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Best Value Bourbons

 

Over the past year, I’ve had several friends ask for my favorite bourbon recommendations at different price points. America is blessed to have a bounty of great bourbon under $30 a bottle (by the way, there are some great ryes and Tennessee whiskeys, too – notice the Rittenhouse Bottled in Bond in the photo above? –  but for today’s post, we’re sticking with bourbon). You could stay under $30 and have an almost endless variety of fabulous bourbons in your bar, but who can resist the opportunity to buy a bourbon that delivers a drinking experience far greater than its price would suggest?

That said, finding the bourbons that deliver value really comes down to personal taste, to determining what’s a good value for YOU. Do you like something easy drinking, or do you yearn for complexity? Is sweet your thing, or do you like the spice that a rye-heavy mashbill will bring? Do you tend to mix your bourbon into cocktails, or do you enjoy sipping it slowly and neat? All these things provide direction on which bottle you should pick up at the liquor store. But since you’re here, reading this, I’d like to share a few bourbons that simply deliver exceptional bang for the buck and are worth a try for any whiskey lover. Not everyone will find these to be the BEST value for them individually, but they are all worth the investment for anyone eager to tackle the depths of American whiskey. Here they are:

(Caveat: prices quoted are in Atlanta, Georgia, and will vary state to state. Also, please chime in with your favorite bourbons that you think deliver a great value – at any price.)

Under $20
There are a LOT of inexpensive bourbons out there – just go to your local liquor store and you’ll see probably half the shelf space dedicated to the low end of the price spectrum. Evan Williams does a fine job for entry level bourbon around $13, as does Very Old Barton 100 proof. But a step up from that, at around $16 (or, even better, $24 for 1.75l!), there’s one bourbon that really stands out from the rest in the under $20 price range, both in its character and in the value it delivers, and this is the Four Roses “Yellow Label.” Four Roses Yellow is just plain elegant, with floral notes that befit its name (and label color) weaving in and out of light baking spices and a bit of vanilla. This is a bourbon that is light and lively, but it’s this lightness and elegance that really separates Four Roses Yellow from other bourbons at the low end of the price spectrum that can be a bit rough around the edges.

By the way… here’s a great drink idea I picked up at the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival – try topping off a flute of  Champagne (or sparkling wine) with a splash or two of Four Roses for a surprisingly great drink (called “The Longnecker”).

Under $30
Once you step up above $20, there are two very different bourbons that stand out in my mind for tremendous value. The first is Elijah Craig 12 year old at $22. Let me repeat that – 12 years old, 22 dollars. I’m not saying that age and quality rise in direct proportion to each other (in fact, I prefer the 12 year old Elijah Craig to its pricier, older, oakier 18 year old brother – which, incidentally, was recently discontinued in favor of limited releases of 20 and 21 year old Elijah Craig), but to get an aged beauty like this under $30 is a steal. Now, Elijah Craig 12 is basically at the opposite end of the bourbon spectrum from Four Roses Yellow – deep and strong rather than light and elegant. The age in the barrel brings loads of brown sugar, dark fruit, vanilla and oak, all those things you look for as time works its magic on the whiskey in the wood. Crazy value – Elijah Craig 12 tastes like many bourbons that go for three times the price.

The other bourbon value in this ballpark is simply one of the most enjoyable bourbons out there, again very different.  Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel, at about $28, is like liquid caramel popcorn, in a very good way. There are plenty of other interesting layers of flavor here, but it’s the caramel popcorn that can’t be ignored, and the fact that this bourbon is just so dang delicious and melodious.

There are plenty of runners up in this category that will make you happy, but I don’t think they quite match the value of the Elijah 12 or Elmer T. Lee: Buffalo Trace ($20), Evan Williams Single Barrel ($22), Eagle Rare 10 year old ($28), and Four Roses Small Batch ($28) all come to mind.

Under $100
Once you get past $30, you first enter a fertile area of single barreled, small batched, and/or well-aged bourbons that tend to fall between $35 and $55. There are plenty of very good bourbons here in this range, but the trouble is that I don’t think any of them deliver the kind of bang for the buck that Elijah Craig 12 or Elmer T. Lee do. Don’t get me wrong, there are several here I really like (including Wathen’s Single Barrel at $32, Four Roses Single Barrel at $38, Old Rip Van Winkle 10 year old 107 proof at $40, Baker’s Small Batch at $41, or Blanton’s and the red label Black Maple Hill at around $50), but I have a hard time saying that any of them knock it out of the park vs. other bourbons at their price range.

