Fantastic job guys and great picks. In hindsight I probably would have taken out eagle rare and made some room for the WT 10. But all in all great picks for any beginner. Great presentation guys. Loved it and liked
Awesome! Here's mine: Evan Williams BIB $15 Wild Turkey 101 $20 Eagle Rare $30 Old Forester Rye (I wanted to include a rye) $20 Rare Breed $45 Old Forester 1910 $60 Elijah Craig BP $60 $250 total (California prices)
Rarely does anyone come up with list where I already have them all...and most all of the backups too. Now I'm beginning to think I have a shopping problem! Enjoyed the video. Good choices all.
@@TheBourbonVan , I have a question. I have some relatives coming from Seattle, Washington next month what would be a good Bourbon for them to bring me that is only in that part of the country? I live in So. California so something I couldn't get here.
Good question, Michael. We really love Woodinville whiskeys. I would imagine that you can get Woodinville in SoCal, but there are several distillery exclusive finished and barrel strength options available up north all the time that I've never seen in Oregon. Also, Washington gets Wilderness Trail and I've seen some amazing single barrels and barrel strength ryes up there. Not sure if that's available in California, but I'd go with one of those two.
Very good list, I think Woodford Reserve deserves that spot even more because of how widely available it is! Four Roses yellow label almost turned me away from Whiskey tbh, that's the only one I don't think it's a great starter. I would put in Makers Mark/Larceny for a softer sip or Bulleit for someone who wants more punch in their sip in place of Four Roses. Cheers!
You guys are alright! Old Forester 1910 is markedly better than Woodford Reserve Double Oaked. I get why you included it, but I prefer 1910 and every head to head review puts 1910 above Woodford, and they run the same price. I'm a fan of wheated bourbon. In the budget category I would say that Larceny at $25 is at least on par with Maker's 46. I'm a Maker's fan. I always keep a case on hand, but that $6-10 difference would go unnoticed if people buy Larceny - which is also readily available. Great vibe. Good list. This is the minimum level of good drinkable Bourbon, but very drinkable.
Good job! Solid picks throughout. Some Michter’s small batch would be a good one also. The OF 1920 is 100% the cornerstone of a good bourbon collection and I’m glad it was included. I like to keep a spare bottle of it around for emergencies.
Great List and love the idea. Here is KY I think I would swap the Four Roses Yellow for the Single Barrel just because its easy to find and only $5 more. If you have not tried it Cooper’s Craft BiB is great stuff too.
Awesome list. I might have done Knob Creek for the Beam and WT101 for the Wild Turkey product. I am probably biased for WT101 this time of the year because IMO it is the best budget mixer/on the rocks bourbon and it is getting warm here in the MidAtlantic!
@@TheBourbonVan Haha I accidently hit post before I finished editing my prices, but since you already commented to it, I'm Ok going over the $250 a bit over to fit in the ECBP.
@@bo_mccroskey haha fair enough. While it’s not the most beginner-friendly bottle in our opinion, there’s no denying that it’s one of the best bottles around.
Buffalo Trace is a great starter bourbon...its $25 here in NE SC. It does drink hotter than 90 in my opinion. ET BiB is a great pour and very available in my area. OF 1920 is a definite hitter at $60.
Fantastic picks. Great video. When I started my journey in late 2020, I kept hearing about WR Double Oaked, finally got it early 2021, tried it, wasn't a fan went back to it 6 months later, I found it pretty boring and didn't do much for me. I think I'm the only person in America that isn't a fan lol 🤷♂️ I traded it to a friend for something with a little more character though 👍
I would also advise any new comers to whisky who are working on a tight budget to check out Redemption products for a great budget friendly introduction to MGP. My list... Redemption High Rye Bourbon $25 (+ another $25 if you can find a store pick, absolutely worth it) Wild Turkey 101 $25 Jim Beam Extra Aged (AKA JB Black Label) $20 Buffalo Trace $25 Elijah Craig Small Batch $35 (+ another $15 if you can find the Toasted Barrel, absolutely worth it) Four Roses Small Batch $35 1792 Bottled in Bond $35 Old Forester 100 $25 = $225-$265 Basically just entry level products from all the big distilleries, so one can get a feel for what they prefer and move on from there. No point in spending more until you know what you like.
@@bo_mccroskey To my tastes that is the best cheap low proof whiskey out there. I used to drink it regularly years ago when it was 8 years old,... that and Wt101,... then I got away from it as I started exploring other stuff. Well, my wife and I like to play a game where she pours me stuff from my shelves then I try to guess what it is,.. so last year she poured me some Jim Beam Black and I couldn't figure out what it was to save my life cause I hadn't touched in so long and it tasted really good. Nowadays I put it in a decanter when more casual whisky drinking friends are coming over,... they think they're getting the good stuff.
High props for a well rounded list any beginner should consider. Extra points for having the Russell’s 10Year and Woodford Double Oak within the collection. Another honorable mention in my view would be a Michter’s small batch. Great episode! Cheers🥃!
1792 Full and SB for the 60 range are pretty good and VOB 90 and 100 proof for around 17 dollars are still a fantastic deal WT everything except 81 proof and Russell's 6 year did not blow me away.
That’s a good list! I would have put Weller SR in for the wheater since it’s $26 here in Wyoming and went with 4R Single barrel instead of yellow label as it’s probably one of my favorite bourbons ever and 90 proof is the flavor floor for me when it comes to bourbon.
Great list! Cant go wrong with those and its nice to see videos like this, since I have no desire to start collecting $100+ bottles and really have no desire to watch reviews of $150+ bourbons..........since I wont be chasing them down any time soon. The WR Double Oaked is outstanding, as is the Russells. My sweet tooth would have me buying an OF 1910 vs the 1920. I dont have the exacts of all of them, but I do have some version of those products except the OGD. Cheers!
