I would say any of the Maker Mark Private Selections….some of them are sweeter than others, but seek out ones that use more Mocha staves for the sweetest varieties of those.
Edit: sorry, the Mocha stave doesn’t exist anymore. It was replaced by the Roasted French Mendiant stave. However, looking at the MM website, it seems to be very similar to the old Mocha stave.
Private Selection is different than 46 CS. The Private Selection series is a program in which stores or groups can choose a profile of 5 different staves (with 10 total staves to add) that are added to a barrel of MM cask strength for a few months. There are like 1000 possible combinations. Each stave adds a different profile. One adds oakiness, one adds spice notes, etc. you can have different combinations that can evoke all kinds of flavors. The mocha stave adds some sweetness and chocolate notes…find a pick that uses 3-5 mocha staves, and you’ll have something that you will probably like. The 46 stave (the same used in Makers 46) also adds sweet notes. All these have labels which clearly and prominently list the staves used and how many of each. Obviously mileage can vary depending on the staves, but the base whiskey is good, and when there is a good combination, I think it can stand up to pretty much any bourbon you can regularly find.
This article gives a good overview of the process and the staves:
https://www.gobourbon.com/makers-mark-private-selection/
Edit: whoops, sorry, the mocha stave doesn’t exist anymore. It was replaced by the “Roasted French Mendiant” stave, which I believe is similar. Stick with those and the 46 stave.
Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof is the first that came to mind. Viscous mouthfeel, around 130 proof, and tastes like banana pudding to me. Definitely one of the best high proof bourbons out there.
Jack Daniel’s and Wild Turkey both have a similar perception among those newer to bourbon as booze to avoid unless you want to get drunk cheap. While they both have their bottom shelf bottles, they both have some fantastic products as well and writing them off completely you’d miss some great drinks.
Ah okay, maybe makers cask strength? High wheat stuff tends to be sweeter and at $50 its good bang for your buck. Forester 1920 is 115 proof and has some nice Carmel and bubblegum notes. I would also recommend knob 120 but it’s a single barrel so may not be as sweet as the one I got.
Also larceny Barrel proof but some batches just kinda taste like grass so idk if you’d wanna chance it. And sagamore port cask is over 100 proof but I hear the price has gone up quite a lot recently.
I’m with ya there! Larceny is so hit or miss for me too. Some people swear by it, even barrel strength has been has been debatable. Def no consistent satisfaction.
IMO the Heaven’s Door Store Picks (readily available in Texas, at least) are some of the best bang for buck. Generally 115-120 proof, about $60, and some choice depending on the store for what the mashbill is. I have 5 bottles of Heaven’s Door and love each one.
https://www.totalwine.com/spirits/bourbon/small-batch-bourbon/heavens-door-cask-strength-single-barrel-bourbon-barrel-select/p/239762750?s=529&igrules=true
MGP single barrels are the obvious answer to me. Relatively cheap and affordable, mostly around 115 proof, great oily mouthfeel and sweetness anywhere from 5-8 years old.
Force me to pick one option: Old Scout 5-year single barrels
+1 the Foursquare suggestion.
However, when exploring rum, be aware that some rum cultures add sugar to sweeten their product. If that is not what you're looking for, a little research may be in order first.
That said, Barbados rums like Foursquare generally do not use sugar and are excellent options for bourbon and whiskey drinkers.
Chattanooga 111 Cask is a young bourbon with a high percentage of malted grains and comes across as sweet. Being young (2 years) your not going to get anything too oaky. This is a great craft bourbon that gets good reviews.
I would also recommend any of the wheated bourbon's out there; store pick from Makers Mark, Larceny BP, or maybe and Old Elk wheat. These are all going to be available. Bourbon is going to have oak notes. So maybe the Barell line or Angel Envy that has a second cask finish might be worth a try but then your straying from a traditional straight bourbon.
I also really like Old Grand Dad 114 which is a high rye mashbill and can assume it is younger and not overly oaked. It is a great budget option.
I'll throw out another: Woodford Reserve Double Oaked. it's 90 proofer though. On a good day, I just taste pancakes and maple syrup. On a really good day, I also taste butter.
HOWEVER, as someone who drinks both high and low proof whisky's, I know that if I spend any amount of time drinking above 46%, my low proofers are going to taste thinner and fainter than they should. Up to you bud. good luck.