Thus, the jump in this category from $30 up to $100. Once you get to the $60-$80 range, you enter the land of special releases and severely limited allocations, bottles that are typically hard to find and even harder on the wallet.  I hate to keep riding the Pappy bandwagon, but once you’re above $50, I find it really hard to argue against Pappy Van Winkle 15 year old. Sure, it’s overhyped. Yes, the switch form the old Stitzel-Weller juice to the newer Buffalo Trace production stock is a bit controversial. Even still, Pappy 15 is simply one of the greatest bourbons you will ever drink. And that’s a great value. (see prior tasting notes)

Other recent bottles that I haven’t regretted at similar price points to Pappy 15 include the Four Roses 2012 Single Barrel Ltd. Edition (barrel strength), which is a darn good bottle at $70, and the annual release of George T. Stagg or William Larue Weller from the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, also barrel strength beauty/beasts at around the same price.

That’s my take on the best value bourbons out there. What’s yours?

For a fun little follow-up to this post, see my (tongue in cheek) formula for computing bourbon value over on Creative Loafing Atlanta. Which led to reviews of Old Charter 8 and W.L. Weller Special Reserve, both under 10 at my local store!

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Tasting Notes: Redd’s Apple Ale

Translation: "This is not an apple."
Translation: “This is not an apple.”

I recently heard about a new, um, beer called Redd’s Apple Ale from Redd’s Brewing Company in Albany, Georgia. Now, I had never heard of Redd’s, and first thought it might be an interesting new microbrewery for the state of Georgia. But it turns out, Redd’s is a brand being launched by MillerCoors. OK, nothing wrong with that. They don’t especially want you to know that. But nothing wrong with that. It is brewed at the MillerCoors facility in Albany, so – for you Georgia beer fans –  it does have that going for it.

MillerCoors was nice enough to send me a few bottles to try, and right after I received them,  I also started seeing Redd’s pop up in gas stations and grocery stores in Georgia and Alabama. Redd’s is also available in Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana,  Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, and Maine (how did Maine slip in to this list, does lobster pair exceptionally well with apple ale???).

Just to be clear, this is an ale. Flavored with apple flavor. Colored with caramel coloring. It is not a hard cider (fermented apple juice). Now, you might ask, “why bother making an apple-flavored beer when you can brew a good cider from apples?” And I might answer, well, MillerCoors probably knows a lot more about turning grains into beer than they do about turning apples into cider. And that’s probably true, but it’s also true that they not too long ago snapped up Crispin Cider, who definitely knows a thing or three about turning apples into something liquid, delicious and mildly intoxicating (try their “artisanal reserves” if you can find them – in fact, maybe I’ll do some tasting notes on those soon).

Anyway, my intent is to share what I thought about the experience of drinking a Redd’s Apple Ale, regardless of corporate owner, regardless of state of origin, regardless of whether it’s an apple (cider) or an orange (ale… wait, that didn’t quite work…). As I said, anyway…

Redd’s Apple Ale
“Ale with natural apple flavor and caramel color”
5% alcohol by volume
Tasting Date: October 5, 2012

Redd’s Apple Ale is a lovely, moderately deep gold in color (in fact, it is downright caramel-y looking!). It pours with a nice fizz, but no head whatsoever, reinforcing that this is not going to be a typical ale.

On the nose, Redd’s doesn’t give too much, with a bare hint of green apple over dusty malt. Poured into a glass, the carbonation is lively, and it hits the tongue with a pleasantly smooth, bubbly fizz.

Overall, this comes across a lot like an easy-drinking version of a hard cider, not harsh or bitter at all. It’s very crisp and green appley, with an undertone of malt that comes on a bit stronger through the finish. Again, nothing particularly ale-like about this.

Redd’s goes down easy, and is definitely appealing at first, but manages to quickly become boring. I was nodding my head in OK-this-is-not-bad appreciation with the first few sips, but then realized I was not at all eager for more – not for any negatives present, but rather for lack of any sort of ongoing interest. While the apple flavor is the dominant note here, it really is that – apple flavor – rather than the apple characteristics that can evolve into something more in a good hard cider.

Verdict? Fair* – this is easy drinking, and offers a nice approximation of a hard cider – but why buy an apple ale when you can go for a real apple cider?

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* Thirsty South Rating Scale:

Wow – among the very best: knock-your-socks-off, profound, complex liquid gold!
Excellent – exceptional in quality and character, worth seeking out, highly recommended
Good Stuff – solid expression of its type/varietal, enjoyable and recommended
Fair – fairly standard or exhibiting obvious though minor flaws
Avoid – move away folks, nothing to see here, a trainwreck

Full Disclosure: this bottle was provided as a tasting sample

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UPDATED: Thirsty Guide to Atlanta

Pray for ATL

The Thirsty South “Thirsty Guide to Atlanta” (<- click to go straight to it) gets a minor re-build today – with a bunch of new additions, a few knockdowns, and a brand spankin’ new map plotting your path to potent potable nirvana. (Thank you, Jeopardy, for bringing “potent potables” into the popular vocabulary).

