Finding the right bourbon !

Bulleit 95 Rye seems perfect to start! What do you think guys? ?

My own experiences are sooo narrow but I can definitely recommend Noah's Mill to you. I read the reviews here and nearly instantly had to order one - and I love it!

Can't wait for the experts here like Victor, guess he can give you (and also me) very nice suggestions. I am looking forward to try some bourbons too, actually on my list are Blanton's Gold, Old Potrero, George T Stagg (getting a sample soon, looking forward for it!) and many more.

Please see the discussion: Just One Bourbon for extensive coverage of this topic.

Many thanks guys!

And the stagg is quite rare in europe I guess!

If you also want to include Rye Whiskeys along with bourbon whiskeys, there are discussion groups with a lot of information on them as well.

@Cance, everything will depend on what is available where your contact will be buying. Rare and allocated bottles will only be available at certain stores. Some very good ones like Bookers from Beam and Rare Breed from Wild Turkey will be available at many stores. But they may also be available in France or Scotland, at least through the mail. If you want something uncommon, you will have to look for it. The only practical answer to your question in my opinion is to start from the inventory available to your friend and then select the best available options available within that inventory.

The weird thing with American whiskeys is that price does not rise to ration scarce resources. The prices are generally kept very low within the US for even the best American whiskeys, but they are highly allocated (rationed) to dealers, seemingly as a sort of patronage or reward to the dealers for selling the larger lines from which they derive. As a result the dealers sell them to their best, or favoured, customers, primarily, and most of the bottles of say, George T. Stagg or Sazerac 18 Rye, are pre-sold before they ever arrive at a retailer. Generally speaking, most of the year there are nearly no stores in the entire USA into which a person could walk in and buy a bottle of George T. Stagg, William Larue Weller, or Sazerac 18 Rye, off the shelf. Some other dealers compile waiting lists and give out their 3 or 6 bottles of Stagg one each to the first three or six people who ask in advance for it. If you are not on the list, forget it, most of the time. There are exceptions to this pattern, but very few.

@Victor Or they have to give these 3 to 6 bottles Stagg to a whisky friend called Victor ;)

But to be serious: This sounds really tough, maybe you can purchase those better bourbons in europe easier then. At least there are some online retailers selling a Stagg e.g. It's pricy with around 150€, but you can buy them.

@ Victor and Wills: a deep thanks guys, I'll get in touch with my friend and try to get the best one. I'll let you know my first impression of bourbon !

@Wills, it is good to be friends with the dealers! Truly, European prices for eg Sazerac Antique Collection whiskeys like George T. Stagg are double average American prices, but, yes, for many people who do not have access to dealers with allocations, those whiskeys might be obtainable more reliably and longer in the year in Europe.

@Cance, if your friend has an online inventory to which to refer, I would be happy to give my suggestions of desirable whiskeys on it.

If you're just getting started, my guess is that there would be plenty of good choices available for you: Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, Four Roses Single Barrel, Wild Turkey, Maker's Mark, WL Weller, Knob Creek, to name a few. They'll all be cheaper in the states for sure, but I don't know if $10 or $20 is worth the hassle of having your friend travel with them! If anything, I'd say have your friend pick up as many bourbon miniatures that he can find, as there'll probably be more of those available over here. Then, you can figure out what you like from sampling a variety of miniatures!

I do have a bottle and it is very good for sure @Maximegilger

Only one bottle that would be available and afordable : Van Winkle Family Reserve 15!

@JoeVelo ... really ! Seriously, where would Van Winkle Family Res 15 be available ! ?

@JoeVelo, Do you want to sell it? Let's make a deal or an exchange! ;)

I see the Van Winkle 12 yr in stock all the time in my store in Valparaiso Indiana, never have seen a PVW 15 ,20,23 yr . I did stumble upon a William L Weller 2011 one day but have never seen any of the other Buffalo Trace Antique Collection .

@Cardinal, if Valparaiso were in Maryland, that Van Winkle 12 bourbon would not last a week. I hope that you bought that bottle of William Larue Weller. It is rare to see it on any liquor store shelf.

I did buy the WLW and have been saving it for a special occasion , I also bought a few Van Winkle 12yr. They also so had a Van Winkle Rye that I did not buy that sold before I knew what I was passing up . Will not make that mistake again . @Victor

I tasted the Pappy VW fam res 15 at whisky fest chicago last march and it was awesome. I've been looking to find it in the States for about 3 years now and could never get my hands on one @AboutChoice

I do have the Bulleit Rye which is half full but the VW is still very hard to find @Maximegilger

Was Talking about thé bulleit/rye@JoeVelo