I'm from California and living in Mexico City. Every Saturday I buy a bottle of Jim Beam (about $22 here) and go to my favorite taco restaurant a block from the liquor store and order a Mexican Coca Cola, glass with ice and 8 tacos for only 50 cents each. I can't explain how wonderful it is. The restaurant doesn't care I bring the Beam and I'm always the happiest person at the restaurant. That bourbon flavor with the real sugar-made Coke is simply magnificent. Also, the tacos with their assortment of hot sauces makes each Saturday a beautiful experience. Mexico City is incredible. Oh, subscribed. Y'all are the best! Love watching the blind tastings.
I read that the Mexican Government was deporting Americans living in Mexico City for driving prices up with their Yankee Dollars. I would sure like to know what you have to say about that.
Just saw a video or news story, can't remember which. They scientifically tested American Coke with High fructose corn syrup and Mexican Coke that claimed it was real sugar. There was no difference in the chemical makeup of the sweeteners in either. Coke is lying to us. Other that that minor quip (what you don't know doesn't hurt you) you are living the life. I'm jealous.
@@williampotter2098 Bill~ I saw a whole UA-cam video, where a chemist determined that Mexican Coke DOES use cane sugar, but the sucrose, over time, turned into fructose. This would explain why fructose appeared in the tests. Now, I am from the US, and can tell the difference in taste in the Coca Cola in GLASS bottles down here in Mexico City. It has a distinctive "natural sugar" taste. I emphasized glass for a reason. All soda cans have a plastic inner liner, and that interacts with the sugar in the soda. So, yes, the Coca Cola in glass bottles, in Mexico, is superior to high fructose syrup Coca Cola- and yes, my Jim Beam and Coke cocktails here are exceptional. So much so, I am going to go buy another bottle right now. Cheers to ya'll up there!
@@gregoriopalofuego9808 Now that you mention it, I remember that you are right. The video said the sugar changed it's chemical composition to be like corn syrup. I suppose what that tastes like is subjective. I can get Mexican coke at a local Mexican market but I don't know if it's exactly what you get. It says sugar on the label.
I think the issue people have with Beam, and you'll see this with Wild Turkey a lot too - is that someone had way too many shots in college, had a bad time, saw the contents of their dinner at the bottom of a ceramic bowl, and now swear that the stuff is terrible. It's an association thing more than an objective judgement of what is in the bottle. My wife had a similar experience with some exceptionally good armagnac and now can't even entertain the thought of having a French brandy without it triggering a gag reflex.
It might also be that there’s just so much of it and it’s so widely sold that enthusiasts think it’s not good or worth their time. There’s a good reason it’s the best selling bourbon in the world.
I resemble this comment. My association with Wild Turkey was based on one bad night and some bad decisions. Ever since tasting Wild Turkey Rare Breed (and soon to be others) I have cured myself of that unfair association...
Rare Breed is a staple in my cabinet. Though I tend to like Russell's Reserve Single barrel a little more - especially if you're lucky enough to find a store pick - *chef's kiss*. But for $10 less it's really hard to beat Rare Breed.
I have a brother in law that drinks Jim Beam white label because it’s cheap and at 80 proof he can drink a lot of it, quantity over quality. I’ve told him there is better bourbon out there, but he won’t buy it.
I won't drink Beam neat, but it is my favorite mixer when I'm in a lighter drinking mood. It also has a nostalgic feel for me because my parents always had a bottle in the house. They weren't big drinkers but when we had company who wanted a little something other than Budweiser, that was available. It will always remain on the shelf with my favorites, rather than being banished to the 'saved for company sharing' shelf. Great video, Gentlemen.
03:48 Jim Beam White Label 05:47 Basil Hayden 08:34 Hudson Baby Bourbon 15:00 Willet Pot Still Personally, I’m far more likely to watch these videos when there are time codes/bookmarks so I can jump to the parts I care about.
@@Hungry_Raven I'm not discarding anything and I didn't say any of it isn't worthwhile. They reviewed 4 bourbons, and those 4 time codes are where the reviews of those 4 bourbons start.
I'm so glad I put the basil back on the shelf and went home with a bottle of knob creek single barrel small batch and only paid a $10.00 dollars more. I'd rather have a cheap bottle of 101 turkey than any other for the money. I goofed and bought a bottle of Evans Williams bottled and bond and nope, never again. I'll stick with 101 turkey over all for cheap bourbon.
This video was absolutely AWESOME!! Your descriptions : "pencil shavings; sour milk; toilet seat" all were better than poetry. The facial expressions.... PRICELESS!!! Keep up the great content. I'm a fan!!😎
I work at a large liquor store with the initials TW. It’s amazing to me how much Jim Beam 1.75 bottles we sell every day. It’s always the “Older” customers buying it. That’s what they’ve always drank and nothing is going to change that.
Beam is okay, it's just not as good as other inexpensive US whiskies which are not bourbons, like Jack, Overholt, or Mellow Corn. And it doesn't cost much extra to get Knob Creek or Woodford.
You guys going back to that Baby Bourbon was like when your friend says, "dude, you gotta smell this" and you know it's gonna be terrible, but you do it anyway. Repeatedly.
Jim Beam is perfectly fine. Friend got it for me as a birthday present and I had forgotten how easy it was to sip. Can’t do cask strength every night lol. Worst I’ve had (thankfully not a purchase but rather at a tasting) was the Peerless absinthe finished. Not cheap either
I laughed with tears pouring out of my eyes at the Hudson Whiskey. That was one of my first bourbons I bought as a new drinker. It's still around with 1 sip gone! Hahaha soooooo bad!
TOTALLY agree on the Hudson Baby Bourbon. This was one of the first “expensive” bottles that I bought when I first started, and it was so bad that I almost quit drinking bourbon all together. It’s the only bottle that I have ever poured down the drain without finishing.
The worst bourbon I ever had was Cody Road. I brought a few bottles when it first came out because I live about 15 miles from the distillery. Big mistake. It was like drinking straight alcohol and burned. I think it was aged 6 months at the most.
Old Grand Dad bonded, also from Beam, has the same mash bill as Basil Hayden, at ⅓ less or more in price. OGD 114 is still cheaper as well. I'll take either of those over BH.
I'm one of the Willett Pot Still fans. I bought my first bottle maybe five years ago and have been buying it ever since. There's what I call a "funky" taste to it that I actually like. I can see how it would turn some people off, kind of like how some folks love cilantro and some think it tastes like soap. I'm OK with folks not liking it if it means I'll always be able to find it on the shelf. Cheers! 🥃🤘
This is the honest type of dialogue that makes this forum great. I have never tasted WP, but am now intrigued to try it, since I am the type who truly appreciates some different types of flavors. And yes, I love cilantro too.
People love to hate on Willett, but my only two complaints is it's proofed to the floor and $50 a bottle. Fix the proof issue or drop the price and I would seek it out more often.
My dad would mix Jim Beam white label with Squirt (Grapefruit Soda). I still do it occasionally today because it reminds me of him. It’s really pretty decent to sip on too.
I appreciate you sharing that story with your dad! I sell a lot of good whiskey's at my bar, and we're one of the top cocktail spots in the city. Nothing wrong with Jim Beam for the price. At the store all the good whiskey's are $50-60. Ridiculous. Jim Beam on the other hand was $13. If you need to drink, there's plenty worse and if you know mix drinks, it can still taste good.
100% true story: At my high school graduation in 1970, my mother's mother gave me a bottle of Jim Beam. It is still around 1/3 full. Not because I don't like it, but because only now at 72 years old I am exploring hard liquors of the world. I'm having fun. Enjoy your presentations.
If it weren’t for the volume of money Jim Beam white label produces, the distillery wouldn’t be able to do all of the other more sought after products. Sales of that have probably kept many a small liquor store operational
My ex fil drank a gallon a week…straight from a glass. Beginn8ng at six am every morning…he bought two half gallons a week every m9nday at the liqour store. Yes, he died from cirrohsis…
New girl at the local liqueur store asked me if I needed help. I just said no I'm just browsing the bourbons as I do. She said "Have you tried Basil Hayden? It's a good one!" I just said "yeahh I think so". I didn't have the heart to tell her how much people say that's the worst for it's price on the planet.
I've never had it, but for some reason I used to see it on the shelf and really want to try it until I'd remember it's 80 proof. I'd never pay a premium for 80 proof bourbon so I never bought any.
Seriously - a guy who finds pie unappealing but would take the time to research, pick, cook, and eat a possibly maggot-ridden lawn mushroom? Unique, to say the least.
Like those "beer drinkers" who scoff at anyone who doesn't only drink microbrew... I'm just about having a good time, or relaxing after a long day. Not attempting to impress anyone with pretentious hipster I can be.
