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I like whiskey

And not in some, I just turned 21 and discovered Jack Daniels way. I truly, completely enjoy relaxing with a glass of nice whiskey. Melissa does too, which is convenient. Currently we probably have a top 5 of whiskeys that we will drink, I will list them and explain why…and also to encourage you to try them. Whiskey can be like a good wine, a whole lot of flavor with hints of anything from smoke to citrus to wood. I’ll even give you some examples of how you should drink them, if you like this post, please feel free to share it, because I personally feel whiskey is often undeservedly ignored or covered up with foul things like Coke and Dr. Pepper (PS I gave up soda this week, had my first one in 8 days and did NOT enjoy it, I’ve replaced it with water, tea (both iced and hot), coffee, OJ, beer, wine and you guessed it, whiskey, mostly though its tea, water and coffee, I tend to only drink occasionally any more these days.)

So here we go, in order from least favorite (and probably most accessible) to most.

5) Jameson

 Are you at a bar? They serve Jameson, I promise you. This whiskey has turned into a pretty accessible whiskey at this point. Used to be considered a somewhat mid to top shelf whiskey at some bars(years ago) because it was somewhat foreign and people were unfamiliar with it so they could get away with charging more. The reality is that it is relatively inexpensive but a pretty damn fine drink. It is an Irish, Triple Distilled Whiskey. It has a slightly woody taste with a vanilla hint to it. It’s a good starter whiskey and is relatively smooth, but does have a decent kick (but not nearly as much as a crown or jack). This was probably the 3rd or 4th brand of whiskey I had seriously tried, but the first to hook me. This is a bar drinking whiskey, good with a meal, but better with friends, some music, and a good hang out.

Recommended starter drink: Jameson and Ginger Ale

4) Makers Mark
 Makers Mark is second on my list, and I have some friends who would argue this indefinitely. This is a Kentucky Bourbon whiskey, and due to this also has a somewhat Caramel taste to it. It is a very smooth whiskey and honestly reliable. You will hardly ever feel the “burn” or bitterness associated with lower quality whiskey’s and I would have no problem drinking this with a good meal, anything off the grill, I’ve even been known to sit down with some pistachios and glass of makers. If you are leaning towards trying bourbon (which isn’t really what this post is about), but don’t know where to start, this is probably the place. Not to expensive and a great drink

Recommended drink: Makers, with a splash of soda and some bitters, or possibly as an old fashioned.

3) Knob Creek

 I have a confession to make, Knob Creek is basically a bourbon, but thats ok, the lines between bourbon and whiskey can be blurred, and if I called this “I Like Bourbon” and then had Jameson as #5, I would be lambasted by the 3 people who may stumble across this and read it. Here’s the next confession, Knob Creek is made by the big boys, Jim Beam to be exact, but again this is OK, with me, why? Because they did a damn fine job. I would rate knob creek as one of my favorites if it weren’t for stumbling upon number 2 in this list. Knob Creek has a woody taste to it and often comes across with an almost sweet finish. Drink this alone, and I don’t mean sitting in a dark corner of the room, I mean give this fine bourbon whiskey some space to breath, its complex and fantastic.

Recommended drink: On ice with a splash or two of bitters, if you need to smooth it out add water or maybe soda water, anything else would be a shame.

2) Woodford Reserve

 I discovered this whiskey completely on accident. I was sitting at a restaurant bar waiting for my (then fiance) wife and her family. I asked for Knob Creek and they didn’t carry it. I saw this bottle, it looked relatively nice and I said I would give it a try. I fell in love immediately. This (again) bourbon whiskey is Kentucky born and has been around a loooong time. It is complex, smokey, woody and slightly sweet. It lacks any of the bitterness of cheap whiskey or bourbon and can hang with the big boys in my humble and admittedly novice opinion (partly due to my lack of funds to experience all bourbons/whiskey). This is a relaxer, this is the one after a hard day, you come home, get a glass put some ice in it and pour until it looks like you will be able to sit back, put on a record and enjoy some quiet time. I would never start someone on this bourbon, although I think it could be enjoyed by someone who has a relatively experienced drinkers palette, especially in some more heady/smokey beers or varied wines, but if you are adventurous and want to jump past the normal stuff, and don’t want to go overboard on smokey/woody/and or fruity bourbon/whiskeys then start here. I recommend if you’d like to pair this with something, try it with a dark chocolate, as odd as that sounds to some people who do not drink whiskey, it will bring out some of the chocolatey flavors hidden in this fine bourbon.

Recommended drink: au natural over some ice. Sometimes I enjoy a dash of bitters to add a bit of spice to my drink.

1) Palm Ridge Reserve Whiskey

 Full disclosure: I am a Florida boy, born and raised. I also was introduced to this whiskey very recently and was completely blown away. It has tastes of citrus and wood and is absolutely the smoothest whiskey I have ever put down my gullet. This relatively new whiskey out of Umatilla, FL is micro distilled and handmade, and it shows. The hints of citrus aren’t overpowering and the all around power of this whiskey sits in its smooth and distinct woody smoke flavor. You will probably have a hard time finding this whiskey, I won’t lie, but if you can, buy it, you will find it worth your while.

Recommended drink: straight. nothing added, nothing needed, no ice, nothing. Enjoy this slowly because most likely, once the bottle is gone, you may have to wait a year or so to get more.

So that’s it. None of these bourbons or whiskeys are bank breakers, they are all available for under $40 for 750ml bottle, if you want to try the high end stuff visit a different blog with more experience and valid opinions (try http://www.bourbon-central.com or http://www.bourbonenthusiast.com). I am no connoisseur and I promise you, people with more refined palettes then mine will argue this to death, but this comes from a former bartender, current lover of good liquors and hopefully will get some beginners to give an often overlooked drink a second glance instead of ordering yet another form of Vodka martini that is overloaded with sugar, yet another rum and diet or god forbid a captain or jack and coke. Step out, spend an extra couple of dollars, or better yet host a tasting party at your house ( we are about to do this ) and encourage everyone to bring a bottle of something new, its a great way to try new things without the risk of wasting a considerable amount of money on drinks you don’t like. I hope this helped!