Years ago when I was trying to drop some weight I supplemented my beer drinking with bourbon, specifically Maker's Mark. At 70 calories an ounce, bourbon didn't pack on the pounds like my 260 calorie home brews. At any rate, buying Maker's Mark was getting expensive, so I looked for a cheaper alternative. I discovered Bench Mark, made by Buffalo Trace.
At less than $15 for a half gallon, it's about as cheap as it gets. I'm sure the bourbon snobs will discount it, but it really is a great tasting cheap bourbon. Perhaps not the smoothest bourbon for drinking straight, but mixed with something it's great! In fact, I've become so accustomed to Bench Mark that now when I drink Maker's Mark, Maker's taste weird to me?