Last Updated on April 12, 2024 by Lydia Martin
As bourbon whiskeys are becoming popular, choosing what bottle to get can take time and effort, especially if your budget is limited.
No one wants their bourbon straight down the drain, so we’ve listed the best bourbon under $30 that will guarantee you the most value for your money.
Top 20 Bourbons Under $30
1. Old Grand Dad Bonded Bourbon Whiskey
Average Price: Roughly $25.99 per 750ml (Total Wine)
Alcohol Content: 50%
Why We Like It:
Old Grand Dad Bonded bourbon whiskey is a Bottled-in-Bond bourbon, meaning a single distillery makes it under one distilling season [1].
The aroma is full of citrus fruit, vanilla, and spice. It is followed by pepper, smoky oak, and corn that lingers on the palate.
We appreciate the mildly sweet and soft finish, especially when consumed neat.
2. Ancient Age
Average Price: Roughly $11.99 per 750ml (Total Wine)
Alcohol Content: 40%
Why We Like It:
Ancient Age is a Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey with a refreshing blend of brisk spice and tartness.
The beautiful golden spirit boasts a medium body and features an aroma and flavor profile of caramel, corn, vanilla, and toffee.
As we consume it with a splash of water, the citrus and toffee notes slowly show up to the finish.
3. Old Forester 100 Proof Signature Bourbon
Average Price: Roughly $27.28 per 750ml (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 50%
Why We Like It:
Old Forester Signature bourbon is a bartender’s favorite, crafted to honor the legacy of George Garvin Brown.
Every barrel used for Old Forester 100 is handpicked with a complex and rich bourbon in mind.
What we like the most about the Old Forester 100 is its distinct sweet fruit, baking spice, and toasted oak notes on the nose and palate.
4. Early Times Bottled-In-Bond
Average Price: Roughly per $25.19 1L (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 50%
Why We Like It:
Early Times BiB bourbon is a value for your money like any other Brown-Forman product.
The bourbon has a high corn content of 79%, 11% rye, and 10% malted barley. Its tasting notes have a notable sweetness of honey, caramel, citrus, and candy corn.
The Early Times Bottled-in-Bond is chewy in mid-palate, but the finish highlights the black pepper and rich oak flavors.
5. Evan Williams Bottled in Bond
Average Price: Roughly $19.98 per 750ml (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 50%
Why We Like It:
Evan William is another BiB bottle that meets the strict requirement of Bottled-in-Bond bourbon to ensure premium quality.
It is an affordable bourbon bottle with a nice kick but is smooth to enjoy neat and on the rocks.
The bright gold bourbon has rich caramel, vanilla, and oak notes on the nose. We found some citrus, black pepper, and vanilla on top with a warm and long finish.
Read: Elijah Craig Bourbon vs Woodford Reserve
6. Heaven Hill Black Label Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Average Price: Roughly $12.74 per 750ml (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 40%
Why We Like It:
Heaven Hill Black Label is an excellent bourbon under $30, and it was produced using a sour mash process and aged in oak barrels to develop flavor profile and color [2].
The pleasant notes and finish are impressive, given its price point. It is full of sweet caramel, vanilla, and honey, with subtle rye spice notes.
7. Redemption Bourbon
Average Price: Roughly $28.97 per 750ml (Total Wine)
Alcohol Content: 44%
Why We Like It:
Redemption bourbon is an easy-drinking whiskey with an excellent rye-forward flavor.
As we sip it neat, we notice the right balance of sweetness, highlighted by caramel and vanilla. It has suitable alcohol proof to enjoy neat, in cocktails, or just with ice.
We tried Redemption bourbon in Old Fashioned, and we noticed that it stands out but does not overpower other flavors from the cocktail.
Read: Popular Bourbons Below $40
8. Jim Beam White Label
Average Price: Roughly $19.49 per 750ml (Total Wine)
Alcohol Content: 40%
Why We Like It:
Jim Beam White Label is a product of 220 years of experience and excellence from the distillery operated by seven generations.
