The Beautiful Bourbon channel introduces our "Bourbcasts", a weekly short video in which a bourbon or other spirit is tasted, reviewed, and the notes are freely discussed. These are re-purposed from Facebook live videos, so no live discussion is happening, however I do respond to comments on RU-vid as well. You MUST be 21 years of age or older to view this content.
HA! I was thinking because it's a Tennessee product that "y'all" was appropriate, but it'd be more appropriate if I'd gotten the bottle from Florence, KY. In Florence there's a watertower that says, "Florence, Y'All!"
My bride and I actually visited the distillery back in April and we shared one of their flights. I thought their products were the worst whiskeys to ever touch my lips. I would never recommend this to anyone I consider a friend. We were both very disappointed as we were so excited to be there and try their products.
I totally get it. There are certainly whiskeys I feel that way about that other people love, but when you think about it, 92% of Americans love popcorn (according to Fox21 news) which means 8% hate it. You might be in that 92%, and I reside in that 8%, and people think I'm nuts. I love most rye whiskeys, so you'd think I would hate the Chattanooga 111, but I really enjoyed it. Link for reference: www.fox21news.com/news/survey-92-percent-of-americans-enjoy-popcorn/
This Texas boy loves your t-shirt. 🤠 With nothing but corn and barley I expect it'll be sweet and fruity. We'll see whether I expect right. 6:16 I'm watching on Saturday night, and this evening and tonight we had a serious storm, which slackened into a steady rain, which has now ended. Except that it lasted for three or four hours it was a typical New Mexico monsoon storm. 9:27 🙋 It just hit me - you remind me of Max Headroom. No wonder I love your show! 😍 16:16 When I was a kid in the Mojave Desert I saw trains that were a mile long. When were going west, up from the Colorado River valley, they'd have three or four engines on the front and two or three on the back. And when one of those trains took off from a standing start all those diesel motors suddenly going to full power was *loud.*
I’ve had a bottle of the 111 proof and really enjoyed it. I agree with it drink8ng lower than the 111 proof. After watching this video I’ll have to get another.
I don't take no lip An' this cannon on my hip Lemme tell ya, boy, It ain't no toy I wear a hat just like a Mounty I'm the sheriff o' Boone County An' boy, you in a heap o' trouble Kenny Price did that song in 1970. He was from Boone County, KY. 🤠 15:32 I fairly often get a butter note from bourbon, but most reviewers seem not to. This stuff sounds good, though I do prefer bourbon to rye. 17:31 Do the hustle! You need a disco ball, KC. 🙂 22:45 You could make 'em part of your coat of arms - two crossed barrel staves, proper. 😂
The benchmark FP is not a good sipper, but I have made some really nice blends with it. I mixed it with Bernheim wheat and Fighting cock, and it it really good.
It's really great to know that other people appreciate the Bernheim. That's a darn good pour, and I'm thinking I'll try their cask strength this month since we're doing cask strength pours in June. The Benchmark FP was compared to Stagg (Jr) by other follower on YT, so I'm hoping if I let it sit a few months that it'll calm down like Stagg did and become very flavorful. It's a surprise to see that you blend the BFP with Fighting Cock, since Fighting Cock is a pretty warm pour as well!
@@beautifulbourbon to be honest, I didn't love the Bernheim. I've had it for over a year and almost never drank it. It was a bit too tame (not sure that is the right word) for me, but it did a great job balancing the fact that the Benchmark FP was too sharp at 125. I added the Fighting Cock for more sweetness, and the 3 together came out better than any of the 3 alone. (for my taste - others may disagree). The overall ABV was still pretty high, but a really cool flavor that did not bite like the Benchmark by itself. I am bummed because I finished the Bernheim so I can't make more of my "blend #1" unless I get another bottle of something that I would not otherwise drink.
Maybe you'd like the Bernheim barrel strength. I have a little of my Fighting Cock left, so maybe this is a blend I might like to try, since you enjoy it. I still want to let my BFP sit a few months first and see if it mellows. I'm reviewing a Boone County Founder's Reserve Rye this Wednesday and the Penelope Barrel Strength next week (change of plans from what I said on this video). Then maybe I'll do the Bernheim. Or maybe not (HA HA). I actually have the Chattanooga 111 Cask Strength planned and I've been looking forward to it. SO MANY TO DRINK!
