At the Crossroads of Smoking and Whiskey - Bourbonites Unite!

[bama bbq]

I grew up on Weller's. haven't had it in yrs. Blanton's is primo for special occasions. And Maker's is a mainstay always in the liquor cabinet.

 

[humdinger]

Hey all! I just spent the last 45 minutes reading this whole thread b/c I hadn't caught it earlier. I was psyched the whole time because it is a topic I love to discuss. The irony is I clicked on it to recommend Buffalo Trace, but it's clear that bourbon has been well represented and discussed.

Anyways, I'm a fan of it all. Bourbon, Rye, Tennessee Whiskey, Irish and Canadian Whisky too. Below are some shots (pun intended) I just took to add to the discussion.

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• humdinger
• Oct 15, 2013

Bought this in the Duty Free Shop while cruising down in Grand Turks in the Turks and Cacos Islands. When I got home and researched it, I was glad I bought it b/c it turns out it is not available in the US. It's pretty good, but nothing noticeably special about it. It's 100 proof so it packs a punch. Think I paid around $35 for it.

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• humdinger
• Oct 15, 2013

I can't believe no one has brought up Crown Royal yet! It's very popular in my neck of the woods and a family favorite (second to JD).

I'm sure you all know the purple bag. Now the Gold bag is Crown Reserve (about $45) which is really good but about $5 too high IMHO. But the red bag once contained bottle of the coveted Crown XR. This limited-release special blend of Crown Royal is sold in numbered bottles and is made from the last batch of whiskey distilled at the Waterloo distillery. After mothballing in 1992, the Waterloo distillery burned down in 1993, with only a small amount of whisky being left behind. The red XR has a glass stopper. It retails for about $130 if you can find it. If anyone ever offers you a shot.....take it. Here's a pic of the bottle and box from google images

crown-royal-xr-2.jpg

• humdinger
• Oct 15, 2013

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• humdinger
• Oct 15, 2013

My local wine and liquor store started carrying Winter Jack about a week ago. It's the first time available in Michigan as far as I know. It's pretty inexpensive (I think I paid around $18 for it) but really good. Where the honey JD is thick and sweet, this Winter Jack has more of a tart-crisp taste like a honeycrisp apple. If you've ever had a shooter called Washington Apple or Apple Jack, it's like that. Definitely worth the money in order to have something special for the holidays. The ladies might even love it more than you.

Ok good night all!

Oh by the way any word on the starting of a new group for whiskey and bourbon lovers?

 

[bvbull200]

Thanks for the post, Humdinger.  There is some unique whiskey in there that I hadn't seen before (Silver Select and Winter Jack).  I've tried Crown XR before and it is quite good.  I'm not a huge fan of blended Canadian whiskies, but there are exceptions to every rule ;).

I'll give that Winter Jack a try if I can find it.  Sounds like an interesting holiday liqueur. 

 

[bvbull200]

I also have to say, one of the great things about this discussion is that it really has been free of whiskey snobs.  I've participated in similar discussions before and they always end up reduced to who has tried the rarest/most expensive bottle of whiskey once before in their life and why it makes all "lesser" options unworthy of discussion.

There have been some really great whiskeys mentioned in here (Pappy Van Winkle, Crown XR, Glenmorangie 18 yr, etc.) that aren't really a staple whiskey and more for special occasions, but there are a TON of great recommendations that the average Joe can enjoy with great regularity.  Kudos to all that have participated so far.

Still need to get a bottle of the Jack Daniels Honey and glaze some ribs with it.  Maybe this weekend?

 

[pit of despair]

By the grace of God was I born and raised in Kentucky and after years of research Woodford Reserve has risen to the top of my list. By the orders of the US Navy I came to live in Scotland and was thrown into the world of single malt scotch.  I even had the chance to celebrate in Iraq with a bottle of the rare Johnny Walker Blue lable. But only rarely do I incorporate whiskey in my smokes.  I have done ribs with Jack Black and some with Woodford Reserve Honey Whiskey both sets of ribs had a hint of oak whiskey barrel smoke to them.

 

[humdinger]

Thanks for the post, Humdinger.  There is some unique whiskey in there that I hadn't seen before (Silver Select and Winter Jack).  I've tried Crown XR before and it is quite good.  I'm not a huge fan of blended Canadian whiskies, but there are exceptions to every rule ;).





