Tag Archives: The Bourbon Cheapskate

The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 47: A Tale of Two Rittenhouse Ryes

Standard Rittenhouse Bottled-in-Bond Rye is one of the best values on the whiskey shelf. But can the limited 10-year 250th Anniversary release justify costing four times as much? I tasted them side by side, and this one wasn’t close. Continue reading

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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 46: Bourbon Cheapskate: Which Jack Daniel’s Bonded Whiskey Is Best?

Three Jack Daniel’s Bonded bottles. Three nearly identical price tags. One blind tasting to determine whether Tennessee Whiskey, Rye or Triple Mash offers the best pour for the money. Continue reading

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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 45: Four Bottles, Four Good Pours—When Value Beats Victory

On the final night of vacation, I opened four bottles from my recent Tennessee-Kentucky whiskey trip. The most expensive bourbon won the tasting—but the least expensive bottle won Bourbon Cheapskate. Sometimes price changes the conversation. Continue reading

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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 44: Five Evan Williams America 250 Barrels, One Bourbon

Five bottles. One bourbon. Identical proof, nearly identical age and the same mash bill. So why did one barrel clearly outperform the others? A blind tasting of five Evan Williams America 250 releases reveals just how much difference a single barrel can make. Continue reading

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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 40: A Rye Blind Across the Phone Line

Scott and I tried an over-the-phone blind tasting of affordable rye whiskeys. The lineups were not identical, but the conclusion was surprisingly clear: Old Forester 100 Rye stood above the budget rye crowd. 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. 37: Evan Williams America 250 (times three)

Three bottles. Three barrels. Same Evan Williams Single Barrel 250 release. Same 117.76 proof. Very different results. Barrel 222 proved why higher-proof single barrels can still deliver serious value at around $40. Continue reading

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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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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 34: Bonded on a Budget—Old Bardstown Faces Two Familiar Rivals

Three low-cost bottled-in-bond bourbons. No stars. No hype. Just a blind test to see where Old Bardstown belongs — and in the end, one bottle quietly separated itself. Continue reading

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