If you’re looking for well-made, special, and tasty bourbon, you don’t need to look too far beyond the $50-$60 price point. I’m not exaggerating or being glib. Bourbon really starts getting special just as you reach sixty bucks a bottle.
There are special barrel finishes, allocated masterpieces, single barrel spectaculars, crafty gems, and some of the biggest names in the game at their best. It’s a definite sweet spot.
To that end, I’m calling out 20 bottles of bourbon that you 100% should buy, try, and add to your rotation. Yes, 20. The best part is that we’re at the beginning of the year and some seriously hard-to-find bottles are hitting shelves right now (I’ll get to that below,scroll to the top five).
These bottles are ranked, as the title promises. While all of them are fire, some are just deeper, tastier, and more iconic. That also means that some of these might be harder to find depending on where you live in the U.S. For context, the prices below are linked to Total Wine in Louisville, Kentucky.
Let’s dive in!
- The 100 Best Bourbon Whiskeys Of 2023, Ranked
- The ‘Smoothest’ Bourbons Under $100, Blind Tasted And Ranked
- The Best Bourbons Under $100 For Thanksgiving Dinner, Ranked
- The Absolute Best Bottle Of Whiskey From Each Of The 50 States
- The Best Mainstream Bourbons Under $40, Blind Tasted And Ranked
20. Fern Creek Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $50
The Whiskey:
This new(ish) KY 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 great bottle to grab for mixing up some serious fruity-forward bourbon cocktails. It also works as a nice summer sipper over some ice thanks to the light berry profile with a deep classic bourbon foundation.
19. Rieger’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey Bottled In Bond
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $59
The Whiskey:
This small craft whiskey from Kansas City, Missouri 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:
Reiger’s is helping put Missouri on the map for great bourbon (more on that below too). This is just good bourbon, folks. I tend to lean more toward classic whiskey cocktails with this one, but you can sip in over ice without hesitation.
18. Barrell Foundation Bourbon Aged 5 Years A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $54
The Whiskey:
Barrell Craft Spirits have cornered the market on cask-strength single barrels and batched blends of bourbon, rye, and American whiskey. Now, they’re finally releasing a non-cask-strength bourbon for the masses. This whiskey is a batch of bourbons from Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, and Maryland that is proofed down to 100-proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Candied cherries and cranberry sauce drive the nose toward hints of dark chocolate, brown butter, and cardamon cake.
Palate: Pecan waffles dripping with brown butter and maple syrup lead on the palate with a sense of rye fennel and anise notes next to lemon poppyseed cake, a note of cinnamon cookie, and maybe a touch of eggnog-spiked lattes.
Finish: That creaminess leads back to the rich vanilla and woody spice barks with a sense of toffee rolled in roasted almond and dipped in salted dark chocolate before a rich pipe tobacco rolled with old saddle leather arrives.
Bottom Line:
Barrell Craft Spirits has finally made a blend for the masses and it’s a homerun. Overall, you’ll want to focus on refined whiskey cocktails with big rye vibes — so Manhattans, Sazeracs, boulevardiers, etc.
17. Heaven’s Door Revival Tennessee Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $54
The Whiskey:
This new re-design of Heaven’s Door Tennessee Bourbon is a minimum of six years old. Those barrels are left in single-story rickhouses in Tennessee where cool air dominates and you never get the extremely high temps of crow’s nests on high floors. Once just right, the barrels are batched, the whiskey is proofed, and the bourbon is bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich vanilla and caramel lead the nose toward crafty sweet grain porridge, old firewood, and a mild sense of chocolate malt milkshakes just kissed with winter spice.
Palate: That winter spice amps up through the palate with a sweet sense of eggnog and cinnamon toast with a hint of toffee and earthiness tied back to the old firewood on the nose.
Finish: That woodiness drives the warm finish with plenty of spice accented by creamy cinnamon honey.
