There are many sides to the bourbon equation. On one side you have the unicorn bottles that drinkers rarely stumble upon and are often marked up far beyond their sticker prices. On another, you have value bottles that are perfect for mixing your favorite cocktail. Let’s not forget the mid-range bottles, the bottom shelf dwellers, and the straight sippers that you can pour on the rocks or drink neat.
In other words, the bourbon world is complex and varied. There’s usually something for every level of whiskey drinker (often at a wide range of price points).
Today, we’re turning our attention to value bourbons that are also considered “mellow.” These are the bourbons that are affordable but don’t burn from nose to finish. Or, you know… bourbons that actually taste good but won’t break the bank like those aforementioned unicorns.
In an effort to help you stock your home bar cart for the foreseeable future, we’ve asked some of our favorite bartenders to tell us their go-to value bourbons (they’re all under $50) based on mellow, easy-drinking nature alone. Keep scrolling to see their picks.
Alejandro Mendoza, restaurant and bar manager at Hotel SLO in San Luis Obispo, California
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $24
Why This Whiskey?
Buffalo Trace Bourbon is the absolute best bang for your buck. High corn in the mash gives it a smoothness unlike any other. It’s great on its own, but perfect to mix with. It’s a personal favorite of our hotel GM as well as my base spirit for most of my whiskey-based cocktails.
Lewis Caputa, lead bartender at Rosina Cocktail Lounge in Las Vegas
ABV: 45.2%
Average Price: $35
Why This Whiskey?
Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon is hard to beat. This is my standard go-to when it comes to mellow value bottles. I am a fan of chocolate and vanilla when I have bourbon and the notes that this bourbon has are second to none.
Zak Reynolds, bartender at The Harper in Fort Worth, Texas
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $48
Why This Whiskey?
I’m into the TX Bourbon from Firestone & Robertson. While you get the tobacco and leather initially, if you add a splash of water, it’s like the whole thing turns into a delicious pillow for your body. It’s definitely hard to beat for the price.
Tim Foley, general manager of Edera Italian Eatery in St. Louis
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $24
Why This Whiskey?
Old Forester 86 is my favorite everyday bourbon. I love the oak and vanilla notes and really enjoy the spiciness it pulls from the rye in the mash bill. It’s great by itself or mixed and without the guilt on a Tuesday night.
Lee Noble, mixologist at Art in the Age in Philadelphia
ABV: 43.3%
Average Price: $28
Why This Whiskey?
Off the top of my head, Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage is a great value and surprisingly silky and chocolatey. It’s surprisingly cheap for such a high-quality, mixable, sippable expression.
Subhash Sankar, head mixologist at Alaia Belize in San Pedro Town, Belize
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $29
Why This Whiskey?
Bulleit Bourbon is my pick. The bourbon is made from a mash that’s about two-thirds corn and one-third rye. Medium amber in color, with gentle spiciness and sweet oak aromas. The mid-palate is smooth with tones of maple, oak, and nutmeg. The finish is long, dry, and satiny with a light toffee flavor.
Robert McCarthy, bartender at Seven Square Taproom in San Francisco
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $21
Why This Whiskey?
Old Forrester 100 is my go-to bourbon. It has great tobacco, leather, oak, and vanilla notes. It doesn’t drink like a 100-proof whiskey. It’s mellow and very easy to sip.
Mark Phelan, beverage director of 16″ On Center in Chicago
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $15
Why This Whiskey?
Evan Williams Black Label is my favorite bang-for-your-buck bourbon. At 43 percent ABV, it’s softer on the palate but still has great flavor for sipping neat all for a price that’ll have your wallet smiling back at you.
John “Fitzy” Fitzpatrick, spiritual advisor at Warren American Whiskey Kitchen in Delray, Florida
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $22
Why This Whiskey?
Old Grand-Dad (both the 80 and 100 proof) is still a spirit that often gets scoffed at by whiskey newbies but is revered by those that have tasted endless amounts of bourbon. There is something about this bourbon’s bold, sweet but nicely balanced flavor profile that blows me away every time I consider it’s a “cheap” whiskey.
I almost don’t want anyone else to know how good this bourbon is. Let’s keep it to ourselves.
Ally O’Keefe, Bartender at The Bower in New Orleans
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $25
Why This Whiskey?
Larceny has a lot of complexity and backbone to it. Flavors of crème brûlée, butterscotch, and baking spice are balanced by notes of charred oak and black pepper. It’s a great sipping bourbon, and the higher proof and bold palate make it stand out in cocktails where some other value bourbons might get lost.
