368420 Tue Feb 06 20:16:38 -0800 2007 53 36 Spirits 0 2267021 Hey everyone, I'm a major foodie. I like nearly every cusine I've ever tried and I like some strong drinks like grappa. Here's the thing, I don't like whiskey right now but I can tell I will in a few years and I guess it goes very well with some foods. I cook all the time and would like to make a meal that pairs with whiskey perfectly and I would also like some recs for a good, afforadable whiskey for a beginner. I hope this is clear. I'm excited to learn and try some new things! Jeremy Tue Feb 06 20:16:38 -0800 2007 10691 JeremyEG 1 2267041 The 15 yr old Rip Van Winkle is a great bourbon. It's listed at around $50, but I've seen it as low as $35 in one store. Tue Feb 06 20:25:49 -0800 2007 2267021 44835 jkt 2 2324305 If you find the ORVW 15yo/107 proof at either $35 or $50, buy it because it is no longer made. It was replaced by the oakier, more austere Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 15yo more than two years ago. The original ORVW 15/107 is highly regarded by bourbon aficianados. Fri Feb 23 18:42:28 -0800 2007 2267041 71335 TNbourbon 1 2267087 start milder, with rye - - jim beam (yellow label) or old overholt. for bourbon, knob creek - bout $20. pour a little in a glass, swirl it, transfer it to another - and inhale the first (empty) glass - oak, vanilla, caramel - heaven. Tue Feb 06 21:06:46 -0800 2007 2267021 72206 sk3 2 2267129 Whoa! Those are some monster bourbons for a beginner. Rye boubon is sharp and therefore not for the weak of heart. And Knob Creek is 100 proof. My suggestion would be an Irish Whisky. They don't often have the alcoholic bite of bourbon and are a bit sweeter (not sweet) than scotch. Try any of the Bushmills. Tue Feb 06 21:36:34 -0800 2007 2267087 26180 Chinon00 3 2279814 Sorry, what's "rye bourbon"? Definitely agree with other posters that blends are a better starter option, especially the fairly sweet, light, and mild Canadian or Scotch whiskys. Maker's Mark is a fine starting point for someone who wants to get directly into bourbon. Straight rye whiskeys can be a bit challenging for neophytes. I might suggest the Sazerac 6 year old or the inexpensive Rittenhouse (not the Single Barrel). Sat Feb 10 14:15:40 -0800 2007 2267129 10143 MC Slim JB 4 2279991 I meant Rye whiskey. Sorry Sat Feb 10 15:24:12 -0800 2007 2279814 26180 Chinon00 2 2324312 Almost ALL bourbons are 'rye bourbons' (Maker's Mark, W.L. Weller, Rebel Yell and Old Fitzgerald substitute wheat for rye), but Old Overholt and Jim Beam Yellow are 'straight' ryes, not bourbons at all. Straight rye has at least 51% rye grains as opposed to bourbon's 51%+ corn. The rye makes them spicier and 'hotter' to the taste related to the sweetness of corn, but are no more difficult to drink -- it's just a different flavor profile, often quite enjoyable. Fri Feb 23 18:45:40 -0800 2007 2267087 71335 TNbourbon 1 2267747 I'd go with Woodford Reserve - not too harsh, and I have yet to meet someone who doesn't like it. Wed Feb 07 07:19:39 -0800 2007 2267021 66127 Beerhound 2 2267867 Woodford Reserve reminds me of PAINT THINNER! For a beginner, I'd go with Maker's Mark. It's not the best available, but it's very good for the dollar. Wed Feb 07 07:48:00 -0800 2007 2267747 13700 ricepad 1 2267765 Start with Irish or Canadian . . . *before* you go to Bourbon. And remember -- you don't have to like everything. Wed Feb 07 07:24:22 -0800 2007 2267021 28122 zin1953 1 2270604 Maker's Mark is a good beginner's premium bourbon. I would pair it with pan seared pecan crusted salmon in a brown sugar / bourbon glaze (with Maker's Mark of course). It also goes great with frozen water. Wed Feb 07 17:36:40 -0800 2007 2267021 35837 Sacto_Damkier 2 2289804 Hey Sacto Damkier, I read this response the other day and haven't been able to stop thinking about the salmon you describe, would you happen to have a recipe that you wouldn't mind sharing? Oh and on topic, I agree Makers Mark is good beginner's bourbon, Knob Creek = foul. Tue Feb 13 15:11:57 -0800 2007 2270604 23715 Lyndalh 3 2290029 1/2 stick butter 1/2 cup dark brown sugar 4 salmon steaks (wild Alaskan if possible) 1/3 cup Maker's Mark Finely chopped pecans Dredge the salmon fillets in the chopped pecans and set aside. Melt butter in a large pan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar. Place salmon fillets on top of brown sugar mixture. Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat. Turn salmon, and pour bourbon around the fillets. Continue cooking for 5 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Spoon glaze over the salmon, and serve. The salmon goes great with wild rice or sweet potatoes. Tue Feb 13 16:17:41 -0800 2007 2289804 35837 Sacto_Damkier 4 2290676 Thanks for that delicious sounding recipe. I know what I'll be eating when I start tasting bourbon! Tue Feb 13 19:55:14 -0800 2007 2290029 10691 JeremyEG 5 2290854 It is a winner. This may also work for a dessert: IRISH WHISKEY CAKE 2 1/2 cups flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 tablespoon baking cocoa 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 cup butter, softened 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed 3 eggs 1/2 cup strong black coffee 1/2 cup Irish whiskey Whipped Cream with Cinnamon (1 cup cream, 1 tsp cinnamon, sugar to taste) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together flour, baking powder, cocoa, salt and baking soda. Cream butter and sugars; beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat at high speed 3 minutes. Combine coffee and whiskey. Blend the flour mixture alternately with the coffee and whiskey mixture into the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Beat well after each addition. Pour into a well-greased Bundt pan. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until cake springs back. Cool. Poke holes in the cooled cake and drizzle about 1/4 cup irish whiskey over the entire cake. Wrap the cake with foil. Allow cake to set overnight. The next day repeat the whiskey drizzle. Allow cake to set wrapped in the foil for another 24 hours before serving. For the final drizzle, combine about 1/4 cup melted butter with the whiskey. Serve warm or cold with the Cinnamon Whipped Cream. Tue Feb 13 21:15:01 -0800 2007 2290676 35837 Sacto_Damkier 6 2296929 Those both sound great, thanks so much! I can't wait to try them! Thu Feb 15 14:34:46 -0800 2007 2290854 23715 Lyndalh 1 2270729 Whiskys: Why not start at the source? An excellent smooth subtle "introductory" single malt from Scotland, widely available, is MacCallan 12-year-old. Young co-worker said he liked it and what did I think of it; I said, from experience, you could do worse and spend more. Explanation: I enjoy fine whiskys (US spelling: whiskeys) and keep many of them, but only open them occasionally. They last for years, IF you hide the rare ones from those guests who drink up anything even if it's the only bottle of its kind in the county. You Have Been Warned. Sources: Mac 12 was about $30 at a warehouse chain retailer for years but has increased. In my region the Beverages and More (BevMo) chain would have it. Some local wine and spirits shops specialize in this area, with buyers who are into this stuff. Single Malts have basically three key variables: Who distilled it; who finished it (aged and bottled, and sometimes how long); and in what kind of wood. Used wine or spirits casks give particular subtle flavors to malts. Dealers that carry many types lay them out on shelves so you can get (for instance) multiple finishings of Springbank or Highland Park or other distillers that have multiple finishers. (Those I just mentioned are other distilleries known for smooth subtle products.) Also, many finer spirits are bottled at "cask strength" which is stronger than commodity liquors. They're meant to be diluted with a little fresh water, to taste, even when drunk "neat." As they should be. Some of this applies to premium Bourbons and other whiskies. I second Woodford Reserve; for whiskey connoisseurs it seems popular. Knob Creek is the widely available "poor person's artisanal Bourbon" (if that makes sense), complex but heavy with toasted wood, giving a burnt or almost coconut edge when I've tried it. Was $20 a few years ago. A single malt made in the San Francisco area (different style but very fine) is from St. George Spirits in Alameda. Wed Feb 07 18:14:56 -0800 2007 2267021 69634 eatzalot 2 2277205 First, the