Bottom Line:
Heaven’s Door really came into its own in 2023. Their core line was re-envisioned and the juice in the bottles is that little bit better to make it a must-try. This whiskey is best used for classic whiskey-forward cocktails or easy everyday sipping over some rocks.
16. Conecuh Ridge Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 50.3%
Average Price: $55
The Whiskey:
This new whiskey is a highlight for Alabama’s Clyde May’s new Conecuh Ridge Distillery in Troy, Alabama. The whiskey in the bottle is sourced from Indiana and is a blend of five-year-old barrels. The blend is meant as an example of the whiskey that’ll be produced at the new Troy distillery.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a nice dark and almost tart cherry on the nose with a sense of rich toffee rolled in almonds and dipped in chocolate with a whisper of rummy molasses and mulled wine spices.
Palate: The palate is classic in all the right ways with a deep and rich caramel and vanilla creaminess touched by dark cherry, orange zest, almond paste, and mulled winter spices.
Finish: The end is long and creamy with deep caramel, soft cherry tobacco, and a fleeting sense of an old barrel house full of aging oak.
Bottom Line:
This is another whiskey that’s just solid and on point and flat out good. It’s exactly what you want from a classic and deeply hewn bourbon for simple and tasty cocktails.
15. Nelson Bros. Whiskey Reserve Bourbon
ABV: 46.65%
Average Price: $58
The Whiskey:
This release from Nelson’s Green Brier is a big evolution for the brand. This high-rye bourbon is aged for four years before it’s masterfully blended into his expression. It’s then bottled without any fussing or meddling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A vanilla wafer with soft nougat greets you on the nose with a hint of burnt orange zest, Christmas cake, candied cherry, and a little bit of apple pie filling.
Palate: The taste has a moment of grilled pineapple that leads to brandy-soaked dark chocolate-covered cherries with a supporting act of zucchini bread, pecan pie, and a whisper of lemon meringue pie — it’s kind of like being in an old-school diner.
Finish: A mild dusting of white pepper ushers in the finish with a smooth green tea cut with menthol tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This is a great high-rye bourbon with a deep finish that takes you well beyond “classic” bourbon notes. I’d tend to use this as a rye replacement in Manhattans but you can easily sip it too.
14. FEW Spirits Alice in Chains “All Secrets Known” Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Tequila Barrels
ABV: 50.5%
Average Price: $53
The Whiskey:
FEW Spirits just dropped their second Alice in Chains collab and it’s a doozy. The whiskey in the bottle is made with FEW’s award-winning bourbon that’s been re-barreled into ex-tequila casks for another six months of maturation. Those barrels were batched and then the whiskey was just kissed with local water before bottling. Finally, a special label was created by creative artist Justin Helton, who worked with the band on the artwork.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The whiskey draws you in with a classic sense of spiced cherries over vanilla pound cake with plenty of deep and rich oak, caramel, and winter spices with a hint of apple orchards full of falling leaves.
Palate: Those falling leaves and hints of smoldering smudging sage lead back to the dark cherries soaked in brandy and dipped in dark chocolate with a flake of salt before a rich and creamy caramel arrives.
Finish: That caramel binds with lush vanilla on the finish next to moments of apple orchards, cherry pie, and dry bales of straw next to piles of cedar-laced tobacco in leather pouches.
Bottom Line:
This is the perfect bottle to crack open when you’re feeling that early 1990s grunge vibe and need a bold neat pour to enjoy while spinning some era-appropriate vinyl.
13. Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey 1856
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $52
The Whiskey:
This Tennessee whiskey blend was how we were introduced to Uncle Nearest five years ago. The expression remains the core bottle of the line with subtly blended Tennessee whiskey (which is legally bourbon) that’s at least five years old and cut with a touch of water before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a medley of winter spices, soft molasses, pecan waffles, and plenty of maple syrup just kissed with salted butter and vanilla extract.
Palate: The spices notch up on the palate with a clear clove, cinnamon, and cardamom vibe next to burnt orange syrup over sourdough cinnamon rolls, a hint of pecan pie, and rum raisin.
