Whiskey
 

As many of you know, I've been known to have a bit of Scotch. After watching a TV program on distilleries, I've decided I ought to try some of the American whiskeys. Any recommendations? (There's going to be a liquor store expedition tonight...)

Okay, this is Canadian, but Crown Royal Cask No. 16 is like drinking melted butter.

I hate butter. Next!

(I kid.. I'm sure I'll try it at some point.)

How much are you looking to spend?

For people first getting into bourbon, I recommend starting with two:

Maker's Mark is a sweeter, corn-heavy bourbon with a honey taste to it.

Bulleit (pronounced "bullet") is a dryer, rye-heavy bourbon with a very crisp and complex finish to it. This is my favorite just-sipping whiskey.

Both are moderately priced, and they will give you a good sense of the range of american whiskey.

If you want to try something a little higher up the scale, I highly, highly recommend Booker's. It's unfiltered, small-batch, bottled right from the cask. Because they don't add water, it's up in the 110 proof range. Try it with a splash of water or even on the rocks (even straight whiskey drinkers add a little splash to bookers).

Let us know how it goes!

:eyebrow:

Second recommendation I've heard on this stuff, as "sipping" quality.
Will have to try--the stuff that comes in a little wooden box, right?

Believe me, it tastes like a hundred dollars.

I'd recommend Knob Creek. It's very strong (50% alcoholic content) but has a really light taste. Quite sweet.

MB and I tried Buffalo Trace fairly recently, and fell in love with it. That and Blanton's are my favorites right now, whenever I decide to forgo wine and get in a whiskey-sippin mood.

Crown Royal.. Maker's Mark.. Bulleit.. Booker's.. Knob Creek... Buffalo Trace... Blanton's . ...

At this rate y'all are going to have me buying one of everything at Total Wine! :angel:

......and that's a problem how? :P

That is what my dad sips . . . while staying up until 4am playing online poker.

In the first place, cost.. in the second place, room to store the bottles at home!
Ahhhh yes.. I always found whiskey enhance my online poker play.

ur doin it rong!

Just kidding.

I love whisky. My favorite is Jim Beam, on the rocks, but occasionally neat. I have had Maker's Mark as well, and I like it very much. It's a very sociable drink, and I'm indebted to my friend who introduced me to it.

I spent a minute trying and failing to find an example of hte whisky sampler I tried recently. I gave a running commentary on chat as I tasted all of them. There was Booker's, Knob Creek, crap. Now I can't remember the other two. But I liked it so much I went and bought another sampler. I will take a picture and post it when I can.

I have had Crown Royal, and Canadian or no, you may have my share. I did not care for it at all. My pallet is not easily offended, but I could not finish the drink. Blech. Love the bags, though.

When I was younger (but just as dumb), I drank Jack Daniels. It was the cool hardcore drink in college, and I drank plenty of it. My recommended lifetme allowance, apparently, because now the smell of JD puts me off. I'm done with it.

I would love to conduct more research on this subject for you. Results to follow.

I think you'll find it enhances your enjoyment, but not your winnings percentage.

I think all bourbons use the "e" spelling.

:lol2:

And wood structures used for stacking and storing pieces and parts are non-discriminating.

The Cask No 16, though...
After finishing a bottle of this, my father and I tried to refresh our glasses with regular "purple bag" crown...
My immediate response was to start looking for a coke. My dad admitted having the exact same thought.

Winning? You don't play poker to win, you play to have a good time. Just do what feels good.. the cards will fall where they may.

That's what I keep telling my wife about sex...

No experience to share on American tipples but thanks for this thread.:idea: :thankyou:

I'll now pop downstairs and get myself a dram of my favourite SMS (Single Malt Scotch). :yum:

You are welcome at my table any time!

No thanks, I'm not a fish (or at least I try not to be), I just impersonate one on the Cellar. What site(s) do you usually play on?

I've never played online. There's a rolling game here in town that's mostly industry people. I play in that every few weeks. Anytime I'm low on work, I go lose a hundred bucks, and walk away with my calendar full of new sessions and gigs.

