Best Cheap Bourbon Under $20

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credit: merc / total wine / walmart

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I was nervous when we sat down for our cheap bourbon taste test. I’ve had plenty of cheap bourbon—I lived in Brooklyn for my entire 20s (humble brag). So, believe me, I’ve had lots of cheap bourbon shots (often chased with pickle juice and a bottle of High Life because I was a #hipster). And I can’t say I would have wanted to sip any of those cheap bourbons. But after trying 11 bottles of cheap bourbon, I am happy to say that a few of them are genuinely good. Like, drink-them-straight-no-chaser-needed good. 

What we looked for in the best cheap bourbons: 

  • Smoothness: The worst thing about cheap bourbon is that often it’s hard as heck. While good cheap bourbon should still leave you with a warm feeling in your chest, it shouldn’t sear your vocal chords as it slides down your throat. 
  • Flavor: Good cheap bourbon should actually taste like bourbon. That means some vanilla-tinged oaky notes (bourbon is aged in new oak barrels, so that oak is a signature flavor). 
  • Under $20: When we say we’re looking for the best cheap bourbon we mean cheap. We were looking for the best cheap bourbon under $20. And most of the bottles we found are well under that mark. 

Here’s the best bourbon we tasted, whether you’re looking for something to accompany your bottle of Miller High Life, something to slowly sip on, or something to mix into a great whiskey cocktail. 

Best Bourbon Whiskey Under $20

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Crow 86 Bourbon

Best Cheap Bourbon for Shots

Crow 86 Bourbon
Total Wine

While you definitely get a bite upon first sip, that mild harshness is quickly followed by a delightful flavor of stone-fruity sweetness—peaches, nectarines, what have you. And it finishes light— almost like an Irish whiskey. It goes heavy on the grain flavor rather than the oak—though there’s still enough of that in here to remind you you’re drinking a bourbon. Our tasting panel liked the nostalgia of this cheap bourbon—it reminded us of the best case scenario in a dive bar.

Credit: Merc / Total Wine

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Rebel 100 Bourbon

Best Cheap Bourbon for Cocktails

Rebel 100 Bourbon
Total Wine

The most expensive cheap bourbon on this list, you can feel good about paying close to $20 because, at 100 proof, you really get your bang for your buck. Or should I say your burn for your buck. This bourbon burns in the best way. And that extra alcohol makes it the best cheap bourbon for cocktails—the extra heat will help it stand up to other bold flavors. You get a lot of sweet, concentrated bourbon flavor up front and some pleasant cereal flavors on the finish. I love how it tingles on your tongue. I took this bottle home.

Credit: Merc / Total Wine

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Stedman’s Bourbon

Best Cheap Bourbon to Drink on Ice

Stedman’s Bourbon
Walmart

This is Walmart brand bourbon. It is cheap. And it is surprisingly quite good. It’s light and gentle with some peach ring flavors up front, followed by candied tangerine. During our taste test, we likened it to a not-super-sweet Old Fashioned in a bottle. You can pour this Walmart brand bourbon over ice and gulp it right on down. It’s practically the definition of easy drinking.

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Evan Williams Bourbon

Best Oaky Flavor

Evan Williams Bourbon
Total Wine

Essentially the opposite of Stedman’s, Evan Williams bourbon is rich, tangy, and thick with salted caramel flavor. This is a classic basic bourbon. If you’re looking for a standard, cheap bourbon to keep around the house—this is a no-brainer. It’s available pretty much everywhere and it’s way better than Jim Beam.

Credit: Merc / Total Wine

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Trader Joe’s Kentucky Bourbon

Best Cheap Bourbon to Sip Straight

Trader Joe’s Kentucky Bourbon
Trader Joe’s

If you shop at Trader Joe’s, this is the cheap bourbon whiskey you should be buying—NOT the Tennessee bourbon. That one is oddly sour. This one, on the other hand, is so good. It’s almost grassy—like you’re drinking a Kentucky bluegrass field. It’s light and easy and sweet. This is the best bourbon under $20 to drink straight, in my opinion, but I know from experience it’s also killer in a Manhattan. 

Credit: Merc / Trader Joe’s

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Old Grand-Dad Bourbon

Best of the Best

Old Grand-Dad Bourbon
Total Wine

Before we even started our taste test, guest taste tester Emily Fleming gave this cheap bourbon whiskey a shout out, saying this was her bourbon of choice. Well, it turns out she’s right. This is wildly easy to drink, with classic notes of baking spices and vanilla. It’s super smooth with a mild, pleasant burn that reminds you you’re alive. It’s not putting on any airs and it’s not trying to impress you with its packaging. But that’s what we want out of the best bourbon under $20.

Credit: Merc / Total Wine

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Other cheap bourbons we tried: 

Samuel Grant Bourbon Whiskey, Jim Beam Sunshine Blend, Trader Joe’s Tennessee Bourbon Whiskey, Jim Beam Bourbon, 75 South

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About the Author

Justine Sterling

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.