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Picked up some Buffalo Trace based on the recommendations I've heard. I definitely wasn't disappointed either. Really good, complex taste for only about $25. A lot, lot better than the Jim Beam White Label I'd been drinking (and mixing) before. Also, I've been getting into scotch lately - a favorite being The Glenlivet 12. Do you guys have any other recommendations for scotch around the same price level ($25-35)?
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Nov 4, 2011 05:38
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Had some Laphroaig 10 tonight with another friend who's a fan of scotch. The stuff was unbelievably smoky, woody and peaty - really wonderful, unique flavor. Totally hooked. Then he bought a Macallan 12 which I tried and I was like "oh..." NightConqueror fucked around with this message at 08:52 on Jan 28, 2012 |
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Jan 28, 2012 08:28
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logical fallacy posted:Seriously though, mix it how you like but realize you're doing something similar to cooking with an expensive bottle of wine. Either way, you're not going to taste those nuances you paid for, so why waste your money? Yeah, you could probably pick up a $15 bottle of Jim Beam, mix that, and get the same result. Save the good stuff for neat, or with ice + water.
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Feb 1, 2012 01:45
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DoctaFun posted:Had some Knob Creek for the first time yesterday, I was pleasantly surprised! You know how you can see a bottle of something at the liquor store and say, "wow, that bottle looks awesome and I really want to try that, I bet it's good!". Well I have always felt the opposite about the knob creek, I'm glad I finally tried it. Liquor store by me has it on sale for like $24.50 too, so I might pick one up. For the price, it's pretty great. Flavor is definitely a step up from Maker's Mark, and is on almost on par with Buffalo Trace (plus the bar by me sells it for $4.00 a glass).
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Feb 3, 2012 07:25
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Zeno-25 posted:I'm also mostly a bourbon drinker. Since I really enjoy barrel-proof bourbon, I figured I would pick up some cask-strength Laphroaig a while back. While I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who was unsure of how much they liked very strong smokey peat, it gave me a whole new appreciation for scotch after I had already sorta started to like scotch whisky. I still need to try a bottle of their Quarter Cask, though. I'm a huge fan of the regular Laphroaig 10. Is the flavor significantly different at cask strength, or does it just have more burn to it? Sort of tossing up the idea of getting that or an Ardbeg to fill out my smoky Islay addiction. vvvv That helps a lot, thanks! NightConqueror fucked around with this message at 07:02 on Feb 6, 2012 |
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Feb 6, 2012 06:21
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Voodoofly posted:I like to buy the 1.75l bottles of Speyburn 10 at Costco for 35 bucks. I do the same thing, except I go cheaper and lay out a handle of Canadian Club and a bottle of ginger ale. Nobody seems to mind, and I get to keep all the good stuff for myself (and the few who can appreciate it!).
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Feb 8, 2012 21:02
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I'd have to admit, despite being a little wary, that Wild Turkey 101 and Wild Turkey Rare Breed are two really nice bourbons. At about $20, I thought the 101 would be a total mixer, but its an easy sipper with some water. The Rare Breed I only had a brief taste of, but its more complex and smooth. Good stuff.
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Feb 12, 2012 09:02
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DoctaFun posted:Picked up a bottle of Russell's Reserve Rye for $21 at my liquor store, I tried it with some ice and I'm not sure what I think of it yet. I will have to try it in an old fashioned or manhattan or something, but that means I need to go out and buy some more supplies I've really only had rye whiskey in mixed drinks, like Manhattans. Are they pretty decent on their own, neat? I've been eyeing up a bottle of Bulliet Rye near me. The price certainly is pretty reasonable.
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Feb 18, 2012 05:59
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Tried a bit of the Yamazaki 12 this weekend - mostly for the novelty of drinking a Japanese whisky. It was actually very good. It reminded me a lot of Highland Park 12, with light, honey notes but had absolutely no smokiness (turns out its an unpeated whisky). At about $40, its pretty reasonable, but I'd rather put that toward my favorite Islays.
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Feb 20, 2012 07:43
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Any opinions on good rye whiskeys for sipping? I've been thinking about trying Bulleit. I haven't had much experience with rye, outside of some Jim Beam rye in a Manhattan.
