Bourbon help needed

[Johnson85]

I'm a big Bourbon fan on game day, but I like trying different kinds. Typically I mix with coke early and then finish the night with a few glasses straight. That being said, what is your recommendation on a good bourbon to try out this weekend. Not looking for anything too expensive, but $50 and under is all fair game.

Thoughts?

My recommendation is to try to start with a bourbon on the rocks and then move to a mixer. If you're budget conscious, I would start with a good bourbon on the rocks, and then move to something like Old Charter or Wild Turkey if you're going to mix with coke. I think if you do this you will start to find that you like the bourbon better by itself or with water than you do with coke. Used to love bourbon and coke but now even though it smells heavenly, I can't drink it because it tastes too sweet.

If you move to bourbon and water instead of bourbon and coke, you will also likely experience a good little break where you don't have a hangover, provided you actually keep adding water and don't move to drinking it straight a few drinks in.

For stuff to try straight, if you like the sweet stuff, you might want to try Makers Mark first, but Knobb Creek, Basil Hayden, and Wild Turkey Rare Breed are all worth trying. I don't do a lot of bourbon so I don't really get beyond that price point.