Great bourbons don’t have to break the bank. Many bourbon manufacturers produce premium bourbons that you can find in stores for under $100. Whether you like a light, fruity bourbon or a more full-bodied, rich taste, there are premium bourbons for every palate.
Here is a list of the best bourbon under $100. Please note that you may have to change the size of the bottle to be smaller in order to get the price under $100. You can also check at your local liquor store or favorite online retailer.
1. Redemption 9 Years Aged Barrel Proof Bourbon
Redemption 9 Years Aged Barrel Proof Bourbon is a complex, powerful bourbon that packs a punch at 108.2 proof. Like many other barrel-proof bourbons, Redemption does not add water or filter the bourbon before bottling it, giving it a high alcohol content.
This bourbon is 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley. It has notes of Madagascan vanilla, caramelized toffee, dark roast coffee, smoked meats, pepper, lavender, and honey.
Despite the high proof, Redemption 9 Years Aged Barrel Proof Bourbon is still smooth and easy to drink whether you’re sipping it neat, on the rocks, or with a splash of water.
2. Elijah Craig Bourbon Barrel Proof Barrel Select
Elijah Craig is a premium bourbon whisky producer from the Heaven Hill Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. Another barrel-proof bourbon, this bottle clocks in at an almost scary 124.8 proof that the producer bottles straight from the barrel.
The bourbon ages for 12 years in American oak. Each bottle is individually-labeled with the batch number, bottle number, and month and age of release.
The bourbon has notes of rye, heath bar, leather, cinnamon, vanilla bean, chocolate, caramel, and butterscotch. The manufacturer recommends adding a few drops of water to the bourbon to open up the different flavors.
3. Maker’s Mark Private Selection Bourbon
Maker’s Mark has been a behemoth in the bourbon industry since the 1950s. With the signature red wax seal on each bottle, the Kentucky-based producer specializes in everyday and premium bourbons.
The Maker’s Mark Private Selection is one of its finest bourbons. It ages for 5 to 7 years, and the producers then add 10 custom wood-finishing staves to each barrel. The bourbon finishes in a limestone cellar.
The custom wood staves give the bourbon unique, complex flavor notes. There are 5 stave profiles each with individual flavor profiles. They all have the classic Maker’s Mark richness and spice. This is a perfect bourbon to give as a gift- it’s classy and decadent enough to delight the recipient while also not destroying your budget.
4. Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon
Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon whiskey belongs on any list of the best bourbon under $100. The Hye, Texas-based producer makes this 94-proof gem using a sweet mash of food-grade corn, soft red winter wheat from local farms, and barley.
Garrison Brothers produce this bourbon in one new American oak barrel at a time to create a superior product. The resulting bourbon is a dark, amber-crimson color with a smooth, rich mouth feel.
This unique, 94-proof bourbon has tasting notes of butterscotch, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, fruit, butter, whipped cream, angel food cake, and oak. It finishes with notes of chocolate and espresso.
5. Bib & Tucker 10-Year-Old Small Batch Bourbon
Bib & Tucker 10-Year-Old Small Batch Bourbon is a Tennessee bourbon made from corn, rye, and malted barley. 35 Maple Street Spirits produces it.
This twice-distilled bourbon ages for 10 years in new American White Oak charred casks, and the producers do not chill-filter it. The extended aging process gives it a bold, rich, smooth, and leathery taste.
At 92 proof, the bourbon is easy to drink and has a somewhat delicate mouth feel. You’ll find notes of vanilla, cocoa, toasted oak, cinnamon, and tobacco. The bourbon finishes with spicy cedar and kettle corn. Bib & Tucker 10-Year-Old Small Batch Bourbon is a great option for bourbon drinkers looking to take the plunge into premium bourbon whiskeys.
6. Calumet Farm 10-Year Single Rack Black Bourbon
Calumet Farm 10-Year Single Rack Black Bourbon is a straight Kentucky bourbon that ages for 10 years in charred American White Oak barrels.
The producer makes this small-batch bourbon from 19 barrels and uses a specific center-cut rack that keeps it at the optimum temperature and humidity. It is 92 proof and made of 74% corn, 18% rye, and 8% malted barley.
This is one of the richest and boldest whiskeys on this list. It has a dark, amber leather color with notes of caramel, leather, honey, and oak. Cigar smokers will love pairing a glass of this bourbon with a stogie for an indulgent treat.
7. Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Barrel Select Bourbon
Woodford makes some of the best bourbon whiskeys in the business, and the Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Barrel Select Bourbon is one of the best of the bunch.
This dark, rich bourbon ages in separate, charred American Oak barrels. The producers deeply toast the second barrel before lightly charing it, imparting soft, sweet oak notes.
Woodford is famous for the number of tasting notes its whiskeys have. The Reserve Double Oaked Barrel Select is no exception. You’ll pick up notes of dark fruit, caramel, hazelnut, apple, baking spices, honey, chocolate, marzipan, and toasted oak – among many others. The finish is smooth and creamy.
