Bourbon Recommendations for Christmas Please

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Bourbon Recommendations for Christmas Please

Unread postby Gypsy » Sun Nov 23, 2014 1:12 am

Hello.
I am looking for a nice bourbon as part of a Christmas Present for my husband.
We live in Northern CA near KL wine in Redwood City (easiest place for me to go to).

My husband generally does spend a huge amount on bourbon, he'll spring for more for Scotch (which he also likes very much but I'm trying to avoid spending 150 bucks or more).

I'd like get him a nice bottle of Bourbon, but under $100, please.

He likes the following:

Jefferson's Reserve Small Batch. He says that with one ice cube it opens up nicely. This is the least expensive (though KL its very affordable).
Faultline (KL exclusive). He says you add a little water to it's sweeter than the others like caramel and oak.
Blanton's. He says he tends to drink it neat, it's more peppery than the other two.
He also says WL Weller is decent, especially for the price, but hard to find locally. He has a bottle of unopened Buffalo Trace that he bought because of the WL Weller though.


Just okay (nothing he would buy a bottle of again):
Four Roses Single Barrel
Angel's Envy (but he'll drink this when we are out though, often) he says this is very mellow.

(I'm pretending I'm giving gift advice to a friend who is buying for her husband, which is how I got all this information, BTW).

He'd give his right arm for a bottle of Jefferson's Presidential, which he hasn't tried. But at over $250 bucks since it's so rare online, and not available locally, that's a bust all around.

If it helps at all, he mostly drinks with a cigar. I'm probably buying him a box of Toro's My Father Fleur de Las Antillas as well: http://www.cigarsinternational.com/ciga ... my-father/

So if you can recommend some Bourbon for me to buy him, I'd be very appreciative.

This is my first post on this board and if I am posting this in the wrong place, I'm sorry.
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Re: Bourbon Recommendations for Christmas Please

Unread postby masterbuilder » Sun Dec 07, 2014 1:53 am

I don't know what you want to spend, but the Parker's Reserve.

Good call on the My Fathers.
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Re: Bourbon Recommendations for Christmas Please

Unread postby vince » Tue Dec 09, 2014 9:36 am

K & L has several private barrel bourbons, I would seek out one of those. I think they may have some Russell Reserve Single barrel. At 110 proof that really pairs nicely with a cigar!
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Re: Bourbon Recommendations for Christmas Please

Unread postby RandyG » Tue Dec 09, 2014 2:39 pm

vince wrote:K & L has several private barrel bourbons, I would seek out one of those. I think they may have some Russell Reserve Single barrel. At 110 proof that really pairs nicely with a cigar!


Agree with Vince above. According to the tasting notes on their site, barrel #18 is bolder, #15 smoother. Also Rock Hill Farms is always a winner.

Cheers,
RG
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Re: Bourbon Recommendations for Christmas Please

Unread postby Wasatch » Wed Dec 10, 2014 7:51 pm

I'm sure he would like WT Rare Breed, reasonable priced. Also Blanton's, Booker's, Bakers.
Cheers!
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Re: Bourbon Recommendations for Christmas Please

Unread postby Gypsy » Thu Dec 18, 2014 1:52 am

Hello again! Thank you for the recommendations. My husband loves Faultline which is a KL Exclusive, so I do agree that their in house choices are a good choice.

I do want to get him something he hasn't tried before. It's a 'thing' between us. I buy him a bottle of something he hasn't tried yet every year, and we enjoy the tradition of him trying it out while we sit together and he tells me all about what he's tasting and how he likes it (I have no appreciation for the taste of spirits personally but enjoy it vicariously through him).

My husband says he doesn't like 'too high an alcohol content because it can cause a burn that can overpower the subtler tastes of the bourbon." I was considering this one, but his drinking buddy said that it was ''high test fuel" and so I crossed it off the list: http://www.bevmo.com/Shop/ProductDetail ... ourbon/565 Drinking buddy also said my husband's sweet spot is 85-100 proof.

Here are my finalists. I also got input from his drinking buddy.

If you guys could give me feedback/opinions/thoughts on these I'd appreciate it. Oh, and my budget was reduced to under 60 range and I found some geek stuff I could not see him living without any longer. :wink:

1. http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1015028 Not sure I can get it up here in time.
3. http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1180872 I like this recommendation from you all but am wary of this one because of the 110 proof, since he has specifically said he prefers lower proof alcohols. But it is in stock at the Redwood City store.
4. https://m.klwines.com/p/i?s=undefined&i=1110688 Drinking buddy recommendation. But he didn't like the 4 Roses when he tried it so I'm not sure he's going to like this one.

Husband would love the Pappy new release 12 year which is 55 bucks if I can find it locally. But I missed the boat on that as he didn't tell me about it till AFTER the wait lists locally were full up (I called around). And I realize getting my hands on a bottle will be close to an act of God now.

