Best bourbon under $50?

[jfed85]

For some reason the picture didnt show up...
Elijah Craig Small Batch
Basil Hayden's
Knob Creek Small Batch

Had some buddies over last weekend for some football/my birthday. Got taken care of pretty good. All good bourbons, all under $50.

 

[jbombelli]

When I get home I'm pouring some Bulleit Barrel Strength. Haven't tried this one yet, but I've heard good things.

 

[Trigger Time]

When I get home I'm pouring some Bulleit Barrel Strength. Haven't tried this one yet, but I've heard good things.

Its excellent but imo anything from bulleit is. I have some of their 12 year rye that is also fantastic. It was released in June and they aren't making anymore of it. Ive only found it on the shelf in Kentucky. Retail is like $53 a bottle. I paid $76 at a store there. If you can find some buy it.

Also picked up New Riff single barrel bourbon. Slightly over $50 but well worth it.

 

[ghuns]

Picked up a bottle of this on Saturday...

I give it

 

[melensdad]

Jefferson's Reserve is awesome!

 

[Trigger Time]

Elmer T Lee is nectar of the gods.

 

[melensdad]

Elmer T Lee is nectar of the gods.

People stand in line for that and often pay well above list price for it too. I dunno why. It's not to my taste. But I do know people like you that love it. Its a good thing they make so many different bourbons to satisfy so many different tastes.

For about $50-$55 I'll recommend Jefferson's Reserve all day long.

For a wide margin under $50 it is still very difficult to beat Maker's Mark.

 

[Hop]

So not exactly a Bourbon, but a Tennesse Whisky, I tried the George Dickel Barrel Select. Was fantastic neat at room temp & nearly as good slightly chilled. It's unlike anything I've tried so far. A very complex vapor / heat effect when sipping. The Select was priced in the ~$40 range. Makes me want to try some of their cheaper blends.

Anyone else here like this stuff too?
Are the cheaper bottles worth it?

 

[rkwhyte2]

So not exactly a Bourbon, but a Tennesse Whisky, I tried the George Dickel Barrel Select. Was fantastic neat at room temp & nearly as good slightly chilled. It's unlike anything I've tried so far. A very complex vapor / heat effect when sipping. The Select was priced in the ~$40 range. Makes me want to try some of their cheaper blends.

Anyone else here like this stuff too?
Are the cheaper bottles worth it?

One of my favorites and for less than $50 a great deal. I like the #8 quite a bit but not the #12 so much.

You should be able to find the #8 at Crown Liquors for less than $20 OTD.

 

[melensdad]

So not exactly a Bourbon, but a Tennesse Whisky, I tried the George Dickel Barrel Select. Was fantastic neat at room temp & nearly as good slightly chilled. ...

Actually Tennessee Whiskey is, actually, Bourbon. Bourbon is not Tennessee Whiskey. But Tennessee Whiskey is Bourbon.

And Dickel Barrel Select is AWESOME!!!

 

[Tactically Fat]

Not all Tennesse Whiskey is Bourbon. The Jack Daniels folks will tell you specifically that it's a sippin' whiskey and NOT a bourbon - since it's charcoal filtered.

Makes me no never mind - I always figured it was the mash bill that determined if it was a whiskey or a whiskey bourbon. Anyhow:

I've recently found out that my almost 2 year old bottle of Four Roses makes an excellent poor man's mint julep. VERY very tasty on a hot summer's evening.

Site note: My wife and I toured the Jack Daniels distillery a few weekends ago in Lynchburg, TN. If you're in the Nashville area, I highly suggest the 45 minute drive out of town to visit / tour it. Very very cool.

We did a tasting tour. I confirmed that I'm still not a fan of drinking whiskey / bourbon neat. I was also surprised to learn that I liked their rye whiskey better than I did either No. 7 or Gentleman Jack. Their Honey and Cinnamon liqueurs were also quite tasty. I'd imagine that their rye would make for a most excellent Old Fashioned and a Manhattan.

