American made Hard Liquor

[Malphas]

Not American but just pick up a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label -- always classy

yea i thought about that.... but I feel johnnie walker is border line sn0bish ever since they've hit the club scene..  kinda like iPhones..

Johnnie Walker is a whisky for people that don't know/care about whiskey.

Since you're limited to USA origin the obvious choice is bourbon or rye. If they're seasoned drinkers then they probably already have a chosen mainstream brand and a "premium" whisky will be more for novelty value than anything else - or if they're not that much of a drinker then they won't really be in a position to critique whatever you give them. In both cases you can basically just pick any esoteric small batch distillery out of a hat.

This seems interesting, not that I've tried it.

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Not a true assessment of "American" whiskey drinkers. Most of them maybe, but not all. The same could easily be said for the Scotch or Irish or Tequila drinkers. I have a collection of about 150 bottles of bourbon and rye and have tried all of them. Our whiskey clubs meet for tastings several times a year and even travel to some of the distilleries to pick private barrels to be privately bottled just for us. There are dozens of similar whiskey clubs all over the US.

I didn't say it was anything specific to American whiskey drinkers; it's the same of all seasoned drinkers generally. Most Scotch drinkers have a particular blend or a mainstream malt that they drink 99%+ of the time. What you are is a hobbyist/collector/enthusiast, that's not the same thing.

[smknjoe]

Not American but just pick up a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label -- always classy

yea i thought about that.... but I feel johnnie walker is border line sn0bish ever since they've hit the club scene..  kinda like iPhones..

Johnnie Walker is a whisky for people that don't know/care about whiskey.

Since you're limited to USA origin the obvious choice is bourbon or rye. If they're seasoned drinkers then they probably already have a chosen mainstream brand and a "premium" whisky will be more for novelty value than anything else - or if they're not that much of a drinker then they won't really be in a position to critique whatever you give them. In both cases you can basically just pick any esoteric small batch distillery out of a hat.

This seems interesting, not that I've tried it.

Show Image

Not a true assessment of "American" whiskey drinkers. Most of them maybe, but not all. The same could easily be said for the Scotch or Irish or Tequila drinkers. I have a collection of about 150 bottles of bourbon and rye and have tried all of them. Our whiskey clubs meet for tastings several times a year and even travel to some of the distilleries to pick private barrels to be privately bottled just for us. There are dozens of similar whiskey clubs all over the US.

Agreed.  I have also tried tons of American, Canadian, Scotch, and Irish whiskeys before I decided that I prefer Scotch, am indifferent to Irish, and generally hate American and Canadian.  I call Crown Royal "Crayon" because it is a reverse bastardization of the pronunciation, and somewhat fitting.  However, I am still open to trying new bottles if they are highly recommended, and hope to actually enjoy an American whiskey one day.  The people at the liquor store know me very well LOL.

If you like peaty smokey scotch then you may not like bourbon or rye. They are completely different animals. If you do enjoy the smokey malts then I would suggest Weller 12 year for you. It's smokey, sweet, and even has a little coconut around mid palate. I don't like it at all because it reminds me of scotch. For the record the last scotch I had was a Laphroaig 10 yr. and it's like medicine to put it nicely.

Edit: Most, not all, Canadian and Irish whiskey is GNS (vodka) flavored with either a straight whiskey or other flavorings and coloring. Crown Royal is basically flavored vodka.

Edit 2: Which American whiskies have you had that you don't like? That would help me determine what you might like. Also, not all American whiskies are created equal. There are lots of blends and micro-distilleries that are true swill.

[HoffmanMyster]

Hahaha, really guys it's alright.  We both know that she drinks it because it's a really easy/cheap way to get drunk and it doesn't taste super crappy.    No one was under the impression that it was a super classy drink. 

I meant no offense, I think it tastes awful but if she likes it then more power to her.  I'm of the mindset that people can drink whatever they like.

No offense taken, I was just explaining in case anyone was curious.

Hmmm... Hoff might have a sister complex.. he just can't stop talkin' bout her...

