In this article, we are going to discuss the 25 best Bourbon whiskeys under $50. You can skip our detailed analysis of the Bourbon industry in Kentucky, the rise of Bourbon tourism, and the recent acquisitions in the Bourbon industry, and go directly to 10 Best Bourbon Whiskeys Under $50.
While there’s no definitive date of when Bourbon first began being distilled, historians agree that it started in the 18th century as Scottish and Irish immigrants settled in the New World and brought with them their distilling skills and equipment. Since corn was abundant in America, that was the main grain of choice when it came to distilling. It took until 1964 for the U.S. Congress to officially declare Bourbon a ‘distinctive product of the United States’.
The Bourbon Industry in Kentucky:
Although the popularity of Bourbon, America’s only native spirit, has risen and fallen throughout the past 100 years, it is experiencing a resurgence today like never before in history. Major distilleries have been expanding operations at a feverish pace to keep up with demand, and new craft distilleries are popping up all over the United States. Experts and industry insiders agree that this so-called ‘Bourbon Boom’ is here to stay, and whiskey lovers around the world wouldn’t have it any other way.
Kentucky is the birthplace of Bourbon, crafting 95% of the world’s supply. Only the Bluegrass State has the perfect natural mix of climate, corn, and pure limestone water necessary for producing the world’s greatest Bourbon.
According to the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, Bourbon is a $9 billion signature industry in Kentucky that generates more than 22,500 jobs. And if we’re looking at production and consumption, the state receives more than $286 million in tax revenue each year from its signature whiskey.
Since 2000, Bourbon production has skyrocketed more than 360% thanks, in part, to the premium brands driving the Bourbon boom. Also making history this year, the number of Bourbon barrels aging in Kentucky reached a record 11.4 million – that’s around two barrels per every Kentucky resident.
If you’re also interested in which whiskies are in-demand globally, here are the 25 Most Popular Whiskey Brands in the World.
The Rise of Bourbon Tourism:
Inspired by the success of California wine country, the KDA founded the Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 1999. While it launched with less than 10 distilleries, all located within an hour’s drive of each other, bourbon tourists can now visit 42 distilleries across the state as part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour. A record 2.1 million tourists made visits in 2022.
Spirit companies have invested huge sums into new or expanded visitor centers to play up the industry’s heritage and allow guests to soak in the sights and smells of Bourbon-making. During the height of the pandemic, distilleries in the region were closed temporarily to visitors. Some producers eased back into tourism by allowing limited numbers of visitors and once virus restrictions were lifted, Bourbon tourism bounced back with a full resurgence.
Research shows that Bourbon tourists tend to be younger, spend between $400 and $1,200 on their trip, travel in large groups, and stay longer than the average visitor to Kentucky. More than 70% of visitors are from outside Kentucky.
Recent Acquisitions in the Bourbon Industry:
Last month, the brewing giant Molson Coors Beverage Company (NYSE:TAP) made its first spirits acquisition with the purchase of Bourbon and rye whiskey producer Blue Run Spirits. The Chicago-based beer company said that the deal marked another step in its ‘evolution’ into a total beverage company. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
The addition of Blue Run expands Molson Coors Beverage Company (NYSE:TAP)’s footprint in spirits as it seeks to premiumise its portfolio. Furthermore, Molson Coors Beverage Company (NYSE:TAP) has established Coors Spirits Co. to house its existing spirits business, which includes Five Trail Blended American Whiskey, Barmen 1873 Bourbon, and ‘future innovation’.
Molson Coors Beverage Company (NYSE:TAP), which owns Coors Light and Miller Lite brands, reported record quarterly sales and a big jump in profits last month. The company has also boasted an increase of 28.72% in its stock price since the beginning of the year.
Similarly, MGP Ingredients, Inc. (NASDAQ:MGPI) announced in June that it had acquired Penelope Bourbon in a $215.8 million deal, including incentives. The acquisition will add to MGP Ingredients, Inc. (NASDAQ:MGPI)’s extensive portfolio of award-winning Bourbon, whiskey and coarse rye, giving it control of one of the most recognizable new brands in the industry. Penelope Bourbon will continue to operate independently from MGP Ingredients, Inc. (NASDAQ:MGPI) and will maintain its existing team, structure, and production standards. This ensures that Penelope’s iconic products can still be enjoyed by whiskey enthusiasts around the world.
