This is about the greatest service to the bourbon neophyte I can think of. No high proofs and proven excellent juice inside every bottle. Buy at no risk @ reasonable prices. One suggestion. If you deviate from this list .... try before you buy! Bourbon ain't cheap & it's gettin' more expensive every live long day. Take the above advice & ... don't get rooked on all the bourbon hype.
Why is the flavor profile sophisticated with everything except "banana runts"? how about just "banana" or maybe "paw paw"? The other thing is an artificial flavor🙃 Great video BTW. Thank you very much!
Very interesting topic. If you want to geek out go look up Cavendish and Gros Michel bananas. You will find that humans ate Gros Michel bananas until a disease all but wiped them out. Banana laffy taffy and runts were invented while we still ate them, and the thing we all call "artificial" is actually original, and what we call banana now is just a version 2.0. Regarding why people have an aversion to this flavor it is either due to it being so prevalent in Jack Daniel's (which has had a reputation of being cheap/not real bourbon being TN Whiskey) or personal preference.
Excellent video. It’s great to see people enjoying bourbons at lower prices. I have a bottle of Benchmark that I use for mixing and I bought a bottle of the Evan Williams Bottled in Bond to share at the 50th birthday of my college roommates wife? I explained that it was a store pick and none of had tried it. So we did a bottle share and I left the bottle with the host. They were very impressed by the price point and the quality of this bottle. Of course later we pulled out the EH Taylor and the Weller Special Reserve for some neat pours. Thanks for a your inspirational message at the end of each video. Cheers!
so I revisited this a year later, and now I have tried most of these. I didn't like Jim Beam black or OGD 100 or Benchmark bonded. I LOVE Evan BiB and Of 100. I like JTS Brown (found a handle, so really cheap). I also really like Very Old Barton 100. I like WT101, but I like other things better, so I probably won't buy it again. My top 5 bottles that are STILL $20 or better... 1. Evan BiB 2. Early Times Bib (25 for a liter) 3. Fighting Cock (only $17) 4. Old Forester 100 (this is cheating - I got a handle and the 750 price is $20) 5. Very Old Barton 100 6. JTS Brown 100 It was fun coming back to this video a year later, and seeing how my tastes have changed. Now I am willing to spend more (up to $50 these days) but these cheapies are still what I go to most of the time! I always love this channel - Love you too!
Thank you! I need to pick up some Fighting Cock. I keep hearing great things and I met the crew at Bardstown Bourbon Company once. They were really nice.
@@BourbonRealTalk Originally, I heard someone say it was good, and my son graduated from South Carolina (the Gamecocks) so I HAD to try it. Only 1 store in town has it, but when they have it, it's only $17. I like it. Now if only there were a Buckeye Bourbon...
Regarding the Ancient Age, a common misconception is that a straight bourbon must be 4 years old but that is usually confused with the bottles-in-bond year rule. To be a straight bourbon it has to be at least 2 years old. I hear a lot of whiskey tubers say this.
I explained it in the video. To be non age stated it must be 4 years. It must be 2 years to be straight, but if straight and less than 4 the age statement rule applies. Since Ancient age must be 4 years old because it is NAS and not because it is straight.
@@BourbonRealTalk Read the small print - on the neck label I think. Both Ancient Age and the regular Benchmark have a 3+ yr 'under-age' statement on them. Same for Ancient Ancient Age 10 Star & Ancient Age 90prf. The new Benchmark 750ml 'named' releases are all 4+ yr. Love that JB Black was high on the list! Cheers!
If we can do the math for 1.75L bottles I would add Four Roses yellow label and remove the EWBIB. I was not a huge fan of the EW. A lot of these are not available in our market. I might have to try the Exra Brooks. The problem is I don't like the idea of having that big a bottle if I don't like it. I guess I can always use it for cocktails.
I like 4R, but I believe it is 80 proof so it is a little light for my palate. Have you tried EWBiB specifically or some of their other offerings only?
@@BourbonRealTalk I have and thought it was good but the last 1/2 of the bottle I decided that it was a $15 bottle so not a great value. It was not bad but I like the flavor of FR a little better so have no trouble dealing with the lower proof and the few extra dollars it costs.
Funny you mentioned it, I just recently found Evan Williams bottled and bond and for the price it's fantastic. I have nothing bad to say about it other than exactly what you would expect. I mean at that price point. No, I didn't think it was a really complex bourbon. I love things like Old Forester 1910 that's wonderful. And you know some other really expensive bourbons but let's face it, my wallet dust can't afford buying that stuff all the time as a daily drinker Evan Williams is great. I tried wild turkey 101 and to my palette. I just found it. Had a very young alcohol taste to it. Maybe that's my taste buds still developing. I don't know. I know a lot of people love it for me. I think Evan Williams for one half of one percent less alcohol is much more palatable. Typically I find myself drinking either bottled and bond or much higher proofs and so it's not the proof that makes the difference
Hard to beat Evan Williams BiB. I do prefer wild turkey, but everyone's palates are different. The WT is aged a couple of years longer than EWBiB, so I don't think it is age that is making the difference for you. Maybe you just don't like the WT profile?
