Chat thread: Joe Bourbon’s Basement Pub – A Sanctuary for All Lifters

[MatterOverMind]

I'm drinking some hibiscus mead that I made.

 

[AbdominalSnoman]

@MatterOverMind I went with Reyka which an Icelandic vodka. It was $4 more than the Smirnoff and it's made from glacier water. They're melting anyway, might as well drink them. I really like the Jamaica aqua fresca (Mexican hibiscus punch). I think I'd like hibiscus mead. Floral plus honey booze sounds legit. Enjoy!

 

[xPINKx]

Green Mark is good for right about anything.

 

[AbdominalSnoman]

The Icelandic stuff was good. I made my yaupon tea really strong so I had a ton of caffeine. Enough that despite lots of booze I was up until 3AM, which is crazy for me. Feeling fine today.

 

[teepsandbarleywine]

I can't do Smirnoff Red - when I turned 18 it was my first drink, and it turned out that for a 60kg dude with no drinking experience that a 1L bottle is a poor choice of beverage to take to a party. By and large not a huge vodka person, although there is one wee distillery here that makes an absolutely smashing single malt vodka. I wouldn't buy it because of the price, but I sold the fuck out of it when I was still working in a booze shop.

 

[NurseKnuckles]

I am looking at improving my bourbon (American) collection. The selection in my area is little to none, but I know I like it way more than scotch or Irish whiskey. I have the following:

Old Tub
FEW
1792 Small Batch
Basil Hayden
Buffalo Trace
Weller
Bulleit

I'm looking to expand my choice as this is basically it.

 

[MilkManUK]

I am looking at improving my bourbon (American) collection. The selection in my area is little to none, but I know I like it way more than scotch or Irish whiskey. I have the following:

Old Tub
FEW
1792 Small Batch
Basil Hayden
Buffalo Trace
Weller
Bulleit

I'm looking to expand my choice as this is basically it.

I don't mind the odd bourbon every now and then, but am not particularly experienced or knowledgeable about it. I've had Bulleit and Maker's Mark, can't remember if I have had any others, I'm more of a Scotch guy.

 

[NurseKnuckles]

I don't mind the odd bourbon every now and then, but am not particularly experienced or knowledgeable about it. I've had Bulleit and Maker's Mark, can't remember if I have had any others, I'm more of a Scotch guy.

I don't mind Scotch. The only bottle I have right now is Dalwhinnie 15 Year Old Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky, which is a nice one, but typically out of my usual price range.

Irish Whiskey is my next after Bourbon and right now I have a bottle of Writers Tears (my go to), Glendalough and a Tullamore DEW

 

[xPINKx]

Gyms are open again starting Friday. Finally.

 

[monkeyrhythm]

I am looking at improving my bourbon (American) collection. The selection in my area is little to none, but I know I like it way more than scotch or Irish whiskey. I have the following:

Old Tub
FEW
1792 Small Batch
Basil Hayden
Buffalo Trace
Weller
Bulleit

I'm looking to expand my choice as this is basically it.

I'm a Scotch guy primarily but I do like a good bourbon, and Irish too.
My favourite 'standard' bourbon is Woodford Reserve so if it were me, that's what I'd add first.

 

[MatterOverMind]

Double oaked Woodford Reserve is really good. And Eagle Rare. And Four Roses single barrel. Those are some of the best in that price range.

 

[NurseKnuckles]

Double oaked Woodford Reserve is really good. And Eagle Rare. And Four Roses single barrel. Those are some of the best in that price range.

I love Four Roses. I buy that one in Florida when I go on March break.
I have yet to try Woodford Reserve but I hear good things.
I'll see if Eagle Rare is offered somewhere other than my local store. In my province, our liquor stores are actually government owned and monopolized and so you can't just buy liquor anywhere. There are good and inconvenient things about that set up.

 

[xPINKx]

They have a pretty similar system in Sweden and there it makes normal beer really expensive, but fancy craft beers become relatively cheap because the state-owned stores buy the beers in giant amounts.
Bourbon-wise Woodford Reserve is very nice, as is Blanton's.