@@derealized797 I worked around the major wine industry. I traveled with and spent days with icons in the business that you have heard of. I've had many expensive meals with lots of expensive wine. But I love a simple McDonald's cheeseburger sometimes. Sometimes I'll be at a cheap Mexican restaurant and enjoy it as much as a great restaurant. If you have to have the popular stuff to be happy, you are losing.
@@derealized797 Beer drinking is an activity, cheap unoffensive beer lets me extended that activity without getting hammered. Plus craft beers can get overpowering flavor wise after 2-3.
@ An adult will drink a few *before* going to the bar, these kids now, they'll go to a bar completely sober and order over priced microbrew crap. Trying different beer is fine. As long as they aren't too good for cheap beer, and as long as they know how cheap is too cheap, since beer like natural ice is just loaded with congeners and you'll end up with a nasty hangover more than anything else.
I prefer cheap beers.. not a fan of microbrews. Go to are either Yuengling or Coors Original. Both are fine and they don't break the bank. They still taste like beer and go down easy.
I have many higher end bourbons on the bar but there’s nothing wrong with a Beam & Coke over ice on a hot summer day, refreshing. It’s a decent budget bourbon for mixing!
Completely agree on all 4 of these. In fact it's why I still haven't bought a JB single barrel. Crazy how awesome their Knob Creeks are, and the Bakers. Bookers at only 65-70 would be great too, but at 100 I have 3 different batches and I'm NOT looking for backups of any. So for me Jim Beam is all about Knob Creek really.
Bookers was an okay buy when it was $50, anything over that is a hard no for me. Give me a Knob Creek Single Barrel any day. I still can't believe they were putting out 14-15 year store picks a few years back, and some of the local grocery stores were marking them down to $35. I have a handful of those left but wish I would have bought cases of them!
I've only tried the Jim Beam and the Basil Hayden - I usually have a bottle of $15 Bourbon in my cupboard because I'm budget-conscious. I have no problem with Jim Beam - works for me ... I get a bit of caramel ... a little bit of smoke ... I'm happy with it at that price point. The Basil Hayden - I agree with your comments. It's in the price range of others I'd prefer ($30), so although I enjoyed the bottle I bought, I didn't enjoy it enough to spend $30 on a second. Thanks for the content guys - great video as always!
I liked the video for Kurt's statement of you do you and not feeling bad if you enjoy something that may not be flashy or frowned upon. Awesome job guys!!!!
Every day, I get home from work, get a workout in, clean up, make myself some dinner and then I sit down and enjoy some whiskey with you fellas. Love these videos! 🥃
@slbdrinks The Willett Pot Still, takes a while to open up. About 40% of the way through the bottle. At first when I had it the first few times I didn't like it at all. Then when coming back to it I liked it. I will definitely pick up a new bottle soon to see if it is better or different.
I'd be very interested in an old versus new Willett Pot Still bourbon review. I bought a bottle recently having known nothing about it, but it was a cool bottle, Willett on the label, and it was (if I remember correctly) $38.99. May have been on sale, but a good bit cheaper than the rye. So for me it was no significant risk in buying it. Got home and saw the bad reviews, but was then pleasantly surprised because the new recipe is not bad. There is nothing that really stands out about it, but it seems like another good option for a bourbon newbie that wants a cool-looking bottle on the bar.
Hey guys! Great channel there. Have you considered buying distillers activated charcoal (about $9 cad per lb) and pass your least desired beverages through it? Ive done this for decades with everything from vodkas to whiskeys to white wines with usually a notable improvement all the way to outright amazing results, I use about a quater pound of this charcoal placed in a narrow glass column, if you decide to do try this you could call the video series 'bourbon redemption'?. Cheers.
I feel better that I thought the Hudson was the worst bourbon I ever had. We had a bourbon tasting with about 50 people and 49 people thought it was horrible. I gave the bottle to the 1 person who thought it was pretty good. I didn’t even want that in the collection!! 😂
Trenton: "I saw this huge mushroom in my yard and I ate it! Kurt: "who told you that was safe?" Trenton: "The internet" and this is why this is my favorite whisky channel XD Part of me thinks the folks who made that last bottle were attempting to make a bottle that kinda looks like a makers mark bottle but fancier, but in the end it just looks like a bong or even a hookah
i hear dying from poisonous mushrooms is a very bad way to go, there is nothing they can do for you aside from trying to keep you out of pain as your liver shuts down and you die
@@OGbrick420your comment really should get more attention. No one should ever forage mushrooms unless they're an expert. There are mushrooms that can kill you in less than 24 hours and can easily be mistaken for edible mushrooms by a non expert.
Not too long ago, I went to Total Wine and bought mini-bottles of a number of bottom shelf bourbons, mostly consisting of their store brands, but Jim Beam white label and Evan Williams black label were also part of this. In the comparative tasting, Jim Beam did very well. I also rated Evan Williams highly, and the Total Wine stuff was mixed. Most were at least decent, but one tasted like water. I had never tried Jim Beam white label neat, and I was pleasantly surprised. It offers a lot of flavor at a very low price, which is especially surprising considering that it is 40% ABV. I agree that Basil Hayden is good for beginners, but it isn't a good value. Others in the Basil Hayden line are more interesting since they do some crazy things with finishes and blends. The dark rye is weird but tasty. I tried Willett pot still bourbon from a mini-bottle. To me, it was good. It didn't blow me away, but I liked it well enough that if I had a bottle in my collection, I would drink it. Maybe newer batches are better than the older ones. For those who are uncertain about it, a mini-bottle or a pour at a bar is the way to go. I've never had Hudson Baby Bourbon, but I am aware of its infamy. It has been discontinued but replaced with a product called Bright Lights, Big Bourbon. According to reviews that I have seen, it has been reformulated to some degree, which has disappointed fans of the old version. The new label and branding are far less attractive than the old. I'm curious to try the bourbon, but since the old one has largely disappeared from the market, I'll have to try the new one. I like some weird funk in my whisky, so it is possible that it will work for me. I have had their rye, which used to be Manhattan Rye, but is now Do the Rye Thing. I had the old version at a bar, and I have the new version at home. The rye doesn't taste to me like it has changed a lot with the new branding. It is an aggressive, in-your-face rye that I find quite enjoyable, but I have to be in the mood for it. Hudson products are available in half-bottles, which is good for those who are interested in trying them but are a bit nervous about trying something unusual.
Hello from a bourbon enthusiast in China! Jim Beam is THE BOURBON that comes to mind for many here when they think of bourbon, but I'm not convinced it's the best introduction to the spirit. I usually suggest starting with Woodford Reserve...
JB white label has always been pleasant but simple, to me. I felt ripped off by Basil Hayden: My description was "watery" at the time. The other two I have no reference for.
Yup. Watery. I was drinking knob creek neat at a bar. My buddy claims to love basil bc he thinks it smooth 😆. Bartender brought him two basils neat on accident. I took a swig, no bite, no flavor. I had forgotten how bad it was
I’ve got about a pint of JB from a railroad car left. Had 5 cars full back in the 90’s when I came of age. They were purchased back in 82. I’ve been sipping them for years. Amazing really.
Beam white is ok, I love the beam extra aged black label. Willet pot still very enjoyable to me. Also lately I have been mixing a half pour of buffalo trace and a half pour of 1792 small batch. That mix is amazing, hope you try it.
I would love to see a tournament of time zones for bourbon. The best bourbons from all four U.S. time zones. Tennessee and Kentucky actually are both split between two, would be a great idea!
13:15 There's actually quite a few edible mushrooms that most wouldn't consider edible just based on appearances. The Sulphur Shelf, sometimes called The Chicken of the Forest, actually grows on the sides of trees, fallen or standing. It's taste and texture are very close to chicken, but deep fried morel mushrooms are king.
The only good thing Baby Hudson has ever yielded is causing Trenton to tell us that story about him cooking that giant mushroom he found in his front yard.
Basil’s has changed in the last decade. I finished a new bottle the other day, and while looking for my next pour I found an old, dusty bottle that I know was at least 8 years old. It was way different than the new one I just finished. It was very complex and stronger flavor.
Would love to see the New vs Old potstill! When I was at Willett a few months ago during a tasting, they did share the same information that the juice changed in 2021 and is substantially different.
I definitely want to see the pot still comparison. I don’t get a sour flavor on these newer bottles, but never really had a problem with it historically. I really want to know if it changed.
