Whiskey Thread (13 Viewers)

[DaveXA]

So, for a beginner where cost is a factor, avoiding harshness is important and availability is wide, here is my (bourbon-heavy) starter's whisk(e)y list...

Maker's Mark - Easy drinking, wheated bourbon that's available everywhere. Nothing wrong with Maker's 46 of you have the extra $15. Larceny is another great wheat option that's pretty cheap, too.

Evan Williams Single Barrel - Flavors change a little, but noticably I think from batch to batch. People sleep on the Evan Williams line, but they're all fantastic for the price.

Wild Turkey 101 - A great, higher octane bourbon that's good straight or in cocktails. Harry Truman used it in his Old Fashioneds. Old Grandad 114 is another good high proof option, although it's spicier than WT101.

Monkey Shoulder - IMO, the best entry option into scotch where cost is a bigger factor. Glenmorangie 10 is a good second option. Stay away from the peaty stuff for now.

Bushmills Red Bush - A single malt blend, aged in bourbon barrels is probably why I enjoy this irish whisky. You'll eventually want to fork over $65 for Redbreast 12 though.

Basil Hayden's - This is a good choice for an introduction into high rye whiskey. Starts out sweet and finishes spicy with a lower proof. Old Forester 86 and Four Roses yellow label are other great low proof options.

Four Roses Single Barrel - Maybe the best bourbon you can find somewhat frequently for less than $50. Woodford Reserve is another good choice in this flavor profile, but I feel like the Four Roses is smoother.

Old Overholt - Where I started with rye since it's a bit lower in proof than most. Rittenhouse is another (higher proof) option that's widely available. If you enjoy the spicer stuff, Dickel and Bulleit are great options, too. High West Rendezvous Rye and Pikeville are my favorite, everyday ryes that run you over $50. There are a lot of really good rye options these days.

Lot 40 - Skip the Crown Royal and go search for Lot 40. Chances are it's been on a shelf the whole time and you just never noticed it. Forty Creek is one you might have to hunt a little for, but it's not that rare.

Suntory Toki - If you find yourself in Japan or a Japanese restaurant, do yourself a favor and order a whisky highball then enjoy the ritual. Toki is probably one of the cheaper, good japanese whiskies that's widely available. If you happen to find Hibiki Harmony or Nikka from the Barrel at $65, grab them and thank me later.

I think that list provides a broad range of tastes from widely available and affordable products. The Japanese stuff is harder to find it too different to recommend to beginners I think. It's certainly not a definitive list, but I would be here all night if I didn't cut it this short. Did I miss anything?

I've seen Woodford Reserve mentioned several times here and seems like something I'd like to try. Does that fit on this list? Or is that more of a higher grade whiskey?

 

[buzd]

I've seen Woodford Reserve mentioned several times here and seems like something I'd like to try. Does that fit on this list? Or is that more of a higher grade whiskey?

Mid range and tasty.

 

[The Nomad]

So, for a beginner where cost is a factor, avoiding harshness is important and availability is wide, here is my (bourbon-heavy) starter's whisk(e)y list...

Maker's Mark - Easy drinking, wheated bourbon that's available everywhere. Nothing wrong with Maker's 46 of you have the extra $15. Larceny is another great wheat option that's pretty cheap, too.

Evan Williams Single Barrel - Flavors change a little, but noticably I think from batch to batch. People sleep on the Evan Williams line, but they're all fantastic for the price.

Wild Turkey 101 - A great, higher octane bourbon that's good straight or in cocktails. Harry Truman used it in his Old Fashioneds. Old Grandad 114 is another good high proof option, although it's spicier than WT101.

Monkey Shoulder - IMO, the best entry option into scotch where cost is a bigger factor. Glenmorangie 10 is a good second option. Stay away from the peaty stuff for now.

Bushmills Red Bush - A single malt blend, aged in bourbon barrels is probably why I enjoy this irish whisky. You'll eventually want to fork over $65 for Redbreast 12 though.

Basil Hayden's - This is a good choice for an introduction into high rye whiskey. Starts out sweet and finishes spicy with a lower proof. Old Forester 86 and Four Roses yellow label are other great low proof options.

Four Roses Single Barrel - Maybe the best bourbon you can find somewhat frequently for less than $50. Woodford Reserve is another good choice in this flavor profile, but I feel like the Four Roses is smoother.

