Bourbon / Whiskey / Whisky - what you drinking?

I really like Jamesons. Sometimes straight but usually with sour. 

Jameson if you're Catholic, Bushmill's if you're Protestant.

Peach flavored bourbon........so smooth, and damn, POWERFUL.  WHEW......love it.

It’s called Old Camp.  And it IS so smooth.  

Beware, I am huge alcoholic connoisseur of all ways to imbibe from Wine to Spirits of all kind (can't drink beer ), and I can talk all day about all different kinds of booze/hooch/alcohol.

And, in fact I'm an investor/owner in a distillery out here in Portland.

But whiskey...

Lately, I'm working through the Evan Williams 100 and Rittenhouse Rye for cocktails and more "everyday" drinking, and for the more savor/sip when needed I have several of the bottlings of Portland's very own Westward Whiskey as my absolute go to. Also working my way through various bottles of Scotch (Lagavulin, Ardbeg, Cragganmore), and when needed my Redbreast 12 Cask Strength...

Rye - I like the spicier aspect that Rye brings in things like Manhattans and most stirred cocktails. It stands up to the Vermouth much better than Bourbon.  My go to Rye is Rittenhouse Rye. It's Bottled in Bond, so it's 100 proof, providing a nice added kick. It usually can be found $20-$30 depending where you are. In Oregon, it's $25  A few nice alternatives around that price point are Old Overholt and Wild Turkey 101. If you want to spend more, it's easy to get into the $75+ range quick.  Something closer to $50 is Dad's Hat or my personal favorite James E Pepper Barrel Strength. As Rye became a darling of the cocktail/bartender world, there are a lot of super expensive bottlings - High West, Whistlepig are the biggest names for the boutique players. They make good stuff, I'd just rather have 3-5 bottles of Rittenhouse vs one of theirs...

Bourbon - If I'm doing Old Fashioned or things like sours, I'll tend to use Bourbon. My go to for cocktails is probably the best bang for your buck spirit in the world - Evan Williams 100 proof. It's good enough to stand on its own, but it's super for mixing, and you cannot beat the $15 price.  If you are looking to sip neat or over ice, there are approx 11 billion brands to choose from. In the $40-70 range I really like Four Roses Small Batch, Old Foresters 1870/1897/1920 Craft bottlings, Bakers, Blantons, Basil Hayden, Woodford Reserve.. I mean look, you can walk into any liquor store on earth and find a decent Bourbon. 

Irish - Jamesons is nice, but for the <$50 I usually prefer Teeling or Tullamore Dew.  I always have a bottle of Redbreast 12 year Cask Strength on hand as a treat to myself when I just need a nice dram of whiskey. This is definitely for drinking neat 1.5 Oz at a time. No mixing or slamming this. 

Scotch - I mean. Scotch differs so much from region to region. If you are looking to get into Scotch, I'd find a good bar, and look for small tasters/flights to get a sense of style you like. Islay are the punch you right in the mouth with peat, peat, and more peat to the Highlands which can produce some very mellow bottles. I don't invest a ton in Scotch, just because it can get crazy really quickly. That said, I will usually have a bottle of something a bit peaty but won't put hair on your chest - Talisker, Lagavulin, any of the Glens... If I was gonna intro someone to Scotch, I'd go Oban or Highland Park. If money were no object I'd drink Benraich 20 year every day.

Japanese - Japanese whiskey is weird. It's insanely priced and overvalued globally, but a most people have probably never had it. They make some AMAZING stuff. And some nice stuff that is just stupidly priced.  If you can swing $60-$70 I cannot recommend Nikka Coffey Grain enough.  (Coffey is the name of the person that invented a type of still that was used to distill in Scotland, not like Coffee).  Not Japan, but Kavalan from Taiwan is also good stuff.

@Henry posted:

Jameson if you're Catholic, Bushmill's if you're Protestant.

What if you are Jewish?

Manischewitz

Outside of the occasional brandy I am not really a brown liquor type of guy so I am currently in a sipping tequila phase.  My current favorite is Villa One Tequila.  Its really smooth over the rocks and put in a twist of lime.  

In Ireland what they say about Jameson's is that there is a baby in every bottle.

@Timpranillo posted:

Japanese - Japanese whiskey is weird. It's insanely priced and overvalued globally, but a most people have probably never had it. They make some AMAZING stuff. And some nice stuff that is just stupidly priced.

Had some Iwai (their basic single malt from what I understand) over the holidays. I liked it, but a bit too sweet for my tastes. I did pick up a bottle of Iwai Tradition, really liked this offering.

Mostly a wine guy.  Sa Blanc or Pinot Noir.  Sometimes Petit Syrah.  And no I’m not drinking any fucking Merlot.  It’s crazy I am an essential worker and go into the office and biz is booming but I’m drinking wine like it’s going out of style.  While I am in WI my company is based in the NW so always checking out different types mostly Oregon and Washington State. 

