Bang for your buck? Everclear.

9/3/2013 3:23:08 PM

It's been mentioned a few times, but burnett's vodka is definitely one of the best bang for your buck liquors. I use it all the time for screwdrivers. Wouldn't recommend drinking it straight though.

9/3/2013 3:39:38 PM

+1 svedka is delicious.

I had duggans at my wedding... I wasn't a fan

9/3/2013 4:47:03 PM

Quote :

"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."

I know one of the distillers. Good guy and it's great stuff--unique, yes, and not for everyone, but pretty awesome to my taste buds.

9/3/2013 8:11:23 PM

I second Tito's vodka....only thing I will buy now. Great in a martini or mixed. Best mid range tequila I have found is Milagro...great for shots or margaritas.

9/9/2013 8:25:58 PM

I third Tito's for Vodka.

And second Two Fingers for tequila (have gone through a good bit of the silver for margaritas)

Disarrono is the jam (only ~$20 per fifth -- good chilled or mixed with coke).

9/9/2013 8:57:07 PM

i still have not tried Tito's. I've always been a 1800 Silver guy. I'll pick up a bottle when I run out next.


best bang for your buck bourbon is Buffalo Trace. great as a mix and great to sip alone.

9/9/2013 9:35:27 PM

For tequila on the cheap I like Hornitos. Good enough to sip over some ice imo.

9/9/2013 10:18:15 PM

Quote :

"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."

i've been making my own krupnik around this time for a couple of years now...though mine's been the ready-to-drink variety with vodka, rather than the kind that's supposed to age for months/years...i'd like to try this stuff

duggan's is still my go-to for mixed drinks that call for a blend...ardbeg and laphroaig are the peat monsters i like (though i only actually have a bottle of ardbeg), but now i'm looking for a good (value) scotch to drink neat or with a splash, something a little more balanced but still with some prominent islay flavor

islay mist, black bottle, and white horse all seem like they'd do well, but i'm pretty sure the only one available in NC is white horse

any other suggestions?

11/7/2013 2:48:07 PM

so are you asking for recommendations on less peaty scotch

or less expensive peaty scotch?

or less expensive less peaty scotch?

11/7/2013 3:35:08 PM

has anyone tried grey goose cherry noir? I want to know if it has a real cherry bouquet or if it tastes like cough syrup before i drop $50 on finding out

11/7/2013 3:47:17 PM

Quote :

"so are you asking for recommendations on less peaty scotch or less expensive peaty scotch? or both?"

okay, i wasn't clear

i already have a blended scotch (duggan's) that works well for mixed drinks...it's okay for drinking neat, but you can tell it's on the cheaper end and it doesn't have much peat character (which is fine)

then i have ardbeg, a single malt islay that i really like...it's pretty darn peaty

i'm looking for something in between that i might enjoy neat, with a balance of citrus/honey and salt/seaweed/smoke

teachers, maybe?

11/7/2013 3:50:10 PM

what kind of mixed drinks are you making with Scotch

[Edited on November 7, 2013 at 3:55 PM. Reason : c]

11/7/2013 3:55:25 PM

Quote :

"what kind of mixed drinks are you making with Scotch "

penicillin is my favorite

11/7/2013 3:56:59 PM

hmmm, Talisker comes to mind but it's almost $60

11/7/2013 5:00:05 PM

Yeah that's more $ than Laphroaig/Ardbeg, or at least what they charge for them up here. Think he was looking for a less expensive edition that still has some peat character and can be consumed on its own merits rather than with a mixer.

11/7/2013 8:23:23 PM

Wake County ABC stores have definitely had Talisker 10 at a similar or even lower price than Laphroaig sometimes. That's probably why I have a bottle of both right now, erh.

