The 100 Best Bourbons Under $100 Right Now, Ranked

There’s a lot of bourbon out there, folks. There’s so much that while compiling this list I kept thinking of new bottles that I had to add to the point that I had to cut bourbons from this list to keep it at 100 freaking entries. Barrel proof, special oak finishes, bottled in bonds, small batched, single barrels, limited editions, Jack Daniel’s, Jim Beam, Wild Turkey, Maker’s Mark … they’re all here. But there’s just so much more on the shelf that I don’t blame you for a second if you’re baffled about where to start.

I guarantee that within ten minutes of posting this, someone will point out something I missed. Here’s the crazy thing — even with all my tastings and access to the industry and judging titles, they may very well be right.

So what’s on this list exactly? I think I clearly established “not everything.” Also, I’ve added the parameter of under $100. For the passive, passionate, or new bourbon drinker, that’s a good place to start in that almost all of these bourbons are relatively easy to find and priced below that right now. Yes, some of these bottles are going to go up in price but that doesn’t change the fact that you can find and buy, say, the new 2023 Booker’s for $97 today (by Christmas, it’ll be $250). By the same token, just because something is $99, it doesn’t mean it’s better than something that costs $50, as this list will prove.

As you scroll down, you’ll see that there’s a true bourbon sweet spot between $30 and $70. A lot of bottles land there.

Big disclaimer here. I’m not listing bottles of bourbon that have an MSRP of, say, $40 or $99 that you’ll never, ever be able to find for that price. That means that an Old Rip Van Winkle 10-Year-Old that is supposed to cost $69 but costs $1,000 in the real world is not listed below. Trust me, I’ve heard all the arguments and recriminations about the retail price hikes on what should be affordable booze. But they’re almost always based on fantasy. Bourbon expressions — like cars, art, watches, and shoes — are part of a winner take all economy and the best of the best is going to cost you. That means that amazing bottles of Pappy, E.H. Taylor, Jack Daniel’s, and many others with reasonable MSRPs but massively inflated retail prices are not listed below.

Okay, let’s dive in and find you a great whiskey under $100 to add to your bar cart right now. Read those tasting notes, find the bottle(s) that speak to you, and hit those price links to see if you can find them in your neck of the woods!

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• Every Single Buffalo Trace Whiskey & Spirits Brand, Ranked

100. Old Grand-Dad 114 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 57%

Average Price: $27

The Whiskey:

Hailing from the Jim Beam stills and warehouses, this “Old” whiskey is a fan favorite. The whiskey is from Jim Beam’s high rye mash bill. The hot juice is then matured until it’s just right. The barrels are blended, the whiskey is just touched with water to bring the proof down, and it’s bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Vanilla tobacco meets hints of rye spiciness with a dose of caramel and old oak on the nose.

Palate: The palate holds onto that rye spice as notes of cherry and oak dominate the vanilla and toffee sweetness.

Finish: The end returns to the spice with a chewy tobacco edge that lingers for a short time but leaves you wanting more.

Bottom Line:

This has a nice warmth to it that’s lightly spicy, which makes it a fun “beer and a shot” whiskey. It also works really well in a highball application with some bitters, ginger ale, and orange. Overall, it’s just a quality bourbon at a great price (which is going to be a theme on this list).

99. Evan Williams Bottled-In-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $16

The Whiskey:

Look, Heaven Hill makes great whiskey, especially inexpensive bottled in bonds. This “b-i-b” is tailored for the Evan Williams flavor profile. Still, this is Heaven Hill, so we’re talking about the same mash bill, same warehouses, and same blending team as beloved bourbons like Elijah Craig and Heaven Hill releases. This is simply built to match a higher-end Evan Williams vibe.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a lovely nose at play with soft taco mix spice next to creamy vanilla, caramel-dipped cherries, a hint of pear skins, and plenty of nutmeg.

Palate: The palate has a minor note of cornbread muffins next to cherry-vanilla tobacco with a dash of leather and toffee.

Finish: The end leans into some fresh gingerbread with a vanilla frosting next to hints of pear candy cut with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Bottom Line:

This is classic, cheap bourbon that actually tastes good. You’re not going to have your socks blown off by this one, but it will be very satisfying. This is a bourbon lover’s bourbon at an amazing price point.

98. Filmland Spirits Moonlight Mayhem! Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $63

The Whiskey:

This new brand blends the worlds of Hollywood B-movies and Ohio Valley whiskey-making in one brand. The Indiana whiskey is made from a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley. Those whiskeys aged four to five years before they’re sent to Kentucky for batching and bottling with a touch of that limestone water.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Orange oils and cherry pie dominate the nose with mild hints of Saigon cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove next to a rush of caramel and maple syrup sweetness next to a hint of oak.

Palate: The taste opens sweet with more of that caramel leading to a lush vanilla base accented by cherry tobacco and cinnamon bark — in short, a classic bourbon palate.

Finish: The end gets creamy and soft with a sense of salted toffee and chocolate-covered espresso beans next to toasted tobacco and old oak.

Bottom Line:

This is a really cool bottle with a really good bourbon inside. Sometimes that’s enough.

97. Clyde May’s Special Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 55%

Average Price: $80

The Whiskey:

This whiskey is sourced from an “undisclosed” distillery in Indiana (cough, cough, MGP, cough, cough). It’s aged for about three years and proofed a tad before bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Spice and wet brown sugar mix on the nose with a sense of apple crumble with plenty of butter and maybe a little too much clove and allspice.

Palate: The palate has a sense of savory fruit (think cantaloupe) with black peppercorns, pancake syrup, and woodiness.

Finish: The whole sip is very “general” and ends with cornbread meets brown butter cut with dark sugar, vanilla, and tobacco vibe.

Bottom Line:

This is pretty damn good overall, especially if you’re looking for something that leans classic and easy. It’s a little sweet for me but that’s not a knock. That’s just my palate.

96. Kentucky Owl The Wiseman Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 45.4%

Average Price: $50

The Whiskey:

This new-ish release from Kentucky Owl is meant to be an affordable and accessible Kentucky Owl from the otherwise elite brand. The whiskey is a blend of contract distilled whiskey from Bardstown Bourbon Company and sourced barrels from around Kentucky that are four to eight years old.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This is very interesting on the nose with a mix of circus peanut, garam masala, sweet grass, and pine resin next to a hint of rich buttery toffee sauce with a flake of salt.

Palate: The palate leans into that toffee and then layers in raspberry sorbet, vanilla beans, masa azul, and wet cedar planks.

Finish: A leathery tobacco pouch rounds out the sip near the end with more of that cedar, dry sweet grass, and a hint more of the spice.

Bottom Line:

If you’re a Kentucky Owl fan but feel priced out by the high-end products from that brand, this is the play since it’s the affordable expression of Kentucky Owl that you can actually get.

95. Silverbelly Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 45.5%

Average Price: $40

The Whiskey:

This whiskey is a sourced Kentucky Bourbon that’s built for country music legend Alan Jackson. The juice is named after the color of Jackson’s iconic “silverbelly” hat. That juice is made in Owensboro, Kentucky, and then built from barrels that Jackson hand-selected with his daughter Mattie Jackson Selecman, who’s a certified sommelier by day.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose greets you with an old boot leather vibe next to salted caramel, ripe tart apples, sour cherry, and corn muffins with a hint of butter and salt.

Palate: The palate has a light graininess that leans into soft oatmeal raisin cookies with a hint of walnut and nutmeg and a drizzle of caramel sauce with clear vanilla tying it all together.

Finish: The end wraps those cookies in a soft leather sheet and adds in some cinnamon-apple tobacco with a very slightly thin finish.

Bottom Line:

This is a bourbon that works. It also has a bit more depth than your average $40 bottle on the shelf, making it a very easy sipper over some ice or a quality cocktail base.

94. High West Bourbon

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $32

The Whiskey:

High West Bourbon is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after sourced whiskeys. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of two to 13-year-old barrels rendered from high-rye and low-rye mashes alongside undisclosed whiskeys, some of which are sourced from MGP of Indiana.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a hint of funk on the nose that leads to raw leather, vanilla pudding, and buttered sweetcorn.

Palate: The taste is soft and velvety with a touch of nougat next to quickbread biscuits with plenty of butter and vanilla-laced honey.

Finish: The finish dries out toward vanilla pods and cedar bark with a hint of apple chips with a flake of Kosher salt.

Bottom Line:

This is just a solid bourbon. There’s a nice balance of creamy and classic bourbon notes that feel nostalgic to the senses. While there are some amazing High West expressions over $100, this is the one to focus on below that price point.

93. Smooth Ambler Old Scout Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 49.5%

Average Price: $32

The Whiskey:

Old Scout is MGP of Indiana’s classic high rye bourbon — 60% corn, 36% rye, and 4% malt barley — that’s aged for five years. The whiskey is batched in small quantities and proofed down with West Virginia’s Appalachian water.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose draws you in with a soft masa vibe with a mix of Tex-Mex spices (think chili powder and a hint of cumin and garlic powder) that’s countered by cedar park and chocolate-laced tobacco leaves (the nose takes me straight back to my favorite childhood Tex-Mex joint).

Palate: The taste veers more towards a classic bourbon with cherry tobacco and bales of damp straw next to a smooth vanilla foundation cinnamon-infused dark chocolate and a touch of dry oak.

Finish: The finish lingers for a bit as vanilla toffees, a smidge of marshmallow, and spicy cherry tobacco round everything out.

Bottom Line:

This is another winner that highlights the superb bourbon barrels coming out of Indiana’s MGP right now, and the folks creating great whiskey with those barrels.

92. J.T.S. Brown Bottled In Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $13

The Whiskey:

This is a quality whiskey from Heaven Hill’s expansive bourbon mash bill (78% corn, 12% malted barley, and 10% rye). That means this is the same base juice as Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, several Parker’s Heritages, and Henry McKenna. It’s a bottled-in-bond, meaning it’s from similar stocks to their iconic Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond and a few other whiskeys on this list.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Cream soda with a dash of cherry opens the nose next to dry leather patches, caramel sauce, and a light touch of floral honey.

Palate: The palate brings forward dry and woody spices with a hint of eggnog creaminess leading toward Graham Crackers and a sweet tobacco chew.

Finish: The end turns the woody spice into old oak with more vanilla, honey, and leather lingering the longest.

Bottom Line:

You probably don’t believe me but this is good bourbon. I’m not at all joking when I say that I’d rather have this than a slew of $50 or $60 crafty bourbons or sourced ones. It’s really just damn good classic stuff.

91. Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 48%

Average Price: $44

The Whiskey:

This new expression from Bardstown Bourbon Company is the team shining a light on their own barrels. The juice for this one is made from a mash bill of 36% rye, making this a classic “high-rye” bourbon. The blend is then built for perfect cocktail mixing.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a nice sense of toffee, corn husks, and apricot jam on the nose with a hint of eggnog just kissed with spearmint.

Palate: The creamy eggnog — vanilla and nutmeg heavy — drives the palate toward a whisper of cedar and mint chocolate chip with a touch of cedar bark.

Finish: The end is short and dry with a hint of vanilla pod, old cherry syrup, and dank tobacco in a cedar box with a touch of red chili and dry black tea leaves.

Bottom Line:

This is built as a cocktail whiskey and it truly shines as one.

90. Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 57.1%

Average Price: $75

The Whiskey:

Smoke Wagon is everywhere these days. That’s thanks, in part, to co-founder Aaron Chepenik killing it on IG. The other part of the brand’s meteoric rise is that Smoke Wagon’s crew is masterfully blending some of the best barrels from MGP of Indiana that were made available. Case in point, the latest batch from the company was a high-rye bourbon (60% corn, 36% rye, and 4% malted barley) that was an instant hit.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Expect a nose full of classic bourbon notes of orange oils, cinnamon-stewed apples, caramel with a touch of salt, and peachy wood chips.

Palate: The palate really embraces the fruit and moves from that peach vibe towards a blackberry crumble that’s just kissed with nutmeg and clove that leads towards a hint of old leather, singed cedar planks, and a late hint of cherry-touched tobacco.

Finish: That leather, berry tobacco, and cedar drive the finish towards a dry end.

Bottom Line:

These are flashy but deliver on the palate. The feeling you’re left with here is “Ah, okay, I get it.” Pour this over some rocks and you’ll get it too.

89. Wilderness Trail High Rye Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 56%

Average Price: $86

The Whiskey:

Wilderness Trail is the whiskey nerd’s whiskey. Their High Rye Bourbon is a mash of 64% corn, 24% rye, and 12% barley grains that are fermented with a proprietary Wildness Trail yeast using the sweet mash process. The whiskey then spends four years and nine months aging before it’s bottled without any filtration and barely proofed.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a mild holiday cake vibe with brown spice, nuts, and dried fruit mingling with touches of oak, chocolate-covered berries, and biscuits.

