# Cheap/Good whiskey **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 30, 2002, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-good-whiskey/106387 "2002-04-30T00:42:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![insider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@insider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/insider)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-good-whiskey/106387/1 "2002-04-30T00:42:34Z")
What is the cheapest and best tasting whiskey you can buy? ---
**Author:** ![Kevin\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de0a6/32.png) [@Kevin\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevin_H)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-good-whiskey/106387/2 "2002-04-30T03:38:47Z")
Try Bankers Club whiskey. It’s cheap, and not TOO bad. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-good-whiskey/106387/3 "2002-04-30T03:43:35Z")
Elijah Craig…12 yr old. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-good-whiskey/106387/4 "2002-04-30T05:24:33Z")
Depends what style of whiskey you’re talking about. Blended? Canadian? Irish? Scotch? Couldn’t help you, I don’t like any of those. Now, bourbon. That I know. ( **PK** likes bourbon;)) First of all, life is too short to drink cheap whiskey and dance with ugly women. (those 2 things go together. Trust me.:p) Save your pennies and buy a bottle of Bookers. It’s superb, and so smooth you won’t even notice that it’s 126 proof :eek: But if you must drink cheap whiskey, I recommend Old Crow Bourbon. I’ve seen it in Milwaukee recently for 7.29 a liter, which is pretty good for a B+ bourbon. Do not buy Ezera Brooks bourbon. Though it is (sometimes) on sale for very cheap, it is sealed with a cork and it collects the cork taste. It’s awful. This thread though belongs in IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-good-whiskey/106387/5 "2002-04-30T06:14:31Z")
Is this one question or two? Cheap varies and good is a matter of opinion. So off to IMHO. **DrMatrix** - General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Kilt-wearin\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kilt-wearin\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilt-wearin_man)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-good-whiskey/106387/6 "2002-04-30T15:05:46Z")
Irish whiskey? Jameson’s. Scotch? No such thing as cheap but good scotch. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-good-whiskey/106387/7 "2002-04-30T15:37:20Z")
Buffalo Trace burboun’s very good, quite smooth and has a nice flavor, plus its relatively inexpensive. ---
**Author:** ![Wisest\_Novel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wisest_novel/32/13329_2.png) [@Wisest\_Novel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wisest_Novel)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-good-whiskey/106387/8 "2002-04-30T16:27:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pkbites \* > \*\*Now, bourbon. That I know. ( **PK** likes bourbon;)) > > First of all, life is too short to drink cheap whiskey and dance with ugly women. (those 2 things go together. Trust me.:p) > Save your pennies and buy a bottle of Bookers. It’s superb, and so smooth you won’t even notice that it’s 126 proof :eek:\*\* I’m a little surprised, then, **pkbites** , that you called out the proof on [Booker Noe’s](http://www.smallbatch.com/default.asp?nextPage=/BookerNoe/Default.asp)[sup]1[/sup] barrel stock (or small batch). By definition, barrel bourbon is neither cut nor blended, with the result that different batches will end up with different strengths. I believe my last bottle was marked as 129 proof. As good as it is, that’s almost venturing into “too strong to properly savor” territory for me. But I’m guessing that **PK** did know that and only used a single strength to make his/her point. On the OP, my recommendation for a “cheap but good” bourbon would be [Heaven Hill](http://www.heaven-hill.com). One of the last big independent, family-owned makers of distilled spirits, their brand is a bottom shelf item I completely ignored until I happened on a review in a cigar magazine in a waiting room recently. After reading their highly favorable review, I bought a bottle. Knowing my own bourbon snobbery, I did a blind test with some friends and several middle-of-the-road bourbons (Kickin’ Chicken[sup]2[/sup], Maker’s, GrandDad, etc), and HH fared very well. If I was a Consumer’s Union lab, I’d give it a Best Buy rating for quality/price ratio. But don’t take _ **my** _ word for it. We discussed this a while back, and [Ukelele Ike](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=1932841#post1932841) had my back on this. Or I his. [sup]1[/sup]Must be legal drinking age to visit this site [sup]2[/sup]Wild Turkey 101 ---
**Author:** ![horhay\_achoa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@horhay\_achoa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/horhay_achoa)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-good-whiskey/106387/9 "2002-04-30T16:36:00Z")
Evan Williams isn’t bad, and its pretty cheap. The bottle is a Jack Daniels rip off. I like it with coke, but if I’m gonna be drinking it on the rocks, I will get Jack. ---
