5 bottles of budget booze to buy now

Looking for quality spirits at swill prices? From third party-manufactured house brands to underpriced hidden gems, here are some first-rate options that won’t break the bank.

1. Great King Street Glasgow Blend
Scotch is expensive. This smoky, peaty, blended bottle from Compass Box is a tasty and economical intro to the heavier flavors of Islay.
$35. Lukas Wine & Spirits, 15678 Manchester Road, Ellisville, 636.227.4543 

2. El Dorado 5-Year Rum
Made in wood stills in Guyana, this rum is way cheaper than it should be. Five years in used bourbon barrels produces a panoply of flavor notes from dried fruit to caramel.
$20. Randall’s Wine & Spirits, various locations 

3. Trader Joe’s The Art of The Still Organic Gin
Not as juniper-forward as a London dry, TJ’s martini-worthy New Western-style gin is clean, crisp and citrusy.
$14. Trader Joe’s, various locations 

4. Trader Joe’s Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Sweet and floral with just a touch of smoke and leather, this whiskey is aged in oak for eight years.
$25. Trader Joe’s, various locations 

5. Schnucks Private Stock Bourbon
A 100-proof high-rye bourbon sourced from a well-regarded distillery on Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail, this house brand unicorn strikes a delicious balance between boozy, spicy and smooth.
$13. Schnucks, various locations

Matt Sorrell is staff writer at Sauce Magazine.