Thanks for the top 10. I know lots of time went into this list, lots of tasting, retasting and note taking. You two are awesome! Keep up the great content.
Hey guys! Another good video. The sad part is that of your the top fives, the majority can not be had across the majority of the county. Even after two trips to KY. So sad. Guess we’ll just have to take your word on it. Maybe 2022 will be an even tastier up year for the rest of us. Looking forward to hearing what you get ahold of this year. Happy New Year! Keep raising a glass!
Lucked out here in FL with 4 of your top 10. Scored both Bardstown expressions during my pilgrimage to the motherland. Keep putting out this great content!
This makes me so happy when I look back at what I was able to get vs what I was not able to get last year. Hint hint I nabbed a 4RLE, SJR B16, and RR13. I came up empty handed on all BTAC, and worthwhile EHT…so nice to see most of them out of the top 10. Finally, I managed to get a Coy Hill and PHC 15…so delicious. But the 4RLE ‘21 totally surprised me at a tasting as well…never would have expected it.
I'm late to the game watching this. That's a great list for sure. Couldn't believe my eyes a couple weeks ago when my local store had three bottles of Stagg Jr. #17 sitting there. I bought two so someone else could enjoy one but deep down, I wish I would've snagged all three. My top 3: Stagg Jr., Templeton Rye 10 Year, Barrel Seagrass. Honorable mention: ECBP B521.
Thank you for this list. We will be enjoying Bardstown Discovery 6 (only thing on this list I’ve ever seen) here this evening. Happy New Year to both of you be safe.
Great list and a great year. Even better, of the top 10 I can get my hands on 4 (1792, Discovery 6, ECBP, Larceny). Going to have to make the drive to DE to look for a Discovery 6 and 1792 FP since they're clearly worth it. Cheers to an even better 2022!!
Thank you both for an amazing year. So glad I finally hopped on the Patreon train and look forward to seeing what 2022 brings. Cheers to you all! Happy New Year!
I was VERY lucky that I magically received that Four Roses bottle not long ago from a tremendously kind Patron of mine! I still haven't opened my bottle, but I believe it may have just gotten even more mental hype for me seeing where it ended up on your list. I was also pleased to see 1792 Full Proof and Elijah Craig Barrel Proof on this list as well. Looking forward to more whiskey related adventures next year!
Amazing overview! im pleased to have been able to enjoy a handful of these contenders. thanks to you two for all the great content..keep on keeping on!!!
Have a bottle of the 4RLE sitting on my shelf waiting to be opened! So excited. WLW has been the best juice I have ever tasted so jacked to have my Four Roses LE even more! Happy New Year and thanks for all you do! Love the content in 2021.
My local liquor store got 1 four roses small batch LE 2021 and they saved it for my payday. My daughter name is Rose and I’m saving it for one of her Milestones.
Nice list, would like to see top 10 readily available bourbons, under $100 & budget under $50, still refer to your older videos but selections have evolved. Happy new year, wish good health & happiness to you both. ❤️ from Mi.
Like your idea. Ratings are worth zero if they aren't available. Found very little of this video useful and would have much preferred a list of readily available juice.
I disagree because we can always try those common ones for ourselves, anytime, anywhere, for cheap. I want to hear more about some of the limited more pricey stuff in case I run into it I’ll know what to splurge on and what to avoid.
@@jasono.1629 Maybe my taste buds aren't polished enough; often the only difference i find between a good $50 whiskey and a highly rated $500 bottle is the hype - and I'm perfectly happy with that.
@@jasono.1629 that's because you've probably tried a lot. For many people they walk into the liquor store and see lots of options and want to know what the best bang for your buck is based on reviews from seasoned veterans that have lots if experience. I'd rather not spend thousands on bourbon to find out for myself.
I got the 1792 FP (good), Larceny BP (yet to open), ECBP (great, as usual), and that Bardstown Triple Blended Stave Finished. That bottle, while not cheap, is absolutely amazing. Definitely recommend buying a bottle if you ever have the chance.
I really like the old grand dad 114. It is simple but unfoldes nicely and hangs on as far as the palate. Coats the tongue nicely. Smooth for the proof. For $30 not bad
I haven't had any of your top 10, can't get half of them and the other half is out of my price range. I only have one bottle above $100, George Dickel/Leopold Bros. Collaboration rye, and I was able to get a nice discount on it, so it was just over 100 after tax. I did get 3 hard to find bottles that were all great. I can give you my top 3 2021 special releases; 1 Dickel/Leopold Collab, 2 Remus V, 3 George Dickel 13yo BIB 2021. Cheers!
