Best bourbon under $50?

[melensdad]

Great, now I need to add this to my collection. I think I am upto 5 or 6 bottles of the higher proofs released.

I don't collect, I just buy to drink. Most of my bottles have only a few ounces missing. I go back to them every 4 to 6 months. But yes, BOOKERS released 3 limited editions. This is one of them. Its basically the same juice as regular BOOKERS, but selected by a tasting panel to part of the limited series. I see it for about $60/bottle normally.

Knob Creek, Elijah Craig, Woodford Reserve, Buffalo Trace and Bulliet are my favorites so far.

I don't care much at all for Maker's Mark or Maker's 46. Not a big fan of Rye whiskey either, too much fire in it, too much burn for me to enjoy. I like the smoother, sweeter feel of bourbon. I think it also makes for better mixed drinks as well. mint Juleps and Old Fashions come to mind! . . . .

Never tried the Bulleit but I always hear good things about it. I am a fan of the Knob Creek too. Not a fan of the Woodford Reserve, I dunno why, I just can't like it, obviously millions disagree with me! But I agree with you thatElijah Craig 12 and Buffalo Trace are solid basic bourbons. I obviously am a fan of Makers Mark, but I like it better than the Makers 46, and my favorite is the Makers Mark Cask Strength.

 

[Brandon]

I don't collect,

This is probably a year if not older picture, many many bottles have been added to the collection since. I'd say 1/4 of the bottles have been opened, the more expensive the bottle the less likely it is for me to open unless I have a second bottle. Not many are super rare/fancy labels...

I have been offered a huge amount of $$ for one bottle (not for one I expected either) from someone in hunt of one like it. He offered to give me the money on paypal, meet me in person with cash if he could cancel the paypal after we met in person. Seemed like a serious buyer.

Both side cabinets are full in the bottom with bottles (cheaper stuff). All in all its fun looking for a different bottle or a unique bottle.

 

[melensdad]

I'd rather collect rare Detonics 1911 pistols and drink rare bourbon.

But I get it that some folks collect rare bottles.

 

[melensdad]

Cracked open the tiny 200ml bottle of KINGS COUNTY DISTILLERY bourbon of high proof/cask strength bourbon.

OK, this is an interesting bourbon. Its not really to my taste profile, but it is an interesting bourbon.

First off, the color is a dark amber brown. The aroma is almost savory, which comes back in the flavor. More savory on the palate than sweet, and its followed by intense spices and then a long finish of heat.

So lets get into this, drinking it neat it's a fairly hot bourbon, but not a nuclear hot that burns through your stomach lining, rather its a slighly hotter chili pepper than you'd normally like, and it sticks with you for a while, just a little while longer than you'd like. But before you get to that part of this bourbon you have a mildly sweet that turns into a savory flavor and then transitions into some seriously peppery spices in your mouth. Not objectionable spices, more like a "high rye" whiskey sort of peppery spices. You clearly get hit with the spices, no way to avoid them, but then it goes down and the long finish burn begins. I've had spicier bourbon. I've had hotter bourbon. This offers spice and burn, but not overwhelming spice, nor overwhelming burn. Just plenty of both. If you like rye whiskey this is probably going to be your bourbon. Some of the cask strength bourbons are nearly impossible to drink neat, its possible to drink this one without ice, but it probably would be better slightly watered down.

KINGS COUNTY DISTILLERY bourbon is 61% alcohol, or 122 proof. I should have tried it with an ice cube. I only tried it neat. I'd bet it would be more tamed down, and yet I suspect it might maintain some of its bolder flavors even with a partially melted ice cube.

I'm not sure if this is distributed outside of New York State. If you stumble upon some, and are feeling in the mood to drop some coin on a small bottle, this is worth a try. I'm really curious to see how it will taste with a little melted ice so its dilluted down just a bit. I'd bet it is very good. But that will be the subject of a future posting.

 

[melensdad]

I normally avoid dairy products (except for blue cheese, I love blue cheese) but I may have to try this drink.

Its called AFTER MIDNIGHT

Ingredients​

• 1 oz. bourbon (preferably Weller Special Reserve)
• ½ oz. amaretto
• ½ oz. dark crème de cacao
• ½ oz. half-and-half



Preparation
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a glass. Serve cold.​

Sounds like it might be damned good!

 

[melensdad]

No Creme de Cacao in the house. No Half-and-Half in the house.

So I took an ice cube and put it into a glass with just a little bit of the KINGS COUNTY DISTILLERY bourbon.

What I thought was a bit too hot when sipped neat, but still an interesting bourbon, is not so interesting when dilluted with a partially melted ice cube.

I am going to bury the tiny bottle in the back of the liquor cabinet and bring this out some day well into the future to see if my opinion changes. As of now, this was an interesting experiment in bourbons, but not worth the high price tag. There are better bourbons to be had in this price range. There are better bourbons to be had at a lower price point.

 

[jblomenberg16]

Darnit....you are makig my mouth water! Regarding Makers 46, I found it better after sitting in a few ice cubes.

 

[melensdad]

Cocktails anyone?

Very smooth, very rich, but it does pack a punch. Don't drive after drinking this one.

"AFTER MIDNIGHT"


I like it very much. See the recipe a few posts above.

This is supposed to be shaken in a cocktail shaker full of ice, then strained. I made mine and dropped in an ice cube to chill it. Once the ice melted it did taste a bit watered down, at least compared to the first couple of sips. Still excellent, but probably would have been better if I had used a cocktail shaker ... I just hate the mess of using one.

​

 

[mkress77]

Backbone is a great Indiana bourbon (bottled in Kentucky). I've recently had Larceny, pretty good as well.

 

[bradmedic04]

My wife made some fresh lemonade and brought me a glass spiked with some Beer Barrel. Simple and incredibly refreshing on a hot day.

