Who said you can’t drink your dessert?
Bourbon is known for many things: Being a complex spirit, one that occasionally has a lot of bite, and also one that represents serious value compared to other whiskey categories. Want another trait that bourbon excels at? It can be deliciously sweet.
As someone with a sweet tooth, I find those bottles that double as a sweet treat extra appealing. Bourbon can be full of notes like vanilla, chocolate, caramel, and black cherries. Basically, any flavor that would work well in a pie, cookie, or candy bar can be found in a bottle of bourbon; you just have to know where to look.
That’s where this list comes in.
Whether you’re a beginner looking to ease into the category or a well-travelled whiskey enthusiast in search of the sweet stuff, look no further. Here’s the rub: to make it even harder, we excluded bourbons with special cask finishes. We’re not biased against them, because there are some GREAT finished bourbons on the market. However, if we didn’t put some guardrails in place, this list would be completely filled with honey cask finishes, which would defeat the purpose. Sounds good?
Without further ado, these are the 20 sweetest bourbons we’ve ever tasted!
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- We Blind Taste Tested Bourbons Between $35-$230 In Search Of The ‘Smoothest’ — The Winner Shocked Us
- These Are The 20 Best Bottles Of Buffalo Trace Whiskey Ever, Ranked
- The Best Full-Flavored Bourbons Under 100-Proof, Power Ranked
- The Best Bourbons Over 120-Proof, Power Ranked For Hot Sipping
- Breaking Down The 24 Bottles That Every Bourbon Fan Needs In Their Collection
22. Eagle Rare Bourbon
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $60
The Whiskey:
Eagle Rare is one of Buffalo Trace’s many sought-after mid-shelf offerings. Aged for at least ten years, this bourbon is essentially a single-barrel version of Buffalo Trace Bourbon, with the primary difference being that the two brands are hand-selected to cater to slightly different tastes despite the fact that they have the same mash bill.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The distinct aroma of a caramelized orange wheel joins mature oak, faint cherry notes, and vanilla frosting as the marquee players here. Because Eagle Rare is essentially a single-barrel product, your mileage may vary, but you can almost invariably expect that prototypical cherry aroma to be present with this expression.
Palate: Flavors like cherry syrup, mellow oak, and some vanilla extract are burrowed in this bourbon and reticent to greet your taste buds. The modest proof point might be the culprit here (and, again, with single-barrel bourbon, some variance in quality is to be expected), but the flavors on the palate are surprisingly restrained and a tad bit muddled, making this one a chore to tease apart. Despite that, the sweet notes are still easy enough to discern and definitely tasty.
Finish: The finish here is brief, with dilute cherry syrup notes, confectioner’s sugar, and vanilla pudding bringing a close to the show.
Bottom Line:
Eagle Rare Bourbon is one that I generally love, despite the wide range of variety one can find from bottle to bottle. While it used to be a favorite at $30, you should be aware that you’re increasingly likely to see it on shelves for right around $60. Even with that uptick in price, this one remains a reliably delicious and often syrupy-sweet bourbon.
21. Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit
ABV: 50.5%
Average Price: $90
The Whiskey:
Originally launched in 1994, Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit was Jimmy Russell’s not-so-subtle response to the popularity of another ornately designed single-barrel bourbon bottle: Blanton’s. While the contemporary bottle of Kentucky Spirit is streamlined and comes in the same package as Rare Breed, the liquid inside is a single-barrel version of Wild Turkey Bourbon at 101 proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on Kentucky Spirit begins gently with honey and graham cracker before holiday spices, apricots, and nutmeg begin to emerge.
Palate: On the palate, the apricot, nutmeg, and graham cracker notes make the first impression, while black pepper and dried cranberries join the party soon after. The mouthfeel is lean but exceedingly enjoyable, and pops of baking spices accent the overall experience.
Finish: The finish welcomes the inclusion of cooked red apple notes along with some vanilla pods before succinctly tapering off in a crescendo of gentle oak tones.