Great list and presentation, as always. You guys always finish #1 on my Whiskey Tubers annual ranking. Affordable and easy to get, to boot! Happy New Year!
Great video, I love it that you do your top list blind! One thing I would be interested to hear from you guys is the difference in price point between these on the top 10. Like the MM FAE and the larceny BP are both sub 100, so if value was a factor how do you compare them to the WLW and the 4R LE?
Staff Jr never showed up in Phoenix (that I found). I tried Weller and finally gave it to my son as a mixer - I could not drink it. Love the Four Roses!
I love watching you guys.I am recently getting into bourbon.So far I really enjoy Bulliet Bourbon. I know Sarah does not like Bulliet but I dont like anything that will fry me.
Love the channel bc of your content. Been watching for a couple years. A word of advice/feedback. Try and ignore and not mention the negative feedback, it seems to be mention quite a bit in videos. Most watch for the great reviews you do. Happy new year
@@ItsBourbonNight Most of us are in whiskey groups on FB and we get it. There are plenty of negative Nancy's out there and we try to ignore them too. Love the chemistry you two have. There is a natural fun energy you guys have that makes your video's different. Keep it up
I've got the Stagg 16/17 and have yet to try either! I can get the 1792 and know where to get a few WLW but they're well above MSRP. I haven't really searched for any of the other's! I didn't know that EC had multiple Barrel proofs every year! Excited to add a few things to the hunting list! Cheer's It's Bourbon Night 🥃
Such a great Top 10. Thank you for all the work that went into this. Best in the business and love being a Patreon. Curious: I know u late switched birthday bourbon out of the 25 days. Did it make it back into these blinds?
Great 2021 rankings! Since you asked about the analytics of this, would be nice to see your 2021 rankings of various categories (ryes, finished bourbons, barrel strengths, etc.). Also, if u still have the bottles, a comparison of the last 3 years top 3 bottles to each other to see which year wins overall, just to prove my theory the last 2 years will beat this year 😜.
Have you tasted or reviewed High West Whiskey's "Campfire"? I was introduced to it at the Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar in Covington KY. Sadly, I live in Bangkok Thailand and with the customs and import fees, getting it here is problematic. I love it, just looking for your thoughts...
The #1 does not surprise me that much. I have had their Single Barrell before and it is very good. I like Woodford double oaked a little better but this is on another level as far as quality so I am sure it is very good.
I’m gonna say the WLW for sure. The second one, could be the 4 Roses, maybe the Stagg? Or if you weren’t able to get to Bardstown, the Triple Stave finish.
@@ItsBourbonNight Lucked out on the Bardstown. They had some in the gift shop when I was there in October. Not so lucky with either the WLW or 4R SmBLE. Hope to get a pour of each though. Very much enjoy your reviews!
1792 FP holds up! The "Calvin Klein" collab is definitely a Top 10 bottle in our bar. We must've picked up a bad B521. We weren't fans this year (and we loved everything from last year)... That said, the A121 grew on us. Really liked that. Its impressive that WLW came in where it did. We've been encouraging people to blind it against MM Cask Strength. Surprisingly enough, the couple of people who have taken us up on that have been surprised by how the readily available MMCS stacks up against WLW. But full disclosure, we're also admittedly (self-professedly) bad at whiskey 😆 ...so temper that comment based on who the commentors are... Us 😂🥃👍
Where did EHTBP land? I have it sitting here hoping it made the cut... I'm gonna drink it anyway 🥃 Happy New Year!!! I'll call you @midnight....JUST KIDDING ❤
I love your thoroughness and honesty...great video! However, just like picking a movie reviewer, in order to be useful it's a matter of whether your tastes are similar to a particular viewer. I don't mind that most are unicorns, allocated, expensive, or very hard to find. But, you do earn the nicknames "proof hounds," with only 1 pick under 110 proof (i.e. 109) and the majority over 120 proof. It seems inevitable when dealing with human sensory input that the more you're exposed to something, the more you build up a tolerance, and the more you seek a higher sensory input to be satisfied. If someone is into spicy food, it starts with a jalapeno, then Serrano, then Thai, then Habanero, then Ghost Pepper, etc. At that point, they scoff at the idea that jalapenos are hot, and reject them as "beginner" peppers. Hot tubs seem very hot upon entry, then you want more. Anyway, you may want to be mindful of the fact that your common experiences with high proof alcohol start to separate you from the sensory experiences of the ordinary consumer. Ever taken a couple weeks off, and then tucked into a 130+ proof Stagg Jr.?! It's like putting too much wasabi on your sushi! Y'all should perhaps break this into two different categories (101 and below, and then 102 and above)...as if you don't have enough to do. I guess my point is that there are dozens of GREAT whiskies that are 101 proof and below and they shouldn't get left out because you're looking for "higher highs" (when "higher highs" for the majority of casual drinkers would be 101 proof and below).
