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poisonpill posted:What’s the best scotch for $50? “Scotch” is a big category. What do you like and not like?
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Dec 21, 2023 05:31
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| # ? May 9, 2024 12:48 |
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poisonpill posted:What’s the best scotch for $50? As Muir pointed out, there is a lot of consider - the genre is pretty big and the are several good options depending on taste. But the correct answer is GlenDronach 12 
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Dec 21, 2023 06:06
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poisonpill posted:What’s the best scotch for $50? Highland Park 12 is 55 near me and I have a hard time picking something else for that.
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Dec 21, 2023 06:57
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RoastBeef posted:
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Dec 21, 2023 07:07
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Muir posted:“Scotch” is a big category. What do you like and not like? This is for like a handful of gifts, so something that is appropriate for a wide variety of pallets (for people who like scotch!). I think the Highland Park looks just about like what I’m looking for
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Dec 21, 2023 17:08
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Highland Park 12 is definitely a good scotchy scotch that isn't too scotchy for most. Otherwise I think Aberlour 12 should be around the same range.
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Dec 21, 2023 19:49
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I think The Spaniard by Compass Box is pretty nice
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Dec 22, 2023 03:56
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So I tried Buffalo Trace and wow, that was the first non-cognac liquor I actually preferred neat instead of on the rocks. It's great and really got me interested in trying some more bourbons. The finish is good, but it also makes me greedily want something even better that doesn't trail off into an ethanol flavor at the very end. Not that it's very strong or overpowering, but it's definitely there. BT impressed me because it felt like I was drinking something more expensive than $30 up front, but the finish is where it comes back down to earth. Long story short, I fell down a rabbit hole reading about bourbons and ended up trying a bottle of Old Forester 1910. That's a good one that I also preferred neat and it felt like a fun mix between a bourbon, cognac, and scotch. It's definitely not an every day drinker, but it will be excellent for dessert and I think I'll reach for that instead of cognac until it's gone. But my god I love the finish on it, flavorful until the end with no cheap ethanol taste to be found! All this to ask: is there a bourbon with similar palate/flavors to Buffalo Trace that also has a good finish a la the Old Forester 1910? I don't know how else to describe what I'm looking for but drat do I want to find it! I'm thinking EH Taylor Small Batch or possibly Eagle Rare may be what I'm looking for, but I wouldn't mind trying some more non-Sazerac bourbons. It might be easier/cheaper to get what I'm looking for if I'm not riding the BT bandwagon that seems to be going through right now.
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Dec 29, 2023 10:29
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Eagle Rare would probably be my suggestion to try if you can find it at a reasonable price. Otherwise Elijah Craig small batch or toasted barrel, Woodford double oak is the closest thing to 1910 out there, 1792 small batch or Russell's 10 year are also in the same wheelhouse
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Dec 29, 2023 18:59
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Deceptive Thinker posted:Eagle Rare would probably be my suggestion to try if you can find it at a reasonable price. Otherwise Elijah Craig small batch or toasted barrel, Woodford double oak is the closest thing to 1910 out there, 1792 small batch or Russell's 10 year are also in the same wheelhouse I went on a hunt and found both Eagle Rare and EH Taylor Small Batch at a local store. They were a bit marked up but I was eager and didn't feel like store hopping so I shelled out for them. Eagle Rare was good and pretty smooth, but holy poo poo EH Taylor was a revelation. Best damned liquor I've ever had, hands down. My wife tried it too and summed it up best: "I didn't know it could be like that." Looks like I'll be  for the good stuff now
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Dec 30, 2023 09:03
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The key is to just keep drinking cheap stuff in between the expensive stuff, and you'll eventually find something super good for cheap (OGD BiB for me).
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Dec 30, 2023 16:47
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Yeah I'm going to keep looking for a cheaper/easier to find bottle. The suggested 1792 small batch seems intriguing, and I keep seeing Four Roses Single Barrel popping up for comparison and that stuff is everywhere.
