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Whisky Appreciation Thread

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Jordan

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Anyone else a whiskey guy (or gal)? I figured we could have a thread to talk about whiskeys. I've been really into American bourbon ones lately. Right now I'm enjoying Blanton's, Jefferson Reserve, and Woodford Reserve.

What are everyone's favorites? What about types of whiskey people enjoy?
 
When I was in London I went for the Glenlivet a lot. It was a nice flavor but a bit too much alcohol for me.
 
no matter how hard I try I cannot get into whiskey. I don't even like mixed drinks with bourbon in them because bourbon literally overpowers anything it touches.

So why am I in here? I desperately want to like whiskey. Can someone describe to me what they like about it? What makes a good whiskey? What seperates a good from bad whiskey in your opinion?
 
My college budget only allows Fireball, which really isn't even whisky. It's just cinnamon.

It's pretty good for the price though.
 
no matter how hard I try I cannot get into whiskey. I don't even like mixed drinks with bourbon in them because bourbon literally overpowers anything it touches.

So why am I in here? I desperately want to like whiskey. Can someone describe to me what they like about it? What makes a good whiskey? What seperates a good from bad whiskey in your opinion?
Hmmm, let's start here, what don't you like about the whiskeys you've had?
 
I'm a whiskey fan. I went to college in TN which meant good whiskey (bourbon) was easier to find and cheaper than, relatively, good beer and other spirits. While in TN, bourbon worked just fine for me. I could enjoy it as a hobby without breaking the bank. So while in college and just of out college I got a decent sense for good budget bourbons. Enough so that I feel comfortable talking about mash bills, rye vs. wheat, and proof with local liquor store owners (more to come on this later).

However, once I left TN for Chicago, bourbon was not an economical hobby anymore. Craft beer became a more budget friendly hobby, and other spirits were comparable to bourbon pricing. Being a person who never got into the rare and expensive bourbon releases, I shifted my general hobby to beer and starting trying different whiskies whenever I would buy a new bottle (since decent bourbon and decent scotch weren't too far apart in price any longer). Over time I sampled many rye whiskies, bourbons, scotch whiskies, irish whiskies, and a few japanese. Below are my thoughts with some rationale on intro drinks, hope it helps someone.

For a true beginner, someone who hasn't really tried on the rocks or neat whiskey, I recommend a couple classes: sherried scotch, wheated bourbon, and irish whisky. Rye (spice), Peat (smoke), and higher proof (higher alcohol) all have their place, but for someone new, especially someone who "doesn't like whiskey," I would stay away from those categories to start.

Sherried scotch (without peat) will have a nice fruit flavor to it. Try Macallan 12 at a bar. Macallan is a big sherry brand and 12 year is their intro. If you like it (remember it is the intro line) then try a longer aged Macallan. Sherried scotch plays a foil to peated (smoky) and bourbon aged (spicier, more vanilla) scotch.

Bourbon at the beginning comes down to wheat vs rye and percentages of corn. A higher percentage of rye will yield a spicy rye character in the bourbon. Wheated bourbons tend to be smoother which is why I would recommend those to start. Maker's Mark is the baseline wheated bourbon - smooth and sweet.

Final recommendation is irish whisky. Most irish whisky play right in the middle of things. They tend to never get too strong or too weak, too spicy or too sweet, too nuanced or too bland. Many have tried Jameson, which is okay, but I would recommend Redbreast 12 year. Based on my tastes Jameson is watered down Redbreast 12 (Jameson is fine in a shot glass but a bit disappointing on the rocks or neat).

Anyway, those are my intro recs for those just starting. Happy this thread was created and looking forward to sharing my thoughts on some specific bottles in the future. Cheers!
 
Just a little into it. Below is my website.

www.thebourbonbuddy.com
This is an awesome website!! I just subscribed!

Out of curiosity, I'm the best man at my buddy's wedding, the bachelor party is next week and we have Friday night free. I already got some cubans for us to smoke, do you know of a nice-ish bottle of bourbon (like $100-$150 or less) that would go well with that event for eight people? I was gonna bring one of my aged Jefferson Reserves but am always open to other ideas.
 
This is an awesome website!! I just subscribed!

Out of curiosity, I'm the best man at my buddy's wedding, the bachelor party is next week and we have Friday night free. I already got some cubans for us to smoke, do you know of a nice-ish bottle of bourbon (like $100-$150 or less) that would go well with that event for eight people? I was gonna bring one of my aged Jefferson Reserves but am always open to other ideas.

A regular 750 ML bottle is probably good for a group up 8, assuming that you aren't trying to get smashed off of one bottle.

You can get great tasting bourbons for around $30 to $40 that are just as good as some of the more expensive bottles. However, I know this is a special occasion and want something limited/special to celebrate. Try to find a Wild Turkey Diamond Anniversary or Master Keep. Both "limited" releases that 100-150 range. Plus they come in fancy boxes. Might take you a few trips to different liquor stores to find one, but they are out there. Cheers buddy!
 
A regular 750 ML bottle is probably good for a group up 8, assuming that you aren't trying to get smashed off of one bottle.

You can get great tasting bourbons for around $30 to $40 that are just as good as some of the more expensive bottles. However, I know this is a special occasion and want something limited/special to celebrate. Try to find a Wild Turkey Diamond Anniversary or Master Keep. Both "limited" releases that 100-150 range. Plus they come in fancy boxes. Might take you a few trips to different liquor stores to find one, but they are out there. Cheers buddy!
Ahh, you're the best!! I love Wild Turkey, so that bottle sounds really good. I'll drive around this weekend and see what I can find. Cheers!
 
I do love scotch neat or with a single ice cube in the summer. Chivas Regal 12 year is outstanding for the price point and became my goto this summer. I brought a bottle to a whiskey tasting bachelor party recently and it stood it's ground with the $50 bottles others brought.
 

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