I disagree. If a lower proof bottle is really good then it will still stand out even against higher proof bottles. Sagmore Spirit Double Oak is 97 proof and Remus Repeal V is only 100 but they are dang tasty and have landed in other youtubers top 10 for 2021. I would rank them higher than many 110+ proof bottles. But besides that, most bourbon drinkers quickly graduate to higher proof stuff. I think you are probably in the minority in saying you don’t drink anything higher than 101 proof. And a show can’t be customized for beginner drinkers only and ignore the majority.
@@jasono.1629 I disagree, generally. While I agree lower proof offerings can be very good, when you review most of the highly subscribed whiskey channels their yearly top 10 lists are usually dominated by high proof offerings. THAT's what I'm pointing out. A bias, recognized or not, of experienced drinkers to gravitate to higher and higher proofs, making their opinions less and less relevant to ordinary drinkers. Thanks for confirming my view of the human bias for higher and higher sensory inputs. But, contrary to you statement, nowhere in my post will you find that I say I don't drink anything higher than 101. But I do think 130-140+ proof release (e.g. Coy Hill) are getting absurd. And, I'd like beloved Whiskey-tubers to recognize their biases, and try and remember the non-professional drinkers.
As most of us progress in our whiskey journey, our proof threshold quickly climbs. So it is with all UA-camrs who create whiskey content, and their viewers. So it follows that most top 10 videos are going to cater to the majority and thus include all bottles in a single competition, and thus not shoot a 2nd top 10 of a smaller, low-proof segment like you are wanting. But thankfully there are plenty of videos made by UA-camrs on good lower proof or beginner bottles that should be very easy for you to find. Some of those bottles are still quite good even to high proof drinkers.
@@jasono.1629 I understand why they wouldn't want to create additional content, although busy youtubers always need additional ideas to create content. But, I'd have to disagree on whether these are catering to the "majority," as the majority of whiskey drinkers drink 101 and below....it isn't even close. To be charitable, I think I understood your point that the videos are being made by experienced drinkers for experienced drinkers (not that they usually make any such qualification)....who, in your opinion, gravitate constantly towards higher proofs. Yet, I think you'd need to split the experienced drinkers further, because plenty of them are NOT the "explorer" drinkers that are always seeking the next, hot thing. Same is true for beer enthusiasts. A certain segment of consumers is always looking for more alcohol, more hops, more extremes....but they're usually a distinct, vocal, minority. Anyway, I think I may have beaten the dead horse enough. Thanks for your contrary opinion.
We did a whole episode where we deep dive into everything else, including the readily available bottles. You can watch it here: ua-cam.com/video/KRBAsoM-l1U/v-deo.html Thanks!
A really really good whiskey bar may have all 10 in the form of single barrel store/club picks. But, single barrels are all unique intrinsically but it may be the best way to get am idea of the differences.
Stagg Jr. is the whitest of white whales. I've never seen in the wild in any of the states I've traveled to since I started my bourbon journey. I was able to only score a pour in Louisville at a bar, but otherwise, I would expect to find Bigfoot in my backseat before seeing Stagg Jr. on a shelf, in a case or behind the counter. Great list. I did score an Elijah Craig Barrel Proof by purer dumb luck and I'm saving the grand opening for either my b-day this month or my retirement in March. Welcome to 2022. 🥃
We feel they do. We also got samples from friends of things we weren’t able to find which we know happens quite a lot in the whiskey community. We all love to share so it fits the narrative. So it’s bottles we have, and pours we were able to get enough of to properly evaluate and score the same as we did with the bottles we owned. After all, the purpose of this video was for us to determine the best American Whiskey that was released in 2021. The bigger the sample size, the better!
I feel like the little sister in The Brady Bunch...BARDSTOWN, BARDSTOWN, BARDSTOWN!!! I say this, as I have not found a way to get any of the bottles up to Fairbanks, Alaska😭. It stumps the local distributors. Any ideas?
Most all of the other "UA-cam Whiskey Experts" have thought that WLW and 4RSmBLE were not up to par for 2021 and you have them #2 and #1. Wow!! Considering both of the those bottles cost a LOT retail I think I'll have to hard pass if I happen to run across them. Sorry, but I have to go with the masses.
