You should mix these together in an infinity bottle to see if they taste better when blended. Even if it's bad you can always add better bourbon to it.
Just love how humble and gracious you are with that foreword. Taste is subjective and you realize you are not the end all, be all of whiskey tasters and encourage people to try thing for themselves and see if they might like it. Love this channel and luckily our palates are the same so I come here for a lot of reviews and have bought lots of bottles based on your critiques. Keep up the great work and just being genuine.
In our early 20s my wife an I were prodigious purchasers and drinkers of gentleman jack. I know in my mind what you're saying is 100% true, and it's why I haven't bought a bottle in about 5 years. It's no longer "my profile", but there definitely was a time in my life where it was definitely at the top of my list of FAVORITE whiskies.
Gentleman Jack was horrible. I bought the 325 ML bottle and was glad that was all. JD needs to scrap it and release Old No. 7 in 90 or 100 proof. They also need to lower their prices since Evan Williams offers a better product at a higher proof for $10+ less.
I bought a full size Gentleman Jack when I first got into whiskey and thought "do I even like whiskey?" Gave that bottle away to a friend who came over one night and have never tried it again.
I have never tried most of these (thank goodness). There is no need for a precursor to the video. It’s your opinion. I happen to appreciate your opinion and I do agree with most of your reviews. As for the times I do not agree with you: so what? In fact, I may be concerned if I agreed with you 100% of the time. It’s ok to have independent thought process (and palette preferences). Great show. Thanks!
I'd love to see a series where you try and find a way to enjoy these, maybe cocktails designed to round out their specific edges Also a bourbon on my personal island of misfit whiskeys is noble oak. I work at a liquor store and whiskey drinkers who i often share opinions with LOVE THIS but to me it tastes like a dumpster fire of mediocre whiskeys they tried to car crash together.
I’m glad you mentioned gentlemen Jack. I had so many people hype it up to me. Bought a bottle and hated it. I’ve tried to give it a shot multiple times. It sits in my cabinet away from the rest of my bottles. I’ll probably never drink it.
Great episode. Please try the new Town Branch stuff, but I will still say that I am primarily a Scotch and Irish drinker so it may be why I love it. It is a unique Bourbon, but I will say it's refreshing to get different tasting notes from a Bourbon because so many of the flavors overlap through each brand. Bonus Bourbons outside the standard Bourbon flavor palette for me are Leopold Bros. 4yr or 5yr bonded and Balcones Texas Pot Still Bourbon. Cheers!
So I have two of these on my shelf. Cleveland Black - yeah it’s terrible for me. Tried to mix it, still terrible. Gentlemen Jack - So, this is one of my go tos for whisky and coke. I never drink it straight. But I do like it mixed. Oddly, even if I was willing to have a bourbon and coke with a good bourbon / whiskey, I rarely enjoy it. But Gentlemen jack or regular Beam? They are great. Gentlemen jack was also the start of my journey, before eventually discovering knob creek then Angels Envy…. And then one day, I discovered bookers and everything changed…I now have a shelf of 40-50 bottles and my go tos are things like knob creek 12 yr, rare breed, Bakers, and Bookers when I can find it. But anyway, that journey started with Gentleman Jack and it still has a place in my…stomach.
For me (Chad) it was Old Crow and coke. That's what a Bourbon and coke is supposed to taste like for me. Put a better bourbon in there and it's just not quite right!
LOVE! this episode, especially the fun production! (I'm a sucker for visual effects and slider shots!) I believe this was done "tastefully" (pun intended) and not mean spirited. And it serves a good purpose. I buy so many bourbons/ryes/whiskeys, so after trying (and liking) a couple of the new Jack Daniels products, I've been curious about one of their products on this list and this helped me save my money for something else. Well done! (And I hope you all are feeling better!)
Great episode. Yeah, those Hudson whiskeys. Something changed at that distillery, as I have an older bottle of their NY rye that is pretty good, and I have a bottle of their baby bourbon that is pot-stilled, non-chill filtered and pretty good also. But for far better NY whiskeys, try Hillrock, Coppersea, Taconic, Fort Hamilton.
@@msa4998 yes! It’s one of my favorites. Hillrock is fairly expensive, undoubtedly, but frankly I would rather have one bottle of Hillrock than 2, 3 or 4 bottles of some over-priced run-of-the-mill whiskey.
For an episode series, you may want to consider harkening back to the "old days". Back when whiskey was really bad they used to try and "rectify" the whiskey by blending it with other whiskeys or watering it down. Maybe once a month you pick two random bottles from a hat, chosen from the cabinet of misfit whiskeys and try and rectify them by blending them together at different percentages? I blend whiskey and wine together all the time at my house just to experiment. Might be a fun series of episodes.
new town branch malts have come A LONG WAY since they were paperweights. not saying they had the restoration of 4roses but their finished whiskeys are fantastic winter drams
I will say that when I tried the reformulated to 90 proof and 5 year barrels Town Branch, instead of 80 prf/ 4yr, it was the #1 biggest flavor profile change in a Bourbon I have tried. Another liquor store manager up here remarked on how awful the 80 proof was, and was also very surprised at the change going to 90 proof + 5 year. Find a Town Branch barrel proof store pick, you'll probably like it!
