I'm currently sipping Woodford Reserve and at around $35 I think it's hard to beat.

What's your pick?

Buffalo Trace is my go to affordable bourbon.

Evan Williams Black label.

I want to try some of the Old Forester offerings as I understand it's a sister company to Woodford.

Makers Mark is the go to, Buffalo Trace is great and cost less

I’m liking Larceny.

Good choice.......My favorite is their 1897 Bottled in Bond but I haven't tried em all.

Stick with woodford. In my opinion it is at the top of the list for the money. My favorite.

Others mentioned will have different flavor profiles. Only you can decide.

Bourbon today is like craft beer.

Wild Turkey 101. Less than $25 locally.

Maker's mark 46 gets my vote.

12 year old George Dickle or Russel Reserves

Evan Williams Bottled-In-Bond 100 proof.

You guys are all wrong. Old Grandad bonded...the 100 proof. Best under $50 by far. The 80 is crap and the barrel proof 120 is too...the 100 is better than you can imagine.

Makes pappy taste crappy

Beyond that...I can get Blantons under 50 so that would be my choice

Elijah Craig is worth trying if you haven't .

We can no longer get it here, but if traveling I occasionally pick up a bottle of Angel’s Envy for around $50.

Big +1. I can get it at Safeway for ~$47 or so, occasionally it goes on sale at the local pharmacy for $38. When it does, I always buy a bottle.

Maker's Mark, Bulliet, Woodford, Elijah Craig are all very good whiskeys, I'd gladly drink any of them, but Angel's Envy is in a different league. Which it should be, given that it costs more. Worth every penny.

The Old Forester 1870 Original Batch is pretty good too.

Still searching, but I'm liking Makers Mark for now.

Eagle Rare is my go to "top shelf". Made by Buffalo Trace distillery. Like Buffalo Trace as well. I was very surprised by a rather cheap limited Jim Beam offering. Their Repeal Batch is sub twenty bucks a bottle around me. I would buy it at twice that price.

Back to the Eagle Rare. Hard to come by in my area. About 40 bucks a bottle. Last bottle I found at Piggly Wiggly of all places. Behind the service counter locked up limited to one bottle per customer.

I just recently tried Basil Hayden's for the first time....not too bad at all for around $35 at Sam's club liquor stores

Angel's Envy as a first choice. Amador Double Barrel definitely worth finding as well.

I agree

It's great there are so many options.

I personally go for Russel's Reserve (just regular 10 year old, not single barrel), or maybe Wild Turkey Rare Breed. They're the only 2 Wild Turkey products I can even partially abide, but they're about my favorites at any price.

Then again, almost no one else likes these bourbons, so I suppose you'll have to suck it up & go try a few dozen for yourself. I've no doubt you're up for the challenge!

Salud!

FC

I like Larceny

Is $50 the 5 gallon bucket price?

Lotsa TOO smooth bourbons here....simple boring taste.

Old Granddad 100 P. Bottled in Bond....ice won't hurt it.

2 1/2" round ice ball in tumbler ....4-5 ounces Old GD.

I like Woodford and here on base, it sometimes goes on sale for 19.95. Suffice it to say, I buy a case . Buffalo Trace is also excellent and Wild Turkey 101 is a "sleeper good" buy.

Woodford

Wild turkey 101

Weller private reserve

Bulleit

I like Jack Daniels

Another Chebbie vs Ferdge thread.

Eagle Rare
Hudson Baby Bourbon

I'm new to drinking Bourbon, Scotch and Whiskey, other than some partying in the late '70s early 80s

So far I like the wheated whiskeys a little better most notably Weller. The Blanton's is great but it is well over 50$ I also really enjoy Buffalo Trace. For cheap whiskey Evan Williams black at under 20$ is a bargain.
t
Edit: As I stated I'm new at trying Bourbon and Whiskey so my preferences and taste may evolve some as time goes on.

Pic at "The Barn" where I hang out, work on firearms, reload, drink and listen to music.

Eagle Rare, Angel's Envy, and Elijah Craig. That's my regular stuff.

My current favorite is Treaty Oaks ”Red Handed.”

John

All about your taste preference. I like George Dickel No. 12 but drink Pendleton or Crown Black most of the time. Oops, none of those are bourbons....

101 Wild Turkey

Lots of personal preference factors in to this decision.

