I'm not hunting bourbon period in 2024, lol! I will buy plenty, but I absolutely will not hunt or buy any hyped or allocated products unless sitting on the shelf at MSRP.
I have a good amount of bottles now. No more buying for me. Just drinking here and there. Still enjoy these videos though and will know what to try when the time comes.
Guys I only buy what you guys recommend, if their on my local liquor stores, I will buy them, but your right, I’m not hunting them down, by the way, have you guys tried Bomberger Bourbon, I think it’s very good
@@louismeszoros4574what year of Bomberger’s did you get? I never see them by me at all. I heard this years was good but in years past not so much. Kind of hit or miss.
These guys are a bright beacon in a world full of almost nothing but Allocated Hype. As an average bourbon enjoyer with an average wallet, these guys are the ones I go to first ❤
The last Birthday Bourbon I got was $65 (2015/16?) and was the last time I sat around like schmuck for hours in the freezing cold for an allocated whiskey. As I stood in line to buy it, I looked down the whiskey aisle and realized there are plenty of better whiskeys for the same or less right on the shelf.
In the audiophile world, there is the idea of diminishing returns. Does a $10,000 record player sound better than a $2,000 record player? Yes. Does it sound 5 times better? No. You keep spending $1000s or $10,000s to get a small percetage of improvement. I reallized that applies to a lot of things, including Bourbon. Once I realized that, i gave up the chase. Their are so many really good bottles that i can get an any time for fair price, that i just don't worry about it anymore.
That's a fair point from Trenton. I am never disappointed in a budget whiskey. There are some I don't care for, but disappointed is something different. Now, I drop $75 on a craft whiskey or $100+ on a Barrell or special release and it is no good, oh my goodness, that is soul crushing.
My first realization of that was Weller 12. I got a free pour at the bar I work at and was extremely disappointed. Like it's not a bad whiskey if you like a really oaky flavor but there's absolutely no way I'd pay $200+ on secondary for it and the only reason I'd get one at msrp is if they didn't have other options and I could use it in a trade for something I like. Otherwise, I'll just go snag a bottle of woodford double oaked instead.
SLB Classics (delayed sorry) 0:23 They’re always fair and honest 0:48 Trenton makes his own rules 1:43 Trenton did some actual prework to prepare?!? 2:02 Kurt looks for the budget bottles and let’s Trenton do the rest 2:28 Starting the a big name 😮 3:58 Who knew the name drops could get bigger 😮😮 4:35 oakie like a you know what… sometimes I don’t know Trenton’s phrases 5:31 the boys are looking for the price:value/tastiness 5:58 The rye lover has to shoot himself in the foot, many names dropping 6:49 Kurt helps Trenton out with speaking 7:27 Maybe Trenton is only going to be dropping the big names 8:21 We all want that transparency 8:56 We need more of the $40-60 good bourbon and well priced 🍳🍞 10:39 Trenton layers on the sarcasm THICC 11:37 Kurt won’t argue with somebody choosing a good value bourbon 12:55 Trenton is cranky because his mouth and back hurt. Hopefully he isn’t hungry too 14:49 SLB only provides their own opinions, they don’t speak for others 15:42 😮😮 Oh the cigar blend of Joseph Magnus 17:02 Prices ⬆️ Quality ⬇️ 18:32 Kurt is trying to speak the excitement into Irish whiskey 19:07 Kurt is setting a solid cap on his bourbon budget 19:49 Kurt speaks with the hip language c-note 20:18 Trenton speaks his love of scotch 20:42 Trenton makes a funny 😂 $400 vodka 21:23 Less planning coming soon! 21:38 Trenton will suffer through despite the pain 22:00 nice sign off and ndo
I see you two more as a Rook and Knight instead of 2 pawns. Kurt is straight forward, Trent takes that sudden turn that you can’t ever expect. Thanks for looking out for us with these showcases. Head over hype.
Trenton, you can use Mylanta(or any anti acid) 5ml mixed with liquid benadryl(any flavor or dye free) 5ml and swish and then hold on your canker sore for 10-20 seconds a couple times a day. It will heal that canker sore super quick so you can continue to talk to us about bourbon.
A store owner offered me a Willett 8 year wheated the other day at $399, which I thanked him for, but passed up. I don't feel at all bad about it, and you guys just validated me. Also, Trenton, dot some alum powder on your canker sore. I used to get them all the time in high school, and this trick always dried them right up.
I’ve gotten lucky getting a stag and a EC barrel proof just at my grocery store and total wine. I don’t find “hunting” worth the time or effort. There’s tons of incredible whiskey that’s easy to find. When you happen to stumble on something uncommon grab it.
When I got Blue Run high rye, I didn’t like it. But, it sat for a couple of months on my shelf and finally decided to pour some and it was freaking really good. The flavors just exploded and the bottle turned great!
I really appreciate how you guys don't discriminate or gatekeep whiskey because everyone's pallet is different. You just encourage us to not dive into the hype, try some different things and find bottles that we enjoy and fit our budget. One of my local stores has several bottles that you guys recommend for $10-50 and I'm slowly building a collection. Luckily i work at a bourbon heavy bar and the owner is cool with me doing half price/half pours for myself to try things. I'll probably never try rip van winkle or eh single barrel but being able to go through all of the $20-50 bottles for $3-4 each is making a huge difference! Also, as far as the irish whiskey deal, i highly recommend jameson black barrel. $35-40, regularly available and is extremely approachable. Its a 1 or 2 noter but has a wonderful nose and is incredibly smooth with almost no burn. It has become one of my favorite non allocated sippers for under $40
No more whiskey hunting for me moving forward. If I am at the store and I find something I want at MSRP I’ll buy it, but I’m done chasing “the best whiskey”. I realized that almost everything over $80 has low value for me. This past year I passed on KC18, MWND, disco 11 and RR13 at MSRP. All good whiskey I’m sure, but not worth it for me. I would like to add some more rye to my collection though, so keep the rye content coming, Trenton!
I am also done purchasing Irish whiskey and Scotch. Very low value in my opinion, relatively speaking. I enjoy these whiskies, but American whiskey has much higher value. I’m sure Red Breast is great whiskey, but ~$80 for 80 proof whiskey is not for me.
Great video! Totally agree. I feel that some bourbon companies are acting like American Auto manufacturers post WW2, meaning produce anything and the public will buy it regardless of quality or cost. I feel that if people such as yourself take a stand and the average consumer does too, maybe the distilleries will think twice before they put out a sub-par product at a premium price. Thank you!
Good episode guys. Personally, I think there is another part of the equation and it has to do with my changing tolerance for what I consider "acceptably enjoyable." And what I find acceptably enjoyable keeps creeping upwards and causing me to sigh in disappointment over bottles of whiskey that I've enjoyed in the past but find just a little bit too disappointing now. I think the biggest reason for this is just the breadth of whiskey I've gotten to taste. It's just so much more than it was near the beginning of my journey. We're talking 100's of different bottles bought and reviewed at this point. And value to money gets tied up into the conversation as well. I'm with you KURT, it's really hard to justify spending much more than 2 C-notes on a bottle of scotch. Once you have enough of them, and you can build a picture of what more costly scotch does and DOESN'T DO. And those too end up going into the "not buying those again or ever" list. oh yeah, I'm also with KURT on the budget oriented or at least value oriented bottles on the market. There are really good bottles in bourbon for $30 and really good scotch at $50. And towards the upper end, you don't really have to spend over $80 in either category to get access to great experiences. CHEERS!
