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Top shelf on a student budget - Page 3

post #31 of 122
8/23/10 at 1:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rambo View Post
Gordon's gin is awful. There's got to be a better option then that.

I am a fan of New Amsterdam gin. Currently on sale for $16.99/1.75L at the liquor store a few blocks from my office. I keep some plymouth on hand for when I want to splurge, but New Amsterdam works for me in anything shy of a martini.
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post #32 of 122
8/23/10 at 1:14pm
The Russian vodka is a great deal. I alternate btwn that and Stoli....
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post #33 of 122
8/26/10 at 8:14pm
+1 for New Amsterdam. My goto gin for the last couple years. Very cheap and really solid.
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post #34 of 122
8/26/10 at 8:42pm
I've been spending a lot of time doing research on this... prices estimated for 750s
Vodka:
Sobieski $11
Monopolowa $13
Luksosowa $20/1.75
Tito's $18

Gin:
New Amsterdam $18/1.75
Gordon's $15/1.75 (for mixing only)
Monopolowa Gin $15
Pinnacle $20/1.75
Bombay $18 (and Sapphire is $22 where I am)

Gin is very personal so taste around. I like the Monopolowa but it's only in 750s.

Rum:
Sailor Jerry's $16
Flor de Cana 4yr $14
Mount Gay Eclipse $19 but $25/1.75

Tequila:
El Ultimo $20
Real Hacienda $15
Espolon $20

Whiskey:
Wild Turkey Rye $19
Old Forester (Delicious spicy rye taste) $16 ($20 for the 100 proof)
WL Weller (Delicious smooth wheat taste) $15 ($19 for the 7yr)
Buffalo Trace if you want top shelf taste $22

Other than EW Black $12, the other budget models I'd approve of are Kentucky Gentleman ($9) and Ten High ($10) but I would never willingly buy them anymore.

Whisky:
Teacher's Highland Cream (only good $20 scotch I've found)
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post #35 of 122
8/26/10 at 9:14pm
Thread Starter 
^Awesome list, thanks. On a sidenote, has anybody tried the Kraken rum? It's right around $20 here and though it has some good reviews online, I'm still afraid that it might be marketing over substance.
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post #36 of 122
8/26/10 at 9:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arms_Akimbo View Post

Tequila:
El Ultimo $20
Real Hacienda $15
Espolon $20

Gah- you're a braver man than I. Espolon is the only one that I'd touch, and it would still be margaritas instead of sipping.
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post #37 of 122
8/26/10 at 9:23pm
With tequila, you pretty much get what you pay for (except Patron). $20 is a hard limit, do you have any other suggestions for stuff that's commonly available? Everything else around that price is like Sauza, Cuervo, blech. Hacienda Vieja, 30-30 and Jimador are ones I've heard of but not tried.

edit: Kraken is a solid choice for a dark rum. It's going to be really sweet and taste like molasses. Dark rum is hard to mess up because the molasses flavors it so heavily. I prefer gold rum over the other types (white and spiced) because it's more versatile but YMMV.
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post #38 of 122
8/26/10 at 10:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arms_Akimbo View Post
With tequila, you pretty much get what you pay for (except Patron). $20 is a hard limit, do you have any other suggestions for stuff that's commonly available? Everything else around that price is like Sauza, Cuervo, blech. Hacienda Vieja, 30-30 and Jimador are ones I've heard of but not tried.

edit: Kraken is a solid choice for a dark rum. It's going to be really sweet and taste like molasses. Dark rum is hard to mess up because the molasses flavors it so heavily. I prefer gold rum over the other types (white and spiced) because it's more versatile but YMMV.

Kraken is spiced.
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post #39 of 122
8/26/10 at 10:17pm
I pulled up a pic of a bottle and it looks like you're right. When I think of spiced I think of the Captain Morgan type stuff with not much cane flavor but rum's not really my thing and I had the Kraken with some coke.
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post #40 of 122
8/26/10 at 10:32pm
Try Trader Joes for quality and price on almost any liquor.
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post #41 of 122
8/26/10 at 11:25pm
Svedka handles worked well for me
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post #42 of 122
8/27/10 at 1:14am
I'm a huge whiskey fan. In university some friends and I brewed our own beer, so that opened up my ability to buy more expensive liquor. For a non-ridiculous blended scotch I stuck with Green Label from Johnnie Walker. I didn't drink often, and so I could nurse a bottle quite awhile. I tried the others from the Walker offering, but Green was by far the best. (I never tried Blue though... )
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post #43 of 122
8/27/10 at 1:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by L.R. View Post
I'm a huge whiskey fan. In university some friends and I brewed our own beer, so that opened up my ability to buy more expensive liquor. For a non-ridiculous blended scotch I stuck with Green Label from Johnnie Walker. I didn't drink often, and so I could nurse a bottle quite awhile. I tried the others from the Walker offering, but Green was by far the best. (I never tried Blue though... )

Green isn't a blend. Its the only single malt in the line.
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post #44 of 122
8/27/10 at 1:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ama View Post
Johnny Walker Black Label

This.
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post #45 of 122
8/27/10 at 2:02am
Everclear
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