[HAB]

What's good? I've got a bottle of Bulleit Rye going now. Pretty decent, though I'm usually more into bourbon than rye. I like their bourbon for the price, so figured I'd give it a shot. Have a bottle of Rowan's Creek on hand, haven't opened it yet though.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

Woodinville Whiskey Company.

Currently, they are selling an un-aged whiskey that is ridiculously good. The aged ones are in the hopper for release "soon".

 

[Kevin]

Not a big bourbon fan, I prefer a fine single malt or Scottish blended over most bourbons Ive tried.
Ill use Jack Daniels for parties when Im mixing with Coke. The drink, not the powder.
Right now in the booze cabinet;

Glenfiddich 18 year (single malt)
Dimple 15 year (blended)
Johnny Walker Swing (blended)

What I drink depends on the moment.

The Glennfiddich has quite a strong taste and I usually drink it when Im chilling out on the couch with a nice book, maybe a glass or 2 before I go to bed.

The Dimple is when I just wanna get drunk and feel like drinking a nice Whiskey.

The Johnny Walker Swing is kinda rare cause its not sold in stores.
Im kinda waiting for a special occaision to open it...

 

[HAB]

Broke out the Rowan's Creek last night. Fvcking awesome.

 

[Silver]

I do like rye...a remnant of my Canadian childhood, where cheap rye was the lifeblood of any party.

How's the Bulleit compared to Jim Beam rye? (I do like the Beam-best thing they make with the Jim Beam label, imho, even if it is a little disappointing in that it doesn't live up to its nose...dirt cheap though, like Evan Williams black.)

 

[HAB]

I haven't had the Beam Rye in a while but from what I remember of it I like the Bulleit a bit better. I agree that the Beam falls a bit flat in the finish, the Bulleit is definitely better in that regard. It's got a nice rye kick without being overpowering or harsh. For ~$22/ 750ml it's easily worth it.

 

[skyst3alth]

I was drinking Glenfiddich 18 yr straight from the bottle all night at a wedding this past weekend, like a homeless guy drinking listerine. Woke up on someone's couch. It was pretty tasty.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

I had Glenfiddich 21 yr. once.

It was a glorious experience.




GLORIOUS!!!!!

 

[RUFUS]

I own a bottle of 50 year that my friend that runs Notcot.org got from them. It will never be opened by myself. I can't bring myself to open a $50,000 bottle.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

I bought a $38,000 car......I drive it and enjoy it......I'm just sayin'....

 

[fiddy_ryder]

online prices say 16k, not 50k. expensive none the less

 

[Pesqueeb]

Intriguing.

Virginians have always enjoyed their liquor, and for much of the 18th century, their preferred drink was rum. But when war and tariffs made imported rum hard to come by, George Washington saw an opportunity. Why not make liquor out of grains he was growing on his farms?

"He was a businessman and he was a very, very successful one," says Dennis Pogue, the director of preservation programs at Mount Vernon.

By 1799, Washington's distillery was the single most profitable part of his plantation. He couldn't make enough whiskey to meet demand, Pogue says. Now the distillery has been restored, and I got a chance to see what Washington's rye whiskey probably tasted like.
"This is the first bottle that we've opened for tasting. So, yeah, this is an important day," Pogue says.

Pogue has invited me and a few dozen other guests to the distillery for a preview of the first aged rye whiskey to come out of Mount Vernon since the distillery was rebuilt and reopened.

It's like being in a dark, cavernous barn. And there are the distinctive smells of smoke and fermentation. The distillers are hard at work, and the grain they're using to make whiskey is cooking or steaming in a boiler the size of a bathtub.

"You're essentially cooking the grain, and so you're turning the starches in the grain to sugar," Pogue says.

"And so the idea ... [is] to take that and put it into the still," he says. "And then after it's distilled down, the alcohol increases considerably [and] the water content is reduced."

When you distill down to 140 proof, or 70 percent alcohol, it doesn't take many sips to start feeling a little woozy. And for a crowd like this one — made up of journalists, whiskey devotees and history buffs — the opportunity to taste whiskey straight from George Washington's distillery, well, you would have thought they were channeling the man himself.

"Standing exactly where he stood — being able to see the old books, see the old ledgers and come here and see the stills as though they may have been here the exact same way — it's beyond something special," says Tim Welly, who's overseeing the creation of a grain-to-glass distillery in the Hudson Valley. "It's recreating history."

"A true mark of a distiller is how easily drinkable this liquid is," he says. "Two years in the barrel softens its harsh edges and really showcases how beautiful of a product you can make."

But there is some uncomfortable history here. In Washington's day, the hard work of making whiskey fell to six slaves.

It's a fact of history that Pogue says he would never paper over. Washington was a man of his time, and the whiskey we're drinking is made to his exact recipe.

"It's 60 percent rye, 35 percent corn and 5 percent malted barley," he says. "I think that Washington was probably a neat guy, so I think he's drinking this neat."

If you'd like to try the whiskey, you've got to make a trip to Mount Vernon. There are only 300 bottles available — at $185 a pop.
Drinking Whiskey In The Spirit Of George Washington : The Salt : NPR

 

[sstalder5]

What do most of these bottles run you guys?

