I have whole set. I'm a woodworker and Glazier by trade. My father and I have sat and stared at those horse and jockey stoppers several times. Just shaking are head thinking "they just don't do this anymore". Sir, may I extend my highest praise to him. Mike Lucido ( Jr ) St. Paul MN..
Went to the George Strait and Chris Stapleton concert in Nashville on the way back stopped by the trail walked into the Wild Turkey gift shop and who was sitting there? None other than Jimmy Russel himself! My jaw dropped to the floor bought one of the 3 bottles left of a Russel’s Reserve Private Barrel Selection and got it signed by the man himself hell of a experience!!
My father Ferdie Falk created Blanton’s’ in 1983 after Elmer Lee our Master Distiller at that time told him about Colonel Albert Blanton’s special reserve he bottled for his friends and family. Unfortunately during the 80’s and early 90’s it was a tough sell in the States but took off in Japan. We eventually sold the distillery and the Ancient Age products including Blanton’s to our then Japanese partners Takara International who still own the labels today but shortly after sold the distillery to Sazerac. My Father who passed in 2000 also created Rock Hill Farms, Elmer T. Lee and others. He would be proud of the success of Blanton’s and how the single barrel and super premium bourbons have taken off. I do know he would be disappointed that the product is so scarce and limited in production.
I remember back in the mid-2000's when you could get Blantons for $45 and it was just a good bourbon, but today it's way way way to over-hyped just like Ripped Van Winkle was/is. I love the first one up, the double oaked, and I also love 1910 which is also a heavily oaked bourbon. Best advice, find something you like, but remain flexible so when it is not available anymore or becomes too expensive you can switch up to something else. This hype stuff will make folks crazy!
The one bottle of RR single barrel I bought , was disappointed. Maybe I had an off batch, but gave no reason for me to rebuy at the current price 70+ The 10y isn’t bad, but in my area (in CA for 40+) it’s basically a mixer. It’s not easy, however with some effort can find eagle rare and eh Taylor small batch at BevMo & total wine. (SoCal)
Got a Russell 10yr for 4th of july (first one) Sipping on some Russell 10 now and loving it. Finally found a bottle of Blantons and shockingly got it for basically msrp ($67 plus tax). Fastest purchase I think I ever made and im in PA. I NEVER thought i would find one in store. Love the channel, keep up the good work!!
For the price, John J. Bowman Single Barrel it is hard to beat in this line up. The differences described can be attributed to four important elements: 1) it is distilled in a pot still, 2) the barrels are stored vertically vs horizontally, 3) climatic differences between Virginia and Kentucky , and 4) the proof. Glad to see that this historic Virginia distillery is receiving the attention it deserves.
A Smith Bowman was a distant cousin. John Jacob Bowman is my 6th Great-Grandfather. This is not the distillery on our family plantation. It is excellent.
Man I’m feeling spoiled now. I’ve gotten three bottles of blantons at msrp @ 59.99 at my local Safeway and can get eagle rare for 34.99 at the same spot.
I just started my bourbon journey. Oh sure I've had the usual suspects but never the single barrels or anything unique. I must say that your channel has educated me to no end. I truly love your hunting adventures and I've learned so much about bourbons that I never knew before. So with that said my first bottle of whiskey was the Russell's 10. JILL! 😊 I love it. It's just like you said it would be. Sweet and smooth. I'm still working on my pallet but I'm eyeing the Four Roses single barrel next. However since watching this particular video I'm going after the Bowman. Funny enough my local Publix supermarket (I'm in Florida) has an attached liquor store. They carry it. Along with just about everything else. Not the Blanton unfortunately but they've got the Eagle Rare as well. They're going to be a bottle or two short in about an hour. Keep up the excellent work. I've got to go to the store!
Eagle rare is a great way to see what age does to whiskey. Bowman nice if you just wanna try a nice sweet bourbon. 4 roses single barrel is a killer high rye bourbon experience to see if you like rye spice, sweet, smooth, with a nice rye spice to balance out the sweet. I got all 3 recently in my bourbon experience and highly recommend
I actually picked up 4 of these bottles yesterday. Apparently I made some good picks. I was lucky enough to get eagle rare and Blantons, at msrp, sometimes state run liquor is good for something
Absolutely. My wife and I are moving to a state that isn’t allowed to drastically mark up liquor. When visiting last month picked up Blanton’s for $67.50 right off the regular shelf.
I recently went to my three local shops and found ONE Blanton’s priced at $211. Hysterical. Also saw some good bottles that I want to get and bring to our local Pour Decisions Bourbon Club that we have every other month. Great content as always, much love from Texas!
You aren't wrong if you are drinking what YOU like. Everyone has a different pallet. Great video, giving options for other GREAT bourbon. Also, location has a huge impact on availability.
