Let's discuss value - Best Booze Under X

[humchan2k]

Ok, here's one thing I notice here....we discuss price, we discuss value, we discuss flavor, but we rarely ever see any discussion or listing of people's fave juice under given price points...so, let's do it. This is for bourbon only, but I will do this in the Rye group as well....

I want you to give me your personal fave picks for bourbon under 6 distinct price points...ready? Hopefully this will work for a way for some folks to see new suggestions of great stuff and to get inspiration.... I'll start (All prices should INCLUDE sales tax, this is the final purchase price here, folks)

Under $20 - I'm a bitch, I don't like any bourbon under $20....except maybe Ancient Age? I dunno, there's not a lot to choose from here in LA that's under $20....suggestions appreciated!

$21-30 - Buffalo Trace. Why? Cuz. Makes great mixers, and can be had neat or on the rocks...and just delivers value like a champion. Love it. (Quick shout out to Bulleitt as my 2nd place finisher, we're really good homies still, aight?)

$31-45 - Ezra B 12 yr single barrel - my intro to single barrel bourbon, this was my gateway bourbon that brought me into this whole obsession. Every time I have it, it brings me back to that moment...always nice, and typically about $35/bottle, on the bottom of this range.

$46-60. Here we have the sweet spot - you can get almost any booze you want in this range that's decent, but not the top flight stuff, all the goodies are here like Rockhill Farms, BMH, Pappy 15 (in some places)..... My pick - Blanton's Single Barrel. Best bottle design EVER (I call it the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch,) and it's the single barrel bourbon that kicked off the entire small batch craze...for $50, how can you argue against it?!?!?!

$61-80 - Stagg. Duh.

$81-Whatever - Pappy 20. Again, duh. I don't, as a rule, spend over $100 on a bottle of booze.....and Stagg costs less than $80, so it gotta be the 20.

Add on! Oh, and please, let's keep this discussion to current products, I don't give a damn that you picked up a dusty of Old Forester from '85 and it cost $12, and you think I should try it. Sorry, padna, that ain't relevant.

[Halifax]

Too many to list @ $20++...

Under $20 IMHO, you can't go wrong with OGD BIB, EC12 or OWA.

[unclebunk]

Too many to list @ $20++...

Under $20 IMHO, you can't go wrong with OGD BIB, EC12 or OWA.

I'll have to give this whole list thing some thought. But EC12 and OWA

for under $20?!? Man, I'm looking at $26-$28 for EC12 these days and OWA is now a solid $22+. Bummer for me but extremely glad for you!:grin:

[White Dog]

I'll play along.

Under $20: OGD BIB and VOB BIB. No surprises.

$21-$30: Antique, WT101, OGD114.

$31-$45: Weller12, WTRB, FRSB, ETL, ORVW107, EC18(On certain days.).

$46-$60: RHF, WTKS, Vintage Bourbon 17yr.

$61-$80: GTS, WLW, Pappy 15.

$81plus: FRSB2009LE, Pappy 20, and AH Hirsch 16.

[kickert]

I don't think in that many categories.

Under 20: AAA10

20-30: Weller 12 / EWSB / ETL

30-50: WTRB

50+: Pappy 15 / GTS

90% of my bourbon purchases are in the $20-30 range.

[chperry]

I guess I am lucky. I can get WL Weller Special Reserve for less than $20. so:

<20 WL Weller Special Reserve

20-30 Bulleitt

30-50 WT Rare Breed

50+ Pappy

[Parkersback]

I guess I am lucky. I can get WL Weller Special Reserve for less than $20. so:

<20 WL Weller Special Reserve

20-30 Bulleitt

30-50 WT Rare Breed

50+ Pappy

I think I'm even luckier: I can get Weller 12 now for $20 + tax!

I'll play, but I'll also cheat with more than one answer for each

Under 20: Evan Williams Black or Ritt BIB (I'll stick this here since I haven't had enough ryes to do this same game on the rye thread).

21-30: Weller 12 or ETL

31-45: Jack Daniels Single Barrel. I was converted to this by a fellow SB'er. Here's hoping the other barrels are as good as his. I'd also add JDSB's cousin, Woodford Reserve. I know this stuff is little like the wannabe little brother around here, but when it's good, it's great, I think. Sweet without being coy, rich and a great nose.

46-60: PVW 15... Though I'm trying to remember if the last bottle I bought was maybe a touch over 60. Can't recall.

61-80: WLW Antique Collection. I've only had one glass of this in a bar, but it was great. Finally located a bottle, but not yet opened.

81-Whatever. PVW 20.

[ThomasH]

My favorites, while ignoring price points (I have worked diligently for almost 27 years so that I don't need to worry about booze budgeting) are WTRR101, Weller 12 and Hancocks Reserve. There are others I also like, but these 3 are plums on my taste buds!

Thomas

[OscarV]

The first one has me stumped, under 20?

WT 101 here in MI is $19.97 but the 6% sales tax elimitates that.

MI doesn't have AAA but the next time I am in KY I need to pick one up because it gets a lot of love here on SB.com.

[TheGentleman]

Great thread...

Under 20: AAA10 and Jim Beam Distiller's Series (I picked up several bottles when Sam's Club was selling them at $10/piece

21-30: WLW12

31-50: ORVW10yr107, Lot B, RHF

51 +: Pretty much just stock up on Pappy when I see it. Still wasn't able to locate any GTS or WLW

[Josh]

With two or three exceptions, I think anything over $60 is not worth the money.

[bourbonNOOG]

Under $20: This one came to me immediately. Ritt BIB can be had for 18.99 in these parts.

$21-$30: EWSB and Ezra Brooks SB.

$31-$45: Willet Pot still reserve, FRSB and OFBB.