I have sampled many bourbons and whiskeys. I still like Jack Daniels, Wild Turkey 101 is a sleeper as stated above. Basil Hayden is good and have recently been drinking a brand called Backbone, both prime and uncut. There are probably some I have forgot.

That is the beauty of all the choices, keep sampling.

Buffalo Trace, is one I do not personally do not like.

Rock Hill Farms, before it became unobtanium.

Not bourbon, but for me, by far, Gentleman Jack, neat.

Woodford and Basil Hayden

If you find it at retail, Rock Hill Farms, Elmer T Lee, or Weller 12, but you probably can’t.
On the maybe can find, EH Taylor or Eagle Rare.

For the obtainable: Elijah Craig , Buffalo Trace or Woodford
On the Rye side of things, Sazerac or Old Forrester.

Woodford

Got a bottle of "Cave Creek" to take to deer camp.
Supposed to be some of the best?????? We will see.

For the obtainable, it's 1792 for $30 @Total Wine. Can't beat it.

Weller Antique 107 is by far my favorite.
I did pick up some Old Forester Prohibition Style that is excellent also.

Jim Beam Black.

Jefferson's Very Small Batch
Knob Creek

Turkey 101, Bulleit, Dickel, Henry McKenna and Rebecca Creek.

Blantons, basil Hayden’s, and four roses

Four roses, basil hayden, buffaloe trace. But I like four roses the best.

Evan Williams.

Whoops, my bad. You said $50, not $15

If I could get Blantons under $50...that'd be the one!

Otherwise Knob Creek or Buffalo Trace.

When discussing liquor prices per bottle, are we discussing 750ml, 1L, etc. ??

Thank you

^

still not bad, i like the Evan Williams 1783.

Skunk Brothers Spirts in Stevenson WA makes American Road Bourbon. Great small batch likker. Gonna stop by on my way to hunting camp.

Jefferson’s very small batch at $38-ish for the win

[quote=gunzo]When discussing liquor prices per bottle, are we discussing 750ml, 1L, etc. ??

Thank you


Good question. I’m referring to .750ml. It’s more like the old fifth and I didn’t go metric.

I mix it with $0.79 Big K Cola.

Cheap date.

+1 Tastes as good as Blanton's or even Pappy's for me.

Bourbon taste is personal & varies a lot with people, though.

Buffalo Trace is raw tasting to me, won't touch it; lots of others I can tolerate.

MM

No longer drink, but Very Old Barton Bottled in Bond was a favorite. I think it was about 20 bucks a liter a few years ago. It and Four Roses Single Barrel were go-to choices.

My favorite in the 90's was Maker's Mark Gold Wax, smooth and deadly.

Best bargain ever bottled.

Had some of this the other nite at a friends.

That ain't Bourbon, and it damn sure ain't under fifty bucks!

oh.
I'm a scholar...


or not.

It was better than bourbon
and I did not ask about price.
How much is it?

I don't know about the latest releases but it used to be $200 easy. Who knows these days.

And yes, the ones I've tasted were extremely fine.

I love Irish Whiskey, and that looks like a good one indeed. It ought to be at $185 for 750ml.

Nice.
I should stop over again, soon.....

x2!!! 2nd choice Knob Creek.

Knob creek is my go to. neat for me.
Elija Craig, neat as well
Woodford is good with an ice cube.


If you haven't seen it yet, I recommend the documentary "Neat, the story of bourbon."

I'm not really a bourbon fan but I do really like Evan Williams Peach and Honey (Cherry is very good too for that matter). The peach is almost as good as Crown Peach at about half the price.

Lets drink, get drunk, tell big lies!!

But it is sublime.

Bulliet bourbon, cedar ridge

A visiting son and I are sipping G&T's (him) and a Martini's (me) both via Gordon's. Watching Velocity and about time to hit the sack..

Trace. $42 for 1.75 liters. Hard to beat. 101 is decent.

Are they as good as Fireball?

Did you see the photo of Pelosi lecturing Trump today? I think that's what she was saying. "STFU, DJT!" He looks like a fourth grader being scolded by his teacher. Historic photo. Actually, she said, "All roads seem to lead to Putin with the President." New polls say 52% of voters support impeaching Trump and removing him from office. He's a piece of sh*t, just like you.

Just enjoying a little Trace right now, watching all the corruption coming to light. Why did Trump task Mnuchin and Barr to intervene on behalf of Halkbank?

