OT any bourbon or whiskey drinkers?

[IthacaBarrel]

35 for me. Started with Old Fashioned's and then started going with just rocks.

Yep, manhattan's or old fashioned's are a great starter. Use to have a drink at local bar that was a manhattan with a small amount of fresh squeezed OJ in there as well. That said, once you get to the higher priced bourbon and ryes it just seems like a shame to drink them any other way but neat or with just a couple ice cubes

 

[690West]

35 for me. Started with Old Fashioned's and then started going with just rocks.

Yup. 35 for me too. And it also started with manhatttans and old fashioneds. Slowly you start to enjoy the bourbon by itself with a couple cubes and now I pour it neat in my glencairn and enjoy it that way.

 

[kuethstheman]

How old were you when you started to like brown liquors? I turned 30 yesterday and up to this point I cannot drink these on the rocks or neat. Just don't have the taste for it. Might never have it.

45 for me. Started with bourbon. Got to like scotch around 50.

Almost only ever drink liquor straight. I'll add a small ice cube to 100 proof or higher. I'll choke down an occasional old fashioned and maybe a mint julep, on Derby day.

 

[CuseCrew08]

How old were you when you started to like brown liquors? I turned 30 yesterday and up to this point I cannot drink these on the rocks or neat. Just don't have the taste for it. Might never have it.

I started this year, I am 34. Start with some lower proofers- basil hayden, woodford double oak, buffalo trace, Michters Small Batch, JTS Brown are all easy starts. I used to do a few ice cubes, but now mostly neat with an ice cube in the high proofers.

 

[007]

Yup. 35 for me too. And it also started with manhatttans and old fashioneds. Slowly you start to enjoy the bourbon by itself with a couple cubes and now I pour it neat in my glencairn and enjoy it that way.

Started as an 8 year old. Red Stag - shaken not stirred. Graduated to the good stuff now that I'm wealthy. Always neat.

Glancairn is the iconic standard. I recently splurged on a set of these: Norlan Whisky Glass

 

[NineOneSeven]

45 for me. Started with bourbon. Got to like scotch around 50.

Almost only ever drink liquor straight. I'll add a small ice cube to 100 proof or higher. I'll choke down an occasional old fashioned and maybe a mint julep, on Derby day.

I started this year, I am 34. Start with some lower proofers- basil hayden, woodford double oak, buffalo trace, Michters Small Batch, JTS Brown are all easy starts. I used to do a few ice cubes, but now mostly neat with an ice cube in the high proofers.

Man, you guys are motivational. I guess it could happen but it’s impossible to see right now.

My buddy would drink scotch in college. Dewers I believe. I tried it once and my god. He thought it tasted like candy. To have a 19 year old walking around drinking scotch at a college party is definitely not typical. As you can imagine, had some long nights.

 

[690West]

Started as an 8 year old. Red Stag - shaken not stirred. Graduated to the good stuff now that I'm wealthy. Always neat.

Glancairn is the iconic standard. I recently splurged on a set of these: Norlan Whisky Glass

Yes! The Norlans always show up in the ads when I’m watching whisky reviews. I like the way I can swirl my glencairn. Wow. We are whisky snobs and I love it!!

my favorite thing is to pour a dram and then pull up a YouTube review and drink it while listening to the review. My wife thinks I’m nuts.

 

[OttoMets]

Yes! The Norlans always show up in the ads when I’m watching whisky reviews. I like the way I can swirl my glencairn. Wow. We are whisky snobs and I love it!!

my favorite thing is to pour a dram and then pull up a YouTube review and drink it while listening to the review. My wife thinks I’m nuts.

This is both pretentious and awesome, I love it. People could probably learn a lot more by doing this.

 

[007]

Yes! The Norlans always show up in the ads when I’m watching whisky reviews. I like the way I can swirl my glencairn. Wow. We are whisky snobs and I love it!!

my favorite thing is to pour a dram and then pull up a YouTube review and drink it while listening to the review. My wife thinks I’m nuts.

YouTube...like Whiskey Vault or Bourbon Junkies? Been there. My wife also thinks I'm nuts.

 

[690West]

YouTube...like Whiskey Vault or Bourbon Junkies? Been there. My wife also thinks I'm nuts.

Even though he does mostly scotch, Ralfy is the best. So much fun to listen to.

 

[Nāraṅga]

My buddy would drink scotch in college. Dewers I believe. I tried it once and my god. He thought it tasted like candy. To have a 19 year old walking around drinking scotch at a college party is definitely not typical. As you can imagine, had some long nights.
[/QUOTE]
I started in college. Probably would have been sooner if my dad hadn't had a preference for Scotch and water. He let me try it on several occasions and each time I thought it was vile. I was at a college Formal and guy tried to put me on the spot by offering me a scotch neat. Not one to back down, I gave it a try and my first thought was - what was my father thinking watering down this stuff!?! I've loved it neat ever since. Bourbon came second for me when so many of the Scotches I loved went up in price and out of my post-college budget. Now Bourbons are up there too.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Another question I guess, if people love it so much how do you not get plastered every time you drink it from drinking too quickly or fast? After all, straight liquor is a drink you’re supposed to sip. But if you truly love it, seems easy to drink.

 

[Orangezoo]

Wow - great thread and definitely taking notes galore. I've never been a huge whiskey/bourbon guy but started to lean that way through trying friends collections here and there. I realize this isn't the Cognac thread but that is the one spirit I have always had a good stock of. For those connoisseurs what would you recommend in the whiskey /bourbon dept for a big cognac fan?

