Bourbon is a fantastic weekend relaxation beverage, or a weekday after-work treat if you’re the type to enjoy bourbon and whiskeys midweek. We understand your reasoning, don’t worry.
That after-work first sip of your favorite bourbon to finish the day off is a vital experience that should be enjoyed to the best of its ability. That’s why we think that you should be able to purchase and drink the best-distilled bourbon available to you at the best price available to you (see also 'A Comprehensive Guide To Wheated Bourbon').
That way you get the best experience possible. Also, there isn’t a person on earth who doesn’t enjoy a bargain and booze.
So, we’ve created a list of the 12 best bourbons under $50 for you so you don’t have to go rifling through the internet or your local alcohol store to find the best bourbons out there, we’ve found them for you and our top 12 picks are all of the best quality, from the top of the list to the end.
Any one of these bourbons is a smooth blend of rich and spicy flavors that just hit the right spot for a weekday evening drink.
When searching high and low for the perfect bourbon blend, you want something that balances spices and sweet aromas together in a complimentary way. If it’s too sweet, or too spicy, the bourbon may not come across well.
OUR TOP PICK
Our first pick is the Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon by the Whiskey Exchange and their bourbon is of the best quality in the entire country, if not the world!
The bottle is an outstanding quality single barrel bourbon that is beautifully balanced between flavors that are as smooth as silk, and flavors that are rich and potent with very appealing methanol notes.
These bourbons spices are delicious! This bourbon originates from Kentucky and balances a rich and sweet blend to provide a perfectly balanced bourbon drink.
Some other characters you may detect are vanilla, prunes, oak, plums, and smooth caramel that when combined in this way make for a divine bourbon.
It is a fruit and spice lead bourbon with notes of cocoa, maple syrup, and a touch of floral essences to slowly build that smooth rich blend on your tongue. We got ourselves a bottle to try and well, it was just divine!
The flavors didn’t stop and the aftertaste was almost an entirely new bourbon experience than the first taste. We seriously cannot recommend it enough to try for yourselves.
Pros
- Long & fruity finish - cocoa notes lingering
- Robust & full of flavor - caramel compliments it well
- Quality bourbon - get what you pay for
Cons
- Delivery may vary - 18-20 working days so just be aware of this before purchasing
EDITORS CHOICE
The Maker’s Mark from The Whiskey Exchange is an award-worthy bourbon blend of 45% alcohol and is a 70cl bottle worth double its sold price. This bourbon is one of the rising stars in the whiskey market and with a rapidly growing following because of its distinctive appearance and fantastic quality.
It really is beyond its expectations and any bourbon or whiskey lover will be left feeling fully satisfied having tried this blend of bourbon. As ample bottle is available at a few dollars worth for those unsure of the make yet, so you can try and test it for yourself before purchasing the full-blown bottle.
The overall blend combines vanilla, cinnamon, and almond characters to create a nutty and smooth sweet taste in one. On initial taste and smell, the aroma consists of caramel, brown sugar, and gives way to soft fruity notes and vanilla extracts for a well-made bourbon blend.
It’s actually a more savory drink than the initial notes would suggest because of the toasted nuts and cinnamon added in. The vanilla tricks you into thinking this is a bourbon on the sweet side, and then the almond and brown sugar add a kick of savory sweetness.
We wanted to try this one out especially as the ingredients sounded unorthodox for what is usually considered a standard bourbon blend. We loved the caramel and brown sugar notes and the vanilla beautifully topped it off.
Pros
- Light - sweet spices build overtime after the first taste
- No food colorings - no artificial flavors or tastes in the blend
- Native to Kentucky - authentic USA brand
Cons
- More on the savory side - nutty flavors, however, mixed with sweet aromas
BEST VALUE
This blend by The Whiskey Exchange is a 9-year-old brand called Knob Creek and is a 70cl bottle of 50% alcohol content. They say the older the whiskey or bourbon the smoother it is right?
Well, this brand certainly lives up to this expectation as a top contender bourbon. It has sensual aromas of toasted nuts, sweet cereals, and oak spices that consume your senses.
It is a 9-year-old high-rye bourbon bottle that was relaunched for a second time in 2021 with a brand new representation and a return of the age statement.
The Style of this bourbon is mostly sweet and body filled with a hint of richness to mix things up a bit. We’ve got a unique bourbon here for you as not only does it feature notes of vanilla, hazelnut, and oak, but also pinches of apple have been incorporated into the alcohol to add a sweet tangy flavor to the richness of the drink.
It truly is a unique bourbon that should be sampled and tested all over the country so everyone can experience the smoothest and richest whiskey out there. The age also compliments it well as it’s been distilled for quite some time to improve with age. As if it needed improving anyways!
Pros
- 14 days return policy - handy for USA deliveries
- A hint of apple sweetness - A unique blend
- Often purchased with other blends - as it compliments other bourbons well
Cons
- Won’t be able to stop yourself - truly amazing bourbon
RUNNER UP
We have another Maker’s branded bourbon from the Whiskey Exchange for you to bask in and it’s the Maker’s 46 Bourbon that struck our attention.
