Best Bourbons Under $50

What’s the magic number for a bottle of bourbon that you’re willing to pay for? $30? $100? If search traffic is to be believed, $50 is the magic number that represents the price point beyond which many drinkers say they’ll pass – that a bottle of bourbon is just too expensive.

So, if you’re armed with 50 bucks, what then? What bourbon is worth your investment? In this feature, we are rounding up our 14 favorite bourbons that can all be had for $50 or less. Every one represents a bottle that we’d have no trouble dropping our own hard-earned cash on, serving to guests, and enjoying either straight or in a cocktail.

Of course, that begs the question about how we determined the price of each of these products, since prices vary widely from one store to the next. For this feature, we turned to our friends at wine-searcher, where we calculated the average U.S. price for each of these spirits. If the national average hit $50 or less, we considered the bourbon eligible for inclusion. (You may well find these whiskeys available for less than the price we quoted — sometimes much less.) There are plenty of great whiskeys in the $55 to $65 range, but those we’ll have to save for a future feature where the stakes are higher.

Note that we’re also not including very low-cost bourbons on this list. You’ll find those rounded up in our top bourbons under $20 list – and a future top bourbons under $30 list that we’re working on now.

This list isn’t in any particular order, though we’ve stacked some of our absolute favorites at the top.

14 Top Bourbons Under $50

Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon

There’s no better deal at the $50 price level than Four Roses Single Barrel, which was reintroduced to the U.S. about 20 years ago after decades of being sold only overseas. Today, Four Roses is a major force in the bourbon industry, and no expression is better (or a better deal) than its standard Single Barrel offering, which is made from its OBSV recipe. You can of course mix things up with the pricier, annual limited edition single barrel releases, which are based on different mashbills and/or yeast strains, but for pure value, the delightfully complex, sweet, and spicy OG always pays off. 100 proof. $50 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT] [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE]

Green River Full Proof

After years in development, the products of a relaunched Green River finally hit the scene in 2022 with the goal of shaking up the staid Kentucky bourbon scene. By all accounts: mission accomplished. A series of knockout whiskeys have hit the market since its launch, but none are more prized than its Full Proof bourbon expression, which is a barrel proof version of the four-year old rye-heavy bourbon it launched with. The peppery whiskey is laden with baking spice, well evident despite the high proof, with a delightful finish of mint and cinnamon. Often available for much less than it’s $50 average price. 117.3 proof. $50 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

Maker’s Mark Cask Strength

With a spare $50 in your pocket you can certainly nab a bottle of standby Maker’s Mark – even a handle – but you shouldn’t overlook the Cask Strength option, which boosts the abv into the 55% range (proof varies by batch) and provides a richer, deeper, more flexible experience. It’s a notably more wood-forward whiskey than standard Maker’s but still pours on all the vanilla, almond and banana that Maker’s fans have come to expect. Fully drinkable at bottle strength, but rewarding if served with some water and an eyedropper to dial in your perfect proof. 113.3 proof (varies). $49 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

Knob Creek 9 Years Old

Knob Creek has had quite a ride over the last 20 years, starting out with a 9 year old bourbon expression (released in 1992), then launching single barrel, rye, and various limited edition offerings. The brand has moved upmarket with 12, 15, and 18 year old bourbon expressions, but a minor furor over the flagship brand began in 2016, when Knob Creek dropped its age statement from the 9 year old and rechristened it “Knob Creek Small Batch,” reportedly bottled as young as 5 years old. In 2020, the age statement returned – likely the result of massive consumer pressure on that front. Those dark days notwithstanding, Knob Creek 9 remains an Old Reliable bourbon pick, full-bodied but not overly aggressive, loaded with vanilla, oak, cedar, and a little of that funky sour mash cereal. At just $38, you won’t find much else on the market with this kind of pedigree. 100 proof. $38 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT] [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE]

Russell’s Reserve 10 Years Old

Probably the most reliable whiskey that Wild Turkey produces, dollar for dollar and year for year, Russell’s Reserve Bourbon at 10 years of age is difficult to beat. Tight up front, plenty nutty, and loaded with classic vanilla, caramel, and malted milk notes, this whiskey leans into sweetness while layering on that damp, wet, and classic Turkey funk. It’s a whiskey that is perhaps not for everyone, but it’s the perfect launching pad to get you into Wild Turkey’s older and more prized expressions. The price has crept up a bit over the near two decades since its introduction, but it’s still comfortably in the sub-$50 realm. $46 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

