Best bourbon under $50?

[melensdad]

Anyone want to come to the NWI INGO Clubhouse on Thursday for a Bourbon comparison test? Probably about noon?

Sadclownwp and I are going to be there. He is bringing Angel's Envy and I am bringing Beer Barrel. Both are unique in that after traditional aging in charred white oak casks, both are re-casked. The Angels Envy is re-casked in barrels from Port wine and the Beer Barrel is re-casked in barrels that formerly held Dragon's Milk Beer.

Lonehoosier is going to show up too! He's bringing a bottle too.

Bring something if you come.

OK just my take on these 4 bourbons...

RIDGEMONT RESERVE 1792 is a really nice, really smooth bourbon. The aroma picks up some oak and maybe some vanilla and is sweet. It has plenty of aroma too. The color is a rich amber, bordering on a brown amber. There is a definite tingle all through the mouth but its not a harsh tingle and there is no burn at all in the mouth, and no burn going down either. You notice a little bit of heat at the bottom, but not enough that I'd call it a burn.

The GENTLEMAN JACK, in comparison to the R.R.1792 has very little aroma in the glass, I had Sadclownwp take a couple deep inhales and he agreed that the aroma is very light. The color is also a bit lighter than the R.R.1792 as well, its more of a golden amber. In the mouth the JACK is harsher, it has a light tingle but it stays with you, especially on the back end of your mouth and has a mild burn on the way down. Even a minute after swallowing the drink your mouth is still feeling some of the tingle.

ANGLES ENVY and BEER BARREL are similar in that both are smoother and mildly sweeter. I prefer the BEER BARREL both neat and over ice, when compared to the ANGLES ENVY, but that is not to say that the ANGLES ENVY is not good. Its very good, very smooth, hints of sweetness and no burn.

Thought I'd give a bit more complete follow up on these bourbons.

There were 7 INGO members today (Snap Dragon, IL Caveman, BradMedic, Lonehoosier, Andy219, Sadclownwp & myself) plus we had some of the "regulars" who stepped up and took one for the team, just to help us out.

First off I'll say that the Gentleman Jack was favored by Andy219 and Snap Dragon. Its very different from the other 3 and given how different it is, I think it lends itself to strong opinions, either FOR or AGAINST. With any Jack Daniels product I've ever tried, I either really like it, or I don't. So it is with this one. The people who liked it, thought it the best. The people who didn't like it, ranked it at the bottom. And it hits you with a full force of flavor and plenty of alcohol tingle in your mouth, spices of some sort, and even after the finish it lingers with you in the mouth. There is some burn on the way down but not an objectionable amount, it goes down smoother than you'd guess based on the sensation in your mouth. I liked this much better with cube of ice, mostly melted into it. It seemed to mellow out the flavors, reduce the mouth tingle and generally make it a more pleasant drink. That said, me, I'm just not a big fan of this one.

The RIDGEMONT RESERVE 1792 is a bargain for what it brings to the table. Under $30 for the bottle it was the cheapest bottle at this showdown but it was smooth and tasty with a nice aroma and a sweet finish. I can easily see why people would like this bourbon, its easy to drink, either neat or with a cube of ice. The bit of burn I noted above in my earlier observations vanished when adding an ice cube and letting it melt into the drink. Nobody picked this one as the winner, but also nobody found it objectionable.

But I think its fair to say that the two stars of the show, and probably were a reasonable "TIE" were ANGLES ENVY and BEER BARREL. Most everyone liked BOTH of these two bourbons. Some liked one a bit better than the other, but I don't think either of them stood out as clearly superior over the other.

Both are similar in the way they are made, both are aged in the traditional charred oak casks, but then after the aging process, both are re-casked. In the case of the ANGELS ENVY the second aging is done in Port Wine barrels. Port wines are known to a hearty dark red wine that is generally sweet and often served as a dessert wine. There is no indication of how long its aged in the wine barrels, but I'd suspect its casked for a few months. With the BEER BARREL bourbon the process is the same, but the second casking is aged in beer barrels from New Holland Brewing's DRAGONS MILK beer and is aged for 3 to 4 months in those beer barrels. Each of these two bourbons picks up hints of the flavors and is simultaneously mellowed a bit by the second cask aging process and those characteristics seemed to add to the bourbon rather than covering up or overwhelming the traditional bourbon flavor.

