5 Best Budget Whiskeys (Under $50)
Table of Contents
If you’re like me, you love a good whiskey or bourbon, but maybe you’re not looking to drop a fortune on every bottle. Believe it or not, there are some seriously good bourbons and whiskeys out there that won’t break the bank. We’re talking smooth sips, rich flavors, and all the good stuff, all under 50 bucks. So, if you’re ready to upgrade your liquor cabinet without emptying your wallet, stick around—I’ve got the best picks for you.
Key Takeaways
Affordable Options: The post highlights a range of quality bourbons and whiskeys available for under $50, proving that great taste doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag.
Flavor Profiles: Each bourbon or whiskey is described with its unique flavor profile, helping readers choose based on their taste preferences, whether they like it smooth, spicy, or sweet.
Value for Money: The post emphasizes value, recommending bottles that offer a rich experience without compromising on quality, making them ideal for both beginners and seasoned enthusiasts.
The Birth of Bourbon: A Brief History
Alright, let’s rewind to the late 1700s in Kentucky, where bourbon’s story kicks off. Back then, settlers, knee-deep in corn, started distilling corn whiskey. They weren’t just about getting a buzz—they were creating something unique. They stored this liquid gold in charred oak barrels, and that’s where the magic happened. The charred wood gave the whiskey its iconic flavor and rich color, setting the standard for what we now call straight bourbon whiskey.
Fast forward to modern times, and bourbon has become a cultural icon, with legends like Sinatra toasting with it and shows like 'Mad Men' bringing it back into the limelight. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail, established in 1967, keeps this rich heritage alive, making sure bourbon’s legacy continues to thrive.
Bourbon: The Ingredients and the Process
Making bourbon is like creating a work of art—it all starts with a blend of grains: barley, corn, rye and wheat. This grain mash is the heart of bourbon and when it’s fermented and run through copper stills, that’s where the magic happens. The distillation process cleans the liquid and shapes the character.
Then comes the aging where the spirit is left to mellow in new, charred oak barrels. Time and nature work together to extract flavors and colors while U.S. federal regulations ensure it’s done right—no shortcuts. These barrels aren’t just storage; they’re part of what makes bourbon what it is. When you see an age statement on the label it’s not just a number; it’s a promise of quality and tradition and every drop meets the high standards that define American whiskey.
What affects the price of bourbon and whiskey
For those who drink these spirits, it’s clear that the price of bourbons and whiskeys can vary greatly. The rising prices are a result of a supply and demand dance where the supply of aged whiskeys is limited and the aging process can’t be rushed—it’s a labor of patience and years. Some have used this to their advantage and set high prices based on perceived value which in turn affects the pricing of others in the market.
Limited editions, single barrels, and special releases, including single casks, add to the mystique—and the price tags—of these big distillery offerings. Non-distiller producers who buy whiskey face unpredictable pricing due to the scarcity of aged whiskey and the demand for new made spirits. Even interest rates and investors who buy barrels to flip for profit play into the bourbon and whiskey pricing game.
Key Ingredients
Corn is the cornerstone of bourbon's flavor, which must constitute at least 51% of the mash. It lends a sweetness reminiscent of brown butter, honey, and cream. At the same time, rye introduces a spicy kick akin to black pepper or mint. Malted barley contributes complexity, adding nutty, smoky, and chocolatey flavors. In contrast, when used, wheat mellows the taste, imparting a subtle bread-like quality.
Affordable bourbons, therefore, can exhibit a broad spectrum of flavors, including:
sweet coffee
chocolate
ripe apple
bakery spices
Thanks to these grains. The choice of corn variety, be it yellow dent, white, or blue, plays a significant role in defining the nuances of bourbon's flavor, with the sugars caramelizing during aging to enhance sweetness.
Distillation Process
The distillation process of bourbon has seen considerable evolution from rudimentary beginnings to the refined sour mash method, which ensures flavor consistency batch after batch. Typically, bourbon is distilled using column stills, and the aging process in charred oak barrels is essential for imparting the spirit's distinct color and flavors, such as vanilla and toffee. The aging duration is pivotal, with longer aging usually resulting in a bourbon with more profound flavors and a smoother finish.
The sour mash process helps stabilize pH levels during production, ensuring consistent quality in every bottle. These processes deeply influence the flavor profiles of affordable bourbons, and craft distilleries increasingly use local corn varieties to create bourbons with distinct flavors that reflect their origins.
