What's Your Favorite Widely Available Bourbon / Rye?

[Alex G]

Just tried Old Forester 1920 Prohibition for the first time and found it exceptional. As good a bourbon as I've had, and totally unique tasting.

I realize what's "widely available" can differ from one location to another, but my question is:

What's your favorite domestic whiskey that's easy to find on a store shelf?

[Jorge Henriquez]

Bourbon: Wild Turkey 101

Rye: Old Forester 100°

[Mich@el Ch@ng]

Eagle rare or of 1920

[Adam Noble]

Eagle rare or of 1920

Same. For Rye Pikesville and Michter’s Straight Rye.

[Mike Maguire]

Woodinville barrel proof bourbon
Woodinville Rye

[Adam Noble]

Woodinville barrel proof bourbon
Woodinville Rye

I really ought to give Woodinville a try. I can’t remember the last time I’ve had a dram from them.

[LeslieB]

OGD BiB

[Josh Grossman]

Eagle rare or of 1920

Same. For Rye Pikesville and Michter’s Straight Rye.

I do like Heaven Hill for rye, but slightly prefer Rittenhouse. It is the same mash bill and distillery. The main difference is Pikesville is bottled at 55% instead of 50%. Both are great for cocktails.

[Josh Grossman]

Just tried Old Forester 1920 Prohibition for the first time and found it exceptional. As good a bourbon as I've had, and totally unique tasting.

I realize what's "widely available" can differ from one location to another, but my question is:

What's your favorite domestic whiskey that's easy to find on a store shelf?

I've done most everything on the Bourbon Trail, and my farvorites were Old Pogue, Labrot and Graham (Woodford and 1920), and Wilderness Trail; least favorite is Bulleit (very industrial) Do you know what mash bill and age you like?

[Kelly Walker]

Just tried Old Forester 1920 Prohibition for the first time and found it exceptional. As good a bourbon as I've had, and totally unique tasting.

I realize what's "widely available" can differ from one location to another, but my question is:

What's your favorite domestic whiskey that's easy to find on a store shelf?

This

[T. Kaplan]

Rittenhouse Rye is my go-to. Delicious, relatively easy to find, and given the price point ($21 at my local Trader Joe's in California) it punches far above its weight.

[CGlescher]

I am not a rye person, nor do I like the high proof ones either, so Michter’s US*1 Bourbon for me.

[Peter Hirsch]

4Roses single barrel
Noah's Mill
Rowan Creek
Eagle Rare

All pretty easy to find...

[Doug Schulman]

I like Eagle Rare and Basil Hayden's quite a bit. Very different styles. Sadly, Eagle Rare has gotten difficult to find in this area.

[R. Wilhite]

John Bowman Single Barrel

[Kris Patten]

Eagle Rare 10 Year

Old Fo Rye 100 Proof

[Chris.Martin]

Old Forester 1910
Old Forester 1920
Jack Daniels Single Barrel Select
Eagle Rare

[Dave McCloskey]

Rittenhouse Rye is my go-to. Delicious, relatively easy to find, and given the price point ($21 at my local Trader Joe's in California) it punches far above its weight.

I second that choice for a Rye based bourbon.

[TGigante]

Rittenhouse Rye is my go-to. Delicious, relatively easy to find, and given the price point ($21 at my local Trader Joe's in California) it punches far above its weight.

I second that choice for a Rye based bourbon.

20% more corn in the mash bill would get it to a bourbon.

[William Segui]

Eagle Rare on the bourbon side, Rittenhouse/Sazerac for Manhattans

[T Fletcher]

A whole lot of similarity here for sure!

Bourbon, served with a cube or two of ice and a dash of bitters....Old Forester 1920
Bourbon, for use with Old Fashioneds or Manhattans...Weller Special Reserve
Rye, Rittenhouse...also for use in an Old Fashioned or Manhattan

[Jorge Henriquez]

A whole lot of similarity here for sure!

Bourbon, served with a cube or two of ice and a dash of bitters....Old Forester 1920
Bourbon, for use with Old Fashioneds or Manhattans...Weller Special Reserve
Rye, Rittenhouse...also for use in an Old Fashioned or Manhattan

Wouldn't think Weller as "widely available" these days.

[Troy Stark]

I can't believe no one has mentioned WT Rare Breed.

[Doug Schulman]

A whole lot of similarity here for sure!

Bourbon, served with a cube or two of ice and a dash of bitters....Old Forester 1920
Bourbon, for use with Old Fashioneds or Manhattans...Weller Special Reserve
Rye, Rittenhouse...also for use in an Old Fashioned or Manhattan

Wouldn't think Weller as "widely available" these days.

I was about to say the same thing.

[T Fletcher]

A whole lot of similarity here for sure!

Bourbon, served with a cube or two of ice and a dash of bitters....Old Forester 1920
Bourbon, for use with Old Fashioneds or Manhattans...Weller Special Reserve
Rye, Rittenhouse...also for use in an Old Fashioned or Manhattan

Wouldn't think Weller as "widely available" these days.

Really? Maybe I just get lucky. Each of the last two visits to Total Wine I've seen handles on the shelf. I only go 4-5 times/year but it was there two weeks ago.

[Jorge Henriquez]

Handles?!?!!? As in 1.75L?!?!?!

[T Fletcher]

Handles?!?!!? As in 1.75L?!?!?!

Si...this is the green label bottle...it actually doesn't have a handle but it's what I call it.

[Jorge Henriquez]

Jeez Trent, what was the price on that bottle?

[K Krahenbuhl]

Jeez Trent, what was the price on that bottle?

Total Wine in TX frequently has these available @ $39.99. The last time I was in I picked up a .375 of the same for $10.

[Sean Devaney]

FWIW Texas and Florida get huge allocations of Weller's line up. I can't remember the Berserker who post here a few years ago about being able to purchase 750, 1.0 and 1.75's while visiting. About 4-5 years ago my cousin in Austin could always find Weller there.

[T Fletcher]

Just to be sure we're all talking the same bourbon here's a pic...and yes, it runs around $38/1.75.

Weller SR.jpg

[Mike Maguire]

I’ve been pretty lucky on finding the Special Reserve in Colorado when my son travels
there for work and visiting his in laws in Vail. $38 for a handle sounds about right.

[Jorge Henriquez]

Just to be sure we're all talking the same bourbon here's a pic...and yes, it runs around $38/1.75.

Weller SR.jpg

Ok gents, you have it good in TX then. Around the metro NYC area, the 750ml is clocking in close to $100 territory.