Bourbon under $50 remains one of the most useful corners of American whiskey. It is where everyday drinking, genuine character, and sensible pricing still overlap, even as certain bottles become harder to find and some brands creep upward in price.
This list is not about chasing hype bottles or pretending every shelf looks the same in every state. It is about bourbons that still feel worth the money when you actually open them, pour them, and go back for another glass. Some are widely available, some depend more on where you live, but all of them offer strong flavor without pushing into premium pricing.
Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon, 50%, £47 / $43
I know I’m a bit of a broken record with this one, but that is only because it is just wonderful. We all have faith in Four Roses and, even under its new ownership, it should still provide excellent flavor and very consistent releases.
The single barrel releases will obviously vary, but you normally get aromas of buttered popcorn, brown butter, marshmallows, coconut, and buttercream. The rye pops off more as you dive into the palate, but it is a manageable form of spice that sits nicely between the sweetness and the ABV of the release.
It never lets me down, or the thousands of people who buy versions of it every year. I dread to think how much money I have spent on these bottles, but it is still less than one bottle of Van Winkle.
Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon, 45%, £19 / $24
Okay, this is one that I don’t really talk about because it is so accessible in the UK. I know availability issues in the US vary from state to state, but after retrying it the other day at a tasting event, I had forgotten how nice it is.
Something about mash bill #1 from Buffalo Trace gives it these wonderful green apple aromas. The nose brings cinnamon, candy corn, fresh pastries, and melted butter. It is warm, welcoming, kind of fresh, and very easy drinking.
It is a bottle that is wonderful when you are not overpaying for it. Anything over MSRP and it is not really worth your time, as you could opt for so many other options. If it is available in your area for its regular price, then it is absolutely worth having on the shelf.
Wild Turkey 101 Kentucky Straight Bourbon, 50.5%, £24 / $20
It is just really good. But my editor needs more words than that, so let’s talk a little about what sets Wild Turkey 101 apart.
The high rye content is a strong reason why it stands apart from the rest. The nose is sweet and rich, but the rye comes across as sweet tobacco, incense, sandalwood, and nutmeg-driven spice. Alongside all of that, you get caramel and fresh breakfast waffles.
Taste-wise, it again leads with an earthier, more robust flavor than many bourbons of a similar style. It feels creamy and pronounced, with those earthier notes of sweet rolling tobacco, bell pepper, spearmint, and charred oak. There is still plenty of classic bourbon sweetness, too.
It is just an amazing bottle of whiskey that we all need to experience.
1792 Bottled In Bond, 50%, £40 / $37
The experiments within the 1792 range have given bourbon drinkers access to some incredible products over the last few years. Especially after the Full Proof became the bottle every “collector” needed because it won a single award. The rest of us were able to enjoy things like this.
Their bottled-in-bond release is, hands down, one of the nicest and most richly flavored bourbons on the market. The smell of it pouring into the glass always reminds me of being at our local bakery. Butter, vanilla, custard, cinnamon, a little tang of booze, and even some Cognac-like notes start to push through, with rich fruits and sweet ginger.
Their bottles are a little annoying to fit into cupboards and shelves, but that just means you have to put it somewhere with easier access.
Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, 43.2%, £46 / $49
Indulgence. That is the only way to really describe Woodford Reserve Double Oaked. It has those additional charred and toasted barrels that provide its point of difference, and you get that straight away as it hits the glass.
Maple syrup, pecans, candied orange, peach juice, fresh vanilla, desiccated coconut, brown butter, toasted hazelnuts, chocolate spread, baked corn, and everything else you can imagine that delivers that instant smell of comfort and relaxation.
It is quite amazing that whiskey can help us relax after long days, or help us celebrate. The smell of this is like being transported back to childhood, standing in the kitchen while someone was baking all of the good stuff.
There is spice and warmth on the palate to help balance out the sweetness, otherwise this would be too much. You still taste elements of the butter, caramel, and chocolate, but those little fizzy notes of rye and the subtle earthy element from the barley help bring even more flavor into this massive, hedonistic circle of goodness.
Larceny Kentucky Straight Bourbon, 46%, £37 / $23
When I saw how cheap this is in the US, it made me instantly buy a bottle in the UK. Ignore the irony in that statement, but having bought this for £45, I can say it is lovely. The fact that you can get it for under $30 stateside is truly remarkable. Who needs a handle of booze when you can just buy many bottles of this?
Larceny is a wheated bourbon, and it really puts brands like Maker’s Mark and Green River in a difficult spot. That says something, as those are two very well-priced products.
Larceny opens with toasted wheat notes, butterscotch, sweet oak, and sugary coffee. The palate mellows out and shows off creamed corn, hard candy, and an almost strawberry note that really pops toward the end of the profile. The finish is sweet, gentle, and very welcoming.
For the money, this bottle is absolutely outrageous value.
Final Thoughts
Bourbon still has its blue-collar appeal, and I love that about it. There are plenty of premium options out there, but a lot of the time, you can still find super affordable, accessible bottles that deliver real flavor.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get something genuinely tasty, with plenty of other fun elements like history, experimentation, or sometimes both. As fuel becomes more expensive and we move into spring, Easter, and the holiday seasons, it is still possible to save money and have an amazing drinking experience for a very reasonable price.
Read the full article at The Bourbons Worth Buying Under $50 This Year, Chosen By A Whisky Expert