 

[72Cuse]

Blantons. it is Justified.

 

[Orangello]

Wow - great thread and definitely taking notes galore. I've never been a huge whiskey/bourbon guy but started to lean that way through trying friends collections here and there. I realize this isn't the Cognac thread but that is the one spirit I have always had a good stock of. For those connoisseurs what would you recommend in the whiskey /bourbon dept for a big cognac fan?

Great question and the opposite of what I usually see, which is whiskey drinkers asking for a cognac suggestion.

Depending on how strong of a rancio flavor you like in your cognac, I might suggest Highland Park 10 year old scotch or Bunnahabhain 12 year old scotch. These both have a fairly strong nut type note with oak and slight floral to them think Camus VS or Mournier La Fayette. On the bourbon side I would suggest Old Forester Prohibition style but go easy as its 115 proof.

 

[Orangezoo]

Great question and the opposite of what I usually see, which is whiskey drinkers asking for a cognac suggestion.

Depending on how strong of a rancio flavor you like in your cognac, I might suggest Highland Park 10 year old scotch or Bunnahabhain 12 year old scotch. These both have a fairly strong nut type note with oak and slight floral to them think Camus VS or Mournier La Fayette. On the bourbon side I would suggest Old Forester Prohibition style but go easy as its 115 proof.

Great stuff. Typically I have Remy 1738, D'Usse VSOP and De Luze VS in the house. Enjoy Camus and Mournier but they would round out my top 5 vs being top picks.

 

[SUskibum]

Woodford is an excellent daily driver

When in airplanes yes

All other times I prefer Basil Hayden as my daily driver

 

[Nāraṅga]

Wow - great thread and definitely taking notes galore. I've never been a huge whiskey/bourbon guy but started to lean that way through trying friends collections here and there. I realize this isn't the Cognac thread but that is the one spirit I have always had a good stock of. For those connoisseurs what would you recommend in the whiskey /bourbon dept for a big cognac fan?

I think with the sweetness of cognac, I'd suggest a Jamesons.
I also searched sweet whisky and found this list that specifically mentions cognac drinkers! Top 10 Sweet Whiskies - Reviews & Prices at Whisky Suggest

 

[SUskibum]

How old were you when you started to like brown liquors? I turned 30 yesterday and up to this point I cannot drink these on the rocks or neat. Just don't have the taste for it. Might never have it.

Started in college with Cognac during the nights we were trying to be ‘fancy’

Scotch started right after college but usually pretty deep into the night

When I hit 30 I could drink Scotch to start the night and have it be tasty

Just the last couple years (late 30’s) I started traveling the south for work and picked up bourbon, previously I hated bourbon (But liked scotch?)

Now I still prefer scotch but at any given point can prefer bourbon depending on my mood.

 

[Newhouser]

I make manhattans with bourbon and rye. Had it in NOLA one trip and got hooked.

 

[DeGrozz]

How old were you when you started to like brown liquors? I turned 30 yesterday and up to this point I cannot drink these on the rocks or neat. Just don't have the taste for it. Might never have it.

Life's too short to drink something you don't like. Plenty of other great ways to catch a buzz if whiskey isn't your thing -- beer, wine, seltzers, crack-cocaine, gin, vodka, etc.

In all honest though, if you want to try to pick up the taste, maybe start lighter? Some people like to add a little distilled water to cut the alcohol and bring out the flavors, some like a cocktail, some like mixed drinks, etc. You can always start with them and then slowly go stronger from there.

As you can tell from the thread, there's just so much great stuff out there now, if it's your jam. I rarely pick up the same bottle more than two or three times per year because there's just so much to try.

 

[GoSU96]

Drinks of choice have been Negroni or Boulevardier

The Italian in me likes the touch of bitterness.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Life's too short to drink something you don't like. Plenty of other great ways to catch a buzz if whiskey isn't your thing -- beer, wine, seltzers, crack-cocaine, gin, vodka, etc.

In all honest though, if you want to try to pick up the taste, maybe start lighter? Some people like to add a little distilled water to cut the alcohol and bring out the flavors, some like a cocktail, some like mixed drinks, etc. You can always start with them and then slowly go stronger from there.

As you can tell from the thread, there's just so much great stuff out there now, if it's your jam. I rarely pick up the same bottle more than two or three times per year because there's just so much to try.

Oh believe me, I am no stranger to drinking. The dark still, straight, I just have no taste for. But maybe I will try again at some point.

I like gin and tonic a lot. The key is diet tonic water. Amazing how much sugar is in regular tonic. Big beer guy too, but mainly the lite stuff. The IPAs can get too hoppy for me. Also a huge bloody mary fan. I drink those at all times during the day.

 

[DeGrozz]

Oh believe me, I am no stranger to drinking. The dark still, straight, I just have no taste for. But maybe I will try again at some point.

I like gin and tonic a lot. The key is diet tonic water. Amazing how much sugar is in regular tonic. Big beer guy too, but mainly the lite stuff. The IPAs can get too hoppy for me. Also a huge bloody mary fan. I drink those at all times during the day.

Oh hell yeah. We should get a best bloody mary recipe thread going.

 

[690West]

Drinks of choice have been Negroni or Boulevardier

The Italian in me likes the touch of bitterness.

yes! Drank so many Negronis before meals this summer. I like to sometimes substitute cappelletti for the Campari. When I can find the cappelletti. A well made Negroni may be the best cocktail in the world.