Ranking the 10 Highest-Selling American Whiskeys From Worst to Best

If you’re interested in getting into whiskey but aren’t sure quite where to start, you’re probably going to want to pick up a bottle that meets the following criteria:

• Affordable: If you’re new to whiskey, there’s no reason to spend an arm and a leg on a nice bottle. What you’re looking for is bang for your buck. Wait to drop serious money on whiskey until you’ve tasted the basics and really think you’ll appreciate a higher-quality bottle.
• Relatively low ABV: This may seem counterintuitive, since whiskey connoisseurs typically seek out medium- to high-proof whiskeys, but for beginners, high-ABV whiskeys are tough to palate. You’re probably going to want something that’s in the 40%-45% ABV to start off with.

Fortunately, many of America’s most popular whiskeys meet those criteria. In this article, we’re going to present the top 10 most American whiskeys — per Drinks International — and rank them from worst to best, to give you an idea of which affordable, easily accessible bottles you should start with — and which you can pass on.

The rankings are determined by each bottle’s Raided Score® — a score calculated by Bottle Raiders based on the scores given to a particular spirit by reviewers across the internet.

10. Jim Beam White Label

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Coming at last place on this list is Jim Beam’s flagship product. Beam makes some great products, but this isn’t one of them, with its thin palate and underwhelming finish. It’ll do just fine in a so-so bourbon and coke or similar mixed drink, but as far as a neat sipper, you can do better. On the bright side, it’s dirt cheap, with an average price of $19, according to Wine-Searcher.

9. Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey

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Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 has a faithful following of drinkers across America. It undergoes the traditional Lincoln County Process — during which the whiskey is filtered through charcoal — which Tennessee distillers claim makes their whiskeys smoother.

Jack Daniel’s No. 7 isn’t anything special if you’re looking for a neat whiskey to sip, but it is an improvement over Jim Beam White Label, despite also being bottled at the minimum 40% ABV. Jack’s flagship whiskey has a sweet profile full of banana, honey and vanilla.

Old No. 7 sells for an average price of $28, according to Wine-Searcher.

8. Evan Williams Black Label

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Bottled at 43% ABV, Evan Williams Black Label is a slight uptick from the first two bottles on the list, but still not exactly top of the line. Still, for a low-proof bourbon, you could do worse.

7. Bulleit Bourbon

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Bulleit Bourbon is a rock-solid bottle that’s very popular among bartenders. It sells for a slightly higher average price than the first two bottles on this list — $31 — but it adds a bit of ABV, with a 5% bump over Jack Daniel’s and Jim Beam.

Bulleit Bourbon has notes of caramel, honey, pepper, clove and faint tobacco on the nose. The palate presents some youthful character, along with corn, honey and some pepper. The finish is quick with toffee, vanilla, pepper and faint mustiness.

6. Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon

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With its elevated proof (101) and balanced flavor prof1ile, Wild Turkey 101 is one of the very best bang-for-your-buck bottles. It has an average price of $26, according to Wine-Searcher. Whether you’re ordering a shot in a bar or want to make a reasonably priced Old Fashioned at home, Wild Turkey 101 is considered an old reliable by many bourbon fans.

With its cinnamon- and vanilla-filled flavor profile, Wild Turkey 101 has a cult following for good reason.

5. Michter’s US*1 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon

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Bottled at 45.7% ABV, you can’t go wrong with the entry-level bourbon from Michter’s, which has been named the World’s Most Admired Whiskey Brand for two years running.

Michter’s US*1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon isn’t particularly complex of a pour, but it’s an approachable sipper that you can enjoy neat or in a cocktail. The proof isn’t as aggressive as a Wild Turkey 101, but it’s stronger than your Jim Beam White Labels or Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7s of the world, making it a nice middle-ground bottle.

The only downside here is the price. This bottle’s average price of $48, according to Wine-Searcher, is fairly steep, and you can find better bottles if you’re willing to step toward the $50 range. Hell, you could pick up two bottles of Wild Turkey 101 for about the same price.

4. Buffalo Trace Bourbon

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Buffalo Trace has become America’s most coveted and rarified distilleries, thanks to labels like Blanton’s, Van Winkle, Eagle Rare and Stagg. Yet, the standard Buffalo Trace Bourbon, which is very solid, is still readily available in many areas, and at a good price — $34 on average, per Wine-Searcher.

As far as entry-level bourbons go, it’s hard to beat Buffalo Trace, which has notes of vanilla, cinnamon, butterscotch and caramel.

3. Four Roses Bourbon

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Despite its minimal ABV of 40%, critics agree that Four Roses packs impressive flavor into its flagship bottling. And with an average price of $21, per Wine-Searcher, this is one of the cheaper bourbons you’ll find.

2. Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon

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This is the flagship bourbon from Woodford Reserve, the distillery synonymous with the Kentucky Derby. Bottled at 45.2% ABV, this bourbon sells for an average price of $39, according to Wine-Searcher. If you taste this bottle and enjoy it, we recommend you next try Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, which takes this bourbon and finishes it in a separate new charred oak barrel after the initial aging period. With that said, the standard Woodford Bourbon is great also.

1. Rittenhouse Rye Bottled-In-Bond

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A bartender staple across the U.S., this Heaven Hill product is the perfect rye whiskey to go into your Manhattan, Old Fashioned or other whiskey-based cocktail. It’s perfectly proofed at 50% ABV and balances sweetness and spice very well thanks to its low-rye mashbill of 51% rye, 37% corn and 12% malted barley. Plus, with a suggested retail price of just $25, it’s affordable.