The Bourbon Thread -reviews & more...

[Destro]

As many of you know I like my bourbon, but I also take it seriously. Many of you also know I have a bourbon bar in my home theater, and I'm currently at around 100 bottles of Kentucky Straight, mainly small batch or single barrel. I'll post reviews, historical info, and feel free to add yours, as well as any local price alerts and hard to find bourbons in local stores!



Bourbon Whiskey. America's Native Spirit. The BBQ of liquors; smoky, woodsy, and strong.
Aged in charred American White Oak barrels in the glorious land of Dixie.


Legend has it that when critics of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant complained to President Abraham Lincoln about Grant's drinking, Lincoln replied, "I wish some of you would tell me the brand of whiskey that Grant drinks. I would like to send a barrel of it to my other generals." Grant's favorite brand is said to be Old Crow, a Kentucky straight Bourbon whiskey that is still sold today.

Kentucky Straight Bourbon (from Kentucky, none of these new yuppie so-called "bourbons" from other locales that jumped on the ultra premium Bourbon bandwagon). A part of Americana, the spirit was actually identified by congress in 1964 a uniquely American product.

I drink my bourbon, neat, with a glass of room temperature water on the side. If you ever drink flavored whiskeys (sacrilege!) or mix your Bourbon into a drink, don't drink with me. You want a Jack and coke, fine, but that ain't bourbon. Preferably single barrel, small batch.

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[Destro]

Review #1...One of my favorites...

Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon

-First thing after the pour is a very smooth maple aroma, with some sweet charred oak. Nice.
-Nice golden amber color.
-Oak, vanilla, maple notes on the first sip (nice, this might be my new breakfast bourbon!).
-The finish lasts, long, hot and smooth... slightly dry with some nice tobacco and honey. Very smooth for 100 proof.

verdict: must own, nice for the winter by the hearth or deer hunting season on those cold nights...or a Destro breakfast over flapjacks and sausage! I jokingly call it my breakfast bourbon cause of the maple notes, but in a good smooth subtle way, not some fake flavored spirit way. Seriously, like top 3, a regular go-to for me.
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100 proof. Single Barrel.
Four Roses Distillery, Lawrenceburg, KY
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Since 1995 Jim Rutledge has been doing a wonderful job at Four Roses as its Master Distiller. He is also known as "Mr. Four Roses". The distillery is located in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky while the rickhouses are in Cox's Creek, and both are open for tours.


Attached Pictures:

#1- Four Roses on the Fox tray (a resident creature on our property here in Casa Destro), paired nicely with some .38 Special and an American classic, the Buck 119 fixed blade.
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#2- Four Roses label has every Barrel and warehouse number that it is from marked on it. Cool.
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[Dropkick]

Who carries this locally

[Destro]

I've bought it at the Wine Guy in Smithtown, but LI Wine Merchants & Spirits on Jericho in Commack usually has it. With most premium bourbons it's very trial and error as to who carries what and when it gets in. Usually a store buys from a specific distillery, so they'll carry their brands.

[Destro]

Noah's Mill Small Batch Bourbon

DISTILLERY: Kentucky Bourbon Distillers (KBD) which operates out of the Old Willet Distillery in Bardstown, KY (this is a good thing).*
*KBD sources it's Bourbon from well known distilleries and bottles it under their label (most is rumored from Heaven Hill Distilleries)

PROOF: 114.30 proof, barrel strength
AGE: sourced from whisky 4-20 years old. Advertised as 15 year old.
MASH BILL: mixed. Some high rye, some high whisky, Small batch: only mixed form 20 barrels. That's exceptional.
PRICE: In the mid-high 40 dollar range.


A member recommended this and so did the guy at Figari's Liqour Store in Smithtown (he was a big Bourbon fan, and did the Kentucky tours), right across the street from Suffolk Sportsman gun shop. This is a bit of an oddball if you look at the stats above. It's a sourced Bourbon of different ages, from established distilleries, yet it has a very small batch barrel blend (only 20) and averages an age of 15 years (both exceptional factors for this price range).

NOSE: candy store. Lots of toffee and caramels. A touch of honey and banana.

TASTE: spicy and sweet. It's a complexity of this however, from peppers to vanillas, with it all coming together, a tad bit confusing, not one dominant flavor (which can be good if you happen to like that dominant flavor, say vanilla or maple).

FINISH: you get a long drawn warmth as you would expect from a barrel proof. It's not overbearing but lasts quite nicely.

Once I get past the "crafty" bottle (can't judge a book by it's cover) this is a fine smooth barrel strength Bourbon with an interesting production background and favors the sweet side I like (liken it to Four Roses Small batch, my mapely "breakfast bourbon"). I'm not blown away by it, but if you like a complex, smooth blend of sweet and spice at a higher proof, this is a good value.