The most significant additions were in the cocktail bar category, where Atlanta continues to blossom thanks to a great bartender community and owner/operators who understand the importance of the bar to the restaurant. New to the list cocktail/whiskey bars include: 4th & Swift, Eleanor’s, Empire State South, The Lawrence, Local Three, Miller Union, Octane Grant Park, Octopus Bar, and Proof & Provision. There are a handful of others who are on the cusp of that list, but the intent is to keep it short and sweet.

Also added… The Spence for their very fun wine list, The Wrecking Bar for its unique brewpub atmosphere, and Empire State South for their coffee (they also make the cut for cocktails and wine list).

Be sure to click over to the Thirsty Guide to see the map and the full list of favorite spots around town for beer, cocktails, wine, and coffee. And please let me know who else you think deserves a spot on the list – or who should be taken down!

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From Nana’s Bar

You may recall Nana and her Battle Between Bourbon and Scotch (if not, do be sure to watch the short video in that post for a small peek into the Southern past). She was a spirited soul, to say the least. And she kept a well stocked bar, with some beautiful accessories, some silly accessories, some just plain awesome accessories.

In the beautiful category, there’s this silver julep cup (pictured above and below, be sure to scroll down through all the photos). I’ll admit I’ve never owned one myself (despite drinking my good share of mint juleps); it seems like a superbly Southern extravagance, like ice piled high when ice was a precious item itself. The silver in this julep cup beautifully reflects everything around it, pulling in the light, taking on and enhancing the character of its surroundings.

A beautiful bar can also be silly sometimes… after the julep cup, there’s something to keep the mood light – a vintage bartender’s glass jigger, labeled “Ladies” for 3/4 oz, “Gents” for 1 1/2 oz and, well, a picture of a very happy pig for 3 oz. It’s delightfully old fashioned, not to be taken seriously.

And on to the “just plain awesome” category, two sets… vintage silver jiggers by Napier (a renowned American silver company), with silver hands emerging from the cups, one finger or two (I prefer two, myself).  Then an old leather carrying case with two glass flasks, one of which is conveniently labeled in scrawled lettering on masking tape – “Bourbon.” There’s no arguing with that.

I honestly have no idea how old these items are. They could have been found at a flea market in 1992 or a fine silver shop in 1929 (well, one was likely the former, the others more likely latter). What’s most important, though, is that they are, and forever will be, from Nana’s bar. Memories come in many forms.

Cheers.

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The Terroir Martinez Cocktail

I’ve been enjoying St. George’s Terroir Gin for some time now. It was actually a year ago at a trade show that I first tasted it, walking away after a sip feeling like I had taken “a hike in Northern California” due to the local California botanicals used in making the gin. Just today, I was at this year’s edition of that same trade show, and came across the folks from St. George again. This time, they had some mysterious looking bottles with hangtags marked “Manhattan Project” and “Barrel Aged Martinez.” Of course, I had to try them.

The “Manhattan Project” was a nice barrel-aged cocktail in a bottle, rich and balanced, but really nothing too out of the ordinary. You dig Manhattans? You’ll dig their Manhattan. The Martinez, on the other hand, was like a hiking boot kick in the dusty pants. That Terroir Gin was put to marvelous use in this lightly aged (two weeks) cocktail, mixed with Carpano Antica plus Dolin rouge vermouth, Luxardo Maraschino liqueur, and a bit of bitters. I tasted many things at the show, but this little sip of a new spin on a classic cocktail was what blew me away.

Now, I know you probably don’t have a barrel sitting around at home, but that doesn’t mean you can’t tackle this Terroir Martinez cocktail. The Martinez is a classic cocktail whose typical components are Old Tom gin, Maraschino liqueur, sweet vermouth, and bitters. Of course, there are many variations on this, in the ratio of gin to vermouth, and in the types of gin or vermouth or bitters employed. The key for this iteration is the Terroir Gin, no substitutions allowed. It lends an herbal evergreen entry that segues seamlessly into the sweet dark cherry and vermouth. While St. George uses two different vermouths in their house recipe, I’ll simplify it a bit and just use one vermouth for this home version. Without the barrel aging, this is a bit sharper than the intended version, less mellowed by time, but it still packs the invigorating buzz of a good, vigorous hike.

Terroir Martinez Cocktail Recipe

2 oz St. George Terroir Gin
3/4 oz Dolin rouge vermouth (or other sweet vermouth)
1/4 oz Luxardo Marachino liqueur
Dash Angostura bitters

Fill a mixing glass halfway with ice. Add ingredients and stir very well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Add whatever garnish floats your boat.

* Thanks to Quality Wine and Spirits for hosting another great trade show.