Official Bourbon/Rye Thread

[yoyorobbo]

Pretty sure I want to try Maker's Mark 46. Any reviews here on it?

Joe has covered it on the main site before:

http://dappered.com/2011/12/the-12-d...whisky-stones/
http://dappered.com/tag/makers-46/

Not seeing the other post in which I (think I) recall him featuring/commenting on it, but that one above has a mini review of it.


I've personally only had one bottle of it. It was very good, but I guess not enough to drive me to get it again. Maybe I should revisit it. I do like Makers Manhattans (and enjoy it on rocks too). The 46 is costly enough IMO to warrant strictly neat or rocks in my drinking routine (*routine*? Man that sounds bad.)

Ever try Buffalo Trace? It's my current favorite affordable bourbon. It's excellent!

[Brent k]

I have not tried Buffalo Trace yet. After reading this thread probably going to try more Four Roses small batch offerings.

[emynd]

I stumbled across this Whiskey Tree that the good folks at the straightbourbon forums (http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/) put together. Printable Excel file can be found at the bottom of this page. Pretty awesome:

Whiskey Tree, 5.2
Note: These tree is only a breakdown of "macro" distillers

Barton-1792, #3 char, Independent Stave
Barton (75/15/10)- Very Old Barton all proofs +???
1792 (high barley?)- 1792 Ridgemont Reserve, +???
Other Bourbons: Tom Moore BiB, Kentucky Gentleman, Kentucky Tavern, Ten High, Walker's Delluxe, other "cats & dogs".The rest, unknown
Rye 37/53/10? (speculation based on label of High West Double Rye!)- Fleischman's Rye
Before it was purchased by Sazerac, sold to a lot of NDPs.


Beam, #4 char, Independent Stave
Beam Mashbill (76/13/10)- all JB bourbons, Old Crow, Old Taylor*, Knob Creek, Baker's, Booker's
Old Grandad Mashbill (63/27/10)- OGD, Basil Hayden
Rye- JB Rye, Old Overholt, Ri¹, Knob Creek Rye

Brown-Forman, #3 char, Brown-Forman Cooperage
Old Forester (72/18/10)- Old Forester, Woodford Reserve
Early Times (79/11/10)
Jack Daniels (80/8/12)
Rye (see Heaven Hill below)- Current source of Heaven Hill's Pikeville and Rittenhouse ryes.
Also sells to many NDPs.


Buffalo Trace, #4 char, Independent Stave
#1, higher corn BT White Dog, Benchmark, Buffalo Trace, Old Charter, Eagle Rare, Col. E.H. Taylor, Geo. T. Stagg
#2, lower corn- Ancient Age*, Elmer T. Lee*, Hancock*, Blanton's*, Rock Hill Farms*, Virginia Gentleman/Bowman Bourbons?
Wheat bourbon: Everything Weller, Van Winkle Special Reserve "Lot B"*, Old Rip Van Winkle*, Pappy Van Winkle 15 y/o*
Rye: Sazerac, Bowman Rye, Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye* (?)

Diageo, char #3, Indpendent Stave
Dickel (80/12/8)George Dickel, Cascade Hollow

Four Roses, #3.5 char, Independent Stave
Has 2 mashbills and 5 yeasts.
All Ten Combinations- Four Roses (yellow label)
OBSK, OBSO, OESK, OESO- Four Roses Small Batch
OBSV- Four Roses Single Barrel
All the combinations are also available as Single Barrel, Barrel Strength retailer bottlings.

Also sells whiskey to Diageo that goes into Bulleit (from the high rye OBS recipes) and I.W. Harper (not available in the U.S.)
and produces the overseas version of McKenna. For more information, including mashbills, see Oscar's chart here.

Heaven Hill, #3 char, Indpendent Stave
Rye Bourbon (75/13/12)- Heaven Hill, J.T.S. Brown, T.W. Samuels, Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Henry McKenna (U.S.),
Parker's Heritage (except for 2010), etc. Also probably the source of Luxco's Ezra Brooks line and the current Yellowstone.
Wheat Bourbon- Old Fitzgerald, Parker's Heritage 2010. Also probably the source of Luxco's Rebel Yell and Rebel Reserve.
Wheat Whiskey- Bernheim Original
Rye Whiskey (37/51/12, aprox.)**- Future source of Rittenhouse 80 & BiB, Stephen Foster, current source of Pikesville, Rittenhouse 21 & 23 (?)
Corn Whiskey: Mellow Corn, JW Corn, Georgia Moon, Dixie Dew, Platte Valley*
Also sells to many NDPs.

LDI, ??? char, Independent Stave?
Sells bourbon and rye for many brands including Templeton, Redemption et al, High West, W.H. Harrison, Cougar (Australia), Bulleit Rye and KBD.
For a breakdown of the of corn, rye and bourbon whiskey mashbills used, see the MGP website: http://www.mgpingredients.com/product-list/

Maker's Mark, #3 char, Independent Stave
Maker's Mark (70/16/14)

Wild Turkey, #4 "the heavy char", Independent Stave
Bourbon (75/13/12)- Wild Turkey, Russell's Reserve Bourbon
Rye (37/51/12, aprox.)**- Wild Turkey Rye, Russell's Reserve Rye


Brands on the market with whiskey from closed distilleries:
Medley Rye- Older bottlings of Hirsch, post-PA Michter's(?), Black Maple Hill rye, others?
Mix of Medley Rye and Cream of Kentucky rye (Bernheim distillery)- Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye.
Stitzel-Weller bourbon- Pappy Van Winkle (20 & 23 only?), Jefferson's Reserve 17, 18, Vintage 17 etc

[Fred G. Unn]

I stumbled across this Whiskey Tree

Deadspin posted a similar but less comprehensive tree as a graphic a few weeks ago:

[pratyk]

Any thoughts on Templeton Rye?

