Selecting the best bourbon in any single year is challenging.
It requires tasting north of 100 bottles, assessing them all for nosing and tasting notes, and finding a way to organize and rank each of those selections in a tidy list. Okay, it is a ton of fun along the way, but at the end of the day, it’s much harder than it sounds!
Now, try plumbing the depths of recent history to determine the best bourbon of every year for the last quarter-century. Or rather, sit back and read all about it because that’s precisely what I decided to do.
Looking back into the history books and assessing past releases helps us understand the trajectory the industry has been on now that we’ve reached the silver anniversary of the century. It also allows us to understand trends, make quality judgments as to whether things are on an upswing, a decline, or remaining steady, and, finally, it’s damn fun.
A good portion of being a whiskey enthusiast is simply engaging in debates about our preferences and the perceived qualities of various expressions. So, today, we’ll unsheath our proverbial swords and defend these selections to the death!
Or, at the least, we’ll lay them out in a tidy list and encourage you to reminisce on these iconic bourbons of yesteryear. The complete list will show how great things have been over the last 25 years, and we hope it’ll help put recently released expressions in a better context.
Enough yammering. Let’s dive right into our complete list of the best bourbons from each of the last 25 years!
2000’s Bourbon Of The Year: 19-Year William Larue Weller
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $5,400
Why It Was The Bourbon Of The Year:
Today, we all know William Larue Weller’s quality is nearly unrivaled, but in 2000, the brand was just starting, and what a way to kick things off! Despite only clocking in at 90 proof, this future icon of the bourbon world jump-started the new millennium with a bang thanks to this stunning 19-year-old bourbon, which was distilled in the fall of 1980 at none other than the legendary Stitzel-Weller distillery.
2001’s Bourbon Of The Year: Wild Turkey 17-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 50.5%
Average Price: $2,500
Why It Was The Bourbon Of The Year:
Wild Turkey bourbon with a 17-year age statement was something the world hadn’t seen back in 2001. We’ve since been blessed with two gems in the Master’s Keep lineup (the initial release in 2015 and Master’s Keep 17-Year Bottled In Bond), but this 2001 offering is definitely the best of the well-aged bunch.
The world’s foremost Wild Turkey historian, David Jennings, said of this release, “The 2001 17-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon is truly a masterpiece for those that appreciate mature bourbon whiskey.” We’re inclined to agree.
2002’s Bourbon Of The Year: Old Forester Birthday Bourbon
ABV: 47.5%
Average Price: $5,600
Why It Was The Bourbon Of The Year:
The first release of Old Forester’s Birthday Bourbon was a total game-changer. The annual release was created to honor Old Forester’s founder, George Garvin Brown. Still, beyond doing that, it succeeded in giving Old Forester fans a limited release to anticipate each year excitedly. While President’s Choice has emerged as a better bottle in modern times, enthusiasts still eagerly seek out this expression thanks to the reputation it built on stellar early releases like this one.
2003’s Bourbon Of The Year: A.H. Hirsch 16-Year Gold Foil Bourbon
ABV: 45.8%
Average Price: $5,000
Why It Was The Bourbon Of The Year:
If you want to talk about legendary American whiskey, there’s simply no overlooking what one writer called: “the best bourbon you’ll never taste.” 2003 was a different era in the bourbon world, one where the rise of the internet had a major impact on how people consumed both the potable brown liquid they loved and information about said liquid.
Thanks to a convergence of internet forums, bourbon groups, and what was at the time a mysterious and overlooked series of bottlings from A.H. Hirsch, the legend of this expression was born. By the time word got out about how good these expressions were, the stock was dwindling, and one of, if not the first, limited bourbon to be hunted into extinction thanks to internet hype disappeared from shelves.
2004’s Bourbon Of The Year: Wild Turkey Tribute
ABV: 55%
Average Price: $2,650
Why It Was The Bourbon Of The Year:
Dusty hunters — the name reserved for bourbon fans who obsessively seek out vintage expressions — should be aware that 2004 saw two versions of this release, one for the domestic market and another for the export market. Pictured above is the bottle generally considered the better of the two, which was reserved for the export market.
In the early 2000s, and even before then, Wild Turkey and other brands kept the lights on by supplying foreign markets with some of their best bourbon. Domestic consumers were not interested in the stuff, whereas places like Japan and Australia couldn’t get enough. As a result, some of the most legendary bottles from the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s were created to be sent overseas. The export version of Wild Turkey Tribute is a prime example.
