BOURBON questions & comments

[Greg C]

Originally Posted by Miami

Ok you guys are bad. I just bought my first bourbon. I bought a Pappy Van Winkle 15 yr. I poured some over ice wow it is everything you guys said it was.

I have tried scotch and did not like it at all but this is much better. I do not drink that much so I went with what some of you that was top notch and I am glad I did.

Thanks.

I am glad that you liked it. Try the Van Winkle rye whiskey for something different. I like to keep it in the fridge and drink it straight.

[adsantos13]

Originally Posted by ColdCuts

My go-to used to be Maker's. Now it's Michter's. Unbelievable caramel and vanilla flavors, and costs less than Maker's too. Oh, but hold on, a closer look at the bottle reveals that the Michter's I'm drinking is "unblended American whiskey," not bourbon. Nevermind.

I think by law, Bourbon has to be at least 51% corn mash, the rest some combination of rye, wheat, or barley. I believe Michters is just the other way around, being 51% Rye, and the rest some combination of corn, wheat or barley. So in essence, it is not bourbon but it is related.

[jdbwolverines]

Originally Posted by adsantos13

I think by law, Bourbon has to be at least 51% corn mash, the rest some combination of rye, wheat, or barley. I believe Michters is just the other way around, being 51% Rye, and the rest some combination of corn, wheat or barley. So in essence, it is not bourbon but it is related.

Mitcher's makes both a rye and a "Unblended Small Batch American Whiskey", so you could be drinking either. I am guessing that their American whiskey is also in actuality bourbon. I do not know this for sure however. The difference between the bourbon and rye, like Adsantos13 was saying is that Rye has to be made from a mash of at least 51% rye, and bourbon is made from a mash of at least 51% corn. Both are aged in charred oak barrels, generally for over 4 years. Whiskey is a rather generic term that is used to describe any spirit that is fermented from a grain mash. This includes all bourbons, ryes, scotches, Irish whiskey, Canadian whiskey, Tennessee whiskey (Jack Daniels) and typically moonshine. I do not know exactly how Mitcher's is referring to it in their non-rye version.

[gvarsity]

Originally Posted by jdbwolverines

Man, I wish I could get single barrel for that price. There's a store around me that will sell handles of Beam for a $20 once a month or so, so I normally stock up then. I can pry find regular Evan Williams for that price, but not single barrel. It seems like jack around here is outrageous so don't get me started on that.
You are definitely right about college sports (Marquette Basketball for me) being quite interesting with a little bourbon and coke.

Woodmans grocery stores has a deal with Evan Williams and 750's are about 22$. Jack is ridiculous expensive cuz it's got high Q ratings. I had no idea that you get 1.5 of Beam for 20$ Personally I would still probably go with 750 of single barrel for me and maybe a handle of Beam for freeloading friends but thats just me.

[Miami]

Originally Posted by Greg C

I am glad that you liked it. Try the Van Winkle rye whiskey for something different. I like to keep it in the fridge and drink it straight.

Thanks I try it. I found a local store that has several bottles of the 10, 12 and 15 along with the rye, They even have one 20 Van Winkle.

They are priced as follows 53 dollars for the 15 and less for the lower yrs. The 20 is about 100 to much for me.

My question is the Van Winkle worth a few extra dollars if I do not drink that much?

[CigarGal]

Here is my list

1. Maker's Mark(my go-to brand)
2. Knob Creek (when I want to step it up a bit)
3. Evan T. Lee (My B&M guy buys it by the barrel and has it bottled up special for his store-good stuff when I can get it)

4. Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 20 years old. This is the best! I need to put it under lock and key cuz my partner poured out a huge glass of it and served it to company! Ack! $80 a bottle!!

Now I want to try some Irish Whiskey-any good ones?

[novasurf]

Irish Whiskey

Try Michael Collins unblended. Got it from my crew at a recent construction job I had. Very smooth.

[jdbwolverines]

Originally Posted by gvarsity

Woodmans grocery stores has a deal with Evan Williams and 750's are about 22$. Jack is ridiculous expensive cuz it's got high Q ratings. I had no idea that you get 1.5 of Beam for 20$ Personally I would still probably go with 750 of single barrel for me and maybe a handle of Beam for freeloading friends but thats just me.

Wow, I'll have to check that out. Can't go wrong with single barrel anything for $22. So that will be single barrel for me and Georgia Moon for freeloading friends .

[Greg C]

Originally Posted by Miami

Thanks I try it. I found a local store that has several bottles of the 10, 12 and 15 along with the rye, They even have one 20 Van Winkle.

They are priced as follows 53 dollars for the 15 and less for the lower yrs. The 20 is about 100 to much for me.

My question is the Van Winkle worth a few extra dollars if I do not drink that much?

If you do not drink much I would go for the quality stuff. In my opinion, the 20 year is not worth the difference in price over the 15 year. We can get the 15 year in KY for about 38$

[Miami]

Thanks again.

Next I will try the 10 yr and 12 yr. Is there much of a difference between these two?

[Greg C]

Originally Posted by Miami

Thanks again.

Next I will try the 10 yr and 12 yr. Is there much of a difference between these two?

I have had the 10 but not the 12. Unless they are a different proof, I doubt if there is much difference.

[Che]

IMHO, that isn't necessarily true, although I haven't had what I can attest is brand spanking new ORVW 10, but the last time I tasted what was bottled, it was significantly different than the VWSR12. The 12 is superior by my taste.

I know opinions are like... and we each have one, but I think (if you can find it priced properly - around $75ish) the Van Winkle 20 is one of the best bourbons commercially available.

This was probably covered here already but in case it wasn't, Van Winkle whiskies originally were made from bourbon distilled or warehoused at Stitzel-Weller facilities which closed in the early 90's. The 10 year old stock ran out several years back. The 12 ran out a good 2 or so years ago. The 15 should just about be out as well. The whiskey now being bottled for the 10 & 12 year old presentations, was distilled at Bernheim.

And that was all to say a couple of things...

1. That when the whiskey of origin changes took place, the 10 year old doesn't taste the same and is noticably new whiskey (imho). The 12 year old tastes amazingly similar to old bottles of the Lot B 12 - how or why, I'm not sure.

2. The Van Winkle line is expensive, particularly the 20 year old because of its age but also because it is comprised of whiskey that ceased being produced 15 years ago. Once it's gone and run out - that's, that. If I did my math correctly we're right in the vicinity of the 15th anniversary of the S-W closure. Meaning the Pappy 15 year old will soon switch (if it hasn't already) to Bernheim whiskey. Get em while you can.

[Che]

And also if I am not mistaken the 10 (both of them) are at least slightly to moderately different in proof / % from the 12 year old.

[Miami]

I have never tried the ORVW 12 or 15 but I did buy the Pappy 15 yr it is 107 proof and great with two ice cubes.

I ordered the 10 ORVW and other bottle of the 15 and yes a bottle of the 20 YR. I can not wait to try it.

I bought it from Shoppers Vineyard on line. The 15 yr sells for 44.95 and the 20 sells for 68.99 three bottles cost 19 dollars to ship. I thought it was a good deal.

I could not find any retail store in my area that sells them.

[adsantos13]

Originally Posted by CigarGal

Now I want to try some Irish Whiskey-any good ones?

CigarGal,
Track down some Redbreast, ASAP. Fantastic Irish whiskey.