Best Whiskey you've ever had

[Patrick R]

Woodford is my go to for Old Fashioned's.

*cracks knuckles* * @Scot rolls eyes* *does Michael Phelps arm slap*

Alright Gents. Strap into your seats and grab your butts because I'm about to take you down a wild ride through the land of Old Fashioneds and proper cocktail history!

I HATE Old Fashioneds. That's right, you read it correctly and I'll say it again: This whiskey-lovin, cigar smokin, gun totin, boot wearin guy right here HATES Old Fashioneds. You're in a bar and sit down and see your favorite single-barrel bourbon on the shelf, for me Buffalo Trace, so you slide up to the counter onto a barstool and order up the first ever cocktail invented, an Old Fashioned! A minute or so late the bartender comes over and slides up a rocks glass filled with ice, some bourbon, cherries, orange slices and filled to the brim with soda water...mmmm tasty!

Wait wait sorry guys. Must have had a stroke there for a second because last time I checked (and I check a lot since I run a cocktail blog) THAT'S NOT AN OLD FASHIONED! And since I had three last night, I LOVE OLD FASHIONEDS! They are hands down my favorite cocktail ever invented! But only when made properly and the cocktail isn't insulted with a ton of unnecessary additions....like soda water (disgusting). It's really unfortunate that most people don't know this but Prohibition was really really bad for the Old Fashioned. What started as a perfect drink and the base of all cocktails we know now was, in the 1920s, destroyed by substandard spirits and the necessary additions of extras to make the drink palatable.

But here's the best part. We no longer have substandard and harsh spirits. We have the privilege of having arguably the best spirits ever created so there's no need to hide them anymore! A cocktail is designed to enhance a spirit and make it enjoyable to consume, not to hide the spirit. So why hide a beautiful bourbon whiskey when you can make it flawless with only a few simple ingredients? Here's my recipe for an Old Fashioned, created by Jerry Thomas but I tweaked it some.

Old-Fashioned
1tsp rich simple syrup (2:1) or .5 oz 1:1 simple syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters (or any aromatic bitters)
2oz bourbon (you want something good here, but not over the top. I typically go for Buffalo Trace)
1 swath of orange peel
Add the simple syrup, bitters and then orange peel to an old-fashioned glass. Gently press (use a muddler or something similar) the peel to bring out its oils and combine. Add bourbon and 3 large ice cubes. Stir to chill and combine.

Like I said, I run a cocktail blog. It makes me 0 monies and I do it because I love cocktails. I also make my own bitters and Old-Fashioned Bourbon. I'm far from an expert but the bastardization of this drink really gets my panties in a twist since it can be so flawless if made properly.

Now none of this is to say that you haven't had a proper Old Fashioned, just want to spread the love anywhere I can!

 

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[Greg R]

*cracks knuckles* * @Scot
Old-Fashioned
1tsp rich simple syrup (2:1) or .5 oz 1:1 simple syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters (or any aromatic bitters)
2oz bourbon (you want something good here, but not over the top. I typically go for Buffalo Trace)
1 swath of orange peel
Add the simple syrup, bitters and then orange peel to an old-fashioned glass. Gently press (use a muddler or something similar) the peel to bring out its oils and combine. Add bourbon and 3 large ice cubes. Stir to chill and combine.

Like I said, I run a cocktail blog. It makes me 0 monies and I do it because I love cocktails. I also make my own bitters and Old-Fashioned Bourbon. I'm far from an expert but the bastardization of this drink really gets my panties in a twist since it can be so flawless if made properly.

Now none of this is to say that you haven't had a proper Old Fashioned, just want to spread the love anywhere I can!

As long as we are talking about whiskey cocktails, here it my vote:

Sazerac

1 cube sugar

1½ ounces (35ml) Sazerac Rye Whiskey or Buffalo Trace Bourbon

¼ ounce Herbsaint

3 dashes Peychaud's Bitters

Lemon peel

 

[Greg R]

What is your guys's preferred drinking vessel?

Tumbler or snifter?

Ice rocks or Death Star shaped ice molds?

 

[Countach]

The Hibiki Harmony is OK, but if you can actually find the genuine 12yo any more it blows it away. Seems like the Japanese stuff (at least around here) is getting harder to come by or has doubled in price.

+1 on the Paddy's. Cheaper than Jameson and still better than Bushmills.

I'm partial to the Glenfiddich family. Have a 12yo and 18 on the bar atm. Need to get another 15yo. The 18yo was a one-timer when I quit my 20yo job lol. Taking my time with that one. If I'm feeling cheep I'll get a McClelland's Speyside or Islay. Almost as good as the GF 12yo. Almost. The best Islay I've had was the 16yo Lagavulin.

 

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[Patrick R]

What is your guys's preferred drinking vessel?

Tumbler or snifter?

Ice rocks or Death Star shaped ice molds?

Depends on the drink for me. Tumbler for scotches and Old-Fashioned (and other cocktails) a Snifter for cognac and the like. I'm a firm believer in each type of glass is designed that way for a reason and with a specific cocktail or spirit in mind, much like red and white wine glasses.

