BEST 5 Bourbons for BEGINNERS
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- Опубліковано 29 чер 2024
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My suggestion isn't a bottle to try. Since you and viewers covered those well. My advice is to buy the smallest bottle size you can. Sometimes it is the 750ml, but there's nothing wrong with the 375's or even the 50ml bottles. This way you can try a huge variety with minimal investment.
Excellent advice!
I came to give the exact same advice! I had tried whiskeys and bourbons for decades at bars/restaurants but I really wanted to get into them seriously. I took 40 bucks to a local liquor store, got a 750ml of EW BiB, 350ml of Buffalo Trace, a 350 ml of WT101, and money left over. :) Gave me a great sense of the basic flavors of bourbon, differences by distilleries, and most importantly set a bar in terms of flavor and the cost I am expected to pay. It's unfortunate that the higher quality bourbons are only in full sized bottles since I only go through a few bottles a year, so I was so grateful to get the small bottles to try when I was starting out.
I’ve tried a few….I liked Buffalo trace, Monkey shoulder, Maker’s Mark, but didn’t like Pendleton or Johnny walker black label (too smoky tasting).
Jamison is good too, but almost too smooth, like not enough body, aroma or something…
Monkey shoulder and jw are scotches, pendleton is canadian and jameson is Irish. Only buffalo trace and mm are bourbons.
Great advice, those bottles add up fast too when you don’t finish them all😂
One of the biggest mistakes I made as I was new to bourbon was starting with less-than-great bourbons or common mixer bourbons. They were harsh and hard to drink. I came away thinking I just didn't like bourbon, and I blamed the new barrel aging process. Recommendations from people like you, Kurt, are so essential in beginning to enjoy bourbon. I've learned so much from you. It's a great service to all us, no matter where we are in our journey.
Same. 1st whiskey was a Jack and coke. Hated it. Years later I figured out it was coke mixers I didn’t like. My brother in law had me try a high rye and I fell in love with whiskey. I prefer scotch then rye then bourbon so I still don’t care for Jack. Gentlemen Jack however is pretty good.
Yes, what Holly said! 👍🥃
Thanks Holly, I also learn so much from you and all the folks in our community!
@@mknewlan67 You might give Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof a sip. You'll thank me later.
@@joryknowlton7574 I was on the fence about trying it. You pushed me over lol, I’ll go ahead and thank you now. Thank you for the recommendation!
I have every bottle mentioned in my bar but I think the #1 beginner bourbon is 1792 Small Batch. Haven’t had a man or woman dislike it yet.
Just for a bit of a laugh, the first bourbon I ever tasted was Bourbon Supreme. In 1969 I was stationed at Nakhom Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base. It was $1.70 for a quart.
Wow now that’s an awesome memory! Thank you for sharing!
I GOTTA SAY I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHTFULNESS AND APPROACH. Kurt/Curt you can really see the passion and, even though I've been into bourbons (Kentucky boy) for a few years now, you make me want to explore some brands even more. I've will definitely try a couple of these only because of your descriptions. Very much appreciate it!!!
I have been getting more into bourbon recently in part thanks to your channel and would have to say Maker’s Mark and Old Forester 100 have steered me in the right direction. Keep up the great content!
I am very much a beginner. This channel is my 100% go to for information.
The first bourbon was a shot of Makers Mark I couldn't tell you how many years ago.
Flash forward close to a couple decades.
As the enlisted part of a company command team (1SG), the best Commander I ever served with shared a bottle of Basil Hayden's. Now I am a bourbon fan. I've bought a few types. Old Forrester 86 was the first I bought, then Elijah Craig Small Batch. There has only been a couple more, but I'm enjoying everything so far.
Thank you Kurt for not just the education but also grade A entertainment
Old Forrester 86 was my
Appreciate your kind words! I would have included BH and Angels Envy but did not due to price but both are excellent started!
Snobs will tell you Basil is dog shit, it's not the best neet or on rocks, but it kills in Manhattans and Old Fashions. It's also only 80 proof, so it's good for beginners.
Y'all videos have been super helpful with me now starting my bourbon journey!
