# $35 bourbon selection



## TommyDawg (Jan 6, 2008)

Hi Gents. Of course I know that liquor prices vary from state to state, etc, but I am curious which bourbons you'd recommend around the $35 price. In my area, that would get you around the basil hayden, woodford, four roses, and so on. What do you suggest, and why?
Thanks,
Tom


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## Dr. François (Sep 14, 2008)

My top-3:
Four Roses Single Barrel: The most delicate and elegant bourbon at a higher proof I can think of. (Not "Small Batch." Look for the square bottle.)
Elijah Craig 12: sugar, molasses, vanilla, autumn. My all-time favorite bourbon.
Old Grand Dad 114: Bright, orange, clove, cinnamon. Excellent on the rocks. My favorite warm-weather bourbon.

What I can't recommend:
Maker's Mark: Just plain boring. Find anything named "Weller" and buy that instead. All the same basic recipe (wheat recipe), just from different distilleries. Buy some red wax and dip your own bottles.


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## TommyDawg (Jan 6, 2008)

Roger that on the Makers Mark. I'm not a fan. Gave me some good choices to look for! Thanks.


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## ZachGranstrom (Mar 11, 2010)

What would you consider to be the best bourbon? Also, is bulleit a good bourbon brand?

Thanks!


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## Dr. François (Sep 14, 2008)

I like Bulleit quite a bit. I'm unsure of who makes it now, but it used to be distilled by Four Roses. It has a nice balance of woody vanilla with some spice on the finish. It's not as "manly" as its packaging; it's really quite subtle and refined. 

"Best" bourbon is highly subjective. I suggest you go and buy as many different 50ml and 200ml bottles as you can find and try several. I tend to keep about 4-8 open at a time to satisfy whatever flavor profile I'm most interested in at the time.

I will say that higher proof bourbons tend to taste better than "lobotomized" bourbons that have been watered down to 80 proof. I think between 90 and 107 proof is the sweet spot. Most of my favorites are between 96 and 101 proof. "Barrel Proof" are usually great products, but not for everyday consumption.

Do some sampling. Find out if you prefer wheat recipe bourbons (corn plus wheat plus barley) or rye recipe bourbons (corn plus rye plus barley). Wheat recipe tends to be milder and softer, like a Pinot Noir. Rye recipe tends to be spicier and more assertive, like a Zinfandel of Cabernet. I tend to believe that rye recipe bourbons are best between 5 and 12 years. Wheat recipes tend to peak between 7 and 15 years. I drink almost exclusively rye recipe bourbon because I like the flavor profile better.


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## Dragoon (Apr 1, 2010)

I don't really consider myself a connoiseur but I have drunk an astounding quantity of bourbon in my life. I would as soon have good ol' Jim Beam as anything.


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## ZachGranstrom (Mar 11, 2010)

Dr. François said:


> I like Bulleit quite a bit. I'm unsure of who makes it now, but it used to be distilled by Four Roses. It has a nice balance of woody vanilla with some spice on the finish. It's not as "manly" as its packaging; it's really quite subtle and refined.
> 
> "Best" bourbon is highly subjective. I suggest you go and buy as many different 50ml and 200ml bottles as you can find and try several. I tend to keep about 4-8 open at a time to satisfy whatever flavor profile I'm most interested in at the time.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the response.

-Zach


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## Bookman (May 19, 2010)

another good one to think about at that price range is Johnny Drum Private Stock 101. Really interesting bourbon at this price point, although it packs a pretty mean punch..

Of course, if you go up about $15 then you can try out the entry-level Van Winkle...which is phenomenal bourbon...


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## DoghouseReilly (Jul 25, 2010)

My standby, at around $22, is Old Forester 100 proof. Very nice. Lately I have been on a "wheater" kick and have acquired bottles of Old Fitzgerald BiB and W.L. Weller. W.L. Weller Antique, also around $22, is exquisite.

RE: Van Winkle, I heard some employees at my local liquor store saying that this year's Bourbon County beer is aged in Van Winkle barrels. A Van Winkle and Bourbon County tasting night needs to happen in the near future.


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## Dr. François (Sep 14, 2008)

DoghouseReilly said:


> My standby, at around $22, is Old Forester 100 proof. Very nice.


Great pick, Reilly. Point of fact, I've never had a bad bourbon at 100 proof. Exactly 100 proof seems to attract very good products from distilleries, ranging from the cheapest to the most expensive. One of my favorites in the sub-$15 category is JTS Brown BIB (100 proof). Very solid, very nice.


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## Ripley (Oct 19, 2010)

I'm still pretty new to whisk(e)y (although Bourbon's easily become my favorite spirit), and I'm not yet to the point of being able to describe subtleties and the like, but Woodford Reserve is my current favorite (there are still many Bourbons I haven't tried however, including many mentioned in this thread).


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## DoghouseReilly (Jul 25, 2010)

Dr. François said:


> Great pick, Reilly. Point of fact, I've never had a bad bourbon at 100 proof. Exactly 100 proof seems to attract very good products from distilleries, ranging from the cheapest to the most expensive. One of my favorites in the sub-$15 category is JTS Brown BIB (100 proof). Very solid, very nice.