SouthernSun SMID Cap Strategy initiated a position in MGP Ingredients, Inc. (NASDAQ:MGPI) in April this year. The investment management firm made the following comments about MGP in its Q2 investment letter:
“In June of 2023, MGPI announced the acquisition of Penelope Bourbon, adding a popular, growing bourbon brand to the portfolio. This transaction is the first tangible example of how we believe management will leverage its national distribution platform and existing distillation capacity to bring other brands into the fold. We expect acquisitions like this one to be a key element of the future value creation opportunity.”
MGP Ingredients, Inc. (NASDAQ:MGPI) ranks among the 11 Best Vegan Stocks to Buy Now.
With that said, here are the 25 Best Bourbon Brands Under $50.
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Methodology:
To collect data for this article, we referred to a number of sources, such as Liquor, VinePair, Men’s Journal, Reddit etc., looking for the Best Bourbon Whiskies Under $50. We picked whiskies that appeared at least thrice in these sources, assigned them a score based on their number of appearances, and ranked them accordingly. When two Bourbons had the same score, we ranked them by the price of their 750 ml bottles. We sourced their prices chiefly from Drizly and Breckenridge Distillery.
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25. Rowan’s Creek Bourbon
Insider Monkey Score: 3
Price: $49.99
Rowan’s Creek is another fine offering from the folks at KBD (Kentucky Bourbon Distillers). While that’s a nice name, the truth is that this whiskey is sourced from another distillery, as KBD has only recently begun production at their brand new distillery in Bardstown, KY. Rowan’s Creek ranks among the Best Bourbons Under $100.
24. 1792 Single Barrel
Insider Monkey Score: 3
Price: $47.29
In order to create this unique Limited Edition bourbon, the finest barrels are selected and tasted from the best aging warehouses. Only those barrels deemed ‘exceptional’ are then bottled individually, one by one. This preserves the distinct character of each barrel. The 1792 brand and distillery have been owned by the Sazerac Company since 2009.
23. Wyoming Whiskey Small Batch
Insider Monkey Score: 3
Price: $45.49
A traditional bourbon from an untraditional place, Wyoming Whiskey Small Batch is the original, flagship, and defining product from the Wyoming-based distillery. It is made from Wyoming-grown non-GMO corn, wheat, and malted barley and aged in full-sized oak barrels for at least five years in Kirby, Wyoming. The Wyoming Whiskey brand was acquired by The Macallan parent company Erdington in April this year.
22. Breckenridge Bourbon Whiskey
Insider Monkey Score: 3
Price: $42.99
This award-winning, high-rye Bourbon Whiskey is aged for a minimum of three years, in charred, new American oak barrels, and blended to reveal the unique qualities of the Bourbon Whiskey.
The Breckenridge Distillery was acquired by Tilray Brands in 2021, in a deal worth $109.2 million. Tilray Brands ranks among the 10 Best Canadian Penny Stocks to Buy Now.
21. Penelope Four Grain Bourbon
Insider Monkey Score: 3
Price: $39.99
Penelope Bourbon was crafted and created in a classic American tradition – to celebrate an impending birth of a child. This is a four grain straight bourbon whiskey uniquely blended from three bourbon mash bills. Each barrel is hand-selected and blended into a single batch for your enjoyment. The Penelope Four Grain is among the Best Bourbons Under $40.
20. Evan Williams Single Barrel
Insider Monkey Score: 3
Price: $32.99
Evan Williams Single Barrel is the only vintage dated single barrel Bourbon on the market. Similar to the way vintage wines are selected, the company’s distillers hand-select individual barrels that meet the specifications they’ve established. Then each bottle is marked with the vintage date it was put into oak, along with the year it was bottled, and the exact barrel number of the single barrel that the Bourbon was drawn from.