Come up to Fredericksburg VA for a tour of Bowman's Distillery and you can pick up plenty of John J. Plus we have a few other distilleries (Virginia and Belmont Farms) within a short drive. Unfortunately our liquor stores are run by the state so selection can be limited. The benefit is there is not a huge price increase when you do find a limited bottle.
You're correct about the John J Bowman, the distillery is only about 9 miles from my house here in Virginia. Excellent stuff and its fairly easy to locate here in Virgina. The only way to get Blantons or Eagle rare is wait for the state to have an allocated drop day and race to the store and fight the taters.
To my taste, the ranking of the best alternatives to Blanton's (as shown in your video): 1.) Four Roses Single Barrel 2.) Eagle Rare 10 Year 3.) John J. Bowman... I am happy to say I have each in my Bourbon Selection (not a collection!).
Been on the tour of the Bowman distillery and the tour guide insisted multiple times that "the rumors are wrong, we do not buy distillate from anyone, we distill all of our own products."
What people often forget (or are never aware of) is that - regardless of what you pay for it - Blanton's is still really just slotted as a $60 bottle, and should be thought of as such and compared with other bottles at that price point.
@@hatchetwound666 Yep. That's roughly what I've been able to get Eagle Rare at for years. Never had to go north of about $36, and that was before prices started going up. The key is how "ethical" the store is. We've got a group of stores in our metro that seem to be owned by the same group of Indians (different store names, but same signage all over) where you can find some bottles others won't have, but you're going to pay $90 for that $30 bottle of Weller, and they're charging $35 for a 1L of Early Times. On the other hand, they're also charging $35 for Buffalo Trace, which is about $8-$10 too much, but not obscene considering how hit-or-miss it is to actually find the stuff around here.
New to your channel and also new to the bourbon life. Great contents. Here in the UK, London, Blanton isn’t hard to get hold of. Recently bought gold blantons and arrived within 1 day!
EH Taylor SiB SP, Wild turkey Rare Breed, Maker's Mark 46, Old Forester 1920, Elijah Craig BP A123, Old Forester 1910, Redbreast 12 ( the list to please all )
Haha I love thefun banter back and forth with these two. Great chemistry and you can definitely see the comfort and love not to mention differing opinions on drinks can be fun sometimes.
I’m in Georgia, Eagle Rare is EVERYWHERE. I want to find out where someone else has the same situation with another kind of tough to get bourbon and trade lol
Woodford Double Oaked is so freakin' good and easy to drink. The lower proof point really makes it crushable. Four Roses Single Barrel is just fantastic at the price point. I'd also throw Wild Turkey Rare Breed and Old Forester 1910/1920 for fantastic bottles around the $60ish price point. They're readily available and beat bottles at much higher price points. LOVE the Bowman pick, btw!!!!!
I drank Eagle Rare in my youth when it was 101 proof and in a smaller bottle like Maker’s Mark. It was fantastically smooth. I believe it was made by Seagram’s back then. Not sure why they discontinued it. Super expensive ifyou can find one since out of production for over twenty years.
Have some family in Kentucky and one year there was a reunion around Louisville back in the mid 90s. We spent some time around there and went on a tour of the distillery. Was too young to sample the whiskey, but my brother and I did buy mini bottles as souvenirs. It amuses me to see this go through the cycle of discovery, hype, and overexposure.
Four Roses Single Barrel is the best bang for your buck in Ontario, Canada. I'm in Toronto and it's $57.25 for 750ml. That's like $43usd and we are taxed heavy on alcohol, especially over 80proof. Weller's Antique was available here 10 years ago before the bourbon craze went nuts and it was in line cost wise with the FRSB. Used to have it in my bar. I think it's sold with various Pappy and Blanton's now via lottery. Blanton's used to be available too, but just cost quite a bit more than Antique.
I follow the golden rule and that's who gives a shit about what other people's opinions are drink whatever kind of whiskey you like and for me yes guilty one of the reasons why I wanted to try blanton's was because of the john wick movie the other again my drunkle kept talking about it so i gave it a whirl last week and for me it's the best damn bourbon I've ever tasted and by far my favorite. I don't think I'll ever drink any other kind if bourbon it's that damn good. But again drink whatever you like and whatever makes your wallet and your stomach happy. 🥃 cheers my fellow bourbon drinkers.
I had a pour of Blantons at a local restaurant last year. I actually loved it. The waitress was awesome and charged me $8 for the pour. Woodford Doubke Oaked is delicious and $46 everyday at Sam’s club or Costco
I'm so blessed to live in Virginia! John J Bowman is not allocated, but it does kind of appear on the shelf randomly here in Virginia. I always buy the bottles in two's
Davidson's Reserve Small Batch Bourbon is hard to beat for the price. Plus the flavor and profile of the Bourbon is amazing. Can only get it on the east coast which sucks too. Found it in Virginia and in Nashville. For Scotch my go to favorite is The Balvenie 14 year Caribbean cask. If you haven't had it you should. My favorite scotch. For Flavored Whiskey. Bubba's Secret Stills Burnt Sugar is a must have. It might as well be butterscotch Whiskey. It is better than any of the other flavored Whiskeys such as Jack Honey, or any others like that.