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Feb 22, 2012 20:55
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crazyfish posted:I'm getting a promotion/bonus/raise at work, and I want to buy a really special bourbon. I had a glass of the Pappy Van Winkle 20 year a couple weeks ago and it was shockingly good. I would happily go out and buy a bottle of it, but it apparently flies off the shelves here in Chicago. Short of one of the Van Winkles, does anyone have suggestions for a really great, preferably long-aged bourbon? The 20 year runs around $150, let's consider that a firm price point (though I'm always willing to spend less to get a better product You might have some luck with some single barrels or small craft bourbons, but I think it'll be tough to find them in anything other than specialty liquor stories. Here's a list from Bourbon Enthusiast with reviews and prices listed. It might help give you some ideas. I've heard good things about Eagle Rare 17, which runs about $50-60. I haven't tried it, however. Just out of curiousity, do you like scotch at all? Because I certainly don't have any problem thinking of some really fantastic scotches for less than $150 
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Feb 23, 2012 20:17
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DoctaFun posted:What would you guys recommend in the $60-$100 range for Scotch/Bourbons? If you don't like peat, I'd try Highland Park 12, which generally runs $45-50. It's a softer, more sweet scotch. It's very pleasant, and it's my go-to when I'm not drinking Islay stuff.
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Feb 27, 2012 21:03
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CrandleBerries posted:Others I have considered: I've tried the Yamazaki 12, and I can confirm its pretty good, especially for the price (which is like $40, here). It has no smoke to it, so it's not really like a scotch, but its got a similar flavor profile to the Highland Park 12. It's weird, there's no doubt about that.
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Mar 2, 2012 04:05
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IanCaw posted:I am going to ask the question that no one should ask: It's not bad, but it's not great. It makes pretty good whiskey + cokes, but that's about all its good for. I give it to my friends who generally don't like whiskey.
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Mar 6, 2012 03:37
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Lunixnerd posted:One of my friends is adamant that I go for VAT 69 though, I think he might just be a big band of brothers fan, is there any merit to his recommendation? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54UP4vcsza0 Ralfy likes it, so that's good enough for me!
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Mar 6, 2012 20:19
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Wicked Mofo posted:Buy those. Buy them all over and over. Also, I don't think there's a single Irish whisky that's going to match an Islay. Irish stuff is generally just a lot more mild. I'll agree with the post a few up that Redbreast is pretty fantastic though. I'm not the biggest fan of Irish stuff, but Redbreast is my go-to if I'm drinking it. NightConqueror fucked around with this message at 07:23 on Mar 8, 2012 |
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Mar 8, 2012 07:15
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DoctaFun posted:The bartender asked me, "Neat, or on the rocks?" I didn't think there would be a difference in price between the two, is that normal? Anyways, $18 a glass. Holy crap. That's like 40% the cost of the whole bottle, or at least %40 of what I would pay. They probably get the bottles a little cheaper. I understand marking up a pricier bottle because it doesn't sell all that often, and it takes up shelf space, but 2.5 drinks and they are breaking even? Is that normal pricing? Mark up can be pretty high depending on where you go, especially at restauraunts. $18 for a glass of that stuff does seem pretty excessive though. That reminds me of a time I went to an upscale steak place that had a glass of Glenliviet 12 for $14.
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Mar 12, 2012 20:07
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wizard sticks posted:I've got a decent collection (I think) so far for a beginning into whiskeys: You've got some pretty good stuff there. As a beginner it can be difficult to really pick out the nuances of whisky. A lot of it has to becoming acclimated to the burn of the alcohol. If you really want to appreciate the flavor you should drink it neat with a bit of water (a few drops to about a teaspoon), move it around and let it breathe for a few minutes. Add a little ice if you feel like the flavor is too overwhelming. I haven't tried the Bowmore or the Glenmorangie yet, but I'd be willing to bet even a whiskey newbie would be able to taste the differences between Glenlivet 12 (citrus-y, sour apple nose, quick finish) and Highland Park 12 (more sweet, honey and lavender flavors). If you want something that's a completely different flavor than all of those there (and I guarantee you'd be able to tell the difference), try an Islay whisky - Laphroaig Quarter Cask being my personal favorite. The smoke will knock your socks off. Really, there's no wrong way to drink scotch whisky (except maybe with a coke mixer), and you should take it at your own pace, let your palette develop and enjoy your growth as a whisky drinker.
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Mar 13, 2012 05:52
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alariens421 posted:I got my first bottle of Elijah Craig 12 recently. Very tasty stuff. I've been really impressed with Wild Turkey Rare Breed. It's got a lot of character and smoothness. Definitely a go-to if I'm not doing scotch. Also you might consider Four Roses Single Barrel. I haven't tried it, but it seems to get a lot of love around here.
