Bourbonr “Budget” Bourbon Of The Year

P.s. voting ends this Friday (2/2/18) at Midnight EST
There were many requests after the 2017 Bourbonr WOTY for a poll that includes affordable and available bourbons. I thought it was a great idea and decided to create this poll. I’ve included all the bourbon’s I can think of. If there’s something else you think I missed feel free to use the “other” option. I’ll admit it. It seems a little pompous to refer to $60 as a “budget” bourbon. But, with prices increasing in the bourbon world $60 is usually a good deal.
 
This post focuses on the available bourbons. There are a few bourbon’s that are “Limited Editions”. These bourbons are still available without a secondary market for the release. Pricing varies by state. Some bottles slipped in because they’re $60 or less in some states. This isn’t the “best value” contest. I want to know what is the best bourbon you can drink for $60 or less. The goal is to identify great bourbon that doesn’t break the bank and can be found with a little hunting. My vote is in! What’s yours?

 

39 comments

    Greetings.
    I voted for Booker’s over ECBP only because of nearly ubiquitous availability of the former over the latter.
    Hard to go wrong or complain with either of these two drams, though.

    regards,
    Z

    EH Taylor Small batch for sure. We took the Buffalo Trace tour a while back and asked our tour guide what his favorite bourbon was given the wide range of excellent choices at his disposal. He quickly said EHTSB. I tried a bottle and have been a fan ever since. It’s a little hard to come by but you just have to patient or build a relationship with your local store (mine will hold a bottle or even give me a call when it’s in).

    I don’t know ’bout the rest of y’all but my bourbon budget rarely exceeds $40 per and some of the bourbons on this list are more than $60 in my backward thinking area (about booze anyway) so I’m going with Rowans Creek.

    Really nice list! I have to say I voted for Stagg Jr. but just because that’s what I am in the mood for at the moment. Lots of names up there I am happy to keep around.

    Readily available Blantons has not been available here for a long time. I have to pick it up on trips thru Tennessee. Many whiskeys on list I would love to try , but they are not sold here in Midwest.

    Damn. Between Blanton’s, Four Roses SB, Henry Mckenna and Old Forester 1920, that was a tough choice since it depends more on my mood over which is my “favorite” when choosing what to pour. Sipped on an OESK last night so my mind went (relatively) straight to Four Roses SB. Great list though!

    I voted for Elija Craig barrel proof. I am very blessed to have a great relationship with my local beverage center and he always gets me a few bottles at every release. If I had a second vote I would lean towards a half a dozen others on the list. Booker’s is what got me started with my bourbon drinking after a friend gave me a bottle for a house warming present. I still enjoy Bookers but I didn’t like the way they threatened to raise the price to $100 a bottle last year. Now it isn’t a $49 bottle it is a $70 bottle here in GA.

    No offense Blake, but you really shouldn’t include ECBP on this list. First, it is rarely available for under $60, second, it’s basically a “limited edition” in most of the states around me (OH, MI, PA, NY, WV, IN) and very hard to find (and I assume others can attest to it being just as hard to find in many other states), and lastly, its like letting a pit bull into a dog fight with a bunch of yorkies and chihuahuas. If you don’t agree with me on my first two points, I am pretty sure you will at least agree with me on the last…

    you’re comparing bookers and stagg jr to yorkies and chihuahuas? riiiiight…

    anyway…if i werent constrained by a job and the need for a functioning liver, well, it’s blanton’s all day, every day.

    I know some mean yorkies and chihuahuas! But in all seriousness, my comment was meant to emphasize the quality of some of the recent ECBP releases (e.g. B517) that can go toe to toe with bottles 3 times its cost. Bookers is no slouch, but I still think ECBP trumps it by a reasonable margin (and I’ve personally never been a big fan of Stagg Jr.). Also another key point was cost, even in control states, ECBP cannot be found for under $60 when you add in tax. Booker’s probably shouldn’t be on this list either, if you look at typical prices…

    Now this is a great chance for the average joe to participate and respond too ! Blake, this is perfect choices for us regular bourbon drinkers without connections to get involved………Thank you

    I have tried 19 of these on the list. I tried Blanton’s a few years ago; and it is my measure when I taste others. 1792 Single Barrel is better than many that are more expensive than it. I didn’t care for EH Taylor Small Batch at first; but came to love that burnt brown sugar flavor, and that long caramel finish. Now I have two favorites with different flavor profiles; Blanton’s & Taylor. I’m anxious to see Taylor Single Barrel on the shelf. I better give a nod to O.F. 1920, and Old Scout 107!

    So this appears to be a click bait blog. No real value about real value Bourbons. Just headline hype to get readers who think that bourbon has to cost around $40 to be any good. Can’t believe this even got through my spam filters.

    Auser – since you seem to be unfamiliar with what a poll is allow me to explain. This post is to allow the Bourbonr community to vote for what they think is the best bottle for $60 or less. After that there will be a break down post by price range and other categories. Hope this helps clear things up! Also, you may be having spam filter issues because your email appears to be a Netscape account. You may want to switch over to AOL so other trash like this post doesn’t make it through

    Stagg Jr.? Really. I have never seen it show up in the Sacramento Area. My son found a bottle 4 years ago. It’s dang near as hard to find as Pappy or the BTAC. Willet’s Pot Still Reserve should have been on this list as well as Noah’s Mill. Both are fine bourbons and readily available.

    Bottle price is set way too high for a budget bottle. Set it at $35 max and don’t include the hard-to-find / allocated bottles (looking at you, Weller family).

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