My wife and I have a (one) pour every evening; we are in our 70's. The most I have spent on a bottle is $75 for a bottle of Knob Creek 12 at the distillery, I bought two bottles shared one bottle with my son, it was good, but so is Knob Creek 9. I like Russell Reserve Single Barrel, and Makers Mark and 46, etc. So, if it cost more than $75, it better come with a man in a tux to pour for me and my wife of 47+ years.
I love these kinds of videos. Talking down on all these allocated bourbons that really aren't all that great. Maybe more social media whiskey influencers need to do the same to stop the fake hype about a lot of these brands so the distilleries can step up and make a better product.
There are so many great bourbons and ryes for under $100 that I just can't see the point of hunting these expensive bottles. I'm happy with my Rare Breed all day long!
Thank you for sharing! I watch every video you put on RUclips. I really enjoy each video. I loved your four roses one last year and with my neighbor we were able to find in VA the 4 you did a tasting on, and we tasted and ranked them exactly the same. We also aren't in with the wild turkey 😢. I also liked the Knob Creek 12 and a very good description. I personally think Lagavulin 12 is hand over fist better than the 9. Keep on as you do and please continue with your videos. Thank you for sharing.
Love you guys ! My husband I don’t miss an episode. Love your passion and great conversation starters for debates and connection. I am a huge Irish and Scotch fan would love to see Trenton trying to work his way there 😊. Some of my fav Irishes are writes Tears , writer tears double oak, always cask redbreast, knappogue castle, blue spot and green fav of spots . My special one is the Middleton very rare and low budget Jameson seems to be my go to.
Glad to hear you touch on Irish Whiskey again, Kurt. Your video 9 months ago "Is Irish Whiskey BETTER Than Bourbon?" is actually how I found your channel. Give Ha'Penny a try for a good & affordable bottle. I personally have been enjoying the Method & Madness recently as a general Middleton fan and Silkie from Sliabh Liag.
I couldn’t agree more with your thoughts. I’m very disappointed in Bookers. I also don’t like that there are so many “limited” bottles now and the high price points.
Happy New Year to both of you. We unfortunately get only one release of Booker’s in Canada. The first one. This year we will get 2024-01 E, E for Export. So if someone wants Booker’s that’s all your getting. I will probably buy one, I have been buying it, since I like it, my own personal taste 😊, and it will probably cost me $140.00 Canadian. On top of that, I will have to pay shipping cost, since it is not available in my area, Montreal, but only out West in Calgary. Another $40.00 to $50.00. That is unfortunately the reality of our market. Cheers to both of you. Really enjoy the videos and live streams. All the best for 2024. Keep up the good work. Hope you get better Trenton
For Irish try Teeling if you haven't already, especially a sherry, port or other red wine cask finished special release if you come across one. Nice alternative to the many Midleton offerings-Jameson, Redbreast, the Spots, etc.
You are my go to show. Some of the pours you talk about , I could stock my whole bar for that much money.... But hearing about them is great. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing in my bar. (which did not exist before Covid 19) that is bottom shelf.
This not only needs to be said, but everyone should be on board. No secondary prices for me ever again. EVER. My journey has gotten me to the point of maturity , by that , I recognize I have so many great choices that are available and not marked up. I really don't need it... I wish we all had this mindset of "" WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE, NO, WE AINT GONNA TAKE IT,,,,, ANYMORE""..... Best wishes to all this this year.
I really try to follow Kurt's advice to "Drink Responsibly". I'm retired and on a modest fixed income. My wife and I have been married 52 years and still love one another. But..... if I brought home a $200 bottle of any kind of alcohol, I'd be drinking it by myself in my car (because I'd be living in it). And that just isn't responsible drinking to me.
Redbreast 12 cask Strength is always one of my top favorite whiskies and so surprised always of the different flavor prolile. Ii think we would all love to see see a video review of you two experienceing Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength together. This is such an amazing whisky at any price point ! Lets make this happen!
I'm not surprised to see Bookers on the list, but 3 of their 4 releases in 2023 were fantastic IMO. Apprentice left alot to be desired but Charlies, Mighty Fine, and Storyteller were all worth their price point hands down for me
Mighty fine is actually quite good imo. I wish I had been able to find another bottle, so I had one put up for the future. I really like having an unopened spare of bottles I really like.
When Beam leaked they were going to raise Booker's to $100 (though initially it was like $75), I cleared out a shelf for $45 a pop and already had many stashed already for $40-$45. Great for that price and the stash may last a lifetime. They wanted to turn it into a premium "thing" with the named releases and price hike. Probably succeeded.
I have questions. Question #1: We bought a bottle of Westward single barrel cask strength based on your recommendation. The first pour was fantastic! We sang its praises everywhere. The next day we had another pour and it was “meh” at best. What happens to a bottle of whiskey or bourbon after it’s been opened and exposed to the atmosphere? It was only opened long enough to pour. The cork went back in immediately.
I remembered Trenton saying he liked the Green River Wheated, and I picked up a bottle of the regular stuff thinking it was all wheated bourbon. I have to say, I think for the price it's actually fantastic. I'll be looking for the wheated too, but I'm really happy I didn't know what I was buying LOL - this one might end up being one that I keep restocking regularly.
For Irish Whiskey, I suggest The Quiet Man 8 Year Single Malt. 40-45 at Total Wine. One of top 5 bottles in my entire 60 bottle whiskey/whisky collection!!!
AMEN about the bookers. Was looking for an allocated single barrel to flex on family for thanksgiving and passed on bookers because half the bottles I have purchased were not worth it with majority not even being GOOD for my taste, not worth the gamble in my opinion even though the good bottles are delicious to me
Thanks for the heads up on purple top. Although I’m a bourbon guy, I have bought 3 family estate green tops from Costco at $87 after tax and I am impressed. I will reserve opening the last 2 because I like them so much. Bookers might fine batch is decent so the $130 price point is not that disappointing yet the $80 local Yellowstone store pick 115 proof is better hahaha
Not much of a scotch guy at all but go out and buy a bottle of Glenlivet enigma. All black with crossword puzzle on front. 120.6 proof point and absolutely delicious. Peat is so light you can barely taste it. Very Apple forward and doesn’t drink hot. I highly recommend
Didn't hear you mention Teeling in your discussion of Irish Whisky. Their cheapest offering, Small Batch (currently around $35 to $40 in my area), is fantastic for an affordable Irish. I prefer it to the much more expensive Redbreast 12, even.
I'm personally not into Irish Whiskey. But my daughter and son in law went to Ireland last year and went to Powerscourt Distillery. He had Fercullen Falls and loved it. My daughter had me pick up a few bottles of their small batch so she could give them to him for Christmas. She couldn't find it anywhere near them. He cracked a bottle when we were down and it was very good.
Agree on this list for the most part. I am only buying Bookers at Costco pricing now, Old Carters are up to 300 bucks now, and I skipped MWND this year because of the price increase. I feel like if MWND wants to be that expensive it needs to come with a higher age statement. I also skipped the Masters Keep this year Wild Turkey pricing is getting a little nuts I also felt for a 10 year bourbon with a splash of rum in it, it was heavily overpriced.
