If you had to pick a top three?
I got a bottle of the small batch for a white elephant gift last night...pretty good stuff.
I have heard it described as a good starter, but it doesn't hold up once you gain more of an appreciation for the more complex stuff. You figure it came out of the barrel at around 120-130 proof and is diluted down to 80, so you are going to lose something in the detail. Everyone has their sweetspot, I tend to gravitate to about 95-115 proof range. That said, I have several barrel proof bottles that are good, and a bottle of Michter's sour mash that is 86, and I love it.... All part of the fun I guess.
Its all "local stuff". Handcrafted, home brewed using only artesian Smoky mountain spring water over the stills. Names like Kingsnake, Smooth Barrel, and some of the stuff that comes in old ceramic milk "jugs" are the best. I tried to give some to other HT'ers while in MT for my elk hunt, but they weren't really interested in TN mountain spirits (whiskey).
. I figure if I pick up a bottle every 2-4 weeks I will be good in a few months. Now if I can just run across some BT stuff, really want a regular BT and Eagle Rare....Maybe I will get lucky . Only stopped at 2 stores...Total Wine didn't have crap...I think I will need to stick to small stores. Hoping I will find some Weller and some Buffalo Trace stuff. I did see a few more I wanted to try, but resisted using the credit card 
Don’t buy Basil. Buy Old Granddad Bottled in Bond. It’s the same mash bill as BH except aged one more year (a good thing) and bottled at 100 proof.
Old Crow punches above its weight. I used to keep a handle (CVS $15) at the house and would fill up empty bottles of “the good stuff.” I can’t tell you how many times people would take a drink of $8 Old Crow out of a $70 bottle then compliment how great my bourbon collection is. Of course that was after they mixed it with Coke or Canada Dry.
Old Granddad 114 is great as well.
Never heard of it, but I just looked it up and Total Wine has it for $40. I love high rye bourbons so I’ll give this a try.
). Like a lot of what I tasted and had to walk across the street to a cafe for some food and coffee before hitting the road again. I remember liking their whiskey a fair bit and even bought a bottle to take home.
