# Let's Talk Whiskey (or Whisky depending on your point of view)



## pete (Oct 7, 2001)

Bourbon, Scotch, Irish, Canadian, American Straight, or Rye, what is your favorite tipple of choice.  I am a dyed in wool Bourbon fan and I make no excuses.  I also love Rye.  When it comes to Scotch, I enjoy it, but prefer my Bourbon.  Unfortunately, Bourbon has seen a boom in the last 8 years or so which means that it is getting more expensive and some of the bottles that I could usually get without much of a problem are now difficult to find.  Currently, in my cabinet you will find Buffalo Trace and Maker's Mark (my every day go-to bourbons and standard for mixed drinks) Blanton's, Basil Hayden, E. H. Taylor Small Batch and Angel's Envy.  I'd have a few more (well...okay a lot more) but my wife frowns upon my spending too much for booze and doesn't understand why I'd need so many bottles at one time.  Some people will never get it.

So what are your favorites?


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## nate (Aug 2, 2014)

I enjoy Bourbon as well, after living in TN for a bit.  Buffalo Trace is my go to, but my favorite is Jefferson's Ocean Aged voyage 3.  Puts a bit of a smile on my face just thinking of it.


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

I can't find bourbons aged nearly long enough up here.  Japanese whiskey bars are the cool new thing but man they are expensive!


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## grande (May 14, 2014)

Not a big drinker, but I do love my Knob Creek, Maker's is good, too. Love some scotch; haven't kept any around for a while.


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## pete (Oct 7, 2001)

Nate I've read mixed reviews on the Jeffersons but batch 3 seems to get the best reviews. Is it worth the price?


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## nate (Aug 2, 2014)

For me it is.  It's my tucked away bottle for special occasion.  I was really interested in the way that it is aged at sea, and being a Navy vet, I'm drawn to all things nautical.


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## jake t buds (May 27, 2013)

Happened upon a liquor store not in my neighborhood on the way home tonight after a movie. Grabbed a bottle of Argentine wine, and some rye. Bulleit, but the clerk suggested I try the following instead. About $5 more. Thought I'd try something different. The sample was . . . . . . . . . . .S m o o t h





  








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jake t buds


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Never had this before nor have I seen it. Expensive/ eclectic store though.

Good stuff. This was around $58. I am lucky to be able to engage in such

frivolousness. I know I could have spent much more, though. Easily.

And the wine was good too.


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## jimyra (Jun 23, 2015)

A good friend of mine was at a bring your own bottle event.  He was asked "what brand do you drink?"  John replied "yours."  My go to is Jack Daniels.  A few years ago I did the Kentucky Bourbon trail.  I found I really enjoyed Woodford  Reserve. I got a free T shirt for visiting six distilleries and sampling for free.


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## pete (Oct 7, 2001)

I'm hoping to get down to Kentucky soon to do the Bourbon Trail.  It has been on my list for the last few years but haven't been able to get down there yet.


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## cerise (Jul 5, 2013)

I think of it as a "guy" beverage, to be enjoyed with cigars and Rhett Butler in the parlour. Maybe it's a regional thing. Never acquired a taste for same. I do respect the appreciation, but î will pass


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## pete (Oct 7, 2001)

I know more and more women who enjoy whiskey in all its incarnations, but yes it used to be a "man" thing and it may still be but that is changing.


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## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

Pete said:


> I know more and more women who enjoy whiskey in all its incarnations, but yes it used to be a "man" thing and it may still be but that is changing.


You rang?

A few fingers of Jim Beam after a hard day in the salt mine will smooth over all the rough edges lol.

Makes a damn fine Old Fashioned as well .

mimi


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## chefwriter (Oct 31, 2012)

I'm a whiskey (bourbon) fan. There are a number of small batch distilleries popping up these days all over the northeast thanks to relaxed federal regulations. Many make some pretty good stuff although I haven't had the opportunity to try all of them.

     There is one nearby called Harvest Spirits, set up on a local farm. The parents have run the farm stand for years and the son decided to use all the leftover apples they couldn't sell for making distilled products. He re-purposed a barn for doing so. He does them in numbered batches, is always coming up with new stuff and is pretty liberal with sampling so when I stop at the farm stand for fruits/vegetables staying sober can be a problem. I've decided I don't have to sample on every visit. 

     I've looked into home distilling but haven't gotten started yet. Of course, don't tell anyone. Moonshine is supposed to be illegal.


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## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

chefwriter said:


> Moonshine is supposed to be illegal.


Speaking of......

Back in the 80's I had a friend who would bring me a couple of quart jars every time his band played a gig in Oklahoma.

Soooo smooth.