Aside from its affordable price point, it is an excellent bourbon with a great flavor profile and complex tasting notes.
We enjoyed it neat and on the rocks, but we don’t recommend not using it in mixing cocktails because it tends to fade away in different mixers.
But is Jim Beam bourbon or whiskey?
9. Very Old Barton
Average Price: Roughly $13.53 per 750ml (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 40%
Why We Like It:
Very Old Barton is another product of Barton Distillery (similar to 1792 bourbon) [3] and one of the best cheap bourbons priced only at around $13.53.
For its affordable price, you’ll get the classical bourbon aroma on the nose, like vanilla, oak, and baking spice.
Its tasting notes have a bold and rich taste of rye spice and black cherry, with a caramel corn sweetness in the background.
10. Jim Beam Devil’s Cut
Average Price: Roughly $23.99 per 750ml (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 45%
Why We Like It:
Jim Beam Devil’s Cut is a well-aged Kentucky bourbon bottled at 90-proof for extra complexity and depth.
While people love it in cocktails, we highly recommend it neat and with ice.
It has a robust flavor profile, deep character, aroma, and color thanks to aging in oak barrels.
Related Posts:
- Recommended Bourbons Under $50
- Recommended Bourbons Under $100
- Recommended Bourbons Under $20
- Recommended Whiskeys Under $50
11. Coopers Craft Bourbon
Average Price: Roughly $24.19 per 750ml (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 41.1%
Why We Like It:
Cooper’s Craft bourbon has a gentle flavor profile that is well-balanced from aroma to finish.
Bourbon lovers will agree that Cooper’s Craft is an inviting bourbon that is best to sip neat. It has a remarkable smoothness from the charcoal-filter finishing process.
It has a lightly toasted nose packed with baked apple and citrus custard. Its layers of toast, spice and baked apple notes make it a proper sipping bourbon whiskey [4].
12. Evan Williams Black
Average Price: Roughly $18.18 per 1L (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 43%
Why We Like It:
Evan Williams Black is full of character but rich, smooth, and easy-to-drink bourbon whiskey.
Aside from its affordable price point, it is well-recognized by different spirits competition for its rich aroma and smooth palate profile.
This beautiful medium amber whiskey is bottled at 86 proof and is packed with oak, brown sugar, caramel, vanilla, and mint-tasting notes.
13. Old Forester 100 Proof
Average Price: Roughly $27.28 per 750ml
Alcohol Content: 50%
Why We Like It:
Old Forester 100 proof has the reputation of being the first bourbon brand sold in sealed bottles.
It is another affordable yet satisfying product of Brown-Forman, and we enjoyed sipping it neat.
Aside from the bold, spicy rye and char flavors, you can also taste ripe apple, banana, vanilla, cinnamon, and other sweet fruit notes.
14. Southern Comfort Original
Average Price: Roughly $25.72 per 1L
Alcohol Content: 35%
Why We Like It:
Southern Comfort Original has a satisfying smoothness and a touch of sweetness that makes it a great sipper.
“Bourbon is something that is meant to be shared…It opens the doors for so many conversations.”
– Fred Minnick, Bourbon Expert & Author
With the right balance of spice and sweetness, you don’t need ice or mixers to consume it easier.
The sweet mix of fruit, caramel, and baking spices will make you want another glass.
15. Benchmark Small Batch Bourbon
Average Price: Roughly $21.99 per 750ml
Alcohol Content: 45%
Why We Like It:
Buffalo Trace can be challenging to find in some places, and since it has the same mash bill as Benchmark Small Batch, it can be a nice sipping bourbon to snag.
It has impressive caramel, vanilla, and baking spice that beginners and experts will find great.
Benchmark Small Batch bourbon has pleasant tasting notes, especially with a dash of water. It opens up the complex flavor profile of the bourbon whiskey.
Read: What’s the Best Bourbon Under $200?
