The Whiskey/Bourbon/Rye/Scotch Thread

Yes, sacrilegious to group the three together, but I don't know if we can support three threads.

Let me say this at the outset.  I'm sure Noah John or some other cool dude is going to $hit on me about being an urban bandwagon drinker jumping on the Renaissance that Bourbon and Whiskey seem to be experiencing, while he is so dope that he's been drinking it for years and the dumbasses who chime in here should just STFU.......but everyone's gotta start somewhere!

How's THAT for an opening!?  Me....well for years my major foray into this realm was Jamison.  I've since expanded my horizons.

So, let's talk booze!  Chime in on the following:

Favorite Whiskey/Bourbon/Scotch?
Take on flavored Whiskey/Bourbon (Honey, Maple)?
Fireball - Should they be able to lump that in the Whiskey/Bourbon category?
Neat, rocks, or mixed?
Favorite mixed Whiskey/Bourbon drink?
We can get into more technical stuff later (virtues of single barrel, type of barrel, method of filtering, blah, blah).

Begin!

Bookers Kentucky Bourbon, Gentleman Jack Tennessee Whiskey are my current favorites, but I keep trying new ones.

Rocks, especially the Bookers as the water mellows and softens the 125 proof bite just a little.

I like the flavored Whiskeys, particularly Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey.  My brother did get some cheap @ss maple whiskey and it wasn't half bad.

Fireball is pretty terrible and shouldn't be called whiskey, but it seems to be a popular shot.

JD Honey and Ginger if I'm going to mix.  A good stiff Irish coffee, with lots of Jamison and a splash of Bailey's.

I think that covers it for now....

I've never been into single malt scotch.  Not against it, just never got that into scotch.  Used to travel with a guy who was big into it.  Seems like an expensive habit.  Little afraid to open that can of worms.

Please add Rye to thread subject :)

Gibson's Finest 12 year old
Wiser's Deluxe

For Bourban I have had:
Kentucky Knob
Buffalo Trace

I enjoyed both of them very much.  

Scotch:
Chivas 12 and 18 year old
JW Black/Green/Gold/Blue

I had a bunch of other ones that I enjoyed but cannot recall the names.  

Claude

Done.  I haven't gotten to the Ryes yet myself.

Sweet...I forgot to answer the rest of the questions:
Favorite Whiskey/Bourbon/Scotch? Answered above
Take on flavored Whiskey/Bourbon (Honey, Maple)? Not a huge fan but will if not else available :)  
Fireball - Should they be able to lump that in the Whiskey/Bourbon category? I am going to say no.  I see it more a a liquer...although I have been known to drink some on the WF Gondola :)
Neat, rocks, or mixed? On the rocks for scotch and bourban...sometimes on the rocks for Rye. Sometimes mixed.
Favorite mixed Whiskey/Bourbon drink?   If mixed I like it with Gingerale.  Again Gibson's or Wiser's.
We can get into more technical stuff later (virtues of single barrel, type of barrel, method of filtering, blah, blah). Not a huge fan of single malt.  I personally like the blended stuff better.  

Laphroaig scotch neat every now and then.

Yes please.

I think I can officially call it....I don't like single malt Scotch.

Bourbon, love it.  Tennessee Whiskey, bring it on.  Tried a few different Rye, can't go wrong.  Sour Mash, yummy.  Japanese Whiskey, yes please.  Irish Whiskey, anytime.

Scotch?  No.  Too 'born of the sea' for my liking.  Yes, Talisker may be more brine-y than others, but they aren't the only one I've tried.  Confirmed it through a Scotch flight this winter.  Scotches are just too peaty/smokey/brine-y for my tastes.  I know that makes me a booze hack, but so be it!

Love the topic

Here is where I stand

Scotch - cant stand it - I don't like the peat smoke flavor at all.  
Flavored - No! too sweet

Bourbon - yes please
Makers is my standard but I also like bulleit.  I recently got some of Jeferson's low end (the high end is really pricey) and it is great stuff - very smooth with a lower proof of 80 so it can be drank straight up without any burn.

I like Jack as well.  From my trip to Ireland a few years back I learned to like John Powers which is really good stuff for the price.

I've recently become a fan of a manhatten made with blood orange bitters.  you can buy them at Hanaford in LP.

I need to get those fancy new big ice cube thingys which I tried at a buddy's house.

I'm not a Manhatten fan, I don't think Bourbon and Vermouth go all that well together.  Agree on orange bitters, very good.  Me, I'll take the Old Fashioned, pretty much the same thing, just no Vermouth and a little sugar.  Key component for either drink?  Some good Luxardo cherries!

Vermouth I save for the martinis.

I find old fashions too sweet

have you guys checked out the cocktails at Liquids and Solids in LP.  That bartender is amazing.

Coach Z wrote

I find old fashions too sweet.

Yeah, I only use the Old Fashioned as a change of pace, when I'm in the mood for something a little sweet, although I go light on the sugar.  I'm usually just a rocks guy.

The only brown liquor worthy of devotion

You know if I had to pick just one, Knob Creek might be it for me also. How do you take it, Harv? On the rocks for me.

Straight.

At age 44, I never expected my father in law to pay for our wedding but he did. He sent me to the liquor store with his card and said "make sure there is some zindfandel for me and momma.  I bought a bunch of the regular stuff, beer, merlot, whatever and one bottle of Knob. I told the bar tender to pour it for people I pointed too. LOL good times. Fun wedding.

Many years ago I bought a hunting cabin near Tahawus, was not and am not a hunter (Sorry Camp) but I loved to hike. After I moved a few things around I found a bottle of Knob Creek 3/4 full way in the back of a cabinet. Took a few sips, not a bourbon drinker but it was OK. I put it back where I found it.  I sold the place about 10 years later and built my 4-season house and it remained there for the next owner. I hope he found it and enjoyed it - I have no idea how old it was when I found it but it was 10 years older and still about 3/4 full when I sold the place. I did not tell the owner anything about it - actually I had forgotten about it until I read this thread.

Have either of you tried other bourbons and didn't like them, or is Knob Creek it because if you like it why try anything else? If you like Knob Creek there are so many other bourbons I'm sure you'd like!

I've tried about a million bourbons, scotches, etc; in real life, I'm in the booze business. A lot of the guys I work with are Makers Mark fanatics but I am generally not a fan of wheated or high rye bourbons (I do like Makers 46 and Makers cask strength though). I like bourbons with traditional mash-bills aged in heavily charred barrels, bottled right around 100 proof. I'm a huge fan of Wild Turkey 101 but I have to concede that Knob is probably a little better. Scotch-wise I love the smokey Islay single malts (Laphroaig 10 yr cask strength is my first choice) but I appreciate the more delicate Speysides (Glenluvet 15 yr). I find a lot of the new hipster-oriented "craft" products to be overpriced and often don't live up to the hype (there are exceptions). In the theoretical "choose one forever" game, Knob Creek would probably be my choice though.

I think Knob is around 100 proof which is just too harsh for me.