Generally, I log those and move on without slagging them off because its pretty obvious that a $7 plastic bottle of bourbon isnt going to be something anyone is going to line up to buy. Bourbon for the Masses adds that it's an incredibly thin whiskey and that there's nothing special about it (Redditors also echoed this sentiment, claiming that Fighting Cock Bourbon leaves much to be desired). One note: All the prices listed were accurate as of April 2022, but the price may be different in your area. This is fine for what it is, a decent cocktail bourbon. And according toBreaking Bourbon, the even higher-proof (120 proof) Knob Creek Single Barrel Bourbon "is really easy to love," offering a similarly well-balanced profile, smooth with a long-lasting complex finish of cinnamon, oak, and leather. Well, according to Lexington Bourbon's website, that's the case. . Beyond these basics, the details of bourbon's history are murky. If you have access to bourbon and a water-born research vessel, then why not? The distillery's signature 10-year-old bourbon presents a nose of nutmeg, cream, vanilla, and a dash of cinnamon, and a palate that flirts with maple syrup, almond, cherry, and orange. 9. Whether or not this is worth your while depends on your fondness for Old Grand-Dad. A $20 Buffalo Trace bourbon available everywhere is now $200 and nowhere to be found. Trey Herring's Carolina Bourbon Whiskey 6. Some (a lot sometimes) are hot trash. Woodford Reserve is a modern bourbon brand with deep roots per Breaking Bourbon, it's produced and bottled in a distillery dating back to 1780. It's a mainstream list, for sure. Barton 1792 Distillery part of the Sazerac group of distilleries is renowned for white labeling, contract distilling, and putting out both amazing and amazingly cheap bourbons. It's all good when you're drinking the best bourbon under $100: 6. "My new favorite sipper, and one of the best bourbons I have ever tasted, hands down," says Anthony Vitacca, an award-winning bartender based in California. To that end, Im naming ten bottles of Kentucky bourbon that I think you should avoid. Located in Louisville, Kentucky, Angel's Envy takes pride in creating small-batch spirits that are finished in one of four different casks: port, rum, sherry, and tawny. While its not mind-blowingly better, its miles ahead of Kentucky Tavern and that watered-down nature is gone allowing the flavor profile to shine through. The palate is very thin but carries a fair amount of buttery caramel, a dash of black pepper, a hint of cinnamon, and more of that soft cedar. This bottle of 103-proof whiskey is affordable, retailing for around $20 for 750mL (so you're not really gambling your grocery money if you invest in a bottle). Art of the Spirits Whiskey Cask Strength "Frogman" Straight Bourbon Whiskey. To put a finer point on it, Id be lying if I said I loved every bourbon I tasted. W. L. Weller, 12-Year-Old Bourbon. So if you've ever enjoyed bourbon from Maker's Mark or Jim Beam, know that you've experienced a taste of early American history. Its producer, Heaven Hill Distillery, wasn't founded until 1935, according toMalt. The theory was that the constant movement of bourbon sloshing around in wood barrels would in turn make the whiskey age faster. Joseph Magnus Murray Hill Club Bourbon Blend. Don Lockwood Whiskey Cocktail. It's a balanced, austere bourbon, with a sophisticated nose that Malt described as "ferric, green and vegetal notes balanced against warm, very subtly woody vanilla." Overall, its fine if youre making a bourbon and Coke or any highball really. SLB Basement Bourbon Bar goes into detail about this regrettable purchase, saying that it is very grainy, bitter, thin, and young, and the alcohol burn isn't anything to joke about. The Whiskey: A.D. Laws out in Colorado is renowned for its award-winning four-grain bourbons. It's cringe-worthy no matter how you look at it. It also explains why the label has a picture of a brown horse on the front. The idea is there, but it just didn't follow through. Proof: 112.8. Its flagship product, Wild Turkey 101, is a classic bourbon expression, with a typical mash bill of corn, rye, and malted barley. There's also a sizeable ethanol burn, which ended up leaving some bourbon aficionados in gastric distress. This