I’ve got a mate whos a big fan of Bourbon. He’s tried all the standard brands like Buffalo Trace, JD, Jim Beam and Wild Turkey.
I want to get him a bottle for Xmas of something he might not have tried before, something I can say was recommended by Americans as a good bourbon. Doesn’t need to be some weird flavour like Red Stag, just old fashioned American bourbon that maybe flies under the radar in other countries.
You can’t go wrong with Four Roses Single Barrel.
It’s worth noting that four roses actually exports a lot so they might be able to get that outside the states
Yeah we were gifted some here in Aus. Afraid I don’t get the bourbon thing. I’m a whisky girl but bourbon just tastes… Wrong? We have another really nice bottle of it (name escapes me) that we were also gifted. I’m afraid to open it in case I hate it.
I’m guessing you normally drink Scotch?
Yup
This and Old Forrester 1910 are great gift bottles
Some great options in this thread but I can’t believe nobody has mentioned Blanton’s.
The bottle makes it feel like more of a gift, and the taste is sublime.
Blanton’s is very good at MSRP, but it’s hard to find at a good price and the second hand market value is pretty high.
No one can afford it.
Blantons is so unique, lots of collectability with the different horse/jockey poses on the cap.
yeah that one’s hard to get. Gotta go camp out at their factory sometimes and they limit you to once every 6 months!!
Basil Hayden, Woodford Reserve, Knob Creek, Angel’s Envy, Old Grandad, Bulleit are all great choices.
Basil Hayden or Woodford would definitely be my first choice though.
A +1 for Woodford Reserve and Knob Creek, especially Woodford’s nicer offerings. Those are great choices.
I’m going to disagree on the Basil Hayden and the Bulleit. I wouldn’t recommend them to a bourbon enthusiast (or to anyone really). Bulleit in particular I think doesn’t really offer a lot of the classic bourbon experience that someone who is into bourbon might get excited about. To me, it drinks quite hot and is pretty thin.
Knob creek is my go to as well
Huge fan of Basil Hayden
These are all my very last choices except the Woodford, knob creek rye or single barrel 120 proof.
The rest of these taste like household cleaner.
Woodford makes a Manhattan bottled that is stellar iirc though.
Angel’s Envy is one of my favorites. Runs about $45 here in the states and is relatively easy to find. I’m not sure if they export though.
Oh! Have they fixed their supplying issues? I haven’t had a drink in a while, but for years they were having trouble keeping stock in most stores because they had a distillery fire and had to run with what they had stored. Even after that, any time I’d find a place that would get some, they’d only be able to get a single case in and it would be sold out within a day or 2. I basically had to get lucky and happen to stop by the same day they got it in, but before they stocked the shelves. It was probably solid 5-6 years of never seeing it on a shelf and only getting it if I asked for it and they go it from the back.
I’m not sure. That’s the first I’ve heard of a fire. It’s pretty easy to find in my area, but I can’t speak for the rest of the country. I have noticed the price go up some in recent years, but I assumed it was from popularity and just general inflation.
Thanks to everyone who suggested something. I’ve settled on a bottle of Angel’s Envy.
I’m late to the game but I just wanted to say that that is a solid choice.
This was going to be my suggestion, it’s such a delicious bourbon.
Woodford Reserve is my go-to. It’s not hard to find, it has a reliable taste being a blended bourbon, and is generally well regarded. They are a big sponsor of the Kentucky Derby, so it’s got some cachet across the luxury brand spectrum. However, my grandpa worked for Brown-Forman his whole life so it has an emotional connection for me and makes me a little biased.
Weller Special Reserve (green label) is pretty easy to find these days, about $50 a bottle and considered by some to be one of the more accessible PVW-adjacent bourbons.
Maker’s Mark is pretty popular and they have a few price tiers.
Don’t get the base bottle! Go 96 trust me!
Also a great looking bottle with the red wax.
I’m going to recommend Old Forester 1910. A lot of people prefer the 1920, which is a bit pricier, and I can see why they might, but I actually prefer the 1910. It’s complex enough to think about but easy enough to just enjoy. It’s got some classic sweet bourbon flavors (people usually describe the flavor as deserty: molasses, vanilla, etc.), and a wonderfully luxurious mouthfeel that’s very bourbon and sticks around for a long time.
It’s not “fancy,” but Old Granddad’s Bottled In Bond is delicious. It’s just a very good, rye heavy bourbon.
That’s my standard, but it can be a bit hard to find
I just got done living in KY for about 5 years, the one I like for a reasonable price was Basil Hayden, I think it’s from the Jim beam distillery but it’s not too expensive and it’s nice and smooth. But there are literally thousands of different bourbon and even one distillery group might have several brand names, like the owners of Jim beam actually makes old grandad, makers mark, and knob creek as well
Stubb’s Hickory Bourbon BBQ Sauce
It’s all high fructose corn syrup
Is there anything more American than that?
Gotta be pendatic here, Stubb’s is sugar free
You’re absolutely right I was thinking of sweet baby rays bbq sauce
BBQ sauce is just smokey ketchup, so go with the brand made with the best ketchup.
Some good recommendations in this thread. You should give the following a try.
- Woodford Reserve Wheated. It’s very smooth and I think it’s the best value for money you can get. This is my personal favorite right now
- Michters Small Batch. Good and robust flavor
- Weller. If you can find it, but you probably won’t.
- Angels Envy is very good and smooth
- Four Roses Small Batch
- Penelope Toasted is alright. I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t wow value for the price. It’s a good bourbon though
- 1792 is good.
- Rabbit Hole is good
- Blade and Bow is good
I’ll second Four Roses, it’s delicious stuff.
What’s your budget? If your friend is into bourbon then most everything here he’s probably tried. To get a unique gift bottle will cost a bit more, depending where you are.
Elijah Craig. 94 proof. First company to age in Oak barrels. Around here 750ml goes for around 25-30 so it won’t blow ur bank
Have you thought about giving him a rye whisky? It is still a very American style of whisky. It might be a neat treat to have something just a little different.