If I partake in the grog it’s typically Bells Oberon Ale or Two Hearted Ale.  Will venture out into other Sconnie brands but like the merlot I’m not drinking any fucking overrated overhyped Spotted Cow.  When I travel for work I check out the local brands as there are so many good craft IPAs or ales out there. 

If I want to get serious with the brown then it’s a nice Aberlour 18.  Always neat.  Been a fan of Aberlour for a while and the 18 is legit.  The 12 is more of a daily driver for guests but 18 is pure buttery caramel goodness.  Or Don Julio 42.  Neat again. Don’t drink spirits much but why people imbibe on the cheap shit I have no idea.  If it’s all about getting tanked then have at the cheap shit and make sure you ice it down because that’s the only way you can throw it down the gullet. 

On the Japanese Whiskey I have a buddy that’s his dealio but it’s so unique that quite honestly I’m probably too sheltered and ignorant to know what’s what.  It’s like some other very specialized things - scotch, cigars, sports cars - but the people that are into it are like really into it. 

Just bought a jug of Axe and the Oak Colorado Mountain Whiskey for an upcoming fishing trip...I am normally a beer guy but a good whiskey on the rocks with the guys will loosen the tongue.

So I mostly drink wine. I've got a cellar with about 200-300 bottles. My wife rarely drinks red, which is what I prefer but like Tschmack the Merlot thing I never understood. It's a mixing wine IMO, adds something to blends but alone it always seems to me to be flat. 

I love Spanish wines, Cote du Rhone, American from all over, and when I want to empty the wallet Bordeaux and Burgundy. I've got a nice selection of high end Napa cabs/blends from the mid 2000's that I am just starting to dip into. Had a nice 2007 Robert Craig cab with a Jacks frozen pizza Friday night.

Have 6 bottles of 2006 Altmura that used to be a case.  Several different Caymus including a couple 2005 reserve. 

When I'm looking for good wine that's cheap, Portuguese is hard to beat. They are turning out some really good stuff that would go for 4x more if it had a following. I have a friend who is a going through the Sommelier training who also stared his own wine subscription deal that I am part of. Also have a couple of Sonoma vineyards that ship me some on a quarterly basis, JR and Kokomo. They do some decent reds but wife likes the Sav Blanc and other whites they put out.

@Tschmack posted:

If I partake in the grog it’s typically Bells Oberon Ale or Two Hearted Ale.  Will venture out into other Sconnie brands but like the merlot I’m not drinking any fucking overrated overhyped Spotted Cow.  When I travel for work I check out the local brands as there are so many good craft IPAs or ales out there. 

 

I have never been a wine guy.  I like red wines but it is like Nyquil to me it puts me out.

I am with you on the good craft IPA's out there when I also travel for work. I really like hitting the local craft breweries and there are so many good places out there.

Holy cow, didn't know we had so many highfalutin drinkers around here!  

As my brother says, I drink for effect.  

I can't do hard liquor anymore, it puts me into angry mode.  Can't let that happen anymore.  So only beer for me, with the occasional Bloody Mary or screw driver since vodka doesn't seem to hit me to badly.

Mostly prefer light beers like pilsners, although my wife and I share a hobby of trying out local craft breweries whenever we go anywhere.  I've explored more IPAs but still prefer ales.  I did have some honey mead once, that stuff is potent.

Since I am type 2 diabetic, if I am in party mode and having more than just a couple beers, I have to stick to Miller Lite or Miller 64, just to keep my carbs and sugars in check.

@Goldie posted:

Peach flavored bourbon........so smooth, and damn, POWERFUL.  WHEW......love it.

There is a distillery in Princeton, MN that makes "Revel Stoke" whisky in several flavors. My favorites are Nut Crusher(Peanut Butter), Smoregasm(Smores), Buttersquatch(Butterscotch) and Crack Berry(Blackberry). They also make a Peach flavor, an Apple Cider flavor,  a Honey flavor(called Buzz Saw), a Cinnamon flavor(like Fire ball, called Hot Box) a Pecan flavor, a Dill Pickle flavor and a Spicy flavor. There are more flavors and there is a good chance you will not find every flavor, in any one liquor outlet, due to lack of shelf space. Two fingers of one of these, at the end of a day, or whenever, can set you straight. Be careful with the dill pickle one. It may be an acquired taste...LOL! Price is around $20/ Liter.

Speaking of Minnesota booze, if you like vodka try one called 1941.  It is a 6 or 7 times distilled corn based vodka and is very smooth.

I do have a question on Whisky vs. Whiskey.  What is the difference between the two outside of the spelling?

https://oakandeden.com/blogs/j...hat-s-the-difference