GOOD Bourbon, Scotch, and Whiskey

Canadian Club is cheap crap, no offense - like lighter fluid that's begging for a mixer.

There are some "sipping" bourbons and whiskeys one price tier up that are mellow and delicious on the rocks, like George Dickel, Basil Hayden's and Bulleit.

If you have to "teach yourself" to like something that has no nutritional value yet adds a ton of needless calories and can lead to organ disease and illness when used frequently - my guess is to stop drinking it. Just a thought. Stick with wine which at least brings along some health benefits to outweigh the negatives.

OP, there are actually very good whiskeys that are smooth and flavorful. But they are expensive.

I would recommend investing in a good bottle and once a week or so, after dinner,pour a little into a brandy snifter straight up, with literally just two or three DROPS of water to open them up. Let it sit in the snifter for about five minutes, then sip it. You’ll be glad you made the investment.

I would recommend the single malt scotch Lagavulin, or the Japanese whiskey Yamikaze. They are very expensive so you’ll just have two fingers once a week.

^^^Yamizaki

Lol Yamazaki

I’ll get it right EVENTUALLY

Thanks guys. I wonder if they sell scotch or bourbon in those little tester bottles. I would hate to buy a whole bottle and not like it.

If I were to purchase a bottle I think the most I would spend would be around 80 bucks. So no 12yo fancy Japanese whiskey Bootsy!

R2 is correct. Nobody likes smoking cigarettes the first time -- so why did we keep doing it? Because we were young and stupid. You're old enough to know better, OP. Act like it.

I keep a bottle of Glenlivit single malt Scotch around for occasional guests. I do find it agreeable for sipping, very smooth and pleasant to the palate of an occasional drinker.

Any bourbon drinkers here? What are your faves?

OP you can get a decent single malt scotch for about $80.

K Tnx Bootsy

Give Kavalan a try

Blanton's is my favorite bourbon.

Whistle Pig Rye

Macallan Scotch

Elijah Craig anyone?

I also like Macallan Scotch.

r2 I think you're late for your meeting.

R16 i’m only talking 1 to 2 drinks a week. I’m not an Alkie.

McCallan, Talisker, and Balvenie are all fine single malt scotches. Stay away from blends.

Buffalo Trace and Evan Williams are my favorite bourbons.

If you're going to teach yourself to like something, choose a cheap whisky.

Wrong R19. You'll never learn to like whiskey if you go cheap.

Once bars are back open and safe, OP could first try a brand or two in a glass as a start vs. investing in a $65+ bottle.

Is good Bourbon available in mini bottles?

I believe I've seen Maker's Mark in airplane size bottles. I think that it is a good starter bourbon.

I like Michter's Kentucky Straight Bourbon. Slides down like a satin ribbon.

Compared to the rest of you I'm a cheap drunk Jameson's Irish Whiskey for me.

I love whiskey so I also go for the cheap stuff (comparatively). I love Bulleit (around $40 for a liter) -- it's good for sippin' over ice but I also love it in summer with a splash of lemonade. That's my camping drink of choice.

This stuff is the BEST!!!

In SoCal, they sell it at Von's for 24 bucks. It has a very very mild hint of Cinnamon and Vanilla, (Its not like Fireball, which is totally unpleasant on your palate)

There are many nice brands of Bourbon and scotch which don't necessarily have to break the bank. Maker's Mark is a great bourbon to keep on hand, so is Woodford Reserve. Blended scotch is enjoyed by many who also happen to be single malt enthusiasts. Johnny Walker Black, Ballantine's, Pinch 15 yr, and Suntory Whisky come to mind as very popular blends.

If I'm feeling decadent or spendy, Lagavulin 16 Yr is quite nice, but I think whether someone enjoys a particular style is much more important than it being single malt. One needs to taste several from different regions, in order to decide if he enjoys more smoky, peaty, or even soapy in the after-note. Best to ignore the snob appeal and taste as many as possible.

R3 You've great taste Bootsy.

I'm not really a scotch drinker, but I used to have to go out on business dinners and have an after-dinner scotch. The only one I really liked was Macallan 18 (~ $250/btl). There is a huge difference between the 12 yr and 18 yr. I actually enjoyed the 18; the 12 was like alcohol. Would rather have had a good port. I haven't tried the other premium brands in that league.

My advice is to go to a bar and try a glass. It will be expensive, but much less expensive than buying a bottle you don't like. If you have a friendly bartender, he might give you samples. Pre-covid, I was always a good-tipper at the bar -- it's an investment, they give you lots of free alcohol.

Try Jameson's.

You can get a bottle for about 25 dollars, and it's pretty smooth.

R29 Great idea for OP. Perhaps there's a pub that offers scotch flights in his area.

I absolutely love Four Roses bourbon.

I got to tour the distillery in Lexington, and brought home a few bottles.

It's a very good bourbon.

