as a general rule, i don't drink liquor...and when i do, it's almost as a mixed drink

that's not to say i can't appreciate quality liquor, but the fact of the matter is that i rarely find VALUE in high-priced liquors...that said, i avoid bottom-shelf liquor altogether and as such, i attempt to buy excellent bang-for-your-buck brands that won't (generally) cause more snobbish distinguishing folks to turn up their noses

the goal of this thread is to identify quality middle-shelf liquors that make good mixed drinks and could possibly be imbibed on the rocks or as a shot and actually enjoyed

i'll start off because i just did this with blended scotch for use in penicillins...last time i bought ballantine's and was pleasantly surprised...this time i bought duggan's dew and i liked it better (despite the fact that it's cheaper)

ballantine's (750mL/1.75L): $15/$33
duggan's (750mL/1.75L): $16/$28

i'd recommend either...though i don't drink scotch straight up, the reviews for both on other sites are quite favorable (especially the duggan's, though the flavors are a little different so it depends on what you like)

4/7/2012 3:04:24 PM

for vodka, svedka is a nice alternative to more expensive brands. for bourbon, elijah craig is tasty

eta: i usually only drink vodka with tonic and lime, but i'll drink the craig straight on the rocks with no complaints.

[Edited on April 7, 2012 at 3:33 PM. Reason : .]

4/7/2012 3:31:48 PM

Don Julio is a good Patron substitute

I agree on Elijah Craig

Beefeater is a good dry Gin (Bombay is my favorite)

4/7/2012 4:14:58 PM

Quote :

"for vodka, svedka is a nice alternative to more expensive brands."

I agree.

Evan Williams is by far my favorite cheap bourbon. It's an exceptional value.

You can't go wrong with Seagrams gin as a mixer with anything clear (7Up, Sprite, Sierra Mist, Ginger Ale, etc.)

4/7/2012 5:37:51 PM

I like luksusowa vodka, but it's hard to find outside of NC. Friends have thought it cost twice what it does.

4/7/2012 5:55:01 PM

Barbarossa is better than captain morgan's spiced rum and like half the price.

4/7/2012 6:04:39 PM

Tito's vodka. Domestic (Texas) rates as well or better than top shelf brands, very reasonably priced.

4/7/2012 6:09:37 PM

Hennigan's scotch.

People won't even be able to smell it on you, and if need be you can use it as a paint thinner.

4/7/2012 9:16:34 PM

Lunazul Blanco is a 100% agave tequila that is no more expensive than Jose Cuervo silver, which is 51% agave.

4/7/2012 11:17:18 PM

Flor de Caña is great, cheap rum. (not sure if it's available in all states)

4/8/2012 12:00:59 AM

Quote :

"Hennigan's scotch. People won't even be able to smell it on you, and if need be you can use it as a paint thinner."

Classic!

4/8/2012 12:07:31 AM

Bourbon: Buffalo Trace

Vodka: Svedka

Rye: Old Overholt and Wild Turkey Rye

Irish Wiskey: Jameson's and Kilbeggan

4/8/2012 12:43:01 AM

Buffalo Trace is fan-fucking-tastic

4/8/2012 1:05:26 AM

Bourbon- Old Grand Dad, Bulleit

4/8/2012 3:06:39 AM

Old Charter bourbon

it's the house bourbon at Foundation

4/8/2012 3:41:50 AM

Quote :

"Don Julio Patron is a good Patron Don Julio substitute"

fixed it for you

My friend got me drinking Platinum vodka... $20 for 1.75L, minimal hangover.

For whiskey, I usually go with Maker's Mark - it's a nice middle-of-the-road drink.

4/8/2012 10:12:05 AM

Quote :

"Evan Williams is by far my favorite cheap bourbon. It's an exceptional value."

I'll second this.

4/8/2012 9:22:51 PM

Old Charter blows Evan Williams out of the water

4/9/2012 1:07:22 AM

check out proof66.com

4/9/2012 5:18:12 PM

Quote :

"Old Charter blows Evan Williams out of the water "

Neither one of those would make my budget list; I'd rather spend another $8 a fifth and get a bourbon that doesn't taste as overly sweet and harsh as either one of those.

4/9/2012 6:49:11 PM

if you can shell out another $8 you're not on a budget

but please, sir, enlighten us

what do you buy?

4/10/2012 1:43:56 PM

Bulleit for bourbon

4/10/2012 1:49:53 PM

Quote :

"INSTANT AGED BOURBON Published May 1, 2012. From Cook's Illustrated. When we heard that cheap bourbon could be doctored to make it taste more like a fine spirit aged for an extended period in an oak barrel, we had to give it a try. We bought several bottles of bourbon costing around $15 for 750 milliliters and experimented with spiking each with small amounts of different flavorings. We used a bottle of 12-year-old W.L. Weller bourbon (about $50) as a benchmark. In the end, three pantry staples proved most effective at mimicking the effects of barrel aging: For 750 milliliters, 3/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract provided vanillin (a flavor compound found in oak), 1/8 teaspoon of liquid smoke added earthy depth, and 1 tablespoon of dry sherry (which undergoes at least three years of oxidative aging) contributed many of the aromas and flavors associated with well-aged bourbon. Did tasters find our doctored spirits to be as good as the top-shelf stuff? No—but they were pleasantly surprised by the enhanced complexity of the doctored bourbon and unanimously preferred it to the unadulterated low-end samples."

http://www.cooksillustrated.com/howto/detail.asp?docid=36995

4/10/2012 2:06:23 PM

kind of like that mythbusters where they distill vodka or filter it or whatever several times and it turns out to be damn close to the highest end stuff.

