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What bourbon is better/sweeter than Makers Mark?

Nice thread....

@TheGerman

I keep saying to spend the $75 and get a bottle of Widow Jane...If you can't get it in UT, I would be happy to coordinate sending you a bottle. Everything you see on this thread is ho hum...including Pappy. Same names....blah, blah blah. I don't think you will find a better bourbon....just perfect and only $75.

I have a long and constant experience with all manner of whiskeys....grain and/or grape...
Very interesting story about that bourbon, going to try and get some of that, I grew up right down the road from those mines.
 
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Ok, I’m going to let you in on a bit of a secret, get a bottle of Parker’s Heritage Promise of Hope and don’t look back. Like Pappy quality but not near as expensive!
 
Oh my hell. How many threads go to hell around here with people spouting all kinds of nonsense?

@TheGerman,
If you ever get in my neck of the woods, I will open the bar to you.

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Was getting into bourbon and taking a break from cognac. Found myself getting into a bottle of Maker's I had left sit on my bar for a while after receiving it as a gift and kind of letting it hang out.

A little splash and it was enjoyable, smooth, but just kind of lacked a little something to make it 'great'.

What's in the region of Makers, but better? I tend to like sweeter that can be drank neat and/or with just a splash. One thing to note is that I really enjoyed how smooth Makers was; I absoutely HATE alcohol aftertaste.

Had a few ideas, but haven't tried them. I'll be in Vegas this coming week to stock up, so looking for suggestions of what I may end up really liking.

Four Roses Single Barrel
Four Roses Small Batch
Woodford Reserve
Elijah Craig Small Batch
Buffalo Trace
Weller?

I prefer Blantons great taste with a smooth finish
 
I don't eat dessert anymore so looking for "sweet" elsewhere has been my thing.

In drinks

EH Taylor
Buffalo Trace
Bulleit

Have worked in that regard.

Coworker recommended Makers Mark
 
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My taste is a little more pleased by the ryes. If you’re looking for sweeter, the bottle of basil Hayden’s dark rye on the bottom left is about as sweet as I can handle.

@Soulezoo thats a damn fine collection and offer?
 
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Our collection/selection is meager compared to what access ya'll have down there in AmeriYank land. Damn....

In almost a decade of trying, we've only got about 20 or so different kinds to choose from. And not all-at-once, either. Pickin's are slim up here. Relish in what you've available, for sure!
 
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For the money and broad appeal and drinkability, i think its tough to beat Eagle Rare or Russels Reserve. I have a decent collection, but myself going for Russels most frequently.
 
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A couple more I'm surprised haven't been mentioned yet.

1792 sweet wheat is a sweet soft finisher.

Redemption wheated is another sweet wheat with a few earthy tones for added complexity.
 
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Blantons and EH Taylor are hard to beat, Buffalo trace for an everyday bourbon for sure. I really also enjoy some of the Jeffersons cask strength as well as various Wellers. One that I recently tried and was surprised by the smoothness was one called “Remus”, quite good.
 
Make it a Manhattan and the. You can enjoy 100% rye to start and sip it with a cube and a splash when your balls drop.


Bullit
Cotton Hollow
Whistle Pig
In that order


If it has to be wheat bourbon then Woodford or Jefferson’s are hard to beat.

For manhattans, only use Luxardo maraschino cherries. 20 bucks a bottle, but you can do it little buddy.
 
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That Van Winkle 12 tends to be underrated if you can believe it. All the others get the most attention but that Lot B is very smooth. A terrific pour.
 
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That's a yes and no answer.

Yes, it uses the same mashbill and is distilled by BuffaloTrace. No to everything else.

PVW people have control over the barrels, the rickhousing and everything else.

If all those mashbills were the same and everything the same, then they would taste the same. But they don't.
 
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Hmmm...I’ve always heard it’s the same recipe as Lot B.
It is the same mashbill. You can look on BT's website and see all of the products that they make and the mashbills used for each. So they have a total of 3 mashbills for everything they distill.
It's a fool that suggests that every label within a certain mashbill is the same or tastes the same.

Blanton's and E H Taylor and Stagg jr are all from the high rye mashbill. Do you ever see anyone saying those three are the same? Ancient Age and Buffalo Trace are the same mashbill. Do you see people saying get the AA because it's the same as BT only cheaper?
No you don't because it isn't. But somehow, PVW always gets this with Weller and others.

Now it's true they are similar. In fact, some folks are successful in blending Weller 12 with Weller Antique to closely resemble Lot B.
But good luck in finding any of those.
 
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That Van Winkle 12 tends to be underrated if you can believe it. All the others get the most attention but that Lot B is very smooth. A terrific pour.

opened it up for my buddy’s 50th. Happy there was some left the next day!
 
The bourbon you seek, if you can find it is Elmer T Lee, which is also a Buffalo Trace brand. Very hard to find but not over priced.
 
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OK, so quite a few options seem to be out of stock/no easy to find in the greater Vegas area. On another note, I actually slummed it and tried some Wild Turkey on ice last night and really liked it.

