The Best Budget Bourbons

Old Grand-Dad Bonded is based on the high-rye bourbon recipe made famous by Basil Hayden, whose likeness appears on the label. Bottled under the requirements of the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, it is the product of a single distillation season, aged at least 4 years, and bottled at 100 proof (50% ABV). Along with Old Overholt Rye, Old Grand-Dad is part of Jim Beam’s “Olds” whiskey lineup.

Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon is produced at the Wild Turkey Distillery and was created by Master Distiller Jimmy Russell. The bourbon is made from a mash bill of corn, rye, and malted barley, aged at least 5 years (typically between 6–8 years), and bottled at 101 proof with only minimal proofing after maturation.

Redemption Bourbon is produced and bottled for Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits, with blending led by Master Blender Alan Kennedy. As part of a brand refresh, the bourbon has been reformulated and is now bottled at 92 proof, up from its previous 84 proof. Its mash bill is composed of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley. The whiskey is bottled without chill-filtration and presented in updated packaging. Available nationwide beginning April 2026. (SRP $29.99)

Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch Bourbon is produced by Heaven Hill Distillery and named for the year Evan Williams is said to have founded Kentucky’s first distillery. It uses Heaven Hill’s traditional mash bill of 78% corn, 12% malted barley, and 10% rye. The Kentucky straight bourbon is batched from fewer than 200 barrels, aged at least 6 years (typically between 6–8 years), and bottled at 90 proof.

George Dickel Bourbon debuted in June 2021 as a permanent offering in the brand’s portfolio, introduced under the leadership of General Manager and Distiller Nicole Austin. It uses the same mash bill as the brand’s Tennessee whiskies—84% corn, 8% rye, and 8% malted barley—and undergoes charcoal chill-filtration. Aged 8 years, it is bottled at 90 proof.

Old Forester 86 Proof is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon made from a mash bill of 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley. Bottled at 86 proof, it serves as the brand’s entry-level expression. The Old Forester brand was introduced in 1870 by George Garvin Brown and named for Dr. William Forrester, a customer of Brown’s (the second “r” was later dropped).

This is the flagship bourbon from Buffalo Trace, made from a traditional low-rye mash bill and bottled without an age statement at 90 proof. The former George T. Stagg Distillery was renamed Buffalo Trace when Sazerac Company took over ownership in 1999. Master Distiller Elmer T. Lee played a key role in the creation of Buffalo Trace Bourbon, which was released later that year.

Four Roses Bourbon is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon and the brand’s entry-level expression. It is made from a blend of two mash bills—60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley, and 75% corn, 20% rye, and 5% malted barley—using all five of the distillery’s proprietary yeast strains. Formerly known as “Yellow Label,” the product was renamed Four Roses Bourbon in spring 2018.

Green River Bourbon is made from a mash bill of 70% corn, 21% winter rye, and 9% malted barley. It is aged over 5 years and bottled at 90 proof. Originally founded in 1885, Green River Distilling Co. closed following a 1918 fire and Prohibition. This release marks the brand’s return to whiskey production after more than 100 years. It debuted at the distillery and in Kentucky in February 2022 and is now available nationwide. (SRP $34.99)

The Bulleit label, revived by Tom Bulleit, traces its roots to the early 1800s, when Augustus Bulleit produced a high-rye whiskey recipe for friends and family, though it was never sold commercially. Tom reintroduced the brand in the late 1980s, and it was later acquired by Diageo in 2001. Made with a mash bill of 68% corn, 28% rye, and 4% malted barley, it is bottled at 90 proof.