From your top 5 I have Wild Turkey 101 and Evan Williams Single Barrel. I found the Wild Turkey to be a bit spicy for me so I did your trick of adding a water bottle cap of water. I am only in my third month of being a bourbon drinker but quite enjoy the hobby. So far I have 12 Bourbons and one scotch on my shelf. My nearly 77 year-old taste buds aren't real sharp but I can pick out differences from bottle to bottle, My first trip to the liqueur store got me Buffalo Trace, Makers 46 and Elijah Craig for my start into the world of bourbon. Really enjoy you videos. Thanks for all the advice Curt.
That’s great bottles you chose to start with! Really happy you are enjoying the channel!
Back in the '60s I drank what my Dad drank - I.W. Harper 100. However, as an entry level bourbon I'd suggest Evan Williams Black. I still keep a bottle around to use in the BBQ sauce and I can still drink it when I want something light.
I agree, great choices. Love the Buffalo Trace! It's the one that goes in a flask for sipping around a fire.
I drink it straight out the bottle big pulls and get hammered at the bonfire love it
I have introduced many new bourbon friends to Old Forester 86 and all have loved it. My #1 for beginners. Thank you. Mike Atlanta GA
Hard to go wrong with that bottle!
I started tasting bourbon & scotch in 2020, as a pandemic hobby:). And I watched videos like this to determine which ones I should try, as a beginner. The basic Elijah Craig and Evan Williams Single Barrel were my first two bottles bought. I was lucky enough to stumble onto Woodford Reserve Double -Oaked as my third bottle - which is still my favorite to-date (in terms of an always-available bourbon). I totally agree on the Michter's American Whiskey - Very drinkable and flavorful, even not being technically bourbon due to the used barrels (as opposed to new).
You have great presentation skills, a beautiful bar and great camera work. Subscribed!
Love the channel, content and honest opion👍🏼 Greetings from the Netherlands
Great list. I’m a fan of four out of five. I’ve not tried the Ancient Age, so I’m getting a bottle today. Never can go wrong with Kurt’s recommendations.
Hopefully you will like it. For 10.00 it’s hard to go wrong!
I really enjoy your content and delivery, it's great to see father and son having a good time doing something together with different opinions! Trent I bought my first CASK strength Bondstone Cask Whiskey 61.4% according to the label. I have started my bourbon collection for sharing with family and friends, so most is lower proof! My first taste was very BOLD tingle in the nose, eyes watered a bit, kind of took my breath! I then started the process adding a couple drops of water Better then 1 ice cube swirl until glass was cold then tasted again! Long story short it is now one of my favorites truly a whiskey with a range of flavor that can be adjusted to the flavor you enjoy most!
Thanks Kurt and crew for your guidance in my Bourbon journey. As a Canadian, I don't have many Bourbon role models but your recommendations are sound and helping me lots. Thanks SLB gang and keep on putting out those videos.
Thank you for your kind words! Appreciate your involvement in the show!
Speaking of Canada, I found Pendleton 1910 Rye to be enjoyable.
Thanks for sharing this - a great place to start. great stuff.
I think these are good recommendations.
Some things I tried early and am glad I did and would recommend:
Try at least 1 wheat
Try better bourbon ($25-30).
Some really cheap bottles are just not good and may turn you off to bourbon.
Try multiple different rye levels, proof points and viscosities.
Some examples
Makers mark (16% wheat) 110 proof
Wild Turkey 101 (13% rye) 101 proof BUDGET
Old Forester 86 (18% rye) 86 proof BUDGET
1792 (18% rye) 93 proof
Four Roses single barrel (35% rye) 100 proof
-This was the first time I had an oily bourbon, or visible legs on the glass.
Good luck on your journey!
Some favorites after a few years of my own journey:
Elijah Craig small batch
4 Roses Single Barrel
Wild Turkey Rare Breed
Coopers Craft (100)
Knob Creek (100)
Old Forester 1920
Old Forester 86
1792 Small batch
Nice list! Here are the 5 I recommend to my friends beginning their journey: Makers Mark (Wheater), Knob Creek (Nutty), Wild Turkey 101 (Spice), Old Forester 100 (Dark Fruit), and Four Roses SB (High Rye).
