Top Whiskey Lists, June 2015

UPDATE TIME!

These are not intended to be exhaustive lists of all whiskeys made, now or otherwise.  They are my personal preferences for whiskey I own or have tried extensively.  Where they have been reviewed for ModernThirst.com, I have added links.

The Official “Modern Thirst Bourbon Lists”

Top 10 Bourbons Overall:

This category is pretty straightforward.  I’ve tasted a lot of bourbons over the years, and though I may not own bottles of all of them today, or haven’t had them recently enough to write a full review, these are the 10 bourbons that stand out in my mind as bottles I’d give my left foot to have again (or have more of):

1. George T Stagg (2009)
2. Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 125th Anniversary (2013)
3. William Larue Weller (2013)
4. Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year (2004 bottling)
5. Willett Family Estate 10 year (Store Selection)
6. 2014 Four Roses Limited Edition Single Barrel
7. Parker’s Heritage 7th edition, Promise of Hope
8. Pappy Van Winkle 15 year (2004 bottling)
9. Evan Williams Barrel Proof (Gift Shop Only)
10. Four Roses Private Selection OESF (Store Selection)

Top Barrel Strength Whiskeys:

Ahh….now we’re getting into some fun territory.  My personal favorites: the bourbons they suck from the barrel and pour straight into bottles with no water added.  These are somewhat available, at least at times:

1. Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch (especially 125th Anniversary 2013)
2. George T. Stagg (2009 especially)
3. William Larue Weller 2013
4. Parker’s Heritage Collection 8th Edition Wheat Whiskey (2014)
5. Stagg Jr.
6. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof
7. Colonel E. H. Taylor Barrel Proof
8. Four Roses Single Barrel Private Selections “E” recipes
9. Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
10. Bookers

Top 5 “Available Today” Bourbons:

It’s all fine and dandy to list all these bourbons few people will ever find or get the opportunity to purchase.  So what about the casual shopper and drinker?  This list contains bourbons that typically can be picked up in a well-stocked bourbon section of a big box liquor store.  So if I was out of town and away from my own bourbon collection, this is a list of what I might look for in a liquor store to get me through a week of vacation:

1. Blanton’s
   

   “N” stopper

2. Elijah Craig
3. Knob Creek Single Barrel
4. Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
5. Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage
6. Four Roses Single Barrel

Best 5 Bourbon Values (great drinks under $35 a bottle):

This is fairly self-explanatory, but this if for those who don’t want to sell a kidney to purchase a bottle of bourbon.

1. Elijah Craig
2. Knob Creek Single Barrel
3. Four Roses Single Barrel
4. Old Weller Antique

Top “Wheated” Bourbons:

With the recent “Pappy” craze, I’d be remiss to not mention my favorite “wheaters.”  These bourbons, like Pappy, use wheat as the secondary mash grains in their mash bills.

1. William LaRue Weller (2013)
2. Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year (Stitzel-Weller era)
3. Jefferson’s Presidential Select 18 Year
4. Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year (S-W Era)
5. Rip Van Winkle 12 Year Lot B
6. Weller 12 Year
7. Old Fitzgerald 12 Year
8. Makers Mark Cask Strength
9. Larceny
10. Old Weller Antique

Top “semi-accessible” Wheated Bourbons:

Furthering the thought from above, the Pappy craze has also led to a huge shortage in good wheated bourbons.  These are bourbons that can at least occasionally be found on many bourbon shelves in major liquor stores:

1. W.L. Weller 12 Year (seasonal, can be difficult to locate)
2. Old Fitzgerald 12 year (seasonal, can be mildly difficult to locate)
3. Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
4. Old Weller Antique
5. Larceny
6. Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond
7. Maker’s 46
8. W.L. Weller Special Reserve
9. Maker’s Mark

Top “Bottled-in-Bond” Bourbons:

To some, the idea of “bottled-in-bond” strikes a chord.  For me, I just like the idea of 100 proof.  Regardless, there’s a definite market for BiB bourbons, and here’s my list (It’s a short list…there aren’t a ton of BiB Bourbons these days, but I’ll add to it as I taste more):

1. Colonel E. H. Taylor Small Batch
2. Henry McKenna Single Barrel 10 year
3. Colonel E. H. Taylor Single Barrel
4. Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond
5. Evan Williams White Label (TIE)
6. Heaven Hill 6 Year (TIE)
7. Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond
8. Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond
9. Kentucky Tavern Bottled-in-Bond
10. Old Grand Dad Bottled-in-Bond

Top Rye/Other Whiskeys:

1. 2014 Parker’s Heritage Collection Wheat Whiskey
2. Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye (Any Year)
3. Michter’s 23 Year Rye
4. Michter’s 10 Year Rye
5. Cask Strength Smooth Ambler Rye (any)
6. High West A Midwinter’s Night Dram
7. Sazerac 18 year (any year)
8. Thomas H. Handy (Any year)
9. Rittenhouse Bottled-in-Bond
10. Bernheim Wheat Whiskey

Top “Ultra Aged (20+ years) Bourbons

This is a new category for this update.  There have been quite a few new ultra-aged bourbons reach the market of late, most offered by Diageo.  But Ultra-aged bourbons are a tricky subject, as most bourbon tends to peak no longer than 12-15 years in the barrel.  But there are a few with some nice notes to them, and I’ll list them here.

1. Pappy van Winkle 20 Year Family Reserve
2. Lost Prophet
3. Blade & Bow 22 Year
4. Elijah Craig 23 year
5. Michter’s 20 Year
6. Rhetoric 20 Year
7. Elijah Craig 21 Year
8. Evan Williams 23 Year (Gift Shop Only)
9. Barterhouse

Feel free to add comments with your own lists or your thoughts on mine!