mixture of grains is known as the mash bill. My 5 Worst American Whiskies. It mixes well, and it's a decent sipper. Naming your bourbon "Two Stars" doesn't seem like that great of a move. It's not the pleasant aspects either, it's more like licking an oak plank," wrote Thirty One Whiskey. It has a spicy, peppery finish with some heat. Blade and Bow'sconception starts with the legendary Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Louisville, Kentucky, whose claim to fame is being founded by the man behindPappy Van Winkle (via Whiskey ID). That means its made for mixing but you can sip it if thats your jam. More typically, it goes for $22 to $25 which makes you wonder about the aphorism "You get what you pay for. At least it's only around $15, so you're not killing your wallet. And while flavorful enough, it's not all that unique, and its high price point makes it a difficult choice to get behind. Its stellar whiskey, albeit from Tennessee and not Kentucky. Its just so watery. The whiskey is made from 60% corn, 20% heirloom wheat, 10% heirloom rye, and 10% heirloom malted . When Jefferson's master blender tapped the casks, the sugars in the bourbon had caramelized and turned into a viscous, black liquid. The mash bill is mid-range rye with 18 percent of the grain next to 72 percent corn and a final ten percent of malted barley (the same bill for all their bourbon). This suggests their tried-and-true middle-shelf expressions may be a safer bet for most tastes than their limited-edition experiments. And if the Reddit comment "it tastes like rotting peanuts and cardboard" doesn't make you a little hesitant, then by all means, go forth and experiment. Hudson Bright Lights, Big Bourbon. This system was intended to make things fairer for consumers, but in some areas, there was the opposite effect, with fans crossing state lines in search of a bottle, according to The Bourbon Bard. The Michter's range includes bourbon, rye, American whiskey, and sour mash whiskey. Whether or not Craig actually did invent this process is up for debate, but what's not up for debate are the numerous awards given to the bourbon brand that shares his name. Forever. And you're also going to want a nice, greasy meal the next morning to help you with that hangover. Quite frankly, Cascade Hollow Distillery jumped the shark on this one. Paste Magazine reports that dissatisfaction with pricing is a universal consumer woe regardless of the bourbon. Numerous bourbon brands trace their roots to the 1800s or earlier. As The Whiskey Reviewer noted, the Black Bourbon, in particular, "would be appropriate for an inexpensive go-to, for cocktails or mixers.". The end is subtle, short, watery, and steely with a minor touch of green oak, spice, fruit, and one more dash of honey. But maybe consumers' expectations are simply too high? When you think of Wild Turkey, do you picture an unshaven guy sitting by himself in a bar, muttering at the TV and nursing a tumbler of the stuff before shuffling off to a depressing studio apartment somewhere? PerBreaking Bourbon, it features the expected caramel, toffee, and vanilla notes on the nose, followed by a hit of spice, oak, and butterscotch. And why be disappointed (or even disgusted) when you can be satisfied for just a few bucks more? But unfortunately, this spirit doesn't seem to live up to its trademark slogan: "You never forget your first sip of Basil Hayden." It actually dates back to 1879, after which a series of ownership changes resulted in its current name and product line. Zackariah Harris Kentucky Straight Bourbon. Price: ~$10. Best Budget Straight Bourbon Whiskey: Koval Bourbon Best Splurge Straight Bourbon Whiskey: Hillrock Solera Aged Bourbon Whiskey Best Bourbon and Rye Whiskey Hybrid: Redemption Straight. George Dickel is actually the flagship spirit from Cascade Hollow Distillery. Over on Ranker folks cast a whopping 54,000 votes, and a clear top ten bourbons emerged. The bottle works wonders in a cocktail and is perfectly fine for an on the rocks sip of whiskey. It's one of the most complex bourbons on this list, so it makes for a great buy if you like high-rye bourbons. Best Bourbon Under $100 Best Bourbon Over $100 Bonus: Single Barrel Picks Bourbon FAQ The Best Bourbons Under $50 Larceny Small Batch The entry-level offering of Heaven Hill's wheated mash. Unless youre looking for a run-of-mill bourbon. Bourbon aficionados will tell you that when purchasing a worthwhile whiskey, you should never be swayed by appearance and you should alwaysdo your research. Best Cocktail Bourbon Four Roses Bourbon Drizly $24 AT DRIZLY Proof: 80 Average Price: $12 - $20 Tasting Notes: Floral essence, fresh fruit, spice "This is such a dynamic whiskey," Minnick says. Do you know what happens to mediocre, boring bourbons? This universality is achieved by letting the juice rest in deeply charred oak for six to seven years before its cut down to 81 proof for bottling. 