I can't stomach JW Red, even in a mix. Much better off drinking rye in that price range. But there are single malts selling for USD 30 per bottle (and most are under USD 50), so it isn't that much more to get a much nicer Scotch. The best value that I've found is JW Green, which is a blend of single malts (but 100% malt) and has a mild middle-of-the-road taste that everyone likes. Not as interesting as Lagavulin, but more likely to please everyone. Otherwise Pinch is pretty good (15 yo for under USD 40), but hard to get these days.