…so looking for opinions on whiskey purchases. I’m thinking the products from Cascade Hollow will be really interesting to explore since I like the Dickel 12 whiskey. I see they offer some bonded stuff. Anyone try it and liked it? Open to other suggestions to try too.

I honestly wouldn't know. I've never had whiskey other than Bailey's Irish Whiskey in Irish Car Bombs back when I did drink. (As far as I know, anyway.)

If my buddy from long ago tulsaman was still alive, he'd be able to tell you what you should get. (I miss you, Jeff. Wish you were still here.)

(06-05-2025 09:59 PM)miko33 Wrote:  …so looking for opinions on whiskey purchases. I’m thinking the products from Cascade Hollow will be really interesting to explore since I like the Dickel 12 whiskey. I see they offer some bonded stuff. Anyone try it and liked it? Open to other suggestions to try too.

I took a tour at JD a few months ago. We tried 6 different lesser known whiskeys, mostly bourbons and a rye or two. I finished my purchases weeks ago, but I recall the rye was especially good, and I'm usually a bourbon guy. Not sure which specific rye, but they don't have many, maybe a couple, IIRC. You can sample them on a tour.

We didn't make it to Dickel. That's on the list for the next time. Let us know how that goes.

(06-05-2025 09:59 PM)miko33 Wrote:  …so looking for opinions on whiskey purchases. I’m thinking the products from Cascade Hollow will be really interesting to explore since I like the Dickel 12 whiskey. I see they offer some bonded stuff. Anyone try it and liked it? Open to other suggestions to try too.

Enjoy smelling the mash when they let you take a whiff

(06-05-2025 10:39 PM)TripleA Wrote:  

(06-05-2025 09:59 PM)miko33 Wrote:  …so looking for opinions on whiskey purchases. I’m thinking the products from Cascade Hollow will be really interesting to explore since I like the Dickel 12 whiskey. I see they offer some bonded stuff. Anyone try it and liked it? Open to other suggestions to try too.

I took a tour at JD a few months ago. We tried 6 different lesser known whiskeys, mostly bourbons and a rye or two. I finished my purchases weeks ago, but I recall the rye was especially good, and I'm usually a bourbon guy. Not sure which specific rye, but they don't have many, maybe a couple, IIRC. You can sample them on a tour.

We didn't make it to Dickel. That's on the list for the next time. Let us know how that goes.

Can’t wait to check out the less common whiskeys that aren’t available at our stores. I’ll update after.

Bourbon… you want Bourbon

All Bourbons are whiskey. All whiskies aren’t Bourbon
Pappy if you want the best

My personal favorites : Knob Creek, Wild Turkey

My Family Bourbon: Elijah Craig

(06-06-2025 05:02 AM)CardinalJim Wrote:  Bourbon… you want Bourbon

All Bourbons are whiskey. All whiskies aren’t Bourbon
Pappy if you want the best

My personal favorites : Knob Creek, Wild Turkey

My Family Bourbon: Elijah Craig

Wasn't sure if JD and Dickel wanted to be known as bourbons or if they preferred to stay "Tennessee style" whiskey.

I like Wild Turkey - probably the best bang for the buck wrt to proof and I believe they age their bourbon for 5 - 7 years IIRC. I have an unopened bottle of Knob Creek that looks enticing - 100 proof and aged 9 years per the bottle. My favorite for the price is probably the Four Roses single barrel offering but haven't had any for awhile.

Currently in addition to the Knob Creek I do have some Highland Park 12 year old scotch. That's solid as well. Recently tried the Yellowstone single malt whiskey that I thought was really good.

(06-06-2025 05:02 AM)CardinalJim Wrote:  Bourbon… you want Bourbon

All Bourbons are whiskey. All whiskies aren’t Bourbon
Pappy if you want the best

My personal favorites : Knob Creek, Wild Turkey

My Family Bourbon: Elijah Craig

I rarely drink anymore, I mean like hardly ever, but when I do Knob Creek is right up there with the best. I'll throw in some 4 Roses and Eagle Rare along with some Jim Beam Single Barrel, some Woodford Reserve and top it off with some Blanton's. Each of them are fine bourbons.

I’ve never liked Dickle, tastes like it was aged in a jar of flintstones vitamins.

If JD has single barrel barrel proof that’s always a good choice.

They have a distillery series that changes and you can only get there, some of them become limited releases later. The toasted oak rye was good in the distillery series.

