Bourbon

anyone know any good brands of bourbon for under 30 bucks.lookin for somethin different to try i usually get jim beam and the single barrel seems kinda expensive

oh ya,i usually mix it with stuff like coca cola if that matters

[ Edited by: Jay4 2014-03-03 14:56 ]

Makers Mark, Knob Creek (one of my favorites), Buffalo Trace
are all reasonably priced yet quality Bourbons.

The new Evan Wiliams single barrel 2004 is fantastic. Found it for 23$ this week. If you can get it, Elmer t lee is another awesome bourbon that is underpriced. Finally, Elijah Craig 12 year is also a great value. You can't go wrong with any of these. I enjoy them more than many of the "premium" bourbons!

I like Bulleit. Good stuff and they make rye too.

On 2014-03-03 16:27, Destro100 wrote:
The new Evan Wiliams single barrel 2004 is fantastic. Found it for 23$ this week.

hmm,maybe ill try that.i know ive seen evan williams before but ive never bought it

[ Edited by: Jay4 2014-03-03 16:49 ]

and how is buffalo trace.ive heard its just like jim beam but the only jim beam's ive actually had were devil's cut and the honey and maple(which were gross)flavors

i was thinkin about gettin the jim beam single barrel but it looks kinda expensive

[ Edited by: Jay4 2014-03-03 16:52 ]

Elijah Craig & Buffalo Trace are good,a little drier & more of a woody flavor
I still prefer the Knob Creek which is very smooth & makes an excellent Old Fashioned
all of these are good, The Bulleit Bourbon is a little closer to a Scotch flavor profile

It is a great time for Bourbon lovers, Oh yes stop mixing it with Coke & drink it like a man!
in a real cocktail.

[ Edited by: Atomic Tiki Punk 2014-03-03 17:21 ]

On 2014-03-03 16:34, lunavideogames wrote:
I like Bulleit. Good stuff and they make rye too.

This. Bulleit Bourbon and Bulleit Rye are both fantastic. Better than Maker's and price comparable, if not slightly cheaper (depending on where you buy).

for mixing I get the cheap stuff from ABC- Zachariah Harris- that i find comparable to Beam.

I preferred Makers Mark when i favored bourbon more (i.e., was sneaking whiskey into football stadiums).

I like Buffalo Trace as well. It's a very solid bourbon for the price.

In general, you can't go wrong with the big guys - Knob Creek, Bulleit, or Makers.

Much depends on how you intend to use it and the flavors you seek. If you're mixing in craft cocktails, you may want something stronger or a bourbon made with a strong rye mash. If you're drinking straight, you may prefer a smoother wheat mash mix which can also be a tad sweeter unless you prefer a spicier finish - then you're back to a stronger rye flavor. Personally, I have come to appreciate the ones (Elijah, Elmer, and Evan Will Single Barrel )I mentioned as they tend to really surprise me with the complexity of flavors and amazing price point.

I just reread your post - I'm not sure how I missed the coke reference. To be honest - almost any decent bourbon will suffice - The coke will hide most of the subtleties of the bourbon. By all means, you should enjoy the drink any way ou like - I've taken enough heat for enjoying my tiki drinks from those not in the know. I will say, definitely start experimenting with a bit of bourbon with a touch of water (like a scotch) or even with one ice cube. Even better try a real straight-forward Old fashioned - some bitters and a sugar cube. You might like it.

[ Edited by: destro100 2014-03-03 18:11 ]

I got a bottle of Old Crow Reserve for $10 and didn't go blind. Actually, I found it to be quite good - a little too much artificial vanilla flavor but not rot gut by any means. I guess it is just 3-year Jim Beam with less stringent taste standards according the Internet.

gabbahey

If you're mixing with coke, then why bother spending money? You won't taste much of a difference from Jim Beam. That being said, there are good cheap bourbons & ryes for drinking straight or in (some) cocktails, like Very Old Bartons, Old Overholt, Old Crow, hell, just get something with "old" in front and you're good to go!

