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Southern Comfort (SoCo) is a naturally fruit-flavored American whiskey liqueur. It is a blend of spice and fruit accents. It is made from 100% grain-neutral spirit base(vodka), spices, fruit, and sometimes a small amount of Bourbon. It has several varieties, including lime and caramel.
Being one of the most popular drinks consumed worldwide, especially in the US. However, finding an alternative to southern Comfort is a relatively easy task.
Various alternatives are present in the market out there due to people’s choices or other reasons. Let us move further to learn more about the southern Comfort and its best cheap alternatives.
When it comes to southern comfort alternatives, there are several other drinks you can prefer. Some of them are mentioned as follows:
Contents
Cheap Southern Comfort Substitute
1. Maker’s Mark
Marker’s Mark is one of the cheaper alternatives to southern Comfort. It is a whiskey-based bourbon drink, which is homemade and not mass-produced. It was initially created in 1953 at first in Kentucky, USA. Marker’s Mark is known to be one of the top-rated drinks by experts.
It has a mixed flavor of roasted peels and honey, which gives it a flavor close to Maker’s Mark. However, you can experience mixed hints of butterscotch and subtle vanilla. You can taste Marker’s Mark in two ways.
One is having it “neat,” i.e., without adding other ingredients. If you are someone who doesn’t like to have any drinks neat, then you can add ice cubes and enjoy the lighter Maker’s Mark.
How is it a good cheap southern comfort substitute?
- It is readily available and affordable
- It gives a fiery and oaky touch making it perfect for cocktails
- If you’re not a fan of sweet flavor then this is definitely for you as it is less sweet than the Southern Comfort.
2. Yukon Jack
Another affordable alternative for Southern Comfort is the Canadian-origin Yukon Jack. It gives you a sweeter flavor, similar to that of southern Comfort.
It is made by grinding and squeezing fruits such as oranges, grapes, lime, and honey. Therefore you need not worry about the amount of alcohol in it. However, it may taste a little sweeter than SoCo if you are used to it.
You can opt for Yukon Jack as an alternative if you like the sweetness of southern Comfort but like mild spicy tones.
How is it a good substitute?
- It has a sweet fruity flavor that tastes almost like the SoCo and is perfect for cocktails.
- It is very easily available at most good stores and affordable.
3. Wild Turkey
Wild Turkey provides a smooth and rich honey flavor and Bourbon, similar to Southern Comfort. It is perfect to have with all kinds of cocktails and mixers. However, it is more than perfect if you are a neat drinker.
The most similar component of this substitute you will notice is the sweetness. The butterscotch and oak flavors perfectly blended make it a must-try for those who love woodiness and a more fruity whisky flavor.
How is it a good cheap southern comfort alternative?
- Just like SoCo, it can be enjoyed with a variety of mixers.
- It tastes similar to Bourbon and Southern Comfort and is packed to the brim with flavor making you want it more.
4. Amaro Di Angostura
You might’ve guessed until now where this drink is from. Amaro Di Angostura is a famous Caribbean drink. It has a taste mix of both sweet and bitter. However, the sweetness overshadows the drink.
The drink provides the subtle taste of licorice and bitter undertones because of the toasted caramel and cinnamon. Although as compared to Southern Comfort, Amaro Di Angostura is sweeter.
How is it a good substitute to southern comfort?
- It has a caramel flavor that makes it one of the most reliable alternatives.
- It is one of the perfect alternatives for those who want sweetness rather than flavour of bourbon.
5. Bulleit bourbon
Talking about Bulleit, it is one of the most preferred Southern Comfort alternatives. It is a whiskey-based bourbon drink, so the taste is similar to that of Southern Comfort.
It has a bold flavor that resembles SoCo and can be preferred as drunk neat or with added ingredients. If we compare it to the SoCo, Bulleit bourbon has a richer and more sugary flavor; specifically, it is smoky and sweet. Moreover, it has an oaky and mellow fragrance, making you crave it more.
How is it a cheap alternative to southern comfort?
- There are three varieties of Bulleit, and both the Bulleit Bourbon Ten-year and standard are very good alternatives for Southern Comfort.
- It doesn’t feels hot in throat be it higher level of alcohol or lower.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What brands are similar to Southern Comfort?
Many brands might taste like Southern Comfort, but you can go for Wild Turkey and Bulleit if you want the most similar ones.
Can I substitute Southern Comfort for Bourbon?
The Southern Comfort gives hints of fruit juice due to lime juice, orange peel, caramel, cherry liqueur, and spice. Moreover, it contains a very less amount of alcohol. Hence, if you usually like to have Bourbon but want a substitute, Southern Comfort won’t work for you.
Is Southern Comfort a brandy or a bourbon?
Southern Comfort cannot be considered as a bourbon as to be considered as bourbon. It should contain at least 51% of corn in it. If we talk about the amount of alcohol in it, it should contain around 62% of alcohol (125 proof) after bottling up.
However, it can be considered as a Brandy as both of them are made up of fruits, including grapes and orange peel, and contain alcohol that ranges from 35%-45%
What is equivalent to Southern Comfort?
The most reliable and perfect equivalent to Southern Comfort is Knob Creek. Although it is a pretty expensive alternative. However if you’re not able to find it or afford it you can go for Maker’s Make and Wild Turkey which manage to maintain the flavor of SoCo.
Conclusion
Southern Comfort is a Bourbon or not has been a big debate for a long time, and netizens are generally confused about whether it can be preferred as a substitute for Bourbon. Those mentioned above are some of the cheaper substitutes that can be considered substitutes for Southern Comfort and are easily available.
However, Bulleit is considered the best cheap substitute for Southern Comfort. Ultimately, it all depends on whether you like your drink to be more sweet and fruity or spicy and more alcohol.
You can choose the substitute according to your taste and have it as your choice. Remember that the substitutes might not be able to provide you with the same flavor as you expected, but they are very similar to that.