Bourbon is one of the most popular and expensive spirits in the world, but there are also many affordable yet still decent options available for those looking for an inexpensive daily sipper or who are on a tight budget. For a lot of choice without having to break the bank, here’s my list of twelve of the cheapest bourbon brands in the world.
1. Knob Creek
Knob Creek bourbon whiskey brand was established in 1992 and named after the nearby Knob Creek Farm, which is Abraham Lincoln’s childhood home in Kentucky. Despite being a relatively new brand, Knob Creek is known for its high-quality small-batch bourbons that are aged for a minimum of nine years, which gives them an exceptional taste and smooth finish.
The following table shows some of their main bourbons and their approximate prices.
| Bourbon | Price |
|---|---|
| Knob Creek 9 Year | $43 |
| Knob Creek Smoked Maple | $48 |
| Knob Creek 12 Year | $63 |
| Knob Creek Single Barrel | $65 |
| Knob Creek 15 Year | $132 |
| Knob Creek 18 Year | $196 |
While you may be surprised to see prices of over $100 associated with a cheap bourbon brand, keep in mind that’s for 15- and 18-year-old bourbons that are obviously much more expensive than their younger expressions. $43 for a 9-year-old bourbon and $63 for a 12-year-old bourbon, however, is relatively cheap.
2. Basil Hayden
Basil Hayden was also established in 1992 and was named after the founder of the Hayden family, who played a pivotal role in the creation of the bourbon industry. Basil Hayden is a high-rye bourbon, which means that it has a higher percentage of rye in its mash bill than most other bourbons. This gives its bourbons a spicier and more complex flavor profile.
The following table shows some of their main bourbons and their approximate prices.
| Bourbon | Price |
|---|---|
| Basil Hayden | $55 |
| Basil Hayden Toast | $63 |
| Basil Hayden Subtle Smoke | $65 |
| Basil Hayden Red Wine Cask Finish | $70 |
| Basil Hayden Aged 10 Years | $83 |
As you can see, all Basil Hayden bourbons are under $100, and while their 10-year-old expression is relatively expensive, their signature expression that’s aged for at least eight years, at $55, is certainly not.
3. Maker’s Mark
A slightly older bourbon brand that was founded in 1953, Maker’s Mark is one of the most well-known bourbon brands in the world. Its bourbons are made from a unique mash bill that swaps out the traditional rye grain that’s commonly used in bourbons for soft, red winter wheat. This replaces the hot bite of rye with a softer, sweeter flavor profile.
Maker’s Mark bourbons are known for their iconic wax-sealed bottles. Each bottle is hand-dipped in red wax, giving it a distinctive and recognizable appearance. This means that no two Maker’s Mark bottles are exactly alike. Those red tendrils give each bottle its own unique flourish.
The following table shows their main bourbons and their approximate prices.
| Bourbon | Price |
|---|---|
| Maker’s Mark | $32 |
| Maker’s Mark 46 | $43 |
| Maker’s Mark 101 | $44 |
| Maker’s Mark Cask Strength | $52 |
| Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series | $70 |
| Maker’s Mark Private Selection | $74 |
While Maker’s Mark bourbons are clearly not that expensive, you might think with the exception of their signature expression, that they’re not particularly cheap either. But when you take into account that Maker’s Mark 46 is 47%ABV, Maker’s Mark 101 is 50.5%ABV and Maker’s Mark Cask Strength is 55%ABV, then it’s clear that for higher proof bourbons, they are indeed relatively cheap.
4. Old Forester
Old Forester was established more than 150 years ago, in 1870 and is the oldest continuously operating bourbon brand in the United States. During Prohibition it was one of only a hand-full of companies given a permit to manufacture and sell whiskey, and of those companies the only one still in the whiskey business today.
Old Forester was the first brand to sell its bourbon exclusively in sealed bottles. It was the exclusiveness that was the innovation as it provided a greater level of assurance of quality relative to other brands in the market, who sold only some of their bourbons in sealed bottles.
The following table shows some of their main bourbons and their approximate prices.
| Bourbon | Price |
|---|---|
| Old Forester 86 Proof | $25 |
| Old Forester 100 Proof | $27 |
| Old Forester 1870 Original Batch Whisky | $49 |
| Old Forester 1897 Bottled in Bond Whisky | $56 |
| Old Forester 1910 Old Fine Whisky | $60 |
| Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Whisky | $65 |
| Old Forester Single Barrel Barrel Proof | $90 |
As you can see, Old Forester produces many cheap bourbons, with their signature expression costing only $25! Even their most expensive bourbon, at $90, is relatively cheap for a single barrel and barrel proof bourbon.
