Maker's is solid and yummy. But a step up is Woodford, a sip that tastes like relaxed, smooth confidence. However, that would be for a male friend. For a lady friend I'd offer Blanton's. It has a slightly floral or perfumy tinge, and it's a bit pricier, but is quite seductively excellent - it tingles your body. A few sips of this and watch her not be able to control her smiles and the playful girl come out looking for fun. Woodford and Blanton's make a handsome, classy, easygoing, sexy couple.
@@OrdinaryDude67 Old Forester 1910 is same mash bill as WRDO but aged in heavy charred barrels. It is a bit cleaner tasting if you haven't tried it. I prefer the 1910.
@@joewas2225 I am Lifetime MM Ambassador and agree with you. People don't take enough time teaching newbies the different in wheated vs rye bourbons. Wheters are easier for starters, more sweet up front and less burn. I always encourage newbies to 1 ice cube, taste with tip.of tongue. Cheers!
If you've never tried bourbon I would start with Evan Williams Black and move on to Wild Turkey 101. I've drank more expensive but havent found two I like better.
Yep Makers seems gimmicky, but it's actually pretty good stuff if one wants to just enjoy the drink. The rest are for people who are trying to just get drunk and don't know better, rather than wanting to enjoy the drink and the buzz. Also, never put a bottle in the fridge, it closes up the flavor profile and once you open it, the cold will attract all the moisture in the air, watering down the bottle from the inside almost instantly. It's actually a significant amount of water too, even just opening it once could equal a cap full of water sticking to the insides of the bottle, which is really the maximum you'd ever want to add to a whole bottle. So it ruins the flavor over time. Drinking cold liquor also makes it absorb more slowly, so it just sits in your gut until it warms up, which is not conducive to a good buzz. Pour Makers warm, on the rocks before the ice melts, and it'll always give a great taste and a great buzz. Of all the brands in this list, Makers is really the only one that matters.
A poker friend 10 years ago gave me a bottle of Rebel Yell bourbon for hosting a poker tournament. I have to tell you that it was 100% Great! I would recommend giving Rebel Yell a try to bourbon drinkers. It is smooth and great tasting. I like to sit back on my deck on our pond with a cigar at night and a glass or two or three go great with a cigar or two or three. I am really enjoying your video on bourbon tonight as I sit back with a glass and cigar. Shalom
Maker's went from $35 a bottle to $60 a bottle and the quality changed. "Maker's Mark bourbon, agreed this week to be acquired by Japanese beverage company Suntory Holdings Ltd. in a massive $13.62 billion deal"
I've tried many whiskey's. From Wild Turkey, to Jim Beam, to Jack Daniels, to Glenlivets, to Johnny Walker Black, and many no name brands, but oddly enough, to me Maker's Mark, as gimmicky as it seems, is actually better than all of them, both in flavor and effects, and it almost magically doesn't even give you a hangover either. It also drinks well either straight or with a little water or on the rocks.
Awesome list. All of these spend time on my whiskey table. I avoid the Wild Turkey for the 101 instead, but otherwise these are great. Gotta try that Brooklyn stuff!
Jefferson Bourbons? Evan Williams Black Label is the best inexpensive introduction to bourbons, in my estimation. Makers' Mark, Eagle Rare, Elijah Craig Small Batch, and Russell's Reserve are still in my bar. You can't go wrong with any of the Knob Creek line; the 12 Year Single Barrel has beaten out the much pricier Bookers as my absolute favorite.
Buffalo Trace products seem to be scarce in my area (Western New York State). When I've had them, they are O.K., but lack of availability and resulting higher prices make several other choices more attractive. Several of the Heaven Hill brands are very good (IMO). 1792, Four Roses Small Batch, and Wild Turkey 101 seem to be in the cabinet most of the time.
I’m from your same area. Take a little trip to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls…. Duty free has Trace. They told me “ it’s flying off the shelves” the price is great, the only downside, it’s not in liters, it’s in 750’s.