4/10/2012 2:57:13 PM

Vodka: Burnett's. Their 100 proof is a great value, plus they have a ton of flavors for shots.

and this:

Quote :

"Evan Williams is by far my favorite cheap bourbon. It's an exceptional value."

4/10/2012 4:40:00 PM

Kraken black spiced rum is delicious on ice; it needs no mixer even though it makes a great rum and coke. Over the winter, I drank it mixed with orange juice.

4/10/2012 5:08:03 PM

Quote :

"if you can shell out another $8 you're not on a budget but please, sir, enlighten us what do you buy? "

Budget is a relative term. I'm on a budget when I'm buying a $20 fifth of bourbon; some of us aren't making college money anymore and can afford to stock up on $30-100 bottles of bourbon and scotch for when we occasionally want a drink.

If I'm on a budget, then Bulleit, Four Roses, Jim Beam Black, or Russell Reserve Rye. Bulleit and Jim Beam Black are typically on my liquor shelf as my backup drink after the first glass of something like Bakers, Knob Creek Single Barrel, Bookers, Woodford Reserve, or Blantons. I keep Russell Reserve rye for making manhattans, but I'll buy Bulleit Rye on the rare occasion I can actually find it. I like to drink everything else neat, with the exception of Bookers in which I drink it over ice with a splash of Ginger Liqueur to dilute the proof.

Budget and scotch don't belong in the same train of thought.

4/10/2012 5:41:45 PM

Quote :

"Evan Williams is by far my favorite cheap bourbon. It's an exceptional value."

add me as the 5th to agree

4/10/2012 6:41:54 PM

sees thread about cheap liquor

posts about top shelf bourbon

4/10/2012 6:46:12 PM

Posts which I will second:

Quote :

"Vodka: Burnett's. Their 100 proof is a great value, plus they have a ton of flavors for shots."

For reals. Burnett's is kinda shit, but at half the cost of less poisonous liquors it's a bargain.

Quote :

"Kraken black spiced rum is delicious on ice"

The giant bottle of Kraken is more than twice the size of of the smaller bottle yet it only costs 50% more. Even Liam Neeson would release this kraken.

Quote :

"posts about top shelf bourbon"

Who in this thread posted about top shelf bourbon?

4/10/2012 7:24:31 PM

any other mid tier tequilla recommendations ?

4/10/2012 7:26:15 PM

I've gone through plenty of Burnetts vodka as well. Makes a fine mixer. I'm not a huge fan of straight vodka, but I'll take a shot or three on occasion as well. For drinking straight I'll usually drop the extra cash on Svedka though.

Pinnacle isn't a bad cheap vodka either.

[Edited on April 10, 2012 at 8:02 PM. Reason : l]

4/10/2012 8:02:04 PM

30-30 tequila is 100% agave and I think it was $20 a bottle last time I got some. Everyone that tried the margaritas we made with it liked it.

4/10/2012 8:19:42 PM

i can drink canada club neat, and that shit's on the bottom shelf in a plastic bottle.

4/10/2012 8:20:24 PM

Quote :

"any other mid tier tequilla recommendations ?"

I used to enjoy Two Fingers, aka Dos Dedos, fairly frequently Makes a good margarita.

4/10/2012 8:48:29 PM

i am quite satisfied with the success of this thread

4/10/2012 8:57:55 PM

recommendations for a brandy or cognac?

8/31/2013 7:49:03 PM

McClelland's is my cheap scotch of choice. several varieties to choose from. It helps that i'm not a huge scotch snob, but this stuff is pretty good for the price.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McClelland's_Single_Malt

8/31/2013 8:49:02 PM

nice thread mane

8/31/2013 11:40:38 PM

Can't believe no one mentioned Old Grand Dad Bonded.

9/1/2013 1:59:19 AM

I thought two fingers was exceptionally awful any other tequillas. (not saying it's bad, I just really didnt like it at all)

9/1/2013 6:35:56 AM

I only get tequila made with agave.

Lunazul is pretty good and cheap.

9/1/2013 9:16:37 AM

Espolon is good 100% agave tequila.

9/1/2013 10:00:20 AM

El Jimador is what the amigos drink, and is only slightly more than Lunazul

9/1/2013 5:11:41 PM

Quote :

"For whiskey, I usually go with Maker's Mark - it's a nice middle-of-the-road drink."

bourbon =/= whiskey or whisky

9/1/2013 5:30:44 PM

get some canadian club and call it a day

9/1/2013 7:17:07 PM

I was recommended a honey liqueur named 'Krupnikas' recently. Its local and delicious IMO (80 proof). Its very sweet and spiced (Christmas in a glass), so its definitely not for everyone.

9/3/2013 1:56:33 PM

^^^ it's a type of whiskey. i don't get your beef.

9/3/2013 2:43:57 PM

moonshine

9/3/2013 3:03:35 PM

yes, bourbon = whiskey.

9/3/2013 3:04:00 PM