Drinking Question

[untjim1995]

Just now, 97and03 said:

Blanton's is my preferred bourbon. I love everything from Buffalo Trace. Was lucky enough to find a cigar bar in DC last year with Pappy at $18 a glass. Sooooo good.

Damn...Pappy at $18?? If I find it for under $30 a pour, I'm interested enough to consider it.

My dad came across a bottle this Christmas that his friend at the liquor store held out for him...needless to say, it was a very Merry Christmas that night for he, my brother-in-law, and myself...

[HoustonEagle]

I hate drinking during and after losses.  I get too bummed about it and generally make it a short night.  Victories are when I close the bar down.

[Aldo]

2 hours ago, untjim1995 said:

This and Blanton's are my two favorites--both aren't cheap, but they are the best that you can find--usually--on the shelves at most liquor stores or in the back where they keep the good stuff.

 

2 hours ago, 97and03 said:

Blanton's is my preferred bourbon. I love everything from Buffalo Trace. Was lucky enough to find a cigar bar in DC last year with Pappy at $18 a glass. Sooooo good.

When the liquor store is out of Blanton's (which is all the time) EH Taylor is my fallback.

[Censored by Laurie]

17 hours ago, untjim1995 said:

Damn...Pappy at $18?? If I find it for under $30 a pour, I'm interested enough to consider it.

My dad came across a bottle this Christmas that his friend at the liquor store held out for him...needless to say, it was a very Merry Christmas that night for he, my brother-in-law, and myself...

keep in mind there are 4 different varietals of Pappy that you'll come across...12 year, 15 year, 20 year and 23 year...no way anyone came across the 23 at $18 a pour (or $30, for that matter)...think closer to, if not exceeding, $100. you likely had the 15 at $18 and the 20 at $30...both still a damn fine whiskies.

my birthday present from the special lady-friend last year was supposed to be a glass of the 23...she had called ahead to confirm they had a bottle, we dined at the bar, but when it turned out they only had the 20 the bartender felt so bad he gave us each a glass of it on the house. my birthday's coming up again soon and she's intimating that she's found a place that definitely has the 23. needless to say I'm pretty excited to get older. 

nobody has mentioned Willett...and I feel that's a crime. their pot still is fantastic, but their family-reserve ryes and special exploratory casks are some of my absolute favorites...at least when I have the money in my pocket. also worth the extra coin is Jefferson, especially their Ocean varietal...I've no idea if barreling it and then storing it on a cargo ship that circles the globe for two years, apparently stopping in five continents and crossing the equator four times has any great effect on the product, but if you're willing to spend that $15-20 a glass ($65-75 a bottle) it's worth every penny and I think an interesting story to think about while you sip. 

on the cheaper side...Breaking&Entering out of the Bay Area is a go to (when I can find it)...and if you happen to live in one of the 3 states it's distributed (ahem, @Quoner), a good friend helps run the Bully Boy distillery up in south Boston...their American whiskey blend is incredibly versatile, either as a sipping or mixing whiskey.    

 

[UNTLifer]

19 hours ago, oldguystudent said:

I got a bottle of Buffalo Trace, and there was something about it that rubbed me wrong. I don't remember what it was though.  Maybe a little sweet for me.

The standard I'm going to down a ridiculous portion of this bottle and not hurt my wallet too badly bottle is Evan Williams black.  .

I fully agree with both of these statements.  I bought a bottle of Buffalo Trace a couple of years ago and finally gave it away.  Just didn't suit my taste, but glad other's enjoy it.  My grandfather drank Evan Williams, so that is my go to "inexpensive" pick.

I do like Maker's and Maker's 46 and am a huge fan of Woodford's Reserve.

I found a bottle of Pappy on eBay for $200.  It was an empty bottle!  Some day I will have one.