(06-06-2025 06:24 AM)miko33 Wrote:  

(06-06-2025 05:02 AM)CardinalJim Wrote:  Bourbon… you want Bourbon

All Bourbons are whiskey. All whiskies aren’t Bourbon
Pappy if you want the best

My personal favorites : Knob Creek, Wild Turkey

My Family Bourbon: Elijah Craig

Wasn't sure if JD and Dickel wanted to be known as bourbons or if they preferred to stay "Tennessee style" whiskey.

I like Wild Turkey - probably the best bang for the buck wrt to proof and I believe they age their bourbon for 5 - 7 years IIRC. I have an unopened bottle of Knob Creek that looks enticing - 100 proof and aged 9 years per the bottle. My favorite for the price is probably the Four Roses single barrel offering but haven't had any for awhile.

Currently in addition to the Knob Creek I do have some Highland Park 12 year old scotch. That's solid as well. Recently tried the Yellowstone single malt whiskey that I thought was really good.

I tried to develop a taste for Scotch, never could do it.

A good friend built a single column distillery with 3 2500 mash vats over a period of about 10 years in Hickman KY. He is a retired attorney whose business card reads "Lawyer turned Honest Bootlegger" He did it right too, he engineered and oversaw every single detail about the place. There's not a weld on a pipe anywhere that isn't perfect. I spent many weekends up there doing one thing or another helping to get it ready, mostly grunt work. We finally got it up and running and I think he produced 100 barrels before selling the entire operation for one hell of a profit. The folks that bought it have added another column and expanded the building to accommodate something like 15-20 more mash vats. They are now producing about 60k barrels a year. I have one bottle of white dog from before they bought it as a memento.

Some of the bourbons we've been discussing may have originated there, I can't recall what they named it.

Here's a couple of stories about it if anyone is interested. My friend who built it originally is one of the most interesting men I have ever known and one of the finest friends I have had the privilege to have. He owns a collection of copper pot stills that is impressive with a couple dating back to the 1700's.

https://www.distillerytrail.com/blog/3rd...istillery/

https://www.distillerytrail.com/supplier...tillation/

(06-06-2025 07:05 AM)U_of_Elvis Wrote:  I’ve never liked Dickle, tastes like it was aged in a jar of flintstones vitamins.

If JD has single barrel barrel proof that’s always a good choice.

They have a distillery series that changes and you can only get there, some of them become limited releases later. The toasted oak rye was good in the distillery series.

I did a taste test with friends and several bourbons and whiskys and dickel won every time

(06-06-2025 06:24 AM)miko33 Wrote:  

(06-06-2025 05:02 AM)CardinalJim Wrote:  Bourbon… you want Bourbon

All Bourbons are whiskey. All whiskies aren’t Bourbon
Pappy if you want the best

My personal favorites : Knob Creek, Wild Turkey

My Family Bourbon: Elijah Craig

Wasn't sure if JD and Dickel wanted to be known as bourbons or if they preferred to stay "Tennessee style" whiskey.

I like Wild Turkey - probably the best bang for the buck wrt to proof and I believe they age their bourbon for 5 - 7 years IIRC. I have an unopened bottle of Knob Creek that looks enticing - 100 proof and aged 9 years per the bottle. My favorite for the price is probably the Four Roses single barrel offering but haven't had any for awhile.

Currently in addition to the Knob Creek I do have some Highland Park 12 year old scotch. That's solid as well. Recently tried the Yellowstone single malt whiskey that I thought was really good.

IDK about Dickel, but JD filters its whiskey through charcoal, which eliminates it from being a bourbon, among maybe other reasons, too.

I like Yellowstone a lot, too. Been to their distillery (Limestone Branch) several times.

(06-06-2025 07:46 AM)shere khan Wrote:  

(06-06-2025 07:05 AM)U_of_Elvis Wrote:  I’ve never liked Dickle, tastes like it was aged in a jar of flintstones vitamins.

If JD has single barrel barrel proof that’s always a good choice.

They have a distillery series that changes and you can only get there, some of them become limited releases later. The toasted oak rye was good in the distillery series.

I did a taste test with friends and several bourbons and whiskys and dickel won every time

Interesting. I don't think I've ever had Dickel. I need to get to their distillery soon.

(06-06-2025 07:46 AM)shere khan Wrote:  

(06-06-2025 07:05 AM)U_of_Elvis Wrote:  I’ve never liked Dickle, tastes like it was aged in a jar of flintstones vitamins.

