The beauty of American whiskey is that it doesn’t have to cost too much to be genuinely enjoyable. That’s especially true of bourbon. The corn-based spirit is made in massive quantities by huge distilleries that can make it cheap and well. That translates to very good bourbon hitting the shelf at very low prices — yes, even under $30.
Below, I’m calling out 12 bourbons that you can find, that taste great, and are all under $30. It’s a true sweet spot and a great place to start a bourbon journey and/or simply stock your home bar with quality cheap juice that’ll please pretty much everyone who loves whiskey. Those are all wins, folks.
I did rank these whiskeys. Look, they’re all good but some do offer that little bit more somethin’ somethin’ that help them stand out a tad more. So read through my tasting notes and find that bourbon that grabs you. Then hit those price links and then enjoy!
A quick note on price. These prices are set according to Total Wine in Louisville, Kentucky. Local prices may vary. Let’s dive in.
12. Old Bardstown Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Bottled in Bond
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $21
The Whiskey:
This is a standard bourbon from Kentucky Bourbon Distillers, otherwise known as Willett. This blended batch of bourbon is all about the small level of proofing to bring it down to bonded level (100 proof). That lack of water lets those barrels shine a touch more.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with a nice mix of woody vanilla next to cherry hard candies that mellow towards cherry cotton candy lace with echoes of oak and toffee in the background.
Palate: The palate leans into the cherry but layers in wintry spices with vanilla sugar cookies and caramel apples straight from the fairgrounds.
Finish: The finish isn’t long but doesn’t disappear either, as that cherry and spice merge into cherry cough drops.
Bottom Line:
Willett has a rabid fan base. This is where it all starts. This is perfectly good mixing bourbon for cocktails. It has enough ABVs to stand out and will deliver a classic Kentucky bourbon vibe to any cocktail.
11. Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 100 Proof
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $22
The Whisky:
Old Forester bourbons are stone-cold classics. Their 100-proof expression is made in the same way as their 86-proof (72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley and aged in Louisville, Kentucky). The key difference is that after these barrels are blended, they’re barely touched with water, keeping the proof very hearty.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Oak and caramel draw you in on the nose with a nice dose of cherry candy and a hint of coffee bitterness.
Palate: The palate wallows in vanilla as a spicy apple pie with a vanilla-flecked, buttery crust drives the taste before the cherry comes back in full force with a hint of brandy oak spice.
Finish: The oak, cherry, and spice powers the pour with a medium-length fade and plenty of bourbon warmth.
Bottom Line:
This is another great whiskey-forward cocktail candidate. It’ll imbue all those classic sweet and cherry bourbon notes that you want in a simple old fashioned or bourbon sour.
10. Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $23
The Whiskey:
This whiskey embraces a high-rye mash bill that’s comprised of 68% corn, 28% rye, and 4% malted barley. The hot juice is then rested for six years before blending, cutting down to proof, and barreling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is classic Kentucky bourbon with clear dark cherry tobacco, apple cider doughnuts, plenty of cinnamon, eggnog creaminess, and a little rye grassiness (think dry sweetgrass).
Palate: The spice on the palate is squarely in the cinnamon category with creamy vanilla, more warm fruity tobacco, and a hint of orchard bark lurking in the background.
Finish: The end is warm but fades pretty quickly, leaving you with soft oak, dark spice, brown sugar, and a whisper of sweet and creamy grits.
Bottom Line:
This is almost a no-brainer buy. You should have this bottle on hand simply by virtue of it being so well-known. Anybody cruising by your place will know it likely like it. Moreover, this whiskey makes really good cocktails while working perfectly fine as an on-the-rates pour or shooter.
9. 1792 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Small Batch
ABV: 46.85%
Average Price: $27
The Whiskey:
This whiskey from Barton 1792 Distillery is a no-age-statement release made in “small batches.” The mash is unknown, but Sazerac mentions that it’s a “high rye” mash bill, which could mean anything. The whiskey is batched from select barrels and then proofed down and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a woody cherry bark next to sour apple pies, distiller’s beer, and caramel candies next to vanilla cream with a counterpoint of cumin and dry chili lurking in the deeper reaches of the nose.
Palate: The palate opens with a Cherry Coke feel next to rich and buttery toffee, vanilla malts, and sharp Hot Tamales cinnamon candy with a nod toward allspice and root beer.
