• The KillerFrogs

OT - Favorite/Specialty Bourbons

SuperTFrog

Active Member
I’m about to go on a trip and I always try to get a special bourbon for the occasion. Would love to hear some great bottles y’all love to broaden my horizons. Here are some of my favorites that are difficult to find:

Blantons
Eagle Rare
Weller 12
Buffalo Trace
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof
Russel Reserve Single Barrel
Elmer T Lee
Barrel Bourbon

Some bottles I have yet to try that I want to are:

I’ve had Pappy 12 but none of the other ones
Eagle Rare 17
George T Stagg
Old Fitzgerald 15

I know most people who have good sources of the good juice rarely reveal their secrets, but would love to hear some insight for those that have had success finding the good stuff (without just money whipping).

For those of you who like this kind of thing, the book Pappy Land by Wright Thompson is a fantastic read.
 

steelfrog

Tier 1
Dumb question(s): Steel don't know anything about the colored spirits, but is intrigued by them; where does bourbon fit in the spectrum? In terms of smoothness/drinkability?

In other words, if Steel were to want to sample colored spirits, would bourbon be a good place to start?

For context, about the only one Steel can recall drinking is Jack Cinnamon whiskey which was good for like a cough syrup type flavor.
 

Eight

Member
Dumb question(s): Steel don't know anything about the colored spirits, but is intrigued by them; where does bourbon fit in the spectrum? In terms of smoothness/drinkability?

In other words, if Steel were to want to sample colored spirits, would bourbon be a good place to start?

For context, about the only one Steel can recall drinking is Jack Cinnamon whiskey which was good for like a cough syrup type flavor.


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Paint It Purple

Active Member
I’m about to go on a trip and I always try to get a special bourbon for the occasion. Would love to hear some great bottles y’all love to broaden my horizons. Here are some of my favorites that are difficult to find:

Blantons
Eagle Rare
Weller 12
Buffalo Trace
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof
Russel Reserve Single Barrel
Elmer T Lee
Barrel Bourbon

Some bottles I have yet to try that I want to are:

I’ve had Pappy 12 but none of the other ones
Eagle Rare 17
George T Stagg
Old Fitzgerald 15

I know most people who have good sources of the good juice rarely reveal their secrets, but would love to hear some insight for those that have had success finding the good stuff (without just money whipping).

For those of you who like this kind of thing, the book Pappy Land by Wright Thompson is a fantastic read.
1. New Riff
2. Peerless
3. Rabbit Hole

Recently enjoyed these in Louisville on our trip to the Indy 500. The NewRiff is outstanding, but closest availability to Fort Worth may be Nashville. Try Peerless… also excellent. Their Rye is great if you like Rye.
 

What Up Toad

Active Member
Dumb question(s): Steel don't know anything about the colored spirits, but is intrigued by them; where does bourbon fit in the spectrum? In terms of smoothness/drinkability?

In other words, if Steel were to want to sample colored spirits, would bourbon be a good place to start?

For context, about the only one Steel can recall drinking is Jack Cinnamon whiskey which was good for like a cough syrup type flavor.

Depends on what you like.

Bourbon tends to be sweeter than other whiskeys, but it's still a whiskey. You can find some high proof bourbon that has a lot of bite. Of the dark spirits, brandy is probably the smoothest. Irish and Scottish whiskey (Scotch) have a smoky taste.

For your other question, a rye whiskey just means it was made with rye instead of barley, wheat, or corn. Bourbon is made with corn. To be called a scotch, it has to be brewed in Scotland. To be called a bourbon, it has be brewed in the US.

I'd recommend trying an Old Fashioned with bourbon first to see if you like it. I like Basil Hayden, which is real light and smooth.

If you want to try a scotch, I'd put it on ice and swirl it until the glass is cold. The ice will dilute the scotch a bit, and it makes it easier to discern the flavors.
 

What Up Toad

Active Member
I’m about to go on a trip and I always try to get a special bourbon for the occasion. Would love to hear some great bottles y’all love to broaden my horizons. Here are some of my favorites that are difficult to find:

Blantons
Eagle Rare
Weller 12
Buffalo Trace
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof
Russel Reserve Single Barrel
Elmer T Lee
Barrel Bourbon

Some bottles I have yet to try that I want to are:

I’ve had Pappy 12 but none of the other ones
Eagle Rare 17
George T Stagg
Old Fitzgerald 15

I know most people who have good sources of the good juice rarely reveal their secrets, but would love to hear some insight for those that have had success finding the good stuff (without just money whipping).

For those of you who like this kind of thing, the book Pappy Land by Wright Thompson is a fantastic read.

It's not a bourbon, but my favorite bartender has sworn that the best whiskey he's ever had was Whistle Pig's Boss Hog. Each release is a bit different, but he said it's always top notch.
 

Frozen Frog

Active Member
I enjoyed some Oak & Eden at a function a few years ago. I've been enjoying a bottle of Chestnut Farms recently.

Not a bourbon, but a decent whiskey for just screwing around with is Mellow Corn. It is dirt cheap. The proof is high and surprisingly smooth for the price.
 

Eight

Member
What's the best way to try a variety of different things and compare how they taste?

for me, find a real bartender in a real bar, tell them what you like to drink normally, how you like to drink, and work from there.

there is a podcast i listen to on a fairly regular basis called whiskey and one of the things they stress is drink what appeals to your taste and not what you are told to like. works for me in red wine, bourbon, and scotch.
 
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