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Good bourbon

captruss24 said:
So is the general consensus that Blanton's is the best 750mL bourbon for @ $50? I'm in the buying mood for the holidays and would like to keep it under $50 and can be easily found.
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I'm heading to the ABC during lunch and plan to pick up a bottle of Blanton's to travel around with me and share with family during the holidays. :thumbsup:
 
RJKarl said:
Sorry that people who do this for a living say somethnig......my bad a bunch of internet warriors know more than people whose income depends on it.

BTW, you should never ruin good liquor by mixing it with anything other than ice or maybe a prescribed bit of water (many scotches and bourbons do suggest adding water).
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Did a tour in Scotland and every single distillery recommended a cube or splash in your drink.
 
RJKarl said:
Sorry that people who do this for a living say somethnig......my bad a bunch of internet warriors know more than people whose income depends on it.
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Bartenders deal with trends. A chocolate martini isn't a martini no matter what the guy tells you in order to get a larger tip.

RJKarl said:
BTW, you should never ruin good liquor by mixing it with anything other than ice or maybe a prescribed bit of water (many scotches and bourbons do suggest adding water).
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Disagree. A Manhattan is a great drink. A dirty Vodka is a great drink as well if you prefer your liquor clear.
 
RJKarl said:
Sorry that people who do this for a living say somethnig......my bad a bunch of internet warriors know more than people whose income depends on it.

BTW, you should never ruin good liquor by mixing it with anything other than ice or maybe a prescribed bit of water (many scotches and bourbons do suggest adding water).
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You mean people like these?

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/21/WI1ORSF9C.DTL

http://www.cocktailtimes.com/party/christmas.shtml

http://www.amazon.com/Fine-Art-Mixing-Drinks/dp/0385096836

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/29/fashion/29shake.html

http://www.esquire.com/drinks/manhattan-drink-recipe

http://www.manhattancocktailclassic.com/gallery.html (you have to click through the pictures to get to images of a Manhatten)

OR you could do a google image search for one: http://www.google.com/search?pq=the...urce=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=nFrvTt2hKIPW2wW-uv2kDw
 
RJKarl said:
Sorry that people who do this for a living say somethnig......my bad a bunch of internet warriors know more than people whose income depends on it.

BTW, you should never ruin good liquor by mixing it with anything other than ice or maybe a prescribed bit of water (many scotches and bourbons do suggest adding water).
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This post deserves a ton of negrep. I have been told by distillers at Buffalo Trace, people who make the world's best whiskeys for a living and not internet warriors, that the best way to enjoy your liquor is whichever way you enjoy it best.

Anything that isn't unfiltered and bottle proof has already been diluted by someone else. It's a stupid thing to say.
 
TuffaloDeac10 said:
This post deserves a ton of negrep. I have been told by distillers at Buffalo Trace, people who make the world's best whiskeys for a living and not internet warriors, that the best way to enjoy your liquor is whichever way you enjoy it best.

Anything that isn't unfiltered and bottle proof has already been diluted by someone else. It's a stupid thing to say.
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"Did a tour in Scotland and every single distillery recommended a cube or splash in your drink."

No your statement is dumb.
 
and this one tuff:

"To Noe, Booker's is his favorite of favorites and he admits its more out of sentiment than anything else, not just because "it was my dad's baby," but also because it is like tasting the past. In 1988 Booker Noe (Fred Noe's father) introduced it as Booker's True Barrel Bourbon because it is, in fact, "true barrel." The elder Noe wanted to make bourbon the way it was "uncut, straight out of the barrel." This was how whiskey used to be distributed, before the days of bottling, when drinkers would bring jugs to the distillery and have them filled straight from the barrel for a price of fifteen cents a quart. Prior to his father's death, Fred Noe would select barrels for this high-proof bourbon with Booker, creating many memories the younger Noe has held on to and leading to his preference for the "true barrel bourbon that reignites the flames" of the past.

Being bottled straight from the barrel, Booker's is proofed between 121 and 127, depending on the barrels chosen and is meant to be cut with water or another mixer to bring it to a more palatable proof. This is how it was done in the old days and this is how it is intended to be done now. Noe does not suggest drinking Booker's neat because it is simply too hot, but when cut with water the flavors open up, leading to a bourbon drinking experience from times long gone. Booker's has intense aromas that jump out the glass, led by the vanilla and caramel taken from the barrels which have a #4 char (the heaviest allowed). Noe also describes Booker's as hot and smooth with a warm finish, the entire experience being that of "full, real bourbon."
 
Good grief, you said you should never mix liquor with anything but maybe a bit of water because it dilutes it and ruins the liquor. He was saying drink it how you like it - meaning you can mix it with things and not worry about dilution because it is already diluted.
 
RJKarl said:
and this one tuff:

"To Noe, Booker's is his favorite of favorites and he admits its more out of sentiment than anything else, not just because "it was my dad's baby," but also because it is like tasting the past. In 1988 Booker Noe (Fred Noe's father) introduced it as Booker's True Barrel Bourbon because it is, in fact, "true barrel." The elder Noe wanted to make bourbon the way it was "uncut, straight out of the barrel." This was how whiskey used to be distributed, before the days of bottling, when drinkers would bring jugs to the distillery and have them filled straight from the barrel for a price of fifteen cents a quart. Prior to his father's death, Fred Noe would select barrels for this high-proof bourbon with Booker, creating many memories the younger Noe has held on to and leading to his preference for the "true barrel bourbon that reignites the flames" of the past.

