I goes into the closest SPEC’s and ask for an entry-level whiskey. Walked out with some G. Dickle 8 classic recipe…
Is sour mash really an entry level whiskey? I was thinking of Canadian Club. Hell I could have picked Crown Royal.
Anyway I’m trying it straight. And indeed it is whiskey. I’m liking it. What should I buy next? For under $20.
E,
get some G.Dickey Rye and pour a side by side compare taste…
see what the rye brings to the front
Homebrewer you. Make your own.
Google UJSSM
I’m a bourbon drinker. I love the stuff. I don’t know prices where you are but probably the best lowest priced “passable” boubon you can buy that is ~20 is Maker’s Mark. There’s also Bulleit and Buffalo Trace and a few others I can think of.
Now, these are whiskeys that I am assuming you mean to drink on the rocks or neat, which is the only way whiskey should be consumed. The whiskeys you mentioned above are all whiskeys meant to be cut into other drinks like coke or what not, which I have little respect for.
You will find some solid offerings in the $30 range such as Knob Creek, Wild Turkey Rare Breed, Woodford Reserve and then the stuff gets sublime from there but also sublimely expensive.
But I normally keep a bottle of Maker’s around all the time because it is an easy drinking whiskey that satisfies a pleasurable evening of watching movies with family or smoking cigars in the hot tub but won’t break the budget.
As a bonus: One of the nicest “reasonably priced” bourbons I have gotten to try lately is “Town Branch” which was around $30. What a treat, comparable to $40 and $50 offerings.
+1 to Maker’s, Woodford, and Knob Creek - neat or on rocks. Good stuff.
Lately, I’ve been a fan of Knob Creek. We did a horizontal tasting of our small collection at home (Buffalo Trace, Makers, Knob Creek, Elijah Craig 12 and two others I can’t remember…) and Knob Creek 100 proof was my favorite. A lot of good vanillin in that one.
Maker’s is a darn good bourbon and I like it a lot. I also like Canadian whiskeys and Crown is a blend I prefer as of today. Templeton Rye adds a little spice and I guess I drink it because it is make in my home state and one of Capone’s favorites. Let me know if you find a good sour mash. I have had some really good sour mash whiskeys but most of them were clear and without a label ;) A friend of mine used to drink a lot of Templeton Rye but it was also somewhat clear. He was from there and told me that a lot of the locals claim to have the recipie. 
Correct me if I’m wrong, but the Templeton Rye base spirit is made by MGP, a bioplastics food conglomerate, in Indiana. (95% rye, 5% barley) That base spirit is sold to several different brands to make several different whiskeys like Templeton Rye, Bulleit Rye, Willet, George Dickel Rye, etc.
So long story short, it may not be made in your home state.
+1 to Makers. I always have a bottle around and as mentioned above, Knob Creek is really good too. I also will grab a bottle of Buffalo Trace ($25) every now and then, which my wife prefers to Makers. I also like Blanton’s which I will pick up when my local store has it on sale for $36 (normally $45-$50). Not too long ago I had Four Roses Yellow Label and it was pleasantly good for a bourbon that I’ve seen in stores for less than $20.
I’m told Evan Williams is a decent bourbon at a low low price point. I dunno, I’m not a terribly huge bourbon drinker.
My preference is for scotch. At Specs you might be able to find even a few single malt scotches below $30 (Glenlivet, Macallan 10 and sometimes 12, Glenmorangie, etc.) but blended scotches are certainly accessible in the $20s if not sometimes cheaper. I’m partial to Dewar White Label, Johnny Black, or Johnny Red for a blend but Cutty Sark and Chivas Regal are fine. Blended scotches are similar to Canadian whiskeys but IMO smoother but more flavorful, more like an Irish whiskey. However, when you get the $10 handle of blended scotch you’re getting what you pay for. Can be mixed or drank straight.
AmandaK your probably right. Just goes to show you can’t always believe documentaries! :o It is bottled there…seen that 
+1 for Bulleit, which I actually like a bit better than Maker’s Mark. It’s especially good in Alton Brown’s egg nog recipe. My favorite bourbon though has to be Blanton’s. At $50 per 750 mL it’s not cheap, but it’s really smooth with a nice vanilla character.
Speaking of Alton Brown, he recently posted a podcast with Julian Van Winkle owner of the Old Rip Van Winkle distillery. It’s a really interesting discussion of bourbon (with a bourbon tasting afterwards) for those who are into that kind of thing.
http://www.nerdist.com/2013/10/the-alton-browncast-15-julian-van-winkle/
Opinions being what they are, and everyone having one and all that, I have to disagree somewhat here.
