Updated May 2026.
Bottom shelf is a price lane, not a legal class. Cheap bourbon still must be at least 51% corn, new-charred oak, and 80 proof or higher. A 1.5-ounce 80-proof pour is one NIAAA drink; Evan Williams Black commonly prints 86 proof — read that neck. This is not a 2022 ranking or a 2026 price list.
Bonded cheap bottles (100 proof, 4 years, one DSP) are a tighter federal strip, not “worse.” Related: cheap bourbon, bourbon under $30, bonded bourbon.
What the cheap bay actually holds
| Lane | Typical bottles | Drink math |
|---|---|---|
| 80-proof grocery | Jim Beam White, Old Crow, Ancient Age | 1.00 / 1.5 oz |
| ~86 proof black label | Evan Williams Black (confirm) | ~1.08 if 43% |
| Bonded value | Evan Williams BiB, Old Grand-Dad Bonded | 1.25 |
| Not a legal type | “Bottom shelf” on a menu | Price, not TTB |
A 1.75 L 80-proof handle is about 39.5 drinks. Four Beam pours are four drinks. NIAAA binge pattern is a health line, not a target. No invented MSRP. Pour math: whiskey drinks.
Sources
- 27 CFR 5.143 bourbon; 5.88 bonded.
- Evan Williams Black 86 proof is common US labeling, read the bottle.
- Named bottles are distribution examples. NIAAA December 2025.
- (27 CFR 5.143)