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Tag Archives: budget bourbon
The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 61: Barrel Key Bourbon — Unlocking a Mystery at a Bargain Price
Two unfamiliar bourbons, one Publix BOGO deal, and a mystery stretching from Indiana to Oklahoma to St. Louis. We investigate Barrel Key’s origins, reveal its mash bills, and find out whether the 6-year or 8-year deserves a spot on your shelf. Continue reading →
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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 58: A Calumet Celebration at a Cheapskate Price
A $40 clearance find at Broudy’s in St. Augustine puts Calumet Farm 10-Year against Knob Creek 12-Year in a blind tasting. Two mature, 100-proof bourbons. One narrow winner. And a reminder that great whiskey doesn’t always require a great big investment. Continue reading →
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The Sunday Pour: The Bottle I Was Wrong About
Was I wrong about Benchmark bourbon? I revisited six bottles, from Full Proof to Top Floor, to see whether my opinions had changed. The scores improved, but the conclusions remained remarkably consistent. Along the way, I discovered a spiritual lesson about humility, honest self-examination and the willingness to admit when we’re wrong. And there’s an unexpected ending involving my stepson and six bottles of whiskey. Continue reading →
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Posted in Bourbon, The Sunday Pour
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Tagged Benchmark Bonded, Benchmark Bourbon, benchmark full proof, Benchmark Rye, Benchmark Single Barrel, Benchmark Small Batch, Benchmark Top Floor, bourbon reviews, budget bourbon, Buffalo Trace, Christian reflection, Faith and Whiskey, Whiskey Tasting
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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 57: A Return Visit With Old Grand-Dad
Ten months and countless bourbon tastings later, I’m revisiting two of my Bourbon Cheapskate favorites: Old Grand-Dad 114 and Old Grand-Dad 7-Year Bottled-in-Bond. Have my tastes changed? Were my original scores too generous? Or do these affordable bourbons still deserve their places on my shelf? It’s time for a rematch. Continue reading →
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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 42: Old Grand-Dad 114 vs. Old Grand-Dad 114 Single Barrel
Old Grand-Dad 114 has long been one of bourbon’s great value bottles. But is the harder-to-find Old Grand-Dad 114 Single Barrel worth the chase and the extra $15? A blind side-by-side tasting gave me a pretty clear answer. Continue reading →
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Posted in Bourbon, The Bourbon Cheapskate
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Tagged Beam Suntory, Blind Tasting, bourbon comparison, bourbon hunting, Bourbon Review, bourbon value, budget bourbon, high proof bourbon, Jim Beam, old grand-dad 114, Old Grand-Dad 114 Single Barrel, single barrel bourbon, whiskey review
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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 41: Barrel-Finished Early Times Bottled-in-Bond Takes Flight
My fourth barrel fill, Early Times Bottled-in-Bond, became “Free Bird” after three months in the finishing barrel. The result? More color, richer fruit, better mouthfeel and a budget bourbon that earned a special place on the shelf. Continue reading →
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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 39: When a $69 Bottle Sneaks Into the Cheapskate Lane
Baker’s 7 usually sits above the Bourbon Cheapskate price range, but a $39 sale put it right in the lane. So I poured two different bottles blind — one aged seven years and three months, the other eight years and six months — to see whether the extra time made a difference. Continue reading →
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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 38: The Patriot Takes the Field
In a blind single-barrel showdown against Pinhook, Old Forester, and Green River, Evan Williams America 250 Barrel 222 had every reason to be the underdog. Instead, it planted a flag. Continue reading →
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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 36: The Triple Oak Mason Jar Project
Can a $19 bourbon get even better with a week in a mason jar and a couple of oak sticks? I put Member’s Mark Single Barrel through a homemade “triple oak” experiment and tasted it against the original. Continue reading →
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Posted in Bourbon, The Bourbon Cheapskate
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Tagged bargain bourbon, bourbon cheapskate, bourbon experiment, budget bourbon, charred oak, From the Capn’s Pen, mason jar bourbon, Member’s Mark Single Barrel, oak finishing, Sam’s Club bourbon, toasted oak, whiskey review, Whiskey Tasting
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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 35: The Single Barrel Bargain Brawl
Four value-friendly single barrels go head to head: Evan Williams 86.6, Benchmark Single Barrel, Member’s Mark Single Barrel and Evan Williams America 250. Some are decent. One is an outrageous bargain. And one makes me wonder why Heaven Hill hasn’t already given us a higher-proof Evan Williams Single Barrel as a regular release. Continue reading →
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Posted in Bourbon, The Bourbon Cheapskate
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Tagged Barton 1792, Benchmark Single Barrel, Bourbon, bourbon cheapskate, Bourbon Review, bourbon tasting, budget bourbon, Buffalo Trace, CapnPen, Evan Williams, evan williams america 250, Evan Williams Single Barrel, Heaven Hill, Member’s Mark Single Barrel, Sam’s Club bourbon, single barrel bourbon, The Bourbon Cheapskate, value bourbon, whiskey, whiskey review, Whiskey Tasting, whisky
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