@@LeatherDaddy97 Ya the white label is just not good bourbon I have never liked it but my twin brother and his girlfriend just absolutely love it and I always poke fun at them I'm like dude there's much better whiskey.This video will show you there's better whiskey below 20 bucks
@@BourbonRealTalk I like to keep a few around just in case. Besides, mine seem to disappear quicker than my other bourbons. There must be something wrong with the bottling or something. I think they leak or evaporate. 😂
Old Fitzgerald Prime should make these lists, and you used to be able to find Larceny under $20 (both are the same mashbill from Heaven Hill). OFP is a great mixer, Larceny is probably the best low-priced wheated Bourbon. Store picks of Larceny are fantastic gift bottles for folks that aren't into barrel proof. Antioch down in IL picked a 6 year barrel last year that was 'Blantons quality' for $25/ bottle. Great episode! Cheers
Evan Williams 1783 is around 34 for a 1.75 at 90 proof and a good daily sipper. No telling how many gallons of Evan Williams bottled in bond I've gone through over the years.
I love learning about good affordable bourbons to try. My brother-in-law shared a Weller 12 year with me (over $150 back then) and yes, it was VERY good. But I would rather have 8 bottles of a very good $20 bourbon than 1 bottle of a great bourbon. Unless I were dying, then maybe I would splurge.
@@BourbonRealTalk man when I google it, they START at $150 now. My local store was $150, and online higher. Not sure what happened. I see them range online from $229 to $300 mostly, found one place for $80. Drizly $250
@@BourbonRealTalk Yep, the MSRP is $40 (or at least it was in 2021). But I have not found it anywhere near that price. one article said "But for many in the “real world,” finding Weller 12 Year at MSRP is a fairy tale and consideration must be taken into account for its inflated secondary market prices." I would LOVE to find it for $50 as a gift to my brother-in-law, but not at $150.
@@josephthomas2226 That is fair. W12 is not easy to find in TX, but it is relatively easy if you are putting in the work. I am usually able to find a bottle at MSRP when the whiskey club finishes my open bottle.
Ezra Brooks is my favorite of the cheaper Bourbons. Just ahead of Evan Williams and Old Crow. Unfortunately, here in Northeast Ohio, they quit selling the 90 Proof. I'm going to give Ancient Age a try, based on your review.
Know ryes weren't included in the conversation, but the Wild Turk 101 rye is the perfect analog to W.T. 101 bourbon. I always pick 'em both up yoked together. Makes for a perfect bag limit ... in case the game warden happens to be sneakin' 'round.
All I can say is that you guys have some really great prices in TX because most of these are over $20 in the liquor controlled state of Ohio which, I thought, implied that we paid no more than MSRP.
On my bardstown camping trip I bought JW Dant but haven't opened it yet. I also bought old bardstown and it has a bit of a gasoline aftertaste. My friend bought fighting cock and says it's the worst he's ever tasted. So now I'm not feeling as much trepidation about my Dant. Thanks!
Early Times is Sazerac, but not coming out of Buffalo Trace. Totally with you on the Benchmark. I like to think the Bonded is the poor man’s EH Taylor. Dant to me I’d darn close to McKenna. Yes McKenna is more refined since it is older. Love the Dant.
I didn't realize until after we published that I said BT and not Sazerac, but I kind of redeemed myself by saying it will be distilled at Barton 1792. I also didn't know that Ancient Age has a small 3 year age statement on the back.
Great list fellas. Keep preaching the gospel of good quality affordable bourbon. I was heart broken though because Fighting Cock Bourbon should have been on top of the list (second only to the mighty WT 101). 17.49 for a 750 at total wine. 103 proof. To me it tastes like a slightly angrier yet shockingly crushable cousin of WT 101. Give it some love! Keep up the good work boys.
Evan Williams BIB is 19.99 over here. WT 101 is about 25. But these two are my daily drinkers. I’ll have to check out some of these other ones though. Great content
Wild Turkey 101, Evan BiB, and Old Forester 100 are my 3 favs from this list. I do have a bottle of the Ezra Brooks but for me it just doesn't hold up. Thanks guys, cheers.
I know WT101 and EWBiB are high on the list for me. Not sure OF100 would edge out EB for me, but luckily everyone's palate is different or we would all be trying to buy the same things.
The Wild Turkey 81 and 101 bottles have a large price variance in my area. Usually both are price around 22 to 26 dollars when they are not on sale. But when either product gets initially stocked up or has been on the shelf for a while, the price can easily drop by over 50%. I've seen the Wild Turkey 101 on sale a couple weeks ago at Target at 10 dollars for the 750ml bottles and the Wild Turkey 81 375ml at 6 dollars at the local liquor store. Total Wine has the WT 101 750ml at under 20 dollars recently too. Evan Williams Bottled in Bond is a great buy at 15 bucks. Unfortunately, I've never seen half the bourbons on the under 20 list around me. Good list though.
Great list guys! I haven't tried them all, but the ones I have, I agree with. Nothing from mgp hits this bottom shelf price right? I couldn't think of anything.
Not criticizing, just asking lol but i thought “straight” bourbon is a minimum of 2 years, so the 3 years could possibly make sense! Also great video, thank you guys! Love ya back!!!
All whiskey must be aged 4 years or have an age statement according to US law, straight or otherwise. If a whiskey is non-age stated (NAS) it by default would be at least 4 years. I was trying to say that AA was NAS and therefor at least 4. I was not trying to say because it was straight it was 4. Other's in the comments have informed me that AA is in fact age stated on the back label as 3 years old. Sorry for my error.
That sucks! I am unsure how available all of these are in different areas. They were just the ones from the crowdsourced list, so I figured they were available in some areas just to make the list.