5. Bulleit
Although the brand was only founded in 1987 and its product first introduced to market in 1997, the first batch of Bulleit bourbon was actually made around 1830. That’s because owner Tom Bulleit is descended from a long line of bourbon distillers, whose operation was disrupted by Prohibition in the 1920s and only revived 60 years later in the 1980s.
The brand’s bourbons are known for having a high-rye mash bill (28% instead of the standard 10% – 12%) which gives it a bold, spicy yet smooth and complex flavor profile. The following table shows their main bourbons and their approximate prices.
| Bourbon | Price |
|---|---|
| Bulleit | $33 |
| Bulleit 10 Year Old | $50 |
| Bulleit Barrel Strength Whiskey | $60 |
| Bulleit Single Barrel | $66 |
With a price range of between $33 – $66, Bulleit is definitely a cheap bourbon brand. $50 is relatively cheap for a 10-year-old bourbon, $60 is cheap for a barrel strength bourbon and $66 is cheap for a single barrel bourbon.
6. Four Roses
Four Roses is a bourbon brand that was established in the early 1800s and has since then been discontinued and revived twice. Popular in the early 1900s, Prohibition put an end to its production until it was revived in the 1940s where it became the top selling bourbon in the US. Despite that it was discontinued in the 1950s, until it was revived a second time in 2002.
One of the unique things about Four Roses is that it uses two different mash bills (one with a higher rye content and one with a higher corn content) and five different yeast strains for 10 different recipes. As many as all 10 are used to create their signature Bourbon, four to create the Small Batch expression, six to create the Small Batch Select and one is hand selected to become their Single Barrel bourbon.
The following table shows their main bourbons and their approximate prices.
| Bourbon | Price |
|---|---|
| Four Roses | $25 |
| Four Roses Small Batch | $40 |
| Four Roses Single Barrel | $50 |
| Four Roses Small Batch Select | $64 |
As you can see, Four Roses is another cheap bourbon brand with prices as low as $25! This is even more remarkable when you remember the handcrafted artistry that goes into making the 10 different recipes.
7. Jack Daniel’s
Jack Daniel’s chooses not to call itself a bourbon brand, but technically it is. They’ve been making bourbon whiskey for over 150 years and is the best-selling whiskey brand in the world!
Part of the reason for the brand’s success is its smooth, mellow taste, which comes from the charcoal filtering process that it undergoes before being aged. This removes much of the bitterness from the grain and the yeast, so the distillate is already soft and mellow even before it’s placed into the barrels for aging.
The following table shows the main Jack Daniel’s whiskeys / bourbons and their approximate prices.
| Bourbon | Price |
|---|---|
| Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 | $26 |
| Jack Daniel’s Gentleman Jack | $34 |
| Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select | $55 |
| Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Rye | $55 |
| Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof | $63 |
| Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select | $173 |
For the most part, Jack Daniel’s whiskeys / bourbons are cheap. The exception is the Sinatra Select (created to pay tribute to Frank Sinatra for whom Jack Daniel’s was his drink of choice and who was in all probability some of the cause of the brand’s success), although you’re actually paying for the history and lore that comes with a commemorative bottle, rather than for what’s in it.
On the flip side, Jack Daniel’s has also produced several limited and rare expressions that are actually very expensive indeed. To find out more, see this more detailed article I wrote about the most expensive Jack Daniel’s whiskeys, which you can find here.
8. Wild Turkey
Wild Turkey was founded in 1940 when an executive from Austin Nichols – a wholesale grocer who bought bourbon and bottled it under their own brand, took some warehouse samples on a wild turkey hunting trip. The bourbon proved so popular among his friends they continued to ask him for ‘that wild turkey bourbon.’ Two years later Austin Nichols began to bottle Wild Turkey bourbon.
One of the unique aspects of Wild Turkey bourbon is its high alcohol content. While the signature expression is only 40.5%ABV, the Longbranch is 43%ABV, the 101 and the Kentucky Spirit is 50.5%ABV, and the Rare Breed is 58.4%ABV! The following table shows their approximate prices.
| Bourbon | Price |
|---|---|
| Wild Turkey | $22 |
| Wild Turkey 101 | $27 |
| Wild Turkey Longbranch | $41 |
| Wild Turkey Rare Breed | $56 |
| Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit | $61 |
With prices between $22 – $61, Wild Turkey is definitely a cheap bourbon brand. This is even more remarkable when you remember that most of their expressions have a higher than usual alcohol content.
