Not sure about the price in your neck of the woods, but Buffalo Trace is an excellent mid range. Goes well in a cocktail (Old Fashioned junkie here) neat, or mixed with pop if that is what you are into. Paying about 25-30 Cdn a bottle up here. But im sure it could be found cheaper.
Favorite Bottom Shelf Bourbon
- Thread starter Spang
- Start date
Another vote for Jim Beam. Cheap enough to mix, fairly tolerable straight up. Don't care a lot for it neat though.
Rebel Yell.
I'm also in the Evan Williams camp. The aforementioned Buffalo Trace is good stuff, but I bet that is out of the price range OP is talking about. Jim Beam white never has done it for me.
Yet another vote for Evan Williams white. A lot going on with that one, especially at the price point. The green isn't bad, and very cheap, but not in the same class. Of the ones you originally mentioned, Henry McKenna is also pretty good. Avoid Old Crow.
Cheapest I've had so far is EW 1783 and that is good stuff, especially at the price point. On my list to try are EW White, Very Old Barton, and Fighting ****.
Yet another for Evan Williams Black. $20 a handle and good enough to drink straight if you wanted to.
He said 10-15$
Again I can't speak for OR prices. But no one has mentioned George Dickel 12 yet. It's a Tennessee Whisky (their spelling), but I find it MUCH better than the OTHER TN whiskey (that versions spelling...). I haven't had the GD8 yet, so I can't comment there, but it would be less expensive.
+1 for Weller. It runs less than 25 for a 1.75 litre bottle in Atlanta. Wish I could bring you a case. My second choice is Old Forrester. It's a dollar or two more expensive than Weller here, but still closer to 15 bucks for a 750. I had a friend who used to claim that Old Crow was actually a top-shelf whiskey that was intentionally bottle in plastic so adventurous souls could venture out without worrying about dropping it. I had to drink it straight from the bottle out of respect many times, and I cringe a little thinking about it. I read the other day that it was U.S. Grant's whiskey of choice... maybe a conversation starter for the heathens mixing with soft drinks?
The OP asked for recommendations for BOTTOM SHELF bourbon. He probably knows that you can spend more and get better. He is asking about spending less and getting his money's worth.
Plain old white label Jim Beam. I have a buddy who drinks only the most expensive bourbons (e.g. he has a collection of the various Pappy Van Winkles) that he gladly shares with us. However, my wife and I are both just as happy with plain old Beam. Same goes for just about all other amber liquors: J&B Scotch, white label Bushmill's, Canadian Club, etc. We must have a champagne budget and beer taste, I guess...
I would go with Wild Turkey101 or Old Overholt Rye for 'budget' drinks.
Old Fitzgerald is a wheater that is available in the OP's price range. Probaby better straight than as a mixer but it will do in a pinch.
EW white or black.
Is it made by Billy Idol?
Sorry... couldn't resist.
Wild Turkey, JB, Buffalo Trace
If there is a bar where Wild Turkey and Buffalo Trace are considered bottom shelf whiskeys, I probably can't afford to drink there.
Thats because he asked for bourbon.
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