Palate: The taste becomes a sort of buttered-biscuit-smothered-with-berry-jam that’s been touched with spice as a note of sweetened vanilla lurks in the background.

Finish: The end is long and leans back into the fruit as the vanilla and spice create a silken mouthfeel.

Bottom Line:

Every home bar cart should have at least one Wilderness Trail on it. And I really got into mixing Manhattans and Sazeracs with this. It’s a great bold whiskey that truly shines when mixed.

88. Traverse City Whiskey Co. Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Seasoned Sherry Casks

ABV: 47.5%

Average Price: $59

The Whiskey:

This is classic award-winning Traverse City high-rye bourbon that’s re-barrelled in sherry casks for a final rest. Those sherry casks were then blended, proofed with local Michigan water, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is lighter but leans into rum raisin and caramel with a hint of Cherry Dr. Pepper and cinnamon toast.

Palate: There’s a good amount of cinnamon and vanilla on the palate with a touch of walnut bread with plenty of butteriness, clove, and anise.

Finish: The end hints at apple cinnamon tobacco and vanilla beans but ends very lightly.

Bottom Line:

This is very nice and above average (hence it’s on this list). Still, this feels more like a whiskey that you build a killer cocktail with than sip neat.

87. Deadwood Tumblin Dice Barrel Proof Single Barrel Bourbon

ABV: 55%

Average Price: $57

The Whiskey:

This whiskey is made from a five-year-old MGP of Indiana barrel. The mash is MGP’s very high-rye bourbon with 60% corn, 36% rye, and 4% malted barley. Each barrel is picked for its distinct flavor profile and bottled as-is.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Fancy cream soda greets you with a mix of nutmeg, soft leather, spicy oak, and a touch of toffee.

Palate: The palate largely follows that path and builds in creamy vanilla pie, caramel sauce, black cherry, and a good mix of winter spices.

Finish: The end is slightly woody with cherry tobacco touched with vanilla and toffee on the very end.

Bottom Line:

This is a pretty damn good all-around. It’s definitely in the “classic” realm but delivers an easy-sipping whiskey for everyday pours.

86. Breckenridge Bourbon Whiskey A Blend High Proof

ABV: 52.5%

Average Price: $56

The Whiskey:

This is Breckenridge’s classic blended bourbon amped up a tad. The whiskey is aged for over three years before batching a kiss of proofing with local Rocky Mountain water.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose runs deep with burnt orange, marzipan, and woody winter spices next to a hint of toffee dipped in dark chocolate.

Palate: The palate largely follows the nose with buttery toffee leading to marzipan and eventually a mix of cedar and cinnamon bark with a whisper of tobacco.

Finish: The end leans into the woodiness of the spices and tobacco with a nice counterbalance of rich and sweet toffee with a nutty edge.

Bottom Line:

This is just nice, easy, and smooth. It makes a hell of a cocktail too.

85. Leopold Bros. Bottled-In-Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $60

The Whiskey:

This Colorado crafty whiskey gets a lot of attention from bourbon drinkers in the know. The mash is made from 64% corn, 21% malted barley, and 15% Abruzzi Heritage Rye, which Master Distiller Todd Leopold malted at his malting house at the distillery in Denver. That mash ran through a classic pot still before it was barreled and left to rest for five years.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The floral and spicy nature of that Abruzzi rye really comes out on the nose with a touch of candied apples, sweet porridge, Quik chocolate milk powder, and the faintest hint of sourdough rye with a light smear of salted butter.

Palate: The taste leans into stewed pears with nutmeg and clove spices leading the way as Almond Roca and green peppercorns jostle for space on your palate.

Finish: The end mellows out as that spice fades towards an eggnog vibe with a creamy vanilla underbelly and a final touch of that floral rye and a hint of pear.

Bottom Line:

This is a nice and funky craft bourbon (can’t mistake those sourdough and sweet porridge notes). I dig this as an everyday sipper on the rocks, especially when I’m looking for something different from a pour of “classic” bourbon.

84. Benchmark Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $19

The Whiskey:

The bourbon in this bottle is a standard “small batch” though there’s not a whole lot of information on what that entails, exactly. What we do know is that the base juice comes from Buffalo Trace’s Mash Bill #1, which is the same base as Eagle Rare, E.H. Taylor, Stagg, and Buffalo Trace Bourbon.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Soft leather and old vanilla pods mix with old lawn furniture sitting in green grass with a hint of floral honey and apple pie on the nose.

Palate: The palate has a rich toffee vibe next to sweet cinnamon and plenty of eggnog creamy/spicy vibes that leads to a nutmeg-heavy mocha latte.

Finish: There’s a sense of dried corn husks on the finish with a mix of rum-raisin, vanilla pound cake, and cherry bark-infused tobacco layered into an old cedar box.

Bottom Line:

This is a classic utility bourbon that can work however you want to use it while delivering a real-deal flavor profile that’s a notch above its price class.

83. Elijah Craig Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $25

The Whiskey:

This is Elijah Craig’s entry-point bottle. The mash is corn-focused, with more malted barley than rye. The whiskey is then rendered from “small batches” of barrels to create this proofed-down version of the iconic brand.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a light sense of rickhouse wood beams next to that mild taco seasoning on the nose with caramel apples, vanilla ice cream scoops, and a hint of fresh mint with a sweet/spicy edge.

Palate: The palate opens with a seriously smooth vanilla base with some winter spice (especially cinnamon and allspice) next to a hint of grain and apple pie filling.

Finish: The end leans towards the woodiness with a hint of broom bristle and minty tobacco lead undercut by that smooth vanilla.

Bottom Line:

Classic Elijah Craig is hard to beat. It’s a great cocktail base that you can actually find for a great price. It should be on your bar cart right now.

82. Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $24

The Whisky:

This is Maker’s signature expression made with Red winter wheat and aged seasoned Ozark oak for six to seven years. This expression’s whiskey is sourced from only 150 barrels (making this a “small batch”). Those barrels are then blended and proofed with Kentucky limestone water before bottling and dipping in their iconic red wax.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose has classic hints of caramel and vanilla with a grassy underbelly next to soft cherry, hints of oak, and a touch of apple orchard.

Palate: That grassiness becomes vaguely floral as slightly spiced caramel apples arrive, along with a chewy mouthfeel that leads towards a soft mineral vibe — kind of like wet granite.

Finish: The end holds onto the fruit and sweetness as the oak and dried grass stay in your senses.

Bottom Line:

Get this if you’re making cocktails. It’ll shine.

81. Wild Turkey 101 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50.5%

Average Price: $19

The Whiskey:

A lot of Wild Turkey’s character comes from the hard and deep char they use on their oak barrels. 101 starts with a high-rye mash bill that leans into the wood and aging, having spent six years in the cask. A little of that soft Kentucky limestone water is added to cool it down a bit before bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Sweet and buttery toffee is countered by burnt orange, old oak, and a hint of cumin and red chili pepper flakes.

Palate: The palate leans into soft vanilla pudding cups with a touch of butterscotch swirled in next to orange oils, nougat, and a hint of menthol tobacco.

Finish: The midpalate tobacco warmth gives way to a finish that’s full of woody winter spices and a whisper of Cherry Coke next to orange/clove by way of a dark chocolate bar flaked with salt.

Bottom Line:

This is so classic. It’s that wonderful balance of spicy and sweet Kentucky bourbon that just delivers. Get this if you’re looking for a great workhorse whiskey for mixing, shooting, or everyday sipping.

80. Pursuit United A Blend Of Straight Bourbons

ABV: 54%

Average Price: $65

The Whiskey:

This is batched from 40 total barrels from three different states, making it a “blended” straight bourbon whiskey. While the team at Pursuit United doesn’t release the Tennessee distillery name, we know the whiskeys from Kentucky and New York are from Bardstown Bourbon Company and Finger Lakes Distilling, respectively.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with a rush of cedar next to Christmas spices steeped in sweet red wine.

Palate: That sweetness tends to lean into fresh honey with a touch of caramel and maybe a little dark chocolate on the end. The taste holds onto the honeyed sweetness with burnt sugars, light cedar, chocolate tobacco leaves, and a hint of orange oils.

Finish: That orange is what builds and powers the finish to its silken end, concluding with an orange-choco vibe and a very soft landing.

Bottom Line:

This is a really solid bourbon from a team who deeply cares about bourbon. That love of the craft shines through in every sip.

79. Woodinville Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $36

The Whiskey:

This much-lauded bourbon is Woodinville’s touchstone expression. The Washington whiskey is made with those same family farm grains. The hot juice spends years in the toasted and heavily charred barrels maturing until it’s just right (around five years in total). The results are batched and proofed down with local water to a very welcoming 90 proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: You’re greeted with a thick vanilla pudding with caramel candy and a cedar box full of dark spices.

Palate: The caramel thickens to a buttery and rich toffee with notes of dark chocolate peeking in next to more of those woody spices and a vanilla oil velvetiness.

Finish: The end is long and really embraces the sweeter edges of the vanilla pudding while allowing the spice to warm the senses.

Bottom Line:

Woodinville is finally getting wider, nationwide releases and we’re all better for it. The whiskey from Washington is a true gem, even at this entry-point level. This makes a hell of a cocktail and an essential backyard everyday sipper on some ice.

78. WhistlePig PiggyBack 100 Proof Bourbon Whiskey Aged 6 Years

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $49

The Whiskey:

This newer whiskey from WhistlePig mixes locally made Vermont whiskey with Indiana whiskey to create a bespoke bourbon. The mash bill leans into the corn with a good measure of rye in the mix. The whiskey barrels are left alone for six years before batching, proofing, and bottling on the farm in Vermont.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a soft leathery nose that leads to caramel corn and a nutty spiciness with a hint of old oak.

Palate: The nuttiness drives the palate toward fresh maple syrup that turns creamy with an almond vibe, plenty of winter spice, and a hint of black tea.

Finish: That tea calms down toward a wet chamomile with a dollop of honey, a twist of orange, and a pinch of sweet cinnamon with a lingering sense of oak in the background.

Bottom Line:

If you’re a fan of WhistlePig, you’re going to dig this. If you like classic bourbon vibes, you’ll be a fan too. I’d sip this over some ice or in a simple cocktail.

77. Fern Creek Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $55

The Whiskey:

This new bottler is sourcing some serious Kentucky bourbon barrels. This small batch is made from a mash of 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley. That whiskey is left to age for five years and 10 months before batching, proofing, and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Buttery berry crumble with a scoop of vanilla ice cream dominates the nose with a hint of cinnamon toast and freshly cracked black pepper.

Palate: That creamy vanilla dries the palate toward spiced oak with cinnamon bark, clove, and allspice next to woody berries and a hint of tobacco warmth.

Finish: That spiced oak drives the finish with a hint of blackberry and vanilla tobacco packed into an old cedar box.

Bottom Line:

This is a dark fruit-forward bourbon-y bourbon. It’s easygoing and easy to drink, making it a lock for a list of great bourbons under $100.

76. Puncher’s Chance Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $32

The Whiskey:

This is a celebrity-owned bourbon from UFC’s Bruce Buffer. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of four to six-year-old bourbons from Kentucky that are touched with a little proofing water after blending.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This has a slightly tannic nose (think old, red-wine-soaked oak) with woody vanilla, nutmeg, and a lush vibe.

Palate: The palate mixes up the sweet vanilla with sweet yet sharp spice, some dark chocolate, and a hint of orange zest.

Finish: The end combines everything into a lush finish that highlights old oak, soft nutmeg, and a soft orange-chocolate vibe with a hint of clove and anise.

Bottom Line:

This is a really easy-to-drink whiskey that offers a deep and distinct flavor profile. That pretty much epitomizes this list in a nutshell.

75. Blue Note Crossroads Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $41

The Whiskey:

This sourced whiskey comes from Kentucky. The juice is a blend of 70% corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley whiskey that’s aged for up to four years before being finished in toasted French oak. Those barrels are blended in Memphis and proofed down, allowing more of that finishing barrel to shine through.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: That oak comes through on the nose with a mix of dry cedar and resin-heavy pine as more standard notes of toffee, vanilla, and cherry shine.

Palate: The palate largely follows that path with the mid-palate leaning into dried fruit and more of a dry tobacco leaf.

Finish: The finish is short and sweet with a dry woodiness that’s part old cedar box and part moldy wicker deck furniture with a hint of hot mulled wine.

Bottom Line:

This is a solid bourbon all around with a nice and oaky presence that plays well with cocktails or just plenty of ice.