[Quoner]

12 minutes ago, Censored by Laurie said:

on the cheaper side...Breaking&Entering out of the Bay Area is a go to (when I can find it)...and if you happen to live in one of the 3 states it's distributed (ahem, @Quoner), a good friend helps run the Bully Boy distillery up in south Boston...their American whiskey blend is incredibly versatile, either as a sipping or mixing whiskey.   

How did we not discuss this over our giant tumbler of whiskey Main Street USA extravaganza last month? I hanging out with a neighbor over the weekend and his wife's dad owns several liquor stores across New England and is a huge fan of the stuff as well. We vowed to share a bottle soon. Also, if you're in Dallas proper and want a chance to try a lot of this stuff, go against all of your instincts and go to Tate's for whiskey Wednesday. Everything is half price and it's a chance to try some of the better stuff without an $80 tab for 3-4 pours. The downside is the whole Uptown thing, but most of the douche crossover is saved for Thursday-Saturday and the bartenders are generally happy to see someone not there to get the sweetest vodka cocktail on the menu.

[Censored by Laurie]

31 minutes ago, Quoner said:

How did we not discuss this over our giant tumbler of whiskey Main Street USA extravaganza last month? I hanging out with a neighbor over the weekend and his wife's dad owns several liquor stores across New England and is a huge fan of the stuff as well. We vowed to share a bottle soon.

I'm gonna guess that it was because apparently you frequent places where $9 get's you half-bottle's pour and somehow it, and nearly everything else, just slipped my mind. 

[Quoner]

5 minutes ago, Censored by Laurie said:

I'm gonna guess that it was because apparently you frequent places where $9 get's you half-bottle's pour and somehow it, and nearly everything else, just slipped my mind. 

Not my fault I picked the right bar to live walking distance from, bro.

(and after a website visit, this is all coming back to me, although I had no idea they did pre-made bottles of old fashioneds. How's that?)

[Censored by Laurie]

30 minutes ago, Quoner said:

Not my fault I picked the right bar to live walking distance from, bro.

(and after a website visit, this is all coming back to me, although I had no idea they did pre-made bottles of old fashioneds. How's that?)

it's not bad, not too sweet, and a really clever gimmick...the sort of thing that's an ideal bring-along for a group thing like a cook-out or camping trip when you're not totally sold that everyone will just want to drink straight whiskey but where you also don't want to lug around mixers.

their Hub Punch is an old boston-specific prohibition-era recipe...don't want to drink it by itself, but cut with some citrus and ginger ale it makes for damn good summer cocktailing. 

[Got5onIt]

I only drink when I'm celebrating something. Not much drinking last year.....

[Aldo]

Anyone into scotch? I'm fairly new and learning.

Been trying different things, including the standard stuff (Laphroaig, Yamazaki, Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Macallan's, Glenmorangie, The Balvenie).

Ended up at Total Wine the other day, got overwhelmed, panicked, and got The Balvenie 12 yr Doublewood. So much liquor in there.

Any recommendations? Laphroaig was my first scotch, and it has made it way easier to drink other scotches. Working my way up to it.

[97and03]

15 hours ago, Censored by Laurie said:

keep in mind there are 4 different varietals of Pappy that you'll come across...12 year, 15 year, 20 year and 23 year...no way anyone came across the 23 at $18 a pour (or $30, for that matter)...think closer to, if not exceeding, $100. you likely had the 15 at $18 and the 20 at $30...both still a damn fine whiskies.
 

nobody has mentioned Willett...and I feel that's a crime. their pot still is fantastic, but their family-reserve ryes and special exploratory casks are some of my absolute favorites...at least when I have the money in my pocket. also worth the extra coin is Jefferson, especially their Ocean varietal...I've no idea if barreling it and then storing it on a cargo ship that circles the globe for two years, apparently stopping in five continents and crossing the equator four times has any great effect on the product, but if you're willing to spend that $15-20 a glass ($65-75 a bottle) it's worth every penny and I think an interesting story to think about while you sip. 

