Bourbon

[Malt-Teaser]

A plea to Maker's Mark; Please bottle that 9y variant which I sampled at the recent Munich Whisky Festival.
It is not over-matured, nor is it too old, it's excellent!

http://www.whisky-emporium.com/Blogs/2010-01-Jan/Blog.htm

[archfluke]

Not sure if this is the right place to post, but hey - anyone got any recommendations for affordable, must-taste bourbon? Am a single malt fiend, but am currently in Vegas for a couple of weeks (staying with the in laws - thankfully away from all the madness) and am determined to take home a few bottles of bourbon or similar. I know zilch about em, but would seem rude not to investigate. Jim Beam Black label 8yr old and George T Stagg are on the list, anyone with any other suggestions? Not too expensive as I am saving myself for a final splurge in duty free - that's if all the signatory bottles of HP et al. I've spotted thus far don't break my bank first.......

[Mr Tattie Heid]

Four Roses Single Barrel.

[Livvy]

Agree with Mr TH on this one..also the small batch from Four Roses is good. Woodford Reserve is very affordable too

[Peat Sampras]

Buffalo Trace's Blanton's single barrel is good. It's a round-shaped bottle with a wee soldier on the cork.. Maker's Mark is good as well. Don't know many more apart from the standards...


btw, this would be one for Gunfreak's soldier collection

[Malt-Teaser]

Buffalo Trace's Blanton's single barrel is good. It's a round-shaped bottle with a wee soldier on the cork.. Maker's Mark is good as well. Don't know many more apart from the standards...


btw, this would be one for Gunfreak's soldier collection

I'll second the Blanton's gold - single barrel being good, but I thought is was a racehorse with jockey (Kentucky Derby) as opposed to a soldier?
(I had a few different ones, but they were lost with everything in the pub )

[Peat Sampras]

Buffalo Trace's Blanton's single barrel is good. It's a round-shaped bottle with a wee soldier on the cork.. Maker's Mark is good as well. Don't know many more apart from the standards...


btw, this would be one for Gunfreak's soldier collection

I'll second the Blanton's gold - single barrel being good, but I thought is was a racehorse with jockey (Kentucky Derby) as opposed to a soldier?
(I had a few different ones, but they were lost with everything in the pub )

Don't paid so much attention on what was on the cork but more to the contents of the bottle... might well have been a racehorse

[Pete Smoke]

archfluke, i'm not a bourbon drinker - but i've tried a few. Out of interest, how many bottles can you bring back? And do you know whats on offer at the duty free? The choice isn't always great.

[archfluke]

Not sure about duty free, but there'll be something nice and scotchy for me to grab I'm sure, plus they're litre bottles which is always a boost - Manchester Airport had pretty good stock on the way out here, Philly Airport (where I finally leave the US from) has an ok selection (from memory) but I'll see how it goes; am no collector so anything I buy will be on the basis of cheap(er) drinking. Will probably bring back 3 or 4 bottles of bourbon I'd imagine, suitcase was left deliberately empty.

Cheers for all the suggestions thus far, much appreciated.

[Malt-Teaser]

........... - Manchester Airport had pretty good stock on the way out here, .............

Cheers for all the suggestions thus far, much appreciated.

Hmmm, when I used Manchester a few weeks ago the selection was rubbish. Apart from the Bunny Darach Ur which turned out to be excellent.

[archfluke]

Heh, I passed over that Bunny pretty quickly I must say - have had the Darach Ur and not to my tastes, but then again, not sure Bunny is at all. The selection was pretty middle of the road I guess, but better than a lot of airports I've been in. Guess it depends on what you are looking for - I'm generally looking for a bigger bottle, cheaper, of something I know I like. Nothing, though, has been as exciting as discovering a shelf of nam Beisties at 750ml since being here....

[Malt-Teaser]

There's nothing at all wrong with the fact that we all have different tastes.
I hope you find something you like.

Malty

[archfluke]

Couldn't agree more Malty.

[archfluke]

Failed to get through anywhere as many bourbons as I'd hoped whilst away, but brought back some Jim Beam Black Label, Woodford Reserve and a bottle of Booker's. Ta to all who offered advice - the Woodford Reserve is particularly tasty.