I'm a big fan of John J. Bowman, it's definitely a solid pour. I'm not a Blanton's fan, but it is a nice pour. I was fortunate enough to get it at MSRP. I wouldn't pay more than that.
In Ohio they have to sell at MSRP so it was nearly 5 years since I got a Blantons original, was around the holidays when the delivery day at our local Kroger changed and just happened to see a couple people waiting outside for the open. Still have about half of that bottle left and it's great whiskey, worth the retail but prob not the secondary prices. That was until last week when Ohio dropped a Blanton's Gold/SFTB/Elmet T Lee Bonus Release announced by email 2 hours before open, we rushed down to our local agency and it was even more insane bc their internet was down and they were only taking cash. We got our two bottles: a Gold for $129 and SFTB at $160 - waiting for special occasions to drink, still prob a lot of $$$ for the whiskey but if you don't have one (and probably will never be able to ever again) I'll take my chances.
I can find Bowman brothers easily now in Maryland but the John J. Is like a unicorn now! Even in Virginia where it’s from is damn near impossible to find now. It’s being shipped off to other areas and the price has risen from $55 a year ago to over $200 on secondary market.
I blinded Blantons gold against a Russels Reserve single barrel store pick and without a doubt I preferred the Russels over it. The straight from the barrel however is a different story and worth every penny in my opinion.
"....but my wife, here , is having an experience."... I LOVE IT! I love your videos. Considering very very seriously joining patreon.....have to see if I can afford another membership. You are awesome!!
Be thankful y'all still have state run liquor stores. All those rare finds like Eagle rare 10 (which you get all the time) are impossible to find outside of secondary markup since there's zero regulation.
I went to Yellowstone and went through Cody Wyoming , of course they sell liquor at gas stations , I went in to pay and right there on the shelf was Blanton like it’s an everyday thing , 65 bucks and out the door I went with my bottle of blantons
Jill, well done. Weller SR is easier for me to get than Blanton's and it's cheaper. Jill, the ladies 1st started in medieval times. The lord of the castle would send the lady 1st. If there was an enemy on the other side of the door, then the lady would get killed and the lord could run away. It's meaning has changed a little over the years. Ha!
IW Harper Cabernet Cask Reserve is by the same company as Blade and Bow and better IMHO while being a little cheaper. When we toured the Stitzel-Wheller distillery in Louisville, everyone in our group preferred the IW Harper at the tasting over Blade and Bow.
I got a Blantons coming in a couple weeks. Canada for $75 usually available twice a year max 1 bottle per customer. I also got the Weller Antique 107 for $70 coming as well. I’m set for a while 😂
I’m with Jill as well. I have all of the 7. The Woodford DO is fantastic (nothing similar to Blanton’s) ER is a long time favorite. OWA is almost in a class by itself if you can find it. The Bowman SiB is a solid 56 bottle and agree the most similar to Blanton’s of all the bottles mentioned. The Eagle Rare 17 Well that was just mean to show us 😂😂 Only seen 2 bottles on shelf and one was $2k the other was down the street from it at $5k Still just a dream atm but someday
Yep, Blanton’s is good and I’ll always buy one when I find it at MSRP. I’m not paying secondary price for it ever. Regular BT is always available here in So Cal and
Thanks for confirming to never try white label. Single barrel maybe. I've tried blantons once. Over a 3 day mancation. Decent, a bit harsh, spicy, dry finish. I'm a baby in bourbon land. 101 all day for sure. woodford regular is in my cabinet now. Need to try double version. 101 rye was a let down
I have a couple bottles of Blantons and one was a unicorn find. A whiskey friend and myself find it holding a benchmark spot as a "C" grade for bourbon. If you can get it at retail, which is $75 where I live...it's too much! Buy and empty bottle for $30...because that's the best part.
I agree with her, the Russels 10 is just "okay" for sure. The Russels SiB on the other hand, is amazing. I'd also perfer the 4 roses SiB to the Blantons.
I feel vindicated. I've always said I much prefer the Russell's single barrels to both the 10 and even the 13. And I actually do prefer Eagle Rare 10 over Blanton's Single Barrel. Blanton's Gold however is a different story. Blanton's Gold is incredible.
Prefer Eargle Rare and Col EH Taylor to Blanton's, probably because of the bang for the buck aspect. Never blind-tasted them to confirm based on taste. It's all BTAC, though, right?
My four roses single barrel doesn’t taste anything like y’all’s. The one I grabbed is batch 88 and it’s sweet with suppressed notes of any oak or wood of any sort. Kinda sucks for 50 bucks I’m not sure if I want to try again but I definitely will eventually just bought this one though so I’ll have to use it for some special occasion mixers😂
I really enjoyed this video. I polished off a bottle of antique 107 with my wife and I thought it was really good but she thinks the blantons is better. I loved seeing you break out that eagle rare 17. Green with envy!
