Bottom shelf liquor worth the buy? Top shelf?

[QuarterMillionMan]

For vodka I go with Smirnoff. Grey Goose is a little too pricey for me but for special occasions maybe.

For whiskey Jack Daniels. I tried James but too sweet for me.

For champagne Cooks or Andre is fine with me. Korbel for special occasions.

Don Julio tequila for top shelf tequila but way too expensive for me.

[disneysteve]

Bottom shelf? No. I’d rather have a Coke. Top
shelf? Occasionally. The sweet spot is in the middle. One step up from the brand’s base offering. For example, Jim Beam white label is pretty lousy. Okay to mix with Coke but not to drink straight or in a spirit-forward cocktail. But Jim Beam Double Oak doesn’t cost much more and it’s way better. Same for regular Makers Mark vs Makers 46. Lots of other examples. Just go up a step for a few dollars more and get a way better product.

[QuarterMillionMan]

As for wine I don't really care for the taste but if I do buy it'll be either merlot or cabernet and chilled. Once on Southwest they served a room temperature red wine which I could not drink it warm and trashed it. Barefoot, Livingston, or even Stella Rosa or box wines. Yes Makers Mark is good. Jim Beam double oak sounds like something I may try. The bottom shelf Jim Beam doesn't work for me.

[ua_guy]

I think it depends on the intended usage, and also taste. Mixing, or drinking it straight? Are you drinking it with anyone, or is it for personal consumption?

I found a great way to save money on liquor. I stopped drinking in the spring of 2023 and it just kind of stuck. No real problem, but it wasn't doing anything for my health. I made it a year, and then decided to double down. And now I'm about halfway through the 2nd year. Never thought I'd be someone who doesn't drink, yet here I am. The money savings... a bottle of liquor every couple of weeks, $10 here and there for a drink with a meal out, sometimes two drinks. Cases of soda for mixers. It all adds up over time.

[disneysteve]

I think it depends on the intended usage, and also taste. Mixing, or drinking it straight?

Yep. I alluded to that in my reply. If I'm putting a splash of bourbon in my Coke, it really doesn't matter what I use. That's what I use the low end stuff for. If I'm making a spirit-forward cocktail like an old fashioned, I want good quality whiskey. And if I'm drinking it straight, I want the best stuff.

My wife and I are very into whiskey so I could go on and on about this. There are a couple of reasons why the low end stuff simply isn't that good. It is typically younger (2-4 years if that) and weaker (86-90 proof). The former means that it hasn't spent much time aging in the barrel, which is where it gains all of its flavor. When you just age it long enough to get some brown color and then bottle it, you get a relatively tasteless product. The latter (proof) means that it has been significantly watered down. Whiskey comes out of the barrel at 110-130+ proof. If they're bottling it at 86, that means they mixed in a bunch of water to lower it to that. That dilutes any flavor it might have had and results in a harsher product.

We almost exclusively buy and drink barrel strength (cask strength) products or at least higher proof. Not all have age statements but plenty are in the 6-12 year range if they tell you. The proof is often in the 110-120 range and we have a few that are higher. I think our highest right now is around 133.5. What that means - longer aging and higher proof - is far more flavor and complexity to the taste and a far smoother drink. You don't get the burn in your throat you get with the cheap stuff. You don't taste the alcohol. It's far more enjoyable to sip on.

[Fishindude77]

There are a lot of "booze snobs" out there that buy the expensive stuff just to show everyone they can.
Just because something is more costly, does not always mean it is better, and some of the expensive stuff is really crummy.

I think this is a case where you just need to try some different things and decide for yourself what you like.


The expensive craft beer thing really stumps me. I can't hardly choke down the majority of that stuff.

[disneysteve]

There are a lot of "booze snobs" out there that buy the expensive stuff just to show everyone they can.
Just because something is more costly, does not always mean it is better, and some of the expensive stuff is really crummy.

I think this is a case where you just need to try some different things and decide for yourself what you like.

