Went to Louisville for the weekend and did some bourbon tours. Went to Makers Mark and Buffalo Trace. Maker's tour was amazing. Very cool atmosphere. Also tried about 50 other bourbons (still hungover from Saturday) throughout the weekend. Michters was my favorite. I was going to try Pappy but both times I was about to get a $100 pour the bartenders said "there's much better bourbon for less money" and they would pour something else.

What are your recs? For the price I think Makers 46 is hard to beat.

I agree with the bartender - Pappy's is good but not worth the price. I like Maker's Mark for my "everyday" bourbon but really like Woodford Reserve - on the rocks!

MarkItZero said:

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Four Roses Single Barrel for the win!

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Drove by this distillery and had hoped to stop but ran out of time. Could have spent a week there doing tours. All over the place. Pretty country. I'll have to try this one.

Makers used to be my low end go to, but the last couple times I've had it my body did not agree well with it. Just regular amounts poured, but a nagging hangover the next day.

Hmmm maybe it was just that one bottle though. Anyone ever have that kind of thing happen? Is it because I started drinking higher quality stuff in between makers?

dlp3719 said:

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Pappy 15 and 20 year are the best bourbon in the world.

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Didn't hear one person in town or on the tours agree with you, including the Buffalo Trace guide...which is where Pappy is made. He said he preferred their Blantons brand but I didn't get to try that. Several folks said Michters was better also but I didn't get to try the expensive kind.

I've never had Pappy, but like all things, it appears the love for Pappy is starting to fade. I can only shake my head and laugh at human nature.

dlp3719 said:

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Pappy 15 and 20 year are the best bourbon in the world. You can question value but nothing is better.

Mitchers 20 was in the ballpark. "Much better" is complete bull*****

In Pappy you get vanilla, tobacco, leather, wood and Carmel. Very complex and smooth.

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Absolutely subjective. As another poster said, if you limit the criteria to wheated bourbons...then yes, they are the best in the world.

Don't get me wrong - Pappy is great bourbon and I wish it was more readily available because it is great. But it's far from "best in the world" on anything approaching universal scales. A lot of the Pappy hype is simply the fact that it's good, but very scarce and the hunt is what does it for a whole lot of people that have driven bourbon pricing up.

I've gone from looking for the same things that everybody and their uncle is looking for to finding more readily available bourbon that is worth the price and looking for store picks and higher proofers that give me more bang for the buck than chasing unicorns like Pappy or WLW or Stagg. I have better things to do with my time personally, others get off on the hunt and chase. More power to them.

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A lot of the Pappy hype is simply the fact that it's good, but very scarce and the hunt is what does it for a whole lot of people that have driven bourbon pricing up.

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That's what most of the folks were saying...it's hype and price is due to such little supply. So little product and built up demand, and the prices are stupid. Still want to try it though some time. Any places in DFW you can grab a pour?

Couldn't tell you about DFW. I'm sure Pappa's Steakhouse probably has some, they usually have a good bourbon selection. Go get you an outstanding steak and a flight of good bourbons.

If you MUST acquire an aged wheater, the best option on the table at the moment is Rebel Yell 10 Yr Single Barrel. A bottle will run you $45-50. Its not as much vanilla as Old Rip Van Winkle (the closest "Pappy" proxy in age and proof), but its a darn good bourbon.

Additionally, Maker Mark Cask Strength and Old Weller Antique (107) are both fine, readily available wheated bourbon options, with Makers probably on the younger side (4-6 yrs) and OWA slightly older (6-8 yrs). Again, not as complex or nuanced as Pappy, but readily available and a fraction of the cost.

If you MUST have Pappy, the smarter way to do it is try some in a bar. I think I got a pour of the Pappy 12 Lot B at a bar in Houston for $20. Same place I had WLW and GTS. (All 3 on someone else's tab, God bless desperate vendors). For my money, Buffalo Trace's EH Taylor Small Batch @ $33 per bottle is a WAY better bang for the buck. Four Roses Single Barrel is also one of the best values on the shelf today.

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Buffalo Trace's EH Taylor Small Batch

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Dammit I didn't get to try this one either...too hungover. We did this tour on Sunday which was a mistake. I bought Eagle Rare when I was there. Supposed to be upper end Buffalo Trace. Intersting the only difference is that it's aged on the bottom floor of their storage building where it's cooler. The stuff on the very top where it's hot is the stuff in plastic bottles.

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He said he preferred...

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That's all that really needs to be said.

Woodford Reserve
Booker's
Evan Williams SB

For a daily, I really enjoy Bulleit

AggieChemist said:

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SuperAg05 said:

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If you MUST have Pappy, the smarter way to do it is try some in a bar. I think I got a pour of the Pappy 12 Lot B at a bar in Houston for $20.

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"ORVW 12 Lot B" is NOT pappy.

The only "Pappies" are 15, 20, and 23.

HTH.

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Obviously.

But at this point, basically any thing that "might" have traces of stitzel-weller is being called "Pappy" by many so I figured it appropriate to conform.

Heck, even "Poor Man's Pappy" is meant to emulate Weller Centennial, which is also not Pappy, but here we are...

I had Pappy once at a bar in New Orleans. It was great, but not worth the 85 dollars a pour.

Didn't want to start a new thread...what's your best Old Fashioned recipe?

Slicer97 said:

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Woodford Reserve
Booker's
Evan Williams SB

For a daily, I really enjoy Bulleit

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I really like Bulleit for mint juleps, and their rye makes a damn fine sazerac.

We were in Kentucky last week doing some distillery tours. Four roses is my go to, and then I like to pick up others to try. A couple recent favorites have been koval and AD Laws four grain.

John Francis Donaghy said:

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Pappy 15, 20, & 23 are about the only 15, 20, and 23 year old wheated bourbons on the market. If there are others, I can't think of them right now.

Therefore, they are the best 15, 20, & 23 year old wheated bourbons in the world. If old wheaters are your preferred bourbons, then sure, the Pappies are the best in the world. Otherwise, they're just absurdly overpriced old wheaters, and there is way better for way less.

Rock Hill Farms, Elmer T. Lee, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, Stagg, Stagg Jr., Bookers. All phenomenal bourbons.

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ETL is great value and a good bourbon. Stagg Jr is really too hot for me to enjoy it. Others are fine but far from phenomenal. They lack the complexity of flavors.

In b4 someone says "Jim Bean".

Larceny is my everyday pour. Becoming more popular ($$) but still a darn good value.