Today we have a bottle of Western Gold Straight Old Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey Sour Mash.
Western Gold is a bourbon made for Lidl. This bourbon is 40% and costs £12.19, so it’s quite low priced, although this is probably reflected in its taste.
Kentucky Fried Chicken Bourbon
Many people online have been saying that Western Gold is just Jim Beam with a different bottle. I haven’t drank Jim Beam in a long time, but I remember it not being very delicious. The bottle is very similar so it could either be the same thing, or a cheap knockoff. Jim Beam costs over £6 more than Western Gold, so if it does taste similar it would be a good thing.
The front label says the bourbon is “Distilled and aged under supervision of the United States government” and I for one am comforted knowing my whiskey is looked over by Barack Obama. I’m not sure how big a role he plays in the manufacturing of this whiskey, but the fact he’s involved in the production of Lidl’s drinks at all is quite amazing. The side of the bottle proudly boasts that Western Gold is “Based on best American grain, pure water and the knowledge of experienced distillers” which is quite disappointing after reading the front label. Western Gold doesn’t even bother claiming to be “Made with” pure water, just based on it. Either way, this bourbon is setting itself up to be either massively fantastic or completely undrinkable.
Straight from the bottle, Western Gold smells like vodka mixed with a shoe. It smells quite dull and not much like whiskey at all. It tastes like some kind of murky brown thing and burns a lot. If this tastes like Jim Beam then I must really have hated Jim Beam. Adding ice however, completely changes the drink. The shoe smell transforms into an oaky scent and it becomes much more drinkable. It still isn’t a fantastic bourbon, but ice definitely makes it much better. You’ll probably want to drink Western Gold with something like coke, as it isn’t very enjoyable to sip at.
Western Gold is cheap, but not very delicious. It’s fine when mixed with something but it’s pretty shitty to drink on its own.
Booze Review rating: 5/10 deliciouses
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Hello, perfect and funny review, unfortunatelly a bought (in Lidl too) 1 bottle of this watershit and I must agree. I had better result when I mixed this product with Calvados. Greetings from Czech Republic!
Hi, great review. I’m an Italian drinker and i can find it at 7.99 euros (Lidl of course).
I think that the purposes of distillery manufacturing is exactly to reproduce a Jim Beam flavour, but with lower price. However be clear that the birth of whole american bourbon is a cheap spirit.
SALUTE A TUTTI. (cheers to everyone)
I love this barban.V Bulgaria is affordable around 7 Euros.
There aroma and taste of ice is great.
Man, you need to take a look at how to write reviews. anyway, why someone who doesn’t like Jim beam is making an attempt to review or even have an opinion on something they don’t like is beyond me…. Not at all informative or of any use to the reader right.
Ross, you’re a moron and your tastes are garbage if you think Jim Beam is anything other than overpriced shit.
Ross you must have been jerking your sixpenny whistle when the good lord was handing out brains. Get a life you absolute retard!
Respect.
Haha your hard aren’t you fucktard?
I like this whisky 🙂
It is good for its prize. If I want to drink something great, I will go with something expencive, when I want something good and not crazy expencive, I go with this one 🙂
me too
I bought a bottle end enjoyed it a lot with some ice.
Great value for money. €6,99 in Lidl Germany (Oberhausen)
It’s not that bad at all, for bourbon
Well, yes, I’d say it is very close to Jim Beam if not the same. I’m not big fan of JB — as for US whiskey, I prefer Jack Daniels over it — however, I like its “tail” (you say aftertaste), but have not drunk enough of it to be 100% sure. When I saw this bourbon whiskey in Lidl (Czechlands, too), first I did some online “research”. Watched some reviews on YouTube etc. (RulfyStuff) which conviced me to but it. And, yes: it is very good one. I mean come on, we are talking here about corn and US bourbon whiskey, not single malt scotch whisky. Lately, I’ve been trying out various brands and this one is really worth the money. Before that I had Canadian Black Velvet which is almost pure vodka with no “soul”. Crap. This Western Gold at least has some (pleasing!) taste and flavor. Definitely going to grab some next time, even though it is not Highland Park (who would expect that anyway?). But what knocked my socks off recently was old Czech (forgotten) single malt whisky called HammerHead. 23 yo old. Read the story about it, worth a try!