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Dec 30, 2023 18:39
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Hakarne posted:Yeah I'm going to keep looking for a cheaper/easier to find bottle. The suggested 1792 small batch seems intriguing, and I keep seeing Four Roses Single Barrel popping up for comparison and that stuff is everywhere. four roses single barrel, while it trends in the fruity direction is going to be more on the strawberry/raspberry side vs the cherry/grape/apple of buffalo trace distillates it hits better for my palate than EHT usually, but then again so does most other buffalo trace distillate. if it is that cherry-apple-grape that you're liking then the 1792 probably won't do it for you, While it is a bump in the proof point, an Old Forester 1920 might be the "available" answer, or even something like JD bonded might be worth a shot
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Dec 30, 2023 21:50
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Deceptive Thinker posted:four roses single barrel, while it trends in the fruity direction is going to be more on the strawberry/raspberry side vs the cherry/grape/apple of buffalo trace distillates Thanks, that Four Roses description sounds right up my alley so I'm more excited to try it now. I was hesitant with 1920 due to the higher proof, but if it works to bring out the flavor more like with EHT I'm all for it. It's amazing how the higher proof manages to feel smoother with less ethanol burn, I've been learning a lot by trying all these different bourbons! Edit: Also, I guess the premium I paid for EHT wasn't as bad as it could have been. I got it for $110 yesterday after some exaggerated hemming and hawing to take it down from $130. I checked another store today and they wanted $200 for it  .
Hakarne fucked around with this message at 01:31 on Dec 31, 2023 |
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Dec 31, 2023 01:07
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Hakarne posted:Thanks, that Four Roses description sounds right up my alley so I'm more excited to try it now. I was hesitant with 1920 due to the higher proof, but if it works to bring out the flavor more like with EHT I'm all for it. It's amazing how the higher proof manages to feel smoother with less ethanol burn, I've been learning a lot by trying all these different bourbons! $100 is about standard on secondary for EHT so you did fine, $45 if you find it at MSRP. HH BIB, 4R SIB, RR10, WT Rare Breed (higher proof), OF 1897 BIB, OF 1910, and of course Woodford are all in the $40-50 range and worth checking out. I skip Knob Creek Small Batch ( the white label 9 year) and Maker’s Mark but YMMV. Finished bottles like EC Toasted, OF 1910, Maker’s 46, and Woodford Double Oaked are probably worth a gander as well in that price range. I tend to avoid finished whiskies in other spirit barrels but the ones that are just straight second set of barrels I’m usually happy with. At a higher price point, $65ish, you’ve got EC Barrel Proof, Larceny Barrel Proof, Knob Creek 12 (my personal easiest to find/best quality/value pick), Baker’s 7, and Henry McKenna 10 year BIB.
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Dec 31, 2023 02:24
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Hot drat there's a whiskey thread, I never thought to check. Has anyone had the newest Blood Oath, Pact 9? I copped a bottle today as my local LCBO had one and I'd never seen it before, and am now having second thoughts as it was $300 and I've seen varying reviews now.
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Dec 31, 2023 04:58
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Hakarne posted:Thanks, that Four Roses description sounds right up my alley so I'm more excited to try it now. I was hesitant with 1920 due to the higher proof, but if it works to bring out the flavor more like with EHT I'm all for it. It's amazing how the higher proof manages to feel smoother with less ethanol burn, I've been learning a lot by trying all these different bourbons! Wild Turkey 101 is the best value in bourbon IMO, and shares the caramel, vanilla and a little spice like the EHT.
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Dec 31, 2023 06:36
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Hakarne posted:Thanks, that Four Roses description sounds right up my alley so I'm more excited to try it now. I was hesitant with 1920 due to the higher proof, but if it works to bring out the flavor more like with EHT I'm all for it. It's amazing how the higher proof manages to feel smoother with less ethanol burn, I've been learning a lot by trying all these different bourbons! If you find yourself in possession of OF 1910 and 1920, you are required to make yourself a glass of 1915 by combining the two.
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Dec 31, 2023 07:28
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Might wanna check your math, that should yield a 3,830 year matured whiskey.
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Dec 31, 2023 07:34
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zmcnulty posted:Might wanna check your math, that should yield a 3,830 year matured whiskey. How many have you had, mcnutty?
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Dec 31, 2023 10:06
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Bought some Redwood Empire Pipe Dream Cask Strength. Anyone had it yet? I’ve liked their other stuff so I have high hopes. Edit: it’s good. Very “spicy” and aromatic. Dang It Bhabhi! fucked around with this message at 06:32 on Jan 2, 2024 |
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Dec 31, 2023 20:56
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It’s been awhile since I stopped in here, cause I had been on a beer kick for the last year or so, but I’m back on the whisky train again :/. It all kicked off when my liquor store guy gave me a sample of his Larceny BP B523. I’d never had the BP before and I was blown away. So naturally I found a bottle of that and the C923, which is also great. Now I’m trying to track down an ECBP C923 as I’ve heard that’s fantastic. Of course I picked up a store pick Russel’s Reserve which is great, and an Old Forester 100 that I haven’t tried yet. And on the ‘best value’ chat, I’m a big fan of Russel’s Reserve 10 year. It’s like $32 near me.
