For Brother's new to Bourbon

[BourbonBinder]

"All Bourbon is Whiskey but not all Whiskey is Bourbon"

I wanted to start this Thread for those who are new to this exciting hobby & world of Bourbon Whiskey. Let it serve as a hub for those new to the hobby or just looking to widen their gaze. Anyone who would like to contribute knowledge, suggestions, tips & tricks, I would greatly appreciate it too (as I certainly don't know everything, what would be the fun in that right?).

Another reason I started this thread was because when I began in this exciting hobby two years ago, I knew very little and no one in my circle knew much either. I didn't even know if I would like bourbon but a fellow puff Member suggested it and gave me some really great advice. Little did we know that it would turn into one of my favorite pastimes (just as much as cigars).

My biggest problem was tasting it. No matter how hard I tried or what I drank (even Johnny Walker Blue Label), I would whiskey face the hell out of it. It was something I just wanted to get through; no enjoyment whatsoever. Truth of the matter is I bought a bottle of bourbon after taking a wide poll on puff and Woodford Reserve was the the most recommended bourbon. I also purchased a Glencairn whiskey tasting glass too. It was a Big investment considering I had no idea if I would like it. Well after 13 different bottles in less than 2 years, yeah, I'd say I like it (love & live it)

If it hadn't been for this particular website & the advice I received from this puff member, I don't think it would've gone over so well (it may've ended up much like that Blue Label). I hope others can contribute to this. Whatever that may be is up to you (suggestions, tips, tricks, anything Brother's) or even what brought you into this wonderful hobby.
cheers!

http://www.kentuckydistilleries.net/howtodrinkwhiskey.html

 

[Ozark Rambler]

I learned a very great deal of how and why a whiskey ends up tasting the way it does when we indulge, by reading How to Make Whiskey by Bryan Davis.
Its an interesting read even if you never intend to make your own hooch.
I think most of us know the grain bill is important, but so is the yeast selection, the type of still used, ect.
Time in the barrel is fairly obvious. But its also very important where in the rickhouse that barrel came from. Top, center and bottom all yield different results.
Also, Chuck Cowdery's blog is a wealth of information as are his books and newsletter. http://chuckcowdery.blogspot.com/

 

[BourbonBinder]

I learned a very great deal of how and why a whiskey ends up tasting the way it does when we indulge, by reading How to Make Whiskey by Bryan Davis.
Its an interesting read even if you never intend to make your own hooch.
I think most of us know the grain bill is important, but so is the yeast selection, the type of still used, ect.
Time in the barrel is fairly obvious. But its also very important where in the rickhouse that barrel came from. Top, center and bottom all yield different results.
Also, Chuck Cowdery's blog is a wealth of information as are his books and newsletter. http://chuckcowdery.blogspot.com/

Great suggestions and information. I myself, find it fascinating how one can extract certain nuances and complexities that you usually don't associate with whiskey. It's amazing what distillers can achieve with a certain mash bill & barrel char. What I find the most fascinating is how no two bourbon expressions taste the same or even close (at least not what I've tried so far)

 

[Jfire]

My advice. If you are starting now. Welcome. Also don't get caught up in the hype machine. Want to really blow your OWN mind? Do blind tastings. No friends close by? Have a wife or girlfriend poor all the bottles you have open. Get ready to find out how much money you could have saved. (Not always the case as ORVW and 2016 OFBB won the top two spots in our last tasting)
Stuff is terribly htf I live by a few of the beverage big boys in IL. Still most htf is gone the day it gets there. Don't stress it Russels Reserve 10 year is always under appreciated and stocked.


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[Ozark Rambler]

Great suggestions and information. I myself, find it fascinating how one can extract certain nuances and complexities that you usually don't associate with whiskey. It's amazing what distillers can achieve with a certain mash bill & barrel char. What I find the most fascinating is how no two bourbon expressions taste the same or even close (at least not what I've tried so far)

One thing I've picked up on over time in my reading is that the yeast used, and the temp the fermentation is done at are a really, really big damned deal.
Mouth feel and when certain flavors present themselves apparently are tied to the yeast and how its used.
Pretty much an "inside baseball" kind of deal, but very interesting.