 

[melensdad]

Relaxing after a long day and watching MONUMENTS MEN so I'm not going to do a 2 bourbon comparison, but rather I'm sitting with a small glass of WILD TURKEY FORGIVEN next to me. The glass is neat, not even an ice cube in sight. No reason to water this down and tame it, it may be WILD Turkey but its smooth and comfortable as your favorite pair of shoes.

Its a rich savory bourbon with a good bit of spice that rounds out the flavor. It does have some modest burn going down but its such a pleasant drink with wonderful complexity that moves from savory to spicy and the burn going down is more of a warming glow. I really like this drink. It hits your tongue with a nice savory, not sweet, sensation and there is nary a hint of mouth tingle. It moves to the back of the mouth and you pick up some peppery spices before it rolls down your throat with its mild warmth. There is no harshness in this drink. Just goodness.

But I should point out, its a bourbon blended with rye whiskey, not a straight bourbon.

 

[melensdad]

I'm beat up and sore from moving dirt and stone and building raised beds. So I'm sitting and resting. Got a short glass with a single shot of Traverse City Bourbon neat.

I'm got some mouth tingle today on the first sip but none after. And it seems a bit harsh going down with a little more burn than I remember from the first try at this bottle. The aroma is still nice and sweet. Its still goes into the mouth bringing some good flavors. But the burn going down is new. Doesn't burn at the bottom but it does offer a little heat when it hits the belly, its on the way to get there that it burns.

This is still a nice drink. Its not a stand out as one of the best, but its right in the middle of the pack of good bourbons. You won't go wrong if you see it on the shelf and buy a bottle, its a pretty easy to drink bourbon that offers enough taste to actually offer your mouth something to enjoy.

Perhaps I'm getting this burn because of the dinner of dry rubbed ribs I just finished off? Food tends to alter the flavors of things that come after it so I'm guessing that might be the issue tonight.

 

[rkwhyte2]

Jefferson Reserve Revisited:

I poured and nice 1.5 to 2 ounce glass of JF this evening determined to give it a second try. Well all I can say is I guess my head cold wasn't completely gone when I tried it the first time. Still has a definite alcohol nose but it isn't bad. My first sip neat was totally different than my first go around. No tingle and no burn. Instead I get a nice sweetness with just a touch of spice. It also has a hint of oak that I find quite nice. I have to say I never got around to adding a cube or a splash of water I just never saw the need. Overall a very nice drink neat. I think I may another short one and then call it a night.

 

[7.62]

I bought a bottle of Four Roses Private Selection OBSO. This is a limited edition bottle only carried at a few select retailers.

First up was a shot neat.

pretty good burn and flavor was slightly fruity. But the burn dominated the drink.

then I added some ice. This completely opened up the flavor. It has a distinct fruity flavor. Burn is greatly tamed. This is a great bourbon. Very impressed! But definitely much better on ice or with a bit of water.

 

[melensdad]

Jefferson Reserve Revisited:

. . . Well all I can say is I guess my head cold wasn't completely gone when I tried it the first time.

. . .

Overall a very nice drink neat. I think I may another short one and then call it a night.

And I think that is why its so important to try things at least TWICE. I'm glad you posted your follow up thoughts. After the first review I pretty much wrote off Jefferson Reserve, after this review I'd gladly consider it when I need to replenish my supplies.

I learned it with cigars. What I eat before I smoke a cigar, and with some foods that means even a couple hours earlier, can affect the taste of the cigar. I know that if you want to ruin a good cigar then eat some blackberries. I love blackberries, but they leave a coating in your mouth that changes the flavors of things 2 hours later!

So it is with bourbon. Same thing happens with flavors in your mouth, if you ate spicy food, food full of garlic, etc then the spices may change the bourbon you sample later. Another thing to watch is acidic foods (foods with lots of tomatoes, or citrus, etc) as those foods will make the "burn" more intense when you sip your bourbon. Acidic foods can make a mild bourbon tingle in your mouth and really burn on the way down and in your belly.

I bought a bottle of Four Roses Private Selection OBSO. This is a limited edition bottle only carried at a few select retailers.

