I usually drink Knob Creek but would like to find a good bourbon at a lower price.
It’s been a while since I had any, and I don’t have a strong memory of it. I suppose that’s not much of a recommendation. For a Knob Creek fan trying to find a budget oriented daily drinker, I’d recommend looking for Old Granddad bottled in bond. It’s not only a good bourbon by any standard, it’s exceptional for the price. It’s one of my go to daily pours, especially if I want something over ice.
Regular Old Forester is paint remover, the Signature is quite pleasant, but the Birthday Bourbon is proof God loves us.
The best cheap bourbon out there is Old Weller Antique. I can find it for under $20 just about anywhere. It’s what I’m drinking right now, in fact.
“bottled in bond”
Not familiar with that term.
Bottled in Bond means it’s at 100 proof, made from a single season of a single distillery, and is stored in a government warehouse for at least 4 years. Old Granddad BIB is heavenly, as opposed to the regular offering, which most decidedly isn’t.
Anything Weller is a great drink for the price. That’s basically the base for Pappy Van.
These bourbon threads are always entertaining. I’m off to make popcorn and pull up a comfy chair.
Speaking of which, let me relate a personal tragedy. When the fall release of the Van Winkle line hit the local stores, my wife made it her mission to find a bottle. In the end I think she went to no fewer than eight stores all over town, all the while networking with other shoppers she met that day to divide up the territory, so to speak. She even met up with a few people to do a little parking lot trading as she ended up with multiples of a few bottles.
At the end of the day, I had two bottles of PVW 20, so I offered one to a friend who had not been so lucky. Unfortunately for me, my wife also offered one of the bottles to another friend, so in the end I got zero bottles. Terrible. Just terrible.
So (I read at Wiki) “like all bourbons Weller is distilled from a mash composed of at least 51% corn (maize). What makes Weller different is that its secondary grain is wheat rather than the usual rye.” What’s the difference in this “wheaty” bourbon. Is it noticeable to the casual bourbon drinker? We like Woodford Reserve, if that helps any, and I’ve always like Maker’s.
It is, like most bourbons, produced within an hour’s drive of where I live and I always feel like I should be more informed of the complexities, though I know of course about the 51% corn and aged in charred oak barrels (of which there are an abundance here).
Maker’s Mark is another Wheated Bourbon…I’d describe Bourbons made with Rye as drier, spicier, or maybe as having more “bite” than those made with Wheat.
If you like Maker’s, you’ll likely love Weller. zombywoof has it correct: ryed bourbon are “spicier.”
My profound condolences to Pork Rind. Greater love hath no man than to give up his Van Winkle for a friend.
Thanks for the replies, I’ll look for the Weller.
I’ll live. I ended up with a bottle of Pappy 15, A Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye, a George T. Stagg, a Thomas Handy, and an Eagle Rare 17. I had meant to end up with a PVW 20 instead of the Eagle Rare, but these things happen. I also had, briefly, a Pappy 23. But I didn’t want it $240 worth, so I sold it to a friend.
Oh. Well then bite me. 
Lucky bastard.
You got that right. None of those ever even hit the shelves. I was stuck at work, so I only have those bottles because my wife viewed the acquisition as a personal challenge.