8. Basil Hayden’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Basil Hayden’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a Kentucky bourbon that is a high-rye whiskey. At 80 proof it is a somewhat lighter option compared to some of its counterparts on this list, but the lower alcohol content is no knock on its quality.
This bourbon is a golden brown color and loaded with sweet notes. When you open it you’ll smell brown sugar, vanilla, dried fruit, and charred oak. The tasting notes include more charred oak, sweetness, black pepper, and fruit.
Basil Hayden is one of the smoothest whiskeys on the market. Its smoothness and versatility make it perfect for mixing into cocktails – but you can (and should) sip it straight up or with a splash of water or ice.
9. Widow Jane Decadence
Bourbon whiskey from Brooklyn, New York? As crazy as that sounds, Widow Jane Decadence is some of the best bourbon under $100.
The producers take some of their best 10-year-aged bourbons and then age them in New York artisanal maple syrup barrels that held Crown Maple.
The resulting 92-proof product is a flavor explosion unlike any other bourbon. It is rich, creamy, and sweet with flavors of sugared pecans, burnt sugar, cinnamon bark, maple, charred oak, brown sugar, shortbread, mellow tobacco, old whiskey, vanilla, and birch beer.
The flavor profile of Widow Jane Decadence makes it one of the most unique bourbons on the list, and it’s worth trying if you have the opportunity.
10. Wiggly Bridge Bottled in Bond Bourbon Whiskey
Wiggly Bridge Bottled in Bond Bourbon Whiskey is from York, Maine. The producers named the burnt-amber-colored bourbon after the Wiggly Bridge, a suspension bridge in York.
This premium Bottled in Bond bourbon builds on the company’s small-barrel bourbon, aging it for an additional four years in 53-gallon barrels. The resulting 100-proof product is a bold, smooth bourbon with complex tasting notes.
It has notes of caramel, clove, honey, dried fruit, light oak, tobacco, and barrel char. It has a smooth, long finish. This is an exceptionally-balanced bourbon and great value at the under $100 price point.
11. Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Barrel Select Straight Bourbon Whiskey
You might not think of Wild Turkey as a premium whiskey brand, but the Kentucky Spirit Barrel Select Straight Bourbon Whiskey is an exceptional offering.
The company advertises they are one of the first single-barrel bourbons to hit the market. This 101-proof bourbon ages for eight years in a single barrel, giving it a full-body, round, rich taste. Each bottle has a handwritten note with the barrel number, date, and warehouse number.
This bourbon has notes of vanilla, almond, honey, oak, caramel, and leather. It has a long and powerful – but smooth – finish.
12. Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 120 Proof Barrel Select Bourbon Whiskey
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 120 Proof Barrel Select Bourbon Whiskey is a powerhouse full-bodied Kentucky bourbon that ages for nine years. Like Knob Creek’s other whiskeys, this one comes from the Jim Beam Distillery.
This bourbon has a dark amber-henna color with rich, complex tasting notes and a full-body mouthfeel. It has notes of vanilla, caramel, oak, fruit, pine, baking spices, and light smoke with a long, strong, and smooth finish.
The producers recommend sipping this bourbon, with or without a splash of water or ice.
13. Bulleit Barrel Strength Bourbon Whiskey
Bulleit Barrel Strength Bourbon Whiskey is a high-rye Kentucky bourbon that ranges from 120-125-proof. The producers add no water to this medium-amber-colored bourbon, and it is uncut and non-chill filtered. In other words, it’s like you’re tasting this whiskey straight out of the barrel.
Bulleit Barrel Strength Bourbon has notes of baking spices, sweet oak, maple, oak, nutmeg, and toffee. It has a long, dry, and satiny finish. This premium whiskey benefits from a little water or ice to open up the complex flavor profile.
14. Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon
Russell’s Reserve makes whiskeys with signature notes of toffee and vanilla. The Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon whiskey keeps the toffee and vanilla flavors while adding rich, oaky notes and heavy spice.
The producers individually bottle the bourbon at 110 proof with non-chill filtering. The bourbon is a delightful copper red color with notes of vanilla, brown sugar, oak, cinnamon, baking spice, licorice – and, of course, toffee and vanilla.
It has a long, balanced finish with sweet spice and malt. This is an ideal bourbon to sip neat at the end of the day or as a nightcap.
15. Four Roses Small Batch Select Bourbon
Four Roses is one of the oldest bourbon makers in the United States, with a distillery dating back to the early 1900s.
The Four Roses Small Batch Select Bourbon is a Kentucky bourbon that ages for a minimum of six-to-seven years. The Master Distiller at Four Roses blends four original bourbon recipes to create a mellow, balanced product.
Compared to some of the intensely bold bourbons on this list, the Four Roses Small Batch is a moderate option that is still premium. It is 90-proof and has tasting notes of mellow spice, rich fruit, sweet oak, caramel, red berries, and dried spice.
It has a medium mouthfeel and a long, smooth finish. This is a versatile bourbon that you can enjoy straight up or mixed into cocktails.
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