16. Winchester Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Average Price: Roughly $22.99 per 750ml (Total Wine)
Alcohol Content: 45%
Why We Like It:
Winchester Kentucky bourbon was blended expertly and aged in newly charred oak barrels for flavorful and smooth-tasting notes.
It has the right balance of caramel, vanilla, and liquid tart candy. It has a little tongue burn and amazing mouthfeel.
Read: Bulleit & Maker’s Mark Comparison
17. Four Roses Yellow Label
Average Price: Roughly $19.19 per 750ml (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 40%
Why We Like It:
Four Roses fall on our list of the best cheap bourbons but a solid pour for its tasting notes.
This bourbon is the only expression from Four Roses that uses all of the ten special recipes of the brand.
Four Roses bourbon has light floral and fruity tasting notes, but with a gentle and memorable spice note in the finish.
18. Larceny Small Batch
Average Price: Roughly $26.09 per 750ml (Total Wine)
Alcohol Content: 46%
Why We Like It:
Larceny Small Batch is another wheated bourbon like Maker’s Mark and Pappy Van Winkle, replacing the usual rye mash with wheat mash.
It is one of the cheap bourbons you have to drink neat to enjoy its sweet and smooth flavors.
The bourbon is pulled from at least 200 barrels and bottled at 46% ABV. We highly recommend you drink it neat to taste the purest from of the distilled spirit.
It has attractive tasting notes of brown sugar, banana, and honey, counterbalanced by charred oak and spice hints towards the end.
Read: Our Top Wheated Bourbons Below $100
19. Wild Turkey 101
Average Price: Roughly $27.99 per 750ml (Total Wine)
Alcohol Content: 50.5%
Why We Like It:
Master Distiller Jimmy Russell distilled the Wild Turkey 101 at a very low alcohol proof to engage all the barrel flavors into the bourbon whiskey.
Along with heavily charred oak, this process resulted in tasting notes full of toffee, butterscotch, and caramel flavors.
Wild Turkey made it into our favorite bourbon products list because of its 50.5% ABV and affordable pricing.
Despite the high-proof content, Wild Turkey is surprisingly light-bodied without the heavy punch of alcohol.
20. Evan Williams White Bottled-in-Bond
Average Price: Roughly $19.59 per 750ml
Alcohol Content: 50%
Why We Like It:
This product of Heaven Hill is not just one of the best bourbons under $30. It is also one of the best bottled-in-bond bourbons on the market.
Since it is very affordable and has excellent tasting notes, it is an ideal daily sipper for anyone.
You can smell some gingerbread and dark candied fruit on the nose, while the palate is full of burnt brown sugar and black pepper spice flavors.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the smoothest bourbon under $30 to sip?
Maker’s Mark and Larceny are the smoothest bourbons under $30.
Unlike other bourbons, these two brands use wheat on their mash bills, imparting a smoother and sweeter palate to the liquor.
Is there a bourbon under $30 best for whiskey sour?
Yes, Four Roses and Elijah Craig are bourbons under that are best to mix in a whiskey sour.
They provide an extra kick to the cocktail without overpowering its flavors. It can elevate your whiskey sour with their bold flavor profile.
What is the best reasonably priced bourbon?
Determining the best reasonably priced bourbon is subjective and depends on individual taste preferences. However, several bourbons are well-regarded for their quality and affordability.
Brands like Buffalo Trace, Evan Williams Black Label, Wild Turkey 101, and Maker’s Mark often offer a good balance of flavor and value for their respective price points.
What is the smoothest bourbon for the money?
The smoothest bourbon for the money varies based on personal taste, but some options known for their smoothness and affordability include Evan Williams Black Label, Four Roses Yellow Label, and Old Forester 86 Proof.
These bourbons often provide a mellow and easy-drinking experience without breaking the bank.
What is the best high proof bourbon for cheap?
For those seeking high-proof bourbons at a reasonable price, Wild Turkey 101 is often recommended. It offers a robust flavor profile at 101 proof, providing a bold and spicy experience without a hefty price tag.