Have not had it years but back in 92 at Ft Gordon GA, my buddy and I went through many bottles of Gentleman Jack. Fond memories? Its been around over 30 years!
I have an older bottle of Hudson that I always thought was just like drinking candy corn. But, while I didn't enjoy drinking it by itself, blending it with something like Knob Creek Rye made an interesting pour.
That's what I do with bad whiskey and ends of bottles. It all goes into a collective mix I call "camping whiskey", which gets mixed with Coke. Either that or I make Old Fashioned's with it.
Thanks for the warnings. I'll add Quarter Horse bourbon to the list. Our local store recommended it to my neighbor. He had 1 pour and handed it off to me. I had a sip (ick!) and attempted a Manhattan with it (also ick) and have pushed it to the back of the cabinet. First bottle I've ever banished like that.
I feel like someone who claims to like a bad whiskey before everyone decided it was bad is the opposite of someone who claims to like a band before it was cool.
haha my FIL drinks two whiskeys: JD number 7 and Gentlemen Jack. I've tried to get him to try the dozens of not Jack Daniels bottles I have and he has not liked a single one. I personally can't stand either but hey, we all like what we like.
cheers and great video! as a Canadian I haven't seen many of these before but the gentleman jack I've been recommended countless times and never tried it. maybe part of me knows but I also don't enjoy the regular no.7 so
No I disagree with you on the town branch I don’t remember when we tried it, but my wife and I tried it at a bar and she loved it so much that I bought a bottle and she very much enjoyed it.
I had 2 bottles of Town Branch about 8-ish years ago. I had been occasionally drinking whiskey for 20 years, but was in the first 6 months or so of going outside of Jack Daniels, Jamison, Dewars, and Black Grouse. My profile has changed immensely since those days, but I remember really enjoying it. Even if it isn't the best, it helped me discover a new passion.
Respect for refusing to go negative. I wouldn't fault you if you did lean in on a negative opinion, but I find it endearing and admirable that you refuse. Matter-of-factly, subjectively, you don't like these bottles. Noted. Side note - the elegance of demeanor matches the production. Tip of the cap for both.
I think the Town Branch True Cask 108.1 proof is pretty good. All those other bottles you had I would agree with you. Hell, even the names of the bottles make them sound like they’ll be bad. Big Ass Bourbon? I mean really c’mon
I see other people have already suggested this. I think you should use your horrible bourbons and experiment with them by blending them carefully and trying to come up with a nice blended bourbon. ?
I brought an old Baby Hudson to my bourbon group back in 2018 and I still don't hear the end of it. It was given back to me a year later with the same amount of juice in the bottle. Had to mix it with cherry Coke and choke it down slowly over the next month. Didn't drain pour tho!
Hudson apparently is a very decisive bourbon. I for one really enjoy it! I totally get a German chocolate cake nose and palate. Not all bottles are created equal. My last OF1920, which I normally love, I found lacking in its usual flavor and robustness.
The Hudson Bright Lights Big Bourbon is not a delicious bourbon, I agree. Part of that comes from the fact that it is practically corn whiskey. The mash bill is 95% corn, 5% malted barley, which is a super high corn content and doesn't have any rye or wheat to balance it out. I think it is a pretty instructive bourbon to try for that reason, though. After trying this whiskey, I did have a firmer grasp of the corn flavor in bourbon, and why the other grains are just as important.
That's a great thing to point out on the high corn content, thank you. If you appreciate those notes, we would recommend Mellow Corn, which is about a $12 bottle, if you haven't had it before.
I had a bottle of the Hudson after doing a tour of their distillery. I gave it away. Just couldn’t drink it. It really was like grazing in a corn field!!!!
Honest question…if they’re so bad, what’s the point of keeping them? I have a couple that I’ve considered drain pouring, but can’t bring myself to do it. Curious what others do with bottles you know you won’t drink.
We actually did an episode on what to do with bottles you don't like to avoid the drain pour. Check it out if ya like: ruclips.net/video/aA96Yp9ASSY/видео.html
Like paladonis said, if I have friends that like something that I won’t drink, I’ll give t to them. It’s hard to simply pour stuff out but every now and then………..
Please do an episode on town branch’s new things. I am considering touring their distillery on my 21st birthday in July since they’re the only place close to me that is a distillery and a brewery all in one so I figured it’d be a good place to try. Would love to know what you think of their new things.
Town Branch is FOUL. I have nothing good to say about it besides the bottle design. I've said it before, I can't drink it neat, I can't drink it with an ice cube, and I can't drink it in a cocktail. If you guys wanna shave a few years off your life, I'm fine with a comparison with the new Town Branch, but I expect it's still gonna suck.