Info about the distillery: On our tour we were told that each barrel house / rick house / aging barn / watever contains about 1,000,000 gallons of product. And that there were 89 total buildings on the property (However, a Google Maps aerial examination leads me to doubt that - unless some are quite far away). I'm no mathamagician, but that's about 89,000,000 gallons of Jack Daniels products. And, apparently, every single drop of water used in it comes from ONE spring on the property.

We were also told about their fire department / fire suppression capabilities: The tour guide told us that they use the foam fire suppression to put out fires as opposed to just water. Apparently somehow getting barrels wet would ruin the contents. He went on to tell us that their foam sales contact has told them (The distillery) that they have more fire suppression foam than all of the airports east of the Mississippi River combined. Fire suppression is serious business - and keeping nearly 90m gallons of whiskey protected is also serious business.

 

[melensdad]

Not all Tennesse Whiskey is Bourbon. The Jack Daniels folks will tell you specifically that it's a sippin' whiskey and NOT a bourbon - since it's charcoal filtered.
...

Makes no difference what they say.

There is a very strict legal definition for bourbon. Any beverage that meets the legal definition is, in fact bourbon. Jack Daniels is bourbon, regardless of what they say. So is George Dickel. So are many other whiskeys made in far flung lands and strange nations. If they meet the legal definition, they earn the right to use the name bourbon.

Tennessee Whiskey is bourbon that has been additionally filtered. That additional filtering process does not negate the fact that it is still legally bourbon.

Tennessee Whiskey is a trademarked, codified in law, MARKETING term that can only be applied to bourbon, made in Tennessee, and uses the additional filtering.

 

[Hop]

I have not read all 50 previous pages so excuse me if I'm a bit behind on posts. You'll see it spelled "Whiskey" & "Whisky". I've heard that gets around some of the legalities. Wasn't there another name that if used, had a legal requirement to come from Bourbon County KY?

The wife & I are having fun trying all of these out. I'm trying to talk her into a TN/KY tasting tour later this fall.

 

[Mark-DuCo]

I have not read all 50 previous pages so excuse me if I'm a bit behind on posts. You'll see it spelled "Whiskey" & "Whisky". I've heard that gets around some of the legalities. Wasn't there another name that if used, had a legal requirement to come from Bourbon County KY?

The wife & I are having fun trying all of these out. I'm trying to talk her into a TN/KY tasting tour later this fall.

I've never heard of the name requirement, but I know a lot of people think bourbon has to come from a certain area in Kentucky, which is not true.

 

[Ballstater98]

I've had it before, but I am really enjoying this Longbranch I picked up tonight. Smooth and flavorful! Every once in a while, you get a bottle that raises the eyebrows.

 

[ghuns]

Wife brought this home last week. Actually under $30. The guy at the store said it was amazing. I'd call it good, but not amazing...

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[Trigger Time]

Wife brought this home last week. Actually under $30. The guy at the store said it was amazing. I'd call it good, but not amazing...

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Yeah i just opened a bottle. Its going to be what I give people I dont like who visit. Glad I didn't pay a lot for it.

 

[Ballstater98]

Yeah i just opened a bottle. Its going to be what I give people I dont like who visit.

No, in that case, it would be that Journeyman in the background.

 

[melensdad]

Wife brought this home last week. Actually under $30. The guy at the store said it was amazing. I'd call it good, but not amazing...

Larceny is a 'wheated' bourbon and they are trying to take market share away from Maker's Mark. Priced similar to Maker's Mark. I don't think they found the right flavor profile.

FWIW, the highly sought after brand Pappy Van Winkle is also a 'wheated' bourbon.

Wheated bourbons substitute wheat for rye in the mash bill. They are generally a bit less spicy or sharp, sometimes a bit sweeter.

No, in that case, it would be that Journeyman in the background.

Yup, absolutely the worst bourbon I've ever had. Pure rot gut, pig swill. I reserve it only to pesky IRS agents, tax collectors and evil mother-in-laws.

 

[ghuns]

I'm a big fan of wheated bourbons, especially Pappy's. I think that Larceny is pretty comparable to plain Maker's. But Maker's 46 is usually as low on the totem pole as I go.

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