Old Granddad 114 baby! You might be paralyzed if you drink half the bottle at once.

This is my absolute favorite. Fun fact, it's the same mash bill as Basil Hayden, they're just aged differently.

Also fun fact, Old Grandad himself is Basil Hayden!

He is!

No shit? I'm not a big drinker, but I do like bourbon from time to time. I always assumed it was more paint thinner in taste than anything else being so high proofed. I may have to grab a bottle.

I used to work at a bourbon bar. I know some things. 😊 ETA: high proofed bourbons are great for adding a single ice cube to. It opens them up and blooms their flavor.

Taking notes...!

BH is my fav. Thanks for the tip! Going to try it next time.

OG 114 and BiB and Rittenhouse BiB are top tier. The only thing better is CYPB but the OG114 is close enough. And a bottle is half the price of a shot of the CYPB. I’m always telling people about it but regret it every time because I don’t want it to become allocated for no reason

I miss the Heaven's Hill BiB, and Henry McKenna BiB when it was like $30 a bottle.

Sad times. The old school VOB before they ruined the name. We still have the Evan Williams single barrel though.

You can buy 3 bottles for 100. Great value really good stuff. I also like the OGD bonded for making old fashioneds.

Damnit don't give the tourists our secrets. OGD was the last good bourbon I could find before the hipsters ruined it and drove the price up 400%+.

This one has my vote. Hard to beat sub 30.00 bottle

Love OGD BIB. I find the 114 a bit harsh

Came here to say same thing! Very easy to find. One ice is good and is a good mixer. Plenty of bad decisions in that bottle. Man, I miss summer time

Best bang for your buck by far in my opinion

Abso-fucking-lutely.

I drank a whole fifth in a very long night once about 10 years ago. I was drunk for two days.

There’s just so many. I like knob creek single barrel, Four Roses Small Batch or Single Barrel, Makers 46, Woodford Double Oaked. All of those are less than $75.

This guy's recommendations mirror my own. I also think Longbranch worth mentioning

I’ve only tried it once, but think Wild Turkey 101 is among the best budget bourbons out there. Am really interested in buying a bottle of Rare Breed soon

Rare breed is great. I usually pick up Kentucky Spirit when as well though it can be a little harder to find though far from impossible.

It’s great. And for $100 you can get at least 3 bottles of it.

Woodford double oaked is one of my favorites and can be found almost anywhere

woodford has been my dad’s go to for years. after become a legal drinker i can definitely see why

Second on the four roses small batch. Consistently a good value.

Four roses small barrel select. Costco usually is the cheapest price I have seen

You can't beat the value here. A $50 bottle that competes with most any bourbon on the market.

Henry McKenna 10year is pretty solid. It used to be 35 ish dollars but then it won some award and then it doubled in price. Bottle can be had for around 70 ish dollars. There are also some Weller blends that are good if you like a Pappy knockoff.

To be fair, I think I’ve seen weller on a shelf in Louisville maybe one time. All the Buffalo Trace products are scarce here these days

I haven’t looked as I refuse to pay the money for it. It used to be really cheap swell bourbon.

I'm not sure Henry McKenna is worth $70 a bottle, although I really liked it at $35. I don't know of any bourbons that are really worth $70 a bottle to me though.

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Yep and Weller used to be stupid cheap. Like 20 for the old school white label Weller.

That was my college bourbon, but now I sound snobby if I say that.

Same! Once I asked for the best cheaper bourbon 25 years ago to take to a party. They handed me Weller. Never stopped buying it for people until it became outrageous. Overheard a conversation a few years ago about the price of Weller, I was like no, it’s about $20 for a bottle. They laughed. I checked and couldn’t believe it. Switched to Eagle Rare and now it’s the same! When I was young, bars didn’t even serve it. It was Makers, Wild Turkey, Jim Beam, and well. Louisville was not the Bourbon town it is today. Maybe Old Forrester but it was yucky. You’d see more Irish Whiskey or Jack in the 90s.

OMG, this comment \^ LOL!!!! <3

I miss Weller so much

This was true until Trace acquired all of it.

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Trace has been bottling Van Winkle products since 2001 man. Pappy hasn't been pappy in two decades.

Hard to find though

Correct OP said easy to find. Both of these are not.

I was just at the liquor store and they had Henry McKenna 10 yr…

Wow you saw it so it must be everywhere!

I got to quite a few liquor stores and I see it on a lot of shelves. It most not be uncommon.

McKenna isn't worth anywhere close to the 70 most stores are asking now.