There's plenty of less expensive whiskeys out there that are incredible, it's hard to go wrong! Side note though, if you ever find a WLW for retail, which should be about $100, I would never pass it up. Popular opinion or not, it's just not a whiskey to leave on the shelf for retail. Even if it's not someone's best of the year, it's always amazing!
Elijah Craig is just clutch. Shelf staple status. Really surprised 4RLE was your #1. I haven’t had a 4R I’ve liked yet, granted I haven’t dived in the SiB selections. Their generic four roses offering I do not like
Thanks, C T! That’s for another list, though. This episode was about finding the very best of the best thing that we tried of the whiskeys that were released in 2021!
Some do, yeah, but we can’t take the value status away from something because of a few (or several) bad eggs. There’s also ABC controlled states that have to sell it for retail and even here in KY we bought batch 16 for retail.
Oh look. Rare, hard to find shyt. I'm blaming that McKinnon guy for not being able to find this stuff... I'm a commoner, ya know. Y'all keep up the "good work."
Was really, really, really, really, really, really hoping we explained ourselves well enough in the video that price and availability didn’t factor into this, but I guess we didn’t. Sorry about that, but hope that clears it up. Yeah, some people charge crazy amounts for WLW but others charge retail for it because it’s state controlled or it’s a large chain that doesn’t gouge their customers to keep loyalty. This video’s purpose was to find the best American Whiskey we tried all year.
Thanks for the top 10. I know lots of time went into this list, lots of tasting, retasting and note taking. You two are awesome! Keep up the great content.
Hey guys! Another good video. The sad part is that of your the top fives, the majority can not be had across the majority of the county. Even after two trips to KY. So sad. Guess we’ll just have to take your word on it. Maybe 2022 will be an even tastier up year for the rest of us. Looking forward to hearing what you get ahold of this year. Happy New Year! Keep raising a glass!
Lucked out here in FL with 4 of your top 10. Scored both Bardstown expressions during my pilgrimage to the motherland. Keep putting out this great content!
This makes me so happy when I look back at what I was able to get vs what I was not able to get last year. Hint hint I nabbed a 4RLE, SJR B16, and RR13. I came up empty handed on all BTAC, and worthwhile EHT…so nice to see most of them out of the top 10. Finally, I managed to get a Coy Hill and PHC 15…so delicious. But the 4RLE ‘21 totally surprised me at a tasting as well…never would have expected it.
I'm late to the game watching this. That's a great list for sure. Couldn't believe my eyes a couple weeks ago when my local store had three bottles of Stagg Jr. #17 sitting there. I bought two so someone else could enjoy one but deep down, I wish I would've snagged all three. My top 3: Stagg Jr., Templeton Rye 10 Year, Barrel Seagrass. Honorable mention: ECBP B521.
Thank you for this list. We will be enjoying Bardstown Discovery 6 (only thing on this list I’ve ever seen) here this evening. Happy New Year to both of you be safe.
I wish I could just see those bottles irl! You guys are lucky! But you do a great job with your show. I wish you the best in 2022
Great list and a great year. Even better, of the top 10 I can get my hands on 4 (1792, Discovery 6, ECBP, Larceny). Going to have to make the drive to DE to look for a Discovery 6 and 1792 FP since they're clearly worth it.
Cheers to an even better 2022!!
Thank you both for an amazing year. So glad I finally hopped on the Patreon train and look forward to seeing what 2022 brings. Cheers to you all! Happy New Year!
Great video! I appreciate all the work y'all put into these rankings and look forward to this video every year! Take care and be well!
That’s a great list. Unfortunately the only one remotely available here is the ECBP. Great content as always. Peace.
Happy to know I bought backup B521 asap, makes me happy. I am reluctant to open it as I still have a sealed C920...Happy New Year.
I was VERY lucky that I magically received that Four Roses bottle not long ago from a tremendously kind Patron of mine! I still haven't opened my bottle, but I believe it may have just gotten even more mental hype for me seeing where it ended up on your list. I was also pleased to see 1792 Full Proof and Elijah Craig Barrel Proof on this list as well. Looking forward to more whiskey related adventures next year!
Amazing overview! im pleased to have been able to enjoy a handful of these contenders. thanks to you two for all the great content..keep on keeping on!!!
Have a bottle of the 4RLE sitting on my shelf waiting to be opened! So excited. WLW has been the best juice I have ever tasted so jacked to have my Four Roses LE even more! Happy New Year and thanks for all you do! Love the content in 2021.
My local liquor store got 1 four roses small batch LE 2021 and they saved it for my payday. My daughter name is Rose and I’m saving it for one of her Milestones.