Awesome list! And some funky beats at the end there. OGD Bonded is a great addition that doesn’t get talked about much, but for the price is a great pour. I might be partial to including the 1910 instead of Double Oaked and then Rare breed instead of the 1920, but that is nitpicking (and doubles up on Turkey products).
Thanks, Tristen! We really wanted to add 1910, 1920, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, and Wild Turkey Rare Breed, but we mixed it up to include as many distilleries as possible. We were definitely in the same mindset as you though!
I've only tried two of these.....I really want to try the WR Double-Oaked or the OF 1910, but my birthday and Mother's Day are past. Sweet tooth dilemma!
Great list and I agree with most but I would replace Four Roses (and I am a BIG Four Roses Small Batch/SB fan) with Very Old Barton 86. I love the slightly higher proof point and the spice. Otherwise, I'm with you every step of the way.
I love that you guys checked with Jason about doing a similar video.... I mean, who else but some stand up RUclips peeps would ask permission to mimic another channel’s video. You guys rock! I love the $250 price point! I remember watching Jason’s video and thinking back to when I didn’t have 100+ bottles in my collection, and I thought, “this is a good video, but there’s no way when I was first getting started that I could drop $400 at once to get my journey started.” I know I’ve dropped thousands on bourbon over the past 10 years (for example, if someone drank 250 bottles at $30 each, one would have spent $7,500... and I know I’ve killed off more than that over the past 10 years or so). But I digress... just wanted to say this is a great video for helping someone get into the world of bourbon at a decently affordable price point. My list of findable bottles would be: Benchmark or Ezra Brooks ($10-$13) Elijah Craig ($25) 1792 small batch ($30) Makers 46 or CS (~$35-$40) Four Roses SB ($45) Rare Breed or Knob Creek 9 year SB ($45-$50) Russell’s Reserve SB, ECBP, or Belle Meade Reserve ($60-$70) Total: $250-$273
Hey Steven! You know, Jason's channel is one reason we started this thing to begin with. We love watching his videos and during one of his livestreams last September, his mom was yelling down the stairs that her team had hit a grand slam in a baseball game. It was just such a great moment that made us realize that this whole whiskeytube thing is all about family and community and fun. Your thoughts on the $400 cost are the same thoughts as my brother. He was the first one who actually suggested a $250 video to us and we thought it was a great idea. Just one more example of this community being family-oriented. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Your list is really solid and well put together. Cheers!
@@TheBourbonVan I started watching whiskey reviews back near the end of 2018/beginning of 2019... and yep, I’ve found that the whiskeytube community is very much like family and friends. There have been times I’ve thought about starting a channel, but haven’t. I figure (1) there’s already been a video made for BLANK bottle, so why add my two cents hahaha... and (2) I don’t really have a clean/nice place to shoot because our house always had laundry and kid’s toys everywhere (oh the joys of parenting). And a third reason - and probably the biggest reason - is my job. I work for a non profit ministry organization, and though none of our staff have issues with someone enjoying whiskey, many of our supporters would lose their minds if I was known on social media as a drinker. So I don’t make videos... I just settle for Facebook groups and commenting on RUclips videos from cool people like you two! A few months back - around thanksgiving of last year - a good friend of mine from Tennessee told me I should at least blog. She and I often share our thoughts on whiskey (bourbon mostly, but some TN whiskey and scotch in there too), and she’s told me that she always appreciates my tasting notes... and that i should at least do a blog so she could read it hahaha. Anyways, thanks for the content. It’s always nice to share a pour with local friends, and when I can’t do that daily, I’ll drink with you guys! Cheers.
Those are respectable reasons for not starting a channel, Steven. We do appreciate your insight and value your thoughts. As always, thanks for sharing.
I think I'd be pretty happy with that list. Wild Turkey 101 at about $20, Cooper's Craft at about $32 and Old Forester 100 proof at $25 would have made my list of budget friendly bourbon's.
We love the Coopers Craft Barrel Reserve, but it's only available in a handful of states. WT101 and OF 100 were definitely considered. Those are all solid suggestions.
Great job guys. After several years in the hobby I wish someone had given me the advice you provided. We all love to chase unicorns, but at the end of the day it’s all about taste. You’ve hit it out of the park with your selections. Ive got $1200 bottles that cannot hold a candle to 1920.
Well done. I think the only thing I would change are four Roses for Elijah Craig , switch out Makers Mark for old Forester Rye. I think you need that Rye as well. Well done and thanks for sharing. Blessings from Gettysburg…
Great job, list and presentation. Suggestion for putting together a starting collection, look for 375 ml bottles so you can try more choices for the same total $$. CHEERS!!
It’s nice to see my beloved Buffalo Trace on your list...I’m so frugal I’m almost afraid of finding something I’ll like at a higher price for my everyday pour!!
We think rye always deserves a spot on the shelf! I think it might be time for us to do a beginner's rye list or a similar list for a lightweight rye collection. Thanks for the recommendation.
I can't get over how good Russel's Reserve 10-year is. I also love Heaven Hill bonded. I can't find Woodford Double Naked for under $60 here (Buffalo, NY). Love your videos, Phil and Julie :)
I must be doing something right ... started my collection with many of these!! Great video. Need to hit the 1920 ... my OF experience is limited to the 100 proof, which is a good budget bottle.
This was a great list. I can't vouch for the OGD bonded because I have never seen it. The rest are great picks. While watching I was thinking to myself I would replace the MM46 with the RR10Y but then you had that for the next bottle. I would use the OF 1910 instead of the WWDO but they are both really good. I might replace the MM46 with Woodford's Reserve. I am not lover of the MM46. I do love the Four Roses for the budget bottle. That is really good stuff for the price.