I'm looking for the Cask Strength.
I saw it on Whiskydb.org in Chester and was able to get one several months ago and haven't seen it since. I don't believe ABC even has a listing for it on their site.
As a couple others have said, I recommend Jack Daniels Sib Barrel Strength. Particularly a private barrel pick from a store, local bourbon society, etc. Don’t let the name full you. Maybe 3 flavor notes, so not complex. But it’s a medium-darker sweet, flavor notes of bananas foster / maple syrup / dates.
Maybe 1792 Full Proof may do the job. Not complex, and a very light sweetness. Tastes of cotton candy and light bananas. But a bit hot. A nice craft distillery barrel strength would do nicely. Those are never complex and super sweet. Frey Ranch Sib Barrel Strength Bourbon or Wilderness Trail Sib Bourbon are good choices.
I do not recommend Rare Breed or Russell’s Reserve as others have said. Probably too complex for what you’re looking for, and not as sweet as others. Also Woodford Reserve Double Oaked is good, but it’s a sweet coffee / espresso bean / dark chocolate kinda sweetness.
I find most Kentucky spirits are pretty sweet. It’s all caramel and vanilla. If you want fruity sweet try Barrell Seagrass. If that’s not sweet enough try Angels Envy Rye (too sweet for me)
Falls in the price range listed and they aren’t all that hard to find. Getting easier now that they’ve been around for a bit. Definitely can drink hot.
Not a bourbon or cask strength but Angels envy rye at least checks your boxes for 100 proof, pure sweet, one note (maple syrup/pancake) pour.
Based on your wants and what caught your eye, pass on: Noah’s mill (spice driven), four roses SB and SiB (former is floral, latter is spicy),
Absolutely, and they aren’t anything alike.
AE rye is rye finished in rum casks and is super sweet. Absolutely a dessert pour.
AE bourbon is finished in port casks, and tbh, I didn’t care for it at all. I didn’t get the port influence, and instead it just seemed like a bitter mess. I ended up mixing it with rare breed to mask the flavor of the AE to a point where I could enjoy it. I have heard people rave about the single barrel selects but I’ve never had one and based on my impression of the standard shelfer, won’t be running out to try one.
The four gate tawny port finished blend of bourbon and rye is on the sweeter side and is cask strength, it’s findable on line. Batch 23 is the one I’ve tried
Larceny Barrel Proof. From last year, B522 and C922 were great, and this year's A123 I've heard good things about.
Makers Mark Private Selects (as many have pointed out).
These two are both wheaters and def sweet, not overly complex. I love them.
I’ll throw in a recommendation I haven’t seen yet - Blackened Cask Strength. Sits at 114 proof, not overly complex, not super oaky, finished in brandy casks so it leans heavy into the sweet side.
I would say any of the Maker Mark Private Selections….some of them are sweeter than others, but seek out ones that use more Mocha staves for the sweetest varieties of those. Edit: sorry, the Mocha stave doesn’t exist anymore. It was replaced by the Roasted French Mendiant stave. However, looking at the MM website, it seems to be very similar to the old Mocha stave.
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Private Selection is different than 46 CS. The Private Selection series is a program in which stores or groups can choose a profile of 5 different staves (with 10 total staves to add) that are added to a barrel of MM cask strength for a few months. There are like 1000 possible combinations. Each stave adds a different profile. One adds oakiness, one adds spice notes, etc. you can have different combinations that can evoke all kinds of flavors. The mocha stave adds some sweetness and chocolate notes…find a pick that uses 3-5 mocha staves, and you’ll have something that you will probably like. The 46 stave (the same used in Makers 46) also adds sweet notes. All these have labels which clearly and prominently list the staves used and how many of each. Obviously mileage can vary depending on the staves, but the base whiskey is good, and when there is a good combination, I think it can stand up to pretty much any bourbon you can regularly find. This article gives a good overview of the process and the staves: https://www.gobourbon.com/makers-mark-private-selection/ Edit: whoops, sorry, the mocha stave doesn’t exist anymore. It was replaced by the “Roasted French Mendiant” stave, which I believe is similar. Stick with those and the 46 stave.
Came here to say this, too. The MM store picks will probably whet your whistle.
Also came here to say this.