I feel like Baker's could be a good alternative to Blanton's for some people. Beam and Buffalo Trace products have different flavor profiles, that's just a fact. But if you want a product with a certain amount of age on it, Baker's is 7 years. Baker's delivers a higher proof at 107, which some people will prefer. And similarly to Blanton's, it's a single barrel product exclusively. Plus it is often much easier to find on shelves around the country for around the same retail price.
great list. At the start of your video, I was thinking of one bourbon that does indeed outshine Blantons, and you had that pick on your list as well. It's hard to beat Four Roses, Single Barrel.
100% agree! Just go tatse it at a reaturant or bar and get that itch scratched . Its not worth much more than the MSRP ($50) and certianly not worth more $70 ish. A great alternative is Frank August small batch, just an constant awesome sipper.
Great vid, thanks! I've had WT Kentucky Spirit picks that are fantastic. These are more similar to the price & proof of Blantons. For the money though, I'm RR SB all day.
Of all my bottles if collected and tried, ER is my #1 favorite. I agree with you and your bride, they need a 100+ proof or, even better, BARREL STRENGTH
Get 25% off your Ekster wallet at shop.ekster.com/brewzle with promo code BREWZLE at checkout. Thank you to Ekster for sponsoring this video.
Yeah... had to stop when the dissing of Russell's began
I.j.
My great uncle carved the horses for blantons by hand from wood, then they were molded and cast for every bottle.
I used to have a bunch of Blanton's lids and then some chick stole them
@@alee7805😂
My great uncle drank a ton of Blanton’s with your great uncles molds 😆
I have whole set. I'm a woodworker and Glazier by trade. My father and I have sat and stared at those horse and jockey stoppers several times. Just shaking are head thinking "they just don't do this anymore".
Sir, may I extend my highest praise to him.
Mike Lucido ( Jr ) St. Paul MN..
@@ironmyno he's from colorado springs. A very famous wood carver. You may be able to deduce from that. An incredible artist.
Went to the George Strait and Chris Stapleton concert in Nashville on the way back stopped by the trail walked into the Wild Turkey gift shop and who was sitting there? None other than Jimmy Russel himself! My jaw dropped to the floor bought one of the 3 bottles left of a Russel’s Reserve Private Barrel Selection and got it signed by the man himself hell of a experience!!
My father Ferdie Falk created Blanton’s’ in 1983 after Elmer Lee our Master Distiller at that time told him about Colonel Albert Blanton’s special reserve he bottled for his friends and family. Unfortunately during the 80’s and early 90’s it was a tough sell in the States but took off in Japan. We eventually sold the distillery and the Ancient Age products including Blanton’s to our then Japanese partners Takara International who still own the labels today but shortly after sold the distillery to Sazerac. My Father who passed in 2000 also created Rock Hill Farms, Elmer T. Lee and others. He would be proud of the success of Blanton’s and how the single barrel and super premium bourbons have taken off. I do know he would be disappointed that the product is so scarce and limited in production.
I remember back in the mid-2000's when you could get Blantons for $45 and it was just a good bourbon, but today it's way way way to over-hyped just like Ripped Van Winkle was/is. I love the first one up, the double oaked, and I also love 1910 which is also a heavily oaked bourbon. Best advice, find something you like, but remain flexible so when it is not available anymore or becomes too expensive you can switch up to something else. This hype stuff will make folks crazy!
Was funny how y’all got noticibly more lit as the video went on 😂😂😂
I’m with Jill, Russell’s 10 is just okay. The single barrels are now $84+ where I live so those no longer carry the value they used to imo
I agree, Russell's 10 is nothing special. I'd rather have WT101 over Russell's 10.
I agree I loved russels 10 to start but after a few bottles down and my palate getting more experience with other pours, I fell out of love with it
I agree RR10 is over rated. Get the rare Breed instead if you like WT bourbons
His boy looks just like his momma
The one bottle of RR single barrel I bought , was disappointed. Maybe I had an off batch, but gave no reason for me to rebuy at the current price 70+
The 10y isn’t bad, but in my area (in CA for 40+) it’s basically a mixer.
It’s not easy, however with some effort can find eagle rare and eh Taylor small batch at BevMo & total wine. (SoCal)
Got a Russell 10yr for 4th of july (first one) Sipping on some Russell 10 now and loving it.
Finally found a bottle of Blantons and shockingly got it for basically msrp ($67 plus tax). Fastest purchase I think I ever made and im in PA. I NEVER thought i would find one in store.
Love the channel, keep up the good work!!
For the price, John J. Bowman Single Barrel it is hard to beat in this line up. The differences described can be attributed to four important elements: 1) it is distilled in a pot still, 2) the barrels are stored vertically vs horizontally, 3) climatic differences between Virginia and Kentucky , and 4) the proof. Glad to see that this historic Virginia distillery is receiving the attention it deserves.
