Tuesday, October 08, 2019

Bourbon, You Ask?

Mark D asks in comments:
Lately I've also started on bourbon, I find I really like Jim Beam Black. As a bourbon corner sewer, do you have any other recommendations?
In my opinion, (and this is just my opinion), there are several bourbons that should be on any bar cart, in o particular order.

Wild Turkey 101.  Don't laugh.  It's a lot better bourbon than most people give it credit for being.  Hereabouts, I get it for about $20 a bottle.   At 101 proof, it mixes well with cola, or it can be consumed neat, or with ice.  Really a very versatile mixing bourbon at an economy price point.

Evan Williams Bottled in Bond.  It's a four-year old bourbon bottled at 100 proof.  Very versatile mixer, also good neat (although I drink it with Diet Coke).

Buffalo Trace.  Originally, the Buffalo Trace distillery didn't have a signature bourbon, making a variety of brands, but the resurgence of bourbon made them re-thing that option.  Nowadays, Buffalo Trace bourbon is a very nice, nearly upscale bourbon at a very attractive price point (mid -20s hereabout).  I like it neat, or with just a single ice cube.

Maker's Mark.  It's a wheated bourbon that I like to drink neat.  But, the make a variety they call Makers 46 that I am currently exploring.  Very nicely finished, a small step up from the basic Makers, and not overly expensive.

Those four should be on every shelf.  After that, the sky is the limit.  Buffalo Trace makes a bottom shelf that they call Benchmark.  Great mixing whiskey.  They also make the Weller's line, an upscale ($50-ish) that is very nice in a couple of varieties.

Elija Craig Small Batch is a favorite, as is Jack Daniels, (not technically a bourbon, but I quibble).   I also like Knob Creek (we really love sucking the Knob), and Bullit.  I recently bought a bottle of Four Roses Small Batch, and I'm having fun exploring that bottle.

That should give you a starting point, but those first four should be in any collection, and won't break the bank.

4 comments:

Gromit said...

Four Roses and Woodford are really nice

Sdv1949 said...

Four Roses Single Barrel is amazing. How they can sell it for mid $30s is a mystery.

Anonymous said...

Thanks PawPaw! I'll give those a try, assuming I can find them locally (liquor stores are state stores in PA, so all of them pretty much sell the same stuff at the same prices).

Mark D

Dave said...

I'm a big fan of Leadslingers. Veteran owned, and they also bottle it with a Thin Blue Line label if you want something other than the stars and stripes on your bottle. They're associated with Black Rifle Coffee Company in some way.

Horse Soldier Bourbon (also veteran owned, former SF guys out of Tampa) is also very good.