First up was a shot neat.

pretty good burn and flavor was slightly fruity. But the burn dominated the drink.

then I added some ice. This completely opened up the flavor. It has a distinct fruity flavor. Burn is greatly tamed. This is a great bourbon. Very impressed! But definitely much better on ice or with a bit of water.

I've wondered about those limited editions.

I think they release 4 per year?

Strikes me as a marketing tool to test different mash blends, some of which might be great, but it also strikes me that it might be an easy way to get a real dog of a bourbon too.

 

[7.62]

I've wondered about those limited editions.

I think they release 4 per year?

Strikes me as a marketing tool to test different mash blends, some of which might be great, but it also strikes me that it might be an easy way to get a real dog of a bourbon too.

Not sure how many are released per year but I know there are 10 different "recipes" in the private selection barrel program. The OBSO is a 10 year, 3 month aged bourbon. This one, IMO, is a real winner. Tonight I put it up against the Jim Beam signature craft and I feel it was leagues better then it. I also put in front of Woodford, Bulliet, Buffalo Trace, and Breckenridge (all recent comparisons I have done in past week.)

 

[7.62]

Not sure how many are released per year but I know there are 10 different "recipes" in the private selection barrel program. The OBSO is a 10 year, 3 month aged bourbon. This one, IMO, is a real winner. Tonight I put it up against the Jim Beam signature craft and I feel it was leagues better then it. I also put in front of Woodford, Bulliet, Buffalo Trace, and Breckenridge (all recent comparisons I have done in past week.)

That being said I really would like to try the other nine recipes. I know my local liquor store got a shot of two of the ten. I have to check out the other one!

 

[melensdad]

Well I got up and did a 10 mile walk to raise money for Cancer Research. Melen walked with me but I lost her at the 6 mile water stop, given last years major back surgery, I was actually surprised she made it that far. The lovely Mrs_Bob was one of the walk organizers so she was unable to walk. We had a great turnout, easily a couple hundred people. Temps were 88 and the sun was hot, and at the 9.5 mile marker I almost quit. That is where the local Dairy Queen is located. Just a half mile from the finish line and it was calling to me. But I resisted and pushed forward.

So tonight I deserve a bourbon.

Pulled out the SPRING MILL BOURBON from Indianapolis and its tasting very good, going down very smooth, but for some reason tonight when it hits bottom its starting a fire in my belly. Maybe it is reacting to the Chinese food I had for dinner?

As I'm not doing a bourbon comparison tonight I went ahead and broke tradition by dropping 2, yes 2 ice cubes into the glass with my bourbon.

I like the flavor of this bourbon, especially neat. At the front of the mouth it is an excellent bourbon with savory richness when it hits your tongue. Moving to the back of the mouth it tends to be a bit harsher but it goes down very smoothly. On ice I tend to like it less, its muted in flavor yet smoother on the back of the tongue. But tonight I simply don't want to tolerate the burn in the belly. With some melted ice watering down the savory SPRING MILL the flavors seem sharper and spicier rather than smooth and savory but the burn is nearly non-existent. Its still a good bourbon.

SPRING MILL is one of the bourbons that I come back to when I want to enjoy a drink. Its not one of the best, but this one is better than most and its got some excellent flavors.

 

[Colts]

Many good ones mentioned, I like wheated (vs rye):

Lately, Russell"s Reserve (~$30) and the best value W. L. Weller 12 yr at $25.

Blanton's is great but a little pricey. For $50, you can have 1/2 shot of Pappy van Winkle 23 yr (awesome).

 

[melensdad]

WOW, we've fallen back to page 7. Bunch of slackers here.

Lately, Russell"s Reserve (~$30) and the best value W. L. Weller 12 yr at $25.

I've been meaning to try RUSSELL'S RESERVE and I cannot find the W.L. WELLER locally.

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Tonight, no special movie to watch, just kicking back with the dogs as the lovely Mrs_Bob and Melen have flown the coop for a trip to Albuquerque. So I've got a week of bachelorhood, with 4 dogs.

Both of tonights bourbons are roughly $25/bottle, well under the $50/bottle self imposed limit.

TOWN BRANCH is a new bourbon, light honey color with a strong alcohol aroma. Its got 11 Silver, Gold and Platinum awards since 2012. That is good chunk of awards for such a new brand, so I have high hopes for this bourbon. I keep swirling it around in the glass, sniffing for the aroma, but only really getting strong scents of alcohol.