Yellowstone, their standard release, i hate to say. I have all but 2 pours still in the bottle. I didn’t want to judge on the neck pour, but man that second pour was… rough… maybe I’ll make it my “share” bottle, but i don’t want to lose any friends!
I'd love to see you try the new Town Branch. I didn't like their old bottling either, but I did and still do like their Pearse Lyons Reserve Irish style whiskey.
I was given the Hudson Baby Bourbon for a gift. I tried it straight, mixing, even drowning in fruit juice. It was my first and only drain pour. Couldn't handle it. Those tasting notes cut through everything. 🤢
Love that you put this out there. It helps me understand your taste better and allows me to make better assumptions if I would like it too! We all know what happens when we assume.
Thanks for saving me money as I've never had any of these except for Zackariah Harris which I thought for $10 had a nice bubblegummy flavor, musta been a good batch.
I picked up a bottle of the Bright Lights, Big Bourbon without any prior knowledge of it and came to the same conclusion. It deserves to be on that island.
I've always thought J R Ewing was meant to look like Elmer T Lee - the shape of the bottle and the font are similar. I think this is one of those Total Wine bourbons, which always seem to mimic a more popular brand.
Being a Kentuckian myself, I had high hopes for Town Branch, but was highly disappointed in it. I think what makes it so terrible is they age it in barrels used to age their Bourbon Barrel Ale, which I though would be a big plus because I LOVE that stuff. But, I think it picks up some of the hoppiness, especially on the bitter finish, and that turned out to be a big minus. If you like really hoppy beers with bitter finishes, you might like this, but it's definitely not for me.
Have you tried the newer town branch cask strength? It has a Ferrero Rocher chocolate hazelnut note I personally enjoy. I don't get the same issues you mention on this video may be worth a try..easy to find in my market as well which is nice.
I’m from Cleveland. I love home town items. Maple syrup, walleye, t shirts etc. I also love innovation. That said….. I hate that Cleveland Whisky. Nice try, I suppose, but it missed the mark. Hard.
Hey Sara, Can you tell me what you used to cut the bourbon bottles in order to make them into candles. My wife has been wanting to do this but I am not sure what to buy. I have heard that there can be issues with some of the cutters and the process is not that straightforward. BTW....Love the channel and keep up the GREAT content !!!
Definitely do yourself a favor and revisit the Town Branch products. Their regular products are really tasty and the single barrels are phenomenal! High malt mash bill on their bourbons so it's a little more fruit forward and lighter profile, but extremely tasty stuff and at a ridiculously great price point.
It's been mentioned a couple times, but a follow up episode would be pretty cool. I do like the idea of blending them to try and cover/add/balance these out. Another cool idea is to buy one of those small barrels and try to age/finish them (or blend and then age!).
You guys are funny as hell, especially when you go dark! Love it. (The Hudson reaction reminded me of a Kentucky bourbon version of that old salsa commercial, where they reject the NY salsa while yelling "New... York... City!" Lol.)
Good to walk through what we do not enjoy. There have only been a couple of bottles I have poured out, but a few more I have simply given away to hopefully find a better home. Thanks for sharing. Cheers!
I bought a bottle of Yellowstone. I am not a whisky expert, but I used to be a health inspector. When I smell the Yellowstone, I smell a restaurant dumpster on the nose. I have not been able to get past the smell.
Had a bottle of Hickory Hill sour mash. 3 times trying to drink it, I could not get past the graphite pencil kinda taste. Neighbor thought it was good, so gifted it.
I've always liked using the saying, if I am ever in this kinda situation, "Taste is always subjective. So you can take my opinion with a grain of salt...or a dram of whiskey". I think we all have our disliked whiskies I think. Now to think of something to get more Gentleman Jack (disliked by me, but loved by my Uncle) onto the show for you both. Maybe a "Will a cocktail redeem our most hated whiskies?" episode.....🤔
Not a bourbon but, E.T.51 (product of Canada), is THE worst thing I have EVER tried. I can't even describe the taste...vomit aged in merlot barrels. Seriously...buy this and have a tasting party as a torture test to see who your true friends are.
Not a fan of Gentleman Jack either, but after having multiple mini bottles that were bad, I'll never fully judge a whiskey until I can get a pour from a full size bottle.
@Sunny C. I agree, I’ve had Gentleman Jack a few times. I would never put it on a worst of list. I would think it’s a bad bottle, unless they have had multiple bottles.🥃
My cabinet of mistfits whisky would include any and everything from Wild Turkey. I get such a musky wet dog used bar rag taste on every one of their products I’ve ever tried. Even the Rare breed, Russell’s and Bardstown discovery series version that has WT as part of its blend. I haven’t had any of the ones on your list and usually try to sample something before committing to a large bottle after being dissatisfied a few times.
Needed this video. Please do more. Lol. Hudson is horrible. I had to try Rye baby rye. That shit is disgusting. It would be a drain pour but. Don’t want to damage the environment. Will add to a toxic landfill. Cheers! Love the shirts too. Will order one. Do they run large, small, or just right? Thanks
Great episode. I agree with a lot of them, but Town Branch has greatly improved. None of my favorites this year. The straight bourbon whiskey and True Cask are both solid daily drinkers.
