Bourbon Selections on Three Cruises in 2022

[mac66]

On 7/13/2022 at 7:06 PM, Spif Barwunkel said:

What a shame if you can't cruise without your favorite booze. I don't like it that the thread count of the sheets on the bed is less than satisfactory. I cringe every night on the ship when I lay down in bed with a bourbon nightcap wondering if this will ever change. 

Actually you can cruise with your favorite booze. Just got to be willing.

Edited July 27, 2022 by mac66

[miched]

On 7/26/2022 at 4:55 PM, Spif Barwunkel said:

As a relatively new Bourbon drinker, I would appreciate some feedback on what the more seasoned Bourbon drinkers think about the following, all of which I have tried. Pappy Van Winkle is not a must try for me.

Buffalo Trace

Elijah Craig

Four Roses

Knob Creek - 9 year and Smoked Maple

Woodford Reserve

 

Ciroc and Belvedere are my favorite Vodkas.

 

I like all of them.    I also like Old Grand Dad bottled in bond.    Very Old Barton , Weller, Willet, Old Forester, Wild Turkey , Rebel,  MM,  JTS Brown Bottled In Bond.   Bakers, Bookers, Basil Hayden,  and etc.    They are all good some just better than others 

 

Drink up 🥃🍷🥂🍻🍺🍹🍸

Edited July 28, 2022 by miched

[CruisinNewb]

Any Buffalo trace products are allocated where I live and very hard to find.

 

E.H. Taylor and Stagg Jr. are two of my favorites from the BT line.

 

More accessible for me and two favorites are Old Ezra No. 7 and Old Forester 1920 if you like higher proof bourbons.

[boxkite]

For me two of the best value bourbons are Wild Turkey Rare Breed and Old Foresters 1920, very tasty.

 

Preparing myself for slim selection of bourbons on Celebrity cruise next month.

[PTC DAWG]

11 minutes ago, boxkite said:

For me two of the best value bourbons are Wild Turkey Rare Breed and Old Foresters 1920, very tasty.

 

Preparing myself for slim selection of bourbons on Celebrity cruise next month.

It was slim on the Apex this past spring...they need work hard and do better, IMHO. Sailing on Equinox in September, preparing for more of the same.  

Edited July 28, 2022 by PTC DAWG

[Spif Barwunkel]

16 hours ago, miched said:

I like all of them.    I also like Old Grand Dad bottled in bond.    Very Old Barton , Weller, Willet, Old Forester, Wild Turkey , Rebel,  MM,  JTS Brown Bottled In Bond.   Bakers, Bookers, Basil Hayden,  and etc.    They are all good some just better than others 

 

Drink up 🥃🍷🥂🍻🍺🍹🍸

The bottle alone makes this bourbon worth a try.

[D C]

3 hours ago, boxkite said:

For me two of the best value bourbons are Wild Turkey Rare Breed and Old Foresters 1920, very tasty.

 

Preparing myself for slim selection of bourbons on Celebrity cruise next month.

Start drinking Early Times and whatever they have onboard will seem like top shelf. 

[SailingHigher]

On 7/27/2022 at 3:04 PM, r2h2 said:

Eagle Rare is one of my favorites.  Another one to try is Weller. It is a wheat based Bourbon from the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort,KY. Both are difficult to find.

My palate is pretty much the same. In terms of the Buffalo Trace offerings, I'd say Eagle Rare and Blanton's are my favorites and almost impossible to find. EH Taylor is another that I tend to rave about in blind tastings. Those three are not inexpensive, but great to sip. Buffalo Trace bourbon is a good mixer. And the distillery is very nice and easy to get to from the highway. Worth a stop.

 

This summer I've been leaning in favor of Four Roses Single Barrel or Knob Creek 12. I also like big bottles of Woodford from Costco. Woodford manhattans are an outstanding cocktail for restaurants and weekends.  

 

I doubt I'll see any Four Roses Single Barrel riding on the Beyond in late September. I sure hope they have Woodford, however.

