From the Top 5 bourbons $25-$50 list...

Claiming the top spot as best bourbon under $50 is Michter's Small Batch. Michter's has a long and storied history as a whiskey brand.  Beginning in Pennsylvania in 1753, it operated until 1990, minus the time it had to close for prohibition.  At the time of its closing in 1990, it was the oldest distillery in the country.  The brand was revived in the mid 2010's and they officially opened the Fort Nelson Distillery in Louisville, KY in 2019.  The "US*1" on the bottles represents Michter's claim as the county's first whiskey company.  And while you may be familiar with their spectacular limited releases: 10-year-old bourbon and rye, Toasted Barrel finishes, and 20+ year age statement bottles, you really need to check out their everyday lineup of US*1 bourbon and rye.  This bourbon is truly a small batch, with only 20-ish barrels blended in each batch.  

Stats: NAS (supposedly 8 yrs); 79% Corn, 11% Rye, 10% Malted Barley; 91.4 Proof; $45

Verdict:  During the blind tasting there was one glass that stood out to me as "different." It tasted older and had some uniqueness to it.  Turns out, it was this bourbon.  While the overall rankings were close, this one had the defining characteristics to make it the best.  There's an interesting cedar note on the nose and palate that balanced with the sweet brown sugar and caramel sweetness makes for a delicious combination.  You get hints of leather, dark fruits, and toasted sweet oak.  The finish will be appealing to the masses.  It's medium to long with very little burn but leaves behind some spice, oak, and leather that are warming without melting your insides.  

So there you have it!  The best bourbons you can buy under $50 right now (majorly allocated products excluded.)  Now go out and buy each of these and set up your own blind tasting and let me know what your results are!  Comment on this post, DM me on Instagram, or shoot me an email! (bourbon.stash@gmail.com).