Spending around $50 on a bottle of bourbon doesn’t feel like a huge ask. Bourbon whiskey at this price point tends to lean into single barrels, special blends, and a little older bottles — it’s nothing crazy, but often quite good. That’s a nice sandbox to play in.
Is this the sweet spot for bourbon whiskey when it comes to price? Maybe? It’s certainly a good place to be with a lot of great bottles to choose from. Trust me, winnowing it down to 10 selections wasn’t easy.
While picking these bottles, I considered by my own tasting notes and ranked them according to which ones truly are the best out there (obviously, I mean for this price point). I’m also pulling these prices from Total Wine’s shelves in Louisville, Kentucky — be warned, prices may vary slightly depending on which state you’re in.
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10. Bib & Tucker 6 Year
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $55
The Whiskey:
Bib & Tucker pulls barrels of Tennessee whiskey from an old and quiet valley in the state. They then blend those barrels to meet their brand’s flavor notes. While they are laying down their own whiskey now, this is still all about the blending of those hand-selected barrels in small batches.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this is all wet, almost earthy, cedar bark and crispy wafers filled with rich vanilla cream. The taste has a ginger snap quality in spiciness, graininess, and sweetness next to cinnamon-infused apple cider. The mid-palate to finish is very light and sort of just touches back on the spice but really leans into sweet apple tobacco.
Bottom Line:
While those wafers sort of give this away as Dickel, there’s a unique flavor profile at play thanks to the masterful blending of this whiskey. That all being said, I primarily use this for highballs (with just a little fizzy water) or cocktails. It makes a pretty damn solid old fashioned or sour.
9. Redemption Wheated Bourbon
ABV: 48%
Average Price: $50
The Whiskey:
This release from Redemption is their take on MGP’s 45 percent winter wheat bourbon. Redemption’s team brings four-year-old barrels in-house and then masterfully blends them in small batches until they get just the right notes.
Tasting Notes:
That crafty wheat floral note greets you and then leans into brisket with hints of bitter coffee and a touch of nougat, cedar, and vanilla bean. The palate holds onto those notes while swerving towards a peppery spice blend with almost a lime leaf savoriness. The end is long and has a slightly warm biscuit edge that circles back towards the nougat and vanilla.
Bottom Line:
This is one of those wheated bourbons that works wonders as an on the rocks pour or in a great cocktail. I tend to lean more towards using this in cocktails but have been known to pour this as an everyday pour from time to time.
8. Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Whisky
ABV: 57.5%
Average Price: $52
The Whisky:
This expression “celebrates” the Volstead Act of 1920, which pretty much banned alcohol in the U.S. What this is really celebrating is that Old Forester was one of only six distilleries that were able to keep making and selling whisky (for medicinal purposes) during Prohibition. And that era’s production is what this blend mimics.
Tasting Note:
That classic choco-cherry note that a lot of Old Forester has comes through on the top of this nose with maple syrup-soaked cedar next to a faint touch of caramel apple. The palate is slightly nutty, bordering on Pecan Sandies, with a continuation of that maple syrup leading towards light pepperiness that’s almost like cumin as the cedar comes back into play. The mid-palate sweetens pretty dramatically with a Caro Syrup feel to it as the spice hits on a wintery vibe and the taste ends with a finish of (almost smoked) dark chocolate powder on the very back end.
Bottom Line:
This is a really solid bourbon all around. It’s also a great step up if you’re already into Old Forester and are looking to expand your horizons. Overall, the fruity sweetness at play really works well in a Manhattan.
7. Baker’s Single Barrel Aged 7 Years
ABV: 53.5%
Average Price: $53
The Whiskey:
This is the first single barrel release from Baker’s, which has phased out its small-batch expressions. The juice comes from hand-selected barrels from specific spots in the Beam warehouses from whiskey that’s at least seven years old. In this case, we’re talking an eight-year-and-seven-month-old barrel.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a sweet Christmas cake vibe on the nose with plenty of creamy vanilla next to old leather belts and musty cellar beams. The taste is almost shockingly sweet for just a moment before vanilla pound cake with poppy seeds veers the palate toward sticky cherry tobacco. That spicy/fruity/sweet mid-palate fades away and you’re left with this savory green herbal and a floral note on the finish that ebbs between fresh rosemary sprigs and dried eucalyptus with an echo of powdered coriander.
Bottom Line:
I’m always on the fence about this whiskey. It’s so unique but leaves my thoughts pretty quickly after drinking it. Then I’ll go back to it randomly and wonder why this isn’t in my regular rotation, especially for funky and fun cocktails.
6. Pursuit United Blended Bourbon
ABV: 54%
Average Price: $55
The Whiskey:
This is a vatted from 40 total barrels from three different states. While the team at Pursuit United doesn’t release the Tennessee distillery name, we know the juices from Kentucky and New York are from Bardstown Bourbon Company and Finger Lakes Distilling, respectively.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a rush of cedar next to Christmas spices steeped in sweet red wine. That sweetness tends to lean into fresh honey with a touch of caramel and maybe a little dark chocolate on the end. The taste holds onto the honeyed sweetness with burnt sugars, light cedar, chocolate tobacco leaves, and a hint of orange oils. That orange is what builds and powers the finish to its silken end, concluding with an orange-choco vibe and a very soft landing.