I'll give that Winter Jack a try if I can find it.  Sounds like an interesting holiday liqueur. 

No problem. I'm glad you started this thread and I agree with your other post about how nice it is to have a pretentious-free discussion about bourbons and whiskeys. Compared to the rest of the web, this forum is an oasis of down-to-earth good people.

 

[ryan in louisville]

Interesting that Pappy Van Winkle was brought up on here and then last night on the local news there is a story about $26,000 work of it being stolen from a warehouse. Police think it's an inside job.

 

[humdinger]

Interesting that Pappy Van Winkle was brought up on here and then last night on the local news there is a story about $26,000 work of it being stolen from a warehouse. Police think it's an inside job.

Interesting. I'll have to Google that and check it out.

 

[bvbull200]

Just looked that story up and read about it.  Pretty crazy.  It said that only 50 employees have access to the area that the bottles were taken, so there aren't a whole lot of possibilities as to who it could have been.

I need to get on the waiting list somewhere for a bottle of that stuff.  I knew it was good and desirable, but I had no idea it was that coveted. 

 

[dools103]

If anyone belongs to Costco and they have a liqour store try thr Kirkland brand bourbon in the bottle that looks like Woodford Reserve (squarish) for the price about 20 a qt I think it has a wonderful smooth taste

 

[noboundaries]

 
If anyone belongs to Costco and they have a liqour store try thr Kirkland brand bourbon in the bottle that looks like Woodford Reserve (squarish) for the price about 20 a qt I think it has a wonderful smooth taste

Supposedly made/bottled by Jim Beam. 

 

[saltytim]

Any of ya ever had a meat bird, it's a chicken that grows a pound a month. Our daughter is raising them. We put one on the smoker at ten this morn. Injected with evans williams honey reserve bourbon. Rubbed with everglades seasoning.:grilling_smilie:

 

[bvbull200]

Any of ya ever had a meat bird, it's a chicken that grows a pound a month. Our daughter is raising them. We put one on the smoker at ten this morn. Injected with evans williams honey reserve bourbon. Rubbed with everglades seasoning.

How did the chicken turn out?  I'm doing a whole chicken this weekend and this sounds pretty interesting.  I need to go grab another bottle of Larceny, but I can pick up some honey bourbon while I'm there.

 

[saltytim]

The chicken was awsome. I didn't get pics, got busy with guests, and dessert, just forgot. The honey whiskey injected near the bone, really flavors the meat.

 

[bvbull200]

Any other details on the cook?  Brined?  Temp? Time?

Looking forward to giving it a whirl on Saturday!

 

[webebigdog]

Booze and smoking!!! What could possibly be better. I like alot of differant ones. Mainly I have a bottle of Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey in the freezer. Tastes great to me with a little burn from the cinnamon. I think I will have to injected a chicken with it! That never even crossed my mind to use booze to inject. I do a marinade for chicken with tequilia and lime....

 

[bvbull200]

Tequila!?!?!  Get that clear devil's poison outta here!  ;)

I've had the fireball stuff.  Not the same as drinking whiskey in a traditional sense, but good in its own right.  If you like the flavored stuff, give Bird Dog Blackberry a try.  I've mentioned it in here a couple of times, but it is good stuff on the flavored front.

 

[noboundaries]

 
Tequila!?!?!  Get that clear devil's poison outta here!  ;)

Oooooh, don't be dis'ing on da tequila.  That's a whole 'nuther thread.  Ain't had much luck cooking with it though, but a good Anejo (aged) tequila, so good to sip.

Back on topic.  I had a friend give me a bottle of 12 year Van Winkle Special Reserve several years ago she bought at Bevmo.  Honestly, I didn't know what I had until this thread.  I just knew it was good! I've been enjoying it immensely just a little at a time.   Still have 1/3rd of the bottle left.

 

[saltytim]

Bvbull200, no brine, let the chicken infused with the whisky sit in fridge for two days, rubbed the bird with ,everglades seasonings, smoked with hickory wood, 250 deg, meat temp 165 deg, about 7 hrs, but it was a 13# chicken.

 

[saltytim]

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• saltytim
• Oct 25, 2013

Injected this big bad, butt last night with the evan williams honey reserve.