Bottom Line:
Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit is perhaps the most highly underrated expression from this highly underrated brand. Showcasing single barrels of Wild Turkey’s iconic 101 proof bourbon really allows you to experience its signature flavor profile while also highlighting the subtle variations that can elevate Wild Turkey whiskey to being among the best in America.
20. Old Bardstown Bottled in Bond Bourbon
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $20
The Whiskey:
Old Bardstown Bottled in Bond Bourbon is one of those IYKYK expressions from the Willett Distillery. It is sold exclusively in Kentucky on the bottom shelf of liquor stores. This bottled-in-bond offering is not to be confused with the 101-proof small-batch variant available nationwide.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: It begins with a really round butterscotch note with some intriguing menthol and tobacco leaf aromas that make you dig deeper in the glass to uncover additional layers of Brooks cherries, pecans, and vanilla extract.
Palate: Old Bardstown Bottled in Bond Bourbon is dense and full-bodied on the palate despite the proof, and it opens with sticky toffee and Brooks cherries while a touch of the menthol from the nose streaks up the middle of the tongue and introduces some dark chocolate at midpalate.
Finish: The moderate finish sees the blossoming of dark chocolate flavor with some fresh hazelnuts, caramel, and white pepper notes rounding things off.
Bottom Line:
This unassuming bottle packs a real wallop with a substantive mouthfeel and a dark, rich flavor profile that will have you double-checking your receipt to be sure you didn’t steal this bottle at roughly $20 USD. Rest assured, your receipt is right; hell, all is right with this sweet, fruit-forward bourbon in your glass.
19. Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon
ABV: 43.3%
Average Price: $35
The Whiskey:
Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon was transitioned into a Kentucky-exclusive offering in 2022. However, in 2024, the brand announced that it would be distributed in other states for the first time in two years due to a surplus. The word isn’t yet out on whether that trend will continue through 2025 and beyond, but it came as welcome news to fans of the Evan Williams lineup’s only single-barrel bourbon.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with the aroma of honey and peanut shell, which soon morphs into gently tannic oak tones and fresh orange rinds. Caramel and graham cracker notes also inform the nosing notes before a few shakes of black pepper curb the overall sweetness.
Palate: The honey flavor leads the palate as peanut shells and caramel take a backseat. The texture is surprisingly thin, but the flavors are not without considerable depth, defying their limitations to take root throughout the palate.
Finish: The finish welcomes an uptick in the influence of the oak and black pepper, only alluded to at other points in the flavor journey. While it’s only a short-to-medium finish, that brevity complements the flavor profile, making this an approachable and easy-to-enjoy pour again and again.
Bottom Line:
Despite its relatively low ABV, Evan Williams Single Barrel’s mellow profile delivers rich flavors that cause it to punch above its weight. While longtime fans of the brand continue to grumble that “it ain’t what it used to be,” remarking on a perceived shift in quality and a substantive uptick in price, this continues to be a great, delicately sweet, smooth bourbon.
18. Frank August Small Batch Bourbon
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $75
The Whiskey:
Frank August is a newcomer on the American whiskey scene, and they’re daring to ask the question: What is America’s spirit? Yes, bourbon is America’s Native Spirit, but they’re looking to highlight non-traditional stories to get at the heart of what this industry truly represents. For its flagship bourbon expression, sourced from another distillery in Kentucky, Frank August is blending small batches of 10-15 barrels and bottling them at the classic 100-proof mark.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Honey with rich cherries and brioche bun aromas fills the air once you pour Frank August’s Small Batch expression into your glass. Give it a few swirls and each of the notes becomes more distinct: Manuka honey and Chelan cherries stand out while the aroma of a graham cracker pie crust and a tad bit of allspice join the party.
Palate: The impressively slick whiskey paints your palate with the distinct flavor of Chelan cherries, and thanks to its viscousness, it’s able to take its time gently massaging honey, oak and allspice into your tongue.