Speaking for myself...and friends of mine...many of us cut our teeth on brands like Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, etc. There will always be that fondness for those "old timey" OG whiskeys. I remember when drinking Makers Mark was the "evolution" into "adult" whiskey drinking. You were "off the teat" at that point. LOL! Being solidly into my 50's, it's nice to reminisce and laugh at how little I knew about bourbon when I was a youngster.
I think Jim Beam is a great distillery overall and Knob Creek 9 year may be the best pound for pound bourbon that's readily available. Big fan. Old Grand Dad is also fantastic for like $17. I think some of the OG's like Jack and Jim are just trendy to say they're bad because so many non bourbon drinkers have them at home or because they're an introductory whiskey for most people. I've never had Basil Hayden though. I kind of want to try it based on this video.
You will never see my home bar without Makers in it. Best bourbon for the price point for me. Plenty of better bourbons out there, but not for the money until you get significantly more expensive IMO. However, I have a sweet tooth. I definitely understand ppl who don’t enjoy Makers because it is too sweet.
I ordered a Hudson double neat at a restaurant once and I sent it back and asked for something else. It was/is really bad. My worst bourbon buy has to be the Trader Joe’s. It’s really bad. Trenton, YOU CRACK ME UP - yard mushrooms!! 🤣
My favorite mixer for many years was Squirt, before recently discovering whiskies capable of supporting a neat pour. Makers Mark was my segue to neat drinks when a friend requested it be available for drinking on the rocks. Wondered what all the fuss was about, and out of curiosity tried it over ice. This pushed me down a rabbit hole trying to create clear ice. By the time clear ice was perfected, the ethanol bite was gone and decided that ice was numbing my taste buds too much to decipher the taste. There began the never-ending journey which I am now enjoying. What was once rotgut to me is now pure candy. Should I be thankful? The jury is still out but enjoying the ride. In the meantime, Makers Mark is now Kindergarten for me. Amazed at the deep world of possibilities out there yet unexplored. Still searching for the perfect bourbon, Signed, a bourbon addict! Thank you for posting new endeavors to explore.
If I drink the Willet first or alone it is really pretty good. Butterscotch all the way. I don't get the sour finish. If I drink any whisky before the Willet the sourness comes on strong.
I have not tried Hudson''s baby bourbon, but, 20 years ago I tried distilling my own bourbon and bought a Gibbs Brothers 3 gallon level four charred white oak barrel (took forever to build up to filling it with a dinkey little homemade pot still - not recommended)...anyway, I knew Hudson used small barrels, emailed them asking questions and they answered my questions -- even sharing a basic formula for how long to oak based on surface area to volume ratios (all I remember is it equated to six weeks for my three gallon first use barrel -- and, for bourbon, of course, it's only first use barrels). I love them for that willingness to share process IP. I am guessing your's (and other's apparently) experience comes down to the fact that just because bourbon is oaked long enough DOES NOT MEAN it is aged long enough.
Never had JB White, but bought JB Black (8 years old) back at the start of my whiskey career. Black at 86 proof and extra age was just fine and inexpensive. JB Bottled-in-Bond did quite well (better than Old Grand Dad BiB) in an 8 bottle blind BiB shoot-out. I always assumed that JB White is what you bought when you didn't know how good Evan Williams Black Label is. ;-) Basil Hayden was one of my first bottles of bourbon (back when it was 8 years old and not "artfully aged"). I was not impressed, even then. You didn't mention it, but it's the same whiskey as Old Grand Dad. Nowadays, I think that Basil Hayden is what you drink when you don't love yourself enough to drink OGD 114. ;-) After liking several of Willett's NDP offerings (including the original Corner Creek :-), I was incredibly disappointed in that bourbon. I suspect the bottle design sells half of the bottles. The Willett-distilled Old Bardstown BiB is a best-in-class bottom-shelf bourbon, IMO.
Jim Beam is one of my favorite liquors in general. It works really well as a shot, mixer, or cooking ingredient (it goes SO WELL with chervil...make a cream sauce with some Jim Beam and chervil, add some chopped beef, and serve it inside of a butterflied baked potato...absolutely wonderful meal). It doesn't hurt that it's so reasonably priced too. That said, my absolute favorite liquor is Mount Gay Black Barrel rum...and that one definitely isn't cheap (It's not expensive either...but it's not cheap).
I would really like to see old vs new Willett. Also, I have an unopened old label Basil Hayden's if you guys ever want to compare the old vs new label for flavor drift.
For us workers in our late 50s/early 60s who can't afford to retire yet, please focus some of your videos on what you two consider to be the most complex bourbons and ryes under $35 for nightly sipping. I love your channel!
You'll be happy to learn that SLB Drinks has numerous videos specifically catered toward sharing the highest quality bourbons at every price point. If you search "SLB Drinks $10" or do the same for $20 or $30, you'll find videos with that exact theme.
Jim Beam is actually a ok go to Burbon, i really like to sip a glass or two on a saturday evening, and the oak is really nice. I am mostly into single malts (Not heavy smoke)....but the Jim Beam have a place in my cabinet always.
I had a bottle of Hudson Baby Bourbon a few years ago. Loved it. It was 100% corn mash. It tasted and smelled like corn. Simple. No other smells or flavors. Just corn. The distillery was sold that's why they don't make it anymore.
As a young Marine stationed in Japan in the late 80’ I was introduced by a staff sergeant to Bourbon with Jim Beam which I could buy at the commissary for $4.10 USD. I have many great memories sitting around at night after maneuvers with other marines and corpsmen drinking JB in a canteen cup with a splash of water. My pallet has changed quite a lot over the years and won’t touch it anymore.
I love Willet Pot Still, I have had the old sourced juice and their "new" in house version, their is not anymore difference then you normally get from different bottle barrelings in any other product. It's more of a mental thing I think folks try to lump on who like to hate on it. It's not a mind blowing bourbon, but a very classic bourbon that hits all the notes a bourbon should have. Sounds like if you are getting sour notes, you have an infected or off bottle, I have never got those notes off it, sounds more like what I get off Turkey products. I understand if you don't like it, I know you guys are big Turkey fans and I absolutely despise any and all of their products. I get a nasty wet dog, moldy mildew note that follows through their entire line, some distilleries just don't hit certain notes for certain folks and it's great we have so many options.
Recently retired. Jim Beam was my go to between paychecks. Decent bourbon for the buck. Retired now and on a working man's pension, i recently tried Old Crow. The cheapest Straight Kentucky Bourbon in the shelf. If you're a mixer, not too bad. I do love the top shelf stuff, but economics had me bending down to the bottom shelf a bit more. On a side note, i really miss the 10 year old Old Charter. Knob Creek is my preferred drink.
I always have a couple top shelf bourbons on hand for sipping but when I want a tall drink after cutting the grass it's Beam and diet ginger ale for the win
I agree. To me, it's like the Folgers of Whiskey. I'd rather have it than nothing at all. When I get something like that, I just imagine that I was just released from years of hard labor in a Siberian prison and someone handed it to me. Then it tastes great.
@@userperson5259 Ha! Folgers of coffee is a good analogy. We get the Folgers packs at work and I drank it for years. Then a couple of years ago I decided that I had reached a station in my life where I could bring in my own coffee to make and I am pretty satisfied with that decision. I get the Cafe Bustelo - which you can get cheap at Walmart - it's a Puerto Rican espresso grind that I just use to make a regular pot of coffee. It's got a nice full flavor without being bitter. Better than Starbucks and half the price.
Can't say I have a lot of bourbon's I hate, just that there are ones I like more then others so I buy what I like. I generally don't buy many bottles under 100 proof either unless I have heard great things about it like 1910 or widow jane. Regarding these bottles, I will say I'm annoyed that a decent amount of restaurants/bars will market high end cocktails with Basil Hayden and act like a premium product is going in there. 80 proof is just to low to make good cocktails in my opinion. I just wish they would all use OF100, WT101, old grand dad BiB (or 114) as alternate options.
How can it be hated when it is the #1 seller in bourbon? How many 150 bottles are you going to buy or even 60 dollar bottles? 6 years in the military and it was Jim and Coke.
I would be interested in the “old Willett vs new Willett” comparison. I’ve always thought it was decent but I only tried it for the first time a couple of years ago. I don’t think it’s worth the price (around here it’s $55 for a fifth) but I certainly didn’t think it was bad at all. Otherwise agree with all the others. Especially Jim Beam… ugh.
Literally one of the worst days of my life had happened. My wife stopped by the liquor store to get me something to make me feel a little better. She came home with Hudson. I didn’t know it could get worse till I took that first sip. That is 100% a true story
I’ll always have a soft spot in my heart for basil Hayden’s. It was the first neat bourbon I ever drank and I don’t think I ever would’ve really gotten into bourbon if my first try was super harsh or oaky.