 

[sweemzander]

The big discussions are always about the grain bill / wood / proof / & age - I am surprised the yeast is never really discussed - being a Mead maker, what yeast you use makes a huge impact on your final product

 

[BourbonBinder]

I also want to add to this thread that your FIRST BOURBON may just as well be your best and most thought of Bourbon, something you compare every Bourbon to after it. At least that's the route I was lucky enough to take with Woodford Reserve Distillers Select. My all time favorite & I've had some really amazing contenders (Blantons, Bookers, EHT Small Batch).

I also might add that if you rush into it & don't choose the right first Bottle; it may confuse you & quite possibly turn you off to the hobby altogether. I can only imagine if I started off with Elijah Craig 12 (my least favorite), & the impact that may've left on me. It's not a pass/fail hobby & I don't recommend buying a whole bottle blindly. Do research, ask for advice, suggestions, take your own poll. It's actually quite exciting when you buy a bottle before tasting it (there's a thrill to it). Researching it prior to buying is the trick I use.

This was one of the main reasons why I created this thread; for suggestions for first time bourbon appreciators.

 

[sweemzander]

I also want to add to this thread that your FIRST BOURBON may just as well be your best and most thought of Bourbon, something you compare every Bourbon to after it. At least that's the route I was lucky enough to take with Woodford Reserve Distillers Select. My all time favorite & I've had some really amazing contenders (Blantons, Bookers, EHT Small Batch).

I also might add that if you rush into it & don't choose the right first Bottle; it may confuse you & quite possibly turn you off to the hobby altogether. I can only imagine if I started off with Elijah Craig 12 (my least favorite), & the impact that may've left on me. It's not a pass/fail hobby & I don't recommend buying a whole bottle blindly. Do research, ask for advice, suggestions, take your own poll. It's actually quite exciting when you buy a bottle before tasting it (there's a thrill to it). Researching it prior to buying is the trick I use.

This was one of the main reasons why I created this thread; for suggestions for first time bourbon appreciators.

Everyones tastes are different - what might be my favorite, could be your least. . . I actually quite like Elijah Craig, but have not tried the latest batches since the change

 

[Ozark Rambler]

The big discussions are always about the grain bill / wood / proof / & age - I am surprised the yeast is never really discussed - being a Mead maker, what yeast you use makes a huge impact on your final product

Yes! A thousand times yes.
Yeah I'm a long time ale brewer (bitters & Belgians) the temp the fermentation occurs under is a huge deal. I only brew in the winter months because that's when conditions are best in our old coal room in the basement for my ales to come out tasting the way I like.
I once years ago brewed an Irish red ale in the summer and unbeknownst to me at the time the fermentation was at a temp higher than what was optimum for the yeast used. The entire batch tasted a lot like soy sauce, truly disgusting.
Anyway, yeah, making good whiskey is a complicated process that requires much more skill and knowledge than most of us will ever know.

 

[Ozark Rambler]

Everyones tastes are different - what might be my favorite, could be your least. . . I actually quite like Elijah Craig, but have not tried the latest batches since the change

Since they dropped the age statement and went with the "small batch" designation its a shadow of its former self IMO. Damn shame.

 

[Ozark Rambler]

The bourbon I started out with years ago was Wild Turkey 101. Its still to this day always found in my liquor cabinet.
I also have long thought most of the BIB's to be very good and great value.

 

[sweemzander]

Since they dropped the age statement and went with the "small batch" designation its a shadow of its former self IMO. Damn shame.

Good to know. I stocked up on a few of the 12yrs

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[Ozark Rambler]

Good to know. I stocked up on a few of the 12yrs

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Had I known what was happening I would have bought a few cases, but it was a done deal by the time I noticed. Ugh.