Great list!
Next Level.. I hear you. That's another show.
Oh that Four Roses is incredible
I have only been into bourbon for about 4 months. One of the very first videos I watched was your top five bourbons for under $30 because I wanted good options at a reasonable price. I have bought every bourbon on that top 5 list. I do have to say I enjoyed the Knob Creek and the Larceny the best but they all were good. I have enjoyed your videos ever since. Your videos are always great on information and your presentation always makes the viewer feel like they are sitting at the bar talking to a friend who just happens to be the bartender. Keep up the great work. God bless. My list would be Knob Creek 9 year, Old Forester Signature 100 proof, Elijah Craig small batch and Larceny.
I'm very new to bourbon, and tried Larceny at a friend's bachelor party the other night. I absolutely loved it. It really prompted me to start learning more about bourbon!
I’d also say regular makers mark, woodford reserve, and Jim beam black label are good beginner bourbons as well. Those are just a few of the bottles that got me into bourbon. In my opinion they are all somewhat easy to drink, have different flavors between each bottle, and also are good for the whiskey cocktails I like to make.
Thanks again for another enjoyable video, I’m putting the Evan Williams Single Barrel on my list, I really like the EV Bottle and Bond so I’m looking forward to trying the single barrel
10:12 I really like your show, and your philosophy that if it tastes good, it is good. I started off with wine both red and white since taking an enology class in college at Fresno State and my instructor had your same approach. Any how thanks for the show it’s great, keep it coming!
These were well thought out! I like Larceny as well as a starter. That's was the first time I could taste the sweet vanilla and I. Was hooked!
That’s awesome! Thanks for sharing!
I recently picked up a bottle of Old Forester 86 and Evan Williams single barrel as entry points into bourbon so it's nice to know I'm on the right track. So far I've only opened the OF but I love it!
Great job! Really glad you liked it!
Love your videos brand new looking to buy my first bourbon. Thanks for the suggestions
Thanks for an excellent and helpful video!
KURT!!!! Awesome video!!! You talked me into getting the Turkey 101, so, I'll continue to trust your taste buds and get some Evan Williams!!! I've been mixing cocktails for years and I still consider myself a beginner!!! CHEERS my brother!!!
We are all beginners my friend! Learning is a daily exercise we all should try to do!
Found your page tonight and absolutely love it. Living in Nashville I’m right in the heart of the bourbon - whiskey country. If you one of the purist. Well I’m not a complete newbie, I am enjoying what I’m learning and like to learn more. I have a very good shop near where I live with a very knowledgeable staff and I learned a bunch from them, but often you wonder if their opinions may be skewed by other loyalties. I actually live very close to local distillery, Leiper‘s Fork distillery which I think is putting out some very nice product.
I really enjoy your channel, keep up the great work. I recently started getting into whiskey and appreciate your honest opinion. Even though I didn’t enter, I enjoyed watching the bourbon madness tournament!
Appreciate your involvement in the channel!
Very nostalgic. I lived in Ky. for 26 yrs (Bourbon Co.) and in the 80s started with AA, EW, Ezra Brooks. Later WT101. Fun to reminisce. Good job!
New subscriber, fellow Hoosier. Good vids! Been getting into Bourbon and Whiskey with my wife in the last year. Great info on this channel. Thanks!
Thanks so much and welcome!
Kurt, I'm not new to drinking, but I am new to Bourbon. Thanks for providing some excellent lessons based upon your experience. My brother is a Bourbon drinker, which makes me interested in knowing more about it, especially since I'm starting to enjoy Bourbon more myself. I also like the background music. It has a pleasant sound without getting in the way of what you have to say.
Evan Williams Single Barrel and the WT 101- great choices for beginners or experienced bourbon lovers- great choices, great channel- thanks Kurt, really enjoy your take on these
Thank you!
Hey Kurt, bought my first bourbon bottle (Basil Hayden) this Xmas, as I’ve grown up in a scotch family. I stumbled on to your channel and I’ve bought a Buffalo Trace and An Elijah Craig….looking forward to cracking them open this weekend. Great work on your channel….thanks for helping us noobs!
