Category: Lifestyle

Americans are facing higher costs nearly everywhere - at the pump, at the supermarket, and even at the liquor store. Here are 5 tips + 2 bonus tips on ways to find bourbon that won’t make your pocketbook scream “Uncle” - and still let you enjoy some fine tasting bourbon.  

Old Grand Dad Bonded 

($22 - $24)

If you’re a fan of Basil Hayden, you might be surprised to find that this bourbon from Jim Beam shares the same high-rye mash bill of  63% corn, 27% rye and 10% malted barley. If you’re looking for a truly inexpensive pour, you can go right to the 80-proof version of Old Grand Dad. This bonded expression subscribes to the requirements as stated in the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. As such, you’re getting a spirit that has been aged for at least four years in a government-supervised warehouse and is bottled at a versatile 100-proof. In the glass, you’ll find plenty of vanilla, caramel, and buttered corn fritter notes that are balanced with enough oak char and baking spices to remind you it’s a higher rye bourbon. 

Old Forester 86 

($24 - $27)

If Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select strikes your palate, this is one to definitely reach for. Produced by Brown-Forman, the mash bill is 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley - identical to the flagship Woodford Reserve product. For years, the Old Forester brand languished in the shadow of its more famous sibling, Thanks to a brand refresh beginning in 2014,, the brand now stands on its own. Many thought this bourbon was a more youthful version of Woodford Reserve. In reality, the yeast strains are just a hint different between the two brands. This bourbon may have the best nose of an inexpensive bourbon, with vanilla, caramel, dark and tropical fruits, balanced with oak and spice. You’ll find similar notes on the palate, as well. This bourbon is also a great mixer, as evidenced by its use as the base for the iconic Kentucky Derby Mint Julep.

Four Roses

($22 - $26)

Affectionately called Four Roses Tan Label, this is the flagship product of its namesake distillery. While bottled at a low 80-proof, this bourbon is anything but low on flavor. Two mash bills are used in this blended bourbon - one with 75% corn, 20% rye, and 5% malted, and a second with 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley. Fermented using no less than 5 different yeast strains (you can catch the inside story here), you’ll be amazed by a cacophony of perfectly blended flavors in the glass. Lighter in color, you’ll find fruity and floral notes - like apple and peach blossoms - blended with vanilla and light spice. This, too, makes a fine mixer, but is also perfect neat or over a little ice.

Benchmark Lineup

($10 - $32)

You may not recognize the brand, but you’ll recognize the taste. Benchmark is part of the lineup from Sazerac and the Buffalo Trace Distillery. This bargain-shelf bourbon shares the same mash bill (#1) as Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, Old Charter, and E.H. Taylor. The brand has evolved beyond its initial 80-proof version ($10) to includes a Top Floor, Bonded, and Single Barrel expression. All of the subsequent extensions are solid, everyday pours - especially when Buffalo Trace’s flagship bourbon is oftentimes marked-up, behind the counter, and allocated. These bourbons are loaded with brown sugar, caramel apple, dried fruit, and raisin. If you’re hankering other lower-shelf bourbons from Buffalo Trace, don’t overlook Ancient Age - a younger version of the same mash bill as Blanton’s, Elmer T. Lee, Rock Hill Farm, and others. 

Evan Williams 

($14 - $16)

You didn’t think I’d get out here without mentioning one of my cornerstones, did you? Affordably priced, comparable to classic Jim Beam, but with a slightly higher proof, it’s hard to go wrong with this bourbon. Named after America’s first commercial distiller, Evan Williams is made from 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley. Aged 4 years, the finished product is bottled at 86 proof - 6 points higher than Jim Beam’s flagship product. On the nose and palate, you’ll find kettle corn along with classic bourbon notes of caramel and vanilla, balanced with gentle spice. It’s not overly complicated, but it is a very traditional bourbon.

Bonus Idea 1 If you’re buying for a crowd, everyday consumption, or you’re looking to stretch a buck, don’t overlook handles of bourbon. These aren’t just for college student parties anymore. The big 1.75 liter bottles contain 2.3 normal 750ml bottles of bourbon. In my house, come summertime (aka grillin’ time), you’ll often find a handle of Jim Beam or Evan Williams in my kitchen for marinating, making bbq sauce, or my famous Derby Pie.. If you can time your purchases with a sale, you can stretch your dollar even further. My local big-box regional liquor store routinely runs handles of Jim Beam or Evan Williams for $16-$18. Considering the quantity of liquor inside, these are hard to beat!

