7 Cheap Bourbons That Still Aren't Worth It
Cheap Doesn't Always Mean a Deal
The budget bourbon shelf is a minefield. While genuinely great value bottles do exist — think Benchmark, Evan Williams Black Label, or Four Roses Yellow — a surprising number of cheap bourbons are cheap for a reason. Common offenders share familiar flaws: thin mouthfeel, an overwhelming ethanol burn, artificial sweetness, and a finish that disappears before it begins. Some are so lacking in aging or character that even mixing them into a cocktail yields little reward. The seven bottles below represent the bottom of the barrel — bottles where even the low price tag doesn't justify the pour.
Old Crow: A Historic Name, A Hollow Bottle
Old Crow carries one of bourbon's most storied names — the brand traces back to Dr. James C. Crow, the Scottish chemist who pioneered the sour mash process in the 1830s and counted Ulysses S. Grant and Mark Twain among its admirers. What's in the bottle today, however, is a different story entirely. Now distilled at Jim Beam, it's aged a mere three years, and reviewers consistently describe the nose as sparse and ungenerous, with minimal oak influence and a harsh grain note. The palate is thin and grainy, reduced to what one reviewer called "bourbon's minimum viable expression," with a fleeting warmth that vanishes almost immediately. For a brand with that pedigree, its decline from America's finest to its cheapest is genuinely hard to swallow. Buy it now!
Kentucky Gentleman: No Gentleman in the Glass
Kentucky Gentleman markets itself as bourbon, but the label tells a more complicated story. The product is actually a blend of 51% bourbon and 49% grain neutral spirits, meaning it doesn't qualify to be labeled as straight bourbon. That distinction matters enormously on the palate — the sip is light and artificial, tasting like watered-down bourbon with something else added in. On the nose, you get faint mint and baking spices, while the finish is short and unbalanced, with medicinal vodka and whiskey notes fighting each other for prominence. At around $10, it earns its low price, but there is genuinely no reason to choose it over better-value bottles at the same price point. Buy it now!
Fighting Cock: Big Proof, Broken Promise
Fighting Cock has a built-in appeal on paper: a 103-proof bourbon from Heaven Hill for under $20, originally designed as a direct competitor to Wild Turkey 101. For years, it carried a six-year age statement that gave the high proof real backbone and personality. But in 2015, Heaven Hill dropped that age statement entirely, and the bourbon suffered significantly as a result. Without the age, the profile became one-dimensional — reviewers note that for a 103-proof whiskey, the lack of flavor is genuinely surprising. The finish ends abruptly without fanfare, leaving drinkers with little more than a drying oak bitterness that doesn't reward the heat it took to get there. Buy it now!
Two Stars: Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
Two Stars Bourbon takes its name from the municipal flag of Louisville, Kentucky, but the name has become something of a self-fulfilling prophecy given the review scores it routinely earns. It lacks any distinctive character that helps bourbon stand out from competitors, and reviewers consistently describe it as having no personality at all. The aroma is subdued and unremarkable, and while there are faint hints of honey on the palate, the overall texture is thin and underwhelming. Even using it as a mixer fails to save it, because its lack of body means there isn't enough whiskey flavor to contribute anything meaningful to a cocktail. It is a bourbon that manages to disappoint in every context you try it.
Hayes Parker: The Aging Problem in a Bottle
Hayes Parker Bourbon is labeled simply as "bourbon whiskey" rather than "straight bourbon whiskey" — a small distinction that signals a significant problem. Without the "straight" designation, the spirit has not been confirmed to meet the minimum two-year aging requirement, and that immaturity is immediately apparent from the first nosing. The aroma delivers a sharp initial hit of oak alongside an overpowering ethanol presence that can burn the nostrils, with very little else behind it. On the palate, it is thin and underpowered, delivering a light corn sweetness but nothing resembling the balance or depth found in better inexpensive bottles. Even when mixed, its lack of richness means it contributes almost no meaningful flavor to a drink.
Ten High: Flavored Additives, Forgotten Quality
Ten High is produced by Barton 1792 Distillery, but unlike its stablemate Kentucky Gentleman, it goes a step further in its label honesty — it is classified as "bourbon whiskey with natural flavors," a phrase that confirms a lack of sufficient aging and the use of additives to compensate. That immaturity dominates the nose, which is driven by young grain with only a thin presence of caramel and vanilla. The added flavors make the palate feel artificial rather than earned, and the overall profile lacks the richness you find in genuinely affordable competitors like Benchmark or Evan Williams. It sits in an uncomfortable no-man's land: too sweet and processed to appeal to serious bourbon drinkers, yet not bold enough in flavor to function well in cocktails. Buy it now!
Old Grand-Dad 80 Proof: Leave This One for the Medicine Cabinet
Old Grand-Dad has a legitimate family within its lineup — the Bonded and 114-proof expressions offer real rye-forward character at a fair price. The standard 80-proof entry-level release, however, is a different product entirely and has drawn consistent criticism. At a lowered proof, the high-rye mash bill that makes the brand interesting at higher bottling strengths instead produces a long-lasting acetone burn with very little flavor behind it. At roughly $15, the price is low, but reviewers note it tastes closer to medicine than bourbon, combining a harsh chemical quality with almost no redeeming sweetness or depth. If you want to explore the Old Grand-Dad range, skip this version entirely and spend a few dollars more on the Bonded expression.
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