11/7/2013 10:12:00 PM

Quote :

"Think he was looking for a less expensive edition that still has some peat character and can be consumed on its own merits rather than with a mixer."

this

Quote :

"Wake County ABC stores have definitely had Talisker 10 at a similar or even lower price than Laphroaig sometimes. That's probably why I have a bottle of both right now, erh."

i know the price of alcohol fluctuates just like anything else, but last time i was in there, talisker was more expensive than laphroaig QC looks like it's also $60: http://abc.nc.gov/pricing/pricebook.aspx

not that i'm saying it isn't worth the price or anything...i've heard great things about talisker and i'm sure i'll enjoy it one day...but i'm going to build up my liquor cabinet slowly, as i learn to appreciate different styles and qualities...right now, ardbeg occupies my "expensive" scotch slot (even though it's only $50, i like it better - as a big peat - than laphroaig 10yo and QC, which are $55/60, respectively)

[Edited on November 8, 2013 at 9:37 AM. Reason : link]

11/8/2013 9:34:27 AM

Ah, I don't really think of those as expensive scotch I guess. I toured Laphroaig and Talisker while I was in Scotland, and they will basically be mainstays for me not entirely because of that emotional attachment. Ardbeg is fine and I enjoy it, but it's unnecessary for me with the previous two. I love Lagavulin and that can get a bit more expensive for the Distiller's Edition which is maybe my favorite thing ever.

Bang-for-your-buck is so subjective. $60 scotch is always a much better enjoyment investment for me, and I get many more moments of enjoyable drinking out of a bottle, so it's always a bang-for-my-buck but others may justifiably say it's too expensive for many activities.

11/8/2013 9:45:10 AM

Quote :

"Bang-for-your-buck is so subjective."

i realize this...which is why someone could come in here and claim that anything less than $100/bottle (or $200 or $1000 or whatever) is cheap swill and only losers drink it

i'm perfectly content knowing that a $50-60 bottle of scotch will likely occupy the "nice" spot in my cabinet...i can appreciate the quality in something nicer, i think, but i don't put the monetary value on a sip of liquor that others do (and i'm totally fine with that)

that said, i don't like the stuff that tastes like rubbing alcohol, either...i think there's a middle ground that will fit ME perfectly, and i'm trying to find that

11/8/2013 9:51:42 AM

^I perfectly agree. I'm pretty content with young scotch that's still... well, single malt. Assured quality and an affordable price for the enjoyment I get.

11/8/2013 10:22:34 AM

That does pretty well illustrate the differences in bang-for-your-buck. To me, the "entry" price for decent scotch (single malt or good blended, something that is enjoyable to drink neat/rocks) seems to be around $35-$40. That same dollar amount will get you a nicer bourbon or a nicer yet vodka. I suppose, among other things, it has to do with aging and how far it has to travel to get to you.

11/8/2013 10:41:33 AM

Quote :

"Bourbon: Buffalo Trace"

Quote :

"best bang for your buck bourbon is Buffalo Trace. great as a mix and great to sip alone."

tried this last night...REALLY liked it

given how cheap bourbon is, i'd definitely consider evan williams to be the better value, though buffalo trace was inarguably better...but it should be, considering it's (roughly) twice the price of something like evan williams 1783

i'm not trying to argue that BT isn't worth the price, just noting that it's not very cheap by comparison...i realize that goes back to one's personal definition of "value" and "worth"

in any case, it now has a spot in my liquor cabinet, so thanks for the suggestion!

Quote :

"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."

i'm going to try this...should be fun

[Edited on November 13, 2013 at 1:16 PM. Reason : .]

11/13/2013 1:04:50 PM

I love Tito's Vodka and I think it recently dropped a bit to maybe under $20 OTD.

Laphroaig's NC pricing is annoying and I'll usually always go for QC because of it. Talisker was my go-to until I found Laph. Still trying to convince myself I need to drop a benjamin on Lagavulin though...maybe for Christmas.

11/20/2013 5:54:26 PM

george dickel rye is A++

12/28/2013 9:42:58 PM

Lunazul for tequila. Hands down.

1/5/2014 3:35:31 PM

^that's my go-to.

1/5/2014 3:51:52 PM

^^Indeed. Can't beat Lunazul for the price and I think it compares well to some more expensive tequilas.

[Edited on January 5, 2014 at 4:32 PM. Reason : v]

1/5/2014 4:32:15 PM

if you ever want a canadian whisky...i like rich and rare reserve

canadian club (9 years, not 6) is good, too...both are better than crown royal, IMO

1/18/2014 8:45:38 PM