Yes we are limited in what we can buy, but when we can get something unique like EC Barrel Proof we are paying 3-4 times the price you pay in the states. Cheers from Oz.@@BourbonRealTalk
Can’t back up the ancient age rec (my bottle was like nail polish remover), but Evan Williams BiB is an awesome bottle. I don’t love it neat, but certainly not bad. However, EW BiB in cocktails is killer! Stands up well to citrus, brings a lot of classic bourbon notes and sweetness, absolutely stellar
Thanks for the suggestions. I am new to the bourbon experience. I already drink Wild Turkey 101. That was a just a lucky guess on my part. I quiet enjoy it. I decided to try some others on your list and picked two for now. Jim Beam Black (it also got a shot out from the guy stocking the shelves) and Evan Williams Bottled in Bond. I have only had the chance to try the Jim Beam so far and I am not disappointed. Thanks for helping me find my way.
Well now I have tried both the Black and the EW BIB. Maybe it is the lighter char or the higher corn on the EW but I think I would reach for that more often, so it will stay on the shelf with the WT 101. This video holds up well. Good suggestions, objective opinions. Thanks.
If you guys haven't tried Old Bardstown yet you definitely need to give it a shot. $18.99 in my area. The only thing I don't like about it is,it has a screw on top. I only live about 30 miles from Bardstown and this bourbon is one of the best sellers in this area.
I have had most of these. Unfortunately, I can't get Early Times, JW Dant, or JTS Brown in my area. I have never had the Ancient Age, but I just bought Ancient Ancient Age for the first time and thought it was pretty good. Of course, like most, I love WT101 and EW BiB. Great list.
@@BourbonRealTalk I really enjoy what y’all are doing here. I am in several groups on FB where people are just such assholes to each other. I don’t understand it. Keep up the good work.
Your tasting notes are always so interesting. They differ so vastly from mine I sometimes wonder if we are drinking the same juice, lol. I get cherry from Evan Williams products, lots of cherry. From Wild Turkey 101, I get cinnamon red hots. Ive never tasted bananas from any Old Forrester bottle, or peanuts in any bottle ever. Oh and Benchmark is butterscotch candy for me, esp the fullproof. Its amazing how different our tasting notes are but still enjoy the same bottles. My "daily" drinkers are WT101 and EW BiB. Enjoyed another video, keep it up.
I almost hate giving tasting notes for this reason, but people like to hear them. I suggest people watch youtubers reviews and find someone that your palate aligns with yours, then you follow them because their suggestions will likely line up for you. The good news is, we like the same pours even if we don't taste the same notes.
Putting Evan Williams BiB up against Henry McKenna BiB and Heaven Hill BiB was a real eye opener. The HM and the HH are a TINY bit better,..... but NOT two or three times better, not even close. They're almost the same. The new Benchmark Full Proof is my newest favorite budget bottle,.. but I'm guessing the one I have now is the only one that I will ever see.
@@BourbonRealTalk Thanks a lot, Randy, (or Wes) that's why the rest of us will never find any! (screeched in whiny nasally troll voice) Hahaha!!! Just kidding, my man. More power to you. All's fair in love and whiskey!
Hi there! Thanks for sharing your opinion. It's important to remember that everyone has different tastes when it comes to bourbon. While Very Old Barton may not be your favorite, some people may enjoy it. Have you tried any bourbons that you particularly enjoy?
Great list gents! I always have OGD BiB on deck! It's rarely below $22 out my way in MD, but is always a steal. EW BiB as well...never over $18. That extra 20 proof over standard rail pours goes miles when making cocktails!
Hello! New to the channel and love the content. I had an uncle also comitt suicide so that part tugged on the heart strings a little. That being said I would love to see you guys blind taste some of these and see which one would come out on top. A budget bourbon battle. Keep up the good work...cheers.
Just last night I hung out with some friends and had some Evan Williams BiB and it reminded me how great a bottle it is. I even have a bottle at home buried behind all the "good" stuff.
You guys might want to make an addendum to the video. Lux row was not purchased by Sazerac but by MGP or Ross and Squibb. They also do not use Lincoln County process on ezra brooks, it's just charcoal filtered.
If I said EB was purchased by Sazerac I misspoke. It was Early Times that was purchased by Sazerac. I just looked it up and I was just straight up wrong about Ezra Brooks. They in fact do not use the LCP since the charcoal filtering happens after aging. LCP is charcoal filtering before aging. I will add a retraction to the description.
@@BourbonRealTalk no problem, liked the concept and agree with your picks! I find jts brown a sleeper on some people's eyes and old fo 100 is always on my bar. Cheers guys!
Dant BiB is in Texas. I have not seen JTSB BiB. I sometimes mock the scotch channels by suggesting Mellow Corn as the equal or superior pour. Dant BiB is a mild respectable bourbon.
Brown Forman owned the brand Early Times and had inventory aging for the future of the brand. Brown Forman sold the brand and the stock to Sazerac Corporation, which is a different company. Sazerac owns Buffalo Trace and Barton 1792, and they have announced that in the future Early Times will be distilled at Barton 1792.
I need to come to your stores! Never seen Early Times BiB under $24.99 which it is also now allocated according to the stores I went to throughout Kentucky FYI
@@BourbonRealTalk @11:53 you state that Sazerac now owns Ezra Brooks and will start distilling it at 1792? Is that true or is that supposed to be referencing Early Times?