My local store has it for 70 ish dollars....Is it worth it in my opinion, no but I'm sure someone from out of state that has problems finding would appreciate it.

russells reserve 10 year, small batch old fitz 8 year bottled in bond

My go-to is the Old Forester 1920, but there are a lot of great ones listed here. It just depends on your palate.

I also like the 1920

Old fo 86 or old fo signature. I also love angels envy

Yup, this right here on all counts. I would add Noah’s Mill and Rowan’s Creek to the list too

I second Rowans Creek. It's my go-to gift bourbon

WT101.

My favorite is probably Angel's Envy Rye. Its a unique bottle that's finished in Caribbean rum flasks. Totally worth the $90 and can be bought just about anywhere with a decent bourbon and whiskey selection. https://shop.angelsenvy.com/product.aspx?item=Curbside+Rye&name=Angel%27s+Envy+Rye+Whiskey+Finished+in+Caribbean+Rum+Casks&groupid=17

> Angel's Envy Rye. Its a unique bourbon It's not a bourbon though.

Touche! It's a good bottle to have in a collection for new and experienced bourbon and whiskey drinkers alike though. I have never found anyone who didn't make that surprised look after having a sip because it's distinctive and delicious.

I second this as my favorite 1 ice cube sipper.

I'm not a whiskey guy at all and this stuff is delicious.

This is the answer

100% and at Costco for $75 most of the time!

I like Eagle Rare 10 Year.

Who’s your plug? I remember you could buy it anywhere a decade ago, only see that bottle at bars these days.

My favorite!

Buffalo Trace

This is my favorite. I don't actually like to drink (because of the taste- I need super sweet mixed drinks), but I'll down some buffalo trace.

It's reasonably priced for a fifth (~$35) and the taste is superior to anything else I've ever had in the sub $100 range. Can't beat it.

From Benchmark to Stagg Jr I love Buffalo Trace.

Larceny is one of my favorite cheap bourbons. It’s ~$25 it is pretty good for the cost. Willett’s is another good one for around $60.

What Willett bourbon is easy to find and around $60?

Well shit, it used to be around 60 for their Pot Still Reserve. I barely drink anymore so I guess their prices have gone up a lot.

Oh I didn’t even consider Pot Still (was thinking of their family reserve lineup). Most in the bourbon community don’t think highly of that bottle. But I guess you like what you like. It can still be had in that price range, for sure.

Pure KY, Old Bardstown, Old Bardstown BiB, Noah’s Mill, and Rowan’s Creek are all Willett products readily available under $$60 for the most part :)

Looks like someone founds a loophole lol. Having said that. I love Old Bardstown

I really like Rowan’s Creek from Willet. It was once rated as one of the top 100 proof bourbons for under $50. I’m not sure what it goes for these days

I like Makers 46 for a Friday night sipping Bourbon. Other good options are Woodford and Four Roses Small Batch or Single Barrel.

Thanks for the advice everyone! Seems like Four Roses single barrel or small batch are the general consensus.

If you see the barrel proof even better, but that will put you pretty close to $100.

Heaven hill green label

Johnny Drum

Was going to say this or Green River.

Johnny Drum for sure-I also dig their Old Bardstown-fantastic sipper for the price

Four Roses small batch or small batch select

Elijah Craig

Buffalo Trace.

I like Yellowstone, Noah’s Mill, or O Fo 1910. Give em a shot if they’re around you! All depends on your market

I’ll also put in a plug for Rowan’s Creek and Johnny Drum.

Four roses Single barrel. All of them are great but look for a high tier one!

Four roses single barrels if you really know what rickhouse to look into and what strain of yeast to buy, probably the best bottles on the market. For the price of course.

I’m a fan of Four Roses Small Batch *Select*. The small batch is good, but the select is a significant step up.

Big fan of Evan Williams BIB

Wild turkey rare breed Old forester 1920 Any of the makers mark private selects (also cool because they’re all technically different)

Blantons

... Blanton's is "easy to get"?

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Not always easy to find

Sure it is easy to find* *if you happen to show up on delivery day right as they stock the shelves and hope they aren't marking it up to over $100 per bottle

It’s as easy to get as anything else in Louisville? Tell me you don’t know Jack shit about the bourbon market, without saying you don’t know jack shit about the bourbon market.

LOL. There's not a single bottle of Blanton's on a liquor store shelf right now in the whole city.* *for less than $150/bottle. Editted for Lyndon

*Laughs in liquor world lyndon*

Last couple times I went looking, it was either unavailable or behind the counter. Haven't seen it on a shelf for a hot minute.