You are so right about John J. Being in VA makes it easier to get John J and boy do I buy them up. It’s a great selection 👍🏽🥃
Oh lord, my new wife and i moved into a apartment complex in Reston, Va in the 80;s behind a Bowman distillery. Summer that place really stunk. LOL
Do the single barrels truly vary or do these distilleries have tasters that ensure the barrels stay within a tight rang.
I will second that on the Bowman"s
A Smith Bowman was a distant cousin. John Jacob Bowman is my 6th Great-Grandfather. This is not the distillery on our family plantation. It is excellent.
Man I’m feeling spoiled now. I’ve gotten three bottles of blantons at msrp @ 59.99 at my local Safeway and can get eagle rare for 34.99 at the same spot.
What state are you in?
@ California
Now On sale at Vons blantons is $92
I agree with Jill, the 4 Roses Single Barrel is just a great bourbon and great value. I also prefer it to the Russell's 10
I agree FRSB is much better than Russel’s 10, but I will say Russel’s SB has usually blown FRSB out of the water for me
Yes I agree. Four Roses does an excellent job all around.
I just started my bourbon journey. Oh sure I've had the usual suspects but never the single barrels or anything unique. I must say that your channel has educated me to no end. I truly love your hunting adventures and I've learned so much about bourbons that I never knew before.
So with that said my first bottle of whiskey was the Russell's 10. JILL! 😊 I love it. It's just like you said it would be. Sweet and smooth. I'm still working on my pallet but I'm eyeing the Four Roses single barrel next. However since watching this particular video I'm going after the Bowman. Funny enough my local Publix supermarket (I'm in Florida) has an attached liquor store. They carry it. Along with just about everything else. Not the Blanton unfortunately but they've got the Eagle Rare as well. They're going to be a bottle or two short in about an hour.
Keep up the excellent work.
I've got to go to the store!
Eagle rare is a great way to see what age does to whiskey. Bowman nice if you just wanna try a nice sweet bourbon. 4 roses single barrel is a killer high rye bourbon experience to see if you like rye spice, sweet, smooth, with a nice rye spice to balance out the sweet. I got all 3 recently in my bourbon experience and highly recommend
I actually picked up 4 of these bottles yesterday. Apparently I made some good picks. I was lucky enough to get eagle rare and Blantons, at msrp, sometimes state run liquor is good for something
Absolutely. My wife and I are moving to a state that isn’t allowed to drastically mark up liquor. When visiting last month picked up Blanton’s for $67.50 right off the regular shelf.
What state is that?
@@TexasProbate Utah
@@kentonkoch9839liquor stores near me have Blanton for for 62.99 along with many other bottles for great prices perks of living in a shithole town
I recently went to my three local shops and found ONE Blanton’s priced at $211. Hysterical. Also saw some good bottles that I want to get and bring to our local Pour Decisions Bourbon Club that we have every other month. Great content as always, much love from Texas!
$129-$169 in DC
You aren't wrong if you are drinking what YOU like. Everyone has a different pallet. Great video, giving options for other GREAT bourbon. Also, location has a huge impact on availability.
My pallet is made of wood
If the Eagle would do a bottled-in-bond it would be the cream of the crop
The boy looks just like his momma
Come up to Fredericksburg VA for a tour of Bowman's Distillery and you can pick up plenty of John J. Plus we have a few other distilleries (Virginia and Belmont Farms) within a short drive. Unfortunately our liquor stores are run by the state so selection can be limited. The benefit is there is not a huge price increase when you do find a limited bottle.
You're correct about the John J Bowman, the distillery is only about 9 miles from my house here in Virginia. Excellent stuff and its fairly easy to locate here in Virgina. The only way to get Blantons or Eagle rare is wait for the state to have an allocated drop day and race to the store and fight the taters.
John J Bowman's distribution sucks. It is not available in the majority of states.
Are we neighbors? Caroline County here 🙂
King William Representing!
Shout out from ShenCo!!!
To my taste, the ranking of the best alternatives to Blanton's (as shown in your video): 1.) Four Roses Single Barrel 2.) Eagle Rare 10 Year 3.) John J. Bowman... I am happy to say I have each in my Bourbon Selection (not a collection!).
Been on the tour of the Bowman distillery and the tour guide insisted multiple times that "the rumors are wrong, we do not buy distillate from anyone, we distill all of our own products."
What people often forget (or are never aware of) is that - regardless of what you pay for it - Blanton's is still really just slotted as a $60 bottle, and should be thought of as such and compared with other bottles at that price point.
I just got a bottle yesterday at around $60 also got a bottle of Eagle rare for $38 at a state run store.
@@hatchetwound666 Yep. That's roughly what I've been able to get Eagle Rare at for years. Never had to go north of about $36, and that was before prices started going up.