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...-to-lengthy-push-to-avoid-halkbank-trial

Sir, last time I was in your neck of the woods I had to squeeze myself into some little room off a smoky Livingston casino to buy booze and the lady bent me over something fierce!!
The 1.75 of beam I bought for the week long elk hunt was north of $50! It’s $17 here at Costco...

Needless to say I can imagine the cost of a globe of delicious blantons would be a challenge to squeeze in under 50

Bottled in bond for me. Rittenhouse or Old Granddad.

Buffalo Trace

Of course you do! LOL

Rabbit Hole...... I enjoy it almost as much as Pappy.

Makers and Buffalo Trace.

Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve. Noticeably better than the standard and worth the extra coin.

Wish I could still get Old Forester 1897 BiB.

What is the world coming to?

I bought some of that Old Grandad BIB a little while back and really liked it for the money. I'll buy it again.

Sorry JTman I couldn't resist.

Never buy hard liquor in Montana if you can help it. It is a state controlled product with a whopping 40% tax.

I figured I'd get a response like this lol, it's all good.

Rittenhouse makes a pretty good Rye too.

Gets ya drunk a little faster too.

Formerly a Weller 7-yr old drinker. But now prefer Buffalo Trace when I don't want to open another bottle of Eagle Rare from my stash.

$50?

Wild Turkey Rare Breed is pretty damn underrated IMO.

I did the same, and I will again also. It's a heck of a value in today's market.

I tried the Eagle Rare. Not bad at all, but prefer the Woodford

If you can find it, W.L. Weller 12- year is fantastic. Problem is, the word is out on this coveted bourbon, with secondary sellers asking up to $400 for the original $40 bottle of wheated bourbon. If you can't find it, spend $20 on the W.L. Weller Special Reserve and put the other $30 in your pocket.

Costco here has buffalo trace for $20 so based on all the recommendations here I grabbed one..
I know I’m in the minority but I wasn’t impressed at all

You can't find it. I'm on a couple of lists for this year's release next month. May score a bottle......and may not.

This is what I keep around for guests and have a little, myself.

+10

Picked up a bottle last week.

Great buy!

The 120 is outstanding, the 80 is not bad, but the 100 is almost undrinkable... and often cheaper than the 80...

Rittenhouse DOES make a good rye. It's about the best I've found for a real Manhattan

You are certifiable...It is like a candy treat for me. Love it.

Whether you're in the minority or not, you're right. Buffalo Trace just isn't that good.

Based on your post I picked up the last bottle of the Special Reserve on the way home. They didn't have the 12 yo, of course. They kept the SR in the back as they can only get a few bottles of it at at time, however.

I'll report back on how it is. Probably tomorrow evening as we have plans for tonight.

Try to find the store picks

I actually like Buffalo Trace. One of my go-to bourbons. The Liquor Barn store picks are single barrel, same price and tastier. $20-26
Their Col Taylor small batch ($40) is really good, the other versions i.e. single barrel, 4 grain, rye, etc...are $60 and up.

Woodford is always good $30-38.

Knobs Creek single barrel is good, but the store picks are much better. I have one that is 14 years old. Again the same price. $44-46

Baker from Jim Beam is also a good bourbon for $45-50. They are releasing a 13 year version tomorrow, but not locally.

Johnny Drum, and Rowans Creek from Willett's Distillery are both really good ($30-40)

Henry Mekenna 10 year single barrel used to be a $30-40 bourbon and is really good, but I am having trouble finding it lately. Secondary market for that is crazy for some unknown reason.

To find the Weller 12 here in KY, you have to know when they are releasing it, and be towards the front of the line when the store opens. I was in line at 5 am the last time I got a bottle of it.

For $15 bourbon that is actually drinkable, try Heaven Hill green label 6 year old. This may only be available in KY, but not sure.

Since you posted that I've done an extended scientific field test on this product, seeins how the local ABC put the big jug on the shelf for $25.95 After two of the 1.75L jugs have gone empty with a little help from the wife who enjoys a cherry coke n bourbon now & then (with the cocktail cherries pre-soaked about half & half with the juice), I've come to a firm conclusion. For less than $26 this is one heck of a deal. Enjoyed neat, with a cube or two if not in the mood for heat, or with a splash of Coke for a true Southern Cocktail. After all, Coke is a pretty complex mixer with a lot of flavor tones that compliment bourbon in particular. Then the cherry part. Not my calling exactly with the Coke mix, but the marinated cherries are a humdinger of a cocktail snack after soaking for a week or so.

