In an effort to save a bit of money, I’ve been on a mission to find a good whiskey that wont break the bank. Furthermore, as a scotch whiskey lover, I realized that I know surprisingly little about its other worldly brethren. The ongoing series, Booze on a Budget, is my attempt to remedy that problem.

For this installment of Booze on a Budget, I picked up a bottle of Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. I’ve heard a lot about this whiskey, so I figured it was time to give it a try. It appealed to me immediately, due to the price; at CDN $39 per bottle, it’s definitely within my parameters for an “everyday whiskey”.

The distillery, located in Kentucky, claims to be the oldest continuously operated distillery in the US. It’s also won a number of accolades, most recently the 2014 whiskey distiller of the year, as awarded by Whiskey Magazine. The pedigree is there, but does the distillery’s flagship whiskey live up to the praise?

Yes it does. The dram is pale gold in colour and has a sweet nose, with hints of vanilla and hazelnut. There’s a bit of spice and caramel to the palate, which is complemented nicely by an espresso and hazelnut finish. Put simply, it’s delicious.

Sipping this whiskey conjured memories of misty spring mornings…an experience I enjoyed immensely. It will be a regular in my liquor cabinet.

Final Grade – 8 out of 10