Would love to try Garrison Bros. but it ain't happening at $75.

^
It sucks... no need to spend money on it. What's hilarious is that Pappy Van Winkle 15 is priced the same as Garrison, sometimes cheaper.... of course it's a hell of a lot harder to find.

If you're looking to spend $75, I'd recommend buying 750s of Weller 12, Weller 107 Antique, and Elijah Craig 12. This way, you get 3 bourbons that are wayyyy better than Garrison for the same price.

For $75 I'd go with a bottle of Blantons and Old Weller Antique, or Four Roses Single Barrel, Old Weller Antique, and Larceny.

I buy each release of Garrison Bros (other than the cowboy), but its because I like seeing how it develops over time. Its not worth it, other than for curiosity.

Larceny is a damn fine sip. Way better than stuff I tried twice as expensive.

Tomorrow is National Bourbon Day. Prep your livers.

"Today, we showed the resolve of the United States. Today we made a statement to the world... That you can hit us, you can knock us down, but we're gonna get up. And when we do, we will find you and kick your ass!"
- Robert E Clark II, Cpt USN, Commandant of Midshipmen May 1, 2011

These two pics are appropriate for this thread.





From the Gin Joint in Charelston, SC

Anyone heard of Filibuster bourbon? I was in Maryland this week and picked it up. I wanted to get something I couldn't find in Texas and the liquor store employee recommended it. It was ~40. I haven't had a chance to try it yet. The bottle was hand-numbered and it was Batch number 1, which I thought was cool.

http://filibusterbourbon.com/filibuster-bourbon/




[This message has been edited by Señor Chang (edited 6/21/2013 6:04p).]

I have to thank this thread for turning me on to Larceny...What a delicious drink.

You're welcome.

Dryfly...when I walked into the store today, it was your post that stuck in my mind...I had been doing makers 46 which was about $10 more expensive than this...this has been a great drink..10x smoother and ready to go.

$69.97 for a 1.75 of Willett makes me happy. I always come back to it - nice vanilla and honey flavors.

There's a lot of really good bourbon out there and don't always need to spend $40+ to get a good quality. Garrison Brothers on the other hand is the biggest crock on the planet.

Here's another recommendation that hits big on the bang for the buck scale. It's about $10 more than Larceny, but definitely worth it:

quote:

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My dad got some 20 yr PVW as a gift from a client - I tried it last night in some coke. Didn't taste any different mixed than my $15 Buffalo Trace. Not worth it.

---

I just saw this on a previous page and laughed out loud.

Picked up some Rowan's Creek this past Friday- very good stuff for the money. Sweet with a nice pepper and oak- and it has a little heat from the 101 proof.

My last couple of "tryouts" have been 1792 (nothing overly special) and Bulleit Rye (I thought this was very good as well).

I wasn't very impressed with 1792 either.

I don't know if this has been mentioned on this thread or not, and I don't really feel like going back through, but as long as we're on the topic of bang for the buck, I'll recommend Evan Williams Single Barrel. $25-ish, and a really great sipper.

Tried Willett for the first time tonight and really enjoyed it. Anything else out there like it?

Willet Rye or Bourbon?

Bourbon

[This message has been edited by Ags #1 (edited 7/7/2013 4:51p).]

What was the age and proof on the Willett?

It was 95 proof And not sure on the age

Alright, need some recommendations y'all.

I need to find the best, cost effective (preferably under $35 for a 1.75L, but feel free to try and sell me) bourbon for cocktails, particularly Manhattans and Old Fashioneds.

That means the flavor has to be strong/spicy enough to compliment the cocktail, rather than get lost in it, and good enough to be worth my guests time and energy in making the trip (most of my family and about half of my friends live outside of Texas).

My wedding isn't until next spring, but I want to start getting an idea of what to stock the bar with now so I can taste test for myself and start getting an idea of the costs I'm going to be looking at, maybe hit some good sales and save a few bucks buying early.

I'll be getting an assortment of my favorites for me and my bourbon loving friends to drink neat or on the rocks, but what should my mixer bourbon be?

buffalo trace would be my "cheap" mixer. i don't think a handle is as little as $35, but it would be close.

@ GregZeppelin - based on your criteria I would suggest Four Roses Yellow label. You can get a half gallon for just under $30.

If you want to splurge get a Willett Rye 3,4, or 5 year old single barrel ($38/750ml) or try to find some WT101 Straight Rye. Those are the 2 that I use for an Old Fashioned.

Greg, it's not an exact match because I don't find it too spicy, but it is hard to ignore WL Weller Special Reserve at that price point. It's a wheater, so it lacks the spiciness you wanted that may be in a rye, but it is a darn fine bang for your buck for a 1.75.

I like to use Rittenhouse Rye 100 proof BIB for my old fashions. The taste of bourbons tend to get lost in Manhattans and Old Fashions for me. I pay around $21 for 750ml. The value is hard to beat for the strong rye flavor. I prefer it over some of the more expensive ryes.

[This message has been edited by Chadclay (edited 7/11/2013 2:12p).]

I would second Rittenhouse 100, as it is a fairly "bourbon-like" rye. Can be hard to find sometimes, but usually around $20 a bottle. It is pretty much my go-to mixer, unless I want something with a little stronger rye flavor.

My second choice would be Old Forrester Signature. Its a nice bold bourbon, with some good depth to it. It has a thick mouthfeel, almost "chewy". I have only seen it at one store, but at $33 a handle I am a huge fan. I like to start my serious drinking sessions with a small pour to "set" my palette, and establish a baseline.

I also tried Very Old Barton 6 yr, Bottled in Bond for the first time recently. Its nothing fancy, but its a nice strong bourbon with a lot of flavor. At about $15 a bottle, its a tremendous bargain right up there with Larceny. In Houston, I've only seen it at the Goody Goody on Hwy 6 near Westheimer.

Thanks for the replies guys. And feel feel to suggest more if you think of any, I tend to keep a pretty close eye on this thread.

I'm a big fan of Buffalo Trace, but it doesn't have the boldness I'm looking for, and it tends to get lost in a cocktail because of its sweetness. Same with the WL Weller (which I'm also a fan of), and for Quantum: I'm a little more familiar with "VOB" than I'd care to admit in certain circles.

Sounds like the Four Roses Yellow label, and Old Forrester are some options I need to look at for bourbons.

I know next to nothing about rye's, but it sounds like that's a direction I need to explore.

In an unrelated note, is Larceny really in the same price range as VOB in Texas?!? I just moved to Texas from Kentucky, and I recall seeing Larceny selling for ~$25/750 there.

I think I paid less than $20 last time I bought Larceny. I usually see it at $22. Its more expensive than VOB BiB, but I would put it in about the same value range.

I was just excited to see the VOB BiB in Texas after hearing about it for so long. It will probably Weller SR as my bottom shelf bourbon.

I think Specs has Larceny in the $25 range.

I picked up 4 roses at Costco for about $35 today.

It's pretty smooth.

Elmer T Lee passed away today. He was one of the great ones.

http://lewbryson.blogspot.com/2013/07/rip-elmer-t-lee.html

Has anyone tried the Buffalo Trace Single Oak Project? It seems like an interesting concept. I was thinking about picking up a bottle. They go for about $45 for 375 ml.