[quote name='Ledhed']I can't say I know too much about alcohol. The stuff I know well is the average college student stuff like Jager and various vodkas. As far as rum, I reccomend Appleton if you can get it. What does everyone reccomend in the way of whiskey (besides Jack, I want something worth drinking)?
To myke: being the experienced beer patron that you are, what's your opinion of hard ciders? I'm hooked on Woodchuck, both the Pear and the Granny Smith. Also, I'd like to hear any opinions you have of mead.
I would like to say this though: I advise everyone in this thread to go find a bottle of Barenjager right now. It's basically honey liquor, and it's absolute
ing sex. Throw out every bottle of cold medicine you have and just buy a bottle of this stuff. Two shots will clear your headache and sinuses faster than you can even comprehend.
Also, tequila is devil piss and you should just stop drinking it,
now.[/QUOTE]
Anyone who responds to your "what whiskey to drink" with an actual suggestion shouldn't be taken seriously. OTOH, if they ask you "what
kind of whiskey" deserve the key to the city. Being from Kentucky myself, I'm a shame on my family because I don't care for Bourbon. I don't dislike it, but I don't buy it either.
I prefer Irish Whiskeys; Bushmills is a little less sweet and has a touch more alcohol flavor than Jameson, my more or less generic favorite. I know there are dozens, if not hundreds, of small batches available where they use only fresh water from the MacClannahan creek with century-old malts or some shit. But like I said, I'm more of a beer drinker, less an alcohol aficionado.
Bourbons are more bold than Irish Whiskeys, and I *think* they need to come from a certain part of the US (KY) to be a genuine bourbon (like a wine can't be a bourdeaux or cote du rhone, for instance, if it isn't from that region of France, no matter the similarities). It's a sweet whiskey as well, but a more earthy, molassess kinda sweet. I suppose I like old fashioneds (bourbon, tonic, sugar, various fruit juices, shaken and garnished with fruit), but only when it's
ing HOT out.
Then you have scotch whiskeys, which, IMO, are like Irish whiskeys but with a far smokier flavor. I think that they must use a special kind of cask when fermenting; well, that's redundant, as they'll all tell you they use special casks, but only scotches have the smokiness. Dewar's features this in a "punch you in the cock" level of flavor, and it's very off-putting. Walker, as others have suggested, is more mild, although I can't help but think that it also has hints of peat moss (and I'm not making that up) in the flavor.
This is, of course, ignoring southern whiskeys (Southern Comfort, which is the Boone's Farm of whiskeys, Southern Mash styles, like Jack Daniel's for instance, or Canadian whiskeys like Seagram's). I've lumped these together because (1) I dunno much about them and (2) I'm going to stereotype people who drink one kind as those who drink them all. These are all crazy sweet whiskeys, the kind you mix with soda instead of sip and enjoy. They aren't bad, necessarily, but they all share similarities that, by themselves they aren't anything to write home about, but they're very palatable and useful in mixes, whether that be drinks or cooking. SoCo doesn't apply there as far as I'm concerned, and it's pretty much the calling card of a
ing idiot woman who's going to be the high maintenance drunk for the night.
And I'm ignoring aging, malts, cask conditioning, and lots of other things. You'll find what whiskey you want, and for what purpose. Just try them all. Except for SoCo. Something I've never tried (but made consistently for a woman when I tended bar) was a Wild Turkey (did you know that was regarded as FINE AMERICAN BOURBON in Japan?!?!?) shot, in a large espresso cup, with a double shot of espresso and one sugar packet. I can't say I think I'd like it (and I'm a coffee snob too), but it's worth a suggestion.
I second Barenjager; I wonder how it compares to Drambuie, in terms of what it's made from, how it's made, and what it's flavor is like. Don't let a sissy drinker near it, though. You'll end up breaking a sweat/losing a friend trying to take care of them for the night.
Apossum, I was thinking cuarantra y tres was closer to curacao in texture and flavor, but, hey, even greatness can be wrong from time to time.
BTW, I don't know much about mead, but I do know this: (1) it's as varied from bottle to bottle as wine, so if you don't like it at first, don't give up, and (2) don't ever go cheap on it, you're guaranteed to hate it. This doesn't mean buy a $50+ bottle, but read up on it first. Some taste like weak, honey-sweet white wines, while others are very bold and spicy. Research online, pick a brand you want to try, determine if you'd rather have it steaming hot and steeped in spices, or if you want it cold and straight; base your decision from how you want it served. Or, if you're lucky, perhaps a local bar serves it. Unlikely though.
