I had some Clan MacGregor once. Then I tried Claymore. Scotch is just not very good.
I had some Clan MacGregor once. Then I tried Claymore. Scotch is just not very good.
Wild Turkey 101 is an awesome budget bourbon that punches above it's price point. Bourbons are sweeter than other whiskeys with standard flavor notes of vanilla, caramel, cherry, cinnamon, and oak in different proportions. You might just not be into those flavors? It also takes time to really appreciate the flavors, maybe try lower proof options that let you bypass any alcohol burn whatsoever? I myself am in a barrel proof phase of whiskey drinking. After all you can always bring the proof down but you can't bring it up. Enjoyed some Stagg Jr. (batch 14, 130 proof) last night and lucked upon a bottle of Elijah Craig's Barrel Proof (B520) today. Can't wait to compare the two. As for scotch, I love the peaty (smokey) Islay scotches, particularly the Ardbeg 10.
I'm certainly not as informed as some of the people on this board, but Wild Turkey is a very bad example, in my opinion. I've only really gotten into whiskey over the last 2 years though, so I'm still completing my Whiskey NLP. :-)
In the $50-60 range, I like Wilderness Trail. They have a small batch and a single barrel that I like. It is a sweet mash, but it doesn't taste like a piece of candy. I also like 1792 and 4 Roses. 1792 has more of an oak taste that a Scotch drinker might enjoy, whereas 4 Roses is pretty smooth. The 4 Roses Small Batch Select is priced well, but so smooth, I don't think a Scotch drinker would care for it. Noah's Mill is pretty damn good too. I haven't bought it in a while, but last I checked it was in the $50 range.
In the $100-150 range, I like Whistle Pig, but those are rye's. I tend to buy rye when I spend that kind of money. I will probably try Redemption since it's been brought up. When I was in Florida a few weeks ago, my brother had a bottle of the Noah's Mill Small Batch that I think he paid $100 for. That was really good, in my opinion.
Hey Sib, I wanted to add more formal advice on how you might find it easier to enjoy bourbon. Find a bourbon you want to try, Wild Turkey 101 would be fine but whatever gets your attention. The Mash and Drum Youtube channel has some really good info. Once you choose a bourbon, pour about two ounces into a glass (glencairn preferred but whatever ya got) and then take a small sip. If you make a face because the alcohol burn is too much, put a few drops of water in the glass and swirl it around. Take another sip and repeat the process until you can take a sip and not feel an uncomfortable burn. Once you get the burn out of the way you can focus more on the flavor and really see if it's something you enjoy. As you gain experience you will likely find yourself adding less and less water and being able to get much more flavor out of higher proof whiskeys but at the end of the day, add enough water to taste the flavor and not an uncomfortable burn. At the end of the day, whiskey is very subjective and it's all about finding what you like. Good luck.
I was lucky to be gifted several bottles of whiskey for my birthday over the weekend. Amongst the more notable was a bottle of Eagle Rare, and a Weller Special Reserve. I have never tried the latter, but I look forward to opening it soon.
Thanks. Yeh I have friends who swear by wild turkey and tell me its a premium product, maybe its the 101 they had me try. Too sweet for my taste. I'll check out the 1792 thanks!
I tour some Scottish distilleries every year and I'd love to check out some US ones once this madness is over if I can find some I like.