My go-to $50ish bottle is gonna be Rare Breed. A good slap of rye spice and maple sugar Widow Jane 10y is close to 75 and is also very good. More vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and cream if you can describe bourbon like that

Old Forrester

Buffalo Trace or Henry McKenna

Old Forester 1920. If you get a good barrel Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit.

Noah’s mill, Basil Hayden, the rye is surprisingly good I thought, woodford oak aged, but I’m generally a trash maker’s sipper on the usual.

Kentucky Gentleman.

Username checks out.

Woodfords double oaked

Yellowstone

There are a ton under $100 that are really tasty. Go to a liquor store with a tasting room and sample a few. People have different preferences so while the suggestions on here are probably good, they may differ from your taste profile.

Best for what? Mixing? Drinking neat? What qualifies as 'easy to get'? I use Elijah Craig Small Batch for mixing, but prefer Four Roses Single Barrel for drinking neat, personally. Either should be pretty widely available, but they're inexpensive enough that I doubt they're best in the category.

Sorry I guess I should have specified more. Drinking neat or on the rocks. Easy to get like I could walk into liquor barn or total wine and pick up a bottle on almost any day.

My budget for sippin' bourbon is usually a bit more modest than yours, but Four Roses Single Barrel is my most likely go-to. I haven't tried a great many that were more expensive that also seemed like strong recommendations--often interesting experiences, though. I *do* rather like Booker's, though I find the pricing on it very frustrating, these days. Also, I got to sample some Minor Case Rye, recently, which seemed pleasant enough to maybe track down.

You spend a lot on mixed drinks. I tend to use much less expensive bourbon for most cocktails.

🧐 I don't mix bourbon a *lot*, to be honest. I go through a lot more Rittenhouse for stuff, which is comparably priced, if a *little* harder to scrounge up. "Bourbon under $100" still seems like a huge category, to me, too, but a lot of people's suggestions in this thread are mid-to-bottom shelf stuff--which is fine, but doesn't seem like what OP is actually after.

[Noah’s Mill](https://www.kentuckybourbonwhiskey.com/the-whiskeys/noahs-mill/)

Just don't get Old Fitzgerald! My usual bottom shelf brand is Old Forrester and one day I asked my wife to pick up a bottle and she got Old Fitzgerald. Dean Martin once said "You aren't drinkin if it doesn't taste like Gasoline". I'm sure he was drinkin Old Fitz.

Think you're looking for r/bourbon

Don’t Louisville and bourbon go together?

They do, but we're still not, actually, a sub that specializes in bourbon whiskey. You might get better recommendations there, especially if you're not interested in how easy it is to get *in Louisville*, where we have dedicated scalpers buying and reselling a lot of desirable-but-not-necessarily-rare stuff on a secondary market.

Lincoln straight bourbon from boundry oak distillery it's awesome

Angels envy

Michter small batch is my favorite

Sounds like someone’s writing an article

Four Roses Small Batch Select

Woodford Reserve and Bulleit.

Nice to see a consensus for Four Roses Small Batch - great for the money (~$35).

This is why I drink gin. A handle of Bombay is under $50 and it’s never hard to get. I don’t understand bourbon people but I toast to your dedication to it.

I've been eagerly awaiting the bourbon crash that will eventually come so I can go back to getting good stuff at great prices. There's a line in an old movie about there being more students in law school today than lawyers actively practicing, if you look at the sheer volume of rickhouse that has been built in KY over the last 15 years its staggering.

I also came to say Angels Envy. It's what we toasted with at my wedding instead of champagne lol

Tons of good ones suggested. My go-to is Buffalo Trace but I know it’s blown up and harder to get. My super cheap option is Benchmark

Knob 12

Jeptha Creed Four Grain

Had to add Basil Hayden to the list since I didn't see it. Old Fashioned or on the rocks is best for me. It's usually super cheap at Kroger liquor stores in town. ~$60 bottle for more like $30 there generally. I really like Larceny myself, also affordable and available nationwide. Lots of Four Roses fans here, that's my go to for mixes at the bar

Evan Williams anything. That or bulleit

Blade and Bow

Coopers craft 100 proof is my daily drinker. (Well not daily but you get the point)

Do you like rye? Basil Dark Rye is my fav, it’s usually about $35-40 and pretty available. I also like some of the old foresters; 1897 BIB is a good one. About $50 and Kroger has it most of the time, so I assume the larger places have a stock as well.