This is the first brand new Maker’s recipe in 50 years of production and the name is derived from the number of different wood recipes that the brand tried out before creating the perfect recipe of bourbon!
The 70cl bourbon is bottled at 47% and it has been matured in barrels containing a type of ‘ladder’ of toasted French oak to give more of a spicey sweet vanilla aroma.
The character flavors include vanilla, oak, dried fruits, and caramel for a perfect blend of sweet and rich tastes throughout the bottle. The bourbon is native to Kentucky, USA, and is a delightful bourbon to drink in the evenings.
Whiskey and quality bourbon drinkers have been known to state that this brand of bourbon leaves beautiful rich and sweet flavors on the tongue and it lingers for hours after the first taste!
It’s great on its own and is also perfect with or without ice in an old fashioned way. We seriously could not recommend this bourbon enough for its overall taste, smell, and satisfaction.
Pros
- Aged Bourbon - over 50 years to mature
- Native to USA - Loyal brand of whiskey/bourbon
- Great flavors and overall tastes! - fantastically blended drink
Cons
- Delivery may vary - 18-20 days so keep this in mind before purchasing
RUNNER UP
This bourbon is the piece de la resistance of whiskey bourbons and is truly remarkable in quality. The tastes and aromas have been curated specially to provide a smooth and rich blend of dark and black cherries and oaky bourbon notes.
Cherry isn’t a usual flavor that is added to bourbon but it works so well with oak that this is the exception! Jim Beam Red Stag’s black cherry American bourbon is a 70cl bottle under 40% alcohol intake and has a screwcap closure for easy corkscrew access. There’s nothing better than cracking open a bottle of mature bourbon at the end of the night!
It’s fused with natural cherry flavors and offers a nose of soft and dark cherry sweetness that is backed with the oaky bourbon notes that we all love and cherish. It’s warm to the taste and is a pleasant mix of the two flavors.
Pros
- The brand offers paid installments - If you’re short on cash to pay full in one go
- Makes for a great gift - for any whiskey or bourbon lover
- Brand appearance is as pleasant as the drink inside - well decorated for brand
Cons
- Not as diverse in flavors as other brands - However works with what flavors they do include
RUNNER UP
Have we got a specially formulated bourbon blend for you to try, the Woodford Reserve bourbon whiskey has been soothingly mixed with notes of toffee, caramel, spices, and chocolate for a rich and sweet combination that will linger on your tongue and enlighten you to a whole new world of bourbon flavors.
It also has rich dried fruits, hints of mint, and orange for a refreshing and spiced alcoholic drink. There’s no end to the flavors in this bourbon and you’ll be recognizing new tastes every time you sample it!
One night you may get hints of the mint and spicey combinations more and on another evening you may be almost overwhelmed with tangy, sweetnesses because of the rich chocolate and orange extracts added in!
There’s nothing better than the combination of orange and chocolate and they work beautifully in alcoholic drinks. We got a bottle for the office and everyone who tried it couldn’t get enough of the aftertaste!
We didn’t tell them what notes were included so they could attempt to guess and we even created a game out of it in the end.
Pros
- Beautifully blended - thoughtful ingredients
- Corkscrew opening - for that popping unscrew feeling
- Authentically American Brand - native to Kentucky
Cons
- Delivery may cost you - It’s worth the extra price though
RUNNER UP
This Virginia black whiskey bourbon from the Bottle Club is native to Indiana and is a 75cl bottle of 40% alcohol. It’s been mellowed to 40% compared to some other bourbons to showcase the true essence of the brand’s whiskey taste.
It’s an individually selected collection of 2, 3, and 4-year olf whiskey with the focus being on the high-rye content. This results in a rich whiskey that is so smooth it feels like it melts on the tongue upon first taste.
The bottle is also impeccably made and designed to be pleasing in appearance as much as the flavors are pleasing to taste!
We just adore how elegant the bottle is and we got one for ourselves to try! By the time the whole office had tried and tested this bottle, it was empty, and you can be certainly one of us kept that bottle for future purposes!
It’s just too magnificent to discard, it’s the type of bottle that must be used for another purpose, which is fantastic for re-purposing old bottles that would otherwise be discarded.
Pros
- Can be paid in installments - up to 3
- Native to USA - Authentic brand which is truly American down to the T
- Quality drink and bottle - magnificently made
Cons
- Limited flavors - could have more notes
RUNNER UP
We have searched high and low for a bourbon whiskey brand that encapsulates what it means to be truly American in appearance, as well as flavors and aromas.
This is the perfect blend between classic American decorated bottles and exotic flavors like habanero peppers to spice up your life! We were mesmerized by the horse and classic western imagery on the bottle’s label as it represents Texas beautifully!
The brand is actually native to Stuttgart, Germany so has those exotic and earthy flavors mixed in with an American dream of a bourbon. The bourbon is a 50cl bottle and is 45% alcohol so you get exactly what you paid for!
It’s an interesting spirit by Horse With No Name which features spicy combinations from Texan’s Firestone & Robertson Distilled Co.
They make a habanero distillate using red Savina peppers in Germany which are then combined to make this quality bourbon called Horse With No Name.
