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Flyboy925 posted:I saw something interesting at the liquor store today. It was Wild Turkey 81 proof. It even had a different label than the normal 80 proof Wild Turkey. From their website, it looks like they don't make/advertise the 80 proof that I normally see. At least not anymore. I think I'm going to further explore the Wild Turkey Family. So far I've had 80, Rye, 101, Rare Breed, American Honey, and I believe, Russell's 10 and WT 8 year. This should be some fun working through their entire collection. Jesus man, that's some dedication. I consider myself a big Wild Turkey fan, so well done. Is their rye good? I've been looking for a decent rye to drink when Rittenhouse isn't available (which is often). So far I've tried Old Overholt (which is fine but uninteresting) and Bulleit, which is tasty but a bit lighter than I like. A few people I've read have said that WT rye is not great, but idk I've never tried it myself. Kenning fucked around with this message at 13:51 on Mar 4, 2012 |
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Mar 4, 2012 13:45
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There aren't many ryes available where I am so I can't compare it to many others but if you like WT and like rye then I'm can't imagine you won't like it. I don't taste much difference between Russell's and regular WT rye though.
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Mar 4, 2012 21:33
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Kenning posted:Jesus man, that's some dedication. I consider myself a big Wild Turkey fan, so well done. Is their rye good? I've been looking for a decent rye to drink when Rittenhouse isn't available (which is often). So far I've tried Old Overholt (which is fine but uninteresting) and Bulleit, which is tasty but a bit lighter than I like. A few people I've read have said that WT rye is not great, but idk I've never tried it myself. I remember it being Spicy with a little kick. Rye isn't quite my thing, but its once once in a while. After coming off a tequila/rum kick, its nice to be back to bourbon. As for the types of turkey to go, I have yet to try the 86.8, the 12 year old, Kentucky, and american spirits. If I can find the American Spirits, and its not too much, I want to get 2 bottles. Looks like its going for around $80 a bottle. Once I find a job, and am back off unemployment, I might have to pick up a bottle or two. I also want to revisit the Russel 10, and Rye 6, as well as the WT 8 year old. I really want to find a bar/pub that serves Pappy, as I really want to try it, but don't feel like spending $150+ for a bottle to try it. I also must say, that bourbon with a IPA chaser/back is pretty good.
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Mar 5, 2012 04:57
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I won a bottle of Crown XR in a bet a while back, its pretty delicious. It has the most wonderful taste while running down your throat. Although I would never buy one on my own dime. I also run a bar that probably serves over 40 bourbon/scotch/whiskey/whiskys and I feel like I know nothing compared to the snobs in this thread!
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Mar 5, 2012 07:55
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Has anyone tried the Highland Park 1998 (12-year-old 2010 release, duty-free only)? Does it differ notably from the ordinary 12yo? It seems to be around the same price as Talisker, Quinta Ruban and so on; is it worth it at that price point esp. if I haven't yet tried HP?
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Mar 5, 2012 08:47
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It's just a matter of what you drink. A few years ago I stopped drinking beer and rum and started drinking bourbon, then ventured into scotch. I'm not a snob by any stretch as I'll drink an inexpensive (but not well) whiskey if it's good. (e.g. Fighting Cock, EV 1783, Ancient Ancient Age) but I appreciate a well crafted whiskey.
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Mar 5, 2012 09:22
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I recently started trying to move on to harder spirits having been a beer drinker for a while. I asked around amongst my whiskey drinking friends and they recommend going for either Jameson or VAT 69 as a starting point as opposed to shelling out for a single malt and perhaps not liking it or missing its various characteristics due to inexperience. Which of those two should I go for and are there any other recommendations I could try as a whiskey noob?
