[MDixon]

For anyone who took or plans to take my Virgin Bourbon suggestion. Do not make it your last drink of the night after some really great Bourbons. It is too rough around the edges for that and will show it's flaws. I found this out the hard way last night. The new ROT is when drinking Virgin only drink Virgin or drink it first before moving on.

[MDixon]

So back to the cheap Bourbons. Evan Williams Bottled In Bond went on sale in NC for $13.95 a fifth. Not a bad glass at all. Drank three neat last night and was not expecting much so I was pleasantly surprised at how tasty it turned out.

[Joe Sr.]

I'm working my way through a bottle of Old Bardstown this week.  Nothing extraordinary, but very solid.

Flavors are mellow.  Vanilla, caramel.  Made by Willet, and they make some solid stuff.

[MDixon]

I really enjoyed the Evan Williams BiB so I purchased another fifth and think in NC the handle goes on sale in Oct. or Nov.

We got lucky with some shipments of Colonel EH Taylor Single Barrel so I found one by asking at a local ABC for $72+tx. Was just in NJ and they were $60+tx so I brought home another three bottles. Currently this is my favorite higher priced Bourbon.

[ethinson]

Over the weekend picked up a bottle of Knob Creek Single Batch Rye.  My wife and I have discovered we like anything with rye.. whiskey, beer, bread, just a flavor we both really enjoy.

The Knob Creek is really smooth for 100 proof (single ice cube), lots of vanilla and brown sugar and the rye spice on the finish gives it almost a little bit of a cinnamon aspect.  Also mixed up well into an amazing Manhattan.

At 31$ here in Oregon, it's not Old Overholt cheap, but it's also not Blantons expensive.  In a similar price range as Wild Turkey Rye and Bulliet Rye.  Bulliet Rye is one of my favorite whiskies, rye or otherwise.

[MDixon]

Find some Sazerac Rye. Should be in the $26-30 price range.

[Joe Sr.]

Find some Sazerac Rye. Should be in the $26-30 price range.

Yes!  If you find it, buy two.

FYI - Bulliet Rye is the same juice you'll find in a lot of other bottles.  95% rye grain bill from Indiana.  I'm not sure you'll find it cheaper or better, but a lot of the boutique "producers" are bottling the same juice.  I imagine they all age it differently, but maybe not? 

No knock on Bulliet.  Good stuff and almost always on sale locally.  While I prefer Knob Creek, I often buy Bulliet based on price.

[Wilbur]

Find some Sazerac Rye. Should be in the $26-30 price range.

Yes!  If you find it, buy two.

FYI - Bulliet Rye is the same juice you'll find in a lot of other bottles.  95% rye grain bill from Indiana.  I'm not sure you'll find it cheaper or better, but a lot of the boutique "producers" are bottling the same juice.  I imagine they all age it differently, but maybe not? 

No knock on Bulliet.  Good stuff and almost always on sale locally.  While I prefer Knob Creek, I often buy Bulliet based on price.

I was always under the impression that they selected ceratin barrels from LDI (I think thats the name?), so even if it's the same manufacturer, there's variance, etc.

I've been enjoying some Hopskey (Hopped whiskey). A little pricey at $40, I think I'd rather have some Deanston 12 but it's pretty nice. Also enjoying some John Paul Brilliance, a single malt from India.

[ethinson]

Find some Sazerac Rye. Should be in the $26-30 price range.

Yes!  If you find it, buy two.

FYI - Bulliet Rye is the same juice you'll find in a lot of other bottles.  95% rye grain bill from Indiana.  I'm not sure you'll find it cheaper or better, but a lot of the boutique "producers" are bottling the same juice.  I imagine they all age it differently, but maybe not? 

No knock on Bulliet.  Good stuff and almost always on sale locally.  While I prefer Knob Creek, I often buy Bulliet based on price.

Looks like it's 32.95 here for the Sazarac Rye 6 year.  I'll have to keep an eye out for it.  Basically same price as the Knob Creek.

[MDixon]

It's delicious. I think people overlook it on the shelf because of the bottle appearance.

[Joe Sr.]

It's delicious. I think people overlook it on the shelf because of the bottle appearance.

Damn near impossible to get in Chicago.  When it arrives, it goes.  It does hit the shelves though, unlike some stuff.

[jeffy]

It's delicious. I think people overlook it on the shelf because of the bottle appearance.

Damn near impossible to get in Chicago.  When it arrives, it goes.  It does hit the shelves though, unlike some stuff.

This year I finally had a Sazerzac cocktail at the bar at the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans that created it.  It was pricey, but a fun thing to do.
On the same trip I purchased a bottle of Herbsaint, something that I can't find in Florida.

[ethinson]

It's delicious. I think people overlook it on the shelf because of the bottle appearance.

Now that I see it's part of the Buffalo Trace portfolio I'm sure I will like it.  I like pretty much everything they do.

This year I finally had a Sazerzac cocktail at the bar at the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans that created it.  It was pricey, but a fun thing to do.
On the same trip I purchased a bottle of Herbsaint, something that I can't find in Florida.

I had a Sazerac cocktail somewhere, I'm trying to remember where. It wasn't New Orleans because I haven't been there in forever, but it was somewhere Cajun themed and when I saw it on the menu I thought to myself "Well, I have to get one of those".. it was delicious.  Looking at the recipe now, that's probably why I have a bottle of Pechyuads bitters. 

"In 1940, the Official Sazerac Cocktail recipe was modified to use Herbsaint as the absinthe." The version I had used absinthe, now that that's legal again (and not made with hallucinogens). Herbsaint uses wormwood as well, so I assume it's similar.

[jeffy]

It's delicious. I think people overlook it on the shelf because of the bottle appearance.

Now that I see it's part of the Buffalo Trace portfolio I'm sure I will like it.  I like pretty much everything they do.

This year I finally had a Sazerzac cocktail at the bar at the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans that created it.  It was pricey, but a fun thing to do.
On the same trip I purchased a bottle of Herbsaint, something that I can't find in Florida.

I had a Sazerac cocktail somewhere, I'm trying to remember where. It wasn't New Orleans because I haven't been there in forever, but it was somewhere Cajun themed and when I saw it on the menu I thought to myself "Well, I have to get one of those".. it was delicious.  Looking at the recipe now, that's probably why I have a bottle of Pechyuads bitters. 

"In 1940, the Official Sazerac Cocktail recipe was modified to use Herbsaint as the absinthe." The version I had used absinthe, now that that's legal again (and not made with hallucinogens). Herbsaint uses wormwood as well, so I assume it's similar.

I have tried them at lots of places because they are a favorite cocktail for me.  I think the best I had was at the bar in the Southern Food and Beverage Museum in NOLA.  They used a spritzer to coat the inside of the glass with herbsaint.

[MDixon]

Just finishing up a fifth of Paddy Irish Whiskey. Skip this one, it has an odd plastic off aroma and flavor and lacks complexity. Not worth your time.