Oh Town Branch, It was recommended by the guy at TW. It smelled and tasted like it had chlorine in it, I could still taste it even if I mixed it. It still remains the only sink pour iv ever done
My brother brought me a bottle of Smokey Quartz Bourbon. It is so bad that I couldn't even cook with it, and now we use it as a dare in the theater I work in.
Really liked this episode. I haven't tried any of these because they most likely aren't available in my area. My worst is a Balcones. Let me say that things like Balcones Lineage is an awesome whiskey. Balcones Baby Blue is like a bucket of old water that you rinsed varnish brushes in. Worst whiskey I ever tasted. 🤢
I haven't gotten around to trying the Baby Blue, but I've really liked every other Balcones offering I've tried, namely the Rye 100 (my favorite so far, so good), Brimstone, TX Pot still Bourbon, and Rumble(though not a whiskey).
IMO, Baby Blue was the product that Balcones chose to put on store shelves first just to claim "first Texas distillery to market" ahead of Garrison Brothers. I view it as nearly a new-make version of their True Blue and Blue Corn Bourbon (same mash bill, aged differently), and I applaud Balcones for selling something that is part of their core interest rather than going with vodka just to get the cash flowing. I agree, though... it's a bit off-putting.
I drink a lot of balcones and have ever even tried the Baby Blue. Their rye is great, Lineage is amazing. The "high rye bourbon" is ambrosia, if you can still find it (forest green label)
@@dennismonk9559 I don't live far from Balcones so I need to drive to the distillery. I've been meaning to go. The Baby Blue put me off of them. The Lineage brought me back. It's great stuff. I'm VERY open to trying more.
Great episode. It is odd to see you break your typical 'nothing mean' mold and give honest opinions on the things you don't like. Even if you're still being very diplomatic about it.
I'm really surprised that the Walking Dead bourbon didn't make your list. Sara's initial reaction to that bourbon is priceless. Definitely a video worth looking up.
Humm, I guess we need to revisit that one! But from memory it probably would have rated a "1" on our scale. Everything on this list were variations of "5s" or high "4s" with the honorable mentions being "3s".
You should mix these together in an infinity bottle to see if they taste better when blended. Even if it's bad you can always add better bourbon to it.
Yes i second this, not because I expect it to be better, but because I expect it to be worse and it would be funny to see you two gross out on it!😂 🤮
@@jasono.1629 😅😅🤣🤣
If it still doesn't work out, y'all can always stick it in a novelty home aging cask and see if time will help it along.
Then just spike it all by adding one shot of Laphroaig to the bottle 🤣🤣
I’d call that a waste of good bourbon
Just love how humble and gracious you are with that foreword. Taste is subjective and you realize you are not the end all, be all of whiskey tasters and encourage people to try thing for themselves and see if they might like it. Love this channel and luckily our palates are the same so I come here for a lot of reviews and have bought lots of bottles based on your critiques. Keep up the great work and just being genuine.
Thank you so much! Really appreciate that. :)
I actually like Gentleman Jack the way I like sweet tea. I won't drink it every day, but on a hot day outside it's hard to beat with other whiskeys.
In our early 20s my wife an I were prodigious purchasers and drinkers of gentleman jack. I know in my mind what you're saying is 100% true, and it's why I haven't bought a bottle in about 5 years. It's no longer "my profile", but there definitely was a time in my life where it was definitely at the top of my list of FAVORITE whiskies.
Gentleman Jack was horrible. I bought the 325 ML bottle and was glad that was all. JD needs to scrap it and release Old No. 7 in 90 or 100 proof. They also need to lower their prices since Evan Williams offers a better product at a higher proof for $10+ less.
I bought a full size Gentleman Jack when I first got into whiskey and thought "do I even like whiskey?"
Gave that bottle away to a friend who came over one night and have never tried it again.
I have never tried most of these (thank goodness). There is no need for a precursor to the video. It’s your opinion. I happen to appreciate your opinion and I do agree with most of your reviews. As for the times I do not agree with you: so what? In fact, I may be concerned if I agreed with you 100% of the time. It’s ok to have independent thought process (and palette preferences). Great show. Thanks!
Gentleman Jack. The cure for second sip Sarah.
Hahahaha, love that!
I'd love to see a series where you try and find a way to enjoy these, maybe cocktails designed to round out their specific edges
Also a bourbon on my personal island of misfit whiskeys is noble oak. I work at a liquor store and whiskey drinkers who i often share opinions with LOVE THIS but to me it tastes like a dumpster fire of mediocre whiskeys they tried to car crash together.
Chad: “You shouldn’t get behind a big ass.”
Me: Proceeds to die laughing
:)
I’m glad you mentioned gentlemen Jack. I had so many people hype it up to me. Bought a bottle and hated it. I’ve tried to give it a shot multiple times. It sits in my cabinet away from the rest of my bottles. I’ll probably never drink it.