Jefferson very small batch and four Roses are a solid pick on this list. After trying these i stayed away from Basil Hayden. I haven't tried others on this list
Four Roses Small Batch was the Bourbon that made me realise I actually can like Bourbon neat. I'm not going to go out and say it's the best fit for everybody but it really hits the nail on the head for what I think I wanted out of a Bourbon when I first started trying them.
That knob creek 9 year is great. It won best bourbon in 2015 blind test in San Francisco. Just didn’t catch on. McKenna won in 2017 and now you can’t find a bottle
Great video. I love Canadian club classic whiskey and want to try bourbon (told it has some similarities) but find it overwhelming complex for some odd reason. I keep on avoiding it but this shows some insight. Thanks!
You forgot Evan WIlliams, an inexpensive and excellent tasting every day whiskey, George Dickel Whisky which is a legend of bourbon. Plus, Maker's Mark was bought by a Japanese company and the quality has dropped and the price has vastly increased.
Makers mark has pretty much stayed the same price for the 6 years I’ve been working with liquor stores. Not sure where you are but the stores you’re going to are probably just marking up the price
Evan Williams small batch best bourbon and best price of the small batches in NC. But realistically jack and Jim are beginner bottles. Until one grows to love the bourbon more than the mixers that is.
I have been drinking bourbon for over 60 years, so I am hardly a beginner, but curiosity made me look. Some good choices, but the descriptors are scripted bs. Wild Turkey 101 and Evan Williams Bottled in Bond are my daily drinkers, but I do like many other bourbons. Nice try though.
I'm not sure I'd put Knob Creek on a beginner's list. It is strong in smell, taste and alcohol. To me, its very different than Makers Mark and Bulleit (and some others) which are a more mellow experience. Knob Creek is my favorite, but I don't use it for intro to bourbon tastings with friends.
I wouldn't consider Makers Mark a beginner whiskey, just a decent all around good whiskey. The rest are seemingly more for people who feel they have something to prove by drinking rougher whiskeys. There's no need to "graduate" from Makers Mark, because all that leads to is hangovers and rot gut.
I've tried bourbon in the past, Knob Creek it was. I enjoyed the taste and smell, but sadly, I really suffered from acid afterward. So...what's a good bourbon that will be a bit more "gentle" on the stomach. (I know, I'm a wuss). LOL
For beginners, stick with sweet bourbons (ie. high corn). Stay away from high rye's and, for me, wheaters as the flavour can put newbies off. Old Forester is a great starter.
Frankly, Bourbon is too 'one note' for me. I drank Bourbon until I tasted Johnnie Walker, and I have never gone back. Sure, Scotch Whisky is more expensive, but it's worth it to me.
Buffalo Trace and Eagle Rare are the same bourbon, ER is just older. I disagree with Russell’s Reserve 10 year as a starter bourbon. It has more burn than Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel at 110 proof. Brands for beginners not on the list: Old Forester 1870 Daviess County David Nicholson 1843 Smooth Ambler Contradiction Evan Williams SiB
As a 40 year bartender, spirits are like shoes. Whatever fits a individual taste. Older generations tend to old forester, old Fitz etc. Younger generation has a totally different taste preference.
Michters is just to sweet for me. I haven’t had all their products but the ones I have are too sweet. Wild Turkey 101 is a everyday drinker, nose, palate and price! But their prices on their other products are exaggerated in my opinion!
You have to admit, if you have even just a bit of knowledge about the bourbon industry, there's a lot of audio commentator crap about the bottles, their history, taste, and favorable appeal. The only thing that's relevant is that this video does show you the most frequently stocked items on liquor shelves. The bottles many bourbon drinkers aren't particularly recommending is Knob Creek 9, Michter's, Bulleit, Basil Hayden, Jefferson's, Widow Jane, and Woodford Reserve. Please look at other bourbon specialized videos on TH-cam, and you will realize why half the recommended list for beginners in this video are completely wrong. In some cases, the reason the bottle is not recommended is because the distillery changed the recipe, age, or makeup in some way in the last decade that makes the purchase not what you expect. Please do not recommend a bottle to a beginner that costs over 40 dollars when most novice drinkers have already a hard time taking in the higher proof.