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Mar 24, 2012 05:21
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biglads posted:Was good, I'm a bit pished but came home with a Glengoyne 21 & a Longrow 14. Happy days. Anything stand out in the tastings?
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Mar 24, 2012 23:05
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I've just run out of bourbon and I'm looking to pick up another. My go-to bourbon so far has always been either Wild Turkey 101 or Buffalo Trace. I've been eyeing up Four Roses recently. Is anything other than their Single Barrel offering worthwhile? Any other recomendations within the $20-$40 range?
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Mar 30, 2012 04:00
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Thanks for the outpouring of suggestions. I wrote down a bunch and was totally overwhelmed when I got the the store and had about 35 different brands to choose from. Ended up picking up the Four Roses Small Batch, which is sweet and delicious.
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Mar 31, 2012 15:34
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"[ts posted:xenophobe"] The Yamazaki is generally pretty easy to find in big outlet stores like Binny's (a chain of stores in the midwest).
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Apr 3, 2012 14:22
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"[ts posted:xenophobe"] Generic suggestion, but why not Maker's Mark? About as mild as they come, but not bad either.
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Apr 4, 2012 04:53
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Deleuzionist posted:
Definitely a fair assessment. While I dearly love the Quarter Cask, there are a few flaws one can find after tasting a few drams - the tarriness for one and a slightly ashy aftertaste I sometimes get. I think the Ardbeg 10 is a little more nuanced than the Laphroaig 10 and QC, and a bit more mild with more salty, sea notes. Haven't tried the Uigeadail yet or the famous Lagavaulin 16, both of which I've heard are excellent.
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Apr 6, 2012 23:34
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revmoo posted:I've probably mentioned this before but Lagavulin 16 is ambrosia. Best scotch I've ever tried. That reminds me of a few weeks ago when I mentioned in passing to an old friend that I really enjoyed scotch. He lightened up and told me, "Hey, I went to the store to celebrate and I just bought the first expensive scotch that looked good." He goes on to tell me he got a bottle of Lagavulin 16, and when I eagerly asked him how he enjoyed it he responded, "Oh, it's pretty good. Not great for doing shots, but it goes down smooth with a little coke." 
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Apr 7, 2012 05:40
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wormil posted:Beyond a certain point, price is no longer about taste but about scarcity and uniqueness. For sure. I mean is a 500 dollar whisky ten times better than a fifty dollar one? I love whisky, but I like it to drink, not to stack on my shelf and gaze wistfully at because I spent several hundred dollars on it.
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Apr 13, 2012 03:07
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Ample posted:Stuff And while I don't claim to know very much about old Whisky, from what I've heard, old age doesn't necessarily guarantee that's it better than a younger bottle. In older whiskies, I've heard that the flavors are often more muted and take on more character of the vessel they were aged in. However, drinking an old rear end whisky would still be pretty cool, I'll admit. There's no way I could stomach spending $300+ on a single bottle though.
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Apr 16, 2012 17:01
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Miguel Angel Face posted:A local store had a couple of bottles of Ardbeg Supernova 2010 on special. So I bought one out of curiosity. I'd like to hear about your opinion of it. I've heard some people claim its overpriced and gimmicky and some say its incredible. I know they measure the peatyness in the bottle in PPUs. Very weird.
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Apr 22, 2012 08:02
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Paul Coffey posted:I'm beginning to think I have a problem... I'm running out of room to put my whisky! The situation's not helped by the fact that the place I see movies at also has a liquor store that will validate the $20 (!!) parking fee if I spend $25+ there... thing is I don't drink this stuff fast enough. At least the bottles are pretty... Seems to me like you need a good friend to help drink it all!
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Apr 25, 2012 14:36
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Dirk Pitt posted:Ahh now I see it. If you like Islay whiskey, I'd personally suggest either the Laphroaig Quarter Cask or the Ardbeg 10. I've had the Lasanta before, but not Caol Ila, so I don't know what kind of smokiness you like. The Quarter Cask is much more mellow than the Laphroaig 10 and the smoke is very subtle. Ardbeg is more of a salty, ocean-y flavor with a little more robust smoke, but still less than Laphroaig 10.
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Apr 25, 2012 19:55
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Cracking this baby open tonight. Heard some good stuff about it, and for the price ($28), you really can't go wrong. If anything I love bourbon because quality stuff is so much more accessible for a cheaper price than Scotch.