I'll use a large cube when I can for a cocktail (even if it looks like the Death Star) because it has more service area which means slower dilution at a more proper rate as well as keeping your drink colder longer. And I hate whiskey stones. If you aren't putting some water or dilution in your spirit you aren't experiencing it properly.

 

[Raoul Duke]

My go to, which is an absolute must to drink: Lagavulin.

 

[Dan_Fastlane]

This forum never disappoints.

hilarious! i would join i love adventure!

 

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[Scot]

*cracks knuckles* * @Scot rolls eyes* *does Michael Phelps arm slap*

Alright Gents. Strap into your seats and grab your butts because I'm about to take you down a wild ride through the land of Old Fashioneds and proper cocktail history!

I HATE Old Fashioneds. That's right, you read it correctly and I'll say it again: This whiskey-lovin, cigar smokin, gun totin, boot wearin guy right here HATES Old Fashioneds. You're in a bar and sit down and see your favorite single-barrel bourbon on the shelf, for me Buffalo Trace, so you slide up to the counter onto a barstool and order up the first ever cocktail invented, an Old Fashioned! A minute or so late the bartender comes over and slides up a rocks glass filled with ice, some bourbon, cherries, orange slices and filled to the brim with soda water...mmmm tasty!

Wait wait sorry guys. Must have had a stroke there for a second because last time I checked (and I check a lot since I run a cocktail blog) THAT'S NOT AN OLD FASHIONED! And since I had three last night, I LOVE OLD FASHIONEDS! They are hands down my favorite cocktail ever invented! But only when made properly and the cocktail isn't insulted with a ton of unnecessary additions....like soda water (disgusting). It's really unfortunate that most people don't know this but Prohibition was really really bad for the Old Fashioned. What started as a perfect drink and the base of all cocktails we know now was, in the 1920s, destroyed by substandard spirits and the necessary additions of extras to make the drink palatable.

But here's the best part. We no longer have substandard and harsh spirits. We have the privilege of having arguably the best spirits ever created so there's no need to hide them anymore! A cocktail is designed to enhance a spirit and make it enjoyable to consume, not to hide the spirit. So why hide a beautiful bourbon whiskey when you can make it flawless with only a few simple ingredients? Here's my recipe for an Old Fashioned, created by Jerry Thomas but I tweaked it some.

Old-Fashioned
1tsp rich simple syrup (2:1) or .5 oz 1:1 simple syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters (or any aromatic bitters)
2oz bourbon (you want something good here, but not over the top. I typically go for Buffalo Trace)
1 swath of orange peel
Add the simple syrup, bitters and then orange peel to an old-fashioned glass. Gently press (use a muddler or something similar) the peel to bring out its oils and combine. Add bourbon and 3 large ice cubes. Stir to chill and combine.

Like I said, I run a cocktail blog. It makes me 0 monies and I do it because I love cocktails. I also make my own bitters and Old-Fashioned Bourbon. I'm far from an expert but the bastardization of this drink really gets my panties in a twist since it can be so flawless if made properly.

Now none of this is to say that you haven't had a proper Old Fashioned, just want to spread the love anywhere I can!

In my defense, I only get Old Fashioneds the proper way, made with bitters and the like.

But I like the history there behind it.

What is your guys's preferred drinking vessel?

Tumbler or snifter?

Ice rocks or Death Star shaped ice molds?

So adding ice to Scotch or whiskey actually inhibits and traps the flavor. It causes a negative reaction to lesson the flavor profile.

However, adding a splash of water causes a chemical reaction to enhance the flavor profile.

Science.

 

[Patrick R]

In my defense, I only get Old Fashioneds the proper way, made with bitters and the like.

But I like the history there behind it.



So adding ice to Scotch or whiskey actually inhibits and traps the flavor. It causes a negative reaction to lesson the flavor profile.

However, adding a splash of water causes a chemical reaction to enhance the flavor profile.

Science.

Facts! I love it!

 

[Scot]

I often compare Scotch to wine. Before I went to Scotland, I never ordered whiskey neat. If someone offered it to me, I sipped it grudgingly. However, after visiting 8 distilleries I came away with a better appreciation for Scotch.

I say it's like a fine wine because there are so many intricacies that you don't pick up on unless you are taught. It sounds snobby, but after learning how to properly drink and appreciate Scotch, I'm very happy enjoying a dram of neat Scotch.

 

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[Scot]

Facts! I love it!

Fun fact. In Scotland the call adding water to whiskey "releasing the dragon" That or the tour guide at The Glenlevit was messing with us.

 

[Patrick R]

Fun fact. In Scotland the call adding water to whiskey "releasing the dragon" That or the tour guide at The Glenlevit was messing with us.

Fun Fact: The part of the tree used for the barrel affects the ageing of whiskey. So a barrel from higher on the free (newer growth) will age a whiskey differently than a barrel from lower (older) on the tree.

 

[Scot]

Fun Fact: The part of the tree used for the barrel affects the ageing of whiskey. So a barrel from higher on the free (newer growth) will age a whiskey differently than a barrel from lower (older) on the tree.

