Best Cheap Whiskey of 2024 for a Great Bottle on a Budget
Finding the best cheap whiskey in the U.S. isn’t some shameful act. Quite the contrary—it’s a point of pride. When compared to single malt whiskies coming out of Scotland and Japan, American whiskey is just as delicious for a fraction of the cost.
True, demand for top shelf stuff is soaring towards the stratosphere, as data from the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. shows that revenues of high-end premium labels are up 137% over the past five years. But despite the trend, or maybe because of it, there remains a consensus among whiskey cognoscenti that if you’re paying more than $50 for a good bottle of bourbon, you’re doing it wrong.
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As the spring and summer come around, you simply can't afford to bring top shelf whiskey gifts to every camping trip or dinner party. Therefore, we rounded up the best cheap whiskey on shelves today. Whether you’re craving bourbon, rye whiskey, single barrel, small batch, or cask strength selections, you’ll find something to slake your thirst in the list of expressions below. But our top pick, Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, demonstrates outsized oomph and complexity at an ideal price.
Related: Best Rye Whiskeys to Drink in 2023
Overall Best Cheap Whiskey: Buffalo Trace
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The eponymous product of the most revered distillery in all of American whiskey, this everyday offering is often overlooked. After all, Buffalo Trace's older brothers include Pappy Van Winkle, George T. Stagg, and Eagle Rare—some of the most sought after spirits on shelves today. But sleep on this flagship offering at your own peril. It’s creamy, full of caramel and toffee, and punches way above its sub-$30-per-bottle weight class.
Best Cheap Rye Whiskey: Old Overholt Bonded Rye
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Old Overholt Bonded Rye is a bottled-in-bond variation on the classic Old Overholt offering. That means the whiskey ages for a minimum of 4 years and is bottled at an exacting 100-proof. It is the platonic ideal of the category. Sturdy, slightly minty, fresh-baked bread with a touch of savory spice in the fade. The best cheap rye for a Manhattan, without exception.
Best Cheap American Whiskey: Michter’s US*1 American Whiskey
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Michter’s US*1 American Whiskey, a citrus-forward sipper, can’t be considered a bourbon because it ages in barrels that were previously use to age bourbon. By definition, bourbon must be aged in unused barrels. But just because it isn’t labeled as such doesn’t mean it’s lesser than. Complimenting orange zest on the palate is a cornucopia of confectioner’s delight. You might even be able to nose some hints of sticky toffee pudding.
Related: The 15 Best Scotch Whiskies of 2023
More Cheap Whiskeys We Love
Most Affordable Cheap Whiskey: Old Forester 86 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon
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It’s hard to go wrong with any option from the Old Forester lineup. If you’re buying entirely based around price, however, then the 86 Proof is the one for you. It’s smooth-yet-sturdy, with a pinch of pepper and licorice tingling the back palate.
Best Bourbon Lover's Cheap Whiskey: Russell's Reserve 10-Year Bourbon
A bourbon-lover’s bourbon through-and-through, the flavor profile of this high-corn hooch is chockablock with cinnamon, vanilla, and caramel. Russell's Reserve 10-Year Bourbon has a robust character given the relatively tame 45% ABV, meaning it’s accessible to novices and advanced palates alike. And what’s not to like about a 10 year-old American whiskey that often sells for south of $40.
Best Cinnamon Bomb Cheap Whiskey: Old Grand Dad 100
Given the fact that it’s still readily available at under $30 a bottle, it’s tempting to consider this 100-proof cinnamon-bomb an insider’s secret. But if that’s the case, it’s not a very well-guarded one. Any self-respecting bourbon geek will spend time singing the praises of the entire Old Grad Dad lineup, if you let them—especially Old Grand Dad 100. Bottled in bond but entirely approachable, it features dollops of dark fruit and baking spice in equal measure.
Most Versatile Cheap Whiskey: Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series
Super high in rye but never high in price, this 96-proof belter is a stoic statement in stone fruit. Peaches and cream are there for the plucking across a generous mouthfeel. But the true joy that Bardstown Origin Series offers is its lengthy, firm finish. It slowly dissipates, leaving imprints of menthol atop fresh forest floor. Bardstown Bourbon Company is nothing if not versatile, and this wholly unique American dram really hammers that point home.