Great episode. Please try the new Town Branch stuff, but I will still say that I am primarily a Scotch and Irish drinker so it may be why I love it. It is a unique Bourbon, but I will say it's refreshing to get different tasting notes from a Bourbon because so many of the flavors overlap through each brand. Bonus Bourbons outside the standard Bourbon flavor palette for me are Leopold Bros. 4yr or 5yr bonded and Balcones Texas Pot Still Bourbon. Cheers!
So I have two of these on my shelf.
Cleveland Black - yeah it’s terrible for me. Tried to mix it, still terrible.
Gentlemen Jack - So, this is one of my go tos for whisky and coke. I never drink it straight. But I do like it mixed. Oddly, even if I was willing to have a bourbon and coke with a good bourbon / whiskey, I rarely enjoy it. But Gentlemen jack or regular Beam? They are great.
Gentlemen jack was also the start of my journey, before eventually discovering knob creek then Angels Envy…. And then one day, I discovered bookers and everything changed…I now have a shelf of 40-50 bottles and my go tos are things like knob creek 12 yr, rare breed, Bakers, and Bookers when I can find it. But anyway, that journey started with Gentleman Jack and it still has a place in my…stomach.
For me (Chad) it was Old Crow and coke. That's what a Bourbon and coke is supposed to taste like for me. Put a better bourbon in there and it's just not quite right!
LOVE! this episode, especially the fun production! (I'm a sucker for visual effects and slider shots!) I believe this was done "tastefully" (pun intended) and not mean spirited. And it serves a good purpose. I buy so many bourbons/ryes/whiskeys, so after trying (and liking) a couple of the new Jack Daniels products, I've been curious about one of their products on this list and this helped me save my money for something else. Well done! (And I hope you all are feeling better!)
Thanks! Yeah, feeling much better but not back to 100% yet. This thing does seem to linger!
this was a gem of a video and extremely well spoken and edited
Thank you so much!
Great episode. Yeah, those Hudson whiskeys. Something changed at that distillery, as I have an older bottle of their NY rye that is pretty good, and I have a bottle of their baby bourbon that is pot-stilled, non-chill filtered and pretty good also. But for far better NY whiskeys, try Hillrock, Coppersea, Taconic, Fort Hamilton.
I feel like calling something "Baby Bourbon" is a bad idea anyways LOL
Hillrock double cask rye is outstanding. Has a tea note with a bit of leather that is quite unique. It’s definitely a long sipper.
@@msa4998 yes! It’s one of my favorites. Hillrock is fairly expensive, undoubtedly, but frankly I would rather have one bottle of Hillrock than 2, 3 or 4 bottles of some over-priced run-of-the-mill whiskey.
Don’t go near Town Branch, be afraid be very afraid!!!
For an episode series, you may want to consider harkening back to the "old days". Back when whiskey was really bad they used to try and "rectify" the whiskey by blending it with other whiskeys or watering it down.
Maybe once a month you pick two random bottles from a hat, chosen from the cabinet of misfit whiskeys and try and rectify them by blending them together at different percentages?
I blend whiskey and wine together all the time at my house just to experiment. Might be a fun series of episodes.
new town branch malts have come A LONG WAY since they were paperweights. not saying they had the restoration of 4roses but their finished whiskeys are fantastic winter drams
I will say that when I tried the reformulated to 90 proof and 5 year barrels Town Branch, instead of 80 prf/ 4yr, it was the #1 biggest flavor profile change in a Bourbon I have tried. Another liquor store manager up here remarked on how awful the 80 proof was, and was also very surprised at the change going to 90 proof + 5 year. Find a Town Branch barrel proof store pick, you'll probably like it!
Have not had it years but back in 92 at Ft Gordon GA, my buddy and I went through many bottles of Gentleman Jack. Fond memories? Its been around over 30 years!
I have an older bottle of Hudson that I always thought was just like drinking candy corn. But, while I didn't enjoy drinking it by itself, blending it with something like Knob Creek Rye made an interesting pour.
That's what I do with bad whiskey and ends of bottles. It all goes into a collective mix I call "camping whiskey", which gets mixed with Coke. Either that or I make Old Fashioned's with it.
Thanks for the warnings. I'll add Quarter Horse bourbon to the list. Our local store recommended it to my neighbor. He had 1 pour and handed it off to me. I had a sip (ick!) and attempted a Manhattan with it (also ick) and have pushed it to the back of the cabinet. First bottle I've ever banished like that.
I feel like someone who claims to like a bad whiskey before everyone decided it was bad is the opposite of someone who claims to like a band before it was cool.