Old Overholt - Where I started with rye since it's a bit lower in proof than most. Rittenhouse is another (higher proof) option that's widely available. If you enjoy the spicer stuff, Dickel and Bulleit are great options, too. High West Rendezvous Rye and Pikeville are my favorite, everyday ryes that run you over $50. There are a lot of really good rye options these days.

Lot 40 - Skip the Crown Royal and go search for Lot 40. Chances are it's been on a shelf the whole time and you just never noticed it. Forty Creek is one you might have to hunt a little for, but it's not that rare.

Suntory Toki - If you find yourself in Japan or a Japanese restaurant, do yourself a favor and order a whisky highball then enjoy the ritual. Toki is probably one of the cheaper, good japanese whiskies that's widely available. If you happen to find Hibiki Harmony or Nikka from the Barrel at $65, grab them and thank me later.

I think that list provides a broad range of tastes from widely available and affordable products. The Japanese stuff is harder to find it too different to recommend to beginners I think. It's certainly not a definitive list, but I would be here all night if I didn't cut it this short. Did I miss anything?

Good starter list! As primarily a rum drinker (Foursquare, do yourself a favor) who dabbles in other spirits, Evan Williams BiB and SB, and Wild Turkey 101 are great places to start that are always available and inexpensive.

 

[boutrous]

So, for a beginner where cost is a factor, avoiding harshness is important and availability is wide, here is my (bourbon-heavy) starter's whisk(e)y list...

Maker's Mark - Easy drinking, wheated bourbon that's available everywhere. Nothing wrong with Maker's 46 of you have the extra $15. Larceny is another great wheat option that's pretty cheap, too.

Evan Williams Single Barrel - Flavors change a little, but noticably I think from batch to batch. People sleep on the Evan Williams line, but they're all fantastic for the price.

Wild Turkey 101 - A great, higher octane bourbon that's good straight or in cocktails. Harry Truman used it in his Old Fashioneds. Old Grandad 114 is another good high proof option, although it's spicier than WT101.

Monkey Shoulder - IMO, the best entry option into scotch where cost is a bigger factor. Glenmorangie 10 is a good second option. Stay away from the peaty stuff for now.

Bushmills Red Bush - A single malt blend, aged in bourbon barrels is probably why I enjoy this irish whisky. You'll eventually want to fork over $65 for Redbreast 12 though.

Basil Hayden's - This is a good choice for an introduction into high rye whiskey. Starts out sweet and finishes spicy with a lower proof. Old Forester 86 and Four Roses yellow label are other great low proof options.

Four Roses Single Barrel - Maybe the best bourbon you can find somewhat frequently for less than $50. Woodford Reserve is another good choice in this flavor profile, but I feel like the Four Roses is smoother.

Old Overholt - Where I started with rye since it's a bit lower in proof than most. Rittenhouse is another (higher proof) option that's widely available. If you enjoy the spicer stuff, Dickel and Bulleit are great options, too. High West Rendezvous Rye and Pikeville are my favorite, everyday ryes that run you over $50. There are a lot of really good rye options these days.

Lot 40 - Skip the Crown Royal and go search for Lot 40. Chances are it's been on a shelf the whole time and you just never noticed it. Forty Creek is one you might have to hunt a little for, but it's not that rare.

Suntory Toki - If you find yourself in Japan or a Japanese restaurant, do yourself a favor and order a whisky highball then enjoy the ritual. Toki is probably one of the cheaper, good japanese whiskies that's widely available. If you happen to find Hibiki Harmony or Nikka from the Barrel at $65, grab them and thank me later.

I think that list provides a broad range of tastes from widely available and affordable products. The Japanese stuff is harder to find it too different to recommend to beginners I think. It's certainly not a definitive list, but I would be here all night if I didn't cut it this short. Did I miss anything?

Awesome list! I had started a list, but I jumped off to go look something up and lost the whole thing. I didn't feel like re-typing it.

A few points:
Evan Williams is pretty good. I also really like the Jim Beam Black Double Aged for a cheap option. Total Wine has the small bottles of it that's easy to stash on you for emergency situations.

Basil Hayden's is good, but I just get Four Rose Yellow (now tan) Label. I like it as a good cheaper option. I use it for my Sazaracs.

Wild Turkey 101 is a classic higher proof that you can't go wrong with.

Makers Mark is a very good wheated entry bourbon. It's easy drinking and mixing and certainly won't turn you off to bourbon. Don't be afraid to take the step up to Larceny if you like Makers.