Finish: The end thins out toward orange-chocolate tobacco with a hint of musty oak and woody spice barks.
Bottom Line:
This is where Uncle Nearest really finds its feet as a sipper and great cocktail base. Pour this into your favorite whiskey cocktail and enjoy the ride.
12. New England Barrel Company Single Barrel Select 5 Year Bourbon
ABV: 61.9%
Average Price: $59
The Whiskey:
These single barrel selections come from Green River Distilling down in Owensboro, Kentucky. Great barrels are selected by the New England Barrel Company team and bottled 100% as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Soft dried red fruits, old spice barks, and lush vanilla lead on the nose with a sense of wet brown sugar and spiked cider with a fleeting sense of old oak and fall leaves.
Palate: The fruitiness gets leathery on the palate as the vanilla leads to eggnog spice and creaminess with a light sense of minced meat pies, winter spice cakes, and almond paste dipped in pear brandy with a touch of cherry lurking underneath.
Finish: That dark cherry attaches to the tobacco and spice barks on the finish as warmth builds towards a long Kentucky hug.
Bottom Line:
Green River has some amazing single barrels sitting in their warehouses that are just starting to trickle out. This is a great example and should get you pretty excited about what’s to come from the distillery over the next years. Pour it neat or into your favorite bourbon cocktail and you’ll be in for a treat.
11. New Riff Single Barrel Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 55.8%
Average Price: $51
The Whiskey:
These releases from New Riff will vary from location to location as they’re largely reserved for retailers. The whiskey in the bottle is New Riff’s standard bourbon mash of 65% corn, 30% rye, and 5% malted barley. The spirit is aged for at least four years before they’re bottled individually without cutting or filtration.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on these tends to be soft, kind of like freshly baked rye bread, with notes of eggnog spices, slick vanilla flan, thin caramel sauce, and hints of spicy orange zest.
Palate: The palate amps everything up as the orange peel becomes candied and attaches to a moist holiday cake, dried cranberry and cherry, more dark spice, a touch of nuttiness, and plenty of that vanilla.
Finish: The end takes its time as the whole thing comes together like a rich and boozy fruit cake as little notes of leather and tobacco spice keep things interesting on the slow fade.
Bottom Line:
New Riff Single Barrel Bourbon is one of the best hidden gems of the Kentucky bourbon scene. If you can find it, grab a case and make it your house pour for the rest of the year.
10. Larceny Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Proof A124
ABV: 62.1%
Average Price: $55
The Whiskey:
The first Larceny Barrel Proof release of 2024 is a classic. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of six- to eight-year-old bourbons from the wheated bourbon barrels at Heaven Hill. Those barrels were batched and then went into the bottle 100% as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This feels warm on the nose with a sense of cinnamon toast, pecan waffles covered in maple syrup, and buttery vanilla paste with a hint of prune and maybe some dates swimming in mulled wine with a whisper of dark fruity brandy.
Palate: Rummy syrup with a deep sense of Nutella spread over a toasted brioche drives the palate toward fig jam, sticky toffee pudding, and a dark caramel cut with burnt orange and salt flakes on the mid-palate.
Finish: That caramel gets so dark that it turns into cinnamon-laced dark chocolate with a touch of allspice and clove before a dry sense of old oak staves wrapped in tobacco round out the hot and dry end.
Bottom Line:
This just dropped so you should be able to find it for the suggested retail price. It’s also a classic bourbon with a deep sense of dessert and dry barrels houses, which makes it very fun to sip after a big meal.
9. Starlight Distillery Single Barrel Huber’s Rickhouse Select Indiana Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 57%
Average Price: $59
The Whisky:
These single-barrel releases from Huber Winery’s Starlight Distillery are starting to light up the craft bourbon scene. The Indiana bourbon is real craft from a family tradition going back to the mid-1800s on the same farm (this isn’t MGP). Depending on the barrel, the mash here is a unique one with 58% corn, 27% rye, and 15% malted barley. That whiskey is aged for at least four years before it’s considered ready for single-barrel bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this meanders from sheet cake with vanilla frosting toward chili-laced dark chocolate ice cream to old leather gloves with a hint of potting soil, soft cedar planks, and a twinge of an orange creamsicle.