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Jan 2, 2024 06:08
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I've been trying a lot of Scotch / Scotch Adjacent stuff recently. Reviews and stuff because why not: GlenDronach 15: Excellent, rich woody flavor. Super fun on the nose. I love the 12, and this definitely delivered a lot of the same stuff I enjoyed here. Might not be worth the price, but it's definitely tasty. Glenmorangine 15, Cadboll Estate Batch #2: A huge amount of vanilla that has a delightful, spicy tail. Probably my favorite Scotch at this price point. Nagahama Roman 8: A Japanese ordeal - Tastes like a green apple, and maybe a really light wood around the mid point, but doesn't really develop. It's somewhat harsh on the back end with nothing really paying off. Even on sale at $50~, I can't recommend this.
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Jan 2, 2024 06:42
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Nagahama Roman 8 came out in 2021, only 5 years after they even started distilling. My policy for "Japanese" whiskies like that is if you like it great, even if you don't know what's in it beforehand. But it's damaging for the category when they just bottle any poo poo and make it Japanese looking. FWIW Nagahama's actual Japanese whisky releases can be really good zmcnulty fucked around with this message at 07:42 on Jan 2, 2024 |
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Jan 2, 2024 07:40
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DoctaFun posted:It’s been awhile since I stopped in here, cause I had been on a beer kick for the last year or so, but I’m back on the whisky train again :/. Some people were saying ECBP C923 is their #1 whiskey of the year. Think it's a bit of hyperbole but it is definitely reallly good. RR10 is $44 here but yeah at $32 that would be tough to beat. The RR picks are usually super good, I end up buying them any time I see them, think I've got like 5-6 open RR picks right now. I've been sick since Thursday so I haven't been drinking but I recently got Old Overholt 10 and a Midwinter Night's Dram so I might have to do a high proof rye tasting. I've got the OF SBBS Rye and I could probably go find the JD SB Rye.
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Jan 2, 2024 08:37
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Lyon posted:Some people were saying ECBP C923 is their #1 whiskey of the year. Think it's a bit of hyperbole but it is definitely reallly good. RR10 is $44 here but yeah at $32 that would be tough to beat. The RR picks are usually super good, I end up buying them any time I see them, think I've got like 5-6 open RR picks right now. Ive heard that about C923 which probably means I’ll never find it  . There’s lot of B523 around my area, which either means C923 hasn’t dropped or all the stores have sold through it / or are saving it for raffles. I’m also trying to finish off some bottles that are less than half full, need to start inviting more friends over to do some work.
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Jan 2, 2024 19:26
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All this talk about hunting rare bottles and I never thought to ask about online purchases. Are there any good/reputable places that people have used before? I was looking at sipwhiskey.com since they're in California, but some quick searching online revealed a lot of concerning problems (having to wait weeks/months for a shipment that was supposedly in stock, getting to the point of threatening chargebacks before they ship it, etc). I'm not seeing a site that doesn't give me at least some pause for concern.
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Jan 2, 2024 22:01
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Hakarne posted:All this talk about hunting rare bottles and I never thought to ask about online purchases. Are there any good/reputable places that people have used before? There's a good reason for that. It's an incredibly heavily regulated good in the US, and while I won't get into the nuances of the three-tiered alcohol distribution model and the issues online and interstate commerce present, the short answer is that almost everything you can buy a la carte online is grey market at best. See, the government likes to take its cut on alcohol sales —the alcohol tax was the first federal excise tax and the whisky rebellion the justification for having a standing Army— and even well established players in the alochol re-sale field have a nasty proclivity to run afoul of the law. In short, it's not illegal like selling controlled substances, but it's certainly not the "right way" and so a ton of bad actors get away with dumb poo poo, counterfeiting abounds, and you have little recourse for redress if they decide to keep your money and send you something else instead.
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Jan 2, 2024 22:44
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I think this has changed a bit in the last decade. Lots of brick and mortar shops have an online presence and it’s just a matter if they can legally ship to your state. PA tends to be pretty strict but lots of places will still ship stuff here. I’d double check the reputation and legitimacy of any online shop before you use it and I wouldn’t buy crazy bottles probably but I’ve certainly ordered a lot of bourbon from online retailers.