Bonus Idea 2 Check out the discontinued bourbon shelf along with bourbon on clearance. My local Hy-Vee had its own store pick of Maker’s Mark Private Selection  marked down significantly. At our regional liquor store, there’s always a shelf of discontinued bourbons that are heavily marked down. It also had a stellar deal on the 2023 Christmas Bottles of Woodford Reserve (was not a fan of the star label). Similar to my comment on handles, these large, 1-liter bottles were marked down to $39. At one-third larger than Woodford’s standard bottle, that’s like getting a regular bottle of Distiller’s Select for $29. I’ll grab a deal like that any day!

We recently took the family out for a special dinner. At a very nice restaurant, my bourbon-loving daughter asked for an Old Fashioned cocktail. The waitress asked her what kind of bourbon she wanted in the cocktail. My daughter rattled off several everyday bourbons and the waitress answered each bourbon named with the phrase"I'm not sure we have that in the well." Really, I thought? Really? You don’t have that “in the well”? And that got me thinking - What's in my house well? 

,,Heaven Hill Quality House / ,,Evan Williams Black Label 

While fine and drinkable on their own, these can typically be found in the kitchen cabinet as cooking bourbon. These are great for baking, such as in ,,Derby Pie, making a terrific B,,BQ sauce, and marinating (e.g. salmon, pork, or the cook!). Each of these is made from the flagship ,,Heaven Hill mash bill of 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley. This is classic bourbon with vanilla, caramel, brown sugar along with a warm apple hand pie. I typically find the ,Quality House for a Hamilton in Kentucky, and connect on handles of ,,Evan Williams when they're on sale for less than a Jackson.

,,Woodford Reserve / ,,Woodford Reserve Double Oaked / ,,Old Forester 

There is always - always - something in the Woodford / Old Forester palate in my cabinet. Everyone has their go-to, must-have brand - for me it's this family from Brown-Forman. With identical mash bills of 72% corn, 18% rye, the yeast strains are one strain off from each other. Thus, Old Forester is not a "younger" Woodford Reserve, but they definitely are close siblings/cousins in the family tree. These are in the sweet-savory family, with vanilla, caramel, malt and grassy notes, balanced with oak and pepper spice. Paired with a Blue Monday or a bourbon ball candy is my favorite way to enjoy this well-favorite.

,,Wild Turkey 101 / ,,Rare Breed / ,,Russell's Reserve 10-Year

I recently enjoyed a pour with a friend who is a ,,Wild Turkey fiend. While he always has nice and very exclusive bottles from Wild Turkey on hand, he shared that he had recently grabbed a bottle of traditional Wild Turkey 101 and commented on how much he was enjoying a bourbon that to him had been somewhat forgotten.

Forged by Master Distillers and father and son duo, Jimmy and Eddie, the Wild Turkey brands start with a mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley. Inside you'll find vanilla and caramel blended with brown sugar, and balanced with cinnamon, spice, and even some light citrus notes. The ,,flagship brand is bottled at 101 proof and is able to hold its own on ice or in cocktails. ,,Rare Breed is barrel proof, generally landing in the one-teens. For me, ,,Russell's Reserve 10-Year is one of my forgotten likes. The lower-proof on this one makes for an exceptionally smooth expression, and the 10-year age statement and an attractive price point make this easy to keep on hand.

,,Bardstown Origin Series / ,,Fusion Series 

I've been quite impressed with the solid products being produced by ,,Bardstown Bourbon Company and Master Distiller Steve Nally. A look in my cabinet showed no less than 3 different Fusion Series - blends of BBC's own products blended with older-aged sourced products, and two of their own bourbons in their Origin Series.

While I've been impressed, my spouse absolutely loves these products. For her, they're rich, exceptionally flavorful, balanced, and smooth sipping on her palate. Their Origin Series - both of which have been aged for 6 years - has a ,,high-rye 96 proof along with a ,,wheated Bottled-in-Bond expression. 

The Fusion Series is a long-running sequence of releases containing Bardstown's house bourbons blended with older bourbons from nearby neighbor, Heaven Hill. Each bottle contains a detailed description of the bourbons that are blended together. For example, ,,Series 8 was a blend of two different BBC bourbons paired with 30% 12-year bourbon from Heaven Hill. The resulting combination had notes of caramel and butterscotch laced with tangy honeycrisp apple. 

,,Weller Special Reserve  

Some of the bourbons in my house well are there, quite honestly, because I grab them every time I see them for their elusiveness. It has seemed that on several drop-in visits to ,,Buffalo Trace, ,,Weller Special Reserve was the allocated bourbon of the day. 