The ELIJAH CRAIG 12 year old bourbon is from one of the most long established brands. Its got a dark rich color, much darker than the TOWN BRANCH, and the aroma is a rich, savory aroma with complexity that almost covers up the alcohol.

Sipping the TOWN BRANCH gives you a dull flavor up front that changes a bit going back and then goes down smooth. Until it hits bottom. Start the countdown. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ….BURN! The second, and then the third sips of the TOWN BRANCH prove that this is a smooth in the mouth bourbon, and its smooth going down too. Not a hint of mouth tingle, no burn in the mouth, its just really smooth in the mouth. Neither the 2nd or 3rd sips mimic the initial burn from the 1st sip, but maybe my internal organs have all been charred beyond hope and there is nothing less to burn? A sip of water, a bit of a delay, and then a 4th sip of the TOWN BRANCH and it again proves itself to be smooth until it hits bottom. Its not as harsh as the 1st sip, but its there. Warm glowing burn, like a potbelly stove in the workshop in the winter. It keeps you warm, but get to close and its not a good experience.

After a good swig of water, switching over to the ELIJAH CRAIG 12, and just raising the glass to my nose that complex aroma hits you before the bourbon hits the lips. The flavors are TOTALLY different between these two bourbons, but the belly burn is similar! I like this ELIJAH CRAIG, its got some savory flavors and has a bit of a tingle on your tongue, with some peppery spices, but not in any way objectionable. It does however, have a burn in the belly.

Dropped a single cube of ice into each glass. Allowed each of them to melt a bit and I picked up the ELIJAH CRAIG 12 first. The aroma seems to have thinned out a bit, the complexity seems somewhat simple now, but the alcohol is still secondary. Taking a sip and the peppery spice comes through, the mouth tingle is gone, the burn is both DELAYED and also REDUCED to a far more pleasant level. The single cube of ice now completely melted, all the flavors have mellowed, there is still a bit of peppery spices, the burn is mellowed further. Too mellow in fact, its muted so much that the complexity has been simply watered down and is no longer interesting. The ELIJAH CRAIG 12 is good neat, its good with ice, but its not nearly as good when the ice cube is fully melted and its too diluted.

Back to the TOWN BRANCH and the ice is pretty well gone by the time I get to this glass. Its better! The burn in the belly is gone. The flavor has opened up a bit, there is a hint of pepper now, something that was absent earlier. This is now a very easy to drink bourbon lacking any sort of burn, no mouth tingle, with a mild, if nondescript flavor. The last of the TOWN BRANCH went down with that mildly peppery spice to it, smooth all the way, no burn in the belly. But not overly interesting in any way. Its not outstanding neat, its easy to drink after ice, but easy to drink doesn't make it interesting or exceptional in any way. I'm wondering how it won all those awards. Would I drink this again, sure. Its not bad. It just doesn't stand out. Probably better in mixed drinks than neat or over ice.

Back to the last sip of the ELIJAH CRAIG 12 and it confirms its the better of the two bourbons. There is a very mild, manageable burn at the bottom, there is a peppery spice in the mouth, there is some complexity in the flavors, and its smooth going down.

 

[melensdad]

I was out in the woods cutting up and dragging out 3 trees that fell over the winter and landed on a large spruce tree. They damaged the spruce and I wanted to salvage as much of the big spruce as possible so I made it my mission to cut up those fallen trees.

And now my body is sore, its early evening, and I've got nothing left to do but sit around with the dogs. So out comes the bourbon for another comparison.

I've picked 2 bourbons that don't really impress me. Neither is bad. But neither was really memorable as a stand out either.

TRAVERSE CITY BOURBON versus the new TOWN BRANCH BOURBON.

Both are a light amber/honey color, virtually identical. I suspect both are aged only a few years as bourbons tend to darken in the charred casks when stored for long periods of time.

To my nose, the TRAVERSE CITY has a sweet and somewhat complex aroma while again, the TOWN BRANCH really smells of alcohol over any other scent.

