Rips Starter Whiskey List:

Weller 107
Rittenhouse Rye BIB
Eagle Rare 10
Willett Rye 3
Stagg Jr
Glenmorangie 10
Laphroig 10
MacKenzie Rye
Old Potrero 18th Century Style Whiskey
Connemara Peated Irish Whiskey CS
Matt Reynolds list of excellent beginner whiskeys (all under $45)
1) Eagle Rare (high corn bourbon)
2) Weller 107 (wheated bourbon)
3) Four Roses Single Barrell (high rye bourbon)
4) OGD 114 (high rye bourbon)
5) Rittenhouse Rye BIB (rye whiskey - but its only 51% rye)
6) Smooth Ambler Rye (best MGD 95% rye for the money)
7) Willet Rye 3 (their own juice - really, really good)
8) Glenmorangie 10 (sweet scotch)
9) Laphroiag 10 (smokey scotch)
10) Elijah Craig Small Batch (~12 year old Evan Williams)