Best Bourbon Under 50 | Bourbons Worth Spending $30 to $50 On
If you're looking for a good quality, reasonably priced bourbon, then you have come to the right place! My list of favorite bourbons under $50 is a great place to start when it comes to finding an affordable yet flavorful spirit. This will include bourbons between $30 to $50. These offerings are easy to get your hands on and provide an array of great-tasting experiences. Whether you're in the mood for a smooth glass of sipping whiskey or want something more complex, any of these bourbons will definitely fit the bill. And best of all, your wallet won't take too much of a hit while still being able to enjoy quality bourbon. If you are interested in some cheaper options check out my article on the Best Bourbon Under $30.
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Wild Turkey Rare Breed
Wild Turkey Rare Breed Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is made from a mash of approximately 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley, all of which are non-genetically modified. Once the grains have been harvested, they are milled and mashed with limestone-rich water drawn from the Kentucky River before being fermented and twice distilled. After the casks have matured under the intense Kentucky sun, Jimmy Russell Wild Turkey's master distiller marries together a unique blend of bourbon that has matured for a minimum of six, eight, and twelve years.
Once the bourbons have been married together, they are bottled at barrel proof. Wild Turkey Rare Breed Kentucky Straight Bourbon has a deep, auburn color, with an aroma of orange zest, mint, and sweet tobacco. The aroma gives way to notes of leather, figs, and dates on the palate, which are well-balanced by touches of roasted nuts, nutmeg, vanilla, and honeyed oak. The finish, which is long and robust, has a sweet touch of caramel and creamy vanilla (these are tasting notes from their website see my tasting notes on Wild Turkey Rare Breed here).
The bourbon earned a score of 93 points from the Beverage Tasting Institute in 2013, and earned the Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2013."It's a good combination of deep bourbon whiskeys with very spicy flavors," says Harlen Wheatley, master distiller at rival Buffalo Trace, of Wild Turkey Rare Breed. "It is a strong drink that goes well with anything, which is the way I like bourbon to be." At the moment this is my favorite below $50 buy. It's not below $50 everywhere but if you find one you should definitely buy it!
Maker's Mark Cask Strength
On October 1, 1953, William Samuels Sr. purchased Burks Distillery, which was situated in Loretto, Kentucky, for $35,000. Five years later, the distillery released the first bottles of Makers Mark Bourbon Whisky, which featured the distillery's distinctive red wax seal. The distillery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, and was listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1980. Under the auspices of Robert Samuels (Williams's son), Makers Mark Distillery announced the release of a cask-strength bourbon in 2014.
Maker's Mark Cask Strength is Made from a mash of corn, wheat, and malted barley, the bourbon was aged for approximately six years before being bottled at cask strength. Uncut and unfiltered, the bourbon has an aroma of caramel, Indian cooking spices, and roasted corn that give way to notes of caramel apples, brown sugar, and bananas on the palate. The finish has hints of citrus, orange zest, and apple cider. This is a great wheated bourbon that is on par with Weller Antique 107, the popular Buffalo Trace bourbon. I actually like it more than Weller 107, probably because it is cask strength which gives it more complexity.
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Four Roses Single Barrel
On the banks of the Salt River, nestled in the quiet Kentucky countryside near Lawrenceburg, Four Roses Distillery is a testament to American ingenuity and perseverance. Built in 1910 to resemble the architecture of California wineries, the distillery now listed on the National Register of Historic Places was one of six distilleries that were granted permission to operate during Prohibition. Following Prohibition, Four Roses Kentucky Straight Bourbon became the top-selling bourbon in the United States.
In 1943, Seagram's bought the distillery and a decade later, discontinued the sale of Four Roses Kentucky Straight Bourbon. In 2002, the distillery changed hands again, and the new owner brought a renewed sense of purpose and vigor to Four Roses. Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is made from a mash of 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley. Straight bourbon must be aged for a minimum of two years Four Roses Bourbon is aged for a minimum of eight years in newly charred, white-oak casks.
