When you hear the words “budget whiskey,” you may conjure up images of miniature bottles of Fireball Cinnamon Whisky at your local gas station. But fear not, my friend.

Drinking budget whiskey doesn’t mean you’re doomed to bottom-shelf whiskeys. There are plenty of whiskeys you can buy that are rich in flavor and texture – but are accessible to non-rich people like us. 

We’ve compiled a list of the 10 best budget whiskies available. Prices will vary depending on where you shop, but you can typically buy each selection on our list for under $50 – and many cost $30 or less. To choose the best budget whiskies, we considered not just the taste, but also the distiller’s reputation and consistency, the story behind the bottle and whether the selection is widely available in most of the U.S.

No matter what your poison, this list of the best cheap whiskies has something for you. Now, without further adieu, let’s break down the best budget whiskey.

Best Budget Rye Whiskey:

Rittenhouse Rye Bottled-in-Bond

Proof: 100

Typical price: $30

A rye whiskey is made primarily from rye grain. Rittenhouse Rye Bottled-in-Bond is a “barely legal’” rye in that its mash bill is 51% rye (the minimum to be classified as a rye), 37% corn and 12% malted barley. The higher corn content gives it a sweetness that balances the rye’s spice.

The “Bottled in Bond” means that it meets the strict standards of the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. The label signifies that a whiskey was made at a single distillery in a single distilling season, bottled at 100 proof and aged for at least four years.

The palate is bold with immediate bursts of spice, followed by warm flavors of caramel, honey and brown sugar with notes of dried fruit and cocoa. The mix of spice and sweetness make it a favorite among bartenders for classic cocktails, like a Manhattan. Its bold flavor and versatility makes it one of the best budget rye whiskies around.

Did you know? Don’t let the name fool you: Though it was named for Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia when it was introduced at the end of Prohibition, Rittenhouse has been made at Heaven Hill Distillery in the heart of Kentucky bourbon country since 1993. 

Best budget bourbon whiskey:

Buffalo Trace Straight Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey

Typical price: $29.99

Proof: 90

To be considered a bourbon, a whiskey must meet a host of criteria: It has to be made in the U.S. with at least 51% corn in the mash bill, aged in charred oak barrels for at least two years, and bottled at a minimum of 80 proof, just to name a few.

Buffalo Trace Straight Kentucky Bourbon is one of our favorite budget bourbons, with a price point of around $30. Though Buffalo Trace is hush-hush about its mash bill, online spirit sleuths say it’s likely between 75% to 90% corn – significantly higher than the 51% required for bourbons. The high concentration of corn makes it among the sweeter bourbons, but it still delivers a kick of spice.

For a budget bourbon, it goes down smooth and delivers fairly complex flavors, with notes of toffee, vanilla, dried fruit and oak. It’s perfect for sipping neat in a whiskey tumbler or Glencairn glass.

Did you know? Buffalo Trace also makes one of the most expensive top-shelf bourbons, the Double Eagle Very Rare, which ages for a minimum of 20 years. A bottle of the stuff will set you back about $5,500.

Best budget Scotch whisky:

Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

Typical price: $30

A Scotch whisky (yes, that’s whisky, not whiskey) must be distilled and aged in Scotland in oak casks for a minimum of three years. Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt Scotch Whisky is a great choice for a budget Scotch that doesn’t taste like cheap Scotch.

Made with a blend of three malts from Scotland’s Speyside region (the heart of Scotch-making country), it has a smooth and creamy texture and notes of vanilla, toffee, spiced oak and fruit marmalade. 

You can drink it neat, but it was created to be part of an old-fashioned cocktail. It also makes for a great Rob Roy cocktail, which is basically the Scotch equivalent of a Manhattan.

Did you know? The name “Monkey Shoulder” stems from a nickname given to the malt men who had to turn the barley by hand. The process often caused a shoulder strain that was said to make the arm hang down like a monkey’s, hence the Monkey Shoulder moniker.

Best budget Irish whiskey:

Powers Gold Label

Typical price: $35

Proof: 80

Irish whiskey must be aged for a minimum of three years in wooden casks in Ireland, per the Irish Whiskey Act. Jameson’s is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Irish whiskey, but we think Powers Gold Label deserves the title of best budget Irish whiskey. 

Though it’s a tad pricier than Jameson’s, retailing for about $35, Powers Gold Label is bolder and spicier than Jameson’s, with flavors of honey, cinnamon and white pepper, plus a hint of dried fruit. The rich flavors are the product of its single-pot still distilling process, which creates a more full-bodied, spicier whiskey.

The bold palette makes it a great choice for sipping neat or with a splash of water, but it can also make for a tasty addition to an Irish coffee.

Did you know? Powers Whiskey invented the first miniature spirits bottle and called it The Baby Power. The tiny bottles made it possible for customers to enjoy whiskey without splurging on a full bottle, plus it was easy to fit in a coat pocket.

Best budget Tennessee whiskey:

Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey

Typical price: $20

Proof: 80

Besides being made in Tennessee, a Tennessee whiskey must have a mash bill that’s at least 51% corn, be distilled at a minimum of 80 proof and undergo what’s known as the Lincoln County Process which involves filtering the whiskey through charcoal before it begins the aging process.