 

[MatterOverMind]

I love Four Roses. I buy that one in Florida when I go on March break.
I have yet to try Woodford Reserve but I hear good things.
I'll see if Eagle Rare is offered somewhere other than my local store. In my province, our liquor stores are actually government owned and monopolized and so you can't just buy liquor anywhere. There are good and inconvenient things about that set up.

In my province (Wisconsin), even gas stations and drug stores sell liquor.

Eagle Rare is only released once a year, so it's much easier to find at that time. It's from the same distillery as Buffalo Trace. I've read that it's the same recipe, but I've had them side by side and definitely preferred Eagle Rare. That being said, Eagle Rare seems a lot less consistent and I've had years that were really good and years that were only good ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ .

Woodford reserve is good. It used to be the S&P go-to bourbon. The double oaked is better, if you're into that sort of thing. I am.

I've actually never had any Four Roses other than single barrel, but I can't recommend it highly enough. I drink my bourbon neat, but with FRSB, I do add a splash of water.

 

[NurseKnuckles]

@MatterOverMind My business partner is from Wisconsin. I intend on visiting the great state as soon as things open up for us.

Four Roses SB is great. I always drink it neat though, might give the splash of water a go though next time.

 

[MilkManUK]

@MatterOverMind My business partner is from Wisconsin. I intend on visiting the great state as soon as things open up for us.

Four Roses SB is great. I always drink it neat though, might give the splash of water a go though next time.

That's the beauty of whisky (and, I'm guessing whiskey / bourbon too) - you can start neat, and if it's not quite doing it for you, add a drop of water, add more if necessary, or add something else to it. Of course, sometimes it doesn't matter what you add - you just plain don't like it, but there are options there if you don't quite take to it the first time round.

 

[NurseKnuckles]

That's the beauty of whisky (and, I'm guessing whiskey / bourbon too) - you can start neat, and if it's not quite doing it for you, add a drop of water, add more if necessary, or add something else to it. Of course, sometimes it doesn't matter what you add - you just plain don't like it, but there are options there if you don't quite take to it the first time round.

We had an 'old fashioned' night the other night. If I am going to have a mixed drink, that's one I will enjoy.

 

[monkeyrhythm]

Woodford reserve is good. It used to be the S&P go-to bourbon. The double oaked is better, if you're into that sort of thing. I am.

Waitrose (UK Supermarket) do an "exclusive" No.1 Woodford Reserve which is even better than the standard. It's the same strength as the Distiller's Select so may well be the same (or very similar) expression.
I've not tried the double oaked though but I've a sneaking suspicion I'd really like it. One of my go-to whiskies is Laphroaig Quarter Cask which, due to the casks influence, has a shit-ton of oakiness to it and is all the better for it.
I guess that's what I'm buying next

 

[MatterOverMind]

@MatterOverMind My business partner is from Wisconsin. I intend on visiting the great state as soon as things open up for us.

Do you know what city or area he's from?

We had an 'old fashioned' night the other night. If I am going to have a mixed drink, that's one I will enjoy.

Old fashioneds are damn good. I prefer mine (and most whiskey mixed drinks, honestly) with Rittenhouse rye.

Waitrose (UK Supermarket) do an "exclusive" No.1 Woodford Reserve which is even better than the standard. It's the same strength as the Distiller's Select so may well be the same (or very similar) expression.
I've not tried the double oaked though but I've a sneaking suspicion I'd really like it. One of my go-to whiskies is Laphroaig Quarter Cask which, due to the casks influence, has a shit-ton of oakiness to it and is all the better for it.
I guess that's what I'm buying next

Both of those sound damn good! I don't think the Laphroaig Quarter Cask is available here either :/

 

[monkeyrhythm]

I don't think the Laphroaig Quarter Cask is available here either :/

Ah that's a shame. Anything Laphroaig is top drawer in my opinion/experience. Triple Wood is one to keep an eye out for too as it's apparently awesome (and will likely be my next Scotch purchase).