$46-$60: WTKS and Bookers.

$61-$80: The obvious is GTS and Pappy 15, and FR120th. WTAS would also be in this category for me, although I did grab a bottle of this the other day for $49.99 but it's usually in the $70 range.

$81plus: Pappy 20 and some of the WRMC offerings. If I see a bottle of 4 grain or Seasoned Oak, I buy it.

[Parkersback]

With two or three exceptions, I think anything over $60 is not worth the money.

Do tell, Josh. I know your love for 4R, so I'm assuming one of the ones you're thinking of is... Mariage?

[Halifax]

I'll have to give this whole list thing some thought. But EC12 and OWA

for under $20?!? Man, I'm looking at $26-$28 for EC12 these days and OWA is now a solid $22+. Bummer for me but extremely glad for you!:grin:

Fortunately our state ran ABC runs monthly specials. You can see what's on sale for the the next 3 months on their website. I only make purchases at our ABC when things are on sale.

Sale price (750ml):

OGD BIB = $15.95

EC12 = $17.95

OWA = $18.95

Come to think of it... Henry McKenna 10yr SB on sale @ $19.95 is a darn good value too.

[The Boozer]

With two or three exceptions, I think anything over $60 is not worth the money.

[Josh]

Do tell, Josh. I know your love for 4R, so I'm assuming one of the ones you're thinking of is... Mariage?

[chefnash51]

Under $20: WSR

$21-$30: ETL - Weller 12 - EC12

$31-$45: WTRB - ORVW10/107

$46-$60: Lot B

$61-$80: PHC 10

+$80: Pappy 20.

[flintlock]

I also break my categories down differently, sorry...

< $20: VOB BiB 100, EW White Label BiB, and AAA 10 star (and 10 year), all are REALLY solid pours from the shelves closest to the floor. Also Ritt BiB 100 is a great value here - never paid more than $19 for it so far.

$20 - 45: ORVW and Lot B. Hands down the best value going. I would add Bulleit, OWA and WT101 as amazing values in this segment.

> $45: I'm relatively new to this, but I don't usually play in this arena as I can get such splendid whiskey for less. I don't have access to Stagg and some of the rarities, and I'm sure they're worth seeking out, but I'd rather have a case of ORVW than 2 bottles of anything else in the world.

[ThomasH]

One thing nice about Ohio, despite being a control state, is that WT101 is 19.95/750 for much of the year, tax included. Santa came through ths year as it also had a 5.00 a bottle rebate for any bottle 750 and up. I ended up with a handle of it for 32.00+change. Another under 20 bottle here is OGD BIB. Good stuff if you like high rye bourbon, which I do. Beam black label used to be under 20.00 but a few years back, it caught a case off the JD inflated price virus and hasn't recovered since!

Thomas

[squire]

Under $20 Forester, Granddad, Barton and Heaven Hill, all BIB or 50%.

Under $30 Four Roses small batch

Don't pay over $30 unless the brand really appeals to me.

[StraightBoston]

Some not yet mentioned:

<$20 Four Roses Yellow Label (especially in the summer)

$21-30 Makers 46 (on sale)

$31-45 Makers 46 (full price)

+1 on OWA, OGD 114 and Ritt BIB as value pours; -1 for Lot B over $40

[DeanSheen]

$20 OWA

$21 - $30 4RSmB

$31 - $40 WTRB

$41 - $50 Lot B

$51 - $60 VWFRR

$61 + GTS

[CorvallisCracker]

Being in a nit-picking mood today (probably due to this sweater I'm wearing), I'm taking exception to "best" and "booze".

There is no "best", so I'll substitute "favorite".

As for "booze", I won't be drinking bourbon with a sauteed halibut (a nice Oregon Pinot Gris, please), so I'll substitute "bourbon".

And, as long as I'm picking at nits (wait a second while I get this one on my sleeve), price differences seriously blur your category boundaries. Most things cost more here in the Beaver State compared to most of the country except for the Wolverine State and <insert your control state here>, but Ezra 12yo goes for $25, which you have in the $31-45 category.

So I'll go by Oregon prices.

Favorite bourbon under $20

Easy. VOB. Although, nonconformist that I am, I prefer the 90 proof to the BiB. (OR price for the former is $15)

$21-30

This is a tough category. There are so many good ones. Probably ETL ($29).

$31-45

WTRB ($37)

$46-60

PVW 15 ($56.50)

$61-80

Have yet to find a ryed bourbon in this price range that I thought was better than WTRB or RHF, or a wheater that was better than VW Lot B or PVW 15 (FYI: BTAC in OR is $81.95)

$81+

PVW 20 ($101)

[IowaJeff]

Under $20: I can get EC12 on sale sometimes for under 20. Other than that I don't do a lot under $20. EW Black is always solid.

$21-$30: WT101 - old reliable - the reason I don't venture onto the bottom shelf much. BT.

$31-$45: WTRB

$46-$60: Don't buy a lot here. EC18 is usually very good for the lower end of this category.

$61-$80: Pappy 15.

+$80: 4 bottles of WT101. :cool:

[Josh]

Most things cost more here in the Beaver State, but Ezra 12yo goes for $25, which you have in the $31-45 category.

So I'll go by Oregon prices...

More? Compare those prices to the Michigan State minimum prices here: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dleg/Price_Book_FINAL_10-31_thru_1-29-11_334323_7.pdf

OK, I'll do it (all rounded to the nearest dollar, +6% sales tax; see the "gov. out of alcohol" thread for my thoughts on that, as if anybody cares):

VOB 90 (which I also sometimes like better than the BiB) $13

ETL $33

WTRB $35

Pappy 15 $65

Pappy 20 $110

In the words of Big Boi "Go on and marinate on that for a minute..."