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[Dbondi]

I always get notes of "Big Red" gum in this dram.

[Craig23]

I don't know if this is sacreligious, but how about a bourbon mixed drink. My wife has been asking me to make a bourbon based drink for her. Any favorites?

[TTSkipper]

I don't know if this is sacreligious, but how about a bourbon mixed drink. My wife has been asking me to make a bourbon based drink for her. Any favorites?

There is always the classic Old Fashioned.

http://m.drinksmixer.com/drink407.html

[Destro]

I don't know if this is sacreligious, but how about a bourbon mixed drink. My wife has been asking me to make a bourbon based drink for her. Any favorites?

Normally, for full flavor I prefer my small batch Bourbon straight. But several cocktails over the years using Bourbon have emerged and made it into pop culture. Some of these traditional cocktails include the Old Fashioned (as seen on Mad Men) and the Manhattan. (Don from Mad Men uses hideous Canadian Club whiskey for his Old Fashioned. A good Bourbon should be used for a proper drink)

Old Fashioned

The nice thing about them is they are traditional and simple, showcasing the bourbon.

The old fashioned...


1 1/2 oz Bourbon,
2 dashes Angostura bitters,
1 Sugar cube or (substitute sugar or simple syrup)
Few dashes plain water
Garnish with cocktail cherry and orange peel

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Muddle sugar and water, 2 dashes bitter, ice, pour in Bourbon and garnish.

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[ChiefSailer]

I know it's not bourbon, but what's your opinion on Gentleman Jack?
btw thank to your thread on that other forum I've tried several of your recommendations and I love Angels Envy and Makers Mark. I think I'm gonna try the Four Roses next.

[Destro]

Never drank it. Look, regular low grade Tennessee Whiskey like regular good ole' Jack Daniels has it's place, when I was younger and partied like a rock star, sure, we'd do shots of Jack or pound Jack and Coke. But it's an 80 proof mass blended water cut Whiskey. Comparing that to a single batch bourbon is like comparing Coors light to a craft beer. Gentlemen Jack just seems like one of the many marketing trends to make an upscale version of Jack during this current high end bourbon craze. Not to say it might not be liked by some, but there was never a need for me to try it with so many fine small batch Bourbons out now.

[Dropkick]

Love the post I am a fellow bourbon bandit actually its the only booze i drink. Recently was given a bottle of pig whistle its a rye bourbon very different and did enjoy it. My bourbon of choice lately has been Bullet Bourbon.

[Craig23]

Where do I buy Angostura Bitters...supermarket or liquor store?

[Destro]

Where do I buy Angostura Bitters...supermarket or liquor store?

I actually got mine from Amazon (2 days to my front door). There are two kinds the orange bitter and the white label classic bitters. Either should work but I use the classic.

http://www.amazon.com/Aromatic-Cocktail-Bitters-4-Oz/dp/B003BP1BJK

[MikeM]

Love the post I am a fellow bourbon bandit actually its the only booze i drink. Recently was given a bottle of pig whistle its a rye bourbon very different and did enjoy it. My bourbon of choice lately has been Bullet Bourbon.

I tried bulliet a year ago and hated it, now for the past 3weeks it's all I have been drinking. I will admit I like k e it better Cold.

[Pitbull428]

I have to give you props Destro. It was your original thread that also inspired me to try some for the first time. I cannot believe I was missing out on this for so long. To date, I've tried Russel's Reserve, Knob Creek , and Four Roses Small Batch . I've also tried Jim Bean Black and Makers 46 . Thanks for the memories...lol

[Destro]

I tried bulliet a year ago and hated it, now for the past 3weeks it's all I have been drinking. I will admit I like k e it better Cold.

Bulliet is made at the Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg KY. I am a huge fan of the Four Roses Small Batch, and to a slightly lesser extent Single Barrel. The yellow label is just ok.

A lot of the distilleries put out a lot of brands. Buffalo Trace by far is the best (Blantons, Pappy Van, Buffalo Trace, Stagg, Elmer T Lee, Eagle Rare) as are Jim Bean's Small Batch brands (Knob Creek, Bookers, Bakers, Basil Haydens)

[RJM]

Something worth a try for those that don't add more then ice...

[Destro]

Sounds good. The Stitzel Weller distillery product in legendary. Though I usually only drink small batch or single barrel, this blended concept of old stocks sounds interesting. I've had the same concept in Barterhouse and some other premium bourbons.

[Llaara]

I drink woodford reserve neat. I love the taste. Is that a boring run of the mill bourbon?

[Destro]

No Woodford Reserve is an excellent premium small batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon, I have a review upcoming. I've also tried the double oaked.
And drinking bourbon neat is the preferred way. In other words, you're doing everything right.