Finish: The succinct finish sees the allspice and oak asserting themselves more forcefully while a touch of nougat and candied peanuts finally come out to play.
Bottom Line:
Frank August Small Batch Bourbon is an excellent choice for those of us with a sweet tooth because it travels beyond the quotidian compliment of being “crowd-pleasing” and goes the extra mile in delivering a limited-but-lavish array of flavors that will impress newcomers and whiskey savants all the same.
17. Old Forester 100-Proof
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $37
The Whiskey:
Old Forester’s Signature 100 Proof Bourbon takes the brand’s flagship 86-proof offering and significantly kicks up the flavor. This bourbon is made with a grain recipe of 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Old Forester 100 Proof greets the nose with a slightly medicinal cherry note that sets the stage for a layer of complementing aromas like caramel, barrel char, hazelnut spread, and moderate oak.
Palate: The medicinal cherry note from the nose of this whiskey shows up in a big way on the palate, streaking across the tongue and laying a foundation for accenting notes like oak, black pepper spice, and toasted almonds to blossom. The texture in the mouth is fairly robust and slick, which rewards repeat sips as the liquid begins to coat your palate.
Finish: The finish features black cherry and caramel notes and hangs on for a medium length, making this a great sipping whiskey for enjoying neat.
Bottom Line:
Old Forester 100 Proof is perfect because it’s robust enough to stand up to your palate thanks to its backbone of black cherry and sweet oak notes. The price is right, but the high-quality sweetness that comes with that affordable cost is a flame emoji of its own.
16. Michter’s US*1 Bourbon
ABV: 45.7%
Average Price: $35
The Whiskey:
Michter’s was recently voted the World’s Most Admired Whiskey Distillery and its flagship bourbon is the most readily available example of why. For this expression and the rest of its whiskey lineup, Michter’s uses a proprietary filtration process to optimize the flavor coming from its barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Michter’s US*1 Bourbon has a dense aroma bouquet that immediately appears well-refined. Notes like honeysuckle, brown sugar, raisins, and youthful oak fill the air, with each well-developed layer greeting the olfactory senses warmly.
Palate: On the palate, what’s immediately remarkable about this bourbon is the texture, as it gently coats your tongue with moderate warmth, and before you know it, the taste of brown sugar, raisins, and walnuts is suddenly everywhere on your tongue. That deceptively viscous texture works well here and is a credit to Michter’s proprietary filtration process and their atypical proof-point.
Finish: The finish here is brief, with brown sugar and cinnamon coexisting harmoniously alongside new oak and clove, making for a gentle send-off after every sip.
Bottom Line:
Michter’s US*1 Bourbon perfectly threads the needle of being sweet and well-rounded. Free from any harsher elements, your palate will take to this whiskey like a fish in the water as those enchanting, mellow notes wash over your tongue and coat your mouth with a remarkable range of flavors that make this one of the smoothest bourbons that money can buy.
15. Maker’s Mark Bourbon
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $30
The Whiskey:
Maker’s Mark features an iconic bottle design, the same one they’ve been utilizing since their founding in 1953, and a mash bill that’s been used for just as long. This wheated bourbon is one of the best-selling whiskeys in the entire world, making it a ubiquitous sight on liquor store shelves.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: On the nose, you’ll find a bit of corn pudding, vanilla extract, and indistinct red berry aromas wafting out of the glass. There’s also a bit of graham cracker sweetness and white pepper.
Palate: On the palate, Maker’s Mark greets the tongue with a bunch of honeyed graham cracker notes that soon make way for vanilla pod and cornbread. A second sip morphs the vanilla pod into a custard note, complete with caramelized sugar and some red berry compote.
Finish: The finish of Maker’s Mark features some mellow spice and more red berry compote, as those natural sugars fuse with vanilla notes to quickly dissipate from the palate.
