Bourbon and Bows

[Alexander Traditional]

I thought this was a really cool bourbon glass. It's from 3Rivers,and has a broadhead made into the glass.

[Alexander Traditional]

Q

[Alexander Traditional]

Q

[Pine]

That is neat 

[Ray Lyon]

I like bourbon and bows, but usually keep them separate 😉

[Orion]

Now that's what I call an impressive collection. 

[McDave]

That is neat 

Actually, I believe it's on the rocks 😁

[Pat B]

Any Pappy Van Winkle on the shelf, Ray?
Bourbon has always been my choice but I prefer it neat. That would work in that cool glass too. 

[Ray Lyon]

No Pappy Van Winkle on my shelf, BUT I just got back from accompanying my wife on a business trip of hers in Louisville and she bought me a shot of Pappy 15 year old for my birthday. 

Fantastic glass of bourbon. Yes, I prefer mine neat, with just a eye dropper of water splash.

[olddogrib]

Ray,
You must be the official bartender of Shrewhaven.  If so,  there's probably a bottle or two of Basil Hayden and Booker's on that shelf!

[Al Dente]

A father and son team started making those types of glasses, their company is called Ben Shot.  I have a few bourbon and wine glasses with a .308 round imbedded in the side.  The broadhead style was not available at the time.
As far as Pappy goes, waaaay over priced.  My Dad would buy it for $35 a bottle before the "craze" hit.  Now it is upwards of $800 a bottle, and that is if you can even find a bottle.  The family only made a limited about of cases each year, then it got a great review. and BOOM, the demand skyrocketed, yet the supply is still a small run. 
Try Hillrock, Solera Aged.  It is a small distillery based in Ancram, NY, about 100 miles North of NYC.  The original Master Distiller was from the Maker's Mark distillery.  They brought him out of retirement to start theirs up.  It is a bit higher, around $100/bottle than most, and some special cask aged ones are in the $130/bottle range, but it is delicious.  My favorite is their Solera Aged in a Port Wine Barrel.  Best tasting ever, IMHO.
As is anything, it is your taste preferences that define what you like.  But I simply cannot justify paying 30X for what I know Pappy SHOULD be selling for.

[TIM B]

Shouldebt there be a song about bourbon and bows?  Good stuff gentleman- and nice collection Ray!
Tim B

[Ray Lyon]

That Pappy was a great glass of bourbon-overpriced?? YES!  But it was my 60th birthday and my wife wanted to get it for me so who am I to turn down the Mrs. request.  It was one of the finest glasses of bourbon I’ve ever tasted/smelled.  I buy bourbon at retail.  For example Elmer T Lee is one of my favorites and the last bottle I saw on the shelf was priced at $60 and it was sitting there with a bottle of Rock Hill Farms.  I bought them both and gave the choice of one of the bottles to my Shrewhaven buddy Ron LaClair.  He took the Rock Hill.  I found one more bottle of Elmer T Lee for $65 and haven’t seen another in three years, until I was in a bourbon shop in Louisville and they were selling a bottle for $465!!!!!  Yes the market price for bourbon, especially anything coming from Buffalo Trace, is out of sight. 
As for Shrewhaven, Basil Hayden was for many years the bourbon of choice.  Some call it a ‘beginning sipping bourbon’ because it is 80 proof and really smooth.  I’m more partial to the higher proof now.  With it comes more flavor and of course the warm Kentucky hug.  Blantons was a preferred bottle in camp a few years ago, but it’s very hard to find a retail price bottle.  Personally I’d drink a glass of Old Forester 1920 or 1910 before most bottles of Blanton’s.  I also love the Maker’s Mark products, especially the wood finish series/private selection bottles. 
There’s still a fair amount of good bourbon available at decent prices and after dinner at Shrewhaven Lodge we will sip on a neat poured glass with a splash of branch and a good cigar or bowl of pipe weed.  Yes, bow hunting and bourbon are a wonderful thing and the current season is fast approaching and camp plans are being formed. 
Cheers gentlemen and good luck in the woods (and finding good bourbon 😉)

[Ray Lyon]

A picture is worth a thousand words.  I took this photo at Shrewhaven Lodge right after dinner and the evening conversations are starting and a couple of guys at the end cleaning up dinner dishes.  Seated in the right foreground is Steve Turay/Northern Mist Bows chatting with Tim Cosgrove.  Ron LaClair is talking with Randy Gufstofsen who watches over the cabin for us throughout the year.  Gas lights, crackles from the fire in the wood stove and evening chatter.  It’s what we look forward to on the calendar each year.

[Alexander Traditional]

That's good to know about those glasses. I love stuff that's cool and quality made here. I like .308 also might have to give those guys another look and find out where they sell their stuff. When I did drink it was Jack Daniels or Jim Beam,but Smoking Joe turned me on to some better stuff. I went to the liquor store and found some Four Roses single barrel and it's plenty good for me.

I had way too much bourbon last night for any bows this morning!!

[Ray Lyon]

Four Roses Select Barrel is a fine glass of bourbon!!!

[Pat B]

Evan Williams has always been my go to bourbon although I've enjoyed more premium varieties when available to me.. Unfortunately a bottle of bourbon seem to "evaporate" too quickly  around my house so I only buy it on special occasions. Not much better than sitting around a camp fire with a glass of bourbon, a good cigar and good friends. 

[Ron LaClair]

You can't see it but there's a bottle of Blantons on the floor under my bed. Sometimes a couple fingers helps sleep come easy

[smokin joe]

This is a great topic. There are quite a few great bourbons out there, like there are great bows. I'll bet I am not the only one here that likes to sample the best ones from time to time. Basil Hayden is my current favorite.

[Ray Lyon]

One end of my man cave has my archery workshop and hunting accoutrements. The other end has my ‘bar’, library and table for tastings.  After a day on the range with my Shrewhaven buddies it’s fun to sample bourbon and laugh about the day on the range and who’s the better archer 😆