Another option is Evan Williams Bottled in Bond, known for its 100 proof and affordability.
Is Jim Beam cheap bourbon?
Jim Beam is often considered an affordable bourbon rather than a “cheap” one. It is a well-known and widely available brand that offers a range of products, including the standard Jim Beam White Label and more premium options like Jim Beam Black Label.
While it may be more budget-friendly than some top-shelf bourbons, it still maintains a respectable quality and is enjoyed by many.
Does Jack Daniels qualify as bourbon?
No, Jack Daniel’s does not qualify as bourbon; it is a Tennessee whiskey. While bourbon and Tennessee whiskey share similarities, such as being distilled from a mash bill of at least 51% corn, Jack Daniel’s undergoes an additional step known as the Lincoln County Process.
This process involves filtering the whiskey through sugar maple charcoal before aging, giving it a distinct flavor profile and differentiating it from bourbons.
What is the smoothest sweetest bourbon?
The title of the smoothest and sweetest bourbon is subjective, as it depends on individual taste preferences. However, some bourbons are renowned for their smooth and sweet characteristics. Examples include Maker’s Mark, Buffalo Trace, and Woodford Reserve.
These bourbons often feature a well-balanced sweetness, rich texture, and a smooth finish, making them popular choices for those who enjoy a sweeter profile.
Is bourbon smoother than scotch?
The smoothness of bourbon versus scotch is subjective and depends on personal taste. Generally, bourbon is known for its sweeter and smoother profile, attributed to the use of new charred oak barrels in the aging process.
Scotch, on the other hand, can have a broader flavor spectrum, including smoky and peaty notes, which may contribute to a different overall experience.
Smoothness preference varies, making it subjective to the drinker.
What is the world’s number one bourbon?
Determining the world’s number one bourbon can be challenging due to changing preferences and subjective opinions. Popular bourbons often praised include Pappy Van Winkle, Buffalo Trace, and Woodford Reserve.
However, the title of the “number one” bourbon can shift based on individual taste and industry trends.
Exploring different options helps find the bourbon that best suits personal preferences.
Is Jack Daniel’s a whiskey or a bourbon?
Jack Daniel’s is a Tennessee whiskey, not a bourbon. While both whiskey and bourbon fall under the broader category of distilled spirits, the key distinction lies in the production process.
Jack Daniel’s undergoes the Lincoln County Process, where the whiskey is filtered through sugar maple charcoal before aging.
This process imparts a unique flavor profile to Jack Daniel’s, differentiating it from bourbons.
Is Jim Beam a good bourbon?
Jim Beam is considered a good bourbon by many enthusiasts. It is one of the most recognizable bourbon brands globally and offers a range of products. Jim Beam White Label is the standard expression, and while it may not be considered a high-end or premium bourbon, it is well-regarded for its affordability and consistent quality.
Jim Beam also produces other expressions, including Jim Beam Black Label and Jim Beam Single Barrel, which cater to different preferences and price points.
Ultimately, whether Jim Beam is deemed a “good” bourbon depends on individual taste preferences and expectations.
So, Are The Best Bourbon Under $30 Worth Trying?
If you want a budget-friendly daily sipper, the best bourbons under $30 are worth trying.
Among the best bourbons under $30 are the wheated bourbons with a smoother palate, high-rye bourbons with a little spicy flavor, and the traditional bourbons.
The best cheap bourbons on the list all have amazing and memorable tasting notes that you can drink straight, on the rocks, or as a cocktail.
Ancient Age, Old Forester, Larceny, and Wild Turkey are solid pour for its price point.
But if you want the best bourbon under $30, Old Grand Dad Bonded bourbon is the right bottle to get. Aside from its impressive alcohol proof, the tasting notes are versatile to be consumed neat, with ice, and in cocktails.
References:
- What Does Bottled-In-Bond Mean?
- The Effects of Aging on Liquor
- What’s the Deal with 1792 Bourbon?
- Bourbon Whiskey