Ok this is the video I’ve been looking for. I’ve had some rare spirits in my day but never pursued them as a hobby and wanted to know if there was anything worthy in the 20-40 range. Gotta watch this whole thing when I have the whole 20min to sit down and dedicate my full attention to. Thank you for what you do!
This is how I started my Bourbon 🥃 journey. I started with the “under $20” videos. And I still stock so many of them on my shelf now! Thanks for giving me a few new ones to look at.
This is about the greatest service to the bourbon neophyte I can think of. No high proofs and proven excellent juice inside every bottle. Buy at no risk @ reasonable prices. One suggestion. If you deviate from this list .... try before you buy! Bourbon ain't cheap & it's gettin' more expensive every live long day. Take the above advice & ... don't get rooked on all the bourbon hype.
Thank you for the endorsement!
Very good list. I agree wild turkey 101 is my go to. I’ve tried different ones and this one is the best bang for buck.
OF 100 is my favorite everyday sipper, but last time I went to my local store they didn't have any.
Why is the flavor profile sophisticated with everything except "banana runts"? how about just "banana" or maybe "paw paw"? The other thing is an artificial flavor🙃 Great video BTW. Thank you very much!
Very interesting topic. If you want to geek out go look up Cavendish and Gros Michel bananas. You will find that humans ate Gros Michel bananas until a disease all but wiped them out. Banana laffy taffy and runts were invented while we still ate them, and the thing we all call "artificial" is actually original, and what we call banana now is just a version 2.0.
Regarding why people have an aversion to this flavor it is either due to it being so prevalent in Jack Daniel's (which has had a reputation of being cheap/not real bourbon being TN Whiskey) or personal preference.
Nice women's T-shirt. Cracks me up every time.
Me too! I still watch it every time.
I love it when I put some of these in a blind of five and my guests pick them as their #1 or #2 and shake their head when they see the price.
This is why I LOVE BLINDS!
That's my price range.. Goes well with my 300+ Handrolled Cigar Collection
No need to spend big money to drink good bourbon.
Excellent video. It’s great to see people enjoying bourbons at lower prices. I have a bottle of Benchmark that I use for mixing and I bought a bottle of the Evan Williams Bottled in Bond to share at the 50th birthday of my college roommates wife?
I explained that it was a store pick and none of had tried it. So we did a bottle share and I left the bottle with the host. They were very impressed by the price point and the quality of this bottle.
Of course later we pulled out the EH Taylor and the Weller Special Reserve for some neat pours.
Thanks for a your inspirational message at the end of each video.
Cheers!
You are welcome!
so I revisited this a year later, and now I have tried most of these.
I didn't like Jim Beam black or OGD 100 or Benchmark bonded.
I LOVE Evan BiB and Of 100. I like JTS Brown (found a handle, so really cheap). I also really like Very Old Barton 100.
I like WT101, but I like other things better, so I probably won't buy it again.
My top 5 bottles that are STILL $20 or better...
1. Evan BiB
2. Early Times Bib (25 for a liter)
3. Fighting Cock (only $17)
4. Old Forester 100 (this is cheating - I got a handle and the 750 price is $20)
5. Very Old Barton 100
6. JTS Brown 100
It was fun coming back to this video a year later, and seeing how my tastes have changed. Now I am willing to spend more (up to $50 these days) but these cheapies are still what I go to most of the time! I always love this channel - Love you too!
Thank you! I need to pick up some Fighting Cock. I keep hearing great things and I met the crew at Bardstown Bourbon Company once. They were really nice.
@@BourbonRealTalk Originally, I heard someone say it was good, and my son graduated from South Carolina (the Gamecocks) so I HAD to try it. Only 1 store in town has it, but when they have it, it's only $17. I like it. Now if only there were a Buckeye Bourbon...
Regarding the Ancient Age, a common misconception is that a straight bourbon must be 4 years old but that is usually confused with the bottles-in-bond year rule. To be a straight bourbon it has to be at least 2 years old. I hear a lot of whiskey tubers say this.
I explained it in the video. To be non age stated it must be 4 years. It must be 2 years to be straight, but if straight and less than 4 the age statement rule applies. Since Ancient age must be 4 years old because it is NAS and not because it is straight.
@@BourbonRealTalk Read the small print - on the neck label I think. Both Ancient Age and the regular Benchmark have a 3+ yr 'under-age' statement on them. Same for Ancient Ancient Age 10 Star & Ancient Age 90prf. The new Benchmark 750ml 'named' releases are all 4+ yr. Love that JB Black was high on the list! Cheers!
@@seanwhiskey8217 I missed that! Thank you for clearing that up.
I really like the Wild Turkey 101 RYE But I will try some of the others.
I do like that one. It isn't one that comes to mind for me often, but I have enjoyed it.
If we can do the math for 1.75L bottles I would add Four Roses yellow label and remove the EWBIB. I was not a huge fan of the EW. A lot of these are not available in our market. I might have to try the Exra Brooks. The problem is I don't like the idea of having that big a bottle if I don't like it. I guess I can always use it for cocktails.
I like 4R, but I believe it is 80 proof so it is a little light for my palate. Have you tried EWBiB specifically or some of their other offerings only?
@@BourbonRealTalk I have and thought it was good but the last 1/2 of the bottle I decided that it was a $15 bottle so not a great value. It was not bad but I like the flavor of FR a little better so have no trouble dealing with the lower proof and the few extra dollars it costs.