@@beautifulbourbon I was in TN last week (brother in law died) and saw Chattanooga 111 at a lower price than where I live but didn't get it. I liked the lower proof, but it was too cinnamon-y for me to buy it again. Perhaps I should have gotten it, but I had already bought 5 bottles on the trip and didn't want to upset my wife. I'll be interested in what you think about the Chat111. Have not seen Bernheim barrel strength where I live. (savannah GA) Got the new Beam 7 year in TN and was pleasantly surprised, as I really do no like the white label Beam. Also found Blue Note Uncut, but I suspect it was NOT from survival barrels. And picked up MAkers Cask Strength and liked that also.
Sorry to hear about your brother-in-law. My prayers to your family. I haven't tried the Chattanooga at all (I only try new ones on-camera) so I'm looking forward to it. I find that a lot of pours that I don't like at lower proofs do seem much better at higher proofs, and the JDSBBP is no exception. I'll have to look for the JB7. I don't believe Blue Note is sold in Ohio. And by the way, thanks for watching us from the Peach state!! Another one I'm looking for is Early Times Bottled-In-Bond as it's not often seen in my state.
I've had two pints (I appreciate when a more expensive whisky is available in smaller bottles - it makes it possible for me to have it 🙂) of SBBP (both apparently from the same barrel, since they were both 128.2 proof) and it was gorgeous. I love it to death. How many miles do all those steps translate to? 6:19 George Dickel bourbon proves that Tennessee whisky is a variety of bourbon. The only difference between Dickel bourbon and Dickel Tennessee whisky is the name (and the taste - the bourbon is awful). They don't do a single thing different until bottling time. And then there's Benjamin Prichard, which does *not* use the Lincoln County process but is legally Tennessee whisky. 10:28 The main note I got on the nose was a delightful smoke. 14:01 If a barrel is 55 gallons, it'll yield 277.596864 bottles at 750ml each (I used a measurement converter and a calculator to arrive at that figure). But the angels share will greatly reduce the amount of whiskey in the barrel, and thus the number of bottles. If half the whisky has evaporated - a not unusual occurrence - the number of bottles would go down to 138.798432. I'm not sure I entirely trust those numbers - I may have done something wrong somewhere in the math. 18:13 I *love* JD SBBP. It's as much different from Jack black as bourbon is from tepid water. 31:17 Don't forget the finger stir! 😃 You forgot the finger stir. 😢 33:04 When my wife and I sneeze we blow the walls out. But my granddaughter sneezes quick and quiet, like a cat. 🙂 34:55 Jack black is barely whisky.
12,000 steps is about 7 miles. So yeah, I got a little exercise, and to be honest, a little chaffed. 😆 I would imagine that that yield for single barrels is varied. How much did the wood soak up, how much was lost to the “angel’s share”, etc. The standard bourbon barrel is actually 53 gallons, according to Alexa. Normally when I sneeze, the Chinese can hear it in Shanghai! I kept it on the DL as best I could, but when the live stream ended I think I might have cause some structural damage in the bourbcave. 🤣🤣🤣
Enjoy the review. I am a big fan of Benchmark’s Full Proof offering, but other Benchmark products are lacking. *Stagg and the BTAC collection are all higher proof than this offering.
Thank you for checking our the show! That Full Proof was a hot one to me, but if it's anything like Stagg it'll calm down and be fantastic. The distinction about Full Proof that's different than the proof points of Stagg and the BTAC collection is that Full Proof is going to be consistent on their 125 proof point, whereas the other's proof points will vary per release. But you're right, they're generally (but not always) higher, and I should have recognized that.
@@beautifulbourbon well guess I found a liquid gold mine. Managed to pin down the store with 6 bottles laying around collecting dust :) got one immediately cracked it open dark sweet caramel, rich tobacco pipe & fine wood spice. Decided gonna buy them all and bunker it for rainy days "because the don't make it anymore 😭"
I have a bottle and a half and will share my open bottle with people who want to try it, but I can tell you this - the Baker's Single Barrel is pretty good. It might be my favorite Jim Beam release. I really like the barrel proof Knob Creek bourbons and ryes, but man, that Bakers SiB is fantastic. AND as if you need any more reason to dig in, the SiB has four collectable toppers. (ha ha)
I love the Benchmark on a bench photos. 😍 8:41 I'm not a wine guy, so I can't say that the White Dog is like wine. I can say that I sure get the grain on the nose and the palate, and it's so rich that I can't drink much at once. It doesn't taste at all like cheesecake, but just as I can never eat a big slice of cheesecake because it's so rich, I can't drink more than a few sips of the White Dog because it's so rich. 14:50 I've never seen any Benchmark here. But for most of the time I've been drinking whiskey (going on three years now) all Buffalo Trace juice has been impossible to find. BT bourbon is now usually on the shelf, and Weller Special Reserve, but that's it. Thanks for mentioning me. But now I need to go outside and scuff my toe in the dirt and say, "Aw, shucks." 😂 20:38 I was thinking of a Palantír from *The Lord of the Rings.* 🙂 25:13 I really miss those liners. I seem to remember that some sodas put cute little messages under the liner, kind of like fortune cookies. 30:02 Inexpensive can be good. My first glass tonight was Wild Turkey 101, and the bottle was $21. Evan Williams Bottled In Bond is only like $20, and I really like it. My current bottle of Old Grand-Dad Bonded only cost me $22.44 (which is an oddball price).
