Favorite budget bourbon and rye...

[DitchPanda]

So I've only been drinking whiskey a few years...outside of shot or mixed form that is. Looking to expand my cabinet some and I'm looking for some suggestions. For reference right now I've got Jameson,Buffalo trace, Glenfiddich 12, Bushmills blackbush and Redbreast 12. I'm wanting to pick up another couple bourbons and a rye. Looking for recs in the $35 and under a bottle range. So what are some favorite budget bourbons and ryes?

[Junger]

Under $25:

Bourbon = Evan Williams BiB, Ezra Brooks 99, Jim Beam Black, Rebel Yell 100, Old Tub BiB, Very Old Barton 86

Rye = Old Forester Rye, Redemption High Rye

 

Under $35:

Bourbon = Old Grand Dad 114, Pure Kentucky XO, David Nicholson Reserve, Makers 46, IW Harper, Johnny Drum

Rye = High West Double Rye, Rossville Union Straight Rye, Sagamore Rye 83

 

These are MSRP in my county controlled liquor stores that are available 24/7, otherwise I'd put in things like OWA107, Baby Sazerac, and other BT products that are allocated and under $35.

[slonezp]

Larceny and Elijah Craig

[fishwizzard]

I was given small amounts of Old Crow as a teenager on Christmas by a beloved redneck Uncle, so I keep the faith and try to have a bottle of it always on hand.  It's hot as hell and about as smooth as a dull razor, but it's sippable and pairs well with a hoppy IPA.  

 

Otherwise, Old Grandad 100 proof is a very nice high-rye sipping whiskey, if you add small splash of water to lower the ABV down to a more reasonable 90-80 proof. 

[deaknh03]

Jameson black barrel ftw.

[RobA]

Bulleit bourbon

Rittenhouse Rye

[A-Jay]

I have a close friend who's an admitted Bourbon Snob.

But I have occasionally benefitted from that.

He turned me on to Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea Cask Strength Bourbon.

This one is Aged at sea on a huge container vessel.

This cask strength bourbon made its stop on five different continents and crossed the equator four times during its journey.

So not only is it a great sip, since it's visited more than 30 ports and aged at Sea,

it's also a great conversational piece.

So you know I have a soft spot for this one.

A-Jay

[slonezp]

Just now, A-Jay said:

I have a close friend who's an admitted Bourbon Snob.

But I have occasionally benefitted from that.

He turned me on to Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea Cask Strength Bourbon.

This one is Aged at sea on a huge container vessel.

This cask strength bourbon made its stop on five different continents and crossed the equator four times during its journey.

So not only is it a great sip, since it's visited more than 30 ports and aged at Sea,

it's also a great conversational piece.

So you know I have a soft spot for this one.

A-Jay

And 112 proof at that!

[A-Jay]

1 minute ago, slonezp said:

And 112 proof at that!

The High Seas has way of doing that !

And I did say 'sip'.

A-Jay

[Junger]

12 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

I have a close friend who's an admitted Bourbon Snob.

But I have occasionally benefitted from that.

He turned me on to Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea Cask Strength Bourbon.

This one is Aged at sea on a huge container vessel.

This cask strength bourbon made its stop on five different continents and crossed the equator four times during its journey.

So not only is it a great sip, since it's visited more than 30 ports and aged at Sea,

it's also a great conversational piece.

So you know I have a soft spot for this one.

A-Jay

It's good stuff, but MSRP is about $90, way over the OP's listed budget, otherwise I'd rattle off about 100 annual release whiskeys.

11 minutes ago, slonezp said:

And 112 proof at that!

 

Kinda low...ECBP C919 was 136.8 proof and was delicious.

[A-Jay]

6 minutes ago, Junger said:

It's good stuff, but MSRP is about $90, way over the OP's listed budget, otherwise I'd rattle off about 100 annual release whiskeys.

 

 

Yea - I know.

It's a little unusual so I went ahead and posted it. 

A-Jay

 

[BayouSlide]

Woodford Reserve, even if you have to pay a couple bucks over your $35 budget. I can get it around here for around $32.50 - 35.00.

 

Kinda funny posting about my favorite bourbon when I'm sitting here sipping my second martini ?

[A-Jay]

In keeping with the theme ~

Knob Creek Small Batch is quite palatable.