source for whiskey is not Scotland. The Irish learned distilling from monks that had been to the continent, where the distilled brandies, i.e. eau de vie (meaning water of life). But, the Irish switched and began distilling beers, and that created uisce beatha (water of life, and the words from which the term "whiskey" originates). And it is thought that the irish taught the Scots, but it may have been brought by some who migrated from Ireland to Scotland. Second, I like the recommendation above of starting with a rye. Rye tends to produce a sweet whiskey without a heavy smoke flavor. A smoke flavor whether from peat or a charred barrell is found in a lot of bourbons and scotches. And I would also not begin by just throwing a shot in a glass, but I would dilute. As far as a first rye, I would not want to drain your wallet, so try a Rittenhouse, for less than $20 a bottle, whose only fault here is that it is a bit high in alcohol for a beginner at 100 proof. A Canadian whiskey such as Crown Royal is also not a bad idea for a start. When you want to move from rye and Canadian, I would go to Irish. And Irish begins to change things, because there are differences in them. I would begin with Powers, which is about the most popular Irish in Ireland. It's like drinking Bud Light for beer in the U.S. It's everywhere. Bushmills and Jameson also should be tried, early on, and look for differences in how you think they taste. I'd also try a few blended scotches, just because they will not cost you and are everywhere. During this time, you should be weaning yourself down to drinking them less diluted, until all you have is rocks or a bit of water, and not both. A glass full of rocks is OK for Jameson (I love Irish whsikey, but Jameson is not that good), but once you begin to enjoy drinking whiskey, you should get down to a few. When I buy a good whiskey in a bar, I drink it with 3-4 rocks. If you get to 3-4 cubes or just a splash of water, you are ready. Now, find a good bar, or a number of bars, and visit the bar and begin trying whiskeys. Learn if you like THE PEAT of a Islay, a Campbelltown, the sweet Highlands, smokey Talisker, the rich potstill flavor of Red Breast, the charred oak of a bourbon, the light feel and smoke of a Connemara, cask strengths, etc., etc. Try lots of single males, different bourbons, Irish whiskey, the new Welsh whiskey, Japanese whiskey, and learn what you like. The best warning above, guard your collection. If you enjoy a whiskey neat or barely dilkuted, watching someone drown it with a mixer is painful. I would probably harm you if you mixed my Hirsch or Green Spot with anything. If you mixed Old Comber or Linlithgow with anything, you should be tortured, to death, slowly. Fri Feb 09 14:14:14 -0800 2007 2270729 18017 Captain 3 2277936 Well Captain, you've pretty much sucked all of the oxygen out of the room, once again :-). The only addition I would make, as a starter, is White Horse Scotch. Which is blended with a high percentage of the great Lagavulin single malt and is very, very smooth. Fri Feb 09 18:21:53 -0800 2007 2277205 45436 Harp00n 4 2284755 Thank you. I wish I could have sucked all the water out of my basement so easily this weekend. Never knew that about White Horse and Lagavulin. Maybe I'll try some White Horse soon. I've always been a Johnny Black drinker, when it comes to blendeds. When I was 16 a friend and myself thought that if we walked into a bar, walked right up to the bartender and asked for two Johnny Blacks on the rocks, that we were likely to get served. A few days later, we were on a first name basis with the bartender. Johnny Black was about all I drank until I discovered single malts in my early 20s. I do have a full bottle of Lagavulin that I got as a gift from a friend who lives in Melrose. It almost got emptied some time after the discovery of my new wading pool in my basement. After it was pumped out, I settled for some wine with a take out dinner and free drinks of Sambuca Red and an Ouzo. Grappa might have gone well with it too. It is tough to drink, but for some reason, I still like it. Mon Feb 12 10:51:50 -0800 2007 2277936 18017 Captain 5 2285432 Grappa....."You're a better man than I am Gunga Din!" Mon Feb 12 