Excellent video, thanks for posting it. I agree with almost all of it. I would not have the Old Grandad on the list, but that’s just me. The secret about the Woodford Reserve Double Oaked is getting out, so it may be hard(er) to find, and going up in price. And while it’s not in spirit with your intent of this video, I’d recommend spending the extra green dollar bills for Makers Mark Cask Strength or Makers Mark 46 Cask Strength if one can find them. thanks again for the video, and keep up the great work!
Having watched Jason C's list, I was delighted that I had 9 of his picks in my collection, (the other 2 not available in Uk/silly money!). Not quite as successful with your list only got 4 (5 if you had gone for Eagle Rare as your 10 year old!).I haven't seen Old Grand-Dad for years and I don't think Russells is sold here. Ironic though that you referred to Buffalo Trace is sometimes being hard to find, as it is in 3 stores near me and at the same price as your list! Eagle Rare , Woodford Reserve D.O, and Makers 46 also pretty easy to get, 10 minute drive and I have them. I will be checking out more of your videos for further suggestions.
Great list and great pics! I know this was a hard one for you guyy. So glad you added the OF 1920, which is also my very favorite bourbons in that price category. The only substitutions I would have made is to swap out the Four Roses Yellow in that price category for either Makers Mark, Old Forester 80, Larceny or Wild Turkey 101, which I just happen to like a little more. Cheers!
Let's see....$250? Buffalo Trace - $25 Maker's 46 - $40 Smoke Wagon Small Batch - $55 and then the rest on either the Calumet 14 or a Bardstown Discovery series for $125-$135. That way you don't have too many choices to make and you have a killer top shelf bottle. But mine is less of a beginners list than what I would buy right now if I had to start from scratch and wasn't chasing hard to find bottles. If we skip the high dollar bottle I'd pick Baker's 7 year for $60 probably a 1792 BiB for around $50. that would cover BT, Makers, MGP, Jim Beam, and Barton which is a decent smattering. I would like a Heaven Hill product but I'm not wild about Elijah Craig (it's good though) and McKenna 10 BiB can be a pain to find (but I love it). This list is a lot more fun/less anxiety inducing than trying to make the 5 occasions bottle list.
This one was definitely more fun than the 5 occasions lists. Availability was the hardest part of this one. We've never seen a bottle of Smoke Wagon, Baker's 7 Year is rarely on the shelf here. We have no Calumet or Bardstown in Oregon either. 1792 is a solid distillery and we like that BIB. That said, we'd definitely swing by for a visit to your shelf!
Fun video and love the approach. Great choices. Really liked that you gave alternate bottle recommendations. My 2 cents: Wild Turkey 101 ($22 in WA before tax), Noble Oak ($35) and Michters, McKenna and Knob Creek 12 in the $60-$65 range. And definitely a vote for Eagle Rare. Keep up the good work!
Not sure where you guys fall on Scotch, but I had some Lagavulin 16 this weekend and it was amazing. So smoky and earthy and sweet. I really really enjoyed it and I haven't had Scotch in a while.
Excellent selections except for Old Grand Dad BiB. I didn't enjoy it no matter how many times I tried it. Seemed bland to me but my palette is not good at picking up some of the more subtle whiskies out there. I tried Woodford Double Oaked last week during a tasting and it was really good. I need to get a bottle of that some day. Cheers.
Thanks so much for sharing the info. As a newbie these are greatly appreciated & will be added to my bourbon van notebook. I’m excited like Phil a couple weeks back with his Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. lol Cheers🥃
This is a great list! Nice beginner’s collection! My only beef is that, although you mention several as alternatives to your selections, you don’t have a single Heaven Hill product on your beginner shelf. Overall, great choices - nice job!
We went back and forth a bit, but none of the bottles we considered could top our preferences. We easily prefer the flavor of Buffalo Trace to Elijah Craig Small Batch. Larceny doesn’t hold a candle to 46 for mouthfeel and complexity. Evan Williams Black isn’t as satisfying as Four Roses Yellow. Evan Williams BIB and JTS Brown BIB don’t hit our palates the way Old Grand-Dad BIB does. McKenna BIB is too hard to find and overpriced in our area. ECBP wouldn’t be appropriate for beginners whereas 1920 is readily available and sips easier than its 115 proof point. Heaven Hill does a lot of things really well and we keep a ton of their products on our shelf, but availability, cost, and personal preference shut them out here.
Sooooo many bottles better than the Woodford Double for the money, which tastes a lot more like Aunt Jemima's than like a great whiskey. I'm glad you gave the Old Grand Dad Bonded a shout-out---I think it's better than the WT 101 and definitely worth $4 more than the Evan Williams B & B.
Good job on the list ! I probably would have gone with something other than 4 roses yellow label myself, not that i don't like 4 roses i am just not that high on that particular bottle. Overall though very good choices.
Wow! It's hard to argue with any of those picks, but I might. I have to admit that I haven't yet tried the Four Roses Yellow Label, the Woodford Double Oaked, or and Old Forester 1920 (I'm poppinhg the cork on that tonight), but I have had other iterations of each of those brands and they are excellent. Great list.
Or, just start with an OF 1920 and five RR 10 years! This would leave about $15 to spend toward your first rye whiskey for the collection, which, of course, would be a WT 101 rye for $21.
Great show guys! I want to say that you hit every nail, but I just can't (sorry).. I get that you wanted to include a BiB, and for good reason. But maybe you should've made the budget $275, because not only did you leave Knob Creek 9 yr 100 proof and Wild Turkey 101 out of the mix (both Hall of Fame worthy for budget bourbons, IMO), but they didn't even get an HM 😲.. Just giving you guys a hard time.... You asked for it!! But seriously...keep it up! Always entertaining and informative. Cheers 🍷
Unfortunately not liking the Buffalo Trace too much. But I've really liked everything I've tried from Old Forester. Rare Breed is another for the list.