8 Brand Average Price: roughly $12 ABV: 40% Like all bourbon, its mash bill is mostly corn with a touch of malted barley. 3. This is just a cheap and easy bourbon thats good for mixing with Coke and not much else. And given the other options at this price point, there are definitely better spirits available to scratch your rye whiskey itch.". This makes perfect sense because the bourbon is named after Dr. James Crow, a Scottish physician and chemist who invented the sour mash process, an important step in distillation (via Whiskey Raw). This alcoholic beverage has only been in existence since 2011. Its only $5 more than David Nicholson and just much deeper while also being more approachable and mixable. The barrels are a minimum of five years old when theyre plucked from the warehouses, blended, brought down to 80 proof, and bottled. Wow, this is thin on the nose. AsThirty One Whiskey writes, "Aging happens for a reason namely to give the spirit some depth and complexity that otherwise is missing. The palate is largely the same with a sense of watered-down apple juice, a hint more of that vanilla, some alcohol burn (almost inexplicably), and a touch of chocolate-covered cherries dipped in water. This delayed batch proved to have a winning flavor, which the current distillers reproduced via a secondary six-to-nine-month maturation in heavily charred barrels. A "small-batch bourbon" is a bourbon that's an amalgamation of a number of barrels, anywhere from 10-100. What tastes like creamed corn blended with scorched plastic, but comes in a really cool genie bottle? Clearly, such heritage brands have stood the test of time here's how they fare in comparison with newer players in the bourbon game. Despite its roots in Kentucky, Four Roses was not sold in the United States for some time, but instead became popular in Europe and Asia, according toThe Spruce Eats. Now in its 29th year of production, Knob Creek is an unapologetic, full-flavored bourbon long-aged and barreled up at 100 proof. The Whiskey Reviewer described its 12-year-old bourbon as having a nose of "brown sugar, cinnamon graham crackers and vanilla, accented by toasty oak." Review Summary: Rare Breed is really spicy at first but has a sweet, long finish. "They have an extensive selection of bourbons and Buffalo Trace is their house bourbon." more. This cocktail mixes Scotch and/or Bourbon with maple syrup and bitters for a smoky-yet-sweet drink. Imagine the taste of Kentucky bourbon whiskey with the essence and spice of fermented peppers, garlic, and vinegar. Basil Hayden's is such a case. The bourbon costs between $40 and $50 per 1 ounce pour. Don't expect to impress your friends by pouring from a bottle of Paddleford Creek (even though the label is pretty darn cool which is all it seems to have going for it), because, as one observer on Distiller states, it "just doesn't do much of anything." The nose is all about the nuts and fruit with a trail mix vibe next to more standard notes of vanilla, caramel, and oak. On the palate, the Evan Williams has a decent body as it has some texture. I think you can skip Old Forester 100 (which is fine for cocktails) and go straight to Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond. They also say it tastes rough and is cheap for a reason (it goes for around ten dollars for a 750-milliliter bottle). Old Grand-Dad is actually quite memorable, but not in the way little Raymond was hoping. Nikka Whiskey from the Barrel - Never mind that all whiskey comes from a barrel, this complex Japanese blend is a delightful exploration of fruit, wood, and sweet vanilla. If you want to stick with Diageo, however, then Id recommend getting yourself some George Dickel Bottled-In-Bond for $40. This is something that other rye whiskey offerings use to their advantage. It absolutely nails the classic Wild Turkey flavor profile and perhaps more importantly, finds the perfect balance between its fruity and sweet notes against its aged oak flavors. Distillery Trail writes that the Tennessee whiskey rests for 30 days in barrels that previously held Tabasco hot sauce. 