13:26:04 -0800 2007 2284755 45436 Harp00n 6 2285753 Get a few years of seatime, and you may find that grappa stuff tastes pretty good at times. Mon Feb 12 14:43:08 -0800 2007 2285432 18017 Captain 3 2278193 As for this "Rye" business maybe it's just me. Admittedly, I've only had Jim Beam Rye and while I've enjoyed it I just wouldn't consider it a "beginner" anything. Are there any Rye whiskeys that are less harsh than Beam that I'm not aware of? Fri Feb 09 20:13:09 -0800 2007 2277205 26180 Chinon00 4 2278338 Hi chinon00, Hey I just noticed, you stole my 00's! Captain gave a rec of Rittenhouse which is very good and reasonably priced. sk3 mentioned Old Overholt in his post above and that's probably the best bang-for-the buck Rye to be had. I haven't had the Beam, so no comment there. Btw, OP says; "I like some strong drinks like grappa". Are you kidding me? I've drunk everything from Everclear to "real" Irish poitin and grappa tastes & goes down like turpentine to me. If he can drink that, he's ready for anything! Fri Feb 09 21:38:16 -0800 2007 2278193 45436 Harp00n 3 2291047 Well, Captain: I'd been following good wines for about 15 years and didn't care for any spirits at all. (This was some time ago.) I was interested in the flavor, and if you knew me you would understand. I'd tried some spirits, including Overholt which was not bad mixed with soda, and various blends which I didn't care for, nor my guests. (Posted about Overholt on the Internet at the time. I could re-post if you like.) And the brandy family (Cognacs, Armagnacs -- from those ancient distillery towns such as, in the Ténarèze region, Aignan, Nérac, and Condom). But the brandy family were basically too sweet. Then friends -- a couple whom all here would call cosmopolitan if they knew -- introduced me to a good single malt, and it was amazing. It was the spirit I'd been looking for. From there I looked around and tried others. Forgot to mention Dalwhinnie before. Delicate, honeysuckle malt. Soft and subtle, not insipid at all. Popular among people new to malts. (Dalwhinnie markets in a group with Glenkinchie -- another good one, spicy, character -- Talisker, Highland Park, Oban, and Lagavullin I think but please correct me. Sampler packs available.) There seems to be a lot of advice here from people who know a few of this or that. I used to try single malts regularly on business travel at Heathrow when the international terminal had a great malt specialty store with a big barrel top (a "pipe" maybe) with scores of reps' sample bottles and a very kind Australian hostess. At least she had an Australian accent. (All gone now -- merged.) I've tasted hundreds of malts since, and bought many. If there is some reason why malts are unsuitable to newcomers then I haven't encountered it and I have introduced many newcomers. Also (just in recent several years which is much newer than most of this story) US bourbon houses (notably of the Jim Beam group, with all the B's -- I have all of those too and others, did I say?) have introduced artisanal Bourbons to compete in that market. Some good ones, though not all of them, are in this thread. (After all this, I still have little use for blends.) By the way I am ethnically Irish. ("Captain," you may call me the Colonel. Depending on service this may put us on equal pay grade.) Tue Feb 13 23:07:28 -0800 2007 2277205 69634 eatzalot 4 2291712 Well Colonel, As far as pay grade, that is service within the government, of which I would not claim to have done really any, although I might have been credited with a bit. My pay grade was whatever I could get paid by what ever owner, operator or charterer was willing to pay me. I'd agree that single malts are fine for anyone, provided they can handle somethig neat or rather not diluted. Drinking anything that is not blended is all about, imo, that character of the whiskey. Having an Islay must be in large part about enjoying the peat, as one much enjoy the smokey flavor of Talisker to enjoy it. But if I were to give either of them or any number of single malts or any other whiskey to a drinker of only mixed drinks, they would probably taste little but the strength of the spirit. I think most people need to break themselves into drinking