9. Jim Beam
Jim Beam is the best-selling bourbon whiskey brand in the world and has been producing bourbon since the late 18th century.
It’s named after its founder Jacob Beam – a Kentucky farmer who began producing whiskey in the style that became bourbon when he used his excess corn in his father’s whiskey recipe. This new, sweeter kind of whiskey quickly became a local favorite, which was quite an accomplishment considering that at the time, Kentucky was home to about 2,000 distillers.
The following table shows the main Jim Beam bourbons and their approximate prices.
| Bourbon | Price |
|---|---|
| Jim Beam White Label | $24 |
| Jim Beam Black Extra-Aged | $24 |
| Jim Beam Devil’s Cut | $23 |
| Jim Beam Double Oak | $23 |
| Jim Beam Single Barrel | $39 |
As you can see, Jim Beam is one of the cheapest bourbons in existence. It’s actually even cheaper than it appears because the White Label is usually sold in a 1L bottle and not the standard 750ml bottle, so you’re getting more bourbon for the low price of $24.
For a full review of their expressions see this more detailed article I wrote about whether Jim Beam bourbons are good, which you can find here.
10. Evan Williams
Following Jim Beam, Evan Williams is the second best-selling bourbon whiskey brand in the world.
Evan Williams began distilling in 1783, in what some claim was Kentucky’s first commercial distillery. And although their signature expression bears the inscription ‘Since 1783’ and ‘Kentucky’s 1st distiller’, this doesn’t mean that the brand has continuously existed since then. The modern whiskey brand was actually introduced in 1957, and the inscription is there merely to emphasize the brand’s heritage.
Evan Williams bourbons are known for their smoothness and rich flavor. The following table shows their bourbons and their approximate prices.
| Bourbon | Price |
|---|---|
| Evan Williams | $22 |
| Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond | $28 |
| Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch | $30 |
| Evan Williams Single Barrel | $32 |
With their cheapest bourbon only $22 and their most expensive – a single barrel expression at that, only $32, Evan Williams is a cheap bourbon brand indeed.
11. Old Grand-Dad
Old Grand-Dad is another brand named after Basil Hayden, who as mentioned above, played a pivotal role in the creation of the bourbon industry. Basil Hayden’s was established in 1992 and was named after the founder of the Hayden family, but Old Grand-Dad was created in 1882 by his grandson Raymond B. Hayden in honor of his grandfather.
Basil Hayden distilled his bourbon with a higher percentage of rye (which is why Basil Hayden’s is a high-rye bourbon brand) and the recipe for Old Grand-Dad remains inspired by it, which is why their bourbons have complex flavors and an unmistakable spiciness.
The following table shows their main bourbons and their approximate prices.
| Bourbon | Price |
|---|---|
| Old Grand-Dad 80 Proof | $20 |
| Old Grand-Dad 100 Proof Bottled In Bond | $25 |
| Old Grand-Dad 114 Barrel Proof | $30 |
With a price range of between $20 – $30, Old Grand-Dad is definitely a cheap bourbon brand. This is even more remarkable when you consider that their expressions have a higher than usual alcohol content – the 100 Proof is 50%ABV and the 114 Barrel Proof is 57%ABV!
12. Benchmark
In 1773, three McAfee brothers left Virginia and traveled westward to explore the uncharted territory that would later become known as Kentucky – where most bourbons are made. They eventually found a native trail that led to the great buffalo crossing, where the brothers surveyed the land that’s now home to the Buffalo Trace Distillery – where many bourbon brands are distilled.
The surveyor marks left behind are known as benchmarks, and this bourbon brand honors the McAfee brothers and the pioneering spirit (pun intended) of these early American explorers.
The following table shows some of the main Benchmark bourbons and their approximate prices.
| Bourbon | Price |
|---|---|
| Benchmark Old No. 8 | $12 |
| Benchmark Top Floor | $19 |
| Benchmark Bonded | $20 |
| Benchmark Small Batch | $23 |
| Benchmark Full Proof | $27 |
| Benchmark Single Barrel | $29 |
With their signature expression only $12, their Small Batch expression only $23, their Full Proof expression only $27 and their Single Barrel expression only $29, Benchmark is clearly one of the cheapest bourbons in the world.
