Which Bourbon For A Brit Newbie?

[mawnansmiff]

I'm now halfway through watching the DVD set of the stunning HBO series 'Deadwood' where seemingly everyone is forever knocking back shots of whisky, or more precisely bourbon. I realised I have never tried the stuff (i've had Jack Daniels but don't think that counts) and thought this needs to be rectified.
Being in the UK, genuine (quality) Kentucky bourbon appears to be a bit thin on the ground but I have narrowed my choices down to Jim Beam, Wild Turkey, Buffalo Trace and Knob Creek.
Are any of these brands popular in the States and if so how do they differ from one and another?
I am very familiar with Scotch Whisky, both blended (Whyte & Mackay is my favourite) and single malt (Cardhu 21 year-old being my favourite here) and certain dark rums occasionally tickle my fancy. I prefer something smooth and silky (don't we all ?) so which of my choices would you hardened bourbon drinkers choose...if indeed any?
Please don't recommend any bourbons not available in the UK, that would be downright mean of you :crying:
Regards,
Jay.

 

[mortonbriar]

No idea what is available there, but makers mark is a good bourbon. I normally prefer the peaty Ilsay Scotch, but at the end of a bowl after nursing a few drops of Laphroiag I will sometimes swap over to bourbon and the contrast makes the bourbon taste like marshmellows it is that much sweeter.
Isaac

 

[oldreddog]

Jay Buffalo Trace and Knob Creek are to me better than the other two you mentioned.

I also like Makers Mark.

Captain Embers is a Kentuckian so he might give you a good steer.

After Deadwood, do not watch Justified ,you will be drowning in bourbon rivers.

 

[ashdigger]

Buffalo Trace is smooth and slightly spicey, but Knob Creek is very nice a little spicier and fuller.
Both are good but Knob Creek is better.
Put a little ice in the glass, that's how bourbon is served, but it's up to your taste, you're drinking it.
Btw, can't go wrong with Wild Turkey either.

 

[jmill208]

Bookers. ( A Jim Beam premium product.)

 

[assignedvaporizer]

Knob Creek is the only bourbon I drink. I like it!

 

[Chasing Embers]

Sadly, when it comes to spirits, I'm all about rum and Scotch, though Maker's Mark is a lovely drop.

 

[tbradsim1]

As a little boy I lived with my Fathers Parents for a while, I was captivated with a Bottle in my Grandfathers closet, Jim Beam it was and was told in French that was to ward off colds, never knew my Grandfather to have a cold so it must of worked. :laughat:

 

[bigpond]

Jack Daniels would have been like ambrosia to those cow pokes. If you have some on hand you can duplicate the taste of old Western whiskey by marinating a piece of burlap in your JD for a few minutes. Maker's Mark is good and cheap if you can get it, otherwise, Knob Creek is probably the best and Wild Turkey the worst (just a little rougher around the edges). Worst case scenario, it'll put some hair on your chest.

 

[johnbarleycorn]

My personal favorite is Old Forrester. But as has been said repeatedly you can't go wrong with Makers Mark. And yes Knob Creek is very good too.

 

[ericusrex]

Knob Creek definitely the best of those mentioned...unless you're talking about Wild Turkey's Rare Breed or Kentucky Spirit.

 

[fitzy]

Knob Creek and Buffalo Trace are better than the other two in my opinion.
I don't drink but when I did I preferred Basil Hayden's.

 

[mackeson]

I don't drink but when I did I preferred Basil Hayden's.

Same here. Don't drink anymore, but liked Basil Hayden's quite a bit. I actually enjoyed the entire whiskey family -Bourbon, Tennessee, American small batch, scotch, Irish.... you get the idea.
Of the choices you have Jay, I'll go with the other opinions here and endorse the Knob Creek. I remember that one as having a nice sweet/spice balance.

 

[pappymac]

Big Pond is correct about Wild Turkey being a littler rougher around the edges, but then again it's 101 proof (the original) compared to the 86 proof bourbons. Wild Turkey does come in different varieties now and some of them are 81 proof.
Here's a story told by an instructor in a class on marketing I took in the 1970s. Until the late 1960s, Wild Turkey was considered low-quality "rot-gut" whiskey. The company spent over a million U.S. dollars on advertising in one year and turned it into a premium bourbon. Didn't change the recipe just their advertising strategy. It worked.
JIm Beam is a good bourbon but it suffers from being around for a long time the same way OTC blends like Prince Albert and Carter Hall does. Bourbon snobs are more into small batch or single barrel blends to give some of the older brands a try. Buffalo Trace and Knob Creek are good blends also.
I would find a bottle of rye whiskey and a bottle of bourbon and try both. Then as time and your budget allows, explore the different blends. I find that much like Scotch, there are some very good variations to be had. I've tried Highland, Islay, Speyside and Lowland region scotches. I prefer Scotch from the Speyside distillers.

 

[skraps]

My absolute favorite bourbon is Woodford Reserve Double Oaked. You want some heaven in a bottle... that's it in my opinion.

 

[swb118]

Four Roses, Elijah Craig are my fav's, along with Booker's, which is my hands down favorite,

 

[agnosticpipe]

Best bourbon for the buck is Evan Williams as far as I'm concerned, and it stands up to many pricer whiskeys. And as others have said, you can't go wrong with Makers Mark.

 

[cynicismandsugar]

Out of the choices you listed -- Buffalo Trace is the more spicy and complex choice, while Knob Creek is stouter stuff (and more straight forward). Both are very good, so it just depends on your personal palate. I would avoid the other two for your first samplings.
From your list, I prefer Buffalo Trace... but I'm fourtunate enough to have a couple hundred bottles at my disposal for comparison. I collected spirits way before tobacco.
Good luck, and I hope you enjoy the journey!

 

[pitchfork]

They're all good. Jim Beam is kind of like the Bushmills of bourbon -- not too fancy, but very good.
If you like bourbon, you might like rye whiskey even better. It has a drier, less caramel-like flavor than bourbon, but is very similar to bourbon. Not sure if it's readily available in Cornwall, but good ones include Bulleit and Whistle Pig.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Interesting reading chaps. I think Knob Creek will be my first and if I enjoy that I may well move onto the others.
Pitchfork, interesting that you mentioned Bulleit as I did see that is available here too!
As for rye whisky, I shall have to look into those and see what is available in my little corner of England.
Many thanks for your thoughts chaps, it is much appreciated ::
Regards,
Jay.