74. FEW Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $55

The Whiskey:

This expression from Illinois’ FEW Spirits marks the 125th anniversary of the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. The juice is made from 70% corn, 20% rye, and 10% malted barley. That whiskey spends four years resting before it’s proofed down to 100 proof and bottled as-is.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with a sense of vanilla cream pie with an extra thick vanilla pudding next to dry cedar bark with a touch of white moss, a touch of black licorice, and a hint of barrel smoke.

Palate: The palate leans into cherry bark with a light cherry tobacco spiciness that melds with the vanilla pudding, a pan of fresh sticky buns with plenty of cinnamon and walnuts, and a hint of black pepper and more of that dry cedar bark.

Finish: The finish has a bit of an oatmeal cookie vibe that leads back to the spicy cherry tobacco and white moss.

Bottom Line:

FEW Spirits perfected their bourbon craft with this expression. Moreover, this bottle easily beats out $100 bottles without a second thought.

73. Russell’s Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 10 Years Old

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $29

The Whiskey:

Master Distillers Jimmy and Eddie Russell go barrel hunting in their Wild Turkey rickhouses to find this expression. The whiskey is a marrying of bourbons Jimmy and Eddie Russell handpicked with a minimum age of ten years old. They then cut it down to a very accessible 90-proof for bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This is just a straight-up classic with depth on the nose leading to rich vanilla, salted caramel, sour cherry, wintry spices, and a touch of old oak.

Palate: The palate opens with orange-oil-infused marzipan covered in dark chocolate next to bolder holiday spices, moist spiced cake, and a very distant whisper of barrel smoke.

Finish: The end is a lush mix of orange, vanilla, chocolate, and spice leading to an old leather pouch full of sticky maple syrup tobacco.

Bottom Line:

I’ve seen these on sale for $24.99 a bottle. I bought a case. This is great bourbon that’s crazily low-priced. Shoot it, mix with it, or just sip it — it’s all good, folks.

72. New Riff Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Bottled in Bond

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $34

The Whiskey:

This four-year-old whiskey is rendered from a mash bill of 65% corn, 30% rye, and 5% malted barley. That whiskey is then blended under the bottled-in-bond laws and proofed down to 100 proof before bottling in New Riff’s flashy bottles.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Freshly baked sourdough cinnamon rolls with a butter and vanilla frosting draw you in on the nose with a hint of baked apple pies drizzled in caramel sauce.

Palate: The palate has a hint of mulled wine spice layered into those stewed apples with vanilla pudding, salted caramel, and old cedar rounding things out.

Finish: The finish has a touch of cotton candy next to more wintry spice (especially sharp cinnamon and ginger) next to lush vanilla tobacco stuffed into a cedar box.

Bottom Line:

This is a great craft bourbon from a distillery team that cares deeply about being, well, great. They’ve yet to miss and this bottle is a great place to start your New Riff journey.

71. Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $16

The Whiskey:

This is Evan William’s small-batch bourbon reissue. The expression is a marriage of 200 barrels of Heaven Hill’s classic bourbon (78% corn, 12% malted barley, and 10% rye). That whiskey is batched and then proofed down to 90 proof (instead of the old 86 proof) and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This has a very distinct nose that ventures from vanilla-soaked leather to a very clear sense of allspice berries and ground clove with a hint of cornbread batter and soft oak.

Palate: There’s a light sense of caramel apples on the palate leading toward Johnnycakes covered in butter and honey with a light nutmeg lurking in the background.

Finish: The finish arrives with a hint of dry reeds that ends up on a vanilla cream with brown spices.

Bottom Line:

This is another whiskey that truly punches way above its class. It’s just really freaking good and serves as a great sipper over some rocks or a sturdy cocktail base.

70. Brother’s Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey Original Cask Strength

ABV: 57.9%

Average Price: $80

The Whiskey:

The newest release from Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley is an evolution of their brand. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of three bourbons which create a four-grain bourbon. That blend was then bottled as-is.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This opens with a balance of old leather boots and freshly cracked black pepper next to a hint of walnut shell, vanilla pod, and orange zest.

Palate: The palate leans into what feels like star fruit as orange marmalade, salted butter, and fresh honey drip over rye bread crusts.

Finish: The end comes with a good dose of peppery spice and old leather as those walnuts and orange combine with a handful of dried fruit and a dusting of winter spices on the finish.

Bottom Line:

This latest version of Brother’s Bond proved the brand was about more than celebs white labeling booze. It proved that Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley truly care about this industry and the whiskey in their bottle.

69. Castle & Key Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 2023 Batch 1

ABV: 49%

Average Price: $50

The Whiskey:

Castle & Key Distillery is the renovated Old Taylor Distillery outside of Frankfort, Kentucky. This distillery has spent years contract distilling for other brands, until this year when they released their first batch of this expression in April. The juice is a mash of 73% white corn, 17% malted barley, and a scant 10% rye. After four years, 80 or so barrels are chosen for this small-batch expression and proofed down with local water.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This opens with a sense of unbaked sourdough cinnamon rolls next to Graham Crackers dipped in vanilla-creamed honey served with a warm can of peach soda.

Palate: The palate leans into the fruitiness with a pink taffy vibe that’s countered by slight pepperiness, a touch of “woody,” and more of that creamy honey laced with vanilla.

Finish: The fruity take on a savory essence — think cantaloupe — on the mid-palate before circling back to the pepperiness with a bit of woody spice on the short end.

Bottom Line:

This is really good, classic bourbon. If you’re looking for a great cocktail base for spring cocktails, get this. It plays well with citrus, Campari, and mint.

68. Fox & Oden Double Oaked Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 49.5%

Average Price: $90

The Whiskey:

This sourced whiskey (from MGP of Indiana) is all about finding the best barrels and batching them to create something more. The whiskey in this small batch bourbon is rendered from MGP’s 21% and 36% rye bourbon mash bills. The barrels are between eight and 15 years old. Once vatted, the whiskey is just touched with water before bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: A rich buttery note comes through on the nose with a hint of salted corn next to savory figs with a hint of honey and freshly ground nutmeg mixed with some vanilla cream.

Palate: The palate turns that butteriness into salted caramel with a hint of sticky toffee pudding with plenty of cinnamon and nutmeg next to a thin line of charred oak underneath it all.

Finish: The end dries out with a sense of old leather wrapped around an old and dry tobacco leaf with a twinge of raisin.

Bottom Line:

This is just a well-made whiskey. It’s easy to sip and, well… that’s it.

67. Monk’s Road Small Batch Wheated Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $42

The Whiskey:

This wheated whiskey from Log Still is all about highlighting that grain. The bourbon is sourced (for now) and aged and bottled by the Dant Family in Gethsemane, Kentucky.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This is a stone-cold classic bourbon nose of dark Cherry Coke, spiced winter cakes, and salted caramel with an old oak barrel sense.

Palate: The palate leans into the spiced dark cherry with a hint of root beer (maybe even Dr. Pepper) next to singed apple and cinnamon bark with this fleeting sense of peanut brittle underneath it all.

Finish: The end leans into the smoldering woody spices and orchard barks with a hint of marzipan and burnt orange rounding things out.

Bottom Line:

This is a very easy-going on the rocks bourbon that’ll work wonders in a cocktail. It’s pretty much classic through and through.

66. Basil Hayden Red Wine Cask Finish Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $62

The Whiskey:

Freddie Noe — Beam’s eighth-generation Master Distiller — created this expression by blending classic Basil Hayden with bourbon partially aged in California red wine casks. The resulting batch is then proofed down to Basil Hayden’s historically low 80-proof and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a hint of orange zest on the nose with sour mulled wine spices — star anise, cardamom, cinnamon — next to Cherry Coke and vanilla cake with white frosting.

Palate: The palate is soft yet creamy with a nutty spiced cake vibe next to zucchini bread with a dollop of butter next to tart, dried berries dipped in brandy with a hint of dark cacao in the background.

Finish: The end is pretty short (low-proofed) and finishes with a sense of old oak staves soaked in sour red wine with a dash of burnt orange and dried winter spice rounding things out.

Bottom Line:

This is one of my favorite Basil Hayden expressions. It’s deep and fresh. It also works really well as a food pairing whiskey thanks to the soft red wine vibes throughout the profile. If you’re a bourbon and red wine lover, then this is a must-buy.

65. Bradshaw Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 51.9%

Average Price: $52

The Whiskey:

Bradshaw Bourbon is made by Green River Distilling Company in Owensboro, Kentucky. The bourbon (and now a rye) is a collab between former Super Bowl champ Terry Bradshaw and Silver Screen Bottling Company, which acts as a sort of bottling fixer between a celebrity and a distiller or barrel house. The juice is a two-year-old bourbon made with 70% corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley. It’s proofed to a hefty 103.8.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This is a wild nose that goes from Wether’s Originals to leather-bound books to drug store aftershave before hitting on classic cherry and vanilla bourbon vibes with a nice winter spice feel.

Palate: The palate is all about those soft winter spices with a light wood vibe that’s a little bit wicker and a little bit oak before veering back toward a cherry vanilla Coke taste.

Finish: The finish holds onto the spice and warms up considerably before veering headfirst into apple candy sweetness with a hint of caramel and cinnamon.

Bottom Line:

This is still a cocktail bourbon but it’s more than just standard stuff. It runs deep and feels … nostalgic. I’ve tasted Wild Turkey and Old Crow from the 1980s and this bottle reminds me of them in a small way. That’s a cool feat to pull off.

64. Johnny Drum Private Stock 101 Kentucky Bourbon

ABV: 50.5%

Average Price: $44

The Whiskey:

This whiskey is hewn from Kentucky Bourbon Distillery barrels (also known as Willett). The barrels are batched and proofed down with local Bardstown water for bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This starts out with apple pie filling overstuffed with a lot of cinnamon, butter, brown sugar, and vanilla that all leads toward salted caramel.

Palate: The taste has this mild orange feel with a note of dark chocolate, cinnamon cream soda, and apple fritters with a hint of sourdough funk to them.

Finish: The end has a lightness that feels like Dr. Pepper with a hint of cherry syrup next to woody winter spices and a touch of alcohol warmth (or a “Kentucky Hug” if you will).

Bottom Line:

If you’re looking for a Willett that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, this is the bottle to buy.

63. Rabbit Hole Dareringer Kentucky Straight Bourbon Finished in PX Sherry Cask

ABV: 46.5%

Average Price: $84

The Whiskey:

This wheated bourbon — 68% corn, 18% wheat, and 14% malted barley — is contract distilled whiskey and very reminiscent of wheated bourbons from both Heaven Hill and Luxco (though we’ll never know where it really comes from). That whiskey spends an undisclosed amount of years aging before it goes into 15 Casknolia Pedro Ximenez sherry casks per batch (a truly small batch bourbon). Those barrels are then blended and touched with that soft Kentucky limestone water before bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Fruit shines through on the nose with fresh raspberries mingling with strawberry jam, Bing cherries, and dried plums and apricots with a hint of leather and winter spice baking that fruit up.

Palate: The palate really embraces those fruits with a tart and sour vibe to the cherries and red berries while the leather leans raw and the spices lean toward cinnamon and tobacco with a caramel mid-palate.

Finish: The sweetness fades quickly as the finish continues with berries and spice while the cherry attaches to the tobacco and soft cedar on the end.

Bottom Line:

If you’re in the mood for a fruit-bomb bourbon, this is the play.

62. Daviess County Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Cabernet Sauvignon Finished

ABV: 48%

Average Price: $54

The Whiskey:

This whiskey combines two mash bill programs. Rye-heavy and wheat-heavy bourbon barrels are aged for five years before they’re vatted and then re-filled into Cab casks from Napa. That whiskey then rests for a final spell before batching, proofing, and bottling as-is.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This is spritely on the nose with sour red wine mingling with tart apples, fresh honeycomb, vanilla pods, and a hint of fresh cinnamon stick.

Palate: The palate largely sticks to the nose and builds some more sour berries with a nice layer of smooth vanilla and tannic oak char.

Finish: The end is short and sweet with a sour edge that leads back to the oak and sour red wine.

Bottom Line:

This is another great red wine finish bourbon. It plays well in cocktails, paired with food, or just as an easy everyday sipper or cocktail base.

61. Town Branch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $34

The Whiskey:

Town Branch is Lexington’s destination distillery/brewery right in the city. Their flagship bourbon is a high-malt mash bill, adding more smooth sweetness to the mix. The whiskey ages for four to five years before it’s blended and proofed with water from the “town branch” of Elkhorn Creek, which runs through Lexington.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This is as soft as it is classic on the nose with hints of rich caramel mingling with dark cherry, soft nutmeg, and a hint of leathery oak.