Buffalo Trace has such a good flavor profile, I think. You always get a good bottle, but occasionally you get a great bottle. It's my standard cocktail bourbon that I keep on my bar, and I keep the big bottle. If I've had a few, I can also switch to drinking it neat. The finish is not as great as pricy bourbon because it's young, but once you had a few you don't care as much



Going a little up in price:

Knob Creek 9 Year is a good high proof option and is not that much more than the entry brands.

Four Roses Single Barrel is amazing, but no one has it right now that I can find. Four Roses Small Batch is everywhere and is pretty good, but the single barrel is special.

Elijah Craig Small Batch is a great light tasting bourbon that doesn't try to go over the top. Very well rounded flavor.

Woodford Reserve I really tried to like a bunch of times, but for some reason I just never really got into it. I mean it's not bad, it just never wowed me.



My Favorites:

Eagle Rare - it's just a great balance of flavor and smoothness at an incredible price. But it's so damn hard to find.

Old Forrester - 1920 Prohibition Style - I was not expecting much, and maybe that's why I like it so much. I had it at a bourbon tasting party and was excited to try a couple of the other selections, but this is the one that blew me away. It was complex and flavorful without being too harsh or spicy.

Sugarfield - Batch V - Small Louisiana upstart brand. I've only had the Batch V (5), but it's a great tasting bourbon. To me it taste like roasted marshmallows and dark chocolate. It could be a little smoother, but it's young.

 

[tomwaits]

Legent has been my regular bourbon for a while. Its about $45 or so where I live.

 

[St. Widge]

I've seen Woodford Reserve mentioned several times here and seems like something I'd like to try. Does that fit on this list? Or is that more of a higher grade whiskey?

As Buzd said, it's a bit more mid-range. It's good, but is has more of a woody flavor in it than some Bourbons and more than I like. I personally prefer Buffalo Trace to most bourbons and it's about $20 per bottle. It's less woody and a little more sweet.

MLU has a really good list up there. I particularly like the Monkey Shoulder suggestion for a starter Scotch. It's a blend of I think 4 Speyside Scotches all of which I really like and you can't beat the price for a good starter Scotch at about $30 per bottle. I think it's much better than the standard Dewars, Chivas, Johnny Walker Red, Pinch, etc. starters.

 

[St. Widge]

By the way, I have talked about these guys before, but I think they are really funny and this is a great video on top 10 beginner whiskeys:

 

[DaveXA]

As Buzd said, it's a bit more mid-range. It's good, but is has more of a woody flavor in it than some Bourbons and more than I like. I personally prefer Buffalo Trace to most bourbons and it's about $20 per bottle. It's less woody and a little more sweet.

MLU has a really good list up there. I particularly like the Monkey Shoulder suggestion for a starter Scotch. It's a blend of I think 4 Speyside Scotches all of which I really like and you can't beat the price for a good starter Scotch at about $30 per bottle. I think it's much better than the standard Dewars, Chivas, Johnny Walker Red, Pinch, etc. starters.

Yeah, I haven't decided whether I'll start with a bourbon or a Scotch. Fwiw, I'm not a fan of the taste of alcohol. So something that doesn't have too much bite/burn would be a good start and see if it's something I can get used to over time. So I'll probably be buying a bottle of one of the recommended ones here as well as a cabernet or Pinot Noir. We'll see.

My dad used to love Crown Royal, but not sure I'm ready for that. He used to have a whole bunch of the purple pouches the bottles came in. I always liked those. Heh.

 

[boutrous]

Yeah, I haven't decided whether I'll start with a bourbon or a Scotch. Fwiw, I'm not a fan of the taste of alcohol. So something that doesn't have too much bite/burn would be a good start and see if it's something I can get used to over time. So I'll probably be buying a bottle of one of the recommended ones here as well as a cabernet or Pinot Noir. We'll see.

My dad used to love Crown Royal, but not sure I'm ready for that. He used to have a whole bunch of the purple pouches the bottles came in. I always liked those. Heh.

If you get a Pinot Noir, look for one from Russian River Valley. These are the best ones, to me.

If you don't like alcohol but want to try whiskey, then stick to bourbon over Scotch or Irish Whiskey. You can find a smooth sweet bourbon.

Don't ever mention Crown here again....

Just kidding, do whatever you want. Crown is a blended Canadian Whiskey and, to me, is just a mixer. It's not super-offensive but it's not super impressive either. Which is why so many people get into it. I actually like the Crown Black, but I'll pass on the others.

 

[tomwaits]

I bought some of that Stillhouse black today.
The price is good, hope I like it.