The key is how "ethical" the store is. We've got a group of stores in our metro that seem to be owned by the same group of Indians (different store names, but same signage all over) where you can find some bottles others won't have, but you're going to pay $90 for that $30 bottle of Weller, and they're charging $35 for a 1L of Early Times. On the other hand, they're also charging $35 for Buffalo Trace, which is about $8-$10 too much, but not obscene considering how hit-or-miss it is to actually find the stuff around here.
I got a bottle of Blantons 8 years ago around 60. I haven't seen another bottle since. 😢
I'm with Jill, that 4roses single barrel is really good
I don't drink, but I love that I found these videos. Great reviews
Woodford doubled oak is my favorite “go-to” bourbon. Always available and tastes amazing.
Same. Love it straight, on rocks, in Manhattan, with seltzer....
New to your channel and also new to the bourbon life. Great contents. Here in the UK, London, Blanton isn’t hard to get hold of. Recently bought gold blantons and arrived within 1 day!
EH Taylor SiB SP, Wild turkey Rare Breed, Maker's Mark 46, Old Forester 1920, Elijah Craig BP A123, Old Forester 1910, Redbreast 12 ( the list to please all )
Love me some wild Turkey Rare Breed!
Haha I love thefun banter back and forth with these two. Great chemistry and you can definitely see the comfort and love not to mention differing opinions on drinks can be fun sometimes.
I used to have that Eagle Rare on the regular a few years back. Amazing how it's become a rare item. Maybe it's by design.
I think you're onto something there
I’m in Georgia, Eagle Rare is EVERYWHERE. I want to find out where someone else has the same situation with another kind of tough to get bourbon and trade lol
@@beffreyjell Weller in Ohio! haha! But I have heard that Georgia is a great place to find Eagle Rare! Cheers!
@@beffreyjell Dont try to get anything good in PA..
Jill, I agree four roses single barrel is my favorite at 45-50 bucks. I’ve tasted Blantons at my friends party but I’ve never found in our stores.
Blanton"s still the Holy Grail for me!
Woodford Double Oaked is so freakin' good and easy to drink. The lower proof point really makes it crushable. Four Roses Single Barrel is just fantastic at the price point. I'd also throw Wild Turkey Rare Breed and Old Forester 1910/1920 for fantastic bottles around the $60ish price point. They're readily available and beat bottles at much higher price points. LOVE the Bowman pick, btw!!!!!
I've yet to try 1910 but the 1920 was better than some $100 bottles I've had
You and I have the same taste in bourbon. I totally agree with you 100%
I agree on all those!
Blantons is pretty damn good!
Just wanted to let you know that I really enjoy your videos and truly learn a lot from each one.
I drank Eagle Rare in my youth when it was 101 proof and in a smaller bottle like Maker’s Mark. It was fantastically smooth. I believe it was made by Seagram’s back then. Not sure why they discontinued it. Super expensive ifyou can find one since out of production for over twenty years.
Same her. I loved the 101. Wish I knew then what I know now…
Literally everything.
OGD. Ev Wills. Knob Creek. Old Forester. Wild Turkey. Four Roses.
I have 2 bottles of Eagle Rare 17 from years back. It's better than Pappy to me. The 10 year is good, but the 17 year is incredible.
My dad thinks I’m crazy when I say I much prefer Weller 107 over Blantons so I’m glad you agree with me
Have some family in Kentucky and one year there was a reunion around Louisville back in the mid 90s. We spent some time around there and went on a tour of the distillery. Was too young to sample the whiskey, but my brother and I did buy mini bottles as souvenirs. It amuses me to see this go through the cycle of discovery, hype, and overexposure.
Four Roses Single Barrel is the best bang for your buck in Ontario, Canada. I'm in Toronto and it's $57.25 for 750ml. That's like $43usd and we are taxed heavy on alcohol, especially over 80proof. Weller's Antique was available here 10 years ago before the bourbon craze went nuts and it was in line cost wise with the FRSB. Used to have it in my bar. I think it's sold with various Pappy and Blanton's now via lottery. Blanton's used to be available too, but just cost quite a bit more than Antique.
I follow the golden rule and that's who gives a shit about what other people's opinions are drink whatever kind of whiskey you like and for me yes guilty one of the reasons why I wanted to try blanton's was because of the john wick movie the other again my drunkle kept talking about it so i gave it a whirl last week and for me it's the best damn bourbon I've ever tasted and by far my favorite. I don't think I'll ever drink any other kind if bourbon it's that damn good. But again drink whatever you like and whatever makes your wallet and your stomach happy. 🥃 cheers my fellow bourbon drinkers.
I had a pour of Blantons at a local restaurant last year. I actually loved it. The waitress was awesome and charged me $8 for the pour. Woodford Doubke Oaked is delicious and $46 everyday at Sam’s club or Costco
I'm so blessed to live in Virginia! John J Bowman is not allocated, but it does kind of appear on the shelf randomly here in Virginia. I always buy the bottles in two's
Just bought a bottle of Blantons for MSRP.. took your advice TJ and started talking to staff being friendly. Got a bottle for $80.