Palate: The palate follows that path while layering in a hint of orange blossom next to cherry leather with cinnamon and clove hints and a bit of pipe tobacco in a wooden box.

Finish: The finish is subtle and short and marries the cedar with the orange blossom with the cherry lingering the longest on the backend.

Bottom Line:

This is supple and inviting. It’s another one that’s simply a good whiskey, folks. Drink it however you like, you won’t be disappointed.

60. Jim Beam Black Extra-Aged Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $19

The Whiskey:

This expression replaced the old Jim Beam Black Label 8 Year, which was a huge favorite amongst the old-school Beam heads. The whiskey in this bottle is aged longer than your average four-year-old Beam, but there is no age statement on exactly how long. I’ve heard things, but only rumors. The best way to think of it is that it’s aged for as long as it needs to be before batching, proofing, and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: A clear sense of expensive vanilla beans next to apple cotton candy, honey-buttered cornbread, soft oak staves, and Dr. Brown’s Cherry work through the nose.

Palate: The taste has a hint of sourdough apple-cinnamon old-fashioned doughnuts next to vanilla pound cake with a hint of poppy seed and orange zest, a whisper of clove and anise, and a smidge of pecan pie.

Finish: The end has a dried vanilla tobacco vibe by way of spiced apple cider and old cinnamon sticks next to a hint of raisins and bruised peach skins.

Bottom Line:

This is a bottle that has no business only costing $20. Beam could easily charge $30 or $40 for this and I doubt anyone would bat an eye. Not that I want that to happen, but it’s so much better than its price that it’s almost baffling.

59. Jeptha Creed Bloody Butcher Corn Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 49%

Average Price: $49

The Whiskey:

This four-grain bourbon is all about the farm-to-glass experience. The juice is made from a mash with Bloody Butcher corn — a sweeter red corn used by Indigenous Americans throughout the Midwest and South for millennia — grown right outside the still house on an expansive Kentucky farm. The red corn is mixed with malted rye, wheat, and barley in the mash and aged for an undisclosed amount of time before proofing and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This is like your grandmother’s garden on a berry-picking day on the nose with huge notes of rhododendrons and wisteria next to blackberry jam, blueberry pie, and mason jars of apricot jam with plenty of dark spices layered in.

Palate: The palate holds onto the jammy notes but adds in the rich vanilla pudding, candied walnuts, nutmeg-dusted eggnog, and a tiny echo of cherry sasparilla.

Finish: The dry spices circle back around on the finish with a touch more of that vanilla and a whisper of fresh mint from the garden with a little dirt still on it.

Bottom Line:

This is another solid cocktail bourbon that has plenty of charm as a sipper over ice.

58. Chicken Cock Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $63

The Whiskey:

Chicken Cock has some serious bourbon history going back to 1856. It was also the bourbon of the infamous Cotton Club in Harlem during Prohibition. Fun fact, the hooch was smuggled into the club in tin cans that they cracked open tableside. The whiskey in this bottle was sourced from Kentucky. Today, the whiskey is being contract distilled at Bardstown Bourbon Company.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Granny Smith apples and Red Hots jump out on the nose with a hint of black Necco Wafer, a touch of soft and wet oak, and hints of caramel.

Palate: The palate leans into the buttery ends of toffee with burnt sugars leading toward dried fruits, fatty nuts, and holiday cake spices.

Finish: The vanilla arrives late and is tied to the sweeter edges as a lightly dried tobacco leaf note leaves a little heat on the back end.

Bottom Line:

This is another solid bourbon-y bourbon with a nice sweet depth, sharp spice, and clear POV. Overall, I’d lean toward using this in cocktails, but it’s totally suitable for sipping over some ice.

57. Jefferson’s Reserve Very Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Very Small Batch

ABV: 45.1%

Average Price: $42

The Whiskey:

Jefferson’s really hits it out of the park with their sourced whiskey. The “very old” element of this small-batched blend means that eight to 12 barrels of four unique bourbons were selected to be married, with the oldest clocking in at 20 years old. That whiskey is then proofed with soft Kentucky limestone water to bring it down to a very approachable 90.2 proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Notes of vanilla meet spicy tobacco, leather, oak, and very buttery toffee with a hint of popped corn and apple pie mingle on the nose.

Palate: The palate holds true to those notes while adding a mellow cherry with an almost cedar-infused cream soda.

Finish: The finish is short but full of all those woody, spicy, and apple pie notes again, with plenty of buttery mouthfeel and a cedar box full of rich tobacco leaves.

Bottom Line:

This is a classic and very easy-drinking bourbon. The lower ABV/proof means that you don’t need any ice to calm it down. Just pour one and enjoy.

56. Four Roses Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $27

The Whiskey:

Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon is a blend of four whiskeys. The blend is split evenly between the high and mid-ryes with a focus on “slight spice” and “rich fruit” yeasts. The whiskey is then blended, cut with soft Kentucky water, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Soft and sweet apple and cherry woods greet with a good dose of sour red berries dusted with brown winter spices, especially clove and nutmeg.

Palate: The palate leans into soft and salted caramel with a hint of those berries underneath while the spices get woodier and a thin line of green sweetgrass sneaks in.

Finish: The finish is silky and boils down to blackberry jam with a good dose of winter spice, old wood, and a hint of vanilla tobacco.

Bottom Line:

This hits all the parameters exactly: good price, tastes great, is really unique, and you can get it — so try some!

55. Jim Beam Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 54%

Average Price: $24

The Whiskey:

Each of these Jim Beam bottlings is pulled from single barrels that hit just the right spot of taste, texture, and drinkability, according to the master distillers at Beam. That means this whiskey is pulled from less than 1% of all barrels in Beam’s warehouses, making this a very special bottle at a bafflingly affordable price.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Vanilla pound cake and salted caramel are countered by spicy cherry tobacco, mulled wine vibes, and dark chocolate cut with orange zest and a hint of corn husk.

Palate: The palate brings in some floral honey sweetness and more orange oils with a sticky toffee pudding feel next to more spicy cherry tobacco and a hint of coconut cream pie.

Finish: The end amps up the cherry with a little more sweetness than spice before salted dark chocolate tobacco folds into dry sweetgrass and cedar bark before a hint of fountain Cherry Coke pops on the very back end with a sense of sitting in an old wicker rocking chair.

Bottom Line:

This is clearly built whiskey with a profile that goes deep. It was also one of the easiest sipping whiskeys on the shelf. You can easily sip this neat, on the rocks, or in your favorite cocktail. And look at that price!

54. Yellowstone Hand-Picked Collection Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Single Barrel

ABV: 57.5%

Average Price: $71

The Whiskey:

These bottles are part of an exclusive run of bourbon barrels that are “hand-picked” by Steve Beam out at Limestone Branch Distillery (from sourced barrels). Beam pulls these exceptional barrels in and releases them for special retailers, bar accounts, and collections. Each release is around 200 bottles and they tend to be rare finds.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Stewed pears and spicy dark chocolate open up the nose toward hints of cedar and vanilla oils.

Palate: The palate is kind of like a vanilla candle next to almonds toffees with minor notes of orchard bark and old moss.

Finish: The fruit comes back around on the mid-palate and finishes with leather apricot and pear tobacco layering into the nutty toffee and moss.

Bottom Line:

This is a great fruity/sweet bourbon with an edge. This feels a little offbeat but in all the right ways, especially with a little water or ice to let it open up.

53. Thomas S. Moore Cabernet Sauvignon Finished Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 47.65%

Average Price: $81

The Whiskey:

This release from Sazerac’s other distillery, Barton 1792 Distillery, has become a yearly standard release. The whiskey in the bottle is generally kept under wraps. We do know that the bourbon is finished in Cabernet Sauvignon casks for a spell before blending, proofing, and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Stone fruit and vanilla lead on the nose with hints of sugar cookies, bright peach, and old-yet-soft oak.

Palate: The palate leans into cherry bark with plum, mulled wine, vanilla, and sharp sassafras.

Finish: The spice on the mid-palate leads to some old leather, more of that soft oak, and a hint of sweet potting soil with a plummy finish.

Bottom Line:

This is a great food-pairing whiskey thanks to that deep red-wine vibe. It also works as a nice cocktail base or slow sipper after dinner.

52. Green River Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon Sour Mash Whiskey

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $37

The Whiskey:

This new release from Bardstown Bourbon Company’s Green River distillery is a wheated classic. The whiskey in the bottle is made from a mash bill (recipe) of 70% Kentucky-grown corn, 21% wheat, and 9% malted 6-Row barley. That whiskey then spends four to six years mellowing before batching, proofing, and bottling as-is.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This pops on the nose with rich caramel next to soft roasted peach and apricot next to a rush of cinnamon bark and nutmeg with a creamy vibe.

Palate: Toffee drives the palate toward Nutella and honey over buttermilk biscuits with an apple/pear tobacco aura that leads to a soft orange.

Finish: The end is rich and full of stewed fruits — peach, pear, orange, raisins — and a mild sense of oaky spice and a mild graininess.

Bottom Line:

This is a no-brainer if you’re looking for a cocktail base. I’d also argue that this makes a good table whiskey for everyday sipping over (a lot of) ice too.

51. Heaven Hill Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Bottled-In-Bond

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $56

The Whiskey:

This expression has been a touchstone “bottled-in-bond” since 1939 and remains a go-to for many bourbon lovers. The whiskey is the classic Heaven Hill bourbon mash bill that’s left to age for an extra three years compared to Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond (also from Heaven Hill and the same base spirit).

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose draws you in with this rich and creamy vanilla ice cream (you know the kind that’s likely labeled “Tahitian”) that’s drizzled with a buttery and salty caramel sauce next to soft leather and dried apple blossoms with a hint of old cedar bark braids.

Palate: A floral honey vibe melds with Graham Crackers on the palate as creamy toffee covered in crushed almonds mingles with vanilla-laced pipe tobacco and old leather-bound books.

Finish: There’s a bit of freshly ground nutmeg near the end that leads to a light cherry tobacco note with whispers of old cellar beams and winter spices on the finish.

Bottom Line:

This is really good and very “classic” bourbon-y bourbon for bourbon lovers.

50. Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — 95 Points, Gold

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $35

The Whiskey:

This is the whiskey that heralded a new era of bourbon in 1999. Famed Master Distiller Elmer T. Lee came out of retirement to create this bourbon to celebrate the renaming of the George T. Stagg distillery to Buffalo Trace when Sazerac bought the joint. The rest, as they say, is history — especially since this has become a touchstone bourbon for the brand.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Classic notes of vanilla come through next to a dark maple syrup sweetness, a flourish of fresh mint, and a leatheriness that’s just punctuated by dark burnt orange.

Palate: The palate cuts through the sweeter notes with plenty of spices — like clove, star anise, cardamom, and cinnamon — next to a hint of tart berries, a whisper of dark chocolate, and a dash of sweetly spiced oak.

Finish: The end is long and lush and slowly fades back through the dark citrus and berries with a lively spiced finish.

Bottom Line:

This is another classic. It’s also a bottle from Buffalo Trace that you can generally actually get for a good price (depending on your region).

49. Henry Mckenna 10-Year-Old Single Barrel Bottled-In-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $99

The Whiskey:

This classic offering from Heaven Hill is actually getting easier to find again (after years of being nearly impossible to find thanks to hype). The juice utilizes a touch of rye in the mash bill and is then aged for ten long years in a bonded rickhouse. The best barrels are chosen by hand and the whiskey is bottled with just a touch of water to bring it down to bottled-in-bond proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens slightly tannic with rich orange zest and vanilla cream next to woody winter spice, fresh mint, and wet cedar with a hint of gingerbread and burnt cherry.

Palate: The palate hits on soft vanilla white cake with a salted caramel drizzle and burnt orange zest vibe next to apple/pear tobacco leaves dipped in toffee and almond.

Finish: The end has a sour cherry sensation that leads to wintery woody spices, cedar bark, and old cellar beams with a lush vanilla pod and cherry stem finish.

Bottom Line:

This award-circuit-darling is a solid and very classic Kentucky bourbon. I tend to use this for simple bourbon-forward cocktails but it 100% works on the rocks as a sipper too.

48. Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 45.2%

Average Price: $49

The Whiskey:

This expression takes standard Woodford Bourbon and gives it a finishing touch. The bourbon is blended and moved into new barrels that have been double-toasted but only lightly charred. The juice spends a final nine months resting in those barrels before proofing and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a welcoming aroma of marzipan, blackberry, toffee, and fresh honey next to a real sense of pitchy, dry firewood.

Palate: The taste drills down on those notes as the sweet marzipan becomes more choco-hazelnut, the berries become increasingly dried and apple-y, the toffee becomes almost burnt, and the wood softens to a cedar bark.