Amazing! Thank you for your content!
Awesome guide! I now know where to start
Ah, the good ole days of beginner's bourbon... Had my 1st shot of bourbon back in 1970, in the Army... It was Micther's Kentucky Straight... Been on the tasting journey ever since... It never gets old... Thanks for keeping the dream alive!
101 for sure!! When first time I tried it I fall in love with that bourbon!!
I love the Old Forrester and Wild Turkey 101. I'll have to try the Evan Williams Single Barrel. Great video as always. Thanks!
Hope you love it!
I couldn’t agree more with you Kurt on the old Forester. If you were to get one collection as a beginner I would say to get the old forester line for sure
Definitely!
Four roses was my first ever bourbon. I would try wild turkey 101, makers mark 46, Evan Williams and Elijah Craig small batch. Do not spend more than £30-£40 on your beginner bourbons.
Excellent advice!
Four Roses “yellow label” is a great starter. I still love it.
first Bourbon I tried was Knob Creek 9, loved it, thanks for your recommendation, it's reasonably priced and taste good. I also loved the Elijah Craig smallbatch. Never thought I would love tasting different bourbons, I'm so glad I came across your youtube channel.
Appreciate you!
This is the great thing about being part of a bourbon (or any whisk(e)y) community, is the people, like Kurt here, that can give a person pointers on how to approach this topic in a way that doesn't scare a person away. Good on ya, Brother Kurt!!! I, personally, appreciate you pointing me to many whiskeys, including Old Forrester offerings, Wild Turkey 101 and Russell's Reserve, and Bardstown offerings.
I remember walking up to the bourbon section, at my local liquor superstore, and having no clue where to start. I lucked out, one particulart time, when I ran into a co-worker that had a bit more bourbon experience, and he pointed me to an entry Four Roses, which I enjoyed. When I went back to give him feedback, I started running into more and more individuals that had a passion point for specific offerings, and this led me to venture out a bit more. The big tipper came when I was invited to come to a WEEKENDS IN WHISKEY event, and stood in a line of avid whiskey lovers. It was a bit of a rush to be in the middle of all this joy for bourbon & whiskey...and it cemented, in my mind, that I came to the right place...I learned a LOT that month.
Appreciate your kind words! Excellent advice concerning seeking knowledge from those with more experience.
I absolutely love your channel
Good choices to start. Better mixers than sippers. I loved Buffalo Trace when I started; still do.
Super helpful. Thanks!
New to your site, love your presentation. I have 3 of your items at my bar now, although my Old Forester is the 100 proof. Thanks.
I am relatively new to Bourbon but I would put Wild Turkey 101 up against many Bourbons at twice the price. Tastes great neat or in a Old Fashion.
I'm really new too. I haven't bought a bottle of Wild Turkey 101 yet, but it will be soon.
I'm also drinking everything neat or in an Old Fashioned as well!
@@loganwgriffith grab a bottle of the WT101, so good and very reasonable price
So hard to beat the 101!
I'm more of a rye or Irish whiskey drinker and this makes me feel more confident about trying bourbon. Oddly, the only one of these I know for sure I've seen in our local shop is Buffalo Trace. But this is rural Montana - the store is smaller than my bedroom and the only shop in the county. 😁
That’s awesome lol! Well, if they have BT run with it!
U guys make the absolute best videos
Very much appreciated!
My brother started me with Woodford Reserve. I think Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Michter's US 1 Small Batch and Michter's American, all would be on my list to introduce a friend to bourbon.
Great choices!
Another great video thanks.
I got my wife into bourbon with Jim Beam white label. Had her taste it and kept adding water until she found it palatable. Over time she made it to neat and became aware of the flavor profile. Then she started trying many different whiskeys. She's a huge whiskey fan about a year after despising it.
Great idea with the addition of water!
I still go back to Red Stagg some.
@@slbdrinks called Mizuwari in japan.