Jill I’m with you 4 RSB is a nice pour…cheers 🥃
What’s your thoughts on decanters vs keeping in bottle?
Davidson's Reserve Small Batch Bourbon is hard to beat for the price. Plus the flavor and profile of the Bourbon is amazing. Can only get it on the east coast which sucks too. Found it in Virginia and in Nashville.
For Scotch my go to favorite is The Balvenie 14 year Caribbean cask. If you haven't had it you should. My favorite scotch.
For Flavored Whiskey. Bubba's Secret Stills Burnt Sugar is a must have. It might as well be butterscotch Whiskey. It is better than any of the other flavored Whiskeys such as Jack Honey, or any others like that.
I drank dozens of bottles of Blanton when it was 60 dollars
My girlfriend works at a country club and she gets Blantons for 50 bucks all day every day
I'm a big fan of John J. Bowman, it's definitely a solid pour. I'm not a Blanton's fan, but it is a nice pour. I was fortunate enough to get it at MSRP. I wouldn't pay more than that.
In Ohio they have to sell at MSRP so it was nearly 5 years since I got a Blantons original, was around the holidays when the delivery day at our local Kroger changed and just happened to see a couple people waiting outside for the open. Still have about half of that bottle left and it's great whiskey, worth the retail but prob not the secondary prices. That was until last week when Ohio dropped a Blanton's Gold/SFTB/Elmet T Lee Bonus Release announced by email 2 hours before open, we rushed down to our local agency and it was even more insane bc their internet was down and they were only taking cash. We got our two bottles: a Gold for $129 and SFTB at $160 - waiting for special occasions to drink, still prob a lot of $$$ for the whiskey but if you don't have one (and probably will never be able to ever again) I'll take my chances.
Haven't come across a JJB yet. Moved to Kentucky earlier this year surprised how hard it is to find local stuff not marked up 3× msrp
Lived in Kentucky all my life it's hard to find bottles without a high Mark up
That's probably because all the taters going on the bourbon trail, so the stores trying to cash in on everyone who doesn't know any better.
RR10 is hard to beat for the price. A 10 year bourbon for $35. And the single barrel is excellent.
Considering you can get a bottle of Russell’s 10 year for under $50 at most grocery stores I think it’s a great bottle
I can find Bowman brothers easily now in Maryland but the John J. Is like a unicorn now! Even in Virginia where it’s from is damn near impossible to find now. It’s being shipped off to other areas and the price has risen from $55 a year ago to over $200 on secondary market.
plenty of bottles for $55 in NY
I blinded Blantons gold against a Russels Reserve single barrel store pick and without a doubt I preferred the Russels over it. The straight from the barrel however is a different story and worth every penny in my opinion.
Y’all need to not worry about the hate man. The fans love you. The haters drive engagement. The fans are who loves y’all!
Woodford double oaked is my go to bottle. Totally agree on the proof
Agree with Jill. The Four Roses Single Barrel is my fave. Eagle Rare 10 is also good.
Jill! We need to talk! I think your pallet is right on the money! Cheers!
"....but my wife, here , is having an experience."... I LOVE IT! I love your videos. Considering very very seriously joining patreon.....have to see if I can afford another membership. You are awesome!!
We appreciate all the help we can get, but we have a free Patreon option as well!
Be thankful y'all still have state run liquor stores. All those rare finds like Eagle rare 10 (which you get all the time) are impossible to find outside of secondary markup since there's zero regulation.
I went to Yellowstone and went through Cody Wyoming , of course they sell liquor at gas stations , I went in to pay and right there on the shelf was Blanton like it’s an everyday thing , 65 bucks and out the door I went with my bottle of blantons
Jill, well done. Weller SR is easier for me to get than Blanton's and it's cheaper. Jill, the ladies 1st started in medieval times. The lord of the castle would send the lady 1st. If there was an enemy on the other side of the door, then the lady would get killed and the lord could run away. It's meaning has changed a little over the years. Ha!
IW Harper Cabernet Cask Reserve is by the same company as Blade and Bow and better IMHO while being a little cheaper. When we toured the Stitzel-Wheller distillery in Louisville, everyone in our group preferred the IW Harper at the tasting over Blade and Bow.
Jill's ABSOLUTELY RIGHT! 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹sb is the best. My go to.
Wife got me a bottle of Blanton's. It is really good. Glad it was a present, the prices store ask are crazy.
toward the end when yall were talking over each other I knew you were really enjoying yourselves ;)
I got a Blantons coming in a couple weeks. Canada for $75 usually available twice a year max 1 bottle per customer. I also got the Weller Antique 107 for $70 coming as well. I’m set for a while 😂
John J. Bowman Single Barrel is now $53 MSRP; Bowman Brothers Small Batch is $33 and Issac Bowman Port Finish is $43.
I’m with Jill as well.
I have all of the 7.