I’ve just bought today a bottle of Western Gold (from Lidl), being curious about this low-priced brand. Conclusion: definitely, awful ! It was a one-time buy, for sure !
Don’t think, just enjoy the taste , thinking dulls them taste buds.
I like Jim Beam, and this Western Gold has a similar bottle and taste. Its OK and not shite like some say it is.
Its the sort of drink the Labour Party would hand out to unemployed Scousers at Xmas
Bet you have a good job you twatty bollocked clown .. you like jb? Yo clown spend a few quid more and get a bottle of maker’s mark mmmm
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but before anybody is put off by the reviews written here by the “connoisseurs”, this bourbon won a gold medal in the 2013 International Wine & Spirit Competition:
http://www.iwsc.net/searchspirit2013/info/6742.
Ok the person who wrote this review is either a ponce or knows absolutely nothing about bourbon. Don’t get me wrong im no connoisseur of whiskey but I no quality when I taste it. Im 26 and through my travels in southern america ive tasted alot if different burbons in alot of different ways. When I picked tgia bottle up in lidl I was not expecting much for 15 euro but I was pleasantly surprised its nose has a nice toffe, cola and tobacco aroma. Its taste on its own is sweet but spicy with a a cherry and vanila finish. Its not near the best bourbon I ever tasted its no wild turkey or makers mark but for its low price and quality it gets in my top ten. If ur on a budget get it if u wanna make whisky cocktails like mint juleps or whisky smashes and don’t wanna use your top shelf get it, if ur a man drink it down with sone ice or water and if ur a pussy cat put it in ur sippy cup with sone cola. As I said im no expert but I no wat I like and this I like. People who put down mainstream brands like jim bean and say its shite do not have a clue about burbon. Try it yourself and forget wat u think u no about whisky I garantee ul be suprised.
No, I’m an American and a considerate whiskey buff, and Jim Beam is pretty bad..
There are several bottom shelf whiskeys that are cheaper and tastier than Jim Beam, most notably Old Crow.
We at Biere D’Or say that you are both twats of the highest order. Travels in south america indeed. Give me strength!
Old crow is a bottom tier product produced by Beam, not an upgrade.
The way your English deteriorates to that of a 10 year old on his first mobile should be a red flag in anyone’s book. Interesting how you go on to comment on how a ‘real man’ should be drinking his whiskey, as there’s only one person here I wouldn’t be surprised to see drinking from a fucking sippy cup. Shitbrain.
Paudie
I suspect that the person who wrote this review would be the first to admit they know absolutely nothing about Bourbon. Which is kind of the point of the whole website.
Not sure if they are a ponce or not though.
I have been drinking Western Gold for about 7 or 8 years and it is by far the best non brand bourbon out there ,(trust me I’ve tried them all(asda’s is awful but that’s only my taste(or lack of it))), Western Gold brought out a black label one for a while aged for 8 years(it might have been 5) I think, it was ok but not worth the extra few quid they were charging.
When I started on this stuff it was less than a tenner a bottle, they are charging £13.49 a bottle now(8/8/14) so I only get it when asda or Tesco haven’t got Jim Beam on offer, JB was £13.50 in asda last weekend!, if I am flush(done a bit of overtime) I will splash out on JD or Wild Turkey whichever is cheaper!
I don’t think WG is JB with a different label, as it is darker, also it used to say on the label that it contained colouring, but that’s not on there anymore.
Anyway as a pisshead I am not arsed about arty farty vanilla tones or caramel flavours
and I must be a pussy as I knock it back heartily with diet pepsi (no carbs)diabetes)), I know I shouldn’t but there you go.
As For This
“Jelf Boho says:
December 31, 2013 at 3:01 pm
Ross, you’re a moron and your tastes are garbage if you think Jim Beam is anything other than overpriced shit.”
Jelf no need to slag people off for not agreeing with your opinion.
We all like a drink so lets respect each other’s opinions.
Cool Site added to faves.
Found this site while trying to find out how many carbs are in WG?