Bottom Line:
Despite its modest proof point, Maker’s Mark has a ton of sweet flavors, meaning you won’t blow out your palate or scare off bourbon novices if you decide to sip this one neat. It’s ubiquitous on liquor store shelves and should be a staple on your bar cart, especially if you aim to offer guests a smooth bourbon they can enjoy at their leisure.
14. 1792 Sweet Wheat Bourbon
ABV: 45.6%
Average Price: $40
The Whiskey:
As the first limited edition offering from the 1792 lineup, making its debut back in 2015, Sweet Wheat still holds a place of reverence with many bourbon consumers. Aged for eight years and utilizing wheat in the mash bill, this product is made at the Barton 1792 Distillery, owned by Buffalo Trace. That last tidbit has led to speculation that this product might be strikingly similar to Buffalo Trace’s other celebrated wheated bourbon lineup, Weller, though that speculation is unconfirmed.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: On the nose, Sweet Wheat lives up to its name without being saccharine-sweet. Instead, it treads lightly with scents like bubblegum, bright cherries, and caramel corn. As those top notes blow off, there’s a heartier undergirding of leather, cocoa, and cinnamon bark lying in wait.
Palate: Mature oak and caramel notes come across the palate at first before vanilla extract, and a slight bit of doughiness emerges at midpalate. Clove, straw, and a healthy dose of black pepper usher in the transition to the finish as this creamy-textured whiskey slowly coats your palate.
Finish: Living up to its name, the finish on this whiskey is short and sweet with a bit of wheat funk, black pepper, and brown sugar.
Bottom Line:
It’s all in the name. 1792’s Sweet Wheat expression has maintained its popularity thanks to a mild-mannered nature that makes it a treat to sit back and enjoy. This is a whiskey that will meet you in the middle when you go searching for flavor notes, revealing itself after inspection, but otherwise remaining creamy and demure. Something to be mindful of.
13. Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat
ABV: 53%
Average Price: $50
The Whiskey:
Bardstown Bourbon Company’s Origin Series, founded in 2023, began with three initial entrants, but this new 6-year-old High Wheat Bourbon marks the lineup’s first official expansion. By combining a low barrel entry proof with a high percentage of wheat (39%) in the grain recipe, the brand sought to extract the maximum amount of wood sugars.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The aroma of this Origin Series High Wheat Bourbon begins with a ton of crème brûlée and strawberries before a touch of oak, wheat funk, and caramel comes through. There are also a few dashes of clove and lemon zest to round things out.
Palate: Once on the palate, the strawberries and custard notes play a major factor as the remarkably creamy texture of the liquid coats your palate and finds every corner of the mouth. Mellow oak tones, vanilla frosting, and flaky pastry flavors also enhance the bourbon.
Finish: The finish here is surprisingly lengthy, with the strawberry note going from ripe berries to the dried variety as a touch of nutmeg creeps in and the gentle oak vibes fuse with honey.
Bottom Line:
Bardstown Bourbon Company already had a wheated bourbon in their Origin Series, and it’s a rock-solid option that has its fair share of admirers among those who have tasted the well-received lineup. That said, this High Wheat Bourbon is absolutely stunning, and not only does it one-up its wheated bourbon predecessor, but it also blows the rest of the stellar Origin Series out of the water. For half a hundred, this is a great pick-up that can stand tall against the best wheated bourbons on the market.
12. Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $200
The Whiskey:
Elmer T. Lee is the second single-barrel bourbon from the Buffalo Trace. After Elmer T. Lee, the man, helped to create the brand’s first single barrel bourbon in Blanton’s, the distillery honored him by naming this expression after him.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel is light and approachable, with bruised peach, honeysuckle, and soft oak tannins leading the way with a touch of apricot and white pepper.
Palate: Once this pour hits the palate, you’ll be grateful that the faint nosing aromas find their way into the mouth and forewarned you of this whiskey’s general lightness. For those expecting a dense complexity, there isn’t any to be found here, but with a slightly thin texture, this whiskey still delivers a substantive stone fruit-forward flavor profile.