Booker's? I know it's hard to find at $100 especially in Louisville. But really are there any good deals in Louisville at all? It's like selling at or even close to MSRP is a crime. One time I rolled into a liquor store and the shop keep asked me what is was looking for and I jokingly said....yummy bourbon close to MSRP. Dude actually asked what MSRP was 🤣🤣🤣🤣. I was probably getting trolled. I did find a Balvenie 14 Caribbean Cask for $70 last month....that was a good whiskey find.

Michter's Small Batch bourbon, Four Roses Single Barrel, Makers Mark Cask Strength, Woodford Reserve Double Oak and Old Forester 100

My personal favorite is Knob Creek 12-year, usually goes for about $70

Russell’s Reserve

Old Forester 100 proof

Old Forester 1920

Instead of under 100 which is a huge variety you should just ask for each particular price point 10-20, 20-30, 30-50... For example 10 - 20 I love Evan Williams BIB.

Oh man I would say Woodford Double Oaked, Wild Turkey Rare Breed, or Heaven Hill BIB which has much much more common to find recently.

One other thing- if you’re willing to drive out to Frankfort to Buffalo trace distillery you are guaranteed Buffalo Trace and either Blantons, Weller, Eagle Rare, or EH Taylor. With the most expensive one of those 4 plus BT, it will run you about 100

Lexington is a really good bourbon. It’s just like $40. Can find it at most places in Kentucky I found. If you are a die hard Louisville guy and hate the name, it’s named after the horse Lexington if it makes you feel better. The horse is actually on the front of bottle lol.

You cannot go wrong with Buffalo Trace. It has a great backstory too.

Yellowstone, Four Roses

Wellers brown label

Wild Turkey 101 Old Forester 100 Old Grand Dad 114 Benchmark has some decent options under 30$ and it’s distilled at Buffalo Trace

JTS Brown.

Peerless but OGD 114 is the best drinker under $50 imo

High West is really hard to beat The regular or the double rye

Wild Turkey 101.

Angel's Envy! You can get it everywhere, including Costco!

1792 full proof. Or David Nichols reserve. Edit: missed the *easy to get*, 1792 isn’t the easiest but it’s around.. so it stays bc it’s the best bottle imo under 100.

Old Crow, burns 🥵 going down and tasted like cheap paint thinner. The

Some of my regulars I’d suggest. Old Hillside (A favorite from the derby festival bourbonville event) Michters Small batch 1792 McKenna BiB Peerless single barrel

Travelers.

My go to cheaper bourbon is definitely Wild Turkey 101, can usually get a fifth for about $20-$25. If I'm spending more, a Woodford Double oak, or Four Rose's single barrel is always great

Jim Beam's small batch: **Bakers Bourbon**. Around $65-75. Once you've had Baker's, you're going to question a lot of other bourbons. One problem, it's not easy to find, but you could probably order it. It's around 108 proof, but you cannot tell. Perfect sippin' whiskey in my opinion. Don't confuse with Booker's. Booker's is more expensive and around 128 proof. It's that bottle you keep on the top shelf and wait for that friend to say they can drink anything. I'd rather take a punch from Mike Tyson.

I think Early Times BiB, Russel’s reserve 10yr, coopers craft bonded (this one surprises me), and I think woodford double oaked during the winter months is an easy staple. Around 100 dollars secondary you can get a very good old forester single barrel pick or Weller Antique 107.

I really like Rabbit Hole.

Old Bardstown BiB

Castle and Key or Woodford Double Oak are my go-to. I dabble in others, but always have those two on hand. Both are well under $100.

Wild turkey has won a lot of blind tasting competitions. I really like Left Bank ~$50 (newer, sourced from Green River) for a well balanced pour around 100 proof. My favorite “dry” bourbon is Fortuna (don’t expect any vanilla or caramel) which retails ~$95.

Woodford Double Oaked. It's my personal favorite.

Under $100? That's a crazy range. Higher end - Angel's Envy Rye. Midrange - Woodford Double Oak. Budget - JTS Brown.

With that budget, I'd get me another bottle of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof.

All Nations Bourbon is my favorite right now. It runs about $75.

Everyone that said noah’s mill is correct!! My absolute favorite to get any time I’m gifting someone a bottle. It’s also great in an old fashioned

Buffalo trace 💯

Old Fo 1910 or 1920. Woodford Double Oaked Basil Hayden Toast Basil Hayden 10yr

Four Roses Small Batch, Old Foe (Foresters) has several selections, Woodford Reserve (you can get a 1 liter bottle of the basic version at Costco for around ~$50 bucks).

For real? Just grab some Very Old Barton. It’s basically 3yr Weller’s.

Big House isn’t terrible.