Blanton's | Rating 99

The name is Blanton's but it should be called The Best, that is self explanatory. This perfectly selected single barrel bourbon has the perfect amount of wood, the perfect kick, with a perfect combination of bite and hint of vanilla at the finish. That might be alot of perfects, but that is just this bourbon. On top of brown goodness inside, this is bourbon is bottled, bagged and labeled by hand in a style fit for a king or kingpin. At 93 proof, I prefer mine with a little ice and a splash of water, but its never too much to keep in your flask.  If you like bourbon, this pony will make a lover out of you. Go baby go Blanton's. 

Age

: single barrel none needed  


Pro

of: 93


Pric

e: around $60


Ratin

g: Best there is
--Doc Jason

Basil Hayden's | Rating 90

T

his spicy bourbon with a hint of honey flavor iand the right amount of oak is my new favorite 80 proof of all. BH is perfectly distilled and aged to drink with a little ice, no water needed. The first glass finishes as smooth as the tenth glass with little to no bite and a smooth after taste. The bottle will look as nice as any other bourbon on your shelf, if you need the look to go with your taste. This bourbon doesn't get the bar calls it deserves. From now on when Maker's, Knob, and BH are on the shelf, Basil Haydens is my choice everytime. 

Ag

e: 8 years
 

Proo

f: 80
 

Pric

e: gift, ? 

Rati

ng: Excellent (i.e. 90)

--Doc Jason

Corner Creek Reserve | Rating 74.5

After I dusted the bottle, twisted the cork and splashed, nice and neat, my first glass of this never seen before brown beauty into my glass, I gave her a sniff and then thought " I just wasted approximately 250 pesos. My first taste matched my first sniff. I stepped back and thought, this cannot be right. So I considered the fact that I had been on call for a week, which means no drinking, and took a look at the back of the bottle. The words "lightly filtered" for a "complex flavor" appear on their wine bottle Esq label. So I do, what so many consider sacrilegious, and give her a splash of bottled Texas spring water. There ya have it, the flavor goes from chewing on a Oak tree root to a very "complex" bourbon. Shortly there after I find myself 4 glasses in and smiling, thanks to this strong tasting oak juice with an almost spicy/cinnamon after taste. A little more edge to the flavor than my palate prefers, but for $24.97 a steal every time. If you can't get enough oak aging, this is for you. Dedicated to "Marvin and Sydney", I would have to say I would be dedicated to kicking Marvin's ass and giving Sydney (no matter what she looks like) the ol' Whiskey D after half a bottle of unique brown stuff. Give it a try.

  



Pric

e: Tag: 32.99, Paid: 24.97 (must of been on sale) for 750ml
  


Alcohol Content

: 88 proof
  


Ratin

g: 74.

5 
--Doc Jason

Jack Daniel's No. 7 | Rating 82

I'll admit up front that I am partial to the Jack Daniel's line of whiskeys, especially the black label. It was the whiskey that I cut my whiskey drinking teeth on. I love the fact that it is somewhere in the middle of the road as far as not being too sweet and not being too dry for my taste. It can be mixed with jut about anything and it still tastes good. Plus it drinks really well by itself. Its my utility infield if you will. It can adapt to just about any situation--on the rocks, or with water in a formal setting, or mixed with coke or sweet and sour mix at a backyard BBQ. not many other whiskeys can do that.

The Taste

: As mentioned earlier its a middle of the spectrum taste wit ha slight lean towards the dry side. It doesn't have the sting that other whiskeys have which I like.

The Bottle

: What can you say, it might be the most recognizable liquor bottle ever. The No. 7 label is like none other. Or should I say the others are nothing like the old No. 7. Its an American icon. Enough said.

The Price

: Its in a good price range. $30-$40 at the store and a reasonable price at the bar. Not too cheap that its a regular on the 25 cent night circuit and not too expensive that it blows the budget with a couple of rounds.

The Hangover

: Its a high enough end whiskey that the hangovers are usually mild. When dealing with a dark liquor its key in the hangover department to find something that's not going to beat you to death the next morning. I've drank the better part of a 750 ml in a relatively short time period and woke up the next morning feeling like one million dollars.

Overall

: I give Jack Daniel's Black Label two thumbs up. The taste is good, it has a coolness factor like no other whiskey and its a quality affordable selection that doesn't stay with you the next morning. Its one of my favorites.
--Matt

Evan Williams Single Barrel 1994/Green Label | Rating: 35/71

To steal a line from Doug Moreland, when trying to answer the question "What did you think of the 'only vintage bourbon' being made?" I have to say "well let me see, let me think..." Here's the thing: this is not a bad bourbon. In fact it is pretty good. But for all of the fuss they make about it being a vintage bourbon, you would think it would sing a song and dance with you.

Packaging

: This is part of the problem. Don't create a bunch of fancy packaging unless you are going to blow my doors off. For example, Louis XIII comes in a crystal bottle, and a fancy box. Why? Because it is will pin your fucking ears back with a serious alcohol experience. Evan Williams Single Barrel comes in a special box, is marketed by the year it was made like it was a special bottle of Opus One, and at the end of the day it it pretty good but not any better than Evan Williams' $8 green label. That is not really a complaint about the Single Barrel as much as it is a compliment to the quality and value of the Green Label.

Taste

: Since both bottles taste the same I have combined the reviews into one. These are both on the sweet side. Not nearly the quality of a quality small batch bourbon. You can taste the tannins so to speak. Neither one of these is going to inspire a note to the master distiller telling him how impressive he was. But at the end of the day, this is a good quality sipping whiskey. Faint hints of oak. To me this is every bit as good as the Jack Daniel's it is trying so hard to emulate. Jack makes much better small batch bourbons than Evan Williams, but the Evan Williams is hands down better for the value than the No. 7 sour mash.
One note to add, make sure you mix this thing with plenty of water or coke or whatever you prefer. The day I was moving out of my house, after watching a Spurs playoff game, a buddy and I arrived back at my empty place. Poured giant glasses of this stuff, took about 3 sips, and promptly passed out. However, when I woke up, I distinctly recall thinking "man I should have put more water in that thing." Luckily I had not spilled the drink during my sleep and was able to have it for breakfast.

Final Rating

: Since I have to take price in to consideration the Evan Williams Green Label get a 7 since it only cost about $8 and the Single Barrel which cost about $25 gets a 3.5.
--Nic

Baker's | Rating 90

lcohol Content:

107

Price:

about $40

Review:

From the Jim Beam family, their number 2 in the line, 2nd to

Booker's

. Great flavor, the oak aging is very noticeable when it hits your lips. The alcohol content is obvious when taken straight up. With a splash of water the flavors are easier to distinguish. If you are a straight up flask drinker used to a typical 80 proof don't waster your money, but if you want to try something between Maker's/Knob and

Booker's

, don't hesitate to give it a try.
Recommended with some bottled water. My only negative is when I went to pull out my cork, it broke and I was not able to drive 60 miles back to the store where I bought it. Luckily the bottle was not compromised, as the bottom half of the cork maintained a good seal.
--Dr. JS