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Period pieces have turned television into a visual time machine with shows like Black Sails, Vinyl, Marco Polo, Hell on Wheels, Mad Men, Downton Abbey, Boardwalk Empire, The Tudors, and Deadwood. All of these shows take place in various times in history dating back to the early 16th century.
If you have watched them, what is the one consistency between them all? What is the one thing you notice that each and every show features? Alcohol.
That’s because alcohol has been around for a very long time and is the one vice of our culture that will never die.
People love to drink alcohol. It could be wine, whiskey, rum, or tequila. It does not matter, as long as alcohol is being consumed, the culture will survive.
The hardest part of drinking alcohol is the cost. As long as their is a demand, there is going to be a premium charge for alcohol. So for many of you broke college kids or those that are just plain looking to save some money on booze, here is the best liquors we could find for under $15. And beer lovers, be sure to check out our post of The 30 Cheapest And Best Tasting Beers Worth Buying (All Under $10 For A 6-Pack)
(Note: All prices are based on the standard 750 ml bottles)
Rum
Rum is the alcoholic beverage that instantly transports you to the beach. It doesn’t matter where you are, one sip of rum and the thoughts of sand in your bathing suit and sunburnt arms are nearly impossible to forget. Since most people on a budget only like to drink the cheapest thing that can get them drunk quickly, rum has the added bonus of setting the mental mood too. If you are already settling on cheap alcohol, you mine as well add the taste of the beach.
- Ron Abuelo Anejo Rum ($14)
- Caucano Aguardiente Tradicional ($9)
- Flor de Cana 4-yr old Blanco Extra Dry ($15)
- Coisa Nossa Cachaca Branca ($15)
- El Dorado Superior White Rum ($10)
- Cruzan Aged Light Rum ($12)
Vodka (Non-flavored)
Nothing says sad and lonely like cheap, Russian vodka. The terrible flavor of cheap vodka burns like gasoline going down and feels like hell coming back up. And don’t forget the hangover, it will be the worst headache you have ever felt. But the good news is that we have found cheap vodka that isn’t going to hurt you, going in or coming out. In fact, these vodka’s are much better than their prices.
- Evok ($13)
- 1876 ($14)
- Gera Vodka ($12)
- Pinnacle ($13)
- Platinum 7X ($13)
- 42 Below ($14)
- Sibirskaya Strong ($5)
- Serebryaniy Zamok ($5)
- Mernaya Ancient Kiev ($5)
- Exclusiv 1 ($10)
Vodka (Flavored)
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Just when you thought vodka was sad and boring, they started adding flavors to it. Surprisingly, the flavor vodka’s are much cheaper than the others. (Word of advice: College girls love this stuff)
- Svedka Citron ($14)
- Naked Jay Big Dill Pickle ($15)
- UV Salty Caramel Apple ($13)
- New Amsterdam Mango ($14)
- Smirnoff Kissed Caramel ($14)
American Whiskey (Bourbon)
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Whiskey, Bourbon, and Scotch are all the same thing but are made differently and in different parts of the globe. So when you hear someone refer to a drink as Bourbon, you know what you are about to get yourself involved in.
- Evan Williams Green Label Kentucky Straight Whiskey ($9)
- Zackariah Harris Kentucky Straight Whiskey ($10)
- Early Times Kentucky Whiskey ($11)
- Ten High Blended Bourbon Whiskey ($8)
- Black Eagle Kentucky Straight Whiskey ($10)
- Jim Beam Bourbon Kentucky Straight Whiskey ($15)
- Rebel Yell Bourbon ($13)
- Benchmark 8 Bourbon ($11)
- Watkins Select Bourbon ($12)
International Whisky (Mostly Canadian)
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Yes, Bourbon is a type of Whiskey but then there is Whisky from all over the rest of the World. Canada and Ireland make the most popular Whiskies in the International market but there are others too.
- Canadian Mist ($9, Canada)
- Black Velvet Reserve ($14, Canada)
- Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish Special Release ($13, South Africa)
- Black Velvet Toasted Caramel Whisky ($13, Canada)
- Fireball Cinnamon Whisky ($11, Canada)
- Rich & Rare Reserve Whisky ($9, Canada)
- Grand Royal Special Reserve ($9, Myanmar)
- Kirin Fuji Sanroku Tarujyuku 50 ($10, Japan)
Gin
Gin has become a fancier alcoholic beverage. It could be because of the flavor, the style, or simply because of the amount of young adults drinking it these days. But regardless of why it isn’t the most popular, it is still worth every dollar.
- New Amsterdam Gin ($15)
- Ivanabitch Dry Gin ($12)
- Oliver Cromwell London Dry Gin ($15)
- Copley Imported Gin ($14)
- Balfour Street Dry English ($10)
- Wembley Gin ($13)
- Dover Strait American Gin ($12)
- Maxims Gin ($12)
- Beefeater Gin ($15)
Tequila
How many times have you heard a joke about tequila making people do bad things? Well, that would be because it is taken as a shot. Since no one sips a tequila drink, it tends to feel like it is worse but that’s simply because everyone is taking it in shot form, consuming it much faster than any other drink on the list.
- La Puerta Negra Resposado ($15)
- Real Hacienda Tequila Reposado ($10)
- Rancho Alegre 100% Agave Blanco ($13)
- Agavales Gold ($12)
- Toro Azul Blanco ($15)
- Monte Alban Silver ($15)
- San Matias Blanco ($15)
- Varia Silver ($13)
- Sauza Gold ($11)
- Messicano Alteno Silver ($10)