Any KC resident bourbon drinkers should head to the Reiger Hotel and try the 'Pendergast'. Great bourbon cocktail by Ryan Maybee.

That place and Manifesto are standbys if you are into bourbon, or love a good cocktail...a real cocktail.

I've really been enjoying the Evan Williams 1783 for the price. Damn is it cheap, and it's very drinkable (for me) over rocks.

No fruit in bourbon?? Pssshhhh whatever...

New Fashioned is my go-to drink. (muddled orange and cherry)

I'm really into the sazerac cocktail lately as well, which I know is rye, not bourbon. Those things are delicious, though. Really in my flavor profile.

Up the Evans! My "cheap" bourbon of choice. Very good stuff, surprisingly.

I love these, you can make them with Buffalo Trace (according to the company that makes both that and Sazerac Rye...

Place I go to get those had some Pappy Van Winkle in last time I was there, good God almighty that's bourbon perfected...

Mr. Van Winkle released some really old rye a about 10 years ago, before he merged with the Sazerac group (New Orleans and Kentucky). That Van Winkle 16 yr old rye is the best stuff for making a Sazerac I've ever found. Most of the time I just use Old Overholt - it's cheap but 'mild' tasting and plenty tasty enough once you 'flavor it up' making a Sazerac or a rye Manhattan. Wild Turkey 101 rye is very nice, too. Been around a long time. A lot of the other current 'hot' rye whiskey - I'll take a pass for now. It's trendy, it's all coming from the same distillery over in Indiana, slapping on different labels and charging what the market will bear. The market can bear elsewhere w/my wallet involved.

The market is getting ridiculous. I've seen several different whiskeys double in price at bars here and they still can't keep them in stock. Pappy Van 23 has gone from $16 to $32 per ounce in my go to bar, and I'm guessing it's going to continue to rise because too many people here evidently have more money than sense. I've tasted far too many good whiskeys in the $3-8 an ounce price range lately to put up with that nonsense.

I'm more of a single-malt guy, but my liquor cabinet always has a bottle of George Dickel #12 in it (best value bourbon in my book). I also like Jim Beam and Maker's Mark. I LOVE a good Manhattan.

The place I was at the 15 yr(?) was $24 for a shot. No thanks, but for free I'm all over it!

At one time, the Van Winkle family made W. L. Weller. In fact, most of the original Van Winkle stuff from 10-15 years ago was really topnotch barrrels of Wellers that Julian set aside when they sold off the Weller distillery. Long story short - if you'd like to get a tasty bourbon without taking out a second mortgage, the 107 Weller's or the 12 year old Weller's Reserve should be on your radar.
I buy the 12 yr Van Winkle 'Lot B' whusk when I see it - it's been a while since I've seen any. It's tasty stuff, and when I bought it the last time it was a lot cheaper than their other bourbon (much of which has been 'in the wood' longer than I really like. 10 - 12 years is about the most I usually prefer, much longer and it gets too 'oaky' for me.)
Anyway - if you're a big fan of the Van Winkle flavor profile, remember that it was probably once in a W.L. Weller barrel. The current stuff may not be coming from old barrels of Wellers, they may be making it/aging it themselves since the merger but I will give credit where it's due - if Julian let's his name go on it, it's danged good whusk.

http://oldripvanwinkle.com/products/...0yr-107-proof/

http://www.bourbonwhiskey.com/wellerantique.aspx

http://www.bourbonwhiskey.com/WLWeller12y.aspx

That's about what it used to be here, probably double that now; I've not looked at the 15 in a while. At around $12 an ounce I wouldn't consider it a ripoff, but I'm not a huge Pappy Van guy. It's good, but I don't get the sudden craze. Same with Black Maple Hill.

Jack Daniels with vodka shots.

Every night.

I don't think I knew that. I've had the PVW lot B and pound for pound I'd agree. I was much happier with it value-wise than the 23 (think it was about half the cost at the time; now I'm sure it's doubled in price here as well).

I actually had a Weller (can't remember exactly what it was called, but it was a batch from 1980) last weekend that was really, really good. I think it was around $16 an ounce, but I'd say I liked it better than I remembered liking the 23.

Oh, and while I'm thinking about it I found some of that Old Ezra 7 101 you mentioned in KS in October when I was visiting. That is a GREAT value. I can't find it out here, but thanks for the tip.

I'm a big fan of a frosted mug, 2 cubes, some cheap bourbon, and a bottle of IBC Cream soda...