Top Shelf For Less: 6 Of The Best Affordable Bourbons
American bourbon is a must-have for any well-stocked drinks cabinet. Rich, sweet and often spiced with a bit of heat, it’s a versatile spirit that’s as happy being sipped neat or over ice as it is stirred into a classic cocktail like a Manhattan, Old Fashioned or Sazerac.
Prices have been creeping up in recent years – blame tariffs, inflation or just good old-fashioned demand – but that doesn’t mean you need to resign yourself to bottom-shelf bottles. There’s still a wealth of quality bourbon out there that punches well above its price tag.
Here are six of the best you can pick up for under (or just around) £55.
Angel’s Envy | Port Finish
Founded by Bourbon Hall of Famer Lincoln Henderson, Angel’s Envy was the first fully operational distillery to open on Louisville’s historic Whiskey Row since Prohibition. The name is a play on the ‘angel’s share’ – the portion of spirit that evaporates during maturation, which can be up to 5% per year in downtown Louisville.
Since launching in 2016, the brand has racked up awards across the globe. Its Port Finish bottling – the cornerstone of the Signature Series – undergoes a short finishing period in ex-Port barrels from Portugal’s Douro Valley, giving it a decadent, luxurious profile.
Expect bold notes of red apple, cocktail cherry and orange zest layered over milk chocolate, caramel, clove and oak spice. This is a craft bourbon with real pedigree.
Eagle Rare | 10 Years Old
Made at the Buffalo Trace distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, Eagle Rare is a multi-award-winning bourbon that represents remarkable value – especially considering it carries an age statement, something increasingly rare in today’s market.
Launched in the mid-1970s, Eagle Rare has become a benchmark bottle and a true modern classic. The 10-year-old expression is smooth, elegant and endlessly sippable. Rich butterscotch, cocoa and sugared almond sit alongside vanilla pod, ripe cherry and cassia bark. Hints of honey, soft leather and oak round things out.
A staple for any serious bourbon drinker.
Four Roses | Small Batch
A beloved name in Kentucky bourbon, Four Roses Small Batch is produced in Lawrenceburg and crafted from a carefully selected blend of barrels aged between six and seven years. The result is a nuanced, approachable whiskey with serious depth.
The name itself comes from a romantic story: Paul Jones Jr., the brand’s founder, named the distillery after his beloved wore a corsage of four red roses to accept his marriage proposal. Sweet.
This high-rye bourbon opens with milk chocolate, warm bread dough and vanilla custard, before layers of orange marmalade, dried coconut, toasted almond and baking spice come through.
Superb balance, excellent value, and a genuine crowd-pleaser.
Buy now at The Whisky Exchange
Maker’s Mark | 46
The world’s best-selling wheated bourbon – meaning wheat is used as the secondary grain after corn – Maker’s Mark is a staple in bars and homes around the globe. The original launched in 1958, but Maker’s 46 was the brainchild of Bill Samuels Jr., son of the founders.
This bolder expression is aged with ten French oak staves added to the cask, giving it a richer, more complex flavour. Smooth and buttery, it bursts with vanilla paste, orange zest and toffee, alongside a distinctive biscuity cereal note. Cherry, cocoa and warm spice round out the finish.
Maker’s is also set to become the first major bourbon producer using 100% regeneratively farmed grains by 2025 – we’ll cheers to that.
Michter’s | US*1 Unblended
Technically not a bourbon – it’s matured in used barrels rather than new American oak, which disqualifies it under strict bourbon regulations – Michter’s US*1 Unblended is still very much in the same wheelhouse. And it’s excellent.
The name harks back to Shenk’s distillery in Pennsylvania, founded in 1753 – predating the Declaration of Independence by over two decades. After a brief disappearance, the brand was revived in the 90s and relocated to Kentucky by Joseph J. Magliocco and industry legend Dick Newman.
The result is a rich and layered whiskey, with notes of maple syrup, cherry bakewell, dark chocolate and orange oil. Vanilla and toasted coconut come through on the mid-palate, while the finish brings woody spice, clove and a touch of menthol.
Outstanding quality at a very fair price.
Wild Turkey | Rare Breed
A barrel-proof classic that delivers serious punch for the price, Wild Turkey Rare Breed is big, bold and beautifully made. Released in 1991, it was one of the first cask-strength bourbons to hit mainstream shelves and marked the first new addition to the Wild Turkey lineup since the 1950s.
This is a high-octane dram – full of intensity, but never lacking finesse. Up front, there’s golden syrup, marzipan and glacé cherry, with preserved orange and icing sugar in the background. Layers of milk chocolate, toasted cereal and spiced oak add richness and bite. Pound for pound, it’s one of the best value bottles in the game.
A modern classic.
