These Are Our Bourbon Expert's Favorite Affordable Bottles

If you're a bourbon aficionado, you know that collecting these bottles isn't exactly an affordable hobby. And if you've loved this type of liquor for a long time, you're likely well aware that prices have only increased over the past decade. But while many bourbon brands are definitely on the expensive side, it's still possible to find cost-effective bottles that are better than regular bottom-shelf bourbon if you know where to look.

To point us in the right direction, we turned to Chris Blatner, executive bourbon steward and creator of @‌urbanbourbonist on Instagram. According to Blatner, one of the most popular bourbon brands is both affordable and worth your time. "Jim Beam offers several expressions that are really high quality and won't break the bank, like Old Grand-Dad bottled-in-bond, and Knob Creek," he said in an interview with Tasting Table. For example, a 1.75 liter bottle of the former will only set you back $24.99, and it's nothing to sniff at. Jim Beam's Old Grand-Dad has been aged for at least four years (and Blatner would never buy a bottle that's been aged for less) and is full of spicy notes thanks to the higher-than-average amount of rye involved.

If you're looking to branch out from Jim Beam, Blatner knows a couple other ways you can pick up a tasty bottle of bourbon without burning a hole in your pocket. "Green River Distilling has one of the most value packed lineups of bourbon on the market today with a Straight Bourbon, Wheated Bourbon, and Cask Strength Bourbon," he said. These options are a little pricier than Jim Beam's offerings, but not by much. You can find a 750 ml bottle of the former for only $29.99, and the same size of the Wheated Bourbon for $35.99. The Cask Strength Single Barrel, which is aged at least five years, more than double the price at $79.99 for a 750 ml bottle.

And if those choices still aren't doing it for you, Blatner also advises diving into the options from the Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series. This Kentucky distillery, which has only been around since 2016, has already won a plethora of awards, including the Best of Class at the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and Producer of the Year at the 2023 International Wine and Spirit Competition. A 750 ml bottle of Bardstown's Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, which has been aged for six years and incorporates notes of apricot, orange blossom, and mint, goes for $44.99. So the next time you're looking for a tasty bottle at a reasonable price, pick from one of these expert-approved choices first.