Joined Sep 2003
9K Posts | 0+
Puerto Rico/NYC
I've become interested in something like cigars, or when I rediscovered my fascination with railroading, both the real thing and toy trains, I develop a voracious appetite to go out there and find out as much as possible in as short a period of time as I can and become as proficient and knowledgeable as I can be.
Without going into details about how I've read diesel locomotive rosters and manuals, or how as the cigar boom was progressing through its final stages into the post boom seriousness that now exists in the culture, I was running all over the place buying any and every cigar, old and new releases, reading everything I could, talking to as many people with experience as I could get to answer certain questions, just to . . .
well, just to "get educated," and find out where I stand with the subject of my interest and where certain aspects of my subject of interest stand with me.
And so it is with bourbon. About two years ago, two or three years after first tasting bourbon, I stepped up my quest to taste as many as possible, educating my palate and increasing my knowledge, I embarked on a course that has led to my having had experiences with no less than about 35-40 and perhaps even more different offerings from many distilleries.
Once I realized that I had "found my spirit" in bourbon, and later rye, I had to find out of all the ones out there which ones I would like the best and therefore like to have around. I thought developing a Top Ten would be a worthwhile goal. About that time I also made the acquaintance of . . .
The Man Who Would Become . . .
My Whiskey Sensei . . .
our own Hollow Point, . . .
who never made a hollow point in his life, . . .
not even in the crib. He was already a thinking man, well on his way to becoming . . .
Scotchland Yard's Finest, . . .
The Whiskey Dogg Detective!!!
Yes, a 13th Dan Whiskey Man, the highest rank, one of only twelve men in the world to ever hold a 13th Dan Red Amber Belt, higher than all the other belts within the 13th Dan, with only five of those men still alive.
But now I'm sated. Not to say I'll never try another bourbon, but I think with a Top 25, it's time to sit back and enjoy a vast array of bourbons that I know I like and not pursue strangers as I have done until recently. I have expanded to the point where it is now time to contract, the old "go for what you know" philosophy. But I couldn't have gotten there without the experiences that led me to the list below. Aside from the Colonel's constant reminder to try Fighting Rooster 103 proof bourbon, one I've always been curious about, and with all the famous names either near the bottom of or not even on my list, it's just time to sit back, . . .
and enjoy.
One mo' time, the latest list, the definitive Top 25 Bloofy Bourbon List.
And the band played on.
Bloofingtonian Top 25 of Bourbon
1. A.H. Hirsch Reserve 16 year old
2. Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 20 year old
3. The Classic Cask Single Batch 20 year old bourbon
4. Booker's True Barrel Bourbon
5. W.L. Weller Wheated 19 year old
6. Distiller's Masterpiece I - Cognac Finish
7. Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 year old
8. George T. Stagg 2002
9. Baker's
10. George T. Stagg 2003
11. Knob Creek
12. Pure Kentucky
13. Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve
14. Old Rip Van Winkle 15 year old 107 proof
15. Basil Hayden’s
16. Henry McKenna 10 year old 100 proof bonded
17. Jefferson’s Reserve 15 year old
18. Wild Turkey Rare Breed
19. Blanton’s
20. Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 23 year old
21. W.L. Weller Special Reserve 7 year old 90 proof
22. Old Commonwealth
23. Elijah Craig 12 year old
24. Eagle Rare 10 year old 101 proof
25. Eagle Rare 17 year old
Without going into details about how I've read diesel locomotive rosters and manuals, or how as the cigar boom was progressing through its final stages into the post boom seriousness that now exists in the culture, I was running all over the place buying any and every cigar, old and new releases, reading everything I could, talking to as many people with experience as I could get to answer certain questions, just to . . .
well, just to "get educated," and find out where I stand with the subject of my interest and where certain aspects of my subject of interest stand with me.
And so it is with bourbon. About two years ago, two or three years after first tasting bourbon, I stepped up my quest to taste as many as possible, educating my palate and increasing my knowledge, I embarked on a course that has led to my having had experiences with no less than about 35-40 and perhaps even more different offerings from many distilleries.
Once I realized that I had "found my spirit" in bourbon, and later rye, I had to find out of all the ones out there which ones I would like the best and therefore like to have around. I thought developing a Top Ten would be a worthwhile goal. About that time I also made the acquaintance of . . .
The Man Who Would Become . . .
My Whiskey Sensei . . .
our own Hollow Point, . . .
who never made a hollow point in his life, . . .
not even in the crib. He was already a thinking man, well on his way to becoming . . .
Scotchland Yard's Finest, . . .
The Whiskey Dogg Detective!!!
Yes, a 13th Dan Whiskey Man, the highest rank, one of only twelve men in the world to ever hold a 13th Dan Red Amber Belt, higher than all the other belts within the 13th Dan, with only five of those men still alive.
But now I'm sated. Not to say I'll never try another bourbon, but I think with a Top 25, it's time to sit back and enjoy a vast array of bourbons that I know I like and not pursue strangers as I have done until recently. I have expanded to the point where it is now time to contract, the old "go for what you know" philosophy. But I couldn't have gotten there without the experiences that led me to the list below. Aside from the Colonel's constant reminder to try Fighting Rooster 103 proof bourbon, one I've always been curious about, and with all the famous names either near the bottom of or not even on my list, it's just time to sit back, . . .
and enjoy.
One mo' time, the latest list, the definitive Top 25 Bloofy Bourbon List.
And the band played on.
Bloofingtonian Top 25 of Bourbon
1. A.H. Hirsch Reserve 16 year old
2. Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 20 year old
3. The Classic Cask Single Batch 20 year old bourbon
4. Booker's True Barrel Bourbon
5. W.L. Weller Wheated 19 year old
6. Distiller's Masterpiece I - Cognac Finish
7. Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 year old
8. George T. Stagg 2002
9. Baker's
10. George T. Stagg 2003
11. Knob Creek
12. Pure Kentucky
13. Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve
14. Old Rip Van Winkle 15 year old 107 proof
15. Basil Hayden’s
16. Henry McKenna 10 year old 100 proof bonded
17. Jefferson’s Reserve 15 year old
18. Wild Turkey Rare Breed
19. Blanton’s
20. Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 23 year old
21. W.L. Weller Special Reserve 7 year old 90 proof
22. Old Commonwealth
23. Elijah Craig 12 year old
24. Eagle Rare 10 year old 101 proof
25. Eagle Rare 17 year old