The thing is, we all taste things differently. Taste buds are not all identical. Some people lean more to sweet, others sour and so on. Saying that JB is pants! just makes you look a knob, its also not very funny. To some JB is a nice drink, to others it isn’t. You can’t say emphatically, its either this or that. You can only say what you like, and dislike, and hopefully why.
I do enjoy a good scotch preferably a good malt however I also, for a change, enjoy American whisky , both Kentucky and Tennesee. I was looking for a genuine appraisal of Lidl’s bourbon before buying it. Instead, all I found was a scorning and sarcastic scribble from someone who almost at the start has admitted that he did not like Jim Bean, ( “I haven’t drank Jim Beam in a long time, but I remember it not being very delicious.”) (He couldn’t even spell the name). I have just enjoyed a Teachers and now I’m enjoying a Jim Bean; completely different but equally enjoyable. I will just have to try Lidl for myself without your help.
Whoops, glad I got back to this before someone trashed my whole comment for a small mistake. I was wrong and he ws right but only in the name; it IS Jim Beam, NOT ‘Bean’. Apologies but everything stands.
Tom.
Damn right Tom! I dont know who the shit for brains is wrote this pathetic review on Lidl’s Western Gold.. But I do know he is talking out of his arse!!
Ive drunk a lot of bourbons over the years and KNOW for an absolute fact that ”Western Gold” is definitely just ”Wild Turkey 81” rebottled for Lidl Stores in the UK.
I personally know one of the main buyers for Lidl UK. He let me into that company secret a few years ago.
If you want further proof as to the quality of this bourbon..then check this article out by US Business insider!! ;http://www.businessinsider.com/the-13-best-bourbons-in-america-2013-8?op=1
It has won GOLD at the IWSC in 2013..
Crap simply doesnt get these acolades. Try it! You will be amazed just how good it really is.
Ignore all the badmouthing by certain so called ‘experienced Bourbon drinkers’ on here. They are complete tossers!
Business Insider is one of the worst sites on the web.
Ok Pete, I checked out the link you included in your message. It confirmed most of what I had always previously thought about reviewers/tasters like these. They have amazing imaginations. Blantons Original is a good example and who would ever want a whiskey that tasted of old leather. I will just rely on my own taste buds in future and ignore ALL of these reviews.
Wow you seem genuinely upset about this. Sometimes people don’t like the same things you like!
You know what .. Your original review and the resultant pathetic sycophant replies is what did it for me. Views like this are not unbiased or informative in the least!
Its pretentious snobbery,because its cheap booze from Lidl… Full stop!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfz-iGTUIxs
What a load of rubbish. Taste is individual to the taster. I love Stilton cheese but my wife thinks it’s awful. She loves veg of any kind and I can’t stand any other than peas. I often have a JD and coke (sacrilege!!) and have tried Western Gold – tastes pretty good to me and I drink it when I can’t get JD on sale – though it’s at £15 for 70cl at ASDA and selected Tesco at the moment
I don’t see how someone who so obviously dislikes bourbon is qualified to write about it, even about a supermarket brand like this.
You all should check this instead. It’s written by someone who doesn’t hate bourbon and knows what he is talking about:
http://whiskeyreviewer.com/2015/01/western-gold-bourbon-review_011314/
Hello, I am from Belgrade I just got a gift from friend from Switcherland and she bought me WG. This is first time I am drinking it. Very smooth and nice afther taste. Generaly I am sutisfyed. I will see how the night will follow the taste of it as I consume it more.
But the best results are always when we wake up in the “morning” after the bottle of certain drink and than it can be judged by the level of headake we have (-:
I will let you know.
Well , I’ve read all the comments before me and although this Lidl Western Gold isn’t your Classic ” sippin ” whiskey , it makes a great Manhattan Cocktail and in my opinion , comparable with Jim Beam . By the way , I also used Lidle’s Romanetti Vermouth as a mixer and at £3.99 a bottle , it’s a good deal .
Yous are all assholes just get drunk its great stuff
Use Western Gold for my Old Fashions….I prefer this to Wild Turkey or Jim Beam.
Reading your review, I must disagree with your opinion and agree with the following..
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/417230/Lidl-is-tops-for-Bourbon-lovers
Western Gold 6yo with lashings of soda mmmmm lovely.