75% good, but not worth it, Kurt, that is a wonderful comment on life in general, and that, my friend whom I have never met but support in Patreon, is why I just love what you and your son are doing. Period. Keep keeping it real. This is real life, your life, and we all appreciate your work. We are traveling with you and enjoy every vid you produce. Thanks again from one old guy to another 👊
Got the Whistler Double Oaked from a friend for Christmas - was a solid pour. Very surprised. Not going to reach for super often, but I will reach for it periodically for sure.
Your Wilderness Trail comments sort of struck a chord with me. When I think about some of what is off my list this year is a result of my experiences at a distillery. We visited quite a few this last year, and there stand out as such a bad experience that I won’t buy their product - Wilderness Trail, Four Roses, and 13th Colony. It occurred to me that there is so much good bourbon out there, why spend money on product when their people treat you with contempt. On the flipside, we had amazing experiences at places like Heaven Hill, Wild Turkey, MB Roland and Jack Daniel’s. I find myself much more interested in hunting their products. Good product and people who treat their customers well.
Hi Kurt. If you enjoy Redbreast, as I do, try a Dunvilles Three Crowns Sherry Finnish. It's a blend of malt and grain whiskeys matured separately in first fill Bourbon casks for 5 years, before being married together and re-casked into first fill Oloroso hogsheads for a further 1 to 2 years. Although it's hard to beat Redbreast 12 cask strength for an Irish you always want to have on hand in my opinion. I have the entire Redbreast regular lineup, and while the 27 is a wonderful treat once in a while, that 12 cask strength is a great pour at a much more reasonable price.
I’m going to hunt maybe 5 or 6 bottles this year, a JD release, Russell’s 13, Michters 10, a Makers release, Hardins Creek, and Four Roses LE is the top one I’m going to search for this year. Hunted a little too much this year so trying to narrow down my focus on a select few.
@@donaldalderman2424 I was lucky enough to get Michters 10 Makers Cellar Aged, Stagg jr and EH Taylor BP all at msrp. So hopefully have another good year in 2024.
Thanks for the video, and resonate with the not hunting thoughts. An Irish we have in OH that I am into right now is Knappogue Castle 12, there is a 15 but OH is not carrying it.
I love that the market is cooling across the board, I see WLW going for 1300 now and purple tops are going for 5-7 unless it’s a hazmat or short barrel. It just means more drinking and enjoying. Plenty of cheaper bottles under $100 that deserve our attention but I think like scotch there will always be a market for the higher MSRP bottles and I’m here for it.
I really enjoy the everyman approach. I know that you can most likely get access to some really hard to find juice. Your focus on price to value is refreshing!
They’re coming out with Powers Johns Lane Cask Strength. You could also look for Middleton’s Method & Madness Releases where they experiment with different casks.
I made the decision to not hunt any allocated or expensive bottles in 2024. I am going to focus my attention on finding new bottles that are reasonably priced and really good from distilleries other than the big boys.
I'm hoping to get drawn for an allocated bottle in some big raffles this year, other than that, I'm keeping to my Top 10-20 bottles that I enjoy, and want to buy / replace. "Hunting" will only take place when I'm traveling and find a state-only release, or distillery-only bottle, and then only if it's truly amazing. Cheers to my Hoosier brothers!
Thw store i frequent has several Sag Sherry, bought me a second bottle recently. For some reason they sit on the shelf there. No other store has it or of they did it went quick. There are two other stores that have 7 year store picks.
Other distilleries that charge too much for their premium offers are Michter’s and Angel’s Envy. I’d be willing to try cask strength Angel’s Envy for $80, maybe $100 at most. But $200+ MSRP? I’ll pass.
Thanks, guys. I appreciate this video. You have introduced me to so many good whiskeys that don't break the bank. I'm sipping on a Hard Truth right now that I wouldn't have found on my own. I'd rather buy and drink this than anything over $200. Cheers to you and to affordable good whiskey 🥃
You mentioned wanting to know something if there was something interesting in Irish whiskey…I have really enjoyed some of the offerings from Dead Rabbit. Has a profile similar to Redbreast that I love. And at $36/bottle easy to take a flier on. Cheers
As a new guy on the bourbon block, I haven’t found anything worth over $75-$80. And I just don’t have the budget for more than that anyway. So, I’ll just let those who have the $$ spend the $$.
Kurt, loved that you touched on Irish, in addition to Scotch. I’m a huge Middleton fan. If you like the 15 yr Redbreast, you have to try the Tawny Port Redbreast. Amazing viscosity with a taste that will be different enough from the 15 yr to qualify having both on your shelf. Tawny Port is a bit hard to find. And on the Scotch front, the Springbank 15 yr is my most prized whisk(e)y bottle. Must have bottle for any big Scotch fan. And I have many 18 yr Scotch and above that doesn’t hold a candle to the Springbank 15 yr. Nothing more to add for Bourbon or Rye, as you both cover that better that I can discuss.
Method and Madness(Chestnut,French Oak etc.) JJ Corry, Egan’s, Killowen, Waterford, Walsh Whiskey alll absolutely awesome Irish Whiskey’s you SHOULD be hunting.
For Irish whiskey, Teeling and Dingle put out some interesting bottles. Tried Teeling's single malt and Black Pitts (Peated single malt) and overall pretty impressed, both have wine finishes aside from sherry and Black Pitts has an interesting BBQ pineapple note. I would suggest either distillery if you are looking for something different than RedBreast, Powers, or Spot. Love the content!
Try the buzzards roost cigar rye if you get the opportunity. The liquor barns here in Kentucky have some still in stock and I’d be happy to arrange you all getting one. But that particular bottle is what opened me up to rye and now I drink a lot of different ryes.
2024 I only really want to find a few bottles, OF 1924, Makers 46 CS, 1792 FP and if I get really motivated maybe the makers cellar aged. I think I've managed to put together enough whiskey to keep me drinking good a year or two. The best surprise I've had lately is actually Stranahan's blue which drinks like an apricot cookie... $30-40 and just pure delight.
Glendalough Mizunara finished 7 year Irish whiskey is FANTASTIC. $90 to $100 bucks. Totally worth it. Love what Glendalough puts out. Even their gin is amazing
for Irish whiskey, I saw a few Total Wine store picks of Teeling yesterday that were cask strength. Single pot still, 13yr PX Sherry, and red wine cask. Not sure if they're any good but caught my attention
Trenton, start taking 1000 mg of the vitamin L-lysine daily. You will rarely ever get another cold sore and they will be much milder when you do. I started doing that about 20 years ago, and it's made all the difference. Double or triple up to 2000-3000 mg daily when you start to feel that tingle of an outbreak.
Quit the hunt in 2020. My most disappointing has been midwinters night dram, higher cost lower quality means my vertical has stopped. Over the hounding for bottles
For Irish whiskey a brand to keep an eye out for is Two Stacks. They are relatively new and have been doing a lot of interesting things. And have cask strength options which is fairly rare for Irish stuff. Love the video, appreciate the views about the good and the bad.
In 2005-2010 I could (and did) buy OFBB for $40-45. The amount folks are willing to spend on it today is kind of funny. Just a small correction, Party Source and New Riff are across the river from Cincinnati in Kentucky. Willett 8 Year Wheated is Willett Pot Still aged 8 years. Prove me wrong, lol.
Stopped hunting a couple years ago. Stores jacking up prices, selling to a buddy to put on 2ndary and the lack of value overall. If I find something close to MSRP, sure, but it's gotten ridiculous.