I'm a college student, but I'm lucky if I can afford Jack. I mostly drink beer or Evan Williams.

I feel like I'm riding walmart bikes and you guys are on carbon Sessions

 

[metalhead119042]

The finest of the fine, carried into America on the backs of wolves, all for $9 a 5th!

 

[Pesqueeb]

I feel like I'm riding walmart bikes and you guys are on carbon Sessions

You are. But your in college so thats okay. Swankiest booze I ever bought in college was a bottle of Skyy Vodka and a ginormous bottle of Kahlua.

 

[Pesqueeb]

Bought myself a bottle of this last night @ teh Costco.

Hard to beat for 40 bucks.

 

[Pesqueeb]

Anybody ever have Jameson Gold Reserve or the 18 year? Its a bit spendy. (18 year just south of 100 IIRC). We drink a lot of regular Jameson around here in the form of Old Fashioneds and other mixed drinks, but thats about all its good for, it kinda blows straight up, especially when compared with some of the local stuff like Stranahans or Breckenridge.

 

[HAB]

Picked up a bottle of Ardbeg Uigeadail today. Only had a little taste but it is fvcking AWESOME.


Edit: tasting notes from the box:

Nose

Deep and rounded- chocolate caramels combine with dates and smooth sherry notes. Later you find leather and linseed oil. With water, sweetness gives way to malted honeycomb, flowering currants and a well-fired fruit pudding.

Taste

Sweet, chewy and oily with a silky mouthfeel. Initially sweet, revealing fruit cake and treacle. Then comes smoked, barbecued or honey-roast food with the slightest hint of olives.

Finish

Again long, both sweet and dry with honey, treacle and a trace of lint.

Who makes this **** up?

 

[HAB]

The Ardbeg is still badass. I've had it a few more times, and I'm floored by it. SO ****ING GOOD. If you're into Highlands or similar, this isn't for you, but if you like a big, peaty Islay kick in the face, it's epic.

 

[HAB]

Rowan's Creek, old fashioned. It is so choice.

 

[Sandwich]

I've heard Ardbeg 12yr is better than their 15yr...like significantly so.

I'll drink most anything over 10 bucks, but I don't love to spend a TON of money on booze, but rather get max value for what I spend. I really like Jim Beam black label, regular old jack, and even george dickel from time to time. Maker's is what I get when I'm feeling spendy....special occasions I pick anything off the upper shelves and am generally happy.

 

[skyst3alth]

My buddy left a bottle of Bacon Whiskey he made with Jim Beam Black. Doesn't taste enough like bacon, I might have to hit it with a double dose.

 

[Pesqueeb]

My buddy left a bottle of Bacon Whiskey he made with Jim Beam Black. Doesn't taste enough like bacon, I might have to hit it with a double dose.

 

[OGRipper]

MMMMMMM, Blanton's

 

[fortenndu]

The finest of the fine, carried into America on the backs of wolves, all for $9 a 5th!

That's all I have to say to that. And Dickel, more Dickel.

 

[Mulestar]

That's all I have to say to that. And Dickel, more Dickel.

hahaha I always said "It gets you supreeeemely drunk".

Back in my drinking days, that is.

 

[fortenndu]

hahaha I always said "It gets you supreeeemely drunk".

Back in my drinking days, that is.

Back? They stopped? This doesn't make any sense.

 

[HAB]

Just opened a bottle of Russell's Reserve Rye. It's pretty good, not spectacular.

 

[Pesqueeb]

Friends brought this over last night:

O.M.F.G

Must find moar!

 

[Sandwich]

any of you drinks cocktails? I love a good sazerac. The absinthe gives it a touch of mint that really blends well with good whiskey.

 

[HAB]

Not into absinthe but I like mint juleps a lot. Old fashioneds are good too.

 

[Sandwich]

2 ounces Rye whiskey
Three dashes Peychaud's Bitters
One sugar cube or 1 tsp simple syrup
Splash of absinthe or Herbsaint

Not really an absinthe drink, but an accoutrement. Last night I had one, and the bartender mixed a half shot of absinthe with water and ice into a glass, then stirred the rye with the syrup and bitters, poured out the absinthe, and poured in the whiskey. Was pretty awesome.

I love bars that serve good cocktails. I used to drink whiskey straight, but a good mix opens up so many more flavors, when done right of course.

 

[HAB]

I know, I've had them. Still not my favorite but not bad either.

 

[Sandwich]

fair enough. A julep takes too much away from the whiskey IMHO. Fun on a hot summer day though. Not sure whether or not I've ever had an old fashioned though.

 

[HAB]

I make miner less minty and less sweet than you're supposed to. Not like I drink them all ttime either.s

 

[binary visions]

I make miner less minty and less sweet than you're supposed to. Not like I drink them all ttime either.s

...you don't?

 

[HAB]

Swype and I aren't quite getting along yet.

 

[Sandwich]

neither is the whiskey, apparently!

 

[binary visions]

Got a bottle of Makers Mark for Christmas. I don't know much about whiskey, but it's pretty delicious.

 

[skyst3alth]

Got a bottle of Makers Mark for Christmas. I don't know much about whiskey, but it's pretty delicious.

My Mom put a bottle of Makers Mark and a flask in my stocking this year. It's like she knows something...