Being bottled straight from the barrel, Booker's is proofed between 121 and 127, depending on the barrels chosen and is meant to be cut with water or another mixer to bring it to a more palatable proof. This is how it was done in the old days and this is how it is intended to be done now. Noe does not suggest drinking Booker's neat because it is simply too hot, but when cut with water the flavors open up, leading to a bourbon drinking experience from times long gone. Booker's has intense aromas that jump out the glass, led by the vanilla and caramel taken from the barrels which have a #4 char (the heaviest allowed). Noe also describes Booker's as hot and smooth with a warm finish, the entire experience being that of "full, real bourbon."
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Again proving my point. The barrel proof bourbons (which I happen to enjoy straight, especially the Willett Green Horn at Bourbon in DC) are made to LET THE CONSUMER MIX IT TO TASTE. Taste is seriously the only the thing that matters, and if someone's palate dictates that there's a ginger ale or cider or vermouth in their drink, then there's no one on the fucking planet who has a right to say they're doing it wrong.

And I'll take the guys at the Trace over Beam 8 days a week.
 
IMO, if you are making a cocktail where the whiskey is the dominant spirit/flavor, then the better the whiskey the better the cocktail.

Obviously there might be an upper limit to this idea. I'm not gonna make a cocktail with Pappy, but I'd consider making Manhattans, Old fashioneds, etc. with $50-$60 whiskeys.
 
MHBDemon said:
IMO, if you are making a cocktail where the whiskey is the dominant spirit/flavor, then the better the whiskey the better the cocktail.

Obviously there might be an upper limit to this idea. I'm not gonna make a cocktail with Pappy, but I'd consider making Manhattans, Old fashioneds, etc. with $50-$60 whiskeys.
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I don't disagree, but I've found that the quality of the worst ingredient in the drink has more influence on the taste than the quality of the best ingredient. That is, with a mid-shelf liquor and bottom-shelf mixer, you're better off replacing the mixer with mid-tier than going to top-shelf liquor.
 
TuffaloDeac10 said:
I don't disagree, but I've found that the quality of the worst ingredient in the drink has more influence on the taste than the quality of the best ingredient. That is, with a mid-shelf liquor and bottom-shelf mixer, you're better off replacing the mixer with mid-tier than going to top-shelf liquor.
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This is true. So I always recommend to people that they make manhattans with a good vermouth. Dolin is my go to, but Vya and Carpano Antico are both good as well. And if you make them at home, keep the vermouth in the fridge.
 
This thread is not healthy to my wallet. I'm picking up a fifth of blantons on the way home, and i'll be making a woodford manhattan later on tonight.
 
wfudkn said:
This is true. So I always recommend to people that they make manhattans with a good vermouth. Dolin is my go to, but Vya and Carpano Antico are both good as well. And if you make them at home, keep the vermouth in the fridge.
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Ahh.. thanks for the advice. I love making manhattans at home, but mine aren't quite on the level of my favorite DC bar (The Passenger).
 
And as an aside, each of the distilleries I went to on the bourbon trail suggested a glass with a single cube of ice to slightly bring it lower than room temperature and to open up the flavors. The difference really is noticeable.
 
Deacfan2009 said:
Ahh.. thanks for the advice. I love making manhattans at home, but mine aren't quite on the level of my favorite DC bar (The Passenger).
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Been to The Columbia Room yet friend? When I was there two weekends ago they were serving a Manhattan variation that was incredible.

Also, I was literally just telling Nonny about The Passenger on Thursday night and saying it seemed like somewhere you would go :D
 
WRS said:
Been to The Columbia Room yet friend? When I was there two weekends ago they were serving a Manhattan variation that was incredible.

Also, I was literally just telling Nonny about The Passenger on Thursday night and saying it seemed like somewhere you would go :D
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Nah. Haven't been to the Columbia room. Is it similar? Or like a more-upscale version of The Passenger? ETA: Just looked it up. Whoa.. I wondered what the backroom of the place was. Makes more sense now. Gotta try it out sometime.

Their whistlepig rye manhattan they make is incredible. Love it. I do hate that they serve it in traditional martini glasses, mainly because I usually always end up spilling that ish.

The best thing about the passenger is that when you've decided you've spent enough on cocktails, you can switch to $4 Schlitz tallboys. They've got something for everyone!
 
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Deacfan2009 said:
Nah. Haven't been to the Columbia room. Is it similar? Or like a more-upscale version of The Passenger?

Their whistlepig rye manhattan they make is incredible. Love it. I do hate that they serve it in traditional martini glasses, mainly because I usually always end up spilling that ish.

The best thing about the passenger is that when you've decided you've spent enough on cocktails, you can switch to $4 Schlitz tallboys. They've got something for everyone!
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The Columbia Room is basically the back room of The Passenger. Totally different bar though. It's only got 10 seats and pretty much constantly full so you have to make a reservation.

The sole focus is making the absolute best possible cocktails. Most people that go there opt for the tasting menu I think which is 3 drinks and a small food dish (braised pork belly when I went). First two drinks are selected by the bartender each night and the third they will make basically anything for you based on your tastes. The whole thing lasts about two hours and it's really cool because the bartender gives you a lot of personal attention and you can learn a lot of interesting stuff about what they do. They also hand cut the ice that they use out of a big block which I thought was cool.

Not cheap at all but now that you're moving up in the world it's something to keep on the radar :thumbsup:

ETA: Just saw your edit but that's my review in any event. Definitely worth a trip.
 
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