In this article, we are going to discuss the 10 best Bourbon whiskeys under $50. If you want to check out our detailed analysis of the Bourbon industry in Kentucky, the rise of Bourbon tourism, and the recent acquisitions in the Bourbon industry, head to 25 Best Bourbon Whiskeys Under $50.
10. 1792 Small Batch Bourbon
Insider Monkey Score: 5
Price: $33.99
1792 is the year that Kentucky became a state, and the bottling of this special Bourbon commemorates that date. At 93.7 proof and with a bold yet smooth flavor profile, 1792 Small Batch is sure to be enjoyed neat, on-the-rocks, or in your favorite classic Bourbon cocktail.
1792 is a premium Bourbon owned by the Sazerac Company, a global beverage alcohol giant that took over the brand and its distillery in 2009.
9. Bulleit Bourbon
Insider Monkey Score: 5
Price: $32.99
Bulleit Bourbon is inspired by the whiskey that was pioneered over 150 years ago. Only ingredients of the very highest quality are used. The complexity of Bulleit Bourbon comes from its unique blend of rye, corn, and barley malt, along with special strains of yeast and pure Kentucky limestone-filtered water.
Seagram acquired Bulleit in 1997 and the brand was subsequently passed down to the spirits giant, Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO). In 2017, Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) invested $115 million to build the brand new Bulleit distillery on 300 acres in the Louisville suburb of Shelbyville, Kentucky.
8. Old Forester 86 Proof
Insider Monkey Score: 5
Price: $24.99
Created in 1870, Old Forester is the only Bourbon continuously distilled and marketed by the founding family before, during, and after Prohibition. At 86 proof, Old Forester delivers a genuine Bourbon experience, with rich, full flavor, and a smooth character that is ideal for sipping neat, on the rocks, with a splash of water, or in a classic cocktail.
7. Maker’s Mark 46
Insider Monkey Score: 6
Price: $42.99
Originally released in 2010, Maker’s Mark 46 starts off as standard Maker’s Mark, which is a wheated Bourbon made in batches of less than 1,000 gallons. Then, ten heavily seared French oak staves are placed in just-emptied standard Maker’s Mark barrels, which are then refilled and returned to the warehouses to finish aging for an undisclosed amount of time (estimated to be 2-3 additional months).
6. Wild Turkey 101
Insider Monkey Score: 6
Price: $34.49
For over 60 years, Wild Turkey has been making 101 the same way, the right way! Aged in American White Oak barrels coated in the deepest alligator char, Wild Turkey 101 has an impossible-to-miss character.
In 1980, Wild Turkey’s original owner, Austin Nichols & Co., was sold to the French spirits conglomerate Pernod Ricard for a reported $100 million. In 2009, the distillery changed hands again, when Italy’s Gruppo Campari acquired it for a staggering $575 million.
5. Larceny Small Batch Bourbon
Insider Monkey Score: 6
Price: $29.99
Discover a taste worth stealing. Made with wheat instead of rye as the secondary grain, this wheated Bourbon delivers a smoother taste that’s hard to resist.
Larceny is the heir to the wheated Bourbons that make up the historic Old Fitzgerald franchise that Heaven Hill acquired in 1999. In fact, it is the somewhat controversial history of John E. Fitzgerald and his eponymous Bourbon brand that provides the story, and name, to Larceny Bourbon.
4. Four Roses Single Barrel
Insider Monkey Score: 7
Price: $49.99
For someone who wants a more complex Bourbon experience, Four Roses Single Barrel is a 100-proof whiskey that embodies the uniqueness of an individual barrel which was hand selected by the company’s Master Distiller.
The Four Roses Single Barrel is among the finest Bourbons in our list.
3. Woodford Reserve
Insider Monkey Score: 7
Price: $39.99
The art of making fine Bourbon first took place on the site of the Woodford Reserve Distillery, a National Historic Landmark, in 1812. The perfectly balanced taste of this Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey comprises more than 200 detectable flavor notes, from bold grain and wood, to sweet aromatics, spice, and fruit & floral notes.
Woodford Reserve is a product of the Brown-Forman Corporation, one of the leading American-owned spirits and wine companies.
2. Buffalo Trace Bourbon
Insider Monkey Score: 8
Price: $34.99
Ancient buffalo carved paths through the wilderness that led American pioneers and explorers to new frontiers. One such trail led to the banks of the Kentucky River where Buffalo Trace Distillery has been making Bourbon whiskey the same way for more than 200 years.
The Buffalo Trace Distillery was acquired by the Sazerac Company in 1992. A 750 ml bottle of Buffalo Trace is worth $34.99 on Drizly.
1. Michter’s US★1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Insider Monkey Score: 9
Price: $49.99
Michter’s US★1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon is made from a carefully selected mashbill that features the highest quality American corn. It is then matured to the peak of perfection. Truly ‘small batch’, each batch of this iconic whiskey is batched in a holding tank sized to fit a maximum of twenty full barrels, leaving no margin for ‘blending out’ imperfection and thus necessitating excellence from every barrel.
Michter’s only became a brand in the 1990s but is now, despite deliberately keeping stocks low and releases in small batches, the fourth-fastest rising brand in the Bourbon market. Recently, a bottle of Michter’s 20-Year-Old Bourbon went for $27,500 at auction.
The Michter’s US★1 Kentucky Straight ranks among the Best Bourbons in the World Under $50.
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