Favorite Whiskey?

It gets better every time I go back to it... similar to most sherry cask bottles I've been through. GlenDronach has a more pronounced malt character than other "sherry bomb" cask strength bottles like Glenlivet Nadurra or Aberlour A'Bunahd. I'm a big fan so far.

 

Score. Random call at work from the store. Opened my other bottle of Blanton's, first try, not bad. Reminds me of something familiar, cheaper, just can't put my finger on it.

 

Man down, good thing I keep 3-4 of the 1.75s on hand haha, hands down my favorite daily. @BadBrains myself and a buddy killed a bottle of the eh Taylor small batch last weekend, shit is the bomb! Blantons is amazing as well. I have some bottles but don’t drink it daily since it’s so hard to get.

 

Thank you

 

Sorry ... What are you looking for really? There's plenty of gift worthy Bourbons way less than $150.

 

Get a bottle of buffalo trace, weller if you can find it, blantons for msrp, larceny, and Elijah Craig, 5 bottles and roughly 150-200 for all of them.

150 for a single bottle can buy ya some good shit. I would go blantons and bookers together for 150

 

Most bourbons in that price range are typically allocated and already difficult to find or disappear quickly. One that was recently released which may still be on some shelves because it's not as highly sought after is the 2020 Woodford Reserve Batch Proof. It's about 140. The 2020 Elijah Craig 18 was recently released as well but it disappears very quickly, and it's also around 140. Another available option would be one of the Wild Turkey Masters Keep bottles. The recent Cornerstone Rye release is over your budget by 20 bucks or so, but it is well received by reviewers aside from its price. Other Masters Keep bottles (Decades, Revival) can still be found today in some liquor stores and they go for around 130 near me.

Now as far as stuff that isn't widely distributed but would be a good gift... any Buffalo Trace Antique Collection bottle, but good luck finding one at retail now. Same with older Heaven Hill bottles like William Heavenhill and Old Fitzgerald.

Your best option may be secondary market (personal sales or auctions) depending on where you live. Blanton's Gold (not yet available in the US) goes for around 150 near me. It's a great gift bottle both for the novelty of Blantons and for the stuff inside. Is the bourbon actually worth 150? I don't think so, but it's really good regardless and a collector bottle to add to the list.

Personally if I were to receive a gifted bourbon (a bottle that is usually available on shelves) at 150 dollar value I'd rather get a Master's Keep (since I don't have any and haven't tried them) or multiple bourbons that are more widely available and at a lower price.

*Prices vary depending on where you live, so keep that in mind.

 

This could be fun

https://heavenhilldistillery.com/fa...AgR1BzSOgMMV3bbrbwZDImOe36vPYW53FEqk7eUMJ94Oo

 

Well now I know well under your budget as I believe it’s under $40. Maybe pair it with a bourbon?

My go to gift is a Scotch Whiskey (Shackleton.) Even if your an average whiskey drinker you can at least appreciate the cool story and I think that novelty is worth the price. Plus it actually tastes pretty good and I’m a huge history/adventure fan. Basically they found good whiskey from the expedition 100+ years ago and recreated the flavor profile.

https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/24/magazine/drinking-ernest-shackletons-whisky.html

 

New Ardbeg! Of course I had to buy it and since it's a new core rage bottle I had to crack it ASAP. It's certainly a beast. A shiny peat punch to the face. Soft lemon, lime, and tangerine push through a honeysuckle sweetness, but it's buried under thick oily peat and brine that finishes with black pepper and a touch of cinnamon. I dig it, I just wish it were higher than 47.4% ABV, but then again if it were closer to cask strength it wouldn't cost just 35 bucks.

 

Plenty of great bourbon for much less, but if you are set on spending on a special bottle so the person knows you put effort and thought into it, try something like Kentucky Owl Confiscated.

Haven't tried it myself, but it is on the list to buy. Should run between $115-150.

 

I have two bottles of EC Barrel Proof on the way. I think I can stop buying for a few months now.. probably

 

FIFY

 

So... A question for the military guys... Found out tonight that my relief at work can go on base and buy stuff since her husband is active ... Do they generally carry anything worthwhile on the bases in the liquor department?

 

That varies state to state and base to base.
In VA they had a whole package store that was pretty legit. In CA I just have a liquor section in the store on base prices are retail and no tax. Both stores had a descent amount of small allocated bottles.

 

Thank you sir!

@Misplaced Nebraskan ... If we get @Kanyon71 to laser cut some bottles like this..how are we gonna glue them together?

 

Mirrors my experience. California (Monterey) was bad.. but Hawaii? Insane. Multiple package stores.

 

Either Loctite Glass Super Glue or Professional Grade Cyanoacrylate