The first bourbon I ever tried was Woodford Reserve. I was sitting on the aisle when the window orderd a WR. The FA passed it under my nose as she served it and I had to know more. It smelled so sweet! My seatmate turned out to be very well versed in whisk(e)ys. He is in some society that travels to Scotland every year to vote on blends used by some manufacturer. Anyway, I handed back my red wine and asked for a WR. You can sure taste the corn so I guess that's where the sweetness comes from.

Since then, I've kept a bottle in the home bar, but have to keep replacing it since BV Jr and my son-in-law are big fans too. Since then, I've tried a couple others. BV Jr talked me into a shot of Basil Hayden at a bar and I am hooked on that as well: notes of vanilla, caramel and coconut! - mmmm.

Last month, I bought a bottle of the official whiskey of Alabama, Clyde May's Conecuh Ridge. I like that pretty well, but have to rank it #3. I did buy a bottle of Wild Turkey at Christmas (for the glasses) and found it way too harsh. Last month, I bought a bottle of Russell's Reserve. If I'd known it was aged Wild Turkey, I'd have bought something else. Even 10 years aging doesn't take the edge off the stuff.