I would drink 50 bottles of Gentlemen Jack before ever having another sip of Willet Pot Still. Maybe that's just my palate.
haha my FIL drinks two whiskeys: JD number 7 and Gentlemen Jack. I've tried to get him to try the dozens of not Jack Daniels bottles I have and he has not liked a single one. I personally can't stand either but hey, we all like what we like.
cheers and great video! as a Canadian I haven't seen many of these before but the gentleman jack I've been recommended countless times and never tried it. maybe part of me knows but I also don't enjoy the regular no.7 so
No I disagree with you on the town branch I don’t remember when we tried it, but my wife and I tried it at a bar and she loved it so much that I bought a bottle and she very much enjoyed it.
That's awesome!
I had 2 bottles of Town Branch about 8-ish years ago. I had been occasionally drinking whiskey for 20 years, but was in the first 6 months or so of going outside of Jack Daniels, Jamison, Dewars, and Black Grouse. My profile has changed immensely since those days, but I remember really enjoying it. Even if it isn't the best, it helped me discover a new passion.
Respect for refusing to go negative. I wouldn't fault you if you did lean in on a negative opinion, but I find it endearing and admirable that you refuse. Matter-of-factly, subjectively, you don't like these bottles. Noted. Side note - the elegance of demeanor matches the production. Tip of the cap for both.
Thank you so much.
I think the Town Branch True Cask 108.1 proof is pretty good. All those other bottles you had I would agree with you. Hell, even the names of the bottles make them sound like they’ll be bad. Big Ass Bourbon? I mean really c’mon
I see other people have already suggested this. I think you should use your horrible bourbons and experiment with them by blending them carefully and trying to come up with a nice blended bourbon. ?
I brought an old Baby Hudson to my bourbon group back in 2018 and I still don't hear the end of it. It was given back to me a year later with the same amount of juice in the bottle. Had to mix it with cherry Coke and choke it down slowly over the next month. Didn't drain pour tho!
Who shot JR? Who ever made this damn whiskey was trying to kill someone.
Hudson apparently is a very decisive bourbon. I for one really enjoy it! I totally get a German chocolate cake nose and palate. Not all bottles are created equal. My last OF1920, which I normally love, I found lacking in its usual flavor and robustness.
The Hudson Bright Lights Big Bourbon is not a delicious bourbon, I agree. Part of that comes from the fact that it is practically corn whiskey. The mash bill is 95% corn, 5% malted barley, which is a super high corn content and doesn't have any rye or wheat to balance it out. I think it is a pretty instructive bourbon to try for that reason, though. After trying this whiskey, I did have a firmer grasp of the corn flavor in bourbon, and why the other grains are just as important.
That's a great thing to point out on the high corn content, thank you. If you appreciate those notes, we would recommend Mellow Corn, which is about a $12 bottle, if you haven't had it before.
I had a bottle of the Hudson after doing a tour of their distillery. I gave it away. Just couldn’t drink it. It really was like grazing in a corn field!!!!
As a New Yorker, I’m embarrassed to admit that your #1 is correct.
I HAD a bottle of Hudson’s Baby Bourbon. Gave it to someone I didn’t like.
Honest question…if they’re so bad, what’s the point of keeping them? I have a couple that I’ve considered drain pouring, but can’t bring myself to do it. Curious what others do with bottles you know you won’t drink.
I know I have had a whiskey I disliked and had friends/family try it. If they find they really like it, then I send em home with a gift.
We actually did an episode on what to do with bottles you don't like to avoid the drain pour. Check it out if ya like: ruclips.net/video/aA96Yp9ASSY/видео.html
Like paladonis said, if I have friends that like something that I won’t drink, I’ll give t to them. It’s hard to simply pour stuff out but every now and then………..
Please do an episode on town branch’s new things. I am considering touring their distillery on my 21st birthday in July since they’re the only place close to me that is a distillery and a brewery all in one so I figured it’d be a good place to try. Would love to know what you think of their new things.
It's still a great tour and their beer is good, especially their bourbon barrel ale!
Sara is the only person I've ever heard say a bourbon tasted like "wet cardboard". What does wet cardboard taste like?
Town Branch is FOUL. I have nothing good to say about it besides the bottle design. I've said it before, I can't drink it neat, I can't drink it with an ice cube, and I can't drink it in a cocktail. If you guys wanna shave a few years off your life, I'm fine with a comparison with the new Town Branch, but I expect it's still gonna suck.
Yellowstone, their standard release, i hate to say. I have all but 2 pours still in the bottle. I didn’t want to judge on the neck pour, but man that second pour was… rough… maybe I’ll make it my “share” bottle, but i don’t want to lose any friends!
Not my favorite either, but like some of the single barrels I’ve had.
I'd love to see you try the new Town Branch. I didn't like their old bottling either, but I did and still do like their Pearse Lyons Reserve Irish style whiskey.
I was given the Hudson Baby Bourbon for a gift. I tried it straight, mixing, even drowning in fruit juice. It was my first and only drain pour. Couldn't handle it. Those tasting notes cut through everything. 🤢
Love that you put this out there. It helps me understand your taste better and allows me to make better assumptions if I would like it too! We all know what happens when we assume.
Haha absolutely!
