I have been on a quest to try as many bourbons as possible over the last several years. After visiting Kentucky and becoming a member of a bourbon and whiskey club online, I have had the opportunity to try some very high end spirits. I do not know about you guys, but I certainly cannot afford many of the bottles I have had the opportunity to try and many of the upper priced bottles have been disappointing to say the least. This has prompted me to put together this list of the best bourbon under 50 dollars. Add these bourbons to your list to try in 2022!

The Best Bourbons Under $50

Google best bourbon under 50 dollars. There are a host of articles that describe delicious bottles that you may think are in your price range. Unfortunately, many of the bourbons listed as costing under $50 actually cost much more–if you can find them them at your local liquor store.

Here is a case in point:

A bottle of Weller 12 year is listed on the ABC Liquor website at costing around $30, however you will never find it in stock. Though advertised for $30, if you can find a bottle you will pay close to $300 a bottle.

Unless you know of someone who robbed the Buffalo Trace Distillery and is now selling a bottle of Colonel E.H. Taylor Small Batch Bottled in Bond Bourbon on the black market, you will never find it for under $50. They go for $150 or more. Those authors including them on their list of best bourbons for under $50 are lying to you.

The good news is this list is accurate. Keep reading for a true list of good bourbon, readily available, and at an affordable price.

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Angel’s Envy

One of my favorite bourbons of all time, Angels Envy most definitely makes my list of the best bourbon under 50 dollars. Priced right at $50 a bottle this is the nectar of the Gods or more appropriately an angel. Why is this bourbon called Angel’s Envy? “The 5% of spirit lost each year during barrel aging is called the “Angel’s Share.” Lincoln, Angel’s Envy creator, joked the remaining barrel was better than what the angels got to enjoy. Angel’s Envy was born.

What makes Angel’s Envy different? The bourbon is aged 4 to 6 years in new oak barrels; followed by an additional six months in 60-gallon Port barrels from Portugal. The Port barrels truly gives this bourbon a more sweet taste.

Jefferson’s Reserve Very Small Batch Bourbon

Typically, this bourbon is right at $50 per bottle. Jefferson’s Reserve brags they are a very old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky. Comprised of four different bourbons sourced from various undisclosed distilleries, this bourbon is a subtle sipper. Made with a high-rye mash bill, this bourbon hides the spicy, drier taste.

Basil Hayden’s Bourbon

This affordable bourbon is definitely one of the top picks on our list for the best bourbon under 50 dollars. Priced at around $40 a bottle, this go-to bourbon features vanilla aromatics with a touch of fresh apple. Drink it on the rocks or add a splash of ginger ale for a highball. When out of on town, this is my bourbon of choice.

“Toffee, nuts and charred wood aromas. Medium-bodied palate with lean oak, corn and caramel flavors.”

Heaven’s Door Straight Bourbon

Heaven’s Door bourbon is priced just under $50 making it a must try for budget-conscious bourbon drinkers. In addition, it comes in a cool bottle. But there is definitely more to this bourbon than just the cool bottle. The tasting notes are rich caramel, buttered biscuits, cherry, and vanilla sweetness.

“Aged over 7 years in American oak barrels, the result is smooth and lasting with notes of vanilla and baked bread.”

Blade and Bow Bourbon

Looking for the best bourbon under 50 dollars? Priced just under $50, Blade and Bow makes my list Though you can taste layers of vanilla, almond and oak with a light finish of dried apricot., I feel Blade and Bow is best with a splash of water instead of on the rocks. It’s a great everyday sipping bourbon, and also forms a great base for a cocktail, you can also find a lot of bourbons out there that do the same for less

“The Blade and Bow brand is a tribute to the five keys that once hung on the door of the Stitzel-Weller Distillery,” which stands for the five steps of making bourbon – grains, yeast, fermentation, distillation, and aging.“

Bib & Tucker Small Batch Bourbon

Affordably priced at under $50, Bib & Tucker Small Batch Bourbon is aged 6 years to produce a “nose of old leather, chamomile, butterscotch and warm cinnamon cedar.”

This one is going to be an either you “love it” or you “hate it” bourbon. It is a different flavor in comparison to some of the more traditional bourbons on the market. Because of this, I would say this is a “drink it only on a special occasion” bottle of bourbon.

Rowan’s Creek

You may or may not have even heard of Rowan’s Creek. Rowan’s Creek is one of several offerings in the Willett Distilling Company’s (Kentucky Bourbon Distillers’) lineup of Small Batch Boutique Bourbons.

With a price point at around $45 a bottle, “this bourbon starts with spicy, minty notes. After adding a bit of water, there is a taste of classic caramel and vanilla notes with light cedar and more mint notes prevailing at the end.”

This is certainly better than most $20 bourbons, but I don’t think it quite stretches to the $35 ones.

Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Bourbon

Looking for the best bourbon under 50 dollars? Maker’s Mark cannot be dismissed. The price point for Maker’s Mark Cask Strength bourbon is close to $40 per bottle. At 113 high proof, unsurprisingly this one burns a bit when sipping so I recommend adding some water when drinking it on the rocks.

“This is the first time Maker’s Mark has ever offered its product in cask strength form. It has a similar style as Old Weller Antique (107 proof) and Old Grand Dad 114 (114 proof), although Maker’s Cask Strength does a better job keeping the spice in check.”

“Rich, buttery nose with flavors of raisins, vanilla, honey, oranges, leather and spice.

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New Riff

New Riff, a Double-Gold award winner, costs between $40 and $50. Bottled in bond, New Riff has a mash bill of 65% corn, 30% Rye, and 5% malted barley that are certified 100% non-GMO. Compared to other Bottled in Bond products in the marketplace, New Riff Straight Bourbon is able to hold its own, thanks to its sip that is full of sweeter flavors.

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Michter’s Small Batch Bourbon

Priced between $40 and $50, this one is a bit pricey for the quality of the bourbon. It is tasty in an old fashion or a manhattan, but I would recommend purchasing the Michter’s Rye Whiskey or the Michter’s Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon if you have a bit more money to spend and want a smooth bourbon to serve only with an ice cube.

“In the Michter s tradition hailing from America s first whiskey distilling company, this bourbon is made from a proprietary mashbill that features the highest quality American corn and is then matured to the peak of perfection. It is then mellowed by our signature filtration.”

Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon

Four Roses Single Barrel is a top-shelf bourbon with a sophisticated distilling process using corn, rye and five yeast strains to produce the rich, unique flavor. This bourbon definitely makes my list as one of the best bourbon under 50 dollars.

If you like sweeter bourbon even with its high rye content,  the flavor profile is unlike other bourbons on the market and really does live up to its description of “delicate fruit, spicy, and creamy.”

“The nose is fruity, spicy and floral-the palate is full of ripe plum and cherries with a robust, full body.”

Eagle Rare 10 year

Eagle Rare , carefully aged for no less than ten year, claims over 30 awards in the past decade; including 5 Double Gold medals at the SFWSC. You will be hard pressed to find a better bourbon for under 50 dollars. In addition, because of the quality of this bottle it is more difficult to find in stores.

“A top-quality bourbon from Buffalo Trace, the Eagle Rare 10yo is deliciously fragrant and woody, and has to be one of the best bargains available in this price range.”

Woodford Reserve

Woodfood Reserve is priced starting as low as $29.99.

The official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, you cannot go wrong with a Mint Julep, an old fashioned, or our personal favorite, the Woodford Spire, made with smooth, spicy woodford reserve bourbon.

“The nose is quite woody and has light notes charcoal and dark chocolate. The palate is smooth with subtle spice.”

Wild Turkey Rare Breed Barrel Proof Bourbon

Wild Turkey Rare Breed is price right under $50 a bottle. Rare Breed was first released in 1991 and along with Bookers remains one of the longest running barrel proof bourbons on the market. This bourbon is a blend of 6, 8, and 12 year old barrels and bottled at barrel proof.

Honesty, I must admit I prefer the lower priced Wild Turkey 101 to this barrel proof. This is, however; the lowest cost barrel proof bourbon offered by a major Kentucky distillery so it is definitely worth a try and makes my list of the best bourbon under 50 dollars.

“Chocolate covered caramel corn, rich baking spice, pink peppercorns and nutty bread dough flavors.”

Bowman Brothers Small Batch Bourbon

Bowman Brothers Small Batch Bourbon, distilled three times for a complex and smooth palate, lends to hints of brown sugar, vanilla and oak. Their marketing boasts of “triple distillation,” “copper still,”and “aging in Virginia rickhouses” all of which seem to have had an actual impact on the final product’s unique spicy finish at a price point of under $40 a bottle. Add Bowman Brothers to you list of the best bourbon under 50 dollars.

The Best Bourbons Under 30 Dollars

Budget bourbons are not bad bourbons. In fact, many of them are just as good if not better than top shelf versions. I have tried everything from Blantons to Jim Beam . If you are looking for a affordable bourbon, you have come to right place. Here is my list of the best bourbon under 30 dollars.

Click here for a detailed review of the best bourbons under 30 dollars.

My Top Pick: IW Harper

Priced: $10-30 depending on location

“Beginning with a subtle nose, I.W. Harper Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey leaves hints of caramel and vanilla then melts into velvety bursts of wood and spice. The finish is sweet and pleasant with subtle fruit notes.”

Old Forester 100 Proof

Priced $20-25

“You know when local Louisville bartenders use one bourbon for their personal enjoyment, it’s gonna be good. This is a great sipping bourbon. Don’t bother mixing it with anything. Neat or on the rocks!”

Maker’s Mark

Priced $25-30

“Displays mature tastes of shredded tobacco, caramel, fruit and pine. The luscious finish is smooth and dry.”

