What are you drinking?

[pkt77242]

Thanks! Unfortunately no whiskey in the house tonight. I do wish I had some bourbon to follow up the KBS. I know a lot of people are not big rum fans, but I for one like it a lot and have been saving a bottle of Flor de Cana Centenario 21, one of the world's best rums for about 2 years, I'll be opening it come graduation.

Flor de Caña Centenario 21 Commemorative Edition | Rum Gallery | Dave Russell

Nice. I love aged rum. Rum is like Tequila to me. Cheap rum is not good but the good stuff is damn good. Congrats again.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

I'm partial to Cruzan Single Barrel myself.

 

[peoriairish]

Finished with a Bud Light Lime. I know... my drunk state blows right now. I'm running low on the student loans, so no money to re-up my fridge stock.

The only thing good left in the house is a Ducks Unlimited Jack Single Barrel from 2011. Keeping that for grad night.

Tomorrow morning will hurt.

 

[pkt77242]

Thanks! Unfortunately no whiskey in the house tonight. I do wish I had some bourbon to follow up the KBS. I know a lot of people are not big rum fans, but I for one like it a lot and have been saving a bottle of Flor de Cana Centenario 21, one of the world's best rums for about 2 years, I'll be opening it come graduation.

Flor de Caña Centenario 21 Commemorative Edition | Rum Gallery | Dave Russell

Some Pappy Van Winkle 15yo for you. Congrats

 

[ShawneeIrish]

Some Pappy Van Winkle 15yo for you. Congrats

Thanks again. As a Kentuckian and bourbon fan I am a bit embarrassed to say I have never had Pappy. I really like Four Roses Single Barrel and Bookers. Makers and Blantons are also always solid choices.

 

[peoriairish]

Out of curiosity, how does $22 whiskey (like JD) compare to a $50 bottle. I love everything about JD and don't really want to pay more, but I guess I don't really know what great whiskey is yet.

 

[ShawneeIrish]

Out of curiosity, how does $22 whiskey (like JD) compare to a $50 bottle. I love everything about JD and don't really want to pay more, but I guess I don't really know what great whiskey is yet.

Pkt could prob answer this for you. Im biased because I view Jack as knockoff imitation bourbon from Tennessee and I would much rather drink a bottle of Jim Beam than Jack without even factoring in the pricier stuff.

 

[peoriairish]

Pkt could prob answer this for you. Im biased because I view Jack as knockoff imitation bourbon from Tennessee and I would much rather drink a bottle of Jim Beam than Jack without even factoring in the pricier stuff.

Really? I can taste the difference between JD and Jim, but far prefer JD.

 

[ShawneeIrish]

Like I said I admit my bias. I probably mainly fault Jack because it tries to be a bourbon, but its not, and additionally comes from TN and not KY. I often wonder if it wasn't for the cool black label if Jack would have ever achieved such recognition. I'm not faulting you for liking it at all though, hope it does not come across that way. I do legitimately think Jim is underrated though, its not the bottom of the barrel liquor some make it out to be.

 

[peoriairish]

Like I said I admit my bias. I probably mainly fault Jack because it tries to be a bourbon, but its not, and additionally comes from TN and not KY. I often wonder if it wasn't for the cool black label if Jack would have ever achieved such recognition. I'm not faulting you for liking it at all though, hope it does not come across that way. I do legitimately think Jim is underrated though, its not the bottom of the barrel liquor some make it out to be.

Nah, didn't take it that way. Everyone's palate is different/they grew up on something different. Jim's not terrible, it would be my second choice for now behind JD. I just enjoy the Jack bite.

I explain it this way. I like my coffee black and whiskey with a bite. I want to know that I'm drinking each without them being watered or creamed down.

Side note: Shawnee National Forest was my favorite place to hike and camp growing up. Hope you got o enjoy some of it too.

 

[peoriairish]

For my whiskey drinkin frands...

Whiskey's Gone in Studio - YouTube

 

[ShawneeIrish]

Nah, didn't take it that way. Everyone's palate is different/they grew up on something different. Jim's not terrible, it would be my second choice for now behind JD. I just enjoy the Jack bite.

I explain it this way. I like my coffee black and whiskey with a bite. I want to know that I'm drinking each without them being watered or creamed down.

Side note: Shawnee National Forest was my favorite place to hike and camp growing up. Hope you got o enjoy some of it too.

The "Shawnee" actually refers to the neighborhood I grew up in. Random I know. It would make more sense if it was in reference to the forest or the Native American tribe, but I had so many great times in that neighborhood. A lot of friends there and my grandparents lived there and mom grew up there too. It was one of those places where kids roamed the streets and got together for backyard football, driveway basketball, and sandlot baseball. Before my city or state, I always think of my neighborhood. Sorry for being off topic, but hey Im kinda drunk so fits in this thread somewhat.