There is a good chance that the newer bottles of Willet will have a different flavor profile. Without getting into too much of the Willet history, the basics are Willet had a distillery, then they didn’t and started contracting other distilleries to make their products, and now they have their own distillery up and running again.
I’m largely in agreement with you guys about the white label Beam. It’s not great but at the price point it’s fine. Hudson Baby Bourbon though… that stuff is just vile. I remember when it came out, and being from that part of the world I was excited to try something local. I believe they call it Hudson Baby because it’s made with water from the Hudson River filtered through a used baby diaper. It is a flat out vile. I generally don’t like saying that something isn’t good, more that it’s not my thing such as Angel’s Envy. I just never liked it but I know it’s good stuff, it’s just not my thing and that’s fine. But Hudson Baby? I guess if you get it for free and you haven’t gotten your sense of taste back after having had COVID. To be fair some of their other products are good but that stuff just stinks. I wanna find the lunatic who pays Cask Cartel $460 for a bottle, I’ve got a bottle of regular Clyde Mays (which I’m not a fan of) they can have for only $150.
If you only knew the number of times as a bartender I gave Jim Beam to a Bourbon snob without telling them and they thought it was Buffalo Trace or some high end Bourbon.
@@FakingANerve it’s not bad. But it’s nowhere near as flavorful as Beam white label. I do like their higher end products. But, I’m an even bigger fan of the Beam line up, especially Knob Creek.
This channel is addicting and you guys are freaking awesome. Question: do you guys consider bourbon made outside of Kentucky is true bourbon? Am I too much of a purist?
Jim Beam white label... it's what got me to switch to bourbon some years ago. Prior to that, I drink Jack Daniels and coke almost exclusively for years. I don't remember what made me try something different, but when I tried Jim Beam and coke, I thought it was smoother than JD and coke. I was very impressed. I was so impressed that I never went back to JD. I had discovered bourbon and loved it. That led to a whole new rabbit trail for me where I started trying all kinds of new bourbons. A whole new world was opened up to me. Fast forward a few years, and now I have my favorite bourbons. I recently bought a bottle of Jim Beam white label for the fondness I had for it, but, with more perspective after trying so many other bourbons, I honestly thought that Jim Beam white label fell a little flat. I was sad that I didn't like it more. Still, it's what got me to switch to bourbon, so it has a special place in my heart. There are others that I like more though now.
The Willet Pot Still of 10 or more years ago was a 10 year old sib and was quite good. The key is to look at the black cap tab. That tells the story. Once the bourbon boom picked up, they shifted to a non age statement small batch and it was never the same
My personal favorite New York Whiskey is from Cooperstown Distillery, specifically their Straight Bourbon. It's a pricey bottle at around the $60-70 range, but it's delicious, and a good representation at what's possible from New York distilleries unlike what Hudson offers.
35 years ago I bought a half pint of a Kentucky Straight Bourbon and your description of Hudson in the most rancid coffee off.... described exactly my experience with that garbage. all I haven't been so disappointed
I bought a bottle of Jim Beam for the first time a few months back. I found it far too sweet. I mixed it with J&B Rare and it made it a much better drink.
Your dryer is most likely not broken, if you were using petro chemicals around where the dryer is it may be igniting those chemicals in the dryer air causing your clothes to smell like exhaust fumes. Air out the area around the dryer and remove anything that may be causing fumes (paint thinner, gasoline, kerosene, etc) and rerun the dryer.
Idk but ive always thought that jim beam was a good bourbon and underrated imo. For the price it is a damn good whiskey. Problem is it has been a party bottle, but if you actually sit and try to enjoy a glass and sip on it then yoy will be surprised. And i feel the same about Jack Daniels sour mash. Both good quality whiskeys.
Thanks for sharing your insights......I have three of these four bottles on my shelf now: * I use Jim Beam (White Label) strictly for mixing. I only like it in cocktails. I don't enjoy drinking it straight * I tried Basil Hayden for the first time today. Wifey got it for me as a gift a few months ago and I tried it today ONLY because I saw this video and it piqued my curiosity. I like it. It's light and smooth, but the proof is kinda low. I agree that its probably a great bourbon for beginners. Kinda reminds me of Elijah Craig Small Batch.... * I've never heard of Houston Baby Bourbon until today. I probably wont try it based on your review. LMAO!! * I have an unopened bottle of Willett on my shelf. But, I actually tasted some over at a buddy's house while smoking cigars with friends. I enjoyed it enough to buy a bottle for myself a few months ago.
Jim is the baseline of what straightforward non pretentious bourbon is. Straight up bourbon. The snobs that take themselves too seriously don't know what they are talking about. Jim is a must buy for the price. Bourbon at its roots.
I'm from California and living in Mexico City. Every Saturday I buy a bottle of Jim Beam (about $22 here) and go to my favorite taco restaurant a block from the liquor store and order a Mexican Coca Cola, glass with ice and 8 tacos for only 50 cents each.
I can't explain how wonderful it is. The restaurant doesn't care I bring the Beam and I'm always the happiest person at the restaurant.
That bourbon flavor with the real sugar-made Coke is simply magnificent.
Also, the tacos with their assortment of hot sauces makes each Saturday a beautiful experience.
Mexico City is incredible.
Oh, subscribed. Y'all are the best! Love watching the blind tastings.
I read that the Mexican Government was deporting Americans living in Mexico City for driving prices up with their Yankee Dollars. I would sure like to know what you have to say about that.
glad you are enjoying life. keep it up.
Just saw a video or news story, can't remember which. They scientifically tested American Coke with High fructose corn syrup and Mexican Coke that claimed it was real sugar. There was no difference in the chemical makeup of the sweeteners in either. Coke is lying to us. Other that that minor quip (what you don't know doesn't hurt you) you are living the life. I'm jealous.
@@williampotter2098 Bill~ I saw a whole UA-cam video, where a chemist determined that Mexican Coke DOES use cane sugar, but the sucrose, over time, turned into fructose. This would explain why fructose appeared in the tests. Now, I am from the US, and can tell the difference in taste in the Coca Cola in GLASS bottles down here in Mexico City. It has a distinctive "natural sugar" taste. I emphasized glass for a reason. All soda cans have a plastic inner liner, and that interacts with the sugar in the soda. So, yes, the Coca Cola in glass bottles, in Mexico, is superior to high fructose syrup Coca Cola- and yes, my Jim Beam and Coke cocktails here are exceptional. So much so, I am going to go buy another bottle right now. Cheers to ya'll up there!
@@gregoriopalofuego9808 Now that you mention it, I remember that you are right. The video said the sugar changed it's chemical composition to be like corn syrup. I suppose what that tastes like is subjective. I can get Mexican coke at a local Mexican market but I don't know if it's exactly what you get. It says sugar on the label.
I think the issue people have with Beam, and you'll see this with Wild Turkey a lot too - is that someone had way too many shots in college, had a bad time, saw the contents of their dinner at the bottom of a ceramic bowl, and now swear that the stuff is terrible. It's an association thing more than an objective judgement of what is in the bottle. My wife had a similar experience with some exceptionally good armagnac and now can't even entertain the thought of having a French brandy without it triggering a gag reflex.
It might also be that there’s just so much of it and it’s so widely sold that enthusiasts think it’s not good or worth their time. There’s a good reason it’s the best selling bourbon in the world.
I get this with southern comfort. Too many southern blues in my 20's.
I resemble this comment. My association with Wild Turkey was based on one bad night and some bad decisions. Ever since tasting Wild Turkey Rare Breed (and soon to be others) I have cured myself of that unfair association...
Rare Breed is a staple in my cabinet. Though I tend to like Russell's Reserve Single barrel a little more - especially if you're lucky enough to find a store pick - *chef's kiss*. But for $10 less it's really hard to beat Rare Breed.
Not a fan of Jim but do like WT
Jim Beam being $15 and “ not the worst” makes it a HUGE winner
Jim beam is a cruel joke
@@edwhitson9873its the best selling bourbon in the world. Just saying. Haha
Jim is a bang 4 the buck bourbon for ya'll haters. It's like a cheap version of JD #7
For what? Alcoholism?
I have a brother in law that drinks Jim Beam white label because it’s cheap and at 80 proof he can drink a lot of it, quantity over quality. I’ve told him there is better bourbon out there, but he won’t buy it.
I won't drink Beam neat, but it is my favorite mixer when I'm in a lighter drinking mood. It also has a nostalgic feel for me because my parents always had a bottle in the house. They weren't big drinkers but when we had company who wanted a little something other than Budweiser, that was available. It will always remain on the shelf with my favorites, rather than being banished to the 'saved for company sharing' shelf.
Great video, Gentlemen.