Tasting Notes: Identifying Common Flavors in Bourbon
Embarking on a bourbon tasting is a journey through a landscape of flavors and aromas. The spirit is renowned for its sweet and smoky profile, born from the marriage of corn and new charred oak barrels. This combination delivers flavors like:
dark caramel
oakiness
spice
honey
caramel
bitter notes of dark chocolate and coffee
various spices from pepper to ginger
You may also get these flavors which are balanced by dark chocolate and coffee and various spices from pepper to ginger.
The aroma of bourbon can be fruity and floral to spicy and woody or nutty, adding depth to each sip. To describe this connoisseurs use a big vocabulary that includes texture and body words like rich or light and flavor notes like citrus or dark fruits.
If you want to heighten your senses use a Glencairn glass when tasting bourbon neat.
How to Enjoy Bourbon: Neat, On the Rocks, or in Cocktails
Bourbon is one of the most versatile spirits, offering endless ways to enjoy its rich flavors. Whether you're sipping it neat to experience the spirit in its purest form, savoring it on the rocks as it gently opens up, or mixing it into a classic cocktail, there's a way to enjoy bourbon for every palate. The best advice? Experiment with different approaches, and don’t lock yourself into preconceived notions—try it all, and then try it again. Bourbon’s complexity is made for exploration.
Neat
For the purists, drinking bourbon neat is the way to go. Sipping it straight, without ice or mixers, allows you to experience the true essence of the spirit—rich, unadulterated, and full of character. When you drink bourbon neat, you're getting a full-on taste of the distiller's craft, with all the nuances of flavor shining through. Experts recommend starting neat to fully appreciate the bourbon's depth, from its caramel and vanilla notes to the smokiness imparted by the charred oak barrels. But a word of caution: overindulgence can dull your taste buds, making it harder to detect those subtle flavors with each sip. So take your time, savor it slowly, and let each sip reveal something new.
On the Rocks
If neat bourbon feels a bit too intense, try it on the rocks. Adding ice to bourbon not only cools it down but can also open up certain flavors and aromas that might be muted when consumed neat. As the ice melts, it slightly dilutes the bourbon, softening the alcohol's bite while enhancing its sweeter, fruitier, or spicier notes. For an optimal experience, go with large ice cubes or an ice ball, which melt more slowly and preserve the bourbon’s integrity without watering it down too quickly. This method is perfect for those who want to enjoy bourbon’s complexity with a refreshing chill.
Cocktails
For those who love a good cocktail, bourbon is a fantastic base spirit that pairs beautifully with a variety of ingredients. Whether you're new to bourbon or a seasoned connoisseur, mixing it into a well-crafted cocktail can highlight its flavors in a whole new way. Here are a few classic cocktails that showcase bourbon at its best:
Old Fashioned: A timeless choice, the Old Fashioned blends bourbon with sugar, bitters, and a twist of citrus. It’s simple but elegant, letting the bourbon take center stage with just a hint of sweetness and spice.
Whiskey Sour: Bourbon, lemon juice, and simple syrup come together to create a perfectly balanced cocktail—sweet, tart, and oh-so-refreshing. Adding an egg white gives it a smooth, frothy texture for an elevated touch.
Mint Julep: This Southern classic combines bourbon, fresh mint, and sugar, served over crushed ice. It’s the quintessential summer cocktail, especially during derby season.
Boulevardier: For something a bit more robust, try a Boulevardier—a sophisticated mix of bourbon, sweet vermouth, and Campari. It’s a bourbon-lover’s take on the Negroni, with rich, bittersweet flavors.
Don’t be afraid to get creative with your cocktails. Bourbon’s depth and versatility make it a perfect partner for a wide range of flavors, from honey and ginger to citrus and bitters. Whether you’re making a classic cocktail or experimenting with new flavors, bourbon is the key to a satisfying drink experience.
Top 5 Affordable Bourbons
When curating this list of standout bourbons and whiskeys, we focused on a blend of critical factors to ensure each selection stands out for its exceptional quality and value. We honed in on bottles priced under $50 to provide affordability while diving deep into consumer reviews and expert ratings to gauge overall satisfaction and popularity. The flavor profiles were meticulously considered, prioritizing those that offer a rich, complex, and smooth experience. We also took into account the unique attributes of each spirit, including their distillation processes and the historical pedigree of their distilleries, to provide a selection that's enjoyable to drink and rich in heritage and craftsmanship. The result is a carefully chosen collection that promises to delight newcomers and seasoned enthusiasts.