Agree with Kurt on the Cigar Blend front. It’s good for a certain occasion, and it’s nice to have a bottle, but there’s no need for a different batch. They seem to release one every week
I agree with you guys on pretty much everything. I did pick up MWND Act 11 @ $166 (after tax) just because I havnt had it yet and ive heard great thing. I havnt cracked it open yet but I think it wont be something ill be picking up again any time soon.
For Irish - there are a lot of smaller distillers that have come around in the last 5 years or so which have whiskey coming out. I would love to get a hold of Skellig Six18 in Co. Kerry. Was there last summer in the North and picked up some bottles from Copeland up in Donaghadee, Co. Down. The finished whiskey is so nice. Beautiful dram. The regular is fine, nothing special to me. For eas(ier) to find stuff: Dingle has some excellent offerings that one can reasonably find.
Great show. I will never understand how one bottle can sit next to another had have such extreme price differences for what essentially is the same age stated distillate. I know I'll still tater a few times this coming year, but my desire to chase the next release will take a back seat in favor of the established DSP releases.
I think this year I am going to be selective on my purchases. I am really the only one in my house that really partakes in drinking whiskey. I tend to sample out more than I drink of any particular bottle. I sampled out half a bottle of an Old Rip 10 this past week (which I do not mind at all) but space is becoming an issue and when I come home and my dog is slurring his bark and chasing his tail 🤣😂 I may have to keep my whiskey on a higher shelf. 😎🥃 cheers guys
I agree with Bookers, at $75-$85 ok, but over that for a 6-7 year is too much. Great video thanks. Also too many bourbons sitting on shelves for around $50 that are great.
Old Carter rye in Louisville is 250 not 200. But it's probably my favorite rye pour out of 100 ryes.(Parkers Heritage 10 yr is probably tied)..but Sagamore is impossible to beat for the value and quality. I agree.
This is how I recently felt traveling to St. Augustine Distillery in Florida. They have a Port finish $80 - doesn't hold a candle to Angels Envy at $54. They have a Toasted finish - $80, but Penelope Toasted is a lot better and sourced. They have their "small batch" which they say is 5-8 barrels (1250 bottles total) called The Saint for the low price of $200 for 110 proof bourbon with no age statement. I almost lost it. Russels Single Barrel blows it out of the water at 1/4 price. I give them credit; they do free self-guided tour and free tasting of anything they have. Thats nice where almost all other Kentucky distilleries cost $$ for tastings.
I too am not buying a bottle that’s not transparent. I appreciate knowing a mash bill and an age statement. Most of the time I prefer an estate whiskey. Not necessarily expensive but quality over quantity.
Love the channel! Just not sure where you’re getting the info that the Willett purple top 10 year was 449 via OHLQ. It was 324. The 9 year was 275 some of which were hazmat. Some purple tops are imo some of the best pours out there
Fine job fellas. The Bourbon Universe needs the honesty. I myself am whiskey promiscuous so I don't focus on only Bourbons, Ryes, or Scotches. I typically have to order from German or UK shops online to find best prices on bottles other than Bourbon. With that said here are a few recommendations to consider. I've tried to focused on the $50 -$70 range to keep Kurt interested, but prices have recently increased. I chose to include a few bottles over $100, that are well worth their price: (Price ranges in $USD) Irish: Dingle ($59-$75) Bushmills 16 Yr ($69-$89) Tullamore D.E.W. 18 Yr ($75-89) Scotch: Kilchoman SANAIG ($59 - $75) Bunnahabain 12 Cask Strength ($89-$125) Dewars Double Double 21 Yr old 375ml size - ($59 - $75) Bunnahabain 12 ($50-$75) Taiwan: Kavalan Sherry Oak SOLOIST ($135-$150) Kavalan Port Cask SOLOIST ($135 - $150) If you can find 11yr old batch it is magical Rum: Santa Teresa Limited Edition Speyside Cask ($40-$60) Brugal 1888 ($40-50) Ron Zacapa XO - ($89-$100)
If I’m a distiller, I have a certain amount of product to sell. I can take the same barrel and put it into common, every day bottles and it will maybe sell, maybe sit on the shelf. Or, I can take that same product and label it as the ultra rare allocated Mega Bottle, sell it for 4x as much and have people standing in line ready to snap it up. I have a friend whose mother started a regional cosmetics line many years ago. She tried to make really excellent products at affordable prices. Didn’t sell. So, she took back the products that sat on the shelf, put it into very fancy looking high end packaging and raised prices significantly, 3-4x IIRC. Sold very well, and another major manufacturer bought her out. It seems to me that it’s a crapshoot as to whether an allocated bottle is any better than a good grade of a readily available product, and I’m not willing to drop $200 to get a dud. I think we pay for what’s on the bottle, not what’s in the bottle
Agree with your comments on Irish whiskey generally. I like John Power as my "everyday" choice, but in general I just don't find the breadth of variety that one finds in bourbon. Maybe I just need more experience. But one that is quite different, and excellent IMO, is The Connemara Peated Malt. Don't know if it is available in your area, but it is a bit of an Irish/Scotch hybrid and really lovely.
I really enjoy the batch 185 that I opened for Christmas. Have 2 more different batches (177 & 189) ...hope they are as delicious. The 185 had sweet deep berry flavors and the cigar brought out a cherry 🍒 note, I was pleased.
I have heard good things about Roe & Co. Irish but have not had it. It's a newer distillery & fairly priced at like $30-40 i think. So worst case you can use it in drinks.
I'm not hunting bourbon period in 2024, lol! I will buy plenty, but I absolutely will not hunt or buy any hyped or allocated products unless sitting on the shelf at MSRP.
Amen to that. I’m doing the same. If it’s on the shelf at msrp great. If not I’m not driving store to store.
I have a good amount of bottles now. No more buying for me. Just drinking here and there. Still enjoy these videos though and will know what to try when the time comes.
Guys I only buy what you guys recommend, if their on my local liquor stores, I will buy them, but your right, I’m not hunting them down, by the way, have you guys tried Bomberger Bourbon, I think it’s very good
@@louismeszoros4574what year of Bomberger’s did you get? I never see them by me at all. I heard this years was good but in years past not so much. Kind of hit or miss.
pretty sure they have a Bombergers and a Shenks sitting on the top shelf behind the two bottles of Birthday Bourbon directly behind them
These guys are a bright beacon in a world full of almost nothing but Allocated Hype. As an average bourbon enjoyer with an average wallet, these guys are the ones I go to first ❤
Im with you guys. MSRP on many of these bourbons has gotten ridiculous. Wild Turkey, are you listening!!
All the bourbon channels need to do this. Enough is enough. Thanks guys. Enjoyed it.
Love the honesty you guys bring to the bourbon world.
The last Birthday Bourbon I got was $65 (2015/16?) and was the last time I sat around like schmuck for hours in the freezing cold for an allocated whiskey. As I stood in line to buy it, I looked down the whiskey aisle and realized there are plenty of better whiskeys for the same or less right on the shelf.
In the audiophile world, there is the idea of diminishing returns. Does a $10,000 record player sound better than a $2,000 record player? Yes. Does it sound 5 times better? No. You keep spending $1000s or $10,000s to get a small percetage of improvement. I reallized that applies to a lot of things, including Bourbon. Once I realized that, i gave up the chase. Their are so many really good bottles that i can get an any time for fair price, that i just don't worry about it anymore.