Finish: A rich spicy and chewy tobacco arrives late as the vanilla gets super creamy and the fruit and honey combine on the slow fade.

Bottom Line:

This is another bourbon that’s really solid through and through. Pour it over some rocks or mix it into your favorite cocktail. Either way, you’ll be all set.

47. Joseph Magnus Murray Hill Club Bourbon Whiskey, A Blend

ABV: 51.5%

Average Price: $90

The Whiskey:

This is a masterfully sourced whiskey. The whiskey is a mix of 18 and 11-year-old bourbon with a nine-year-old light whiskey (a high-proof whiskey aged in lightly toasted, uncharted barrels). That blend is then just touched with water before bottling without any fussing.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a rich sense of buttery toffee on the nose with plenty of cinnamon/nutmeg/allspice next to a hint of savory fig and some vanilla cream.

Palate: The palate merges the spices into a lush eggnog vibe as hints of old cedar planks mix with a black peppercorn sharpness.

Finish: The end mixes the spices into a buttery cookie with hints of singed cinnamon bark, old pine, and soft vanilla tobacco leaves.

Bottom Line:

This is a real nerdy bourbon for whiskey nerds. I’m only half kidding. Seriously though, this is a great holiday bourbon with tons of spice and all things nice.

46. Still Austin Whiskey Co. Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 59%

Average Price: $60

The Whiskey:

The folks at Still Austin have spent the last six years perfecting their grain-to-glass whiskey experience. The juice is rendered with grains from Texas and water from the ground beneath their feet, all imbued with a crafty Texas vibe in every sip. The actual whiskey is a two-year-old bourbon that’s batched to highlight the bright fruits of the new and crafty whiskey.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This is really fruity. Think a tropical, hazy IPA with clear notes of pineapple, lemon-lime, and maybe a slight hint of savory papaya next to more a-typical bourbon notes of vanilla, holiday spices, and caramel.

Palate: There’s a clear sense of those spices on the palate with a hint of dark chocolate leading back to all that fruit, a touch of marzipan, and a dash of vanilla cream pie.

Finish: The end warms a bit with the fruitiness waning towards a spicy, choco-tobacco end.

Bottom Line:

This is very very fruity. So if you’re on the hunt for a fruit-bomb bourbon, grab this one.

45. Frey Ranch Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $55

The Whiskey:

Frey Ranch is all about the farm behind the whiskey. In this case, that’s a 165+-year-old farm in the Sierra Nevada basin near Lake Tahoe in Nevada. The grains (corn, wheat, rye, and barley), fermentation, distilling, aging, and bottling all happen on-site at Frey Ranch.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Fruity cherry gummies mingle with raw sourdough bread dough, vanilla beans, dry grass, and burnt brown sugars on the nose.

Palate: The taste has a very crafty corn chip vibe that leads to tart cranberry, more of that vanilla, and a cinnamon-spiced oatmeal raisin cookie.

Finish: This all coalesces on the finish with the spice, oats, tart red fruit, and vanilla playing second fiddle to the dry firewood and slightly spiced tobacco end.

Bottom Line:

This is the perfect bourbon to get into the craft whiskey scene. It’s a high water mark, in that regard.

44. Bib & Tucker Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 12 Years

ABV: 49.5%

Average Price: $99

The Whiskey:

Bib & Tucker’s barrel picks are always worth chasing down. The whiskey is a Tennessee bourbon (some say it must be Dickel) aged for 12 long years in very lightly charred oak. The whiskey then goes into the bottle after being proofed down (ever so slightly) to 99 proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Expect a fairly classic bourbon nose of creamy vanilla, salted caramel apples, and a hint of soft cedar.

Palate: The palate should touch on dark orange oils next to bright red cherry, with a vanilla pudding base and a subtle dose of dark spice leading towards salted dark chocolate.

Finish: The end is quite quick and leaves you with salted dark chocolate, orange, and a hint more of salted caramel.

Bottom Line:

This is where Bib & Tucker truly shines brightest. This is an excellently formed whiskey with a classic depth. It’s satisfying and engaging with the smoothest of edges. If you’re looking for a modern classic bourbon from Tennessee, this is the bottle for you.

43. Hillrock Estate Distillery Solera Aged Straight Bourbon Whiskey Tawny Port Finished

ABV: 41.3%

Average Price: $92

The Whiskey:

This whiskey marries Hillrock’s own estate bourbon with a carefully sourced barrel or two. The whiskey is partially aged in Oloroso sherry casks before it’s finished in rare tawny port casks. Finally, those barrels are batched, proofed, and bottled as-is.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This opens with a nose full of deep vanilla oils, rich caramel with a hint of salt, orange florals, and a deep creamy honey sweetness with a whisper of lemon oil.

Palate: Moist marzipan drizzled with buttery toffee mingles with vanilla cake and more of that honey before a counterpoint of savory melon, slightly bitter marmalade, and dried leathery apricot arrives.

Finish: The end arrives with a hint of spicy old oak (think cinnamon bark and nutmeg) with deeper and creamier honey attached to burnt orange and marzipan on a velvety finish.

Bottom Line:

This is the whiskey you pour when you want something that tastes … classy. It has a 20-year-old single malt vibe that’s filtered through a really accessible sip of bourbon. If you’re a fan of higher-end single malt, then 100% try this bottle. You will like it.

42. Penelope Four Grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Strength

ABV: 57.6%

Average Price: $57

The Whiskey:

Penelope Bourbon is a great example of what a master blender can do with MGP whiskey. In this case, three barrels were blended — aged three to five years — to create a barrel strength expression that highlights the quality of those casks. The final product ended up being a four-grain bourbon with a mash bill of 74% corn, 16% wheat, 7% rye, and 3% malted barley.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this bursts forth with peaches, red berries, blueberry, and an almost savory gooseberry next to cotton candy, a touch of toffee, and very light-yet-sweet oak.

Palate: The palate shines as the peaches and berries combine to make a sort of summer fruit crumble with plenty of butter, dark sugar, and spice alongside a thin line of soft leather, rich vanilla, and more of that sweet oak.

Finish: The mid-palate sweetens with more cotton candy before diving into a warming and spicy finish that keeps the spice sweet and subtle.

Bottom Line:

This is a nice all-around bourbon that makes a killer old fashioned, Manhattan, or jaunty Sazerac.

41. George Dickel Handcrafted Small Batch Bourbon Whisky Aged 8 Years

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $34

The Whisky:

The whisky in the bottle is the same Dickel Tennessee whiskey but pulled from barrels that leaned more into classic bourbon flavor notes instead of Dickel’s iconic Tennessee whisky notes. The barrels are a minimum of eight years old before they’re vatted. The whiskey is then cut down to a manageable 90-proof and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with creamy vanilla next to spiced tobacco with plenty of apple pie vibe and winter spices with a butter underbelly.

Palate: The palate has a light bran muffin with a molasses vibe next to vanilla/nougat wafers that then leads to peach skins and gingerbread.

Finish: The end leans into the nutty chocolate and vanilla wafer with a touch of orange zest, marzipan, and mint tobacco with a hint of garden store earthiness.

Bottom Line:

This is a bit of an outlier taste-wise. If you’re looking for a classic bourbon, this isn’t it. If you’re looking for something fresh and new with a Tennessee whiskey vibe, then you’ll dig this.

40. Kings County Distillery Bottled-In-Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $96

The Whiskey:

This crafty whiskey from New York is a grain-to-glass bourbon experience. The mash bill on this one eschews rye and wheat for 80% locally grown corn supported by 20% malted barley from England. The juice is then aged for four years in small 15-gallon barrels and treated according to the law and bottled in Kings County’s signature hip flask bottles.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This draws you in with a strawberry shortcake with a cornmeal base, topped with fresh berries, buttery vanilla whipped cream, and then dipped in a caramel sauce.

Palate: The palate veers away from all of that and touches on bitter black coffee syrup with brown sugar and butter notes next to oatcakes and vanilla sauce with a hint of spice lingering in the background.

Finish: The end is long and full of chocolate malts, leather, and more of that creamy and buttery vanilla whipped cream.

Bottom Line:

This is a quintessential craft bourbon. That makes this the perfect whiskey for someone looking for something local, tasty, and more on the crafty side of things.

39. Laws Whiskey Bonded Four Grain Bourbon

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $87

The Whiskey:

A.D. Laws out in Colorado is renowned for its award-winning four-grain bourbons. The whiskey is made from 60% corn, 20% heirloom wheat, 10% heirloom rye, and 10% heirloom malted barley. That hot juice is then aged for over six years before it’s batched and cut down to 100 proof per bonded whiskey laws.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This feels more crafty on the nose with a balance between bitter black tea that’s been cut with a summery and floral honey as touches of cinnamon and orange pop in the background.

Palate: The orange and spice thickens and leans into an orange pound cake with a buttery and spicy streusel crumble as that black tea bitterness circles back to cut through all that butter, spice, and orange.

Finish: The end leans into the spice with more of a cinnamon candy vibe that leads towards a final dusting of dark cocoa.

Bottom Line:

This is a great entry point for Laws’ wider selection while also being a nice, summery sipper over some rocks or in a bright cocktail.

38. Old Ezra Aged 7 Years Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 58.5%

Average Price: $97

The Whiskey:

This brand from Luxco is still sourced whiskey though they did start distilling their own in 2018. This bottle is a seven-year-old blend of barrels with a bourbon mash bill of 78% corn, 12% malted barley, and 10% rye, which just so happens to be Heaven Hill’s bourbon mash bill. These barrels are blended down and left as-is at cask strength for bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This is a pretty classic bourbon from nose to finish with a strong sense of rich caramel, pancakes with plenty of vanilla, sweet oak, wet brown sugar, and a whiff of cherry tobacco.

Palate: The palate leans into the woody brown spices as a dark cherry vibe sweetens the mid-palate.

Finish: The end circles back to that sweet oak and spicy cherry tobacco on a short finish.

Bottom Line:

This is good, classic, and strong bourbon. For me, those higher ABVs scream “cocktails” but this does work as a sipper with plenty of ice to calm down that high proof.

37. Bulleit Bourbon 10 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 45.6%

Average Price: $45

The Whiskey:

This is classic (sourced) Bulleit Bourbon that’s aged up to 10 years before it’s blended and bottled. The barrels are hand-selected to really amplify those classic “Bulleit” flavors that make this brand so damn accessible (and beloved) in the first place.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a lot going on with butter and spicy stewed apples, maple syrup, Christmas cakes full of nuts and dried fruit, and a hint of savory herbs all pinging through your nose.

Palate: The palate brings about smooth and creamy vanilla with plenty of butter toffee, sourdough crust, more X-mas spice, cedar bark, and a hint of dried roses.

Finish: The finish is long, warming, and really embraces the toffee and spice.

Bottom Line:

This is just good. I like it as an easy, everyday sipper over some rocks or a go-to Manhattan base.

36. Jack Daniel’s Bonded Tennessee Whiskey

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $31

The Whiskey:

This whiskey is made from Jack’s classic mash of 80% corn, 12% barley, and 8% rye before it’s twice distilled and run through Jack’s long Lincoln County sugar maple charcoal filtration process. The spirit then goes into the barrel for at least four years — per bonded law — before it’s batched, cut down with a little water, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose draws you in with Cherry Jolly Ranchers next to sweet cedar bark braided with old strands of leather and orange-laced tobacco leaves while a hint of vanilla wafer and general “health food store” vibes underneath it all.

Palate: The palate feels like warm apple pie on a sunny day with the best vanilla ice cream on top as layers of eggnog nutmeg and creaminess move toward a Cream of Wheat vibe.

Finish: Some apple wood chips for a smoker and a hint of almond shells pop on the finish.

Bottom Line:

The lesson here is that higher proof Jack is better Jack, especially if you’re looking for a killer cocktail base or easy sipper.

35. Doc Swinson’s Exploratory Cask CS ‘French Toasted’ Bourbon

ABV: 54.3%

Average Price: $99

The Whiskey:

This whiskey is a blend of two MGP bourbons — their classic 75/21/4 corn/rye/malted barley mash bill with their very high rye 60/36/4 corn/rye/malted barley mash. Those whiskeys rested for 5.5 years before blending and re-barrelling into new French oak from Taransaud Cooperages that’s made with trees from the famous Troncaise forest. After about three months, those barrels were batched and this whiskey was bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a creamy almost maltiness to the nose with a deep vanilla coffee cake, clove-studded orange, and pecan waffles with more creaminess with a buttery edge.

Palate: Apricot leather and apple fritters drive the palate with a spiced cinnamon toastiness next to a light drizzle of salted dark chocolate.

