Best bourbon under $50?

[aclark]

Suggested $60. I'll be keeping an eye out.

"There will only be 1,000 cases available starting in October for about 20 markets which will include New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Kentucky, Nashville, Atlanta, Chicago, Boston, D.C., Charleston and parts of Texas. This new release has a suggested price tag of $60."

New Bourbon Release: Medley's Private Stock - The Bourbon Review

While it may end up as a pretty good bourbon, it's going to be sourced. If I hadn't read the article it would have come across as estate juice. When I started reading the article I was thinking it was going to be some old saved barrels or something.

 

[melensdad]

I found 3 bottles of the new 2015 Limited Edition YELLOWSTONE Bourbon, it is bottled at 105 proof in celebration of the 105th year anniversary of the brand??? Brand has been resurrected, so this is sourced bourbon. Apparently only 6000 bottles were produced.

Price was $107 per bottle.

Didn't know anything about it so I came home and looked it up. Its new so there are not a lot of reviews. But the 1 review I found was NOT complimentary and outright said it was not worth the price.

Glad I didn't buy it. But if anyone wants to drop more than a c-note on over priced bourbon that apparently doesn't taste very good send me a PM and I'll give you directions to the liquor store in north Lake County that got 3 bottles in stock.

FWIW, it is a 12 year Rye, mixed with a 7 year rye and a 7 year wheat. Its supposed to be spicy, hot and unpleasant. Hmmm maybe I will run back up there and buy a bottle.

 

[Brandon]

Never heard of it but based off your posting I'd jump for the current voyage of Ocean instead.

 

[melensdad]

Never heard of it but based off your posting I'd jump for the current voyage of Ocean instead.

You will save yourself almost $30 a bottle by buying the OCEAN Voyage #5 too.

LINKY to Yellowstone review ... make sure you scroll past the manufacturer's statement to get to the real part of the review => Yellowstone Limited Edition Bourbon Review DrinkWire

At first your tongue is greeted by a nice sweet dollop of honey and vanilla but it’s quickly replaced by a bitter blast of leather and oak. Once that begins to fade it’s replaced by cinnamon and mint–thanks to the rye forward bourbons–that evolves into a dry oak finish that attempts to surge forward with a shallow throat burn ...

 

[melensdad]

aclark got barfed on by his son so he has had a couple glasses of BIB & TUCKER tonight.

I am watching the CNN debate and can't figure out why they are not asking the candidates about JOBS and the ECONOMY, oh, and I'm tipping back a little bit of WIDOW JANE while I complain about the CNN questions.

 

[aclark]

The Bib & Tucker was quite tasty tonight. I also watched the debate...well kind of, spent more time surfing on my iPad, but it was on the TV. My wife came home and asked me how I could watch it, she asked if I remembered the Obama "Change" that was spewed before.

 

[melensdad]

Temperance Traders ... on 'close out' for $19

1792 Sweet Wheat ... on allocation in NWI, next to impossible to find, paid $32

Hibiki 17 ... very hard to find unless you are on a wait list, the 2 younger varieties are fairly common and in the $65 to $90 range, 17 is a lot more special

Wild Turkey Masters Keep ... Lot 1, 17 year ... heavily allocated wait list item, same price range as the Hibiki 17

Looking forward to breaking the seal on one of these tonight!

 

[melensdad]

Trying a little bit of the 17 year old Hibiki from Japan. It is their flagship bourbon, they have 2 other, younger offerings as well.

The color is lighter and more golden in color than any of the American offerings I have in my cabinet. For such an old drink to be so light in color it must have a very light char on the oak barrels. On the nose I immediately pick up vanilla and a little honey, followed by an alcohol scent.

Taking the first sip I am overwhelmed by how sweet this is in the mouth. It continues to taste sweet on the tip of the tongue and even as it transitions to the back of the mouth. Its not sweet in a bad way but rather in a very good way. When you swallow it it has a very long very mild heat that just lasts. You then get some tingle on your lips, but its not harsh. The lip tingle fades away after a while but the lingerly belly heat (I will not refer to it as a burn) continues.

The second sip is a repeat of the first, but I detect a slight tannic flavor on the back of the mouth.

This is probably the smoothest whiskey I've ever tried.

And given the pricetag of this bottle I am not going to bother to dilute it with an ice cube. There is no need. Its certainly in a rare class, not just because of the high price tag, but also because of how smooth and how unusual it is. If you run across it and the price tag doesn't scare you away then buy it. But you won't find it too many places. For the most part this is a 'back room' stash that the owner reserves for special customers, regular patrons, etc. Some big retailers may have it on the shelf, or more likely in a glass case.

 

[melensdad]

Just a follow up on this Hibiki. It is not a strong or robustly flavored drink. Its very different, smooth, subtle in flavors. If Bookers has a bold flavor then Hibiki 17 has soft flavors in comparison. It is good. It is different. I'm not convinced it is a great drink, but it might be.

 

[melensdad]

A new release so its hard to find, but I suspect it will become more common with time. Its the wheat bourbon version of Ridgemont Reserve's 1792 called "SWEET WHEAT" and runs just a bit north of $30 a bottle.

To my nose it has a strong alcohol scent, very strong! In fact it overwhelms the mild scent of vanilla. The color is a golden color.

On the tongue it goes in sweet, just like the name, but once it passes the tip of the tongue is gets a bit aserbic toward the back of the mouth. Once it goes down it burns. Its not super hot, but there is a noticable burn. I was really looking forward to another "wheated" bourbon at a modest price, something to compete with Makers Mark, Larceny and the offerings from Weller.