03:48 Jim Beam White Label
05:47 Basil Hayden
08:34 Hudson Baby Bourbon
15:00 Willet Pot Still
Personally, I’m far more likely to watch these videos when there are time codes/bookmarks so I can jump to the parts I care about.
What do you do between 8:34 and 15:00? What portion are you discarding and how do you know it wasn't worthwhile?
@@Hungry_Raven I'm not discarding anything and I didn't say any of it isn't worthwhile. They reviewed 4 bourbons, and those 4 time codes are where the reviews of those 4 bourbons start.
Black and blue label beam is not that much better either. just avoid the whole brand is a boon to anyones health
@@Hungry_Ravenbetween those time stamps, is a great review of the horrible Hudson
I'm so glad I put the basil back on the shelf and went home with a bottle of knob creek single barrel small batch and only paid a $10.00 dollars more. I'd rather have a cheap bottle of 101 turkey than any other for the money. I goofed and bought a bottle of Evans Williams bottled and bond and nope, never again. I'll stick with 101 turkey over all for cheap bourbon.
This video was absolutely AWESOME!! Your descriptions : "pencil shavings; sour milk; toilet seat" all were better than poetry. The facial expressions.... PRICELESS!!! Keep up the great content. I'm a fan!!😎
I work at a large liquor store with the initials TW. It’s amazing to me how much Jim Beam 1.75 bottles we sell every day. It’s always the “Older” customers buying it. That’s what they’ve always drank and nothing is going to change that.
I've noticed a large number of "older" people buying black velvet
@@jackhanson857 same here. It seems to be the party bring along favorite.
I've noticed an old person buying Kentucky Spirit.......oh wait....that was me.
Total Wine? Lol
Bourbon can be quite expensive, so not everyone wants a “snobby” expensive bottle. Jim Beam is a good bourbon for the price.
I think Kurt's statement of "I cant...I can't do that again" said all I needed to hear about the Hudson. Made me laugh. 😂
I just saw the Hudson yesterday on an advertisement for the first time and I was surprised at the price just like they were
Jim might be rough around the edges, but he's a damn good friend.
right up there with Canadian Windsor and Southern Comfort in a plastic bottle with a screw off top..
I hate hate hate southern comfort. Jack is good, and Jim is okay in a pinch.
@@skyblueerik Southern Comfort isn't a bourbon and has never claimed to be.
Beam is okay, it's just not as good as other inexpensive US whiskies which are not bourbons, like Jack, Overholt, or Mellow Corn. And it doesn't cost much extra to get Knob Creek or Woodford.
@@Activated_Complex jack can be 8-10 more than Jim where I'm at, and knob 18-20 more.
You guys going back to that Baby Bourbon was like when your friend says, "dude, you gotta smell this" and you know it's gonna be terrible, but you do it anyway. Repeatedly.
$45 bottle of rubbing alcohol
That Hudson gave me a headache every time I tried it
Jim Beam is perfectly fine. Friend got it for me as a birthday present and I had forgotten how easy it was to sip. Can’t do cask strength every night lol. Worst I’ve had (thankfully not a purchase but rather at a tasting) was the Peerless absinthe finished. Not cheap either
I've drank my share of Jim Beam white label, black, devil's cut. It worked for what I was looking for.
I laughed with tears pouring out of my eyes at the Hudson Whiskey. That was one of my first bourbons I bought as a new drinker. It's still around with 1 sip gone! Hahaha soooooo bad!
Wow, if you didn't like it as a new bourbon drinker, it must be really bad.
Similar experience but was made to finish a bottle with 2 homies
Horrendous shit. I love bourbon but that stuff is vile, as is JB white label
TOTALLY agree on the Hudson Baby Bourbon. This was one of the first “expensive” bottles that I bought when I first started, and it was so bad that I almost quit drinking bourbon all together. It’s the only bottle that I have ever poured down the drain without finishing.
The worst bourbon I ever had was Cody Road. I brought a few bottles when it first came out because I live about 15 miles from the distillery. Big mistake. It was like drinking straight alcohol and burned. I think it was aged 6 months at the most.
Old Grand Dad bonded, also from Beam, has the same mash bill as Basil Hayden, at ⅓ less or more in price. OGD 114 is still cheaper as well. I'll take either of those over BH.
OGD Bonded isn’t the worst
I'm one of the Willett Pot Still fans. I bought my first bottle maybe five years ago and have been buying it ever since. There's what I call a "funky" taste to it that I actually like. I can see how it would turn some people off, kind of like how some folks love cilantro and some think it tastes like soap. I'm OK with folks not liking it if it means I'll always be able to find it on the shelf. Cheers! 🥃🤘
This is the honest type of dialogue that makes this forum great. I have never tasted WP, but am now intrigued to try it, since I am the type who truly appreciates some different types of flavors. And yes, I love cilantro too.
@DavidKasan it gets way more hate than it deserves.
I'm a fan of Willett as well and the comparison to cilantro is perfect. You either love it or hate it. Cheers🥃🥃
People love to hate on Willett, but my only two complaints is it's proofed to the floor and $50 a bottle. Fix the proof issue or drop the price and I would seek it out more often.
I really enjoy Willett Bourbon.
My dad would mix Jim Beam white label with Squirt (Grapefruit Soda). I still do it occasionally today because it reminds me of him. It’s really pretty decent to sip on too.
Pretty typical southern drink for a certain age group. If they were driving (not condoning this) it was usually poured in the Squirt bottle.
That’s what bourbon is about…memories! 🥃
I appreciate you sharing that story with your dad!
I sell a lot of good whiskey's at my bar, and we're one of the top cocktail spots in the city. Nothing wrong with Jim Beam for the price.
At the store all the good whiskey's are $50-60. Ridiculous. Jim Beam on the other hand was $13. If you need to drink, there's plenty worse and if you know mix drinks, it can still taste good.
@nopulpapple991 for the money, I will go to the Jim Beam for mixing everytime.
One of my first liquor drinks was Jim Beam and Mountain Dew.
Still hate Jim Beam.
A red cup full of ice and Jim Beam in the hammock after a long day working outside in the heat is the way to go.
Lol this video had me laughing out loud, the reaction to baby Hudson was priceless
100% true story: At my high school graduation in 1970, my mother's mother gave me a bottle of Jim Beam. It is still around 1/3 full. Not because I don't like it, but because only now at 72 years old I am exploring hard liquors of the world. I'm having fun. Enjoy your presentations.
If it weren’t for the volume of money Jim Beam white label produces, the distillery wouldn’t be able to do all of the other more sought after products. Sales of that have probably kept many a small liquor store operational
Bourbon for drinks
How work all the excellent little producers then?
To me the nastiest bourbon is Jim Beam White Label . I believed my mother kept it under the sink to turn me against drinking of any sort 😢😂😅
My ex fil drank a gallon a week…straight from a glass. Beginn8ng at six am every morning…he bought two half gallons a week every m9nday at the liqour store. Yes, he died from cirrohsis…
New girl at the local liqueur store asked me if I needed help. I just said no I'm just browsing the bourbons as I do. She said "Have you tried Basil Hayden? It's a good one!" I just said "yeahh I think so". I didn't have the heart to tell her how much people say that's the worst for it's price on the planet.
I'm with you there, gack!
I've never had it, but for some reason I used to see it on the shelf and really want to try it until I'd remember it's 80 proof. I'd never pay a premium for 80 proof bourbon so I never bought any.
OGD with the flavor aged out of it.
I want to try their red wine cast finish sounds really good got some decent reviews
Trenton talking about eating the lawn mushroom had me cracking up
From previous videos he seems like a very picky eater…so for him to take a chance on a mushroom from the yard is surprising
Seriously - a guy who finds pie unappealing but would take the time to research, pick, cook, and eat a possibly maggot-ridden lawn mushroom? Unique, to say the least.
That gave me pure joy.
A lot of popular consumer items are "hated" by know-it-alls trying to prove how much more evolved they are than the common person with no taste.
Like those "beer drinkers" who scoff at anyone who doesn't only drink microbrew... I'm just about having a good time, or relaxing after a long day. Not attempting to impress anyone with pretentious hipster I can be.
@@derealized797 I worked around the major wine industry. I traveled with and spent days with icons in the business that you have heard of. I've had many expensive meals with lots of expensive wine. But I love a simple McDonald's cheeseburger sometimes. Sometimes I'll be at a cheap Mexican restaurant and enjoy it as much as a great restaurant. If you have to have the popular stuff to be happy, you are losing.
@@derealized797 Beer drinking is an activity, cheap unoffensive beer lets me extended that activity without getting hammered. Plus craft beers can get overpowering flavor wise after 2-3.