11 min read. For the price, Kentucky Bourbon seems to fall flat, and tasters would probably agree with the Reddit user who wrote "I am pretty sure whatever is in this bottle came out of that horse.". 3 Might Make You An Emotional Wreck, How Bail Bag Helps The Formerly Incarcerated Get Back On Their Feet, Advice From A Finance Pro For How To Survive (And Thrive) In This Economy, Why We Shouldnt Forget About The Game Stop Short Squeeze, Five Cities Where Latinx Street Art Is Alive And Well, Travel Budgeting Pro Gabby Beckford Shares Her Best Financial Advice For 2023 Adventures, We Blind Tested Our Favorite Fast Food Double Cheeseburgers & Crowned A New Champ, How To Actually, Truly Buy Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon For Real, Were Picking The Very Best Air Jordan IIIs Of All Time, In Control: Quentin Grimes Is Writing His Own Story With The Knicks, Amanda Renner On Getting To Dig Deeper With Player Interviews At The Masters, Charlotte Flair Continues To Carve Out My Own Path Ahead Of WrestleMania 39, Maxo Decries The Face Of Stone Portrayed By A Fake Friend For UPROXX Sessions, Talib Kweli & Cormega On The Realness II, Nas, The Firm, Large Pro, Queens, Luh Tyler Goes Behind The Video For His Law & Order Visual, Sandra Mejia Is Bringing The Healing Power Of Plants To The Green Desert Of South Central Los Angeles, The 50 Best Bourbon Whiskeys Of 2021, Ranked, Every Winning Bourbon From Our 2021 Taste Tests, Blind Tasted And Re-Ranked, The 100 Best Whiskeys Our Head Drinks Writer Tasted In 2021, We Blind Tasted A Whole Bunch Of $30-60 Bourbons To See If Any Could Beat Weller, The Best Ten-Year-Old Bourbon Whiskeys, Tasted Blind And Ranked. The following list deals with domestic whiskies that are either officially bourbon or very bourbon-like and cost less than $15 per 750mL bottle in my expensive city. "I had the grilled chicken with bourbon bbq sauce and garlic mashed potatoes with rice pilaf." more. As a wheater, it tastes similar to Maker's or W. L. Weller: mellow, with hints of citrus and tree fruit. 90. Brought to you by the Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company (not to be confused with Lexington Bourbon, the ones who brought you the bottle with a horse on it), Town Branch Kentucky Straight can only be described as a waste of money. You can purchase a bottle for as little as $40 (or upwards of $4,000). Meanwhile,Thirty One Whiskey explains that Jefferson doesn't distill anything the company just receives bourbon from other sources, then labels and sells it. The brand has even purchased its first warehouse for storage and is well on their way to filling it all up. If these famous individuals had more options, would they have still picked Old Crow? So, Woodford Reserve is near the middle of our list not because it's mediocre, but because it's solidly respectable it delivers exactly what you'd expect from a mid-range bourbon, no more and no less. Named for a prominent 18th century distiller (the same one pictured on the label of Old Grand-Dad, according to Malt Review), Basil Hayden's is produced in the same production distillery as Old Grand-Dad and Jim Beam, according to 31 Whiskey. On Youtube, someone commented that "It's like bourbon for people who don't like bourbon." What makes Elijah Craig a critical favorite is its complexity and balance. One Distiller reviewer says, "nose isethanol and nail-polish remover." The steeliness of this is hard to get past sometimes. One Redditoreven claimed that they "poured it down the sink after a dram and felt bad for the drain and my wallet.". It's made by Buffalo Trace using the same mash as their namesake bourbon, yet aged for 10 years. This bourbon from Lux Row is a wheated bourbon mash thats contract distilled partially off-site and partially made at the distillery.

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