 

[St. Widge]

Yeah, I haven't decided whether I'll start with a bourbon or a Scotch. Fwiw, I'm not a fan of the taste of alcohol. So something that doesn't have too much bite/burn would be a good start and see if it's something I can get used to over time. So I'll probably be buying a bottle of one of the recommended ones here as well as a cabernet or Pinot Noir. We'll see.

My dad used to love Crown Royal, but not sure I'm ready for that. He used to have a whole bunch of the purple pouches the bottles came in. I always liked those. Heh.

All whiskeys are going to have some alcohol bite to them. It goes away a bit as you get used to it, but it's basically always going to be there. That being said, that is really more about proof than it is about Bourbon vs. Scotch vs. Irish. You are going to want to start off with something that is more around 80 to 86 Proof (40-43% alcohol) before moving up.

For Scotch I would start with either Monkey Shoulder, Abelour 12, or Macallan 12 (Sherry Oak Cask). Mcallan gets a bad rap these days for being too expensive (and it is at $65 per bottle), but it's consistent, sweet and smooth. But Scotch is always going to be more expensive than other options. Monkey Shoulder may be your best bet since it's only $30 per bottle compared to most first level Single Malts that are in the $60 to $80 range. And it would give you a good introduction into the taste of Scotch, particularly Speyside Scotch.

For Bourbon, I'd start with either Maker's Mark or Buffalo Trace. Both are reasonably priced and kind of the two basic Bourbon styles. Although all Bourbons are pretty similar within a range. If you find you like Bourbon, you can branch out into stuff that is finished in different types of barrels. Angel's Envry is one of my favorites as it is a Bourbon finished in Port Wine barrels.

I have never found an Irish Whisky that I like more than any Bourbon or Scotch. But I think Jameson is a good place to start.

In the end, everyone has different taste, but I think my list and the video above give you a decent range of things to try.

As for Crown Royal, I'm not a fan. I don't like the cinnamon spice taste that you get in Candian Whiskey. Plus, I once drank a bottle of it along with half a bottle of Jagermeister and I did not enjoy the next day.

 

[DaveXA]

All whiskeys are going to have some alcohol bite to them. It goes away a bit as you get used to it, but it's basically always going to be there. That being said, that is really more about proof than it is about Bourbon vs. Scotch vs. Irish. You are going to want to start off with something that is more around 80 to 86 Proof (40-43% alcohol) before moving up.

For Scotch I would start with either Monkey Shoulder, Abelour 12, or Macallan 12 (Sherry Oak Cask). Mcallan gets a bad rap these days for being too expensive (and it is at $65 per bottle), but it's consistent, sweet and smooth. But Scotch is always going to be more expensive than other options. Monkey Shoulder may be your best bet since it's only $30 per bottle compared to most first level Single Malts that are in the $60 to $80 range. And it would give you a good introduction into the taste of Scotch, particularly Speyside Scotch.

For Bourbon, I'd start with either Maker's Mark or Buffalo Trace. Both are reasonably priced and kind of the two basic Bourbon styles. Although all Bourbons are pretty similar within a range. If you find you like Bourbon, you can branch out into stuff that is finished in different types of barrels. Angel's Envry is one of my favorites as it is a Bourbon finished in Port Wine barrels.

I have never found an Irish Whisky that I like more than any Bourbon or Scotch. But I think Jameson is a good place to start.

In the end, everyone has different taste, but I think my list and the video above give you a decent range of things to try.

As for Crown Royal, I'm not a fan. I don't like the cinnamon spice taste that you get in Candian Whiskey. Plus, I once drank a bottle of it along with half a bottle of Jagermeister and I did not enjoy the next day.

Since @zeetes always raves about Jameson, I might do that for grins.

 

[zeetes]

jameson is simply awesome.

redbreast 12 is even better, just double the price. the 18 sucks though. very oily.

 

[boutrous]

Since @zeetes always raves about Jameson, I might do that for grins.

I know Zeetes would be mad at me, but I prefer Bushmills over Jameson, especially if you don't like alcohol taste. Bushmills white label is very mild and smooth, especially with ice.

 

[St. Widge]

I know Zeetes would be mad at me, but I prefer Bushmills over Jameson, especially if you don't like alcohol taste. Bushmills white label is very mild and smooth, especially with ice.

I think Dave may be better off with Bushmills. He is Protestant afterall.

Plus, Jameson appears to have stunted Zeetes' growth.