Some decent deals (this is at the Elk Grove store ..Sacramento region).
These pricing are all below what Total Wine and other stores sell for.
Balvene Week of Peat 14 yr ....$85.99
Glenfiddich 14 yrs - $37.99
Tyrconnell Irish 16 yr - $69.99
Angels Envy Bourbon - $39.99
Aberfledy 12 yr ($26.99 if u buy 2).
Also carrying the Suntory Japanese whiskey and Kaiyo (these are entry level blends but some may enjoy).
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I am not an expert, but Id encourage everyone to focus on what you enjoy most per $. Year designations are close to meaningless. People who spend more money will always try to find and represent more enjoyment from their purchases even if it's not there. Best whiskey/whisky/bourbon for my money bar none is Evan Williams Bottled in Bond for $11.58 a bottle, period. Blue label Johnny Walker is still blended and still...very average in my opinion. Smooth? Yes. Nuanced? Maybe. Worth the money? Absolutely not.
I've had everything from a blended Rich and Rare $6 handle I mix with Coke to any Pappy you can name that most won't ever get to taste in their lifetime that my investment banker friends resell today 20 years later for fun up to $5k per bottle and you know what? For the money, nothing beats for very different spirits for QPR to be basic, imho:
Evan Williams BiB under $15
Ardbeg Uigeadail under $70
Balvenie 12 Double Wood (used to be $40? Now $53???)
Pick whatever bourbons and ryes you want but the majority's mash are all made in the same factory in the midwest. Since I wasn't asked, I'll offer that I do love E.H. Taylor Small Batch. Is 4-6x better than Evan Williams? Hell no! I'll invest the difference in the market.
Most third-party-branded whiskys don't tend to be good in my experience. Now, (1) I'm only 38 and (2) have probably only had 40-50 of those but Alexander Murray can only do so much with alcohol they haven't had control over. They can cask them differently, sure, or Costco or Trader Joe's can direct them to other bottlings but if the source distillate ain't great, it really doesn't matter. Over the years, I've had a small handful I thought were deals, most were worth the money and a small minority weren't.
I'd stick with brands at this point. That older bottling trader joe's or Costco's has labeled is theirs for a reason. I buy an AM, Kirkland and Trader Joe's bottling every year and only one usually is a "find". At best.
I've had everything from a blended Rich and Rare $6 handle I mix with Coke to any Pappy you can name that most won't ever get to taste in their lifetime that my investment banker friends resell today 20 years later for fun up to $5k per bottle and you know what? For the money, nothing beats for very different spirits for QPR to be basic, imho:
Evan Williams BiB under $15
Ardbeg Uigeadail under $70
Balvenie 12 Double Wood (used to be $40? Now $53???)
Pick whatever bourbons and ryes you want but the majority's mash are all made in the same factory in the midwest. Since I wasn't asked, I'll offer that I do love E.H. Taylor Small Batch. Is 4-6x better than Evan Williams? Hell no! I'll invest the difference in the market.
The bottled in bond will knock your socks off. The black label is fine. It's good for the money, but it isn't good bourbon - not even close. However, the BiB is amazing for the $. I was floored. Some super famous bourbon review blew it up this past year on social media. It's $14.47 this week for me at Vons less 20% discount. Will be buying 6 bottles.
I am not an expert, but Id encourage everyone to focus on what you enjoy most per $. Year designations are close to meaningless. People who spend more money will always try to find and represent more enjoyment from their purchases even if it's not there. Best whiskey/whisky/bourbon for my money bar none is Evan Williams Bottled in Bond for $11.58 a bottle, period.
I've had everything from a blended Rich and Rare $6 handle I mix with Coke to any Pappy you can name that most won't ever get to taste in their lifetime that my investment banker friends resell today 20 years later for fun up to $5k per bottle and you know what? For the money, nothing beats for very different spirits for QPR to be basic, imho:
Evan Williams BiB under $15
Ardbeg Uigeadail under $70
Balvenie 12 Double Wood (used to be $40? Now $53???)
Pick whatever bourbons and ryes you want but the majority's mash are all made in the same factory in the midwest. Since I wasn't asked, I'll offer that I do love E.H. Taylor Small Batch. Is 4-6x better than Evan Williams? Hell no! I'll invest the difference in the market.
Is Evan Williams White in Bond the same as the BiB you're talking about? $26.95 per handle at my local Total Wine.
$14.47 at my Vons and 20% off of that this weekend only. Lowest price you'll find from an Albertson's branded market if you have one near you: https://www.vons.com/shop/search-...0in%20bond
I love quality spirits of any type. I understand the nuance in well-crafted beer, spirits and wine having been well exposed. However, there is a limit to enjoyment. As my uncle says, as well, "food only gets so good" and he's right. You might pay for an experience, but the reality is, once you can mix well and cook well at home, there's little you can't do as far as getting to that 11/10 enjoyment meter.
So...to keep it cheap and deal-y, I've offered my thoughts at the bottom of price points. I maintain these are some of the finest deals on the market.
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$14.47 at my Vons and 20% off of that this weekend only. Lowest price you'll find from an Albertson's branded market if you have one near you: https://www.vons.com/shop/search-...0in%20bond
Nice! I'll have to try it. Working my way through the world of bourbons to see what I enjoy most.
I'm done with analogies
I am not an expert, but Id encourage everyone to focus on what you enjoy most per $. Year designations are close to meaningless. People who spend more money will always try to find and represent more enjoyment from their purchases even if it's not there. Best whiskey/whisky/bourbon for my money bar none is Evan Williams Bottled in Bond for $11.58 a bottle, period. Blue label Johnny Walker is still blended and still...very average in my opinion. Smooth? Yes. Nuanced? Maybe. Worth the money? Absolutely not.
I've had everything from a blended Rich and Rare $6 handle I mix with Coke to any Pappy you can name that most won't ever get to taste in their lifetime that my investment banker friends resell today 20 years later for fun up to $5k per bottle and you know what? For the money, nothing beats for very different spirits for QPR to be basic, imho:
Evan Williams BiB under $15
Ardbeg Uigeadail under $70
Balvenie 12 Double Wood (used to be $40? Now $53???)
Pick whatever bourbons and ryes you want but the majority's mash are all made in the same factory in the midwest. Since I wasn't asked, I'll offer that I do love E.H. Taylor Small Batch. Is 4-6x better than Evan Williams? Hell no! I'll invest the difference in the market.
Most third-party-branded whiskys don't tend to be good in my experience. Now, (1) I'm only 38 and (2) have probably only had 40-50 of those but Alexander Murray can only do so much with alcohol they haven't had control over. They can cask them differently, sure, or Costco or Trader Joe's can direct them to other bottlings but if the source distillate ain't great, it really doesn't matter. Over the years, I've had a small handful I thought were deals, most were worth the money and a small minority weren't.
I'd stick with brands at this point. That older bottling trader joe's or Costco's has labeled is theirs for a reason. I buy an AM, Kirkland and Trader Joe's bottling every year and only one usually is a "find". At best.
There was an 18 year Kirkland a few years back, I think it was in sherry casks, it was delicious, wish I'd bought more, but like you said, the hits are far fewer than the misses.
Government sucks