Rebel Yell Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

I must admit, I do have a weakness for cheap booze. Well, my wallet does anyway. But Rebel Yell is the real deal: cheap as sin ($16 for a handle (1.75 ml) in NH on sale, $20 when not on sale) and actually drinkable. It's surprisingly smooth, with a sweet flavor, and almost none of the nasty lingering bad-alcohol taste of most cheap booze. I'm not saying it's my favorite bourbon to drink neat, but it's not bad on the rocks. Certainly compared to other cheap bourbons, it sticks out head and shoulders above. There's cheaper whiskeys, but at $13 a bottle (750 ml) in Massachusetts, there's few that approach the price and none that approach the value. Great for mixing, as well.

Old Granddad Bonded (100 proof)

Old Granddad Bonded Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is nothing special. It has a distinct, lingering smokey flavor that quickly its initial nicely mild taste. With ice, the smokey flavor is lessened, but overall it is not a terribly good bourbon for drinking straight. But at $14 a bottle (750 ml) on sale in New Hampshire, it is certainly worth picking up, for mixing if nothing else.

Scotch: The Smokey Peaty One

Jon, Mark and Robbo's Malt Scotch Whisky is, in fact, really whisky and really from Scotland, although it's label would look more appropriate on a bottle of domestic microbrew. We tried the Smokey Peaty One, which is nicely peaty and not overly smokey like Glenfiddich, but had very little other flavor. That said, it is a very easy to drink scotch with good scotch character, and it tastes good. On the other hand, for around $35 a bottle I'd go for something else.