Bourbon

[ShuggyBear]

For the past several weeks I have been enjoying a shot (1.5 oz) of Buffalo Trace every evening. I was surprised to find out there are actually many health benefits to be gained from drinking Bourbon. (in moderation of course )

http://www.wideopeneats.com/10-reasons- ... od-health/

What are some of your favorite Bourbons that I should try?

[Hanley]

Hard to beat Buffalo Trace at that price point.

Four Roses Small Batch and Single Barrel are both very good.

I was totally surprised by how much I liked Weller 12 year. Delicious.

When I was single and had more disposable income, I really liked Islay Scotches.

[AaronM]

My favorites:

Knob Creek
Buffalo Trace
Four Roses
Jefferson's Reserve

While not a bourbon, I also really enjoy Jameson Irish Whiskey. Tasty stuff.

Haven't drank that much bourbon lately though. Recently discovered wines that are palatable, and am regularly looking for semi-sweet reds to try. Sure is a good way to get some extra calories down

[iamsmu]

Weller is pretty much as good and BTrace and a little cheaper. It's very hard to find in New England. One store around here gets two bottles in on some Tuesdays. They have a limit of 1 per customer. . . . I found a bunch on the shelf of some ghetto store with plexiglass. I bought them all.

To keep the shakes away, I medicate with Bulleit. A handle is pretty cheap, ~$55 or so. That's my daily drinker. A 5th doesn't last very long, 2 days or so I guess, hence the need for a cheap handle.

Current preferences:

Elijah Craig
BTrace
Weller
. . .
Bulleit
. . .
Makers
. . .
Four Roses
. . .
Old Forester
. . .
stuff in plastic bottles
. . .
piss
. . .
Jim Beam

[ShuggyBear]

^ Piss? Did Bear Grylls come out with his own brand?

[Allentown]

A 5th doesn't last very long, 2 days or so I guess, hence the need for a cheap handle.

Hold up, you drink a 5th every other day?
Old Crow is drinkable, and much cheaper than pretty much everything.

[iamsmu]

A 5th doesn't last very long, 2 days or so I guess, hence the need for a cheap handle.

Hold up, you drink a 5th every other day?
Old Crow is drinkable, and much cheaper than pretty much everything.

I'm not sure. It might last 3 days on average. I should check. . . . Is that excessive?

[Jay870]

I've gone dry for the time being but one of my favorites that I haven't seen mentioned is Woodford Reserve, and if I have something to celebrate that is what I get.

Out at a bar... Makers Mark, just because I've never had a waiter look at me funny when I order a "double Makers neat".

For the cheap stuff Ezra Brooks is actually decent... I like it better than Evan Williams or most of the other hooch at that price point.

[Jay870]

I'm not sure. It might last 3 days on average. I should check. . . . Is that excessive?

Don't mean to derail the thread but...

Physiologically speaking... probably, almost certainly.

Life in general... thats your call. That is about what I was drinking when I decided it was too much... for me.

Pros: Mellowed me out from immense job stress.
Cons: Messed with my sleep (fall asleep fast, then be restless all night), felt lethargic, 500+ calories/day of straight booze.

[Allentown]

I'm not sure. It might last 3 days on average. I should check. . . . Is that excessive?

It would be for me. You do you. That's a bit over 3x4oz drinks a day, every day, if you down it in two days. And 4oz is ~3 shots. So 9 shots a day? An acquaintance of mine works for a beer distributor, and has 3-6 beers a day, every day, but between 8-9 AM and 10 PM. So, sure, if drinking is your job, 3-9 drinks a day isn't too excessive. If that's between 6PM and 9PM, I'd say a week to finish a fifth is probably a healthier choice.
Provided it doesn't have a negative impact on things, though, do whatever. I'm not judging. You get way more done than I do at 3-4 drinks a week.

[Jumrobe]

The best bourbon's I've ever had have all been in the EH Taylor family by Buffalo Trace. EH Taylor Barrel Proof and Single Barrel BIB are my two current favorites, but at $100 and $70 a bottle respectively, I only have a 2oz pour every now and then and it takes me over a year to work through a bottle.