Honestly, I don't like high proof liquor, and I'm an experienced drinker. 40-45 percent is about it, and even then I like to water it down a little for flavor. High proof isn't for enjoying the drink, it's for just getting drunk or mixing.
@@peoplez129 You don't get it. You should always get a higher proof whiskey, because it's much easier for the master distiller to create a better tasting bottle and you have the option to dilute and mix the whiskey to whatever dilution, cocktail, recipe, or combination with other alcoholic drinks other than another whiskey. I am stating that higher proof whiskey gives you more options while heavy diluted bottles is rarely going to give you a better flavor profile than a higher proof bottle. It's not about the proof, but the taste. If you prefer lower proof then sure have at it.
@@fturla___156 I literally said higher proof is for mixing. You don't get a better tasting bottle with higher proof. You just get something that isn't going to be weak in alcohol when you mix it.
@@peoplez129 Well, we are in disagreement. The main reason people pay for higher proof whiskey is because it tastes better. You are stating that people want to buy higher proof whiskey to get drunk. Getting drunk is a weakness and an addiction that is unhealthy. I do not recommend that approach and I realize some people buy alcoholic beverages just to get that buzz even though they do not like the taste of alcoholic drinks. You will get a better tasting whiskey with higher proof, because most of the taste is in the alcohol portion of whiskey and much of the water placed into the distilling process is to dilute and not enhance the flavor.
@@fturla___156 More alcohol means less flavor. It's simple math, more alcohol percent, less of other stuff. High proof alcohol is like the hottest hot sauces....no one haves them for flavor, where lower proof is more like a good hot sauce that is still hot but also has flavor. Sure, they might need to add more biting flavors to the high proof stuff in order to fight against the alcohol, but that's a losing battle, especially when those flavors are going to be diluted by mixing anyways. This is why on the rocks or adding a bit of water is a normal thing, in order to open it up, to dilute the alcohol a bit so the other flavors can shine through. But the more alcohol there is, the more you have to dilute it in order to get the right level of alcohol for the flavors to shine through, which also dilutes the flavors too. The only real benefit to higher proof is if you intend to keep an open bottle for longer, so that as the alcohol evaporates away, you're not more readily left with a flat taste.
What would you recommend to a friend as a beginner bourbon?
Woodford Reserve Double Oaked. Both beginners and old pros love this whiskey. It’s a little more expensive but it’s worth it.
Maker's is solid and yummy. But a step up is Woodford, a sip that tastes like relaxed, smooth confidence. However, that would be for a male friend. For a lady friend I'd offer Blanton's. It has a slightly floral or perfumy tinge, and it's a bit pricier, but is quite seductively excellent - it tingles your body. A few sips of this and watch her not be able to control her smiles and the playful girl come out looking for fun. Woodford and Blanton's make a handsome, classy, easygoing, sexy couple.
When it comes to Bourbon. Nothing beats Maker's Mark. Nothing.
@@OrdinaryDude67 Old Forester 1910 is same mash bill as WRDO but aged in heavy charred barrels. It is a bit cleaner tasting if you haven't tried it. I prefer the 1910.
@@joewas2225 I am Lifetime MM Ambassador and agree with you. People don't take enough time teaching newbies the different in wheated vs rye bourbons. Wheters are easier for starters, more sweet up front and less burn. I always encourage newbies to 1 ice cube, taste with tip.of tongue. Cheers!
Missed the Wild Turkey 101. Makes it #1
I don't have a large resume yet but I highly recommend Elijah Craig Small Batch if you like smooth and affordable.
No mention of Old Forester, one of my favorite brands. The 100 proof is especially good.
I have a 2016 Birthday! hahaha
@@gosman949 Glad you have one. They are excellent. But they really arnt something a beginner should get right away, and thats the topic of the video.
If you've never tried bourbon I would start with Evan Williams Black and move on to Wild Turkey 101. I've drank more expensive but havent found two I like better.
I'd vouch for Evan Williams B-i-B.
Makers Mark is my jam!
Maker's Mark is good but very ordinary. Nothing special.
As as man who just started drinking bourbon
Maker's is 🔥 🔥
Maker's is a good starter because it lacks rye, so avoids the peppery sting. There's no arguing taste, but beginners ought to try it.
