Crown Black (i think).
I'm not a whiskey guy really, but I have dabbled lately. My bachelor party last year left me with a bunch of good booze.
The "Crown Black" was damn good, but I'm no whiskey expert.
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Crown Black (i think).
I'm not a whiskey guy really, but I have dabbled lately. My bachelor party last year left me with a bunch of good booze.
The "Crown Black" was damn good, but I'm no whiskey expert.
Someone listened. Lookie there.
Haha ah hell! Cheers!
Putting together a 5 bottle dream team:
Strannahan's - because you're from CO
Middleton Irish Whiskey (I didn't see a price range, so why not)
Johnnie Walker Blue - yes, its a blend, but nothing under 35 years old
Jack Daniels Single Barrel - if you feel you need an american classic
McCallan - 16 yr or higher
Cigars - for a reasonable price
Nubs - Great smokes, last forever (about an hour) look great in photos
CAOs - anything in the Mx2 variety is smooth as anything I've ever smoked
I don't always indulge my vices, but when I do, I spend all of my money on them.
If you are serious about this situation I would highly recommend purchasing Jim Murray's: Whiskey Bible
Very good read and this guy is pretty much spot on on describing each individual whiskeys unique notes.
My personal opinions on the nectar of the God's are as follows:
Johnny Walker- Over priced, especially Blue label.
Jack Daniels-Oily in taste and buying Gent's Jack is like choosing a V6 Camaro over a V8 (bland). Green label tastes the best.
Best surprise whiskey-Hibiki 12-
Best Scotch- MaCallan 12 Sherry Oak or 15 Fine Oak. Both are dangerously drinkable and I have yet to meet a Scotch drinker let alone whiskey drinker that does not enjoy a good sip of this stuff.
Best Bourbon-4 Roses or Maker's 46
Either drop by Barnes & Nobles or get with one of your buddies who knows whiskeys. No one like a faker, let alone a fake whiskey lover. In the end, you pick what YOU think tastes good. Piss on everyone else who thinks otherwise because YOU are the one paying the tab and all they have to do is smile, nod, and enjoy your company. Be mindful that there will always be those who nitpick on shit like "oh I wish they had <insert random $$$ brand here> scoff.
Enjoy your whiskey tasting adventure
Cheers
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g3...4869150919.jpg
And "mediocre" is being VERY generous. I made the mistake of buying a bottle of Stranahan's. After an attempt at the first glass it became a really high-priced mixer. After trying that, I gave it away. It is, by far, the harshest whiskey/bourbon I've ever tried.
1. Buffalo Trace - hands down the best I've had, WAY underrated.
2. Bulleit Bourbon - gots a little more bite than Buffalo...but really good flavor.
3. Basil Hayden's
4. Booker's
5. ? - haven't bothered to get this far down the list. I've tried lots of others but nothing's made a "Top 5" list yet.
Just my personal choices...but I really don't think you'll be disappointed with Buffalo Trace.
Ok. My list, if I had to pick only 5:
1. Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 18 year
2. Elmer T Lee
3. Jefferson Reserve Very Small Batch
4. McCallan 12 Sheery Oak
5. Bookers
Costco has Crown XR for $89. Smoothest I've ever had.
But then again, I usually opt for a bottle of the Leopold Brothers New York Apple whiskey just for sippin'.
You can't go wrong with most Irish Whiskeys.
1-Jameson
2-Bushmills
are my top 2
3-Clontarf
4-Michael Collins
Single Malt Scotch Whiskey's are awesome and not too pricey unless you want the top shelf ones. Any Glens from the Highlands...
1-The GlenLivet
2-Glenfiddich
3-Glen Moray
glenmorangie is amazingly good.
Bourbon:
Woodford Reserve
Elijah Craig 18 yr
Eagle Rare
Makers Mark
Blanton's
Scotch-
Balvenie Doublewood
Glenmoangie
Glenfarclas
Macallan 12 or older
Laphroaig
Through college and up until about 8 years ago, I only drank bourbon and no scotch. Now if a bottle of scotch gets opened, it's usually gone in one night between my neighbor and I.
I still love bourbon though. Went to the distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail about 5 years ago (7 at that time, Buffalo Trace had some sort of issue with the dept of tourism in KY since then). That was a good time with a private tour of Makers Mark and Buffalo Trace.