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Mar 5, 2012 10:20
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Lunixnerd posted:I recently started trying to move on to harder spirits having been a beer drinker for a while. As someone who is just getting to whisky, I recommend you go for the Jameson. Its a nice easy to drink irish blended whiskey something you can never go wrong with. Another decent blended whisky is Famous Grouse, a little sharper then Jameson but still very drinkable. Once you have gotten to enjoy the taste and finer notes of blended whisky and want to move onto single malts, I suggest you find out if there is a decent whisky shop or bar close to where you live. Check out if they do regular tasting evenings, as it is a good way to find your favourite flavours (regionally).
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Mar 5, 2012 11:45
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Lunixnerd posted:I recently started trying to move on to harder spirits having been a beer drinker for a while. I have found that the Jameson 12 year reserve is a VERY easy to drink whiskey, quite a bit moreso than their normal offering(but it has been a long time since I've had the normal Jameson, so I could be out of line here). It is a little more expensive, probably in the $30-$35 range depending on where you live, but in my opinion is one of the easiest to drink whiskey's out there. It goes down very smooth with just a little bit of ice. If that is out of your price range I understand, then go for the cheaper variety. From a bourbon standpoint, Evan Williams Single Barrel is a very good starting bourbon. Can be found for cheap $20-$25 and in my opinion is as good or close to a lot of bourbons in the $25-$35 range. My recommendation for a starter scotch is Balvennie doublewood, that's what I started with and it was a good gateway  . A little cheaper and still not too bad would be Old Pulteney 12, probably about $5-$8 cheaper than the Balvennie, but pretty decent for that price point.
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Mar 5, 2012 20:03
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I am going to ask the question that no one should ask: Is Red Stag a sugar-syrup abomination like a flavored vodka or honey bourbon, or is it something with strong but not gross black cherry notes? I don't want to get a 750 and end up utterly disappointed if possible. Thoughts?
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Mar 6, 2012 01:33
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If it's available in your area, Willett estate just put out a new 5 year single barrel rye. It's oakey, nutty, creamy, vanilla-y, toasty, and, most importantly, boozy!
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Mar 6, 2012 03:19
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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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Check if your local stores sell the Red Stag miniatures. It's 4 year Beam with Black Cherry flavoring. I got a free sample at the liquor store and while it wasn't as terrible as expected, I never felt any urge to buy a bottle. But flavored liquor isn't my thing, if you like mixing with soda it might be yours.
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Mar 6, 2012 04:25
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asaf posted:Has anyone tried the Highland Park 1998 (12-year-old 2010 release, duty-free only)? Does it differ notably from the ordinary 12yo? It seems to be around the same price as Talisker, Quinta Ruban and so on; is it worth it at that price point esp. if I haven't yet tried HP? I haven't tried the duty free 1998 but I have had the 12. If you can, skip it and head to the 1994 (blue label) which is the old 16yo. I got one of the last actual 16yo batches from Christchurch airport on my way out of NZ and it was great. Preferred it to the 15yo and the 12yo (both the non duty free offerings). Last trip I ended up with the 1990 (paler yellow) and the Steig Larssonsonson. I have such a backlog of whisky I haven't yet gotten to either. Still, can wholeheartedly recommend the 1994.
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Mar 6, 2012 07:26
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IanCaw posted:I am going to ask the question that no one should ask:
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Mar 6, 2012 07:42
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IanCaw posted:I am going to ask the question that no one should ask: I am not a fan of flavored whiskeys, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. But I have always felt you are better off getting a regular bottle of whiskey (that you can use for a lot more drinks than cherry whiskey), and adding any flavoring you want for any specific drinks. If you like cherry, then get a bottle of grenadine and go hog wild. I've never actually had the red stag though, so it's possible it's very good, I'm just not going to fork out for a bottle of it.
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Mar 6, 2012 17:42
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Thanks for the input there Snafe and DoctaFun, I'll see if I can get a bottle of Jameson 12 year reserve somewhere. 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? Haha, just thought of a joke, I like my whiskey like I like my women - 12 years old and on ice. I'm probably on some FBI watch list now.