Old Forester scares me. I had their budget bottle and it made my wife and I want to spit it out. I tried it in mixed drinks and still wasn't good. It's the only bourbon so far that I've wanted to pour down the sink. I gave it to a co-worker to try.
Solid list!! All great bourbons. I would have swapped out the Four Roses for Beam Black for my entry bourbon. Also, I probably would have put the Rare Breed in place of the Woodford DO. Just my personal opinions and I’m such a Rare Breed fan. Also, the video quality was spot on! Cheers!!
Thanks, Ed! You're the 3rd person in these comments to recommend Beam Black, which means we now have to give it a shot...not a strict rule, but it occurred to us that we don't know anything about that bottle. We'll fix that soon and cheers!
@@TheBourbonVan .... if you’d like a suggestion for maybe a future episode... maybe try a Beam Flight. White Label, Black, Double Oak, Bonded, Rye. All pretty easily findable and all under $25!
Only $250 ayy? Where were you when I dropped $400 on Jason's picks? haa, just kidding. Both yours and his include a nice sampling. I have many from both. Need to get on the 46 and Russel's. The OGD I'm liking but not in love neat. Fine in cocktails which at the price pt you can't complain.
Hey Isaac! We use the OLCC website (oregonliquorsearch.com) to find bottles we're looking for, but it's tricky. The best bet is to find out when your local store delivery day is and show up regularly on that day. We find that Buffalo Trace products tend to show up sporadically, but in bunches. We haven't seen any Taylor product in a while, so the state may be due to see some soon.
@@TheBourbonVan thank you! I will try the OLCC. I am a weekly check in away from my dream bottles. (Just need them to show up 😁! Most of the big releases are later in the year correct?
@@TheBourbonVan I have a big wish list…but I am looking for bottles like: Stagg JR E.H Taylor’s High West midnight dram Old Fitzgerald Wellers Antique 107
Love the channel. Your's is the 1st and only whiskey dedicated channel i have watched and you two really do a fantastic job! Been watching for a few weeks and haven't been through entire video catalogue but am i wrong or have you guy's not once mentioned or shown Michter's?? That is one of my favorite brands and i have been eager to hear y'alls thoughts on their catalogue. Point me to a video or respond to this please and thanks.
Hey Nicholas! Thanks for the kind words. You’re not wrong. The Michter’s offerings in our area are very rare and priced quite high. We intend to seek some out in our travels this year, but we have not had an opportunity to purchase it at a price we think is reasonable yet. Thanks again for watching and sharing your thoughts!
@@TheBourbonVan ahh i figured it must have been something like that. Well good luck and happy hunting. I can't recommend them higher. All of their offerings are sensational. They're sour mash is next level to me
I and many other agree that BT is not a great bourbon - unless it was $20 a bottle, which it is not. That said, not too hard to replace that with another bottle in the same price range to suit tastes.
Fantastic job guys and great picks. In hindsight I probably would have taken out eagle rare and made some room for the WT 10. But all in all great picks for any beginner. Great presentation guys. Loved it and liked
Thanks again for the inspiration, Jason! A Mash and Drum stamp of approval is just about all we ever wanted. Cheers!
Awesome! Here's mine:
Evan Williams BIB $15
Wild Turkey 101 $20
Eagle Rare $30
Old Forester Rye (I wanted to include a rye) $20
Rare Breed $45
Old Forester 1910 $60
Elijah Craig BP $60
$250 total (California prices)
It was really difficult for us to leave 1910 off of our list.
Evan williams bottled in bond, Old Forrester 100, buffalo trace, wt 101, Jim beam double oaked, put the other 125 in your pocket.
Great call on the Russell’s. So much better than ER in my opinion.
Rarely does anyone come up with list where I already have them all...and most all of the backups too.
Now I'm beginning to think I have a shopping problem!
Enjoyed the video. Good choices all.
This is a fun idea! I wonder what I woulf put on my list.... 🤔
I love how the whiskey community helps each other out. Fantastic list! Cheers!
I love this video, as a new comer to the Bourbon world this is the perfect video for me. I have Buffalo Trace and I love it..
Cheers, Michael! We hope this helps you make some decisions as you build your collection.
@@TheBourbonVan , I have a question. I have some relatives coming from Seattle, Washington next month what would be a good Bourbon for them to bring me that is only in that part of the country? I live in So. California so something I couldn't get here.
Good question, Michael. We really love Woodinville whiskeys. I would imagine that you can get Woodinville in SoCal, but there are several distillery exclusive finished and barrel strength options available up north all the time that I've never seen in Oregon. Also, Washington gets Wilderness Trail and I've seen some amazing single barrels and barrel strength ryes up there. Not sure if that's available in California, but I'd go with one of those two.
@@TheBourbonVan , thank you so much for the information. I will have them pick up one of those for me..
So before I watched I wrote down all the bourbons I was thinking of and I almost matched your video to a T! Perfect starting collection. Cheers yall.
Right on, Chris! Cheers.
This is almost giving me second thoughts about buying a bottle of old carter last weekend for $200.......almost 😉🤣
Haha, honestly though, that bottle is on our list. If we ever see it in the wild, we'll likely make the exact same decision.
every collection needs a bottle of Old Forester (any of them is a good choice but the 1910 and 1920 are the best ones)
Very good list, I think Woodford Reserve deserves that spot even more because of how widely available it is! Four Roses yellow label almost turned me away from Whiskey tbh, that's the only one I don't think it's a great starter. I would put in Makers Mark/Larceny for a softer sip or Bulleit for someone who wants more punch in their sip in place of Four Roses. Cheers!