It used to be before the Japanese changed it.
Yep Makers seems gimmicky, but it's actually pretty good stuff if one wants to just enjoy the drink. The rest are for people who are trying to just get drunk and don't know better, rather than wanting to enjoy the drink and the buzz. Also, never put a bottle in the fridge, it closes up the flavor profile and once you open it, the cold will attract all the moisture in the air, watering down the bottle from the inside almost instantly. It's actually a significant amount of water too, even just opening it once could equal a cap full of water sticking to the insides of the bottle, which is really the maximum you'd ever want to add to a whole bottle. So it ruins the flavor over time. Drinking cold liquor also makes it absorb more slowly, so it just sits in your gut until it warms up, which is not conducive to a good buzz. Pour Makers warm, on the rocks before the ice melts, and it'll always give a great taste and a great buzz. Of all the brands in this list, Makers is really the only one that matters.
It’s decent but there is so much better for the price. But makers is at almost any bar and holiday party and always a safe choice over jim and jack
A poker friend 10 years ago gave me a bottle of Rebel Yell bourbon for hosting a poker tournament. I have to tell you that it was 100% Great! I would recommend giving Rebel Yell a try to bourbon drinkers.
It is smooth and great tasting. I like to sit back on my deck on our pond with a cigar at night and a glass or two or three go great with a cigar or two or three. I am really enjoying your video on bourbon tonight as I sit back with a glass and cigar. Shalom
Agree - Yell is quite good. I think the name puts people off.
i really liked Maker's Mark.
Maker's went from $35 a bottle to $60 a bottle and the quality changed. "Maker's Mark bourbon, agreed this week to be acquired by Japanese beverage company Suntory Holdings Ltd. in a massive $13.62 billion deal"
@@JimJWalker where are you that Maker's is $60 a bottle? Total Wine and More offers 750 mL bottles of Maker's for less that $25 where I am
@@fernisaperson Florida, and a 750mL is $38 here.
Woodford Reserve and Bulleit are my go-to favorites.
I've tried many whiskey's. From Wild Turkey, to Jim Beam, to Jack Daniels, to Glenlivets, to Johnny Walker Black, and many no name brands, but oddly enough, to me Maker's Mark, as gimmicky as it seems, is actually better than all of them, both in flavor and effects, and it almost magically doesn't even give you a hangover either. It also drinks well either straight or with a little water or on the rocks.
And to me Maker's Mark is worse than all of them. Not bad but nothing more.
Four Roses is good but Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Era is better.
Awesome list. All of these spend time on my whiskey table. I avoid the Wild Turkey for the 101 instead, but otherwise these are great. Gotta try that Brooklyn stuff!
Jefferson Bourbons? Evan Williams Black Label is the best inexpensive introduction to bourbons, in my estimation. Makers' Mark, Eagle Rare, Elijah Craig Small Batch, and Russell's Reserve are still in my bar. You can't go wrong with any of the Knob Creek line; the 12 Year Single Barrel has beaten out the much pricier Bookers as my absolute favorite.
Exactly!
Good luck finding Eagle Rare.
Old Forester 100 proof as an alternative to BT and then move up to their Whiskey Row series👍
Buffalo Trace products seem to be scarce in my area (Western New York State). When I've had them, they are O.K., but lack of availability and resulting higher prices make several other choices more attractive. Several of the Heaven Hill brands are very good (IMO). 1792, Four Roses Small Batch, and Wild Turkey 101 seem to be in the cabinet most of the time.
I’m from your same area. Take a little trip to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls…. Duty free has Trace. They told me “ it’s flying off the shelves” the price is great, the only downside, it’s not in liters, it’s in 750’s.
I'm big fan for your voice 😉
Jefferson very small batch and four Roses are a solid pick on this list. After trying these i stayed away from Basil Hayden. I haven't tried others on this list
Four Roses Small Batch was the Bourbon that made me realise I actually can like Bourbon neat. I'm not going to go out and say it's the best fit for everybody but it really hits the nail on the head for what I think I wanted out of a Bourbon when I first started trying them.
