OT-bourbon help?

[husky99]

have a really good buddy who is a carpenter and did a huge favor. looking to get him a nice bottle of bourbon in the 50 to 70 dollar range, any idea?

 

[jleves]

How close are you to Norwalk, CT?

Go here and ask them - best prices and selection you can find and people working who know what they are talking about (if it's anything like the LA stores): Total Wine and More

 

[Northbound]

Plenty in that range

-Blantons is good and should be easy to attain
-Elijah Craig 12 yo is a notch below that price point but very tasty
-Four Roses - Small batch and single barrel, there is about 10 different mash bills so depending on if you like a wheated bourbon or not is where the mash bill comes into play
-Rock Hill Farms
-Breckenridge is good a bit on the lighter side, but very surprising for a Colorado product (I know people love Bullet, but I personally don't understand it)
-Leopold Brother out of Colorado makes some incredible whiskeys and as much as I hate to admit it their fresh Georgia peach, Rocky Mountain blackberry fruited products are amazing.
-EH Taylor good and while there is a fuss about the tornado surviving lot it's just like their other product.
-Wild Turkey Tradition - that's probably a touch outside of your price point but its tasty
-Parker reserve - you might be able to get a bottle of this at the upper range of what you want to spend. It's high proof.

There's a ton more, and I'm happy to help and even give you some thoughts on where to find some stuff if you need more info PM me.

 

[husky99]

Plenty in that range

-Blantons is good and should be easy to attain
-Elijah Craig 12 yo is a notch below that price point but very tasty
-Four Roses - Small batch and single barrel, there is about 10 different mash bills so depending on if you like a wheated bourbon or not is where the mash bill comes into play
-Rock Hill Farms
-Breckenridge is good a bit on the lighter side, but very surprising for a Colorado product (I know people love Bullet, but I personally don't understand it)
-Leopold Brother out of Colorado makes some incredible whiskeys and as much as I hate to admit it their fresh Georgia peach, Rocky Mountain blackberry fruited products are amazing.
-EH Taylor good and while there is a fuss about the tornado surviving lot it's just like their other product.
-Wild Turkey Tradition - that's probably a touch outside of your price point but its tasty
-Parker reserve - you might be able to get a bottle of this at the upper range of what you want to spend. It's high proof.

There's a ton more, and I'm happy to help and even give you some thoughts on where to find some stuff if you need more info PM me.

thanks big time.. had Blantons and Four Roses a few years back, both amazing. thanks.. this is a great list

 

[uchusky32]

Forget the Bourbon get him this. Sipping some now.

 

[CTBasketball]

Scotch is always a good option too.

 

[TheChamps990411]

Id go with a vintage Colt 45 40oz aged Billy Dee Williams hair grease.

 

[uchusky32]

UConn3 better not respond to this post.

 

[Mots010]

Plenty in that range

-Blantons is good and should be easy to attain
-Elijah Craig 12 yo is a notch below that price point but very tasty
-Four Roses - Small batch and single barrel, there is about 10 different mash bills so depending on if you like a wheated bourbon or not is where the mash bill comes into play
-Rock Hill Farms
-Breckenridge is good a bit on the lighter side, but very surprising for a Colorado product (I know people love Bullet, but I personally don't understand it)
-Leopold Brother out of Colorado makes some incredible whiskeys and as much as I hate to admit it their fresh Georgia peach, Rocky Mountain blackberry fruited products are amazing.
-EH Taylor good and while there is a fuss about the tornado surviving lot it's just like their other product.
-Wild Turkey Tradition - that's probably a touch outside of your price point but its tasty
-Parker reserve - you might be able to get a bottle of this at the upper range of what you want to spend. It's high proof.

There's a ton more, and I'm happy to help and even give you some thoughts on where to find some stuff if you need more info PM me.

You can't go wrong with anything on this list.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

If it can be a whiskey, not specifically a bourbon, your choices are far greater, even if you are going with a bourbon type (corn based) whiskey (Jack, the suggested Colorado whiskeys).

Avoid Maker's Mark as it is vastly over rated (and by using wheat as a secondary grain should not be classified as a bourbon as far as I am concerned).

Woodford Reserve is good but also a bit over rated.

The high end products of standard quality names; Gentleman Jack, Evan Williams Single Barrel, Jim Beam Black & Wild Turkey Tradition are all very good, Evan Williams Single Barrel and Jim Beam Black even won a few best bourbon awards (and if each didn't share the brand name of a quality but not overly expensive bourbon they would be held in higher public esteem).

Jefferson's Reserve makes an excellent Straight Bourbon and Straight Rye (a true rye, something Hiram Walker nearly destroyed). I would highly recommend both but also warn that a true rye has far more complex a flavor than someone used to Seagram's V O, Canadian Club or Seagram's 7 would ever expect.

Be careful with Scotch unless you know what he prefers (if he is not a scotch drinker he may not even know). The most common (and there are some very good ones) are blends but the better Scotch's are single malt (their term for small, individual batch whiskys - note the different spelling) which are distinct by region (I prefer Speyside, a subgroup of Highland but more people prefer Islay or Highland.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Woodford Reserve 18yo. You can thank me later.

Or for a few bucks more, Johnny Walker Blue Label.

 

[husky99]

thanks all!