Sipping the TOWN BRANCH first and it is a repeat of my last trial. It hits bottom and BURNS with a fiery intensity that is simply not pleasant. Sad, because its smooth in the mouth and has a mellow, easy to drink, if somewhat nondescript flavor.

The TRAVERSE CITY has more flavor in the mouth and doesn't burn going down or hitting bottom, its clearly the easier to drink bourbon. I think I like this bourbon better each time I drink it. Its still not exceptional but its a solid middle-of-the-pack bourbon that borders on pretty darn good. It has a distinct peppery bite to it in the back of the mouth, and its warm in the belly but it really doesn't burn.

Another try at the TOWN BRANCH and its a repeat of the prior sips. Good in the mouth, goes down easily, but then sets fire to your guts when it settles in the belly.

Now for the tests with ice, 1 cube of ice dropped into each glass, and allowed to partially melt.

The TRAVERSE CITY is sipped first and the peppery flavors become a bit more apparent and I also notice a brief bit of a burn going down that transitions into a warm feeling in the stomach.

Switching to the TOWN BRANCH, with its fully melted ice cube and I pick up some spice in the mouth but its still nice and smooth, it goes down and then lights a fire in the belly, but it also quickly extinguishes the fire, so the heat is noticeable but short lived. Another sip and this time I don't really notice the heat in the gun until after a few second delay, but its still there and still noticed. One last sip and the glass is empty, but it repeats itself if the characteristic belly burn.

Back to the last of the TRAVERSE CITY and the spice kicks in as it transitions from the front to the back of the mouth. The burn is mellowed out, it was not much to begin with, but what there was has mellowed.

Between these 2 bourbons I'd easily give the nod to the TRAVERSE CITY BOURBON over the TOWN BRANCH. So that is 2 different trials where the TOWN BRANCH ended up at the bottom. I still don't think it is a bad bourbon, but its not really a great value either. There are better bourbons in the same price range. Its flavor is somewhat nondescript and it has a distinctive burn that I suspect most will find objectionable. Dilute it down, mix it with something else and it may be fine, but in my simple 2 part trial I have to say its just not that good. Not horrible either.

 

[melensdad]

I know its a weeknight but I've got nothing else to do so I am breaking a rule and decided to pour a little bourbon from a bottle that breaks the $50 price range. JEFFERSON RESERVE is typically in the $53 to $55 price range, just a little bit over the self imposed $50 limit for the bourbons I've been comparing.

JEFFERSON RESERVE is often regarded as one of the better bourbons available, they make 3 common grades and the RESERVE is the highest grade. They also make a Presidential Reserve, which is a higher grade, at a MUCH higher price, but it is very difficult to find.

I've pulled out a bottle of WOODFORD RESERVE for this comparison. The two are very similar in color, a nice rich amber. In fact they look the same. Oh, they smell the same too! WOODFORD RESERVE is commonly considered one of the better mass market bourbons.

JEFFERSON RESERVE has big bold presence in the mouth, and you get some spice, some toffee and maybe some leather flavors. It doesn't tingle in the mouth, but it does give you some tingle as soon as it hits your throat and you get a bit of burn in your belly. Its not a lasting burn, but there is burn. This is a full bodied bourbon that is not for the timid, you know you are drinking bourbon when you are drinking JEFFERSON RESERVE.

Switching to the more common, but well respected WOODFORD RESERVE, is a semi-dry medium/full bodied bourbon with toffee, mocha, and white pepper flavors with a pronounced copper tang. Finishes with a sweet, charred barrel, brown, and metallic fade, this is another aggressive and spicy bourbon, with more of a belly burn.

Dropping ice cubes into each.

The JEFFERSON RESERVE calms down considerably and tastes awesome when opened up with some ice melted into the bourbon. The burn in the belly is tamed down, but not totally eliminated, the spices are actually highlighted and they enhance the overall flavors. The flavors seem to sharpen up and if you don't like a bit of peppery spice you won't like this but I think its excellent.

Switching to the WOODFORD RESERVE and the single cube is mostly melted. The flavors are muted and dulled down, the burn still exists and you pick up spice only at the very back of your mouth.

The clear winner here is the JEFFERSON RESERVE, so much so that there is no comparison, its THAT MUCH better, especially with the melted ice cube. But its also over budget, costing about $53 per bottle while the other bourbons in this thread are all under $50 per bottle and most are actually about $30 to $35. So you expect more from the JEFFERSON RESERVE, and it delivers more.

