Source
r/bourbon•
Mon_arch

Looking for something to replace eagle rare and Blantons.

I’m moving out to the country, and will no longer have a city’s worth of liquor stores to search through for that last bottle of eagle rare and blantons.

Maybe something I can order by the case?

What I really enjoyed about the two names bourbons is the vanilla/caramel forward profile. And that the blantons especially can fill a room.

I have had pappy and those two are as close as possible to the flavor profile, To me at least.

So something old, vanilla/caramel forward, that is available is such amounts as to let me buy a case every 3-6 months.

Posted May 6, 2018, 6:23 PM UTC

1058
tmarr•

Makers 46! Its one of the most vanilla/caramel flavor and aromas I've had in a bourbon. If you havent tried it, dont even compare it to regular Makers Mark. It is in another league compared to regular boring Makers.

9
Mon_archOP•

Makers has always been pretty meh to me, so I’m glad 46 is better, I’ll give it a shot if I can find it readily available !

1
subie17•

I don't think regular MM is boring, it's my go to bourbon (also the first bourbon I ever tried).

I like wheat bourbons though (so that explains a few things).

If MM is an 8/10, then MM46 is an 8.7/10.

For 30-40, you'd be hard pressed to find a consistently solid choice. Also tends to be my favorite drink around Christmas!

There's just something wintry about it.

EDIT: I'd also add High West American Prarie to your list. For $35, it's a unique blend of bourbon/ whiskey.

A solid 8.5/10 and definitely something that has raised eyebrows at parties.

1
Weeder1•

Try Elijah Craig. It’s very consistent and costs about $30. It’s hard to beat. As good as Blanton’s? No. But a darn good bottle for the cost.

8
Mon_archOP•

I’ll grab a small bottle, thanks!

1
zillah1985Elmer T. Lee•

This would be my pick. I don't know if much has changed since they dropped the age statement, but HH always tried to batch Elijah with the sweeter and more approachable barrels where vanilla and caramel were always the top note.

1
AidsyBaby69•

Old Forrester 1920

5
LCBthrowaway•

What country? Blanton’s has a few nice offerings for non American markets. Straight from the barrel is one of their best.

Also Wild Turkey offers age statements on their 101 in international markets. 8 year 101 is delicious.

4
slanderousuFR 2013 LE SiB•

The country, aka fields.

15
t8keThe Tears of Shitposters•

Moving to the country, gonna eat me a lot of peaches.

8
Doneeb•

that made me chortle.

4
Mon_archOP•

USA, Texas specifically

3
LCBthrowaway•

Thought you said “out OF the country” not TO the country. So you’re moving out to the “cut”. Don’t know what tell you. You’re pretty much fucked.

Avoid the hundred or so Texas whiskeys. They all taste like old piss jug water.

8
Marriedwithkidmalt•

Avoid the hundred or so Texas whiskeys. They all taste like old piss jug water.

Now wait just a got-damn... no... no that's pretty much spot on... as you were.

3
brazillion•

Balcones isn't that bad lol.

I had some great Texas gin in Austin though. Brought back a bottle to NYC.

1
Mon_archOP•

Everything I’ve had from them has been too damn hot and young. They do some cool stuff, but rush things to the bottle instead of letting it mellow.

1
sharkattack39•

There should be ER and Blanton's in Texas...

1
Mon_archOP•

In the cities, yes. But where I’m moving, it’s still the late eighties and jack is “the good stuff”.

1
sharkattack39•

Get to dusty hunting!

1
WILLx7HEx7HRILL•

Where in Texas? If you’re in “close” to the DFW area I usually don’t have a problem finding eagle rare at some smaller liquor stores, plus the Costco’s around usually have EH Taylor and other semi rare stuff as well.

1
Mon_archOP•

I’m in central Texas, but about 45 minutes from 35, and an hour from the closest city. Lots of small town around, but nothing that has a decent selection.