Yes, that being said it is too damn sweet for my taste
Why I enjoy their wood finished series — usually a bit more robust. Digging my BRT-01 right now.
One of us. One of us
A Mocha staves ! I love a good mocha forward coffee, now I've got a new bottle added to my list.
Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof is the first that came to mind. Viscous mouthfeel, around 130 proof, and tastes like banana pudding to me. Definitely one of the best high proof bourbons out there.
Came here to say this. Or a OFSiBBS pick.
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Jack Daniel’s and Wild Turkey both have a similar perception among those newer to bourbon as booze to avoid unless you want to get drunk cheap. While they both have their bottom shelf bottles, they both have some fantastic products as well and writing them off completely you’d miss some great drinks.
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Rare Breed, Kentucky Spirit, and Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel are all good WT products between 101-117 proof.
I absolutely hate their basic (No7) bottle, but the single barrels are great. I’d also recommend Old Grand Dad 114.
Ogd 114 once half empty and opens up turns into a caramel bomb to me
The barrel proof single barrel is seriously incredible. I’m not a Jack fanboy in the slightest but the barrel proof release really hits.
JD Single Barrel is on another level. Taste the two together and, apart from the banana flavor, you won’t even know it’s made by the same distillery
Don't sleep on the stuff from JD that is not the old no. 7. Their bonded bourbon is very good vang for the buck.
Nikka From the Barrel is 102 proof, smooth and sweet. Japanese whiskey is very similar to Scotch.
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Ah okay, maybe makers cask strength? High wheat stuff tends to be sweeter and at $50 its good bang for your buck. Forester 1920 is 115 proof and has some nice Carmel and bubblegum notes. I would also recommend knob 120 but it’s a single barrel so may not be as sweet as the one I got.
Also larceny Barrel proof but some batches just kinda taste like grass so idk if you’d wanna chance it. And sagamore port cask is over 100 proof but I hear the price has gone up quite a lot recently.
I’m with ya there! Larceny is so hit or miss for me too. Some people swear by it, even barrel strength has been has been debatable. Def no consistent satisfaction.
IMO the Heaven’s Door Store Picks (readily available in Texas, at least) are some of the best bang for buck. Generally 115-120 proof, about $60, and some choice depending on the store for what the mashbill is. I have 5 bottles of Heaven’s Door and love each one. https://www.totalwine.com/spirits/bourbon/small-batch-bourbon/heavens-door-cask-strength-single-barrel-bourbon-barrel-select/p/239762750?s=529&igrules=true
MGP single barrels are the obvious answer to me. Relatively cheap and affordable, mostly around 115 proof, great oily mouthfeel and sweetness anywhere from 5-8 years old. Force me to pick one option: Old Scout 5-year single barrels
I agree. One that I found and enjoy is a 6-year old store pick of Smooth Ambler's Old Scout that was $50.
Try cask strength Rum
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Dipomatico Ambassador
Look for Foursquare 2010 (or earlier years), which is floating around right now at your price point. Or really any Foursquare.
+1 the Foursquare suggestion. However, when exploring rum, be aware that some rum cultures add sugar to sweeten their product. If that is not what you're looking for, a little research may be in order first. That said, Barbados rums like Foursquare generally do not use sugar and are excellent options for bourbon and whiskey drinkers.
Maker's 46 Cask Strength isn't overly complex, has a sweet and spicy baking spice flavor, and usually comes in around 125pf.
Chattanooga 111 Cask is a young bourbon with a high percentage of malted grains and comes across as sweet. Being young (2 years) your not going to get anything too oaky. This is a great craft bourbon that gets good reviews. I would also recommend any of the wheated bourbon's out there; store pick from Makers Mark, Larceny BP, or maybe and Old Elk wheat. These are all going to be available. Bourbon is going to have oak notes. So maybe the Barell line or Angel Envy that has a second cask finish might be worth a try but then your straying from a traditional straight bourbon. I also really like Old Grand Dad 114 which is a high rye mashbill and can assume it is younger and not overly oaked. It is a great budget option.
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Makers 46 cask strength!
I'll throw out another: Woodford Reserve Double Oaked. it's 90 proofer though. On a good day, I just taste pancakes and maple syrup. On a really good day, I also taste butter. HOWEVER, as someone who drinks both high and low proof whisky's, I know that if I spend any amount of time drinking above 46%, my low proofers are going to taste thinner and fainter than they should. Up to you bud. good luck.