@ An adult will drink a few *before* going to the bar, these kids now, they'll go to a bar completely sober and order over priced microbrew crap. Trying different beer is fine. As long as they aren't too good for cheap beer, and as long as they know how cheap is too cheap, since beer like natural ice is just loaded with congeners and you'll end up with a nasty hangover more than anything else.
I prefer cheap beers.. not a fan of microbrews. Go to are either Yuengling or Coors Original. Both are fine and they don't break the bank. They still taste like beer and go down easy.
I have many higher end bourbons on the bar but there’s nothing wrong with a Beam & Coke over ice on a hot summer day, refreshing. It’s a decent budget bourbon for mixing!
Drinking Jim Vanilla and Coke as I watch this
Completely agree on all 4 of these. In fact it's why I still haven't bought a JB single barrel. Crazy how awesome their Knob Creeks are, and the Bakers. Bookers at only 65-70 would be great too, but at 100 I have 3 different batches and I'm NOT looking for backups of any. So for me Jim Beam is all about Knob Creek really.
Bookers was an okay buy when it was $50, anything over that is a hard no for me. Give me a Knob Creek Single Barrel any day. I still can't believe they were putting out 14-15 year store picks a few years back, and some of the local grocery stores were marking them down to $35. I have a handful of those left but wish I would have bought cases of them!
Knob Creek is a great ‘sleeper’ bourbon and few know JB is behind it.
Knob creek for me pls
With you on that. Can’t stand the JB white label but tried knob creek 9 yr and it was delicious.
I've only tried the Jim Beam and the Basil Hayden - I usually have a bottle of $15 Bourbon in my cupboard because I'm budget-conscious. I have no problem with Jim Beam - works for me ... I get a bit of caramel ... a little bit of smoke ... I'm happy with it at that price point. The Basil Hayden - I agree with your comments. It's in the price range of others I'd prefer ($30), so although I enjoyed the bottle I bought, I didn't enjoy it enough to spend $30 on a second. Thanks for the content guys - great video as always!
I liked the video for Kurt's statement of you do you and not feeling bad if you enjoy something that may not be flashy or frowned upon. Awesome job guys!!!!
Every day, I get home from work, get a workout in, clean up, make myself some dinner and then I sit down and enjoy some whiskey with you fellas.
Love these videos! 🥃
That is awesome dude. Thanks for making us apart of your routine!
@@slbdrinks Cheers!
@slbdrinks The Willett Pot Still, takes a while to open up. About 40% of the way through the bottle. At first when I had it the first few times I didn't like it at all. Then when coming back to it I liked it. I will definitely pick up a new bottle soon to see if it is better or different.
@@jskypercussionpour about half into a mason jar and let it all air out a bit. ;)
I'd be very interested in an old versus new Willett Pot Still bourbon review. I bought a bottle recently having known nothing about it, but it was a cool bottle, Willett on the label, and it was (if I remember correctly) $38.99. May have been on sale, but a good bit cheaper than the rye. So for me it was no significant risk in buying it. Got home and saw the bad reviews, but was then pleasantly surprised because the new recipe is not bad. There is nothing that really stands out about it, but it seems like another good option for a bourbon newbie that wants a cool-looking bottle on the bar.
Hey guys! Great channel there. Have you considered buying distillers activated charcoal (about $9 cad per lb) and pass your least desired beverages through it? Ive done this for decades with everything from vodkas to whiskeys to white wines with usually a notable improvement all the way to outright amazing results, I use about a quater pound of this charcoal placed in a narrow glass column, if you decide to do try this you could call the video series 'bourbon redemption'?. Cheers.
I would be interested in seeing this!
Yes sir, good suggestion. Would love to see this
I feel better that I thought the Hudson was the worst bourbon I ever had. We had a bourbon tasting with about 50 people and 49 people thought it was horrible. I gave the bottle to the 1 person who thought it was pretty good. I didn’t even want that in the collection!! 😂
Old crow
Buffalo trace is the worst thing ever
Trenton: "I saw this huge mushroom in my yard and I ate it!
Kurt: "who told you that was safe?"
Trenton: "The internet"
and this is why this is my favorite whisky channel XD
Part of me thinks the folks who made that last bottle were attempting to make a bottle that kinda looks like a makers mark bottle but fancier, but in the end it just looks like a bong or even a hookah
I absolutely agree!! Entertainment value…..priceless!
The Willett bottle looks like a pot still. Hmm, a POT still... there's no getting away from it.
Pot still and mushrooms, sounds like I'm back in HIGH school again.
i hear dying from poisonous mushrooms is a very bad way to go, there is nothing they can do for you aside from trying to keep you out of pain as your liver shuts down and you die
@@OGbrick420your comment really should get more attention. No one should ever forage mushrooms unless they're an expert. There are mushrooms that can kill you in less than 24 hours and can easily be mistaken for edible mushrooms by a non expert.
I generally drink everything straight, but an ice cube in the Pot Still Willett is a game changer.
Not too long ago, I went to Total Wine and bought mini-bottles of a number of bottom shelf bourbons, mostly consisting of their store brands, but Jim Beam white label and Evan Williams black label were also part of this. In the comparative tasting, Jim Beam did very well. I also rated Evan Williams highly, and the Total Wine stuff was mixed. Most were at least decent, but one tasted like water. I had never tried Jim Beam white label neat, and I was pleasantly surprised. It offers a lot of flavor at a very low price, which is especially surprising considering that it is 40% ABV.
I agree that Basil Hayden is good for beginners, but it isn't a good value. Others in the Basil Hayden line are more interesting since they do some crazy things with finishes and blends. The dark rye is weird but tasty. I tried Willett pot still bourbon from a mini-bottle. To me, it was good. It didn't blow me away, but I liked it well enough that if I had a bottle in my collection, I would drink it. Maybe newer batches are better than the older ones. For those who are uncertain about it, a mini-bottle or a pour at a bar is the way to go.
I've never had Hudson Baby Bourbon, but I am aware of its infamy. It has been discontinued but replaced with a product called Bright Lights, Big Bourbon. According to reviews that I have seen, it has been reformulated to some degree, which has disappointed fans of the old version. The new label and branding are far less attractive than the old. I'm curious to try the bourbon, but since the old one has largely disappeared from the market, I'll have to try the new one. I like some weird funk in my whisky, so it is possible that it will work for me. I have had their rye, which used to be Manhattan Rye, but is now Do the Rye Thing. I had the old version at a bar, and I have the new version at home. The rye doesn't taste to me like it has changed a lot with the new branding. It is an aggressive, in-your-face rye that I find quite enjoyable, but I have to be in the mood for it. Hudson products are available in half-bottles, which is good for those who are interested in trying them but are a bit nervous about trying something unusual.
Evan Williams is by far my favorite cheap bourbon
Hello from a bourbon enthusiast in China! Jim Beam is THE BOURBON that comes to mind for many here when they think of bourbon, but I'm not convinced it's the best introduction to the spirit. I usually suggest starting with Woodford Reserve...
JB white label has always been pleasant but simple, to me. I felt ripped off by Basil Hayden: My description was "watery" at the time. The other two I have no reference for.
Yup. Watery. I was drinking knob creek neat at a bar. My buddy claims to love basil bc he thinks it smooth 😆. Bartender brought him two basils neat on accident. I took a swig, no bite, no flavor. I had forgotten how bad it was
I’ve got about a pint of JB from a railroad car left. Had 5 cars full back in the 90’s when I came of age. They were purchased back in 82. I’ve been sipping them for years. Amazing really.
Beam white is ok, I love the beam extra aged black label. Willet pot still very enjoyable to me. Also lately I have been mixing a half pour of buffalo trace and a half pour of 1792 small batch. That mix is amazing, hope you try it.
The family dynamic going on here is constantly hilarious xD
I would love to see a tournament of time zones for bourbon. The best bourbons from all four U.S. time zones. Tennessee and Kentucky actually are both split between two, would be a great idea!
Thanks for taking one for the team. It made me sign up on your Patreon.
You guys were hilarious in your facial expressions when sniffing and sipping that Hudson Baby Bourbon !
13:15 There's actually quite a few edible mushrooms that most wouldn't consider edible just based on appearances. The Sulphur Shelf, sometimes called The Chicken of the Forest, actually grows on the sides of trees, fallen or standing. It's taste and texture are very close to chicken, but deep fried morel mushrooms are king.
The only good thing Baby Hudson has ever yielded is causing Trenton to tell us that story about him cooking that giant mushroom he found in his front yard.