As far as more affordable fare, the list is as follows:

Buffalo Trace
Old Grandad 114 and BIB
Jefferson's Reserve
Elijah Craig
Ezra Brooks 101
Eagle Rare
WL Weller (if you can find it)

[bugbomb]

The best bourbon's I've ever had have all been in the EH Taylor family by Buffalo Trace. EH Taylor Barrel Proof and Single Barrel BIB are my two current favorites, but at $100 and $70 a bottle respectively, I only have a 2oz pour every now and then and it takes me over a year to work through a bottle.

As far as more affordable fare, the list is as follows:

Buffalo Trace
Old Grandad 114 and BIB
Jefferson's Reserve
Elijah Craig
Ezra Brooks 101
Eagle Rare
WL Weller (if you can find it)

This is pretty much my list, although I wasn't a huge fan of the Elijah Craig stuff when I last tried it. Elmer T Lee is a bit cheaper and (in my neck of the woods) harder to find than the EH Taylor stuff but is also from BT and is very, very good.

[Allentown]

My BIL has been doing Elijah Craig for some smoke-infusion experiments when I go over there. Cherry & cinnamon, so far.

[iamsmu]

Physiologically speaking... probably, almost certainly.

Life in general... thats your call. That is about what I was drinking when I decided it was too much... for me.

Pros: Mellowed me out from immense job stress.
Cons: Messed with my sleep (fall asleep fast, then be restless all night), felt lethargic, 500+ calories/day of straight booze.

It would be for me. You do you. That's a bit over 3x4oz drinks a day, every day, if you down it in two days. And 4oz is ~3 shots. So 9 shots a day? An acquaintance of mine works for a beer distributor, and has 3-6 beers a day, every day, but between 8-9 AM and 10 PM. So, sure, if drinking is your job, 3-9 drinks a day isn't too excessive. If that's between 6PM and 9PM, I'd say a week to finish a fifth is probably a healthier choice.
Provided it doesn't have a negative impact on things, though, do whatever. I'm not judging. You get way more done than I do at 3-4 drinks a week.

I tend to wake up at 5 for a bit, but I never have hangovers. I don't drink before 7 pm. And I don't have children. Good lord. I don't see how you could be a good parent and drink that much. . . .

I never free pour. I always measure. I make 2 oz drinks. I think I have 4-6 on average. I sometimes loose count. I'm pretty sure that I had 5 Bulleit last night between 7 and 11:30. It might have been 4. I'm not sure. If it was 5, that would be 10 oz. There are roughly 25 oz in a 5th. So 2.5 nights. Hmmm.

I guess 10oz is around 660 calories. It would probably be better to get some of that as protein. To get that much alcohol, I'd probably have to drink 7 or 8 beers. That would be a shitload of calories, probably double. I don't think I could handle 1200 junk calories a day. Apparently, I can deal with 600 or so without much of an issue.

I'll make some adjustments. I'll at least try to bring that down to 4 for blood pressure reasons . . . . Maybe I'll do another dry January. Those are a pain.

[Allentown]

I never free pour. I always measure. I make 2 oz drinks. I think I have 4-6 on average. I sometimes loose count. I'm pretty sure that I had 5 Bulleit last night between 7 and 11:30. It might have been 4. I'm not sure. If it was 5, that would be 10 oz. There are roughly 25 oz in a 5th. So 2.5 nights. Hmmm.

That's a lot. Excessive? Up to you. But it's a lot.

[iamsmu]

That's a lot. Excessive? Up to you. But it's a lot.

OK. Good to know. It's easy to lose perspective on these things.

[Allentown]

OK. Good to know. It's easy to lose perspective on these things.

I will also point out I'm not super good at limiting myself, and my bro currently has court-ordered drug tests every morning.

[jake]

@iamsmu

Dude, you are remodeling your home. Drink as much as you have to to get the job done.

[OckhamsRazor]

Another reasonably priced bottle ($35 or so IIRC) that I think is definitely worth a try is Henry McKenna Single Barrel.

[iamsmu]

Another reasonably priced bottle ($35 or so IIRC) that I think is definitely worth a try is Henry McKenna Single Barrel.

I agree. I have some of that in the basement bourbon cellar (aka "the laundry room"), where I hide extra bottles of hard to find stuff and anything 100 proof and up.