Parker's is out of budget, now though, unfortunately, but thank you for the recommendation.
And Rock Hill looks very nice, but husband doesn't like Rye. And this one, while it isn't a Rye, does have more Rye than most bourbon's so I'm not sure how that will translate for him.

Also, he did try Koval Single Barrel Bourbon tonight, that he bought from Costco and he really liked it and is kicking himself for not buying two bottles.
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Re: Bourbon Recommendations for Christmas Please

Unread postby 393foureyedfox » Thu Dec 18, 2014 9:25 am

Booker's is 'high test fuel', huh? It's definitely not for everyone, but it is my second favorite. It is definitely a sipper, and such a rich, thick powerful one at that. I love it, but if he doesnt like high proof, he may not like it, as it is usually 125-130 proof.

Here is my absolute favorite, and think he may very well like it. http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1161048 George Dickel 9 year old / 103 proof TN whiskey. This is totally unlike anything else bourbon; sweet and delicate, and drinks more like a 90 proofer than its stated 103 proof. It can be a bit hard to find, but looks like your KL store carries it.

I, too, dont care for 4 Roses, so our tastes may have something in common.

Good luck, and let us know what you picked!





doug
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Re: Bourbon Recommendations for Christmas Please

Unread postby Bourbon Joe » Thu Dec 18, 2014 5:02 pm

393foureyedfox wrote:I, too, dont care for 4 Roses, so our tastes may have something in common.


doug


You are one of a very few.
Joe
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Bourbon, It's cheaper than therapy!
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Re: Bourbon Recommendations for Christmas Please

Unread postby 393foureyedfox » Thu Dec 18, 2014 7:40 pm

Bourbon Joe wrote:
393foureyedfox wrote:I, too, dont care for 4 Roses, so our tastes may have something in common.


doug


You are one of a very few.
Joe




in many many ways.....so true
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Re: Bourbon Recommendations for Christmas Please

Unread postby RandyG » Fri Dec 19, 2014 3:32 am

Gypsy wrote: .......... And Rock Hill looks very nice, but husband doesn't like Rye. And this one, while it isn't a Rye, does have more Rye than most bourbon's so I'm not sure how that will translate for him.


Do not let the rye content fool you, the rye in Rock Hill Farms does not dominate the taste. On the contrary, it compliments it beautifully. It does not taste at all like a "high rye" pour. If he likes Blantons, he will love Rock Hill Farms.

As far as Four Roses goes, I like their Single Barrel, but it's not one of my favorites. Has your husband ever tried their Small Batch? Some of us prefer it to the venerable Single Barrel.

Finally, I wish K&L shipped to Minnesota. I would be all over that hand picked Russel's Reserve Single Barrel.

Cheers,
Mr. G
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Re: Bourbon Recommendations for Christmas Please

Unread postby Gypsy » Fri Dec 19, 2014 4:08 pm

Thank you all so much. I am going for the Rockhill.

In case you are interested, here's why. My local Bev Mo had 1-3 of the below. KL did not have any of them in Nor Cal. But they did have #4 below.

1. Michters Small Batch Bourbon $40 Bev Mo

2. Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve $35

3. Rockhill Farms Single Barrel Bourbon $50

4. Russell's Reserve K&L Exclusive Single Barrel #15 $60.

Mitcher's and the regular Russell's reserve are affordable enough that, after all this, he can just buy himself a bottle, guilt free. The RR #15 KL exclusive was too much of a risk with the 110 Proof at $60 so I'll let him decide if he wants to try it down the road.

The Rockhill had great reviews everywhere. And a lot of people who love Jefferson's Reserve and Blanton's seem to love it. So it seems like a safe choice. And at $50 it's just a little out of what he considers his "buy it for myself" range.

There were several recommendations, that if KL had been able to guarantee they could get in for Christmas, I would have gone for, like this one: http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1161048

But they couldn't guarantee it. So I couldn't take the risk.
You guys were very helpful. Thank you. I'll be sharing this post with him after the holiday. :D
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Re: Bourbon Recommendations for Christmas Please

Unread postby Gypsy » Sun Dec 21, 2014 12:01 am

And....

Since he needed a nice present for his drinking buddy, we went to KL today and I steered him toward the Russel's Reserve #15, and he bought that. So now he'll get to try that too, when he and his drinking buddy get together.

It was a Mad House in there today!!

FYI for you Bourbon Enthusiasts... KL is getting new barrels of the Russel's Reserve in next week. :)

Oh and in case anyone is interested. Our Costco had Buchanann's 18 Year Scotch for $68 and Yamazaki 12 year Scotch for $50 today. Both of which have been very difficult to find recently. My husband is a fan of both.
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