#196: What makes a GOOD Whiskey? How to find the right bottle

Join the Whiskey Noobs Crew to support the show: http://patreon.com/whiskeynoobs  Originally released as a youtube video, this episode looks at four whiskeys that I think more people should talk about. Each of these has it's own merits, but they all have one thing in common - it seems to me like they are worth more than their MSRP.    Featured Bourbons: - Town Branch True Cask (Cask Strength Value Pick) - New Riff Bottled in Bond (High-Rye Everyday Sipper) - Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat (Complex & Underrated) - Ingram River Aged Uncharted (Unique Aging + Insane Price)

Join the Whiskey Noobs Crew to support the show: http://patreon.com/whiskeynoobs  What makes a whiskey "good"? How can you distinguish between a bottle that you subjectively like and one that is objectively good? And, perhaps more importantly than all of that, how can you use that knowledge to make sure you are buying bottles that you like?    In this episode, Chris breaks down the different characteristics that many of us are looking at, whether we realize it or not, when we are judging a whiskey. Then, he breaks down how you can use that information to make informed purchases for future bottles. 

Join the Whiskey Noobs Crew to support the show: http://patreon.com/whiskeynoobs  EH Taylor is one of the many notorious bourbon brands coming from the Buffalo Trace Distillery. In this episode, Chris puts a bottle of EH Taylor Small Batch up against three bourbons of similar age and proof, in order to find a less expensive and more widely available replacement. Stick around to hear which bottle wins - it was an upset for the ages! Bottles in this episode: - EH Taylor Small Batch - Benchmark Bonded - Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series Bourbon - Redwood Empire Pipe Dream 101

Join the Whiskey Noobs Crew to support the show: http://patreon.com/whiskeynoobs    Sometimes blind tastings go exactly how you'd expect, and sometimes you are completely caught off guard by the price of the whiskey you've been drinking. This episode is one of those latter situations. Stop reading here if you don't want spoilers! In this episode, Chris walks through a blind tasting of Johnnie Walker Black label, and we find some very interesting surprises along the way. 

Join the Whiskey Noobs Crew for more content: http://patreon.com/whiskeynoobs  Tullamore D.E.W. and Powers John's Lane are both respected Irish whiskeys that have been around for quite a long time; however, Power's comes at a top shelf price, while Tullamore is available in the budget price range. In this episode, Chris walks through a blind tasting to see if the price difference is truly worth it, and what differences you can expect from the flavor profile.

Join the Whiskey Noobs Crew for more content: http://patreon.com/whiskeynoobs    Weller Full Proof is one of the most sought after allocated bourbons from the Buffalo Trace Distillery, and Chris's personal favorite of the Weller lineup. In this episode, Chris seeks to find the best possible replacement for it with a blind tasting of Weller Full Proof versus Larceny Barrel Proof, Green River Full Proof, and Middle West Spirits Cask Strength Wheated Bourbon. 

Join the Whiskey Noobs Crew for more content: http://patreon.com/whiskeynoobs    There is no review that is more honest than a blind one. In this episode, Chris walks through a blind review of a bottled in bond bourbon that scores really well in a few categories, and has just one flaw drag it down a bit. For those who don't want to know what the bourbon was, consider this your spoiler alert! If you do want to know, Chris was tasting Redwood Empire's Grizzly Beast Batch 005

Join the Whiskey Noobs Crew for more content: http://patreon.com/whiskeynoobs  We are revisiting more forgotten bottles! In this episode, Chris walks through a review of Watershed Bourbon Bottled in Bond, Barrell Bourbon Mizunara Finish, Penelope Estate Collection 10yr Single Barrel, and Penelope Estate Collection Private Select.

Is there ever a reason to do a side by side tasting while knowing what you are drinking rathe than making it a blind tasting? Believe it or not, there are a couple of situations where this makes sense. In this episode, Chris breaks down why you might want to pick a non-blind tasting over a blind tasting, and demonstrates with an in-depth side-by-side review of Green River Full Proof and Town Branch True Cask. Join the Whiskey Noobs Crew for more content: http://patreon.com/whiskeynoobs 

In this blind tasting episode, Chris walks through the tasting of an incredibly affordable rye that scores surprisingly high.   Join the Whiskey Noobs Crew for more content: http://patreon.com/whiskeynoobs