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After reading this whole thread I am convinced only a few of you actually have taste buds (Jayock). I am a whiskey/bourbon and scotch snob - with my current collection being worth more than some peoples cars. I have been to 200+ distilleries in my life (75% of them in Scotland) and will one day retire, get my license from the fed and start making my own.

This is my list for top 5 affordable bourbon/whiskey that you can actually find on the shelves in Colorado:

5. Breckenridge Distillery
4. Buffalo Trace
3. Pappy Van Winkle
2. Basil Hayden's
1. Woodford Reserve Distillers Select

If you want a Scotch to throw in there you cant go wrong with Balvinie Doublewood - for the money it is flat out the best Scotch, at its pricepoint, on the market right now. Followed closely by Highland Park (if you can find it).

Oh and for all of you cretins who keep saying "McAllen", "McAlan" and the like its "The Macallan" -- and the best value for the money there is the 15 Sherry Oak (if you can find it -- fine oak != sherry oak) and 18 year being the absolute best scotch that money can buy (and yes I have a bottle of, and tasted, 25 and 40 and I have also tasted 100 year old at Easter Elchies).

For anyone that is trying to recommend something like Lagavulin, Laphroaig, or Talisker - STOP. These are not beginner scotches - some people don't like the taste of Band-Aids and Iodine in their drinks.

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