The Woodford DO is fantastic (nothing similar to Blanton’s)
ER is a long time favorite.
OWA is almost in a class by itself if you can find it.
The Bowman SiB is a solid 56 bottle and agree the most similar to Blanton’s of all the bottles mentioned.
The Eagle Rare 17
Well that was just mean to show us 😂😂
Only seen 2 bottles on shelf and one was $2k the other was down the street from it at $5k
Still just a dream atm but someday
Myself personally , I would rather have e.h. Taylor small batch over regular Blantons
Yep, Blanton’s is good and I’ll always buy one when I find it at MSRP. I’m not paying secondary price for it ever. Regular BT is always available here in So Cal and
Thanks for confirming to never try white label. Single barrel maybe. I've tried blantons once. Over a 3 day mancation. Decent, a bit harsh, spicy, dry finish. I'm a baby in bourbon land. 101 all day for sure. woodford regular is in my cabinet now. Need to try double version. 101 rye was a let down
I have a couple bottles of Blantons and one was a unicorn find. A whiskey friend and myself find it holding a benchmark spot as a "C" grade for bourbon. If you can get it at retail, which is $75 where I live...it's too much! Buy and empty bottle for $30...because that's the best part.
I agree with her, the Russels 10 is just "okay" for sure. The Russels SiB on the other hand, is amazing. I'd also perfer the 4 roses SiB to the Blantons.
I feel vindicated. I've always said I much prefer the Russell's single barrels to both the 10 and even the 13. And I actually do prefer Eagle Rare 10 over Blanton's Single Barrel. Blanton's Gold however is a different story. Blanton's Gold is incredible.
Prefer Eargle Rare and Col EH Taylor to Blanton's, probably because of the bang for the buck aspect. Never blind-tasted them to confirm based on taste. It's all BTAC, though, right?
Agreed on the Blantons Gold!! Love the Proof!!
My four roses single barrel doesn’t taste anything like y’all’s. The one I grabbed is batch 88 and it’s sweet with suppressed notes of any oak or wood of any sort. Kinda sucks for 50 bucks I’m not sure if I want to try again but I definitely will eventually just bought this one though so I’ll have to use it for some special occasion mixers😂
I really enjoyed this video. I polished off a bottle of antique 107 with my wife and I thought it was really good but she thinks the blantons is better. I loved seeing you break out that eagle rare 17. Green with envy!
Which key number blade and bow did you use?
I feel like Baker's could be a good alternative to Blanton's for some people. Beam and Buffalo Trace products have different flavor profiles, that's just a fact. But if you want a product with a certain amount of age on it, Baker's is 7 years. Baker's delivers a higher proof at 107, which some people will prefer. And similarly to Blanton's, it's a single barrel product exclusively. Plus it is often much easier to find on shelves around the country for around the same retail price.
What’s good is what you like .
Jill- You are right!! Forget the trolls, keep up the good work! 4 Roses Single Barrel is MUCH better than Russell's 10 year.
Glad to see your wife enjoys your hobby with you
great list. At the start of your video, I was thinking of one bourbon that does indeed outshine Blantons, and you had that pick on your list as well.
It's hard to beat Four Roses, Single Barrel.
I got the woodford double oaked based off this video and wow is it good! Especially for 56 bucks.
When you shared the BTAC, I thought “ya this is a solid couple.” 😂
I’m in the uk and have wanted a bottle of the Russell’s single barrel however it’s extremely hard to come by and expensive between 100-150 pounds
"Just like you, needs to be a little bit spicier." love that. Thank you for the content.
Atlanta airport duty free had like 60+ bottles of Blanton's. Found a Blanton's in Cannes this week. Don't ask how much it was.
100% agree! Just go tatse it at a reaturant or bar and get that itch scratched . Its not worth much more than the MSRP ($50) and certianly not worth more $70 ish. A great alternative is Frank August small batch, just an constant awesome sipper.
I almost didn't recognize Jill without her glasses! Great video as always❤
Purchased a bottle for my wife, paid 150.00 dollars. Very good.
Very very new to burbon What would be your advice on a low proof and reasonable price for a beginner
A man who loves whisky, but shows us his love for his wife. That’s why I love this channel.
Blantons was a great $45 dollar bottle back in 2016
Great vid, thanks! I've had WT Kentucky Spirit picks that are fantastic. These are more similar to the price & proof of Blantons. For the money though, I'm RR SB all day.
Appreciate the video and discussion, and comparison. I am new to bourbon and knowing what to try is helpful
Four Roses single barrel is a favorite of mine in that price range.
I have 2 whiskies I truly love… but I am listening to you to open my pallet… I will let you know my opinions
Of all my bottles if collected and tried, ER is my #1 favorite. I agree with you and your bride, they need a 100+ proof or, even better, BARREL STRENGTH
I use to like the ER10 but after i had Tincup 10yr, i like the TC10 yr better way better. To me. It has a better nose and better flavor.