Had my first bourbon in the mid 1960's and I remember that it was the 4 Roses one grandfather drank. That same family visit, I tried the WT101 the other grandfather drank and Eddie Russell owned me! My father was drinking Haven Hill at the time, so I had a good introduction to bourbon.
In 2023, my faves are WT101 and EW BIB.. Excellent video!
Great story!
Still a beginner and although I’ve tried most of your recommendations, Four Roses small batch is still the only one I actually find enjoyable.
Another very informative video. Thanks
Thank you!
Excellent choices all around
All great choices turkey 101 can't go wrong ever
Evan Williams 1783 and Bulleit Bourbon started it off for me. Looking back the advice I'd give is go to the mini section. Start off there with the 200ml to 375ml bottles. Then get small bottles of each and don't rush. Get the WT101, Elijah Craig and a Makers 46. Definitely agree on Price and Proof. Don't go past 45% ABV.
Great thoughts!
Bulleit is pretty good. My first rye whiskey was Bulleit. Highly recommend it for a beginner.
My first suggestion to anyone new to whisky would be to learn how to drink it first! When I got into it first, I didn't like whiskey neat because I thought it burned too much. It took me a while to realize that I was drinking too much each sip. The best analogy that helped me was drinking it like a really hot cup of tea or coffee. Just a very small amount and let it pass over the lips first, not straight to the tongue and don't just immediately swallow it like taking a shot.
As far as finding new whiskeys, airplane bottles and local bars are your friend. Most liquor stores will have a large variety of 50ml bottles for $1-2. Most of those are typical mixing whiskeys but some places will have things like bulleit, gentleman's jack, woodford reserve and makers mark for $3 or less. If you have a local bar that has a large whiskey selection, go there and talk to the bartenders. Figure out what bartenders work there that are whiskey drinkers and what days they work. As a bartender myself, I LOVE talking to new people about whiskey and making recommendations. A good bartender that knows what they're doing can set you up with something you'll like for $8 or less and you have a lot more options. I recommend going on a weekday afternoon if you can so they aren't so busy and have time to really talk to you.
Other than that, just remember that everyone has a different pallet and the most important thing is that you enjoy what you drink. Don't get caught up on what other people think are good whiskeys or what flavor profile they smell and taste. The only thing that matters is how a whiskey tastes to you and whether the price point is worth it to you.
If I go WAY BACK, I started with Wild Turkey in high school. I don’t recall which variety it was but I do remember that it tasted awful. As an adult, I got back into bourbon with Jim Beam Black. Tasty and inexpensive but I don’t drink it anymore. From there, I moved on to Knob Creek 9 year and Woodford Reserve. I would still recommend both of these today. Over the years I have tried countless brands and varieties in all different price ranges. For me, big ticket bourbons just don’t make much of a difference compared to mid shelf (and even some bottom shelf) offerings. So these days I enjoy Wild Turkey 101, Old Grand Dad 114, Evan Williams 1783, and Four Roses Small Batch as my “always in stock” bourbons. None of these offerings are over $35 and all of them are truly delicious.
Excellent view point when it comes to bourbon! Thanks for the recommendations!
I have most of these…. Your picks are Excellent!!!
🤠😎👍🇺🇸🥃👨🏻🚀🎥👽
Beretta9MMUSA Sr.
Huge respect for having the 21 year Suntory Hibiki back there. I stayed at a hotel in Tokyo that had the 30 year Hibiki, and came to find out the bottles go for thousands of dollars sometimes.
And here I am starting out a little over a year ago with OF 1920, WR Double Oaked, Basil Hayden, and Four Roses single barrel. Could've started out MUCH cheaper 😅
Great videos. Learning a lot from you.