I'm glad you caught the bench motif! It was subtle, but fun to do. As far as mentioning you, you're part of what makes doing the bourbcast fun. So yeah, you're part of this and you should be recognized just like the people who watch the show live on Facebook. The liners ... Snapple did that for awhile. Not sure Snapple is even around anymore. I don't get out much (ha ha). OGD Bonded is an unrated pour, for sure. If you can find it, grab the Ezra Brooks 99 and give that a try. It's another low priced pour but it's fantastic.
@@beautifulbourbon I've been laughing at the Benchmark on a bench since the first one - I thought it was obvious, and of course hilarious. I *think* Snapple's still around. I'll look for the Brooks. I'm always ready for something affordable and good.
California! Thanks for watching, Jody! Last time I was in CA was 2019, and I was grateful to find some great stuff out there (Santa Monica). I snagged an EHT rye, which I'd never even seen before anywhere else. And I didn't have to give an arm and a leg for it, either!
You know, that is a very good comparison. Stagg (Jr) was very hot to me when I first cracked it, and so is the Benchmark FP. Over time the Stagg calmed down and got really very good - so maybe the Benchmark will do the same. Excellent point!
I let Stagg sit nearly two years before going back to it. I don't know if I can wait that long with Full Proof. I'll see if I can last 6 months. Maybe I'll crack it in November and put it back to back with Stagg.
3:02 The White Dog Mash Bill No. 1 is also 125 proof. 10:04 The Benchmark is, of course, 11 points higher than Old Grand-Dad 114. But the 114 doesn't strike me as hot - it has proof, certainly, but it doesn't scorch me. It sounds like I would find the Benchmark full proof hotter than the proof would indicate. But unless that stuff arrives in Albuquerque I'll never know. 🙂 34:07 Don't let 'em cramp your style. Take however long you need, and anyone who doesn't like it doesn't have to watch. I like the fact that you focus on the whisky instead of on the clock, and I love the way you have fun with it. ❤
As always, thanks for the kind words. At only 5.5ABV more, I was amazed at the difference between the OGD114 and Benchmark 125. Yes, the White Dog is also 125. I hope you find some in NM, or maybe can find a decent place to ship it to you.
@@beautifulbourbon I have a bottle on hand right now - they carry it at "my" Total Wine. It's the weirdest thing I've ever drank - when I pour it into a glass it smells and tastes like it's rotting, but when I sip it straight from the bottle it smells and tastes delicious. And it's so rich that just a few sips are enough. It's like cheesecake - I can't eat as big a piece as I want, and I can't drink as much White Dog as I want. 🥃
I'm subscribed to several whisky channels, but the Bourbcast is the one I really look forward to each week. Great job, KC. 👏 6:34 I like the White Dog. I've found that in a glass it's smells and tastes (to me) like it's rotting, but if I drink from the bottle it's really good. Because it's so simple, and so dense with grain flavors, I just have a few sips on any given night, but it's good stuff. 9:51 I'm doing it tonight with a glass of Balcones Baby Blue corn whisky. For me, digging into the nose and the palate and the finish are what make drinking whiskey fun. And there are some whiskies that I've been learning about for two years or more without getting everything out of them - this Baby Blue is one of 'em. 🥃 16:34 We define bright and dark the same. I like brightness in moderation, but I *love* dark notes. What really makes the Lineage Texas Single Malt from Balcones Distilling is the semisweet chocolate - a dark note - that comes in on the finish.
17:37 I think the high barley content could be amplifying the rye spice, giving it more Scotch-like characteristics and complexity. I think you were spot on with the orange note. I get an orange note from Buffalo Trace but have not tried the Benchmark Bonded yet. 23:33 Lmao! Please tell me you are going to add the "Ooh Mommy" clip (23:33 - 23:38) to the intro!