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Mar 6, 2012 19:47
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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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DoctaFun posted:I am not a fan of flavored whiskeys, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. But I have always felt you are better off getting a regular bottle of whiskey (that you can use for a lot more drinks than cherry whiskey), and adding any flavoring you want for any specific drinks. If you like cherry, then get a bottle of grenadine and go hog wild. Grenadine is supposed to be pomegranate. In any case yeah, this is usually a better choice, because you can use homemade syrups instead of lovely chemical-tasting sweeteners, and decent whiskey instead of poo poo that was so unsaleable they had to add sugar and flavorings to get anyone to buy it.
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Mar 6, 2012 22:50
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Kenning posted:Grenadine is supposed to be pomegranate. In any case yeah, this is usually a better choice, because you can use homemade syrups instead of lovely chemical-tasting sweeteners, and decent whiskey instead of poo poo that was so unsaleable they had to add sugar and flavorings to get anyone to buy it.  I never knew that. Is Rose's Grenadine supposed to be pomegranate flavored then? Every cherry coke I made was actually a pomegranate coke  .
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Mar 7, 2012 01:51
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Rose's doesn't really say what they put in their grenadine. I use Torani pomegranate syrup because it really tastes like pomegranate and is real cane sugar.
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Mar 7, 2012 02:39
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Roses is just poo poo. Make your own grenadine out of 100% pomegranate juice and sugar.
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Mar 7, 2012 02:48
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Got Highland Park 12, Balvenie Doublewood 12 and a Glenlivet 12.. Cant wait to taste them all.. I've only had Johnny walker black as far as Scotch is concerned.. Anybody have advice on sitting down and trying all three in slow succession, one after the other. I've read somewhere here that coke can help clear the pallet in between tasting drinks.. I think taking breaks in between should rest the taste buds enough right?
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Mar 7, 2012 10:58
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CrandleBerries posted:I've read somewhere here that coke can help clear the pallet in between tasting drinks.. I think taking breaks in between should rest the taste buds enough right? I only ever mix or clean pallet with ice water, but I admit I like ginger ale and whiskey but only do that with a cheapo whiskey for a mixer. What do you guys keep as a reasonable priced everyday drinking whiskey? I don't class this as an everyday type but my favorite right now is Johnnie Walker Double Black.
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Mar 7, 2012 11:30
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MOAR posted:What do you guys keep as a reasonable priced everyday drinking whiskey? Regular Johnnie Walker Black Label is my favorite everyday drink.
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Mar 7, 2012 11:46
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I always like to have a bottle of Wild Turkey 101 on hand, and would like to also keep Black Label around (talk to me after a couple paychecks). Both are solid for sipping or mixing.
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Mar 7, 2012 12:44
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CrandleBerries posted:Got Highland Park 12, Balvenie Doublewood 12 and a Glenlivet 12.. Cant wait to taste them all.. I've only had Johnny walker black as far as Scotch is concerned.. Unless you're going for some absolute taste test, I wouldn't worry too much about cleansing your palate. For me (and I'd guess for most people) the latter drinks always taste better as you've moved beyond tasting/feeling the alcohol. So many people tasting even wine at <15% alcohol taste too much of the alcohol, so moving to something that's >40% alcohol can be difficult for them. That burn doesn't bother people after they're more familiar with Scotch, but what I guess I'm saying is, I think it's more important to have your palate conditioned than it is to have it cleansed.
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Mar 7, 2012 15:22
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MOAR posted:What do you guys keep as a reasonable priced everyday drinking whiskey? I may be excoriated for this, but I think Canadian Club is great for sours, especially for guests who aren't regular cocktail drinkers.
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Mar 7, 2012 15:49
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Flambeing beef with Whiskey while searing, is really amazing 
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Mar 7, 2012 15:54
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Anyone ever had any of the longer aged Balvenie expressions? I'm looking at the 21 year Portwood or the 17 year Madeira in particular.