Seriously, try a Manhattan next time out; you'll only need vermouth and bitters, you can make it as sweet as you want, and you'll end up with perhaps the King of all Cocktails!

Tossing in my two cents here for what it's worth. I recently conducted an experiment with a friend and two rye whiskies. I know the thread title is "bourbon" but this may be helpful or useful to someone out there.

Bulleit Rye vs Jim Beam Rye in a Sazerac. We love Sazeracs and found that the "cheap" Jim Beam Rye outperformed the Bulleit Rye by a mile. We were quite surprised. He was bummed that he bought the Bulleit - it was that dramatic. Others on the web have also given Jim Beam Rye pretty good marks, something I never expected to see.

High West Rye is also pretty surprising - a darned good whiskey.

On 2014-03-04 07:46, Kill Devil wrote:
If you're mixing with coke, then why bother spending money? You won't taste much of a difference from Jim Beam.

if thats right do they have any cheaper alternatives to jim beam's single barrel.it sounded pretty good but seems kinda expensive

Well there is cheap & there is good, you want to save some
money & don't care about a quality cocktail for the buzz
then go with that.

But if you want to enjoy and savoir a drink, your going to have to spend a few more dollars
Coke & any booze is a kids drink, try a real cocktail with quality spirits & you have
one of those things in life that is worth enjoying.

On 2014-03-04 07:53, AceExplorer wrote:
Tossing in my two cents here for what it's worth. I recently conducted an experiment with a friend and two rye whiskies. I know the thread title is "bourbon" but this may be helpful or useful to someone out there.

Bulleit Rye vs Jim Beam Rye in a Sazerac. We love Sazeracs and found that the "cheap" Jim Beam Rye outperformed the Bulleit Rye by a mile. We were quite surprised. He was bummed that he bought the Bulleit - it was that dramatic. Others on the web have also given Jim Beam Rye pretty good marks, something I never expected to see.

High West Rye is also pretty surprising - a darned good whiskey.

Old Overholt

For mixing and even straight I like Evan Williams Black. Also 4 roses is great for the $$

Storm

I'll second the nomination for Evan Williams Black as a very good budget bourbon, for both mixing and sipping. Been using it for a long time as my regular (non special occasion) bourbon. I recently have tried a number of other bourbons in the same price range, and am only more convinced that EV Black is an exceptional value.

I'd like to reiterate - try the Evan Williams Single Barrel 2014 - It's a fantastic 10 year bourbon for under $25.

On 2014-03-14 07:21, Destro100 wrote:
I'd like to reiterate - try the Evan Williams Single Barrel 2014 - It's a fantastic 10 year bourbon for under $25.

how is evan williams single barrel compared to jim beam's single barrel.i was lookin for a cheaper alternative to the jim beam because it sounded good but i dont wanna pay 35 bucks for it

I find the Evan Williams Single Barrel to be a step up over the Jim Beam. The aroma and overall flavor seems more refined and enjoyable. Cheaper too!

If you can find "Larceny" it is outstanding at a reasonable price.

Distribution can be a bit spottier but some you might want to consider include the Evan Williams BIB, Old Grandad BIB, Heaven Hill six year BIB, and Ancient Age 10 Star(which is not quite as good as the discontinued ten year, but still good). These are all cheap enough that you could buy the lot to mess around with and not be out more than $70 or so.

actually what does this mean,ive had wild turkey's 101 but ive never drank the 81 proof

"Unlike other whiskies, which lose flavor when mixed with other ingredients, Eddie Russell’s Wild Turkey 81 gives drinkers “an everyday whiskey that can stand up to any mixer or in any cocktail with the bold, in-your-face taste that is distinctively Wild Turkey.”

i always figured when mixing it with stuff like coca cola or other pop's.it all tasted the same,wild turkey's 101 is good though