(I'm getting a little thirsty)

A-Jay

 

[TnRiver46]

Funny you would start such a thread, I did the bourbon trail in Frankfurt ky over the weekend. Do yourself a favor and make a weekend of it, and visit Buffalo trace every morning and buy something. The stuff that goes for $200 is $30-$60 at their gift shop . The pic is from our air bnb 

Me and the fiancé bought this, its 1 per person on the good stuff 

[Todd2]

I live right in the middle of bourbon country and my favorite is ...................a cold beer..lol Never been a bourbon guy. 

[TnRiver46]

1 minute ago, Todd2 said:

I live right in the middle of bourbon country and my favorite is ...................a cold beer..lol Never been a bourbon guy. 

Ha! Funny, me either. I Drink it because the lady likes it 

[12poundbass]

2 hours ago, A-Jay said:

I have a close friend who's an admitted Bourbon Snob.

But I have occasionally benefitted from that.

He turned me on to Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea Cask Strength Bourbon.

This one is Aged at sea on a huge container vessel.

This cask strength bourbon made its stop on five different continents and crossed the equator four times during its journey.

So not only is it a great sip, since it's visited more than 30 ports and aged at Sea,

it's also a great conversational piece.

So you know I have a soft spot for this one.

A-Jay

Does aging it at sea do anything for it? Does the bottle give you a history of it’s travels? 
 

Pretty cool either way! 

[A-Jay]

1 minute ago, 12poundbass said:

Does aging it at sea do anything for it? Does the bottle give you a history of it’s travels? 
 

Pretty cool either way! 

 

In 2008, while aboard the ship of fellow Kentucky native and OCEARCH founder Chris Fischer, Jefferson’s Master Blender Trey Zoeller got a wild idea. As he and Chris watched the whiskey swirl in their glasses, compelled by the constant rock of the waves, they pondered: what might happen to a barrel of bourbon if it were aged at sea? Soon thereafter, five barrels of straight bourbon whiskey were loaded aboard the MV OCEARCH, and sent on a three-year voyage around the globe. The rest, as they say, is history. The constant movement of the ocean and extreme temperature fluctuations as the OCEARCH traversed the globe completely transformed the whiskey. The result is a hyper-aged, thick, dark bourbon with incredible depth and complexity. The constant agitation and changing climate imparted a sweet, caramelized flavor reminiscent of dark rum, while the salty ocean air and sea spray gave the bourbon the savory, briny character of an Islay Scotch whiskey. Since this discovery, Trey has sent hundreds of barrels around the world, with each voyage seeing (on average) over 25 ports, 5 continents, and 3 equator crossings. This is the best traveled bourbon on earth.

A-Jay

[12poundbass]

14 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Ha! Funny, me either. I Drink it because the lady likes it 

I figured being in Tennessee you would have a healthy stock of backwoods moonshine! 

[TnRiver46]

1 minute ago, 12poundbass said:

Does aging it at sea do anything for it? Does the bottle give you a history of it’s travels? 
 

Pretty cool either way! 

They say it gives better barrel flavor because of all the sloshing. Also the sailors apparently drank a good bit of it when the salt air ate through the barrel bands 

1 minute ago, 12poundbass said:

I figured being in Tennessee you would have a healthy stock of backwoods moonshine! 

Check the middle bottle in my picture. That’s the unaged product for all their bourbon called white dog and of course one of my favorites. Basically moonshine 

[A-Jay]

2 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

They say it gives better barrel flavor because of all the sloshing. Also the sailors apparently drank a good bit of it when the salt air ate through the barrel bands 

 

What do you say we start our our deal.

We'll put a few barrels on all the roller coasters around the world

and let them slosh around that way for a year or so.

We'll call it - White Knuckle Single Barrel Bourbon.

A-Jay

[TnRiver46]

2 hours ago, A-Jay said:

I have a close friend who's an admitted Bourbon Snob.

But I have occasionally benefitted from that.

He turned me on to Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea Cask Strength Bourbon.

This one is Aged at sea on a huge container vessel.

This cask strength bourbon made its stop on five different continents and crossed the equator four times during its journey.

So not only is it a great sip, since it's visited more than 30 ports and aged at Sea,

it's also a great conversational piece.

So you know I have a soft spot for this one.

A-Jay

One of my early guide trips involved a glass of that as gratuity. Good stuff 

[DitchPanda]

2 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Ha! Funny, me either. I Drink it because the lady likes it 

She's a keeper bro. My old lady hates all things whiskey.

[Biglittle8]

Elijah Craig, Russell's Reserve( about $60-70 ) Knob creek, Woodford Reserve. All great. Pair any of those with a Padron 1964 Anniversary series cigar.

[Crankin4Bass]

Good recommendations above. Some new ones for me to try. I will add that Costco branded bourbon is surprisingly good.