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Jan 2, 2024 23:53
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Lyon posted:I think this has changed a bit in the last decade. Lots of brick and mortar shops have an online presence and it’s just a matter if they can legally ship to your state. PA tends to be pretty strict but lots of places will still ship stuff here. I’d double check the reputation and legitimacy of any online shop before you use it and I wouldn’t buy crazy bottles probably but I’ve certainly ordered a lot of bourbon from online retailers. The pandemic especially changed a lot of this, but see my comment about a number of businesses on the up and up who run into problems with the tax man— even if you're trying to do it all above board, you can get tripped up, and if it's interstate, that's subject to change and interpretation by the prevailing body. It's not something you want to put rare bottle money on, is my professional opinion.
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Jan 3, 2024 01:29
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I'm getting back into Irish whisky. But redbreast is too expensive for daily drinking. What's good for sipping neat that's under $30? I tried bushmills (the basic white bottle) and it was decent but lacked that pot still character. Guessing it has too much column/ grain spirit in it. Thoughts?
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Jan 3, 2024 06:07
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Since this thread is very US-centric and I'm not from there, I have no knowledge of pricing in your area so you'll have to forgive me if some of my suggestions are not within your budget. Bushmills black bush is a step up from the regular white label, could give that a go. You might want to stick to Jameson though since it's from the same distillery as Redbreast. Jameson, and budget Irish whiskey in general comprises mostly of column distilled grain whiskey instead of the pure pot still of redbreast. However, Jameson Crested is one that has more pot still and sherry cask influence, making it more like redbreast. So it would be my first suggestion. Then the Jameson caskmates Stout edition is also still a good step up from the standard, but cheaper than the crested. Jameson Black Barrel might be good although I haven't tried. I'm also partial to a whiskey called Writer's Tears. It has a similar profile to Redbreast, but again no idea about pricing for you. Another to try might be the Power's, depending on price I'd give the Three Swallows a try, it's a Midleton whiskey like redbreast and jameson and has a bit more pot still ik the mix also.
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Jan 3, 2024 10:20
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Lowness 72 posted:I'm getting back into Irish whisky. But redbreast is too expensive for daily drinking. What's good for sipping neat that's under $30? For that price? Jameson all day long. Bump it up a bit and get some Writers' Tears.
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Jan 3, 2024 10:22
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People seem to like the Stout, but I much preferred the Jameson IPA edition caskmates neat or on the rocks. It's very light and refreshing. Either is good and probably comes down to personal preference.
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Jan 3, 2024 21:05
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Dang It Bhabhi! posted:Bought some Redwood Empire Pipe Dream Cask Strength. Anyone had it yet? I’ve liked their other stuff so I have high hopes. Weird coincidence, I just got some Pipe Dream (normal 45% strength) a few days ago too, mostly just because of the brand because it's ostensibly from where I grew up. I like it, it's got a lot of earthy and nutty tones. I was actually ready to assume it was just MGP again because it says "bottled in California, Indiana, Tennessee, and Kentucky" which I assume means "bottled in Indiana" but who knows, maybe it's a hidden gem
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Jan 4, 2024 00:12
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Data Graham posted:Weird coincidence, I just got some Pipe Dream (normal 45% strength) a few days ago too, mostly just because of the brand because it's ostensibly from where I grew up. I like it, it's got a lot of earthy and nutty tones. I was actually ready to assume it was just MGP again because it says "bottled in California, Indiana, Tennessee, and Kentucky" which I assume means "bottled in Indiana" but who knows, maybe it's a hidden gem Cool! I really like their Emerald Giant Rye.
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Jan 4, 2024 00:40
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Count me in the camp that really enjoys Jameson black barrel, I get lots of vanilla/caramel in that bottle, super enjoyable!
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Jan 4, 2024 01:00
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Lost monarch rules too and in general all of redwood empire does. They make solid 3 year plus old blends with 12 year whiskeys included . Good value for 35 to 40 bucks even if it’s mgp
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Jan 4, 2024 21:35
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Hakarne posted:People seem to like the Stout, but I much preferred the Jameson IPA edition caskmates neat or on the rocks. It's very light and refreshing. Either is good and probably comes down to personal preference. I went stout edition because OP indicated liking pot still whiskey, which is more on the malty, bready, buttery, yeasty, spicy side and less on the bright citrus side.
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Jan 4, 2024 21:46
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Thanks guys for the Irish recs. Forgot about powers. Ever since they redesigned their bottles it's like my eyes just move right past them on the shelf. I dunno what it is! Usually don't see three swallows though. Either the base or John Lane which is closer to $90. I'll check out Jameson Stout. Drank a lot of Jameson in college so I think another reason I don't consider it usually. Thanks!
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Jan 5, 2024 00:40
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