Jim beam black cherry. So sweet and indulgent, I know I know. Try it before you judge me )
Buffalo

Makers mark next

You are off to a good start there, to be honest, Bulliet, Markers Mark and Woodforde really are a great benchmark to go by all bourbon, and I might have tried one or two by now (see the first page on this thread )

 

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Not really, I regularly see BT in the £15-£18 range, I don't think I've ever seen either of the other two within a couple of quid of that price.

MAkers MArk and Woodford Reserve are regularly on offer for £20 a bottle, normally around/just before Christmas, have been for the last couple of years anyway.

But yes Buffalo Trace is cheaper, I have seen it £18 very regularly, Wild Turkey actually which is normally similar priced to Buffalo, I have seen down to £14 a bottle which is an absolute steal.

Infact there is the evidence, havnt checked that since about Christmas:

 

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Bulleit is £22 a bottle at the moment which is the best deal currently.

After christmas I still have a few bottles so I dont need anymore, but if I were buying today that is the one to get.

EDIT: Actually **** it, why not, not like it goes off lol.

 

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Referring to those two as 'cheap swill' is way off the mark.... I mean you're not even in the ballpark!

Are they less expensive than premium brands like Makers, Woodford, etc.? Yes, they are. But that doesn't make them swill by any means. If you can't appreciate those two for what they are then I'm not sure you know Bourbon.

I you want swill try Kentucky Gentleman or Kentucky Deluxe or something like it at less than half the price of Jim or Jack! 1.75L for $12 US.... let that sink in.

The thing is on the UK we just don't get those, I mean Jack Daniels/Jim Beam are not terrible, but those cheap brands you talk of in the US just wouldn't be cost effective to import them over here.

Yes there are a few cheaper brands here, but in the UK market JD/JB is pretty much the cheap option.

 

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... they happened to come up adjacent - below
UK Amazon bourbon prices have seemed all over the shop in the past year, up and down.
Trump had put a duty on uk whisky exports, but, I have the impression/theory USA whisky is being dumped on the UK market given the lows we've seen.

You re comparing 1ltr with gift tin to 700ml, but yes.

Makers Mark and Woodford are both regularly on offer for £20, although to be fair JD 700ml is often £14 in Tesco so.......

I agree with your comment on the trump and duty thing.

 

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Something I'm very much convinced that the quality of some bottles are better then others.

I have Woodford regularly and this bottle is particularly good.

 

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a new, to me, jd option, on offer, maybe BlueMerles tried it
https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/jack-daniels-legacy-old-no-7-tennessee-whiskey-70-cl-3675977
Jack Daniel's Legacy Old No 7 Tennessee Whiskey, 70 cl £22 at Amazon

Yea I've tried it, it's a bit better than regular, to be fair tastes pretty similar, definitely not the same stuff as regular though, the abv is different to start.

The bottle itself is really cool, I kept the last one it's on a shelf.

I've ordered one just now anyway at £22, I'd say worth a try if your haven't. Thanks for the heads up.

 

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So its ok neat?

Never liked the standard black label neat, only as a mixer.

Borderline, I drink it straight. It's honestly not much over regular JD.

 

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Thanks, think I will leave it then, will check out some others, currently getting through my bottle of Bulleit that I got on amazon when it was on offer.

How you liking the Bulleit?

 

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The very first bottle I tried a while back, I wasn’t so sure on it, I then tried the rye version which was nice, having recently got another bottle of bulleit bourbon in a sale on Amazon, I quite like it now, not as good as my favourite buffalo trace, but it’s good, not as smooth as the buffalo I would say.

Need to get some more bottles, on my last bottle of bourbon.

How do you find it?

I love Bulleit its one of my favourites, funnily enough I am drinking Buffalo Trace now.

 

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I haven't tried it ... yet!

I've heard good things about it though and it's on my list to try.

On a side note, a friend of mine sent me this pic just to **** me off...

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Wow, not tried any of those. Guessing they are expensive.

 

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Man, Bulleit is £20 on Amazon at the moment.


I have literally like 6 bottles at home including one Bulleit so I dont need to buy anymore, but thats a steal.

 

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Pappy's! (doubt we'll ever be on first name terms) knew it was expensive -& if you have to look up the price you can't afford it, googles showing > £1.5K -
hope he's a good friend.

I think I'd rather have 75 bottles of Bulleit