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Apr 26, 2012 22:41
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Paramemetic posted:What are thoughts on Tennessee whiskey? An old friend of mine always used to push Dickel down my throat, but as I was a young man I didn't appreciate it much. I also picked up a bottle of that when I was at the store, along with that Four Roses, just out of curiosity. Interestingly, the Internet tells me these are heavily smokey with charcoal from charring the barrels. This intrigues me exactly because I like my Scotch with lots of smoke, I'm a big fan of Islays and smokier Highlands. So I may give the Dickel a try before the Four Roses tonight. My father raised me to drink Kentucky bourbon, so I have always had a negative preconception of Tennessee whiskey, but maybe now is the time to develop my own opinion on the matter. Dickel is ok, nothing special. Very similar to Jack Daniels. There might be a smidgen of smoke in Tennessee whiskey but nowhere close to scotch levels. Honestly, if you want to taste the pinnacle of Tennessee whiskey, I'd give Jack Daniels Single Barrel a shot. I'm not crazy about Tennessee whiskey and generally just regegate it to mixer duty, but the Single Barrel is very drinkable on its own.
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Apr 28, 2012 23:31
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Anyone have experience with Wild Turkey 101 Rye? Suddenly I've begun to see 81 Rye, and I've heard due to the explosion of rye popularity they're going to roll out the 101 again. Considering picking up the 81 - that is unless you guys have any other good rye suggestions.
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May 1, 2012 04:46
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Schpyder posted:If you're going to take that route, I'd suggest just driving to Bellevue, KY (across the river from Cincinnati) and go to The Party Source, which has one of the best bourbon selections I've ever seen, and a pretty drat good scotch selection as well, with plenty of IBs. This is great to hear, as I might be moving to Cincinnati in a few months. I wont be deprived of my whiskey! EDIT: Holy poo poo their bourbon prices are absurdly good. Four Roses Single Barrel for $33? Yes please. NightConqueror fucked around with this message at 02:39 on May 3, 2012 |
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May 3, 2012 01:25
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Mayor Dave posted:Can anyone recommend a good american rye? The only rye I've tried was ... not very good. It's not American (even though it tries its hardest to pass itself off as one), but Jefferson Rye is a really pleasant rye whiskey with some nice spicy, earthy notes. Very interesting and nice. Also, I've heard Whistlepig is really good, but much more expensive.
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May 5, 2012 06:56
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wormil posted:I accidentally bought a bottle of Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve, 120 proof. It tastes like regular Knob Creek but very alcoholish even on the nose. A bit spicy, the usual suspects (oak, vanilla, pepper), but not much depth, a sweet corn finish. For the price I could have bought 2 bottles of EC12 and should have. It was better with a JR Cohiba Behike Laguito ripoff even though the combined spiciness ruined my taste buds for about 12 hours... think I'll go do it again. That's too bad, and a little odd, because I thought a lot of whiskeys do better at high proofs, at least flavor-wise. The only high proof whisky I've had was Laphroaig Cask Strength which had some serious punch at 114 proof. I've never had a bourbon above 100 proof, but I'd like to try George T. Stagg sometime. Maybe you should add more water and let it sit for a bit and let some of the alcohol vapors evaporate?
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May 10, 2012 18:26
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Untagged posted:What is the consensus on Eagle Rare? I was at the liquor store and the clerk recommended that as a good starting point for straight sipping but also cheap enough to mix and not feel bad about it. I've enjoyed it so far. Eagle Rare and Evan Williams Single Barrel are both really good single barrel offerings at a really reasonable price ($28-30). I haven't tried a lot of Eagle Rare, but my Evan Williams is pretty phenom.
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May 14, 2012 16:57
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Just had a chance to try the Elijah Craig 18 tonight. My dad went out and bought some on a whim, based on the reccomdations from the guy at the store. While I had heard mixed reviews about it, I found it quite nice - very oaky, woody, a little bit of spice but definitely not rye influenced. However, I'm not sure it deserves the $50 price tag. I've had some cheaper stuff that I enjoyed about just as much (including the 12 year old). 18 years old seems awfully old for a bourbon too.
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May 15, 2012 00:48
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Just a heads up: As the weather gets hot and you're thinking of a great bourbon to use in a mint julep - give Very Old Barton Bottled in Bond a shot. At $11-13 it's phenomenally cheap, and at 100 proof it packs just enough punch to give you that great bourbon taste in a mixed drink. As the ice melts it cools and mellows the whiskey creates a sweet, smooth drink to just sip away on your porch. 98 degrees here in Illinois on Saturday. Care to guess what I'm going to be doing? NightConqueror fucked around with this message at 21:25 on May 23, 2012 |
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May 23, 2012 21:18
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