2005’s Bourbon Of The Year: Pappy Van Winkle 15-Year Bourbon
ABV: 53.5%
Average Price: $25,000
Why It Was The Bourbon Of The Year:
This was the year that “Pappy” replaced the Old Rip Van Winkle 15-Year Bourbon, and while observers at the time weren’t pleased with the switch (does anyone in the bourbon world like change?), history has been kind to our dear old Pappy. This, of course, would go on to become one of the defining expressions of the aughts and the bourbon world at large, winning lavish praise from the late Anthony Bourdain, earning marks as one of the best American whiskeys of all time, and spawning heists, documentaries, and knockoff versions along the way.
2006’s Bourbon Of The Year: Wild Turkey Master Distiller Selection (Export)
ABV: 53.5%
Average Price: $1,500
Why It Was The Bourbon Of The Year:
Is this the best Wild Turkey bourbon of all time? Many people, including this professional whiskey critic, seem to think so. While the specs on this release are impressive, aged for 14 years and bottled at 107 proof, they aren’t particularly special on their own. On the other hand, the liquid in this unassuming bottle is perhaps the finest bourbon Wild Turkey has ever released.
While it was reserved for the export market, thanks to domestic Wild Turkey nuts, many of these bottles were repatriated to the United States and now fetch sums north of $1,500.
2007’s Bourbon Of The Year: Michter’s 10-Year Single Barrel Bourbon
ABV: 47.2%
Average Price: $2,400
Why It Was The Bourbon Of The Year:
I want you to close your eyes and imagine a time when it was taboo to release American whiskey with a big fat age statement. It wasn’t uncommon for consumers at the time to think that older bourbon was actually of a lower quality; after all, if it was so good, then why did it sit around unsold for a decade or more?
Luckily, Michter’s knew then what we know now — some of that liquid is absolutely magical, and they were one of the few brands pushing for double-digit age statements and premiumization at a time when even many legacy distilleries were still playing catch up. The superlative quality of Michter’s 10-Year Single Barrel Bourbon (and rye) is a testament to that forward thinking.
2008’s Bourbon Of The Year: Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 23-Year Bourbon
ABV: 47.8%
Average Price: $7,000
Why It Was The Bourbon Of The Year:
By this time, Pappy Van Winkle had won over hardcore bourbon fans and was just beginning to pierce the zeitgeist. Though it was still four years away from Anthony Bourdain espousing its greatness on his hit show “The Layover,” rumors had begun to swirl that the brand’s stock of Stitzel-Weller whiskey was drying up, and enthusiasts began, well, enthusiastically seeking out the last of these bottles.
As one of the final Van Winkle expressions to house Stitzel-Weller bourbon, 2008’s Pappy Van Winkle 23-Year is truly a tasty time capsule that deserves the year’s top spot.
2009’s Bourbon Of The Year: Wild Turkey 14-Year Tradition Bourbon
ABV: 50.5%
Average Price: $1,700
Why It Was The Bourbon Of The Year:
Wild Turkey’s 14-Year Tradition release genuinely doesn’t get enough love in the brand’s storied history. It clocks in at Wild Turkey’s iconic 101 proof point and features 14-year-old distillate, which is exciting on its own, but it also comes housed in what may be the most beautiful, ornate package of any Wild Turkey expression. Historians compare this one favorably to some of Wild Turkey’s best, and if it’s among Wild Turkey’s best, then you know it deserves a spot on this list.
As an honorable mention for this year, we’d be remiss if we didn’t give a nod to the stunning third edition of Parker’s Heritage: Golden Anniversary.
2010’s Bourbon Of The Year: Jefferson’s Presidential 18-Year-Old Select
ABV: 47%
Average Price: $1,700
Why It Was The Bourbon Of The Year:
Jefferson’s Bourbon hit the market hard with early releases of Stitzel-Weller sourced bourbon, which was an instant sensation. This 18-year-old bourbon was “aged in Stitzel-Weller” barrels, though the source of the liquid is a bit murkier, and we can probably assume, thanks to that dodgy wording, that this one did not actually feature Stitzel-Weller whiskey. In any case, there’s no denying that this outstanding expression from 2010 won over whiskey fans.
Though it wasn’t the best of those early Jefferson’s Presidential Select offerings, it was certainly significant enough to win Bourbon of the Year in 2010.
2011’s Bourbon Of The Year: Elijah Craig 20-Year Bourbon
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $3,100
Why It Was The Bourbon Of The Year:
Looking back from our perch in 2025, it’s fascinating to see the number of alleged and proven expressions that have sourced 20-year-old bourbon from Heaven Hill. Back in 2011, the brand was treating us to that liquid itself, courtesy of this hyper-aged Elijah Craig expression, which helped put the brand on the map. It would go on to win “whiskey of the year” commendations from one of the most prominent trade magazines at the time.
While Elijah Craig has since sunsetted its 20-year-old offering, there are unconfirmed rumors that there’s still some 20-year-old Heaven Hill bourbon floating around in other bottlings from brands like Oakley, Watch Hill Proper, and Willett.