We loved the artwork so much and we believe that a well-presented bottle of Bourbon combined with quality flavors and aromas makes for the perfect evening. The appearance matters just as much as what’s inside the bottle and we’re glad to see a company that delivers this well.
Pros
- Made with exotic peppers - For a truly authentic spice note
- Easy delivery and returns - good policy
- Beautiful artwork on the bottle - worth the investment
Cons
- Slightly smaller bottle - than your average bourbon
RUNNER UP
We love a playfully mixed and blended bourbon that tests out different notes to find the most interesting and unique combinations out there.
The creations are limitless with all the best ingredients and taste available out there to try out so we’re happy to see a brand that incorporates something interesting into their bourbon blend.
This blend has notes of banana, caramel, and vanilla to form an obscure, but satisfying palette overall. It’s native to Houston, USA and the brand name is Yellow Rose, the bottle is a 70cl bottle of 40% alcohol for a mellowed blend that doesn’t overpower the sweet notes.
We couldn’t get enough of this flavoring in the bourbon as usually, we are sweet and smooth whiskey lovers, however, this bourbon just had the perfect amount of banana mixed with vanilla and caramel for an overall smooth and rich drink to enjoy with friends and family.
Pros
- Unique flavors - fruity and smooth
- Fast delivery - good service and policy
- Authentic brand - Made in Houston
Cons
- It may be too sickly for some - too sweet
RUNNER UP
This particular whiskey bourbon is high in its rye content which gives it a bold and spicy character with a distinctively smooth and rich finish overall. It has a dry and clean taste that makes for an exceptional cocktail blend such as an old-fashioned.
It originates from Kentucky and is an overall corkscrew topper to make for easy access. There’s nothing better than a classic corkscrew opening for a bottle of matured whiskey or bourbon, right? The brand is called Bulleit and we tried a bottle for ourselves to compare with others.
We can confidently say that this bourbon was the smoothest we’ve ever tried and whilst some may not be keen on it, we loved it! It also has a long family history beginning when a man named Tom Bulleit set out to make a bourbon like no other out there.
He was heavily inspired by a recipe his great, great grandfather has concocted more than 175 years ago, named Augustus Bulleit. Any bourbon with an inspiring family history wins awards in our books!
Pros
- Great for gifts! - can select the gift option for a specially wrapped bottle
- Unique family story - authentically made
- Classic bottle design - has not been over complicated
Cons
- Maybe on the dry side - could do with more sweet notes to balance it
RUNNER UP
This American bourbon has been clearly inspired by the gang that originated during the late 19th and early 20th century in Birmingham.
The gang has a well-researched history behind their name and this whiskey bourbon has been inspired by them to make a quality bourbon that they would have drank around the same time. Do note the important cap of the bottle which is where the gang got their infamous name from!
We love a classic and heavily aged bourbon brand and the Peaky Blinder bourbon whiskey brand from The Bottle Club have certainly done their research to live up to the name. This is truly England’s finest-inspired whiskey bourbon and while it may not be an authentic American regional brand, the bourbon has a rich history that is loved across the globe.
This blend has noted melted apricots, chocolate, and dried peels for a fruity authentic taste.
Pros
- Small batch - quality made bourbon
- Handcrafted spiced gin - blended with exotic spices and botanicals
- Fast delivery - no messing around
Cons
- Not authentically American - However, quality bourbon
RUNNER UP
Balcones Pot Still Bourbon by the Whiskey Exchange has a bold flavor straight from Balcones. It has been matured in charred oak casks, creating special aromas of honey crisp apples, toasted oak, popcorn, savory crackers, and well-oiled leather that fill the nose fully.
The palette also offers notes of honey, vanilla cream, roasted pecans, sandalwood, and leather that linger in the overall finish of the bourbon whiskey.
We adored this mix of sweet and savory flavors that leave you second-guessing what the true taste of this bourbon is. Every time we tried it, new flavors would come through and the aftertaste would change, which is fantastic, however, confusing. We do like a challenge though so we enjoyed this brand nonetheless.
Pros
- Makes for a great gift - For any whiskey or bourbon lover out there
- Exotic and diverse flavors - like no other brand
- The delivery policy is great - returns are available if need be
Cons
- Slightly overpowering - however, fabulous mix
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Bourbon Whiskey?
The great thing about ordering bottles of bourbon and whiskey in-store or online is that it’s highly likely that the company will let you sample any bourbons they have available.
So you can find the one you like the most without coughing up for it! Bourbon is the most prominent and popular style of whiskey produced in America and has been enjoyed in saloons across the planet sipped on its own, or mixed in cocktails for a long time.
How Much Does Extra-Aged Bourbon Cost?
Usually, extra-aged bottles are aged in single barrels and should cost you no more than your average bottle of bourbon. Don’t expect to pay any more than you should for a quality bottle of bourbon that is complex, versatile, and well crafted. Most bourbons are priced very similarly so just do your research and you should be fine.
I want to share with you all of my favorites, as well as share advice on picking certain alcohols and flavors.
I hope you enjoy my articles as much as I enjoyed researching them!
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