Old Forester 86 proof is my go to.
My every day is either, Jim Beam
Black Label or Jim Beam Devel's Cut.
That knob creek 9 year is great. It won best bourbon in 2015 blind test in San Francisco. Just didn’t catch on. McKenna won in 2017 and now you can’t find a bottle
Great video. I love Canadian club classic whiskey and want to try bourbon (told it has some similarities) but find it overwhelming complex for some odd reason. I keep on avoiding it but this shows some insight. Thanks!
Any of these are worth a try. Put in an ice cube if you find the taste a bit too much.
You forgot Evan WIlliams, an inexpensive and excellent tasting every day whiskey, George Dickel Whisky which is a legend of bourbon. Plus, Maker's Mark was bought by a Japanese company and the quality has dropped and the price has vastly increased.
Makers mark has pretty much stayed the same price for the 6 years I’ve been working with liquor stores. Not sure where you are but the stores you’re going to are probably just marking up the price
Evan Williams small batch best bourbon and best price of the small batches in NC. But realistically jack and Jim are beginner bottles. Until one grows to love the bourbon more than the mixers that is.
Great video, but too bad about the misuse of the word "notoriety". It doesn't mean popularity, but means "well known in a negative way".
From one logophile to a - presumed - 'nother . . . Good catch.
Jefferson's Reserve is fantastic, well worth the mid grade price
I have been drinking bourbon for over 60 years, so I am hardly a beginner, but curiosity made me look. Some good choices, but the descriptors are scripted bs. Wild Turkey 101 and Evan Williams Bottled in Bond are my daily drinkers, but I do like many other bourbons. Nice try though.
in my 60 days of experience....!!!! JTS Brown, WT101, and Mellow Corn in hot weather!!!
So-called “tasting notes” are garbage. They’re pure fiction dreamt up by some marketing guy somewhere.
I'm not sure I'd put Knob Creek on a beginner's list. It is strong in smell, taste and alcohol. To me, its very different than Makers Mark and Bulleit (and some others) which are a more mellow experience. Knob Creek is my favorite, but I don't use it for intro to bourbon tastings with friends.
I wouldn't consider Makers Mark a beginner whiskey, just a decent all around good whiskey. The rest are seemingly more for people who feel they have something to prove by drinking rougher whiskeys. There's no need to "graduate" from Makers Mark, because all that leads to is hangovers and rot gut.
I've tried bourbon in the past, Knob Creek it was. I enjoyed the taste and smell, but sadly, I really suffered from acid afterward. So...what's a good bourbon that will be a bit more "gentle" on the stomach.
(I know, I'm a wuss). LOL
Makers Mark.
a good scotch may be in your future!
For beginners, stick with sweet bourbons (ie. high corn). Stay away from high rye's and, for me, wheaters as the flavour can put newbies off. Old Forester is a great starter.
Not seeing any Old Forester, especially the 86 proof on this list makes me skeptical of the depth of their research.
Frankly, Bourbon is too 'one note' for me. I drank Bourbon until I tasted Johnnie Walker, and I have never gone back. Sure, Scotch Whisky is more expensive, but it's worth it to me.
scotch is for us sophisticated drinkers!
@@gosman949 It's good to hear from a fellow connoisseur and gentleman.
I have all of these bottles except for two.
5 best?
Buffalo Trace and Eagle Rare are the same bourbon, ER is just older.
I disagree with Russell’s Reserve 10 year as a starter bourbon. It has more burn than Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel at 110 proof.
Brands for beginners not on the list:
Old Forester 1870
Daviess County
David Nicholson 1843
Smooth Ambler Contradiction
Evan Williams SiB
As a 40 year bartender, spirits are like shoes. Whatever fits a individual taste. Older generations tend to old forester, old Fitz etc. Younger generation has a totally different taste preference.
the younger generation is driving up prices.
Michters is just to sweet for me. I haven’t had all their products but the ones I have are too sweet. Wild Turkey 101 is a everyday drinker, nose, palate and price! But their prices on their other products are exaggerated in my opinion!
Basil hayden was also on your worst bourbons list,now its on your best??? I dont think mashed knows anything real about bourbon!!!