 

[sadclownwp]

JEFFERSON RESERVE is one I have been wanting to try for awhile.

P.S. after trying the bourbons at the 1101 Cigar Lounge, I went out and bought a bottle of the Beer Barrel. After this bottle of makers is gone, I can't wait to crack it open.

 

[melensdad]

JEFFERSON RESERVE is one I have been wanting to try for awhile.

P.S. after trying the bourbons at the 1101 Cigar Lounge, I went out and bought a bottle of the Beer Barrel. After this bottle of makers is gone, I can't wait to crack it open.

Well if you want to try the JEFFERSON RESERVE we might be able to arrange another 'bourbon day' at the clubhouse.

 

[sadclownwp]

Well if you want to try the JEFFERSON RESERVE we might be able to arrange another 'bourbon day' at the clubhouse.

That could work, perhaps on the day of the next cigar night.

 

[melensdad]

That could work, perhaps on the day of the next cigar night.

THAT MIGHT WORK

 

[melensdad]

FAVORITE BOURBON SHOWDOWN!
​

Just got home from a wake for my uncle. He was also the substitute grandfather for my daughter since my father died before my daughter was born. So its been a very long day. Rather than test out bourbons I don't know, I figured I'd take 2 that I really enjoy. I know I enjoy these, its not the day that I want to be critical or analyze various flavors. I just want to sit back and relax and reflect on the loss of a beloved uncle. ​

UNDER $50 Favorite: BEER BARREL BOURBON
-- versus --
OVER $50 Favorite: JEFFERSON RESERVE​

I'm not going to give a full review because both have been mentioned in prior posts, with the JEFFERSON RESERVE just posted yesterday.​

The BEER BARREL BOURBON is slightly cloudy in the glass, but a dark amber color. The JEFFERSON RESERVE is also a dark amber color, but without the little floating particles that you see in the doubled barreled BEER BARREL brand.

Sipping the BEER BARREL BOURBON first simply does not disappoint. Perhaps I've had too much acidic coffee while hanging out at the funeral home all day because I picked up some mouth tingle and some burn in this first sip … not detected in prior tastings. But I also picked up that wonderful flavor of this mid-$30's brand and I simply love it. A couple more sips confirms my love of this brand.

Switching to the JEFFERSON RESERVE and it was simply full of wonderful flavors, but I also noticed a bit of mouth tingle (again I'm blaming the coffee from earlier). And it still has the characteristic, but subtle burn that I expected. Again, I love this brand. Its rich, its complex, its wonderful. A couple more sips confirms my love of this brand.

"NEAT" sampling WINNER = "TIE"
Both are great, for different reasons, and both are sip worthy on a regular basis!​

Adding a cube of ice to each. Allowing each to melt a bit.

Just like last time, the JEFFERSON RESERVE is amazing. The burn is tamed, the tingle is gone, the flavors sharpen up. The drink is bold and wonderful, even diluted down a bit. Again, I really love this brand.

Switching back to the BEER BARREL and I have to admit that the flavor is just not quite as good after the ice. Oh the flavors open up a bit but they also seem to thin out a bit too. Its still good, its very good, but it is no longer awesome.

"ICED" sampling WINNER = JEFFERSON RESERVE


"SHOWDOWN" winner = JEFFERSON RESERVE
Honorable Mention = BEER BARREL​

Maybe its not fair to compare these 2 bourbons. One is a premium traditional small batch bourbon, the other is a micro-distillery oddity that is second aged in used beer barrels. Both are excellent and both are worth the price. Want to enjoy a bourbon on a Saturday afternoon while attending to the BBQ, then the BEER BARREL is going to be my recommendation. Want to impress your new boss, or celebrate a promotion, or some other such thing, then the JEFFERSON RESERVE should probably be on your 'short list' of suitable choices.​

 

[melensdad]

Bourbon Ginger Cocktail

A nice summer drink. Sort of like a grown up version of a Gin & Tonic. But better.

1 ounce bourbon
4 ounces ginger ale
1 lime wedge
ice
​

 

[sadclownwp]

Bob check this out.

Temperance Trader Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Strength | There Will Be Bourbon