Also of note, as an honorable mention this year, the Colonel E.H. Taylor brand released what is perhaps its most famed expression: The Tornado Surviving Batch.
2012’s Bourbon Of The Year: Michter’s 20-Year Bourbon
ABV: 57.1%
Average Price: $3,900
Why It Was The Bourbon Of The Year:
Michter’s 20-Year Bourbon is one of the best bourbons ever produced. Full stop. When it was initially released in 2012 to the tune of $450, Michter’s was way ahead of the curve in terms of releasing both hyper-aged bourbon and rye whiskeys. Few brands had the inventory or interest in producing such well-aged whiskey; indeed, few newer brands ventured even to try. Thirteen years later, after being named the world’s most admired whiskey brand, Michter’s prescient planning has clearly paid off, and this is one of the bottles that set that success in motion.
Another notable release from 2012 that was a bit outgunned but still worthy of an honorable mention: the first edition of Elijah Craig’s celebrated Barrel Proof Bourbon batches.
2013’s Bourbon Of The Year: Four Roses Limited Edition 125th
ABV: 51.6%
Average Price: $1,400
Why It Was The Bourbon Of The Year:
Honestly, this was the thinnest hair we split on this list. In 2013, whiskey fans were in for a seriously delicious duo of allocated releases in Four Roses Limited Edition and Parker’s Heritage Promise of Hope. Despite that stiff competition, we’re giving the slight edge to Four Roses, who released one of their Limited Edition Small Batch’s most extraordinary bottlings, this 125th Anniversary Edition.
2014’s Bourbon Of The Year: Booker’s 25th Anniversary Bourbon
ABV: 65.4%
Average Price: $2,000
Why It Was The Bourbon Of The Year:
Booker’s has repeatedly done well when celebrating anniversaries. Honoring Booker’s legacy began at the ten-year mark, and despite skipping its 20th anniversary, the good folks at Beam captured lightning in a bottle for this release on its 25th anniversary. This bottle is still heralded as one of, if not the best, Booker’s bourbon of all time. Such high praise is certainly worthy of naming it the best bourbon of 2014.
2015’s Bourbon Of The Year: Russell’s Reserve 1998
ABV: 51.15
Average Price: $3,500
Why It Was The Bourbon Of The Year:
You might’ve noticed by now that legacy distilleries dominated the early 2000s. This was before the bourbon boom kicked off the wave of craft distilleries across the country that now find themselves on the cutting edge of bourbon’s (supposedly near-bursting) bubble. The tides may be changing, but whether we’re talking about ten years ago or today, Wild Turkey is a large part of this conversation, and its fifth entry on this list is easily one of its best.
2015 also saw the debut of the Master’s Keep lineup and yet another stellar Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch, two expressions worthy of the top spot in many other years…just not one in which Russell’s Reserve 1998 was released. Even with the recent addition of Russell’s Reserve 15 to the lineup, this remains the most outstanding Russell’s bourbon to date and one of the best Wild Turkey offerings of all time.
2016’s Bourbon Of The Year: Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2016
ABV: 54.3%
Average Price: $500
Why It Was The Bourbon Of The Year:
2016 was a banner year for bourbon fans as we welcomed the initial release of Old Forester’s 1920 expression. It’s a bold and flavorful bourbon that continues to win fans today as a mid-shelf workhorse, capable of besting more expensive bourbons in a blind tasting. It’d take a real powerhouse bourbon to shine brighter than that bottle’s debut, and Four Roses Limited Edition Small batch is the expression above all others that fits the bill.
Four Roses was really ascending to the peak of its game around this time, with Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Famer Jim Rutledge passing the reigns to his successor Brent Elliott the year before. For one of Elliott’s first tricks, he managed to outdo the entire bourbon world with this potent blend of two 12-year bourbons and one 16-year bourbon from two mash bills: OESO and OESK.
2017’s Bourbon Of The Year: Four Roses Al Young 50th Anniversary Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon
ABV: 54.49%
Average Price: $3,000
Why It Was The Bourbon Of The Year:
It’s said that Al Young was one of those paternal figures who had a way of charming and disarming anyone he met. Whether in an ambassador role or leading single barrel selections, the man made a significant impression on Four Roses fans. His 50 years of service for the brand were honored in 2017 with the release of this special limited edition bottle, which belongs on a short list of the greatest Four Roses expressions ever made.
2018’s Bourbon Of The Year: Booker’s 30th Anniversary Bourbon
ABV: 63%
Average Price: $1,100
Why It Was The Bourbon Of The Year:
Booker’s 30th, the well-received follow-up to 2014’s Booker’s 25th, was a release that immediately entered the pantheon of all-time great bourbons from the Jim Beam Distillery. With 70% of the liquid coming from nine-year stock and the remaining 30% from barrels aged for at least 16 years, the age only tells one part of the story. The whiskey itself is as bold and unrelenting as the legacy of the man whose name adorns every bottle.
