Best bourbon under $50?

[Trigger Time]

I see it starting at about $200 a bottle, which on the secondary market is on the lower end of the spectrum, asking prices exceeding $400 are easy to find, but I doubt many buyers will actually pay that sort of price.

I've seen Jefferson's OCEAN Voyage 2 at $350 a bottle, but I bought 2 bottles at $80 each.

So there can be a big difference between asking and actual sales prices. Just like asking prices on guns and 22lr ammo.

Not saying you won't find someone to pay a wild price, you may. But 12 year old is the youngest of the Pappy offerings, I can't see paying 23 year old prices for an aged 12 bourbon. But that is just me.

Some folks pay crazy prices for 22lr ammo too.

Thanks for the info, so I was right when I found guys last year paying under $100 a bottle. It's good stuff I've read but like you said not more than afew hundred bucks good. Glad I didn't jump off a cliff for it.

What is out there that's similar to the pappy?

 

[aclark]

Five Excellent Reasons You Don?t Need Pappy Van Winkle - Eater
5 Wheat Whiskey Alternatives to Pappy :: Drink :: Lists :: Paste
And just one more for some good suggestions
The Bourbon Bucket List: 15 Bourbons You Need to Try at Least Once | Cool Material

Forgot to mention I got a chance to try the 2014 Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition. It was very good, I was a bit intoxicated already, and wasn't really taking notes but I can see why Four Roses has won numerous awards off this series. The 2012 and 2013 both received Whiskey of the year awards. The normal Four Roses Small Batch is one of my go to Bourbons on my bar.

 

[Brandon]

Five Excellent Reasons You Don?t Need Pappy Van Winkle - Eater
5 Wheat Whiskey Alternatives to Pappy :: Drink :: Lists :: Paste
And just one more for some good suggestions
The Bourbon Bucket List: 15 Bourbons You Need to Try at Least Once | Cool Material

Forgot to mention I got a chance to try the 2014 Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition. It was very good, I was a bit intoxicated already, and wasn't really taking notes but I can see why Four Roses has won numerous awards off this series. The 2012 and 2013 both received Whiskey of the year awards. The normal Four Roses Small Batch is one of my go to Bourbons on my bar.

I disagree with the Willet's pot still reserve. Not that good at all.

 

[Trigger Time]

Short Review: Knob Creek 10 year single barrel 100 proof

i was not at all impressed. It was like regular jack Daniels to me. Not even bear as good as single barrel jack. Definitely a corn mash whiskey flavor.

 

[Trigger Time]

I disagree with the Willet's pot still reserve. Not that good at all.

You'll have to try the willetts 6 and 8 year I bought. Or maybe you have already and have an opinion? a lot of people seem to like it but that doesn't always mean anything.

 

[melensdad]

Thanks for the info, so I was right when I found guys last year paying under $100 a bottle. It's good stuff I've read but like you said not more than afew hundred bucks good. Glad I didn't jump off a cliff for it.

What is out there that's similar to the pappy?

Actually that is a "YES" -AND- "NO" sort of thing.

For a newly released bottle, the retail is under $100.

For a vintage bottle, which is what Flashpuppy had, the price is whatever anyone is willing to pay. I'm just not one of those people willing to pay those prices. I just don't get it.

But that said, I'm a member of a bourbon group and there are people who collect unopened bottles. They pay outrageous prices for bourbons that had an old label, are orphan brands, were limited runs, etc. I just don't get that either.

So Flashpuppy was not wrong. It is one of those things, the market determines the price.

All of the Pappy products are WHEATED bourbons. Meaning they don't use RYE in the mash, they substitute WHEAT instead. The absolute closest thing to a Pappy product is a WELLER product because it uses the SAME, and I mean EXACTLY the SAME, juice in the bottle. Its either not as old or its aged in a different part of the warehouse, or some other thing. Its also a bargain. I bought a couple bottles of WL WELLER Special Reserve for under $20 a bottle.

Other WHEATED bourbons include MAKERS MARK, MAKERS 46 and LARCENY bourbons. There are probably a couple others, just can't think of them off the top of my head.

I disagree with the Willet's pot still reserve. Not that good at all.

I totally agree with you.

Great bottle, nearly undrinkable booze inside.

 

[aclark]

Larceny is actually a pappy recipe as well. Might not be a current recipe but it came from that heritage. We are actually pretty lucky to have it here in Indiana. Only recently was released outside of KY and even now not a national release.

 

[Lammchop93]

new to the world of bourbon here. recently I've tried Rebel Yell, Buffalo Trace, and my broke college @$$ just bought some Old Taylor to get me through the next couple weeks on a budget.

Out of the 3, Buffalo Trace was easily my favorite. Rebel Yell was very smooth, but somewhat watered-down tasting. Buffalo Trace had the best flavor and made a great old fashioned. The Old Taylor tastes like cheap bourbon. It does the trick.

 

[Brandon]

You'll have to try the willetts 6 and 8 year I bought. Or maybe you have already and have an opinion? a lot of people seem to like it but that doesn't always mean anything.