 

[peoriairish]

The "Shawnee" actually refers to the neighborhood I grew up in. Random I know. It would make more sense if it was in reference to the forest or the Native American tribe, but I had so many great times in that neighborhood. A lot of friends there and my grandparents lived there and mom grew up there too. It was one of those places where kids roamed the streets and got together for backyard football, driveway basketball, and sandlot baseball. Before my city or state, I always think of my neighborhood. Sorry for being off topic, but hey Im kinda drunk so fits in this thread somewhat.

I hear ya. That' how I grew up too. As long as I was home an hour or so after dark, I was free to roam.

 

[arndtjc]

SO MANY GOOD IPAS....

Unreal...O'dell IPA, O'dell Myrcenary, No Coast IPA from Peace Tree, Sierra Nevada IPA....

 

[Black Irish]

Not sure what Red Zins you are drinking that are sweet. I have never known any to have that taste profile. Definitely not a characteristic of that grape.

I had a bottle of 2011 Oak Ridge, Lodi. Red Zin is sweet in the respect that is has more ripe berry taste than something like a Malbec or Carmenere. I'm not talking about sweet in the absolute sense, like cotton candy. I don't know what it was, but it just hit me wrong and has the last few go-rounds. It's also been pretty humid the past few days so that's probably contributing to the overripe taste. I had a bottle of Casa Lapostelle Carmenere that went down real well yesterday and a bottle of Cotes du Rhone on deck for tonight.

 

[Black Irish]

Out of curiosity, how does $22 whiskey (like JD) compare to a $50 bottle. I love everything about JD and don't really want to pay more, but I guess I don't really know what great whiskey is yet.

It's a combination of what you like and what you are used to. It may take your palate a little time to get used to "the good stuff." When I first tried out some of the higher end stuff, I didn't get the appeal. But after a little bit, your taste buds will come around. The problem is that once they do, you can't go back to what you started on. I used to really enjoy Crown Royal, now I won't drink it even if you paid me. It's not snobbishness, I just can't stomach it. Try to find the commonalities in what you do like, and do some research to see what else is out there that is similar that you can level up to. For instance, if you're a bourbon guy, it won't make sense for you to charge into peat monster single malt scotch territory.

As far as price, you do get what you pay for but price isn't everything. As with wine, the most expensive thing out there isn't necessarily the best. Plenty of liquors charge a premium because of their name, or ad national ad budget, or just because they deliberately position themselves as an aspirational brand (e.g. Grey Goose). Luckily for all of us, booze research is about the best kind of research there is.

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

Out of curiosity, how does $22 whiskey (like JD) compare to a $50 bottle. I love everything about JD and don't really want to pay more, but I guess I don't really know what great whiskey is yet.

As with wine (to kind of echo Black Irish above) it is all about your palate. Price should be secondary when it comes to whiskey. I have had plenty of high priced whiskeys that weren't my thing. Conversely, I have had some amazing micro-distillery small batch whiskeys that were $20 to $30 a bottle that are amazing. Explore and find what you like. That's half the fun. In some instances, you get what you pay for, but a high price doesn't always mean the BEST.

That being said, I agree with Black Irish that once your palate develops and you start to like the higher priced/higher quality stuff, you won't want to go back. A few moderately priced brands I like are Eagle Rare, Templeton, and if you can find it my personal favorite is a small distillery in Washington called Woodinville Whiskey Company.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Out of curiosity, how does $22 whiskey (like JD) compare to a $50 bottle. I love everything about JD and don't really want to pay more, but I guess I don't really know what great whiskey is yet.

When it comes to bourbon, there is so much amazing value to be had for under $30/ bottle that I have a hard time justifying the $50+ bottles. If you're a professional nose who can truly appreciate all the extra nuances some of those bottles provide (pkt probably falls in this category), then it might be worthwhile. But for the rest of us, not so much.

Like I said I admit my bias. I probably mainly fault Jack because it tries to be a bourbon, but its not, and additionally comes from TN and not KY.

It is bourbon; "Tennessee Whiskey" is required to be "a straight Bourbon whiskey" under the terms of NAFTA. To the extent it's a categorically definable subset of bourbon, it's in the Lincoln County Process employed by Jack Daniels and George Dickel.

I often wonder if it wasn't for the cool black label if Jack would have ever achieved such recognition.

A guy named Angelo Lucchesi got it into Sinatra's hands in the '50s. The rest is history. Just good branding.

Nah, didn't take it that way. Everyone's palate is different/they grew up on something different. Jim's not terrible, it would be my second choice for now behind JD. I just enjoy the Jack bite.

I explain it this way. I like my coffee black and whiskey with a bite. I want to know that I'm drinking each without them being watered or creamed down.