Funny you mentioned it, I just recently found Evan Williams bottled and bond and for the price it's fantastic. I have nothing bad to say about it other than exactly what you would expect. I mean at that price point. No, I didn't think it was a really complex bourbon. I love things like Old Forester 1910 that's wonderful. And you know some other really expensive bourbons but let's face it, my wallet dust can't afford buying that stuff all the time as a daily drinker Evan Williams is great. I tried wild turkey 101 and to my palette. I just found it. Had a very young alcohol taste to it. Maybe that's my taste buds still developing. I don't know. I know a lot of people love it for me. I think Evan Williams for one half of one percent less alcohol is much more palatable. Typically I find myself drinking either bottled and bond or much higher proofs and so it's not the proof that makes the difference
Hard to beat Evan Williams BiB. I do prefer wild turkey, but everyone's palates are different. The WT is aged a couple of years longer than EWBiB, so I don't think it is age that is making the difference for you. Maybe you just don't like the WT profile?
I'm offended. You forgot an old favorite "Old Crow". $9.99 😊
That is a good one. For some reason it didn't come up in the crowdsourced list.
It's because it's terrible lol
Yes Jim Beam Black is good it's way better than white label which I am not a fan. Jim Beam Black I don't get the peanut note as strong as white label🥃
I agree!
I think the white label tastes like a crayon
@@LeatherDaddy97 Ya the white label is just not good bourbon I have never liked it but my twin brother and his girlfriend just absolutely love it and I always poke fun at them I'm like dude there's much better whiskey.This video will show you there's better whiskey below 20 bucks
WT 101, repeat, WT 101, repeat, WT 101, repeat......
My favorite!
How is WT 101 still on the shelves? It’s unbelievable for the price and proof.
My guess is they made a LOT of it 6-8 years ago.
@@BourbonRealTalk I like to keep a few around just in case. Besides, mine seem to disappear quicker than my other bourbons. There must be something wrong with the bottling or something. I think they leak or evaporate. 😂
Old Taylor halfy for $20 is just as good as EHT SmB and you don't have to chase or pay secondary
That one was not on the crowd sourced list.
@@BourbonRealTalk try it if you haven't had before and you like EHT
Old Fitzgerald Prime should make these lists, and you used to be able to find Larceny under $20 (both are the same mashbill from Heaven Hill). OFP is a great mixer, Larceny is probably the best low-priced wheated Bourbon. Store picks of Larceny are fantastic gift bottles for folks that aren't into barrel proof. Antioch down in IL picked a 6 year barrel last year that was 'Blantons quality' for $25/ bottle. Great episode! Cheers
Old Fitzgerald didn't get brought up in the crowdsourced list. Larceny is around $22 in TX where I am at, so it didn't make the list.
Evan Williams 1783 is around 34 for a 1.75 at 90 proof and a good daily sipper. No telling how many gallons of Evan Williams bottled in bond I've gone through over the years.
It's so good.
We love Evan Williams BIB.
Same!
I love learning about good affordable bourbons to try. My brother-in-law shared a Weller 12 year with me (over $150 back then) and yes, it was VERY good. But I would rather have 8 bottles of a very good $20 bourbon than 1 bottle of a great bourbon. Unless I were dying, then maybe I would splurge.
Good philosophy! FYI Weller 12 is supposed to be $40. At $150 the store was marking it up beyond what is normal.
@@BourbonRealTalk man when I google it, they START at $150 now. My local store was $150, and online higher. Not sure what happened. I see them range online from $229 to $300 mostly, found one place for $80. Drizly $250
@@josephthomas2226 Google Weller 12 MSRP
@@BourbonRealTalk Yep, the MSRP is $40 (or at least it was in 2021). But I have not found it anywhere near that price. one article said "But for many in the “real world,” finding Weller 12 Year at MSRP is a fairy tale and consideration must be taken into account for its inflated secondary market prices." I would LOVE to find it for $50 as a gift to my brother-in-law, but not at $150.
@@josephthomas2226 That is fair. W12 is not easy to find in TX, but it is relatively easy if you are putting in the work. I am usually able to find a bottle at MSRP when the whiskey club finishes my open bottle.
Great list! So many good & affordable bottles sitting on the shelf that often get overlooked. My list would include Fighting Cock.
I love fighting cock, but for some reason it was not in the crowdsourced list.
Fighting cock is my favorite of the HH portfolio
Solid list!! Several of those I definitely have passed on multiple times. I would add the new release of Evan Williams 1783...$17..really good stuff!
Nice!
If it hasn't been stated yet, the age statement for Ancient Age is on the neck band.
Thank you for clearing that up. I overlooked it.
Ezra Brooks is my favorite of the cheaper Bourbons. Just ahead of Evan Williams and Old Crow. Unfortunately, here in Northeast Ohio, they quit selling the 90 Proof. I'm going to give Ancient Age a try, based on your review.
Let me know what you think!
Great video
Thanks!
WT101 is king!
Exactly!
In KY our Ancient Age is 90 proof. It's in my daily drinker rotation along with J.W. Dant & J.T.S Brown BIB.
Solid pours! Cheers!
Know ryes weren't included in the conversation, but the Wild Turk 101 rye is the perfect analog to W.T. 101 bourbon. I always pick 'em both up yoked together. Makes for a perfect bag limit ... in case the game warden happens to be sneakin' 'round.