I gave it a shot and tried to watch. I like the topic but this channel is just so soulless and corporate.
it is called artificial intelligence (ai)
@@gosman949 yep.
Eagle Rare is super yummy.
good luck finding it. I have one.
Like drinking water, no character what so ever
Basil Hayden's is overrated AF
Very much so. I’m not a big drinker and it left me desiring more.
@JezzaTheChamp neither am I , but it was just....mehhhh
Agreed
Jim Beam Devils Cut didn't make the list? I call BS
Calm yourself down
@@xoxoxoxoxo7997 shut up karen
For beginners?
If you really call bullshit you wouldn't censor your bullshit comment.
That's one of my favorites!!
You have to admit, if you have even just a bit of knowledge about the bourbon industry, there's a lot of audio commentator crap about the bottles, their history, taste, and favorable appeal. The only thing that's relevant is that this video does show you the most frequently stocked items on liquor shelves. The bottles many bourbon drinkers aren't particularly recommending is Knob Creek 9, Michter's, Bulleit, Basil Hayden, Jefferson's, Widow Jane, and Woodford Reserve. Please look at other bourbon specialized videos on TH-cam, and you will realize why half the recommended list for beginners in this video are completely wrong. In some cases, the reason the bottle is not recommended is because the distillery changed the recipe, age, or makeup in some way in the last decade that makes the purchase not what you expect. Please do not recommend a bottle to a beginner that costs over 40 dollars when most novice drinkers have already a hard time taking in the higher proof.
Honestly, I don't like high proof liquor, and I'm an experienced drinker. 40-45 percent is about it, and even then I like to water it down a little for flavor. High proof isn't for enjoying the drink, it's for just getting drunk or mixing.
@@peoplez129 You don't get it. You should always get a higher proof whiskey, because it's much easier for the master distiller to create a better tasting bottle and you have the option to dilute and mix the whiskey to whatever dilution, cocktail, recipe, or combination with other alcoholic drinks other than another whiskey. I am stating that higher proof whiskey gives you more options while heavy diluted bottles is rarely going to give you a better flavor profile than a higher proof bottle. It's not about the proof, but the taste. If you prefer lower proof then sure have at it.
@@fturla___156 I literally said higher proof is for mixing. You don't get a better tasting bottle with higher proof. You just get something that isn't going to be weak in alcohol when you mix it.
@@peoplez129 Well, we are in disagreement. The main reason people pay for higher proof whiskey is because it tastes better. You are stating that people want to buy higher proof whiskey to get drunk. Getting drunk is a weakness and an addiction that is unhealthy. I do not recommend that approach and I realize some people buy alcoholic beverages just to get that buzz even though they do not like the taste of alcoholic drinks.
You will get a better tasting whiskey with higher proof, because most of the taste is in the alcohol portion of whiskey and much of the water placed into the distilling process is to dilute and not enhance the flavor.
@@fturla___156 More alcohol means less flavor. It's simple math, more alcohol percent, less of other stuff. High proof alcohol is like the hottest hot sauces....no one haves them for flavor, where lower proof is more like a good hot sauce that is still hot but also has flavor. Sure, they might need to add more biting flavors to the high proof stuff in order to fight against the alcohol, but that's a losing battle, especially when those flavors are going to be diluted by mixing anyways. This is why on the rocks or adding a bit of water is a normal thing, in order to open it up, to dilute the alcohol a bit so the other flavors can shine through. But the more alcohol there is, the more you have to dilute it in order to get the right level of alcohol for the flavors to shine through, which also dilutes the flavors too. The only real benefit to higher proof is if you intend to keep an open bottle for longer, so that as the alcohol evaporates away, you're not more readily left with a flat taste.
Na I'll take Crown Royal anyday.
Not a bourbon.
Kinda odd to think that the only reason to watch a video like this is to find a way to convince yourself to enjoy consuming poison.
Then what the hell are you doing here? 🤡
Then go drink some water and GTFOH
Only Buffalo Trace products for me.
if you can find.
Sorry but Four Rose's is absolutely crap
Makers! Yummy