First, thank you everyone for the great ideas. I really like this suggestion because it lends some structure to the plan and gives me parameters to work within. So, with this structure in mind, I'd like to set up a kind of intro to whiskey bar. I want these three types of whiskey. If possible, I'd like a distinct flavor difference between brands in each type, and certainly between each type.
I want opinions on choosing 3 Scotches instead of one scotch. I find that scotch is the hardest to appreciate for a new whiskey drinker. Is that because I haven't had good scotch? I don't want to put stuff out that people can't handle.
Do these new suggestions change anyone's lists? Could we start putting what type of whiskey each suggestion is as well, since I don't know?
Scotch is hard for a lot of folks to taste. I had an interesting experience in JW Blue Label being the first whiskey I ever tried, it was so smooth and tasty that I've been a scotch drinker ever since. Many of my friends are not.
For the novices, I serve Cardhu (a great $35 dollar bottle). It is light and sweet. Very nice on the pallat. Easy for a non-scotch drinker to get into.
With two scotches left to go, I admit my earlier Blue Label recommendation is quite pricey (that's why I let my brother buy mine).
The Macallan's are very hard to go wrong with, and there is one for every price range.
I'm glad someone mentioned Balvenie, those are also really good, but with the other two I've recommended, I think the best final bottle is a Laphroig. It is harder than the others, and will provide a nice balance across your scotch offerings.
All the above are scotches.
Irish Whiskey - I still say go Middleton, at $140 a bottle, it is pricey, but it is a light caramel whiskey that ANYONE can appreciate. (If you see anyone water this stuff down, kindly take their glass, set it down on a solid table, and proceed to beat them; I'll consider it a personal favor).
If that is way out of your price range Bushmills is great, but get an older bottle, the 16 year-old is head and shoulders above the younger ones, and for not too much more money.
Everyone seems to have whiskey covered.
For cigars I buy from JR's Cigars. you can order a sampler, they have them often, say 20 mixed cigars for about $30-40. Honestly most people cannot taste the difference in cigars, like wine, beer or bourbon. The nuances are tough to pick up even for experienced smokers.
The key thing is to buy smooth easy smoking cigars. I like the Nicaraguans, but they are stronger. Dominican and Honduran are generally milder.
Fuentes are great cigars, if you can find them at a reasonable price.
Haven't read the while thread yet but I have to agree with this. Stranahans is way over priced for it's quality. If you want something along these lines made in Colorado for a much cheaper price go with Leopolds made here in Colorado
http://leopoldbros.com/New_site/Whiskies.html
I happen to be a scotch snob and if cigars are in order I suggest having a couple on hand. A good intro, quality one would be Balvenie Doublewood which should run you around 40 (Also consider their Carribean Cask). Macallen is a great choice for those who want something not to complex and would probably be enjoyed by all. Glenmorangie is pretty light and also relatively inexpensive. If you have to drink an Irish I would suggest Redbreast in 12 year or if you can get your hands on it Jameson Gold Reserve
I like Makers Mark and Gentleman Jack on occasion but go to 18 year old Glen Fiddich for special occasions. You probably don't want 18 year old anything for an open bar at the wedding, 12-year-old single malts like Talisker, Dalwhinnie and The Macallan should suffice. You really need to taste the varieties as some are smoother than others or will have a smokier flavor.
Some of the larger brands will have small single-shot taster bottles -- that would give you a chance to sample several and pick a few tastes you want people to experience.
<soapbox>
After reading this whole thread I am convinced only a few of you actually have taste buds (Jayock). I am a whiskey/bourbon and scotch snob - with my current collection being worth more than some peoples cars. I have been to 200+ distilleries in my life (75% of them in Scotland) and will one day retire, get my license from the fed and start making my own.
This is my list for top 5 affordable bourbon/whiskey that you can actually find on the shelves in Colorado:
5. Breckenridge Distillery
4. Buffalo Trace
3. Pappy Van Winkle
2. Basil Hayden's
1. Woodford Reserve Distillers Select
If you want a Scotch to throw in there you cant go wrong with Balvinie Doublewood - for the money it is flat out the best Scotch, at its pricepoint, on the market right now. Followed closely by Highland Park (if you can find it).