I don't think I've seen JTS. I'll have to keep a look out for it. One that they have around here is David Sherman 1843 BIB. It's around $14 and is very good. I am told that it used to be considered the area's the premium bourbon in years past.


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## Dr. François (Sep 14, 2008)

Ripley:
Strictly tongue-in-cheek. 
Regardless of the colo(u)r of the label, from A to Z(ed), the flavo(u)r of the whisk(e)y is the same, so use your best judg(e)ment as to the spelling of the word. Stick with the language you learned/learnt in school. It's the same word spelled/spelt in different ways!
Take it from my friend Chuck: https://chuckcowdery.blogspot.com/2009/02/why-spelling-matters.html


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## TommyDawg (Jan 6, 2008)

Bookman said:


> another good one to think about at that price range is Johnny Drum Private Stock 101. Really interesting bourbon at this price point, although it packs a pretty mean punch..
> 
> Of course, if you go up about $15 then you can try out the entry-level Van Winkle...which is phenomenal bourbon...


 I recently have had the opportunity to have the Pappy 23 yr old on a couple of occaisions. OMG, what a beautiful bourbon. In a snifter, neat. Another time on the rocks. Either way if phenomenal. I imagine the 15 is pretty good too.


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## Ripley (Oct 19, 2010)

Dr. François said:


> Ripley:
> Strictly tongue-in-cheek.
> Regardless of the colo(u)r of the label, from A to Z(ed), the flavo(u)r of the whisk(e)y is the same, so use your best judg(e)ment as to the spelling of the word. Stick with the language you learned/learnt in school. It's the same word spelled/spelt in different ways!
> Take it from my friend Chuck: https://chuckcowdery.blogspot.com/2009/02/why-spelling-matters.html


Ha! Thanks, good doctor. I'll just say I'm convinced.

Nice Vonnegut quote in your signature too.


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## Dr. François (Sep 14, 2008)

Tommy Dawg: Many of my bourbon nerd friends prefer the Pappy 15 to the 20 or 23. I've had a private bottling of the 23, and it was sublime. The wood doesn't take over the way it does with many old rye-recipe bourbons.

Ripley: I'm glad you didn't take offense. Chuck Cowdery and I are both word nerds, and this routine spelling issue tweaks a nerve. Then again, lots of things bother word nerds. Thanks for being a good sport!


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## TommyDawg (Jan 6, 2008)

Dr. François said:


> One of my favorites in the sub-$15 category is JTS Brown BIB (100 proof). Very solid, very nice.


 Does JTS stand for something? or is that the actual name "JTS BRown"?


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## Dr. François (Sep 14, 2008)

TommyDawg said:


> Does JTS stand for something? or is that the actual name "JTS BRown"?


Just JTS Brown. It's somewhat popular because it's what Paul Newman drank in "The Hustler." Make sure you find the 100 proof...the 80 proof is completely different stuff (not from a bonded warehouse).
It is made by Heaven Hill.


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## wiredroach (Sep 14, 2008)

Knob Creek or Basil Hayden's by Jim Beam are both excellent.


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## WindsorNot (Aug 7, 2009)

I'll take a 10 year old Van Winkle for $35, thank you. Delicious in all of it's bourbony glory. ^-Knob is good too.


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## TheGreatTwizz (Oct 27, 2010)

+1 Woodford Reserve


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## Dripp (Nov 11, 2005)

My preference is for single barrel selections generally, notably from four roses like some others have stated. I love Elmer T. Lee for it's smoothness and should be closer to the $25 range. The single barrel selections from buffalo trace are fantastic values and can generally be had for around $25 or so. Believe it or not, the single barrel I have from Evan Williams is great considering its under $20 so I'd recommend it whole heartedly. 

One of the guys I work with has even more bourbon than I do and I often have him grab me whatever bottle he grabs for himself, so I'm not an expert but our tastes sure line up rather well.


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## TommyDawg (Jan 6, 2008)

Dripp said:


> One of the guys I work with has even more bourbon than I do and I often have him grab me whatever bottle he grabs for himself, so I'm not an expert but our tastes sure line up rather well.


 Great to have a buddy like that (and a nice way to try different brands)!


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## challer (Sep 4, 2008)

I find the very best value in Bourbon is Buffalo Trace.


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## TommyDawg (Jan 6, 2008)

ok, after all the input, I made my purchase. I was at a great store with very knowledgeable staff. On their suggestion, I went with a bottle of Buffalo Trace, specifcally from 'barrel 30', and hand signed by the master distiller in an arrangement with this store. The autographed bottle does not make it drink better, but I thought it was cool. Opened it tonight and greatly enjoyed a small glass on the rocks. $30 bucks. A most enjoyable early Christmas gift to myself. Thanks for all the suggestions. I will add them to my list as I buy more in the future! Oh, if any of you are around West Springfield MA, you've got to check out TABLE & VINE store!
Tom


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## Dr. François (Sep 14, 2008)

Nice choice. The benefit is you can go and buy the "standard" bottling of Buffalo Trace and get a different experience, since the one you bought is from a single-barrel-buy. The distillery does a very good job of matching single-barrels to the brand profile.


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