 

[Cygnus]

Finished off the eveinng with a nice glass of Maker's from a special edition bottle. It was a twist off. Have they abandoned the cork?

 

[aclark]

Its not going to be under $50, but I'm really excited to try and find "Metze’s Select Indiana Straight Bourbon". Its the 2nd bourbon produced under the MGP name, and the first one that will be in distribution (last years was only available at the Lawrenceburg Whiskey Fest). It a 6000 btl batch and will run about $75. Should be out sometime in Sept.

 

[melensdad]

Its not going to be under $50, but I'm really excited to try and find "Metze’s Select Indiana Straight Bourbon". Its the 2nd bourbon produced under the MGP name, and the first one that will be in distribution (last years was only available at the Lawrenceburg Whiskey Fest). It a 6000 btl batch and will run about $75. Should be out sometime in Sept.

So how do we get some?

Also has anyone seen any I.W. Harper 15-year Bourbon in Indiana? I know the younger variety is around but I'm searching for a bottle of 15-year to try.

 

[Cygnus]

Cracking open a Patriots' Maker's Mark in about an hour.

 

[melensdad]

Spent 3 days installing a hardwood (actually Bamboo) floor in the living room and dining room at my Godson's parent's home. I'm in a lot of pain, muscles I didn't know I had are hurting. Sitting down with a Glencairn glass of BEER BARREL, one of my favorite under $50 bottles of bourbon. Hoping the broubon takes a bit of the edge off the pain and dulls it a bit.

If anyone ever installs a Bamboo floor be sure to wear gloves, lots of tiny slivers. Bamboo is a grass, yet it is several times harder than Oak flooring, and the wood splinters easily, so lots of opportunities for slivers.

 

[melensdad]

Found a bottle of ELIJAH CRAIG "BARREL PROOF" tonight. My local adult beverage shop got an allocation of 3 bottles

Paid a bit over $40 for the bottle.

ELIJAH CRAIG "12" is a well respected modest price bourbon. The limited release "BARREL PROOF" variety is hard to find, some stores get it, most stores don't get any, and a few get a pretty good allocation. I've been looking for the "BARREL PROOF" for a few months, ever since it was announed and released to the wild. All searching was in vein. Until today. In fact it fell off my radar.

I was greeted by the regular night clerk, he said to go back to the office, the owner had a bottle for me. It was the ELIJAH CRAIG "BARREL PROOF"

Not sure when I'll get around to cracking the seal.


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Still looking for "Col E.H.Taylor CURED OAK" and also "I.W.HARPER 15 Year"

Doubt I'll ever get a bottle of the Taylor, I think it is long sold out.

 

[singlestacksig]

Found a bottle of ELIJAH CRAIG "BARREL PROOF" tonight. My local adult beverage shop got an allocation of 3 bottles



Still looking for "Col E.H.Taylor CURED OAK" and also "I.W.HARPER 15 Year"

Doubt I'll ever get a bottle of the Taylor, I think it is long sold out.

Big Red liquors in Indy had several bottles t their Bourbon fest this summer, but you had to get drawn in a lottery to have the right to purchase it.. IIRC it was going for $100 + / bottle..

 

[findingZzero]

What's the best bourbon choice for a scotch drinker? I had a couple in a flute that I liked. Here are the names I wrote down. Angel's Envy, Straight Edge, and New Holland. What can you tell me about these? Expensive? Available?

 

[melensdad]

What's the best bourbon choice for a scotch drinker? I had a couple in a flute that I liked. Here are the names I wrote down. Angel's Envy, Straight Edge, and New Holland. What can you tell me about these? Expensive? Available?

All 3 of those are 'second aged' or 're-casked' bourbons. At least 2 of them are sourced from major suppliers of bourbon, but honestly I think all 3 are sourced bourbons, just not sure of the source for the AE product.

Straight Edge is a sourced bourbon, distilled in different sites in Kentucky and Tennessee, shipped to the bottler in California, blended together and repackaged under their label after they 'second age' or 're-cask' it in "Mercury Head" wine barrels. I believe about 10,000 bottles were produced in the first batch. It is hard to find in Indiana, but I think its running about $55, and I don't personally think it is worth the money. Your taste buds may differ with mine and my opinion is worth exactly what you paid for it.

New Holland is actually New Holland's Beer Barrel Bourbon, it is made by MGP in Lawrenceburg, IN, shipped by truck to New Holland, MI, and then it is 'second aged' or 're-casked' into New Holland's "Dragon Milk" beer barrels. Its held in those barrels for roughly 3 months, which imparts a distinct flavor to the bourbon. Its about $35 a bottle, pretty easy to find in Indiana. I personally like it.

Angels Envy is 'second aged' or 're-casked' in 'sherry' barrels, which tend to give a bit of sweetness and complexity to the bourbon. Not sure who makes the base bourbon, but I know that the company was sold a couple months ago to one of the big distillers. Angels Envy is really nice stuff, runs about $55/$60 a bottle, generally available. They have also released a 'cask strength' version at a much higher proof and much higher price.

We did a comparison of a bunch of bourbons last summer at the NWI INGO Clubhouse and Angels Envy and New Holland's Beer Barrel were the two favorites of the half dozen or so varieties we had that day.

Big Red liquors in Indy had several bottles t their Bourbon fest this summer, but you had to get drawn in a lottery to have the right to purchase it.. IIRC it was going for $100 + / bottle..

WOW that is WAY overpriced!

 

[findingZzero]

One of those was my favorite, but don't remember which. I told the barkeep what I liked about scotch and didn't about regular bourbon. He chose those for me. Hopefully it was the $35/bottle, though I found them all interesting. Thanks for the extensive education!