Palate: The taste balances a lemon meringue pie with silky cream soda, red peppercorns, and thick toffee sauce with plenty of brown butter.
Finish: The end has a bit of woody spice next to spiced cherry syrup, a crack of black pepper, and crumb more of that cake from the nose with a counter of those old leather gardening gloves finishing off the taste.
Bottom Line:
This is a great example of craft distilling in 2024. This is great whiskey. Mix it, pour it neat, throw in a rock, whatever floats your boat … this whiskey is going deliver.
8. Baker’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Single Barrel Aged 8 Years 1 Month
ABV: 53.5%
Average Price: $56
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 where the team at Beam really gets to have fun with unique flavors. This is a great neat pour that goes in so many directions while making total sense at the end. Try it neat, add water, and let it guide you on a flavor trip through Kentucky bourbon that few other whiskeys can.
7. Knob Creek Single Barrel Select Bourbon Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 9 Years
ABV: 60%
Average Price: $56
The Whiskey:
This single-barrel bourbon is from Beam’s private barrel pick program for retailers and at the distillery. That means your local retailer goes out to Clermont, Kentucky, and picks a single barrel for their store only. That then means these will vary from store to store ever so slightly but still carry that classic Knob Creek vibe.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This is bold on the nose too with plenty of lush vanilla next to salted caramel, a touch of barrel char, brandy-soaked cherries, and a hint of dark chocolate-covered espresso beans with a little date/prune action.
Palate: The palate pops with dark chocolate Almond Joys next to cherry root beer and old oak with a hint of potting soil.
Finish: The end softens toward a mocha espresso with a dash of nutmeg next to dry cedar and cherry tobacco wrapped around a box of Red Hots.
Bottom Line:
This is another Beam product that slaps. Overall, if you’re looking for quintessential Kentucky bourbon with a big bear hug on the finish, this is it.
6. Green River Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Full Proof
ABV: 59.5%
Average Price: $59
The Whiskey:
The latest addition to the core Green River lineup is a doozy. The Kentucky whiskey is a rye-forward single-barrel bourbon. The mash bill is 70% Kentucky-grown corn with 21% rye and 9% malted barley. That whiskey rests for at least five years before water is added to bring the proof back down to entry proof, hence “full proof”. The whiskey is then bottled directly from the barrel as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Cream soda and honeycomb greet you on the nose with a light sense of spiced holiday cakes, vanilla sheet cake, soft-dried chili, and old woody spice.
Palate: The honey and vanilla bond on the palate to create a luscious mouthfeel that leads to balanced notes of sharp dried chili spice, soft worn leather, pipe tobacco, and rich walnut bread with plenty of butter, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
Finish: The end leans toward the leather and tobacco with a chili-choco vibe that’s accented by soft walnut and even softer vanilla.
Bottom Line:
This is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the greatness we’re about to see coming out Green River in the next years. You should be very excited. Gradioisity aside, this is a wonderfully deep sipper that delivers a sharp profile that’s still approachable and very sippable without blowing out your palate with too high ABVs.
5. Holladay Soft Red Wheat Bottled-In-Bond Missouri Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $58
The Whiskey:
This new kid on the block (relatively) from Missouri is making big waves thanks to incredible juice. The whiskey in this bottle is made from a 73/15/12 mash bill of corn/red wheat/malted barley that’s grown and processed in Missouri. The whiskey is made at the Holladay Distiller in Weston, Missouri where it’s filled in Missouri white oak barrels and left to age for six years.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich and buttery toffee leads to floral honey, moist vanilla sheet cake, and a hint of woody winter spices with a nice layer of brandy-soaked raisins and plums on the nose.
