Got a friend that wants to buy me a good bottle of bourbon. Told me my budget was $150 and I have to pick it out. Booker?s is the most expensive bourbon I?ve ever tried. I liked it. Any suggestions?
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Got a friend that wants to buy me a good bottle of bourbon. Told me my budget was $150 and I have to pick it out. Booker?s is the most expensive bourbon I?ve ever tried. I liked it. Any suggestions?
The problem with Bourbon is the bottles that cost $150 and are worth it are pretty much impossible to find. If you come across a BTAC by any chance for $150 pick it up, but realistically I?d recommend Joseph Magnus straight bourbon. $80-100 and is a great bottle. You could probably find an angel envy cask strength for that $150 range but honestly it?s not worth that price. EC 18yr is doable in that price range if you can find it. Someone will probably eventually suggest Henry McKenna 10. Unless you find if for $30 I’d stay away, it’s over priced and extremely mediocre. I love bourbon, easily my favorite whiskey but if someone offered to buy me a $150 bottle I might go scotch instead as you?d get a much better value for your money. That Joseph Magnus won?t disappoint though
Pappy van Winkle?
Go to distiller.com (or get the app), select bourbon and sort by price (there is a $81-150 category). The community ratings are more helpful than expert imo (wisdom of the crowd).
I have never found you gain that much jumping from $100 to $150-$200. Going to that range I would look for something with an age statement vs a marketing gimmick.
Buffalo Trace EH Taylor Single Barrel...Also just tried Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea-Voyage 17. This probably the smoothest bourbon I've ever had. I was pleasantly surprised how good it is.
Best bourbons out there:
Peerless Small Batch Bourbon or Rye - roughly $75
Peerless "single barrels" - range from $120 and up
Old Forrester Statesmen - $50 (one of the best at that price)
Coopers Craft 100 - is made with the same spirral barrel as Jack Daniel's Sinatra Blend but for $30
Old Forrester 1910 - $60 (great double oak bourbon)
Heaven's Door 10 year - $110 (not a bourbon but a great whiskey made by Bob Dillan)
Michter's Rye - $60 (one of my favorite inexpensive ryes)
Rowan's Creek and Noah's Hill - $70 (great bourbon's made by Willet)
Hibiki Suntory - $100 (Japanese Whiskey that's definitely a good buy)
Henry McKenna 10Yr - $50 (2018 bourbon of the year)
1792 Full Proof - $50 (2019 bourbon of the year)
Stay away from Buffalo Trace products - they use steel vats and mass produce..... not worth the money they charge..... and secondary markets gouge for it.
For this price range I would maybe also consider wild turkey master’s keep. I recently received some maker’s make private select that was excellent.
Had a bottle of Whistle Pig not too long ago, about $110/bottle. It was very good.
I'd rather had three fifths of good bourdon than one overpriced "good" bourbon. The average person can't tell much difference.
Most bourbon drinkers and collectors, including me, really enjoy some of the Buffalo Trace products. Buffalo Trace itself is a good bourbon for the cheap price point. Weller Special Reserve is a great bourbon for $30. Blantons is fantastic if you don’t pay more than $60 for it (which I know is your point). I agree that it’s way overpriced on the secondary market but if you can find some of their products for market value, then I think it’s a good deal.
Another low priced bourbon that I love is Elijah Craig Small Batch. About $30 and I freakin love it!!
Name the Distillers that don't use Stainless Steel Vats somewhere in the fermentation process. For example, I've been to both Peerless and old Forrester, and both ferment/hold bourbon in stainless steel.
And, it can't be bourbon if it's not aged in new charred white oak barrels.
FYI, I happen to like some Buffalo Trace products and don't find them too pricey. I do like some you mentioned but .. 'To each his own.'
To me, anyone that bought a 'bourbon of the year,' just paid way too much and probably buys Car and Driver 'car of the year' for the same reason.
I would split the difference. Some of the Buffalo Trace line is hyped up by artificial product rationing and good marketing, but it also has some quality products.
I do not think Buffalo Trace distilled in stainless steel barrels. I have heard they store finished product in stainless steel barrels to prevent continued aging before a product goes to market. All the big distilleries do that though.
In general Pappy’s and Weller are way overpriced on the secondary market but they are good products if you like a wheated mash bill. The frenzy around them is super annoying though. Eagle Rare and EH Taylor are good bourbons imo. Stagg and Stagg Jr are really good. Blanton’s is ‘buy on sight’ at less than $75 but is also hard to come by these days.
Hard to get but High West Yippee-Kai-Yay or midwinter's night's dram.
Form my bourbon guru.