Let's just say I'm underwhelmed and disappointed. I'll try it again another day.

 

[melensdad]

I heard this one goes down easy.

Its rumored to taste something like a pumpkin spice latte and comes with a pair of UGGs

 

[Andy219]

I need to go bourbon (whiskey) shopping. I'm all out, but I need to work up a collection.

 

[melensdad]

You need to find one of those JD Barrel Proof Single Barrel bottle.

I need to go bourbon (whiskey) shopping. I'm all out, but I need to work up a collection.

Lake Liquors in Cedar Lake has the best selection in our area. Get to know Rick, he keeps all the good stuff in the back room. Drop my name and he may help you out. But he is only there later in the day, and only some days.

St John Wine & Spirits is pretty good too.

Every once in a while Wise Guys in Merrillville has a nice bottle, but they don't have great prices on most things.

Cask & Keg in Highland on Indianapolis Blvd gets some good bottles.

 

[aclark]

I've seen this floating around for a few days now. Figured I'd post it here.

The Best 13 Budget Bourbons Under $50 | VinePair

 

[Andy219]

You need to find one of those JD Barrel Proof Single Barrel bottle.



Lake Liquors in Cedar Lake has the best selection in our area. Get to know Rick, he keeps all the good stuff in the back room. Drop my name and he may help you out. But he is only there later in the day, and only some days.

St John Wine & Spirits is pretty good too.

Every once in a while Wise Guys in Merrillville has a nice bottle, but they don't have great prices on most things.

Cask & Keg in Highland on Indianapolis Blvd gets some good bottles.

I think the JD SINGLE BARREL is my necpxt purchase. I may go out and actively search for it today.

 

[melensdad]

The "Glencairn" glass is the traditional whiskey glass for sipping scotch/whiskey/bourbon neat. The "Old Fashioned" glass is the traditional choice for drinking your scotch/whiskey/bourbon with a splash of water or a bit of ice. Tulip shaped glasses with a bowl and an outward flute to the rim have been designed by Riedel for sipping whiskey. Glasses have been designed to focus the aromas with various bowl shapes.

Waterford has come out with premium versions of their takes on these types of glasses. All are small, roughly 6 to 7 ounces if filled to the rim, but they are not designed to be filled.

I've been partial to the "Glencairn" style glass and have several. In the photo, the first glass is Waterford's take on a footed Glencairn glass. I was tempted to buy that one, but I've opted to try out the #3 glass in the photo, with the upright shape and outward flute on the rim as several of the new designs seem to indicate that the fluted rim allows the aroma to be focused to the nose, so that is the one I have on order. The other two designs are made for drinking whiskies 'on the rocks' or with a splash of water.

Specifically Waterford claims this about the glass I have on order:

... The Lismore Connoisseur Flared Sipping Tumbler has a rounded bowl to comfortably warm and swirl the whiskey, a pinched middle to concentrate the bouquet, and a flared opening that releases the fragrance. Crafted for the connoisseur who enjoys sipping their finest single malt or aged blend straight, it allows for the full experience of taste and aroma...

 

[Brandon]

I went with the splash of color, I have 2 each of the 2 on the right.

 

[melensdad]

I went with the splash of color, I have 2 each of the 2 on the right.

I'm not a fan of 'rocks' glasses but I do like the red one. Obviously a lot of people prefer the more open shape and its how I was introduced to whiskey, but when I was introduced to whiskey it was in the form of mixed drinks. And when I have a Manhatten or an Old Fashioned that is the shape I choose.

For drinking neat, I really like how the Glencairn shape glasses concentrate the aroma, it is one of the biggest reasons I use them. Seems like the taste buds are somehow connected to the nose. Rocks/cocktail/highball glasses tend to have a much wider bowl/shape and I don't get that concentrated aroma. When I ordered the tulip shaped whiskey glasses from the photo a few posts above, the concentration of the aroma was one of the things that I wondered about, I hope it is not lost with that shape. Given the tall, narrow shape, I'm hoping the aroma is still retained.

Waterford also makes a pineapple cut cordial glass that I like. It is designed for sherry, cordials and liqueurs but might make a nice sipping glass for bourbon. Its very similar in shape to a classic Glencairn whiskey glass except it doesn't taper in at the top. Not sure what the capacity is but I suspect its maybe 4 ounces? Sadly these only come in sets of 4. If I could get a pair of these I would consider buying them (assuming they are not too small)

 

[Brandon]

We have several sets out of their different collections, my mother was able to go to their factory on her trips to England/Ireland... That said, we have had good luck finding (cheaper) sets at Marshalls -rare but it does happen.

I want to say we ordered the colored rock glasses off Amazon because they were half off which was odd.

 

[melensdad]

For fans of Indiana's SPRING MILL BOURBON, here is a public release from them about the status of their product:

Spring Mill Bourbon

Spring Mill Bourbon 90 bottle shot v2 JPEGSpring Mill Bourbon hit the shelves in 2012 and 2013 like a storm. Demand was through the roof. Our distinctive ceramic bottle and award winning bourbon were a fantastic combination. Unfortunately we underestimated demand and the distillery is out. Fortunately, we are aging new batches of Spring Mill and hope to have more bottles to ship soon.

My new glasses arrived today when the big brown truck pulled into the driveway.

Here is a photo size comparison next to my favorite crystal Glencairn glass.

Both hold roughly the same capacity at right about 6 oz.

I'm hoping to try it out this evening.