 

PS - You might give Angel's Envy or Michter's a try sometime. And 1792 is a nice choice that is more affordable than pretty much any of the others above. 

 

Edited July 28, 2022 by SailingHigher
typo

[Straughn]

On 7/13/2022 at 5:24 PM, PTC DAWG said:

it is Whiskey.  All Bourbon is Whiskey,  not all Whiskey is Bourbon. Plus, JD is swill. 🙂
 

Cheers regardless!😃

I was just going to say this. And agree about JD.

[Straughn]

Female bourbon lover here.I realize that I am not the only one, but all of my bourbon drinker friends are male. 
 

On my Apex cruise, in April, I was in The Retreat. First night, I looked at the bourbon selection on display and selected Woodford. The next day, I said to the bartender that I had been able to get Buffalo Trace on Edge in February. He said “I have it,.”  He reached into a cabinet under the counter and pulled it out. Well, OK, then! For the next 6 nights, when I arrived in the lounge, a glass of Buff was immediately poured for me. Last night of the cruise, I go to the lounge and the bartender, whom I tipped nicely, said we are out of Buffalo Trace. I had Woodford. 
 

About 15 minutes later, the very young server in the lounge (whom I also tipped. I think most didn’t) shows up with a very full glass of Buffalo. I said how did you do this. He said, I work many locations on the ship. I know which bars have it. 
 

So, the point, to this self serving post, is that there may be good liquor available, but you need to ask for it.

[boxkite]

Ah, the old days when I could go on a RCCL cruise and have Buffalo Trace every night.

 

Now I will have to hunt for Buffalo Trace all over the ship for next month's cruise or switch to specialty drinks from World Class Bar. May also need to visit the Martini bar more often.

 

Of course I still miss the long gone Molecular Bar from our first Celebrity cruise. Cocktails made with Liquid nitrogen anyone?

[PTC DAWG]

21 hours ago, Straughn said:

Female bourbon lover here.I realize that I am not the only one, but all of my bourbon drinker friends are male. 
 

On my Apex cruise, in April, I was in The Retreat. First night, I looked at the bourbon selection on display and selected Woodford. The next day, I said to the bartender that I had been able to get Buffalo Trace on Edge in February. He said “I have it,.”  He reached into a cabinet under the counter and pulled it out. Well, OK, then! For the next 6 nights, when I arrived in the lounge, a glass of Buff was immediately poured for me. Last night of the cruise, I go to the lounge and the bartender, whom I tipped nicely, said we are out of Buffalo Trace. I had Woodford. 
 

About 15 minutes later, the very young server in the lounge (whom I also tipped. I think most didn’t) shows up with a very full glass of Buffalo. I said how did you do this. He said, I work many locations on the ship. I know which bars have it. 
 

So, the point, to this self serving post, is that there may be good liquor available, but you need to ask for it.

My Wife is a big bourbon drinker too..cheers!

[D C]

3 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

My Wife is a big bourbon drinker too..cheers!

As is mine.  She stole the last of our Four Roses a little while ago. 

[bnurick]

On the Disney Magic. Pappy 23 year among others…

 

[markeb]

Just now, bnurick said:

On the Disney Magic. Pappy 23 year among others…

 

For how much?

[RichYak]

41 minutes ago, bnurick said:

On the Disney Magic. Pappy 23 year among others…

I'll never sail on Disney, I'll never sail on Disney, I'll never... wait what?

[mac_tlc]

On 7/28/2022 at 4:38 PM, SailingHigher said:

 

PS - You might give Angel's Envy or Michter's a try sometime. And 1792 is a nice choice that is more affordable than pretty much any of the others above. 

 

Angel’s Envy is my favorite. Never seen it on a cruise ship but can usually find it at home.

 

mac_tlc

[bnurick]

@markeb the bartender said 1oz = $400.  Maybe I see about a Captain’s Club discount. 😂 

[mac66]

I was frankly disappointed with the selection on my just returned from X cruise. The best I could get with my premium drink package was Maker's Mark. I got Woodford Reserve in the past along with some other better stuff.  Will be bringing touch of my own from now on.