Finish: The finish is brief, with only white pepper and the gentle oak tannins from the nose surviving the journey from start to finish.
Bottom Line:
Elmer T. Lee is highly sought after for reasons beyond the bottle’s taste. It was formerly a slightly higher-quality product before demand skyrocketed and it became less affordable and available. This present-day version isn’t going to knock your socks off and isn’t worth any extra effort in hunting down, unless you’re really in the market for a rare, super sweet sipper. Then this is the one you should go off the beaten path to find.
11. Weller Antique 107-Proof Bourbon
ABV: 53.5%
Average Price: $59
The Whiskey:
Old Weller Antique, or Weller 107 as it’s commonly called, is the second expression in Buffalo Trace’s Weller lineup. With an estimated age range of about seven years, it shares a grain recipe, warehouse location, and proof point with Old Rip Van Winkle.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on Old Weller Antique is befitting of its packaging as candied red apples and honey combine with soft pastry notes, a touch of honey, allspice, and butterscotch.
Palate: On the palate, those candied apple notes achieve an impressive depth, almost mimicking the flavor of apple cider as waves of caramel, mellow oak, and milk chocolate come crashing in. The well-balanced whiskey is aided by a viscous mouthfeel underlined by a prickly infusion of ethanol, black pepper, and tart apple cider vinegar.
Finish: For its closing word, Weller Antique offers a fresher note of stone fruit and Rainier cherries, dipped in milk chocolate and closing with vanilla ice cream. The finish is medium-length but substantive, allowing enough space for each flavor note to have its say before tapering away.
Bottom Line:
Good old Weller Antique is highly sought-after for existing under the halo of the Pappy Van Winkle lineup and William Larue Weller wheated bourbon, but the truth of the matter is that this might be the most versatile and underrated whiskey in the Weller portfolio. Be forewarned: this isn’t the easiest bottle on the list to find under $100, but if you can do so, it’s balance of wheat funk and bright cherry sweetness is a treat.
10. Woodford Reserve Bourbon
ABV: 43.2%
Average Price: $40
The Whiskey:
Woodford Reserve Bourbon is frequently cited as one of the best bourbons for beginners for two main reasons: it’s bottled at a relatively low proof and has an assortment of rich, balanced, and crowd-pleasing flavors. Woodford Reserve is owned by Brown-Forman, which also includes Jack Daniel’s and Old Forester in its portfolio.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Plums, rich oak, and sticky toffee notes are immediately evident on the nose of this whiskey, and the aroma of vanilla pods, clove, and cinnamon bark joins them.
Palate: The palate of this whiskey introduces the toffee note from the nose right off the bat, and that’s joined by a surprising yet welcome splash of citrus to go with the additional flavors of vanilla, mellow oak, and gentle black pepper spice. The mouthfeel is lean, but rather than contrasting with the richness of the flavors, it helps to make them more pronounced while maintaining the whiskey’s general agreeable smoothness.
Finish: The finish is brief but marked by more vanilla and sweet oak, with a final kiss of sticky toffee and candied walnuts.
Bottom Line:
Woodford Reserve deserves all the praise it receives for being a fantastic beginner bourbon. Sure, its proof point might make bourbon snobs turn up their noses. However, there’s absolutely no denying that this whiskey still manages to pack a ton of sweet, oak-driven flavor, free from any harsh elements, making it one of the best, easy-sipping whiskeys of any category on the market.
9. Orphan Barrel Fanged Pursuit 17-Year Bourbon
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $200
The Whiskey:
The latest Orphan Barrel offering, dubbed Fanged Pursuit, features 17-year non-chill filtered Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. KSBW at that age is hard to come by. Notably, it’s brought to Orphan Barrel’s preferred proof — a relatively low 46% ABV.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose bursts forth with the aroma of Luden’s cherry cough drops, clove cigarettes, Red Vines candy, leather, and torched orange wheel covered in dark chocolate. With patience, the sweet red notes continue to vacillate between red licorice and black cherry while peanut shells and caramel come into focus.