😂
All I can say is that you guys have some really great prices in TX because most of these are over $20 in the liquor controlled state of Ohio which, I thought, implied that we paid no more than MSRP.
Could be state taxes and shipping.
Just picked up a handle of Old Forester signature last week. It was $50 plus Washington's F you tax. Plan on having some when I get home from work.
Washington liquor taxes are CRAZY! Hope you enjoy.
On my bardstown camping trip I bought JW Dant but haven't opened it yet. I also bought old bardstown and it has a bit of a gasoline aftertaste. My friend bought fighting cock and says it's the worst he's ever tasted. So now I'm not feeling as much trepidation about my Dant. Thanks!
Interesting. I like fighting cock, but everyone's palate is different.
JTS Brown BiB is my go-to for anything mixed. It's so ridiculously cheap and tasty.
Agreed! High QPR!
Have you guys received any info on Evan Williams single barrel becoming Kentucky exclusive?
I have not.
Love you
I like it when people say it back!
I don't remember when/where I first heard about EW Bonded, but daaang with just a splash of cold spring water it's delicious.
It is a sleeper for sure!
Great idea for a video. Well done. WT101 is the single best value in the bourbon world, IMO.
It really is! I might argue Evan Williams BiB or Benchmark Full Proof could compete, but my purchase history suggests it is WT101.
Early Times is Sazerac, but not coming out of Buffalo Trace. Totally with you on the Benchmark. I like to think the Bonded is the poor man’s EH Taylor. Dant to me I’d darn close to McKenna. Yes McKenna is more refined since it is older. Love the Dant.
I didn't realize until after we published that I said BT and not Sazerac, but I kind of redeemed myself by saying it will be distilled at Barton 1792. I also didn't know that Ancient Age has a small 3 year age statement on the back.
My go tos on this list are WT101, EWBIB, and OF100. If that OF100 is available, I grab that one first.
Nice!
I got a bottle of Old Tub for $21.50, and for the price, outside of Evan BiB it is my favorite.
It was just a little over the price range to make it into the list.
Thanks, bottom shelf jewels. We love WT 101 as well. cheers.
That is what I drink the most of.
The local Wally World here in SW MO has Wild Turkey 101 for $37.48 for a 1.75 liter. I need to stock back up.
Solid price! I usually do not bunker WT101 because it is always available in TX.
Great list fellas. Keep preaching the gospel of good quality affordable bourbon. I was heart broken though because Fighting Cock Bourbon should have been on top of the list (second only to the mighty WT 101). 17.49 for a 750 at total wine. 103 proof. To me it tastes like a slightly angrier yet shockingly crushable cousin of WT 101. Give it some love! Keep up the good work boys.
It didn't come up on the crowdsourced list. Sorry we missed it.
@@BourbonRealTalk It's Heaven Hill batched spicier than Evan WIlliams, JW Dant, JTS Brown and JT Samuels...
Evan Williams BIB is 19.99 over here. WT 101 is about 25. But these two are my daily drinkers. I’ll have to check out some of these other ones though. Great content
Check them out! There are some good values out there.
Wild Turkey 101, Evan BiB, and Old Forester 100 are my 3 favs from this list. I do have a bottle of the Ezra Brooks but for me it just doesn't hold up. Thanks guys, cheers.
I know WT101 and EWBiB are high on the list for me. Not sure OF100 would edge out EB for me, but luckily everyone's palate is different or we would all be trying to buy the same things.
Is Ezra 99 not under $20? Really have enjoyed that since released last year.
It is 20.99 for a 750ml and didn't have a handle for me to do math on, so it didn't make the list.
The Wild Turkey 81 and 101 bottles have a large price variance in my area. Usually both are price around 22 to 26 dollars when they are not on sale. But when either product gets initially stocked up or has been on the shelf for a while, the price can easily drop by over 50%. I've seen the Wild Turkey 101 on sale a couple weeks ago at Target at 10 dollars for the 750ml bottles and the Wild Turkey 81 375ml at 6 dollars at the local liquor store. Total Wine has the WT 101 750ml at under 20 dollars recently too. Evan Williams Bottled in Bond is a great buy at 15 bucks. Unfortunately, I've never seen half the bourbons on the under 20 list around me. Good list though.
This is hard because I can only go off of local prices. Glad you liked the list!
Great list guys! I haven't tried them all, but the ones I have, I agree with. Nothing from mgp hits this bottom shelf price right? I couldn't think of anything.
The ones from MGP that are below $20 are super young, and likely would not make the list.
Bourbon; 40% abv isis 40%. Abv…. Unless you’re a conasewer
Not sure what that means. Cheers!
Not criticizing, just asking lol but i thought “straight” bourbon is a minimum of 2 years, so the 3 years could possibly make sense!
Also great video, thank you guys! Love ya back!!!
All whiskey must be aged 4 years or have an age statement according to US law, straight or otherwise. If a whiskey is non-age stated (NAS) it by default would be at least 4 years. I was trying to say that AA was NAS and therefor at least 4. I was not trying to say because it was straight it was 4. Other's in the comments have informed me that AA is in fact age stated on the back label as 3 years old. Sorry for my error.
@@BourbonRealTalk that makes sense! Hey it happens it’s all good! Thanks for the clarification!
I love bourbon with a passion . Only drink that doesn’t get me sick the next day
I can regulate my intake a little better with straight whiskey vs cocktails.
I ALWAYS keep some EW BiB. It’s fantastic!