You guys are alright! Old Forester 1910 is markedly better than Woodford Reserve Double Oaked. I get why you included it, but I prefer 1910 and every head to head review puts 1910 above Woodford, and they run the same price. I'm a fan of wheated bourbon. In the budget category I would say that Larceny at $25 is at least on par with Maker's 46. I'm a Maker's fan. I always keep a case on hand, but that $6-10 difference would go unnoticed if people buy Larceny - which is also readily available. Great vibe. Good list. This is the minimum level of good drinkable Bourbon, but very drinkable.
I love Jason C, Drew P, Chad & Sara and I love you guys...
You have great taste, Bob!
Good job! Solid picks throughout. Some Michter’s small batch would be a good one also. The OF 1920 is 100% the cornerstone of a good bourbon collection and I’m glad it was included. I like to keep a spare bottle of it around for emergencies.
"Emergencies" haha
Great List and love the idea. Here is KY I think I would swap the Four Roses Yellow for the Single Barrel just because its easy to find and only $5 more. If you have not tried it Cooper’s Craft BiB is great stuff too.
Very solid recommendations. I think OGD 114 is fantastic. The #1 bourbon I recommend to beginners is Wild Turkey 101.
Wasn't expecting the grandad bonded, that was a surprise.
Awesome list. I might have done Knob Creek for the Beam and WT101 for the Wild Turkey product. I am probably biased for WT101 this time of the year because IMO it is the best budget mixer/on the rocks bourbon and it is getting warm here in the MidAtlantic!
Awesome beginner list! If I'm being honest... no WT 101 stung by entry-level bourbon self lmao. Fantastic selection for any beginner!
Buffalo Trace - $25
Early Times BiB - $25
OF 1920 - $50
Rare Breed - $45
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof - $40
Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered - $65
Where are you getting ECBP for $40???
Solid list.
@@TheBourbonVan Haha I accidently hit post before I finished editing my prices, but since you already commented to it, I'm Ok going over the $250 a bit over to fit in the ECBP.
@@bo_mccroskey haha fair enough. While it’s not the most beginner-friendly bottle in our opinion, there’s no denying that it’s one of the best bottles around.
Buffalo Trace is a great starter bourbon...its $25 here in NE SC. It does drink hotter than 90 in my opinion. ET BiB is a great pour and very available in my area. OF 1920 is a definite hitter at $60.
Fantastic picks. Great video. When I started my journey in late 2020, I kept hearing about WR Double Oaked, finally got it early 2021, tried it, wasn't a fan went back to it 6 months later, I found it pretty boring and didn't do much for me. I think I'm the only person in America that isn't a fan lol 🤷♂️ I traded it to a friend for something with a little more character though 👍
I would also advise any new comers to whisky who are working on a tight budget to check out Redemption products for a great budget friendly introduction to MGP.
My list...
Redemption High Rye Bourbon $25 (+ another $25 if you can find a store pick, absolutely worth it)
Wild Turkey 101 $25
Jim Beam Extra Aged (AKA JB Black Label) $20
Buffalo Trace $25
Elijah Craig Small Batch $35 (+ another $15 if you can find the Toasted Barrel, absolutely worth it)
Four Roses Small Batch $35
1792 Bottled in Bond $35
Old Forester 100 $25
= $225-$265
Basically just entry level products from all the big distilleries, so one can get a feel for what they prefer and move on from there. No point in spending more until you know what you like.
I like to buy small "airplane" bottles of the Jim Beam Extra Aged for my golf bag.
@@bo_mccroskey To my tastes that is the best cheap low proof whiskey out there.
I used to drink it regularly years ago when it was 8 years old,... that and Wt101,... then I got away from it as I started exploring other stuff.
Well, my wife and I like to play a game where she pours me stuff from my shelves then I try to guess what it is,.. so last year she poured me some Jim Beam Black and I couldn't figure out what it was to save my life cause I hadn't touched in so long and it tasted really good.
Nowadays I put it in a decanter when more casual whisky drinking friends are coming over,... they think they're getting the good stuff.
Great list. I love those Oregon prices. In ATL, we're a little higher on several of those. Thankfully, 1920 is priced the same.
Buffalo Trace is very hard to find in Maryland.
High props for a well rounded list any beginner should consider. Extra points for having the Russell’s 10Year and Woodford Double Oak within the collection. Another honorable mention in my view would be a Michter’s small batch. Great episode! Cheers🥃!
1792 Full and SB for the 60 range are pretty good and VOB 90 and 100 proof for around 17 dollars are still a fantastic deal WT everything except 81 proof and Russell's 6 year did not blow me away.
That’s a good list! I would have put Weller SR in for the wheater since it’s $26 here in Wyoming and went with 4R Single barrel instead of yellow label as it’s probably one of my favorite bourbons ever and 90 proof is the flavor floor for me when it comes to bourbon.
Super difficult to argue with any of these. Great video and lineup y’all. BRB we gotta go grab an OGB Bonded… 🥃
It’s the bottle that surprised us the most this year!
Great sportsmanship goes a long way in my book. Cheers!
Great list! Cant go wrong with those and its nice to see videos like this, since I have no desire to start collecting $100+ bottles and really have no desire to watch reviews of $150+ bourbons..........since I wont be chasing them down any time soon.
The WR Double Oaked is outstanding, as is the Russells. My sweet tooth would have me buying an OF 1910 vs the 1920. I dont have the exacts of all of them, but I do have some version of those products except the OGD. Cheers!
Awesome list! And some funky beats at the end there.
OGD Bonded is a great addition that doesn’t get talked about much, but for the price is a great pour. I might be partial to including the 1910 instead of Double Oaked and then Rare breed instead of the 1920, but that is nitpicking (and doubles up on Turkey products).
Thanks, Tristen! We really wanted to add 1910, 1920, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, and Wild Turkey Rare Breed, but we mixed it up to include as many distilleries as possible. We were definitely in the same mindset as you though!