Totally agree on price of Willet, you guys are right on about cost to value
Right there with yall. Got my King of Kentucky for cheaper than a 10 year rye store pick at msrp.
That's a fair point from Trenton. I am never disappointed in a budget whiskey. There are some I don't care for, but disappointed is something different. Now, I drop $75 on a craft whiskey or $100+ on a Barrell or special release and it is no good, oh my goodness, that is soul crushing.
My first realization of that was Weller 12. I got a free pour at the bar I work at and was extremely disappointed. Like it's not a bad whiskey if you like a really oaky flavor but there's absolutely no way I'd pay $200+ on secondary for it and the only reason I'd get one at msrp is if they didn't have other options and I could use it in a trade for something I like. Otherwise, I'll just go snag a bottle of woodford double oaked instead.
SLB Classics (delayed sorry)
0:23 They’re always fair and honest
0:48 Trenton makes his own rules
1:43 Trenton did some actual prework to prepare?!?
2:02 Kurt looks for the budget bottles and let’s Trenton do the rest
2:28 Starting the a big name 😮
3:58 Who knew the name drops could get bigger 😮😮
4:35 oakie like a you know what… sometimes I don’t know Trenton’s phrases
5:31 the boys are looking for the price:value/tastiness
5:58 The rye lover has to shoot himself in the foot, many names dropping
6:49 Kurt helps Trenton out with speaking
7:27 Maybe Trenton is only going to be dropping the big names
8:21 We all want that transparency
8:56 We need more of the $40-60 good bourbon and well priced 🍳🍞
10:39 Trenton layers on the sarcasm THICC
11:37 Kurt won’t argue with somebody choosing a good value bourbon
12:55 Trenton is cranky because his mouth and back hurt. Hopefully he isn’t hungry too
14:49 SLB only provides their own opinions, they don’t speak for others
15:42 😮😮 Oh the cigar blend of Joseph Magnus
17:02 Prices ⬆️ Quality ⬇️
18:32 Kurt is trying to speak the excitement into Irish whiskey
19:07 Kurt is setting a solid cap on his bourbon budget
19:49 Kurt speaks with the hip language c-note
20:18 Trenton speaks his love of scotch
20:42 Trenton makes a funny 😂 $400 vodka
21:23 Less planning coming soon!
21:38 Trenton will suffer through despite the pain
22:00 nice sign off and ndo
I see you two more as a Rook and Knight instead of 2 pawns. Kurt is straight forward, Trent takes that sudden turn that you can’t ever expect. Thanks for looking out for us with these showcases. Head over hype.
Great analogy, totally agree.
Trenton, you can use Mylanta(or any anti acid) 5ml mixed with liquid benadryl(any flavor or dye free) 5ml and swish and then hold on your canker sore for 10-20 seconds a couple times a day. It will heal that canker sore super quick so you can continue to talk to us about bourbon.
A store owner offered me a Willett 8 year wheated the other day at $399, which I thanked him for, but passed up. I don't feel at all bad about it, and you guys just validated me. Also, Trenton, dot some alum powder on your canker sore. I used to get them all the time in high school, and this trick always dried them right up.
I’ve gotten lucky getting a stag and a EC barrel proof just at my grocery store and total wine. I don’t find “hunting” worth the time or effort. There’s tons of incredible whiskey that’s easy to find. When you happen to stumble on something uncommon grab it.
When I got Blue Run high rye, I didn’t like it. But, it sat for a couple of months on my shelf and finally decided to pour some and it was freaking really good. The flavors just exploded and the bottle turned great!
I really appreciate how you guys don't discriminate or gatekeep whiskey because everyone's pallet is different. You just encourage us to not dive into the hype, try some different things and find bottles that we enjoy and fit our budget. One of my local stores has several bottles that you guys recommend for $10-50 and I'm slowly building a collection. Luckily i work at a bourbon heavy bar and the owner is cool with me doing half price/half pours for myself to try things. I'll probably never try rip van winkle or eh single barrel but being able to go through all of the $20-50 bottles for $3-4 each is making a huge difference!
Also, as far as the irish whiskey deal, i highly recommend jameson black barrel. $35-40, regularly available and is extremely approachable. Its a 1 or 2 noter but has a wonderful nose and is incredibly smooth with almost no burn. It has become one of my favorite non allocated sippers for under $40
I'm sure almost everyone here has already had it but I was very happy with the Glenlivet 14. I was able to get it for
No more whiskey hunting for me moving forward. If I am at the store and I find something I want at MSRP I’ll buy it, but I’m done chasing “the best whiskey”. I realized that almost everything over $80 has low value for me. This past year I passed on KC18, MWND, disco 11 and RR13 at MSRP. All good whiskey I’m sure, but not worth it for me. I would like to add some more rye to my collection though, so keep the rye content coming, Trenton!
I am also done purchasing Irish whiskey and Scotch. Very low value in my opinion, relatively speaking. I enjoy these whiskies, but American whiskey has much higher value. I’m sure Red Breast is great whiskey, but ~$80 for 80 proof whiskey is not for me.
Great video! Totally agree. I feel that some bourbon companies are acting like American Auto manufacturers post WW2, meaning produce anything and the public will buy it regardless of quality or cost. I feel that if people such as yourself take a stand and the average consumer does too, maybe the distilleries will think twice before they put out a sub-par product at a premium price. Thank you!
Good episode guys. Personally, I think there is another part of the equation and it has to do with my changing tolerance for what I consider "acceptably enjoyable." And what I find acceptably enjoyable keeps creeping upwards and causing me to sigh in disappointment over bottles of whiskey that I've enjoyed in the past but find just a little bit too disappointing now.
I think the biggest reason for this is just the breadth of whiskey I've gotten to taste. It's just so much more than it was near the beginning of my journey. We're talking 100's of different bottles bought and reviewed at this point. And value to money gets tied up into the conversation as well. I'm with you KURT, it's really hard to justify spending much more than 2 C-notes on a bottle of scotch. Once you have enough of them, and you can build a picture of what more costly scotch does and DOESN'T DO. And those too end up going into the "not buying those again or ever" list.
oh yeah, I'm also with KURT on the budget oriented or at least value oriented bottles on the market. There are really good bottles in bourbon for $30 and really good scotch at $50. And towards the upper end, you don't really have to spend over $80 in either category to get access to great experiences.
CHEERS!
My wife and I have a (one) pour every evening; we are in our 70's. The most I have spent on a bottle is $75 for a bottle of Knob Creek 12 at the distillery, I bought two bottles shared one bottle with my son, it was good, but so is Knob Creek 9. I like Russell Reserve Single Barrel, and Makers Mark and 46, etc. So, if it cost more than $75, it better come with a man in a tux to pour for me and my wife of 47+ years.
I love these kinds of videos. Talking down on all these allocated bourbons that really aren't all that great. Maybe more social media whiskey influencers need to do the same to stop the fake hype about a lot of these brands so the distilleries can step up and make a better product.
There are so many great bourbons and ryes for under $100 that I just can't see the point of hunting these expensive bottles. I'm happy with my Rare Breed all day long!
Thank you for sharing!
I watch every video you put on RUclips. I really enjoy each video. I loved your four roses one last year and with my neighbor we were able to find in VA the 4 you did a tasting on, and we tasted and ranked them exactly the same. We also aren't in with the wild turkey 😢. I also liked the Knob Creek 12 and a very good description. I personally think Lagavulin 12 is hand over fist better than the 9. Keep on as you do and please continue with your videos. Thank you for sharing.