Thanks for saving me money as I've never had any of these except for Zackariah Harris which I thought for $10 had a nice bubblegummy flavor, musta been a good batch.
I picked up a bottle of the Bright Lights, Big Bourbon without any prior knowledge of it and came to the same conclusion. It deserves to be on that island.
A lot of us at Green River share your assessment of OZ Tyler and are happy you’re enjoying the new Green River
Awesome! 😃
I've always thought J R Ewing was meant to look like Elmer T Lee - the shape of the bottle and the font are similar. I think this is one of those Total Wine bourbons, which always seem to mimic a more popular brand.
Being a Kentuckian myself, I had high hopes for Town Branch, but was highly disappointed in it. I think what makes it so terrible is they age it in barrels used to age their Bourbon Barrel Ale, which I though would be a big plus because I LOVE that stuff. But, I think it picks up some of the hoppiness, especially on the bitter finish, and that turned out to be a big minus. If you like really hoppy beers with bitter finishes, you might like this, but it's definitely not for me.
Have you tried the newer town branch cask strength? It has a Ferrero Rocher chocolate hazelnut note I personally enjoy. I don't get the same issues you mention on this video may be worth a try..easy to find in my market as well which is nice.
I’m from Cleveland. I love home town items. Maple syrup, walleye, t shirts etc. I also love innovation. That said….. I hate that Cleveland Whisky. Nice try, I suppose, but it missed the mark. Hard.
Finally....a video post from you that will not encourage me to get something.
Hey Sara, Can you tell me what you used to cut the bourbon bottles in order to make them into candles. My wife has been wanting to do this but I am not sure what to buy. I have heard that there can be issues with some of the cutters and the process is not that straightforward. BTW....Love the channel and keep up the GREAT content !!!
We use a wet tile saw with a Diamond blade. Thanks!
Being a person from Cleveland. I completely agree that the Cleveland whiskey is not that great.
Yep. Wanted to support this distillery, liked that they were trying something new. However, i can't get on with the results. At all.
Those camera angles and transitions....Killing it!! I'll toast to that!!
Definitely do yourself a favor and revisit the Town Branch products. Their regular products are really tasty and the single barrels are phenomenal! High malt mash bill on their bourbons so it's a little more fruit forward and lighter profile, but extremely tasty stuff and at a ridiculously great price point.
It's been mentioned a couple times, but a follow up episode would be pretty cool. I do like the idea of blending them to try and cover/add/balance these out. Another cool idea is to buy one of those small barrels and try to age/finish them (or blend and then age!).
I actually like Zachariah Harris. Did a blind flight with it and it won (beating Crown Royal). Still, I'm aware that many things taste a lot better.
I was also surprised with bottom-shelfer ZH, nice & bubblegummy.
You guys are funny as hell, especially when you go dark! Love it. (The Hudson reaction reminded me of a Kentucky bourbon version of that old salsa commercial, where they reject the NY salsa while yelling "New... York... City!" Lol.)
Pace Picante
Great video!! Love the honest reviews! Cheers to you both🥃
Town Branch's bourbon barrel ale is nice. The Bourbon not so much, to me very blend. I think they used to have a rye with a some kick.
Good to walk through what we do not enjoy. There have only been a couple of bottles I have poured out, but a few more I have simply given away to hopefully find a better home. Thanks for sharing. Cheers!
I bought a bottle of Yellowstone. I am not a whisky expert, but I used to be a health inspector. When I smell the Yellowstone, I smell a restaurant dumpster on the nose. I have not been able to get past the smell.
Had a bottle of Hickory Hill sour mash. 3 times trying to drink it, I could not get past the graphite pencil kinda taste. Neighbor thought it was good, so gifted it.
Town Branch, gave it away, tastes like soap 🧼
I've always liked using the saying, if I am ever in this kinda situation, "Taste is always subjective. So you can take my opinion with a grain of salt...or a dram of whiskey". I think we all have our disliked whiskies I think. Now to think of something to get more Gentleman Jack (disliked by me, but loved by my Uncle) onto the show for you both. Maybe a "Will a cocktail redeem our most hated whiskies?" episode.....🤔
What are some of the typical size whiskey/Bourbon casts in gallons?
Not a bourbon but, E.T.51 (product of Canada), is THE worst thing I have EVER tried. I can't even describe the taste...vomit aged in merlot barrels. Seriously...buy this and have a tasting party as a torture test to see who your true friends are.
Sometimes I do like a younger note. I have only had the Short Stack from Hudson and I loved it. I may try if I can find a sale.
Agree 100% with Hudson!!!
A single Barrel of Town Branch is still the worst whiskey I have ever had. I was suprised to find that their single malt is quite good.
Not a fan of Gentleman Jack either, but after having multiple mini bottles that were bad, I'll never fully judge a whiskey until I can get a pour from a full size bottle.
Always enjoy watching you two doing your thing, keeping us in the know in all things bourbon. I’m seriously considering joining your Patreon group.
Thank you much! We would be glad to have you.
