How low will you go?

[RedVette]

What is the least expensive bottle that you will take a shot out of, voluntarily? One that you rebuy when it is empty. I'm talking about home from work, midweek, need a shot to smooth out the end the day kind of drink. Beam Black?, Old Forrester?, OGD86?

How low do you go, and what do you pay for it in your neck of the woods?

[barturtle]

Easy!

Very Rare Old Heaven Hill 10yo 100proof. About $10.50 or so in Louisville.

Very Old Barton 6yo 100proof is about the same price.

[ILLfarmboy]

Weller Antique 107 $16.99 a fifth. But at a bar if someone "buys a round of shots" what the heck I'll drink whatever they buy.

[TNbourbon]

Easy!

Very Rare Old Heaven Hill 10yo 100proof. About $10.50 or so in Louisville.

Very Old Barton 6yo 100proof is about the same price.

I have those, plus the ones Rob opened with, and just opened a 200ml of VOB 90 proof (Bill Friel era, triangular label), poured half into the glass. Who knows? I might get ritzy tonight and chase it with some ND Old Crow.

[RoyalWater]

The one that perfectly fits your description for me is (don't choke) Seagram's VO. I keep a 375 around which costs 6.85. Bourbon wise I like Ancient Ancient Age at 12.15 a L.

[JamesH007]

I second the AAA; and forget exactly how much it was. I think around $15 for a Litre.

[TimmyBoston]

I don't take shots, so I can't really comment specifically on shots. But I enjoy Old Forrester 100, neat, and it's around $13 a bottle and I have a special fondness for drinking EW 1783 which I also drink neat and it's $10 a bottle, I actually prefer the cheaper 1783 over the OF 100. Neither is very favorite, but IMO they are both very drinkable and I keep always try to keep them on hand.

[cowdery]

VOB would probably be the least expensive, although I generally have no aversion to cheap bourbon. I do always try to have VOB on hand and if I don't feel a particular urge to drink something else, the VOB is what I grab. It's also the only thing I routinely buy in the 1.75 L size, but that's mainly because I can only get it in Kentucky. A 1.75 of VOB BIB is less than $20.

[T47]

It would be Evan Williams Black Label $12.95, closely followed by Henry Mckenna $13.75 here in the great State of WA.

I don't mind them at all, and I like to have them around to do Chucks Age vs. Youth tasting suite when I have friends over.

[nor02lei]

Even thou hard to find I can get Forester 96 in 1 litre bottle for about 25 euro, and it is real good bourbon in the same class as Forester 100 that’s not for sale here in Europe.

Leif

[Edward_call_me_Ed]

for the purpose of this post, 100 yen equals a buck. The last time I knew the exchange rate it was 120 to the US dollar. But to me 100 yen feels like a buck. I will give prices in yen.

Most of the things mentioned above are either unavailable or too expensive here for the purpose of this thread.

The one time I saw VOB on the shelf it was 1,650. The EW no age statement 1,500. Weller Antique 107 2,360. AA can be under 1,000 yen and is not a bad whiskey at all IMHO. I have a bottle open and will replace it if I ever empty it. Might be a while. The selection at home is too good.

Two come to mind are Early Times Straight Kentucky Bourbon 980 off the shelf. I just had a pour and it was OK. In Japan many restaurants will keep a bottle for you. You buy it and then you can drink it whenever you go to that restaurant. Of course, you pay a premium for this service. I have a bottle keep of Early Times at a place near my work.

The other is I. W. Harper Gold Medal 80 proof. If I wait for sale prices I can get this for about 1,640. This is not just a drinkable bourbon but a genuinely good bourbon. Especially in the summertime.

At this price point another good bourbon is Jim Beam Choice. One more is Rebel Yell at 1,100.

Ed

[jspero]

Pikesville Rye - $9/750ml or EW 1783 - $11/750ml.

Jay

[Ubertaster]

Rittenhouse Rye $11.99 and is also one of my favorite pours.

bj

[SBOmarc]

Ogd 86

[doubleblank]

The key element for me being "....rebuy when empty...." leaves Weller 12 as the lowest priced bourbon I always keep on hand. Of course, I won't need to rebuy this anytime soon as I ended up with about 8 cases from the four SW single barrels we purchased fall '05. And it runs about $16 here.

Randy

[BobA]

VOB 90 is $10 here, and there's not much cheaper. Happy to drink it, and will re-buy just because its such a good value. The Benchmark I bought a while back was also $10, IIRC, and although it was fine, it's gone and not replaced.

Bob

[smokinjoe]

Ezra Brooks 90 proof. Between $15 and $16 for a 1.75 here. I was well into my bourbon exloration, (and quite uppity about what I drank, I may add), when my dad intro'd me to this one a couple of years back. I didn't expect much, but came away much impressed. I've kept it onboard ever since.

JOE

[Ambernecter]

I have on occasion bought Golden Sun from the Lidl store in England. It is around £8.50 for a bottle and ain't great but for the money it's Bourbon and just about okay to drink straight up.

That is as low as I go!

Anyone know who makes Golden Sun btw?

[TBoner]

Ogd 86

Ditto. $13.49 is the cheapest I've seen it here. Will also go for Charter 10 at the same price...but I found a place with Charter 12 for $1 more, so...I guess until they realize how underpriced it is, that's my "bottom-shelf" pour.

All of the above is contingent on the fact that I don't do shots, so it's neat sippin' only. Can't go lower than 86 proof for that too often.

[AVB]

Another vote for Pikesville Rye. $9 a bottle plus tax.

[RedVette]

At least half of the responses to my question are not readily available in Oklahoma. No Barton, no Heaven Hill, no Rittenhouse, No AAA. I will pick up a few of the others mentioned and audition them, heck I can buy 4 or 5 of these for the price of one Birthday Bourbon or equivelant.

To be continued...

[cowdery]

Give Ten High a try. I haven't had any recently, but always found that a good bottom shelf buy, and it's generally available everywhere.

The big thing to avoid is most "store brand" whiskey. That's usually the worst thing going.

[jsgorman]

Ancient Ancient Age is great stuff. Its pretty much Blantons without the fancy bottle and all.

[Gillman]

Ten High, agreed, also (any) VOB. I like Olde Heaven Hill BIB, too.

Gary

[Edward_call_me_Ed]

I forgot to mention Old Overholt. Good value and good whiskey.

Ed