Such a good pour for the money!
Been a big fan of the Early Times and also branching out into Benchmark as well, so i will have to try each of those
They were all pretty good.
JW Dant is what got me into bonded bourbon. Sadly I can't find it in west Tennessee.
That sucks! I am unsure how available all of these are in different areas. They were just the ones from the crowdsourced list, so I figured they were available in some areas just to make the list.
What?! How have you never had EW BNB? We talk about how great it is at this price.
I have tried it, but I had never owned a bottle before Wes offered to grab me one.
maybe you should have called the video 11 Bourbons around $20.
They are all under $20 for a 750 ml.
Fantastic list guys. This definitely helped me with a list of things to add to my collection since I'm poor folk! Haha. Thanks again!
Happy to help! You don't have to spend a ton of money to drink great bourbon!
Great review guys. WT101 bats way above it's price, great value & delicious. Readily available here in Australia. Cheers from Oz.
Glad you can get it. I have heard your bourbon choices are not always the best down under.
Yes we are limited in what we can buy, but when we can get something unique like EC Barrel Proof we are paying 3-4 times the price you pay in the states. Cheers from Oz.@@BourbonRealTalk
My favorite is Wild Turkey 101!u sipper. Can't go wrong.
Can’t back up the ancient age rec (my bottle was like nail polish remover), but Evan Williams BiB is an awesome bottle. I don’t love it neat, but certainly not bad. However, EW BiB in cocktails is killer! Stands up well to citrus, brings a lot of classic bourbon notes and sweetness, absolutely stellar
AA was popular in our crowdsourced list, but everyone's palates are different. Cheers!
@@BourbonRealTalk Couldn't agree more! Just throwing in my two cents. Cheers y'all!
My favorite number #11. Let’s go 🥃🥃🥃
WT101 is hard to beat!
This video is a great example that there is a lot of great bourbons that are extremely affordable and available!
It really is!
Thanks for the suggestions. I am new to the bourbon experience. I already drink Wild Turkey 101. That was a just a lucky guess on my part. I quiet enjoy it. I decided to try some others on your list and picked two for now. Jim Beam Black (it also got a shot out from the guy stocking the shelves) and Evan Williams Bottled in Bond. I have only had the chance to try the Jim Beam so far and I am not disappointed. Thanks for helping me find my way.
I wish the black had a little more proof, but it is a solid pour.
Well now I have tried both the Black and the EW BIB. Maybe it is the lighter char or the higher corn on the EW but I think I would reach for that more often, so it will stay on the shelf with the WT 101. This video holds up well. Good suggestions, objective opinions. Thanks.
@@BourbonRealTalkI thought more about the proof comment. I like my bourbon on the rocks which may be why the WT and EW work better for me.
If you guys haven't tried Old Bardstown yet you definitely need to give it a shot. $18.99 in my area. The only thing I don't like about it is,it has a screw on top. I only live about 30 miles from Bardstown and this bourbon is one of the best sellers in this area.
Are you talking about very old barton? It was in the video.
@@BourbonRealTalk Nope. Old Bardstown Bottled In Bond
@@johnhukle7606 I have had it. I think it missed the list because it is not distributed widely enough.
I have had most of these. Unfortunately, I can't get Early Times, JW Dant, or JTS Brown in my area. I have never had the Ancient Age, but I just bought Ancient Ancient Age for the first time and thought it was pretty good. Of course, like most, I love WT101 and EW BiB. Great list.
Glad to hear you liked the AA! I have not much experience with it, but it was popular in the crowdsourced information so it made the list.
@@BourbonRealTalk I really enjoy what y’all are doing here. I am in several groups on FB where people are just such assholes to each other. I don’t understand it. Keep up the good work.
Your tasting notes are always so interesting. They differ so vastly from mine I sometimes wonder if we are drinking the same juice, lol. I get cherry from Evan Williams products, lots of cherry. From Wild Turkey 101, I get cinnamon red hots. Ive never tasted bananas from any Old Forrester bottle, or peanuts in any bottle ever. Oh and Benchmark is butterscotch candy for me, esp the fullproof. Its amazing how different our tasting notes are but still enjoy the same bottles. My "daily" drinkers are WT101 and EW BiB. Enjoyed another video, keep it up.
I almost hate giving tasting notes for this reason, but people like to hear them. I suggest people watch youtubers reviews and find someone that your palate aligns with yours, then you follow them because their suggestions will likely line up for you. The good news is, we like the same pours even if we don't taste the same notes.
Jack Daniel is so nutty for me. It's so weird how unique everyone's palate is.
@@Darrelll13 I get nutty and banana runts.
Rii
good list just wish i could find all these in my local area,
I wish that too! Mayben when some of the new capacity comes online they will expand distribution.
I always have a bottle of 101 on hand. Great show guys.
Thanks for the support! Do you have any other favorite bourbons or whiskeys that you keep in your collection?
Appreciate the list. Been curious about some of these and your input helps.
You won't make a mistake with any of these.
WT 101 sells for 19.99 here in Venice, FL
Nice!
I love a good recommendation!!! Thanks!!!
You are so welcome!
Cheers broskis. U guys rock!!!!!! Thanks
Cheers!
Putting Evan Williams BiB up against Henry McKenna BiB and Heaven Hill BiB was a real eye opener.
The HM and the HH are a TINY bit better,..... but NOT two or three times better, not even close. They're almost the same.
