Drinking the bottom shelf

BlackBard · Feb 8, 2015

As expected, there is always a lot of discussion about what is the best....(insert name here).

I am interested in hearing your suggestions for the best of the bottom shelf spirits.

I'll start:

Vodka: Sobieski
Gin: Gordon's
Scotch Whisky: Old Smuggler
Bourbon/American Whiskey: Evan Williams Black Label
Irish Whiskey: Bushmills White Label
Tequila: Kirkland Silver Tequila (Costco) and/or Familia Camarena Reposado

What say you?

Romeo212000 · Feb 8, 2015

Vodka: as bottom shelf as I go is Monoplowa or New Amsterdam
Bourbon: Jim Beam white label or Old Grand Dad Bonded
American Whiskey: George Dickel
Tequila: probably El Jimador

Claudel Xerxes · Feb 8, 2015

The only two bottom shelf spirits that I buy are:

Vodka: Sobieski

Bourbon: Ezra Brooks

Icecold Dan · Feb 8, 2015

It's funny that you mention Old Smuggler scotch. I keep a bottle of it around and will sip it on ice when I don't really have the time to focus on a higher quality scotch. My friends tease me about it, calling it "Old Scumbag".

Grumpy_Bottom · Feb 8, 2015

I don't know how "bottom shelf" it's considered, but Luksosowa Vodka out of Poland is usually about $18 on sale for 1.75L and is a really good, clean tasting potato vodka that reminds me of what Stolichnaya tasted like in Russia when I was there 25 years ago. I've completely ditched Titos in favor of it at a much cheaper price point. I haven't tried it yet, but I've had people swear that if you run bottom shelf through a charcoal (brita style) filter, after 1-2 runs you get top shelf stuff anyway, so that may be my next experiment.

hydro-magic · Feb 8, 2015

I'm not a serious Vodka drinker but when I was in Russia about 10 years ago, Russian Standard was one of the cheapest ones there and good stuff. Stoli cost more and wasn't nearly as good IMO. That Russian Standard was actually really good straight up and I ended up drinking way more of it than I should have that way.

Just checked to see if it's available here. It is, but not even close to the price in Russia. I can't remember for sure but I want to say it was less than $10 a liter there.

jlanger · Feb 8, 2015

Cmon, these are all mid shelf stuff IMO,
No bottom shelf can go without a mention to cheap Canadian whiskey IMO Canadian Hunter or Black Velvet would be on that list.
Vodkas, Karkov or better yet White Wolf is definitely about as cheap as one can get around here. a 1.75 can be had for 10-12 dollars at some of the local stores.

BSAGuy · Feb 8, 2015

I love the bottom shelf. Not as far to fall when you are over served!

:thumbup:

timsclips · Feb 8, 2015

I am still making a survey of bourbons that can be purchased for less than $20 in central Illinois. Evan Williams so far is a surprise (to me) contender but still a lot more I have not tried.

One I will not buy again is Ancient Age, very weak tasting. Comparable to my 40 year old memory of Kessler's back in my college days.

Romeo212000 · Feb 8, 2015

timsclips said:
I am still making a survey of bourbons that can be purchased for less than $20 in central Illinois. Evan Williams so far is a surprise (to me) contender but still a lot more I have not tried.

One I will not buy again is Ancient Age, very weak tasting. Comparable to my 40 year old memory of Kessler's back in my college days.

I felt the same way about Weller's 90 proof.

Matt S · Feb 9, 2015

I just grabbed some Evan Williams 1783 for $15. Totally decent sipper. Apparently the white label is more than acceptable as well at about $13 in my area.

steep-n-shallow · Feb 9, 2015

Bourbon: Jim Beam white label
Rye: Old Overholt
Blended Scotch: Cutty Sark
Vodka: Costco's Kirkland

ouch · Feb 9, 2015

BSAGuy said:
I love the bottom shelf. Not as far to fall when you are over served!

Ah, the bottom shelf. Or as I used to call it- eye level.

SmoovD · Feb 9, 2015

blended scotch: J&B
bourbon: Old Fitzgerald
tequila: Agavales
gin: Gordon's

killdawabbit · Feb 9, 2015

Grumpy_Bottom said:
I don't know how "bottom shelf" it's considered, but Luksosowa Vodka out of Poland is usually about $18 on sale for 1.75L and is a really good, clean tasting potato vodka that reminds me of what Stolichnaya tasted like in Russia when I was there 25 years ago. I've completely ditched Titos in favor of it at a much cheaper price point. I haven't tried it yet, but I've had people swear that if you run bottom shelf through a charcoal (brita style) filter, after 1-2 runs you get top shelf stuff anyway, so that may be my next experiment.

Cook's Illustrated tested the Brita technique and found that it worked.

langod · Feb 9, 2015

Gordons is not bottom shelf gin. Not even close. Fleishmans, Seagrams, Burnetts -- those I would grant you are bottom shelf, but Gordons?

Gordons is a quality, straight ahead classic London Gin. It makes a very good martini, without any of the overwhelmingly floral notes of say Sapphire (blech) or many of the other top-shelf gins. That's not to say there aren't better gins out there -- I am a big fan of Hendricks, Tanqueray 10, Old Tom, Plymouth, etc. And they have their places -- even on Martinis -- but there's not a much better "standard martini gin" than Gordons.

I tend to stay mid-to high level on the shelf -- life is too short to drink bad liquor.

the_edski · Feb 9, 2015

Vodka: Smirnoff (I don't go cheaper than that)
Gin: Beefeaters (if it's cheaper than others at the time)
Scotch Whisky: Famous Grouse
Bourbon/American Whiskey: Benchmark
Irish Whiskey: haven't had a cheap one
Tequila: Sauza Blanco

SmoovD · Feb 9, 2015

langod said:
Gordons is not bottom shelf gin. Not even close. Fleishmans, Seagrams, Burnetts -- those I would grant you are bottom shelf, but Gordons?

Gordons is a quality, straight ahead classic London Gin. It makes a very good martini, without any of the overwhelmingly floral notes of say Sapphire (blech) or many of the other top-shelf gins. That's not to say there aren't better gins out there -- I am a big fan of Hendricks, Tanqueray 10, Old Tom, Plymouth, etc. And they have their places -- even on Martinis -- but there's not a much better "standard martini gin" than Gordons.

I tend to stay mid-to high level on the shelf -- life is too short to drink bad liquor.

Lighten up, Francis. No reason to be offended. "Bottom Shelf" is not necessarily a measure of quality but more often a measure of price. Gordon's is a cheap bottle. Gordon's is also a good gin. That is all.

Ramen_Connoisseur · Feb 9, 2015

Whiskey: Seagram's
Bourbon: Evan Williams
Vodka: No particular brand as long as I have a good Brita filter
Gin: New Amsterdam
Scotch: Mcclellands Highland
Tequila: After trying Montezuma Gold when I first turned 21 I don't drink cheap Tequila

I actually think there's a place for the bottom shelf and it's usually buried beneath a glass of orange juice and roses grenadine.

brucea · Feb 9, 2015

Nobody mentiomed aged rum. Bacardi 8 is good for the price.
Vodka Titos
Rye Overholt
Blended Scotch Black Bottle
Gin Beefeater

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Drinking the bottom shelf

BlackBard

Romeo212000

Claudel Xerxes

Icecold Dan

Grumpy_Bottom

hydro-magic

jlanger

BSAGuy

timsclips

Romeo212000

Matt S

steep-n-shallow

ouch

Stjynnkii membörd dummpsjterd

SmoovD

killdawabbit

langod

the_edski

SmoovD

Ramen_Connoisseur

brucea

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