First, great list SBL Drinks, I think of when I first started out and think hmmm are we talking about mixing or neat? I started with makers mark and to my chagrin there was more water than bourbon in my cup but I did so for a while. Bullet bourbon, buffalo trace, and elijah craig are all great mixers for an old fashioned which is what I did after. Once I decided to have the pallet for neat bourbon flavor and deeper appreciation, things began to change. Some of my past/beginning favorites neat were Elijah Craig small batch, George Dickel single barrel(favorite at the time and one I like to go to still), Wild turkey 101, and Four Roses. A few years have past since then for me as im still on that train. I really have had an appreciation for barrel picks as of late because I get to mess with single barrels each time. I appreciate what goes into making it and love to try new bourbons. I agree with one of your past videos Jefferson's ocean isnt the best tasting but i like to keep a bottle around because its not a bad bourbon. When it comes to hosting there is no other like it. The story is awesome to tell friends who are new to bourbon and seeing how much they enjoy a pour. I cant say what my favorite pour is now because each has its own character. I will say ive been playing around with different finishing casks and even different Irish Whiskeys or cognacs which has been a treat. Cheers to you Sir!
Great Video, thanks a lot. I often have problems to understand english/american natives, but I love the way you speak! Here in Germany, Bourbon unfortunately is not very popular. Scotch is more common. But your channel really opens the world and shows the great varieties! Thanks a lot!
Thanks so much for your nice words!
I might add 1792 Small Batch in there, since it's got so much going on in the nose & palate, without being a super-high proof. @ just < $30 in these parts, it probably wouldn't feel too spendy for most.
Great addition!
I agree 1792 is one of the best kept secrets out there. Also a cool experience at the 1792 Barton distillery. Great bunch of people down there.
Agree, but if you want a tour do by end of June, including gift shop. Very nice tour and great people.
Good list, I’d also add Makers Mark 46 and Woodford Reserve double oak. If you like Makers you can go try a bunch of different wheaters. If you like Woodford there are some double barrels to explore like Old Forester 1910.
These are the ones that first got me into drinking whiskey neat.
Great idea for a video! I agree with the commenter who suggested making it an annual event as things DO change from year-to-year.
As for an idea for a new video, how about the same approach but looking at “cocktail” bourbons?
Another idea: a Bourbon 101 video covering things like “mash bill” and what the different combos do to flavor, who the “major” distillers are and which brands belong to whom, standards (if there are any) for “cask strength”, what the “char levels” are for barrels, and what’s “typical”, etc. Living in Napa, I’ve learned a lot about wine, and can GUESS at some of these things regarding bourbon (and other whiskeys), but I’d love to “know”.
Thanks so much for the great ideas!
I would add Yellow Rose to the list. It's got a nice sweetness to it and doesn't have a harsh kick to it at all, very smooth an easy to drink. The WT101 is spot on, it's everything a bourbon should be.
Thanks for the recommendation!
I am pretty new to bourbon, not to whisky, have had some experience with scotchs.
My favorites so far are:
1. Eagle rare
2. 1792 small batch
3. Four roses single barrel
4. Wild Turkey 101
5. Evan Williams single barrel (vintage 2010)
I still struggle a bit with the ones above 100 proof.
And I live in Europe, so some Bourbons I just can't find, eventhough I really would love to try them.
Thanks for a great channel :-)
Best regards from Denmark
Thank you sir! Great choices!
Great picks!
Cheers from England Kurt, love WT 101, i’ll keep an eye out for the others 🥃👍
Nice to hear from you! Hopefully one day I will be able to visit your beautiful country!
What I did and suggest to people is to find and buy your local/state distilleries bourbon. A good start to a collection.
Seeing an Ancient Age recommendation kinda surprised me. I'll have to check that out. It's what my Aunt & Uncle used to drink!
Lol! I really wanted to include a bottom shelfer. That’s one where you can take it or leave it. I think it’s pretty decent for a 10 spot.
Living in Brazil my options are limited but with my very friendly sellers I can still get great bourbons. My favorite is still Four Roses Single Barrel, followed by Wild Turquey 101, Buffalo Trace and Evan Williams.
Great choices!
Elijah craig , makers 46, knob creek, woodford reserve were some of my favorites starting out as well as the early times and old forester bottled in bond. Anything from Chattanooga whiskey is amazing maybe start with the 91 its really good but a tad pricey for some beginners but it is worth it 👌 😉 even regular makers or larceny is also a nice sipper as well if they like sweeter bourbons
Great thoughts! Thanks!