Bottom Line:
While I’ve mentioned that a lot of these bourbons fit both sipping and mixing whiskeys, this one feels like it leans a little more towards a solid sipper that I don’t want to put in a cocktail.
5. New Riff Single Barrel
ABV: 55.8%
Average Price: $50
The Whiskey:
These releases from New Riff will vary from location to location as they’re largely reserved for retailers. The juice in the bottle is New Riff’s standard bourbon mash of 65 percent corn, 30 percent rye, and five percent malted barley. The spirit is aged for four years before they’re bottled individually without cutting or filtration.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on these tends to be soft, kind of like freshly baked rye bread, with notes of eggnog spices, slick vanilla flan, thin caramel sauce, and hints of spicy orange zest. The palate amps everything up as the orange peel becomes candied and attaches to a moist holiday cake, dried cranberry and cherry, more dark spice, a touch of nuttiness, and plenty of that vanilla. The end takes its time as the whole thing comes together like a rich and boozy fruit cake as little notes of leather and tobacco spice keep things interesting on the slow fade.
Bottom Line:
Try this one neat, preferably in a Glencairn, and take your time. Add some water and let the whiskey bloom in the glass. Dig in and enjoy the nuance. Then make one of the best Manhattans ever with it.
4. Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel
ABV: 55%
Average Price: $56
The Whiskey:
Jimmy and Eddie Russell hand-select these barrels from their vast warehouses for just the right bourbon flavor. The juice is bottled with almost no water added to bring it down to proof, making this a really close-to-barrel proof single barrel.
Tasting Notes:
You’re met with creamy depths of vanilla next to pound cake, spicy tobacco, sweet oak, and a clear hit of orange oil. That vanilla really amps up as hints of rose water-forward marzipan lead towards cedar, more vanilla, and a dash of Christmas spices. When you add water, a really deep dark chocolate smoothness arrives with a more nutty almond that’s reminiscent of an Almond Joy straight from a special candy shop.
Bottom Line:
This is just classic from top to bottom. It’s incredibly easy to sip while offering deep flavor rewards. Add a rock or two and enjoy this one as-is.
3. Maker’s Mark 46 Cask Strength
ABV: 55.6%
Average Price: $58
The Whisky:
This starts off as classic Maker’s 46 — that’s a wheated bourbon made in very small batches that’s then finished with French oak staves in the barrel for a final, short maturation. This version takes the honey barrels from that program and releases a limited edition Cask Strength version that doesn’t get cut down with Kentucky’s famous limestone water.
Tasting Notes:
Based on 2021’s release, expect a nose full of classic bourbon notes of cinnamon, Graham crackers, dark chocolate powder, vanilla beans, pine kindling, and a hint of marshmallow that’s just been touched by fire. The palate leans into the hotness of the cinnamon but is tempered by vanilla cream pie filling, honey-nut Cheerios, a light leather, and more of that dry pine. The end builds with that cinnamon heat towards a crescendo of honey-laced tobacco in a cedar box with a hint of dark chocolate-covered espresso beans.
Bottom Line:
While this is pretty hard to come by, it’s worth the effort. It’s like Maker’s Mark turned up to eleven, yet so nuanced. It is a little hot, so I tend to pour it over a rock.
2. Noah’s Mill
ABV: 57.15%
Average Price: $59
The Whiskey:
This is the bigger and bolder sibling of Rowan’s Creek bourbon, which is also made at the famed Willett Distillery. Simply put, it’s the same small-batch juice that’s not proofed down as much.
Tasting Notes:
Maple syrup-covered walnuts greet you with a sense of dark dried cherries and a hint of rose water next to old leather books and holiday spices. The taste holds onto those notes while adding in a stewed plum depth with a whisper of caramel apple and orange oils. The vanilla and sweet oak kick in late with a rich depth and well-rounded lightness to the sip fades towards lush cherry tobacco, soft leather, and winter spice matrix tied to prunes and dates.
Bottom Line:
This might well become your new go-to. It’s classic but unique. It’s so well built that it tastes like sipping velvet. This really is one of the best sippers around, especially at this price point.
1. Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit
ABV: 50.5%
Average Price: $59
The Whiskey:
Jimmy Russell hand selects eight to nine-year-old barrels from his warehouses for their individual taste and quality. Those barrels are then cut down ever-so-slightly to 101 proof and bottled with their barrel number and warehouse location.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a roundness to this sip that’s enticing. The nose is a classic mix of bold vanilla, baking spice, oak, and fruity sweetness. That fruit edges towards dark berries with notes of worn leather, aged oakiness, and a sweet and rose-water-forward marzipan nuttiness shining through. The end lasts a while on your palate and in your senses, leaving you warmed up and wanting more.
Bottom Line:
This is so easy to drink neat or on the rocks. It’s soft and engaging while feeling like everything you want from a classic bourbon pour. It’s also a single barrel, which helps it edge out Noah’s Mill above.