I tried Angel's Envy on Tuesday night and it was the FIRST bourbon I like!

Nice! and also what have you been drinking before?

I drink Scotch / Whiskey and Bourbon was always too harsh. Elijah Craig and Buffalo Trace both too harsh :hmmm:

Trace and Wellers got allocated at the liquor store by me I had shit to do so waa late getting there. Had to settle for the Trace 1.75

I’m the exact opposite. The smokiness of Scotch just didn’t do it for me. Craig can certainly burn hot(especially some of the barrel strength), but always thought Trace was sort of mild. Maybe hang around the 80 proof stuff.

Sipping some Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye.... all of my favorites have been relatively lower proof, but enjoying this one.

When I first started drinking bourbon, I thought a lot of them were too harsh or had too much "alcohol burn." After a while, I figured out that the tingling on my tongue wasn't harshness, but it was the spiciness of the rye most bourbons use. After a while you get used to it like an acquired taste and now I enjoy a little spiciness and prefer that to a "smoother" whisky.

If you can't acquire a taste for the rye spice, try some bourbons that use wheat instead of rye. Maybe larceny or makers mark (or better yet makers 46 or 101). Redemption, 1792, and old elk also make wheated bourbons.

Bought a bottle of this recently as well and it's tasty! Interesting about Elijah Craig, because I find that incredibly smooth... I believe Angel's Envy is maybe ~5% under EC though.

My palate has definitely acclimated over the past year though... I'm sure if I had the Wild Turkey Rye last year (neat) it would have just been alcohol burn.

I was gifted a Flaviar subscription, and I'm not sure how much of their website is accessible without one, but their 'flavor wheels' really help with this... while my palate can't pick up on every little thing it shows (yup, it tastes like bourbon!), some bourbons or ryes show 'spice' as the primary flavor, while others are sweeter, like caramel being the primary.

Might be a good resource when shopping around.

Wife bought me a 1/2 year subscription to Flaviar last year for my bday. Tried some interesting bourbons.

The two on the right are expensive for what I'd usually pay for bourbon (Rittenhouse only being $30 though), but several great choices last night and tried to limit myself to a few.

Also tried the Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel at a bar that has a pretty great selection, and it immediately became a favorite.

Craft beer has been somewhat disappointing around here (at least had a 2020 BCS last night though), but have tried some great bourbon lately.

https://i.imgur.com/IjXngd4.jpg

FYI… this years batch will be the last batch under the Stagg Jr name. Next year will be batch 18 so they are dropping the Jr. Will just be Stagg.

My father in laws boss has a connection at the buffalo trace distillery

I got all 8 letters in a case of blantons and a case of eagle rare

All at cost no up sell

Merry Christmas!

Yum on that toasted barrel.