Daily Drinkers
On a recent episode of The Bourbon Daily the group did a “battle royale” of daily drinkers. Host Steve Akley gave the group a list of what he considered to be “daily drinkers” and one-by-one guests on the show tossed out a Bourbon from the list until only one was left standing. You can follow this link to listen to the show.
The phrase “daily drinker” is one of those loosely-defined terms in the Bourbon world much like “small batch” or “produced by”. Heck, even the word “Bourbon” is a little too loosely-defined sometimes in my opinion, but that’s another article for another day.
Let’s get back to “daily drinker” (Sorry for using all of the “quotation marks”. Feel free to do “air quotes” every time you come across my use of “quotation marks” as you read this if that makes it more fun for you). I asked six different Bourbon drinkers the same four questions about “daily drinkers” and have assembled their responses in this article. First, let’s meet our panelists.
THE PANEL (alphabetically)
Craig Barwell is a father and husband living in South Dakota. In addition to being a guy who loves Bourbon, he is a clinical research professional. He is on twitter @craigjbarwell.
Tom Gautreaux is raising his family in Chattanooga. He is an attorney and an accomplished Bourbon hunter. Tom and I randomly met at a small store’s allocated release a few years ago where he and I were the only people in line (those were the days).
Brian Haara is an attorney and author of the book “Bourbon Justice”. Brian can be found on twitter @SippnCorn or at his website www.BrianHaara.com
Maggie Kimberl is the editor for American Whiskey magazine (@WhiskeyMag) and official “sidekick” to Michael Veach. You can follow Maggie on twitter and Instagram @LouGirl502.
J.J. Valentine was born in Mayberry (Mt. Airy, NC) but now calls Louisville home. J.J. loves family, tech and gaming. He is a Certified Bourbon Steward and Ambassador for Black Bourbon Society. Find him on Instagram @caoboi and on twitter @TheCaoboi.
Chris Walters is a Bourbon fan and family man out of Marietta, Georgia. Chris is the creator of the “Nose Your Bourbon” nosing kits. Chris is on Instagram @NoseYourBourbon.
The Panelists
THE QUESTIONS
1. How do you define the term “daily drinker”?
2. What is your favorite daily drinker?
3. What would you like to share about it?
4. Is there a brand that you think would be an underrated daily drinker?
THE RESPONSES
1. How do you define the term “daily drinker”?
Craig: A “daily drinker” should be under $40 and be on the shelf of most any liquor store you walk into.
Tom: It is moderately priced, well rounded, and will check most of the boxes I like in a Bourbon. It's the middle of the x / y axis of cost versus quality.
Brian: A Bourbon that I can replace easily and inexpensively when it's empty, but that also hits all the marks for me in a bourbon while not being too much of a commitment. So in other words, it's a "price performer" that finds that happy ground between price and quality.
Maggie: Bourbon, of course, was long seen as the drink of the proletariat, so by the very definition any bourbon could be considered a daily drinker. Anything that allows you to disconnect from your day and reconnect with your own sensations definitely qualifies.
J.J.: It is versatile, easy to find and just always consistent. It is a whiskey that you can have any way you want it be it, neat, with ice, dash of water, dash of coke, in a cocktail or even 1 to 1 Ale-8. Also it has to be available in a 1.75 liter for less than $50.
Chris: To me, the most important requirement for the daily drinker category is availability. It has to be something that I can walk into any decent liquor store and pick up. Next is price. It can’t be anything that breaks the bank. For me, $50 is the max for this category. Finally, it has to have a complex flavor profile. I want to find new nuances each time I drink it.
2. What is your favorite daily drinker?
Chris: Wild Turkey Rare Breed
Brian: It changes. It used to be Elijah Craig 12 year, but now Elijah Craig Small Batch and EC store picks are consistent daily drinkers for me.
Maggie: I don’t drink every day, so when I do have a dram it’s got to be something great!
Tom: I don’t have just one. For Tennessee whiskey it’s Dickel bottled-in-bond. For rye I go for Pinhook 3-year or Willett 4-year. For Kentucky Bourbon, I prefer Four Roses, 1792 Full Proof, Wild Turkey Rare Breed or Old Fo 1920.
JJ: Wild Turkey 101
Craig: My “daily drinker” doesn’t really fit my definition of one. It is E.H. Taylor Single Barrel. Just a few years ago it would sit on the shelves for months until I finally tried it. I found that I loved it and bought up every bottle I could find.
3. What would you like to share about your daily drinker?
Brian: Elijah Craig is just consistently very good to me.
J.J.: With it being 101 proof , Wild Turkey 101 can be used anyway you like: in a cocktail, with Coke Zero or whatever, I don't judge how anyone drinks their bourbon, but this stands out on its own no matter how you decide to drink it.
Tom: None of my daily drinkers are special in terms of how I found them or was introduced to them. They are special because they are quality products for a reasonable price that are not hard to get a hold of.
Craig: The E.H. Taylor Single Barrel is at 100 proof, so it’s easy to drink a couple of pours and not feel a “head change”. It is also not going to light you up like some higher proof whiskies do.
Chris: I first picked up Wild Turkey Rare Breed almost 4 years ago, based on several recommendations from friends. I put it in a blind with several other barrel proof bourbons and it really stood out to me.
4. Is there a brand that you think would be an underrated daily drinker?
Maggie: Don't overlook bottled in bond offerings like Old Granddad, Heaven Hill, Old Bardstown, and the like. In your journey to find your daily drinker, I suggest keeping notes about what you try and going back periodically to see whether your notes change.
Craig: I think the Four Roses (100 proof) single barrel is underrated. The Bulleit 10 year is also quite good though no one ever seems to be raving about that brand (maybe it’s because of their PR issues).
Brian: Old Forester is completely under-rated. While I'm ecstatic that Old Fo will be offered at barrel strength for private selections, current private barrels have really been fantastic. Old Fo got a reputation as a rail bourbon but it's so much better than that.
Chris: I have to stick with Wild Turkey. If $50 isn’t in the budget for “daily drinker” territory, Wild Turkey 101 is an incredible bottle for $20.
J.J.: Early Times Bottled in Bond is a solid, daily underrated drinker. I also think for those that love ryes they should really look at the Old Forester Rye.
Tom: Four Roses and Old Forester.
So, most people on our panel are looking for a “daily drinker” Bourbon that fits, as Tom said, at the middle of the x/y axis of cost versus quality”. Or as Brian termed it a “value performer”. The other trait required for most of our panel, especially Chris, is availability. Many folks might want to call Old Weller Antique an ideal daily drinker because it is a good value; however, it is no longer readily available in most markets. Maggie, J.J. and Craig all suggested giving bottled-in-bond Bourbons a try. This, too, is good advice!
What is your “daily drinker” or what does that term mean to you? Leave us comment here and let us know what you think. Whatever you’re drinking…cheers!