Oh and for all of you cretins who keep saying "McAllen", "McAlan" and the like its "The Macallan" -- and the best value for the money there is the 15 Sherry Oak (if you can find it -- fine oak != sherry oak) and 18 year being the absolute best scotch that money can buy (and yes I have a bottle of, and tasted, 25 and 40 and I have also tasted 100 year old at Easter Elchies).
For anyone that is trying to recommend something like Lagavulin, Laphroaig, or Talisker - STOP. These are not beginner scotches - some people don't like the taste of Band-Aids and Iodine in their drinks.
</soapbox>
My barber has a good selection at his place "clip joint barber shop" off 6th and I-225 might be far for you though. Don't know much about whiskey, but I know there is a Colorado company I saw on the history channel that had very good whiskey. Sorry don't know the name. I'm getting married the same time here, congrats and good luck!! Vegas would get me in trouble, lol.
Templeton rye its hard to get local. You can get ot from san fran wine co online.
I like regular jack and crown royal and pendletons but I'm whiskey tango
The hazardous duty pay only starts when we can't get cable. And why would we have a fire when we have climate control? It's not like we need a fire to make coffee, we have coffeepots for that. Food you heat in a microwave. Wait, you're not talking about deer camp, are you? [ROFL1]
Stranahan's is one I like. It has gotten pricier than I think it's worth, though.
Connemara
Tyrconnell
Clontarf
Red Breast
Jameson Gold
Gentleman Jack
And I'd be lyin' if I said I didn't like Johnny Walker Blue. But that doesn't really belong here.
I am anything but a whiskey snob, but I look at it the way I look at wine. I drink what I like. If I want to drink a white wine with beef, I do.
Cigars - I'm not a big cigar aficionado, but on the occasion when I want one, I like Ashton VSGs. They aren't terribly cheap, though.
If it comes in a wine bottle, don't buy it!
Jack Daniels is always good
Makers Mark is smooth
Jefferson's Reserve is really yummy but way pricey
Johnny Walker Black Label is the lowest to go on Scotch
I like the older Jamisons for Irish
and a McCallums is great too.
Please forgive the spelling
I'm not much of a whisky guy, but here are my favorite Scotch and Bourbon.
Scotch:
Maccallan
Aberlour
Auchentoshan (three wood)
Glenlivet
Glenfidich
Oban
Bourbon:
Woodford Reserve
Jefferson's
Blanton
Also, if you can find it Connemara is an excellent single malt Irish whiskey.
Cigars:
Ashton
Macanudo
Oliveros
Baccarat
Onyx
Author Fuente
Padron anniversary
Bulleit, obviously - Best for mixing in Mint Julep or with a splash of Ginger Beer.
Woodford Reserve - On the rocks Bourbon - Add a splash of water to appreciate
Bushmills - Regular is very good- 400th anniversary is spectacular(was on sale at AppleJack for 39.99)
Crown Royal is good for Canadian Whiskey
Stay away from Knob Creek...oversmoked for a Bourbon
Scotch - reasonable price _ Glenfiddich
Just my Humble PROFESSIONAL opinion.. ROFL
^^^^
I will defer my Scotch pick to the connesewers(intentional spelling) of the swill.
Basil Hayden's or Bookers has to be on the list IMO.
Bourbon or "American": Stranahan's, Basil Hayden's Knob Creek, Woodford Reserve (Yes, I like Stranahan's, god help me)
Rye: Ri1 (Yes, it's made by the Jim Beam people. But it's good enough that you wouldn't know it)
Irish: Bushmill's, Tullamore Dew.
Scotch: I don't know scotches that well.
Cigars: If these aren't semi-regular smokers, then I'd go mild: Macanudo with Connecticut wrappers (everybody knows Macanudo) or Rocky Patel Edge Lite or RP Connecticut 1999 or Oliva Connecticut reserve (which I like a hell of a lot better than the first two).
Ashton Classic and Ashton Cabinet are also good for milder smokes, but a lot more spendy.
If you want something a little stronger, I've been on a CAO Brasilia and Man-o-War kick lately.
I'd skip the cigar stores and go straight to online: http://www.cigarbid.com or http://www.cigarauctioneer.com, which are the auction sites owned by http://www.cigarinternational.com and http://www.famous-smoke.com. They've both sucked an unholy amount out of my wallet over the years.
+1 for Maker's Mark