The US, one of the great whiskey distilling countries only ranks third in consumption. And it gets worse, even France drinks more of it! http://knowmore.washingtonpost.com/...y-than-americans-do-weve-failed-as-a-country/ As a community, I think we must commit to righting this wrong!
It gets worse, Jim Beam has been bought by Japanese interests, all the worst fears of the 80's are about to come true! http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/t/video/jim-beam-bought-japanese-company-21535687?ref=http://www.bing.com/search?pc=AMAZ&form=AMAZWB&setmkt=en-US&q=jim.beam.bought+by+japan
Calling Jim Bean a "bourbon" is an insult to bourbon. It's the Budweiser of whiskeys. I'd rather drink my own piss than Jim Bean.
Uraguay is such a shithole, I'm not surprised they have nothing going on besides heavy drinking. As for Jim Beam, that shit's crap. Good riddance, finally we get revenge on the Japs for 12/7/41
I don't know how, but this is all leading to a showdown at the Nakatomi Plaza building in downtown L.A.
We are #3 because beer is so available at every grocery store, convenience store, etc. so we get in the habit of drinking beer versus distilled high octane hooch - it's just more convenient. If we didn't have beer in our faces at every turn, we'd drink more whisky. It's not the cost, it's pretty cheap here in the land of plenty. Overseas (in many places) name-brand American whiskey costs an arm and a leg! And I'm not advocating buying booze on post and black-marketing it to Koreans if you get stationed there, because you're stepping on toes. The Koreans who have access to the American bases already have this racket going, along with post gate secuity getting a cut of the hooker's money when she works the post. Koreans know how the world works, crafty devils.
Whiskey must be the in thing in France right now or something. I remember reading that beer, including local craft beer, is booming in France and that this is scaring the shit out of wine producers in France because it means younger people in France really are getting used to drinking different types of tipples even though their parents and grandparents could be relied upon to buy mostly just domestic wine. This means domestic wine consumption is going down while sales of other types of alcoholic beverages is going up at a fast rate.
I think that spirits are the up & coming thing among the younger crowd. My college-age son confirms this. Due mostly to legal liability issues and outrageous insurance costs, fraternities and other student groups can generally no longer have beer kegs around their houses. Add in the explosion in flavored vodkas and other spirits, and the quicker buzz achieved, and it's no surprise.
On the subject of Uruguay, they recently became the first country in the world to completely legalize marijuana. Those guys are all about substance abuse. Party on! Depends on what version you buy. The $15/bottle variety? Of course it's terrible.
All versions of Jim Bean are terrible. Even the "special edition" or "aged" bottles are just putting lipstick on a pig. No self-respecting bourbon drinker would touch that shite.
Beam isn't a bourbon; it's a mixer. Add it to some coke or some punch so people who don't like beer, wine, or hard liquor have something alcoholic to drink. It's better than vodka for that. Thinking about Beam as a bourbon is just all wrong.
Okay... does a Canadian really need to school you Americans about bourbon? Here is the stuff you should drink, in no particular order: - George T. Stagg (or, if you can't afford it, Stagg Jr.) - Woodford Reserve (a solid, reliable bourbon) - Angel's Envy (RIP Lincoln Henderson) - Maker's Mark (preferably the 46) - Knob Creek (another solid go-to bourbon) There are a ton of other, smaller distilleries that make some fantastic bourbons. Being Canadian, my selection of bourbons in this country is limited. Fortunately, I do a lot of travel to the States so I like to try different bourbons when I'm in your fine country.
If I must drink Whiskey, it has to be Southern Comfort. Or Wild Turkey American Honey. Everything else is just too harsh. I need sweet!
Fuck that. Jim Bean isn't even worthy of an Old Fashioned. What a bunch of uncouth, uncivilized bastards y'all are.
The concierge at my hotel directed me to this place when I was in Vegas a few months ago: http://whiskyattic.com/ It was like my Mecca. I actually dropped to my knees and cried when I first walked in. The owner, Adam Carmer, knows his shit inside out. I spent more money there than I did at the tables.
Who said is was worthy of an Old Fashioned? It's worthy of some coke or punch, something where for whatever reason you're just trying to turn a soda or fruity drink alcoholic rather than for flavoring a more proper mixed drink. It's in the realm of cheap stuff to use for people who want alcohol but don't really like it.
I'm more of a Scotch man, but lately I have started a patriotic enjoyment of bourbons. That stuff you mention is shit, it's such shit I knew it was shit when I was a teenager. WAB's list is a good starting place for widely available high end hooch. Especially like Woodford. Southern Comfort?
It's a pretty decent bourbon for the price (not cheap but not expensive, either). It's a fairly strong whiskey but not quite as sweet as I like my bourbons.
It may be crap, but I know what I like, and I don't like the other stuff. If I want to drink something that burns on the way down and makes me shudder... I'll drink tequila, and enjoy it more!