One of the best budget Tennessee whiskies is the tried-and-true Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7, which will only set you back about $20. It has the classic sweetness of a Tennessee whiskey, with notes of vanilla, caramel and toasted oak, plus a hint of smokiness from the charcoal filtering.

Drinking it straight or in a Jack & Coke are the obvious ways to drink it, but you can also mix things up by making a Jack & Ginger or a Jack Apple Fizz. 

Did you know? The Jack Daniel’s Distillery is located in a dry county in Tennessee. If you visit the Lynchburg, Tennessee distillery, you can buy a commemorative bottle (that happens to have whiskey inside).

Best budget Japanese whisky:

Suntory Whisky Toki

Typical price: $32

Proof: $86

Finding a good budget Japanese whisky is difficult for a number of reasons. Most distillers limit their production, but demand has surged as Japanese whisky has gotten global acclaim. But Suntory Whisky Toki fits the bill, available at many liquor stores for around $30.

It’s a blended whisky that combines malt and grain whiskies from all three of Suntory’s distilleries. The blend creates a silky texture with flavor notes of green apple, honey and white pepper.

The light, crispy flavor profile makes for a refreshing drink. It was created specifically for a highball, which is an incredibly popular drink in Japan.

Did you know? Suntory’s Yamazaki Distillery is the oldest in Japan, established in 1923, and is considered the birthplace of Japanese whisky.

Best budget Canadian Whisky:

Canadian Club 100% Rye Canadian Whisky

Typical price: $20

Proof: 80

The rules for Canadian whisky are a bit more relaxed compared to other types of whiskey: A Canadian whisky must be made from mashed and distilled cereal grains, age for three years in small wood in Canada, and contain at least 80 proof.

For the best budget Canadian whisky, look no further than Canadian Club 100% Rye Canadian Whiskey, which is typically priced around $20. The rye spice is balanced by sweet toffee and vanilla flavors with hints of dried fruit and a touch of oakiness.

Canadian Club 100% Rye has enough spice and depth to enjoy neat, but if the spice is too much, you could drink it on the rocks or add a drop or two of water. Considering that it was also the most commonly smuggled whisky during Prohibition, using it as the base for an old-fashioned is also fitting.

Did you know? Don Draper was frequently seen drinking Canadian Club on “Mad Men.”

Best budget single-cask whiskey:

Evan Williams Single Barrel

Typical price: $36

Proof: 86.6

A single-cask whiskey (or single-barrel whiskey) matures in only one barrel, which is said to create the purest and most unique expression. Single-barrel selections are often pricier than other whiskies – which is why Evan Williams Single Barrel gets our pick for best budget single-cask whiskey, as you can easily score a bottle in the mid-$30 range.

The palette includes rich notes of toffee, caramel, oak and honey, with hints of spice. It’s typically aged for seven to eight years, which gives it a bolder flavor than those with shorter aging periods.

The full-bodied, unadulterated flavors of single-barrel whiskies like Evan Williams Single Barrel are best experienced neat, though you can add an ice cube or a couple drops of water if you need to dilute things a bit.

Did you know? On every bottle of Evan Williams Single Barrel, you’ll find the barrel number, date of barreling and date of bottling on the back label.

Best budget small-batch whiskey: 

Larceny Small Batch Bourbon

Typical price: $29

Proof: 92

Small-batch bourbons are produced in limited quantities, often made by hand and focus on high quality. Not surprisingly, the high quality often translates to high prices. But you can snag a bottle of our pick for best budget small-batch whiskey for less than $30.

Larceny Small-Batch Bourbon is a wheated bourbon, which means that the rye in a typical bourbon mash bill is replaced with wheat, giving it a softer, sweeter flavor. The palette has flavors of honey, toffee and buttery caramel with a touch of oak.

The sweetness makes it a great digestif, i.e., an after-dinner drink, to sip on neat, on the rocks, or with a drop or two of water.

Did you know? The name Larceny is in honor of John E. Fitzgerald, a bonded Treasury agent who used his access to distillery warehouses to steal loads of bourbon. 

Best budget cask-strength whiskey:

Wild Turkey Rare Breed Bourbon

Typical price: $49

Proof: 116.8

If a whiskey is cask-strength, that means it wasn’t diluted with water during the distilling process. The alcohol by volume (ABV) is higher as a result, and the flavors tend to be stronger. You’ll usually pay more for a cask-strength bourbon due to the higher alcohol concentration, the quality of the product and the longer aging process. So it’s no surprise that Wild Turkey Rare Breed, our pick for the best budget cask-strength whiskey, is the most expensive bottle on this list.

Wild Turkey Rare Breed is made from a blend of 6-, 8- and 12-year-old bourbons. No water is added during the distilling process. The taste is a complex mix of bold vanilla, brown sugar, buttery toffee, spiced oak and a hint of leather, with the 116.8 delivering an extra punch of spice.

You can use Wild Turkey Rare Breed to mix a strong cocktail if you’d like, but it’s truly meant to be sipped straight.

Did you know? Wild Turkey once made a job offer to a turkey pardoned at Thanksgiving by then-President Barack Obama. No word on whether the bird accepted.