Finish: The end is soft and lush with vanilla smoothness leading to black cherry tobacco braided with cedar bark and wicker.
Bottom Line:
This is another whiskey that makes a hell of a cocktail (and it’s built specifically to do so). I would lean more citrus-forward with this one — so think sours, smashes, and the like. The malty vanilla and cherry shine through nicely with lemon and sugar.
8. Weller Special Release Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $25
The Whiskey:
This is a classic wheated bourbon from Buffalo Trace, which doesn’t publish any of its mash bills. Educated guesses put the wheat percentage of these mash bills at around 16 to 18%, which is pretty average. The age of the barrels on this blend is also unknown.
Overall, we know this is a classic wheated bourbon, and … that’s about it.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a tannic sense of old oak next to sweet cherries, vanilla cookies, and that Buffalo Trace leathery vibe with a hint of spiced tobacco lurking underneath.
Palate: The palate has a creamy texture kind of like malted vanilla ice cream over a hot apple pie cut with brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and walnuts next to Frosted Raisin Bran with a hint of candied cherry root beer.
Finish: The end takes that sweet cherry and apple and layers it into a light tobacco leaf with a mild sense of old musty barrel warehouses.
Bottom Line:
This is another one that’s a no-brainer. Every whiskey lover will know “Weller” in one way or another. This is their mixer expression though, so treat it accordingly. I tend to use this more for sours and smashes too and save the Antique 107 Weller for whiskey-forward cocktails.
7. Ezra Brooks 99 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 49.5%
Average Price: $24
The Whiskey:
This whiskey — distilled at Lux Row Distillers in Bardstown — is kind of like a Tennessee whiskey made in Kentucky. The whiskey has a standard mash bill of corn, rye, and barley. The juice is then aged but before it goes into the bottles it is charcoal filtered. That whiskey is then batched, proofed down with limestone water, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This leans very classic bourbon with hints of corn on the cob with melty salted butter next to hints of soft leather pouches filled with roasted peanut shells, a touch of caramel, and a vanilla/chocolate ice cream vibe.
Palate: The palate keeps things super easy as that rich vanilla ice cream leads towards holiday spices, tart green apples, and a freshly baked cornbread bespeckled with dried chili flakes and black pepper.
Finish: The finish is soft and fast with that spice leading back towards a leather tobacco chew.
Bottom Line:
This is soft and very nutty/creamy bourbon. It works really well in cocktails where a hint of nuttiness works — think of Manhattans, creamy nogs, or even boulevardiers. I would also argue that this is nice enough to pour over some rocks for everyday sipping.
6. Old Grand-Dad 114 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 57%
Average Price: $24
The Whiskey:
Hailing from the James B. Beam stills and warehouses, this “Old” whiskey is a fan favorite. The whiskey is from Beam’s high rye mash bill. The hot juice is then matured until it’s just right. The barrels are blended, the whiskey is just touched with water to bring the proof down, and it’s bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Vanilla tobacco meets hints of rye spiciness with a dose of caramel and old oak on the nose.
Palate: The palate holds onto that rye spice as notes of cherry and oak dominate the vanilla and toffee sweetness.
Finish: The end returns to the spice with a chewy tobacco edge that lingers for a short time but leaves you wanting more.
Bottom Line:
This is a great “table” whiskey. That means that it works for everyday sipping (over some rocks), good mixing, or just chilling with a beer. It’s not going to blow you away but it will get the job done when you’re looking for a classic Kentucky pour.
5. Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $24
The Whisky:
This is Maker’s signature expression made with Red winter wheat and aged seasoned Ozark oak for six to seven years. This expression’s whiskey is then sourced from only 150 barrels (making this a “small batch”). Those barrels are then blended and proofed with Kentucky limestone water before bottling and dipping in their iconic red wax.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is full of those heavily charred oak barrel notes next to classic hints of caramel and vanilla with a grassy underbelly.
Palate: That grassiness becomes vaguely floral as slightly spiced caramel apples arrive, along with a chewy mouthfeel that leads towards a soft mineral vibe — kind of like wet granite.
Finish: The end holds onto the fruit and sweetness as the oak and dried grass stay in your senses.
