Best & worst Bourbon?
#421
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: About 45 miles NW of MCO
Programs: Acapulco - Gold, Panama - Red, Timothy Leary 8 Mile High Club
Posts: 29,205
I'm not exactly sure where the truth lies at Balcones and Chip Tate but I know one thing: Chip Tate worked hard at crafting a product that he could be proud of. That philosophy can clash with investors who focus on the bottom line. I think he left enough of a legacy at Balcones that they'll still put out good stuff....
Old Weller 107 is one of the best bargains in whiskey. Same mash bill as Pappy at a fraction of the price. Weller 12 also ranks up there. I bought a case of Old Weller for gifts and have plowed through it sadly; leaving me with only 1 bottle left... I would really urge you to try Four Roses again. Not the Yellow Label but the Single Barrel or Small Batch. For years Four Roses sent their best stuff to Japan but they reveresed that trend in recent year (probably starting in 2008). Jim Rutledge is a master distiller and they are really killing it recently. Probably some of my favorite stuff. They do a lot of private barrels for stores that are also nice to look for.
I love having whisky at the end of a hard day... really brings life into focus!
FDW
Old Weller 107 is one of the best bargains in whiskey. Same mash bill as Pappy at a fraction of the price. Weller 12 also ranks up there. I bought a case of Old Weller for gifts and have plowed through it sadly; leaving me with only 1 bottle left... I would really urge you to try Four Roses again. Not the Yellow Label but the Single Barrel or Small Batch. For years Four Roses sent their best stuff to Japan but they reveresed that trend in recent year (probably starting in 2008). Jim Rutledge is a master distiller and they are really killing it recently. Probably some of my favorite stuff. They do a lot of private barrels for stores that are also nice to look for.
I love having whisky at the end of a hard day... really brings life into focus!
FDW
I like a whiskey at the end of the day to make life a little fuzzier. No reason I shouldn't enjoy every sip though.
#422
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: DFW
Posts: 8,027
I will look for the Weller and Four Roses too. Like TMOliver, I'm old enough to remember Four Roses as a bottom shelf brand so thanks to this thread, I am being reeducated.
I like a whiskey at the end of the day to make life a little fuzzier. No reason I shouldn't enjoy every sip though.
I like a whiskey at the end of the day to make life a little fuzzier. No reason I shouldn't enjoy every sip though.
#423
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: About 45 miles NW of MCO
Programs: Acapulco - Gold, Panama - Red, Timothy Leary 8 Mile High Club
Posts: 29,205
Old Weller 107 is one of the best bargains in whiskey. Same mash bill as Pappy at a fraction of the price. Weller 12 also ranks up there. I bought a case of Old Weller for gifts and have plowed through it sadly; leaving me with only 1 bottle left... I would really urge you to try Four Roses again. Not the Yellow Label but the Single Barrel or Small Batch. For years Four Roses sent their best stuff to Japan but they reveresed that trend in recent year (probably starting in 2008). Jim Rutledge is a master distiller and they are really killing it recently. Probably some of my favorite stuff. They do a lot of private barrels for stores that are also nice to look for.
I love having whisky at the end of a hard day... really brings life into focus!
FDW
I love having whisky at the end of a hard day... really brings life into focus!
FDW
#424
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA Silver, Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 21,430
FIL Swede asked me to pick up two bottles of this...
https://blogofbourbon.wordpress.com/...single-barrel/
One he's keeping here, the other he's bringing back to Sweden.
https://blogofbourbon.wordpress.com/...single-barrel/
One he's keeping here, the other he's bringing back to Sweden.
#425
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: DFW
Posts: 8,027
Skip the small batch and go for the single barrel if they have it. Should be <$40.
#426
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 66,954
FIL Swede asked me to pick up two bottles of this...
https://blogofbourbon.wordpress.com/...single-barrel/
One he's keeping here, the other he's bringing back to Sweden.
https://blogofbourbon.wordpress.com/...single-barrel/
One he's keeping here, the other he's bringing back to Sweden.
#427
Ahh poor man's pappy...
I did a 40/60 mix of Weller 12/Weller 107... it's pretty good but honestly I prefer the products as a stand alone...
FDW
#428
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: About 45 miles NW of MCO
Programs: Acapulco - Gold, Panama - Red, Timothy Leary 8 Mile High Club
Posts: 29,205
#430
#431
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
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VA ABC stores in this area just got in Stagg, Jr., at $50/bottle and a whopping 134.4 proof. I have to say it's not bad even neat and smoother-drinking than one would expect for such a high-test bourbon. It's going fast, though; stores which showed 5 in stock yesterday show 0 today, and I picked up the last bottle at one of the stores along my commute.
#432
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: NYC
Programs: AA LT PLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,564
Pretty sure I just read that EC18 will be back on the market by the end of the year. Price will likely be significantly higher though ($100+).
#433
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Snooky
Posts: 2,508
VA ABC stores in this area just got in Stagg, Jr., at $50/bottle and a whopping 134.4 proof. I have to say it's not bad even neat and smoother-drinking than one would expect for such a high-test bourbon. It's going fast, though; stores which showed 5 in stock yesterday show 0 today, and I picked up the last bottle at one of the stores along my commute.