Ha ha! I actually had to go back and find that clip so know what you were talking about. I often don't remember half of what I say... it's an old DJ's plight. And ya know, you have a point there about the malted barley content possibly amplifying the rye spice. Normally I wouldn't associate barley notes with a sense of spice because it tends to add a fruitiness to a pour, but in this case it could be amplifying the fruit side of the rye a little, which could explain that flavor I wasn't able to identify. New Riff explains the flavors from malted barley this way: "Malted barley can help bourbon taste nutty, smoky, and chocolaty." If I got any of those from Benchmark Bonded, it might be the smoke, because I do remember thinking it was decently oakey.
I like the White Dog Mash No. 1 better than I like the stuff they turn it into...though I've not seen Benchmark here, so I have no clue how it tastes. 9:27 Is it a*straight* bourbon whisky? The government requires straight whisky to age at least two years, and to carry an age statement if it's less than four years old. So if It's straight whisky and has no age statement, it's at least four years old. On the other hand, if it's *not* a straight whisky it doesn't have to carry an age statement, and can be anywhere from 10 seconds to 99 million years old. 🙂 19:29 I prefer a screw top. It eliminates the need for a seal, and unlike a cork it won't dry out. If I had my druthers all whisky would have screw tops. As I said above I've not even seen Benchmark. But I think Bluff Springs is even better than Buffalo Trace. But it's a Total Wine store brand, so you can't find it just anywhere. And my experience with Total Wine store brands isn't encouraging - I've had three, now (Bluff Springs, First Call rye, and McFarlane bourbon), and two of the three I've disliked.
It's a Straight whiskey, so yes, it has to be at least four years old since it has no age statement. You're correct. This one was tasty but couldn't come close to the complexity of Buffalo Trace - and I wouldn't have even thought that Buffalo Trace was all that complex had it not been for the side-by-side comparison. I've never had anything from Total Wine. There aren't any of those in my state.
@@beautifulbourbon Yah, you're in an ABC state, so Total and other private operations can't go in there. I wasn't thinking when I mentioned Bluff Springs - though if you're ever traveling... 🙂
Technically we're not an ABC state. While other states who are control states do use ABC as a sort of regulatory/sales body, Ohio is unique in that it controls through a public/private partnership between liquor control and an entity called Ohio Means Jobs. Neither are very innovative in their tactics, honestly, and we could use some fresh blood and a refreshing of Ohio's liquor laws.
I haven't tried those yet. They're coming up in the next few weeks as I go through the whole series of Benchmark! The Top Floor was tasty neat. I'd buy it again for sure.
Wild Turkey definitely is superior in that lower proof space. The Old Forester and the Evan Williams are close rivals, but the ET81 is one I can easily recommend.
What an interesting profile! I'll agree that George Dickel isn't a fav for me, however their Bottled-In-Bond is pretty good. So far it's the only thing from that distillery I've enjoyed.
Do a taste test with the Elijah Craig rye. Similar mashbill (theoretically), similar proof, essentially the same juice but from different distillers. I actually preferred the Elijah Craig.
Thanks for watching so many of the videos! I appreciate it! Of all the Irish whiskeys, I have to agree that Jameson is probably my favorite. Of all of the ones I've tried it has the most complexity in its flavor. There have been others that have stood out, like Michael Collins and The Whistler, so they shouldn't be overlooked.
2:11 It's not just the still that's expensive. Getting the necessary federal and state permits (if Ohio even allows home distilling) is surely not cheap. 6:31 The still on MASH didn't look like an actual still - though I didn't know that until the last couple of years. 😂 18:36 Under Tennessee law, for it to be Tennessee whisky you have to make it in Tennessee. If some of it's from Lawrenceburg (or anywhere else outside of Tennessee), it's illegal to call it Tennessee whisky.
In Ohio we're allowed to have a certain amount of home made hooch, I think 6 gallons, without the need for permits, but of course, it's illegal to sell it. Until I helped my friend make brandy, I thought the still on M*A*S*H was at least SORTA real. Silly me.
I hadn't realized I'd been subscribed to your channel for so long, but it must be a year at least, because I saw the birthday Bourbcast last time. As Kermit the Frog says, time's fun when you're having flies. 🙂 2:38 I came to Albuquerque in 97. 4:17 It's amazing that an $18 bottle of ungood whisky is better than the expensive, fancy juice. 😂 I'm sitting here sipping on my very first glass of Russell's Reserve. It's not Wild Turkey 101, but I like it. I'd expected it to pretty closely resemble the Turkey, but they're definitely different.
