Scotch or Bourbon?

[Fred W]

Jack Daniels is Tennessee Whiskey, not Bourbon.  To qualify as bourbon it has to have 51% or greater corn in the grain-bill, and it has to be made in Kentucky.  You can make sour-mash whiskey in other states, but it isn’t bourbon.  Personally, I don’t care for Jack.  It lacks the depth and variety of flavors that a good bourbon has.
 

Bourbon, like most other whiskey, should not be drunk straight. Alcohol numbs you’re taste buds. Even at 80 proof it is too strong to taste the more subtle flavors.  If you drink your whiskey neat it’s because you like the taste of alcohol and don’t like the taste of whiskey.  You should just stick with vodka then.

Just a small amount of good tasting spring water opens up the flavor of whiskey tremendously.  All whiskey has been watered down (proofed) before bottling, unless it says barrel proof on the label.  My recipe for drinking 90 proof Ezra Brooks is 2 shots of liquor to 1/2 shot of water.  I use a bit less water in the ratio for 80 proof.  Try it side by side with bottle strength and see what you think.

 

[Knifemaker]

I've always added water to my whiskeys, except for winter if I'm carrying a flask

  I usually drink them "twice up" as I described above and on hot summer days will go with the mizuwari. I'm not out to get plastered, so that way I get to enjoy a drink all day. 

  Generally better whiskeys get less water

 

[lnewlf]

fuzzy subject.....fun read here but as always, open for debate

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bourbon_whiskey

 

[fljab]

Earlier this year, wifey and I plus some friends went to Ireland and toured the Midleton distillery which makes Jameson, Powers, and other brands, many of which are hard to get in the US.  The tour is of the old distillery and it's interesting, but you don't go to the main plant that was built alongside where most of the operations are today.  Anyway, near the end of the tour they take you in a room and laid before every one are 3 shots of whiskey: 1 each of Jack Daniels, Scotch which IIRC was Johnny Walker Red, and Jameson.  I did my three shots, but there were some folks there that didn't do theirs, so after my wife let me finish up her shots, As the crowd started milling out of the room, I went around the table and started cleaning up the shots left behind (Never let an old sailor see this kind of waste!).  We still had a free whiskey coming in the main bar, but man, sure glad we were taking a taxi back to our place!

Upon leaving Dublin, US Customs is in the airport so you clear that, then head to the international gates and the duty free shopping area.  I brought back 4 bottles of good Irish Whiskey and they were telling me that some folks pack 10 bottles out.  I guess I need a bigger suitcase for the next trip!  The prices aren't that much better, but the selection is.  Many options there that aren't seen in the US.

A couple or three yrs ago, we took a space a military flight to RAF Mildenhall (I'm retired Navy), then hopped on the train up to Edinburgh.  We were up on the Royal Mile by the Castle and went into a Scotch Whiskey shop (there's a bunch of them).  Touristy with prices to match, but there was every kind of Scotch and explanations under them as to where they were made, what their characteristics  were, and so on.  Just about everything was single malt, with a dozen or more in a locked glass cabinet that started out about 600 lbs (UK currency) and bottles at 4000+ per bottle!  I did buy a sampler of 5 airline bottle size of brands I'd never had and there were a couple of good ones in there.  We need to go back sometime and get out in the countryside and go to some of the distillerys.  Maybe after a tour, I could see the Loc Ness Monster.  That would require a rental car and I really don't like trying to drive over there, but that might be worth it.  I wonder if I could rent a FJR anywhere?

 

[SacramentoMike]

Single malt, neat, for brown whisky (no "e" in scotch whisky).  I keep several bottles in the cupboard.  Like the variety, and I like to be able to offer a choice to scotch lovers who come by.  My favorite is probably Macallan's.  But in summer, generally I prefer a gin an tonic.  If you do too, here's a favor I'll do you:  try to find Greenhouse gin (around here, the only place I can find it is Total Wine & More.  Wonderfully aromatic, completely unique.  Unless you somehow find someplace that sells Ketel One gin.  If you do, please PM me!  A friend brought a bottle back from Europe.  Similar to that Greenhouse, and almost worth a trip to find it.  If you go there, order one.

 

[Knifemaker]

Love Gin and Tonics. Local distillery makes a fairly good Gin, but their tonic syrup is awesome (you mix it with club soda to create your own tonic)

  I found Greenhouse a bit to "perfumey", (I think the cucumber put me off)

Have you tried Garden Swift?

https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/33947/capreolus-garden-swift-dry-gin-half-litre

 

[Bounce]

Bourbon

 

[jammess]

I recently bought a bottle of Black Velvet Reserve and it's not bad with a splash of water and ice to attenuate the alcohol flavor rush.  Been enjoying Evan Williams black label bourbon with the occasional Jim Beam Twice Barreled.  I see that Heaven Hill, the makers of Evan Williams, recently acquired the Lethbridge, AB Canada distillery that makes Black Velvet which is aged in bourbon barrels.   Around here a 5th of BV Reserve goes for about $13 about the same for Evan Williams.

 

[Knifemaker]

Tomorrow, this

plus these:

Love the HUGE warning label....

