KCRag Forum

I was just wondering if anyone had any bourbon (or similar) recommendations. I personally am a slow sipper of Jack Daniels on the rocks with a splash, and it greatly slows my guzzling at social engagements, I like the taste (overall), and find that often preferable to drinking beer during the winter. (que the refined southern drawl). However, well beyond Jack (which isn't really called bourbon), I was wondering what is out there that people like. I'm a novice.

Templeton Rye if you can find it.  It's only distributed in Iowa and Illinois, I think, but it's fantastically good.

blanton's, but it's pricey.

I moved from Jack to Makers Mark. Makers Mark to Cutty Sark. Cutty Sark to Dewars. Dewars to Jameson. Jameson is now my every day whiskey but I really enjoy peaty (islay) single malt scotches, always neat, no ice. When I was drinking Jack I would have never liked any of the scotches that I drink now but it is strange how your palate matures. Jack, even mixed with coke, taste very poor to me now. All that said, I drink rum in the winter and have started to get into finer rums, which really sucks because now my wallet strains under my cultured palate.

I second the rye recommendation.  Rye whiskeys are very yummy. On the cheap side, I prefer Jim Beam over Jack.  Also a big fan of the peaty and smokey single malt scotches.

I drink Evan Williams black label as my regular tipple.

Old Weller 107 proof and Rittenhouse Rye 101 are always on hand.

I really like Bulleit at a slightly higher price, don't drink it as much but always ask for it before Makers if at a bar.

Old Overholt is a nice rye as well, lower alcohol, a little sweeter, but very good quality-price ratio.

I usually have Makers or Bulleit around the house - both very smooth, sippable whiskeys. Also a big fan of Woodford Reserve. I think it's a little more expensive than the other two, but worth it every once in a while.

I tried "Most Wanted Whiskey" out of Leavenworth (I think) - and it was just average. Didn't like it very much.

I need to try more Ryes. I do recall that Wild Turkey's Rye was surprisingly good. I'm not a huge fan of their whiskey.

Agree with everyone...the gateway to better bourbon from Jack is probably Makers then you'll slowly advance to better stuff. Seems like a standard progression!!

WSPanic wrote: I tried "Most Wanted Whiskey" out of Leavenworth (I think) - and it was just average. Didn't like it very much.

Most Wanted actually has two whiskeys, though oddly, I can't seem to find anything with a quick online search, so I'm guessing from memory on naming/pricing, but I think there's a Kansas Whiskey at $13-ish that's terrible and a Pioneer Whiskey with a little more age on it that's $17-ish and surprisingly good.

Good article on Templeton...

http://www.kcfreepress.com/news/2010/ja ... e-whiskey/

(yes, I'm partly pimping it because I'm originally from Iowa.  But it's also really terrifically good)

George Dickel No. 12 or George Dickel Barrel Select.  Dickel is my go-to American whisky.  I can't drink Jack much anymore as I think my mind projects an overbearing sweetness, even when it is served alone, that I can't get over.

I haven't had it for a while, but as far as widely available stuff goes, I used to like Knob Creek.  No idea what whiskey/bourbon/rye snobs would tell you as I've ventured more into the single-malt scotch side of things.

I too went from Jim to Jack to Mark and now I?m drinking Bernheim, a wheat whiskey.  It just seems to have a nice clean taste to it.  I tried it first at M&S Grill if you just want a taste.

Of course, during St. Pat's Jamison is my drink of choice.  My daughters buy me a bottle of 12 year old each Christmas. 

I'm a Woodford Reserve fan.

Knob Creek... I was a beer only drinker until someone introduced me to this. I never liked hard liquor, but this introduced me to bourbons. Very smooth. The only 80 proof or higher drink that didn't make be dry heave the first time I tried it.

When drinking good Bourbon/Scotch/Whiskey, if you want to avoid the burn and really enjoy the flavor, you should take a small sip which you will hold in a little "Cup" that you form with the end of your tongue and the back of your lower teeth. Breath in with your teeth barely apart (hissing sound would be made if you breath in hard) then roll the sip around in your mouth before swallowing for maximum flavor enjoyment and very little burn.

Also, chilling and ice destroy the flavor of most high quality whiskeys. Cold dampens flavor. If you are going to mix, chill or ice you might as well stick to the lower cost stuff as you will not get added enjoyment out of the high dollar, top shelf whiskeys. Water to cut the whiskey is acceptable as long as its pure. Most single malt scotches get there unique flavor from the water of the stream they drawn from, therefor it is not generally considered wise to cut Scotch unless you cut it from water drawn from the same stream. My exception would be the Islay scotches as they get more of the flavor from where they are distilled (by the north sea) then the stream they are drawn from.

knob creek, and an ice cube or two.  It's great stuff.  I think Buffalo Trace is decent for the money ($18ish).  If you're just mixing or really watering it down, skip right past the Jack and Jim and get a bottle of Old Crow.  It's very sweet, but good for the super-low $8 price (IMO) and lord knows it has always been there for me. 

  I recently tried a small glass of Handy's Sazerac Rye at Maker's Mark in P&L (never eaten there, but they do have a fantastic, if pricey selection of bourbons) that just blew me away with it's deliciousness, especially considering the high proof (129 I think).

  I love bourbon, almost as much as beer!

Man... some of those ryes are delicious.

Staying away from scotches completely, I'd recommend Booker's and Basil Hayden's. I've had one of the Hirsch bottles that was pretty tasty, too, but they're all over the map as far as price is concerned.

Isle of Skye is an affordable way to get a 'daily dram' that's very palatable.

not bourbon, but i had a little impromptu scotch tutorial at bluestem on saturday night.  i ordered the odan 14, and then bartender just came out with the odan, another one i cant remember, and a lagavullin 16 to taste.  i ended up sticking with the odan because it tasted good to me at the time, but i want to go back for the lagavulliin.  it tasted 100% like a bog!  freaking awesome. 

I don't get the bog, that's some nasty stuff

So, everyone is older... I've been searching for some rarer bourbons/American whiskeys lately, and the level of craziness for bourbon is about at a fever pitch. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't trying to get my hands on a bottle of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC) or Van Winkle (and of course I'm out of town this week), but the restaurants and bars seem to have that locked down pretty solidly nationwide, making them near impossible to find (even with a ton of work put in searching). It is now to the point where they won't even put you on a 5 year waiting list.

I am voraciously trying to increase my knowledge level on bourbons, but I'm still pretty much a novice at the full spectrum. As with any pursuit, I'm starting from the bottom and working my way up. I've waded through the OGD bonded, Old Forester, Weller Reserve/Antique, Buffalo Trace, Dickel (so many more of the super affordable variety to try), but I'm looking for some (landable) high-ish end/good value stuff in the metro area (not ghosts like Weller 12, Old Forester Birthday, etc.).

Right now, I've really enjoyed some Jefferson's, Michter's (though I know they are much maligned), Angel's Envy (esp. the rye), and a lot of stuff from High West. J. Rieger KCW is in the regular rotation as well, and I'm really loving having it around all the time. I've recently procured some Elijah Craig Barrel Proof and an Elmer T. Lee, though I haven't had the ECBP yet. The Elmer is really great at the MSRP if the store isn't gouging you. What is everyone else drinking? Also, if anyone is willing to share their favorite store that doesn't seem to understand what it is selling and has a decent selection of randoms... Some of the established places like Gomer's are great liquor stores, but they seem to get off on saving special things for someone who is not you when it comes to whiskey. Funny because they bend over backwards to special order anything else, but they are Jack Black in High Fidelity condescending when you ask for the wrong bottle at the wrong time.