Buffalo Trace

Priced at just under $30 per bottle

“Pleasantly sweet nose. Medium body and sticky-toffee flavor. This would be great mixed into cocktails, because the flavor is smooth but bold at the same time; it would blend without being completely lost. Finishes mellow, smooth, with just enough alcohol bite. Easy to like. Think Manhattans and Old-Fashioneds”.

Bulleitt Bourbon

Priced right at $30 per bottle.

The flavor profile includes “gentle spiciness and sweet oak aromas with tones of maple, oak and nutmeg with a light toffee finish.”

Knob Creek 9 Year

Priced right at $30

“Knob Creek is aged nine years in charred American white oak barrels and bottled at 100 proof. It smells of maple sugar and toasted nuts and has a distinctly sweet, round and rich palate with slightly fruity oak flavors. The finish is long and rich.”

Four Roses

Priced at around $20-25 a bottle

“This mellow bourbon is scented with vanilla and a hint of stone fruit. On the palate it’s light and creamy, with nuanced notes of vanilla, almond andpecan, plus a gentle baking-spice finis

Elijah Craig Small Batch

Priced at $30

“Sweet, tempers light nuttiness and notes of peanut brittle with sweet vanilla, loads of citrus, subtle oak and spice.”

Heaven Hill Green Label

With a price below $20, this bourbon has won taste buds over! Check out Heaven Hill’s website and you will not even see this bottle. Trust me when I say this mystery bourbon is tasty with a capital Heaven.

Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon

Priced at between $25 and $30

“This bourbon is sweet and woody on the nose. The taste has subtle apple, honey and caramel notes followed by a long finish that is very smooth, nice and easy. For the price, you would be hard pressed to find another bourbon this good.”

Wild Turkey 101

Priced at around $20 per bottle 

“A supple entry leads to a dryish medium-full body of buttered nut toast, caramel corn, anise, white ash and pepper.”

Redemption Bourbon

Priced at around $25, this bourbon is budget bourbon. Not overly harsh but definitely without the smoothness of Woodford Reserve, Redemption Bourbon is made from 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% barley and only aged for an average of two and a half years in new charred oak barrels.

1792 Small Batch

This bourbon is right on the cusp with the average price being right at $30.

“Handcrafted from the finest corn, rye, and malted barley. Each barrel of 1792 ages no less than 8 years.”

Jim Beam Devil’s Cut

Priced between $15 and $20.

“If you like your bourbon “woody” with smoke than this is for you. Mixing the smoked wood with the smooth taste of Jim Beam and you can’t go wrong.”

Early Times Bottled In Bond

Are you looking for a bourbon to add to your home bar with a price tag lower than $10 a bottle? Early Times is that bourbon, however, I recommend the Early Times Bottle In Bond. The bottle in bond is a bit higher class, smoother bourbon which is still affordable at just over $20 a bottle.

Larceny Very Special Small Batch Bourbon

With a price point between $25 and $30 a bottle “this small-batch bourbon uses wheat in place of rye to create a soft, rounded character. The mild crème brulee aroma leads into sarsaparilla and creamy caramel flavors. At 92 proof, it’s a wonder that the alcohol feels so moderate, but it makes its presence known in the cinnamon-firework finish. Attractive bottle design with clever keyhole label.”

Old Grand Dad 114

Distilled by Jim Bean, The Old-Grand Dad 114 is one of the most extreme values in the entire bourbon market. Take into account the proof and the rumored aging of 5-6 years, you cannot find another moderately aged bourbon close in cask strength under $30. Yes, this one is 114 proof!

Coopers Craft Bourbon

The price tag is a little over $20 a bottle definitely making our list for best bourbons under $30.

“Oak and vanilla lead the nose and buttery palate, rolling into more concentrated vanilla on the palate and finishing with baking spice and orange.”

Very Old Barton

If you are looking for a bourbon for your home bar that you can drink daily without feeling guilty about spending a lot of money, the Very Old Barton is your go to bourbon. A 1.75 liter averages a little over $20. This is a bottom shelf bourbon however it surprisingly has won our hearts.

Jim Beam White Label

The price is affordable so you can provide drinks for all your guests and save some of the better bottles, like the I.W. Harper, for the bourbon snobs.

“Opens sweet, with light caramel and vanilla flavors and, later, a slight woody char.”

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In Summary

This list of the best bourbon under 50 dollars proves that a great bottle does not necessarily have to come at a great cost!

What is your favorite bourbon? Drop me a comment. I’d love to hear your opinion.

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About the Author:

Hi! I’m Chris. I’m a mother, wife, college professor by trade and micro-influencer by hobby. I am a bargain hunter, jack of all trades, and master of chaos.

Thank you for reading my random thoughts on travel, my stories of life as an under appreciated mother of a teenager, and my easy recipes that have won no awards but instead my family’s love and adoration (which is WAY better, right?).