“I like this in elegant stirred cocktails such as bourbon Manhattans and an Old Fashioned,” says Marrero. Their Kentucky straight bourbon is full of notes that define the iconic American whiskey category: slight tannins and vanilla sweetness from the oak, bright cereal notes from the grains, and a bit of spice on the finish. The proof will vary from batch to batch, with Wild Turkey Rare Breed often hovering between 116 and 120, which is strong but still approachable. Average Price: $32 This bottle celebrates the year Kentucky became a state. There was a time when drinkers thought spending more than $50 on a bottle of bourbon was pretty insane. By using Liquor.com, you accept our, Best Outside of Kentucky: Woodinville Whiskey, Best Single-Barrel: Evan Williams Single Barrel, Best Barrel-Proof: Wild Turkey Rare Breed, Best for Cocktails: Woodford Reserve Bourbon, The 12 Best Canadian Whiskies to Drink in 2020, The 9 Best Gifts for Bourbon Lovers in 2020, According to Experts, The 10 Best American Whiskeys Under $50 to Drink in 2020, 5 Bourbon Brands for the Beginning Bourbon Drinker, 10 Great Aged Bourbons and Ryes to Look For, The Best Cheap Alcohol of 2020, According to Bartenders, The 15 Best Single Malt Scotch Whiskies to Drink in 2020, The 10 Best Japanese Whiskies to Drink in 2020, 5 Essential Bourbon Bottles You Need for Your Home Bar, The 11 Best Rye Whiskeys to Drink in 2020. The whisky finished off long and smooth with full-bodied flavors. But the hesitation remains: there are so many great bottles of bourbon that … Here's What You Can Do. Still, there are so many dependable and accessible offerings—here are the best bourbons under $50 to try today. “It is a throwback brand, but the high rye makes it great for cocktails that use bourbon but want to get more spice notes,” says Lynnette Marrero, beverage director at Wonderbar. What You Can Do To Support Black-Owned Spirits Brands Right Now. Woodford Reserve satisfies all of these criteria. Get our best cocktail recipes, tips, and more when you sign up for our newsletter. Updated 08/06/20. Jan 15, 2020 Courtesy. One of … Barrel-proof bourbon refers to a whiskey that has not been cut with water before bottling to reduce the ABV. review process here. The straight bourbon is made from a mash bill of 65 percent corn, 30 percent rye and 5 percent malted barley, putting it in the high-rye category. Even more, the rich mouthfeel goes a long way towards making this small-batch bourbon an excellent sipping option. So, each barrel will taste different, although there is usually some consistency that allows you to identify the brand. Best Bourbon Under 50. Its flagship straight bourbon is aged for five years in central Washington warehouses after being distilled just outside of Seattle. As its name suggests, a single-barrel is a bourbon that comes from one barrel instead of the usual blend of many different barrels that go into a batch. The idea here is to get more flavor, and more experience, by spending a tad more coin. This list used to be the “21 Best Bourbons under $50”. Although bourbon does not have to be made in Kentucky, the spiritual home of bourbon, most of it is produced in the state—including the esteemed Maker’s Mark (part of the Beam Suntory family of whiskeys). Order by. Today there are more than 5 million barrels of Bourbon sitting in the rick-houses of that Old Kentucky Home. Buffalo Trace. Four Roses. A sweet, easy-drinking bourbon with a … "It's great on its own, awesome in a smash, sour or Old Fashioned, and doesn't get lost thanks to not being watered down.” There’s also a bit of spice on the palate in this bourbon, which complements the sweetness very nicely. 5 Derby Day Cocktails That Bring a Bit of Louisville to You, Which Rye to Buy? The best bottles of bourbon for under $50 let you try bourbon pulled from a few special barrels, or just one. Liquor.com uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Bartenders and drinkers in the know are huge fans of this bourbon, which is part of the Brown-Forman company that also makes Woodford Reserve and Jack Daniel’s. Wheated bourbons are defined as having a mash bill that uses wheat as the secondary flavoring grain instead of the usual rye (along with corn and malted barley). Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best ... Best Overall: Buffalo Trace Bourbon. One notable distillery is Woodinville Whiskey. We’ve compiled a list of different styles, ages and brands of best-rated Bourbons in the Flaviar community you can get for $50 … "Picking a bourbon under $50 has become an extremely tough decision. “Such a distinct taste, a tried and true go-to whiskey with subtle complexity,” describes Stephen Kurpinsky, U.S. brand ambassador for Mr. Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur. According to Jessica Gonzalez, beverage director at Wonderbar, this should be your go-to bourbon for making an Old Fashioned. The taste starts with citrus, caramel, and pepper, then opens up with caramel and hint of dry oak. Carriers say 7 million Christmas gifts will be late this year. An exemplary bourbon in this category comes from Four Roses. Old Grand-Dad is a cheap and tasty high-rye option (close to 30 percent of the mash bill) that comes in three different proofs: 80, 100 and 114. Sure, there are some rare bottles out there going for triple their asking price on the secondary market, and some of these are exceptional. Say Howdy to Flaviar's First Own Bourbon, Corn Trooper! The rich palate of buttery caramel, sweet vanilla and ripe fruits can compete with any bourbon made in Kentucky. Best Bourbon Under $50; Best Bourbon Under $100; Best Bourbon Over $100; UNDER $25 Evan Williams Black Label. It’s hard to pick out a favorite from Old Forester’s lineup — each is thoroughly … Best Bourbons Under $50: Everybody (of legal age) has a drink of choice.Mine is whiskey. “The dried fruit notes pair well with vermouth; it has dried spice notes that give a very long finish.”. In the case of Evan Williams, the single-barrel expression always tastes good. Beyond Kentucky, you can find distilleries making bourbon in nearly every state nowadays, from tiny craft operations to larger upstart facilities. If you’re looking for some really good bourbon to drink, the good news is you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on a bottle. “Try it in a Paper Plane or an egg white sour and you won't be disappointed." “I get big, rich toffee, caramel, vanilla and wood flavors, and if you like your whiskey on a large rock, this whiskey will stand up to the dilution without losing what makes it so great,” says Kurpinsky. His first love remains whiskey, but he is partial to tequila, rum, gin, cognac and all things distilled. This was before the bourbon boom, mind you. At any given time, there are more barrels of Bourbon in Kentucky than there are people. Best Bourbon under $50 Although the threat of Bourbon shortage has helped drive up the prices, there are still many affordable bottles you can get for less than $50. Wild Turkey 101 is famous, but the Rare Breed is where it's at. 1792 Small Batch. These Are The Bottles Your Home Bar Needs, John E. Fitzgerald Larceny Small Batch Bourbon, 1792 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Russell's Reserve 10 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey, 10 Year Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon, 1792 Ridgemont Reserve Bourbon Barrel Select, 17 Year Old Fall 2010 Release (Tasting Sample), 1792 Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Cleveland Black Reserve American Bourbon Whiskey, Kentucky Spirit Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey. Koval. Bottles that won't break the bank. The bourbon pairs well with any classic whiskey cocktail, from a Manhattan to an Old Fashioned to a Boulevardier. Written by. Willett Pot Still Reserve comes in a unique bottle that’s shaped like a pot still, making it a popular gift choice for bourbon lovers. I found all these awesome bourbons and somehow omitted the wonderful whiskey that is Woodford Reserve, silly me, so now it’s the “22 Best Bourbons under $50”! Jonah Flicker. It's a blend of … “I like it as an option for Whiskey Sours.”.