Honorable mentions from that year included two formidable challengers: Russell’s Reserve 2002, a release that nearly soared to the heights of the fabulous Russell’s Reserve 1998 three years prior, and the Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon’s 130th Anniversary bottling.
2019’s Bourbon Of The Year: King of Kentucky
ABV: 65.5%
Average Price: $3,600
Why It Was The Bourbon Of The Year:ABV:
All hail the King! After debuting in 2018, Brown-Forman beefed up the number of King of Kentucky bottles released into the wild. While the initial release certainly caught folks’ attention, with fewer than 1,000 bottles available, it wasn’t widely celebrated. The 2019 release changed all that, as it featured over 2,000 bottles (limited to the Kentucky market) from 27 single barrels, many considered the best of Brown-Forman’s modern bourbon output.
2020’s Bourbon Of The Year: Colonel E.H. Taylor 18-Year Marriage
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $2,900
Why It Was The Bourbon Of The Year:
This whiskey, which began its life in 2002, is still the only age-stated release from the E.H. Taylor lineup, and it’s also one of the best ever. One of the things that makes it unique, in addition to its impressive age, is that it features a blend of all three of Buffalo Trace’s mash bills.
Colonel E.H. Taylor’s offerings are always popular releases from one of bourbon’s biggest brands, and with the lone exception of its first release and the Tornado Surviving batch, this is the most sought-after whiskey from the lineup.
2021’s Bourbon Of The Year: Russell’s Reserve 13-Year Bourbon
ABV: 58%
Average Price: $140
Why It Was The Bourbon Of The Year:
Russell’s Reserve bourbon, by 2021, had become a much-beloved expression, championed by whiskey enthusiasts in the know for representing some of Wild Turkey’s best readily available stock. So, when the news broke that the brand would be putting out a new age-stated product, the hype machine flew into overdrive. By the time this bourbon finally hit shelves, in an impressive price range of $80, fans were in a frenzy.
Hype alone, however, isn’t enough for you to win bourbon of the year. Needless to say, Wild Turkey delivered the goods, and it’s been rumored that this expression was filled with liquid that matured for much longer than 13 years and one day, which helps explain its superlative quality.
2022’s Bourbon Of The Year: Rare Character Obliteration
ABV: 71.9%
Average Price: $600
Why It Was The Bourbon Of The Year:
It’s highly atypical for such a new brand to claim the top spot on “bourbon of the year” lists, but this rare W for Rare Character is warranted. What we have here is 14-year-old bourbon, bottled at a staggering 143.8 proof and hailing from Indiana — but here’s the kicker — this expression was so-named because during a period spent resting in California’s wine country, an exceptional lot of barrels managed to survive wildfires that left them almost entirely depleted of the bourbon inside.
Producing only 36 bottles and initially selling for $600, the legend of this release has since grown astronomically. The popular consensus for 2022’s bourbon of the year might belong to the highly impressive Old Fitzgerald 17-Year Bottled in Bond Decanter Series Bourbon, and we don’t blame most people who feel that way. However, if anyone tells you that Rare Character’s Obliteration wasn’t the best bourbon of 2022, they haven’t tried it yet.
2023’s Bourbon Of The Year: Eagle Rare 25-Year Bourbon
ABV: 50.5%
Average Price: $40,000
Why It Was The Bourbon Of The Year:
Many people thought 25-year-old bourbon was a thing of the past. With shifting production methods, increased demand, and skyrocketing prices on one side of the ledger and the intense impact of new American oak on the other, it would have been reasonable to assume that distilleries would forego even attempting the feat. Buffalo Trace, however, is not most distilleries.
Utilizing the innovative Warehouse P, one of the distillery’s two experimental warehouses, Buffalo Trace took barrels earmarked for its 20-year-old Double Eagle Very Rare expression and matured them in the temperature-controlled experimental rickhouse for the final stage of its life. The resulting whiskey is expensive but undeniably magnificent.
2024’s Bourbon Of The Year: Michter’s 20-Year Bourbon
ABV: 57.1%
Average Price: $4,500
Why It Was The Bourbon Of The Year:
The latest edition of Michter’s 20 is every bit as dazzling as previous releases, and that’s about as impressive as Lebron being in the conversation for GOAT with Michael Jordan. In a year full of strong competition (namely from Wild Turkey and Rare Character), there could only be one bourbon to stand above them all, and Michter’s 20 managed to outclass the field with one of its most premium expressions.
Michter’s 20-Year Bourbon was without a doubt the best bourbon of 2024.