[danielbuck]

Anyone try Bulleit Bourbon? I'm quite familier with Makers Mark and Woodford Reserve (both are good standard Bourbons in my mind!), and have tasted good number of the other commonly found bourbons. I think Bulleit is one of my favorites. I really like how well you can taste the barrel, at first I didn't think it was all that good, but it kept calling to me, and now I think it's one of my favorites.

[athlete cured]

Fyi to those in the US...
The Van Winkle Autumn allotment is shipping in 2-3 weeks, so keep your eyes out. Haven't heard about the BTAC yet, but they arrived here the last week of November last year.

Personally, I still have a full set of 2010 BTAC, 2 Van Winkle 10yr 107s, 2 Pappy 15's and a 13yr Rye. I can probably skip the rat race this year.

[whiskytime]

According to my liquor purveyor: BTAC is coming at the end of September this year....so very soon. I've been on the list since July, I think.

[Pudge72]

...sigh... (comes the response from Canada)

Anybody travelling to the US, through London, who is willing to pick up an Pappy Van Winkle 15 yo for this wheated bourbon enthusiast?

[athlete cured]

I've been on the list since July, I think.

I've always been able to walk in and buy pvw, stagg, etc, no lists or whatever. I wonder if that will change?

[whiskytime]

I've always been able to walk in and buy pvw, stagg, etc, no lists or whatever. I wonder if that will change?

You must: A) shop at a store that gets a good supply (my area does NOT - boohiss ) B) Shop in an area where it is not well-known (again....not where I live/shop) C) Count yourself very lucky!

[ColSanders]

...sigh... (comes the response from Canada)

Anybody travelling to the US, through London, who is willing to pick up an Pappy Van Winkle 15 yo for this wheated bourbon enthusiast?

The getting of the bottle wouldn't be a problem for me... it'd be getting it up there... granted do "Gifts" get taxed if shipped?

[Pudge72]

...sigh... (comes the response from Canada)

Anybody travelling to the US, through London, who is willing to pick up an Pappy Van Winkle 15 yo for this wheated bourbon enthusiast?

The getting of the bottle wouldn't be a problem for me... it'd be getting it up there... granted do "Gifts" get taxed if shipped?

...sigh (#2) from Ontario...While I definitely would appreciate your efforts in obtaining a bottle, the trick is the delivery of said bottle. It's not a question of gifts being taxed (though they likely would...and heavily), the problem is that the gift is alcohol. Shipping into Ontario of spirits is a 'no go' scenario. If it was allowed, all the Ontarioans on this forum would be overloading the ordering sites of different on-line retailers in the US and UK!

That minor hurdle is why I had to specify the travelling to (and from) the US, through London, as opposed to arranging a shipping scenario.

[athlete cured]

'Drinkhacker' reviewed the 2011 BTAC. http://www.drinkhacker.com/2011/10/04/review-buffalo-trace-antique-collection-2011-edition/
Hmmm...

[whiskytime]

All you Pappy drinkers: I was at Buffalo Trace on TH....they are really behind in bottling so the Pappy may be late this year. The day I was there, they were really doing a bottling push on Eagle Rare & Blanton - the Blanton was going to Japan (big seller there) & I think the ER was going to Australia... ER is selling like crazy I guess. The bottling hall smelled amazing! They still fill/label by hand.

BTW: I got to see several different barrels of the Experimental Collection resting in the warehouse - very interesting -they were the small barrels. I highly recommend the "Hard Hat" tour -really get to see a lot & the guide was excellent.

[Pudge72]

All you Pappy drinkers: I was at Buffalo Trace on TH....they are really behind in bottling so the Pappy may be late this year. The day I was there, they were really doing a bottling push on Eagle Rare & Blanton - the Blanton was going to Japan (big seller there) & I think the ER was going to Australia... ER is selling like crazy I guess. The bottling hall smelled amazing! They still fill/label by hand.

BTW: I got to see several different barrels of the Experimental Collection resting in the warehouse - very interesting -they were the small barrels. I highly recommend the "Hard Hat" tour -really get to see a lot & the guide was excellent.

Thanks for the Hard Hat tip...from a Pappy drinker in waiting. By the way, can any bourbon enthusiasts confirm/deny that Jefferson's Presidential Select 17 & 18 (from the Stitzel Weller stock distilled in Fall 1991) is the same mashbill as Pappy Van Winkle 15 & 20? Thanks for any info that can be provided.