The high rye content in Four Roses Single Barrel creates a rich, spicy flavor and gives the bourbon notes of nutmeg and cinnamon. A proprietary yeast culture used to ferment the mash produces a light, fruity balance to the spiciness and the aging process gives the bourbon notes of maple syrup and caramel. While most distilleries age bourbon in warehouses that are many stories high, Four Roses ages its bourbon in a one-story warehouse to ensure that each barrel is aged in a similar environment. In addition, each bottle of this is the product of a single barrel (rather than a blend of multiple barrels), giving each bottle a unique flavor profile and history.
Knob Creek 9 Year
Following the end of the American Revolutionary War, Johannes Reginald Beam emigrated from Germany to the United States and eventually settled in Kentucky County. At the time, Kentucky County was still considered part of Virginia and was overseen by a military governor named John J. Bowman. After settling in Kentucky, Beam began harvesting corn and set forth a family tradition by distilling the excess grains he harvested into whiskey. Since then, seven generations of the Beam family have been involved in whiskey production for the eponymous company (the company is actually named after James Beam, who rescued it following Prohibition).
Knob Creek Bourbon was created by Beams' grandson, Booker Noe, who after joining the family business in 1950 was promoted to Master Distiller just ten years later. Booker talked like a true Kentuckian and was known for his contagious personality, and through his launch of the "Small Batch Bourbon Collection" the collection includes Knob Creek as well as Basil Hayden's, Bookers, and Bakers bourbons. He is often credited as the father of the small-batch bourbon movement. Knob Creek Bourbon takes its name from the small water source, Knob Creek, that ran through President Abraham Lincoln's childhood farm.
Bookers' vision for Knob Creek Bourbon was that of an honest, quality bourbon that could meet the standards of strength, flavor, care, and patience of bourbon made before Prohibition distressed the industry just decades earlier. Like Abraham Lincoln himself, Booker designed Knob Creek Bourbon, to be honest, unwavering, and full of character. In 2016 the much-loved 9-year-old Small Batch Bourbon lost its age statement due to inventory issues. Now it's making its return in style with the label proudly stating: Knob Creek 9-Year-Old Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Aged for 9 years and bottled at 100 proof, Knob Creek 9-year is a great value.
​Use my exclusive Caskers.com discount code: WHISKEYFOOL10 to receive $10 off qualifying* orders. Copy and paste to use at checkout.
Maker's Mark 46
Maker's 46 is Made from a mash of corn, wheat, and malted barley, and is aged in limestone cellars and handcrafted in small batches. Maker's Mark is one of the few distilleries that rotate their barrels from the upper to the lower levels of the aging warehouses during the aging process. This ensures that the barrels get equal treatment, evening out the differences in temperature fluctuation that occurs during the maturation process. This is the first new Makers Mark recipe in at least five decades. Makers 46 is Makers Mark with a French Twist.
A full-fledged Makers Mark, aged for an extended period in seared French oak staves. The staves were sourced from the Independent Stave Company, who experimented with 10 virgin French oak staves, testing several different levels of sear to caramelize the wood sugars and seal in the bitter tannins of the oak. The final staves, labeled Profile 46, were then added to the barrels of the original Maker's Mark, and aged in Makers limestone bourbon cellars.
The French oak staves create a smoother, bolder, more complex flavor profile, imparting more spice, sweetness, and vanilla onto the spirit. Bottled in a hand-dipped square-shaped vial at a solid 47% ABV. This bourbon has a similar flavor profile to the sought-after Weller Special Reserve, Weller Antique 107, and Weller 12 year.
Stellum Bourbon
A former longtime home brewer Joe Beatrice founded Barrel Craft Spirits in 2013 in Kentucky to share his passion for unique, high-quality spirits with the world. Famous for blending and sourcing all their premium spirits, BCS rum, whiskey, rye, and bourbon have all garnered international critical acclaim. BCS supports the time-honored traditions of distilling, choosing exceptional spirits from all over the world, and blending them in high-quality casks to bring out every single ingredient. No coloring, flavoring, or water is added.