 

[sweemzander]

Had I known what was happening I would have bought a few cases, but it was a done deal by the time I noticed. Ugh.

I found a handle of the old 12yr in an old liquor store the other day

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[BourbonBinder]

Everyones tastes are different - what might be my favorite, could be your least. . . I actually quite like Elijah Craig, but have not tried the latest batches since the change

I know and I just want to explain that my main point wasn't to suggest that in bourbon everyone's tastes are the same, but when you're just starting out you don't have a taste at all (which I didn't prior to Woodford), so the next Best thing is to try and attain a general consensus for what the average bourbon brother likes, and then shoot from the hip. I used a poll system and whatever got the most ticks I went that-a-way.

But I can see your point as Buffalo Trace was nearly tied with Woodford and upon my bottle purchase of Buffalo Trace I wasn't nearly as impressed with my expression. I guess what I am trying to get at is I wanted my first bottle experience to be everything I was hoping it to be. (It was thank heavens)

 

[sweemzander]

I know and I just want to explain that my main point wasn't to suggest that in bourbon everyone's tastes are the same, but when you're just starting out you don't have a taste at all (which I didn't prior to Woodford), so the next Best thing is to try and attain a general consensus for what the average bourbon brother likes, and then shoot from the hip. I used a poll system and whatever got the most ticks I went that-a-way.

Agreed, was simply showing an example

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[BourbonBinder]

Agreed, was simply showing an example

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I appreciate the comment nonetheless. Any advice is good advice in my book

 

[Ozark Rambler]

I know and I just want to explain that my main point wasn't to suggest that in bourbon everyone's tastes are the same, but when you're just starting out you don't have a taste at all (which I didn't prior to Woodford), so the next Best thing is to try and attain a general consensus for what the average bourbon brother likes, and then shoot from the hip. I used a poll system and whatever got the most ticks I went that-a-way.

But I can see your point as Buffalo Trace was nearly tied with Woodford and upon my bottle purchase of Buffalo Trace I wasn't nearly as impressed with my expression. I guess what I am trying to get at is I wanted my first bottle experience to be everything I was hoping it to be. (It was thank heavens)

Since you've pointed out Buffalo Trace (excellent value) I'll bring up something and see if anyone else has the same impression.
Anyone notice how similar Buffalo Trace and Col. Taylor taste? I'm pretty sure its the same hooch, but may have age and rickhouse location differences. In this day and age of intense pressure on bourbon stocks it seems to me these two have become very similar due to the juice available for use.

 

[BourbonBinder]

Since you've pointed out Buffalo Trace (excellent value) I'll bring up something and see if anyone else has the same impression.
Anyone notice how similar Buffalo Trace and Col. Taylor taste? I'm pretty sure its the same hooch, but may have age and rickhouse location differences. In this day and age of intense pressure on bourbon stocks it seems to me these two have become very similar due to the juice available for use.

I was lucky enough to buy my EHT and buffalo trace bottles very close together. Buffalo trace being my Cigar Bourbon and EHT being my "home-pour" Bourbon. I found the small batch EHT to be on the lighter side of the spectrum (like Trace) & it drank like a mid 90 proof similar to Buffalo Trace. (it's BiB so it was 100 proof in actuality). Although the aroma and taste were different. EHT: I was pulling apples in the aroma and the taste had Cola like qualities.

 

[BourbonBinder]

I found a handle of the old 12yr in an old liquor store the other day

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I love what Heaven Hill did to the newly updated Elijah Craig bottle/label. Very cool stuff. I also should've added before that when I bought my bottle of 12 year Craig, it had a peculiar transition. When I first uncorked it it had very smooth almond like complexities to it. Each time after that it got harsher and harsher and transitioned into an almost not enjoyable whiskey. I keep all my Bourbons in one spot and so far I'm 1 for 13 on this dilemma

Also the cap Separated from the cork stopper (a common trait I hear). I hope they improved that part at least LOL