Seeking Exceptional Bourbons

[Tar Wheel]

The title pretty much says it all...

I have been playing with Whiskeys and Bourbons for a while now (yes, I know all bourbons are whiskeys) and I have come to the conclusion that I really like the sweetness corn brings to the table. I have also concluded I really don't like peaty whiskeys.

I am looking for 2 things I am hoping some of you can help with.

1. I am retiring at the end of this year and would like to buy 1 exceptional bottle of Bourbon for that event. Price is not much of a factor.
2. I am also looking excellent Bourbons to stock for regular consumption and price plays no role as I know some bourbons are reasonably priced but are exceptionally fine. I would like to narrow down the field by using your experiences so I don't end up with a bunch of mistakes in the cabinet.

Help a brother out with some suggestions?

I will agree with all of TheIronMonkey’s suggestions. I will also add any batch of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof you come across. Blanton’s is wildly popular, and worth it at $60.00 retail, but not worth chasing at secondary prices.

For an exceptional bottle, George T. Stagg or William Larue Weller from the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection would be what I would seek.

For everyday great bottles that can be easily found, I would go with Wild Turkey Rare Breed, Old Forester 1920 or 1910, and Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof ( although JDSBBP is starting to become hard to come by also).

You mentioned that you liked the sweetness of the corn. Wheated mashbills like Weller and Willet have a soft, sweet palate you may enjoy also. Good luck and let us know what you decide on. Cheers!

 

[shanez]

When I get more time I'll post some more but for a special bottle I'm a fan of Elmer T Lee.

Pappy's is nice but not worth the scalper price.

 

[TheIronMonkey]

Tar Wheel's and shanez's recommendations of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof and Elmer T. Lee are great suggestions; had I thought about it more, I would've recommended them. The last great Elmer T. Lee I had was when he did his final barrel select before he died and it was terrific; I haven't had any recent releases, but, I don't think you could go wrong with the new releases. I would add Larceny Barrel Strength as well—Batch B520 might be hard to find now—you might still be able to get the release from 2021.

 

[Bengel]

Wild Turkey 101 - can't beat the price and stands up in an Old Fashioned

Shhhh We don’t want word to get out and it to go boutique ?
Also great in Manhattans!

 

[Bengel]

Wheated mashbills like Weller and Willet have a soft, sweet palate you may enjoy also.

I second this, go with what you enjoy, save the unicorns ?

 

[pipingfool]

I second this, go with what you enjoy, save the unicorns ?

^^^
This.

There will always be unicorns. Get them if time and money allow, but otherwise, enjoy what you like.

 

[Tar Wheel]

Dammit. Now I want a bourbon. I’ll see y’all in the What Are You Drinking? thread. ??

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Sorry for the dark pic. Pappy looks like this:

View attachment 133223

Ok, I had to check w Mrs Cosmic. It was Pattys that we tried at the tasting. Sorry. I just got my middle consonants wrong.

 

[TheIronMonkey]

Several of us would've begged you to buy it all if it was Pappy.

 

[instymp]

Liquor prices have gone nuts.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

When you say price is not an issue, please clarify. I could likely find a bottle of pappys but you'd be looking at $1,000 plus. I don't think it is over rated at all,it is fabulous, but I don't think it's worth anywhere near that much money. I could also find Wellers and Blantons for several hundred dollars but again, not worth the money IMHO.

IMHO, one of the best bourbons for the money is Old Forrester 1920. I'm guessing it still sells for less than $100 per bottle. If you are near a competent shop and they have Russell's Reserve Cask Select, that's superb for around $75 per bottle. There's lots of good bourbon available but if you want something really special, it's going to cost you.

 

[pantsBoots]

Anybody tried Pappys?

Overhyped. If you want to go down the wheated route, Larceny is a great wheated bourbon.

If you like the sweeter edge to whiskey, you're looking for a high corn mashbill, IMO. Mellow Corn is very thin and very cheap, but is a great entry into the realm of corn - I usually have a bottle on hand.

Old Grand Dad Bonded and 114 are both good choices, as is the newish George Dickel Bottled in Bond. Four Roses makes a great pour as well. A local stillery, Nelson's Greenbrier, makes a good tipple. Finally, Old Forester Prohibition is cracking if you like berry notes in your hootch.

That should get you started on the easy-to-source sweeter bourbons. Hit us up when you're ready for rye.

 

[pappymac]

Pappy's is very tasty, but may be the most overrated bourbon out there. I had a pour the other week, and it was solid, but, not as extraordinary as when I first tried it in 2009.

Exactly.
Weller's Special Reserve is the same mash bill as Pappy's but the difference is Pappy's is aged a lot longer.

 

[johnbarleycorn]

Rowan Creek is my personal favorite.

 

[TheIronMonkey]

As an aside, I would highly recommend getting a Paglione Oak Bottle. We did a test with Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond (which costs about $14.99). I find it pretty rough around the edges. We aged it in the Oak Bottle for one day, set some some aside, and let it continue another day (Susan was afraid of it getting too oaky as it ruined her brother-in-law's wine some years back). We brought the different versions to our local craft beer bar in Brooklyn for some of our friends who appreciate whisky and tried it in its original state, 1 day, and 2 day. Our friends were shocked by how smooth the 2 day was. It was transformed—they agreed that had they not known, they would've thought it was a much finer bourbon, several times the price. Well worth playing with aging in the oak!

 

[sandollars]

Rowan Creek is my personal favorite.

How could i NOT put this one on the list, given your name.... It's on the list.

 

[anotherbob]

The title pretty much says it all...

I have been playing with Whiskeys and Bourbons for a while now (yes, I know all bourbons are whiskeys) and I have come to the conclusion that I really like the sweetness corn brings to the table. I have also concluded I really don't like peaty whiskeys.

I am looking for 2 things I am hoping some of you can help with.

1. I am retiring at the end of this year and would like to buy 1 exceptional bottle of Bourbon for that event. Price is not much of a factor.
2. I am also looking excellent Bourbons to stock for regular consumption and price plays no role as I know some bourbons are reasonably priced but are exceptionally fine. I would like to narrow down the field by using your experiences so I don't end up with a bunch of mistakes in the cabinet.

Help a brother out with some suggestions?

I haven't tried any Japanesse whiskeys I want to but I haven't. I just am happy that someone else agrees with my preference for bourbon over most other whisky.

 

[sandollars]

The only conclusion I have reached is Bourbon is the BOMB! Followed closely by Rye.

I have to say My favorite sipper for a while a few years back was (don't persecute me...) Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye. DAMN, that was good with a stogie....

 

[TheIronMonkey]

I haven't tried any Japanesse whiskeys I want to but I haven't. I just am happy that someone else agrees with my preference for bourbon over most other whisky.

That's a whole other world. A nice entry level would be Hibiki Harmony (about 89 or 99 dollars a bottle depending on where you live). I absolutely love the Hibiki 21, but, it is prohibitively expensive—not a big fan of the 17 year. The 21 almost noses better than it tastes.

 

[Servant King]

Liquor prices have gone nuts.

Too true. And inflation just causes people to drink more. ?

Edit: Not what I pictured my 2000th post to be. ?‍ Oh well!