**Author:** ![Clever\_Hans](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9a28c/32.png) [@Clever\_Hans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clever_Hans)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-good-whiskey/106387/10 "2002-04-30T16:46:03Z")
Evan Williams green label isn’t bad. R&R are could be worse. Stay away from cheap Tequila at all costs, as well as plastic bottles. ---
**Author:** ![Clever\_Hans](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9a28c/32.png) [@Clever\_Hans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clever_Hans)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-good-whiskey/106387/11 "2002-04-30T16:47:51Z")
My first simulpost I’m so happy. **horhay\_achoa** are you those voices in my head? ---
**Author:** ![desdinova](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8baadc/32.png) [@desdinova](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/desdinova)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-good-whiskey/106387/12 "2002-04-30T19:05:10Z")
Here’s another vote for Elijah Craig… pretty cheap and tasty, I think. I like it on the rocks… Evan Williams isn’t too bad either, I think it can be had around here under $10 a liter. Jack usually runs about twice that, so Evan is more often than not my choice for coke and whiskey, or other mixed drinks. ---
**Author:** ![Godfrey\_Daniels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Godfrey\_Daniels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Godfrey_Daniels)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-good-whiskey/106387/13 "2002-04-30T22:59:56Z")
For bourbon, Ancient Age. Not Blanton’s, not even Maker’s Mark, but not total swill, either. OK, maybe it is swill, just not total swill. Can you say c-h-e-a-p? ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-good-whiskey/106387/14 "2004-05-14T16:59:55Z")
How cheap you wanna get? I have never had a problem with regular white label Jim Beam. At any rate, most bourbon is of fairly decent quality. It’s hard to go completely wrong… ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-good-whiskey/106387/15 "2004-05-14T17:02:51Z")
My dad drank Old Fitzgerald because it was pretty good for the price. However, he can’t get it anymore, so he’s on Knob Hill. I detest amber-colored booze, so my personal opinion will not help you. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-good-whiskey/106387/16 "2004-05-14T17:13:39Z")
Maker’s Mark. Good enough to sip straight, and cheap enough to use with mixers. Second choice would be Wild Turkey. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![verbenabeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c4cdca/32.png) [@verbenabeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/verbenabeast)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-good-whiskey/106387/17 "2004-05-14T17:57:56Z")
this post refers to Bourbon… For “Cheap” my vote goes for Heaven Hill Distillery’s _Fighting Cock_ brand… It is relatively smooth, not unpleasant to the taste, and you can find it on sale CHEAP! (at least in these parts)… aged 6yrs 103 proof. Good value for the dollar. As for “Good”… I am currently getting a lot of mileage out of _Conecuh Ridge_… Not technically a “bourbon”, it _IS_ distilled from bourbon mash… and is very good. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-good-whiskey/106387/18 "2004-05-14T18:36:57Z")
I don’t get it if I can help it, but I agree Evan Williams is cheap and fairly inoffensive if you mix it with Coke. I’d still rather pay the extra and get Crown, though. Although if you have some already laying around, I’m not so picky… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McDeath_the_Mad)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-good-whiskey/106387/19 "2004-05-14T21:20:42Z")
I buy [Wisers](http://www.corby.ca/en/spirits/W10.html) when I’m on a budget (I prefer Crown Royal) or am back packing (Wisers has a nice square bottle, easy to pack. I really enjoy single malt scotches, but could never get into bourbons… MtM ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2004, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-good-whiskey/106387/20 "2004-05-15T03:32:47Z")
Spring for the extra $$ and go for the Gentleman Jack. $23 at Sam’s Club. All you’ll need to enjoy it is a glass and ice cubes (optional). My best description - “All the taste without the bite” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-good-whiskey/106387.md?page=2)