whiskey or whisky as we drink it. And for such people, dropping a fine dram in front of them is often a mistake. I've broken in a few myself, and once I get them drinking things close to undiluted, then the good stuff comes out. As far as picking where to start, I've found less smoke and less peat seems to make for an easier start. I've been drinking single malts for about 18 years. And I will tell you that like yourself, Ilong preferred them to other types of whiskey. However, a few years ago, I learned about casks strengths and potstills. I still drink single malts and like you have a number in my collection. But as far as everyday, I prefer potstills, which means I prefer Red Breast, as much if not more than single malts. It also means I really like Green Spot, and SOMEONE REALLY LOVES ME BECAUSE I WAS GIVEN A BOTTLE OF IT LAST NIGHT!!!! Wed Feb 14 08:22:33 -0800 2007 2291047 18017 Captain 3 2300405 "Try lots of single males, different bourbons, Irish whiskey, the new Welsh whiskey, Japanese whiskey, and learn what you like." Hmmmm...I like that advice! Fri Feb 16 14:07:41 -0800 2007 2277205 62994 sashimi73 4 2300739 Heh heh, so what do you like o' promiscuous one? Wait, on second thought, don't answer that! This is,after all, a family board :-) Fri Feb 16 15:48:00 -0800 2007 2300405 45436 Harp00n 5 2304893 What do I like? Sometimes, it's more what I don't like, but as far as some thing I like in a few categories: Irish, Red Breast and Green Spot; Irish but not really, Connemara; Bourbon, Woodford Reserve, Pappy Van Winkle; Rye, Van Winkle Family Reserve; Single Malts, Spring Bank, Talisker, Knockandhu, Auchentosen, Balvenie Double Wood; Cask Strength, Linlithgow by Scott's Selection. Sun Feb 18 13:19:03 -0800 2007 2300739 18017 Captain 6 2305299 Hey, I wasn't askin' you! Besides, A litte bird told me you have a brand new shiny bottle of Green Spot and weren't sharin'. Sun Feb 18 16:29:26 -0800 2007 2304893 45436 Harp00n 7 2305915 Ooops, sorry. But I might share, a little. Sun Feb 18 21:55:05 -0800 2007 2305299 18017 Captain 7 2307463 Well, my favorite single male and I both love Maker's! (Never been promiscuous with my males or my spirits...and I am only willing to share the latter) Mon Feb 19 12:24:01 -0800 2007 2305299 62994 sashimi73 8 2307804 LOL,Very well spoken. I'm not unfamiliar with the Maker's either :-) Mon Feb 19 13:50:34 -0800 2007 2307463 45436 Harp00n 3 2308187 My boss is a "big" whiskey connoisseur (does tastings throughout Canada and the US) and when I asked him how to "learn how to like scotch" he told me to start with lots of water and ice .....Lots. And slowly reduce the amount of both over time. Eventually you will be down to just the whiskey and a little water. (It opens the bouquet???) Gotta tell ya-I'm still at the TALL glass and lots of h2o and ice stage. But I'm trying. Mon Feb 19 15:51:45 -0800 2007 2277205 49815 troutpoint 4 2308920 Drink it without the water and ice. You either like the taste of whiskey or not. Sure if it's chilled, it will have less bite, which may work for starters. I started drinking bourbon straight out of the bottle, and enjoy the taste. Now, I almostly solely drink sourmash. I can't drink it with water, ice, coke, or anything else. It just doesn't taste right unless it's left alone. I got turned off scotch when the whole snobby single malt scotch fad blew up in the mid-90s. Drink what you like and do it your way. Never let peer pressure influence the type of alcohol you drink. Another option is to go to a bar with a good selection of the type of whiskey you like, ask the bartender for a few shots of some $100 bottle stuff, and taste away. You will be surprised at how smooth some of that stuff actually is. Mon Feb 19 19:46:39 -0800 2007 2308187 71365 velozo155 1 2270789 [Deleted] Wed Feb 07 18:36:25 -0800 2007 2267021 69634 eatzalot 1 2270905 This raises the question, what should a beginner try? Something mild or smooth, something with lots of flavor, something typical of a class, something tasty? My tendency is usually to try everything I can afford and get my hands on. I read whatever I can find. I worked my way up the price range with American brandies and cognac. By the time I was exploring other liquors like