I've only tried two of these.....I really want to try the WR Double-Oaked or the OF 1910, but my birthday and Mother's Day are past. Sweet tooth dilemma!
Great list and I agree with most but I would replace Four Roses (and I am a BIG Four Roses Small Batch/SB fan) with Very Old Barton 86. I love the slightly higher proof point and the spice. Otherwise, I'm with you every step of the way.
I love that you guys checked with Jason about doing a similar video.... I mean, who else but some stand up RUclips peeps would ask permission to mimic another channel’s video. You guys rock!
I love the $250 price point! I remember watching Jason’s video and thinking back to when I didn’t have 100+ bottles in my collection, and I thought, “this is a good video, but there’s no way when I was first getting started that I could drop $400 at once to get my journey started.” I know I’ve dropped thousands on bourbon over the past 10 years (for example, if someone drank 250 bottles at $30 each, one would have spent $7,500... and I know I’ve killed off more than that over the past 10 years or so). But I digress... just wanted to say this is a great video for helping someone get into the world of bourbon at a decently affordable price point.
My list of findable bottles would be:
Benchmark or Ezra Brooks ($10-$13)
Elijah Craig ($25)
1792 small batch ($30)
Makers 46 or CS (~$35-$40)
Four Roses SB ($45)
Rare Breed or Knob Creek 9 year SB ($45-$50)
Russell’s Reserve SB, ECBP, or Belle Meade Reserve ($60-$70)
Total: $250-$273
Hey Steven! You know, Jason's channel is one reason we started this thing to begin with. We love watching his videos and during one of his livestreams last September, his mom was yelling down the stairs that her team had hit a grand slam in a baseball game. It was just such a great moment that made us realize that this whole whiskeytube thing is all about family and community and fun.
Your thoughts on the $400 cost are the same thoughts as my brother. He was the first one who actually suggested a $250 video to us and we thought it was a great idea. Just one more example of this community being family-oriented.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Your list is really solid and well put together. Cheers!
@@TheBourbonVan I started watching whiskey reviews back near the end of 2018/beginning of 2019... and yep, I’ve found that the whiskeytube community is very much like family and friends. There have been times I’ve thought about starting a channel, but haven’t. I figure (1) there’s already been a video made for BLANK bottle, so why add my two cents hahaha... and (2) I don’t really have a clean/nice place to shoot because our house always had laundry and kid’s toys everywhere (oh the joys of parenting). And a third reason - and probably the biggest reason - is my job. I work for a non profit ministry organization, and though none of our staff have issues with someone enjoying whiskey, many of our supporters would lose their minds if I was known on social media as a drinker. So I don’t make videos... I just settle for Facebook groups and commenting on RUclips videos from cool people like you two!
A few months back - around thanksgiving of last year - a good friend of mine from Tennessee told me I should at least blog. She and I often share our thoughts on whiskey (bourbon mostly, but some TN whiskey and scotch in there too), and she’s told me that she always appreciates my tasting notes... and that i should at least do a blog so she could read it hahaha.
Anyways, thanks for the content. It’s always nice to share a pour with local friends, and when I can’t do that daily, I’ll drink with you guys! Cheers.
Those are respectable reasons for not starting a channel, Steven. We do appreciate your insight and value your thoughts. As always, thanks for sharing.
OMG....I’m a winner, 🤪😱😱. First time I have tired (& love) all these choices. You guys are the bomb. Thanks
I think I'd be pretty happy with that list. Wild Turkey 101 at about $20, Cooper's Craft at about $32 and Old Forester 100 proof at $25 would have made my list of budget friendly bourbon's.
We love the Coopers Craft Barrel Reserve, but it's only available in a handful of states. WT101 and OF 100 were definitely considered. Those are all solid suggestions.
Great job guys. After several years in the hobby I wish someone had given me the advice you provided. We all love to chase unicorns, but at the end of the day it’s all about taste. You’ve hit it out of the park with your selections. Ive got $1200 bottles that cannot hold a candle to 1920.
This is precisely the type of feedback we were hoping to see on this video. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, John!
Gotta gave EC SB on the list 😆 but like your list.
Well done. I think the only thing I would change are four Roses for Elijah Craig , switch out Makers Mark for old Forester Rye. I think you need that Rye as well. Well done and thanks for sharing. Blessings from Gettysburg…
Great list! Made me thirsty for a pour but stuck at work! Cheers!
Haha, you're welcome? Cheers, John!
Great job, list and presentation. Suggestion for putting together a starting collection, look for 375 ml bottles so you can try more choices for the same total $$. CHEERS!!
It’s nice to see my beloved Buffalo Trace on your list...I’m so frugal I’m almost afraid of finding something I’ll like at a higher price for my everyday pour!!
Nothing wrong with frugality! Cheers, Ruby.
Great great great $254 collection guys!!!
Well done and a good list. Maybe room for a rye in there somewhere?
We think rye always deserves a spot on the shelf! I think it might be time for us to do a beginner's rye list or a similar list for a lightweight rye collection. Thanks for the recommendation.
Excellent videos!!!
Thanks Doug!
I can't get over how good Russel's Reserve 10-year is. I also love Heaven Hill bonded. I can't find Woodford Double Naked for under $60 here (Buffalo, NY).
Love your videos, Phil and Julie :)
I must be doing something right ... started my collection with many of these!! Great video. Need to hit the 1920 ... my OF experience is limited to the 100 proof, which is a good budget bottle.
This was a great list. I can't vouch for the OGD bonded because I have never seen it. The rest are great picks. While watching I was thinking to myself I would replace the MM46 with the RR10Y but then you had that for the next bottle. I would use the OF 1910 instead of the WWDO but they are both really good. I might replace the MM46 with Woodford's Reserve. I am not lover of the MM46. I do love the Four Roses for the budget bottle. That is really good stuff for the price.