Palate: There’s a deep berry crumble on the palate with a big dollop of rich vanilla buttercream next to cinnamon sticks and spice barks over a hint of marshmallow, strawberry shortcake, and old oak staves.
Finish: Those oak staves get dipped in salted dark chocolate with a hint more of that rich vanilla buttercream next to spiced tobacco rolled with spicy winter cakes stuffed with plum jam and mulled wine.
Bottom Line:
This whiskey has grabbed the attention of the American whiskey nation and it’s not letting go. It’s great whiskey that feels “of a place.” It’s also a great sipper that makes a hell of a cocktail.
4. E. H. Taylor, Jr. Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Bottled In Bond
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $54
The Whiskey:
Buffalo Trace’s Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Small Batch is an entry point to the other 12 expressions released under the E.H. Taylor, Jr. label. The whiskey is made from Buffalo Trace’s iconic Mash Bill No. 1 (which is a low rye recipe). The final whiskey in the bottle is a blend of barrels that meet the exact right flavor profiles Buffalo Trace’s blenders are looking for in a classic bottled-in-bond bourbon for Taylor.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a sense of soft corn mush with a hint of fresh green chili, Saigon cinnamon (a little sweet), orchard tree bark, and the black mildew that grows on all the whiskey warehouses in Kentucky.
Palate: The palate leans into buttery toffee with a twinge of black licorice next to cinnamon-spiced dark chocolate tobacco and a hint of huckleberry pie with vanilla ice cream.
Finish: The end has a salted caramel sweetness that leads back to a hint of sweet cinnamon and dark tobacco with a light sense of the fermentation room with a hint of sweet gruel.
Bottom Line:
Normally, I’d list this whiskey at its secondary price. But this is on shelves right now at this price. I got two bottles last week for $52 each. If you can, hit your local high-end liquor store now and you might get lucky too. This is great small-batch bourbon. It sips perfectly. It makes a mean cocktail. And you’ll impress your whiskey friends when you pull this off the shelf (especially if you paid $50 for it).
3. Chattanooga Whiskey Bottled in Bond: Fall 2019 Vintage Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $52
The Whiskey:
The latest Chattanooga BIB is made from whiskey barreled back in the fall of 2019. After four years, 10 to 12 barrels were batched and proofed to create this release.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Milk chocolate lattes mingle with sharp root beer, almond oils, and deep cinnamon pudding with a hint of pumpkin pie by way of a buttery pie crust and a dollop of vanilla-laced whipped cream.
Palate: That root beer gets sweet on the palate as cinnamon spice cakes cut with almond oils and orange zest drive the taste toward sweet potatoes soaked in brandy-laced molasse.
Finish: The chocolate circles back on the finish with a sense of Amaretto cut with orange oils and a whisper of buttermilk laced with nutmeg before a rich pipe tobacco in an old leather pouch finishes things off.
Bottom Line:
This is another hidden gem that should be on your shelf right now. This is f*cking delicious whiskey. Period.
2. Weller The Original Wheated Bourbon Antique 107 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 53.5%
Average Price: $55
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:
Again, this would usually fall under a higher price point but you can get this right now at MSRP at the lqiuor store. Get as many as you can as it’ll likely be another year before you see it again.
Not for nothing, this is the best cocktail borubon on the list by a country mile.
1. Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $57
The Whiskey:
This Single Barrel from Four Roses is a slightly proofed version of their famed OBSV recipe (read about what that means here). That’s a bourbon recipe with delicate fruit yeast and a high-rye mash bill. A single barrel of that was picked from the north side of Warehouse P (a beloved position for Four Roses’ single barrel fans — yes, barrel position and warehouses make a big difference).
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Woody maple syrup and cinnamon sticks lead to a hint of pear candy with a vanilla underbelly 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:
Bourbon or not, this is a great whiskey. An all-time great. It’s succinct and carries a deep bourbon vibe that then goes so much further. When you see these on the shelf, it should be an automatic grab.