2
WILLx7HEx7HRILL•

Oh Jesus, now I see why you made this post. I feel for ya man

1
NicklePickles•

Have you tried Larceny? Aside from the wheat side I would recommend 1792 and Four Roses Small Batch as sweeter/smoother bourbons. Those are all cheaper and should be easy to find by the case. Buffalo trace would also be an obvious lower tier alternative to Eagle Rare.

Some of these may lack the complexity of the bourbons you mentioned, but I guess that's why they're cheaper and more widely available.

2
AeXiPHiXiON•

Larceny and 1792 are great

2
Mon_archOP•

Been seeing a lot of four roses recommended, was never super impressed with what we got from them, but I guess I should give it another try!

1
NicklePickles•

It's been a long time since I had their yellow label, but the small batch and single barrel are both solid bourbons. The small batch is a blend of several of their recipes, whereas the single barrel is their high rye mashbill proofed to 100. I think of the small batch as especially smooth, easy drinking and the single barrel as a bit more peppery and complex.

2
piratesbarque•

You like ER or Blanton's. You need to Try the Four Roses Single Barrel. Their cheaper bottles will not compare.

1
Mon_archOP•

Not really that huge of a fan of just normal buffalo trace. It’s good, but not amazing, and is harder to find here as it is . Most stores here run out for a few months almost immediately after they restock.

1
Doneeb•

Vanilla/Caramel fit the profile for nearly every bourbon. Try out Elijah Craig Small Batch.

2
Handyandy58•

Jim Beam Black? I think it holds up even though it went NAS and is pretty easy to find still. I still consider it a BT/ER replacement in a pinch.

2
Mon_archOP•

Always see it, thought Jim Beam was along the same lines as jack and other $20 a bottle whiskey. But I may be stuck with those as the selection where I’m moving is , to be nice about it, jug-based.

2
Handyandy58•

Yeah Jim Beam white is throwaway, but I think the black definitely punches above its price point and is an alright BT substitute if selection is limited as such.

3
Mon_archOP•

Awesome I’ll give it a shot!

1
Maul564•

Jim Beam Bonded is also pretty good and only $20 a bottle. But not really the same flavor profile as ER or Blantons though.

2
WhriskeyBusiness•

Wild turkey, MGP, and 4 roses are all producing bourbons in your flavor profile, I'd pick out something from each of these distilleries and go from there.

2
Mon_archOP•

MGP?

Which wild turkey?

1
WhriskeyBusiness•

I would start with WT 101, then Branch out to Russel's SiB and WT rare breed.

MGP: a distillery from Indiana that doesn't bottle any of their own juice. Notable bottling: smooth ambler old scout SiB & Belle Meade cask strength. You'd be lucky to find those out in bum fuck, but just check the back of bottles for "distilled in Indiana" it's pretty much always MGP.

3
Mon_archOP•

Awesome! Will keep and eye out .

1
NicklePickles•

Is this suggestion based off of the vanilla/caramel suggestion or the bourbons he listed? Just curious because I've always thought of WT as a spicier Bourbon rather than strong sweet notes. What's your take?

1
WhriskeyBusiness•

A bit of both! I agree WT tends to have some spice, but I've found their profile to be rich with caramel and dark fruit notes (especially on some RR SiB picks I've tried).

Ultimately I've found it very hard to categorize disterlies for their flavor profile, as they may vary widely between product releases, but in a very broad stroke this is how I view it

Caramel, sweet, and sometimes dark fruit: BT, MM, WT, 4 roses, and MGP

Nutty, savory, and sometimes dry: Beam, HH, Barton, and Woodford

Most bourbons have notes of spice and caramel, but I'm very sensitive to the nutty profiles so I've separated distilleries into 2 catagories. Again, I've had some pours that disprove my general view of these distilleries, but when it comes to their standards this is my opinion.