First time seeing your channel. I like it. Well done
Thanks! Hope you’ll consider giving us a subscribe and stick around for a while.
Nice list, would like to see top 10 readily available bourbons, under $100 & budget under $50, still refer to your older videos but selections have evolved. Happy new year, wish good health & happiness to you both. ❤️ from Mi.
Like your idea. Ratings are worth zero if they aren't available. Found very little of this video useful and would have much preferred a list of readily available juice.
Totally agree!
I disagree because we can always try those common ones for ourselves, anytime, anywhere, for cheap. I want to hear more about some of the limited more pricey stuff in case I run into it I’ll know what to splurge on and what to avoid.
@@jasono.1629 Maybe my taste buds aren't polished enough; often the only difference i find between a good $50 whiskey and a highly rated $500 bottle is the hype - and I'm perfectly happy with that.
@@jasono.1629 that's because you've probably tried a lot. For many people they walk into the liquor store and see lots of options and want to know what the best bang for your buck is based on reviews from seasoned veterans that have lots if experience. I'd rather not spend thousands on bourbon to find out for myself.
I got the 1792 FP (good), Larceny BP (yet to open), ECBP (great, as usual), and that Bardstown Triple Blended Stave Finished. That bottle, while not cheap, is absolutely amazing. Definitely recommend buying a bottle if you ever have the chance.
Have only ever seen Elijah Craig Barrel Proof and 1792 Full Proof, rest extremely rare/allocated
I really like the old grand dad 114. It is simple but unfoldes nicely and hangs on as far as the palate. Coats the tongue nicely. Smooth for the proof. For $30 not bad
Absolutely! Love it in cocktails and also sipping neat. Great bang for the buck.
I haven't had any of your top 10, can't get half of them and the other half is out of my price range. I only have one bottle above $100, George Dickel/Leopold Bros. Collaboration rye, and I was able to get a nice discount on it, so it was just over 100 after tax. I did get 3 hard to find bottles that were all great. I can give you my top 3 2021 special releases; 1 Dickel/Leopold Collab, 2 Remus V, 3 George Dickel 13yo BIB 2021. Cheers!
Great list and presentation, as always.
You guys always finish #1 on my Whiskey Tubers annual ranking.
Affordable and easy to get, to boot!
Happy New Year!
Thanks, James!
Great top 10 happy new year Cheers!
Great video, I love it that you do your top list blind! One thing I would be interested to hear from you guys is the difference in price point between these on the top 10. Like the MM FAE and the larceny BP are both sub 100, so if value was a factor how do you compare them to the WLW and the 4R LE?
Four of those bottles landed on my doorstep the week before Christmas. I guess we need to get to tasting.
Happy New Year!
Haha yep! Now if only their were an occasion real soon that would warrant opening up some great whiskey. Hummm 🤔 hahaha Happy New Year!!
Great list! Always enjoy your content. Cheers!!
Love those Glencarins!!
Staff Jr never showed up in Phoenix (that I found). I tried Weller and finally gave it to my son as a mixer - I could not drink it. Love the Four Roses!
Nice finish to the year. Thanks.
I love watching you guys.I am recently getting into bourbon.So far I really enjoy Bulliet Bourbon. I know Sarah does not like Bulliet but I dont like anything that will fry me.
I love the number 1 pick ! im a huge fan
Love the channel bc of your content. Been watching for a couple years. A word of advice/feedback. Try and ignore and not mention the negative feedback, it seems to be mention quite a bit in videos. Most watch for the great reviews you do. Happy new year
Appreciate it! We're just trying to let everyone know we're listening.
@@ItsBourbonNight Most of us are in whiskey groups on FB and we get it. There are plenty of negative Nancy's out there and we try to ignore them too. Love the chemistry you two have. There is a natural fun energy you guys have that makes your video's different. Keep it up
@@jimmymem2387 Thanks!
I was sure the triple stave finish would take the crown. So delicious!
Really great video!
Great job.
Great List
happy new year
Greetings from Germany
I've got the Stagg 16/17 and have yet to try either! I can get the 1792 and know where to get a few WLW but they're well above MSRP. I haven't really searched for any of the other's! I didn't know that EC had multiple Barrel proofs every year! Excited to add a few things to the hunting list! Cheer's It's Bourbon Night 🥃
One of the best and honest "best of" lists on the "Tube!" Ur selection process, in my opinion, sets....the....standard! Happy New Year IBN!
Thanks, Cameron! That means a lot to us!
WLW will be in my cabinet next Wednesday and MSRP is a good price.