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

He is the most interesting recruit of the month.
Ray Kasongo is too young to drink bourbon legally, but if he were old enough he'd probably drink Makers Muppet.

 

[husky99]

If it can be a whiskey, not specifically a bourbon, your choices are far greater, even if you are going with a bourbon type (corn based) whiskey (Jack, the suggested Colorado whiskeys).


Be careful with Scotch unless you know what he prefers (if he is not a scotch drinker he may not even know). The most common (and there are some very good ones) are blends but the better Scotch's are single malt (their term for small, individual batch whiskys - note the different spelling) which are distinct by region (I prefer Speyside, a subgroup of Highland but more people prefer Islay or Highland.

I spend four days in the highland with a lady friend when I spent a semester in London. to young to understand the quality of what I was drinking

 

[Dry Tortugas]

Pappy van Winkle. Really good.

 

[Northbound]

Pappy van Winkle. Really good.

I've got four bottles of it, but you know if you ever drink it it's almost unattainable unless you buy a lot or know someone. I've got an unopened bottle of 20 that I'm seriously considering putting in eBay. It'll get close to a grand. Stupid people pay stupid money when there is a ton of good stuff available for reasonable price points. Don't get me wrong Julian does great stuff, but there are plenty of options that are equal and some that dare I say are even better

The best Pappy is the younger stuff, bourbon typically when it gets to that 20 yo range can get overly oaked and overpower the glass, it's what happened to the Elijah 20, but the 21 is supposed to have a more balanced flavor profile which I'll confirm tomorrow when I still in from turkey hunting and open that bottle.

By the way 99 there are some good Ryes out there in your price point if you want something lighter. Whistle Pig is great at between 55-70 bucks. Handy Rye is high proof 134-140 but great if he likes high proofed stuff that probably tips your price range a bit and it might be hard to track down as I've not tried to find it in a whole as I've still got a bottle left.

I'll take this back to the bourbon enthusiast site so we can get back to hoops.

 

[kyle]

This thread makes me feel like a total alcohol noob...back to the high life I go.

 

[TRest]

3 reasonably priced (30-40$ for a fifth) are Hirsch Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, and Eagle Rare. Low budget favorites are Four Roses and Old Weller. You will not find Pappy on a shelf anywhere, if you do let me know.

 

[Penfield]

Basil Hayden or Knob Creek. Mmmmmmmmm

 

[Hoophound]

Gentleman Jack in most cases as a gift. If the guy knows his stuff and drinks a variety, Woodford Reserve.

IMO, Gentleman Jack is the can't miss gift and my absolute favorite.

 

[8893]

I'm much more of a Scotch drinker, but I recently tried Jim Beam Devil's Cut at an open bar and was very pleasantly surprised by how good it was. Liked it so much I had three or four doubles.

As a gift I'd go with one of the bottles Northbound recommended, but people who are so inclined should definitely check out Devil's Cut.

 

[The Viking]

By the way 99 there are some good Ryes out there in your price point if you want something lighter. Whistle Pig is great at between 55-70 bucks. Handy Rye is high proof 134-140 but great if he likes high proofed stuff that probably tips your price range a bit and it might be hard to track down as I've not tried to find it in a whole as I've still got a bottle left.

I'll take this back to the bourbon enthusiast site so we can get back to hoops.

Speaking of Rye's, Michters is excellent.

As for bourbon, I'm a big fan of Blanton's. Not that the others mentioned aren't good as well.

 

[SallyH]

Booker's is really good, also.

 

[HuskyNationJE]

Bulleit or very good as is Woodford Reserve.

 

[stick]

I've got four bottles of it, but you know if you ever drink it it's almost unattainable unless you buy a lot or know someone. I've got an unopened bottle of 20 that I'm seriously considering putting in eBay. It'll get close to a grand. Stupid people pay stupid money when there is a ton of good stuff available for reasonable price points. Don't get me wrong Julian does great stuff, but there are plenty of options that are equal and some that dare I say are even better

The best Pappy is the younger stuff, bourbon typically when it gets to that 20 yo range can get overly oaked and overpower the glass, it's what happened to the Elijah 20, but the 21 is supposed to have a more balanced flavor profile which I'll confirm tomorrow when I still in from turkey hunting and open that bottle.

By the way 99 there are some good Ryes out there in your price point if you want something lighter. Whistle Pig is great at between 55-70 bucks. Handy Rye is high proof 134-140 but great if he likes high proofed stuff that probably tips your price range a bit and it might be hard to track down as I've not tried to find it in a whole as I've still got a bottle left.

I'll take this back to the bourbon enthusiast site so we can get back to hoops.

Personally, I think the 20 yr is way overrated and overpriced. IMO, the 15 yr is really the sweet spot when you can find it. I used to buy it online for years at pretty good prices, but that's all done now. The Four Roses limited batch 2012 or 2013 really is fantastic, but might be slightly outside the OP's price range as it's around $90 and up. The Hirsch small batch is really good and good value (probably not what the OP is thinking) and much cheaper. If the OP is not limited to bourbons, I would recommend the Macallan 15 yr for the price range. I personally prefer the 12 yr Macallan, but if you want to make an impression the 15 yr is the way to go. Whistle Pig is a great recommendation and will be greatly appreciated by any whisky aficionado.