Weller is a ,,wheated series of bourbons sharing a common mash bill to Pappy VanWinkle. This bourbon has traditionally done well in ,,blind tastings with other wheated stalwarts, including ,,Maker's Mark, ,,Larceny, and ,,Rebel. I will say, though, that the competition is stepping up their game, with very competitive wheated bourbons from ,,Green River and ,,Bardstown Bourbon Company. Weller offers sweet vanilla notes balanced with a floral and fruity sensation anchored in a spicy cinnamon finish. 

Wild Card    

Come to my house, and there's always something interesting to try. There may be something craft-like from ,,Wilderness Trail, ,,Whiskey Acres, ,,New Riff, ,,Casey Jones, or even a recent addition - ,,Holladay 6-Year Bottled-in-Bond. I do like to mix things up a bit and enjoy trying new bourbons. Don't be afraid to look beyond the Big 10 distillers (or so) when it comes to bourbon. While initially, some of the craft bourbons being produced were very young and just needed more age, some distillers are doing just that - giving it more time to age - or even engaging with the century-old standard of quality set forward in the ,,Bottled-in-Bond Act.

Beyond the wings, chips, and beer - every Super Bowl party deserves a bourbon twist. We've put together our starters for your bourbon special teams squad. 

For a Crowd, Put in "The Handle"   ($20 - $30)

If you're going to be serving a crowd, then you need to bring in your specialist for short yardage situations. You're going to need a handle - a super-sized 1.75 liter packed with corn and oak. Pour-for-dollar, you'll get the most out of ,,Jim Beam or ,,Evan Williams. If you’re unsure of which your crowd will enjoy, it won’t break the budget to grab one of each - and you’ll have two solid defenders anchoring your line. If you're looking for a smidge more versatility that would be a smooth sipper neat, on ice, or in a cocktail, upgrade your handle for just a few dollars more to ,,Jim Beam Black or ,,Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond.

Longbranch 

($32 - $35)

With Texas Tech alumnus and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the big game, you just gotta have a bourbon with a Texas twist. ,,Longbranch small batch bourbon begins with the traditional Wild Turkey mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley. After aging, it is filtered through, first - American White Oak, before being filtered a second time through Texas Mesquite charcoal imparting light notes of smoky sweetness. The result product, bottled at 90 proof, is a lovely, lighter and softer ,,Wild Turkey expression. There are vanilla and light wood notes, as well as honey, light citrus, and even a fleeting mesquite smokiness present.

Cedar Ridge   ($30 - $35)

After celebrating  Texas and Patrick Mahomes, fair and balanced indicates we highlight an Iowa bourbon for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. An alumnus of Iowa State University, we drafted Cedar Ridge Bourbon - the first licensed distiller in the State of Iowa since Prohibition. While not reviewed by me yet, this 6-time Gold Medal winner has been catching my eye on the shelf and whiskey magazines. This four-year-old bourbon begins with a mash bill of 74% Iowa-grown corn, 14% rye, and 12% malted barley, and the resulting spirit is bottled at 86 proof. Expect corn to be the highlighted note, along with oak, spice and lighter notes of fruit preserves. 

Green River Wheated

($28 - $32)

Our last pick rounding out our special teams squad comes from the Green River Distillery in Owensboro, Kentucky - ,,Green River Wheated. Highlighting good things that can happen when teams add to an already solid roster, Bardstown Bourbon Company purchased this distillery and brands in 2022. Packaged in an attractive horseshoe shaped bottle this bourbon has been aged for over 5 years from a mash bill of 70% locally-sourced corn, 21% wheat, and 9% malted 2 and 6 row barley. This bourbon has scored well in a recent wheated-bourbon blind tasting, where it highlighted notes of maple syrup, candy corn, peaches, and honey balanced with spice and oak char. 

Statesman  ($50 - $55)

While not a football-themed bourbon, we're highlighting this bourbon that was developed and referenced in the Kingsman comedy spy franchise. The movie included scenes of the Statesman Distillery - ones that only existed in the world of CGI-automation - much like today's Super Bowl commercials. Like all the ,,Old Forester bourbons, ,,Statesman bourbon begins with the signature mash bill of 72% corn, 18% rye and 10% malted barley. It is then aged on the highest and hottest floors of the warehouses. This “hot spot” in the rickhouse causes the bourbon to age quicker and create more evaporation or angels’ share. In the glass, you'll find loads of vanilla and caramel balanced with a blitzing rush of spice and cinnamon.

While there's never a bad time to purchase a bottle of bourbon, when in Kentucky to visit or to take in the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, there are some bourbons that I purchase nearly every time I'm in the Bluegrass. Find out if some of your favorites made the short list.

