Cheap Whiskey

[Miklo]

Sadly, I haven't found a whiskey cheaper than Makers Mark that I truly enjoy. :\

Serious...Makers is a pretty expensive whiskey, especially for everyday drinking. Even Buffalo Trace is cheaper. Really you dont like Evan Williams or Old Crow?

[beerkegbilly]

kessler is 8.50 9.10 with taxes and good tasting for that price.

[PFrank]

Early Times Kentucky whisky is kinda cheapo and tolerable.

[Jollyroger1210]

This is the price list for VA, so your mileage may vary, but a couple of my friends up in MI swear by Canada House (not club, not anything else. House.) At 15$ a handle, it's probably the cheapest on that list, and it certainly was the cheapest in Flint.

EDIT: forgot link http://www.abc.virginia.gov/Pricelist/C ... HISKY.html

[fizzmaster]

I'm currently working at a liquor store. I get an awesome discount. Of course, its nice to know that I can get Four Roses Small Batch, one of the tastiest, most fantastic bourbons on earth for $20 instead of $30, but something about getting cheap whiskey for even cheaper is what really gets me excited. Its not like this place pays well enough to buy top shelf stuff, even at a good discount. My philosophy has always been drink stuff that's good even though its cheap when it comes to buying booze. So, of course when I see that I can buy Evan Williams green label for $6, I'm gonna buy me a bottle. I have no interest in blended whiskies outside of the Scotch world, so these are all straight wikkies. Here's my latest acquisitions and my thoughts, prices are after my discount:

Platte Valley Corn Whiskey, $15, 80 proof, 750ml clay jug:
A young whiskey at 3 years. Light yellow color. Doesn't really have much taste, which makes it dangerous. The clay jug sits in my freezer, teasing me. The first night I popped this jug I drank over half the 750 on top of beers and made a visit to the porcelain bus. I noticed that this gives me ridiculously bad hangovers, as well. I feel even a few shots the next day.

Very Old Barton, $10, 86 proof, 750ml:
This was a deep amber whiskey, aged six years and bottled at 86 proof. I didn't really like it at first, but found a splash of water really opened it up and made it another perilously easy to drink wickey.

Evan Williams green label, $6, 80 proof, 750 ml:
This was one of my go-to cheap 80 proof bourbons for a long time. I noticed earlier this year that the flavor, at least in the bottle I bought, didn't taste very good. It seemed to have developed a very bitter quality. So I didn't buy EW green for a awhile, but when I saw that it was 6 bucks, I had to get a bottle. I figured, hell, if it sucks, I can just mix it with ginger ale. Sure enough, first pour straight after opening tasted bad. Real mediciney, bitter notes. I did a shot, didn't like it. Poured some over ice, didn't like. That bitter note squealed right through the likker, from the tip o the tongue down to the back of my throat. After sitting for a day, I had some the next night. Strangely enough, the stuff tasted much better! The bitterness had seemed to lessen. This is where I learned an interesting thing. Bourbon, like wine, opens up after being exposed to oxygen, especially younger whiskey. So, EW 80 is still a good whiskey, you just have to let it get some air and open up. Knowing this, I might invest in a decanter.

Wild Turkey $10, 81 proof, 750ml:
Fantastic stuff. This is way better than the old Turkey 80 proof. Just pure bourbon tastiness. Just enough spice. Tastes like some younger stuff mixed with some 5 or 6 year old stuff. This isn't technically cheap, $17.99 on the shelf, my discount is insane on it, which makes it cheap for me. Smooth, delicious, highly recommended bourbon,

Old Grand Dad, $10, 86 proof, 1L:
This is the champion of all the cheap bourbons I've bought since working at this store. It had been a few years since I tangled with Old Grand Dad, I remembered it being pretty dang good. I was surprised at just how good this whiskey is. Right out of the opened bottle, this stuff is big and bold. Fantastic oaky nose, big, juicy, fruity and corn notes up front, then a nice spicy finish. Tastes like some young whiskey mixed with some older stuff. This whiskey is fantastic neat and takes to ice very well. Definitely the best buy I've found yet. $13.50 on the shelf, what are you waiting for? After opening up for a day, it tasted even better the next night.