 

[SacramentoMike]

No label on the scotch?

 

[Knifemaker]

reply moved to proper thread

 

[Knifemaker]

No label on the scotch?

None. No warnings at all. Guessing they paste those stickers on all tobacco products in Germany. Doubt they did it in Cuba.

 Put a sizable dent in that bottle yesterday, and smoked all three of the cigars  

 

[FJRBluesman]

Nice thread here... Don't mind if I do...

I like both.

On scotch I prefer single malt like Sacto Mike my fav is 12 year old Macallan's SM, I like it on the sweet side (I know kind of strange for a scotch). I don't mind the bitter peat flavor but some like JW Blue Label are to me merda (Google it in Italian). Balvenie 12 is good, Delwhinnie 15 is real good too. And believe it or not the Costco Kirkland 18 and 20 year old is pretty awesome and at a very low price.

Bourbon I also like many of them but my fav and go to is Buffalo Trace.

Now on cigars, I have had good cubans and crappy ones. I really like candelas now and they have come a long way since the 60s and 70s where old men smoked them and they smelled like merda. Camacho candela, Rocky Patel edge candela and Illusione 88 candela's are awesome! Rocky Patel Vintage 1999, Oliva Serie V Melanio, Alec Bradley Prensado, Montecristo, RyJ Reserva Real, ManO'War Virtue, CAO Brazilia, and many others I like. Cuban's slightly over rated. My friend brings me a 5-pack of cubans like the Habanos Jose L. Piedra, Vuelta Arriba Cuba each time he comes home from Denmark he goes every other month, nice cigar nothing special I just like the flavors.

Anyway thanks for topic. 

 

[FJRBluesman]

None. No warnings at all. Guessing they paste those stickers on all tobacco products in Germany. Doubt they did it in Cuba.

 Put a sizable dent in that bottle yesterday, and smoked all three of the cigars  

They sometimes stick them on at the country of sale. My anti smoking label on the Cuban's is in Dutch.

 

[Knifemaker]

I agree that Cuban cigars now are a bit over rated. Since the embargo, Dominican Republic and Nicaraguan (my favorite) entries have surpassed most of the Cubans I’ve tried.

   Kinda like “German steel” which for years was the go to for cutlery. The Japanese pretty much surpassed German steel in the 80’s. 

    I’m not a big fan of the real “peaty”  scotches. I like the lighter ones. This is actually based on the fact that I like to have that cigar along with my scotch. As I’m also having a cigar when I sip my scotch, I don’t need a smokey whiskey competing with a cigar. If I am not smoking a cigar,  I can handle the “smokier” whiskey’s.

  But the two usually are paired here, so a cigar and a “lighter” style scotch are what I prefer. 

 

[FJRBluesman]

I agree, a stogie with scotch or bourbon is awesome!

Nicaragua seems to be the premier country for cigar tobacco outside of Cuba. I do like Dominican and Honduran tobaccos, they are on the more mild side but great flavor. The Nicaraguan leafs can deliver great all around flavors and bodies especially on the fulls, they can kick my butt sometimes. Had a Padron (BTW another great smoke one of the best) 1964 Family Reserve that half way through I thought I was going to puke. Way too much nicotine. I fired it back up two hours later and it was right where I left off. I didn't finish it. My favorite Padron's are the 5000 and 1926 series.

I think we'd get along great.

 

[Pterodactyl]

Tobacco in any form is great right up until some part of your body turns on you; then things are not so great.  Survival can require a long and painful process that is worse for those who love you.  Then if things go well you get to live with some life long unpleasant disabilities.  Sorry to cast a shadow of gloom on the thread,  but maybe someone will not need to live through the horror that tobacco so often causes.

 

[Bounce]

Something like an Arturo Fuente Hemingway Signature should be a good starting point.

 

[FJRBluesman]

Something like an Arturo Fuente Hemingway Signature should be a good starting point.

Another excellent one I left off my list. The Hemingway series is the best AF! Not much of a fan of the Opus X. For a quick smoke I like the Short Story.

 

[Knifemaker]

Tobacco in anyform is great right up until some peart of your body turns on you; then things are not so great.  Survival can require a long and painful process that is worse for those who love you.  Then if things go well you get to live with some life long unpleasant disabilities.  Sorry to cast a shadow of gloom on the thread,  but maybe someone will not need to live through the horror that tobacco so often causes.

True. Dangerous things like I tobacco, alcohol, and motorcycles can have a fatal or life changing impact on ones life. Everyone needs to make a personal decision on how these things can not just effect them, but loved ones around them. 

I stopped smoking cigarettes about 20 years ago. My choice to take up smoking an occasional cigar was based on my age, the fact that my children were out on their own and doing well, and that I rarely smoked more than one cigar a day....sometimes only one or two a week.

    Right now I’d say my drinking poses more of a health threat than my smoking. At 65, I’m fine with it however. I do understand the risks. Same as my love of riding a motorcycle in this world of distracted and drunk drivers. 

   I agree tobacco in any form comes with risks. And I’d never try to promote using it to others, no more than I’d promote drinking or suggesting someone should get a motorcycle.