Other fun fact. Glenmorangie owns a large forestry in the US that makes their own barrels, leases them to bourbon distilleries for aging and then brings them to Scotland.

 

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[Patrick R]

Other fun fact. Glenmorangie owns a large forestry in the US that makes their own barrels, leases them to bourbon distilleries for aging and then brings them to Scotland.

Not necessarily a fun fact but I say we make a "Whiskey Fun Fact Daily Calendar" and cash in. We can make a progress thread called "One Week to $4 Million"

 

[The Duc]

Oh man! Tugging at my heartstrings brother!

I'd love to talk about my extensive collection of Pappy but since I've only sipped it once at the distillery that would be a lie hahaha.

Another vote for Pappy Van Winkle here. Befriended a bartender and started talking about how I wondered if I could tell the difference between a good whiskey and a great whiskey. Gave me a pour of 12 year scotch then a pour of Pappy.

And the answer . . . yes . . . yes I can tell the difference between the good and the great. Is that difference worth the price premium? Not on my sub-baller budget.

 

[Anon1351z]

Gotta be the blow-your-socks-off heavily peated Octomore for me. Otherwise, any Laphroaig.

 

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[Patrick R]

Gotta be the blow-your-socks-off heavily peated Octomore for me. Otherwise, any Laphroaig. View attachment 16227

I have bottle 174 of the Octomore. Holy jeeze is it blow your socks off but oh so good!

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[GuestUser4aMPs1]

My go-to whiskey is the legal kind.








Oh, wait...

 

[amp0193]

hilarious! i would join i love adventure!

Apparently @Patrick R is both a whiskey aficionado and has underground sonar connections, so I think the position of wing-man has been filled.

That, and I've got a couple of family members in on this as well.


Thanks for your support though!

 

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[JAJT]

So yes, there is buried treasure in my family, and it's 6 bottles of 45-50 year-old

Nobody mentioned it but a lot of people don't realize that the whiskey in the bottle does not age.

So while you may have a physical bottle that is 50 years old, if the label says "12 year", it's a 12 year whiskey.

Whiskey ages in the barrel and is stopped completely in the bottle.

However your story is AMAZING and if you do in fact unearth buried treasure from a deceased family member in a graveyard that is quite possible the coolest damn story in the world that you will cherish for the rest of your life.

That's damn amazing.

 

[startinup]

I have a confession...

I've never had a good whiskey. *Gasp*

One summer night I drank Kentucky Gentleman and it ruined the word whiskey for me. Up until this thread, my brain has associated whiskey with: gross, terrible and cough-syrup-like. But after seeing all of your enthusiasm, I think I gave up on it too early...

 

[Almantas]

Famous Russian celebratory drink: Samogon. Here's the brewery operation in action:

And final product with some snacks:

Main Side effects:

1. Memory loss.
2. Insane headaches.
3. Belching near fire highly dangerous.

Drink responsibly!

 

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[ALC]

Definitly one of the best if not the best i've ever tasted, in fact, i bought one bottle for my dad's birthday, absolutely incredible.

 

[amp0193]

Nobody mentioned it but a lot of people don't realize that the whiskey in the bottle does not age.

Darn, I definitely was under the impression that it got better with age.


Who knows... could be some amazing stuff in there.

 

[Patrick R]

Darn, I definitely was under the impression that it got better with age.


Who knows... could be some amazing stuff in there.

No it stops ageing. That's why older whiskey's are more expensive too, because in the barrel they loose a % per year due to evaporation. So less supply comes out on bottling day. In a bottle it just sits there waiting to be drank.

However! That doesn't mean it's value doesn't increase over time, nor does the sentiment or meaning behind it.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

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[Scot]

Exactly. You lose 1-2% per year to evaporation. That's why you only get about 100 bottles from a 55g cask after 50 years. It's also why they cost about $10,000 per bottle.

But unfortunately they don't bottle age. Everything you get taste wise in whiskey is from the cask. The only taste that's not from the cask is any peat from the malting process.

 

[DustinH]

This is my poison, Woodford Reserve, the best thing close to heaven.

View attachment 16219

My favorites are Woodford and Four Roses Small Batch.

 

[eliquid]

you all should come to where I live here in Kentucky...

pretty much all the distilleries are right in my backyard and within minutes driving time of each other.

we even have "tours" that drive you to each one so you can sample.

 

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[DustinH]

you all should come to where I live here in Kentucky...

pretty much all the distilleries are right in my backyard and within minutes driving time of each other.

we even have "tours" that drive you to each one so you can sample.

I lived in Lexington for 5 years so we acquired quite a taste for the 'ole bourbon. For anyone interested, it's a good idea for a getaway trip to go through KY on the bourbon tour. I would argue against going during the KY Derby and instead go in April or October when Keeneland is running if you want to gamble on horse racing.

 

[Patrick R]

you all should come to where I live here in Kentucky...

pretty much all the distilleries are right in my backyard and within minutes driving time of each other.

we even have "tours" that drive you to each one so you can sample.

I spent 9 months at Knox on duty two years ago. Did the whole bourbon trail. It was unbelievably amazing!

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