Miss the 'shine way more than the boy lol.

mimi


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

chefwriter said:


> I'm a whiskey (bourbon) fan. There are a number of small batch distilleries popping up these days all over the northeast thanks to relaxed federal regulations. Many make some pretty good stuff although I haven't had the opportunity to try all of them.
> 
> There is one nearby called Harvest Spirits, set up on a local farm. The parents have run the farm stand for years and the son decided to use all the leftover apples they couldn't sell for making distilled products. He re-purposed a barn for doing so. He does them in numbered batches, is always coming up with new stuff and is pretty liberal with sampling so when I stop at the farm stand for fruits/vegetables staying sober can be a problem. I've decided I don't have to sample on every visit.
> 
> I've looked into home distilling but haven't gotten started yet. Of course, don't tell anyone. Moonshine is supposed to be illegal.


Distilling for private use is totally legal. You only need a license to sell.

Up here we have a farmer-distilller option that is actually pretty cheap compared to the commercial licenses. Cost is based on how many proof gallons you produce. Even in the higher quantities the fee is only about $100


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## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

My key to happiness:





  








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teamfat


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Mar 25, 2016


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## chefross (May 5, 2010)

I'm a Jack Daniel's man but I do love single malt scotches from Isle Islay.


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## chicagoterry (Apr 3, 2012)

Bourbon girl, here. I always have a bottle of Buffalo Trace in the house and usually Knob Creek, too. I like many of the small batch Bourbons when I taste them but they are not generally in my budget. Rowan's Creek 12 year is reasonably priced for a small batch bottling.

@Pete if you do take the Bourbon tail tour, I'd recommend trying to book a room at The Gratz Park Hotel in downtown Lexington, KY. Historic hotel with lovely guest and common rooms and a gorgeous old bar, well- stocked with local bourbons.

I also like Rye. A lot. Can we talk about the miracle that is Old Overholt? An under $20 bottle of whiskey that is beyond being merely passable? There are other wonderful, pricier Ryes out there-- Bulliet, Templeton, Few-- but I always keep a bottle of Old Overholt in the house.

I've never been a huge Scotch fan. Drank it sometimes when I lived with a Scotch drinker but that was decades ago and I don't believe I've ever actually bought a bottle.

Not whiskey, but another favorite of mine is gin. Letherbee's makes stunningly delicious, herbal fall and spring bottlings in addition to their regular gin.


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## pete (Oct 7, 2001)

chefwriter said:


> I'm a whiskey (bourbon) fan. There are a number of small batch distilleries popping up these days all over the northeast thanks to relaxed federal regulations. Many make some pretty good stuff although I haven't had the opportunity to try all of them.
> 
> There is one nearby called Harvest Spirits, set up on a local farm. The parents have run the farm stand for years and the son decided to use all the leftover apples they couldn't sell for making distilled products. He re-purposed a barn for doing so. He does them in numbered batches, is always coming up with new stuff and is pretty liberal with sampling so when I stop at the farm stand for fruits/vegetables staying sober can be a problem. I've decided I don't have to sample on every visit.
> 
> I've looked into home distilling but haven't gotten started yet. Of course, don't tell anyone. Moonshine is supposed to be illegal.


Here's my problem with most newer distilleries that are doing bourbon or whiskey. No distillery I know, nowadays has the capital to produce product constantly but wait 4-6 years before they see a single dollar in profit. So what do these places do? They diversify and not only produce whiskey, but legal "moonshine", vodka, gin, etc. While there are exceptions, most of these places end up being a "jack of all trades, master of none." In other words they produce a decent product throughout their portfolio but don't produce any mind blowingly awesome products. To be able to do that you need a single minded focus, IMHO. What some companies are doing is producing their own stuff, but until it matures they are buying barrels from other producers, creating their own blends and then labeling it with their labels. This happens a lot in the bourbon business.

I'm surprised that some of the scotch drinkers haven't jumped in to throw in their 2 cents, but I'm glad to see that bourbon is finally getting its time in the spotlight.


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## jake t buds (May 27, 2013)

ChicagoTerry said:


> I also like Rye. A lot. Can we talk about the miracle that is Old Overholt? An under $20 bottle of whiskey that is beyond being merely passable? There are other wonderful, pricier Ryes out there-- Bulliet, Templeton, Few-- but I always keep a bottle of Old Overholt in the house.
> 
> I've never been a huge Scotch fan. Drank it sometimes when I lived with a Scotch drinker but that was decades ago and I don't believe I've ever actually bought a bottle.


Yes on the Old Overholt. Definitely better than the price tag. It works well for manhattans, IMO.

If you like rye, the bottle I posted above is exceptional.

I love scotch. I don't drink it as much because the ones I like cost a kidney. One bottle lasts me quite a while.

But I should also mention McClellands Single Malt Scotch Whiskey. It's like Old Overholt. Inexpensive but better than the price would suggest.


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