Bottom Line:
This is a great standard whisky to have on hand. It’s clean and soft with a nice nuance to it (thanks to the red winter wheat instead of rye in the mash bill). Overall, this is the whisky you want to use for Manhattans and Sazeracs thanks to that nice bite of dry grassiness that powers through the other cocktail ingredients while working well with them.
4. Elijah Craig Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 47%
Average Price: $25
The Whiskey:
This is Elijah Craig’s entry-point bottle. The mash is corn-focused, with more malted barley than rye. The whiskey is then rendered from “small batches” of barrels to create this proofed-down version of the iconic brand.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a light sense of rickhouse wood beams next to that mild taco seasoning on the nose with caramel apples, vanilla ice cream scoops, and a hint of fresh mint with a sweet/spicy edge.
Palate: The palate opens with a seriously smooth vanilla base with some winter spice (especially cinnamon and allspice) next to a hint of grain and apple pie filling.
Finish: The end leans towards the woodiness with a hint of broom bristle and minty tobacco lead undercut by that smooth vanilla.
Bottom Line:
This is an essential Kentucky bourbon and house pour. It’s as versatile in a glass on the rocks as it is in a cocktail. Have fun with this one.
3. Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $28
The Whiskey:
This is the whiskey that heralded a new era of bourbon in 1999. Famed Master Distiller Elmer T. Lee came out of retirement to create this bourbon to celebrate the renaming of the George T. Stagg distillery to Buffalo Trace when Sazerac bought the joint. The rest, as they say, is history, especially since this has become a touchstone bourbon for the brand.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Classic notes of vanilla come through next to a dark syrup sweetness, a flourish of fresh mint, and raw leather that veers towards raw steak.
Palate: The palate cuts through the sweeter notes with plenty of spices — like clove and star anise — next to a hint of tart berries underneath it all.
Finish: The end is long, velvety, and really delivers on the vanilla and spice.
Bottom Line:
This is a straight-up modern classic. It’s easygoing but delivers on the hype around Buffalo Trace in general. I’d use this for simple yet delicious whiskey-forward cocktails but would never turn down a pour over some ice either. It’s dealer’s choice, really.
2. Four Roses Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $28
The Whiskey:
Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon is a blend of four whiskeys. The blend is split evenly between the high and low-rye bourbons with a focus on “slight spice” and “rich fruit” yeasts — that means OBSK, OESK, OBSO, and OESO are in the mix (here’s what all of that means). After six to seven years of aging, the whiskey is blended, cut with soft Kentucky water, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Soft and sweet apple and cherry woods greet with a good dose of sour red berries dusted with brown winter spices, especially clove and nutmeg.
Palate: The palate leans into soft and salted caramel with a hint of those berries underneath while the spices get woodier and a thin line of green sweetgrass sneaks in.
Finish: The finish is silky and boils down to blackberry jam with a good dose of winter spice, old wood, and a hint of vanilla tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This is a strong whiskey that could easily be number one on this list. It’s very good, dynamic, and gettable everywhere. It also makes a killer fruity-forward cocktail. At the same time, you can easily sip this slowly over a big ol’ rock.
1. Jim Beam Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 54%
Average Price: $20
The Whiskey:
Each of these Jim Beam bottlings is pulled from single barrels that hit just the right spot of taste, texture, and drinkability, according to the master distillers at Beam. That means this juice is pulled from less than one percent of all barrels in Beam’s warehouses, making this a very special bottle at a bafflingly affordable price.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with classic notes of vanilla sheet cake, salted caramel, wintry mulled wine spices, and a sense of cherry pie in a lard crust next to a hint of dried corn husk, old broom bristle, and dark chocolate pipe tobacco.
Palate: The palate layers in floral honey and orange zest next to sticky toffee pudding, old leather, and cherry tobacco layered with the dark chocolate with this lingering sense of coconut cream pie lurking somewhere in the background.
Finish: The finish leans into more woody winter spices (especially cinnamon bark and nutmeg) with rich toffee and cherry-chocolate tobacco braided with dry sweetgrass and cedar bark.
Bottom Line:
This is the best choice in this price bracket. You simply cannot beat this whiskey at this price. It’s deep and nuanced with a great drinkability that works wonders in whiskey-forward cocktails or over a big piece of ice. Hell, you can shoot this one too if that’s your jam — but you’ll miss a lot of the details that make this one great.
