While I'm sure that there are families that don't drink a drop of alcohol on the holidays, my grandparents' festivities were always fueled with at least a reasonable amount of alcohol. Whether sipping glasses of champagne while opening presents or slurping whiskey sours while listening to Bing Crosby, a holiday without alcohol was hardly a holiday at all.

This is not to say, however, that some family members didn't take it too far. Uncle Louis, for example, was famous for passing out in the middle of the Thanksgiving turkey, an activity that greatly reduced everyone's enjoyment of the bird.

At any rate, entertaining friends and family can take a toll on one's liquor cabinet. While it might be a lot of fun to serve everyone heaping glasses of stale ouzo which you insist on pretending is "rum punch," it's probably a good idea to be prepared. Luckily, while stocking up on booze can take a massive toll on one's wallet, there are numerous inexpensive alternatives to the standard, expensive brands, like Jack Daniel's, Evan Williams, and Maker's Mark. For example, Old Grand-dad is a lesser-known, but well-established bourbon. It is comparatively inexpensive and makes a great mixer.

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Holiday Spirits: Cheap(er) American Whiskeys

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  • Booker's
  • Old Grand Dad
  • Old Crow Bourbon
  • Old Overholt
  • Rittenhouse Rye


Another outstanding, yet inexpensive bourbon is Old Crow. At $17 for a 1.75 Liter bottle, it is insanely cheap, a good sipping whiskey, and great for mixing. Best of all, it has an outstanding pedigree: if anybody casts aspersions on it, you can note that it is America's first sour-mash whiskey, was the preferred drink of Senator Henry Clay and President Ulysses S. Grant, and was one of Mark Twain and Hunter Thompson's favorite tipples.

If you're really feeling a little playful, you might try switching to rye whiskey. Once America's pre-eminent spirit, Rye was almost totally wiped out by Prohibition. A few brands, such as Old Overholt, survived. At $14 for a fifth, Overholt is a smooth, mellow sipping whiskey that mixes well with almost everything. Similarly, Rittenhouse Rye, a more recent addition to the ranks of America's whiskeys, costs about $15 for a fifth and has won numerous awards for its rich, smooth flavor.

Regardless of whether you decide to go with a lesser-known classic bourbon or an up-and-coming rye, bargain-priced American whiskeys will certainly help to lift your holiday spirits!