American whiskey has been around as long as there has been an America. In fact, the decision to tax whiskey led to the famous Whiskey Rebellion, one of the first violent protests that followed the American Revolution. However, while numerous whiskies were once part of America's distilling heritage, corn whiskey (aka bourbon) has long since become America's more or less official alcohol.

Fair or not, in recent years, America's love affair with bourbon has led to a massive amount of sour-mash snobbery. Craft-style, small-batch, and limited edition bourbons have driven up the prestige (and price) of what once was the most proletarian of whiskeys. This is particularly ironic, given the fact that bourbon was, in many ways, the traditional whiskey of America's most rough-and-tumble element.

This is not to say, however, that good, old-fashioned, cheap American whiskey hasn't survived. Some of America's oldest and most respected brands are still around and are still reasonably priced.For example, Old Grand-dad is a lesser-known, but well-established bourbon. It is comparatively inexpensive and makes a great mixer. Similarly, Old Crow offers incredible value ($17 for a 1.75 Liter bottle) and a good, solid flavor. 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 feeling a little playful, you might try out some ryes. Once America's pre-eminent spirit, rye was almost totally wiped out by Prohibition. A few brands, such as Old Overholt, survived, and continue to give a great value. 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 several awards for its rich, smooth flavor.

If you feel the need to refill your liquor cabinet over the next few weeks (with the holidays coming up, fortune favors the prepared!), you might want to give one of these spirits a try. Regardless of whether you go with a cheaper bourbon or a reasonable rye, you'll find that they offer solid flavor at a price you can deal with!