The Whisk(e)y Thread

Excellent choice. If my wife bought a bottle of this for me, I'd immediately suspect she was having an affair with an incredible man and I would be happy for us both.

And while I'm typing, I will say that your first post left me dangling. Four Roses/Angels Envy/Jefferson…. for what? Because I love all three of those and they are among my first recommendations when someone says "So what's a good bourbon for around $40?" especially the Angels Envy and Four Roses.

I continue to type. I feel like Knob Creek, for the price, is so overrated, overly expensive and just not all that. There are so many whiskeys, in my opinion, that are better and cheaper. For example, Bulleit usually runs $10 cheaper, is available everywhere including Safeway, and is much better. Elijah Craig 12 Year is another very very good one, and usually runs less than $25. Old Grand Dad 114 is another that is economical yet packs a real nice punch.

Exactly.  He's trying the ones around the 40 dollar range to start.  Elijah Craig is next on his list.

I think he bought Knob Creek just for one to mix with things.

I started the whole thing when my friend gave me a shot of Red Breast and I said "I don't like whiskey" and he said "you do now".

So I bought that, and then he started researching bourbon and now we need to buy a bar for all the new liquor in the house.

High West.  That's the other one I was trying to remember.

I just finished a bottle of the High West Double Rye and really loved it, it's now probably my favorite rye. Took the plunge on a bottle of Whistle Pig Rye out of Vermont, we'll see about that one. Redemption Rye is okay but not really worth the $30, I think.

Other bourbons in the $40-$50 range you ought to try are:

Blantons is on our list.  Hadn't heard of the other two! 

I want to start a conversation about them, but I'm afraid he will find out about the Birthday Bourbon and try to seek it out.  He always tries to buy his presents before I give them, and I have to let him know about them.

the High West double rye is what I've had and I liked it alot.  We have another one at home that is also very good.

That Birthday Bourbon sounds amazing from the reviews I've read and has made a bunch of top 5 lists.  Thanks for letting me know where to order it because it's all sold out from the distributor in MD and I'd have to go hunting.

Relaxer, have you gotten your birthday bourbon order?  They keep saying they're getting it the next week and the next week, etc. 

just picked this one up

man drank $100 grand of someone else's whiskey
gulp gulp gulp

my nightly drink lately has been:

2 oz. High West Double Rye
3/4 oz. Dolin Rouge Vermouth
1 dash Fee Bros. Grapefruit Bitters
1 dash Fee Bros. West Indian Orange Bitters

it's quite good.  i'm letting my wife drink all the beer in the house now.

Relaxer wrote:
I also have this coming in the mail this week. Haven't had this on its own, only in Sazerac cocktails. If I don't like it in the traditional way, with the spoon and sugar cube, I'll just make Sazeracs, which is a fine alternative.

tell me about your sazerac efforts - what went wrong?  it's what I always order at good cocktail bars, and I want to start making it at home.

I got this book/app recently and really like it:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/speakeasy-cocktails-learn/id453698398

K8teebug wrote:
Relaxer, have you gotten your birthday bourbon order?  They keep saying they're getting it the next week and the next week, etc. 

Whoops, I didn't realize this thread lived on after I had left.
K8t, I received the first bottle within a week of placing my order. I then went back on and ordered three more, all of which are in 'Processing' limbo, so I suspect I'm suffering the same fate that you are. And I just emailed them and they said it won't be until January, so I'm sorry about that because I think you were hoping this to be a Christmas gift.

One thing you might do, instead, is get him a bottle of Few Rye, which today was announced as Whiskey Advocate's Craft Whiskey of the Year.



I will admit that I haven't had it yet but I just placed an order on Caskers so will be able to try it very soon. And it has the novelty of being an award-winning juice so maybe give it a shot. I'll add as well that Caskers tends to sell out on things so place your order soon if you want it.

To answer/comment on a few other posts:

My terrible Sazerac efforts are fading from memory but I just feel like my ratios were off and it just didn't taste that good. Now, I will say that about once every other week, I'll get a wild hair up my ass and will spend an evening sipping on absinthe. I'll pour 2 ounces into a chilled glencairn glass, lay my absinthe spoon over the mouth and put a sugar cube on top, chill 6 ounces of water in a shaker and then slowly pour over the sugar cube. It's a real refreshing sippin drink, but like cotton candy, Disneyworld and the reverse cowgirl, it's best enjoyed occasionally.

Brennser, how on earth did you manage to get that Pappy Van Winkle? I'm kind of angrily jealous. Here's a related anecdote: Last weekend, a buddy of mine and I took all of our kids out to Carderock to hike and climb and etc. Afterward we went to Matchbox on Cap Hill. The waitress came up and first thing, she asked "Are either of you guys bourbon fan?" Why YES, YES I AM, TELL ME WHY RIGHT NOW! They had the Pappy! They had the 10 yr and 20 yr. So I had a glass of the 20 yr, which I've not had before (in fact, the only PVW I've ever had is the 15), and it was glorious.

I'm probably projecting a little, because PVW is such a mythical whiskey, but it is legitimately great. I would do very weird and terrible things to get my hands on a bottle.

Hoya, I like that drink recipe a lot. Looks like a nice variation of a Manhattan. I have everything on there except for the Dolin Rouge Vermouth. Is using Carpano workable? That's all I have at the moment.

brennser wrote:
just picked this one up

I hope you didn't get bent over for as much as I've seen it around DC this year… A store in Chinatown was selling a bottle for $1,299, while selling the 12 year for $399.

lomutherf'nl

I would pay $400 for an unopened bottle of PVW. It would be ridiculous, asinine, wasteful and awful, but sometimes you indulge your hobbies.

Relaxer wrote:
I would pay $400 for an unopened bottle of PVW. It would be ridiculous, asinine, wasteful and awful, but sometimes you indulge your hobbies.

The 12 year?

I pondered it for a second, then my senses got a hold of me.