Tried Whistle Pig the other day after hearing about all the hype. Decent stuff with some spicy vanilla/caramel notes but 60-70$ for a canadian-distilled Vermont-bottled Rye whiskey marketed as 100% usa ticks my nerve a little bit. I'd rather be sipping the newest 4 roses single barrel which has high Rye content for 45$..

Sidenote: Four Roses did a promotional "stunt" where they worked with my usual liquor/beer shop to pick 1 version out of 20-30 and label it accordingly. The one my store chose had the highest amount of rye (forget the %) and it tasted damn fine. Waiting until the last few bottles to buy it since i already have 4 open bottles of scotch/bourbon.

[pratyk]

Also, I think Redemption Rye > Bulleit Rye in taste and in $

[mr. mr.]

I really, really like journeyman. it was the first I've ever had. it sold me on rye.

[mr. mr.]

I really, really like journeyman rye. it was the first I've ever had. it sold me on rye.

[tdig]

Any thoughts on Templeton Rye?

Tried Whistle Pig the other day after hearing about all the hype. Decent stuff with some spicy vanilla/caramel notes but 60-70$ for a canadian-distilled Vermont-bottled Rye whiskey marketed as 100% usa ticks my nerve a little bit. I'd rather be sipping the newest 4 roses single barrel which has high Rye content for 45$..

Sidenote: Four Roses did a promotional "stunt" where they worked with my usual liquor/beer shop to pick 1 version out of 20-30 and label it accordingly. The one my store chose had the highest amount of rye (forget the %) and it tasted damn fine. Waiting until the last few bottles to buy it since i already have 4 open bottles of scotch/bourbon.

Have expressed my disinterest in Templeton several times on here before. Overpriced, gimmick, and watered down LDI rye.

I certainly dont hate Whistlepig but I agree with you 100% that it's overpriced. In Canada you can buy pretty much the same juice under a different label for half the cost. Four Roses is my current favorite distillery so I love hearing other folks who also enjoy their bottles.

Do you know which recipe your store bottled? I currently have bottles of OBSV, OBSK, OBSF, OESO, and OESK on hand.

[pratyk]

OESK. I tried it and I liked it quite a bit. I have a bottle of OBSQ (2011 limited edition Single Barrel IIRC) and man that is good.

[MikeAD91]

Any thoughts on Templeton Rye?

Tried Whistle Pig the other day after hearing about all the hype. Decent stuff with some spicy vanilla/caramel notes but 60-70$ for a canadian-distilled Vermont-bottled Rye whiskey marketed as 100% usa ticks my nerve a little bit. I'd rather be sipping the newest 4 roses single barrel which has high Rye content for 45$..

Sidenote: Four Roses did a promotional "stunt" where they worked with my usual liquor/beer shop to pick 1 version out of 20-30 and label it accordingly. The one my store chose had the highest amount of rye (forget the %) and it tasted damn fine. Waiting until the last few bottles to buy it since i already have 4 open bottles of scotch/bourbon.

I like Whistlepig, but I agree about the price. I enjoyed my bottle(s?), but I tend not to keep any on hand.

Templeton, however, I always tend to have at least one bottle on hand. It's a bit milder (both in flavor and alcohol content), which works out well for the evenings I want to sit and have more than one drink but I know I have a busy morning at work.


And, since I'm posting, another somewhat local craft distillery bottled their first batch in October, and I got my hands on a bottle a couple weeks ago. Iron Smoke Whiskey, in Seneca Falls, NY. It suffered from the same decision that every craft distiller will have: release a batch that is young and expensive, or lose money for years while you wait for some to age. They released it young, and it is noticeable, although far better than MacKenzie. Still, not as good as Hudson or Quincy Street. It's tough to tell if the "Applewood Smoked" thing is a gimmick or not. It may have helped flavor it, but not in a distinctive way.

[Mmmk]

Gents,

I've got myself involved in the first annual "Holiday Liquor Exchange" with a group of buddies. I don't drink too often, but when I do, I drink bourbon (Sorry, dos equis fans). My person requested Rye as their liquor of choice. So the question is, does anybody have a recommendation for a good, unique bottle of Rye that I can gift? There is a $40-$60 dollar spending preference. Thanks in advance for the help!

[tdig]

Gents,

I've got myself involved in the first annual "Holiday Liquor Exchange" with a group of buddies. I don't drink too often, but when I do, I drink bourbon (Sorry, dos equis fans). My person requested Rye as their liquor of choice. So the question is, does anybody have a recommendation for a good, unique bottle of Rye that I can gift? There is a $40-$60 dollar spending preference. Thanks in advance for the help!

Willett Family Estate, 4 year or 5 year rye. 110 proof. Great rye. Nice looking bottle. EH Taylor Rye is a bit higher priced but also a good option.

[Brent k]

Welp made a holiday liquor store run.

Knob Creek
Four Roses small batch
Buffalo Trace

Gonna be a fun winter!

How do you guys like bulleit bourbon? All looked at Angel's Share kinda looked like a boutique brand but the owner of my liquor store said it was incredibly smooth but lacks some depth

[Brent k]

A bit off topic but I was thinking of getting a bottle of Highland Park 18yo or Macallan 18yo. Suggestions?