Early Times Bottled-in-Bond

While sold across the country, this bourbon adhering to the 1897 Bottled-in-Bond Act rarely seems to make it in quantity to my home state. Formerly produced by Brown-Forman, the brand was sold a couple of years ago and added to the Sazerac lineup, which also owns Barton and Buffalo Trace. The mash bill is similar to its former cousin Old Forester - 79% corn, 11% rye and 10% malted barley. The nose is quite lovely with vanilla, maple syrup, and bananas foster. On the palate, there is vanilla, caramel, and fruit balanced nicely with toasted oak and baking spice. Packaged in a one-liter bottle, and priced around $26 or so, this is a great bargain to keep in your cabinet.

Evan Williams Single Barrel

Flying under the radar for years, this single barrel bourbon from the ,Evan Williams lineup pays homage to Evan Williams - the first commercial distiller of bourbon. Generally found in the 7-8 year range - with an age statement, and a 5-time winner of "Whiskey of the Year", this bourbon was moved from nationwide availability to being only available in the Commonwealth. Whiskey enthusiasts will be greeted with notes of warm bourbon bread pudding accompanied by vanilla bean ice cream and neatly balanced with oak and gentle holiday spices. If you live outside of Kentucky, this is definitely one to bring home for friends and family to enjoy.

Heaven Hill Quality House

The humblest member of this short list is this bargain-shelfer from Heaven Hill. While it isn’t as tasty as the formerly readily available Heaven Hill 6-Year Bottled-in-Bond and the Heaven Hill 6-Year Green Label, this youthful, 80-proof is my go-to for easy sipping and cooking. Made from the same mash bill as the Evan Williams brand along with others at Heaven Hill, this still has the iconic brand flavors, including vanilla, caramel and brown sugar, along with the fruity and doughy sensation of warm apple strudel. Typically found for around $10, this is one to grab for yourself, your kitchen, and a friend.

Allocated Bourbons from Buffalo Trace

There are entire social media sites dedicated to “What’s Available at Buffalo Trace Today” - complete with pictures of long lines and stories of hours spent waiting. Outside of the distillery gift shop, you may find yourself shelling out significant funds to get your hands on a bottle of Weller Reserve, E.H. Taylor, Eagle Rare, and Blanton’s.

Most days, however, you can check the distillery website and see what is available for purchase. We’ve been lucky on several occasions to literally walk in mid-afternoon - with no lines - to find a wall full of these fine bourbons and purchase them for MSRP in the gift shop. On another occasion, seeing the supply dwindling down for Weller Reserve, we made a dash to snag some of the final bottles before seeing staff members bringing cases of bourbon to restock - hence the reference to the “Buffalo stampede”.

Note that as of this date, visitors are allowed to purchase one of these brands every 90 days. For example, if you visit on Monday and purchase a bottle of Blanton’s, you may return on Tuesday to purchase a bottle of Weller Reserve. However, you’ll have to wait 90 days before being able to purchase either of those brands at the gift shop. While you’re there, don’t pass up on the free tastings of some of their premier brands on the second floor. On a recent visit, we even caught up with industry legend Freddy Johnson, one of the stars in the documentary Neat.

Benchmark Expressions

This may sound like a bit of a Buffalo Trace bromance, but I have to say, again, that good selections from that particular distillery just aren’t available back home. So it is with the Benchmark brand. While at home, I can typically find regular Benchmark on the shelves, it’s at the regional liquor stores and grocery stores in the Bluegrass that I find a dizzying array of Benchmark varieties, including a Single Barrel, Top Floor, and Bonded expression. Produced by Buffalo Trace, we don’t know the exact mash bill, but it’s fair to assume that it’s similar to the flagship Buffalo Trace brand.

The brand is named for the early Kentucky pioneers - James, George, and Robert McAfee - who in 1773 first surveyed the area of Frankfort, Kentucky - which later became the site of the OFC Distillery (and later became Buffalo Trace). Smooth and uncomplicated, these are everyday drinkers, with notes of brown sugar, caramel apple, dried fruit, and raisin.

Any Distillery-only Release

It’s always worthwhile when you’re in the Bluegrass to be sure and stop by your favorite distillery for releases that may have limited availability or only be available at the distillery site. Occasionally, you run into some great people, too. After all, it was on a quiet afternoon that we walked into the visitor’s center at Wild Turkey to be greeted by bourbon legend Jimmy Russell who was happy to not only share bourbon tales, but sign some special release bottles. We’ve had good luck snagging limited releases from Woodford Reserve, including a Chocolate Malt Whisper and a Honey Barrel Finish. Lastly, it was at Wilderness Trail that we were able to catch a new 8-Year Bottled-in-Bond release a couple of years ago that I enjoyed immensely.