Been waiting for this one. Thanks you two. All the best in 2022! Stagg Jr. took top honours on my channel this year 😊🥃🎉
Happy New Year!
Such a great Top 10. Thank you for all the work that went into this. Best in the business and love being a Patreon. Curious: I know u late switched birthday bourbon out of the 25 days. Did it make it back into these blinds?
Thanks! Yeah, it stayed in the blind best of ranking.
Great episode! Would love to know where the Rare Breed poor man’s pour ranked in this blind.
Tune in to this Friday's episode, Jason. All will be revealed!
#NuttySquad rye rye miss American pie!
American bourbon! I love you guys happy new year from the squad!!!!
Happy New Year, Nutty Squad!
I'm surprised Makers FAE-02 didn't crack the top 10. It was my fav of the year, but I honestly didn't get to try many of the others on your list.
It surprised us, too!
Great list. Surprised no Rye made it
Same here. Bad year for rye?
Great 2021 rankings! Since you asked about the analytics of this, would be nice to see your 2021 rankings of various categories (ryes, finished bourbons, barrel strengths, etc.). Also, if u still have the bottles, a comparison of the last 3 years top 3 bottles to each other to see which year wins overall, just to prove my theory the last 2 years will beat this year 😜.
I wish we had them! Last years winner was just a media sample so it’s long gone :(
114 is the magic number...OGD
I'm a simple man. I see blind tasting by bourbon night, I press like
Now that’s a motto to live by! Thanks and happy new year!
@@ItsBourbonNight you too! Thanks for the review and enjoy your well earned break.
Have you tasted or reviewed High West Whiskey's "Campfire"? I was introduced to it at the Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar in Covington KY. Sadly, I live in Bangkok Thailand and with the customs and import fees, getting it here is problematic. I love it, just looking for your thoughts...
I no longer hold a large collection , however it is funny to me i have 6 of your top ten bottles.
When you finally find the right girl you just stay with her 1776♥️
Where can I find the glencarin glasses like y'all have? Thanks
You can find our glasses and a lot more at whiskeyambitions.com! (Or should I say glasses and a lot "moore"?). Great question, Shawn, thanks.
The #1 does not surprise me that much. I have had their Single Barrell before and it is very good. I like Woodford double oaked a little better but this is on another level as far as quality so I am sure it is very good.
Happy New Year y'all, stay safe!
Managed to pickup 8 of the 10 and have enjoyed them. I'm sure you can guess the other 2.
Happy New Year!
I’m gonna say the WLW for sure. The second one, could be the 4 Roses, maybe the Stagg? Or if you weren’t able to get to Bardstown, the Triple Stave finish.
@@ItsBourbonNight Lucked out on the Bardstown. They had some in the gift shop when I was there in October. Not so lucky with either the WLW or 4R SmBLE. Hope to get a pour of each though. Very much enjoy your reviews!
@@robgionfriddo7362 Hope you can find them both for a reasonable priced pour!
What a great list of whiskeys I can neither find or afford 🤨
That WLW was such a let down for me this year. It’s worlds behind last years and I enjoyed the Coy Hill so much more. Put it on the proof 😁
Wow now I'm really glad I won the 4 roses LE in a lottery. :D
I also hoped Maker’s Mark FAE-02 would make your Top 10. Where did it rank in your list of 25?
Tune in to this Friday's episode, Mike. All will be revealed!
@@ItsBourbonNight Can’t wait!
1792 FP holds up!
The "Calvin Klein" collab is definitely a Top 10 bottle in our bar.
We must've picked up a bad B521. We weren't fans this year (and we loved everything from last year)... That said, the A121 grew on us. Really liked that.
Its impressive that WLW came in where it did. We've been encouraging people to blind it against MM Cask Strength. Surprisingly enough, the couple of people who have taken us up on that have been surprised by how the readily available MMCS stacks up against WLW.
But full disclosure, we're also admittedly (self-professedly) bad at whiskey 😆 ...so temper that comment based on who the commentors are... Us 😂🥃👍
You guys have great taste. ;)
Ya know what, yours ain't so bad either. ;)
Is there a Men's Version of Four Roses?
Where did EHTBP land? I have it sitting here hoping it made the cut... I'm gonna drink it anyway 🥃 Happy New Year!!! I'll call you @midnight....JUST KIDDING ❤
The Top 10 for high proof drinkers.
Curious where Remus Repeal V landed ?
We’ll get into it in the breakdown show.