If JD has single barrel barrel proof that’s always a good choice.

They have a distillery series that changes and you can only get there, some of them become limited releases later. The toasted oak rye was good in the distillery series.

I did a taste test with friends and several bourbons and whiskys and dickel won every time

Dickel is very underrated IMO. I think Dickel 12 is about $20 - $22 for a bottle where I live.

(06-06-2025 08:24 AM)miko33 Wrote:  

(06-06-2025 07:46 AM)shere khan Wrote:  

(06-06-2025 07:05 AM)U_of_Elvis Wrote:  I’ve never liked Dickle, tastes like it was aged in a jar of flintstones vitamins.

If JD has single barrel barrel proof that’s always a good choice.

They have a distillery series that changes and you can only get there, some of them become limited releases later. The toasted oak rye was good in the distillery series.

I did a taste test with friends and several bourbons and whiskys and dickel won every time

Dickel is very underrated IMO. I think Dickel 12 is about $20 - $22 for a bottle where I live.

I'll have to try that next time I'm in a liquor store.

(06-06-2025 08:31 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(06-06-2025 08:24 AM)miko33 Wrote:  

(06-06-2025 07:46 AM)shere khan Wrote:  

(06-06-2025 07:05 AM)U_of_Elvis Wrote:  I’ve never liked Dickle, tastes like it was aged in a jar of flintstones vitamins.

If JD has single barrel barrel proof that’s always a good choice.

They have a distillery series that changes and you can only get there, some of them become limited releases later. The toasted oak rye was good in the distillery series.

I did a taste test with friends and several bourbons and whiskys and dickel won every time

Dickel is very underrated IMO. I think Dickel 12 is about $20 - $22 for a bottle where I live.

I'll have to try that next time I'm in a liquor store.

I think the one I mentioned above was rebranded as signature recipe (formerly No. 12). The other base offering is the classic recipe (formerly No 8). Numbers are not age but a recipe number. Haven't bought Dickel in a long time so didn't realize the rename.

(06-06-2025 05:02 AM)CardinalJim Wrote:  Bourbon… you want Bourbon

All Bourbons are whiskey. All whiskies aren’t Bourbon
Pappy if you want the best

My personal favorites : Knob Creek, Wild Turkey

My Family Bourbon: Elijah Craig

And here I thought old crow was top of the line.

(06-06-2025 05:02 AM)CardinalJim Wrote:  Bourbon… you want Bourbon

All Bourbons are whiskey. All whiskies aren’t Bourbon
Pappy if you want the best

My personal favorites : Knob Creek, Wild Turkey

My Family Bourbon: Elijah Craig

Pappy is too expensive. No bourbon or whiskey is worth that. Knob Creek is great. I used to drink WT, but I find it too harsh these days.

I do distillery tastings all over the country on my road trips. My favorites are usually obscure ones that aren't widely available.

For common use, I like Jefferson Reserve Small Batch, and for a little less, 1792 Small Batch.

I love brandy myself and bourbon. Whiskey not so much, to me it's like taking a swig of unadulterated gasoline with a splash of 100 octane.

I had bought a pint of Fireball Cinnamon Whisky and it was very, very sweet for my taste. So, being the skinflint that I am I wasn't about to pour it down the drain. I thought to myself, why don't you mix it with Brandy. The brandy that I drink is Presidente, very smooth and grapey, you can even smell the grapes a bit. I used too much Fireball on the mix and then lowered the amount of Fireball to just a tbsp and two shots of Presidente. It is delicious and if I'm not in the mood for straight brandy I'll add the Fireball. It tastes better on ice...to me.

If I feel aristocratic I'll drink Courvesoir but always at special times. It's very good too.

When I first started drinking as a young man, my go to drink was 7&7. At some point, I switched to rum and Coke, until eventually moving on to bourbon and Coke, then bourbon on the rocks. Stayed there for decades.

Just recently, nearing age 80, I find most everything above 90 proof too harsh, and have returned to bourbon and Coke, or rum and Coke. When you mix it half and half, as I do, the quality of the bourbon doesn't make much difference any more.

I also have developed an affinity for "girly drinks" like margaritas, daquiris and Pina coladas.

Btw, I haven't had a beer in many years. It all tastes like I imagine piss would taste, except for a few dark beers. And I rarely drink wine any more, although I did consume a good bit at one time. Mostly confined to winery tastings now.