As long as we're on a roll - Whisky?!

The Savior

So far I'm liking my Maker's Mark for drinking, and Wild Turkey for cooking with (The extra alcohol means I can accidentally boil some off and still be OK). Jameson's alright, but since it's not that much cheaper than Maker's I don't really bother. I've been told to try Buffalo Trace, but its not available here. I'll probably pick some up in Montana when I drive through there in a few weeks. Any other recommendations?

Yar

Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey.

The Single Barrel is the best whiskey made on earth.

Doc

Yar wrote: »

Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey.

The Single Barrel is the best whiskey made on earth.

Word. The problem is that "Whiskey" comes in so many different varieties that it's hard to recommend one other than Jameson or JD without knowing more.

geckahn

black label

redimpulse

Doc's right.

Johnnie Walker makes some pretty good blended whisky, if you're willing to pay for the higher end stuff. Black's good, but I wouldn't recommend Red unless you're mixing it and using it for group drinking. It's inexpensive, and not too awful tasty. Personally I like Dewars White label if I'm going for an inexpensive blended scotch. Irish whiskies I'm not too familiar with.

Of course there's always the good old standby - Jack. Not my personal fave (more of a scotch man myself) but quite good and very plentiful. Knob Creek is also pretty good but (if I remember right) not too cheap.

Yar

Those who really know and those who really don't, will tell you Jack. Everyone else will recommend an old scotch or a Kentucky bourbon.

Steel Angel

Yar wrote: »

Those who really know and those who really don't, will tell you Jack. Everyone else will recommend an old scotch or a Kentucky bourbon.

All of which can taste quite different of course.

It's been a while since I had JD's or other Tennessee stuff and I've yet to try an Irish whiskey, but Kentucky bourbon I've had manages to have a tinge of sweetness (by no means overpowering the "it tastes like burning" of the alcohol and other whiskey flavor though) while various Scotches have more of a smokey, fill your mouth flavor to them.

Glaeal

Can anyone recommend a good Irish Whiskey?

Doc

Glaeal wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a good Irish Whiskey?

Jameson's good. If you want premium, try their older stuff.

themightypuck

For blended Scotch I like Grant's. For bourbon I like Jack Daniels. Single Malt goes all over the place so hard to pick a favorite. Irish go with Jameson's (I prefer it to Bushmill's). I avoid Canadian whiskey like the plague but I had a bad experience. One thing going for bourbon is that the difference between hell bourbon and good bourbon is a lot less than the difference between hell scotch and good scotch or hell vodka and good vodka for that matter. A little coke can make any bourbon drinkable but Jack and Mexican coke (in the glass bottles) is the king.

MuddBudd

I prefer Canadian Whiskeys for making drinks with personally. I have a bottle in the fridge right now for Manhattens.

redimpulse

themightypuck wrote: »

A little coke can make any bourbon drinkable but Jack and Mexican coke (in the glass bottles) is the king.

I am going to go out of my way to the little 'Hispanic market' tonight, pick up some Coke and try this.

DrZiplock

I dig on bourbon for sipping when enjoying grilled foods and the like. There is a nice subtle smokey flavor to the drink that compliments it well.

The same applies for scotch to a certain degree. The scotch flavor has more to do with the burning peat than the smoked charred barrels like a bourbon.

Jameson is probably my whiskey of choice. The older the better. If you can find it and you're treating yourself the 21 year and the 18 year are incredible. However, you can pick up a bottle of 12 year for only a few bucks more than the standard and you'll most certainly notice a difference in how smooth it is.

Bushmills and Paddys (both made by Jameson) are too peppery for my particular tastes.

naporeon

Bourbon is my whiskey (and alcohol) of choice, and Maker's is generally my favorite. You might want to give Bulleit a try as well; I like it, and whereas Maker's has a "maple syrup and apples" nose, Bulleit is more like cinnamon and oak. But it is delicious.

As for a Scotch whiskey, Oban is usually my favorite.

Fats

You like scotch? Get thee some Laphroaig. It's a little different, but really good.

Pheezer

Actually you should try the following categories:

Bourbon - My favourite. I like Jim Beam Black Label, it tastes like a premium but costs as much as an average bottle. If you've got more money than you know what to do with, try Knob Creek, it's pricey but fantastic. Wild Turkey is a bourbon. Bourbon is Kentucky style sour mash whiskey.

American Whiskey - Jack Daniels is popular because it's smooth and tasty and cheap.

Rye - Also known as Canadian Whiskey. It's a lot smoother and richer tasting than sour mash whiskey, and it's made with a different grain (rye). Crown Royal is the standard here, and it's pricey, but it's good. It's very different from whiskey, but it's got a unique appeal and no one up here really drinks whiskey because rye is so good.

Irish Whiskey - Jameson is the standard here and it's actually quite good for the price.

Scotch - Scottish whiskey but very different again. If you try a really cheap bottle you won't like it, but you also don't want to spend an absurd sum on a great bottle in case you still don't care for it. I'm not really a scotch drinker at all, but there've been a few recommendations in the thread on the subject.

Japanese whiskey - The Japanese have been making scotch that they can't call scotch for a few years now and they're giving the Scottish a run for their money. Again, I don't know any labels because it's not my sauce, but google around and if you get the opportunity, I'd suggest trying it for the sake of saying you have.


For rye though, I strongly recommend not getting Canadian Club. Go with Crown Royal or Centennial (if you can even find it).