armagnac, scotch, and bourbons, I was searching for the best and the best value from the start. I wouldn't waste too much money buying the basics. Do some research and pick up something good. You might find that liking bourbon is about finding one you like, not just acquiring the taste. Wed Feb 07 19:17:10 -0800 2007 2267021 44835 jkt 1 2274519 I agree with jkt - go to a bar a few times and try a few things. I am a whiskey lover, but for scotch, kentucky or tennessee - not canadian, irish or some variations of those I listed that I do like. I think a good first round is Dewars for Scotch, Bushmills for Irish, Jack D for Tennessee, Maker's Mark for Bourbon. Next is that you need to know that within each of these broad categories you could go to one extreme or another, based on sweetness, smokiness, aging, etc. If you figure out what you do and don't like generally based on those four, you'll have a good starting point to dig deeper in what you do like. The thing is - if you like one of those and not the second you try, don't give up, and if you don't like the one of those four, try the others first and after you know more, try that kind again. for the record, I do like Canadian, but only mixed with coke or 7-up and while shivering around a campfire in the winter. Thu Feb 08 19:02:23 -0800 2007 2267021 11368 Dennis S 1 2274924 More single-malt discussion in adjacent thread: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/368903 Thu Feb 08 22:07:37 -0800 2007 2267021 69634 eatzalot 1 2274956 From my studies of whiskies, I have learned to apply the same process I have used for wine and Cognac - understand the character and profile of the liquor and you will be able to develop a sense for the optimum food pairing. Blended whiskies are made with a consistent character in mind. Single malts, like AVA wines are meant to reflect the character of the distiller and the region in which they are aged. I like the Scotch Whiskey Society's descriptions of their bottlings - many single barrel, cask strength. By reading the descriptions and then nosing the whiskies, I began to appreciate the nuances of each, and found my preferences. Alas, I love sticky toffee pudding and treacle both in food and in whiskey. Enjoy the journey! It is a fun one. I've been at it for 10 years and still feel as though I have only taken a few steps. Thu Feb 08 22:29:31 -0800 2007 2267021 55002 SanseiDesigns 1 2276727 Maybe I'm an outlier, but I wouldn't start somebody with single malts. I agree with the above to start with Irish blended whiskies and Canadian and Scotch blends first and then move on to the more complex stuff. Dennis S suggests a great first round (although I'm more partial to Johnny Walker than Dewars). Fri Feb 09 12:23:34 -0800 2007 2267021 37786 tdo ca 2 2290874 I never liked whiskies (found them to be too over the top sensory-wise) until I started studying wine. I then acquired an appreciation for the character of the spirits. At that time I was living in the UK, and single malts is all my friends drank. Hence, I was indoctrinated into the Scotch Whiskey Society. Glad to have taken that path, as I find blends, while pleasant enough, not as interesting as the variety and history of the singles. Tue Feb 13 21:22:57 -0800 2007 2276727 55002 SanseiDesigns 1 2276823 I started getting into whiskys several years ago, as my then boyfriend (now husband) has a large collection of single malt and blended scotches. My "starter" whiskys are still two of my favorites: Balvenie Doublewood (a single malt) and Johnnie Walker Black Label (a blend). Both are available in my area at BevMo and Trader Joes for around $30/bottle. Feel free to drink over ice and add dashes of water; it certainly acceptable in Scotland to do so, so you might as well enjoy it that way. I'd recommend starting your exploration in a bar that is knowledgable about whisky or at a whiskey tasting event, as the range of styles and flavours is quite wide and it can be expensive to invest in full bottles. I also frequently see miniature bottles in good liquor stores, some of which are worth trying (for example, Glenfiddich and Macallan). If the Scotch Malt Whisky Society has an event in your area, it would be a good opportunity to sample: http://www.smwsa.com/calendar.html Enjoy! Fri Feb 09 12:45:36 -0800 2007 2267021 14537 Jamie Rudman 1 2276955 A good one to start on is Crown Royal -- not too expensive, not challenging, but smooth and pleasing. There used to be a very nice 6-pack single malt scotch sampler, with 10th-size splits of malts ranging from easy (Oban) to somewhat challenging (Lagavulin). Whatever you do, don't let anyone talk you into getting Laphroaig, which is like drinking smoky tar. Fri Feb 09 13:17:06 -0800 2007 2267021 10539 KRS 1 2279569 I think for the price you can't go wrong with Maker's Mark....................around 20$ Sat Feb 10 12:31:54 -0800 2007 2267021 66179 jonathon 1 2279930 lots of great comments here-not that that i have time to read all sumissions. just want to drop a few lines about my own experience as a beginner to whisky/ey. started with irish whiskey and enjoyed the soft vanilla and caramel that comes out as it warms in the palm. had the fortunate opportunity to try GlenMorangie 10 year at a time when i was convinced i didn't like Scotch. No peat -jammy and sweet- very light--no harsh or eggy notes--and again, vanilla later. than i got into their various finishes -12 year whiskys finished at the end in casks formerly holding other spirits--port, madeira, burgundy etc. all with tremendous flavors and long smooth finishes. on the other end is Ardbeg 10 year, peatiest single malt of all --awesome stuff if you enjoy the smoky fireplace. good luck Sat Feb 10 14:59:23 -0800 2007 2267021 73242 outtolunch 1 2290813 For a "bourbon beginner", try starting with one of the following: Buffalo Trace Eagle Rare 10-year old Maker's Mark They're all under 100 proof, very interesting & complex flavor styles.... if you don't like one or more of these, you're probably not going to like anything else. Tue Feb 13 20:59:46 -0800 2007 2267021 42549 Chicago Mike 1 2290860 I'm a whisky beginner myself not too long ago, I found my first single malt whisky, Balvenie (the 10 year reserve or the 12 year doublewood) is fabulous - but that's becasue of my personal preference of little or no peat (which reminds me of drinking a fireplace - sorry guys). I remember finishing off a meal with a creme brulee, then the whiskey :) It was heaven. I also find that the Isle of Jira, with three drops of water, just has that somthing that really enjoy. Again, low on the peat, but high on those lovely caramel and floral notes. It's the perfect nightcap. :-D Good Luck! Tue Feb 13 21:16:56 -0800 2007 2267021 32488 oracle347 1 2291036 [See above.] Tue Feb 13 22:59:18 -0800 2007 2267021 69634 eatzalot 1 2300765 I don't know how widely distributed it is, but if you can find it I'd recommend Bulleit. While not a rye per se it does contain a higher than normal proportion of rye than other bourbons which a sweet (though not overly so) almost honey like overtone that does a great job of offsetting any of the burn first timers my get. Also, thanks to this thread I think I have to go home after work and hold my empty bottle of Green Spot, and tell it that I miss it and wish it would come back home. Fri Feb 16 15:59:58 -0800 2007 2267021 24767 boozemonkey 1 2304915 Best tasting bargain bourbon for the money is "hands down" Old Crow. It tastes good and goes down good. Ask any "old school" bartender about this brand. It's cheaper than your supermarket Jack and Jim bottles, but a lot smoother. Sun Feb 18 13:27:14 -0800 2007 2267021 71365 velozo155 2 2324325 Well, an 'old school' bartender might well have a soft spot for Old Crow, but it was the version made 20+ years ago by National Distillers, which was folded into Jim Beam Brands in 1987. Beam, which had competed against Old Crow for top-dog status for decades, destroyed the brand deliberately by putting its cheapest whiskey into it. Today, Old Crow is, essentially, 3-year-old Jim Beam white label. I have some 'real' Old Crow and it can be exceptional. But it's long gone from all but the dustiest store shelves. Fri Feb 23 18:51:29 -0800 2007 2304915 71335 TNbourbon 1 2311292 When I first started drinking whisky - it was Glenfiddich. Not too harsh and definitely cheaper than high end ones I now (unfortunately!) crave. Tue Feb 20 13:15:23 -0800 2007 2267021 70075 tochipotle