I have only tried the pot still. Mainly more for the bottle and I had read the arrival linked above back around Christmas time. It was OK but not much of what I like.

 

[melensdad]

Just finished painting a bathroom, it has extensive wood trim, 4 bands of wood around the walls, plus vertical banding too. Hardest room I've ever had to paint.

So I'm celebrating being done inside that torture chamber by sipping on BRECKINRIDGE BOURBON. Its an under $50 bottle, was ranked as one of the top 3 bourbons in the nation by Wine Spectator or some other magazine??? I don't think its all that, but I'm using it as an excuse to celebrate being done with that room.

 

[gentlemen]

If you're one of the blessed men who recognizes that bourbon is tap water compared to scotch (I kid but srsly), but you like supporting 'Merican companies, consider picking up a bottle of Stranahans Colorado Whiskey.

Made from 100% malted barley. It is aged in new American oak barrels, not refilled bourbon barrels so it's a bit different than a traditional single malt scotch no- "e" whisky.

45 bucks on sale right now at my local store. Think it's 55 normally.

Even ralfy-approved!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DenoBVniXFo

 

[Brandon]

If you're one of the blessed men who recognizes that bourbon is tap water compared to scotch (I kid but srsly), but you like supporting 'Merican companies, consider picking up a bottle of Stranahans Colorado Whiskey.

Made from 100% malted barley. It is aged in new American oak barrels, not refilled bourbon barrels so it's a bit different than a traditional single malt scotch no- "e" whisky.

45 bucks on sale right now at my local store. Think it's 55 normally.

Even ralfy-approved!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DenoBVniXFo

Have tried it (have 2 bottles) Had it neat, and it wasn't my cup of tea. But since you are the first to mention I will take another drink with a small amount of ice and see what it does.

I also paid more for it but until this past month I have not seen it locally.

Have I mentioned I really dislike the fact I lost my Ohio connection!!! Easy to ship right to her door :-/

 

[Brandon]

I tried the Colorado stuff as mentioned above this time with a small amount of ice. Its got a good smooth flavor but the finish has a burn to it that is a little harsh for my liking.

 

[rabbitdave]

Willet's. Great for sipping with ice. Very smooth. TX out of Texas. Unique vanilla flavor. For fun and a hot day, frozen Blackberry Birddog.

 

[melensdad]

Today was a good day.

2 boxes Girl Scout Cookies ~~Samoas
1 bottle HIGH WEST American Prairie Reserve ~~its discontinued, great stuff, and I wanted a back up bottle
1 bottle STAGG JR ~~a barrel proof with great flavor but MUST be tamed with ice or water because its HOT
1 bottle NOAH MILL ~~a barrel proof with great flavor that can be enjoyed neat
1 bottle WELLER 12 ~~cheap, hard to find, could only get 1 bottle, same juice as Pappy Van Winkle

If you're one of the blessed men who recognizes that bourbon is tap water compared to scotch (I kid but srsly), but you like supporting 'Merican companies, consider picking up a bottle of Stranahans Colorado Whiskey.

. . .

Got it. Not a big fan. Its OK. Nothing more.

 

[melensdad]

Got to say that the STAGG JR is a HOT bourbon.

I mean HOT HOT HOT bourbron. It must be tamed down with ice or water. It has great flavor, not tingle on the lips, no aserbic flavor in the back of the mouth. Its really a great flavored bourbon but did I mention that this stuff is freakin HOT. It has a belly burn unlike any other bourbon I've ever tasted, but the flavor is worth the burn, which lasts not just for seconds, or moments but for minutes. Tame it with a cube of ice, or maybe two, its worth trying if you can find it.

 

[skydelta34]

Larceny is actually a pappy recipe as well. Might not be a current recipe but it came from that heritage. We are actually pretty lucky to have it here in Indiana. Only recently was released outside of KY and even now not a national release.

I do enjoy Larceny also, glad to see it in Indiana. Larceny is made by Heaven Hill and Pappy/Weller is now made at Buffalo Trace.

 

[danielocean03]

Got to say that the STAGG JR is a HOT bourbon.

I mean HOT HOT HOT bourbron. It must be tamed down with ice or water. It has great flavor, not tingle on the lips, no aserbic flavor in the back of the mouth. Its really a great flavored bourbon but did I mention that this stuff is freakin HOT. It has a belly burn unlike any other bourbon I've ever tasted, but the flavor is worth the burn, which lasts not just for seconds, or moments but for minutes. Tame it with a cube of ice, or maybe two, its worth trying if you can find it.

I'll second this. I've got two bottles of Stagg Jr, and it brings the heat! Tasty as all get-out, but I always enjoy it with ice. It's no George T Stagg, but it's damn good stuff.

 

[danielocean03]

Would there be any imterest in an INGO Bourbon tour in KY.

Yes. I'd be in.

 

[danielocean03]

In case anyone is curious. Here's the bottle I had mentioned earlier.

I've had a bottle of that. I paid right at $60 for it about two years ago, great stuff.