I love your thoroughness and honesty...great video! However, just like picking a movie reviewer, in order to be useful it's a matter of whether your tastes are similar to a particular viewer. I don't mind that most are unicorns, allocated, expensive, or very hard to find. But, you do earn the nicknames "proof hounds," with only 1 pick under 110 proof (i.e. 109) and the majority over 120 proof. It seems inevitable when dealing with human sensory input that the more you're exposed to something, the more you build up a tolerance, and the more you seek a higher sensory input to be satisfied. If someone is into spicy food, it starts with a jalapeno, then Serrano, then Thai, then Habanero, then Ghost Pepper, etc. At that point, they scoff at the idea that jalapenos are hot, and reject them as "beginner" peppers. Hot tubs seem very hot upon entry, then you want more. Anyway, you may want to be mindful of the fact that your common experiences with high proof alcohol start to separate you from the sensory experiences of the ordinary consumer. Ever taken a couple weeks off, and then tucked into a 130+ proof Stagg Jr.?! It's like putting too much wasabi on your sushi! Y'all should perhaps break this into two different categories (101 and below, and then 102 and above)...as if you don't have enough to do. I guess my point is that there are dozens of GREAT whiskies that are 101 proof and below and they shouldn't get left out because you're looking for "higher highs" (when "higher highs" for the majority of casual drinkers would be 101 proof and below).
I disagree. If a lower proof bottle is really good then it will still stand out even against higher proof bottles. Sagmore Spirit Double Oak is 97 proof and Remus Repeal V is only 100 but they are dang tasty and have landed in other youtubers top 10 for 2021. I would rank them higher than many 110+ proof bottles.
But besides that, most bourbon drinkers quickly graduate to higher proof stuff. I think you are probably in the minority in saying you don’t drink anything higher than 101 proof. And a show can’t be customized for beginner drinkers only and ignore the majority.
@@jasono.1629 I disagree, generally. While I agree lower proof offerings can be very good, when you review most of the highly subscribed whiskey channels their yearly top 10 lists are usually dominated by high proof offerings. THAT's what I'm pointing out. A bias, recognized or not, of experienced drinkers to gravitate to higher and higher proofs, making their opinions less and less relevant to ordinary drinkers.
Thanks for confirming my view of the human bias for higher and higher sensory inputs. But, contrary to you statement, nowhere in my post will you find that I say I don't drink anything higher than 101. But I do think 130-140+ proof release (e.g. Coy Hill) are getting absurd. And, I'd like beloved Whiskey-tubers to recognize their biases, and try and remember the non-professional drinkers.
As most of us progress in our whiskey journey, our proof threshold quickly climbs. So it is with all UA-camrs who create whiskey content, and their viewers. So it follows that most top 10 videos are going to cater to the majority and thus include all bottles in a single competition, and thus not shoot a 2nd top 10 of a smaller, low-proof segment like you are wanting.
But thankfully there are plenty of videos made by UA-camrs on good lower proof or beginner bottles that should be very easy for you to find. Some of those bottles are still quite good even to high proof drinkers.
@@jasono.1629 I understand why they wouldn't want to create additional content, although busy youtubers always need additional ideas to create content. But, I'd have to disagree on whether these are catering to the "majority," as the majority of whiskey drinkers drink 101 and below....it isn't even close. To be charitable, I think I understood your point that the videos are being made by experienced drinkers for experienced drinkers (not that they usually make any such qualification)....who, in your opinion, gravitate constantly towards higher proofs. Yet, I think you'd need to split the experienced drinkers further, because plenty of them are NOT the "explorer" drinkers that are always seeking the next, hot thing. Same is true for beer enthusiasts. A certain segment of consumers is always looking for more alcohol, more hops, more extremes....but they're usually a distinct, vocal, minority. Anyway, I think I may have beaten the dead horse enough. Thanks for your contrary opinion.
@@ikiruyamamoto1050 enjoy the journey!
Were did the other shelf available control bottles rank?
We did a whole episode where we deep dive into everything else, including the readily available bottles. You can watch it here: ua-cam.com/video/KRBAsoM-l1U/v-deo.html
Thanks!
@@ItsBourbonNight Thank you.
WHISKEY CHEERS 😎😎😎😎
877 Happy New Year!
Is there a smart way to get to try all the 4🌹 recipes? Is it something that can be done at the distillery?
A really really good whiskey bar may have all 10 in the form of single barrel store/club picks. But, single barrels are all unique intrinsically but it may be the best way to get am idea of the differences.
Stagg Jr. is the whitest of white whales. I've never seen in the wild in any of the states I've traveled to since I started my bourbon journey. I was able to only score a pour in Louisville at a bar, but otherwise, I would expect to find Bigfoot in my backseat before seeing Stagg Jr. on a shelf, in a case or behind the counter.