I always break out the Jim Beam for the in-laws.🤣🤣🤣
Basil’s has changed in the last decade. I finished a new bottle the other day, and while looking for my next pour I found an old, dusty bottle that I know was at least 8 years old. It was way different than the new one I just finished. It was very complex and stronger flavor.
Somebody hid their Old Forester in your old bottle of BASIL Hayden so nobody else would drink it.
Or you did it, and forgot 😂
Would love to see the New vs Old potstill! When I was at Willett a few months ago during a tasting, they did share the same information that the juice changed in 2021 and is substantially different.
Old version was a Bourbon with rye.
New version is a wheated Bourbon
I definitely want to see the pot still comparison. I don’t get a sour flavor on these newer bottles, but never really had a problem with it historically. I really want to know if it changed.
Speaking for myself...and friends of mine...many of us cut our teeth on brands like Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, etc. There will always be that fondness for those "old timey" OG whiskeys. I remember when drinking Makers Mark was the "evolution" into "adult" whiskey drinking. You were "off the teat" at that point. LOL! Being solidly into my 50's, it's nice to reminisce and laugh at how little I knew about bourbon when I was a youngster.
I think Jim Beam is a great distillery overall and Knob Creek 9 year may be the best pound for pound bourbon that's readily available. Big fan. Old Grand Dad is also fantastic for like $17. I think some of the OG's like Jack and Jim are just trendy to say they're bad because so many non bourbon drinkers have them at home or because they're an introductory whiskey for most people. I've never had Basil Hayden though. I kind of want to try it based on this video.
Jack Daniel is not a bourbon. It is a Tennessee Whiskey. Likewise, George Dickel is a Tennessee Whisky ( not a misspelling )
@@kwrinnbeat me to it!❤
Whatever my ol man drank, I did too. Stayed in the family.
You will never see my home bar without Makers in it. Best bourbon for the price point for me.
Plenty of better bourbons out there, but not for the money until you get significantly more expensive IMO.
However, I have a sweet tooth. I definitely understand ppl who don’t enjoy Makers because it is too sweet.
I ordered a Hudson double neat at a restaurant once and I sent it back and asked for something else. It was/is really bad. My worst bourbon buy has to be the Trader Joe’s. It’s really bad. Trenton, YOU CRACK ME UP - yard mushrooms!! 🤣
It's a young Lux Row bourbon sold at trader joes
I bought a Trader Joe’s bourbon 4 or 5 years ago and have to agree that it was my worst purchase
Tried it recently. Tasted like corn whiskey. Not good.
My favorite mixer for many years was Squirt, before recently discovering whiskies capable of supporting a neat pour. Makers Mark was my segue to neat drinks when a friend requested it be available for drinking on the rocks. Wondered what all the fuss was about, and out of curiosity tried it over ice. This pushed me down a rabbit hole trying to create clear ice. By the time clear ice was perfected, the ethanol bite was gone and decided that ice was numbing my taste buds too much to decipher the taste. There began the never-ending journey which I am now enjoying. What was once rotgut to me is now pure candy. Should I be thankful? The jury is still out but enjoying the ride. In the meantime, Makers Mark is now Kindergarten for me. Amazed at the deep world of possibilities out there yet unexplored. Still searching for the perfect bourbon, Signed, a bourbon addict! Thank you for posting new endeavors to explore.
If I drink the Willet first or alone it is really pretty good. Butterscotch all the way. I don't get the sour finish. If I drink any whisky before the Willet the sourness comes on strong.
I have not tried Hudson''s baby bourbon, but, 20 years ago I tried distilling my own bourbon and bought a Gibbs Brothers 3 gallon level four charred white oak barrel (took forever to build up to filling it with a dinkey little homemade pot still - not recommended)...anyway, I knew Hudson used small barrels, emailed them asking questions and they answered my questions -- even sharing a basic formula for how long to oak based on surface area to volume ratios (all I remember is it equated to six weeks for my three gallon first use barrel -- and, for bourbon, of course, it's only first use barrels). I love them for that willingness to share process IP. I am guessing your's (and other's apparently) experience comes down to the fact that just because bourbon is oaked long enough DOES NOT MEAN it is aged long enough.
Never had JB White, but bought JB Black (8 years old) back at the start of my whiskey career. Black at 86 proof and extra age was just fine and inexpensive. JB Bottled-in-Bond did quite well (better than Old Grand Dad BiB) in an 8 bottle blind BiB shoot-out. I always assumed that JB White is what you bought when you didn't know how good Evan Williams Black Label is. ;-)
Basil Hayden was one of my first bottles of bourbon (back when it was 8 years old and not "artfully aged"). I was not impressed, even then. You didn't mention it, but it's the same whiskey as Old Grand Dad. Nowadays, I think that Basil Hayden is what you drink when you don't love yourself enough to drink OGD 114. ;-)
After liking several of Willett's NDP offerings (including the original Corner Creek :-), I was incredibly disappointed in that bourbon. I suspect the bottle design sells half of the bottles. The Willett-distilled Old Bardstown BiB is a best-in-class bottom-shelf bourbon, IMO.
Jim Beam is one of my favorite liquors in general. It works really well as a shot, mixer, or cooking ingredient (it goes SO WELL with chervil...make a cream sauce with some Jim Beam and chervil, add some chopped beef, and serve it inside of a butterflied baked potato...absolutely wonderful meal). It doesn't hurt that it's so reasonably priced too. That said, my absolute favorite liquor is Mount Gay Black Barrel rum...and that one definitely isn't cheap (It's not expensive either...but it's not cheap).
I would really like to see old vs new Willett. Also, I have an unopened old label Basil Hayden's if you guys ever want to compare the old vs new label for flavor drift.
For us workers in our late 50s/early 60s who can't afford to retire yet, please focus some of your videos on what you two consider to be the most complex bourbons and ryes under $35 for nightly sipping. I love your channel!
You'll be happy to learn that SLB Drinks has numerous videos specifically catered toward sharing the highest quality bourbons at every price point. If you search "SLB Drinks $10" or do the same for $20 or $30, you'll find videos with that exact theme.
Fun videos guys… thanks for being honest and funny at the same time
I live in Canada and usually drink Canadian whisky. We don't have access to many US whiskey brands. I've had Jim Beam and would happily drink it.
Jim Beam is actually a ok go to Burbon, i really like to sip a glass or two on a saturday evening, and the oak is really nice. I am mostly into single malts (Not heavy smoke)....but the Jim Beam have a place in my cabinet always.
Good Point !
I had a bottle of Hudson Baby Bourbon a few years ago. Loved it. It was 100% corn mash. It tasted and smelled like corn. Simple. No other smells or flavors. Just corn. The distillery was sold that's why they don't make it anymore.
Jim is the one that started me on the path to something better. Its good with Sprite!!!
As a young Marine stationed in Japan in the late 80’ I was introduced by a staff sergeant to Bourbon with Jim Beam which I could buy at the commissary for $4.10 USD. I have many great memories sitting around at night after maneuvers with other marines and corpsmen drinking JB in a canteen cup with a splash of water. My pallet has changed quite a lot over the years and won’t touch it anymore.
I love Willet Pot Still, I have had the old sourced juice and their "new" in house version, their is not anymore difference then you normally get from different bottle barrelings in any other product. It's more of a mental thing I think folks try to lump on who like to hate on it. It's not a mind blowing bourbon, but a very classic bourbon that hits all the notes a bourbon should have. Sounds like if you are getting sour notes, you have an infected or off bottle, I have never got those notes off it, sounds more like what I get off Turkey products.
I understand if you don't like it, I know you guys are big Turkey fans and I absolutely despise any and all of their products. I get a nasty wet dog, moldy mildew note that follows through their entire line, some distilleries just don't hit certain notes for certain folks and it's great we have so many options.
“Drink what you like,” is the best rule for Whiskey/Whisky…
Recently retired. Jim Beam was my go to between paychecks. Decent bourbon for the buck. Retired now and on a working man's pension, i recently tried Old Crow. The cheapest Straight Kentucky Bourbon in the shelf. If you're a mixer, not too bad. I do love the top shelf stuff, but economics had me bending down to the bottom shelf a bit more. On a side note, i really miss the 10 year old Old Charter. Knob Creek is my preferred drink.
I always have a couple top shelf bourbons on hand for sipping but when I want a tall drink after cutting the grass it's Beam and diet ginger ale for the win
Jim beam is always in my bar, hate on it all you want but it’s just a good old affordable bourbon
Sure is👍🏼
Absolutely
I agree. To me, it's like the Folgers of Whiskey. I'd rather have it than nothing at all. When I get something like that, I just imagine that I was just released from years of hard labor in a Siberian prison and someone handed it to me. Then it tastes great.