I was pleasantly surprised by it. Pretty decent, really. As far as the Russell’s, yes it’s very different than WT101, but that’s what it’s all about. It’s the exact same bourbon mashbill as every other Wild Turkey Distillery product. What’s different is the barrel, the rickhouse placement, the age, the proof, etc. If you haven’t had the 10 year, it’s very good.
I was hopeful, since MGP makes some good juice, but so much trouble went into the appearance that I had some trepidation about it. It sounds like my concern had a sound basis. 16:16 Balcones Distilling tends to bottle at least it's basic stuff just above 90 proof. The Baby Blue corn whisky is 94 proof if I remember correctly (I'm to comfortable to get up and check 😂), with the Lineage Texas Single Malt being 92. I am certain that their Texas Pot Still Bourbon is 92. But Balcones whisky has such vivid and dense flavors that it seems like higher proof stuff, even though the heat is commensurate with a proof in the low 90s. It sounds like this just doesn't have the flavor to make a low proof work. 24:20 Realish cork or not, that derringer looks dumb. The glass stopper is pretty - it's pretty on its own, and especially next to the derringer. 🙂 26:15 In Louis L'Amour's western novel *Fallon* Macon Fallon concocts "whisky" using - as I recall - red pepper and chewing tobacco among other things, and a bar of soap "to give it a bead." I never understood that scene until I got into whisky, but now I see in that passage exactly what you're talking about. 🙂 35:41 Basil Hayden isn't bad, it's just not any better than Jim Beam white label, at a much higher price. 37:07 😍
13:39 Maybe it's cinnamon sugar. When I was a kid we always mixed cinnamon and sugar and put it on our buttered toast. I sometimes get a cinnamon sugar note from bourbon. 24:45 I'm on Fred Minnick's side when it comes to vodka - but you won't catch me dead in an ascot. 😂
3:12 The 1792 Small Batch is something like $30 here, but you can find tons of it anywhere. Why it should be allocated in Ohio beats me, but then until recently anything from Buffalo Trace was a unicorn here in Albuquerque. I'm glad to hear that there's such a good response to the tornado damage. Generally you don't think of Ohio as a tornado state, but the Xenia outbreak back in the 60s? 70s? was one of the worst there's been. 27:48 As far as I'm concerned any package which requires the genius of Einstein or the strength of Mr. T to open ought to be illegal. That Whistler looks pretty dark for Irish whiskey - but then 112 proof is pretty high for Irish whiskey. And the nose sounds almost like a bourbon.
The Xenia tornado was 1974. I was living in that region at the time and that tornado went right over our house. I was 7 years old. A friend of mine had family from there and I remember meeting a young girl who was recovering from injuries she sustained in that storm. A hunk of her leg was gone, but it was healing. The area continues to recover as fast as it can under the circumstances. It’s a tourist area and they rely on that to make their livings.
Had the new label 1897. Wondering if its different at all from the old label one you have. I still see some of the old label ones in some stores. Mine had a very strong butterscotch nose and palate.
What's inside won't be any different, and I think you'll experience a flavor change as it opens up. I've been sipping on this bottle all week and it just keeps getting better and better.
Sir, whatever else you are, you're a good photographer. That picture of the bottle is gorgeous. 🙂 How does the 1897 compare to the standard 100 proof? The price is certainly higher, out of my usual budget. The standard 100 is good bourbon, and much more affordable. I can't hear the tornado warnings on the video, but I know *exactly* what they sound like. I lived in Tornado Alley for several years, and heard them regularly. 13:16 I hear that - was it wind? We're having an average Albuquerque spring - tons of wind, which ranges from that sort of rumble, to shrieks around the corners of the building. 18:40 You ain't had cinnamon rolls till you've had the cinnamon rolls from the Frontier Restaurant here in Albuquerque. 19:47 It's the *shape* of the glass that's the key factor. I need to do an experiment (maybe I'll do it tonight while it's in my head), but when I first got my Glencairns I noticed a huge difference, even as inexperienced as I was, from my pseudo-rocks glass. In fact, I just went and got one of those glasses out of the kitchen cabinet, and when I finish my current glass and pour the next one, I'll pour a little into the rocks glass too, and compare 'em. 🙂
Okay, I've concluded the experiment. I poured some Maker's Mark 46 into both a Glencairn glass and a rocks glass (though the sides are slightly slanted, so it's not an "official" rocks glass 🙂). The nose was definitely different. With the Glencairn it was clear, precise, and had distinct notes. With the rocks glass, however, it was considerably muted, with fewer notes. The taste surprised me by being nearly identical. Knowing how close the connection is between smell and taste, I expected the taste from the rocks glass to be noticeably muted as well, but in it's almost as complete and clear as from the Glencairn. So I would guess that when you put whisky on ice in a rocks glass you're not getting the full nose that you would from a Glencairn, but you are getting almost the full taste.
