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About that time 🤝
Is Woodford reserve double oaked worth the hype?
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Best scotch under $70, not too peaty
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Ok last one for real
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Finally picked these up after a year in storage
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- Buffalo Trace, Knob Creek, Four Roses (similar mashbill and price to EC and WR)
- Larceny (similar mashbill and price to MM)
- Michters or Willet for slightly fancier days
For an old fashioned (the proper spelling/name, btw!) - a rye typically holds up best, because it’s a little stronger! I like to use Rittenhouse for my day to day consumption or Elijah Craig Rye if I’m feeling slightly more fancy.
But most importantly: never Bulleit
N1 - https://slate.com/human-interest/2017/08/homophobia-allegations-from-the-daughter-of-bulleit-bourbon-s-founder-are-rocking-the-beverage-industry.html
You need to try a peated (smoky) scotch! It’s a completely different flavor profile and my personal favorite
Popular ones are: laphroaig, ardbeg, lagavulin, or Johnny walker black to start
LAPHROAIG!
As someone who recently started their collection (started as a pandemic hobby):
1. I echo what was said above, definitely venture into the peated lines; and
2. Variety boxes are the best. They allow you to try different whiskeys without committing to buying an entire single bottle and risking you not liking it.
Full disclosure--I work with Bardstown Bourbon Company, so I'm a little biased.
With that said, their soon-to-be-released (early January) Origin Series Straight Bourbon will be sold at $44.99 and will be among the best at that price point.
Make sure you stay tuned in close this year--there will be several really exciting things coming to market. The Origin Series bottled-in-bond, straight bourbon, and rye release dates were announced last week but there will be some others that I think people will go really crazy for.
BBCo also owns Green River, which is outstanding for its $35 price point. It's non-chill filtered and a great everyday drinker. Really recommend giving it a try if you haven't already.
Highly recommend finding bars that will do a flights, or carry a huge variety. That way you can try a bunch without buying a things you don’t care for. After working in KY for two years I became spoiled.
Four Roses Yellow Label for mixing. Single barrel neat. Barton’s 1792 you can also find Barton’s at Total Wine and Costco under a different label. Jeffersons Ocean.
Boenig1 if everyone liked the same thing their would be one distillery selling the same mash bill to everyone.
To second A2, take advantage of whiskey wednesdays to taste whiskeys. I have found locations that offer 50% of all of their whiskeys from 5 until close.
Try Angel’s Envy. My favorite go to that I always have in hand. Their rye is also amazing.
1792, Jefferson’s, new riff, Buffalo trace, angels envy
Welcome to the club! I recommend Macallan 15 and up. 😋
Also add some peaty whisky to your palate: Talisker Storm or Laphroaig 10
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New Riff is my current go to (F17 SB). Buffalo Trace is a solid drinker to start with as well. Only advice I can give really is to find what you like and what you don’t (Proofs, flavor profiles, etc.) No sense in buying top shelf stuff to start with; definitely try a few in the low to mid price range to get a good understanding of the different characteristics each bring and branch from there. If you *really* want a particular bottle, try and find a bar in your area that carry’s it and have a glass.
Try other Old Forester varieties: Statesman, 1910, 1920. Buffalo Trace products are getting harder to find but Eagle Rare or Colonel EH Taylor Small Batch are solid. Maker’s Mark “Wood Finishing Series” variants (1-2 each year for last 3-4 years) are great too (probably 2x the price of regular MM or Maker’s 46).
Newer distilleries cranking out consistently good bourbon: Smoke Wagon, Old Elk, Boone County, Woodinville, Wilderness Trail, New Riff.
High West Distillery - Double Rye, and try some Michter’s