Yep, after being in a bourbon tasting club and spending +$100 per bottle sometimes, I was surprised when we had a tasting of Evan Williams and Jim Beam. The director of the tastings kept saying how nasty it was, but I was surprised at how much more drinkable the cheaper stuff was. Old Forester was another one.
If I were going to drink bourbon to get drunk, I definitely wouldn’t waste my money on single barrels or ltd releases that burn my throat, when the more smooth bourbons can be had for $18 a bottle. But, I am just being careful not to become dependent on the drink. I’ve seen how hard shaking nicotine can be for me.