As a rule, cheap liquor is rarely the best liquor. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t some ultra affordable gems out there. Lucky for you, you don’t have to slog your way through plastic bottle after plastic bottle of pure swill in order to find the good stuff. Because we did that for you. Here’s all the best cheap booze we’ve tasted over the course of our many taste tests.
Best Cheap Liquor
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This may be your grand-dad’s bourbon, but it’s also your bourbon. Because it’s damn good and damn cheap. It’s super smooth and easy drinking—but it has enough of a kick to hold up to strong flavors in a cocktail, too. If oaky, vanilla-tinged bourbon is your tipple of choice, then this is the best cheap alcohol for you.
Cazadores is a shockingly good value. For less than $20 you can get some real, pure, true tequila that tastes great. It’s super bright and zesty and almost tropical. You can drink it straight, no problem, but it’s equally good in a Margarita. And if you want an aged tequila, the reposado is also some of the best affordable liquor we’ve tried.
Sorry, Jameson devotees, but Tullamore D.E.W. is ever so slightly better. It’s brighter and more complex. And we just kept coming back to it for sip after sip. If you think you know your Irish whiskey preference, give Tullamore D.E.W. a try (or a retry). It might just change your mind—and save you some cash.
Mezcal can be quite pricey, which might be fine for an experienced mezcal drinker who is happy to invest in the good stuff. But what if you’re just starting to get into mezcal? What if you just want it for Mezcal Margs? After tasting a bunch of mezcals under $30, we found 400 Conejos Espadin Joven, which tastes both earthy and like pineapple. It’s very, very sippable, if that’s your style. But you can also use it in cocktails and not feel like you’re wasting money.
This giant bottle of gin from Costco is definitely some of the best cheap liquor to buy—especially if you’re having a party. You get a lot of it and it’s extremely versatile. Go ahead and make all the G&Ts you want but you can also appreciate it in a Martini. It definitely tastes like juniper but not in a soapy way. Those bitter, botanical notes are complemented and softened by flavors of lime zest and a little hint of sweetness. If I could only buy one bottle from this list, this would be the cheap liquor I’d buy.
Hi! I’m the editor-in-chief of Sporked. I will never turn down a fresh-shucked oyster but I’ll also leap at whatever new product Reese’s releases and I love a Tostitos Hint of Lime, even if there is no actual lime in the ingredients.
Why you should trust me: I have been writing about food and beverages for well over a decade and am an avid at-home cook and snacker. I began my career writing about fine dining and recipes, moved into cocktails and spirits, and now I talk about groceries. If you can eat it or drink it, I’ve probably written about it.
What I buy every week: Trader Joe’s dried okra. Appleton Farms prosciutto from Aldi. Some sort of Trader Joe’s cheese (I’m into the aged gouda at the moment). Frozen waffles (usually the Eggo Cinnamon Toast Minis). Spindrift water (loving the Cosmopolitan right now).
Favorite ranking: Smoked salmon. Imagine me as Scrooge McDuck but instead of coins I’m diving into a vault of slippery smoked salmon slices. Pure joy. I also found some real steals in that taste test!
Least favorite ranking: Canned oysters. I had such high hopes for this but it quickly became a chore. The kitchen smelled like an uncleaned aquarium.
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!
Justine Sterling
Vinz Karl
Will Morgan
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!