The new Benchmark Full Proof is my newest favorite budget bottle,.. but I'm guessing the one I have now is the only one that I will ever see.
I had a friend pick up a 12 pack case, so I am set for a while.
@@BourbonRealTalk Thanks a lot, Randy, (or Wes) that's why the rest of us will never find any! (screeched in whiny nasally troll voice)
Hahaha!!! Just kidding, my man. More power to you. All's fair in love and whiskey!
@@StillLivinginthewoods 😂
Thanks for sharing the love !!!!!!
Thank you for supporting the channel. Have you joined facebook.com/groups/bourbonrealtalkcommunity?
Awesome video! Thank You!
You're welcome, thanks for being here!
Excellent list.
Glad you think so!
Gotta have a great mixer
I like all of these neat or as a mixer.
If my goal is to avoid cherry, what are the main names to steer clear of?
Buffalo trace mash bill 1, wild turkey, old forester birthday bourbon, 1792.
@@BourbonRealTalk thank you for following up with folks, we appreciate it. 🤘🏽
very old barton is swill.
Hi there! Thanks for sharing your opinion. It's important to remember that everyone has different tastes when it comes to bourbon. While Very Old Barton may not be your favorite, some people may enjoy it. Have you tried any bourbons that you particularly enjoy?
Great list gents! I always have OGD BiB on deck! It's rarely below $22 out my way in MD, but is always a steal. EW BiB as well...never over $18. That extra 20 proof over standard rail pours goes miles when making cocktails!
I like at least 100 proof in my cocktails. Cheers!
Love how excited you two get about the bottom shelf options. True whiskey fans! Cheers to you🥃
Wes and I are easily amused!
Hello! New to the channel and love the content. I had an uncle also comitt suicide so that part tugged on the heart strings a little. That being said I would love to see you guys blind taste some of these and see which one would come out on top. A budget bourbon battle. Keep up the good work...cheers.
Welcome to the channel. We may have to try this! Have you joined facebook.com/groups/bourbonrealtalkcommunity/?
Just last night I hung out with some friends and had some Evan Williams BiB and it reminded me how great a bottle it is. I even have a bottle at home buried behind all the "good" stuff.
It is worth a pour for sure!
You guys might want to make an addendum to the video. Lux row was not purchased by Sazerac but by MGP or Ross and Squibb. They also do not use Lincoln County process on ezra brooks, it's just charcoal filtered.
If I said EB was purchased by Sazerac I misspoke. It was Early Times that was purchased by Sazerac. I just looked it up and I was just straight up wrong about Ezra Brooks. They in fact do not use the LCP since the charcoal filtering happens after aging. LCP is charcoal filtering before aging. I will add a retraction to the description.
@@BourbonRealTalk no problem, liked the concept and agree with your picks! I find jts brown a sleeper on some people's eyes and old fo 100 is always on my bar. Cheers guys!
great podcast, can't wait to try and compare! Thanks for the positive message as well!
You are so welcome! Thanks for watching!
I thought Dant and Brown BIB, was only sold in Kentucky?
both of those are available in IL
I don't know where all they are available.
Dant BiB is in Texas. I have not seen JTSB BiB. I sometimes mock the scotch channels by suggesting Mellow Corn as the equal or superior pour.
Dant BiB is a mild respectable bourbon.
@@kirbyculp3449 I looked for both at SPEC's, but they didn't have it.
@@mr.mr.4772
Try Twin, but it may be limited by that janky law. The clerks can look it up on the computer.
Does Brown Foreman own Sazerac? Because Sazerac just acquired Early Times.
No separate companies. Sazarac just took over the brand Early Times.
@@Jared40 that's what I was thinking. So it's Sazerac, not Brown Foreman
Brown Forman owned the brand Early Times and had inventory aging for the future of the brand. Brown Forman sold the brand and the stock to Sazerac Corporation, which is a different company. Sazerac owns Buffalo Trace and Barton 1792, and they have announced that in the future Early Times will be distilled at Barton 1792.
I need to come to your stores! Never seen Early Times BiB under $24.99 which it is also now allocated according to the stores I went to throughout Kentucky FYI
Also what happened at the end of the Ezra Brooks discussion? Was there overlap of Early Times BiB information there?
Different states have different pricing structures. I usually base my content on my local prices.
I think you may have seen me reaching for my computer to move the script. I don't think you missed anything.
@@BourbonRealTalk Not knocking your pricing, just showing my jealousy :)
@@BourbonRealTalk @11:53 you state that Sazerac now owns Ezra Brooks and will start distilling it at 1792? Is that true or is that supposed to be referencing Early Times?
Ok this is the video I’ve been looking for. I’ve had some rare spirits in my day but never pursued them as a hobby and wanted to know if there was anything worthy in the 20-40 range. Gotta watch this whole thing when I have the whole 20min to sit down and dedicate my full attention to. Thank you for what you do!
Maybe rare was the wrong word, but I’m sure you know what I mean, good not necessarily rare
Try these two:
ua-cam.com/video/r49LPtJptUY/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/lf9feTqRun0/v-deo.html
This is how I started my Bourbon 🥃 journey. I started with the “under $20” videos. And I still stock so many of them on my shelf now! Thanks for giving me a few new ones to look at.
Thanks for watching. This list was crowdsourced from facebook.com/groups/bourbonrealtalkcommunity, so I can't take too much credit.
So many bourbons, so little time! Thanks for another fun video!
Our pleasure!