Your favorite whisk(e)y is the one you like to drink, the way you like to drink it.

Although I do, he is right if you are looking to taste it all.  The chill will also clamp down on some of the flavor.  A thimble full of water works for me with 100 proof stuff.  80 proof needs no thinning usually.  

In my opinion what the water does is dilute the alcohol which when really strong “dries” out the tongue and all you notice is the alcohol burn.  


What you have I believe is all 80 proof.  Try it neat (straight) first, no water, no cube, no cola.

I know many here will shoot me for this, but pour into a glass and then add copious amounts of ice. Enjoy

why would you want to? The last few pours aren't that great anyway so why add backwash?

Back when I consumed alcohol (late teens), I didn't drink it for the taste. All the whiskey I ever tried was varying degrees of horrible. But it was very efficient in getting you wasted quickly. So it became my tool of choice. And to that end, I always just bought the cheapest shit I could find, which in my area was usually this.....



I'd take a shot of that and follow it up with a swig of Coca Cola. The Coke was usually sufficient to ensure the whiskey didn't come right back up. After the 1st half pint, I usually just drank it straight as my senses were dulled enough I didn't notice how horrible it tasted. The next day (almost always a Sunday), I'd be hungover like hell, eating my hangover remedy of crackers and whole milk. Then I wouldn't drink again until the next Saturday, at which point I'd get wasted again. I finally gave up alcohol completely before I ever turned 21. Best decision I ever made and don't miss it at all.

The most amazing thing about whiskey is that there are actually people out there that think some of it actually tastes GOOD. I've never been able to fathom that. Hehe. But I was and remain an uncultured redneck who only drank with the intended purpose of getting drunker than hell as fast as possible. I actually found vodka and moonshine to be greatly preferable. It was every bit as potent (and usually more) than bourbon, but had the benefit of not engaging my gag reflex.

The Jim Beam, like all Jim Beam-branded (& anything Jack Daniel's) should be poured straight into the toilet).

The other two, on the rocks with a splash of water.  Or neat.

She was likely drinking like that when she hooked up with FUAC,

Take a tall glass, fill it with ice cubes, add an ounce or two of the Beam, and the top it off with 7UP.

Don’t do that with the other bourbons.

Correct. I have had pappys, warm, neat, in July, in Texas.

I have had Rubber bottle on ice.


@op you’re a smart dude (per the MVIS thread, anyway) so try it a bunch of ways and see what you prefer.


I personally like it mixed with ginger ale. About 50/50, served over ice. Refreshing and delicious in almost all weather. I’m a fan. I’ve had Pappys like that (my dad mixed it) snd some others that would be considered sacred, but there’s no wrong way to drink a whiskey if it makes you happy.

I will also trade you a bottle of the finest corn shine you never had for a drink of any of those, at our upcoming moon lambo party

Bourbon tastes nasty. I have never understood why anybody drinks it.

Single malt Scotch in a small glass straight up with a couple of cubes of ice is much better. The second glass is better than the first. And the third glass is really fine.

I never made it to the fourth glass as best I remember.

I'll try it a few different ways, thanks for the posts!

If we're ever back in moon lambo territory, I'll do my best to remember your offer and take you up on it at the meet.

Take a very small sip neat at room temperature. Don't swallow it right away, try to keep it on the front part of your tongue until it gets diluted by your saliva then swallow it. The front part of your tongue is where you'll taste the sweetness of it, the back of the tongue is where you'll feel the burn if you swallow it too soon.

For the money, I enjoy the Beam black over ice. Not bad at all.

+100!

My two cents:  It ain't rocket science.  Pour it in a glass and sip it.  Add an ice cube, just to try it out.  If you like it one way better than the other way, then drink it that way.  I've been known to mix Knob Creek into an Old Fashioned - yeah, I AM that guy.

If you don't piss yourself, you did it wrong.

Um, I almost always use Knob Creek for an old fashion.  What's wrong with that?

Make "Tennessee Tea" with the Jim Beam

Ideally about 2 or 3 fingers in a neat glass.
Just a glass and whiskey. It's nice if it's a bit below room temp.

I'd definitely sample each neat. Take a small sip and let it roll over your tongue.

I'd likely reserve the basil hayden for drinking as such.

The jim beam could go either way, never tried that one. It might get relegated to being mixed with cola.

The knob I would likely use for such things as kentucky mules, whiskey sours or one of my favorites an old fashioned.

Always drink responsibly.
If you or anyone you know need help quitting check out the Sinclair method (slowly approaching 2 years without myself).

Merry Christmas!

Mix with your favorite coke

I'm not on the bandwagon,  I'm just pretty sure 10 years ago you could walk in and buy about any of them you wanted to. I've never tried any liquor I'd want to drink for any other reason besides getting drunk. It's more about which one tastes the least bad.

Part of finding what you like in bourbon will have to do with the mash bill used to make it. The grain recipe being a mix of corn, wheat and rye used to create the blend that is distilled and then aged.

I favor wheat focused blends and there are a few that have very low rye flavors. You can also get rye-weighted and rye-only blends. See what you like and where it falls in the spectrum and you'll be able to narrow down
other brands to try.