Finish: Cinnamon bark and sweet orange marmalade mingle on the finish with a light sense of spiced apple cider, wet orchards in the late fall, and creamy pear pudding.

Bottom Line:

This is a wild bourbon. It presents much more like an old Scotch whisky for cognac lovers with hints of American bourbon peaking in from time to time. It’s fascinating, delicious (like, really delicious), and a true outlier. Get some before it’s gone forever.

34. Pinhook Vertical Series Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 7 Years

ABV: 57.5%

Average Price: $89

The Whiskey:

This is an instant classic from Kentucky’s Pinhook. The whiskey is hewn from a mash bill of 75% corn, 20.5% rye, and 4.5% malted barley, distilled at MGP of Indiana and aged at Castle & Key (in Kentucky). The whiskey was left alone for seven years before batching and bottling as-is.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens. with toasted raisin bread, cinnamon butter, dates, prunes, and figs with a nice layer of leathery dark berries.

Palate: Soft caramel opens the palate before sharp winter spice barks, sticky toffee pudding, and vanilla buttercream lead to fresh gingerbread.

Finish: The end leans into the rich buttercream and woody spices with a soft sense of pipe tobacco and Christmas cakes.

Bottom Line:

This is another great release from a brand that just keeps getting better and better.

33. New Riff Silver Grove Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Proof Aged 4 Years

ABV: 56.8%

Average Price: $55

The Whiskey:

This new and very limited release from New Riff (it’s a distillery-only release for now) is an hommage to Cincinnati’s Carthage neighborhood and the Edward Brinkmann Distillery’s 1933 bottling of “Silver Grove.” The actual whiskey in the bottle is made from a mash of 65% corn, 30% malted rye, and 5% malted barley. That whiskey was left alone for four years before batching and bottling as-is.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Sweet salted caramel and dusty old cinnamon sticks lead to oily vanilla pods, red chili spiced cherry syrup, and a sense of cedar planks soaked in red fruit and maple syrup.

Palate: Dried blueberries and woody huckleberries combine with rich salted caramel and ground almond with a sense of classic cherry vanilla bourbon notes adhering to a light sense of chewy tobacco.

Finish: That tobacco really leans into the caramel/cherry/vanilla on the finish as the bourbon-iness of everything peaks with a soft Kentucky hug and subtly sweet end.

Bottom Line:

This is damn fine bourbon from one of the best “craft” distilleries working today. If you’re anywhere near Northern Kentucky, or Cincinnati, Ohio, get yourself over to the distillery for a bottle ASAP.

32. Larceny Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Batch No. B523

ABV: 62.2%

Average Price: $59

The Whiskey:

The spring edition of Larceny is here. The whiskey is a barrel-strength version of Larceny wheated bourbon (68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley) created for a small batch of six to eight-year-old barrels. Those barrels come together and go into the bottle 100% as-is.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose runs deep with dark chili pepper spice next to salted caramel, cherry cake, and rich vanilla with a hint of nuttiness.

Palate: The taste is lush with a deep sense of creamy winter spices mixed into mincemeat pies and eggnog next to malted buckwheat pancakes drizzled in toffee syrup and sprinkled with roasted walnuts, pecans, and almonds with a whisper of wild sage.

Finish: Sharp cinnamon bark and cherry vanilla tobacco round out the finish with a nice balance of creaminess and sharp woody spice leading to a warm and long Kentucky hug (ABV warmth).

Bottom Line:

This is a killer Larceny release — it’s one of my favs in a while. It’s a bit warm but still delivers a deep and satisfying bourbon vibe. Overall, try it over a single ice cube first then start playing around with it in cocktails.

31. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Batch No. B523

ABV: 62.1%

Average Price: $69

The Whiskey:

The latest Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is here (number two of three for 2023). This edition is a batch of bourbons that are a minimum of 11.5 years old (down from the usual 12-year age statements). The batch is bottled completely as is without cutting with water or chill filtration.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a nice sense of funk and fruit on the nose — think standing by a barn in an apple orchard — that leads to salted caramel, cherry tobacco, and rich dark chocolate cut with red chili pepper flakes with a lush vanilla foundation of almond cakes and powdered sugar icing.

Palate: Rich winter spice cakes with a hint of rum raisin drive the taste toward dark cherry spiced tobacco with a rush of ABVs that cause a deep buzz before old cellar dirt floors and oak arrives with a dark sense of chocolate and espresso all kissed with salt.

Finish: Cherry Coke and gingerbread drive the finish with a lush and vibrant sense of red chili pepper spice, black pepper woodiness, and cinnamon bark softness before stewed apple and buttery pie crust lead back toward a vanilla almond cake vibe with a lingering warming sensation.

Bottom Line:

This is an excellent Elijah Craig release. It’s deeply classic while going to new and funky places that 100% elevate this expression. The ABVs are balanced and nuanced and add to the overall profile.

30. Rieger’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey Bottled In Bond

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $59

The Whiskey:

This small craft whiskey is made with a mash of 56% corn, 30% rye, and 14% malted barley. The whiskey was left to age for six years before batching, proofing, and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is old and leathery with a good layer of salted caramel over pecan waffles with buttercream and cinnamon syrup next to a hint of black peppercorn and woody orchards.

Palate: Maple syrup attaches to the pecan waffles with a sense of Christmas nut cake, dried cranberry, and vanilla cream with a touch of winter spice barks and burnt orange.

Finish: The end has a classic warmth derived from spiced wood notes next to a hint of winter cake tobacco with plenty of dark and spicy syrup and buttery caramel.

Bottom Line:

This is nice stuff. It’s very much in the “classics” column with a simple, straightforward, easy-sipping bourbon vibe that’ll also make a good, deep cocktail. You can’t beat that.

29. Legent Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Partially Finished in Wine & Sherry Casks

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $37

The Whiskey:

This bottle from Beam Suntory marries Kentucky bourbon, California wine, and Japanese whisky blending in one bottle. Legent is classic Kentucky bourbon made by bourbon legend Fred Noe at Beam that’s finished in both French oak that held red wine and Spanish sherry casks. The whiskey is then blended by whisky-blending legend Shinji Fukuyo at Suntory.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Plummy puddings with hints of nuts mingle with vinous berries, oaky spice, and a good dose of vanilla and toffee on the nose.

Palate: The palate expands on the spice with more barky cinnamon and dusting of nutmeg while the oak becomes sweeter and the fruit becomes dried and sweet.

Finish: The finish is jammy yet light with plenty of fruit, spice, and oak lingering on the senses.

Bottom Line:

This sherry-finished bourbon is spot on. The whiskey has a great texture and depth, making it a great sipper or cocktail base. If you want to make a great Manhattan or just have an everyday easy sipper around, get this bottle.

28. Peerless Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 54.65% (varies)

Average Price: $74

The Whiskey:

Kentucky Peerless Distilling takes its time for a true grain-to-glass experience. Their Small Batch Bourbon is crafted with a fairly low-rye mash bill and fermented with a sweet mash as opposed to a sour mash (that means they use 100% new grains, water, and yeast with each new batch instead of holding some of the mash over to start the next one like a sourdough starter). The barrels are then hand-selected for their taste and bottled completely un-messed with.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Expect notes of blackberry next to worn leather, rich toffee, vanilla oils, and wet tobacco leaves.

Palate: The taste holds onto the toffee and vanilla as the tobacco dries out and spices up, with touches of cedar bark and a few bitter espresso beans.

Finish: The end is long, holds onto the vanilla and tobacco, and touches back on the berries as it fades through your senses.

Bottom Line:

This bourbon comes from a true craft distillery in Louisville, Kentucky that leans into optimal Kentucky bourbon vibes. You feel the love and expertise in this bourbon from first nose to last sip. The kicker is that this was made by a fresh-faced 25-year-old kid who’s now only 30. It’s magical stuff and feels like both the future of bourbon and its past (it’s so classically built) in every single pour.

27. George Dickel Bottled in Bond Tennessee Whisky Fall 2008 Aged 13 Years

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $44

The Whisky:

Master Distiller Nicole Austin has been killing it with these bottled-in-bond releases from George Dickel. This release is a whiskey that was warehoused in the fall of 2008. 13 years later, the whiskey was bottled at 100 proof (as per the bottled-in-bond law) and left to rest. Last fall, new releases of that Tennessee whiskey were sent out to much acclaim.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Sour cherries, maple syrup, and pecan waffles mingle with dried apple chips, old leather boots, and winter spice with a hint of vanilla wafers on the nose.

Palate: The taste leans toward spicy apple pie filling with walnuts, plenty of cinnamon, and some raisins before malted vanilla milkshakes, blueberry cotton candy, and dark chocolate milk arrive on the mid-palate and lead toward a moist oatmeal cookie dipped in salted caramel.

Finish: The end has a dry woody spiciness with star anise, cinnamon, and allspice mingling with marzipan and cherry/cinnamon tobacco.

Bottom Line:

This is one of the best whiskeys at this price point on the shelf today. This could easily cost twice as much and people wouldn’t bat an eye. All of that aside, this is a great cocktail base or sipper over some rocks. It’s just good, period.

26. Frank August Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $66

The Whiskey:

The first whiskey from Frank August is a sourced bourbon. The whiskey is made in Kentucky, where it’s also aged. The team at Frank August then takes roughly 10 to 15 barrels per batch and builds this bourbon painstakingly to fit their desired flavor profile. The whiskey is then lightly proofed down to 100 proof before bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is pure classic bourbon with hints of salted caramel with a twinge of soft grains next to spicy cherry syrup, a whisper of sour apple, and a touch of aged oak staves soaked in mulled wine.

Palate: The palate moves on from the soft grains towards rum-soaked raisins with a warm winter spice matrix — cinnamon, ginger, clove, allspice — before a brown sugar/rock candy sweetness takes over on the mid-palate.

Finish: The finish is long and sweet with a nice dose of sharp cinnamon and soft nutmeg that leads to a supple vanilla cream with a thin line of dry cedar and tobacco spice just touched with dark cherry on the very end.

Bottom Line:

I tend to use this to make a mean Sazerac, but it’s 100% delicious on its own in a nice glass (or with a nice piece of ice). Also, that bottle always wows.

25. Blue Run Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Reflection

ABV: 47.5%

Average Price: $88

The Whiskey:

This whiskey was distilled at Castle & Key back in 2018. 200 of those barrels were hand-picked for this release to take a look back at the past two years of Blue Run and “reflect” upon the trials they brought and the successes they’ve had in making tasty whiskey.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This opens with a distinct note of tart yet slightly sweet cherry on the nose with a supporting cast of butterscotch candies, mild firewood, and a hint of pancake batter.

Palate: That batter becomes a stack of pancakes with vanilla-laced butter, maple syrup, and a few nuts thrown in that lead to a herb garden full of rosemary bushes.

Finish: That savory note mellows out through the mid-palate as a dusting of nutmeg rounds out the finish with hints of woody maple syrup and a final echo of that tart cherry.

Bottom Line:

This is a new bourbon with a fresh vibe and profile. This is the bottle you get when you want to be on the cutting edge of bourbon’s future but also want to drink really good whiskey.

24. Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series Botted-In-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $50

The Whiskey:

This brand-new release from Bardstown Bourbon Company is 100% their own whiskey. The juice is made from a wheated bourbon mash bill — 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley — down in Bardstown, Kentucky. The whiskey spends about six years mellowing before it’s just kissed with local water and bottled at 100 proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose draws you in with a sense of orange Jolly Ranchers, powdered cacao, and stewed peaches with classic bourbon vanilla and an oaky vibe.

Palate: The palate is a mix of apricot jam, pear cores, and red berries with a mix of spiced orange candy tobacco wrapped around dry wicker and cedar bark.

Finish: The end leans into the sweet and spiced orange while the tobacco slowly fades through sweet caramel and vanilla buttercream toward a silky finish.

Bottom Line:

This has a classic backbone that goes deeper than the average bourbon. I’d argue that you can sip this slowly or use it for mixing your favorite bourbon cocktails. It’s a winner either way.

23. Baker’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Single Barrel Aged 8 Years 1 Month

ABV: 53.5%

Average Price: $59

The Whiskey:

Baker’s is pulled from single barrels in specific warehouses and ricks across the Beam facility in Clermont, Kentucky. The bourbon is always at least seven years old. In this case, it was aged eight years and one month before bottling as-is.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Sourdough rye crusts and star anise with a fleeting hint of caraway counter cellar funk and cherry/vanilla tobacco on the nose.

Palate: The palate lets that vanilla get super lush with a sense of cinnamon bark and allspice berries next to hints of dill and fennel.