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Ha.  Nope.   :p

[quickcrx702]

If you like peaty smokey scotch then you may not like bourbon or rye. They are completely different animals. If you do enjoy the smokey malts then I would suggest Weller 12 year for you. It's smokey, sweet, and even has a little coconut around mid palate. I don't like it at all because it reminds me of scotch. For the record the last scotch I had was a Laphroaig 10 yr. and it's like medicine to put it nicely.

Edit: Most, not all, Canadian and Irish whiskey is GNS (vodka) flavored with either a straight whiskey or other flavorings and coloring. Crown Royal is basically flavored vodka.

Edit 2: Which American whiskies have you had that you don't like? That would help me determine what you might like. Also, not all American whiskies are created equal. There are lots of blends and micro-distilleries that are true swill.

Out of the recommendations that you gave, the only one they had in stock at Total Wine was Blantons.  They carry most of the other ones, but they are sold out, which supports what you said about the shortage.  However, to be fair, I spoke with the bourbon expert at the store and asked for other recommendations, and they highly recommended Blantons, and said that Chestnut Farms would be a close second.  I purchased both.  Blanton's was EXCELLENT.  Chestnut Farms was just okay, not bad, and not great. 

As far as what I've tried in the past - I've tried the higher priced bottles of Woodford Reserve, Wild Turkey, Jefferson's Reserve, Makers, Jack, and a bunch of other ones that I can't remember.  Pretty much I went to the liquor store and kept trying bottles before I finally gave up on Bourbon.  Thanks to your recommendations, I take back what I said earlier, and will add Blanton's into my rotation.  I still prefer Balvenie, but WOW was I pleasantly surprised by the Blanton's. 

Also, I realize that comparing Scotch to Bourbon is like comparing apples to oranges, so I just take it for what it is.  Thanks for the recommendation, and I will try the other ones on your list when they come back in stock.  I'll look out for the Weller 12 as well.  As far as Scotch, I dare you to try a bottle of Balvenie 21 and tell me it isn't the greatest drink you've ever tasted.  However, it is very spendy, so I usually just settle for the 12 unless it's my birthday or some other special occasion.

[smknjoe]

Glad to hear you like it. Blanton's and Elmer T. Lee use the same mashbill (recipe) and come from the same distillery (Buffalo Trace.) Just different labels, bottles, and price. Chestnut Farms I have heard of but not had. I think it's specifically marketed on the West coast. Regional offerings are not uncommon. And remember many of those liquor store guys have incentive to sell particular brands whether they are good or not. There is a local place here that pushes Rowan's Creek all of the time. It's not bad stuff, but it's not what I go in looking for - yet they always recommend it.

Most of what you have already tried is considered plebeian by most enthusiasts and the high end Woodford bottles ($100+) are considered really bad, period. Maker's is like water to me, Jefferson's used to be good when it was 15, but I haven't had the new stuff. They did come out with a 17 and 18 year that are REALLY good if you can find them. Unlikely though. Wild Turkey made before 2000 was good, now it's hit or miss as to if your bottle will be good. And last, but not least, the best selling whiskey in the US - Jack Daniel's- ...I just don't like it. It's a well made whiskey, but it tastes like bananas.

As you can imagine some of the guys in my group are scotch drinkers too. So, I'll ask for a sample of the Balvenie at our next tasting. The other bourbons I recommended should be available in good whiskey bars.

[quickcrx702]

No wonder I didn't like what I tried.  I like your choice of words, "plebeian" LOL.  It looks like we have a more refined palette than the peasants.  My assumption was that if I kept buying enough bottles on the higher end of the spectrum, they must be representative of what is considered quality.  I stand corrected.  I think that Blanton's reminds me a little of Balvenie if it were a Bourbon, which is probably why I like it.  I am quite sure that you will enjoy Balvenie.  I'm not a connoisseur, I've just tried a lot of different whiskeys.  So while I can't give any "notes of some BS flower or spice you've never heard of... blah blah..." comparison, I can tell you from my taste buds that Balvenie and Blantons would be like Pepsi and Coke, whereas Jack or others would be RC Cola.  They are different from each other, but are relatively similar and very enjoyable, while superior to the RC Cola of Whiskeys.  Thanks again for making me eat my words.