I never heard of the Michner's American Whiskey, I'll have to try it. Thank you
Evan Williams Single Barrel is on point. I remember when it was a 10-year age statement, but I don't think it's suffered any now that it's a little younger. Great stuff at a helluva price point!
Exactly!
@@slbdrinks too bad its going away and is distillery only now.
Couldn't agree with you more re: Michter's American. The sweetness in that bottle really surprise me. Great video topic!
I think that bottle gets overlooked! Very good!
One of the very different aspects of bourbon is that it’s higher proofed. I like how you bring that into this. Old forester 86 is the lowest I’d go early on bc once again, proof is one the unique aspects of bourbon in the whiskey world. Most European whiskeys are 80 proof. Bourbon pushes beyond that. Great vid! I started watching your stuff looking for a bourbon cocktail and the hunter video had me hooked!
Thank you for joining us!
Well done as always Kurt and crew. I run an events services company that works directly with the local liquor stores & does bourbon flights & tastings at many different events including higher end events. When I’m doing a basics flight here are my basic 5 flight:
I agree with the Wild Turkey 101 and Old Forrester. Buffalo Trace is definitely in there, then I go Woodford Reserve and Makers Mark or Elijah Craig Small Batch. Newbies seem to like them all & go to our bars we have at the events & order one (or more) of them neat, straight up, or in a whiskey cocktail like an Old Fashioned, a Sazerac, or a Sour. All great starters & all are enjoyed by even the advanced bourbon drinker.
Great idea to add a solid wheated like MM!
Just want I needed! Thank you😇
Your welcome!
Thanks Kurt! I can’t always find Early Times in my area so I think a good sub would be Old Forester 100. I also think for the money the Benchmark line is a decent bourbon for new people to try.
Benchmark does have some great choices!
Liquor store employee here. Love this vid! These are great suggestions. My only change would be Larceny instead of Ancient Age just because, here in KS, AA is allocated and is as hard to find as Buffalo Trace.
I wasn’t aware that the AA was hard to find. Buffalo Trace, go figure.
As a relative newbie, I really enjoy the WT 101, also Bulliet and Buffalo Trace ... thanks for the vid guys ! Evan Williams looks like something I'll be seeking ! Cheers
Look for the EW 1783 small batch too. It's probably the best sub $20 bottle available right now
Thank you! Agreed on the 1783 that’s a great bottle as well!
I started my bourbon journey not that long ago and these were my first few bottles ranked from worst to best:
Basil Hayden
Blanton's
Longbranch
Wild Turkey
Elijah Craig small batch
Angel's Envy
1792 small batch
Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Select
Michter's small batch
I've just recently picked up the following 3 bottles that I'm excited to try:
Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit single barrel
Henry McKenna 10 year
Knob Creek 12 year
Great show Kurt. With the exception of the Ancient Age, which I've not yet tried, I couldn't agree more with your list. If I could put a sub with my experience for the Ancient Age, it would probably be Makers Mark, or perhaps Jim Beam Black which I think would fit your profile and criteria perfectly.
I would like to see you do a "BEST 5 Scotches for BEGINNERS" video, which would help me out, as I'm trying to get into Scotch. 🙂
Hmmm great idea! Thank you!
This is a fine lesson with good advice, Kurt. I have to agree with some others that pushing 100 proof probably is too much proof for most beginners, though, regardless of the quality of WT 101.
It's very easy to get caught up in the hype and excitement and start chasing fine, expensive whiskies, and the big cask strength, barrel proof beasts that everybody seems to talk about. (I've done it.) For beginners to Bourbon, and to whiskey in general, one should build one's tastes slowly.
Your recommendations are good, except my caution about the 100 proof bottles. OF 86 is especially good. I also suggest Four Roses yellow, Benchmark, MM, maybe McKenna 80, and EW 1783. BT would be solid, if one can get it.
I never see any Michter's in my Oregon shops. It may be a little pricey, too, for beginners.
Carry on the good work, and cheers!
Great recommendations!
You are back!! I liked the March Madness but great to see you back doing what you love... sharing knowledge.
Great List. *edit*... took out my response.... great vid Kurt!!!
