Whiskey, whisky. The first is American, the latter is Canadian. Bourbon, by law, must be distilled in Kentucky. Jack Daniels is sour mash, and I'm not sure from which grain.

Oak barrels used for American whiskey are used one time and then sold. Canadians buy used barrels and use them again. Garden shops buy used barrels and use them again too, but not for aging whiskey.

Canadian whisky is a "blend" of different distillations, different barrels. Straight Kentucky Bourbon is not blended, one distillation out of one barrel.

Thirty-six months is a start for aging. Six years is the next stop, and it just gets more and more spendy from there.

I've been searching around on the low cost end of things. I like Old Forrester -- America's oldest Kentucky. I think I like it because it's "sweet" and 86 proof.

MacNaughton's, Seagram's Canadian. (Not the stuff bottled in the USA.) Sweet Canadians in the three-year realm.

In a tumbler, over large cubes. No "water" and let's not make a sno-cone.

I like 1792 Ridgemont Reserve

My rankings are subject to change but now they are:

Scotch whisky: Laphroaig 10, Macallan 12
Bourbon: Knob Creek, Evan Williams Black
Canadian: Canadian Club 12

All inexpensive, good value.

You could spend a bunch of time studying whiskey, someones made a good start here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whisky

Bourbon is made from mash consisting of a minimum of 51% corn and I believe you'll find it from Kentucky and other states.

The whole barrel situation is interesting, some liqours use new barrels, some use charred barrels, some start in a charred barrel and then get moved to a barrel that has aged something else such as wine, sherry or port.

My wife's uncle is a real fan of whiskey and he always brings his latest find to family gatherings. It's been educational to say the least.

Right now my favorite (in my price range) is Bulliett Bourbon Frontier Whiskey.

black label beam is my favorite

Woodford Reserve
Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby

OK, so The History Channel is full of beans:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bourbon_whiskey

Bourbon is an American whiskey, a type of distilled spirit, made primarily from corn and named for Bourbon County, Kentucky. It has been produced since the 18th century. While it can be made anywhere in the United States, it is strongly associated with the Southern United States, especially Kentucky.

Geographic origin

Bourbon may be produced anywhere in the United States where it is legal to distill spirits. Currently most brands are produced in Kentucky, where Bourbon has a strong association. Estimates are that 95% of the world's bourbon is distilled and aged in Kentucky.[4] Bourbon has also been made in Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Virginia.[5]

Bardstown, Kentucky, is called the Bourbon Capital of the World and is home to the annual Bourbon Festival in September.

The Kentucky Bourbon Trail is the name of a tourism promotion intended to attract visitors to eight well-known distilleries: Buffalo Trace (Frankfort), Four Roses (Lawrenceburg), Heaven Hill (Bardstown), Jim Beam (Clermont), Maker's Mark (Loretto), Tom Moore (Bardstown, added to the trail on August 27, 2008), Wild Turkey (Lawrenceburg), and Woodford Reserve (Versailles).[6]

Not on-topic but I'm haveing a Jameson and diet dew now.

My fav. is Jim black or Southern Comfort. I help pay their electric bills.

Early Times, plastic bottle from wally world. 1.75 liter=15$ Yee Haw

Whiskey and soda-pop, diet no less. ICK! Seems like when I was a kid there was more 86 Proof stuff on the shelves. Now it's all 80 Proof.

Interesting reading on Google about "whiskey" -- aging, barrel specs, mash mix, proof, blending, etc. I didn't realize they they take straight bourbon out of the barrel and water it down to 80 proof. A lot of legal constraints about what it is, how it's bottled, labeled.

quote:

Originally posted by fla3006:
My rankings are subject to change but now they are:

Scotch whisky: Laphroaig 10, Macallan 12
Bourbon: Knob Creek, Evan Williams Black
Canadian: Canadian Club 12

All inexpensive, good value.

I second Evan Williams and add Rebel Yell for the bourbon category. I like Jameson better than any Scotch and skip Canadian completely.