[markeb]

On 9/4/2022 at 3:49 PM, bnurick said:

@markeb the bartender said 1oz = $400.  Maybe I see about a Captain’s Club discount. 😂 

 

I wonder how much Buffalo Trace makes available for export to the cruise industry. If they're allocating at true wholesale, even retail, they're making $9500+ per bottle! (It's never available, but retail in Virginia, an ABC state so official retail is market price, is $330.)

[D C]

1 hour ago, mac66 said:

I was frankly disappointed with the selection on my just returned from X cruise. The best I could get with my premium drink package was Maker's Mark. I got Woodford Reserve in the past along with some other better stuff.  Will be bringing touch of my own from now on.

Same as our experience back in March.  There was a splash of Woodford left that we killed the first night. Makers from then on was the best they had.

[bnurick]

@mac66 @markeb @D C Disney Wonder has all the usual premiums available.  The Pappy 23 sells around $7,000 to $9,000 in the secondary.  It’s not practical, but they do have it versus not having it for someone that hits a 10 team parlay.  The lack of availability of essentially everything on Celebrity has become a real disappointment when comparing cruising options.  Maybe they are too levered up with debt and they are struggling financially and just can’t extend themselves.  Disney clearly does not have that issue.  I am reconsidering my January cruise on the Edge now.

[markeb]

20 minutes ago, bnurick said:

@mac66 @markeb @D C Disney Wonder has all the usual premiums available.  The Pappy 23 sells around $7,000 to $9,000 in the secondary.  It’s not practical, but they do have it versus not having it for someone that hits a 10 team parlay.  The lack of availability of essentially everything on Celebrity has become a real disappointment when comparing cruising options.  Maybe they are too levered up with debt and they are struggling financially and just can’t extend themselves.  Disney clearly does not have that issue.  I am reconsidering my January cruise on the Edge now.

But the cruise ships are able, as exporters, to buy direct from the source. Disney is counting on you comparing them to domestic bars and retailers. I can’t imagine them buying from the secondary market. 

[bnurick]

58 minutes ago, markeb said:

But the cruise ships are able, as exporters, to buy direct from the source. Disney is counting on you comparing them to domestic bars and retailers. I can’t imagine them buying from the secondary market. 

I do not believe they are buying secondary.  I know first hand the buy direct from the small production winery Jarvis.  Never out of stock.

 

I guess my overall position is I’m not paying for suite class to drink friggin Marker’s Mark.  It’s not acceptable when you look at what they are supposed to carry on their advertised lists.  They have lost the supply chain excuse now.  Perform.

[markeb]

18 minutes ago, bnurick said:

I do not believe they are buying secondary.  I know first hand the buy direct from the small production winery Jarvis.  Never out of stock.

 

I guess my overall position is I’m not paying for suite class to drink friggin Marker’s Mark.  It’s not acceptable when you look at what they are supposed to carry on their advertised lists.  They have lost the supply chain excuse now.  Perform.

 

Around here, Maker's and Woodford are pretty similar in price, and I like a wheated bourbon...

 

(Although I normally buy Maker's 46 not the standard Maker's.)

 

I don't know how RCG keeps their supply chain so screwed up on whisk(e)y. I gave them the benefit of the doubt initially, and I still suspect some of the big boys went elsewhere for market when the cruise lines shut down. I honestly don't remember bourbon ever being a big part of Celebrity's inventory. I'm trying to remember what they had in July on Equinox. The first day they had Buffalo Trace, Maker's, Woodford, and something else. But never a great selection. Scotch whisky was better, but still nowhere near as good as pre-pandemic. Same on wine. I'm not a big fan of most Wagner Family wines, but many if not most of those were out of stock as well.

 

Of course they had all the freaking vodka you could ever dream of!

 

End booze rant.