Thanks John! Look out for next video! Peated scotch?? Hmmm
@@slbdrinks you had me at hello my friend......
Great video! I really admire your channel and your videos. Every video you post I can tell you just genuinely want to help people learn about something that you are passionate about. I agree with all of those whiskeys. WT 101 is probably one of the best value bourbons on the market and is so underrated! One thing I have noticed about Early Times BIB is that ever since Sazerac bought it from Brown-Forman the quality has gone down a bit and the taste is very different. It is almost impossible to find an original brown-Forman bottle these days unfortunately. Honorable mentions for me would be the entry level bottles from knob creek and woodford reserve. Those were the bottles that really peaked my interests when I first started.
Thanks for the recommendations! Appreciate your kind words.
So for me starting in bourbon I liked Elijah Craig and Buffalo trace, as well as Evan Williams single barrel which you mentioned. I know the other two are a little more in price however one thing that I did for myself is i bought a few of the mini bottles of stuff to try the 50ml ones. For the wild turkey it was on $2 and it let me try several right off. I didnt like Knob Creek when I began but now it's one of my favorites, amazing how the pallet develops. Woodford Reserve is a GREAT one to try in a mini bottle.
Mini bottles is an excellent idea to try different bourbons for little cost!
Pretty good list. I would also recommend Russel's 10, 1792 small batch or single barrel (both are a good pour for their price) and depending on availability Benchmark single barrel (different states are hit or miss on this one).
Great recommendations!
Buffalo Trace bounces back and forth on whether it’s easy to find around me but I’d agree that it’s a very good starter option. Nice low proof and classic flavors. All the Michtners products are very good though, at least here, would be at the upper end of the price range you suggested (which I also think was good advice). The Evan Williams is actually pretty rare out here. It’s a very good choice but it’s harder to find than the Buffalo Trace. The other option that I might suggest would be the Four Roses Small Batch. It’s about $34 around here at least. I think it has some more complexity than the BT for instance while still being easy to drink.
Been a while since I have had the small batch bottle. Need to get that!
I like Rebel 100 for a beginner, also a great mixer!
Four Roses Yellow Label needs to be part of a beginner list. I sip it and mix it and enjoy both. Cheers.
Believe it or not I have never had the yellow label 😳
OF 86 is a fantastic beginner bourbon. I would add OF 100 as another. May sound redundant but IMHO OF 100 has some very different notes and certainly if you are including WT 101 it fits in there nicely.
A great informative list, even for those who are not exactly beginners...because there's always something new to learn and experience. Three of the five (EW Single Barrel, OF 86, and Turkey 101 have been on my go-to list for some time, especially the 101. Wild Turkey was my original Bourbon when I started drinking whiskey regularly back in college days, and I've enjoyed various Old Forester products for quite a while as well. I didn't really get into Evan Williams until I visited Heaven Hill and sampled some several years ago; I had it pegged as a bottom shelf Bourbon. However, Evan Williams Single Barrel is great, although I admit, I like the 100 Proof BIB more as a day-to-day Bourbon. Ancient Age has sort of flown below the radar for me, so I may have to invest a sawbuck and see what I've been missing. Same for Early Times. Thanks for another great video; I have to say that some of the folks who do these types of programs seem to be more concerned with presenting or maintaining a particular image, or with trying to be comedians. Your presentation is straightforward, informative, accessible, and not about yourself as much as about the endlessly fascinating subject of whiskey, especially Bourbon.
Thanks so much for the kind words and also very knowledgeable comment! Appreciate you!
Well said, Harry!
Just started getting into whiskey in the past month or so. Started with woodford reserve and fell in love with it. Then tried some different scotches like Johnny walker black, and monkey shoulder. Really liked those a lot. So I tried ardbeg an oa. Needless to say I still have to work up to scotches with that much punch to them lol. Love your channel bunches. Got me to try bulleit rye and wild turkey 101. And fell in love with those two as well. You’re definitely helping liquor sales in my local stores😂
Oh man! The An Oa really takes some getting used to, but I like it!
That’s awesome lol! Really happy to see you are enjoying the journey!