I'm quite fond of Makers Mark and Crown Royal reserve on the rocks or when appropriate straight from the bottle.

Maker's Mark is Kentucky Bourbon. Crown Royal Reserve is Canadian Rye.

the glass I have in my hand is my favorite. No matter the brand. the best brand is one someone else payed for

What's presently in my glass is Jim Beam Black, on a small amount of ice, another excellent value. It only confirms my long-held opinion that the differences in decent bourbons, tequilas and even whiskys are very subtle. And that most who imbibe probably cannot accurately distinguish brands in a blind taste test, particularly after the first glass.

Next to firearms, shooting, etc., whiskey ranks right up there as a favorite indoor sport. Tastes vary of course, but for that very, very smooth taste you might want to give Evan Williams HONEY Reserve a "shot." Of course you have to have a Cuban MC No.2 cigar to go with it and then you have made it.
Don't let Rick R know this, but have been told that the "corn" that comes from down in "the Free State of McDowell County" West Virginia is excellent and it burns with a blue flame to boot!! Bottle is nothing fancy, quart jar w/ Mason lid on it.

martin

Ah, my lads. There is so much to do and so little time.

But I will spare some and a bit of both my energy and the clock, in so noble a cause.

Bourbons, and "whiskeys" with an "e" and of the Great White North and of all such similar sorts in general, both American and Canadian, as well as Japanese and otherwise, are suitable and suited only for the coating of pacifiers.

These are the perfect potions for calming and soothing the puerile pyches and peritonea of colicky, yet carefully consolable, coddlers.

Now of the true whisky (without the taint of the "e" you see), that of the Scottish and in particular the Islay variety, which is the painfully and peatiest purest, and of its suitabilities, suitedness and subtleties, there is a similarly simple and succinct, and straightforward, synopsis.

There is but one whisky fit for a man to drink.

Lagavulin. Sixteen years old. Uisce Beatha. Nectar of gold and of God.

All else is the meanest and merest of distillate dribble, and steamed spittle, suitable for only, at best, hot toddies, and at worst, and in general, eventual, eventful and ejectile - expectoration.

Yr. humble svnt.,

There is really only one good smooth bourbon out there...Henry McKenna....Have a friend who doubted me...Lined up three shots...1 was crown royal. 2 Jack D Black, 3rd was Henry Mckenna...Per friend...Crown Royal was smooth for a whiskey (he drinks vodka)...Jack...no way...Henry McKenna...knocking on the back door of Crown...Price wise....Mckenna is much more affordable........Wife and I have been enjoying McKenna for 37 yrs and if I bring home anything else...she complains....loudly....

Gentlemen,

I believe you've missed the essence of how bourbon should be viewed.

Bourbon is to Scotch as a campfire is to central heat. Both of them have a place, one is a bit more civilized than the other.

Sour mash is kind of like a big roaring bonfire that makes you feel alive (and too much makes you take your clothes off...).

quote:

Originally posted by Rick R:
Gentlemen,

I believe you've missed the essence of how bourbon should be viewed.

Bourbon is to Scotch as a campfire is to central heat. Both of them have a place, one is a bit more civilized than the other.

Sour mash is kind of like a big roaring bonfire that makes you feel alive (and too much makes you take your clothes off...).

Yeah, well --

Scotch is something you learn to drink in college while you're figuring out "who you are" and taking a lot of cues from Playboy Magazine.

Whisky is what you drink when you've figured out who you are and don't give a damn for much except taste.

I don't much care for Scotch, and I'm liking Canadian Rye more and more.

My grandfather passed down some tumblers, 10 oz. glass with gold rims. Four glasses, there's a grouse, a quail, pheasant, and Canada Goose.

Grandpa being French-Canuck, the flying Canada Goose glass was the one he favored, w/ Canadian whisky. He'd tell me this story as he filled this glass.

"Fill the glass with ice until that ol' goose has a nice cool place to sit. Then pour in the whisky past his beak, so the goose can have a drink too."

The goose's beak is better than half way up the glass.