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Food Whisk(e)y (especially bourbon) - yeah!!!!

Discussion in 'Tilted Food' started by Craven Morehead, Aug 28, 2011.

  1. A thread for bourbon. Tell us about your favorites. What you like, what you don't.

    I only drink it on the rocks. Don't care to mix it, consequently I tend to drink the smoother (and unfortunately higher priced) varieties. My everyday bourbon would be Makers Mark. A step up from that is Woodford Reserve. I also have an unopened bottle of Elmer T Lee that I'm holding back until the weather gets cooler, when its nice to have a couple of bourbons on a nice quiet evening. I don't drink bourbon exclusively or all that frequently, but I do enjoy it. A very satisfying drink. Looking for more recommendations. So jump in.

    I mentioned the Galt House in the Uncle Phil thread. Woodford Reserve is the well brand there! Gives you some idea of the quality of drink they serve. I sat down at the bar and told the bartender that I would normally order a Makers on the rocks but would leave the choice to him. He turned around and pulled a small square bottle of Elmer T Lee off the shelf behind him. Told me for the money it has the best bang for the buck, rivals $50-$60/bottle brands. And it did. Very smooth. I need to do a side by side with Woodford to see how it compares. Definitely better than Makers.
     
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  2. uncle phil

    uncle phil Moderator Emeritus (and sorely missed) Staff Member Donor

    Location:
    pasco county
    i'm a slug. i drink the cheaper brands (except for that rot-gut bottled as 10-high) because i mix it with coke or pepsi - sorry, that's the way i like it. i do enjoy some henry mckenna on occasion but again, mixed with cola...

    but, i do love my bourbon...
     
  3. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    I generally stick to Maker's Mark, but I only buy it as a special treat. We buy a handle of Jim Beam at Christmas for mixing with eggnog. When we're feeling really cheap, we buy a handle of Evan Williams.

    A cocktail I like with Maker's:

    Take an old-fashioned glass. Put a couple of mint leaves in the bottom. Put a little ice in the glass and muddle the mint and ice together with a muddler. Add more ice. Pour in about 2 oz. of bourbon. Top up the glass with ginger ale. It's a variation on a julep a local bartender made called the Ray Charles.
     
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  4. Borla

    Borla Moderator Staff Member

    Usually if I'm drinking whiskey it is single malt Scotch. It's not that I dislike bourbon, it's just further down my list of drinks of choice.

    I do have one bottle of bourbon that I bought about a month ago and have poured myself a few fingers of though:

    [​IMG]

    It's pretty smooth, I like it. Typically if I buy bourbon by the bottle it is either Maker's Mark or Woodford Reserve. Though I did take a couple trips to Louisville for work this past winter and I enjoyed trying several nice bourbons down there.
     
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  5. I want to try Makers 46. How does it compare to Makers Mark?
     
  6. Strange Famous

    Strange Famous it depends on who is looking...

    Location:
    Ipswich, UK
    Ring-a-ding. By the neck.

    [​IMG]
     
  7. roachboy

    roachboy Very Tilted

    i like blanton's. it's one of those beverages that has to be consumed carefully---very high proof---but it has a really lovely carmel-y thing happening.
     
  8. Shagg

    Shagg Vertical

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Red Stag and coke is a tasty combo. For sipping I have a bottle of Basil Hayden.
     
  9. Leto

    Leto Slightly Tilted

    Location:
    Toronto
    I've never had it. What's a good place to start and is JD the same? My drink has been scotch for smoothness or deep flavour, gin for marinis or tonic or rum for sweet - also rye but not for a while.

    Like to try bourbon.
     
  10. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    No, JD is Tennessee whiskey, not the same as bourbon.
     
  11. Borla

    Borla Moderator Staff Member

    I'll again say that I'm more of a Scotch guy, so I don't claim this to be an expert opinion, but I like it a bit bitter. It's smoother, with a bigger taste, and with more caramel and spice to it. If you like Maker's Mark I'd highly recommend trying it. The whiskey itself starts out exactly the same to my understanding, the only difference is that after it goes through the entire same process as original Maker's Mark, it's aged a bit longer with some French oak added to the barrels for the last few weeks.
     
  12. amonkie

    amonkie Very Tilted

    Location:
    Windy City
    Makers 46 blows Makers regular completely out of the water.

    I hadn't had a lick of bourbon until I moved to Louisville. Getting to live there and have access to high quality bourbons at any time, I got extremely spoiled.

    Makers 46 has become a recent favorite, and Blanton's is another when I can afford the $50+ per 750ml. Pappy Van Winkle is probably my favorite, regardless of year.
     
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  13. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    I want to try Makers 46...maybe on payday. I've earned it, dammit.
     
  14. DamnitAll

    DamnitAll Wait... what?

    Location:
    Central MD
    Love me some bourbon. Knob Creek is preferred, though Bonefish Grill, just up the street from my office, does a nice half price special on Maker's Mark—perfect for my workplace bi-weekly pay day happy hour.
     
  15. Zen

    Zen Very Tilted

    Location:
    London
    I've tried and enjoyed Jack Daniels and Jim Beam, but I feel ignorant, because there is not much easily accessible choice of bourbon in England.

    I did get opportunity to develop a sense of favourites with single malts, and I settled on Laphroaig and am always going to be happy with the other Islays, like Ardbeg. Smokey and Peaty. Beautiful.

    I'm enjoying this thread and look forward to creating a 'must try' list from it!
     
  16. Borla

    Borla Moderator Staff Member

    Interestingly enough, I was just gifted some Teroforma cubes last night.

    If you don't know what they are:

    [​IMG]

    They are basically stones used to slightly cool your whiskey without watering it down. I'll have to post up a review once I get a chance to make use of them. :)
     
  17. Very cool, Borla. Pun intended.

    Never have seen anything like that before. Do they float?
     
  18. Borla

    Borla Moderator Staff Member

    I don't think so. It says you are only supposed to pour enough whiskey in to come up to about the tops of the stones. They aren't intended to be completely submerged or put in a large glass of liquid. They are made of soapstone, are non-porous, and supposedly don't impart any odor or taste at all. Soapstone is mostly talc, isn't hard enough to scratch glass easily, and is supposed to retain temperature for a long time.
     
  19. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    I'd be interested to know where to get them. My mother-in-law was just talking about these and I'd like to surprise her with a set. Discussing these went along with a lot of jokes about how my father-in-law doesn't like his drinks watered down (he drinks Canadian whiskey and caffeine free Diet Coke just like his father-in-law).