Love you guys ! My husband I don’t miss an episode. Love your passion and great conversation starters for debates and connection.
I am a huge Irish and Scotch fan would love to see Trenton trying to work his way there 😊. Some of my fav Irishes are writes Tears , writer tears double oak, always cask redbreast, knappogue castle, blue spot and green fav of spots . My special one is the Middleton very rare and low budget Jameson seems to be my go to.
Glad to hear you touch on Irish Whiskey again, Kurt. Your video 9 months ago "Is Irish Whiskey BETTER Than Bourbon?" is actually how I found your channel. Give Ha'Penny a try for a good & affordable bottle. I personally have been enjoying the Method & Madness recently as a general Middleton fan and Silkie from Sliabh Liag.
I couldn’t agree more with your thoughts. I’m very disappointed in Bookers. I also don’t like that there are so many “limited” bottles now and the high price points.
Bookers suck. It's overrated Jim Beam white label. 🤣
Happy New Year to both of you. We unfortunately get only one release of Booker’s in Canada. The first one. This year we will get 2024-01 E, E for Export. So if someone wants Booker’s that’s all your getting. I will probably buy one, I have been buying it, since I like it, my own personal taste 😊, and it will probably cost me $140.00 Canadian. On top of that, I will have to pay shipping cost, since it is not available in my area, Montreal, but only out West in Calgary. Another $40.00 to $50.00. That is unfortunately the reality of our market. Cheers to both of you. Really enjoy the videos and live streams. All the best for 2024. Keep up the good work. Hope you get better Trenton
For Irish try Teeling if you haven't already, especially a sherry, port or other red wine cask finished special release if you come across one. Nice alternative to the many Midleton offerings-Jameson, Redbreast, the Spots, etc.
You are my go to show. Some of the pours you talk about , I could stock my whole bar for that much money.... But hearing about them is great. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing in my bar. (which did not exist before Covid 19) that is bottom shelf.
This not only needs to be said, but everyone should be on board. No secondary prices for me ever again. EVER. My journey has gotten me to the point of maturity , by that , I recognize I have so many great choices that are available and not marked up. I really don't need it... I wish we all had this mindset of "" WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE, NO, WE AINT GONNA TAKE IT,,,,, ANYMORE""..... Best wishes to all this this year.
I really try to follow Kurt's advice to "Drink Responsibly". I'm retired and on a modest fixed income. My wife and I have been married 52 years and still love one another. But..... if I brought home a $200 bottle of any kind of alcohol, I'd be drinking it by myself in my car (because I'd be living in it). And that just isn't responsible drinking to me.
Redbreast 12 cask Strength is always one of my top favorite whiskies and so surprised always of the different flavor prolile. Ii think we would all love to see see a video review of you two experienceing Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength together. This is such an amazing whisky at any price point ! Lets make this happen!
I'm not surprised to see Bookers on the list, but 3 of their 4 releases in 2023 were fantastic IMO. Apprentice left alot to be desired but Charlies, Mighty Fine, and Storyteller were all worth their price point hands down for me
Agree, I really enjoy the Story Teller Batch
Loved Charlie's so much I bought 8 spares, on sale. After that price went way up.
Mighty fine is actually quite good imo. I wish I had been able to find another bottle, so I had one put up for the future. I really like having an unopened spare of bottles I really like.
@@curtismsh9211 my favorite of the 3
@@curtismsh9211 I'm on bottle 2 with another in storage. As soon as I tasted it I set out to find it before the year was over
Bushmills 16 yr is a pretty solid Irish if you've never tried it! They have Redbreast 15 in my area right now, considering buying one.
Lucky my local store has a decent selection of bourbon, whiskey, and scotch.
When Beam leaked they were going to raise Booker's to $100 (though initially it was like $75), I cleared out a shelf for $45 a pop and already had many stashed already for $40-$45. Great for that price and the stash may last a lifetime. They wanted to turn it into a premium "thing" with the named releases and price hike. Probably succeeded.
I have questions. Question #1: We bought a bottle of Westward single barrel cask strength based on your recommendation. The first pour was fantastic! We sang its praises everywhere. The next day we had another pour and it was “meh” at best. What happens to a bottle of whiskey or bourbon after it’s been opened and exposed to the atmosphere? It was only opened long enough to pour. The cork went back in immediately.
I remembered Trenton saying he liked the Green River Wheated, and I picked up a bottle of the regular stuff thinking it was all wheated bourbon. I have to say, I think for the price it's actually fantastic. I'll be looking for the wheated too, but I'm really happy I didn't know what I was buying LOL - this one might end up being one that I keep restocking regularly.
I had a pour of each a couple weeks ago and think I preferred the regular by a decent margin. I’ll have to revisit.
I've had both (in a 2 for a discounted price, winner!) and enjoyed both. Great value bourbon IMO.
Just finished a bottle of the Green River Wheated! It was excellent!
I've only tried a sample of the GR weated, and I thought it was great for its price point and availability.
@@curtismsh9211 I found a bottle of the wheated too a couple of days ago. They're both excellent.
For Irish Whiskey, I suggest The Quiet Man 8 Year Single Malt. 40-45 at Total Wine. One of top 5 bottles in my entire 60 bottle whiskey/whisky collection!!!
AMEN about the bookers. Was looking for an allocated single barrel to flex on family for thanksgiving and passed on bookers because half the bottles I have purchased were not worth it with majority not even being GOOD for my taste, not worth the gamble in my opinion even though the good bottles are delicious to me
Thanks for the heads up on purple top. Although I’m a bourbon guy, I have bought 3 family estate green tops from Costco at $87 after tax and I am impressed. I will reserve opening the last 2 because I like them so much. Bookers might fine batch is decent so the $130 price point is not that disappointing yet the $80 local Yellowstone store pick 115 proof is better hahaha
Not much of a scotch guy at all but go out and buy a bottle of Glenlivet enigma. All black with crossword puzzle on front. 120.6 proof point and absolutely delicious. Peat is so light you can barely taste it. Very Apple forward and doesn’t drink hot. I highly recommend
Didn't hear you mention Teeling in your discussion of Irish Whisky. Their cheapest offering, Small Batch (currently around $35 to $40 in my area), is fantastic for an affordable Irish. I prefer it to the much more expensive Redbreast 12, even.
I'm personally not into Irish Whiskey. But my daughter and son in law went to Ireland last year and went to Powerscourt Distillery. He had Fercullen Falls and loved it. My daughter had me pick up a few bottles of their small batch so she could give them to him for Christmas. She couldn't find it anywhere near them. He cracked a bottle when we were down and it was very good.
Agree on this list for the most part. I am only buying Bookers at Costco pricing now, Old Carters are up to 300 bucks now, and I skipped MWND this year because of the price increase. I feel like if MWND wants to be that expensive it needs to come with a higher age statement. I also skipped the Masters Keep this year Wild Turkey pricing is getting a little nuts I also felt for a 10 year bourbon with a splash of rum in it, it was heavily overpriced.
Good topic and feedback … appreciate the straight talk
75% good, but not worth it, Kurt, that is a wonderful comment on life in general, and that, my friend whom I have never met but support in Patreon, is why I just love what you and your son are doing. Period. Keep keeping it real. This is real life, your life, and we all appreciate your work. We are traveling with you and enjoy every vid you produce. Thanks again from one old guy to another 👊
Irish Whiskey: Drumshanbo Pinot Noir Cask [$90ish] & The Whistler Double Oaked [$25]. A higher-end and a utility option. Both solid.