Excellent video, thanks for posting it. I agree with almost all of it. I would not have the Old Grandad on the list, but that’s just me. The secret about the Woodford Reserve Double Oaked is getting out, so it may be hard(er) to find, and going up in price. And while it’s not in spirit with your intent of this video, I’d recommend spending the extra green dollar bills for Makers Mark Cask Strength or Makers Mark 46 Cask Strength if one can find them. thanks again for the video, and keep up the great work!
Excellent List. should have given 'larceny' as an example for a replacement wheater, 'weller' is IMPOSSIBLE to find
Having watched Jason C's list, I was delighted that I had 9 of his picks in my collection, (the other 2 not available in Uk/silly money!). Not quite as successful with your list only got 4 (5 if you had gone for Eagle Rare as your 10 year old!).I haven't seen Old Grand-Dad for years and I don't think Russells is sold here. Ironic though that you referred to Buffalo Trace is sometimes being hard to find, as it is in 3 stores near me and at the same price as your list! Eagle Rare , Woodford Reserve D.O, and Makers 46 also pretty easy to get, 10 minute drive and I have them. I will be checking out more of your videos for further suggestions.
Makers 46 is great, but I might have chosen Larceny instead. Good list thought!
Great list and great pics! I know this was a hard one for you guyy. So glad you added the OF 1920, which is also my very favorite bourbons in that price category. The only substitutions I would have made is to swap out the Four Roses Yellow in that price category for either Makers Mark, Old Forester 80, Larceny or Wild Turkey 101, which I just happen to like a little more. Cheers!
Love your presentation, 'm learning a lot. Keep after you two.
We really appreciate that, Robert. Thank you.
Let's see....$250?
Buffalo Trace - $25
Maker's 46 - $40
Smoke Wagon Small Batch - $55
and then the rest on either the Calumet 14 or a Bardstown Discovery series for $125-$135. That way you don't have too many choices to make and you have a killer top shelf bottle. But mine is less of a beginners list than what I would buy right now if I had to start from scratch and wasn't chasing hard to find bottles.
If we skip the high dollar bottle I'd pick
Baker's 7 year for $60
probably a 1792 BiB for around $50.
that would cover BT, Makers, MGP, Jim Beam, and Barton which is a decent smattering. I would like a Heaven Hill product but I'm not wild about Elijah Craig (it's good though) and McKenna 10 BiB can be a pain to find (but I love it).
This list is a lot more fun/less anxiety inducing than trying to make the 5 occasions bottle list.
This one was definitely more fun than the 5 occasions lists. Availability was the hardest part of this one. We've never seen a bottle of Smoke Wagon, Baker's 7 Year is rarely on the shelf here. We have no Calumet or Bardstown in Oregon either. 1792 is a solid distillery and we like that BIB. That said, we'd definitely swing by for a visit to your shelf!
@@TheBourbonVan shoot me an address on Patreon and I can remedy the Bakers and SW
Fun video and love the approach. Great choices. Really liked that you gave alternate bottle recommendations. My 2 cents: Wild Turkey 101 ($22 in WA before tax), Noble Oak ($35) and Michters, McKenna and Knob Creek 12 in the $60-$65 range. And definitely a vote for Eagle Rare. Keep up the good work!
Not sure where you guys fall on Scotch, but I had some Lagavulin 16 this weekend and it was amazing. So smoky and earthy and sweet. I really really enjoyed it and I haven't had Scotch in a while.
We dip our toes in from time to time. We keep a bottle of Balvenie DoubleWood on the shelf, but that's generally about it.
Nice line-up folks, cheers.
Cheers, B.
This is a great list. I would include Old Grandad 114 over BIB. But it is getting hard to locate in my area. Thanks for a great video.
We went back and forth on that one, Luis, we really love both of those. Cheers and thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts!
Excellent selections except for Old Grand Dad BiB. I didn't enjoy it no matter how many times I tried it. Seemed bland to me but my palette is not good at picking up some of the more subtle whiskies out there. I tried Woodford Double Oaked last week during a tasting and it was really good. I need to get a bottle of that some day. Cheers.
Thanks so much for sharing the info. As a newbie these are greatly appreciated & will be added to my bourbon van notebook. I’m excited like Phil a couple weeks back with his Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. lol Cheers🥃
LOL cheers Dave!
This is a great list! Nice beginner’s collection! My only beef is that, although you mention several as alternatives to your selections, you don’t have a single Heaven Hill product on your beginner shelf. Overall, great choices - nice job!
We went back and forth a bit, but none of the bottles we considered could top our preferences. We easily prefer the flavor of Buffalo Trace to Elijah Craig Small Batch. Larceny doesn’t hold a candle to 46 for mouthfeel and complexity. Evan Williams Black isn’t as satisfying as Four Roses Yellow. Evan Williams BIB and JTS Brown BIB don’t hit our palates the way Old Grand-Dad BIB does. McKenna BIB is too hard to find and overpriced in our area. ECBP wouldn’t be appropriate for beginners whereas 1920 is readily available and sips easier than its 115 proof point. Heaven Hill does a lot of things really well and we keep a ton of their products on our shelf, but availability, cost, and personal preference shut them out here.
Sooooo many bottles better than the Woodford Double for the money, which tastes a lot more like Aunt Jemima's than like a great whiskey. I'm glad you gave the Old Grand Dad Bonded a shout-out---I think it's better than the WT 101 and definitely worth $4 more than the Evan Williams B & B.
Great video and loved the alternatives provided.
That is an awesome list and I can't argue with any one there. Great Bourbon and a great variety to fit the mood or discover your palate! Cheers!
Cheers, Neighbour!
Good job on the list ! I probably would have gone with something other than 4 roses yellow label myself, not that i don't like 4 roses i am just not that high on that particular bottle. Overall though very good choices.