With their unique approach to spirit-making, they succeeded in creating blends that are greater than the sum of their parts, and their cask-strength, small batch, and single barrel expressions have won the most prestigious awards. Their blended bourbon carved the path for the rise of blended whiskey when it was awarded Double Gold at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The Stellum brand under the BCS umbrella is another proof of their wizardry. The range includes a barrel-proof bourbon, barrel-proof rye, and a single-barrel program. "We wanted to create a brand that brings American Whiskey into the modern age with simple elegant blends and single barrels selected with care and intention," said Founder Joe Beatrice.
Stellum Bourbon is bottled at a cask strength of 114.98 proof. This is a blend of whiskeys from Indiana, Tennessee, and Kentucky, all aged between 4 to 16 years. Different from the classic small-batch and single-barrel releases, the drinking experience is unique. There is no one dominant flavor, but rather the flavor profile is complex with the classic bourbon notes of vanilla, oak, and burnt marshmallow. It's a well-balanced bourbon.
Angel's Envy Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Angel's Envy is an exceptional Kentucky straight bourbon finished in port wine barrels. Given the Highest Recommendation by Spirit Journal, celebrated by Whisky Advocate, The Bourbon Review, and awarded Wine Enthusiasts' highest bourbon rating, Angels Envy is unlike any other whiskey you've ever tasted. If you are looking for something with a unique and smooth profile this is a good pick. Angel's Envy Rye is also very good. See my review of Angel's Envy Rye here.
Michter's US-1 Small Batch
In the 18th century, a Swiss Mennonite farmer by the name of John Shenk settled his family near Pennsylvania's Blue Mountain Valley. After a few years of hard work and long hours, Shenk was harvesting more grains than he could sell at the local market. As a result, Shenk purchased a still and began distilling the excess grains he harvested into whiskey. His distillery, which was eventually named Michter's, became the United States' first distilling company.
The passage of Prohibition in 1919 forced Michter's, along with nearly every other distillery in the United States, to close. In the early 1990s, however, Joseph J. Magliocco teamed up with Richard Newman in an effort to resurrect the brand. "When we set up our whiskey program for Michter's," says Magliocco, "Dick and I wanted to get back to the "cost be damned' roots and produce the finest whiskey possible. Our goal was to show that whiskey made in the United States could be the equal of great whiskey made anywhere in the world."In contrast to Michter's Rye, Michter's US*1 Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey is made from a mash composed primarily of ripe, American corn. Once the grains have been harvested, they are milled and mashed before being fermented and then distilled through a copper-pot still. Following distillation, it is matured in hand-selected white oak barrels, which contributes a rich, amber color to the whiskey.
Michter's US-1 Bourbon Whiskey earned four stars from F. Paul Pacult's Spirit Journal, and earned a score of 90-95 points from Wine Enthusiast. Michter's Small Batch Bourbon represents unique, limited-edition expressions of whiskey from one of the oldest brands in the United States.
Use my exclusive Caskers.com discount code: WHISKEYFOOL10 to receive $10 off qualifying* orders of $100. Copy and paste to use at checkout.
Eagle Rare 10 Year
Eagle Rare 10 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey was matured for a minimum of ten years in new, American oak casks under the intense, Kentucky sun. Eagle Rare 10 Year Old earned a score of 96 points from Wine Enthusiast and 95 points from Robert Parker. In addition, the bourbon earned the Gold Medal at the 2013 International Wine and Spirits Competition, where it was named the "Best Bourbon." This one is a personal favorite of mine. You can still find it for $39-$49. Costco and Meijer will have it from time to time. Unfortanelty it is becoming harder to get and is often marked up beyond MSRP.
Use my exclusive Caskers.com discount code: WHISKEYFOOL10 to receive $10 off qualifying* orders of $100. Copy and paste to use at checkout.
I would love to hear from you! Drop me a comment below and let me know what you think of this list and if you would add any other bourbons to it.
Below are my favorite glasses for doing tastings. The Libbey Signature Kentucky Bourbon Trail Whiskey Glass is my favorite because it has a little more heft to it and feels better in my hand than the traditional Glencairn glass does.
Thanks for the recommendations! Can't wait to try some of these. They fit my budget