Got the Whistler Double Oaked from a friend for Christmas - was a solid pour. Very surprised. Not going to reach for super often, but I will reach for it periodically for sure.
Your Wilderness Trail comments sort of struck a chord with me. When I think about some of what is off my list this year is a result of my experiences at a distillery. We visited quite a few this last year, and there stand out as such a bad experience that I won’t buy their product - Wilderness Trail, Four Roses, and 13th Colony. It occurred to me that there is so much good bourbon out there, why spend money on product when their people treat you with contempt. On the flipside, we had amazing experiences at places like Heaven Hill, Wild Turkey, MB Roland and Jack Daniel’s. I find myself much more interested in hunting their products. Good product and people who treat their customers well.
Hi Kurt. If you enjoy Redbreast, as I do, try a Dunvilles Three Crowns Sherry Finnish. It's a blend of malt and grain whiskeys matured separately in first fill Bourbon casks for 5 years, before being married together and re-casked into first fill Oloroso hogsheads for a further 1 to 2 years. Although it's hard to beat Redbreast 12 cask strength for an Irish you always want to have on hand in my opinion. I have the entire Redbreast regular lineup, and while the 27 is a wonderful treat once in a while, that 12 cask strength is a great pour at a much more reasonable price.
I’m going to hunt maybe 5 or 6 bottles this year, a JD release, Russell’s 13, Michters 10, a Makers release, Hardins Creek, and Four Roses LE is the top one I’m going to search for this year. Hunted a little too much this year so trying to narrow down my focus on a select few.
Here, here!! Michter's is hitting on all cylinders right now.
This year Russell 13 is being replaced by 15, I was told by Beau it will go back to 13 in 2025.
@@Tharley87 ahh yeah knew there was a Russell’s 15 but wasn’t sure if there would be a 13 too.
Good luck finding any of those for a good price. Hope you get lucky.
@@donaldalderman2424 I was lucky enough to get Michters 10 Makers Cellar Aged, Stagg jr and EH Taylor BP all at msrp. So hopefully have another good year in 2024.
Thanks for the video, and resonate with the not hunting thoughts. An Irish we have in OH that I am into right now is Knappogue Castle 12, there is a 15 but OH is not carrying it.
I love that the market is cooling across the board, I see WLW going for 1300 now and purple tops are going for 5-7 unless it’s a hazmat or short barrel. It just means more drinking and enjoying. Plenty of cheaper bottles under $100 that deserve our attention but I think like scotch there will always be a market for the higher MSRP bottles and I’m here for it.
I really enjoy the everyman approach. I know that you can most likely get access to some really hard to find juice. Your focus on price to value is refreshing!
They’re coming out with Powers Johns Lane Cask Strength. You could also look for Middleton’s Method & Madness Releases where they experiment with different casks.
I made the decision to not hunt any allocated or expensive bottles in 2024. I am going to focus my attention on finding new bottles that are reasonably priced and really good from distilleries other than the big boys.
I'm hoping to get drawn for an allocated bottle in some big raffles this year, other than that, I'm keeping to my Top 10-20 bottles that I enjoy, and want to buy / replace. "Hunting" will only take place when I'm traveling and find a state-only release, or distillery-only bottle, and then only if it's truly amazing. Cheers to my Hoosier brothers!
The willett 10yr purple top is 360 through ohlq . The sourced purple tops could be more and usually are
Thw store i frequent has several Sag Sherry, bought me a second bottle recently. For some reason they sit on the shelf there. No other store has it or of they did it went quick. There are two other stores that have 7 year store picks.
Kurt - Bushmill 16, Redbreast CS and Red Spot are all wonderful Irish pours
Other distilleries that charge too much for their premium offers are Michter’s and Angel’s Envy. I’d be willing to try cask strength Angel’s Envy for $80, maybe $100 at most. But $200+ MSRP? I’ll pass.
Thanks, guys. I appreciate this video. You have introduced me to so many good whiskeys that don't break the bank. I'm sipping on a Hard Truth right now that I wouldn't have found on my own. I'd rather buy and drink this than anything over $200. Cheers to you and to affordable good whiskey 🥃
You mentioned wanting to know something if there was something interesting in Irish whiskey…I have really enjoyed some of the offerings from Dead Rabbit. Has a profile similar to Redbreast that I love. And at $36/bottle easy to take a flier on. Cheers
As a new guy on the bourbon block, I haven’t found anything worth over $75-$80. And I just don’t have the budget for more than that anyway. So, I’ll just let those who have the $$ spend the $$.
Kurt, loved that you touched on Irish, in addition to Scotch. I’m a huge Middleton fan. If you like the 15 yr Redbreast, you have to try the Tawny Port Redbreast. Amazing viscosity with a taste that will be different enough from the 15 yr to qualify having both on your shelf. Tawny Port is a bit hard to find.
And on the Scotch front, the Springbank 15 yr is my most prized whisk(e)y bottle. Must have bottle for any big Scotch fan. And I have many 18 yr Scotch and above that doesn’t hold a candle to the Springbank 15 yr.
Nothing more to add for Bourbon or Rye, as you both cover that better that I can discuss.
Method and Madness(Chestnut,French Oak etc.) JJ Corry, Egan’s, Killowen, Waterford, Walsh Whiskey alll absolutely awesome Irish Whiskey’s you SHOULD be hunting.
For Irish whiskey, Teeling and Dingle put out some interesting bottles. Tried Teeling's single malt and Black Pitts (Peated single malt) and overall pretty impressed, both have wine finishes aside from sherry and Black Pitts has an interesting BBQ pineapple note. I would suggest either distillery if you are looking for something different than RedBreast, Powers, or Spot. Love the content!
Agreed, Teeling is doing great things! I also enjoyed their Stout Cask finish.
Try the buzzards roost cigar rye if you get the opportunity. The liquor barns here in Kentucky have some still in stock and I’d be happy to arrange you all getting one. But that particular bottle is what opened me up to rye and now I drink a lot of different ryes.
I was in Louisville this past week. Stopped by a liquor store. Had tasting of buzzards roost cigar rye. You are right very good.
2024 I only really want to find a few bottles, OF 1924, Makers 46 CS, 1792 FP and if I get really motivated maybe the makers cellar aged. I think I've managed to put together enough whiskey to keep me drinking good a year or two. The best surprise I've had lately is actually Stranahan's blue which drinks like an apricot cookie... $30-40 and just pure delight.
Glendalough Mizunara finished 7 year Irish whiskey is FANTASTIC. $90 to $100 bucks. Totally worth it. Love what Glendalough puts out. Even their gin is amazing
I live in north central Indiana.
I’m new to bourbon whisky.
I like the smaller distilleries in the area and want to support them.
for Irish whiskey, I saw a few Total Wine store picks of Teeling yesterday that were cask strength. Single pot still, 13yr PX Sherry, and red wine cask. Not sure if they're any good but caught my attention
Trenton, start taking 1000 mg of the vitamin L-lysine daily. You will rarely ever get another cold sore and they will be much milder when you do. I started doing that about 20 years ago, and it's made all the difference. Double or triple up to 2000-3000 mg daily when you start to feel that tingle of an outbreak.