Finish: The end has an eggnog softness with a bit of Red Hot and chili-laced tobacco.

Bottom Line:

This is a very rye-heavy bourbon with a great funkiness to it. This is the bourbon you get when you want more herbal and floral depth on top of a classic sweet and fruity Kentucky bourbon. Thanks to that, it’s a great and fun sipper that just keeps delivering new nuance and flavors. If you’re an Old Grand-Dad fan, this is really going to be your jam.

22. Old Forester 1897 Bottled in Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $49

The Whisky:

Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond is the brand’s throwback bottle that celebrates the 1897 act that brought the world bottled-in-bond whisky. The whiskey in the bottle is a mid-rye bourbon mash that’s aged, proofed, and bottled in accordance with the bonded laws and regulations.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This drips with caramel on the nose — the kind that’s a bit tacky and chewy — alongside a touch of orange blossom and maybe a vanilla latte.

Palate: That vanilla and bitter espresso bean note carry on through the palate as a bowl of red and stone fruits soak in a bowl of brandy with plenty of cinnamon sticks and allspice berries thrown in too.

Finish: The finish marries all those notes while leaning heavily into the caramel sweetness as it fades away at a good clip.

Bottom Line:

This is both a great whisky and a great bottled in bond. It just hits every note so well that you’re left really searching to try and find any faults (there aren’t many). It’s also a great cocktail bourbon that kills in a Manhattan, Sazerac, or boulevardier.

21. Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof

ABV: Varies

Average Price: $99

The Whiskey:

Where Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select is cut with soft limestone water to bring it down to proof, this is the straight juice from the barrel. These barrels are all hand-selected from the vast Jack Daniel’s rickhouses. What’s left from the angel’s share then goes straight into the bottle. That means the ABVs and tasting notes for this bottle will vary depending on which bottle you snag.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Expect an experience that’s full of rich vanilla, caramel, and toasted oak, next to a rush of cherry-spiked spice.

Palate: The sip should have a mix of that vanilla, oak, and rich wintry spices with a nice dose of bright red fruits and a texture that’s more velvet than liquid.

Finish: The end really holds onto that vibe as the mild spice, toasted oak, rich vanilla, and almost maple syrup sweetness slowly fade across your senses, leaving you with chewy cherry tobacco stuffed into an old cedar box.

Bottom Line:

This is another bottle you simply cannot go wrong with. It’s accessible, delicious, and makes a great addition to any bar cart. The high ABVs make it great on the rocks or in a cocktail. It’s deep, memorable, and fun and should get you very excited for Jack Daniel’s single barrels.

20. Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $37

The Whiskey:

Four Rose’s standard single-barrel expression is an interesting one. This is their “number one” recipe, meaning it’s the high-rye mash bill that’s fermented with a yeast that highlights “delicate fruit.” The whiskey is then bottled at 100 proof, meaning you’re getting a good sense of that single barrel in every bottle.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Woody maple syrup and cinnamon sticks lead to a hint of pear candy, rich vanilla, and a leathery dark fruit with this faint whisper of floral herbs on the nose.

Palate: The palate lets the pear shine as the spices lean into woody barks and tart berries next to leathery dates and plums with a butteriness tying everything together.

Finish: A spicy tobacco chewiness leads the mid-palate toward a soft fruitiness and a hint of plum pudding at the end with a slight nuttiness and green herbal vibe.

Bottom Line:

This is unique but still makes total sense from nose to finish. It’s deeply hewn and a nice change from the overly sweet classic Kentucky bourbons that usually fill this price point.

19. Noah’s Mill Small Batch Genuine Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 57.15%

Average Price: $67

The Whiskey:

This is the bigger and bolder sibling of Willett’s Rowan’s Creek Bourbon. It’s the same whiskey — a no-age-statement bourbon that’s made from four to 15-year-old barrels — that’s barely proofed down with local Kentucky water.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Maple syrup-covered walnuts greet you with a sense of dark dried cherries and a hint of rose water next to old leather books and holiday spices.

Palate: The taste holds onto those notes while adding in a stewed plum depth with a whisper of caramel apple and orange oils.

Finish: The vanilla and sweet oak kick in late with a rich depth and well-rounded lightness to the sip fade towards lush cherry tobacco, soft leather, and winter spice matrix tied to prunes and dates.

Bottom Line:

This is a great, classic bourbon. It’s accessible (you can generally find it outside of Kentucky) and it’s very drinkable. If you’re looking for an essential bourbon drinking experience (neat, on the rocks, or in a cocktail), this is the bourbon you’re looking for.

18. Weller The Original Wheated Bourbon Antique 107 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 53.5%

Average Price: $50

The Whiskey:

This is a non-age-statement bourbon that’s called “Old Weller Antique” (OWA) by those who love the old-school vibes of the expression’s previous iteration. The ripple with this expression is the higher proof. The barrels are vatted and barely proofed down to 107 proof before bottling (the entry proof is 114).

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with a lovely sense of vanilla pods and orange blossom with a hint of old saddle leather and cedar bark next to wild sage, cinnamon and caramel apple fritters, and salted black licorice with a bundle of holiday spices and barks tied up with burnt orange and pine.

Palate: The palate is lush with a cream soda float with malted vanilla ice cream cut with cherries, dark chocolate chips, and espresso flakes next to cinnamon cherry bark tobacco on the mid-palate.

Finish: The end dives toward a thick braid of cedar bark, sage, and blackberry tobacco with a thin line of sweetgrass and vanilla pods woven in there.

Bottom Line:

This is well-rounded and deep with a nice … playfulness … while still feeling classic through and through. Overall, this is a great cocktail bourbon that’s worth sipping around a campfire in a very casual setting.

17. Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky

ABV: 55.05%

Average Price: $42

The Whisky:

This special release from Maker’s Mark is their classic wheated bourbon turned up a few notches. The batch is made from no more than 19 barrels of whiskey. Once batched, that whiskey goes into the barrel at cask strength with no filtering, just pure whiskey-from-the-barrel vibes.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Burnt caramel candies and lush vanilla lead the way on the nose with hints of dry straw, sour cherry pie, and spiced apple cider with a touch of eggnog lushness.

Palate: The palate has a sense of spicy caramel with a vanilla base that leads to apricot jam, southern biscuits, and a flake of salt with a soft mocha creaminess.

Finish: The end is all about the buzzy tobacco spiciness with a soft vanilla underbelly and a hint of cherry syrup.

Bottom Line:

This is delicious whiskey. It’s so clearly a good and lush bourbon, even the newcomer can taste the excellence (and the flavors are dialed, which makes analyzing it a little more clear-cut). Get some!

16. George Dickel Tennessee Whisky Singel Barrel Aged At Least 15 Years (S1B43)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $60

The Whisky:

This is a very old whiskey for a great price. The whiskey is from single barrels, aged 15 years or more, and the proof varies accordingly (sometimes it’s cut with water, too). Like the 9-year single barrel, this is made from an 84% corn mash and stored in Dickel’s famed single-story warehouse.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This is all about the cherry pie with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream next to a slight apple-tobacco vibe with a clear multi-vitamin chalkiness.

Palate: Red berries lead toward a cherry-choco soda pop, more vanilla cream, and a light touch of bourbon-soaked oakiness on the taste.

Finish: That woodiness leans into a musty corner of a cellar as a spicy cherry tobacco finish leaves you with a dry, almost chalky, yet sweet mouthfeel.

Bottom Line:

Okay, here’s the rub. This is actually a 17-and-a-half-year-old whisky from Dickel. Dickel released a 17-year expression late last year. George Dickel 17 is over $300 per bottle. While that release is not a single barrel, it does have a little higher ABV.

Still, $60 for a very, very similar whisky compared to $300+ is a great deal and perfect for this list.

15. Booker’s “Charlie’s Batch” 2023-01 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 63.3%

Average Price: $97

The Whiskey:

This first Booker’s Small Batch of 2023 has arrived! This release is an hommage to Charlie Hutchens — the woodworker who makes Booker’s boxes the whiskey comes in and a long-time family friend to the Noe family who makes Beam whiskeys. The whiskey is a blend of mid to high-floor barrels from five warehouses. Those whiskeys were batched and bottled 100% as-is at cask strength after just north of seven years of aging.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Toasted almonds and walnuts lead the way on the nose with a deep and rich vanilla cake lightly dusted with cacao, dry cherry, and cinnamon with a touch of old oak cellars and black-mold-encrusted old deck furniture.

Palate: The soft caramel and vanilla open the palate before a rush of woody and sharp spices — clove, anise, allspice, red chili pepper — arrive with a sense of old wood chips on a workshop floor leads to salted toffee dipped in roasted almonds and dark salted chocolate with a whisper of cherry cordial backing it all up.

Finish: That soft sweetness counters the hot spices for a while on the slow finish as the spices take on an orange/cherry/vanilla Christmas cake vibe with plenty of nuts and ABV heat.

Bottom Line:

This is a warm whiskey — the quintessential “Kentucky hug” bourbon, if you will. That said, there’s just so much going on in the flavor profile that the heat is secondary to the beautifully layered smells and tastes. My advice is to pour this over a single large rock and slowly let it wash over you one sip at a time.

More importantly, this is a new release and you can get it for under $100 right now. That will not last.

14. Cooper’s Craft Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 100 Proof

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $31

The Whiskey:

This whiskey is from Brown-Forman (which also makes Jack Daniels, Old Forester, King of Kentucky, and Woodford Reserve in the U.S.). The Kentucky-distilled juice is aged in special oak barrels that are chiseled before charring to create more surface space for carbon filtering and aging in the barrel. The best barrels and then batched, slightly proofed with that Kentucky limestone water, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a sense of old oak and almost smoldering cinnamon bark on the nose with a hint of apple/pear cider cut with orange oils and a whisper of vanilla-nougat wafers.

Palate: That apple/pear cider vibe dominated the start of the palate with a Martinelli’s cider sweetness next to clove buds and more cinnamon bark, a light sense of vanilla cake, and burnt orange.

Finish: The cinnamon really attaches to the apple/pear cider on the finish with a fleeting sense of sweet oak and old evergreen pitch and an echo of orange tobacco.

Bottom Line:

This hit those classic bourbon notes so well that it jolted it to the top of the tasting. This is just good goddamn bourbon from top to bottom and punches way above its price point — like way, way above.

13. Maker’s Mark 2023 Limited Release BEP Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Finished With 10 Virgin Oak Staves

ABV: 55.35%

Average Price: $69

The Whisky:

This is the final chapter of this series Maker’s Mark “Wood Finish Series” before the next set starts dropping. The whiskey in the bottle is made from classic Maker’s that’s batched at Barrel Entry Proof (BEP), which is 110-proof (the average bourbon goes into the barrel at 125-proof) and then finished with ten bespoke wooden staves inside the barrel, all made from new (or “virgin”) oak.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Roasted vanilla beans and pan-toasted winter spices (nutmeg, clove, allspice, and cinnamon) mingle with lush and butter caramel sauce, brown-sugar rock candy, and a whisper of old wicker furniture with a hint of pipe tobacco.

Palate: That brown-sugar sweetness drives the palate toward woody and warm winter spices with a creamy eggnog edge next to vanilla sheet cake sprinkled with toffee chards and dried orchard fruits.

Finish: The end dries out a tad as the spices ramp up toward a holiday cake made with plenty of vanilla, brown sugar, buttercream, and toasted woody spices before being kissed with fresh pipe tobacco that was left in a cedar box for a spell.

Bottom Line:

This is excellent whiskey. It’s on the woodier side, yes, but it all makes sense to the senses as you slowly sip it. This is the bottle you get when you want a slow and delightful sipping experience with a well-made bourbon.

12. Chattanooga Whiskey Straight Bourbon Whiskey Tennessee High Malt 111 Proof

ABV: 55.5%

Average Price: $49

The Whiskey:

This Tennessee whiskey is hewn from a mash bill (recipe) of classic yellow corn, malted rye, caramel malted barley, and honey malted barley. The ripple here is that the fermentation of those grains with water and yeast lasted for seven whole days (basically three times as long as most fermentation runs). The distilled juice was filled into toasted and charred oak and left alone for over two years. The final batch was pulled from no more than 12 barrels for this release.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Chocolate malts cut with spiced cherry syrup drive the nose with a hint of cinnamon bark and eggnog nutmeg next to soft orchard vibes.

Palate: That chocolate maltiness leans into honey-dipped graham crackers with a hint of allspice and clove over gingerbread and dark-chocolate-covered dried cherries.

Finish: A hint of cinnamon bark dark cherry tobacco mingles with malty spiced vanilla cookies and a hint more of that honeyed sweetness with deep chocolate lurking beneath it all.

