^ I've got a buddy I'm trying to explain this idea to as well. Jack Daniels is iconic, and I don't mind it now and again, but we make much better stuff over here. Hudson is an interesting rec, I've seen the, "baby," variant touted a couple of times, but I don't see it at too many liquor stores, and the few I've seen weren't cheap. Which other bourbons would you compare it to?

Unfortunately, I can't really say. I'm not well versed in bourbon because I don't really like it, generally speaking, so I wouldn't be able to tell you. I've only had Hudson once or twice at other people's houses. I like rye and scotch. Hudson is really good, however, so I'd recommend finding a bar with a good menu. One of the gastropubs near me is actually exclusively American inventory, which makes this kind of search really easy. The craft beers there are really good, too, but this isn't that thread.

I'm a big fan of both bourbons and single malt scotch, although admittedly it seems to be the exception to the rule here in the UK as I've personally never met another single malt fan who likes bourbon. A common complaint is that it is too sweet for their palate but personally that's one of the reasons I like it.

When I fancy something on the sweeter side I'll opt for a bourbon generally. There is also something about drinking a bourbon that makes me think of sitting in a smoke filled speakeasy, listening to some blues guitarist spill his heart out whilst I'm sipping away!

There are some fantastic bourbons out there. Woodford Reserve, Maker's Mark, Wild Turkey 101, Elijah Craig and Knob Creek to name a few. Even some of the lower priced stuff like Buffalo Trace is pretty good.

Single malt scotch is in my opinion the better of the two but I shall always have room for a few bourbons in my collection.

Thank you for your recommendation. I like JD black label because it's affordable and it's not so bad, single barrel is much better in my opinion. Keep in mind that I have a small budget. However, if I have the opportunity, I will try other American whiskeys.

The best bang-for-your-buck bourbon I've found is Evan Williams black label. Should be about $10 a fifth, and not only is it good for the money but it's a) just plain good and b) better than their single barrel Evan Williams that's 3x as expensive.

My favorite shelf bourbon I've found so far is Eagle Rare 10. The best bourbon I've had is Weller 12, but it went from an easy-to-find $30 bottle to a pain-in-the-ass-to-find sometimes-$50, sometimes-$90 bottle. It's become too much of a pain to seek out that one. Larceny is another good one.

If you can find Rock Town Hickory Smoked Whiskey, I very much recommend it. It's a wheat whiskey made from hickory-smoked wheat.



Have you ever had any rye malt whiskey? That is, whiskey made from malted rye, rather than just raw rye? I ask because I can pretty easily get one but it's $100 a bottle. I know the malting process adds a lot of labor costs but I'm curious if a rye malt whiskey really tastes much different from just a standard rye whiskey.

I'm into Whisky for a few years now, starting with Bellantine's Finest, because he makes for the best Whisky-Coke I tried so far, and slowly dug deeper into this realm.

I currently have several open bottles standing around:
Talisker Skye - That was the second Whisky I ever tried and I still really like it. Good introduction to the smoke-y side, because it isn't too dominant and it isn't that price-y.

Talisker 10Y - great upgrade to the Skye, much more refined in its taste, smoother, lost its youth and has a fair bit of oak in its taste as well as fruits and the breath of the sea. Also unlike the Skye this one has the Chili-Catch that's the main characteristics of Talisker.

The Arran (Amarone Cask Finish) - actually a bit disappointed by that one, he's really young and hasn't lost that metallic taste yet he's in the price range of a regular 10Y whisky. The caska provide a nice fruitiness, but I dunno. Not one of my faves.

Deveron 12Y - Really smooth and soft whisky with loads of honey, but not much spice. Not very complex, more for an easy drink while watching a movie. Still a good whisky.

The Dalmore 12Y - the sherry casks provide some really nice fruitiness while the age comes with a fair bit of spice and oak. notes of orange combined with vanilla make for a good bit of sweetness with a slight sour undertone. The finish brings out the oak with hints of chocolate. Neat.

Tullamore D.E.W. - well...Irish blend with three types of Irish whiskey, smells fresh, smooth and fruity, tastes young and spicey with loads of bitterness in the finish. Only used with coke.

Current "all time" favorites:
Laphroaig 10y
Talisker 10y

Really need to upgrade those two to the 18y variants.