George Dickel Cascade Hollow, $7, 80 proof, 750ml,
Its been years since I had any Dickel (insert joke here, actually, no, don't insert anything). I remember the No. 12 being pretty decent, better than Jack D, at least, of which I'm not a fan, and not because of the boycott, just because its way too sweet for me. I'd read around the net that the Cascade was a good cheap buy. Right out of the popped bottle, I wasn't impressed. Very young whiskey. Still has extremely big corn and alcohol taste and a somewhat oily nature. There is a huge bitter tobacco note running through the whole thing that had me grimacing. No finish to speak of. With my recently acquired knowledge that whiskey opens up with oxygen, I capped the bottle after it had been open for a couple hours and shook the hell out of it. After settling, I poured a shot. The bitter tobacco note had diminished. Over ice, this was now a drinkable dram. Seriously folks, let your cheap, young whiskeys breath a little, you'll be surprised at how much better they taste after a little breather.

Alright, that's all I have for now. I'll update when I buy new bottles. Feel free to post your reviews and thoughts!

[Jiggers McCoy]

I laid down a bottle of EW Green one night last summer. Don't remember it being especially bitter, but did have that bite of cheapness I was looking for. It had been a bad day.

[fizzmaster]

^Yeah, I guess I didn't really state in my review too clearly that last year it tasted different and better to me. These cheap brands are always mixing in different whiskies, so sometimes something winds up in a batch that might throw you off. Rebel Yell is another one where about 10 years ago it was fantastic, now, not so much. Shit, that reminds me, I forgot two bottles.

Rebel Yell, $7, 80 proof, 750 ml.
I seem to remember this bourbon being great about 10 years ago. Lately, its okay, not really amazing or anything. Big corn up front, some alcohol burn. Seems like a young whiskey, very light complexion and not much in the way of a finish. Won't offend you but won't get you excited either.

Four Roses, $12, 80 proof, 750 ml.
A good cheaper bourbon. Nowhere near as good as the amazing Small Batch, but still a decent pour for the price. Its been about two months since I drained this one, so my take on it isn't filled with all sorts of smart sounding descriptions. I know I've been drinking this stuff pretty regularly for about the past 5 years. You can't go wrong with Four Roses.

[Smatter Noguts]

You're talking Bourbon here, and of course love is many splendoured thing.

-4 Roses. Eh.
-Evan Williams. It'll do.
-Wild Turkey 81. I'll take off my sandals here, for I standeth on Holy Ground. 101 is actually a better buy locally.
-Old Grand Dad. Maybe in a Manhattan, 'cause I know I'll be using good sweet vermouth. Wouldn't fuck that shit with your dick, otherwise.
-Geo Dickel. A Tennesee charcoal filtered dry tasting booze. I cannot say I'd knife fight you for it.

My local Paki was getting rid of some Rare Eagle last week and probably illegally slashed prices so I took a couple of bottles off his hands.

Gotta say you're living the dream. Your store owner wouldn't happen to be a rich nymphomaniac with a bass boat, by chance?

[Mr Boozificator]

Awesome review, thanks for the info fizz.

[fizzmaster]

I, of course love good, expensive bourbon as well, but I created this thread to explore cheap bourbons. Extremely disagree on the Old Grandad, of course, as I found it to be the best bang for the buck. Yeah, I wish my boss was a rich nympho with a bass boat, as well! Cheers.

You're talking Bourbon here, and of course love is many splendoured thing.

-4 Roses. Eh.
-Evan Williams. It'll do.
-Wild Turkey 81. I'll take off my sandals here, for I standeth on Holy Ground. 101 is actually a better buy locally.
-Old Grand Dad. Maybe in a Manhattan, 'cause I know I'll be using good sweet vermouth. Wouldn't fuck that shit with your dick, otherwise.
-Geo Dickel. A Tennesee charcoal filtered dry tasting booze. I cannot say I'd knife fight you for it.

My local Paki was getting rid of some Rare Eagle last week and probably illegally slashed prices so I took a couple of bottles off his hands.

Gotta say you're living the dream. Your store owner wouldn't happen to be a rich nymphomaniac with a bass boat, by chance?

[ThirstyDrunk]

Ezra Brooks.
Thread over.

[fizzmaster]

^I used to be a big fan of the Ezra 80 proof, never was into the 90. Might need to re-taste that one. On a side note, the Dickel Cascade tastes much better tonight after 24 hours of aeration. I'd go so far as to say that its a decent cheap pour.

[ThirstyDrunk]

For like a dollar more a bottle than regular Ezra the Old Ezra 101 is fantastic.
'Twil get you there.

[fizzmaster]

Cool, thirsty! We don't have the Old Ezra in our store, but I can easily order it. Sounds like I needs to try it!

[Frankennietzsche]

Your next project should be all about the cheapest bottom shelf non-whiskey booze in that joint.