I know enough to know I wouldnt know the difference between Pappy and a $20 bottle probably.
I just know people go nuts about Pappy.
I’m a coffee guy but just havent drank/read/experienced enough wine or bourbon to know anything or taste much difference .
I have been lucky to try the Pappys. I am going to be honest with you: it is over-hyped. Would you taste the difference in the Pappy's and a $20 bottle of pretty good stuff? Yes. Are there $20 bottles of bourbon that are good? Yes.
Is it great? YES. The high wheat bill takes well to the long aging in the barrels. And they use the absolute best barrels for it. The best to the point I think the 23 year is a little too much wood on the end, and that is not for everyone.The 15 year is better IMHO.
BT/Saranac has done a great job with marketing and limited availability for Pappy. And it is very damn good stuff. But when you start to understand how bourbon is made, it starts to make a lot less sense for the price. And that is even for list price, with the markups...wow. There is little in the price difference to produce the actual booze for a lower price vs higher price booze. The real difference is in barrels and where in the warehouse it ages. Let's say the best barrels are 10/10. That's for Pappy. Are bourbons in the barrels that are 8/10 or 9/10 bad? FVCK NO. They are great. Experience says level "x" of the warehouse ages better than level "z". Is level Z bad? NO.
A common misconception is that good bourbon is "smooth". Not at all. While a great bourbon should not bite you with fire alcohol, it will have very distinctive flavors, some of which are not appreciated, or not even liked, by many drinkers. Strong smokes/woods especially. I am drunk as shit right now on this single barrel/barrel proof BT, and I can assure you the typical Jim Beam drinker would not love it....and it is some good stuff.
None of this applies for the cheap shit. But there is a wide range of bourbons from $20-$100 that are really good. I have found quite a few in the $25 to $50 range that are very good.
If you want to find out what you like, and do it for cheap, I would suggest three affordable choices:
Wheated: Weller 107. I am not shitting, it is almost as good as Pappy.
Low rye: Eagle Rare. A step above Buffalo Trace for ten bucks more a fifth. Maybe the best affordable bourbon that works equally well neat or in a mixed drink. Oh, and it's BT made, same as Pappy.
Rye Whiskey: Bulleit Rye: spicy and pepper with some sweet, some cinnamon and clove as it finishes.
I'll see if I can find the list of bourbon's that were on sale at this event for reference.