Awesome video ! Great bottles for little money.
Wow! It's hard to argue with any of those picks, but I might. I have to admit that I haven't yet tried the Four Roses Yellow Label, the Woodford Double Oaked, or and Old Forester 1920 (I'm poppinhg the cork on that tonight), but I have had other iterations of each of those brands and they are excellent. Great list.
Enjoy that 1920, Walter. We think it’s absolutely delicious.
@@TheBourbonVan I've only heard good things about it. I'll be having it with the 1910. It will be my next bourbon video.
Or, just start with an OF 1920 and five RR 10 years! This would leave about $15 to spend toward your first rye whiskey for the collection, which, of course, would be a WT 101 rye for $21.
Great show guys!
I want to say that you hit every nail, but I just can't (sorry)..
I get that you wanted to include a BiB, and for good reason.
But maybe you should've made the budget $275, because not only did you leave Knob Creek 9 yr 100 proof and Wild Turkey 101 out of the mix (both Hall of Fame worthy for budget bourbons, IMO), but they didn't even get an HM 😲..
Just giving you guys a hard time.... You asked for it!!
But seriously...keep it up! Always entertaining and informative.
Cheers 🍷
Unfortunately not liking the Buffalo Trace too much. But I've really liked everything I've tried from Old Forester. Rare Breed is another for the list.
The cask strength Makers 46 is fantastic. Harder to find.
You guys nailed it!
Bravo!
Old Forester scares me. I had their budget bottle and it made my wife and I want to spit it out. I tried it in mixed drinks and still wasn't good. It's the only bourbon so far that I've wanted to pour down the sink. I gave it to a co-worker to try.
Great list.
Great list. You aren’t my best friend if I am sharing a Yellow Label with you, but it has a spot on the list I suppose. Enjoyed the video. Cheers.
Haha, fair enough, Lyle. We’ve seen non-bourbon drinkers sip that one happily, but we recognize that it’s not the most exciting whiskey. Cheers.
However, you did convince me to give Yellow Label another shot. It ain’t terrible. And It probably is a solid pick to introduce someone to Bourbon.
Solid list!! All great bourbons. I would have swapped out the Four Roses for Beam Black for my entry bourbon. Also, I probably would have put the Rare Breed in place of the Woodford DO. Just my personal opinions and I’m such a Rare Breed fan. Also, the video quality was spot on! Cheers!!
Thanks, Ed! You're the 3rd person in these comments to recommend Beam Black, which means we now have to give it a shot...not a strict rule, but it occurred to us that we don't know anything about that bottle. We'll fix that soon and cheers!
@@TheBourbonVan .... if you’d like a suggestion for maybe a future episode... maybe try a Beam Flight. White Label, Black, Double Oak, Bonded, Rye. All pretty easily findable and all under $25!
@@mttech1995 actually it’s on the list! The shopping cart is constantly filled with flashier bottles, but we’re planning this flight soon.
I have all in my collection, less the yellow label...it does make an appearance from time to time.
Awesome video.
Only $250 ayy? Where were you when I dropped $400 on Jason's picks? haa, just kidding. Both yours and his include a nice sampling. I have many from both. Need to get on the 46 and Russel's. The OGD I'm liking but not in love neat. Fine in cocktails which at the price pt you can't complain.
New to tour channel,
I’m in Oregon as well so very excited about that similarity!
Have you had any success finding Taylor’s in Oregon?
Hey Isaac! We use the OLCC website (oregonliquorsearch.com) to find bottles we're looking for, but it's tricky. The best bet is to find out when your local store delivery day is and show up regularly on that day. We find that Buffalo Trace products tend to show up sporadically, but in bunches. We haven't seen any Taylor product in a while, so the state may be due to see some soon.
@@TheBourbonVan thank you! I will try the OLCC. I am a weekly check in away from my dream bottles. (Just need them to show up 😁!
Most of the big releases are later in the year correct?
@@isaacsangels7235 it depends what you’re looking for. A bunch of BTAC stuff showed up last week across the state.
@@TheBourbonVan I have a big wish list…but I am looking for bottles like:
Stagg JR
E.H Taylor’s
High West midnight dram
Old Fitzgerald
Wellers Antique 107
Great video and good list. I would tweak it a little but I’m not offended by any of your bottles. 🥃
I’m biased, but I would have picked OF1910 instead of WFR Double Oaked.
Love the channel. Your's is the 1st and only whiskey dedicated channel i have watched and you two really do a fantastic job! Been watching for a few weeks and haven't been through entire video catalogue but am i wrong or have you guy's not once mentioned or shown Michter's?? That is one of my favorite brands and i have been eager to hear y'alls thoughts on their catalogue. Point me to a video or respond to this please and thanks.
Hey Nicholas! Thanks for the kind words. You’re not wrong. The Michter’s offerings in our area are very rare and priced quite high. We intend to seek some out in our travels this year, but we have not had an opportunity to purchase it at a price we think is reasonable yet. Thanks again for watching and sharing your thoughts!
@@TheBourbonVan ahh i figured it must have been something like that. Well good luck and happy hunting. I can't recommend them higher. All of their offerings are sensational. They're sour mash is next level to me
I and many other agree that BT is not a great bourbon - unless it was $20 a bottle, which it is not. That said, not too hard to replace that with another bottle in the same price range to suit tastes.
That is a great list..beginner or not.
Knob Creek?
Wooo
What is the brand of the shelving behind you?
www.wayfair.com/furniture/pdp/coastal-farmhouse-hoyt-steel-etagere-bookcase-w004725958.html
Jason C's storytelling might be better but Julie is so much better on the eyes.
WT 101 is THE best value in a true Kentucky Bourbon. Skip the over priced, four roses weak sauce.