Palate: This whiskey begins with tobacco leaf, Rainier cherries, and red apple skin on the tip of the tongue before it introduces sage smudge, black pepper, barrel char, and touches of lime rind.
Finish: Allspice, dark chocolate, thyme, and orange zest hang on the palate with a medium-length finish to close things out.
Bottom Line:
I’ve been consistently impressed with Orphan Barrel’s offerings, enjoying the flavorful, low-ABV expressions in a vacuum. Their price, however, has more often been the sticking point. At 17 years old, this is one of the few expressions in the lineup that warrants the cost, offering a rich, darkly sweet flavor profile with an exceedingly approachable smooth factor to boot.
8. Old 55 Single Barrel 100% Sweet Corn Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 62.7%
Average Price: $300
The Whiskey:
Newtown, Indiana, is home to Old 55 Distillery, which is deploying proprietary enzymes and producing both a wheated bourbon as well as some truly magnificent, albeit extremely limited, 100% sweet corn bourbon. Cask strength is where their sweet corn bourbon shines brightest, as it showcases all of that unsprayed, organic sweet corn in all its glory.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s an earthy aroma reminiscent of tree bark that is quickly supplanted by gobs of sumptuously sweet corn pudding, melon, white peach, and overripe apricot.
Palate: On the palate, the viscousness of the liquid is immediately remarkable, which lays the foundation for corn pudding, blackberries, vanilla ice cream, and cinnamon bark to coat your tongue in nearly equal measure.
Finish: On the finish, you’ll find the kick of cinnamon bark, cola nut, and jammy blackberry sweetness kissing you goodbye after every sip.
Bottom Line:
Producing 100% sweet corn bourbon is not only more labor-intensive but it’s also costly — which goes to explain the high sticker price for Old 55 100% Sweet Corn Bourbon, but the results are so damn worth it. Not only is this one of the more unique bourbons on the market from a production standpoint, but it also demonstrates the potential of bourbon as a category when the cost is set aside and talented distillers focus on one simple goal: flavor.
7. Preservation Distillery Pure Antique 20-Year Bourbon
ABV: 57.7%
Average Price: $900
The Whiskey:
This award-winning whiskey was recently crowned the world’s best at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. So, what is it? 20-year-old bourbon born in Tennessee that Preservation Distillery sourced and bottles at their home in Bardstown, Kentucky. Preservation has an extensive history of sourcing and selling some of the finest bourbons in history, so it’s no shock that they’ve added another feather in their cap with this impressively aged release.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this bourbon is full of ripe plums and figs, with dark chocolate chunks protruding through as vanilla ice cream and robust oak tones permeate under the surface. Cinnamon, graham crackers, and gentle leather tones also add to the fun.
Palate: Once on the palate, those nosing notes spring to life with added richness as the flavor of chocolate-coated graham crackers crumbles away to reveal the ripe plums that are the star of the show. Cinnamon, dark chocolate, and vanilla frosting flavors further enhance the experience, and it all comes with a lean mouthfeel that allows the flavor to take center stage.
Finish: The finish welcomes an uptick of black pepper, barrel char, and leather, though the sweet notes are still out in full force, making for a balanced, medium-length send-off.
Bottom Line:
There’s no way any connoisseur could mistake this for something less than world-class whiskey after a few swirls of and sips from the glass. This stuff is balanced and bursting with refined sweet flavors, with some atypical fruit notes that make it a truly unique treat.
