thanis wrote:... I was once a fan of TN whiskey, but now, I think due to the Lincoln County Process (charcoal filter) I can become sick just by the taste (maybe I just over consumed in my youth with Jack)
Yup; you did. The Lincoln County Process (i.e., maple charcoal filtering of the white dog before barreling) has been the "definitive" step in Tennessee-style whiskey for over a hundred years, so it isn't something that happened since you started drinking it. Some of us might suggest that your taste has simply become a bit more sophisticated
By the way, there are only two Tennessee whiskeys, and the other one is George Dickel. While there are certainly detectable similarities, Dickel is quite a different whiskey from Jack Daniel's, and cocktails mixed with it would taste very different as well. You'd do well to try it; you just might find it to be your favorite.
... From time to time while social drinking, I like a cocktail / mix drink, and I've found I prefer TN whiskey in a whiskey sour, and dislike a whiskey sour made from a scotch. I'm not sure why, but I don't think bourbons I've tried make a good sour. I've never thought to try a rye, wheat, or Irish as a sour. Canadian is fine as a sour, but honestly, I think the sour mix takes over on a Canadian
With apologies to GilmanG, and with the understanding that there are Canadian brands this doesn't apply to, I think nearly anything added to most Canadian whiskey would take over whatever flavor one might imagine they find there
BTW, if you've never tried a sour made with rye (REAL rye whiskey; not "Canadian Rye", which is too often only a euphamism for wheat), you need to. As for wheat, there is Maker's Mark, and there is Van Winkle/Old Fitz. These are both wheat, but they're not at all the same. Forget MM. A sour made with Old Fitz should be very good. A sour made with Van Winkle is simply a waste of good Van Winkle; it would taste great, but I'd save the Van Winkle for sippin' straight if I were you.
... I feel the same way concerning a KY bourbon as a base for a good mint julep (I've only tried TN whiskey, scotch, and KY bourbon in a mint julep)
The "original" mint julip was made with Cognac and predates Kentucky and the Derby by many years. It's interesting to try, but then you -- like I and probably most others -- will almost certainly go back to making them with bourbon. It's a Kentucky tradition, and bourbon is the only way to go.
... There is something about these two cocktails that help me to differentiate some differences between wiskeys vs bourbons ... What is it about mint and bourbon? What is it about sour and whiskey?
Think of it this way: a "whiskey sour" should be made with Scotch; a "bourbon sour" should be thought of as a different cocktail altogether. Mint is a common ingredient in rum cocktails, and (historically) in bourbon cocktails where the bourbon was a substitute for rum. Other than the Kentucky Bourbon Mint Julip, I'd avoid bourbon cocktails with mint. If you want a julip, avoid any other liquor than Kentucky Bourbon.