I did notice the Glencairn got a lot colder a lot quicker! The 1897 is a great pour, different from the 100 proof with definitely more character. 13:16 - Thunder!!
3:54 Yeah, 51% rye is barely legal. I guess people who think the Rittenhouse is high rye just aren't researching it? It just so happens that my first glass tonight is a rye - Old Overholt 4 year, specifically. I'm not sure, but I *think* that's what I was sipping when I watched your review of the Overholt BiB. Rittenhouse is on my wish list, and eventually I'll work my way around to it. I'm ahead of things, but if I wait I'll forget, so... Putting whisky on a gawgeous ice spheah will of course affect the taste, but the rocks glass that you have to switch to in order to use the ice sphere also will affect the nose and the palate. You might demonstrate this on a future Bourbcast... Does anyone make a mold that creates ice spheres small enough to fit into a Glencairn? If not, someone needs to invent it.
I'll have to check and see if my Wintersmiths small sphere mold will fit in a glencairn. Excellent idea! In essence, I'm doubtful that the flavor changes drastically because I wash all my glassware the same way, but I'll still check to see if the small spheres will fit.
@@beautifulbourbon My thought has to do with the intimate connection between taste and smell. And a rocks glass doesn't concentrate the aromas the way a Glencairn does, which might affect the flavor. I plan to try an experiment in the next couple of weeks (hopefully I'll be able to record it, but that depends on how my schedule meshes with my wife's) and see for myself. I didn't think of that till considerably after I'd sent the comment. 🙂
I live in Northern CA and almost all the stores still carry Belle Meade and I actually bought one today the store where I bought it said theres no issues in getting it. So I wonder if its really true that they are going to stop
That's really interesting. Could be two things - the market for it is too strong in CA to stop distribution, OR, CA is still going through older stock and hasn't depleted it yet. Have you seen any of the cask strength?
@@beautifulbourbon No, I haven't seen the cask Strength its been all the 108.3 proof. Im thinking maybe CA bourbon drinkers dont really know what it is and it sits on the shelf or it could be like you say
I started with Bulleit Rye 95. In retrospect, I should have started with a lower proof, and certainly not rye. What are your thoughts on Maker's Mark as a beginner bourbon?
Maker's Mark is a very different kind of whiskey. It's a wheated bourbon, which you might like since the rye doesn't suit you, however where ryes and bourbons with rye in them (instead of wheat) tend to have a decent amount of similarity, especially in the Kentucky/Indiana/Ohio triad, wheated bourbons don't really have any particularl standard as to what you can expect from the flavor. Many people REALLY like Weller (Special Reserve, Antique 107) but the flavor of that is decidedly different than Maker's, or Green River Wheated, Boone County Wheated, Buffalo Trace Kosher Wheat, Found North 8 yr Wheated and the rest. They're all different. If you want to try Maker's and you want more of a bourbon-esque flavor, I'd point you to the Maker's 46. They add a french oak stave to the Maker's Mark barrel and the flavor difference is significant. If I'm going to drink Maker's I prefer the Maker's 46. For other beginner bourbons, the 80 proof Evan Williams (black label) is a nice, smooth pour, as is the Wild Turkey 81 proof and even the Jim Beam 80 proof white label. The 86 proof Old Forester is fantastic, but might be a little rye heavy for you. Anything 18% rye and higher is what I consider a "high rye", and the Old Forester is 72% Corn, 18% rye, 10% Malted Barley.
At work today I realized that today I'd get to see another Bourbcast, and I got happy. 🙂 I'd forgotten, though, that it's number 200. Congratulations. 🎉 I've not seen the BiB, and of course the 114 isn't in Albuquerque. But for the price the four year Old Overholt is pretty good. In fact, that's what I'm a-sippin' on right now. 🥃 But you'll want to check your pronunciation of Monongahela. The second letter is an N, not an H. 🙂