I'm sorry but I must disagree with you on the Gentleman Jack. I did like that whiskey Different Strokes for different folks is what I have to say.
@Sunny C. I agree, I’ve had Gentleman Jack a few times. I would never put it on a worst of list. I would think it’s a bad bottle, unless they have had multiple bottles.🥃
I was completely hoping Evan Williams BiB would be in there lol. I……. Can’t…….. stand that one. Tastes like cedar chips smell to me.
My cabinet of mistfits whisky would include any and everything from Wild Turkey. I get such a musky wet dog used bar rag taste on every one of their products I’ve ever tried. Even the Rare breed, Russell’s and Bardstown discovery series version that has WT as part of its blend. I haven’t had any of the ones on your list and usually try to sample something before committing to a large bottle after being dissatisfied a few times.
Cant say i agree but at least you know what you like. Cheers
Ill take anything from wild turkey off your hands you dont want. To each their own though!
Needed this video. Please do more. Lol. Hudson is horrible. I had to try Rye baby rye. That shit is disgusting. It would be a drain pour but. Don’t want to damage the environment. Will add to a toxic landfill. Cheers! Love the shirts too. Will order one. Do they run large, small, or just right? Thanks
Thanks! They run just right (for me, in my opinion). They are District made tees.
The town branch rye is pretty good there rebranded and trying to get some different products out.
The special effects were remarkably done. Awesome video guys!
Thank you!
Great episode. I agree with a lot of them, but Town Branch has greatly improved. None of my favorites this year. The straight bourbon whiskey and True Cask are both solid daily drinkers.
Oh Town Branch, It was recommended by the guy at TW. It smelled and tasted like it had chlorine in it, I could still taste it even if I mixed it. It still remains the only sink pour iv ever done
I ran across a bottle of Flatboat at my local shop a few months ago,I liked it. Not sure how it made it's way here,I'm in central Fl lol
Total Wine says - Not available on Big Ass. So glad I did not buy the JR Ewing Sad. Kirkland is my son’s mixer. Gentleman Jack ~ cardboard.
My brother brought me a bottle of Smokey Quartz Bourbon. It is so bad that I couldn't even cook with it, and now we use it as a dare in the theater I work in.
You guys have a fantastic channel! Thanks for all the fun content.
We like to we have a "lifetime supply" when we come across a bottle we don't like.
Really liked this episode. I haven't tried any of these because they most likely aren't available in my area. My worst is a Balcones. Let me say that things like Balcones Lineage is an awesome whiskey. Balcones Baby Blue is like a bucket of old water that you rinsed varnish brushes in. Worst whiskey I ever tasted. 🤢
I haven't gotten around to trying the Baby Blue, but I've really liked every other Balcones offering I've tried, namely the Rye 100 (my favorite so far, so good), Brimstone, TX Pot still Bourbon, and Rumble(though not a whiskey).
IMO, Baby Blue was the product that Balcones chose to put on store shelves first just to claim "first Texas distillery to market" ahead of Garrison Brothers. I view it as nearly a new-make version of their True Blue and Blue Corn Bourbon (same mash bill, aged differently), and I applaud Balcones for selling something that is part of their core interest rather than going with vodka just to get the cash flowing. I agree, though... it's a bit off-putting.
I drink a lot of balcones and have ever even tried the Baby Blue. Their rye is great, Lineage is amazing. The "high rye bourbon" is ambrosia, if you can still find it (forest green label)
@@dennismonk9559 I don't live far from Balcones so I need to drive to the distillery. I've been meaning to go. The Baby Blue put me off of them. The Lineage brought me back. It's great stuff. I'm VERY open to trying more.
@@craigsmith502 they do a really good tour along with samples of 5-6 different whiskeys at the end. I went with a group and we had a lot of fun.
As a scotch drinker, cheap Moscato and hairspray are definitely not the flavors I'm looking for
Lost your mind on Gentlemen Jack must just be Tennessee haters
I’d like to see a second take on the Town Branch products
Hahaha, I literally bought one of those little Gentleman Jack bottles 2 hours ago. Looking forward to seeing how bad it might be.
Great episode. It is odd to see you break your typical 'nothing mean' mold and give honest opinions on the things you don't like. Even if you're still being very diplomatic about it.
I guess I'm lucky enough to have never tried these.
My least favorite bottle that I own is my Single Barrel 15 yr Dickel
The heros doing the dirty work so we don't have to.
There’s no saving this banana…I’ve been called worse.
I'm really surprised that the Walking Dead bourbon didn't make your list. Sara's initial reaction to that bourbon is priceless. Definitely a video worth looking up.
Humm, I guess we need to revisit that one! But from memory it probably would have rated a "1" on our scale. Everything on this list were variations of "5s" or high "4s" with the honorable mentions being "3s".
Gentleman Jack is not bad. But is sooo boring. It has one vanilla note and that is it! It's officially the most boring whisky ever.
Yep, just a good sipper on the rocks, don't expect much from it.
As an Irish and Scotch drinker, thanks for the idea.