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Mar 7, 2012 18:53
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I won a couple hundred bucks in a drawing, so of course I did the responsible thing and invested it... in my childhood dream, a motherfucking whiskey cabinet (don't worry, I don't actually keep it all on this desk next to the window, just made sense for the picture). Mostly a bourbon person (as evidenced by the selection), I do enjoy a good Irish from time to time. Only scotches I've had have been Chivas Regal 12 and Johnnie Walker Red, neither of which I was huge on (thought about buying Balvenie Doublewood today but ended up going with the Redbreast instead). Not a huge expert in any but will give my impressions on these and others I've had for the sake of adding to the discussion. Jim Beam White: A surprisingly decent bourbon for mixed drinks. I pretty much never drink it straight but for a Mule or a bourbon ginger or bourbon and coke I'd rather spend $15/fifth for this than buy anything more expensive. Old Forester: A decent mediocre value bourbon, also mainly a mixing buy, but won't do you wrong if you're buying mainly for mixed drinks/other people to whom it's all the same. Bottled by the same folks as Woodford; I read some really positive reviews by reviewers to whom that seems to have made more of a difference than it did to me (and I love Woodford). Drinkable but nothing special. Maker's Mark: Gets some hate from others but I like it. Shares a lot of characteristics with Beam though--slightly better neat but probably doesn't justify the price difference in a mixed drink. Maker's 46: Not bad but IMO doesn't really justify the price increase over normal Maker's. Not sure how to describe it but there was a little cloying quality to it. Woodford Reserve: Very mellow and easily drinkable, yet flavorful. Burn is minor to nonexistent. Not a cheap bottle ($32-35ish) but not insanely expensive. Probably my top pick so far. Bulleit Bourbon: Quite possibly the best bang for your buck ($25-28). I could drink this neat all day (and probably would if I wasn't such a loving snob). Even as it is I will drink a lot of this over the years. Knob Creek: Very good, but definitely on the sweeter side; sweeter than most others I've had. Had some burn to it too (not an unreasonable amount). A couple months since I had it but I seem to recall it being a little thicker mouthfeel-wise. Not bad (and good to keep around if you like to have a variety on hand) but I tend to stray from the sweeter bourbons (It's been a long time since I had Buffalo Trace but I seem to remember it being in the sweeter, thicker category as well) and for the price will likely find myself throwing the money at more Woodford instead. Bulleit Rye: I'm not super-experienced with ryes, but I like the spiciness. Warmer going down than most bourbons. Another that I could probably drink neat all the drat time. Bulleit's value for the price continues to be top notch. Basil Hayden's: You can tell this one has higher rye content than most bourbons--it's very spicy and one of the more interesting ones I've had. High on the list and one I'll be glad to have a bit of around for when I'm in the mood but if you're looking for something to drink nightly and repurchase frequently I'm not sure I'd spend the extra $10 a bottle over Woodford. Redbreast 12: Purchased almost entirely due to the strong recommendations in this thread; when I came up to the counter at the liquor store with this today the clerk raved for a couple minutes about how awesome it was. Not as much of a connoisseur of Irish whiskies but this is loving tasty. Nose has a lot of alcohol vapor at first (dunno if that's normal with Irish whiskies because I just cracked the bottle but moreso than I notice with most bourbons) but gives way to a somewhat bourbonesque caramel/vanilla after sitting in a highball glass for a bit. If you like Jameson this is like an easy-drinking version (not that Jameson is rough). Super-smooth, not a lot of bite, but good full-mouth flavor with that cooler Irish whiskey finish. I wish I could do a better job explaining it but like I said I'm normally more of a bourbon guy. Pappy Van Winkle's 23: Okay this is loving delicious. I stupidly decided to pay $45 for a glass of this at an oyster bar and don't regret it a bit (although I probably wouldn't buy it at a bar again; if I catch a bottle slippin' at the liquasto' it's on though). A friend described it to me as being like drinking a maple bar; I'd say that was fairly accurate (a sweeter, thicker bourbon, but none of the cloying sensation sweet bourbons of lesser quality sometimes bring). Russell's Reserve 10 (bourbon): Sipping on this currently. Tasty and definitely worth the purchase ($30) but I'm not sure it particularly distinguishes itself from the others I've had in its price range. That said I'm a couple glasses in so I will definitely have to update after giving it another shot. Eagle Rare: review coming soon (due to reasoning above). VampiricGiraffe fucked around with this message at 05:28 on Mar 8, 2012 |
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Mar 8, 2012 05:22
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I have a Jameson question. While the regular $36 a handle Jameson is a little bland for my tatse, it is drinkable. But I do like the flavor of the Jameson 12 a lot, (and yet am not a fan of the Jameson Gold). Would it be worth the $80 for a 5th (yeah, it's a 750ml, not a true 1/5th of a gallon anymore, so sue me for being set in my ways) of the Jameson 18? Or should I just keep spending my money on Laphroaig as I have been since finding this thread? (My taste buds thank you all, but my wallet doesn't...)