You can get decent bourbons under $20. Ancient Age is, in my opinion, pretty damn good for the price. Very Old Barton 100 proof needs a splash of water but is also a decent sipper. Anything by Weller, though some of them push up over $20. Weller is supposedly the same juice that goes into Pappy Van Winkle, which is much much pricier.
Makers is OK. Probably better than OK, but not something I typically stock. Not a huge fan of Buffalo Trace but it’s OK, too. You can do better for the money, IMO.
In the mid-$20s I like Wathen’s and Elmer T. Lee. In the pricier range, I enjoy Four Roses Single Barrel and Noah’s Mill (bottled by KBD but distilled by others). Shared some Blanton’s with a friend last week and it was better than I recalled but still over priced (again, IMO).
I’ve heard the same, and have a bottle in my cabinet. On the bottom shelf next to the Beam. OK for mixing or using in a BBQ sauce or mop sauce.
Elijah Craig gets a lot of praise, too. It’s OK.
You are not wrong. Rye is a whole 'nother thread and I could go on an on. Can’t beat the Sazerac rye if/when you can get it.
Here’s a fun read which can maybe also give Euge some guidance on what to try next.
http://www.gq.com/life/food/201311/bourbon-whiskey-family-tree
I went on a budget bourbon spree last year (or maybe two years ago) and Ancient Age, VOB and Weller were the best of the bunch. You can also check out StraightBourbon.com and other sites dedicated to whiskey.
IIRC, most bourbons are sour mash. Not all, but it’s a typical process.
Also, some have wheat, some have rye added to the grain bill. Different flavors and all that.
I agree that Ancient Age is not too bad rot gut, but it’s not great and less than OK in my opinion. very old Barton is rot gut though. Shocked you find it acceptable. But just goes to show you different strokes…
I certainly don’t think Maker’s is a great bourbon, but is is great for the price. In fact, for the price and for commonly found bourbons I think it is about as good as you’ll find.
I also found Four Roses Yellow Label to be acceptable for making bourbon infusions. I made an apple pie bourbon that’s not half bad with Four Roses. $20 for 1.75L.
Haven’t bought it in a couple years. Better than Evan Williams for sure, but like I said it needed some water. We’re talking $12 fifths and at that price point I thought it was among the better ones I tried. And I tried a whole bunch. I guess it’s kind of like arguing about who is the tallest midget. I don’t recommend any of the Heaven Hill bottles, BTW.
Have you had any of the Weller? I’d be interested in your take. My recollection is the Special Reserve was pretty good. I had a bottle of the Antique and found it a little rough. In the same vein as the VOB. Needed some water. A bit harsh. And of course I bought the 1.75L.
I’d like to try the Ancient Ancient Age, which is supposed to be outstanding. But apparently you can only get it in Louisville or some deal like that.
I don’t mean to knock Maker’s. I’ve had plenty and may pick up a bottle with the holiday packaging and two free glasses. But it’s just sort of middle of the road. I think there’s better for the price point. But you can also go the other way and spend a lot on a mediocre whiskey, so Maker’s is a solid and safe bet.
Agree w/Maker’s being middle of the road. No argument there. But for an everyday whickey it does the job for me. I’d much prefer a higher end bourbon for everyday, but I’m poor. 
I have enjoyed Wellers but can’t find it anywhere here. They had a wheat out a few years ago that was great.
As far as Evan Williams goes there was an Evan Williams single barrel bourbon out a few years ago that was very good for the $20 price. I might even go as far as to say outstanding - for $20.
Thanks for the replies! I wasn’t really meaning bourbon but now realize that the class is inseparable from American whiskeys. And to be sure I’m not really aware of the distinction other than Kentucky Bourbon appellation.
Makers, Weller, Ancient Age, Wild Turkey… Hell they all sound great to me! Aiming at maybe a new bottle every week but not wanting to break the bank either.
And I almost always drink liquor neat or on the rocks. Occasionally, I’ll do club soda but even that smacks of being a real pussy. : I want to investigate the flavor! Roll it on my tongue.
And never a hangover drinking that way.
In hot weather I like a bourbon with ginger ale. Can’t be beat. Mix it strong and keep 'em coming.
I’ll keep my eye out for Evan William’s single barrel. All I’ve seen is the black label.
Someone should start a thread on rye. I’ve got opinions on rye, too!