Let’s get these rankings for the Top 5 bourbons under $50 kicked off! Before revealing the top 5, I want to highlight those that didn’t make it, in no particular order. The reason being, NONE of these are bad in any sense and are deserving of a highlight. This was a very rigorous tasting and it came down to splitting hairs in many cases. You should definitely explore them all as your preference may be different.  Don't forget - taste is subjective and while you should certainly use these rankings to help your decision-making, it's not an exact science and still an opinion at the end of the day. 

First up is Bulleit 10 year old. 

Stats: 10 Years Old; 68% Corn, 28% Rye, 4% Malted Barley; 91.2 proof; $44

Verdict: This is classic bourbon. This is one you pour when you want a true bourbon to sip on, that’s not going to melt your face off, and you don’t have to think about it. You'll notice the mashbill is a bit odd.  There's such a low amount of Malted Barley which generally indicates you'll get more spice from the rye as the barley mellows it out often.  But that's not the case here.  There are the traditional oak and vanilla notes that dominate.  You may notice some light leather, citrus, fruits and there is definitely pepper spice but not overbearing at all.  This is great for social settings or relaxing alike. Imagine you're outside on your porch at the end of a nice breezy fall day.  There's a little chill in the air.  You're relaxed and enjoying the serenity of the moment.  You have a glass of bourbon in your hand that you slowly sip on as you engage in conversation with family or friends.  You're not sipping the bourbon to review it, try to see what kind of flavors are there, or even really think about it at all.  It's merely a cog in the wheel of an undeniably pleasant evening.  The bourbon in that glass would be Bulleit 10 year old.  The other bottles in the tasting delivered more developed and/or complex flavor profiles that kept this off the list but it's one I certainly enjoy!