Great list. I did score an Elijah Craig Barrel Proof by purer dumb luck and I'm saving the grand opening for either my b-day this month or my retirement in March.
Welcome to 2022. 🥃
I know you guys said bottles you owned, but do media samples really fit that category?
We feel they do. We also got samples from friends of things we weren’t able to find which we know happens quite a lot in the whiskey community. We all love to share so it fits the narrative. So it’s bottles we have, and pours we were able to get enough of to properly evaluate and score the same as we did with the bottles we owned. After all, the purpose of this video was for us to determine the best American Whiskey that was released in 2021. The bigger the sample size, the better!
@@ItsBourbonNight Great explanation! I was wondering the rational behind " bottle we own" and that makes a lot of sense!
Just curious where little book #5 landed?
After tasting it, we didn't like it enough to put it in the blind best-of contention.
Maybe you should do a "best AVAILABLE of 2021" or "best available at MSRP of 2021"
I feel like the little sister in The Brady Bunch...BARDSTOWN, BARDSTOWN, BARDSTOWN!!!
I say this, as I have not found a way to get any of the bottles up to Fairbanks, Alaska😭. It stumps the local distributors.
Any ideas?
Humm, we can ask the BBC people and see what they say.
Bless you both and Happy New Year. I toast you with a dram of my just-cracked Maker’s Mark Private Select Oak Stave Edition!!!
Most all of the other "UA-cam Whiskey Experts" have thought that WLW and 4RSmBLE were not up to par for 2021 and you have them #2 and #1. Wow!! Considering both of the those bottles cost a LOT retail I think I'll have to hard pass if I happen to run across them. Sorry, but I have to go with the masses.
There's plenty of less expensive whiskeys out there that are incredible, it's hard to go wrong! Side note though, if you ever find a WLW for retail, which should be about $100, I would never pass it up. Popular opinion or not, it's just not a whiskey to leave on the shelf for retail. Even if it's not someone's best of the year, it's always amazing!
Elijah Craig is just clutch. Shelf staple status.
Really surprised 4RLE was your #1. I haven’t had a 4R I’ve liked yet, granted I haven’t dived in the SiB selections. Their generic four roses offering I do not like
We were surprised, too! The LEs of Four Roses are head and shoulders above their everyday offerings.
Ryes didn't fare too well in 2021 huh? Might need their own separate list! 🤣
They did not. Not as many LEs this year we’re ryes, it seemed like.
21' THH > all
Great list,However you should do a more relatable list for the top ten and exclude the hard to find bourbons !
Thanks, C T! That’s for another list, though. This episode was about finding the very best of the best thing that we tried of the whiskeys that were released in 2021!
Ok so what is the cheapest one on this list?
Probably the 1792 Full Proof, it should be around $50. Stagg Jr., ECBP and Larceny BP should also be around $60 if you're dealing with retail.
Calling Stagg Jr a "value" is weird since most liquor stores sell it for double MSRP or worse.
Some do, yeah, but we can’t take the value status away from something because of a few (or several) bad eggs. There’s also ABC controlled states that have to sell it for retail and even here in KY we bought batch 16 for retail.
No Coy Hill on this list? Hmmm...
It may have made it if we were able to try it. We couldn’t find a bottle of it anywhere.
Will NEVER be able to get WLW, Stagg Jr., or Four Roses LE here!
Literally none of these top 10s are available in the state of Alabama.
At least half of them are available but it's allocated.
WLW violates the “readily available” rule so should be disqualified. Good? Yes. Available? No.
Agree with you there, Scott, but you musta misheard, we don’t factor availability into our rankings.
aaaand I can't find a single one of them lol
I soo wanted to be like 420
Oh look. Rare, hard to find shyt. I'm blaming that McKinnon guy for not being able to find this stuff... I'm a commoner, ya know. Y'all keep up the "good work."
Really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really stupid to include WLW in this list when it is a $2000 whiskey.
Was really, really, really, really, really, really hoping we explained ourselves well enough in the video that price and availability didn’t factor into this, but I guess we didn’t. Sorry about that, but hope that clears it up.
Yeah, some people charge crazy amounts for WLW but others charge retail for it because it’s state controlled or it’s a large chain that doesn’t gouge their customers to keep loyalty. This video’s purpose was to find the best American Whiskey we tried all year.
Kentucky homer's like always.
Boooooo no love for American Single malts boooo lol.. boooooo lol...
What’s a non creepy way of saying she is beautiful? I don’t want to be that guy….