6. Old Hamer 10, 10-Year Bourbon
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $85
The Whiskey:
Distilled and bottled in Indiana, and coming from a 99% corn and 1% malted barley recipe, is this new bourbon release from Old Hamer. Aged for an impressive 10 years, this sourced whiskey spent its life maturing in charred, new oak barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This whiskey opens with a strong powdered sugar and corn pudding note, with some Rainier cherries and faint eau de vie notes. It’s a decidedly sweet set of aromas, but with the maturity and restrained richness that a decade resting in new oak can impart.
Palate: The first thing that stands out is its heavy mouthfeel. This whiskey has a dense texture that pairs well with the strong hit of sweetness that kisses the tip of the tongue with cinnamon, red apples, corn syrup, and white pepper. There’s a bit of barrel char and a heavy vanilla character at the back end as well.
Finish: The finish is brief, but becomes cloyingly sweet with vanilla and barrel char representing the primary flavors. There’s also some cinnamon, golden raisins, and nougat to round things out.
Bottom Line:
Old Hamer 10 is an impressive whiskey in several ways: notably for its viscous mouthfeel and one of a kind flavor profile. Frankly, the intensity of its sweetness and a brief finish prevent this bottle from being well-rounded. Ultimately, however, if you’re looking for a damn sweet bourbon, then this one definitely hits the mark.
5. Penelope Wheated Bourbon
ABV: 47.5%
Average Price: $35
The Whiskey:
Penelope’s brand new affordable offering is a crowd-pleaser: Wheated Bourbon. While savvy enthusiasts will note that Penelope already offers a Four Grain bourbon with wheat in the mash bill, this one has a slightly higher percentage of wheat in the mash bill and is bottled at a higher proof. Finally, this expression is non-chill filtered to preserve maximum flavor.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The distinct aroma of kettle corn wafts out of the glass before red licorice, dried apricots, and peppercorn notes claim center stage. On the second pass, the peppercorn is cracked open and ground into a black pepper spice, while apple sauce aromas start to assert themselves, alongside nutmeg and brown sugar, which ultimately prevail.
Palate: The texture of this whiskey is surprisingly lush and mouth-coating, with menthol, rich honey, dried apricots, and peppercorn flavors rolling over the palate. This bottle drinks above its proof, which is a compliment and probably a credit to the fact that it was bottled without chill filtration.
Finish: The medium-length finish features a much more assertive assortment of baking spices, with cinnamon bark, nutmeg, and black pepper piggybacking off some red apple sweetness before it’s all over.
Bottom Line:
This bottle is a revelation. While I’ve typically been more drawn to the brand’s burlier high-ABV options, its recent low-proof products have been eye-opening displays of precocious, full-flavored bourbons you need right now. This is a sweet whiskey that I highly recommend.
4. Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $44
The Whiskey:
This bottle, a single-barrel version of Four Roses’ OBSV recipe (learn about all of their recipes here), is an absolutely classic bourbon. The brand describes the OBSV recipe as having a delicate, fruit-forward yeast and a high-rye mash bill.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nosing notes are resplendent with red berries as the aroma of raspberries and black cherries leap out of the glass, along with a touch of sage, singed mint, Brazil nuts, and blood oranges. This is one expressive and inviting nose.
Palate: On the palate, those flavors continue to develop as the blood orange fuses with black cherries, and they’re joined by black pepper spice, singed mint, sage, and even a bit of cedar at midpalate. The juxtaposition of citrus, sweetness, woodsiness, and baking spice might seem like a cacophony of flavors, but they all come together harmoniously.
Finish: The finish is where the baking spice slightly wins out over the fruit-forward notes as it lingers with medium length on the tongue, sizzling the tip and leaving bits of bright cherry and Valencia orange meat on the back end.
Bottom Line:
Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon is packed with classic bourbon notes while still maintaining an approachability and sweetness that will appeal to both connoisseurs and novices alike. Furthermore, it boasts a berry-forward flavor profile and remains accessible at a price point that makes it suitable for mixing in cocktails. When it comes to sweet bourbon, Four Roses has got the goods.
