It's that time again. That magical time of year when all the "Best Whiskey of the Year" lists come out. I've been searching around and found that most of these lists consist of highly aged Scotch and limited release or allocated Bourbon, and while I'm sure these drams are delicious, the fact remains that most of us will likely never taste most of these, so over the next five days, I present to you this longhorn's humble top 5 whiskies of 2020. Most of us could agree that this was not our best year. However, all the time spent at home resulted in expanded imbibing of our favorite brown beverage. This is the criteria for my list: (1) The whiskey has to be readily available on store shelves. No special releases. This means the most excellent Wild Turkey Masters Keep expressions I tried and rated this year are out, though you should feel confident to buy on sight. (2) Every dram on my list is $80 or less. Everyone should be able to taste great whiskey, and yes, I realize my definition of "great" might be different than others, but that's the fun of what we all do here, and (3) I had to have tasted it in 2020. None of the whiskies on my list were released this year, but this year is when I finally got around to them. Coming in at #4 is a surprise for me and anybody who had one (or more) nights in college praying to the porcelain god after imbibing too much Jack and ________ (insert sugary mixer here). This bottle was spoken about in back rooms and hushed tones as an available, affordable, equally high proof alternative to the ever elusive Stagg Jr., but everyone was reluctant to admit they liked a Jack Daniels product given the brand's...cultural profile shall we say. Even my regular drinking partners were skeptical. So was I. I bought a 375 initially to confirm my suspicions, and with those heartily confirmed, I bought a full bottle. My bottle rings in at a whopping 66.5% ABV, with powerful notes of dark chocolate, walnuts, toffee, caramel, and yes, the JD banana, which I very much enjoy. In my review, I compared it to Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey ice cream. A little goes a long way, and water opens it up, but isn't necessary. As with any single barrel, mileage may vary, but feel empowered to buy with confidence. At around $50, it's a lot of whiskey for your $$$. Cheers!