"GOOD"?!? Who let Ina Garten in here to fart up the place?

R33? I’ll fart where I want to fart!

Use a proper glass!

I just skip whiskeys and order an amaretto sour as my go-to cocktail drink. It's sweet, smooth, doesn't break the bank or get you drunk too quickly, and it looks like a tumbler of some spirit from distance so you don't get grief from the self-appointed liquor gatekeepers who go on the warpath if they see an umbrella or a glass with a stem.

R36, do you have a preferred recipe for the amaretto sour? Please share.

Add an ice cube or two to your pour. It helps mitigate the burn as the ice melts. And you can even water the liquor down with a squirt of cold water, too, if you like. That’s how I drink my bourbon, especially in the summer. Woodford Reserve is an excellent brand.

R38 Alright another Woodford fan! If you haven't already, you must try their cherry bitters... very unique taste, and a nice addition to any bourbon cocktail.

Wild Turkey borbon

Never been a big drinker, I prefer weed, but Bourbon tastes okay especially mixed with something...

but Scotch was so disgusting to me. And you're not supposed to mix it with anything (say the TRUE scotch drinkers). One of my boyfriends loved it, but I could never understand liking that taste.

I thought bourbon and scotch were both whiskey, is whiskey something different?

They are ALL whisky. Scotch whiskey. Bourbon whiskey. and whiskey whiskey.

Why does it have to be bourbon? Why force yourself to like it?

If you’re hell-bent, here are 3 easy whiskeys to like — all on the rocks, no mixers:

Crown Royal, Canadian whiskey. Not the flavored ones. Have a Coca-Cola on the side. Not a Diet Coke.

Bushmill’s Irish whiskey.

Black Bush (Bushmill’s).

The Sexton is a lovely single malt Irish whisky, and has some very unique qualities. It's quite smooth, aromatic, and can be had for around $35 when its on sale. Definitely worth a try!

OP here. I purchased some Evan Williams and Four Roses bourbon. I like them both. Sometimes I drink it with a little Ginger ale and sometimes I add a couple drops of water. I’m excited to try more kinds but I’m only having bourbon maybe 2-3 times a week. Thanks for your suggestions.

I drink very little, but bourbon is one of the few drinks I like.

A bourbon that a lot of people who don't like bourbon like is Angel's Envy. Their bourbon is "finished in port barrels" and their rye (which I normally dislike but like in this case), "is finished in rum casks."

Old Forester, which I assumed was a cheap and probably harsh brand, is a good every day bourbon.

Serve either with one big chunky ice cube.

It's the drink I have at a reception or a garden party or something outdoors: some place where there's not a big bar and a bored bartender or three waiting to make something fancy, and easy to order, no oddball ingredients, no confused look on the bartender's face.

A Kentucky Mule is a bourbon variant of the Moscow Mule, and much better I think: bourbon, lime juice, simple syrup. ginger ale, poured into a glass of chipped ice. Better than it sounds and refreshing. Bourbon but a different thing altogether, and not a quick/simple order.

I'm with R2 in thinking I wouldn't go too deeply into "teaching" myself to like a drink. Trying out of curiosity is another thing, but after a few tries you more or less know that something is good/not bad/terrible. Trying 200 kinds of bourbon and finding one that costs a fortune and is available only one month of the year and only in the second largest city of one country isn't very useful.

R46 bourbon is pretty strong. How could somebody like some thing right away that tastes so harsh?

[quote] A Kentucky Mule is a bourbon variant of the Moscow Mule

There's a Mitch McConnell joke in there somewhere

I found this video...... Bourbon for beginners!

[quote]bourbon is pretty strong. How could somebody like some thing right away that tastes so harsh?

R47: Agreed. But I think a lot of people who don't especially like to drink can tell straight away that one type is not for them. I can taste all the "excellent" tequila put before me and immediately I know I don't want any more, ever hopefully. I think my memories of trying bourbon were along the lines of "Wow! Strong!," but I didn't hate it altogether, and a second and third sip showed that there was something to it that could be interesting (served another way, another brand, in a different setting/mood.) Scotch and gin are other drinks I don't like straight away; I know not to bother with them and focus on something I might like.

Johnny Walker Red

OP - just get a quality 12 year old blended whisky - Chivas, Johnnie Walker, Famous Grouse, etc. 12 year old please. No Johnnie Walker Red! Yikes!

Blended whiskey appeals to more tastes than single malt. You can move on to single malt later if you actually enjoy the blended.

Bourbon - well I like it on ice. Four Roses single barrel. If you don't like it immediately, you're really not cut out to enjoy whiskey and bourbon. Plain old Maker’s Mark is good.

I like Southern Comfort mixed with Dr. Pepper.

so there

I enjoy bourbon served mixed as some sort of a cocktail. I used to drink southern comfort Manhattan‘s. I have a bit of a sweet tooth.