relativley new to bourbon

[xforce]

i've recently found bourbon to be my spirit of choice within the past year or so (i'm an avid beer drinker and homebrewer). i like to drink a variety of bourbons, as i don't know yet what i like and don't like. upon drinking a small dram of Bulleit (sp?) from a bottle i just bought, i found it to be quite bitey, and i can't really enjoy it. i really love Basil Hayden's. it's been my favorite yet.

anyhow, i was wondering what it is in some bourbons that make them better than others? does it have much to do with the grist in the mash? or is it more about the ageing process. any input would be great to know, as it will aid me in my future purchases.

[NeoTexan]

Number one: There are no bourbon's better than others. It's as the man says ... one man's poison..... Experiment and find the one's that please your palette. I prefer Maker's Mark but I doubt you'll find a lot of people on this board who do, I still like it so I drink it. I have other's on hand and will drink other's I like, but as a daily pour, I prefer MM.

Now for your question ... what makes one different from another?

A partial list:
Grain selection
Water used
Yeast strain
Barrel selection
Char level of barrel
Distilling process
Proof at distillation
Proof as put in barrel
Where warehouse is located
Placement in warehouse
Years aged
Weather during aging
Bottle proof

All of these and more have been discussed at length in this forum and others.

My advice, find some members close to you and have some tasting. Note those that you like and drink up. Do continue your tasting as you will find your tastes may change over time.

[sevenmag]

I personally think Maker's is a great place to start if you're fairly new to bourbon. If you like Basil Hayden's then there's a good chance you'll enjoy MM as well and it's less expensive to boot.

[Mark]

When Chris and I got into bourbon some years ago two of the first bottle we bought, other than just Jim Beam or Jack Dainels was Basil Haydens and Makers Mark. Oddly enough though Makers we go to only sometimes but the Basil Haydens I never bought again. Funny how tastes evolve over time...