Old Grand-Dad 114 Barrel Proof

The best deal going in overproof bourbon is Old Grand-Dad’s Barrel Proof expression, which hits the counter at an average price of a whopping 31 bucks. Made by Jim Beam from a mash of 63% corn, 27% rye, and 10% malted barley, it’s a classic expression of Kentucky that leans heavily into peanut, baking spice, and cinnamon red hots, particularly on the finish. We don’t have a full review on site at the moment, but at this price, do you really need one? 114 proof. $31 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Years Old

This 7-year-old bonded expression from Heaven Hill dropped in 2019, replacing a beloved NAS product of (almost) the same name. Despite some early objections over the price, it quickly earned a spot as a stellar value bourbon that hits all the highlights and more without complaint. Barbecued brisket pairs with cola and chocolate to make for a more savory expression of bourbon, with a buttery, corn-fueled underbelly in ample evidence. Fruit is present but on the muted side, so feel free to bring your favorite mixer. 100 proof. $50 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

Michter’s US-1 Small Batch Bourbon

Much of Michter’s whiskey line is expensive, hard to find, allocated, or all of the above. The US-1 Small Batch series is the exception, comprising non-age-stated contract distillate that includes a rye, a bourbon, and an “unblended American whiskey.” The bourbon is the best of the lot, an aggressive spirit that drinks hotter than its 91.4 proof, but which nicely melds its various flavors of butterscotch, cinnamon, vanilla, and plenty of fruit. The oak here is both brisk and a little tannic but a showcase for its well-crafted balance. 91.4 proof. $50 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

Jack Daniel’s Bonded

In this bottle you’re getting Jack Daniel’s standard mash of 80% corn, 12% malted barley, and 8% rye, charcoal filtered and fully aged (for at least 4 years) before going into bottle at a racy 100 proof. The considerably higher abv provides this expression of JD with a lot more fruit than you’d expect, including cinnamon apple and citrus notes, with hints of nutmeg and peanut brittle on the fade. It’s not just a more impressive and immersive version of Old No. 7, it’s also an outstanding mixer that will work in just about any cocktail, and at a solid price. 100 proof. $39 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

Wyoming Whiskey Small Batch Bourbon

Year after year, Wyoming Whiskey stands as one of the most reliable craft distilleries in the business. Its Small Batch Bourbon isn’t the best thing the outfit produces – there are plenty of more limited and annual editions that compete for that honor – but it’s a great entry point to the Wyoming style, with a more rustic, frontier style on display. More recent releases are getting better and better, so pay attention to the batch number on the bottle. 88 proof. $46 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

1792 Single Barrel Bourbon

Part of the 2010s explosion of the 1792 brand, this single barrel release was one of the more straightforward bottlings in the series, not to mention one of the most affordable … and one of the best. Originally intended as a limited edition, the whiskey now enjoys wide availability. As the name suggests, this is a running series of barrel picks from distillate made at the Barton distillery, a moderately high (though not revealed) rye bourbon mash that hits all the highlights – baking spice, tobacco leaf, and lots of sweetness. It’s hard to be in a bad mood with a glass of 1792 Single Barrel in hand. Note that $49 is average, but it’s easy to find for much less. 98.6 proof. $49 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

 

 

Don’t sleep on good old Woodford Reserve. The standard edition Distillers Select is always a reliable pick for sipping or, especially, building into a cocktail. Woodford offers a somewhat austere composition, featuring potpourri, mint, and tobacco, with fruit and chocolate notes building after the initial, somewhat tannic rush fades. More refined than its sister bourbon from Old Forester, it remains wholly dialed in from first sip to finish, year in and year out. 90.4 proof. $39 [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE] [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

Still Austin Straight Bourbon “The Musician”

Something of a warning shot from Texas-based Still Austin, this was the upstart distillery’s first big bourbon release, a youngster at two years old and something of a standard-bearer for a new style of Texas whiskeymaking. While hearty and rustic, the whiskey lacks a lot of the intense chariness that you’ll find in many Texas-born bourbons, leaning more into its rye and fruity apple notes to provide a more classic experience on the tongue. There’s still plenty of Texasness in the glass, it just doesn’t beat you over the head with it. 98.4 proof. $43 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

New Riff Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Another distillery that has been hitting it absolutely out of the park lately, New Riff’s initial foray into house-distilled whiskeys (after years of sourcing stuff) was a hit at the time and remains so today. This is four-year old stock with a very high (30%) rye content, made with “the full sour mash Kentucky Regimen,” with a capital R. Bursting with heat and pepper, this would be a barn-burner were it not for the substantial sweetness that coats the tongue and hangs on to the finish. 100 proof. $45 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

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