Anyone know much about American whiskey?

Realt Dearg Sec

Hi, I'm currently in north-western Kentucky for Christmas, and am looking to buy a decent bottle for my brother as a Christmas present. I know a tiny, minuscule amount about whiskey through him, and through attending whiskey live last year, but he would know his stuff pretty well.

Anyway, he isn't much of a fan of most bourbon as he finds it too sweet and fragrant. His preference normally would be for a fairly peaty scotch. But we did have some high end bourbon that he liked at whiskey live, the name now escapes me (much about that day escapes me). Still, as I'm over here it would be nice to get something local rather than just picking up pricey stuff at the duty free (which I'll probably do as well). I know I can ask for advice, but I'd rather not just go with the word of a guy who is trying to sell me stuff.

So can anyone recommend anything in the 50 euro or under range (maybe a little bit over if it's really good) that might suit his tastes (not necessarily peaty, just not sweet) among American whiskeys, and particularly Kentucky?

Rangi

My preference would be a good Islay type dram, but a friend went to NYC lately and bought me back a litre of Gentleman Jack, something different for a change. Said she got it for about €40ish in a shop in the city.

Realt Dearg Sec

Rangi wrote: »

My preference would be a good Islay type dram, but a friend went to NYC lately and bought me back a litre of Gentleman Jack, something different for a change. Said she got it for about €40ish in a shop in the city.

Well you sound like you have the same taste as my brother, he's planning a trip to Islay next year. Were you happy with the gentleman Jack?

guinnessdrinker

I have a bottle of Gentleman Jack in the house (it's almost all gone now!). I was pleasantly surprised by it considering I'm not a fan of Jack Daniels normally. I liked to take it along side a bottle of beer sometimes on a Friday night for some reason!

Rangi

Happy enough with it, like I said, it was for a change, so I therefore went for something different to my norm.Very rare I'm dissapointed with a whisk(e)y.

jonnybadd

If I recall correctly they had a few different bottles of Jeffersons bourbon at whisky live this year. I'm not a major bourbon fan either but remember finding this one not too bad at all

Realt Dearg Sec

jonnybadd wrote: »

If I recall correctly they had a few different bottles of Jeffersons bourbon at whisky live this year. I'm not a major bourbon fan either but remember finding this one not too bad at all

Hmmm...rings a bell. I'll have a chance tomorrow to talk to someone at a decent whiskey place, I'll run the name by them see what they think.

IrishWhiskeyCha

Yes Jeffersons was the main Bourbon at whiskey live but Beam had a stand also.

You can get gentleman jack here so I'd not bother.


Buffalo trace do a few limited batches every so often. George T Stagg is one of the more highly rated versions but I always preferred William L Weller. These used to be about $60-70 but sell for €120-150 over this side of the Atlantic.


I would just suggest get a limited or small batch whiskey. Try and find a decent whiskey shop and ask for advice.


Is Kentucky a dry state??? Not sure but if it is you'll either have to go to a distillery or wait for the duty free shopping

Realt Dearg Sec

IrishWhiskeyCha wrote: »

Yes Jeffersons was the main Bourbon at whiskey live but Beam had a stand also.

You can get gentleman jack here so I'd not bother.


Buffalo trace do a few limited batches every so often. George T Stagg is one of the more highly rated versions but I always preferred William L Weller. These used to be about $60-70 but sell for €120-150 over this side of the Atlantic.


I would just suggest get a limited or small batch whiskey. Try and find a decent whiskey shop and ask for advice.


Is Kentucky a dry state??? Not sure but if it is you'll either have to go to a distillery or wait for the duty free shopping

Thanks for the tips. Regarding Kentucky. There are no dry states as such, except Utah, although even there you can get a card to buy drink. Kentucky has dry counties, but the state itself isn't dry. Oddly enough, bourbon county itself is dry. But they have more whiskey casks than people. Duty free is all well and good but I'm going through o hare in ccago which is notoriously bad for shopping, which along with being in a good whiskey spot in Kentucky kind of incentivises getting something here.

Firehen

I tried The 8 year old Wild Turkey recently. Suprisingly decent considering it's 50.5%!

Zaph

Any of the following are worth trying:

Makers Mark
Woodford Reserve
Knob Creek (lovely with a tiny drop of water in it)
Bakers
Booker's
Eagle Rare
Old Charter
Basil Hayden's