Very true. Personal preference is always the bottom line. Drink what you like. The best thing to do is try as many products as you can. Many liquor stores do free tastings. We go to them regularly. Visit distilleries in your area and when you travel. Sometimes they’re free. Sometimes there’s a modest fee for a tour and tasting.

We’ve had the opportunity to sample hundreds of whiskeys over the years. The ones we have liked the best are rarely the most expensive. And on the occasion when a pricey bottle has been really good, we couldn’t justify spending that kind of money because there are cheaper products that we like just as much or more.

I often say there is a huge difference between the low end stuff and the mid range stuff. There’s a much smaller difference between the mid range and the upper end. That’s where personal taste really comes into play.

[QuarterMillionMan]

I would save a lot of money if I could quit drinking like ua_guy. Every week when I grocery shop I spend $30 on liquor (ie, $16.99 for a 12 pack of Heineken & $12.99 for 750 ml of Smirnoff, or two 1.5 liters of Cooks champagne at $12 each and a $7.99 Liberty Creek 1.5 liter Merlot at $7.99 which I mix together to concoct a cold duck).

[disneysteve]

I would save a lot of money if I could quit drinking like ua_guy. Every week when I grocery shop I spend $30 on liquor (ie, $16.99 for a 12 pack of Heineken & $12.99 for 750 ml of Smirnoff, or two 1.5 liters of Cooks champagne at $12 each and a $7.99 Liberty Creek 1.5 liter Merlot at $7.99 which I mix together to concoct a cold duck).

You drink a 12-pack and a fifth of vodka every week? From a medical standpoint that puts you solidly into the “heavy drinking” category. You might want to work on that as heavy drinking is associated with a slew of medical problems.

Personally despite our love of whiskey, I rarely drink more than 2 or 3 times in a week and each time is one pour of 1.5 to 2 ounces of whiskey. About the only time I have more than that in a day is when we go to a tasting.

[QuarterMillionMan]

I know I need to reduce my intake. I label it rich man’s disease where I eat too much red meat and drink too much because it’s not really cost prohibitive for me and I tend to overindulge.

[james.hendrickson]

I would save a lot of money if I could quit drinking like ua_guy. Every week when I grocery shop I spend $30 on liquor (ie, $16.99 for a 12 pack of Heineken & $12.99 for 750 ml of Smirnoff, or two 1.5 liters of Cooks champagne at $12 each and a $7.99 Liberty Creek 1.5 liter Merlot at $7.99 which I mix together to concoct a cold duck).

QMM - what I love is your honest input here.

I ran the numbers - and if you quit drinking and put the money into the stock market instead, and assuming 7% growth, you'd have $8,633.68. In ten years you'd have $20,830.47.

So basically, if you quit, and you worked the stock market, you'd have enough for a house down payment in ten years. Plus, your health would be a lot better and you'd have more energy and mental clarity.

[disneysteve]

In ten years you'd have $20,830.47.

So basically, if you quit, and you worked the stock market, you'd have enough for a house down payment in ten years.

Where exactly do you think 20K would be enough for a down payment, especially 10 years from now? Our down payment was more than that in 1994.

[james.hendrickson]

Where exactly do you think 20K would be enough for a down payment, especially 10 years from now? Our down payment was more than that in 1994.

You can do 3% down with an FHA loan.

Running the math, 20k is 3% of 666,000. Six hundred thousand is enough to get a house in many parts of the US.

[disneysteve]

You can do 3% down with an FHA loan.

Running the math, 20k is 3% of 666,000. Six hundred thousand is enough to get a house in many parts of the US.

I guess. I would never recommend anyone put down that small of a down payment though.

[QuarterMillionMan]

I think there may be others here who drinks a lot more than me but have an image or reputation to protect so we won't learn about it, even though everyone is anonymous. I'm just a picture of a prime rib with au jus and mashed potatoes and gravy. Any amount less than 20% on a mortgage would require private mortgage insurance (PMI). But with $20K in 10 years, I might put it to work in bitcoin. At $54,999 per bitcoin coin today I'm thinking of buying $500 right now in my Coinbase account.