 

Yes, I think it was 12 or 15, but still pretty much the best bourbon I have tasted.  My bourbon aficionado friend used to buy Pappy before the bourbon craze and said that the taste/price ratio was not really worth it to drink the older. I think the same bar had the 20 year around $35-45 range a glass. He talked me out of it.

Willet is great stuff. Bought it for the bottle, but ended up loving it.  Living overseas, bourbon is one of the things I miss most. More than anything the ability to work into a store and browse and just pick whatever bourbon I want. At this time I am limited to what I brought with me (Buffalo Trace) and what I can pick up in duty free now and then. So I have Four Roses (regular), Bullit Rye, and Woodford now. Can also usually get Makers. 

Speaking of Four Roses, did anyone mention their Single Barrel? De-lish! 

[UNTLifer]

Pretty good website with liquor ratings, etc....

http://www.underthelabel.com/

 

[GangGreen]

Walked across the street to the Corkscrew and bought  a lot of Stroh's 15 packs from Griggs. 

[untjim1995]

10 hours ago, 97and03 said:

Yes, I think it was 12 or 15, but still pretty much the best bourbon I have tasted.  My bourbon aficionado friend used to buy Pappy before the bourbon craze and said that the taste/price ratio was not really worth it to drink the older. I think the same bar had the 20 year around $35-45 range a glass. He talked me out of it.

Willet is great stuff. Bought it for the bottle, but ended up loving it.  Living overseas, bourbon is one of the things I miss most. More than anything the ability to work into a store and browse and just pick whatever bourbon I want. At this time I am limited to what I brought with me (Buffalo Trace) and what I can pick up in duty free now and then. So I have Four Roses (regular), Bullit Rye, and Woodford now. Can also usually get Makers. 

Speaking of Four Roses, did anyone mention their Single Barrel? De-lish! 

I have Four Roses Single Barrel, Makers Mark, and Willett in the cabinet at home. Just finished off some Old Forrester 1897, which was very good, too.

Not counting my Pappy pours of the 10-year and 12 year, the best bourbons still are Blantons and EH Taylor. Willett is also very good. For the money, from a value standpoint, Elijah Craig 12-year is easy to find, not very expensive, and good on ice or mixed. Eagle Rare is also a decent value, as well.

I had a pour of George T. Stagg once (not junior) and it about burned my esophagus off--proof was 141. But after it sat on the ice, it was still very good. Stagg, Jr. wasn't my favorite, though. Four Roses is kinda like that to me, as well. Good, but not my favorite--certainly not as high on the proof as GTS Jr...

[Censored by Laurie]

12 hours ago, 97and03 said:

Yes, I think it was 12 or 15, but still pretty much the best bourbon I have tasted.  My bourbon aficionado friend used to buy Pappy before the bourbon craze and said that the taste/price ratio was not really worth it to drink the older. I think the same bar had the 20 year around $35-45 range a glass. He talked me out of it.

Willet is great stuff. Bought it for the bottle, but ended up loving it.  Living overseas, bourbon is one of the things I miss most. More than anything the ability to work into a store and browse and just pick whatever bourbon I want. At this time I am limited to what I brought with me (Buffalo Trace) and what I can pick up in duty free now and then. So I have Four Roses (regular), Bullit Rye, and Woodford now. Can also usually get Makers. 

Speaking of Four Roses, did anyone mention their Single Barrel? De-lish! 

where are you now...not still in Quito, right? 

ya...I fully recognize that my craving for the 23 is borne just as much out of want for the experience and story as it is the quality of whiskey. I have a hard time believing it's gonna become my form of heroin in that after one sip I'll only crave a $100 ounce.

I have noticed that Four Roses is sort of the default bourbon of choice in Europe and the top-shelf of the duty free. A couple years ago I was in France and after a few days was thoroughly sick of nothing but wine and/or 1664s, so we popped into a corner market and found for maybe €10-12 a bottle of "Aged Three Year Bourbon" with the most generic of labels...maybe it's just total situational nostalgia, but for the price it's probably the best I've had