"Bite" typically refers to ABV in liquor. As long as you don't mix it with anything, any liquor that's 80 proof or higher should cause a prickling sensation when you nose it and a warming sensation when you swallow it. That's not hard to find, as virtually all liquors are 80 proof or higher by law. But perhaps I'm misunderstanding what you mean by "bite". Can you name a whiskey that seems to lack "bite"?

Bourbon is similar to other types of whiskey in that almost anything carrying a 12y+ age statement or single barrel selection will generally be better than younger/ blended whiskeys (including JD). For under $30, I'd recommend Old Weller 12y (any of the Weller expressions, really) Elmer T. Lee, Elijah Craig 12y, Wathen's, Four Roses Small Batch, Charter 101, Bulleit, Buffalo Trace or 1792 Ridgemont Reserve.

For a wider selection of solid bourbons, check out this site.

 

[ACamp1900]

SO MANY GOOD IPAS....

Unreal...O'dell IPA, O'dell Myrcenary, No Coast IPA from Peace Tree, Sierra Nevada IPA....

I'm an IPA first and foremost... no doubt.

 

[ACamp1900]

MOAR STONE IPA!!!

 

[NDinMich]

St Bernardus Abt 12. LOVE this beer.

 

[yankeehater]

I was drinking some red zin with the wife last night. I think this varietal is falling out of flavor for me. I don't care for the sweet aspect anymore. I'm really liking Carmenere lately' it's dry and spicy but still full-bodied and robust.

Black Irish - what do you do in the business?

For Zin, vintage in and vintage out I usually liked the Haywood Los Chamizal but I have not had it for about five vintages. When Joel Peterson was still heavily involved with Ravenswood, I really liked some of his vineyard designate wines.

If you are really into Rhone wines and don't want to break the bank on a Chateauneuf du Pape, I seemed to have had great success with the wines from the Gigondas region. The little brother of Chat du Pape.

 

[The Polish Irishman]

Jack and Coke. Southern boy Kool Aid.

 

[pkt77242]

Widmer Hopside Down India Style Pale Lager
Lagunitas Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale.

 

[Black Irish]

Black Irish - what do you do in the business?

For Zin, vintage in and vintage out I usually liked the Haywood Los Chamizal but I have not had it for about five vintages. When Joel Peterson was still heavily involved with Ravenswood, I really liked some of his vineyard designate wines.

If you are really into Rhone wines and don't want to break the bank on a Chateauneuf du Pape, I seemed to have had great success with the wines from the Gigondas region. The little brother of Chat du Pape.

I'm a restaurant manager. One of my primary responsibilities is liquor ordering and cocktail creation. Thanks for the wine suggestions, I'll try them out. Yeah, Chateauneuf du Pape can definitely be hard on the wallet. I was going to pick up a bottle of Cuvee du Vatican based on a co-workers suggestion until I saw the $50 price tag. I'll have to see if one of my reps can get me a bottle for wholesale. One benefit of the biz.

 

[yankeehater]

I'm a restaurant manager. One of my primary responsibilities is liquor ordering and cocktail creation. Thanks for the wine suggestions, I'll try them out. Yeah, Chateauneuf du Pape can definitely be hard on the wallet. I was going to pick up a bottle of Cuvee du Vatican based on a co-workers suggestion until I saw the $50 price tag. I'll have to see if one of my reps can get me a bottle for wholesale. One benefit of the biz.

Cool! I worked in the wine and spirits industry for over twenty years based out here in California. I worked both for distributors and suppliers and had my own wine brokerage for a time. Got to work with some amazing people including some of the top master sommeliers including Fred Dame, Evan Goldstein and Larry O'Brien.

 

[pkt77242]

Lagunitas Lucky 13

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

Starting to get used to every bar in MA, NH, and Maine having at least 3-4 Sam Adams beers on taps.

Anybody else up here know or like Shipyard?

 

[pkt77242]

Out of curiosity, how does $22 whiskey (like JD) compare to a $50 bottle. I love everything about JD and don't really want to pay more, but I guess I don't really know what great whiskey is yet.

Three bourbons about that price range that I think are pretty good are

Evan Williams Single Barrel ($25ish). This is a rather sweet bourbon but with enough oak and spice to keep it balanced.

Elijah Craig 12yo ($25ish). This is the dryest of the 3. Definitely lots of oak with some nice sweet notes as well.

Ridgemont Reserve 1792 ($25ish). This has the most rye of the group and as such has some nice spice to it (think rye, cinnamon, etc).

Since you like JD, I would also recommend that you check your local liquor store and see if they have a 50ml bottle of the JD single barrel to try. To me it is much more complex, less sweet (though still sweet) and more balanced.

 

[ginman]

agreed

agreed

All good choices- i just picked up an Evan Williams 2002 having had the 2003. i hear that the 2000 is even better.

I also like four roses small batch for a few bucks more.

As far as JD is concerned- none for me thanks - bad experience in the army!