Most Unique Cheap Whiskey: Maker’s Mark No. 46
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The addition of virgin French oak staves, inserted directly into the finishing barrel, gives birth to a unique style of bourbon. Maker's Mark No. 46 is rich in vanilla and caramel, as you’d suspect from the category, but there’s also a dry and tangy berry fruit element dialing up the complexity of each sip. If you like it, check out our full review of Maker's Mark 46.
Best Spicy Cheap Whiskey: Larceny Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey
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Slightly spicy—with heavy nods to cinnamon in the nose and palate—this dependable 92-proof sipper is always accessible. Larceny Small Batch is distilled using a small portion of wheat, in addition to corn and barley, and so it offers a rounded, honeyed sweetness as a result. Those same tones make it play particularly well in an Old Fashioned preparation.
Best Cheap American Single-Malt Whiskey: Stranahan’s Blue Peak
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The only American single malt to make the list, Blue Peak delivers a toasty menagerie of butterscotch and molasses. And it does so at an entirely reasonable price—typically around $41 per bottle. It’s more on the subtle side with its flavor however, due to its use of lighter charred oak in the maturation process. At 86-proof, it goes down incredibly easy.
Best Cheap Blended American Whiskey: Fraser & Thompson Whiskey
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Fraser & Thompson blended North American whiskey contains mature stock from both sides of the border: Canadian grain spirit from Cirka distillery in Montreal and bourbon from Heaven Hill. As a result, it boasts a unique flavor profile reminiscent of dried figs and over-ripened orange.
Best Cheap Craft Whiskey: Wilderness Trail Single Barrel Rye
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The makers of this Kentucky-based craft delight are yeast specialists. And so they’ve dialed in fermentation to broaden the flavor profiles you’d expect from a typical rye. Wilderness Trail Single Barrel Rye benefits from a bouquet of fresh cut spring flowers, and suggests of matcha tea to tickle to the tongue.
Most Balanced Cheap Whiskey: Woodinville Straight Rye
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This Washington State standout, Woodinville Straight Rye, is all about balance. The drier, spicier hallmarks of the category, namely caraway and clover, are countered by the arrival of fresh stone fruit towards the back palate. A joy to drink neat.
Best Fruity Cheap Whiskey: WhistlePig PiggyBack Single Barrel Alfa Romeo F1 Bottle
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PiggyBack Single Barrel Alfa Romeo is a juicy dram if there ever was one. This rye is filled with fruit for good reason: it was finished using real lychee—along with Oolong tea, which rounds out the sweet with a parting whisper of herbaceousness. The barrels it aged in were actually tested in an F1 wind tunnel, before being subjected to varying levels of “G-Force” during the finishing process. Is that rare breed of cross-promotional whiskey that doesn’t suck.
Most Overachieving Cheap Whiskey: Jack Daniels Single Barrel Select
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Th 94-proof knockout Single Barrel Select from the legendary Lynchburg, Tennessee producer outperforms its flagship Old No. 7 offering by leaps and bounds. There’s so much caramel and banana bread-laden complexity to consider here. Long after the whiskey goes down, a comforting trace of molasses stays with you.
Most Exciting Cheap Whiskey: Frey Ranch Straight Bourbon
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Frey Ranch distills its exciting array of American whiskies using ingredients sourced exclusively from its own farm in Fallon, Nevada. There are incredible gems in the portfolio, most of which are touch too pricey to feature here. But the flagship Straight Bourbon is an obvious inclusion for under $50 a bottle. There’s a nice peach-and-mint element to its brilliant bouquet. And so, so much toffee on the tongue.
Why You Should Trust Me
I’ve been a whiskey writer for over a decade, writing columns for magazines, websites, and newspapers across the globe. I’m also a judge for some of the most prominent spirits competitions on the planet. In any given year, I’ll sample upwards of 500 expressions of barrel-aged spirits. I’ve spent plenty of personal time with each and every one of the liquids featured on this list.
What We Look for When Choosing the Best Cheap Whiskey
There's a lot of brown liquor out there. To make the cut for our list of the best cheap whiskey, bottles had to be full of flavor, easy to enjoy on their own or in classic cocktail form, and they had to offer an undeniable value—namely, a price point below $50. Luckily, whiskeys at that cost tend to be widely available and versatile for any occasion.
Related: The Best Bourbons of 2024 to Drink Neat or as a Highball