I have drunk a lot out bourbon over the past ten or so years. I have the TV show Justified to thank for this.

Probably about 60 different bottles on top of the stuff you can get in supermarkets.

Currently sipping an Eight Oaks Pinot Noir finished bourbon from PA.

But here's the thing... to my palate there is little to elevate them above the stuff you can get in local supermarkets such as Jim Beam/Wild Turkey/Woodford Reserve/Buffalo Trace etc. At least not for the price multiple.

Heresy, I know.

But there are two exceptions:

Stagg was like two angels fighting on the tongue. The wife tried it and couldn't speak for a minute.

Pappy Family Reserve 15yo was like two angels dancing on the tongue. The wife tried it and just said, "Wow, that's beautiful".

So, back to the supermarket for me. Unless there's a good deal on something better.

Angel's Envy Store Picks
 

Anyone had the single barrel store picks of Angel's Envy? I really enjoy regular Angel's Envy as a widely available, tasty, fairly priced sipper neat. A great bourbon to drink when you're drinking a lot :D

But at more than 2x the price, is the single barrel store pick worth it? A lot of variance between different barrels and different pickers? Nugget Markets (SAC area) and Goody Goody liquor (DFW and East TX) are two places where I've seen store picks of Angels Envy. At Goody Goody I think it was priced right at $100.

Just had a nip of the Jack Daniels Single Malt whiskey. Surprisingly flavourful with a fierce finish. Recommended!

I just saw Angels Envy on sale at Costco. Sorry I don't remember the price and you have to buy 2 bottles to get the deal.

I'm kicking myself for picking up a case of Kirkland Signature Kentucky Small Batch Bourbon (made by Barton's 1792) when I had a chance. 1L for $18, and it's fantastic with my old fashioned mix. I have 1.5 bottles of the Kirkland Signature Bottled in Bond Bourbon (1L for $19) that I'm trying to save so my father-in-law can give it a try.

Russell's Reserve 13 yr old barrel proof. Phenomenally good stuff.

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A friend dropped by last night with the remains of this bottle. He was on his way back from mammoth cave and this was the only distillery on his route. It turned out to be a good choice.

"Remains of this bottle"??? 😁

Received a bottle of Wild Turkey Rare Breed from my wife for Christmas. Amazingly smooth for a barrel proof bourbon and the flavours.. Wow.

My new favourite although a bit pricey to be the house pour, currently Woodford.

I picked up a High West Cask Collection bourbon yesterday. The shelf labeled it as "aged in 2nd use Chardonnay barrels," but the bottle label said "aged in Petit Syrah barrels." I was more interested in seeing how the former would affect a bourbon (even oakier?), but as I generally like most of High West's stuff, gave it a try. The Petit Syrah influence is muted, though I need to try it with a splash of water next time to see if it opens up the 60% ABV bourbon a bit more.

The store also had a rye aged in Amrut (India) whisky barrels, blended with bourbon, that looked interesting--can't remember the particular distillery on that one, though, and at $100-ish a bottle, I didn't feel like experimenting. I've seen barley-heavy mash bill whisky aged in rye barrels (there was even a Johnnie Walker rye-aged one I quite enjoyed), but this was a first for me seeing rye aged in Indian whisky barrels (then blended with bourbon). I imagine the end result would be something like a high-rye bourbon but far less sweet.

All bourbon fans are invited to join us in LEX for our 25th Flyertalk "Horse and Bourbon DO." April 11-13, 2025 weekend, though some people stay longer. Plenty of miles/points talk, bourbon, horses, brewpubs, southern food and hospitality.

About 18 attendees so far. Link at Community Buzz, in my signature.

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I found this at the back of the liquor cabinet. Very tasty. It won’t last long.

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I recently got the Aged in Petite Sirah barrels and really liked its, found it quite tasty, but smooth - perfect on the rocks (which is how I typically enjoy whiskey). Need to try to get another bottle of it as I have a feeling its one of those limited time bottles.

This is one of the bottles that I forgot I had on hand (I have a lot of bottle of Bourbon and Rye so many are out of sight out of mind). Yesterday I came across a 19 Year Heaven Hill that I bought over a year ago.

If you like Basil Hayden, try Eagle Rare or Woodford Reserve. Both are smooth, balanced, and good for sipping on the rocks without being too heavy.

LEX Horse and Bourbon DOs XXVII and XXVIII are scheduled. April and October. Threads in Community Buzz. Oct is already up to 15 attendees. Please consider joining.