19. Evan Williams Bottled-In-Bond
Insider Monkey Score: 3
Price: $19.99
Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond is aged under government supervision and meeting the exact requirements for a Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon. It has all the kick you expect, but still goes down smooth. The Even Williams brand is owned by the family-owned Heaven Hill Distillery. With a price tag of $19.99 for a 750 ml bottle, Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond is among the Cheapest Bourbons You Can Buy.
18. Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey
Insider Monkey Score: 4
Price: $49.99
A small-batch, cask-strength Bourbon from Maker’s Mark that offers notes of caramel, cinnamon, vanilla, and tobacco on the palate.
The Maker’s Mark Distillery is the sixth-largest Bourbon distillery in the world. Located in Loretto, Kentucky, the distillery produces 16 brands, labels, and variations of Bourbon. Maker’s Mark is owned by Beam Suntory, Inc.
17. Woodinville Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Insider Monkey Score: 4
Price: $43.99
This truly small-batch Bourbon starts with traditionally grown corn, rye, and malted barley. All of Woodinville’s staple grains are cultivated exclusively for them on the Omlin Family farm in Quincy, Washington.
Since 2017 Woodinville has been part of Moët Hennessy, the wine and spirits division of LVMH. The Woodinville Straight Bourbon Whiskey is among the Best Bourbons Under $50 on Reddit.
16. Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon
Insider Monkey Score: 4
Price: $39.99
A terrific small-batch Bourbon from Four Roses, and in this case, Small Batch means just that – only four casks are used in the construction of each release. Sweet and spicy, with a generous dash of vanilla, this is a treat.
Four Roses was acquired by the Japanese Kirin Holdings Company in 2002. For $39.99 a bottle, the Four Roses Small Match is among the best Bourbons for the money.
15. George Dickel 8 Year Bourbon
Insider Monkey Score: 4
Price: $34.99
Together, George Dickel and Jack Daniel’s have made it their mission to educate whiskey drinkers that Tennessee whiskey and Bourbon are not the same thing. While this never-ending debate rages on within whiskey circles, Dickel decided to throw a curveball and release a Bourbon.
14. Chattanooga Straight Bourbon Whiskey 111 Proof
Insider Monkey Score: 5
Price: $47.49
Handcrafted from a single fermentation in small batches, Chattanooga Whiskey 111 Cask is the unfiltered, barrel strength expression of the distillery’s signature Tennessee High Malt. By omitting the traditional filtration process, Cask 111 is able to retain every bit of flavor and complexity from the rich ingredients and long maturation process.
13. New Riff Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Insider Monkey Score: 5
Price: $44.99
New Riff Distilling’s core Bourbon expression is a genuinely high-rye, full bodied whiskey offering savory, spicy character. Building upon America’s 1897 Bottled-in-Bond Act – already the highest quality standard for aged spirits in the world – New Riff Bourbon is Bottled In Bond without chill filtration.
The New Riff Kentucky Straight Bourbon sits among the Best Whiskies Under $50.
12. Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Old Bourbon
Insider Monkey Score: 5
Price: $42.99
Legendary Bourbon-makers Jimmy and Eddie Russell used their vast knowledge to craft this 10-year-old classic. Aged in No. 4 alligator char barrels and bottled at 90 proof, this is the Russell’s Reserve Bourbon that started it all.
In 2009, Wild Turkey – and thus Russell’s Reserve – was acquired by the Campari Group, one of the largest companies in global spirits. Since the acquisition, Campari has invested over $300 million into expanding Wild Turkey and Russell’s Reserve’s production capacity.
11. Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon
Insider Monkey Score: 5
Price: $34.64
Elijah Craig is credited as the first distiller to age his whiskey in charred oak barrels, earning his place in history as the ‘Father of Bourbon.’ The charred barrel transformed the clear liquid inside into an intense amber whiskey made rich with the flavors of the wood, which we now recognize as Bourbon.
Elijah Craig Small Batch is distilled, aged, and bottled in Kentucky from a traditional Bourbon mash bill of 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley, and then aged for 8 to 12 years in Level 3 charred oak barrels.
The Elijah Craig Small Batch is among the Best Bourbons Under $50 in 2023.
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Disclosure: None. 25 Best Bourbon Whiskeys Under $50 is originally published on Insider Monkey.