Hi, im looking for cheap version of southern comfort here is eu. Would this be the one (especially when mixed with sprite)
Thanx
No, this is a whiskey. Spirit Of Louisiana is the first drink which springs to mind. Not sure if they sell it outside the UK.
I lke it anyway, Good wholesome flavour (with ice)…as good as Jim beam and same result as drinking JD…..goes well with a decent coffee and Thornton’s toffee
I’m an American, who now lives in Malta and loves bourbon, mainly the Jim Beam Red Stag. I found Western Gold at Lidl and have to say It’s pretty good. One has to know that bourbon and whiskey are two different liquors. I do agree that straight up is a little tough but with a mix (try 7up) its pretty good. Though I miss my Red Stag this Will sufficiently please me while I enjoy my new life in Malta.
i like to marinate some fillet steak in it over night to fry up for my cat meathead, he really loves it 🙂
The shithead that wrote this aricle should crap himself. I mean…., just why???
U don’t drink the stuff, but u decide to write about it… whaaatttt?!???
Western Gold it’s a good bourbon, not as good as Woodford Reserve, but hey, that’s the GOOD STUFF, heh? 🙂
I really enjoy it, straight, before dinner. Awesome! Well worth the £12.69!
So, some people like it, some have no view, and some do not like it much. Seems an average response, but who really cares passionately, it’s only Lidl’s inexpensive whisky!
Thankyou to those who gave considered responses.
What comes over as really depressing however, is that some reviewers, whilst coming from a proud country that has free education, and the world at it’s feet, have absorbed neither the pride, nor the education to advertise their views without infantile outbursts of profanity, of which they do appear passionately proud!
These are from the nation that wants to force it’s standards on our world.
God help us.
The whisky, however is also cheap, but if one likes it, is reasonable.
Well, i’m not a specific whiskey drinker,
but i bought a bottle at lidl, and after drinking a few sips,
i must agree that it does taste rather shitty.
Not something that i will buy again.
Let’s call it a day, shall we
From today, ie 02/20/2016 at Lidl changed the appearance of the bottle Western Gold Bourbon Whiskey pipes which are from the Netherlands and the bourbon is bottled in Scotland and certainly does not taste the same as before. They changed the recipe and now it is crap and not bourbon.
From today, ie 02/20/2016 at Lidl changed the appearance of the bottle Western Gold Bourbon Whiskey pipes which are from the Netherlands and the bourbon is bottled in Scotland and certainly does not taste the same as before. They changed the recipe and now it is crap and not bourbon.
have enjoyed this for years,but the recent changes to the taste without any notice or warning is bad pr.The taste is now not so much bourbon but more whisky after approx. ten years they have lost my business, now what to drink is my drink problem.
i am sipping on it right now, and i like it.. I paid 4,99 euros for a 70cl bottle in Lidl Germany
al secondo assaggio piaqce
I’m not keen on Tennessee whiskey, ie JD; much prefer Kentucky straight. Wild Turkey 101 and Bulleit are king when I’m not in the mood for single malt! But I like a bit of Jim Beam, and Morrisons John Lee is a good substitute. Bought Western Gold at £11.49 just for the hell of it. For the money it ain’t half bad in a double shot glass. In fact I’m not sure it isn’t the same whiskey as John Lee only £2.50 cheaper. I will definitely buy it again when I need a cheap fix of Bourbon!
Hi.
I honestly do not think you should be writing reviews. It doesn’t sound as though you understand the finer points of spirits. Attempting to compare something to a whisky/whiskey that you cannot even remember the taste of is ridiculous and makes you look like a complete amateur. That is all.
I bought a bottle of Western Gold at Lidl. The first glass was a bit of a shock to my taste buds. There was a flowery, oily taste to it. Not sure, I tried a second glass, and it was definitely better than the first. The third glass was quite nice. By the fifth glass, I really didn’t give a hoot about what I was drinking. I was feeling no pain whatsoever. If you want to get ratassed at a reasonable budget price – I would recommend it.
I make a wonderful whisky sour with this thing. Best choice if you throw a party and you want to offer a decent drink to your friends.
Obviously this cannot be compared to high quality bourbons, but it is pretty decent for mixing.