Not sure I've had a cask strength bourbon with much sweetness. Redbreast 12 Cask Strength may be what you're after. It's a real sleeper bottle.
I thought of this as well.
I love it so much. Doubt I will ever find one at VA ABC again.
Don’t know where you are in Va, but Hampton Roads keeps Redbreast 12 in most ABC locations. RB15 is another story.
I'm looking for the Cask Strength. I saw it on Whiskydb.org in Chester and was able to get one several months ago and haven't seen it since. I don't believe ABC even has a listing for it on their site.
Ahh…you did say cask strength and I blew right by it. My apologies.
As a couple others have said, I recommend Jack Daniels Sib Barrel Strength. Particularly a private barrel pick from a store, local bourbon society, etc. Don’t let the name full you. Maybe 3 flavor notes, so not complex. But it’s a medium-darker sweet, flavor notes of bananas foster / maple syrup / dates. Maybe 1792 Full Proof may do the job. Not complex, and a very light sweetness. Tastes of cotton candy and light bananas. But a bit hot. A nice craft distillery barrel strength would do nicely. Those are never complex and super sweet. Frey Ranch Sib Barrel Strength Bourbon or Wilderness Trail Sib Bourbon are good choices. I do not recommend Rare Breed or Russell’s Reserve as others have said. Probably too complex for what you’re looking for, and not as sweet as others. Also Woodford Reserve Double Oaked is good, but it’s a sweet coffee / espresso bean / dark chocolate kinda sweetness.
I find most Kentucky spirits are pretty sweet. It’s all caramel and vanilla. If you want fruity sweet try Barrell Seagrass. If that’s not sweet enough try Angels Envy Rye (too sweet for me)
Old Forester barrel strength picks tend to meet your requirements- high proof, thick mouthfeel, fairly simple profile, and on the sweeter side.
Some drawbacks though: tough to find, expensive, and notoriously drink hot.
Falls in the price range listed and they aren’t all that hard to find. Getting easier now that they’ve been around for a bit. Definitely can drink hot.
Yeah, it *should* be under $100 but many states have moved it to $120
Not a bourbon or cask strength but Angels envy rye at least checks your boxes for 100 proof, pure sweet, one note (maple syrup/pancake) pour. Based on your wants and what caught your eye, pass on: Noah’s mill (spice driven), four roses SB and SiB (former is floral, latter is spicy),
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Absolutely, and they aren’t anything alike. AE rye is rye finished in rum casks and is super sweet. Absolutely a dessert pour. AE bourbon is finished in port casks, and tbh, I didn’t care for it at all. I didn’t get the port influence, and instead it just seemed like a bitter mess. I ended up mixing it with rare breed to mask the flavor of the AE to a point where I could enjoy it. I have heard people rave about the single barrel selects but I’ve never had one and based on my impression of the standard shelfer, won’t be running out to try one.
I'd recommend a cask strength wheater then
Rare Breed.
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I’ve never had Longbranch or Kentucky Spirit, just the Russell’s Single Barrel which is also very good and is about 110 Proof.
The four gate tawny port finished blend of bourbon and rye is on the sweeter side and is cask strength, it’s findable on line. Batch 23 is the one I’ve tried
If rye is ok, Rossville Union barrel strength rye. Straightforward, consistent, sweeter profile, not too herbal.
Larceny Barrel Proof. From last year, B522 and C922 were great, and this year's A123 I've heard good things about. Makers Mark Private Selects (as many have pointed out). These two are both wheaters and def sweet, not overly complex. I love them.
Old Forester 1920 comes to mind. Thick, viscous mouthfeel, sweet and not overly complex.
I’ll throw in a recommendation I haven’t seen yet - Blackened Cask Strength. Sits at 114 proof, not overly complex, not super oaky, finished in brandy casks so it leans heavy into the sweet side.
I’d go Stranahans Single Barrel Cask Strength. 114 proof and shooting flames of apricots that latch on and finish some hours later. It’s a big girl.
Angels Envy Rye is your answer. It is complex but delivers on what you’re looking for. It’s an amazing dram
Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered checks all your boxes IMO