My list for this week:

- Four Roses (multiple different variants;depending what I can find)
- Woodford Reserve, forgot I liked this as I got black out drunk at my brother in law's wedding drinking it
- Elijah Craig
- Buffalo Trace
- Basil Hayden
- Wild Turkey Rare Breed
- Old Forester Statesman

Bottles I want to find but dont seem to be in stock anywhere:

- Weller
- Blanton's
- Angel's Envy
- 1792 Sweet Wheat
- Colonel EH Taylor
 
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Weller has become over rated. I like it a lot, but the price has sky rocket because of a rumor that it's made from the same mash as Van Pappys, its not. Instead of Weller try Wild Turkey Long Branch. If you do find Weller at a reasonable price definitely pick some up.

 
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OK, so quite a few options seem to be out of stock/no easy to find in the greater Vegas area. On another note, I actually slummed it and tried some Wild Turkey on ice last night and really liked it.

My list for this week:

- Four Roses (multiple different variants;depending what I can find)
- Woodford Reserve, forgot I liked this as I got black out drunk at my brother in law's wedding drinking it
- Elijah Craig
- Buffalo Trace
- Basil Hayden
- Wild Turkey Rare Breed
- Old Forester Statesman

Bottles I want to find but dont seem to be in stock anywhere:

- Weller
- Blanton's
- Angel's Envy
- 1792 Sweet Wheat
- Colonel EH Taylor
Looks like a good list to start
 
OK, so quite a few options seem to be out of stock/no easy to find in the greater Vegas area. On another note, I actually slummed it and tried some Wild Turkey on ice last night and really liked it.

My list for this week:

- Four Roses (multiple different variants;depending what I can find)
- Woodford Reserve, forgot I liked this as I got black out drunk at my brother in law's wedding drinking it
- Elijah Craig
- Buffalo Trace
- Basil Hayden
- Wild Turkey Rare Breed
- Old Forester Statesman

Bottles I want to find but dont seem to be in stock anywhere:

- Weller
- Blanton's
- Angel's Envy
- 1792 Sweet Wheat
- Colonel EH Taylor


Skip the Angels Envy and just get two Buffalo Trace for the price.......
 
OK, so quite a few options seem to be out of stock/no easy to find in the greater Vegas area. On another note, I actually slummed it and tried some Wild Turkey on ice last night and really liked it.

My list for this week:

- Four Roses (multiple different variants;depending what I can find)
- Woodford Reserve, forgot I liked this as I got black out drunk at my brother in law's wedding drinking it
- Elijah Craig
- Buffalo Trace
- Basil Hayden
- Wild Turkey Rare Breed
- Old Forester Statesman

Bottles I want to find but dont seem to be in stock anywhere:

- Weller
- Blanton's
- Angel's Envy
- 1792 Sweet Wheat
- Colonel EH Taylor

From Angels Envy website:
 
Skip the Angels Envy and just get two Buffalo Trace for the price.......
I have had my body weight in buffalo trace over the years and while very nice, for my palate it doesn't compare to the finish on Angel's Envy. As always, different strokes for different blokes.
 
Personally, I never have understood the allure of Makers Mark. I’m not really a fan. I’d take Woodford over Makers any day. It’s not sweet tho.
I'm the opposite. I like Makers (and prefer my Manhattans to be made with it). Woodford is quite possibly the move overrated bourbon on the planet. It's not bad, but it's not great and it's not worth the price.

I prefer my bourbon on the wheatier side (versus those with more rye).

I find Buffalo Trace is a good middle of the road bourbon, perhaps with a slight bias towards wheat. That "spicy" flavor in bourbon is from the rye and it's needed for the flavor. I've tried wheat whiskey and it's boring. I don't care much for rye whiskey though.

Anyway, @TheGerman should try some Evan Williams. It's cheap and easy to find. If you hate it, mix it with coke. Of the four EW varieties I've tried, I prefer the black label and the single barrel the most. White label (bottled in bond) and 1783 were kind of meh.

My favorite is Weller Special Reserve. It's inexpensive, but it's really hard to find around here.

You don't need to spend $50+ to find an enjoyable bourbon.

ETA - Angel's Envy is another good, but overrated and not great bourbon. *shrug*

If I had the money, I'd just drink Glenfiddich 15, but that's another thread.
 
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Just a quick and simple question; Generally speaking, when you open a bottle, does the oxygen change the taste of the bourbon say after 6, 8 or 12 months?
 
Just a quick and simple question; Generally speaking, when you open a bottle, does the oxygen change the taste of the bourbon say after 6, 8 or 12 months?
Depends on how long they’re left open and how how full they are. But I do notice a difference at times
 
I bought up weller a few years ago before the state went to a lottery. I still have 2 bottles left but its been impossible to get more, so I switched to Blantons which is hard to get but not impossible. Im able to snag a few bottles a year at the ABC store.
 
I really can't believe some of the swill being recommended here.
Nice thread....

@TheGerman

I keep saying to spend the $75 and get a bottle of Widow Jane...If you can't get it in UT, I would be happy to coordinate sending you a bottle. Everything you see on this thread is ho hum...including Pappy. Same names....blah, blah blah. I don't think you will find a better bourbon....just perfect and only $75.

I have a long and constant experience with all manner of whiskeys....grain and/or grape...
Found it at Costco of all places. Bought it and some Wellers 107 they happened to have.

Based on my first taste, the Widow Jane is very good.

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