Ah, now that's a quality poker strategy!

[18 year old in 15 year old datsun, pulls into drive-through]

Ah, can we have 1.25 litres of coke, and a bottle of your cheapest whiskey.

[/18yo]

I think it was 100 pipers. uuuggghhhhhh.

A few years ago I was in Thailand, and saw a road-side petrol vendor, with the petrol all stacked up for sale in what were clearly 100 pipers bottles. Seemed kind of appropriate, really.

As are oaken barrels -- just ask Glenmorangie.

Zen, you may recall Thailand offers an even worse, and even cheaper, whiskey -- and what I said of it then.

Tried a new whiskey from Jim Beam last night called "Red Stag". It has a subtle black cherry taste. Kinda reminds me of Crown Royal 16. Very smooth. 80 proof.

Soup.

As we speak I drink Gentleman Jack. Over rinsed ice.

I gotta recommend Knob Creek. I got a bottle for free when I used to work for a caterer and have never turned back. It's a bit pricey, but well worth it. The flavor is not too strong, but it's still there and enjoyable. The alcohol content is strong as well.

Other than that JD is always acceptable.

I tried Makers Mark for the first time the other day. Not bad. On the rocks with a splash of water.

What is the alcohol percentage in Knob Creek? I've found that (for my taste) when it gets over 40% (80 proof) that the alcohol starts to overpower the whiskey flavor, and has a slightly coarser finish. A bite, if you will.
As far as bourbon goes, I'm still sticking with Gentleman Jack as my all time favorite. Over rinsed ice, of course.:cool:

Wild Turkey American Honey.

I don't usually like beverages that are that new or that American.

Knob Creek is 100 proof, but I find the flavor isn't overpowered by the alcohol.

On an unrelated note, I tried Clan Campbell last night for the first time. It's Scottish, but I thought it was pretty gross. It had a really sweet taste, far sweeter than I like my whiskey.

Yup, I can't drink the Canadian stuff - far too sweet. Whiskey's gotta have some tang to it, in my book, and it's also gotta be bourbon.

Mmmmmm. Bourbon. :)

Midlevel bourbons taste like medicine. Get me a Scotch any day. I likes my smokiness.

Something like the Balvenie Doublewood -- find it at Trader Joe's -- will appeal to just about everybody, bourbon drinkers included. This is a Speyside-style single malt as complex as red wine.

I love scotch too, but I've pretty much drank that exclusively for years. I'm on a bourbon adventure now, and I'm learning the same things over again that I learned with scotch. You get what you pay for.
IMO, there is a much broader spectrum of flavor in bourbons than I've found as a scotch drinker.
Literally, I'm just whoring around with whiskey right now. Good scotch is like your hometown....it usually lures you back.

I like the Canadian whiskeys although I do not know the difference between scotch bourbon and a whiskey much.I only know the more I like it the more expensive it is. ( and I can't afford much very often )

I was so disappointed by Bookers. Not sipping quality.

I agree, Flint.
I think I've settled with Bulleit as my all around favorite. And it is affordable, too at $26.00 per 750ml.

Pretty much anything in this pic is good to go. You might want a chaser with the JB Black, or the Heaven Hill. Four Roses I don't know from.

The rest? Put it in a glass and drink it.

Hey!! Get that ice outta that glass!!!!

I bought Dads a bottle of Maker's Mark for Fathers Day. Cost a pretty penny (imported - obviously)

I thought it would be an interesting change for him, being a bourbon and being sweeter then average. And he LOVES unusual packaging. He adored my first ever adult boyfriend because he brought round some Sapporo (Japanese lager that at the time came in a can where you removed the whole top as you opened it). So I figured the wax seal would tickle him.

Fast forward a few months and I asked him what he thought of it.
He didn't even remember it.
Mum backed me up - the one with the red wax on it?
Nope.
No memory at all.

Ah well, I'll know next time that a bottle of Tesco Value Blended Whisky will be appreciated in the same way!

Sounds like it did its job. Well.

You'll notice, of course, that the fine collection pictured above is comprised entirely of Kentucky spirits.

:D