Theee best bourbon... price is no object...?

We are going to a wedding next week - the son of an old Rochester, New York friend. The kid is a bourbon fan and I want to dazzle them with a bottle hard to find outside the Commonwealth. I love Rowan's Creek and Booker Noe... With price as no object, what should I get to get this marriage started? (It won't be difficult... the bride is hot. She looks like Olivia Munn of 'Attack of the Show' on G4!)

Uh... I'm too old to be saying things like that, but, uh, what's the best bourbon I can get?

Pappy Van Winkle 20 year, if you can find it. Some might say the 23, but I think the 20 is better.

You are going to need two bottles, Ken.

Kitchen Whiskey for sharing with friends: W.L. Weller 12 year old

Personal Whiskey for the homefire: I agree with Scott. The 20 year old Pappy is better than the 23 and a great choice.

While I prefer wheated Bourbon if price isn't considered I find a bit of A.H. Hirsch 16 year old neat a treat......

It's got to be Pappy Van Winkle either the 20 or 23 year old! As stated by the others I also prefer the 20 year old but many prefer the 23.

I actually prefer the 15 year old Pappy over the 20 but I haven't tried the 23.
The 20 is more complex but the 15 has a knockout butterscotch flavor that is so smooth!

Okay, great, but... Where? I've seen Rip around, but not Pappy... Who has it?

Ditto on the Pappy Van Winkle if you aim to dazzle!

If you can find the Four Roses 120th anniversary bottling it would be a great gift. They only made around 2500 bottles or so and it is only sold in a few states outside Kentucky at this time. A couple of weeks ago there were 6 bottles on the shelf at Beverage Warehouse in Stonybrook but I haven't seen it anywhere else. Also, if price is no object, the Hirsch 16 yr is an excellent choice. It is also available at Beverage Warehouse.

My favorite bourbon of choice is Eagle Rare 17yr, but it's going to be difficult to find until this fall.
Usually runs in the $60 range.


On the subject of Pappy: I work a few morning shifts at Theater Square Wine and Spirits, and we have two bottles left of the 23 year.
We sold out of the other vintages just recently.

I also like the Pappy, and I really really like Olivia Munn!

I just recently went in search of Pappy Van Winkle to send my brother and the ONLY place that's had any in stock since derby was Theater Square Liq.

Echoing everyone else. Pappy Van Winkle hands down. To be honest the 15 year is ...... so close to the 20 year that its almost indistinguishable. The 23 year has too much oak for my taste though.

Elijah Craig 18 year is a great one also.

Talk to Tom at Old Town Liquors. They have many of the bottles mentioned and can probably get anything else.

http://www.oldtownwine.com/
451-8591

http://kybourbon.net/catalog/index.php

We have 1 bottle of the Pappy 20 year old in stock. Everything else has sold out for some time. Strangly, this has been our most difficult year to get their bourbons in stock considering the price of gas and the economy in general.

Another one to think about is the Vintage 17 from Kentucky Bourbon Distillers, the makers of Rowan's Creek, Noah's Mill,etc. Great flavor and runs around $46.

If you want a very hard to find bourbon, the A. H. Hirsch Reserve that Tom mentioned earlier is a good one. Not the best tasting bourbon in the world but the fact that they have not been in business since 1973 makes for a good story to go with it.