Buffalo Trace
Price: Around $30
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, Kentucky
Unique Facts: Buffalo Trace is the oldest continuously operating distillery in America, operating even during Prohibition for medicinal purposes. The distillery spans over 130 acres and is a National Historic Landmark.
Distillation Process: Buffalo Trace is made from a low rye mash bill, one of the secrets behind its smoothness and rich flavor profile. It's aged in new oak barrels in century-old warehouses, where the Kentucky climate plays a crucial role in its maturation.
Elijah Craig Small Batch
Price: Around $30
Distillery: Heaven Hill Distillery, Bardstown, Kentucky
Unique Facts: Named after the Reverend Elijah Craig, who is often credited with being the first to age whiskey in charred oak casks, thus giving birth to bourbon. The distillery was founded in 1935 and is the largest independent, family-owned, and operated distilled spirits producer in the U.S.
Distillation Process: This small-batch bourbon uses a traditional corn, rye, and malted barley mash bill. It's aged for 8 to 12 years in level three char barrels, imparting deep caramel and vanilla flavors.
Four Roses Small Batch
Price: Approximately $35
Distillery: Four Roses Distillery, Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
Unique Facts: Unusually, Four Roses combines five yeast strains with two separate mash bills to create ten distinct bourbon recipes, a unique practice in the industry. During Prohibition, Four Roses was one of the few distilleries allowed to operate for medicinal purposes.
Distillation Process: For its Small Batch, Four Roses hand-selects and expertly marries four of its ten bourbon recipes, each aged at least six years. Some of the recipes use a high-rye mash bill, which provides a spicy flavor profile balanced with sweet and floral notes.
Bulleit Bourbon
Price: Around $30
Distillery: Bulleit Distilling Co., Shelbyville, Kentucky
Unique Facts: The Bulleit brand was revived by Tom Bulleit in 1987, based on a high-rye bourbon recipe pioneered by his ancestor, Augustus Bulleit, over 150 years ago. The distinctive bottle shape is a nod to old medicinal whiskey bottles.
Distillation Process: Bulleit Bourbon has a high rye content of about 28%, which is considerably higher than most bourbons. This gives it a bold, spicy taste tempered by aging in charred American white oak barrels.
Knob Creek 9 Year Old
Price: Typically around $35
Distillery: Jim Beam Distillery, Clermont, Kentucky
Unique Facts: Named after the small creek that runs just south of the distillery, which was also the childhood home of Abraham Lincoln. The brand was introduced in 1992 as part of Jim Beam's small-batch bourbon collection.
Distillation Process: Knob Creek 9-Year-Old is patiently aged in deeply charred American Oak barrels for nine years, a practice that imparts a more intense flavor and a smooth finish. Its long aging process leads to evading some spirits, which they call the "angel's share," concentrating the flavors even further.
Final Thought
As our journey through the rich bourbon heritage comes to a close, we reflect on a spirit that has captured the essence of American tradition. From its birth in the backwoods of Kentucky to its revered place in bars worldwide, bourbon's story is one of craftsmanship, innovation, and an unwavering dedication to quality. Whether enjoyed neat, on the rocks or as the cornerstone of a classic cocktail, bourbon remains a timeless testament to the American spirit. May your next sip carry the weight of its storied past and the promise of its boundless future.
Frequently Asked Questions
What legally defines a spirit as bourbon?
To legally define a spirit as bourbon, it must be produced in the United States, contain at least 51% corn, be distilled to no more than 160 proof, be aged in new charred oak barrels, and be bottled at 80 proof or higher.
Can bourbon be produced outside of Kentucky?
Yes, bourbon can be produced outside of Kentucky as long as it meets the legal requirements in the United States.
What is the difference between bourbon and Tennessee whiskey?
The critical difference between bourbon and Tennessee whiskey is the additional step of filtering through sugar maple charcoal before barrel aging in Tennessee whiskey. This gives Tennessee whiskey a distinct flavor profile.
How does the aging process affect bourbon's flavor?
The aging process in charred oak barrels imparts a range of flavors to bourbon, such as vanilla, caramel, and spice. The length of aging can also affect the smoothness and depth of flavor, imparting a unique and complex flavor profile to bourbon as it matures.
What makes a bourbon "straight" bourbon whiskey?
A bourbon is labeled "straight" when aged for at least two years without additional ingredients or flavors.