Quit the hunt in 2020. My most disappointing has been midwinters night dram, higher cost lower quality means my vertical has stopped. Over the hounding for bottles
For Irish whiskey a brand to keep an eye out for is Two Stacks. They are relatively new and have been doing a lot of interesting things. And have cask strength options which is fairly rare for Irish stuff.
Love the video, appreciate the views about the good and the bad.
In 2005-2010 I could (and did) buy OFBB for $40-45. The amount folks are willing to spend on it today is kind of funny. Just a small correction, Party Source and New Riff are across the river from Cincinnati in Kentucky. Willett 8 Year Wheated is Willett Pot Still aged 8 years. Prove me wrong, lol.
Stopped hunting a couple years ago. Stores jacking up prices, selling to a buddy to put on 2ndary and the lack of value overall. If I find something close to MSRP, sure, but it's gotten ridiculous.
Agree with Kurt on the Cigar Blend front. It’s good for a certain occasion, and it’s nice to have a bottle, but there’s no need for a different batch. They seem to release one every week
Not sure if you've tried any Old Soul bourbon but it's fantastic. As far as Irish goes I really like the Prohibition Bushmils
I agree with you guys on pretty much everything. I did pick up MWND Act 11 @ $166 (after tax) just because I havnt had it yet and ive heard great thing. I havnt cracked it open yet but I think it wont be something ill be picking up again any time soon.
For Irish - there are a lot of smaller distillers that have come around in the last 5 years or so which have whiskey coming out. I would love to get a hold of Skellig Six18 in Co. Kerry. Was there last summer in the North and picked up some bottles from Copeland up in Donaghadee, Co. Down. The finished whiskey is so nice. Beautiful dram. The regular is fine, nothing special to me.
For eas(ier) to find stuff: Dingle has some excellent offerings that one can reasonably find.
Great show guys! Appreciate the passion but more importantly, the honesty and sincerity that you bring to the community. Keep up the good work gents!
Great show. I will never understand how one bottle can sit next to another had have such extreme price differences for what essentially is the same age stated distillate. I know I'll still tater a few times this coming year, but my desire to chase the next release will take a back seat in favor of the established DSP releases.
I think this year I am going to be selective on my purchases. I am really the only one in my house that really partakes in drinking whiskey. I tend to sample out more than I drink of any particular bottle. I sampled out half a bottle of an Old Rip 10 this past week (which I do not mind at all) but space is becoming an issue and when I come home and my dog is slurring his bark and chasing his tail 🤣😂 I may have to keep my whiskey on a higher shelf. 😎🥃 cheers guys
TY Trent and Kurt, keep 'em comin'
I agree with Bookers, at $75-$85 ok, but over that for a 6-7 year is too much. Great video thanks. Also too many bourbons sitting on shelves for around $50 that are great.
I would never buy every Bookers release, but I will always have at least 1 bottle on the shelf, tasty stuff.
Old Carter rye in Louisville is 250 not 200. But it's probably my favorite rye pour out of 100 ryes.(Parkers Heritage 10 yr is probably tied)..but Sagamore is impossible to beat for the value and quality. I agree.
This is how I recently felt traveling to St. Augustine Distillery in Florida. They have a Port finish $80 - doesn't hold a candle to Angels Envy at $54. They have a Toasted finish - $80, but Penelope Toasted is a lot better and sourced. They have their "small batch" which they say is 5-8 barrels (1250 bottles total) called The Saint for the low price of $200 for 110 proof bourbon with no age statement. I almost lost it. Russels Single Barrel blows it out of the water at 1/4 price. I give them credit; they do free self-guided tour and free tasting of anything they have. Thats nice where almost all other Kentucky distilleries cost $$ for tastings.
Irish! I recently had a pour of Writer's Tears aged in Ice Wine casks. Wow, totally unique taste, highly recommend, but likely hard to find.
I too am not buying a bottle that’s not transparent. I appreciate knowing a mash bill and an age statement. Most of the time I prefer an estate whiskey. Not necessarily expensive but quality over quantity.
Love the channel! Just not sure where you’re getting the info that the Willett purple top 10 year was 449 via OHLQ. It was 324. The 9 year was 275 some of which were hazmat. Some purple tops are imo some of the best pours out there
I cracked my Gold Spot this past Xmas and it was OUTSTANDING! I’m glad I have a 2nd bottle!
Fine job fellas. The Bourbon Universe needs the honesty. I myself am whiskey promiscuous so I don't focus on only Bourbons, Ryes, or Scotches. I typically have to order from German or UK shops online to find best prices on bottles other than Bourbon.
With that said here are a few recommendations to consider. I've tried to focused on the $50 -$70 range to keep Kurt interested, but prices have recently increased. I chose to include a few bottles over $100, that are well worth their price:
(Price ranges in $USD)
Irish:
Dingle ($59-$75)
Bushmills 16 Yr ($69-$89)
Tullamore D.E.W. 18 Yr ($75-89)
Scotch:
Kilchoman SANAIG ($59 - $75)
Bunnahabain 12 Cask Strength ($89-$125)
Dewars Double Double 21 Yr old 375ml size - ($59 - $75)
Bunnahabain 12 ($50-$75)
Taiwan:
Kavalan Sherry Oak SOLOIST ($135-$150)
Kavalan Port Cask SOLOIST ($135 - $150) If you can find 11yr old batch it is magical
Rum:
Santa Teresa Limited Edition Speyside Cask ($40-$60)
Brugal 1888 ($40-50)
Ron Zacapa XO - ($89-$100)
If I’m a distiller, I have a certain amount of product to sell. I can take the same barrel and put it into common, every day bottles and it will maybe sell, maybe sit on the shelf. Or, I can take that same product and label it as the ultra rare allocated Mega Bottle, sell it for 4x as much and have people standing in line ready to snap it up.
I have a friend whose mother started a regional cosmetics line many years ago. She tried to make really excellent products at affordable prices. Didn’t sell. So, she took back the products that sat on the shelf, put it into very fancy looking high end packaging and raised prices significantly, 3-4x IIRC. Sold very well, and another major manufacturer bought her out.
It seems to me that it’s a crapshoot as to whether an allocated bottle is any better than a good grade of a readily available product, and I’m not willing to drop $200 to get a dud. I think we pay for what’s on the bottle, not what’s in the bottle
The market seems to be cooling here in Georgia. More sought after brands on the shelves again and many close to MSRP. We will see.
Trenton.. try Colgate Peroxyl mouth rinse for your canker sore. Works pretty good.
Agree with your comments on Irish whiskey generally. I like John Power as my "everyday" choice, but in general I just don't find the breadth of variety that one finds in bourbon. Maybe I just need more experience. But one that is quite different, and excellent IMO, is The Connemara Peated Malt. Don't know if it is available in your area, but it is a bit of an Irish/Scotch hybrid and really lovely.
Disagree about Joseph Magnus bottle. Love the stuff amd enjoy with a cigar. One of my favorite bottles I own. Pricey, yes, but man it's good!
I really enjoy the batch 185 that I opened for Christmas. Have 2 more different batches (177 & 189) ...hope they are as delicious. The 185 had sweet deep berry flavors and the cigar brought out a cherry 🍒 note, I was pleased.
I have heard good things about Roe & Co. Irish but have not had it. It's a newer distillery & fairly priced at like $30-40 i think. So worst case you can use it in drinks.