Top shelf on a student budget

[random-adam]

Originally Posted by Rambo

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.

 

[ter1413]

The Russian vodka is a great deal. I alternate btwn that and Stoli....

 

[Andrewc2232]

+1 for New Amsterdam. My goto gin for the last couple years. Very cheap and really solid.

 

[Arms_Akimbo]

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)

 

[cptjeff]

^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.

 

[HgaleK]

Originally Posted by Arms_Akimbo

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.

 

[Arms_Akimbo]

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.

 

[ama]

Originally Posted by Arms_Akimbo

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.

 

[Arms_Akimbo]

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.

 

[Gus]

Try Trader Joes for quality and price on almost any liquor.

 

[coop86]

Svedka handles worked well for me

 

[L.R.]

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... )

 

[ama]

Originally Posted by L.R.

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.

 

[rdaws]

Originally Posted by ama

Johnny Walker Black Label

This.

 

[Jokerman]

Everclear