So baldhunter I hereby nominate you for a big BOO YAH in honor of your contribution to High Class Controlled Imbibery, from here forward the HCCI Award. Good stuff.

Don't get drunk no more. From what I can remember it weren't worth the pain. But it's what I CAN'T remember that's more bothersome. And many times I found being drunked into telling the truth was a lot worse than telling lies.

I bought a case of McKenna 10 yr and drank it. Now it’s non-existent here. Wish I could find some more. Good stuff.

I drink my whiskey straight up, so that's where I'm coming from when I recommend anything. Pretty hard to tell which whiskey is better when you've got Kool Aid or some f u c king fruit in it or some such. No "branch water" or whatever. No fooking ice. Just whiskey. Sometimes chilled, more often not.

Basil Haydens at Sam's Club for $35 a bottle is a bargain!

I say Black Jack

bulliet

Jim Beam Black

Basil Hayden

Trying to empty this bottle. And yea.....this time I'm diluting with a little water. LOL. If 80 proof......definitely neat.

Not Bourbon.

Technically it is. Lincoln County process doesn’t take it out of the bourbon category

Highly recommend 4 roses, I tried buffalo trace I like it but will take 4 roses or basil Hayden. My wife is not a whiskey drinker, it’s wine for her but she tried four roses and really liked it.

Costco had a mag for $39.99 so I figured that was a good price and snagged one.

Best American whisky I've tried recently is Dickel Bottled in Bond. Thirteen years old, tastes good, smells great. $36-$37 a bottle around here, but the price may edge up as stores run out of it. Limited distribution so not available everywhere.

Thirteen year old whiskey sub $40 is amazing.

I have a bottle of Larceny. I like it. It is a wheated bourbon which I like. I really like Weller.

got some WL weller special reserve..... not as good as buffalo trace.

It’s good whatever it is, doesn’t let you lose your place when you are dancing with your wifey after about 20 Jack and waters.

I can’t find a bottle of Buffalo Trace anywhere by me. Want to give it a try.

i tried some old granddad wasn't bad.

The ingredients are like bourbon. It is a sour mash though. But it's what I prefer when I want a bourbon. I just picked up a fifth of Jack Single Barrel which is 94 proof. But it's a little north of $50.00. I used to drink that overseas when I would buy it at the airport in duty free stores for under $30.00. It's smooth and wonderful and has a nice kick.

But I must say, I've tried almost all types of whiskeys and Jack just tastes the best to me. Then everybody's tastes are different so there's no one best whiskey.

Back when I was a kid there was a cheap blended whiskey called four roses. I think it doubled as a hair tonic. Now I see they have a decent bourbon by that name. What's the world coming to? LOL!

Dickey Rye doesn’t suck and is way less than $50. Haven’t had the BIB.

Yep it's good stuff. I've bought a bottle or two.

Lots of good Bourbons in that price range. This Is my favorite.

Basil Hayden

This list pretty well represents my tastes except I put Black Jack, which is technically not quite Bourbon, at the top of them all.

I bet they put ice in it, too!

I call 750 a fifth. I know it's probably a thimble or two off but close enough.

They still put out the cheap four roses. I like the single barrel 4 roses, so thought I’d try the cheap bottle. I ended up pouring it out after I tried it. Nasty stuff still.

All of it.


Every last little bitty bit of it.

They couldn't make it any worse.

Elijah Craig or Bullitt, under $20, Buffalo Trace.

Is there any other way for a man to drink whiskey? I can understand a drop or two of branch to open it up, but thats about it.

I prefer sour mash. And that's what Jack D is.

I've tried few bottles of BIB Jim Beam,but still think the BIB Old Granddad is better. Like the BIB Rittenhouse too, but it's a Rye.

bought some rebel yell today.

It's okay. Pretty much just Weller's with a cooler label.

There have been lots of recommendations for good daily drinkers in the $20-30 range, such as Maker's Mark, Bulleit, Eagle Rare, etc. And while all those are quite good (Maker's Mark is a particular favorite), the OP asked for the best bourbon under $50. In the $40-50 range there are some that are simply better than anything you can get for less.

Angel's Envy - The best bourbon I've had for anything near $50.
Jefferson Reserve - A real treat and the regular Jefferson's small batch is quite good also.
Four Roses Single Barrel - I keep finding that my bottle of this is almost empty, which must mean I'm picking it regularly.

taste better than wellers to me.