Best mid priced beginner bourbon

[awhiskeydrink]

"When I was first starting out, one of the first few bourbons I got was Buffalo Trace. I thought it was a good starting bourbon because it was smooth, fairly straightforward noes and taste, and at 90 proof, its a baby step toward the higher proofs. It's not a sexy pick, but a solid one. Also, congrats on having a friend who wants to spend money on bourbon" -tehbeardman

Looking back on it, I may have given Buffalo Trace a little lower of a rating than it deserves (a 7.5/10 when it's closer to an 8). Buffalo Trace is good sippin' and great for mixing.

I included my review; Feel free to take a look if you got the time:
http://www.awhiskeydrink.com/search/...uffalo%20Trace


I came across Buffalo Trace as an alternative to Makers Mark for mixed drinks and a value brand. It came highly recommended by bluekitchen.com and did not disappoint. Buffalo Trace succeeds by being good at what it is, an above average Bourbon. Sure it scored a 7.5, but Buffalo Trace is not competing against 20 year old Pappy Van Winkle or 18 year old Single-Malt Scotch
Buffalo Trace, formerly named Ancient Age, got its name from a trail crossing where buffalo once forded the river, the Great Buffalo Trace. Since 1857 the distillery has garnered a reputation for experimenting with ages and woods. Their straight Whiskey is pronounced in vanilla and oak (Maclean).

taste - warm up front, smooth, with a burn of the back end; understated, caramel, roasted vanilla sugar, pine, citrus oil (but not oily), bark.

smell - slight metallic, oak, wood, cooked sugar, vanilla, spice.

look - copper rust, worn brass.

rating - 7.5

price - $20 - $30

Cheers,
Swift

Work Cited
MacLean, Charles. World Whiskey. New York: DK, 2009. Print.