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Good Dirt Cheap Bourbon/Sour Mash?

I'm in kind of the same boat as the OP. Always drank top shelf, now due to finances, I'm forced to explore the bottom shelf.
I will echo the above sentiments about Evan Williams black label -- and it's always been my "go to" bourbon mixer, even before I had to cut the budget. It's good, cheap, and tasty on it's own or mixed. IMHO it is better than Beam, Jack and a few others that are supposedly "better".
Other good candidates are Old Grandad, Wild Turkey and Ezra Brooks.
Another cheap alternative I've found is Canadian. I tried regular Canadian Club, and found it a little wishy-washy, but then I tried their 9 Year old "Triple Aged". It's actually very good and fairly cheap -- about $12 for a 750ml in my neck of the woods.
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Actually Jack Daniel's by BATF definition is bourbon. It is the distiller's choice to market it as Tennessee Whiskey. Same with George Dickel..which many of us Tennesseans prefer anyhow.
Fun fact...although for decades Early Times was a fixture in the world of bourbon, it can no longer be sold as such per those same BATF criteria.

To add further, I understand that only most Tennessee whiskeys meet bourbon standards and not all Tennessee whiskeys. I wonder which ones don't fit the bill for bourbon but are classified as a Tennessee whiskey? Does anyone here know?
 
I'm in kind of the same boat as the OP. Always drank top shelf, now due to finances, I'm forced to explore the bottom shelf.
I will echo the above sentiments about Evan Williams black label -- and it's always been my "go to" bourbon mixer, even before I had to cut the budget. It's good, cheap, and tasty on it's own or mixed. IMHO it is better than Beam, Jack and a few others that are supposedly "better".
Other good candidates are Old Grandad, Wild Turkey and Ezra Brooks.
Another cheap alternative I've found is Canadian. I tried regular Canadian Club, and found it a little wishy-washy, but then I tried their 9 Year old "Triple Aged". It's actually very good and fairly cheap -- about $12 for a 750ml in my neck of the woods.
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Reserve is a great rye. If you like it, try the 12 year! I don't find it compares to bourbon much but it is a great Canadian whisky too. The regular 6 year rye that left you unimpressed is more of a mixing whisky for sours and such. It's not very good on it's own.
 
I'd second the Heaven Hill BIB 10.99 at Liqour barn, but you can really only get it in KY.

Heaven Hill 6 year at 10.49 is a very nice mixing whiskey, a little soda a lime and you're good to go. I might even have seen a handle of this at $16 or so.

In other states cheap bourbon varies but if you can find it Fighting **** at $14.99 at Total wine is pretty impressive.

Otherwise Canadian Club is a great mixer and I can often find a handle (1.5L) of this for under $20.
 
Several folks here have mentioned having lime with bourbon. I have a difficult time imagining what that would be like. However, I had dinner with a chap recently who ordered a bourbon margarita, several in fact. Guess I'll have to go get a lime....
 
How much is a 750ml bottle Of Jim Beam? $13.00? I'm having trouble coming up with something cheaper....

I've done a bottle each of Ezra Brooks and Evan Williams. While I could sip them neat or use them as mixers, I have not returned to them.

A little searching turned up this older article:
https://deadspin.com/cheap-bourbons-ranked-1468454287
I had Rebel Yell a week or two ago, and I don't agree with his assessment. Thought it pretty weak.

Add Old Crow and Wild Turkey
 
Several folks here have mentioned having lime with bourbon. I have a difficult time imagining what that would be like. However, I had dinner with a chap recently who ordered a bourbon margarita, several in fact. Guess I'll have to go get a lime....

My go to drink this summer which I discovered in Vegas, bourbon (lots of bourbon) soda water and a lime. I had a few way too many of those in Vegas...

Modified at home to have lime St. Croix sparkling water and bourbon.
 
I tried a bottle of Rebel Yell recently. It's pretty cheap -- and while it wasn't bad, it had a strange "grass" flavor that came through on the finish, even in a cocktail. I don't think I'll buy it again, but wouldn't refuse it if someone offered my a shot.
I think I'll stick with Evan Williams, CC Reserve and Wild Turkey. Might have to try the Old Crow though.
 
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favorite cheap bourbon in my book ($30-$40) is Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage

Also look for Tin Cup (american whiskey) light and sweet and $25-ish
 
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