3
NicklePickles•

That's pretty interesting. I'm still trying to get to where I can pick up a broader variety of flavors in bourbons. I think I can get an idea of the sweet vs spicy side of things, but I've never noticed the nutty profile you mentioned. I'll have to go back to some of the distillers you mentioned and look for it. Is there a particular bourbon to try that would be a good example of that nutty profile?

1
WhriskeyBusiness•

Many people refer to the beam profile as "beam funk" and to me that funk is penut brittle on steriods. I would suggest knob Creek SiB. It's 9yr, 120 proof and normally around $40 bucks. I've never had a bottle that wasn't drenched in penut flavor, although people around here have some older store picks that are wildly off profile.

2
gleaver49•

Holy tater tots, Batman!

You might benefit from some blind tasting. Your statements don't really line up with the mashbills of the whiskies you mention.

As to moving to the country: the bottles you want aren't that rare, and will likely be easier to find in an area with less hipsters hunting for 'rare' bourbon. Both are fine, mid-shelf bottles. Even if you can't find them easily there are other bottles as good or better that will suffice.

Here are three:

Wild Turkey 101 Four Roses Single Barrel Bulliet 10

1
Rev_LijahWild Turkey Kentucky Legend 114.6•

1792 is your readily available friend here.

With regard to the hitting the exact profile of blantons, if John J bowman single barrel is available in your area, I’d give that a whirl.

1
Raff57•

WT101 can be usually found in any Texas backwater liquor store. Its pretty much a staple. Much like WL Weller "used" be. Before whatever happened to make it so popular.

Plus, the WT101 is pretty darn good...neat, on the rocks or in mixed drinks. Always have a handle in my cabinet.

Also, keep an eye out for Wild Turkey Rare Breed. The current lot (116.8 proof) is good.

1
Crean13•

1792 has a lot of the flavors you are looking forward too and is widely available.

-1
Mon_archOP•

I’ll look into it! Always saw it and thought it looked interesting, so guess I’ll have to grab a small bottle !

1
ConfidentPangolin•

Blanton's is my personal favorite since Pappy's isn't readily available. (I have a bottle, and only drink it on special occasions.) Some more I would recommend are 1) W.L. Weller 2) Four Roses Small Batch 3) Bernheim Wheat Whisky. Weller will likely be hard to find, but the other two should be easy to get. Everyone raves about Four Roses Single Barrel, but I prefer the Small Batch. It's smoother, and I find it has a lot more butterscotch flavour and some vanilla. This is my standard Go To bourbon. Another wheated bourbon is Maker's Mark, which will be at least in the same ballpark as Blanton's.

Edit: Not sure where I got the idea Blanton's was wheated. I stand corrected. Thanks everyone!

-3
slanderousuFR 2013 LE SiB•

Shoot me now

5
WildOscar66George T. Stagg 2014•

I'm going to mix you a "Slandy Special", 50% Blanton's and 50% Lagavulin 16.

2
slanderousuFR 2013 LE SiB•

Sending me something almost as good as pappy? Look at daddy Warbucks

1
Doneeb•

Blanton's is my personal favorite since Pappy's isn't readily available....Another wheated bourbon

You know Blanton's isn't wheated, right?

3
WildOscar66George T. Stagg 2014•

Not only that, it's the higher rye mashbill from BT.

3
MarkimusPrime89•

My friend, blantons is not a wheated bourbon.

3
MarkimusPrime89•

If you are comparing blantons to pappy then I don't know what to say.... They don't even use the same flavouring grain, so are completely different products with hugely different flavours. You may just enjoy the yeast and barrels used by Buffalo trace.... That's a possibility. In that case, just browse buffalo trace distillery's website and see what you can find by the case. My suggestion of something to try might be four roses single barrel. It might not be super similar, but I think it includes the flavours you're looking for. And it's dead easy to find for a good price.

-4
Mon_archOP•

I’m just saying they have a similar room filling smell, at least to me.

I was not saying that they are direct replacements, but blantons is the closest to pappy I can find .

1