Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
A while ago I bought a bottle of Buffalo Trace and I loved it! It was one of the most interesting bourbons I've ever had. Last time I went to buy a bottle, the guy in the store told me about the woes of the Buffalo Trace distillery. How lately, bourbons have become so popular, supply for aged stuff can't keep with demand and apparently the BT in particular. Luckily, my local guy has a fantastic bourbon selection, so I tried a bottle of Eagle Rare but it just didn't do the trick for me.
Perhaps my bourbon tastes are not sophisticated enough to appreciate the subtleties in the Eagles Rare, it just didn't seem to have the complexity of flavor that the BT had. I've since tried Elijah Craig 12, Basil Hayden, Maker's mark, and Knob Creek. None of them held the same appeal as the BT did.
Anybody know of another, not outrageously priced bourbon, that has that same oaky, vanilla taste at the core of it's flavor?
I love Buffalo too but I wish I could be more helpful... I love Eagle Rare! It's really good. I hate Makers is the worst alcohol ever made in world history. It's pure garbage. Ick!!
Blantons is amazing but twice the price. Buffalo is usually in stock where I am, it's easy to find. I used to buy it by the half gallon.
I have heard that only whiskey made in the USA can be legally sold as bourbon. However, how exactly is this rule even enforced? What is stopping someone outside the US from making their own bourbon whiskey? Is there something about it which means it can only be made in the US for some reason?
They can make anything they like...but Bourbon...much like champagne can only be from the geographical region of the USA (not just Kentucky as some used to think.) .
Any whiskey made from at least 51% corn ( a more common crop in the US), aged in new oak barrels (the barrels are often used again to age other spirts, beer and sometimes even wine....but never again for bourbon)....is probably made like a bourbon...but if the distellery is in Canada....it's not a bourbon any more than Jack Daniels (though made in the US) is. (JD under goes a filtering step...taking it out of the bourbon class though it meets the other requirements.)
As far as taste, and I haven't tried that many different types I would say some of the Canadian whiskies might come close. As for Irish, I've only tried Jameson. I am a Scotch drinker and Scotch is typically much drier than Bourbon. Crown Royal Black or Maple may be closer to Bourbon.
Location: St Thomas, USVI - Seattle, WA - Gulf Coast, TX
811 posts, read 1,153,062 times
Reputation: 2322
You are correct. ScarletG's analogy to Champagne is perfect. Champagne comes from Champagne, France. While other products may be very similar, they are not Champagne unless they come from Champagne. They are sparkling wines, instead.
With bourbon, not only is this a specific variety of whiskey produced from a majority (min. 51%) corn mash as regulated by U.S. Federal Standards of Identity (NOT Scotch, Irish or Canadian whiskeys at gguerra mentioned, unless I'm misunderstanding.), but it's a product produced within U.S. geography. Certainly similar products are produced elsewhere, just like California makes great sparkling wines, but just like sparkling wine is not Champagne, "foreign"-produced corn-mash whiskey is not truly bourbon, however similar the taste may be.
Additionally, many trade agreements with countries to which the U.S. exports bourbon do enforce this classification. Of course there are countries that can (and probably do) produce "bourbon" and call it that, but in general this branding/classification is protected by agreement. For the most part, I think liquor-appreciators anywhere want to know the source and process of their libations, so I doubt knock-offs are a gigantic problem. Certainly a few exist though.
Forgive me if I'm wrong but I was going by the title of the thread..."bourbon like whiskies made outside of the USA".
Key word is "Like", Not bourbon made outside the US. SO, I mentioned some of the Canadian whiskies as having a similar flavor profile as Bourbon which is a sweeter taste IMO.
I personally thought that for anything to be called Bourbon it had to be made in Kentucky. I was wrong, it can me made anywhere in the U.S. and be 51% corn etc.
I always thought of Jack Daniels as Bourbon but it is not called that explicitly, it is called as you may know "Tennessee Sour Mash Whiskey".
In any case I stand by my previous post that IMO some of the Maple and Oak flavored Canadian whiskies are a similar taste to Bourbon.
Location: St Thomas, USVI - Seattle, WA - Gulf Coast, TX
811 posts, read 1,153,062 times
Reputation: 2322
Quote:
Originally Posted by gguerra
Forgive me if I'm wrong but I was going by the title of the thread..."bourbon like whiskies made outside of the USA".
Key word is "Like", Not bourbon made outside the US. SO, I mentioned some of the Canadian whiskies as having a similar flavor profile as Bourbon which is a sweeter taste IMO.
I personally thought that for anything to be called Bourbon it had to be made in Kentucky. I was wrong, it can me made anywhere in the U.S. and be 51% corn etc.
I always thought of Jack Daniels as Bourbon but it is not called that explicitly, it is called as you may know "Tennessee Sour Mash Whiskey".
In any case I stand by my previous post that IMO some of the Maple and Oak flavored Canadian whiskies are a similar taste to Bourbon.
I agree! Like I said before, I may have been misunderstanding you. Your specifics here confirm that I did. Crown Royal is a great example!
Try W.L Weller Special Reserve which is from the same distillery that produces Buffalo Trace. It doesn't have as much the following for some reason as BT and might be a bit more available, it's priced around $25 for a 750ml bottle.
I am exploring the world of American whiskey. I have tried Jack Daniels and Gentlemen Jack, Jim beam white and black. Jack I found smooth and ok but also rather bland and dull. Jim white was even worse in that regard. Jim black I thought was okey but nothing special. Gentlemen Jack so far appears to the best best one of the bunch. I am thinking about trying Makers Mark next. How does it compare with Gentlemen Jack? I thought GJ was pretty good but I also thought it was a bit too sweet for my taste.
A while ago I bought a bottle of Buffalo Trace and I loved it! It was one of the most interesting bourbons I've ever had. Last time I went to buy a bottle, the guy in the store told me about the woes of the Buffalo Trace distillery. How lately, bourbons have become so popular, supply for aged stuff can't keep with demand and apparently the BT in particular. Luckily, my local guy has a fantastic bourbon selection, so I tried a bottle of Eagle Rare but it just didn't do the trick for me.
Perhaps my bourbon tastes are not sophisticated enough to appreciate the subtleties in the Eagles Rare, it just didn't seem to have the complexity of flavor that the BT had. I've since tried Elijah Craig 12, Basil Hayden, Maker's mark, and Knob Creek. None of them held the same appeal as the BT did.
Anybody know of another, not outrageously priced bourbon, that has that same oaky, vanilla taste at the core of it's flavor?
Benchmark Old Number 8 is Buffalo Trace, distilled one less year, slightly less strong, very inexpensive, and is an awesome alternative to BT.
Also Bulleit.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
How does Makers Mark compare to Gentlemen Jack?