@@userperson5259 Ha! Folgers of coffee is a good analogy. We get the Folgers packs at work and I drank it for years. Then a couple of years ago I decided that I had reached a station in my life where I could bring in my own coffee to make and I am pretty satisfied with that decision. I get the Cafe Bustelo - which you can get cheap at Walmart - it's a Puerto Rican espresso grind that I just use to make a regular pot of coffee. It's got a nice full flavor without being bitter. Better than Starbucks and half the price.
It tastes like soapy bathtub bourbon. I still drink it when I’m slumming, but it’s a heavy mix.
I was waiting for Trenton to say about the Basil Hayden, “If La Croix made a bourbon” and he did not disappoint.
Can't say I have a lot of bourbon's I hate, just that there are ones I like more then others so I buy what I like. I generally don't buy many bottles under 100 proof either unless I have heard great things about it like 1910 or widow jane. Regarding these bottles, I will say I'm annoyed that a decent amount of restaurants/bars will market high end cocktails with Basil Hayden and act like a premium product is going in there. 80 proof is just to low to make good cocktails in my opinion. I just wish they would all use OF100, WT101, old grand dad BiB (or 114) as alternate options.
Trenton looks like the professional Arm Wrestler “School Boy”
How can it be hated when it is the #1 seller in bourbon? How many 150 bottles are you going to buy or even 60 dollar bottles? 6 years in the military and it was Jim and Coke.
Why not the Military Special?
I’m curious if a majority is sold to bars as their “well” whiskey for cocktails.
@@kirbyculp3449 Military Special is a drain pour. I bought one to try and for $10 it went down the drain.
Anything from the Bower Hill line. Like bad Four Roses
I would be interested in the “old Willett vs new Willett” comparison. I’ve always thought it was decent but I only tried it for the first time a couple of years ago. I don’t think it’s worth the price (around here it’s $55 for a fifth) but I certainly didn’t think it was bad at all. Otherwise agree with all the others. Especially Jim Beam… ugh.
Literally one of the worst days of my life had happened. My wife stopped by the liquor store to get me something to make me feel a little better. She came home with Hudson. I didn’t know it could get worse till I took that first sip. That is 100% a true story
Damn thats funny😂
I've had Hudson Bourbon.
I know how terrible it is. I was reading your comment, and i literally cringed when I got to the Hudson part.
bc i licked some radioactiv stuff i thought i tasted everything but i am shaving a pencil to munch on it:D good video
I love that you thought the Hudson smelled and tasted terrible but you both still took three tastes of it.
I’ll always have a soft spot in my heart for basil Hayden’s. It was the first neat bourbon I ever drank and I don’t think I ever would’ve really gotten into bourbon if my first try was super harsh or oaky.
Cant wait to watch this! You guys are so much fun!
Cheers from the prairies of Canada! 🇨🇦🥃
There is a good chance that the newer bottles of Willet will have a different flavor profile. Without getting into too much of the Willet history, the basics are Willet had a distillery, then they didn’t and started contracting other distilleries to make their products, and now they have their own distillery up and running again.
I’m largely in agreement with you guys about the white label Beam. It’s not great but at the price point it’s fine.
Hudson Baby Bourbon though… that stuff is just vile. I remember when it came out, and being from that part of the world I was excited to try something local. I believe they call it Hudson Baby because it’s made with water from the Hudson River filtered through a used baby diaper. It is a flat out vile. I generally don’t like saying that something isn’t good, more that it’s not my thing such as Angel’s Envy. I just never liked it but I know it’s good stuff, it’s just not my thing and that’s fine.
But Hudson Baby? I guess if you get it for free and you haven’t gotten your sense of taste back after having had COVID.
To be fair some of their other products are good but that stuff just stinks.
I wanna find the lunatic who pays Cask Cartel $460 for a bottle, I’ve got a bottle of regular Clyde Mays (which I’m not a fan of) they can have for only $150.
JB was well loved in my college days. I’ve had it recently in cocktails but maybe need to give it another shot as something to sip on
If you only knew the number of times as a bartender I gave Jim Beam to a Bourbon snob without telling them and they thought it was Buffalo Trace or some high end Bourbon.
😂
There's a place in my heart for BH. I agree it is thin but I love the orange overtones. It doesn't stand up to ice so I always have it neat.
Jim Beam is a superior mixer to Jack Daniels and you can’t tell me otherwise
Agreed! Hell, #7 is my first "go to" when they asked what our most hated whiskeys are. Never liked it, even with coke.
@@FakingANerve it’s not bad. But it’s nowhere near as flavorful as Beam white label. I do like their higher end products. But, I’m an even bigger fan of the Beam line up, especially Knob Creek.
This channel is addicting and you guys are freaking awesome.
Question: do you guys consider bourbon made outside of Kentucky is true bourbon? Am I too much of a purist?
The older Willet Pot Still Single Barrels were fantastic. Interested to hear how the new ones are.
Jim Beam white label... it's what got me to switch to bourbon some years ago. Prior to that, I drink Jack Daniels and coke almost exclusively for years. I don't remember what made me try something different, but when I tried Jim Beam and coke, I thought it was smoother than JD and coke. I was very impressed. I was so impressed that I never went back to JD. I had discovered bourbon and loved it. That led to a whole new rabbit trail for me where I started trying all kinds of new bourbons. A whole new world was opened up to me. Fast forward a few years, and now I have my favorite bourbons. I recently bought a bottle of Jim Beam white label for the fondness I had for it, but, with more perspective after trying so many other bourbons, I honestly thought that Jim Beam white label fell a little flat. I was sad that I didn't like it more. Still, it's what got me to switch to bourbon, so it has a special place in my heart. There are others that I like more though now.
Last week I ran out of my usual whiskey and found a bottle of JB white label that someone left ….you know it wasn’t the worst thing in the world
It’s good enough for sure👍🏼
The Willet Pot Still of 10 or more years ago was a 10 year old sib and was quite good. The key is to look at the black cap tab. That tells the story. Once the bourbon boom picked up, they shifted to a non age statement small batch and it was never the same
My personal favorite New York Whiskey is from Cooperstown Distillery, specifically their Straight Bourbon. It's a pricey bottle at around the $60-70 range, but it's delicious, and a good representation at what's possible from New York distilleries unlike what Hudson offers.
Good to know, I bought the Hudson aged in Scotch barrels not knowing any better….yuck.
have you tried Traverse City Bourbons? Local to Michigan, I kind of liked their stuff quite a bit but cant get it where I am now
Boy if you from the south you know Jim bean single-handedly saved Hank Williams and me
Mad respect the way he said an opinion is just an opinion if you like the bottle continue to like it
35 years ago I bought a half pint of a Kentucky Straight Bourbon and your description of Hudson in the most rancid coffee off.... described exactly my experience with that garbage. all I haven't been so disappointed
A blind with some of those Total Wine Spirits Direct bottles would be interesting.
When he mentioned cooking the mushrooms from his yard…the dads look is priceless 😂
I bought a bottle of Jim Beam for the first time a few months back. I found it far too sweet. I mixed it with J&B Rare and it made it a much better drink.
Your dryer is most likely not broken, if you were using petro chemicals around where the dryer is it may be igniting those chemicals in the dryer air causing your clothes to smell like exhaust fumes. Air out the area around the dryer and remove anything that may be causing fumes (paint thinner, gasoline, kerosene, etc) and rerun the dryer.
Idk but ive always thought that jim beam was a good bourbon and underrated imo. For the price it is a damn good whiskey. Problem is it has been a party bottle, but if you actually sit and try to enjoy a glass and sip on it then yoy will be surprised. And i feel the same about Jack Daniels sour mash. Both good quality whiskeys.
I dont mind beam but the banana note on jack gets to me
Thanks for sharing your insights......I have three of these four bottles on my shelf now:
* I use Jim Beam (White Label) strictly for mixing. I only like it in cocktails. I don't enjoy drinking it straight
* I tried Basil Hayden for the first time today. Wifey got it for me as a gift a few months ago and I tried it today ONLY because I saw this video and it piqued my curiosity. I like it. It's light and smooth, but the proof is kinda low. I agree that its probably a great bourbon for beginners. Kinda reminds me of Elijah Craig Small Batch....
* I've never heard of Houston Baby Bourbon until today. I probably wont try it based on your review. LMAO!!
* I have an unopened bottle of Willett on my shelf. But, I actually tasted some over at a buddy's house while smoking cigars with friends. I enjoyed it enough to buy a bottle for myself a few months ago.
Jim is the baseline of what straightforward non pretentious bourbon is. Straight up bourbon. The snobs that take themselves too seriously don't know what they are talking about. Jim is a must buy for the price. Bourbon at its roots.