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Mar 8, 2012 05:32
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Halloween Jack posted:I may be excoriated for this, but I think Canadian Club is great for sours, especially for guests who aren't regular cocktail drinkers. I may have said this before, but I would recommend that anyone who's looking at CC try their luck with Forty Creek. In my opinion, it's a better Canadian whisky (and one I can actually stand drinking neat). I'd buy a bottle of their higher bottlings, but I have a backlog of scotch and bourbon and I have no real income.
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Mar 8, 2012 06:47
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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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VampiricGiraffe posted:I won a couple hundred bucks in a drawing, so of course I did the responsible thing and invested it... You sir are a scholar and a patriot 
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Mar 8, 2012 07:25
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I've been making some old fashioneds lately and I must say they are quite tasty. I don't know if my recipe is a good one or not, this is what I've been doing: splash of water sugar cube 2 dashes bitters muddle cherry + orange wedge add bourbon add ice Any thoughts? Am I bastardizing this drink or is this pretty legit. I found the recipe on some website awhile ago. In other news, I was in a bar for happy hour last week that had $3 beers. I saw that they had a pretty nice scotch selection and so I asked how much a glass of Oban 14 would be, sinve I've never had it and have been thinking of picking up a bottle. I don't want to fork over the $50 before I have tried it though. 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? DoctaFun fucked around with this message at 19:17 on Mar 12, 2012 |
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Mar 12, 2012 19:13
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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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DoctaFun posted:I've been making some old fashioneds lately and I must say they are quite tasty. I don't know if my recipe is a good one or not, this is what I've been doing: I am firmly opposed to muddled anything being in an Old Fashioned. If you want orange flavor, use orange bitters or a finish with a twist. If you want cherry flavor, drink something else. An Old Fashioned is cold, bracing, and simple. It *definitely* shouldn't have particles in it from muddling a bunch of fruit in there. Also, I personally don't care for the sugar cube method. I respect the history of it blah blah blah try it with 1/4 oz. of syrup made from 2 parts turbinado/demerara sugar and 1 part water. The unrefined sugar adds a certain richness to the drink, and there's no residual sugar at the bottom of the glass. You just need to make sure to give it a quick stir before you add the ice to make sure the sugar gets into solution, since it's a) more dense and b) colder (from being the the fridge) than the whiskey, so it can sorta just hang out at the bottom of the glass unless you help it out.
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Mar 12, 2012 22:12
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I am really hungry for an old fashioned all of a sudden.
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Mar 12, 2012 22:58
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I just picked up some Redbreast 12, since I haven't had it in years, and I'd forgotten how good it was, and definitely distinct from other styles. I never really thought I'd describe a whiskey as "oily" and mean it in a good way. While at the liquor store I also saw a couple new things in the novelty section: Balcones Baby Blue Corn Whiskey, and High West Silver Oat Whiskey. Anyone familiar with those? I'm happy to try experimental or unaged stuff, but they're expensive enough that I don't want to drop the cash just on the idea.
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Mar 13, 2012 01:01
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