Bottom Line:

These new and exciting malt experiments from Chattanooga are some of the best whiskeys hitting shelves right now. The best part? It’s just really f*cking tasty. That makes this a great choice to add to your bar cart right now.

11. Stellum Bourbon Single Barrel Perseus Selected by Topflight Series by ReserveBar

ABV: 57.59%

Average Price: $52

The Whiskey:

Perseus is the latest in the astronomical lineup from Stellum Bourbon. This whiskey starts off with a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley. That hot juice then rests for at least four to six years before single barrels are picked for bottling. In this case, ReserveBar snagged this barrel for their Top Flight program as a special barrel pick.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Candied pecans cooked into crispy, vanilla-forward waffles dance on the nose with a touch of sour cherry tossed in sea salt, a deep winter spice bark medley, and old leather tobacco pouches.

Palate: The taste moseys through salted dark chocolate squares next to maple syrup-dipped graham crackers, dried wild sagebrush, and a rush of sharp spearmint with black cherry lush sweetness at the base.

Finish: That black cherry drives the finish toward salted caramel and dried red chili pepper spice next to a whisper of orchard bard, woody spice, and soft and chewy tobacco.

Bottom Line:

This is great whiskey. Great. Stellum whiskey bottles like this also end up around $100 and this is half that price. Again, that’s a great deal, folks!

10. Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50.5%

Average Price: $79

The Whiskey:

Jimmy Russell hand selects eight to nine-year-old barrels from his warehouses for their individual taste and quality. Those barrels are then cut down ever-so-slightly to 101 proof and bottled one at a time with their barrel number and warehouse location right on the bottle.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose draws you in with classic vibes from top to bottom thanks to rich vanilla smoothness, wintry spices, a hint of cedar, and a mix of sour cherry and tart apple with a slight lawn furniture earthiness.

Palate: The palate stays very classic with old boot leather next to dry cedar bark, a layer of rich marzipan cut with orange oils and covered in dark chocolate, and a distant hint of nasturtiums suspended in fresh honey.

Finish: The end finishes with a good hint of spiced cherry tobacco and old leather next to mild nuttiness, bitter chocolate, and soft vanilla cake frosted with cinnamon and cherry.

Bottom Line:

This is an unbeatable single-barrel expression of whiskey (bourbon or not). It deserves the top ten slot, for sure!

9. Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 12 Years Old

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $69

The Whiskey:

This is the classic Beam whiskey. The juice is left alone in the Beam warehouses in Clermont, Kentucky, for 12 long years. The barrels are chosen according to a specific taste and mingled to create this aged expression with a drop or two of that soft Kentucky limestone water.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This opens with clear notes of dark rum-soaked cherry, bitter yet creamy dark chocolate, winter spices, a twinge of a sourdough sugar doughnut, and a hint of menthol.

Palate: The palate leans into a red berry crumble — brown sugar, butter, and spice — with a hint of dried chili flake, salted caramels covered in dark chocolate, and a spicy/sweet note that leads toward a wet cattail stem and soft brandied cherries dipped in silky dark chocolate sauce.

Finish: The very end holds onto that sweetness and layers in a final note of pecan shells and maple candy.

Bottom Line:

This is the best mainstream Beam product, by far. It has the perfect balance of taste, warmth, and depth. It’s amazingly easy-to-drink neat while also really blooming with a little water or a single rock — expect a deeper level of creaminess and dark, almost waxy chocolate with a medley of dried tart berries with a soft whisper of hickory smoke.

8. Barrell Bourbon Cask Strength Batch# 034 A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys

ABV: 57.31%

Average Price: $84

The Whiskey:

The latest Batch from Barrell Bourbon is a blend of bourbons from Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana. The barrels in the mix are between six and 15 years old. Those barrels are masterfully blended and bottled 100% as-is.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This has a dry apple cider vibe that leans into orange marmalade, dried apricot, and moist almond cake dipped in luxurious eggnog on the nose.

Palate: There’s a woody huckleberry jam vibe on the front of the palate that leads to old-fashioned cinnamon apple fritter, pecan waffles, more orange marmalade, and nutty almond cookies dusted in powdered sugar and nutmeg.

Finish: There’s a hint of dry sweetgrass and dried pear chips with a hint of sasparilla root, sea salt flakes, and this fleeting sense of cold slate on a rainy day balanced by rich yet dry chili spice and dark and burnt orange and espresso beans.

Bottom Line:

This stuff is so good it makes you shake your head. You will say, “God Damn!” when you taste it. It’s so wildly deep and fun while truly taking you on a journey. This is already in the ranks for one of the best bourbons of the year. That means you have to get some now before it disappears from shelves.

7. Starlight Distillery Carl T. Huber’s Bottled-In-Bond Indiana Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $62

The Whiskey:

This new release from Huber Farm’s Starlight Distillery (the distillery to know if you’re in the know) is made from their high-corn mash with a sweet mash method (each batch is fresh) in their old copper pot still. The whiskey is barreled in Canton barrels and left to age on the farm for four years before it’s batched (only 20 barrels) and proofed down to 100 proof for bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with dark stewed cherries and spiced prune compote next to cinnamon waffles with a hint of maple syrup and dark chocolate chips.

Palate: The palate is pure silk with notes of Cherry Coke next to clove-studded oranges dipped in dark chocolate with a flake of salt with whispers of apple fritters, eggnog spices, and singed cherry bark with maybe a hint of apple wood in the background.

Finish: The end has a subtle warmth thanks to wintry mulled wine spices that lead to fresh pipe tobacco kissed with dates and chocolate and packed into an old cedar box for safekeeping.

Bottom Line:

This is both fresh/fun and so classic that it felt seminal. If you can get your hands on a bottle of this (click that price link!), then you’ll be in for a true bourbon treat.

6. Eagle Rare Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 10 Years

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $51

The Whiskey:

This might be one of the most beloved (and still accessible) bottles from Buffalo Trace. This whiskey is made from their very low rye mash bill. The hot juice is then matured for at least ten years in various parts of the warehouse. The final mix comes down to barrels that hit just the right notes to make them “Eagle Rare.” Finally, this one is proofed down to a fairly low 90 proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Old leather boots, burnt orange rinds, oily sage, old oak staves, and buttery toffee round out the nose.

Palate: Marzipan covered in dark chocolate opens the palate as floral honey and ripe cherry lead to a winter cake vibe full of raisins, dark spices, and toffee sauce.

Finish: The end has a balance of all things winter treats as the marzipan returns and the winter spice amp up alongside a hint of spicy cherry tobacco and old cedar.

Bottom Line:

It’s amazing that you can still find these (sort of). If you can, buy a case. This is a perfect house pour that’ll always deliver. I tend to drink it over a single large ice cube. It rules.

5. Chattanooga Whiskey Bottled In Bond Vintage Series Fall 2018 Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $53

The Whiskey:

The latest seasonal drop from Tennessee’s Chattanooga Whiskey is another great. The whiskey is a blend of four of their mash bills. 30% comes from mash bill SB091, which is a mix of yellow corn, malted rye, caramel malted barley, and honey malted barley. Another 30% comes from mash bill B002, which has yellow corn, hardwood smoked malted barley (smoked with beech, mesquite, apple, or cherry), caramel malted barley, caramel malted, and honey malted barley. The next 20% is mash bill B005: yellow corn, malted wheat, oak smoked malted wheat, and caramel malted wheat. And the last 20% is from mash bill R18098, which is yellow corn, pale malted barley, naked malted oats, double roasted caramel malted barley, peated malted barley, cherrywood smoked malted barley, chocolate malt, and de-husked chocolate malt.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Cinnamon, brown butter sugar, walnut, and raisins meld on the nose with some vanilla to create a moist oatmeal cookie next to buckwheat pancakes griddled in brown butter and topped with apple butter, and maybe some apricot jam with a dash of nutmeg, dark chocolate shavings, and creamy vanilla whipped cream.

Palate: The palate leans into cherry hand pies and vanilla wafers with a counter of dried wild sage, orchard tree bark, and meaty dates.

Finish: The end has a sharp turn into dried red chili pepper cut with pipe tobacco, dark chocolate bars, cedar bark, burnt orange, and lime leaves with this whisper of cinnamon cookies at the very end.

Bottom Line:

This whiskey rocks. It’s a great bottle to impress whiskey heads but also a subtle sipper that delivers on several levels if you’re looking for a solid slow sipper. Naturally, it also slays in Manhattan, Sazerac, or old fashioned.

4. Nashtucky Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 64.08%

Average Price: $99

The Whiskey:

This new whiskey from Nashville Barrel Company is a marriage of Kentucky spirit and Tennessee ingenuity. The whiskey is made and preliminary aged in Kentucky before the barrels are sent to Nashville to continue the maturation process in a different climate. After five years, the barrels are bottled one at a time at cask strength with no filtering or fussing.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This opens with a nice mix of old porch wicker (hardcore nostalgia really) next to supple caramel sauce, white pepper, and a sense of savory fruits like figs and maybe some starfruit.

Palate: The palate holds onto that savory fruit before some ABVs kick in with a nice mix of woody spices and burnt sugars.

Finish: The mid-palate leans into green sweetgrass, savory herbs, and a hint of sweet fruit candy that subtly morphs into strawberry soda at the very end.

Bottom Line:

This is another delicious whiskey that proves that sourcing whiskey is more than just putting whiskey in a bottle. The care that the selection process takes and then the aging of this whiskey in a different place adds a whole new dimension to the whiskey. Seriously, this is special stuff for anyone looking for something both new and delicious in the world of bourbon right now.

3. Heaven’s Door Decade Series Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 10 Years

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $95

The Whiskey:

This is the first release in the new series of Bob Dylan’s Heaven’s Door Tennessee whiskeys. The juice is a 10-year-old straight bourbon that was made in Tennessee but wasn’t charcoal filtered before or after aging. The sourced barrels were blended and just proofed down before bottling without any other fussing.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a tannic old oakiness on the nose (this is older) with hints of pecan waffles covered in maple syrup with vanilla butter.

Palate: The taste is pure silk with salted caramel, vanilla cream, black licorice, marzipan, and a hint of cinnamon-pecan ice cream with a dusting of powdery chocolate in malt.

Finish: The end has a moment of warmth thanks to that cinnamon before lunging toward old porch wicker, cinnamon bark, star anise, pear tobacco, and old leather with a hint of potting soil.

Bottom Line:

This is simply delicious. It’s so vibrant and classic while taking you on a true bourbon-fueled journey. Don’t let anyone dare tell you that there’s a cash grab element to Dylan’s brand.

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

ABV: 45.7%

Average Price: $46

The Whiskey:

Michter’s really means the phrase “small batch” here. The tank they use to marry their hand-selected eight-year-old bourbons can only hold 20 barrels, so that’s how many go into each small-batch bottling. The blended juice is then proofed with Kentucky’s famously soft limestone water and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this is very fruity with a mix of bruised peach, red berries (almost like in a cream soda), and apple wood next to a plate of waffles with brown butter and a good pour of maple syrup that leads to a hint of cotton candy.

Palate: The sweetness ebbs on the palate as vanilla frosting leads to grilled peaches with a crack of black pepper next to singed marshmallows.

Finish: The end is plummy and full of rich toffee next to a dash of cedar bark and vanilla tobacco.

Bottom Line:

This is a quintessential bourbon whiskey. It’s also the best mixing bourbon on the list for simple, whiskey-forward cocktails. That said, it works just as well over some ice in a rocks glass. You really can’t beat the depth of this beautiful whiskey from top to bottom.

1. Wild Turkey Rare Breed Barrel Proof Bourbon

ABV: 58.4%

Average Price: $54

The Whiskey:

This is the mountaintop of what the main line of Wild Turkey can achieve (this is easily found on liquor store shelves for the most part). This is a blend of the prime barrels that are married and bottled untouched. That means no filtering and no cutting with water. This is a classic Turkey bourbon with nowhere to hide.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This opens like a dessert table during the holidays with crème brûlée next to a big sticky toffee pudding with orange zest sprinkled over the top next to a bushel of fresh mint.

Palate: The palate hits an early note of pine resin as the orange kicks up towards a bold wintry spice, soft vanilla cream, and a hint of honeyed cherry tobacco.

Finish: The end keeps the winter spices front and center as a lush pound cake feeling leads to soft notes of cherry-spiced tobacco leaves folded into an old cedar box with a whisper of old vanilla pods lurking in the background.

Bottom Line:

This is a bottle that has no business being this good at this price point, making it truly one of the great value-per-dollar whiskeys on the shelf today. While it’s a very easy sipper, it also makes a killer cocktail. And in the end, it’s just the best under $100 bourbon right now. A champion bottle in every sense.