3. Widow Jane Bourbon
ABV: 45.5%
Average Price: $73
The Whiskey:
For their flagship 10-Year Bourbon, Widow Jane blends whiskey distillate from three different states in bespoke 5-barrel batches before proofing it down with mineral water from their Rosendale Mines in New York. The barrels from each blend hail from distilleries in Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Widow Jane boasts a captivating nose of fresh cherries, orange oil, mature oak, and milk chocolate paired with more unique notes like waxy plums, coconuts, and pears.
Palate: Immediately, you’ll notice that this is a really rich whiskey that punches way above its modest proof point. That exceptional mouthfeel brings a complex web of all the notes above, with the red cherries, chocolate milk, and coconut aspects featuring most prominently across the palate while maple candy and cinnamon creep in more subtly.
Finish: Again defying its modest proof point is the finish, which lingers for quite a while, leaving mature oak and milk chocolate with a touch of plum on the palate, priming you for your next sip.
Bottom Line:
Widow Jane’s flagship expression might be under the radar for specific consumers who swear by the singular superlativeness of Kentucky bourbon. Those people standing are in the way of their own joy. As a UPROXX reader, however, you’ve probably seen this one in our “best non-Kentucky bourbons” round-up, so you know by now that Widow Jane is making some excellent stuff. Not only is this bottle undeniably packed with appealing sweet notes, but it’s also dangerously delicious.
2. Basil Hayden Bourbon
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $45
The Whiskey:
Basil Hayden, and its eye-catching bottle, is produced by one of the most well-regarded brands in the whiskey world — Jim Beam. Though the age statement was removed back in 2014, the whiskey in this blend is still believed to be between 6-8 years old.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Buttery croissants and a bit of brown sugar punch through on the nose, making you instantly sit up to recognize how rich they are. A warm vanilla aroma, cola nut, and clove join those notes.
Palate: Gentle oak tones, gooey caramel notes, and more beautiful brown sugar prevail on the palate — each well-defined and coming through as clear as a bell. Those focused flavors come together on a superbly substantive mouthfeel that rewards “chewing” as well as easy-sipping.
Finish: Brown sugar, black pepper, and clove accent the finish, but a bit of space is left for some subtle barrel char.
Bottom Line:
Basil Hayden is an easy-drinking bourbon banger. The bouquet of prototypical bourbon aromas on the nose prepares your senses for the palate’s steady yet unrelenting bounty of sweet-tasting flavor notes. Basil Hayden is already well-known as one of the smoothest bourbons available, and it checks every box from affordability and well-rounded flavor to availability.
1. Woodinville Bourbon
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $38
The Whiskey:
Woodinville Whiskey Co., out of Washington State, has been producing stellar craft bourbon since 2009. Even with the incredible quality they put into their limited edition offerings, you’d be foolish to skip over their flagship offering. Aged for at least five years, Woodinville Bourbon is made entirely with local grains from a mash bill of 72% corn
, 22% rye, and 6% malted barley.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Woodinville Bourbon’s nosing notes offer a surprising array of atypical aromas with a sweet blend of coconut and pineapple, giving it a piña colada vibe at first before maraschino cherries, whipped cream, corn pudding, and a floral aspect begin to emerge out of the glass.
Palate: Milk chocolate with whipped cream and coconut flakes come rushing over the tongue at first with a silky mouthfeel, helping all of those flavors find their footing. As it switches to the mid-palate, there’s some light umami savoriness, crème brulée, and very little burn, which gives this whiskey the “creamy” texture we’re looking for in a smooth bourbon.
Finish: As that creamy texture ends on the brief finish, we’re left with cacao nibs, caramel, and vanilla ice cream flavor.
Bottom Line:
This bottle is impossible to put down. Woodinville has absolutely mastered the ability to extract sweet, milk-chocolate notes from its distillate, and pairing that with alluring accents of coconuts and cherries is what makes this bottle a real standout for sweet sipping. Trust me when I say, this is the ultimate dessert bourbon.